On Writing, Distractions, and Motivation

12.3.10
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So what can I eliminate each day that doesn’t contribute to my writing? Without a doubt, the answer is Gmail. I live in that damn Gmail — my calendar, my documents, my feed reader, all there to provide constant distraction. (See? I just clicked to the Gmail tab because my fingers stopped typing for a minute!)

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One Word

12.1.10
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So I’ve decided to participate in this Reverb 10 thingy to “reflect on my year and manifest what’s next.” Because I’m feeling pretty on top of my game lately, because 2010 was a good year, because I’m hoping it will force me to write daily, and because I dig this sort of thing.

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My Kids Have A Lot. So What?

11.17.10
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I don’t see a problem with buying my kids what they want as long as we are working together as a family to earn them. Depriving them of a favorite game or toy just for the sake of making them appreciate it more when they finally get it seems more likely to create resentment than appreciation.

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Settlers of Catan Tournament

11.6.10
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Our family loves to play Settlers of Catan and today we got together with some friends and had our first tournament. We were vying for prize money of $8 and some really amazing trophies…

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Children Are Tyrants – That’s Nothing New.

11.5.10
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It’s natural (and even desirable in some sense) for children to act out and push their boundaries. They are finding themselves and growing every minute of every day. It’s our job as parents to give them a safe space and some autonomy – instead of reacting and reverting to tyrants ourselves by yelling and trying to control their every move.

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Halloween. And My Bubble.

11.4.10
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Halloween was a blur this year. As the kids get older, they need me less. This is good, but it makes me feel a little less involved, as if events are speeding by. I did get some quality time with Logan when I took him and a friend on a haunted hay ride, which – WOW – So Much Fun.

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Your Special Purpose

10.19.10
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While the minutiae of everyday life is necessary, I also want to have enthusiasm, growth and drive in my life. I want my kids to see me learning every day and striving to be my personal best. What is wrong with working hard to be “present” in your life and looking for something that motivates and inspires you to make your life (and potentially other lives) better?

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Saving Money Is Hard Work

10.12.10
SavingsAngel.com

Frugal is not a word that one would use to describe me. I’m not excessive in my spending, but I rarely take the time to find the best value. But spending about 20 minutes searching for coupons with SavingsAngel.com, I saved about $9 on my weekly grocery bill. Not bad for a first try.

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My Tribes

10.8.10
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The SITS Girls are at it again with another excellent community-building event. They have set up several “Tribes” of bloggers, grouped by interest and are posting daily activities to help us all strengthen our communities and find new blogs to read.

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My Mom Strengths

10.8.10
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When I read Know Your Strengths, from The Happiest Mom, I realized (again) how much I focus on the negative. I have the perception that the things I am good at (in parenting that is), everyone is good at, while the things I am bad at, everyone else is still good at. Not exactly reality.

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Stagvation

10.2.10
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Some people thrive on having more to do. I get more done in fewer hours when my to-do list is huge. I’m more efficient when I’ve got a time constraint. But when it comes to long-term goals that don’t necessarily have deadlines (other than self-imposed deadlines that I can justify tweaking), inertia kicks in.

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Homeschooling 2010

8.30.10
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I’m inherently an unschooler, and feel completely confident in that philosophy. But my recent exposure to some wonderful books and programs and inspiring friends has lit a fire in me. Additionally, my son has asked me to do more “school” with him. (Excuse me while I pause and revel in the fact that I’m raising a child who loves to learn…)

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Don’t Always Take The Easy Way Out

8.20.10
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I’ll never be a hard-ass parent. I’ll never be the type to get up every day at the same time and follow the same routine. I don’t want to be that person. I do want to get better at seeing things through and providing an example for my kids.

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Siblings And Family Time

8.19.10
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I’d like our after-dinner time to be a scene out a 50′s sitcom, where we all talk and laugh and play together. I realize that’s not going to happen, but I’m sure we can make it better than it is now. What’s your advice? What’s your family-time routine?

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BlogHer: The Night Life

8.17.10
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The social scene at this year’s BlogHer conference was better than any previous year. While I didn’t work hard to meet new people and felt awkward when talking about my blogging, I did feel more comfortable with the friends I had made in previous years and with my social interactions in general.

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Does Your Blog Have Power?

8.12.10
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Owning it means believing in your potential as a writer and a thought leader, but you must be willing to work hard. Every blogger has potential. If you write well, brand yourself effectively, and blog honestly, you can be powerful.

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BlogHer: Emotional Repercussions

8.11.10

Every year I come home from BlogHer motivated and inspired. When I talk blogging with so many amazing women for three days straight, things happen to my brain. I want to start new projects and I get delusions of grandeur.

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