THE BALANCED LIFE NO. 6

Posted on February 10, 2014 by peggylchambers

flier3 color     In keeping with my views on balance this year, I would like to announce a very balanced writing workshop hosted by the Enid Writers’ Club.  We are calling it The Story: A Craft of Writing Seminar and all  area writers are welcome.

It is our hope that The Story, A Craft of Writing Seminar will empower area writers to improve their skills on Saturday, March 1, 2014, on the campus of Northern Oklahoma College in Enid in the Gantz Center, Rooms A-C.  Registration for the seminar will begin at 9:00 and features three keynote speakers as well as other outstanding authors:

NY Times Best-selling Author
Jamie McGuire

“Characters to Love and Love to Hate”

HarperTeen Author
Tara Hudson

“Making Your Fantastical Settling Feel Real”

Pinnacle Western Author
Dusty Richards

“We All Sat in the Front Row without a Book to our Name”

Shawn Holliday, PhD

“Writing Life An Approach to Authoring (Auto)Biographies”

Darlene Shortridge

“Kiss and Tell: Writing Romance for Today’s Christian Market”

Marsha Kay Oldham

“Poetic  Rhythms”

Panel discussion with visiting authors

“The Relevance of Craft”

There will be a catered lunch, book sales, and informal author chat rooms

Registration:  $30 plus lunch;

Half price for students, active duty military and NOC faculty with ID

$25 plus lunch if before 5 p.m., February 15, 2014. 

We’d love for you to join us!!!!!!

See http://enidwriters.com/ for more information as it becomes available.

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THE BALANCED LIFE NO. 5

Posted on February 3, 2014 by peggylchambers

balance (1)    Five years ago I had my second back surgery.  I don’t want to have a third.  Surgery and drugs can really take a toll on your back, legs, nerves, and muscles.  It was afterward that I learned about physical therapy, Pilates and core strength.  Now I attend a class at the YMCA twice a week for core strength and balance.

I’ve learned a lot about the correlation between core strength and balance in my little class at the Y.  My instructor thinks she is a drill sergeant and if you can do one hundred sit ups on the balance ball, she is convinced you can do two hundred next week.

I always thought I lacked balance because of an inner ear problem.  The inner ear does have something to do with balance, but in my case it was because I didn’t depend upon the muscles of my core to take care of me.  They were flabby and out of shape and I never really tried very hard to strengthen them.

I found a great way to cultivate balance is on a balance ball.  These large blow up balls are cheap and a great way to sit and watch TV in the evening forcing you to improve your posture.  They are great for push-ups and sit ups without hurting your back and all the while working the side muscles of the abs at the same time.  Your body has to work extra hard to keep from slipping off the ball while you sit up.

There are also ways to work on your balance doing everyday chores.  For example, stand on one foot while you brush your teeth or cook dinner.  When you drop something small lean over and pick it up with one foot off the floor.  Practice putting your pants on in the morning while standing on one foot and lifting the other to step into the pants instead of sitting down.  Be sure to suck in your belly before you do these moves to protect your back.  Your body will thank you in the long run.  You will be strengthening your legs as well as that flabby core.

Physical balance is important in life as well as mental and emotional balance.  What do you do to improve your physical balance – let’s discuss it.

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THE BALANCED LIFE NO. 4

Posted on January 29, 2014 by peggylchambers

elephant    I’m out of balance again.  But this time it is a good thing.  I’ve been bowled over by the talent I’ve been introduced to by Airship 27 Productions.  My book, The Apocalypse Sucks, will be out shortly.  The two artists that illustrated the inside and the outside of the book have made it look fantastic!  I hope you enjoy their work as much as I have.  Be sure to check out Andy Fish, the color artist that created the cover of the book at www.andyfish.com  and Zachary Brunner the inside illustrator at http://cargocollective.com/zbrunner .

This is the first time I have attempted pulp fiction.  I enjoyed writing this funny little story and it has grown by leaps and bounds since the first night I sat down after a window washer hit the window of my office on the 15th floor.  I think I peed a little!  But really, the story has taken on a life of its own.

I’ve run the story past friends, family, co-workers, and writer’s club members. I’ve taken their ideas and suggestions and crafted what I think is a fun book.   What would you do if you survived a virus that took out most of the world and you were left to live with a co-worker you could not stand to be around?  Sandra and Molly learned not only to live together but to do it with style.

Yes, I am out of balance because I am so excited about the new book and love the artwork that accompanies it.  But it is the kind of imbalance I can live with.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I have.

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THE BALANCED LIFE NO. 3

Posted on January 20, 2014 by peggylchambers

candle flame    I spent Saturday doing absolutely nothing but what I wanted to do.  That meant to balance things out I had to work extra hard on Sunday to finish things.  Cleaning, laundry, shopping all the things you do on the weekend because you work during the week.  I planned the menu and bought the groceries.  Then found out they wouldn’t fit into the frig until it was cleaned out.  Was this what I was thinking about when I said I wanted a balanced life this year?

Not really.  I want to maintain my sanity all the while writing, publishing and marketing my books.  I want to eat a balanced diet, work out when I can, and watch the pounds melt away.  I want to be a good wife, mother, friend and writer.   I want to do this with all the grace I can muster and still bring in a little money from the day job.  You know just in case I don’t make the Best Seller List.

I think I may have to start to meditate if I am going to keep all these balls in the air.  I’ve never done much meditation, but it seemed the Mayo Clinic had a good idea by staring at a candle while you relax and breathe. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2e_p7b4KaQ I visit this website when things get too crazy. It is simple yet effective.  I know that when I try to do it all, I don’t do anything well.  I don’t have time for the activities I have taken on, and then become grumpy and hard to deal with.  I feel I have been pushed into things, when it was my idea to do it in the first place.

Balance.  Is it an attainable goal?  Can I really learn to do all the things in my life that I want and do them justice?  Maybe if I keep my eye on the prize and balance my day, I can balance my life.  It is worth a try. What do you do to bring balance into your life?  Let’s discuss it.

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THE BALANCED LIFE – NO. 2

Posted on January 13, 2014 by peggylchambers

balanced rocks    My self imposed mandated life is already out of balance.  I took on too much again.  But, if I didn’t I wouldn’t be me.  I love constantly being involved in things, and then I get overwhelmed.

First on my list of great things to do are two new books.  And I can’t wait! They are both at the publisher and being prepared for release sometime this year.  That means that they are going through the edit process and one of them is with the artist for illustrations. Check out Zachary Brunner at http://cargocollective.com/zbrunner.

I signed a contract with The Wild Rose Press http://wildrosepublishing.com to publish “Secrets of Sandhill Island” – a great mainstream thriller novel about a woman who lives as a hermit on an island off the coast of Texas.  I can’t wait for its release, and I sat down last night going over potential covers.  How fun is that?

The second book is being published by Airship 27 http://robmdavis.com/Airship27Hangar/index.airshipHangar.html and is called “The Apocalypse Sucks.”  It is a dark dystopian comedy set in the future.  A virus has wiped out most of humanity and mutations have taken place.  Scary, huh?  Not really, I mean if you can’t make fun of the apocalypse, what can you make fun of?

My local writing club is hosting a workshop on March 1st in Enid called “The Story” and I have jobs to do for that seminar. Check out our website for more information, http://enidwriters.com/  We are six weeks away, so the pressure is on.

I have entries due for the OWFI contest and I am polishing them with help from my writers’ club.

And then there is the day time job.

So, what to do? What to do?  I had to get organized and at the same time cut myself some slack. First I decided that the critique group scheduled to meet at my home would be moved to a local coffee house.  That way I didn’t have to clean off the bar and make snacks. No, I’m not lazy, I’m overwhelmed!

Second I called a good friend and asked her if she would make reservations for our hotel room for the convention.  I had earlier said I would do it. And of course she graciously agreed. (Thank you Bobbie!)

Organization and a change of venue seemed to be the way to go for me to get back in balance.  I have a lot of balls in the air.  But as I said, that is how I like it.  Am I balanced?  Hard to tell, but I love what I am doing and that in its self is a type of balance.  Finding the exact recipe for loving what you do and at the same time doing what you have to do is my quest this year.  What is yours?

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THE BALANCED LIFE – NO. 1

Posted on January 6, 2014 by peggylchambers

Balance    I lifted the copper bowl with the decorative balls inside; a decoration that sat on the wine rack in the kitchen.  It shifted.  Unbalanced, I almost dropped the marble ball on my foot.  Who would put one marble ball in a bowl with two lightweight resin balls?  Me?  Who else decorated the kitchen?

The reason for the moving of all the decorative items was that my kitchen floor was unbalanced.  A crack ran the length of the kitchen and breakfast nook and it had to be fixed.  The concrete slab had begun to tear through the sheet vinyl, and once the floor was lifted three-quarters of an inch, new floor covering had to go down.   All the furniture and appliances had to be moved out of the way for the onslaught.  And then my budget had to be re-balanced after the expenses.   All this moving and cleaning made me realize how unbalanced my life had become.  Not just physically, but emotionally, and spiritually.

I am at times an insomniac.  On those nights I can’t sleep, I read.  (Sometimes I write but that doesn’t help me relax it me, it just revs me up more.)   Sitting alone in the dark living room with only a reading lamp, I read the January 2014 issue of “Real Simple” magazine (www.realsimple.com).  This issue was dedicated to “How to Live the Balanced Life”. In Marjorie Ingall’s article “Balance or Bust” she researched her life over a thirty day period facing the fact that she was out of balance.  She attempted to determine what was necessary and what was not.  Where could she cut herself some slack, and where could she do better.

My blog last year attempted fifty-two new things to try.  This year my blog will look at balance in my life and the world around me.  Is your life out of balance?  Do you try to do too much, or are you in that “deer in the headlights” mode where you do nothing when you know you should?  What is important to you and your life, family, career, and loves? Let’s explore balance together and see what we find.

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GLOME’S VALLEY ON SALE FOR $.99!

Posted on December 27, 2013 by peggylchambers

Glome's Valley Cover    IT’S AN AFTER CHRISTMAS SALE and you don’t even have to leave the comfort of your home to get it!  My book, Glome’s Valley, is available on Kindle for the next seven days for only $.99 (usually $4.99).

Are the kids bored now that Christmas is over and they’re not back in school?  My “Peter Pan” type novella is just what they need.  Glome’s Valley is set in southeast Oklahoma at the Heavener Runestone http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heavener_Runestone.

Vikings in Oklahoma?  Ethan and his dad go to Heavener to read the ancient runestone and Ethan finds a lot more than just rocks to consume his days.  He thought he would be bored on this trip and misses his friends back home, but he quickly makes new ones.

At first, Ethan couldn’t believe his new friend was a ghost, but it opened a whole new world of possibilities to an otherwise dull summer.  He soon found there were other creatures living in the valleys near the stone – energetic fairies, beautiful wood nymphs, smelly trolls – and they all had stories to tell.  While his father tried to solve the mysteries surrounding the Heavener Runestone, Ethan was solving his own mysteries and exploring the surrounding valleys.

The Festival of the Full Moon was right around the corner and Ethan and his new friends had to rescue Hilda from her flowery prison before the trolls came for her.  Loki and his mischief finally made Ethan’s father summon Thor with the app on his phone that converted ancient Futhark into English.

When your son gets lost in the forest of southeastern Oklahoma and you are trying to decipher the ancient words on the Heavener Runestone, there’s an app for that.  Glome’s Valley is a pre-teen fantasy book e-published and available at Amazon.com for the Kindle, IPad, Ipod, Iphone, Android Smart Phone or PC.   Check it out.  You and your children might enjoy it!

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LUCKY THIRTEEN – FIFTY-TWO NEW THINGS TO DO IN 2013: NO. 48

Posted on December 23, 2013 by peggylchambers

Christmas wine    Christmas is almost upon us.  Is your shopping done?  Have you finished your baking?  Have you told your friends and family that you love them?  Have you remembered the true meaning of Christmas?

My daughter agreed to host the family dinner on Christmas Eve at her house (thank you!) so that means I won’t have to.  It’s not that I don’t love company, but it is a lot of work and I guess I am just getting old and tired.  I’ll bring food and help clean up afterwards.  We all will.

As usual, I have too much to do during the holidays, but I have a warm home and a family that loves me.  I have it all.  The winter storm that blew through Oklahoma Friday and Saturday did little to Enid.   footprints

I heard on TV that there were power outages on the east side of town but it didn’t affect us.  We ate chili, made cookies, drank hot tea and watched a movie; a rare day in the house with just my husband and dog.  We were warm and snug.  Thankfully the storm was not as bad as forecast.  Not everyone was so lucky.

Now that we are thawing out, I’ll do a bit of writing – maybe more than a bit.  One of the wonderful things about being a writer is you can write anytime you have a moment.  Writers always have ideas swimming around in their heads just dying to get out.

I hope your Christmas will be warm.  I hope you eat too much (even fudge and cookies).  But most of all, I hope you experience love and the reason for the season.  Merry Christmas to you and yours.

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LUCKY THIRTEEN – FIFTY-TWO NEW THINGS TO DO IN 2013: NO. 47

Posted on December 16, 2013 by peggylchambers

Christmas tree    Several years ago I got rid of half of the Christmas decorations I had in the attic.  Seriously there were six plastic tubs of things I kept for years.  I gave three of the tubs to my daughter and gave her the opportunity to take what she wanted.  Then I donated the rest to Hope Outreach http://www.hopeoutreach.org/ .  I got a skinny tree and cut my decorations in half.  And it felt good.  This year I got all the baubles down from the attic.  Three tubs, a box with the tree, and one box.  I still didn’t put all of them up.  I have seen them for so long, I just had to quit.  I couldn’t do it anymore.

I’m not the Grinch – even though my husband loves him.  But really!  Why do I have all this stuff?  I love Christmas, but I really don’t love all the clutter that happens when I put up the decorations anymore.  Have I finally grown up?  Am I just tired?  Maybe I have finally come to grips with what Christmas is all about without all the glitter.  And maybe that is okay.

Then I wrapped the presents.  That was when I decided I needed a bigger tree.    Christmas tree II Or maybe just one that has a bigger area to put presents under.  Oh good grief.  Here I go again! Is there any cure for the Christmas decoration disease I have contracted? I may be addicted.  I don’t hate decoration clutter; maybe I just need a change.

How is your tree this year?  Do you love it or are you already prepared to take it down?

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Weatherization of Your Home for Winter

Posted on December 9, 2013 by peggylchambers

cold weather    Weatherization of your home can you help you save on your energy bills winter and summer.  Wrap your hot water heater with an insulated blanket made for that purpose to help keep the warm water warm.  Extra insulation in the attic prevents the heat from rising up and out.  You can also insulate your walls on the outside of your home before siding, or install blown-in foam insulation that requires a small hole in existing siding that is covered and then painted so the hole won’t show afterwards. Caulking around doors and windows keeps the heat in and the cold north wind out.    caulking

A simple and inexpensive idea on a cold but sunny winter day is to open the blinds and drapes and let the sunshine in!  Passive solar energy is free and helps lift your mood as well as keeping a little money in your pocketbook.   Keep them closed on cloudy days to help keep the cold from coming through the glass.  New energy efficient windows are also great to keep the cold and heat out depending on the time of year.

Check out OG&E’s Weatherization Program at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9nRgJ_xrn8

If you need help with weatherization, OG&E has a Weatherization Assistance Program to aid eligible customers.  Go to http://oge.com/residential-customers/save-energy-and-money/EnergyEfficiency/Pages/Weatherization.aspxto see if you qualify.

OG&E can help you find out where your energy is leaking.  Call for an energy audit and follow the suggestions to make your home more energy efficient. http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=home_improvement.hm_improvement_index

OG&E has many new ideas to reduce your energy consumption like SmartHours, myOGpower and their Home Energy Efficiency Program (HEEP).  Just go to http://oge.com/environment/EnergyEfficiency/Pages/EnergyEfficiency.aspx and check out the new ideas for consuming less energy and saving money. And be sure to follow them on Twitter @OGandE or like them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/OGEpower.

Compensation for this post was provided by OG&E.  Opinions expressed here are my own.

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