Foreva' Young

I wrote this song and made this on my camera. I am looking for someone to help me write the music so that I can make a demo. I am not looking to sing it but want to find the right artist to do so... Serious inquiries ONLY, please... thanks!!

A diet book like no other!!

Title: The Diet Joke
By: Lisa Pedace
Publisher: Big Shot Press
Published: 2010
ISBN: 9780982340417
Pages: 226 (excluding bibliography)

Like many Americans I have tried various weight loss regimens in an attempt to get to a desired weight. However, like many folks, I arrived back at the same place many times. I wanted to read this book not because I’m on a particular diet currently but because I recently realized that if I wanted a healthier lifestyle that I had the power to change it, and could only maintain that lifestyle for the rest of my life if my thought process changed along the way. This author has written a book suggesting that as the key to successful dieting. Basically, reprogramming results in success.

This author offers different suggestions than most diet books in that they generally focus on specific recipes and exercise regimens whereas she goes one step further and discusses reprogramming—changing your way of thinking. She ventures away from the norm of diet books and is extremely successful in her delivery. I get extremely bored when reading dieting books or magazines, however, I eagerly flipped through the pages of this book trying to comprehend reprogramming in its entirety. Although it was educational Ms. Pedace, offers up a great deal of humor and sarcasm making the book easier to digest. There are cartoons in the book and when she sums up each section, she does so in a laughing out loud kind of way. For example, “Some people don’t have enough to eat. You are not one of them,” or “Calories are not the enemy, but that doesn’t mean you can turn your back on them,” and “If your gas tank was as stretchy as your stomach you could hardly afford to drive to work.”

There are diaries and food journals, reprogramming activities, and science that bring this book full circle. There are no recipes or exercise regimens although she does mention walking exercises and the amount of calories burned. This book is full of knowledge that will help readers modify their thinking thus resulting in weight loss that they will be able to maintain. There aren’t any weight loss diet tricks anywhere in this book, but what you will find is an honest, hilarious, sarcastic look at dieting and the key to success—reprogramming. It encourages us to establish and maintain a healthy lifestyle, which is easier to do when it is explained to you in a humorous way allowing you to laugh at a serious and sometimes difficult situation.

I highly recommend this book for readers whether they are dieting or not. Reprogramming is the key to survival in every aspect of our lives… well done!!

Sotherton Abbey Book Review...

Title: Sotherton Abbey: Jane Austen Meets Sante Fe
By: Inez Ross
Publisher: Ashley House
Published: 2010
ISBN: 9780966433746
Pages: 173


Each chapter begins with a quote from Jane Austen and other prominent authors including C.S. Lewis, Lord Chesterfield and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. This book is a pocket companion small enough to fit in your back pocket but large enough to tell a great coming of age story. It’s a small book with a lot of suspense and excitement as Christina Dashwood leaves her Michigan farm home travelling to Sante Fe to take six weeks of summer classes at the Regency Seminar.

Introduced to Jane Austen in her final year of high school by her classroom teacher, Mr. Saxon, she is eager to attend this seminar. Christina has never left her home town alone and her parents are not exactly excited about the trip to New Mexico. At first, her father denies her the opportunity by telling her that they don’t have the money for her to go. However, her teacher informs the class of the trip and the scholarship that comes through a writing contest that Christina eagerly enters. The contest winner receives a free trip for the seminar which Christina ultimately wins. A real journey begins as soon as Christina boards the train for her trip. Christina arrives at the seminar but not without setbacks that occurred on her journey. Despite the challenges, she triumphed and arrived in Sante Fe while becoming friends with a young girl, Jane Fairfax, along the way.

Christina and Jane become close friends which directs the suspense and mystery of the story. Jane’s family has some secrets that are shared throughout adding to the suspense and mystery that begin to arrive in Christina's life. Christina becomes a heroine as she helps Jane solve the mystery. That is exciting for Christina as she has secretly desired to be a heroine. This book is a great, faced paced story that could be read anywhere as it is small enough to fit in your pocket or purse. The difficulty is that you will want to sneak a peek at it every chance you get because it is hard to put down. Ms. Ross is an established author and this is her eighth book which is reflected in her great storytelling ability. If you are a fan of Jane Austen or have never had an opportunity to read anything from her time, now is your chance. Good stuff!

Another shot at spoken word...

I've always been the type of person to call someone on their mess. Am I perfect? Not even close nor would I want to be. You may call it "being politically correct," but I refer to it as respect. I make every effort to treat each person as I would like to be treated unless I am given a reason not to.

I read a Facebook post that an old classmate put up in regard to the earned income credit. He remarked that it wasn't a tax return but it was welfare. At what point in life do people exhibit compassion? The great thing about life is one day you can be on the bottom and the next you can stand on top. What you also have to remember though is that you fall from grace faster than you arrived. Another words, it is really easy to return back to where your journey began.

This statement annoyed me but even more it allowed me to realize how thankful I am for who I am. I do my best not to pass judgment because I don't want to be judged. I cringe when blanket statements about people are made. We don't know what situations led anyone to the current place they are in life. Poverty like homelessness, addiction and disease crosses all boundaries. How do we simply disregard each other because "we made it?"

Out of my disgust for his comments I was inspired to take another shot at spoken word. I wrote something which of course is called, Earned Income Credit. I won't call him out because my intent is to encourage folks to look beyond our differences and not encourage hate. If I called him out publicly, I'd be no better than him. The "I" that I speak about is not me but it can be anyone you'd like it to be...

Earned Income Credit

Earned income credit
Not everyone qualifies or can even get it,
Wake up each morning wiping sleep from their eyes
Searching for the American dream
Chasing each opportunity with every sun rise,
But for whatever reason the bootstraps never make it to the top
Falling short despite how many hours they manage to clock.
Despite their efforts the money doesn’t flow
You think they like qualifying?
Then there’s something you should know--
We all have the same opportunities their presentation may be disguised
It may be just beyond the horizon where an absent father lies,
Or in the bend where a mother’s life has abruptly come to an end,
Along the river aside the job that unexpectedly washed away
Or next to a sick child in need of medical treatment
As each hospital bill arrives a bank account becomes nonexistent.
Each situation presents itself differently
Not packaged and perfectly placed attainable on a shelf.
Maybe your parents had some type of wealth
Or have never been struck by poor health.
My opportunities aren’t as overt as yours
I’ve faced numerous slamming closed doors
Requiring me to work harder than you’ve had to
So, does that make me less than you?
I am as strong as you with a different foundation
I work hard, fall short and suffer your condemnation.
Your world overflows with perfection oozing out of your pores
In my eyes I see your reflection as you stand behind a glass door
In this life things can change in an instant knocking all dreams aside-
Your positive turning into negative right before your eyes.
What would happen then if you qualified?
Would you think about the words you spoke and I heard?
“It’s not a tax return, its welfare.”
Is it then that you’ll care?
Dear sir-- I may have less than you but in my heart I have more
I work hard every day to better my situation
Building for my children, a better foundation but…
Earned income credit it's a small price for what I originally put in it.
Each day I fall short wishing someone would care
I want success I don’t want welfare.


© 2010 by Stacey Pierce
© 2010 by 2sistaspublishing

My next two book reviews...

My next reviews will be on Sotherton Abbey by Inez Ross and The Diet Joke by Lisa Pedace. The Diet Joke is a sarcastic reprogramming guide that encourages the readers to lighten up their dieting routine. We are encouraged to modify our thinking to get better dieting results. In essence, we are encouraged to see the lighter side of dieting instead of taking it so serious. If you are watching your weight like most people, this book seems to have the same information as most diet books, but the author’s humor and sarcasm allows readers to ingest it a little easier.

Sotherton Abbey: Jane Austin meets Santa Fe is a pocket companion that touches the heart, is full of suspense with sprinkles of history throughout. It tells the story of Christina Dashwood who leaves her Michigan farm home for the first time to attend a pre-college seminar in New Mexico. This is Ms. Inez’s eighth book and thus far it is a great read. It is fast paced and fun.

I will have these reviews completed by the end of the week. My schedule has changed and I am a lot busier than I have been in the past few months. That’s a good thing, right? I think it is but at the same time it is taking me away from some of the goals I have set. I think the key will be to look at things, revamp and get back on track. I am looking forward to completing so many things on my goal list. I just need to make it all work for me so that I get it all done.