A Blog of Random Brain Excretions by a Smiling Writer

Incredible Voice: Introducing a Friend of Mine

2012-03-22T11:42:00.003-07:00

I was fortunate to be introduced to an incredibly talented vocalist, Monique DeMoulin. A few months ago, an old friend, Stephen Oachs of the Aperture Academy, wrote me and asked if I would consider writing a bio for a friend of his (Monique). In the course of learning more about her for her bio, we have become good friends, and I have become a huge fan! I just fell in love with her voice and admire her talent, and skills! As I said, she's become a good friend and I'm helping her update her website and do a little online marketing/social networking, which I always enjoy!

I don't usually post press releases on my blog, but since I wrote this one, and it's for my friend, I wanted to share it with you all, and introduce you to Monique and her sublime voice! I hope you'll check out her songs at her YouTube and iTunes pages! (And follow her on Twitter (@mosinger66) and her Facebook page, too!) I'm a huge fan, and I suspect that once you hear her sing, you'll become a fan, too!

PRESS RELEASE

Vocalist Monique DeMoulin's Newest Released Single, "It Wasn't Me," Is Her Second Song By The Legendary Jim Weatherly

Monique DeMoulin's music career is catching fire, and she credits her Grammy-winning producer, Bill Hare, and the support of Jim Weatherly ("Midnight Train to Georgia" and "Neither One Of Us"), who offered her his original song, her new hit, "It Wasn't Me."

San Jose, CA–March 22, 2012–Monique DeMoulin, the independent recording artist, performer and songwriter, is proud to share her newest single release, "It Wasn't Me," available on iTunes. This quickly growing hit is an original and previously unrecorded song by the incomparable Jim Weatherly. The single was produced by Grammy award winning producer, Bill Hare.

Monique has an especially deep affection for her newest release. She said, "One of the seminal moments of my career was when Jim [Weatherly] contacted me after hearing my release of his song, 'You're The Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me.' His kindness and support meant a great deal to me. Imagine recording a song that has a deep meaning to you, and then having the creator of that classic masterpiece call you and say he loved how you treated his work! And it got better when he offered me one of his unreleased songs for my next single! When I heard, 'It Wasn't Me,' I fell in love with it, the depth of the message touched me. And I put all of this journey and my feelings into it! I recently heard from Jim again, this time to congratulate me on the new release, and give it a big stamp of approval. How does it get any better than that?"

Monique's career spans 30 years as a recording artist and songwriter. She recently formed The Monique DeMoulin Band and they are thrilling Bay area clubs with current pop tunes and her own original songs, all delivered with the distinctive "Monique spin." She has returned to the recording studio, and is currently working on three exciting projects: writing original songs with San Francisco producer, Nancy McGinnis; arranging and recording with singer/songwriter Lorenzo Soto; and lending her voice to producer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Catherine Delgadillo of Scotts Valley on her personal project.

To learn more about Monique, her music and availability, or to contact her, please visit her website at http://www.MoniqueDeMoulin.com.

About Monique DeMoulin:

Born in Palo Alto, California, Monique has over 30 years in the music and performance industry. It began in high school, where she formed her first band with Bill Hare (who is now her producer). In 1983, she took first place in the Miss Teen California pageant for her talent. At Sierra Nevada College in Incline Village, Nevada, she studied music and vocal performance, and received the Jim Paris and Bank of America music scholarships.

After college, she raised five children, while working for various producers in the San Francisco Bay area, writing lyrics for their artists, as well as writing her own original songs. In June 2010, Monique released her first single, "Have I Told You," an original song written about her young son, which topped the charts on cdbaby™, making it to #1 in the smooth Jazz category and #2 in the adult contemporary category. A few months later, she released, "What Makes You Stay." Her second single also topped the cdbaby charts as #1 in downloads in the Vocal Pop category.

In early 2011, she formed the Monique DeMoulin Band, featuring current pop tunes, as well as her own original work. July 2011, she released her stunning version of "You're The Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me," the famous classic written by Jim Weatherly. In February 2012, she released, "It Wasn't Me," a second song by legendary Jim Weatherly.

Monique currently resides in San Jose, California, with her 11-year old son, Chance, where she continues to record, perform, write and sing as only she can… giving it her sublime "Monique spin."
Website: http://www.MoniqueDeMoulin.com
iTunes: http://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/monique-demoulin/id412669997
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Monique-DeMoulin/202279973163997
Twitter: https://twitter.com/mosinger66

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Merry Christmas Wish - 12/25/11

2011-12-25T21:58:00.000-08:00

‎'Twas the arrival of Christmas, and all through the day, there was laughter and smiles and joys, no delays. The stockings and ornaments were only icing this season, because our hearts are so full of love and The Reason.

I wish you all the same glow of spirit, knowing the fullness of life and love so apparent. From those we hold close, the most special and dearest, may you always feel more cherished than any material presents.

As this Christmas ends and fades into night, may the goodness and magic never leave your sight... Merriest Christmases of all, and to all a good life!

© 2011 Cherie' C. Davidson all rights reserved

Another Blog by a Smiling Writer

2011-07-16T14:40:00.000-07:00

I've done it again. Gotten a bee in my bonnet, as a friend would say, and started a new blog. Where the time will come from to keep it going is still a mystery, but try I will!

For a couple years now I've really delved into natural, whole foods, and pursued information on real organic foods and the organic label. From this interest, I developed a passion for understanding the whole food for healing concept, and I've been learning a great deal. It's fascinating!

Some of you know that I was diagnosed with stage 2 cancer in 2006, and through that experience I began learning about the importance of hormone balance. I had an estrogen-based cancer, and learned that women hold excess estrogen in their fat cells. Since that discovery, I have been learning the connection between wholesome foods, hormone health, and the devastating and debilitating effects of so many of today's food additives, preservatives and artificial flavorings.

And all that has brought me to this new blog, Healthy Edibles - Delicious Victuals. Although I've learned a lot about the aforementioned subjects, I don't pretend that I know enough to teach anyone. However, I would love to share some of my knowledge and experiences in the best way I know how... through humor and my writing.

I've written movie and book reviews for many years, and now I'm planning on melding my skill with my passion for healthy, healing foods. Thus the new blog! Healthy Edibles - Delicious Victuals will be a place for me to post personal reviews and endorsements of really good, healthy and healing foods and drinks that taste great...I won't sacrifice taste and enjoyment of food and beverages for health, or vice versa, any longer, and none of us should!

So, I hope you will join me over at Healthy Edibles - Delicious Victuals, and share your thoughts and opinions with us all! Once the blog reaches 100 members/subscribers, I will begin product giveaways and drawings...so please sign up for the blog posts, become a member, and let's have some fun, discover new and great foods -- and get healthy at the same time!

P.S.
You can also follow me on Twitter at @FunFoodReviews.

Announcing Life, Love... Grins & Giggles

2011-05-25T08:28:00.000-07:00

I am excited to announce that I am in the progress of writing and putting together an ebook called, Life, Love... Grins & Giggles!

I've been writing since the 1980s, making a living as a writer and editor since the 1990s, and I've decided that it's time to write and publish my first ebook on Kindle. It's in progress, and I hope you'll follow along on the journey and give me your feedback.

You can read more about it by clicking the tab above, or visit my new Facebook Page and follow along on the progress, get inside peeks and leave me feedback and your comments. Hope you'll visit Facebook and "Like" Life, Love... Grins & Giggles!

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-17T19:47:00.000-08:00

It's Christmas time again,

Filled with trees, smiles and grins

And greetings so warm,

With homes all adorned

Expressing the joys of the season.

With this card

I'm sending my wishes

For a memorable Christmas

Filled with holiday dishes…

Glasses brimming with joy,

Platters heaping with dreams,

Plates overfilled with memories

That make the heart beam.

Have a warm, wonderful Christmas and a blessed, exciting 2011!

© 2010 Cherie' C. Davidson All rights reserved

Mother, Mentor, Friend - Mother's Day Tribute

2010-04-16T20:22:00.000-07:00

This is about my Mom, and it is for my Mom. A very special woman, a real lady, and a true friend. Happy Mother's Day...

She was always very busy. Whether she was hanging freshly washed sheets out on the sun-drenched clothesline, feeding table scraps to the hungry neighborhood strays, mending our well-worn school clothes or baking her famous drippy-gooey cinnamon rolls, she was never idle. With four young children to raise, she had no time for boredom and no opportunities for loneliness. She had a deliberate way of filling every minute and every day with meaning, rich experience and warm memory.

As the eldest of her four children, I can see that we each had a special, equal yet individual, part of this very young, beautiful wife and mother. We felt secure and knew beyond doubt that we would never be neglected or forgotten. She was always within a safe distance, and never hovered possessively. One of her gifts was knowing where that fine line was between support and suffocation, and she was careful not to cross it.

There were times she would almost magically appear when we needed her. Ready and available with her calming presence, unspoken support and formidable strength. Her "sixth sense" guided her to us every time we needed her most.

She was born to be a mother. At eighteen years of age she began fulfilling her destiny, giving her a clear and unwavering purpose in life. Motherhood was her special "calling" and her obvious gift. She realized this at the moment of my birth.

We were blessed to have her in our lives. We were her focus, her world. Our survival, health, happiness and maturity were her daily concerns. She wanted her children to grow to be well-adjusted, honorable, happy adults. To grow up feeling a sense of responsibility, pride and self-respect, respecting God and country.

She deeply believed that responsibility, a realistic viewpoint toward life, compassion, flexibility and a deep, optimistic sense of humor were the best defenses against all that life would throw in our way. She lived her principles with a charming, self-effacing sense of humor. She gave us a firm and stable foundation on which to build our adult future selves. And I am grateful.

Depending on her was a very easy, natural thing to do. Her melting smile and nurturing hugs contained the magic to make the whole world better instantly. Compassion and tender mercy radiated from her much like the warming rays that flow from a summer sun.

She was an alert student of human nature, and she learned at an early age how cruel life could be. Instead of mourning her lost childhood she turned the bitter memories into cautionary lessons for her own children. She remained a realist with a romantic's soul and looked at life directly, honestly. She taught us these precious things through example and gentle, yet firm, direction.

Her capacity for empathy was uncommon. She was so filled with inherent kindness and sweetness that she warmed anyone who spent time with her. And whenever we were separated, there remained a lingering, comforting fragrance of memory.

She had the tenacity of a pit bull with the grace and manners of a show-quality purebred collie... but anyone who threatened her children saw the fierce lioness always prepared to protect her young. She would smile at this description, flattered because of her deep love and admiration of animals and nature.

There always seemed to be a sparkle in her eyes, as if she glowed from somewhere very deep inside. Even during painful or harsh times her sparkle would bubble just below the surface, ready to burst into a warm, iridescent glow. Her soul cracked with the spark of those who know how to survive life with a smile in their hearts.

She had a marvelous way of instilling these values in us, providing us with a sense of pride and loyalty that we still use and treasure. Learning from her was an exciting, entertaining, interesting and fulfilling time of my life--it was my childhood.

Reflecting back all those years ago, I remember the painful times, financial hardships, losses, tragedies and struggles. However, even with the bad times--maybe because of them--her presence, her lessons taught so much. I am able to savor every memory knowing that everything she taught me will benefit and sustain me all through my life...and in honor of her, I pass these lessons on to those who touch my life.

I treasure every day we spent together. Even now, though we live many miles apart, we are still making memories. Not as parent to child, but woman to woman. Friend to friend. I have been blessed knowing that my mother, my mentor, will always be my friend.

Barnaby Creek

2010-04-11T14:00:00.001-07:00

Barnaby Creek
Originally uploaded by Cherie Davidson

While sitting in this place, I remembered something a dear friend sent me the other day that really touched me...this is exactly how I felt looking at this beautiful place, smelling the dampness, the scents of early spring, listening to the peacefulness of nature and the sound of the gentle creek...

Although I had to work...
Some have no job…....

I never got my waffles………
Some have no food….

I got to watch it rain…..
Some have no window…....

I heard a great song……
Some hear no music…......

I talked with a great friend…
Some know not the meaning….....

I got to dream…. about someplace I have never been….
Some never dream…..

So for me, I can say,
I had a good day……. in fact, make it a great day.....

I, too, had a great day...

W. E. - Two Letters That Mean So Much (A Poem)

2010-03-29T12:59:00.000-07:00

Two letters, quiet and unassuming.
Each one, on its own, becomes a piece of the bigger puzzle,
Of bigger, very important words,
Of words that can change opinions, actions, even history itself.

W
E

The first opens up our World.
The second begins Everything.

As with life, one thing, one element, one person
Can open up our World.

As with the heart, one feeling, one emotion, one action
Can begin Everything...

But the magic, the wonder, the blessing comes
When those two letters become a word all their own...

We

Two worlds, two hearts, two lives
Share, blend, combine,
Join in the soul to become one...

Two quiet, unassuming, meaningful souls
Important in their own worlds.

Together, "We" becomes one heart, one mind
In a World where Everything is possible...

© 2010 Cherie' Davidson All rights reserved

Life... It Is What It Is

2010-03-02T18:48:00.000-08:00

It is what it is...
a fact of life I knew,
but have recently stared in the eye.

Friendships we choose,
The way we look,
The things we pursue,
The decisions we make,
The life we’ve lived,
The life we are living...

It is what it is.

The pain from our bad decisions,
The sorrow of lost opportunities,
The hurt of a devastating loss,
The discomfort of being alone...

It is what it is.

The joy of hearing a child’s innocent laugh,
The peace felt while sitting by a river or at the ocean’s shore,
The love of being with someone you respect and adore,
The thrill of living life at high speed,
The pride over a child that has grown into a truly good person,
The warmth felt when you know you’ve made a difference in a friend’s life,
The contentment of a life fully lived...

Realizing that all in life, at this moment,
simply is what it is...

A logical, intelligent, true statement of fact...
Life is what it is.

Accepting life in this way,
Is it facing reality, or embracing complacency?

Life is robust and glorious,
Painful and trying,
Filled with tremendous potential...
So by accepting simply that it is what it is,
Are we doing ourselves an injustice?
Are we sabotaging growth, improvement,
Preventing opportunities for learning to do and be better?

Maybe what has been, is what it is,
But the future, and today... right now...
It is what we decide it to be...
It can be what God wants it to be if we choose that path...
Or it can pass into another day of being simply what it is...

Life is what it is...yesterday.
Life is what you make it...tomorrow.

© 2010 Cherie' Davidson

(This is dedicated to a dear friend with whom I have greatly enjoyed deep, intriguing and fun conversations on life and all its ups, downs and mysteries. Thank you, Dave.)

Past and Present Meet After 30+ Years

2010-01-25T09:42:00.000-08:00

Very recently I received a surprise e-mail. Someone sent me a Facebook friend request, which isn’t unusual in itself. But the name...now, that was more than unusual. It was a name I never thought I’d ever see again.

As I looked at that name, over 30 years rewinded for me in a millisecond. After the cloud of memory cleared from my eyes, I saw his photo in the e-mail message. Yes, those are his eyes, and that is his smile...I knew that face, even though he was 17 the last time I saw it.

With that Facebook request, an amazing journey began. One that few people are fortunate enough to take, and one I never expected in a million years.

We had spent several years riding a school bus together. We lived on the end of the route, so we talked a lot, every day. He sat on the high school side, and I sat on the grade school side, always under the constant vigilance of Clyde, our gruff, eagle-eyed bus driver. We talked about pretty much the same things most teens talked about in the 1970s...everything except that we liked each other. But my little pink diary was filled with thoughts on how much I liked him. He treated me like I was special, and important, and he imprinted a very positive, lifelong impression on my heart.

As happens, life moved on. Two innocent country kids began to grow up, and life parted us. He went off to college, and my family moved out of the area. Years flew by, lives lived, loves found and lost, good times, sad times and some confusing times, but not once in those years did our paths cross. Sure, I asked about him over the years, and when I started working on the Internet, I did a few searches. Nothing. I didn’t expect to find him...besides, he wouldn’t remember me. He was a senior and I was in junior high. I laughed at the thought that he’d ever remember my name.

Until Facebook. “How have you been, you may not remember me...rode that big old yellow school bus with you everyday... How is life??? Would be fun to catch up...”

He remembered me. Amazing. Staring at his strong, mature face, I still saw that boy. Those vibrant eyes and that charming smile. Seeing that name in my e-mail inbox seemed surreal. He just digitally dropped in, through time and space.

Honestly, I was a little nervous. Very happy to find that he remembered my name, but what was he like now? I’d had so many years of this wonderful set of memories entrenched in the fabric of who I am...would knowing who he grew up to be shatter those treasured memories? Would it just be better to keep the memories protected, keep that young girl’s crush safe from reality? That seriously crossed my mind...

However, I need life to be real. I’m a “face it head on and deal with it” person and I need to know truths, not live with pretty illusions...besides, I have an extremely curious nature. So, I clicked to accept this old friend from the past into my current life.

My reply e-mail was probably a lot of babble. I felt a little sorry for him having to read it; must have been pretty silly. The little girl from the past wanted to write all sorts of things, but I kept telling myself, don’t sound like an idiot, don’t say too much, let him tell you some things first...

He wrote back right away. I read his e-mail with a feeling that this isn’t real. This can’t be...but it is. It’s HIM.

For several days we exchanged e-mails, each more fun. They were filled with memories of a hometown, a valley, that we both adore. Catching up on family and friends, where we are in our lives. E-mails filled with humor and cherished, shared memories went on to become chats with more up to date information. We revealed some of our lives, and remarkably, there was no discomfort or uneasiness. We were not two strangers; after all this time, in God's plan, we were never meant to be strangers.

From chats, we crossed over to real life... and one evening the phone rang. I’m telling you, seeing his name on my caller ID, the complete surreal quality hit me again. HIS name and number on my phone. I nervously and excitedly picked up the phone, and I heard his voice. Even though he had a cold, there was a familiarity that settled right in...or was it already established from the chats and e-mails...or from time itself? I don’t know, but we had a laugh-filled call that seemed to mix time and reality in an amazing way. To speak to a childhood sweetheart after all those years...to find out your affection had been returned, and to not feel awkward about it...it was just amazing. (I think I’ve worn out that word!)

We’ve only just been reintroduced, and we are learning about each other’s lives and loves, past and present...and I realized that the relationship we formed in childhood had been one of friendship. A friendship that started in one decade and patiently waited through many decades, to arrive rich and full.

This reunion is a treasured time of my life. Whether we stay in contact, or life separates us yet again, the little girl now knows that boy felt the same way about her...and the woman knows the man is a good friend.

Life is remarkable...simply amazing.

Wishing you all a happy, healthy, wealthy and wise 2010!

2010-01-03T17:48:00.000-08:00

My apologies for such a long quiet spell. I hated missing out on the holiday posts I enjoy so much, but life has been busy, work hours long, and then I enjoyed a wonderfully peaceful vacation. So there's my pitiful excuses.

I don't "do resolutions" but I will try to be better at posting this year...and I have a couple essays by a writing friend I promised to post, so they will be up soon. (For those of you who have read all my posts, you may remember the name, Leslie Miklosy.)

Until I can take the time to be more verbose and pop out some pretty prose, here's a photo of "my girl," Dixie-Doo. She's been home for one year and four days now. We had a swell Christmas and "Welcome Home anniversary," and here's a photo of her smiling contentedly...yes, really, that is a smile curling those little beagly lips!

Happy new year, with wishes and prayers that it's a great one for us all!

Very funny e-mail about Christmas decorations -- still laughing!

2009-12-16T21:48:00.000-08:00

A very cool family member sent me the following e-mail today. I laughed, and the more I thought about it, the more I laughed. It's just one of those things that you fill in all the possible scenarios that go beyond the e-mail message. Or maybe I'm just strange that this gave me buckets of giggles throughout the day. Either way, I'm good with it!

As usual with the e-mails I post, I don't have any clue who the original source is, so if anyone knows, please let us all in on it so we can tell him or her thanks for sharing!

Take a good look at the photo, then scroll down and read the caption/story. And don't sip a beverage while doing so...I'm just sayin'...

“Good news is that I truly out did myself this year with my Christmas decorations. The bad news is that I had to take him down after two days. I had more people come screaming up to my house than ever. Great stories. But two things made me take it down:

First, the cops advised me that it would cause traffic accidents as they almost wrecked when they drove by.

Second, a 55 year old lady grabbed the 75 pound ladder almost killed herself putting it against my house and didn’t realize that it was fake until she climbed to the top (she was not happy). By the way, she was one of the many people who attempted to do that. My yard couldn’t take it either. I have more than a few tire tracks where people literally drove up my yard.”

Blazing Memories: Fall Chill, Sudden Loss, Lifelong Lesson... It was 1971

2009-11-04T22:24:00.000-08:00

Early in my writing career, I wrote an essay about a very meaningful time of my childhood. It was a time of tragedy, by most people's definition, yet, I have positive memories of that October in 1971...and the lesson delivered to my child-soul. A real-life Halloween horror that provided me with a lifelong lesson and sense of appreciation.

Here is that essay, unedited...with all the bumps, bruises and written stumbles that come along with being a new writer...

More Than A Home

On a crisp, late October evening in 1971, I sat hypnotized, watching the largest, hottest, most ferocious fire I have ever seen- and ever hope to see. That night, through the tears, I learned a valuable lesson. The most meaningful memories can be a mixture of good and bad, and loss can leave a gift of appreciation.

Earlier that morning, my two younger brothers were making sure the entire family was up and starting the day. They ran around our rustic, lovely old house, from one spacious room to another, calling out and teasing our baby sister.

Mom had been up for hours, so breakfast was on the table. We all piled into the huge country kitchen and were greeted with the warm, aromatic smell of fresh hotcakes, homemade vanilla syrup, and sizzling, crisp bacon. No one noticed a slightly acrid smell coming from a back bedroom.

We loved our home, but it was something very special to me. It was the greatest house on the planet. There were four huge bedrooms upstairs, one for each of us. The second floor was our domain. It was so great, it even had a pink bathroom containing a mammoth, claw-footed porcelain tub. You could swim laps in that monster.

Directly off the front door, there was a long, half-winding stairway climbing to a large landing, which worked well as a wonderful eavesdropping-on-adults hiding place. We spent many weekends sliding down those stairs in cardboard box "sleds." Our goal being to slide right out the front door, but we could never get enough speed.

She was a great house, but one of her best attributes was her age. Our grand lady was going to celebrate her one hundredth birthday. I can remember so clearly the feel of the highly polished wood floors as we slipped around the corners, "skating" from connected room, to hallway, to next room. The smell of home-baked bread. The nightly sound effects whispering from the aged beams, as if the gracious old girl was lulling us to sleep with her dry, creaking, comforting voice. I remember every square nail, every restored rough-hewn wood panel, every groan in every stairstep.

After breakfast that particular morning, dad went into the back room to check on the old oil stove. It was puffing along, trying to keep us warm. Within moments, we heard dad yell for help. As we ran in, we saw him throwing coffee cups full of water at the wall and ceiling, above the furnace chimney. There was an angry red glowing spot threatening to climb to the adjacent ceiling, which was the floor of the boy's rooms upstairs. It only took a few minutes, and several mugs of cold tap water, and the emergency was declared over. No more hotspot, no more danger. We began preparing for the afternoon Halloween party at church. We forgot all about "the incident."

A few hours later, we all piled into our VW van, and off we went. The party was colorful and festive; and soon after dark, it was time to head home. As we were leaving, some friends asked us to come by for pie and coffee.

Dad thought it was getting rather late for the boys, so he decided to drop them off at home first. However, by the time we had reached the house, our pleading and cajoling (and a little nudging from mom) worked, and he gave in. He decided to let the boys stay with us.

Thank God.

We had been visiting for a short while when we heard fire sirens wailing in the distance. We lived in a rural dairy community, and there were many miles between neighbors. This was an area where people watched out for each other, so when the sirens screamed, everyone became concerned. Quickly, we were gathered up and loaded into the van.

Following friends and neighbors in a convoy of concern, we headed toward the terrible crying of the alarm. The closer we got to our part of the valley, the tighter my stomach knotted. By the time we crested the hill overlooking our beautiful valley, I knew. We all knew.

The incredible glow in the sky couldn't be mistaken. The smoke billowed upward in eerie gray-black pillars, rising high above the brilliant, searing, all-devouring, flames.

We parked across the street and watched through hot, dry, stunned eyes as our home and life turned to ashes in less than seven minutes. All we had left in the world were the handmade costumes we were wearing, and each other. Especially each other.

Later we were told the fire had started in the furnace chimney and had immediately spread upward, engulfing the boys' room and collapsing the second floor. The boys would not have had a chance.

The next morning, at daybreak, we went to see what might remain. All there was left was the brick chimney standing tall in the center of the devastation. Here and there we found little mis-shapen globs of melted glass or what looked like remnants of our old cast-iron cookware.

The only other thing that remained were hundreds of old square nails which had once held together a graceful, sheltering home filled with love. Each nail represented a time, a person, who had shared in the hundred years of memories.

That night I lost the home I loved. We lost all our material possessions, including seven beloved family pets. But, with the loss, I gained something very valuable -the realization that the most precious things we can have are those who love us. The scorching loss of my home left me a true gift of appreciation, which I treasure beyond words, -even more than a home.

'Twas a Dark and Stormy Night Fraught with Drama

2009-08-16T14:59:00.000-07:00

It was a dark and stormy night. The moon, pock-marked and cheesy, begrudgingly shared the only light to be seen. This "Moon of Claiming" wasn't in any hurry to come out of hiding from behind the summer storm clouds and tall old pine trees.

On this particularly dark night, I found myself waiting for Dixie Doodle, my sleek and velvet-eared companion...a dame with plenty of attitude and four gams to get her what she wants. And right at that time, she wanted to take care of some biological business. I'm no idiot--I didn't stand in her way.

I leaned against the porch, wrapped in a tattered, fuzzy old blanket to ward off the dampness. I deeply inhaled the scent of heavy rain, wet forest and fresh ionized mountain air. In spite of losing sleep, I heard myself speak to the night air, something about life not being too bad.

While cocooned, gazing half-mindedly at the stubborn night orb, I realized I was wasting a photographic opportunity. Awkwardly I simultaneously drug, carried and tripped over the blanket, making my half-blind way back to the house. Bursting through the door, the soft glow of my LCD HDTV lit the way, allowing me to semi-quickly grab my camera. As I retraced my lumbering, fabric-laden steps to the porch, I hadn't accounted for the possibility that Dixie would follow...within moments there was a pile of tangled limbs, blanket, tripod parts... accompanied by yips, squeals and wimpering. And then I realized Dixie was still in the yard. If one humiliates oneself alone in the dark, is it still humiliation?

Eventually, I took 25 captures of the stormy sky and brilliantly shy lunar globe, all at different settings, mostly experimenting with manual settings on my Canon Powershot SX10. Due to unintended complications, not one exposure really produced a "good" image. But I was determined that this adventure was not going to pass silently into history. So I began a little post-processing in Photoshop.

I found I liked adding some texture to this image, as if it were a painting. The "fabric" texture depicts the evil blanket and the dark tone properly represents the inky, velvety darkness of the night. Do you agree? Disagree? Sorry I didn't get a picture of the blanket debacle?

(Click image to see it full view and really see the texture treatment.)

I actually won something - thanks to novelist Joe Finder and Twitter

2009-08-14T09:29:00.000-07:00

I'm not the type of person who ever wins anything. I lived in Las Vegas for ten years and the most I ever won was $100 on a poker machine. I think I won $2 on a couple scratch lottery tickets. But otherwise, if it's a drawing, giveaway, gamble, game of chance, random draw...count me out. Not gonna happen.

That changed yesterday! I won a new iPod Shuffle on a Twitter giveaway. I had to read my name a couple times to let it sink in. I actually won something, and it was a pretty cool something at that!

How did this happen? Well, friends, it all started on Twitter...

Author Joseph Finder is promoting the release of his new novel, VANISHED. A highly anticipated action thriller, this book introduces Finder's new lead character, Nick Heller, a "private spy." (Read a juicy excerpt here.) He has a quickly growing fan following on Twitter, and with good reason. He follows people back, and replies to his fans personally. He and his very cool assistant Claire are very fan-appreciative, and it shows. One of the ways is through giveaways and great promotional ideas.

For the release of VANISHED on August 18th, Joe started a fun and clever Twitter campaign: for everyone who follows him at @JoeFinder, and who makes a tweet using the topic #Vanished (hash tag is necessary), will be entered into a drawing for an iPod Shuffle. I've been enjoying the clever tweets and the wordplay used with the title of the book. Joe has some fun and intelligent fans!

With this new Internet social marketing world, writers and authors like Joe Finder are learning to utilize the tools and connect with readers and fans like never before in history. And it's great for the fans, to know their favorite authors are real, and listen to them. A win-win!

I've read a couple of Joe's novels, and I enjoyed them immensely. I'll be posting some reviews as soon as time allows.

But until then, check out his pre-order special offer for VANISHED and visit his site to learn more about the very interesting Joseph Finder, the Yale grad, ex-CIA agent, former journalist and singer (a cappella, no less!). (I'm pre-ordering and will get a free signed paperback!)

(Photo by Joel Benjamin)

If you'd like to follow Joe on Twitter, click here: @JoeFinder
If you'd like to follow Joe's new character, Nick Heller, on Twitter, click here: @NickHeller
If you'd like to follow me on Twitter, click here: @smilingwriter

And that, folks, is how I came to win the iPod Shuffle. I have become a fan of Joe Finder's books and follow him on Twitter. I love to retweet his posts and those of other fans, and when the #Vanished challenge came along, I naturally couldn't resist. And I actually won! I'm still grinning about it...and watching my mailbox!

"Dance of the Lightning Men" is a very funny "How To" if you want to photograph lightning

2009-08-11T18:35:00.000-07:00

Anyone who reads this blog knows I am in love with the nature photography of Stephen Oachs. Through my association with him (I've worked with him, mostly as his editor and copywriter, for over ten years), I am learning a little about photography. (Please, no jokes about my being a slow learner!) But, an additional perk is, I'm becoming electronically acquainted with other talented, skilled and gifted photographers.

One of these is Brian Rueb, a fellow who has a winning and witty way with words. I follow his Flickr stream, where he is known as "chaybert," and his stories never fail to get me to laugh out loud, chuckle repeatedly...and occasionally let out a snort from being caught off guard. He has a knack for tossing in something unexpected and totally engaging. (It was one of his posts that resulted in my finding Dixie Doodle and adopting her through PetFinder.com!)

Brian is a very talented and accomplished photographer who teaches art and photography to high school students. As if that's not enough camera time, he also co-instructs with Stephen Oachs, in outdoor digital photography workshops that are repeatedly sold out--and big hits. After you read Brian's story, you'll understand how fun those workshops must be!

So, without further ado, and with generous permission from Brian Rueb, here is an as-is reprint of his instructions on how to photograph lightning...

Tonight’s lightning storm was brief…but exciting…I always love watching light shows…the kind that just change color, and the kind that can pump you full of about billion volts….this was both.

The lightning was tricky to capture, and never quite the big blasts I hoped for but it was still impressive…but the color was INTENSE…I’ve never seen reds this deep and vibrant in a sunset before…and so focused to a small area. It just kept going and going. I thought I was the only one enjoying the show when I turned and saw my friend Jesse out shooting as well. It was nice to see someone else had the same idea.

This storm was also nice in that it didn’t rain….so I was able to photograph AND stay dry. If you decide to try your hand at lightning photography try these tips…

1) Bring a spare battery….shooting multiple 30 second exposures can be a pain…and a drain on the ol’ battery.

2) Be prepared to have about 1200 images that look the same, and have no lightning…or you can delete the non-lightning ones right after you take the shot…be prepared that the best lightning will happen while you’re deleting that last non-lightning image.

3) Using a GND filter is sweet…it’ll help give you a bit more light on the foreground…lightning does a pretty sweet job of acting like a fill light in the sky.

4) Get comfortable…you’ll be there a while.

If safety is your biggest concern…try these little useless tidbits to calm your nerves...because if you get hit…chances are you’ll be a human charcoal pile.

1) Try to assure yourself that doing things like wearing flip-flops will insulate you, and you’re perfectly safe.

2) If you’re big metal tripod gets hit…it will lessen the blow…and keep you safe….plus your tripod will now have super powers…and glow. Awesome.

3) Lightning only strikes people with mullets…

4) Lightning is too pretty to cause harm.

5) If birds are out…surely they would go hide if it were truly dangerous out…you’re safe.

6) Do a little dance…nobody ever gets hit by lightning while doing the robot.

7) Make sure your photo buddy is dressed in tin foil…they’ll think it odd…but you’ll know better.

8) Bring Jiffy Pop…after your speedy recovery…you’ll be hungry.

9) Wear sunglasses…if you can’t see it…it can’t hit you.

10) Taunt it. We all know it’s way harder to focus when being taunted…it’s why sports is the way it is. Lightning works in a similar fashion. If you taunt it mercilessly it will become frustrated, and not be able to hit you….

I hope that helps. And worse case scenario….pain is temporary…good photography lasts long after you’re a piece of burnt toast.

Beautiful Photography Video

2009-07-20T09:16:00.000-07:00

This is the first video that my friend, Stephen Oachs, has put together and published on YouTube. He also has it posted on his blog, which is always very entertaining to read! If you love nature photography on any level, I urge you to check out his blog, Website and watch this video.

Very well done, Stephen! Hope we see more of these!!!

How Ticklish Are Your Feet?

2009-03-09T20:53:00.000-07:00

Just how ticklish are your feet? I have a personal 5-point rating system. Where do your feet rate? Let's compare.

We're sitting in a comfy chair with our sock-covered feet up on a hassock, eyes closed, all relaxed and starting to doze off, and the dog walks by. Now here's the test...

• If the dog's tail lightly brushes across the tops of your toes, and you groggily open one eye just to casually take a peek, that's a 5. You’re aware, but minimally sensitive. Ticklish only when purposely tickled.

• If the dog walks by, swishing his tail, no actual contact, and you sort of notice the light breeze across your feet (remember, you have socks on), but don’t make any moves, I count that as a 4. Probably about a normal level of sensitivity.

• If he walks by, swishing his tail, and the light breeze causes you to wiggle your feet, but your eyes stay closed, that's a 3. Without socks on, you would have been much worse.

• If the light breeze makes your eyes pop open, and you look around in a “what just happened?” state of mind, that’s a 2 sensitivity. You’ve got some pretty touchy footsies.

• If that same gentle breeze sends you out of your chair, or causes you to launch the nearest reachable projectile at the poor pup, you my friend are a 1, for sure! Not just touchy, but intolerant to touch. You’re in the “tickle me and you lose fingers” club.

• What’s a –1? There’s no dog, you have shoes on, and you hesitate putting your feet up on a footstool, because it leaves them open and vulnerable. That’s me!

So, what is your tickle tolerance level?

Barbara Bretton was one of my first creative writing instructors...and she's giving away three novels for February!

2009-02-06T20:35:00.000-08:00

I was fortunate to have novelist Barbara Bretton as one of my first fiction (creative) writing course instructors. Although I haven't really gone in the direction of fiction, I will never forget her kind notes and constructive instruction, and how her comments allowed me to see what my words meant to those who read them. She was very encouraging, and helped me feel some confidence in my then newly nurtured talent.

Over the years, I've enjoyed reading her novels. I usually don't read too many romance novels (I lean toward action-adventures, thrillers, sci-fi, and works by Arthur Hailey). Sure, I've tried romances... the gothic novels of the 70s and 80s, mysteries, historical and regency romances, a couple "bodice rippers" and several set in the pioneering days. But, the ones I really enjoyed were the ones with humor...cleverly used humor. So, the two romance novelists I've followed over the years are Glenna Finley and Barbara Bretton. But Barbara is special...she helped me get started down the road I am now traveling.

I'm writing this post because I wanted to share Barbara with you all. I doubt she knows about this post, and she may only barely remember me, if at all, but that's okay. I really just wanted to share a little glimpse of my history, and introduce you to her, and her great prize drawings.

For February, she has a drawing for three of her novels (signed!) and an Amazon gift certificate. Very nice. Yepper, I've entered. I haven't had a chance to read two of the three novels she's giving away, so, I'm keeping my fingers crossed! Hope you will check out her site and sign up for her contest. She's an entertaining writer and a lovely woman, as well as a devoted knitter. Oh, and if you get a chance to drop her a note, tell her one of her former writing students says, thanks!

Credits: Photograph and book covers courtesy of BarbaraBretton.com

Smart Penguin Video

2009-02-01T22:19:00.000-08:00

I was sent this video by e-mail. I have no idea where it originated, or who it belongs to, but I'm posting it, to share it with you. I am always very careful not to violate copyright, so if anyone knows the owner(s) or where I could track down the owner, so that I can confirm permission to keep it posted, I would appreciate it! But, since I'm reasonably sure that it's okay to post, here it is...

This appears to be real footage of a penguin being pursued by a pod of killer whales. Don't worry, it's not icky or horrifying or sad...I wouldn't post anything like that on a site by a smiling writer...but it is really something else, and it did keep me held in anticipation.

Hope you enjoy it...

Indelible Quote for Posterity - Stepping on the scale (Dave Barry)

2009-01-20T11:21:00.000-08:00

"I recently had my annual physical examination, which I get once every seven years, and when the nurse weighed me, I was shocked to discover how much stronger the Earth's gravitational pull has become since 1990."

-- Dave Barry

Arctic Fox Photo that is not to be missed

2009-01-14T15:03:00.001-08:00

Arctic Fox
Originally uploaded by stephenoachs

A really good friend of mine is a fantastic photographer. His work repeatedly takes my breath away, and frustrates me because it keeps robbing me of the words for adequate verbal praise. No kidding, I just run out of words to describe his work. Really, how many times can you say, beautiful, wonderful, fabulous, stupendous, amazing, stunning, fantabulous... you get the point.

So, I think this time, I'm letting this simple, elegant photo speak for itself. If you love animals, especially wild animal, and furry ones at that, this photo will capture your heart. I kid you not. Once I look into the eyes of this fox, it's like those paintings where you feel it's actually looking back at you.

Stephen got sick while in Montana, taking photographs in the snowy, bone-chilling climes. He's coughing, sputtering and hacking now that he's back home, but after seeing his shots, I have to hope he feels it's worth it...at least, maybe he will after he feels better! Take a look and see if you agree...he has posted a shot of a Bobcat, and one of two red foxes "dancing" in the snow, on his Flickr photostream, and I urge you to check them out, then check out his Website. If you haven't heard of Stephen W. Oachs yet, you will!

(Ok, enough gushing--for now, at least. lol) ...Now back to our regularly silly brain excretions... oh, and there'll probably be an update on Dixie Doodle soon, so stay tuned!

P.S. I have begun to tweet on Twitter. If you'd like to follow me on there, check it out on the right side of this blog, or look me up under smilingwriter at Twitter.com.

Christmas plans went awry, but sometimes awry is a good thing...

2009-01-07T19:09:00.000-08:00

I had planned to spend my Christmas time off, from VisiStat and various writing projects, at my mom's, but as events would have it, we were buried under a record-breaking snowfall. Day after day, night after night, snow, snow, snow! I think it lasted ten days solid. And I was stuck home...and then it snowed more.

I was fortunate that my electricity stayed on during Christmas week, but not so lucky with Internet. But that gave me a good excuse to be an offline human being for awhile! I need to disconnect from the Web every so often, to recharge my mental batteries. I'm not from the technology generation...I adopted it as a fully mature adult, so I periodically miss the days of my youth where there was no Internet, and entertainment involved stacks of books and an occasional old movie on TV. Being the reclusive writer that I am, I was easily able to enjoy myself while house bound. I called Mom numerous times, and the rest of the time I spent catching up on some reading, housework, some great old movies, and freezing in the snow trying to teach myself how to take decent photographs with my Christmas present... my new camera (a Canon PowerShot SX10 IS).

On Christmas day, I baked a delectable turkey breast (if I do say so myself) and made fried onions. Not traditional or much variety, but I had gotten caught off guard and hadn't made it to the grocery store before the snow hit. I live in a rural area, and it was too far to drive in for groceries in all that snow. Ok, I confess, I'm a winter driving weanie, so I believed it was too far and too scary to drive in the snow to the grocery store. Besides, I had ten pounds of moist, succulent turkey breast all to myself! And did I mention that delicious Cabernet Sauvignon a good friend had given me?

I thoroughly enjoyed my Christmas, and felt rested and very blessed. Talked to family, and had no deadlines to obsess over. It was really great.

Then Christmas ended, the weekend flew by, I took more photos of more snow, ate more turkey, and found my Internet was working again on Monday morning. I was working holiday hours until New Years day, i.e., no deadlines, just various low pressure projects and things that came up. And some fun work for a photographer friend, who I love to follow on Flickr (see his photostream here). There are a couple other photographers I enjoy following on Flickr, and one of them, chaybert, posted a photo of his new dog, Callie. His comments area mentioned petfinder.com, and being a pet lover, I was curious. So I popped over to the petfinder.com Website, and did a quick local search, just to see what I could see. Little did I know, that was a click that would change my life's balance and serenity...

I saw a photo (the one posted to the right) of a "spayed female Beagle" at a local animal rescue shelter. I didn't know anything about petfinder.com, or the shelter, and doubted the dog was still available. There was something about that little face, the floppy strawberry blonde ears, the sleepy eyes, and the patient stance.... I wasn't ready for another dog yet. I'd lost my 12 year old toy poodle about three years ago, and there was still a hole in my heart, and a bit of fear of feeling that sense of loss again. Besides, I was getting used to being unfettered. After 12 years of caring for a poodle with a back injury, I was finding the freedom rather appealing. Don't get me wrong, I really missed having a dog. I've had one almost my entire life. I had been thinking about maybe looking into getting one this summer. But I wasn't sure, wasn't ready yet. But there was something about that little face...

The next day, I went back and looked at the picture of this little sweetie, named Dixie Doodle. I don't know what it was about her, but she was sticking in my mind. So, I clicked on the link and went to the local shelter's Website, ColvillePetRefuge.org, to see what Dixie's story was, or if it even told. Once there, I found that the links listing their available pets weren't working. I wrote to let them know, and that night I got a phone call from them. We discussed the links and I helped with some advice on an easy way to remedy the situation, and was asked if I'd like to fill out an adoption application over the phone. I was a bit hesitant, but decided, why not? I could always say no at any time. After an over the phone interview, application information and a really nice conversation, Mary told me about Dixie Doodle...oh, my heart...

After more conversation, Mary said she'd call Dixie Doodle's foster home if I wanted to know more, and make arrangements to see her. I thought, what could it hurt. I could always say no at any time.

Ten minutes later, Bonnie, Dixie Doodle's very sweet foster "mom" called me. She had talked with Mary, and seemed to believe I would be an excellent match for little Dixie. After hearing more about her, I was beginning to agree, but did I really want to take on that responsibility again? Then Bonnie told me Dixie was such a good girl, but she'd been shuffled around so much, and hadn't really had a stable home where she could be herself, let herself have fun and just be a loved pet. Oh, my heart...

I told Bonnie I'd like to meet her, but the roads were horrible, and I didn't know when I could get to her. It might be quite awhile, since there was another storm coming. So we left it at waiting for the weather to improve. Maybe it wasn't meant to be...

The next day was New Year's Eve, and the roads were awful. Not awful for a winter driving weanie, but really awful! I wasn't sure that the visit with Dixie would go any further, and I have to admit, I felt so sad for Dixie, picturing her having to always be quiet and self-restrained, always feeling unsettled...but was I being selfish, not wanting to have another dog? I went to bed that night feeling sad for Dixie, confused about what I wanted, and figured I would "sleep on it" and see what happened. I have a very faith-based Christian viewpoint, and I prayed that the best for Dixie, and best for me, would happen, whatever that may be. With that, I drifted off to sleep.

I was awakened on Dec. 31st by my neighbor knocking at my door. I'd slept through my alarm and was afraid I'd be late for work...wait...the alarm clock was dead! I answered the door, and was told our electricity had been out for some time (which I should have known by how cold it was in the house!). After checking, I found it was going to be out for some time. Hmmm, and it wasn't snowing for the first time in many days. And the sun was shining for the first time in many, many days. And I unexpectedly had the day off, because without electricity, there was no computer or Internet. AND, my neighbor offered to take me out to see Dixie in her 4-wheel drive. I guess that prayer was answered pretty thoroughly, wouldn't you agree?

So around 1:30, I met Dixie Doodle. I called her name and she came running toward me, sat at my feet and wagged her tail until I petted her. Then she jumped into the car, curled up on the seat, and just looked up at me with those big, soft, sleepy eyes that tugged at my heart on petfinder.com. Guess what? She never left the car! We took care of the paperwork, fees and I adopted her that afternoon.

As I write this story, I have a 25 lb, 2-year old Beagle/Rat Terrier little girl stretched out next to me. We've just finished playing tug of war, her favorite game, and she's sleeping peacefully with her favorite toy at her paw tips. I think I see a little smile on her face! I know I have a smile on my face.

True, I am not as free as I was. I now have a living creature depending on me again. And I'm enjoying every minute of it. Yes, there's white hairs on my furniture and on my clothes, but I am getting out and walking with Dixie at least three times a day, and every time I look at her, I smile, and my heart fills with that special feeling reserved for animals and innocence. And she has the softest ears...

My Christmas and New Year's plans went awry, but awry was a very blessed thing.

Happy 2009 to each of you, and I wish you all contentment and joy the whole year through!

It's Christmas already?!

2008-12-19T22:24:00.000-08:00

This year went by so quickly that I was afraid Christmas, my favorite holiday, would fly past me before I had a chance to really enjoy it all. So, I decided to start just a bit early and put my tree up and get it all decorated a little earlier than my usual tradition, to give me a few days extra to enjoy it.

It worked! And now I'm about ready to have my house back, remove the tree and put my furniture back where it belongs! Guess I put it up too early...I usually set the tree up and decorate it after Thanksgiving dinner. Thanksgiving day is the gateway to Christmas for me. (Guess I can blame that on the Macy's Parade; when I was a kid, I watched as it ended with Santa and his sleigh, heralding the beginning of Christmas season. I was psychologically embedded by Macy's and TV.)

But this year, my clever plan had me opening the gateway to Christmas while the little kiddies were running around yelling "trick or treat." Yepper, I was decorating for Christmas on Halloween. I wanted to be sure I had a full Christmas season...oh boy, I've had a full Christmas season alrighty. Instead of taking the tree down on New Years, I just may be taking it down the day after Christmas!

Although, now that I'm looking at it standing over there in the corner, its white lights glistening like ice and snow, its years of memories hanging from the boughs on little silver hooks, the festive red glass balls and gold sleigh bells scattered from bottom to top, I'm thinking, I just might wait until New Years after all. Christmas is a wonderful time, and when else can I have the house so filled with color and glitz and light?

While looking at my tree with the red and white tree skirt and the fuzzy stockings, many years of Christmases flood my memory, warming my heart, sometimes pulling a tear from my eye. The family and friends I have been blessed to share Christmas memories with, the changes in lives, loves, passing of old, some things lost, many things gained, and above all, the reason for Christmas, the birth of Christ, of the promise of life and love...all these things I see when I look at my tree. Nope, I'm not in any hurry to take the tree down, not yet anyway. There's still more memories to revisit, more memories to make.

I just may have started a new Halloween tradition at my house... "Boo! And Merry Christmas!"

May you have a memorable, warm and blessed Christmas!

Thanksgiving Wish

2008-11-23T21:13:00.000-08:00

This is a Thanksgiving day wish that has been around longer than I have (whoa...that's a loooong time!). But the sentiment is still relevant, even if it's Tofurkey and whole wheat gravy (I shall refrain from editorializing further on the menu).

Have a warm, happy, tryptophan-enhanced holiday... and gobble til you wobble! ~ Cherie'

May your stuffing be tasty,
May your turkey be plump.
May your potatoes 'n gravy have nary a lump.
May your yams be delicious,
May your pies take the prize,
May your thanksgiving dinner stay off of your thighs!