I’m not sure what it is about Creative Copy Challenge (CCC) that brings out the dark side of my creative writing.

It’s a good thing it stays there.

If you don’t know, CCC is a word prompt site that helps keep the creative juices flowing.

I love it.

The following is my latest entry of dark fun over at CCC.

Creative Copy Challenge #332

The words in Bold are the challenge words you need to use in some creative form.

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In a hubris haze of eugenics gone wild, a scientist leers at a road less traveled. His personal roster of perfection stares back through the eye of an entrepreneur with a noose around a village of idiots.

Years, so many years in unlocking the intricacies of the human brain. His own genius mapping his course through countless experiments and endless testing with a roller coaster ride through discovery and despair.

Along an oak shelf sits his failures in Linotype precision, reminding him how far he has come. Lifeless forms floating in formaldehyde ruin, whispering their secrets in kindergarten fashion as they wait for salvation and all that is unknown.

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Live…Laugh…Love

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BigStock Photo Credit

I’m reading Steve Rizzo’s book, Get Your Shift Together.

Great title, isn’t it?

Steve is a former comedian, although I imagine that may be like saying he is a former person. Some things never leave you.

But, I digress.

His story is how he took his rising star status as a comedian and became a motivational speaker. Steve calls himself the Attitude Adjuster.

The book’s subheading spells out his plan.

How to Think, Laugh, and Enjoy Your Way to Success in Business and in Life

As someone who recently promoted World Laughter Day, I embrace a life full of laughter.

Laughter is a key element in Steve’s plan to shift your attitude into a positive outlook – no matter your situation.

It got me thinking how our attitude can turn into an addiction. Wouldn’t it be nice if that addiction was one laced in a positive outlook?

My First Major Shift

Those of you who know me, know I spent over 30 years in the corporate world.

In the late 80s, I had worked myself into a tangled ball of stress and an unhealthy lifestyle. The only thing that save me was being terminated from my position after the company was gobbled up by a big corporation.

Best thing that ever happened to me.

• I lost weight
• I started walking again
• I was ecstatically happy in a temporary job

I remember noticing the beautiful details of the green leaves on the trees in what seemed the first time – at least in a very long time.

It was like having my vision restored. In more ways than one.

I learned to appreciate the simple joys of life. Then life happened again.

Addiction Revisited

Fast forward to the 21st century. I have now spent over 30 years in the corporate world.

• My health is worse than ever
• The stress is surely killing me
• I’ve become a person I don’t know – or like

Doesn’t that sound like addiction?

We spiral down into self-inflicted pain and become numb to the possibility of escape.

Once again, a termination saved my life. The difference is this time it was a voluntary termination. One I took.

I left the corporate world behind and started my own business writing company. That was in 2008.

The fact that I bought Steve’s book tells me I am still a work in progress.

And isn’t that what addiction is all about?

• We have days of strength
• We have days where we slide into old habits

I am a self-professed Pollyanna (a term Steve uses in his book). I like that about myself.

I enjoy the positive outlook. I work hard at seeing the other side, the intricate beauty inside.

Yet I falter.

So, if you see me slip, feel free to give me a kick in the attitude. Hopefully, I’ll restore my Pollyanna attitude addiction.

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Live…Laugh…Love

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BigStock Photo Credit

Douglas M. Miller
May 2, 1919 – February 15, 2007

Today my dad would have been 94 years old.

Dad passed away in 2007, but I feel his presence every day.

I shared in my eulogy to Dad some of the things I loved about him.

With the blessing of my dad’s blue eyes, I see so much of my dad in me.

Some good – and okay, maybe some not so good.

My Love for Reading

Dad believed strongly in the value of reading. I can still hear my Dad telling one of my brothers ~

I don’t care what you read, just as long as you read something.

And when my brother turned that plea into comic books, my dad fully supported his choice. You see Dad was wise enough to know that eventually my brother’s love of reading would evolve. And it did.

I have always loved reading.

Today, reading continues to be my preferred form of entertainment.

My Love of Sports

My dad was a professional baseball player – until the War broke out and he left baseball behind to serve his country.

Between my mom (a HUGE sports fanatic) and my dad, it is no big surprise I love sports.

• I played softball, volleyball, and basketball in school
• I took up racquetball when it was all the rage in the early 80s
• Now, my “sport” is walking – and more than the 3-Day Walk for the Cure

And, of course, I live and die by my beloved sports teams – Go Irish! Go Chargers! Go Lakers!

My Love for Family

If you knew my dad, you knew he was all about family. Everything he did was for his family.

Mom has often told the story of how as a young man, my dad quit a job out of total frustration with the situation.

Perhaps that was history repeating itself when I quit corporate life in a less than proud moment.

I told you not all of my emulation is good.

As Mom tells us, when Dad calmed down, he realized he had a family to feed, and he needed that job. He swallowed his pride, apologized, and asked for his job back.

Trust me, as someone who inherited that pride, that was not an easy thing for my father to do.

He got his job back, and never was out of work a day in his working life. And I am quite certain he had more than the occasional frustration on the job.

His devotion to my mom was ever-lasting. Only his death ended their over 60 years of marriage, although it endures in my mom’s heart as she turned 90 this year.

My Love of Solitude

My dad traveled extensively for work.

• He had his hotel room searched when he traveled behind the Iron Curtain
• He attended meetings in Bogota, Columbia that were all in Spanish (Dad spoke fluent Spanish)

For all his worldwide travel (or perhaps because of), and his status as a father of seven, my dad loved his solitude.

We used to laugh over his ability to tune out the world around him, and to concentrate on what he was doing. Especially when he was reading.

We joked a bomb could go off and he wouldn’t notice.

• I don’t view solitude as lonely
• I view solitude as being comfortable being alone

There is a huge difference

When I moved out on my own in my 20s, I discovered many of my friends had difficulty being alone.

They may have lived alone, but they did not enjoy being alone.

I loved it, and craved time for my periods of solitude. Just like my dad.

I am a funny, wonderful combination of both my mom and dad. That often confuses my friends.

• At times, I’m extremely social (thank you, Mom)
• At other times, I crave solitude (thank you, Dad)
• And I can be very stubborn (thank you, Mom AND Dad)

On this day that honors my dad’s birth, I recognize the tremendous influence he had on my life. And for that, I will always be grateful.

Thank you, Dad. I love you and miss you.

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Live…Laugh…Love

In ancient times (back when I was an early teen), we had our own cliques.

The Racks

With their black eyeliner and beehive hairdos.

The Greasers

Who channeled Elvis long before Vegas.

The In Crowd

Doesn’t every generation have one?

The Hippies and Flower Children came later.

Me? I was into sports, so I didn’t think I fit any of the cliques. Of course when you’re that age, a girl, and into sports, kids have another label for you.

Aren’t you glad we left all that behind?

Or did we?

Technology Advances(?)

Communication is the heart of relationships. Professional or personal, communication causes more joy, more angst than any other human trait.

• Communication is the vehicle of expression
• Communication shares what we know, what we feel

So, for all of our technology advances, wouldn’t you think we’d be better at communicating?

Instead, we are thrown back into our drama-filled teen years.

There are more ways to be ignored.

• Silence greets posts on walls, Twitterdom, and the blogosphere
• Connection requests go unanswered
• Phone trees mean you never have to speak to another human

 There are more ways to be rude.

• Insults hide behind faceless gravatars
• Vicious attacks go viral
• Gossip gathers speed

Think before you speak should now include – Think before you Send.

Connected, But Alone

I first saw this TED video of Sherry Turkle, MIT professor, at my writer friend, John Soares’ Productive Writers website.

If you have not seen the video, take the opportunity to do so. It’s almost 20 minutes in length, but I think it is well worth the time.

The video may get you thinking – and caring.

And isn’t that what communication is all about?

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Live…Laugh…Love

BigStock Photo Credit

BigStock Photo Credit

BigStock Photo Credit

We all have challenges in life.

Those times when we question how we will go on.

But, we survive.

And some of us celebrate strength by testing our bodies and spirit in our own personal challenge.

• The Boston Marathon
• A 3-Day, 60-Mile Walk for the Cure

In one small space in time, a lunatic robbed moments of triumph from the hearts of Boston marathoners and their families.

And that is truly tragic.

We mourn with you in shared pain for what should never be. We admire your strength in what you could not know would bring an even greater test.

Our tears track to broken hearts that join in our resolve to remember why you chose to run. You ran towards triumph and that you have because united we know the true value of life.

May that bring you comfort when you need it most.

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Live…Laugh…Love

 BigStock Photo Credit

If you follow me at all, you know I love Creative Copy Challenge (CCC).

CCC is a word prompt site to keep the creative juices flowing.

The following is my latest entry to CCC.

Creative Copy Challenge #323

The words in Bold are the challenge words you need to use in some creative form. Why not try it?

My Entry

Do I bribe this thing called life

Or seek an incentive to go on

Where guilt runs wild

In a final recreation of time

While the inventive dies

The translocation transforms

The suffering of mortality

Bears a disassociation from hope

The autonomous cry out in agony

As answers elude all who would have it so

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Live…Laugh…Love

Once people figure out where Idaho is, they typically want to know what there is to do in Idaho.

The answer is – plenty.

Idaho Work and Play gave you a peek of the Work side of Idaho (from my perspective). This post shares some of the Play side of Idaho.

Let the games begin.

The Great Outdoors

I don’t know anyone who would not appreciate the beautiful scenery Idaho has to offer.

My younger sister, Beth, and her husband, Mike, also live in Idaho.

Mike is a native Idahoan. His love for his home state has produced great photos and articles in Idaho Magazine.

Both Beth and Mike are avid hikers and Beth has even tried her hand (and feet) at rock-climbing.

So, when I was looking for some photos, I knew I didn’t have to look far.

The following slide show shares a small sample of the beauty that is Idaho. Below the video is information about the scenes shown.

Salmon River

The Salmon River runs through central and eastern Idaho. The Salmon River is known as the River of No Return, and is the longest flowing river (425 miles) within one state in the lower 48.

Some of the river activity includes kayaking, canoeing, sportsfishing, and rafting.

Sawtooth Mountains

The Sawtooth mountain range is part of the Rocky Mountains and the Sawtooth National Recreation Area.

The recreation area is the location of the headwaters of the Salmon River and over 300 alpine lakes.

Bruneau Sand Dunes State Park

Bruneau Dunes State Park has bragging rights for the tallest single-structured sand dune (470 feet) in North America.

Mike shared that every visit is unique, depending on the time of the day, the season, and the weather,

Mile particularly enjoys looking at the animal tracks in the sand and the patterns produced by the wind.

White Cloud Mountains

White Cloud Mountains have some of the most scenic hiking trails you’ll find. All you have to do is look at the beautiful photo in the video to understand how these mountains got their name.

Located within the Sawtooth National Recreation Area, the White Clouds are part of the largest unprotected roadless area in the United States outside of Alaska.

Mike describes the area as ~

A backpacker’s paradise with the water, the mountains, the reflections–what else needs said?

Stanley

Stanley is located in central Idaho and has been a favorite spot for my family since my parents moved to Boise in the late 1970s.

The Chamber of Commerce describes Stanley as a playground for all seasons, often referred to as the American Alps.

Biking, hiking, rafting, fishing, skiing – you name it – Stanley has it all, including music festivals and art and craft shows.

McCall Winter Carnival

McCall Winter Carnival takes on winter and offers some of the most jaw-dropping ice sculptures you have ever seen.

Locals deck out in Mardi Gras beads and not only create the ice sculptures, but participate in snowshoe golf, and variety shows.

The event reminds me of my days in Minneapolis where locals embrace winter (usually while I camped out in front of the fireplace).

Idaho Shakespeare Festival

The Idaho Shakespeare Festival brought me back to my high school days. I was a volunteer usher at the Great Lakes Shakespeare Festival, which at the time was located in Lakewood, Ohio, a suburb of Cleveland.

The Great Lakes version later became known as the Great Lakes Theater and relocated to Cleveland.

Imagine my surprise (and delight) to learn Idaho had a similar festival (although in an outdoor amphitheater) and actually developed a production partnership with the Great Lakes Theater.

The Festival operates under an agreement with the Idaho Foundation for Parks & Lands and the Idaho Department of Parks & Recreation.

So grab your lawn chairs and blankets and enjoy the masterpieces of Shakespeare.

Idaho at Play

I hope you have a different impression of Idaho – and would know how to find us.

I’ve only touched the surface of Idaho at Play.

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Live…Laugh…Love

Map image – BigStock Photo Credit

For someone so healthy, I sure have been hanging out with doctors lately.

• Two cataract surgeries last year
• Two mammogram screenings in February
• Annual physical in February
• And surgery this week to remove a lesion

What’s next? Dentures? Sheesh.

A Different Kind of Healthy

My overall health should keep my time with doctors to a minimum.

• I take no medication
• I’m at a healthy weight
• All my lab work is within normal range

In fact, my doctor told me I’m so healthy I should plan my next physical for two years – instead of one.

• Then I got the dreaded call-back on my mammogram
• And another call confirmed the lesion on my back was skin cancer

Don’t worry – there’s good news.

• The second mammogram showed all was normal
• The skin cancer was basal cell carcinoma – the most common of skin cancers with a 95% cure rate

Poster Child

I am a walking advertisement for problems in U.S. health insurance.

• Too young for Medicare
• High premium rates due to my age
• At an age where even as healthy as I am, the body needs maintenance

I have a high deductible health savings accounts.

After years of never having a claim (except preventive care), I will meet my $2,000 deductible a second year in a row.

That’s made all the more challenging with the following factors.

• Purchasing my own insurance – ah, how I miss employer-sponsored benefits
• Increase in tax threshold – In 2013, qualified medical expenses must be 10% or higher of your adjusted gross income (up from 7.5%)
• Owning my own business – I can’t even whine about my lousy employer’s benefits

Still Thankful

Despite the challenges, there is plenty to be thankful for.

• Generally, I’m still very healthy
• I am writing for a living and that makes me happy
• Although the premiums hurt, at least I have insurance

And my dermatologist who removed the lesion is an absolute joy.

He was patient, kind, and called me personally after my surgery to check up on me. When was the last time you received a personal call from your doctor?

So, while I am doing my part to support health care, I am thankful for the care received.

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Live…Laugh…Love

BigStock Photo Credit

I’m not quite sure what it says about us that April Fools’ Day has been around for centuries.

Although we may not agree on the name itself – April Fools’, April’s Fools or All Fools’ Day, we do love our tradition.

And no person enjoyed the day more than my mother.

A Simple Approach

There are some who go to great lengths to pull off their April Fools’ Day hoax.

And there have been some whoppers.

• Taco Bell’s famous ad claiming the business purchased the Liberty Bell
• Burger King’s counter ad with the left-handed Whopper
• National Public Radio’s ad announcing the Post Office would offer portable zip codes

But, my mom took a much simpler approach.

As my brothers and sisters and I stumbled out of bed in the morning, our eyes mere slits on our sleepy faces, Mom would ask us some mundane question.

Something like ~

What’s that on your pajamas?

We would look down, only to hear Mom erupt in maniacal laughter ~

April Fools’

• It happened EVERY SINGLE APRIL FOOLS’
• And we fell for it EVERY SINGLE APRIL FOOLS’

No one was spared from Mom’s persistent plotting – not my Dad, not any of her seven children.

Mom was the Master.

You would think that one year, at least, we would foil her Fools’ Day fun. But, no. Even if we remembered the day when we woke, we were no match for my Mom’s simple strategy.

• Was it our blind trust?
• A trust we thought our loving mother earned
• Or were we mere mortals who were no match for the Master?

My Mom has since retired her Fools’ Day domination. And you can bet I’m not going to let her see this post.

I’m getting entirely too old to even have a prayer of seeing through her foolery.

April Fool, indeed.

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Live…Laugh…Love

BigStock Photo Credit

Fall view outside my office window

The dichotomy that is Idaho may be best illustrated by a state divided into two time zones.

• Most of Idaho is on Mountain West time
• Northern Idaho lives under Pacific time

This is but one example of Idaho’s uniqueness.

Ancient History

In 1975, I followed my parents, our family dog, and two of my younger siblings from Ohio to Utah. There we split and went our separate ways. My family headed towards Boise, Idaho.

I traveled to northern California with my few treasures filling my AMC Hornet Hatchback. Boy, am I dating myself.

Original Print Ad – mine was blue

In a circuitous route, I ended up spending nearly 25 years on southern California beaches.

After my Dad passed away, I moved in with my Mom in Idaho in late 2009. As you can imagine, Idaho and southern California are a bit different.

Perhaps the most noticeable – well, besides the major lack of any ocean – was the business environment.

Not Business as Usual

Before moving to Idaho, I started my own business writing company.

One of the first things I smacked up against was the slow internet speed.

• In 2011, Idaho was ranked #1 – for the SLOWEST internet speed
• Not a distinction most crave in today’s digital world

Fortunately, connection improved when I signed on for a business account last year with my Internet service provider. I guess they were storing up the big juice.

The next thing I noticed was the lower cost of living. Not exactly a revelation that Idaho runs lower than California.

But, I also found that my writing fees were not a good match for most Idaho businesses. To be fair, my fees are not a good fit for most small businesses just starting out.

An Entrepreneur article shared an infographic of Which State is Best for Small Business.

Idaho received an A+ rating.

Sounds good until you consider a recent article in the Idaho Statesman that reports Idaho led the nation in the percentage of hourly workers who earn minimum wage.

Average wages are headed in the wrong direction. According to the article, Idaho’s average wages in 2010 fell to 76% of the national average (compared to 88% in 1977 – shortly after family members moved here).

Few Local Connections

I’ve met with a few local businesses, but I have no Idaho clients.

I am okay with that as the great thing about my business is location does not matter.

It does make me smile when I think of a self-professed guru who insists I should be marketing myself as a Boise business writer so I can improve my Google ranking locally.

I love Idaho, but I am doing just fine, thank you.

I do use local businesses – like the great Boise web design specialists, Thrive Web Design, who created my business site’s logo.

I like supporting our community.

Not All Work

There is plenty to appreciate about Idaho.

The state has some of the most beautiful scenery in the country. In a future post, I’ll share the Play side of Idaho.

In the meantime, my internet connection is calling.

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Live…Laugh…Love