You Know What I Miss From All of You? Wordless Wednesdays

(who am i trying to kid. i can't do worldless. it's summer and my kids are all home!)

* * *

Best Advice in Six

I'm throwing myself a book party.

Along with Whoopi Goldberg, Elizabeth Gilbert, Maria Shriver, and more.

We're all contributors to THE BEST ADVICE IN SIX WORDS: Writers Famous and Obscure on Love, Sex, Money, Friendship, Family, Work, and more, edited by Larry Smith, Six Words from SMITH Magazine.

I'm the "writers obscure" but my six words of advice can be found on page 57.

You can purchase THE BEST ADVICE IN SIX WORDS on amazon, BN.com, and also at just about every book store.

This carefully curated poignant collection of universal wisdom, life lessons, and caution thrown to the wind six words at a time will make a great graduation gift and also a great gift to yourself.

SIX WORDS is "The book that will thrill minimalists and inspire maximalists." ~Vanity Fair
and I'd add, anyone who loves to think, ponder, contemplate, and smile.

To celebrate, tell me your best advice in six. What's Your Six Word Advice? Leave your wisdom here and I'll give away a copy to a random winner. 

With 1,000 contributions from celebrities like Molly Ringwald, Whoopi Goldberg, Lemony Snicket, and Gary Shteyngart, as well as everyday people who've learned a thing or two about a thing or two during their time on the planet, readers will pulled into the sometimes hilarious, often serious, occasionally reflective experience of the book. These words will inspire you, amuse you, impress you, and make you think.

Thank you so much for sharing in my joy!

And six more words of advice - Buy this, you won't regret it.

With love,

the "everyday people"

* * *

18 Unhealthy Food Favorites

Whipped cream. I dream of it.

Unhealthy eating, I know, I know. I've been warned about it. Chocolate filled croissant warmed in the microwave. A tablespoon of butter in coffee.

The hot, the melted, the chocolate. Gooey cheesy burgers. Toasted bagels with slathered cream cheese, double loaded mozzarella on pizza, chocolate drizzled over anything.

I do have unhealthy favorites, and I give in to them. Also, thank you so much for asking, they do make me feel good. Because, here they are:

A bowl of microwave melted Hershey's kisses and mini marshmallows.

Graham cracker S'mores, 23 seconds in the microwave.

Hot cocoa with a 5 second squirt of Reddi-Whip.

McDonald's will mix half and half of any flavor shakes for you. A half Arctic Orange with half Chocolate.

Sliced apples smothered in melted French Vanilla frosting.

All cupcakes.

All cupcakes. Again.

Hot dogs sliced down the middle and filled with shredded cheese, then wrapped in bacon and put under the broiler for 4 minutes.

Doritos sprinkled with taco seasoned shredded cheese, diced tomatoes, crumbled turkey meat, microwaved for 1:25, then dolloped -- twice -- with sour cream and guacamole.

Guacamole. Period.

One scoop of chocolate ice cream with maraschino cherries on top. It's OK because I said one scoop.

Girl Scout Thin Mints.

Boy Scout Cheese Pop Corn.

Instant brownie in a microwave with a surprise for you slather of raspberry preserves.

Lay's Thick Cut Vinegar and Salt Potato Chips stacked delicately atop sloppy joe meat.

25 27 crumbled crackers floating on top of a home made bowl of chili, heavy on the tomatoes.

A baked potato, nuked, and stuffed with bacon bits, sour cream, cheddar cheese and a touch of salsa.

A tall glass of Fanta orange soda served over a big fat scoop of creamy vanilla ice cream. Close your eyes. Romance.

 

 

I wish you the occasion of joy and food, friends. In the way that hot fudge sauce warms me from the inside out.

 

* * *

Happy Five Years, Good Day Regular People

This month is the 5th anniversary of Good Day Regular People.

What began as a place for me to write my stories has grown into one of the most amazing things I've ever done in my life. It's you and our interactions here on this blog, exchanging words, finding each other through differences and similarities, that have added a dimension to my life that I wouldn't have been able to predict.

I am deeply grateful that you are here. The pride that I have and the contentment from words published, all a possibility through blogging, shows me we are a fortunate generation indeed. When you are someone that has held a life long wish for your work, whatever that means to you, to be seen and shared with others, and then have it happen because of something that allows this just this like a computer, it's easy to see my astonishment.

Blogging here has been an entry way to friendships, contacts, a daily sharing in each others lives. We belong to a community. When I think of the opportunities that led to the people that I know count on daily as friends, all because of blogging, I wish it for everyone.

My life is surreal. I do things now I imagined as only possible for others. My life has become what I timidly held a wish for it to be -- to be someone whose words have meaning, impact, change perspective or remove a bit of loneliness in those minutes that someone reads.

None of the encouragement and belief that I needed to pursue more for myself would have happened without the words of support from you who read and are part of everything here. I am so fortunate. Hand to my heart, every day, I think about the pride and happiness I have in the inspiring community that is around me. 

I am grateful.

Five years ago, as I sat with my face toward a white screen, I never could have imagined how everything was about to change. Events were up ahead in my future that surely were meant for someone else. Writing my words here has made me stand taller, smile more, laugh every day, speak with conviction and value who I am. I am proud of who I am. I am a different person than I was before I started this blog. Because of this blog, I speak.

You accepted me, with the quirks, the screw ups, the "dork at the keyboard." Seeing how you came to love me was pivotal. Could it be OK to be real, no other way but authentic, and people would still like me? It was more than OK.

You changed everything. And that, changed everything.

I am a well of emotion today.
Five years.

From the bottom of my heart, I feel so lucky.

Happy Five Years to me. Today, I smile and tear up while I celebrate this blog. I marvel at all the good that has come my way because of it. And yes, I'm looking at you.

* * *