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Writer's Notes - By Jeanne Dininni

 
WritersNotes.Net: Helping Writers Follow Their Dreams Through Information, Inspiration, and Encouragement!


A Writing Project Too Good to Miss

The topic of this month’s WILF (What I Learned From) group writing project at Middle Zone Musings is What I Learned From…My Friends. And while I was unable to complete my post in time for the deadline, I wrote it anyway because I still wanted to contribute my own thoughts on this very important topic. (Be sure to read the other great entries over at MZM!)

As Robert Hruzek comes back online after his recent battle with Hurricane Ike, during which the thoughts and prayers of his many friends went up on his behalf—and were answered in that he and his wife are safe and their Houston home has suffered no damage—I feel that this is a fitting time to broach the topic of friends. (Robert, how did you know that the topic you’d chosen earlier this month would be so timely?)

Here are my musings about the friends I’ve made both online and off and the many profound ways that these fantastic folks have spoken into my life.


Friends: A Host of Gifts, A Host of Lessons

Friends care. They always have our best interests at heart. They’d much rather hear how we’re really doing than listen to a litany of pretentious pleasantries. They teach us that honest communication is absolutely necessary for getting our needs met.

Friends accept us as we are. They don’t expect us to be perfect. By accepting us unconditionally, they help us to accept ourselves—weaknesses and all. They teach us that we have value, that we are worthy of acceptance—regardless of our shortcomings, simply because we are us.

Friends encourage. When nothing seems to be going our way, when the whole world appears to be against us, when we’re most in need of a cheering section, friends are always there to encourage us and build our confidence. They teach us that "two are better than one...for if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow..." *

Friends provide perspective. They have an amazing way of cutting to the heart of a matter and pointing out the aspects we can’t seem to recognize for ourselves in the midst of our own hurts, hang-ups, insecurities, mental blocks, and self-imposed limitations. They teach us that things aren't always as they seem--and that, so often, that's very good news!

Friends allow us the luxury of making mistakes—and learning from them—without judging or thinking less of us and without saying “I told you so.” They teach us that it’s OK to be fallible and that when we fail, we will recover.

Friends forgive. They care enough to place the value of our friendship above their own hurt feelings. They don’t close us off when we’ve said or done something foolish but willingly talk it out in a non-accusatory way. And by setting that wonderfully generous example, they increase our capacity to forgive ourselves, teaching us that we aren't the wretched, hopeless cases we sometimes think we must be.

Friends share our joys, as well as our sorrows. They never envy our successes or begrudge us our moment in the spotlight. Instead, they cheer the loudest and step forward to become our greatest fans. They teach us that, contrary to the popularity of the phrase, there’s really no such thing as a fair-weather friend. There are only fair-weather acquaintances--because real friends stand by us through sunshine and rain.

Friends give. They contribute to our well-being in countless ways—from sharing their insights to sharing their sympathy—providing the mental, emotional, material, and even physical sustenance we require in order to thrive. They teach us the wisdom of the age-old truth that it is indeed more blessed to give than to receive. **

Friends tell us the truth—gently and with love. They know that dishonesty and lack of candor drives a wedge between people; yet, by the same token, they recognize that tact is one of the greatest ways of showing they truly care. They teach us that harshness is never required for getting one's point across.

Friends help us laugh at ourselves. They never laugh at us but only with us, and in that delightfully liberating way, they teach us never to take ourselves too seriously

Friends inspire us to use our gifts. Through their influence, they bring out the best in us. They teach us that resources reside within us that we ourselves don’t always recognize—or utilize—and they gently remind us to do so. Because of their belief in us, they plant within us the desire to fulfill their highest expectations--and they make us believe we actually can.

Friends smooth our rough edges. Through their example, their patience, their insight, and their counsel, they teach us to see ourselves as we are, and they jump-start the process of gradually narrowing the gap between where we are and where we’d like to be, as they sand away our imperfections and help us refine our personalities.

Friends sharpen us. They help us hone our mental facility to a razor’s edge by asking incisive questions that urge us to analyze, describe, express, explain, and often even defend our motives, opinions, ideas, and perceptions. They hold us accountable for responsibly developing both our humanity and our intellect. “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another” *** In the process they teach us that, in order to reach our full potential, we need one another.

Friends validate us. They teach us that we are unique, that no one else in the entire universe can take our place, that the air we breathe and the space we inhabit, while gifts, are things of which we are supremely worthy. They teach us, too, that when we are gone and our personal space is empty, we will leave an inexpressible void which no one else can fill—and we will be missed.


The Wonderful Impact of Friends

These are the many lessons I’ve learned from my friends, lessons that impact my life—and my writing—in so many wonderful ways!


Your friend,
Jeanne


* Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 – The Bible, King James Version
** Acts 20:35 – The Bible, King James Version
*** Proverbs 27:17 – The Bible, New International Version


Did you enjoy this post? Have anything to add? How do your friends impact your life? How do they impact your writing? Do they inspire? Encourage? Believe in your talent? Help you sharpen your skills? Hold you accountable for taking care of business? Give you constructive feedback? I’d love it if you’d share your thoughts!



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A Wonderful ProBlogger Idea!

I've just learned from Sharon Hurley Hall, at Get Paid to Write Online, in her post, Appreciating Blogging Writers, that ProBlogger Darren Rowse has proclaimed April 14th, 2008 Blogger Appreciation Day. Read about it in his post, Today is Blogger Appreciation Day [UNOFFICIAL]. Apparently, Darren received three e-mails earlier today thanking him for all he's done for bloggers, and that prompted him to make this pronouncement. What a nice thought!


Darren's Suggestions

Darren recommends that we e-mail bloggers who have inspired, taught, or helped us in other ways and thank them--or better still that we thank them publicly on our blogs. And though April 14th is nearly at an end in Australia (and may even be over already in other parts of the world), it's the thought that counts, and I'd like to thank the following bloggers who have had a profound effect on me and my blogging during my past 15-plus months of blogging:


Joanna Young, at Confident Writing

AmyHuang, at Travel String

Michele Tune, at Writing the Cyber Highway

Raven, at Alaska Chronicle

Sharon Hurley Hall, at Get Paid to Write Online

James Rickard, at Angling Fish

Laura Spencer, at Writing Thoughts

Brad Shorr, at WordSell, Inc.

Liz Strauss, at Successful Blog

Krissy Knox, at Sometimes I Think

Dan, at dcr Blogs

Melissa Garrett, at Lis Garrett ~ Silver-Tongued Writer

Robert Hruzek, at Middle Zone Musings

K-IntheHouse, at ShanKri-la

Tracy, at Movies and Life

Cindy Nichols, at Kaleidoscope

Yvonne Russell, at Grow Your Writing Business

Lillie Ammann, at A Writer's Words, An Editor's Eye

Danielle, The Bipolar Diaries

Robyn, at Brain-Based Biz

Lynn Smythe, at Freelance Online Work

John Hewitt, at Writer's Resource Center


And last, but certainly not least,

Darren Rowse, at ProBlogger


Many thanks, everyone, for all you've done!


Sincerely,
Jeanne



Did you enjoy this post? Even if Blogger Appreciation Day is over, it's never too late to thank a blogger for doing something nice! Who would you like to thank and how?



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Inspiration: A Mysterious Influence

Inspiration: that powerful yet ethereal quality that’s impossible to adequately define or quantify. Every time we think we’ve grasped it, it flutters away in a totally new direction, leaving us to marvel at its breadth and wonder how we’ve managed to miss this latest nuance.

Inspiration: a concept so difficult to capture in all its splendor that touching on every facet of its subtle yet powerful influence would likely take an eternity, were it possible to achieve at all.



Yet, as elusive and mysterious as the concept is, most writers are intimately acquainted with the reality. Though we may lack the capacity to put its effect into words that adequately capture its meaning, we recognize the potency of the influence it exerts on us in our most creative moments. We realize that, of whatever mysterious substance it may be composed, inspiration is the spark that motivates us, moves us, animates us, as we seek to express our inmost thoughts in words upon a page. Were we to ask 100 writers to define the term, we’d likely get 100 different definitions—and therein lies the magic of inspiration.


A Recently Explored Theme Resurrected in April

During the month of March, Confident Writing coach Joanna Young explored the topic of inspiration. And while I’ve kept up with her wonderful posts as best I could, I haven’t been as involved lately in the Confident Writing conversation as I’d like to be. Due to a hectic writing schedule, I never managed to contribute to the recent “4 x 4” writing project*, which explored the sources of writing inspiration from the point of view of each blogger who entered. Since I’ve been planning for some time now to explore this theme, I think the month of April would be a great time to tackle the topic here at Writer’s Notes.


Inspiration: Where Does It Come From?

I won’t attempt to define inspiration here—though doing so is a wonderful creative exercise that every writer should engage in periodically just to keep the imagination sharp. I’ll discuss, instead, where inspiration comes from—which is right in line with the focus of Joanna’s “4 x 4” writing project (except that I won’t be following the “4 x 4” format).

Today’s post will explore people and some of the ways they can inspire us. In future posts I’ll discuss several other sources of inspiration (in no discernable order of importance) which I’ve found, in my own experience, contribute to a writer’s creativity.


Part 1: People, Positive and Negative

The potential of other people to influence our lives (in both positive and negative ways) is huge. No matter how much importance we assign to it, we could never overestimate the impact that one individual—through example, words, or actions toward us—can have on us as people or on our inner, creative lives. A single person can make an enormous difference in our entire outlook on life. And whether this person affects us in subtle or earth-shaking ways, his or her influence will be reflected in our writing.


Inspiration: A Positive Influence—Even in a Negative Situation

Inspiration is normally thought of as a positive, enlightening influence; and well it should be, because it is—even when it springs from negative or painful experiences, emotions, or interactions. This is because inspiration has the mystical ability to make something ugly, bad, unpleasant, wrong, or deceitful yield something beautiful, good, pleasing, right, and true. It's a bit of a miracle, really. While it may not actually alter the negative situation or person in any way, it changes us and the way we view the unhappy circumstances or unpleasant people that inhabit our lives. It helps us negate their power and weaken their influence, empowering us to move forward, to grow, and to create.

Inspiration is the mysterious power that revolutionizes our outlook, changing our focus from the negative interactions or examples themselves to the positive life lessons and inner transformations we’ve experienced as a result of them. These are rich reservoirs from which to draw meaningful material—and potent catalysts to creative growth.


Creating the Positive from the Negative

We’ve all met or heard of people whose nurturing interactions or uplifting stories have inspired us directly—without the unpleasant need for painfully processing the negative into the positive. And that’s the kind of inspiration on which we thrive. How we love those people! Thankfully, wonderful role models abound, and many of us are fortunate enough to have some of these fantastic people in our own personal spheres. Yet, even in the absence of such positive people, when we face the not-so-happy kind of inspiration with courage, purpose, wisdom, strength, and vision; we develop a balance that infuses us with the spirit of the overcomer. Such inspiration is hard-won but immensely valuable to the writer.

So, if you’ve experienced painful interactions with others—and who hasn’t?—don’t ignore this potentially fruitful path to inspiration, because it offers a rare opportunity to turn a negative into a positive and use it to fuel your creativity. There’s no question that such experiences take time to process…to work through…to begin to see objectively. But the results are always well worth the effort.


People: Choose to Let Them Inspire You!

It may seem as if I’ve dwelt a bit too much on the negative in this post—a rather unconventional practice in discussing inspiration, I think. Yet, the positive people we meet inspire us naturally, with very little effort on our part. It’s the difficult people and the unpleasant situations they create that endanger the health of our Muse—unless we learn to handle them in positive, constructive, and creative ways.

People can be an incredible source of inspiration for us as writers—whether or not they intend to be! The deciding factor is what we choose to do with the ideas and emotions they plant within us. So, choose to be inspired! It will make an incredible difference in your work!

May the people you’ve known and those you’ve known about become a living lesson for you. May they spark the inspiration that enables you to produce works of beauty, nobility, and grace—regardless of who they are or what they’ve done.


To your Muse!
Jeanne


* I'd previously stated in this post that Joanna Young tagged me for this project. She actually didn't. I somehow managed to mix this project up with a meme for which she did recently tag me. Therefore I've corrected that statement.




Did you enjoy this post? Have any ideas about inspiration to share? How have people sparked your creativity as a writer? I'd love to hear your thoughts!




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Right, Wrong, and Law

The person who is devoted to doing good, to loving God, and loving people tends to do what’s right naturally. He doesn’t need to be told what to do. He doesn’t need to have the rules and regulations spelled out and placed before him repeatedly. And while he is by no means perfect, and even fails at times, he knows what’s right, and his goal is to do it.

He may occasionally need a little encouragement, a touch of inspiration, or a little reminder now and then—after all, none of us is perfect, yet—but by and large, his actions square with his personal ideals, which tend to mesh with society’s general consensus of good versus evil and of legal versus illegal.


Writing and Its Laws

In a similar sense, the writer who loves words, thoughts, and noble ideas, and is willing to surrender to her creativity and inspiration also tends to almost miraculously fulfill the “laws” of good writing. And while writing is, to a large extent, an intellectual exercise, there’s a sense in which the ability to write in this almost “exalted” manner is a matter of the heart and not the head.


In Writing, as in Law, Heart Can Neither Be Legislated Nor Taught

In the same sense that goodness cannot be legislated, inspiration and creativity cannot be taught. One can study and practice the principles of good writing all he desires; but if he lacks the spark of creativity… inspiration… imagination— of innate talent, if you will— the principles of writing will do him little good. His writing will be cold…dry…clinical—perhaps technically correct, yet lacking in heart.


Heart-Learning, as Opposed to Book-Learning

By the same token, the writer whose talent, creativity, and inspiration come from deep within may not be well-studied in the principles of “good” writing, the nuances of grammar, or the particulars of punctuation; yet he wields his words with power, delivers his message with impact, and wraps the fingers of emotion around the hearts of his readers in ways they couldn’t possibly understand. Like the person who does good without needing to be shown the laws that say he must, this writer is a law unto himself.

While far more could be said on this topic, these are a few of my musings about “the Law” as it applies to writing.

May you always be a law unto yourself when it comes to your writing!

Best wishes,
Jeanne


This post is my entry to the Middle Zone Musings “What I Learned From…the Law” group writing project.



Did you enjoy this post? What are your thoughts on creativity, inspiration, and the "laws" of writing? We'd love to hear them!



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A Friend In Need

When my blogging buddy, Michele Tune, learned of my family's battle with sickness, which prevented me from posting as often as usual, she did a very gracious thing: She wrote and sent me a guest post to help fill in the gap and take some of the pressure off me. (Now I know why I gave her the "Blogging Gem Award" recently: because she truly is one gem of a blogger!)

Now, on to Michele's post!


That’s What Writers Bloggers Are For
By Michele L. Tune


Since I've joined the online writing community, I've noticed how gracious other writers bloggers are. Offering up compliments, advice, tips, sharing markets, lessons for better writing... The list goes on. It's amazing how warm, caring, and kind the writing world is. I've grown to love it beyond words, as well as each of the amazing writers I come into contact with daily, including Jeanne! It's so encouraging to know there are other writers out there who understand what it's like to stay up all night writing, to write while being sick, or how it feels to have the writing career mocked like it's nothing more than lounging on a couch wearing jammies, sipping a latte, and playing on a laptop. It's just nice to belong, isn't it?

That's why when I read Jeanne's recent post, my heart melted. I sympathized with her illnesses and those of her family members, as I've struggled through many health issues, surgeries, and trials of illness myself. I have the special gift of also being able to empathize. I can feel other people's pain. My heart literally hurts for them. I think that's why when I write, I write with such emotion. I not only share my own heart, giving my readers a peek into my very soul, but envision the aching hearts of my readers and aspire to touch their hearts, stir their emotions, and make their day better. It's why I created my motto: Inspiring readers one word at a time...

Jeanne's "Please Bear With Me!" plea really got my attention. Bear with her? Why not help her? Why not use my talent with words to write a guest post and take a little pressure off? It's bad enough she has to tend to sick family members while not feeling well herself, meet clients' deadlines, and be superwoman overall, why should she have to worry about pleasing Writer's Notes readers with fresh and unique posts every day all on her own? That's where I come in.

So, do you want to know how to step up your writing game? I decided to share a few techniques I use as I write the cyber highway.

1. Be open. Let your readers in. Search deep inside your heart, sweep the cobwebs of your soul, and expose the real you. Your readers will feel comfortable knowing you’re genuine, that you care enough to write what’s hardest to write, and they’ll come begging for more.

2. Keep your eyes open. Just like this guest post, I saw an opportunity to help a writer friend while at the same time write for a new readership. It never hurts to guest post. I’ve made up my mind to do more of it this year. If you see a window of opportunity, crawl through! The person on the other end may very well love your idea and who knows where that will lead?

3. Get organized. I mention this often on my blog. If you know where you’ve sent your queries and submissions and when you sent them, you’ll be able to focus on actually writing instead of wondering. Make copies of your checks or print out PayPal invoices when you’re paid and staple them to your acceptance letters and contracts. Keep them in a file and update that file or make a new one each year. It’s refreshing, and inspiring, to be neat and be able to find things. It leaves more time for creativity and writing!

4. Listen. Eavesdrop. Pay attention! Some writers take a notebook and pen with them while they’re out and about, even jotting down snippets of conversation they overhear. That dialogue may set your fictional piece or novel on fire!

5. Care. Care about your writing, yourself, your readers, your work. Write from your heart, write often, write to engage your readers and bring them to the edge of their chairs. Don’t just rush off the first thing you write. Let it sit. Clear your mind for a day or so. Then go back with a fresh eye. Be willing to cut words or entire sentences or paragraphs to polish your piece and make it the best it can be.

I hope these five tips help you. Never think that you have no room to improve. Don’t feel like you have nothing left to learn. Writers evolve, change, and grow. We get better with time and practice, by studying and writing more.

And the next time you see a blogger friend struggling, help. Because that’s what bloggers are for!


Michele L. Tune is a Freelance Writer and Blogger. Find her at www.michele-tune.com or her blog, Writing the Cyber Highway



--
Kindest Regards,
Michele L. Tune

Inspiring readers one word at a time...

Freelance Writer & Blogger
www.michele-tune.com


Writing the Cyber Highway: a blog



ADDED NOTE: Michele has written an excellent blog review of the Writer's Round-About blog as an entry to Rebecca Lafarr-Smith's exciting contest. She has the opportunity to win $100 worth of books from Amazon.com. So, why not stop by, read her entry, Cyber Contest: Win Prizes from Amazon!, and give her your support by voting for it via Rebecca's You Decide The Winner! post. (You'll be able to read the other contest entries, as well, by using the links in Rebecca's post.)

Michele got my vote--not merely because she's a great person (though she certainly is that)--but because her post is excellently written and is also the only entry that followed every one of the contest rules--and then some! Also, if you'd like to Stumble her post, feel free to stop back by Writer's Notes and use the link. Check out her great post! The contest ends Saturday, February 16th. So, if you haven't voted yet, please vote before then! Thanks! (If you're reading this post after that date, visit her blog anyway! It's fantastic!)




Did you enjoy this post? Why not let Michele know it! Have any thoughts or experiences to share? Michele would just love to hear from you!



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Blog Birthday Neon Sign - Writer's Notes



Happy First Birthday to Writer's Notes!

Writer's Notes is one year old today, and what a great year it's been! I've learned so much and made so many wonderful blogging friends! I have to say it's been a blast! Thanks so much, everyone, for making my first year of blogging so much fun!


Some Gifts for My Friends

I know, I know, it's my blog birthday--but I still want to give away a few gifts to show my blogging friends how much I appreciate each one of you! Call them "party favors" if you like, but here are a few gifts I'd like to present to my friends and fellow bloggers. (These gifts and recipients are in no particular order.)


Blogging Gem Award

This award is for the female bloggers who have had the most impact on me during my first year of blogging. Please feel free to take this gift home to your blog, ladies--and thanks for being such great friends and shining--or glittering--examples to me!


Blogging Gem Award



This award is proudly given to the following (rockin') girl bloggers:

Liz Strauss, at Successful Blog

Joanna Young, at Confident Writing

Michele Tune, at Writing the Cyber Highway

Sharon Hurley Hall, at Get Paid to Write Online

Laura Spencer, at Writing Thoughts

Amy Derby, at Write-from-Home Blog

Krissy Knox, at Sometimes I Think

Lis Garrett, at Woolgatherings

Cindy Nichols, at Kaleidoscope

Yvonne Russell, at Grow Your Writing Business

Lillie Ammann, at A Writer's Words, An Editor's Eye

Danielle, The Bipolar Diaries

Robyn McMaster, at Brain Based Biz

You, rock, ladies!


Star Blogger Award

This award is for the (rockin') guy bloggers I know, who have had a profound effect on me and my blogging over the past year. You'll always be stars, to me, fellas! I'd be honored if you'd take this one home to your blog--even if you only display it inside a post!


Star Blogger Neon Sign



These are the guy bloggers to whom I proudly present this gift:

Brad Shorr, at WordSell, Inc.

Dan, at dcrBlogs

Robert Hruzek, at Middle Zone Musings

K-IntheHouse, at ShanKri-la

Vernon, at The Idea Dude

You're the best, guys!


Comment Star Award

This gift is for the people who have faithfully commented here at Writer's Notes on a regular basis, helping me not to feel as if I'm talking to myself! Thanks, everyone! You are what this blog is all about! (You might notice that some people from the above lists are here, too. That's because many of the people in the above two categories deserve this award, too! Just couldn't resist giving it to them, as well!)


Comment Star Award



These are the bloggers that I'm happily inducting into my Comment Star Walk of Fame:

Raven, at Alaska Chronicle

AmyHuang, at Travel String

Lynn Smythe, at Freelance Online Work

Michele Tune, at Writing the Cyber Highway

Laura Spencer, at Writing Thoughts

Cindy Nichols, at Kaleidoscope

Lillie Ammann, at A Writer's Words, An Editor's Eye

Brad Shorr, at WordSell, Inc.

Lis Garrett, at Woolgatherings

Thanks for all your friendly and insightful comments that help keep the conversation vital here are Writer's Notes!


Writer's Notes Friend Award

This gift is for everyone else who visits Writer's Notes on a regular basis to read what I have to say here. You may not comment extremely often--and some of you maybe not at all--but you keep coming back! Perhaps you take some of my ideas back to your own blog, or maybe elsewhere into the blogosphere. But, even if you don't, I appreciate you! You are such an important part of this blog! Thanks for being you and visiting me!


Writer's Notes Friend Badge



Honorable Mentions

Here are a few people I want to specifically give the Writer's Notes Friend Award to because they do comment whenever they can:

Tracy, at Movies and Life

Mark Antony, at Hotel Mark

Howard, at Real Crash

Kerith Collins, at Freelancing, My Road Less Traveled

Thanks, guys! I appreciate it! (Of course, all the people who received the above awards also deserve the Writer's Notes Friend Award, too!)


Thanks, Everyone for a Fantastic First Year!

Many, many thanks to everyone, for making my first year of blogging such a special period of my life by being such an important part of the Writer's Notes community and welcoming me into your own blogs' communities with open arms! I'm looking forward to another great year of blogging with all my friends!

Love you all!
Jeanne

P.S. Hope everyone's enjoyed the party as much as I have! Thanks for joining in on the festivities! And please don't forget to take your awards--er, party favors--home when you leave. Thanks for a great blog birthday!



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The Lucid Mind: A True Gift

As writers, each of us can appreciate, in a particularly vivid way, the blessing of a lucid mind! Clear thought, dependable memory, logical deductive power: each of these is critical to us as we go about our daily activities, giving us the ability to share ideas via the written--or spoken--word. Because of this, we writers are able, perhaps more than most, to understand just how devastating the loss of these abilities can be--and is--to every person who falls victim to Alzheimer's, and to each of their family members, as well.


The Alzheimer's Association Memory Walk®: Your Opportunity to Make a Difference

The
Alzheimer's Association Memory Walk® is America's largest event held to raise awareness about Alzheimer's and funds for Alzheimer's care, support, and research. Held annually since 1989 in hundreds of communities across the U.S., walks are typically 2-3 miles long and take place on a weekend morning in early fall. This year's walk will involve more than 600 communities--communities where volunteers of all ages will gather to champion the cause of Alzheimer's sufferers.

Since its inception, Memory Walk has raised more than $225 million in funds to help in the fight against Alzheimer's, and caring people like you are the ones who have made that happen!


Memory Walk Team Captains Needed Immediately!

Team Captains are needed NOW to assemble, organize, and lead teams of other concerned individuals in preparing for and participating in the Walk. Teams can consist of family members, friends, and/or business associates who are dedicated to helping fight Alzheimer's. As a Team Captain, you can inspire the caring people in your own personal sphere to take action on behalf of a worthwhile cause, becoming true champions of those who face Alzheimer's.

The rewards of taking charge and making this happen in your local area will be great! You'll experience the satisfaction of knowing that you've gone the extra mile--literally!--in the fight to help make Alzheimer's a thing of the past. You'll know that you were the catalyst that brought your entire group's energy, enthusiasm, and compassion together, creating a synergy that would be hard to beat. You'll be respected and admired, not only by those you lead, but by others who learn of your dedication and leadership in such a worthy endeavor. By signing up to become a Team Captain, you can't lose--because you'll know that you're helping those who are contending with Alzheimer's win!


Please Sign Up Early!

The Association recommends that Team Captains sign up as early as possible so they will have sufficient time to recruit their teams and raise funds for the cause. As a Team Captain, you can help make this year's Alzheimer's Association Memory Walk® a success.

To quote the Association, "By teaming up with the Alzheimer's Association, you can walk with a purpose – and move us closer to a world without Alzheimer's. Together, we can MOVE a nation."

Won't that be a wonderful thing?


Thanks for reading,
Jeanne













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Thought I'd follow my "tradition," started this Mother's Day when I posted some links for writing moms and...well...since it's Father's Day, thought I'd give dads equal status and post some links for writing dads.

Here they are, in no particular order:

The Writing Dad

The Mark Lawrence Blog

Adventure Dad

The BlogFathers: Dads You Can't Refuse

Where Boys Fear to Tread

Child's Play x2

Genuine

Not for Profit Dad

Relaxed Parents

Fatherhood

Daddy Types

How to Be a Good Father

This Next Blog

Best Father's Day Quotes

Father's Day: Thoughts to Inspire All Men

Working Fathers' Quest for Balance

Hope all you writing--or reading--dads will find something interesting, amusing, helpful, or fun here to help round out your Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day to all dads everywhere!


Till next time,
Jeanne


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