Z is for Zzzzzz

Today was day one of two days of moving for us. I loaded the SUV and our other car before 8 a.m. Then we stood in the hot sun with the movers. It was 80 degrees today! Therefore, I am exhausted. Actually we both are.

We have to meet the movers at the storage unit in the morning for day two. Then we will have to unpack over the next few days. I didn't mention that come Monday we'll be back at work. So, yeah we are tired.

What we are also is beyond grateful that God has blessed us. He blesses us daily but this is BIG and to some degree overwhelming because it's so big. Crazy thing is that I know there's more to come.

In the midst of our gratefulness I will be catching some Zzzzzz. Yup, I can't wait...

I enjoyed this challenge and excited that I made it through it. Great people stopped by my blog and now follow it. Without the challenge I am not sure if that would've happened. And now I say, "goodnight!" Thanks!!



- Posted from my iPhone. Thanks for your support!!

Y is for Yesterday...

Sometimes we forget the lessons we've learned along this journey while focusing only on the pain that has been caused. Each step of the way we connect with certain people and go through experiences that are there to help us grow. YESTERDAY is what fuels our tomorrows.  It is imperative that we don't hold onto the pain of yesterday but look at the positives that came out of that moment.

I take each of my yesterdays, process them, decipher what was learned (whether good or bad) and do my best to use them for my personal growth. You can hold onto yesterday IF it benefits you. If it doesn't let it go...


Stacey~

BTW- Today and tomorrow are both moving days. We went through a lot of yesterdays to get to this moment... YEAH!

X is for X-CELLENT!

Yes I said, X-Cellent! I could only come up with x-ray and didn't want to write about that or xylophone. Most of my posts have been so serious so since today is my Friday I decided to write something a little lighter. What a better way than playing with words?

I hope that everyone has been having an X-cellent week and close it out with a bang. Mine has been quite challenging but I made it through it. I can't believe we are at the end of the challenge, and that too is
X-cellent. I have more followers than had before I started and have followed people I might not have  found during my blog search. I am glad I joined the challenge...

So... have an X-cellent day and don't let anyone steal your thunder. Ever.

Stacey~

BTW-tomorrow morning is moving day! We should be moved in completely by Saturday night. [insert excessive celebration here!]

W is for WARM...

No matter where you are in your life, it is important to have someone that keeps you warm. That one special person who can inspire you with their eyes, and hug you with their words, is a warm person. With snow on the ground and a cold wind to match, being warm is an added plus to the beginning or end of your day...


Warm and welcoming will do over cold and complicated. Pay attention to the signs, remember your feelings count, and find that special someone that will keep you WARM... You guessed it, I did... 




Stacey~

V is for VACATION...

I need a VACATION but not in the normal sense. I need a vacation from selfish and jealous people. I have recently met a group of people at a new "place" who I realize are very catty and juvenile. I didn't play well in the sandbox when I was young and am having a difficult time now trying to play in it. I do not understand why you can't be friends with more than one person in a group. I thought that ended once you successfully moved through Erikson's stages of development. I mean, doesn't this end by high school graduation at least? 


I am annoyed because all of them are older than me. We are all over forty. In the words of Rodney King, "Can't we all just get along?" I am not a jealous person at all because if you are blessed one way, God blesses me another. I focus on my desires, dreams and goals, and the safety and health of my family. I don't care what others have or don't have. I am not impressed by things either. I actually had someone imply that I shouldn't be friends with someone else. Yup, more than once. Again, she is older than me. 


I didn't sit down to Vent but I needed to get it out. Now I can let it go. Until something else happens. LOL! I will never understand why people can't get through the day without trying to mess up someone's day. Mine wasn't messed up but I was taken aback by the behavior. Well, tomorrow I will sit in the corner of the sandbox away from everyone. Grow up people! 


I still want a vacation...


Stacey~
(I didn't confirm the stages were Erikson's but you get the idea. It's been a long time since I've been in a psych. class and I didn't feel like searching on google.)

U is of course for U-turn...

Today I was close to home when the traffic came to a complete stop. Two lanes of cars merging into one because of a bad accident. I sat for a bit inching with everyone else but eventually I made a U-turn like some others. What does it mean when everyone makes a U-turn and ends up in the same spot? Yup, you guessed it. It means another traffic jam... I regretted it but it was too late to make another U-turn. As a result, it took almost two hours to get home today. I am left to wonder, would it have just been easier  to sit and wait in the initial traffic jam? Probably.

Life affords many opportunities for us to make u-turn after u-turn until we feel we are in the right place. Hopefully when dealing with more than just simple, annoying rush hour traffic, your decisions will be made with patience, and thought. Unlike my hasty decision that only created a worst commute for me.

Note to self: Make sure you think before you make another U-turn. Patience brings you out further along...  hindsight is, LOL!!

Stacey~

T is for teamwork...

It's self-explanatory but so many people are clueless when it comes to true teamwork. When someone needs help, or direction and you pitch in, that's teamwork. Not stepping on someone's toes to get ahead at work or some other aspect of life.


Teamwork is important in marriages and partnerships, as well as on the job. It's better to be a part of a team than being the disruptive member on the team...


Stacey (T is also for Tardy. Sorry my post is late but we are packing and moving! It is a very exciting but extremely busy week for me...)

S is for Stacey but...

Superfluous is better. I have never had a reason to use this word and for me, its a tongue twister. I haven't seen it used that often either. For whatever reason it has always caught my attention. I am sure it's on the ACTs and SATs. Maybe it's even on the GRE exam. Seems like it should be. It is defined as exceeding what is sufficient or necessary.

Has my post on superfluous become superfluous? I hope not because I try not to be a bore. [Insert Shrug and Smirk here]

There's an online shop called Superfluous Clothing. Is this an oxymoron? You want people to buy your clothing but you're telling them before they do that the clothes serve no purpose. Hmmm... I think that's kind of funny. Maybe it'll make people buy since they don't really need it. This might actually be reverse psychology. Clever.

Superfluous. Say it a few times (I can't really say it) and then use it in a sentence. LOL!

Stacey~

R is for Road...

Roads lead us to each and every destination. We can't get where we are going without a road. We travel daily but some don't always find the road that they are looking for. When I lived in PA I traveled over an hour to work and sometimes it took almost two hours (without an accident) or three (with an accident) to get home. I did this commute for almost ten years traveling on the NJ Turnpike, Garden State Parkway, and other large interstates. There is no experience like this. It was painful! Going to work in the dark so I could miss rush hour traffic was easier than the evening rush hour. It was painful nonetheless. My job in NJ was sixty-two miles each way from my house in PA. It was something I vowed not to do when we relocated. Well...  


My job now is less than twenty miles from my house. Yet it takes me between forty minutes to an hour to get home. There are highways here that aren't wide enough for the number of cars on them. The streets or back roads (short cuts) that I travel on daily aren't wide enough either. I only go twenty miles and travel an hour. Yet I prefer traveling this road much more than any of the NY, NJ, or PA roads. Why? I found my road...


The roads that I travel on now have been clearer in the sense that they have breathed new life into me. Being here has brought me a peace that I have always longed for coupled with more faith than I have ever owned. I can't explain it but I can feel it in all that I do. I interact differently with people and am more humble, and grateful daily. That to me is a new life!


Relocating here to Charlotte has given us just enough city without the attitude to go with it. It has city ills that most have but it has enough good to drown them out. The road we traveled to get here was surrounded by mountains and guided us to North Carolina's roads that would provide better opportunities for us. 


When you find your Purpose, while on your Quest, seek the Road that will lead you to a more peaceful life... Are you on the right road?


Thanks for stopping by! 
Stacey~

Q is for QUEST!

Quest to me goes along with my post from yesterday about Purpose. It is defined as a search or pursuit made in order to find or obtain something.  I was drawn to social work but always wanted to be a published author. I started my quest toward publishing a few years ago and am looking forward to publishing soon. My purpose will now be achieved through writing and my quest will be until my last breath. I want to help all that I can simply by putting words on a page. 

No matter how long the journey stay on your quest until you find what you're looking for... 

Stacey~

(Moving this computer and may lose the internet. If so, I'll be on a quest for internet until we move next week. LOL!)

P is for Purpose

Plain and simple, each one of us has a purpose. Some find out very young exactly what his or her purpose is. Some don't find out until they get much older. The key is paying attention to the clues that will direct you to your purpose. I always wanted to be a teacher but I became a social worker. My purpose is to be a light in the lives of as many people as I can. That doesn't mean that I am perfect. I am far from that, however, I try to be to people what I want them to be to me... I do my best to encourage and not discourage. I try to be the one to see the possibility in the mountain of their impossibilities. I hope that makes sense [insert shrug and laughter here].

Do you know what your purpose is? If not, find your purpose and make sure you live up to it!

Stacey

Thanks to all of my new followers!!

Upcoming book release

I am a jack of all trades and soon I can officially call myself an author. I'm due to release BrookLyn's Journey. It's a YA LGBT book that tells the story of  high school senior, BrookLyn Scott, and her unexpected coming out story. It tells of her struggles and the love that comes of it.

I'm writing under the pen name Coffey Brown... Summer release!!

Thanks for your support, Stacey AKA Coffey Brown!

O is for Obstacles…

Life provides many opportunities but not without obstacles sprinkled in between. A lot of times we are quick to run when things get in the way of what we want. Immediate gratification causes some people to quit before they even try. “I want to be a chef but I don’t want to learn.” That’s not how things work. Imagine thinking you’ll be a bestselling author without even writing the first sentence of a manuscript or telling your story for someone else to write.

 It is important that we look past the obstacles noticing the opportunities that lie ahead…nothing comes without effort. Walking comes after we’ve learned to crawl. A book appears after many steps. If you write a manuscript but it remains on your computer without you making effort to get it published, it won’t miraculously appear in a bookstore.

Bottom line… use obstacles as the footstool to your success… SLP~

(The possibility of me not having internet for a week starting Friday is an obstacle... LOL!)

Stacey~

My YA book BrookLyn's Journey...

I am in the final stages of editing. The cover is being designed. I need a book trailer too. I am preparing my game plan. I am looking for reviewers and want to go on a blog tour. I have a few other plans that I am outlining also. There is something about this chapter of my life that is simply amazing. I think it is because I am holding on tight to my blind faith. I am staying focused and working towards bringing my dreams alive. I have acquired other goals that I set in my life but there is something really special about this.

There are a few people at work that are actually trying to get under my skin. I hate to say that it's actually working. LOL! But not really. I am focused on my bringing each one of my manuscripts to life not on high school behavior displayed by adults. I do my best to ignore those that are acting juvenile while I embrace the direction my life is taking me in. They sit in corners whispering and gossiping. Me, if I am not working I am thinking of the best way for me to introduce BrookLyn Scott to YA LGBT readers.

I will never understand people above the age of fifty stirring up trouble. Actually, above thirty but fifty baffles me to say the least. Some people truly want others to join them in the state of misery. I am not going...I have somewhere else to be.

BrookLyn's Journey is going to be released this summer. I am very excited about it. I also will be working on releasing a motivational daily guide too. I told my editor, Lisa Martinez, that our working relationship has just begun since I have worked on so many projects without sharing them. She is helping me get my book exactly where I want it to be. She is a great editor but more importantly, her spirit is a breath of fresh air.  I welcome it. I look forward to what's to come...

BrookLyn's Journey due to be released the summer of 2012. Will you be ready?

Stacey AKA Coffey Brown..

N is for NEVER give up!

So many times we get pushed off course and the first thing we think of is giving up. No matter what we go through things can and do get better. Our lives may make twists and turns but we should bend and not break.

I met with a young client today encouraging him not to give up. We talked about his dreams and desires. From the outside looking in one could imagine he didn't have any, but he did. I repeatedly told him that life is not over for him yet. I tried to encourage him to believe in the face he saw in the mirror despite what society tells him to believe.

If I did one thing today, I hope I shined in his life the way that I needed. Make it your goal to be a light on the lives of those you pass along your way. You just might remind them of their value and encourage them not to give up.

As you walk through life make sure you also remember, NEVER give up or give in. Get back up always...

M is for Marvelous...

M is for Marvelous...

I saw this car outside of Lowe's today. I have always liked cars even though I started driving later than most. I think this car is sleek and sexy. It reminds me of Batman... I think it's marvelous!

M is also for moving. We had a lot of errands yesterday and packed once we came home. So, packing made me forget my post. I promise to do better...


Stacey~

L is for Live and Let Live!

L is for Live and Let Live. That's how I try to live my life. I don't want anyone telling me how to live so I mind my business. The way I see it, if it doesn't affect me directly then I don't get involved.

We all exist together in this big yet small world and need to respect our differences. Again, I am not perfect but I won't bother you as long as you don't bother me. I might not like it but it's your life. I have my own to worry about and don't have time to get involved with yours!




Live and Let Live...

K is for kindness...

It takes so much energy to be mean. It takes less to be Kind to people. When people are mean to me I really enjoy Killing them with Kindness. I get a Kick out of it actually because they are upset and I am not. LOL! It isn't always an easy feat trying to remember to be Kind even when others aren't. When you do it makes things sweet!

Kindness goes along way.

Stacey~

J is for judgement...

We spend most days passing judgement rather than getting to know others. If you never open the pages of a book you don't truly get to enjoy it beyond the cover. People are like that too. Some people have a lot of layers to unfold before we get to know them. Some don't. When you truly take the time out to get to know someone you might find out how similar they are to you.

I am not perfect but I do my best to judge people from the inside out. The character and the soul of a man or woman is worth more than anything. Get to know people before you judge...

I is for "I."

I is for “I”

We all worry about what we want forgetting what others might need. I work in a homeless shelter and am humbled on a daily basis. I work with people that have no one but us. I know it’s hard for families sometimes and that’s why they let them go. I really do get it. However, there is great sadness in the face of each of these men alongside the smiles they wear. It is a lot for them to handle.

To not have family or friends is a world that is lonely. I can’t imagine such a world. I refer to each man as “sir.” I do this to remind them that they do exist. Each has a different journey that brings them to the shelter, and each remains a man. We have to remember that these men didn’t set out to be homeless and live among five hundred others in a shelter. Like us, they had dreams and plans.

When we remain focused on “I,” we miss the lessons we receive when we interact and help others…

Stacey~

H is for... HATE!

I am not a fan of people that live daily hating others they don't know based on stereotypes. I find myself redirecting people that think because they feel that way about a particular group or behavior, that I feel the same way. I redirect and stop listening as soon as they bring it all about. 


My parents raised me to love 'in spite of' and that's what I try to do daily. I am not perfect but I don't hate people. I always say, "That person is a jerk because they are a jerk." Not because they are gay, straight, black, white, etc. Hate takes so much more energy than love and empathy. You don't have to like everyone but hating them hurts you more than them...


I don't like being judged by people who have the same color skin as I do. I have siblings and am not identical to each one of them. So, how can I be the same as everyone else in my race? It's nonsensical. I judge people on how they treat me not based on religion, economic situation, ethnicity, or race. 

G is for Genuine...

G is for genuine. Character is very important to me. I am NOT impressed by things, socioeconomic status or education. I am impressed by character and genuineness. I gravitate towards people that are kind and courteous. I am a trustworthy person and seek out friendships with others that have similar characteristics. We can be polar opposites in our ethnicity, religion, and life experiences. Yet I require honesty, integrity and empathy from all of my friends. This to me personifies genuineness.

What matters to me is the genuineness of a person’s soul. So many people walk daily unable, by choice, to be kind, and courteous. They don’t utter thank you, you’re welcome, offer a smile, or bid you farewell. The world has changed, and as a result people have changed. I am old enough to remember when neighbors looked out for neighbors and didn’t harm or steal from them. Now we ignore each other focusing solely on what’s going on in our own lives… Genuine people are the same even when no one is looking. Those are the kind of people that I cherish in my life. Be genuine.

G is also for good night! I enjoy the rest of your weekend. Have a Happy Easter or Passover as well...

F is for FAITH!!

Every step of my life has been guided by faith. Recently I have embraced blind faith. It is so strong that I feel sometimes like I can see what God has for me before it comes my way. I have never experienced a faith like this but have always wanted to. This faith led me to encourage my partner to sell the house and move to NC like we had been talking about for three years. 


This faith allowed us to sell our house in a bad market and get what exactly we wanted. This faith allowed us to pick out land and build a home before either one of us had job. Now we have jobs and are approaching a closing date. This faith has just been all over our life, and we are so grateful. It has been like flowing water…

There is nothing to me greater than faith. My fears have been replaced by faith. There is nothing I can’t do with faith like this. 

E is for euphoric, elated, and ecstatic!

I'm on a natural high today because my book is closer to becoming a reality. I have always wanted to be a writer but never had the courage to share my ideas. Life took me on a journey that directed me to tap into my writing, which is one of my greatest loves...

A few manuscripts and a few ideas later, I am closer to being published than I have ever been before. My editor will be sending my manuscript to me tomorrow. I'll make revisions where needed and embark on a marketing plan that I've outlined.

Today I stand poised and prepared to do something that I've always longed to do. To me, it’s extremely amazing! My word for tomorrow is going to be faith and that's because each step I've made has not been without it.

Elated. Ecstatic. Euphoric. Exhilarated. Yeah, that's me!

Insecure Writer's Support Group post...

I just signed up for the Insecure Writer’s Support Group. I will add more in the post next month. I don’t have a theme and think I will just freestyle. My ideas develop best when I am not actually thinking about things. I generally come up with an idea and run with it. That always worked best for me. I am too old to try something new.

One thing that I can say about my writing is that I need to become more descriptive. I try not to be too wordy, and I don’t always think I am describing the scene as vividly as I could. I am working hard to do better.  I know it will come easier with practice, but right now, it doesn’t. Diligence and persistence, as well as the guidance of my editor, will help me a great deal. I think it will. [Insert shrug here]

So… I will write more next month being that I just signed up half an hour ago. See you then my insecure friends! I love networking with you all...

D is for diligent, driven, dreams, and dinner!!

D is for diligence. However, my favorite D word is actually dinner. LOL! Being diligent is something that has kept me focused on all of my goals. That along with faith, and Determination, has led me to where I am. Being diligent allows for success even when those around us discourage us. Diligence must fuel your Drive to achieve what you have set out to do.

Sometimes life becomes overwhelming and our Dreams may be set aside. However, as long as we stay focused, diligent and faithful, we will achieve our goals…

C is for Charlotte!

C is for Charlotte! We recently relocated from Bucks County, PA to the Charlotte area. After years of working and living in the NY tri-state area we needed a slower place. I really like NC even more than I expected. We no longer have New York City within reach but it’s just a 90-minute flight if we need a fix. There are many new sights to see which I am looking forward to enjoying this summer.

I like the idea of having so many new things around offering new experiences for us. It could be simply turning down a different street and seeing a new beautiful neighborhood or the many restaurants that aren’t up north. A lot of the people living here are from NY or NJ. However, they have become acclimated and have the calming spirit that most southerners have. We moved here for peace and we found it!

I must say that I have only a few complaints.  The complaints that I have are: 1) I have to pump my own gas unlike NJ, 2) the streets aren't wide enough, 3) it takes me 45 minutes to go less than 20 miles to work, and 4) the groceries costs $3-4 more than we're used to paying. Nothing else. Living in the NY area, as much as I loved it, I could create an abundance of things that I disliked.

Charlotte is a great place to work and live. There is always something going in one of the many neighborhoods here. If you’re looking for a place to visit, I think you should put Charlotte on the list. It’s a city with a small town feel. And no, I don’t work for tourism. I just know a great place when I see it.

B is for Believing... Day 2 of the A to Z challenge...

B is for believing! It's important to believe in your ideas even when others try and encourage you to walk away from them. Sometimes the discouragement you hear is the fear others own regarding the goals they have set for their lives. Its sort of like that old saying, “Misery loves company.” Some people love to snatch your dreams since they haven’t breathed any life into their own…

When you have dreams that have been lying dormant because life got in the way, they are still within reach. They continue to live inside of you waiting for the right moment for you to focus on them. Believing allows you to create the impossible making extraordinary things quite possible. 

When you wake up everyday put your dreams into action. Don’t just sit at home thinking about what could be, when you could be out doing what you have dreamt for you. Never give up on your dreams…

Believe that you can do anything because you really can!

The A to Z Challenge for April. We begin with the letter A...

Answering the call from my dreams that have lived inside of my heart and mind has been the easy part. Bringing them to life while being patient has been extremely difficult. Basically I am poised, and ready to move into the next chapter of my life when that chapter hasn’t even clearly opened up for me. Sigh. I have to wait.

I have to continually remind myself to be patient. Rome wasn’t built in a day. They say. And you have to crawl before you can walk. That makes sense. Creating a clear cut marketing plan for successfully introducing BrookLyn’s Journey to young adult readers, has been helpful since it’s somewhat of a distraction from my intense desire to have my book finished. 

Note to self: continue working with the editor, and book cover designer to create a successful project. I did my part by answering the call, and now things will all fall into place. Now, back to my marketing plan and my quest for patience…