I’ve been making my mom’s banana bread recipe for years. And since I went gluten-free September 2011 I haven’t eaten any. Recently I’d been gifted an abundance of bananas and wasn’t able to eat them fast enough so into the freezer they went—skins and all. Yesterday I was inspired to make GF banana bread. OMG—It turned out perfect. My tastebuds are happy campers. It’s great by itself or toasted and served with a bit of butter or cream cheese.

Here’s the recipe. Mom’s banana bread GF (PDF)

If you want to make the original recipe, just leave out the xanthan gum and use regular flour… easy peasy.

Enjoy!

“Unnecessary fear of a bad decision

is a major stumbling block to good decisions.”

— Jim Camp

Renowned negotiations trainer and coach

Ever wondered what books do at night while you are sleeping?

Click here to view the embedded video.

Christmas in Hawaii is a just a bit different than when I lived in Montana, Idaho, and Washington. Enjoy!

This beautiful program was presented at Hulihe’e Palace in Kailua-Kona Hawaii. Halau Na Pua Ui O Hawai’i under the direction of Kumu Etua Lopes, accompanied by the Merrie Monarchs Mens Glee Club, under the direction of Joe Spencer.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Many of my friends set their alarms so they could watch the lunar eclipse. I did not. My inner pessimist raised her ugly head since it had been cloudy in Kailua Kona for a few days, so “why bother.”

Besides, what’s so special about a lunar eclipse anyway?

Wikipedia says, “A lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes behind the Earth so that the Earth blocks the Sun’s rays from striking the Moon. This can occur only when the Sun, Earth, and Moon are aligned exactly, or very closely so, with the Earth in the middle. Hence, a lunar eclipse can only occur the night of a full moon.”

Eileen Lighthawk shares this, “Eclipses are kind of like cosmic reset buttons, or reboots. Even if you can’t see the eclipse where you live, you can still tune in to its movements. In many traditions, the sun represents the active, physical, and social arenas. And the moon represents the contemplative, soulful, private and receptive realms. In general, eclipses are a time to let go of something old, and begin something new. This is an opportunity to release some inner pattern that no longer serves you and begin something new that is more joyful and fulfilling.”

So, even after missing the actual eclipse, I woke up feeling that change was in the air.

The first email of the morning had a link to this video, Duo Artemiev – Trapèze – Le Plus Grand Cabaret Du Monde:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Zowies—These two are amazing! They have Strength, are Flexible, Coordinated, Comfortable with heights, and beautiful to watch.

Will I ever be able to dance like these two—on solid ground, much less on a trapeze bar. Most likely NOT in this lifetime. And yet . . .

• Could I add more movement to my life? Yes.
• Could I have a stronger body? Yes.
• Could I be a more coordinated, even a little bit? Yes.
• Could I learn one hula dance well? Yes.
• Are there changes in my lifestyle that I can make? Yes.

For me, it’s time to let go of the “couch potato” lifestyle and begin to live a life that is vibrant, healthy and JOY filled.

What will you let go of to make room for new things in your life?

“Advice? I don’t have advice.

Stop aspiring and start writing.

If you’re writing, you’re a writer.

Write like you’re a goddamn death row inmate and the governor is out of the country and there’s no chance for a pardon.

Write like you’re clinging to the edge of a cliff, white knuckles, on your last breath, and you’ve got just one last thing to say, like you’re a bird flying over us and you can see everything, and please, for God’s sake, tell us something that will save us from ourselves.

Take a deep breath and tell us your deepest, darkest secret, so we can wipe our brow and know that we’re not alone.

Write like you have a message from the king. Or don’t. Who knows, maybe you’re one of the lucky ones who doesn’t have to.”

Alan Watts (1915 – 1973)

The dream was delightful. . . and then . . . there’s the realization that the jangling phone is ringing in real life.  It is 5:10am. It is still dark out. Who could be calling so early?

408 area code. I recognize it from yesterday when a print/web reporter left a message. He needed some information about Wayne Freedman’s upcoming book.

Bleary-eyed, I return the call. After I introduced myself, he says, “I need the URL for my article.”

“I emailed it late last night to the address you give in your voicemail.”

“What address?”

I repeat the address he has recorded on his voicemail, including the spelling.

“O . . . yeah, he says, “that email no longer works.”

“Do you know that it’s 5am here?”

“Yeah . . . sorry.”

I am surprised how annoyed I am feeling—after all he did say he was “sorry.”

For the past few months, I have been working with Wayne on the Second Edition of his book It Takes More Than Good Looks To Succeed At Television News Reporting. There have been rounds of edits and tweaks as he focuses on creating a book that is rich in content, a fun read, and succinct.

During the editing and book design process, I’ve learned some things about Wayne:

• He’s married to the love of his life
• He’s very proud of his daughter, Lauren
• He’s an avid golfer
• He’s a great teacher
• He’s concerned about being too wordy
• He has won 51 Emmy’s
• He is respectful

That’s it! That’s why I got so pissed at the early morning phone call. There was zero respect. None. Nadda. The reporter had my phone number for a week. Yet he waited until the afternoon before his deadline to contact me. When I returned his call, his voicemail message gave an inactive email account. He then “consciously” chose to call me at 5am. Really?

All this got me thinking. Why has Wayne won 51 Emmy’s?

• Yes, he’s an excellent writer.
• Yes, he speaks well on camera.
• Yes, he has a good eye when shooting video (and stills).
• Yes, he’s a talented news reporter.
• Yes, he knows how to edit a story.
• And the most important is — he’s respectful.

Wayne respects his craft, coworkers, subjects, audience, the people he interviews, and the stories he tells. AND he respects himself enough to give us his best.

Any reporter—TV, newspaper, magazine—will benefit from the techniques and tools Wayne teaches. Perhaps, if more were like him, reporters would have a better reputation.

Even though Wayne’s book is directed primarily to television reporters, the wisdom between the covers can be used by anyone who is telling a story, collecting oral histories, and speaking on stage.

The Book Angel works with A Wealth of Wisdom, a publishing company in Kailua Kona, HI.

Here’s another list of the most common misused or misspelled words:

elicit vs. illicit

• Elicit is a verb which means to bring out or draw forth.
• Illicit is an adjective which means illegal or unlawful.

• For example:
  Her illicit behavior elicited dirty looks from women everywhere.

eminent vs. imminent

• Eminent means renowned or distinguished.
• Imminent means impending or likely to happen without delay.

• For example:
  The eminent scientist eagerly anticipated his imminent return to his homeland.

enormity vs. enormousness

• Enormity means excessive wickedness.
• Enormousness refers to size.

• For example:
  The enormity of his behavior was surpassed only by the enormousness of his ego.

everyday vs. every day

• Everyday means daily and is usually an adjective.
• Every day means each day.

• For example:
  Every day that he wore jeans, his casual attire became less and less unusual until it eventually became an everyday occurrence.

Other Lists:

• Words that begin with A are here.
• Words that begin with B are here.
• Words that begin with C and D are here.

I learned about this hilarious video So You Want to Write a Novel on Twitter.

What’s interesting is I’ve heard similar comments from non-fiction authors. It doesn’t matter what genre, most people who are writing their first book, or thinking about writing their first book, have visions of grandeur.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Speaking of grandeur—One new author asked me to not charge him upfront because “My book will sell millions and make us both millionaires.” Another gentleman asked if I would discount my fees, “Because I have 2000+ FaceBook friends that I could promote your services to.”

The reality for non-fiction, which is my focus, is:

• Your first book is your new business card.
• It gives you the credibility of being the expert on your topic.
• The bulk of your money will be made by using the book to expand your business: speaking, coaching, new clients, etc.
• If your first book makes money, be grateful!

If you write fiction, do so because you want to write fiction, not because it’s your business plan. If you happen to make money, look at it as a great bonus.

So what are you going to write?