Motivation

LOOOOk!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  When reading my niece's blog a few weeks ago, she shared that she had printed her blog and posted a picture of her book.  I checked out the Blog2Print website and found myself excited at the idea.  The best part, my tax money had just come in, so I felt like I could splurge.

My book came in the mail this week.  It's just like I designed it.  I chose the cover to be green, since that's my favorite color.  I chose pictures I wanted on the front of the book as well as the back of the book.

\  Here is the front of my book!  This is a picture I took when I went to Cochlear Celebration in 2009!  It represented a joyful time for me, so I chose it for the front.  On a side note, the day after tomorrow, I'm taking off for Cochlear Celebration 2011!  I'm so excited at the fun times I'm sure are ahead!

  Here's the back of my book.  I put a picture from a convention known as ALDAcon (Association of Late Deafened Adults Convention).  I'm not a late deafened person (very early deafened), but they accept me anyway! :)  Anyhow, this picture was snapped by someone at the beginning of an evening of Karaoke.  The party had not yet gotten into full swing, and I was almost the only person on the dance floor.  The DJ was singing as he waited for us to get into the spirit of things and for more people to arrive.  I was ready to party and just jumped on the dance floor and started dancing!  He ended up throwing me the boa, and then later the air guitar and pulled me onto the stage to join him.  Since the picture represented the joy of "living in the moment", I had to put it on the back of the book.  Also, notice, there's even a bar coded ISBN number for my book! :)

 I snapped a picture of the book standing up, so you could see that it's a hard bound book!  The quality is great.  My niece noted in her blog, how printing the blog gave them a book to record their family history.  I may not have a family, but it's a little awesome to have in my hands a tangible history from the previous two years.  My little ones at home were quite tickled to open up my book and see pictures of themselves.  I guess when I'm long gone, they might regard my book as a little of their history, since I lived with them and put pictures of them on my blog occasionally! :) 

Yesterday I went and got my hair cut and a pedicure, in preparation for my trip.  As I sat there being pampered, I started to read my book from the beginning.  I was surprised at how much pleasure I got from this.  I've had people tell me I'm funny, but I thought they were just easily amused.  I guess I'm in that category of easily amused.  I found myself laughing and giggling quite a bit as I was reading.  The pedicurist and hair stylist must have thought I was nuts, reading a book adorned with me and laughing all the while.  I guess I'm enjoying my new favorite author:  ME!! :)

Quite some time ago, I lost my motivation to blog.  Guess what?  I have it back!  I am just dying to print out another book from this little place on the internet that I inhabit!  Feel free to check back in frequently and comment.  If you like what I write, comment!  I found that the comments from others are a big motivator for me.  Come back often and throw some bread crumbs into the comment section! :) 

My Sweet Valentine

Valentine's Day is not on my list of holidays I pay any attention to.  I've spent my life as a single woman, watching with disdain.  What was it other than just another reminder that there wasn't anyone special in my life to treat me special and for me to treat special? 

Today, I realized something profound.  Valentine's Day is simply a day to care and show your love.  It doesn't matter who it is.  I came upstairs to do my laundry and found Dalia, age 5 and Mac age 4 busily involved in decorating cookies.  With big smiles, I was told "Don't look!"  at the other end of the table from where they were decorating.  I gave them big hugs and kisses and told them I definitely wouldn't look.  They were just jumping from excitement. 

After I left the laundry room, they jumped up and down with the biggest smiles and handed me the above plate.  They'd gotten these plates, taken the time to put everyone in the family's name on their own plate, and then decorated a cookie just for that person.  It wasn't the cookie and the decorated plate that was so special, but what it reminded me of.  Two little sweet ones, faces filled with pleasure and expectations to give me a gift from their heart.  Oh, what a sweet holiday Valentine's Day is!  This Valentine's Day, I'll be flying out to Florida for a wonderful vacation.  However, I'm hopeful that next Valentine's Day, I'll remember the lessons of today and take the time to think of something special I can do for those I love on this one day dedicated for showing our love.