Time Out for Women Comes Full Circle

Early in November I attended the Phoenix "Time Out for Women" hosted by Deseret Book. I was also there on assignment and wrote an article about it for the Deseret News, which AP (Associated Press) picked up and from there KTAR (a local Phoenix station) picked it up and posted it on their website because it was a local event. Pretty cool!!!

Here are the links to my article: Time Out for Women comes full circle ending its 2012 tour in Phoenix where it began 10 years-ago ~ Deseret News, posted Tuesday, Nov. 6th and also in their print edition of the paper on Thursday, Nov 8th, 2012, Section C, Page 5 

And here is KTAR's website link to my article ~ I had a blast!! Fun assignment. Here are some of the pics - there are 11 photos on the Deseret News site, mostly of presenters (and I'm in a few).

    Friday evening Heidi Swinton spoke on "Seeking the Savior." 
     She is an author and screenwriter whose works include the PBS
  documentaries "American Prophet," "Sacred Stone," 
"Sweetwater Rescue,"Trail of Hope" and "America’s Choir." 
          She wrote President Thomas S. Monson's biography, "To the Rescue."

Chris Williams spoke on the power of
forgiveness. He is the author of  "Let it Go." 

While I was there I reconnected with friends I had not seen in awhile. In this case, Linda de Azevedo is someone I had not seen since I left my home ward, Studio City Ward, Burbank Stake (now the North Hollywood California Stake), to go to BYU. She is from Salt Lake City and came to watch her daughter, Julie de Azevedo Hanks, give one of the presentations.

         It's always fun to run into people you 
         know at Time Out for Women - 
         here are two ward member friends, 
         Kelly Merrill and Heather Roche

They brought all of the presenters out on stage the first evening to give a little "blurb" about what they would be speaking and/or singing about. 
        
               (Didn't get a very good pic of it).

Anthony Sweat. Sweat is an author and Church Educational System presenter/educator.

It was a lot of fun and even this ol' brain that's been around for quite awhile got some great ideas to help improve my life. Next year - let's all go... who has a BUS????

I Want to Dance with a Boy!! (redux)

When you come to someone's blog - you never know what you might find. I have a few favorites and since my recent article has caused several new viewers to show up and I thought it would be fun to share a couple of my favorites: Hope you enjoy "I Want to Dance With a Boy" ~ it's cute, fun and has a quite a lesson taught by a 3-year-old girl.

"I Want to Dance with a Boy!"

Our precious and precocious granddaughter, Taylor (Kaci’s daughter), is a constant source of many funny and delightful experiences and comments. At the tender age of 3 (she turned 7 in April) she attended her first “Ball”… it was the “Colonial Ball” held at the school I was teaching at every February. She even wore her “princess dress.” 
  


On the way to the dance, Taylor made it very clear to us that it was her wish to “dance with a boy.” We told her she could dance with grandpa but no, she wanted to “dance with a boy.” Her mind was made up.

Taylor’s eyes lit up with excitement as we entered the school’s multipurpose room that had been transformed for the night. She was impatient about getting her dance so I found a very fine young man, about 14 years old (we were a K-12 campus) and asked him if he would dance with my granddaughter. He was so sweet. He smiled, squatted down to her level, spoke to her for a moment, took her hand and escorted her to the dance floor. Holding both of her hands, they swayed back and forth in some fashion of a two step and then he turned her around a couple of times. Before the song was over, she walked away and came over to where Jim and I were sitting, “Grandma, I need a smaller boy.” 


I found one of my students, a very handsome 7-year-old named William. I introduced him toTaylor, informing him that this was my granddaughter and she wanted to dance. He said, “OK,” and they were off to the dance floor. Taylor smiled from ear to ear as she danced with her “prince.”


Taylor made many friends that night and had a marvelous time. When the Hokey Pokey began, she watched from the sidelines with us. It looked like too much fun to just stand there so she simply joined the others, squeezed into an available spot and began to copy the actions of the other dancers.



Taylor may be young, but she is fearless, determined, and bright and she intends to get what she’s after. She knew exactly what she wanted before she ever entered the dance. When what I offered her was not what she wanted, she clearly made it known what she needed, “a smaller boy.” She’s no wall-flower and I pray her attitude never changes.

There is much we can all learn from Taylor: Know what you want and have a clear mission statement about it: “I want to dance with a boy.” Don’t quit until you get what you want, even if it means making adjustments (“a smaller boy”). Don’t stand on the sidelines of life, walk right over to where the action is … and dance!

Taylor today - age 7

Na Na November!!

So, November is busy month for writers who want to make themselves a little crazy!!

It's "National Novel Writing Month"~ NaNoWriMo ~ the goal is to write a 50,000 word novel in 30 days, by the end of November. The RULE here is that you have to be working on a totally NEW novel.

So, for those of you who want the challenge of a monthly goal but want to continue writing your WIP (work-in-progress), you can do so with ANWAWrite. Although it is sponsored by American Night Writers Association (which I have been a member of for 23 years), you do not have to be a member to do ANWAWrite - they have a "BIAM" (Book in a Month) goal each November. The rules are more lax: you can work on something you have already started and set your own word count goal. However, you CANNOT EDIT that work during the month. If this one interests you - it is done by email - anyone can join in - no fees or memberships required. Just sign up at: ANWA Write Yahoo Group ~ Report as often as you can, cheer the others on, and write!

There is also a National YOUNG writers program National Novel Writing Month site: YWP NaNoWriMo ~ complete with prompts and helps

Then, there is "National Blog Posting Month" ~ NaBloPoMo ~ the goal is to post something on your blog every day during November (I'm thinking this might work for me - even though I am writing this on Nov. 2 and PLAN TO POST IT AS NOV 1st - so, not REALLY cheating, just a slow starter... hee hee ~ but the one time I managed to post EVERY day on my blog was in April of this year when I hosted a Poem a Day challenge for "National Poetry Month"). So, we'll see how I do.

"Picture Book Idea Month" ~ PiBoIdMo ~ the challenge here is to create 30 picture book ideas in 30 days during November.

Not to be outdone, the National Association of Memoir Writers uses the month of November for their "Memoir Writing" month; celebrating "National Life Writing Month" and "Write Nonfiction" to parallel the National Novel Writing Month  ~ here is the link to their website: National Association of Memoir Writers

There are plenty of people and groups doing a "Gratitude Month" where you journal about and/or post on your social media site or blog, something that you are grateful for each day in November. This one seems like a no-brainer for the month we celebrate Thanksgiving.

November 1st is always "National Authors' Day" and "National Family Literacy Day" - both worthy days. 

So, whether you feature yourself as a writer or not, everyone has a story to tell. Find a way to use this outside motivation and give it a shot!! You might wind up on the best seller list. Who knows?

Enjoy!! And .... WRITE WRITE WRITE!!

Day 15 ~ “What if . . . I might” Poem

This is a poem that will get you thinking of many possibilities; some thoughtful, others silly, some adventurous, or even fanciful. Let your imagination go or reach deep into your heart. 

Fill in the blanks any way you want – changing the words you can create dozens of poems. (Be sure to see the link to a poem creation site for this style).*

Line #1:  What if ____________________________
Line #2:  I might ____________________________

(leave a space between lines 2 & 3)
 

Line #3:  What if ____________________________
Line #4:  I could _____________________________

(leave a space between lines 4 & 5)

Line #5:  What if ____________________________
Line #6:  I would_____________________________

(leave a space between lines 6 & 7)
 

Line #7:  Ask a question.

* Here is a terrific ONLINE “What if” poem creator:"What if - - - I might" poem creator site

Go to the link, look at the sample, and then fill in your own words in the blanks. When you have it the way you want, click “Create My What If Poem Now” and your poem will appear on a new screen. You can copy & paste it into a document, (you will have to space it according to the outline above). Then date it and put your name to it and then you can post it for all of us to see. 

Have fun!!

HERE ARE MY EXAMPLES - for what they're worth :)

The first one is silly: 

What if I danced in the rain?

I might get a little bit wet.

What if I sang at the top of my lungs?

I could land a singing contract, I bet.

What if I went back inside and sat down?

I would never know what I might do.

I wonder, would you be so bold, if it were you?

                                      © 2011 Stephanie Abney

This one is more serious:

What if I listened very carefully to the spirit?
I might be surprised at what I hear.

What if the Lord has plans I'm not ready for?
I could try to pretend I didn't hear them.

What if I listened and obeyed?
I would be more use to His children.

Do you think I'm that strong?

        © 2011 Stephanie Abney