Quote of the day

“Talent is cheaper than table salt. What separates the talented individual from the successful one is a lot of hard work.” --Stephen King

Don't be afraid to show your love

In honor of Valentine's Day:

If you had 60 seconds, one moment, to say something to a loved one, what would it be?

“I love you.”
“I’m glad you’re a part of my life.”
“You make me happy.”
“I’m proud of the person you’ve become.”
“You make life fun.”
“Sometimes I say things I don’t mean.”
“It’s crazy, I know, but I just had to call and say hello.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Thank you for helping me.”
“You can do it.”
“I believe in you.”
“Just yesterday I was telling my friends how much you mean to me, and I realized I should be telling you.”
“Being your mom is the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”
“I know I sometimes fail you as a parent, but I’m doing the best I can.”
“Like you, I have a lot to learn. Isn’t it great we’re growing and learning together?”
“Life’s not always happy, but I’m here to help you when it’s not.”
“We can get through this — together.”
“Learn from your failures. They are the building blocks of success.”
“Be the best you can be.”
“When I learned I was going to be a dad, I was scared. But then you came and I was like, ‘I can do this.’ And I am doing it. And I’m glad.”
“Your smile makes me smile.”
“I won’t always be able to prevent you from falling, but I’ll be there to help you get up.”
“My life is better because you are in it.”
“I really do love you.”
To say all these things takes 60 seconds. How many seconds do you spend each day saying even one of them?

These, folks, are moments that matter, little things that mean a lot.

The moment we tell our children they are wanted and loved.

The moment we admit our shortcomings.

The moment we say I’m sorry or I messed up or forgive me.

Each night, I share several seconds with my teenage sons that make up one of the most important moments of my day. Before I head to bed, I go into their rooms and tell each of them how much I love them. They put up with my hugs and kisses mostly because they know it makes me feel good. They understand that if I die in my sleep, the last words I want to have spoken to them is “I love you.”

I doubt if this nightly moment means as much to them as it does to me. But I also know if a night passed and I didn’t do this, they would probably wonder what was wrong.

My hope is that as they grow older and have families of their own, they’ll feel comfortable sharing similar moments with their children. I want them to love and not to be afraid of showing their love. To feel and not to be afraid of expressing their feelings. To be the kind of husbands and fathers I know they can be.

And I hope that this nightly moment is leading the way, that it matters not just for the present but for a lifetime.

Grammy Awards minute list

In honor of the 53rd annual Grammy Awards, here's a minute list challenge. You know the rules. Copy and paste the list into comments and describe each item using only one word. Mine are in ( )'s. You get no more than one minute.

Voice (sultry)
Bling (gaudy)
Dress (revealing)
Mic (broken)
Tux (black)
Champagne (pink)
Limo (dark)
Set (colorful)
Evening bag (sequin)
Shoes (shiny)

Valentine's Day minute list

We haven't done a minute list in some time. So, here goes. You peeps know the rules. You copy and paste the list into comments and describe each item using only one word. Mine are in ( )'s. Shouldn't take more than a minute. Have fun.

Heart (Broken)
Valentine (sweet)
Chocolate (bitter)
Cupid (determined)
Love (puppy)
Diamond (cloudy)
Dinner (cheap)
Candy (homemade)
Lipstick (red)
Strawberries (chocolate-covered)
Roses (fragrant)
Kiss (sloppy)

Quote of the day

"The only thing that I have done that is not mitigated by luck, diminished by good fortune, is that I persisted. And other people gave up." - Harrison Ford

Post to check out

My writer friends might be interested in checking out this post on my social media blog. And if you aren't following that blog, I'd love to have you along for the ride. Have a super writing-editing-revising-dreaming-up-new-things-kind-of-day!

Quote of the day

"Believe in love. Believe in magic. Hell, believe in Santa Claus. Believe in others. Believe in yourself. Believe in your dreams. If you don't, who will?" -- Jon Bon Jovi

I so agree. You?

Good news for debutant writers

Did you see this story about debutant writers? It's good news for the first novelist.

Quote of the day

"There were days when I wondered if I was a glutton for punishment or simply delusional. However, my writing must have been improving because one day I found myself with three agents interested in my latest manuscript." --Lois Winston

Do you relate to her feelings of "glutton for punishment" or "delusional" when it comes to your writing?

Describe something you see NOW

In southcentral Pennsylvania, we got hit with an icy mess. When I took the dog out this morning I noticed:

Naked trees dressed in ice.

A world encased in an icy cocoon.

Icy fingers dripping from the berry bush.

Describe in one sentence what your saw outside your door today wherever you live.

Happy Groundhog Day

What if you were stuck in a time loop? In "Groundhog Day," arrogant TV weatherman Phil Connors (Bill Murray) is forced to repeat Feb. 2, the day of his much-hated, annual assignment covering the Groundhog Day festivities in Punxsutawney. Every morning, the same song plays on Phil's alarm, and Groundhog Day happens again -- with no one realizing it except for Phil. What day would you like to repeat?

Quote of the day

“A writer is, after all, only half his book. The other half is the reader and from the reader the writer learns.” --P. L. Travers

Do you agree with this quote?