1st Quarter Update! My Golden Year!

Whew! I've been super busy the past 3 months taking a bunch of classes and having a fun time.
My goals for this year were/are to "Live My Life Likes Its Golden."
Professional
Attend at least 3 professional networking events (public health/ legal or general) - Achieved!
Take at least 3 professional business management courses/ workshops (on line or in person) Achieved!
Sell stuff at at least 2 doll shows - 1 Completed!
Sell $500 at 2 or more flea markets - Sales not even close !
Save at least $2500 - Savings Not on track!
Creative
Attend at least 2 scrapbook crops/ retreats - Achieved!
Builds a greenhouse for garden vegetables
Enter at least 3 writing contests (RWA Romance Writers of America) 2 Completed!
Complete at least 2 novellas - 1 In progress!
Clear clutter from my closet
Home / Garden
Get a new refrigerator
Create/ plant a low water / drought tolerant front yard garden

Achievements 

I reserved a table at the Nancy Jo Doll Show and Sale on February 1, 2014 and sold a grand total of $33 worth of stuff. Spent way more than that to reserve table, purchase other items so ended up with a huge loss. Hubby did attend sale with me so we had a fun time looking at other people.

Bunch of raggedy dolls, bears and quilts for sale at doll show.

Another view of dolls for sale.

Travel
2014 Travel wasn't one of my goals but I had such a wonderful time on last New Years Eve cruise so I booked a family vacation for the week after Christmas this year on Carnival. I put a deposit. I'm still trying to figure out how to pay for it but I'm sure that will all work itself out.

Still need to research airfare. Sigh!

Writing Achievements

• For the fourth or fifth year in a row I've been a Preliminary judge for a RWA Chapter sponsored writing contest. Just finished reading and judging 5 Historical entries. 
• For the fourth or fifth year, I've been a preliminary reader for an electronic romance publisher. So far this year, I've read one novel for publisher. I've had to turn down other requests. 
• Rejoined an online critique group for feedback on my own writing and to offer feedback to others. 
• Enrolled in and in the process of completing a RWA Kiss of Death Romatic Suspense Chapter sponsored writing course taught by Best Selling Author Allison Brennan entitled Chills and Thrills 
• Attended one online chat about plotting assistance sponsored by Savvy Authors .com  on Beat Sheets taught by Jami Gold. See resources at JamiGold.com/worksheets.
• Completed writing 20,000 words on manuscript on progress entitled Treasure Chest.
• Submitted one chapter to critique group for feedback
• Entered two RWA writing contests in the Romantic Suspense genre. One Utah RWA 's Great Beginnings contest, the other is Wisconsin's RWA - Fab 5 Contest.

Professional Skill Building

• Been attending UC Berkeley School of Public Health's  CALPACT Professional Development Series so far I've completed Project Management with Jeff Oxendine, Large Data Sets:Innovative uses and Why it Matters with Speaker Deryk Van Brunt CEO: Healthy Communities Institute 
• I've registered for the Leadership Module which includes courses on Leading from Where you Are, Leading Change Management, Keys to Positive Supervision, Innovations in Problem Solving. 
• Participated in a New Media Webinar on Social Media Measurement & Evaluation entitled : Are we there yet? New Media Best Practices for Creating & Measuring Impact

Creativity

Attended Scrapbook Expo at Alameda County Fairgrounds on 3/15/2014 

Participated in one class entitled Simple and Speedy Scrapbooks sponsored by A-Z Scrapbooks. A-Z scrapbooks is a store in Southern Calfornia. The class was terrible and I do not recommend it. There used to be a place on Scrapbook Expo's website to write reviews of classes but that is gone now. 

Scrapbook Expo Crop in the Alameda County Hall of Commerce

The course was $28 prepaid and was supposed to include a page kit worth $20. There was no page kit just some random paper handed out for his in class project that was a thrown together hodge podge of 6 or 7 print papers on top of each other in random fashion. It was not my style which may be why I didn't like the class. It was not well organized or facilitated. The page we were to make was not simple or speedy as we spent 30 minutes cutting paper to various sizes. Basically the instructor handed out a stack of paper with no instructions or picture of the finished product. The first half of the class we spent cutting the paper to the instructed dimensions then putting it together. The second half of the class we were to glue it together. The instructor gave wrong instructions about cutting which was okay because the page could be assembled any old way. I left about half way through because it wasn't really worth my time. 

I did attend the Scrapbook Expo Crop at the fairground. I set up a little bit after 1:00 p.m. and went to work on a page kit that I purchased at the Expo. There were lots of vendors in the Expo hall. I purchased at the Expo. I bought about $55 worth of stuff and met a few nice ladies. At 5:00 p.m they started playing games and having door prizes and raffles which was fun. I didn't win any door prizes this year but it was fun. At about 10:00 p.m. I packed up and made the one hour drive home. 

My workstation at the crop. Sat at a table with two ladies from San Ramon.

I spent the ten hours at the crop working on pages about my New Years' Eve cruise to the Southern Caribbean. 

One of the pages that I worked on during the Crop. 

I also attended a 3 day Scrapbook Retreat in Stockton sponsored by Queen of the Crop Scrapbook Retreats. I met some nice "like minded" ladies who are into scrapbooking. The Stockton retreat had a Mardi Gras theme and also offered lots of prizes. Here are a few pictures of that retreat. 

Liz Almeida does an excellent job putting together those events. I thought she was going to be at the Scrapbook Expo but I didn't see her or any of the other ladies there. 

Queen of the Crop Retreat's Mardi Gras Theme Decor

Coffee and Other Beverages were offered as part of retreat

Snack Table for Participants

Here is a page kit I am working on at the retreat. Purchased that new Caribbean Blue Album.

My work area at the retreat.

 Earlier this year I participated in Kimberly Wilson's 24 Days o Tranquility e-course and purchased her book Tranquilogie. I did complete one of her activities to make treasure maps of my goals for the year. Here are some photos. I still look over the monthly activities in her book Tranquilogie but I am not doing the activities on a daily basis. The activity on the Facebook page she created for the class has died down. I did get ideas from her website Tranquility du Jour to update my week. Looking back at the collages of my wishes for 2014 I see that travel was one of them. So booking the trip at the end of the year is in my goals.

 Goals for the Next Quarter:
Pay down the balance for the New Years Eve Cruise
Find reasonable price for airfare.

Work on planting front yard water saving plants. 

Mid February Review!



 

Courtesy of Isabelle de Beukelaer on Pinterest

• Completed 24 days o Tranquility e-course given by Kimberly Wilson.
• Attended 1st of 8 sessions of a Public Health Course for Professionals & Students at UC Berkeley
• Registered for RWA Kiss of Death (Romantic Suspence) Chapter Writing Class.
• Registered for 3 day Scrapbook retreat for the end of this month.
• Registered for 1 scrapbook class and 1 evening crop event for March.
• Date night with hubby in San Francisco.
• Won/purchased on Dooney & Burke leather purse at fundraising auction.
• Read one romantic suspense novel.
• Read two professional development novels, The 4 Hour Work Week and Decisive
• Started reading Real Happiness at Work: Meditations for Accomplishmen, Achievement and Peace.
• Practiced mindful meditations upon waking, arriving at work, mid-day and before bed.
• Started reading Guerrilla Networking.
• Checked out Landscaping with Ornamental Grass from library plus two more professional development books.
• Press and Curled Hair, and got manicure with silver polish before date night.
• Stay in bed Sunday.
• Researched cruises for Christmas or New Years with family 2014.
• Changed/ Updated picture on twitter account.
• Mourned passing of a co-worker.
• Enjoyed 4 days of rain/ wet weather.
• Picked up new contact lenses. Then rescheduled appointment with optician as I can't see with them on.
• Hosted table at the Nancy Jo doll show. Didn't sell anything.
• Got ideas for future doll show both sales.

 Red Velvet Nutella Cinnamon Rolls Recipe
 

Wish List

• Vacuum and Wash Car
• Relax
• Make Red Velvet Nutella Cinnamon Rolls
• Write 2500 words!
• Have a Happy, Healthy Valentines Day!

Martha Stewart on Pinterest



Week in Review!



My mom and one of my daughters.

Spend last Saturday taking my mom and one of my daughters to their volunteer work and picking them up.

 

Spent an hour at the beach in Alameda writing.

 

Spent last Sunday visiting with family during football game. Mourned the 49ers loss.

 

Grocery shopped with hubby at Costco.

 

Cleaned clutter and old outdated products from bathroom.

 

Got a manicure & pedicure with sparkle polish on Monday, January 21st MLKing Jr Day

 

Got monthly massage on Monday, January 21st MLKing Jr Day at local Massage Envy.

 

Annual contact lens and eye glasses examination.

 

Ordered new pair of glasses. Trying out new contact lenses.

 

Crafted dream map (collage) for drought tolerant front yard garden.

 

Crafted dream map (collage) for home repair.

 

Wrote outline for new novella.

 

Wrote two blog posts. I blog for daily journal.

 

Got paid. Paid bills.

 

Studied & reviewed 24 days o Tranquility e-course.

 

Registered for scrapbook retreat crop at the end of February.

 

Updated my Facebook page with pictures of New Years vacation.

 

Updated twitter account. Followed some new folks, eliminated some twitters that I'm no longer interested in.

 

Began daydreaming/planning/thinking about holiday vacation (vacay) 2014 with family!

 

 

Weekend Wishlist

Color hair

Wash car

Soak in the bathtub.

Write 2000 words on novella.

Pack for next weeks "pop up shop" booth at doll show.

Finish at least 2 more dream map (collage) for annual dreams.

 

 

Me in Puerto Rico 12/27/2013

My Word ~ Goal ~ Intention ~ Focus for 2014 is Golden!

Golden = beautiful, advantageous, bright, brilliant, rich, precious, shining, joyful, best, valuable, sparkly, rare, glorious.
http://youtu.be/ieAD0AhmoqM

Living my life likes it's golden!

 

Things I love: Caribbean Architecture

I took many, many pictures of the beautiful colorful homes and businesses throughout the Caribbean. Here are just  a few of my favorites.

I love the patterns on the front of this concrete block building. Barbados

I love the patterns of the wraught iron decorating this building. Antigua

Love the woodworking detail along the roof and banister of this home. Antigua

You can't go wrong with lots of color. Home in St. Lucia

I'm not sure what to say about thecolor and pattern decorating this casino front in St. Maarten.

Personal and Professional Goals for 2014!

 

 

 

 

My goals for this year include:

Create/plant a low water / drought tolerant front yard garden.

Get a new refridgerator

Clear clutter from my closet

Complete writing at least 2 novellas

Publish at least 2 novellas on Smashwords

Enter at least 3 writing contests (RWA)

Complete at least 3 writing workshops

Attend at least 3 professional networking events (public health / legal or general)

Take at least 3 professional business management courses/ workshops (on-line or in person)

Write business plan for plus size swimwear cover up line

Save at least $2500 cash

Sell stuff at least $500 merchandise at 2 doll shows

Sell at least $500 merchandise at 2 or more Flea Markets

Attend at least 2 scrapbook crop / retreats

Build a greenhouse for garden vegetables

 

As of Jan 15, 2014

I have registered for a table at one doll show and sale

Started writing one novella

Registered for one scrapbook crop

Registered for one Public Health professional webinar

Packed one bag of stuff from my closet to sell and or donate

Began 24 days o tranquility e-course

Visited Antigua, St. Maarten, St. Thomas and  San Juan Puerto Rico in 2014.

Visited St. Maarten, St. Thomas, St. Lucia and Barbados in 2013

 

This is a Becca Brand cover up.  Inspiration for creating my own plus size cover up line.

 I love this cover up. I searched high and low for a great looking coverup.

Paid a small fortune for this one.

Would love to create a line of resort wear for curvy girls.

Not sure when I will be able to do this again (lay out in the sun)

but this also on my 2014 goals/ wish list.

Laying on Orient Beach in St. Maarten

Laying on the Beach in San Juan, P.R.

Laying on private veranda Celebrity Summit somewhere in the Southern Caribbean

 

 

 

2014! Always a Bride. 2nd Honeymoon Ideas - The Trip!

Hubby and I went on a 7 day cruise over New Year's Eve to the Southern Caribbean on Celebrity Summit. We left the kids with the grandparents on Christmas night and flew out on the day after Christmas. Don't worry the kids were spoiled beyond belief for Christmas. We arrived in San Juan Puerto Rico on Friday, December 27th so we had a day to wander around and explore San Juan.

Our first day in San Juan. Walking up to the Morro Fort.

Here we are at the fort.

Here we are walking towards the other Fort. I loved the colorful architecture.

The ship was scheduled to depart on Saturday, December 28th. We booked two nights at the Sheraton so that we could check in early. Which was a blessing because we arrived at 7:00 a.m. We checked in and went straight to bed. After a short nap, we got up at around 10 a.m and went on the walk around Old San Juan and took the pictures above.

Later that evening we took a shower and had a nice dinner with Sangria drinks at the hotel.


Having dinner at the Sheraton in Old San Juan before departing.

Sheraton Old San Juan

 I highly recommend the Sheraton in Old San Juan. It is within walking distance to the Forts and all of the cool cafes and restaurants of the old city. The room was very clean and modern. I read a lot of hotel reviews on TripAdvisor.com and this hotel was very well reviewed. There was no mold in the showers or worn carpeting as other hotels are reported to have in San Juan. There is another Sheraton Hotel in San Juan which is near the Convention center and cruise port but this one was very convenient to the popular tourist area, Old San Juan. There is a U.S. post office right next door so I mailed post cards home.

Later that evening we took a walk around the old part of the city were there was a street festival going on. There were still lots of Christmas decorations up in the hotel and around the city.

Friday, December 27th in Old San Juan

On Saturday morning we took a cab from the Sheraton over to the Pan American port. It was still very early and dropped off our luggage with the porters. The registration hadn't opened and we stood in line until about 10:30 a.m when we walked right up and got our tickets.
Within a short period of time we were taking pictures and walked on board the Celebrity Summit.

Modern Luxury

Our cabin was on the 11th floor aft. Right in the center behind the flag pole. The sunset bar was below us.  

Here I am on the balcony/veranda of our cabin.

Hubby on the Veranda

Hubby's favorite area of the ship was the spa. We were in aqua class cabins which gave us unlimited access to the Persian Gardens spa area where there were saunas, steam rooms, heated loungers. 

Hubby took advantage of salon and got a pedicure on the first day. I had a hot stone massage and facial.

Solarium Thassolotherapy Pool / Adult Only Area

Hubby enjoying the jets in the pool.

The ship visited a number of islands including Barbados, Antigua, St. Lucia, St. Maarten and St. Thomas. We stayed on the ship in St. Thomas and just rested. I had a hot stone massage and facial.



Antigua on New Years Day

Hubby and I at the volcano in St. Lucia

At the beach in St. Maarten waiting for the planes to fly overhead.

Hubby with a bucket of beers at the beach in St. Maarten.
Finally decided to take his shoes off.

Next post, I will describe the food and entertainment.