tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-985445309473075023Fri, 09 Nov 2018 21:39:16 +0000familysix word summerquotesresolutionspublisheddevotionalfor your journalHear It Use Itbooksinteresting tidbitcitizenship~~~ a sampling of my writing and an occasional post about what's on my mind ~~~http://www.karnaconverse.com/noreply@blogger.com (Karna Converse)Blogger82125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-985445309473075023.post-9130814385556087490Wed, 01 Aug 2018 20:37:00 +00002018-11-09T15:39:16.805-06:00 It's hard to know, just exactly, when it's time to end a volunteer commitment, but I'd been thinking of ending my service with Literary Mama for about a year before I finally said goodbye to the all-volunteer staff this past June. The challenge was to determine the best way to transition to new leadership without disrupting the workflow and overwhelming the staff. I think we succeeded. http://www.karnaconverse.com/2018/08/adding-former-to-my-title.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Karna Converse)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-985445309473075023.post-4283573988158717698Fri, 20 Feb 2015 13:11:00 +00002015-02-20T07:11:52.406-06:00 Ideas are a dime a dozen; what truly matters is how an idea is executed. The greatest idea in the world doesn’t stand a chance if there isn’t knowledge behind what happens from the conception in your mind to delivery on the newsstand.                                                                           -- Samir "Mr. Magazine" Husni Last year, past and present Literary Mama editors http://www.karnaconverse.com/2015/02/10-years-4264-posts.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Karna Converse)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-985445309473075023.post-1253156646844827288Thu, 25 Sep 2014 20:21:00 +00002015-01-30T13:48:44.068-06:00published It’s hard to believe Our Iowa is celebrating its 8th birthday this fall.  This is noteworthy, Publisher Roy Reiman and Editor Jerry Wiebel write in the October/November 2014 issue, considering that 60% of new magazines don’t make it to their first birthday and only 20% are still around after 5 years. And because, they add, “we started Our Iowa in the fall of 2007—at the start of one of thehttp://www.karnaconverse.com/2014/09/8-years-43-issues.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Karna Converse)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-985445309473075023.post-3685345556288285241Fri, 18 Jul 2014 01:13:00 +00002015-01-30T13:48:44.072-06:00family No more glasses! After 43 years of corrective vision, including 29 of contact lenses wear, I no longer need to reach for a pair of glasses before I get out of bed.  In June, I had refractive lensectomy surgery, a procedure that is similar to cataract surgery; my natural lenses were removed and replaced with synthetic ones. The decision to do so wasn’t easy and more than a dozen years in http://www.karnaconverse.com/2014/07/a-watershed-moment.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Karna Converse)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-985445309473075023.post-5725803157532329938Tue, 20 May 2014 21:38:00 +00002015-01-30T13:49:13.713-06:00for your journalquotes “To the family—that dear octopus from whose tentacles we never quite escape nor, in our inmost hearts, ever quite wish to.”               from Dear Octopus: A Comedy in Three Acts               Written by Dodie Smith               1896-1990 When I purchased my new computer last summer, I was sure I’d become proficient in Skype and Google Hangouts, confident that my updated technology http://www.karnaconverse.com/2014/05/an-octopus-has-arms-squid-has-tentacles.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Karna Converse)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-985445309473075023.post-2672704707616225335Tue, 06 May 2014 19:05:00 +00002015-01-30T13:49:13.702-06:00familypublished Brain, Child Magazine editors asked Literary Mama editors to contribute to their What Is Motherhood? blog series. Here's my response to the universal question:  What does motherhood mean to you? Storms and Sunsets When you live in the Midwest, you mark time by wind chill and heat index and in inches of rain and snow. You consider road conditions before heading out to the basketball games, http://www.karnaconverse.com/2014/05/thoughts-on-motherhood.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Karna Converse)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-985445309473075023.post-2888659750038326040Fri, 02 May 2014 14:13:00 +00002015-01-30T13:49:13.706-06:00interesting tidbit More often than not, my family laughs out loud at the Sunday newspaper’s comic strip, Zits.  Last Sunday’s artwork didn’t have me rolling on the floor, but it did make an interesting commentary on the texting, snap chatting, status-updating climate in which we’re raising our children. The implication is “Yes, he knows how to communicate.” Source:  http://zitscomics.com/comics/http://www.karnaconverse.com/2014/05/conversations-with-teenagers.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Karna Converse)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-985445309473075023.post-3589793930181378986Thu, 03 Apr 2014 14:36:00 +00002015-01-30T13:49:13.710-06:00citizenshipfamilyinteresting tidbit In mid-February, Andrea Frantz, Jasmine Bautista, and I welcomed eight students to the public library’s meeting room. We told them how happy we were that they wanted to become naturalized citizens and they, in turn, told us why they had decided to sign up for our Citizenship Class. “It’s time,” said one. He’s lived in Storm Lake for 17 years but came to the United States from El http://www.karnaconverse.com/2014/04/citizenship-and-civics-101.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Karna Converse)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-985445309473075023.post-8969566291698883118Tue, 05 Nov 2013 16:10:00 +00002015-01-30T13:49:13.724-06:00published<!-- AddThis Button BEGIN --> In 2005, I took National Public Radio’s challenge to craft an essay of personal belief. The project—This I Believe—was designed around Edward Murrow’s 1950s series of the same title in which he’d featured essays from both leading figures of the times (including Helen Keller, Eleanor Roosevelt, Harry S. Truman, and Albert Einstein) and the everyday person.  The http://www.karnaconverse.com/2013/11/essay-featured-at-this-i-believe.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Karna Converse)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-985445309473075023.post-2067637863567189128Fri, 30 Aug 2013 20:51:00 +00002015-01-30T13:49:13.698-06:00family<!-- AddThis Button BEGIN --> Three years ago, on Labor Day weekend, I helped one of my sons clean his room in preparation for a re-organization and repainting project. We filled six big boxes of the things he’d collected during his 16 years-- rocks, feathers, shells, coins, ticket stubs, baseball cards, football cards, baseballs, golf balls, pennants—and sent one box to the trash and two http://www.karnaconverse.com/2013/08/goofy-mickey-mouse-or-pluto.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Karna Converse)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-985445309473075023.post-5826696461160357733Fri, 23 Aug 2013 18:32:00 +00002015-01-30T13:49:13.717-06:00six word summer ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Welcome to Six Word Summer.   Once a week, I choose one highlight of my week and describe it in six words. That's it -- no other description or dialogue, no notes about setting or character, no universal message -- I simply capture the memory. Sometime down the road, I'll flesh out the details and recreate the http://www.karnaconverse.com/2013/08/six-word-summer-back-to-school.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Karna Converse)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-985445309473075023.post-8527399034547297024Mon, 12 Aug 2013 14:49:00 +00002015-01-30T13:49:13.721-06:00six word summer ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Welcome to Six Word Summer.   Once a week, I choose one highlight of my week and describe it in six words. That's it -- no other description or dialogue, no notes about setting or character, no universal message -- I simply capture the memory. Sometime down the road, I'll flesh out the details and recreate the http://www.karnaconverse.com/2013/08/six-word-summer-family-reunion.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Karna Converse)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-985445309473075023.post-8964180348915522580Wed, 07 Aug 2013 21:54:00 +00002015-01-30T13:49:45.265-06:00six word summer ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Welcome to Six Word Summer.   Once a week, I choose one highlight of my week and describe it in six words. That's it -- no other description or dialogue, no notes about setting or character, no universal message -- I simply capture the memory. Sometime down the road, I'll flesh out the details and recreate the http://www.karnaconverse.com/2013/08/six-word-summer-banana-bread.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Karna Converse)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-985445309473075023.post-8064539903301550920Sun, 21 Jul 2013 10:00:00 +00002015-01-30T13:49:45.258-06:00six word summer ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Welcome to Six Word Summer.   Once a week, I choose one highlight of my week and describe it in six words. That's it -- no other description or dialogue, no notes about setting or character, no universal message -- I simply capture the memory. Sometime down the road, I'll flesh out the details and recreate the http://www.karnaconverse.com/2013/07/six-word-summer-anniversary.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Karna Converse)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-985445309473075023.post-4769545684328753665Sun, 14 Jul 2013 21:59:00 +00002015-01-30T13:49:45.253-06:00six word summer ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Welcome to Six Word Summer.   Once a week, I choose one highlight of my week and describe it in six words. That's it -- no other description or dialogue, no notes about setting or character, no universal message -- I simply capture the memory. Sometime down the road, I'll flesh out the details and recreate the http://www.karnaconverse.com/2013/07/six-word-summer-birthday-gift.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Karna Converse)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-985445309473075023.post-8340993003254486892Sat, 29 Jun 2013 13:34:00 +00002015-01-30T13:52:08.942-06:00six word summer ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Welcome to Six Word Summer.   Once a week, I choose one highlight of my week and describe it in six words. That's it -- no other description or dialogue, no notes about setting or character, no universal message -- I simply capture the memory. Sometime down the road, I'll flesh out the details and recreate the http://www.karnaconverse.com/2013/06/six-word-summer-vacation.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Karna Converse)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-985445309473075023.post-2222096554875110156Sun, 16 Jun 2013 12:00:00 +00002015-01-30T13:49:45.245-06:00six word summer ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Welcome to Six Word Summer.   Once a week, I choose one highlight of my week and describe it in six words. That's it -- no other description or dialogue, no notes about setting or character, no universal message -- I simply capture the memory. Sometime down the road, I'll flesh out the details and recreate the http://www.karnaconverse.com/2013/06/six-word-summer-sunshine.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Karna Converse)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-985445309473075023.post-1366480850801646114Mon, 10 Jun 2013 00:41:00 +00002015-01-30T13:49:45.241-06:00six word summer ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Welcome to Six Word Summer.   Once a week, I choose one highlight of my week and describe it in six words. That's it -- no other description or dialogue, no notes about setting or character, no universal message -- I simply capture the memory. Sometime down the road, I'll flesh out the details and recreate the http://www.karnaconverse.com/2013/06/six-word-summer-ive-been-sorting-toys.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Karna Converse)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-985445309473075023.post-8986017772775465745Sat, 01 Jun 2013 12:00:00 +00002015-01-30T13:49:45.269-06:00six word summer ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Welcome to Six Word Summer.   Once a week, I choose one highlight of my week and describe it in six words. That's it -- no other description or dialogue, no notes about setting or character, no universal message -- I simply capture the memory. Sometime down the road, I'll flesh out the details and recreate the http://www.karnaconverse.com/2013/06/six-word-summer-its-been-raining.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Karna Converse)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-985445309473075023.post-2648008495342454555Sat, 11 May 2013 14:52:00 +00002015-01-30T13:49:45.249-06:00quotes “All women become like their mothers. That is their tragedy. No man does. That’s his.”                                          Oscar Wilde                                          1854-1900                                          Irish dramatist and poet                                          From The Importance of Being Earnest: A Trivial Comedy for Serious People (Act 1) My http://www.karnaconverse.com/2013/05/quotable-oscar-wilde.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Karna Converse)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-985445309473075023.post-6151694166181050437Mon, 06 May 2013 00:00:00 +00002015-01-30T13:50:51.455-06:00familyinteresting tidbit Within his first week of college, three years ago, our oldest decided to join the Ultimate Frisbee team.  Nate played with an intramurals team in high school but quickly learned that what he’d played and what they played at Luther College differed greatly.  He entered college without a basic understanding of “cutter,” “pull,” or “lead handler” but he’s learned fast and has found Ultimate to be ahttp://www.karnaconverse.com/2013/05/the-spirit-of-game.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Karna Converse)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-985445309473075023.post-4547133929816478273Sun, 14 Apr 2013 16:38:00 +00002015-01-30T13:50:51.431-06:00familyquotes    I have a hard time imagining that my great uncle Everett appreciated the 70-page booklet of classical poems he was awarded in 1931 as “Champion Speller of District 27.”   The booklet would have fit snugly in his front shirt pocket had he carried it that closely to his heart, but it’s in pristine condition. There’s no broken spine. No ear-marked pages. No pencil markings of favorite http://www.karnaconverse.com/2013/04/i-should-ask-mom-ill-bet-theres-story.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Karna Converse)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-985445309473075023.post-3889042131360665489Wed, 13 Mar 2013 21:30:00 +00002015-01-30T13:50:51.424-06:00booksfamily I read many of the books recommended to me by friends and always have one or two titles to share in return. I’ve collected “best of” lists from writer’s workshops, publishers, periodicals, and arts councils and turn to them often for choices deemed “must reads” by one literary authority or another.     I usually like the recommended book and can understand why it resonated with a friend or http://www.karnaconverse.com/2013/03/my-karna-bookshelf.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Karna Converse)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-985445309473075023.post-5914571683353292051Fri, 01 Feb 2013 22:00:00 +00002015-01-30T13:50:51.448-06:00familySometime around their birthdays, I write each of my children a letter that details the highlights of their year and the who-we-were, where-we-lived, and what-we-dids of our family.  By the time I write my last letter, at age 18, each child has a book of handwritten memories and a brief statement about my hopes and wishes for their future. I always thought 18 the appropriate age for my final http://www.karnaconverse.com/2013/02/the-21st-birthday.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Karna Converse)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-985445309473075023.post-578155563604326488Sat, 05 Jan 2013 09:00:00 +00002015-01-30T13:50:51.445-06:00resolutions I’ve participated in the wellness program offered by my husband’s employer for the past six years. The annual goal is to earn 10,000 points by tracking doctor’s appointments, eating habits, spiritual discipline, and physical activity; the benefit is a reduced health insurance premium.  The program was my incentive to start walking, but I don’t have any health or weight concerns that makehttp://www.karnaconverse.com/2013/01/one-word-resolution.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Karna Converse)