Is Change Messing With Your Sanity? IWSG

This is the month.

THE MONTH.

The month people go back to school. (Were you expecting something else?)

We've homeschooled for twenty years. Twenty. You might think I know what I'm doing after all that. Three graduates and two more inching forward with 9 years until the finish line... In those twenty years we've tried all kinds of things:

• Workbooks
• A kinesthetic education
• Virtual classes
• DVD classes
• Hosting co-ops
• Library classes
• A Montessori approach
• Establishing a teen book club
• Attending small co-ops
• Creating fieldtrips
• Early college
• Attending LARGE co-ops
• Hosting parties and events
• Running a drama program...

We've run solo, done groups, and used a hybrid. It's always easy to up the scale/scope/commitment, but it's terrifying to scale down. I remember the days of going it alone, always wondering if I was doing enough, worrying about the balance of experiences...

This school year, we're pulling away from the major supports we've utilized since 2018. Going solo. To be fair, we have a strong support group of friends but stepping back means everything falls on my shoulders.

And why are we doing this? 

To chase a dream. (Literally.) Because I can't do both. It's too much.

So we're giving up the familiar, comfortable, status quo for something that feels impossible, heavy, and ALL ON US. Doesn't that sound smart?

But here's the thing: it's either worth it, or it's not, and we can't know without trying. That's the deal with going after your dreams--if you don't put everything on the line, you are choosing the mundane. The boring. The unchallenged. And there's nothing wrong with that, but I'd rather live without any what if's. Which means I'm choosing (consciously, intentionally) the unknown and the burning shoulders that go with carrying the load. May my muscles grow rather than charring to cinder. 😂

What big dream would you risk it all for?

Thanks to our awesome co-hosts for the IWSG: Ronel Janse van Vuuren, Natalie Aguirre, Sarah - The Faux Fountain Pen, and Olga Godim.

This month's question - What is the most unethical practice in the publishing industry?

I'm going to skip the question this time, but I'd love to hear your thoughts. 

What changes are you facing that have your heart pounding? Do you have a big dream you'd throw your status quo to pursue? Have you ever stopped to intentionally rewrite your personal narrative?

The Age of the Sticky Notes: How to Organize Life + IWSG

How do you measure productivity? How do you keep yourself productive?

My world has been...well, insanity, especially since we started chasing this musical full time. (Check out the website. Follow on social media. Sign up for the newsletter to experience our crazy journey with us -- all the way to Broadway.) In fact, we're elbow deep in video edits and making promotional reels and all that jazz...

But I digress. 

When I was a teen, I had WAY too many interests to be healthy. I was in theater, I sang in choirs and performed as a soloist weekly or more, I wrote stories, I read a lot, I was a sketch artist, I biked and hiked and arranged not only my social calendar, but pulled together group dates and events for a wide variety of friends regularly. And then there was school.

In navigating a crazy schedule, I had a system.

I'd make a list (long term goals broken into smaller parts) and keep it in my pocket. Every time I tucked my hands away, I'd come across the "to do"s, and then would focus on the next easiest one...or most important one, depending on how motivated I was.

This system worked until I quit putting my hands in my pockets. Or had no pockets. 

Then I moved to a planner. 

Everything went in the planner. Everything...

Until that was too bulky to carry around. We transitioned to a calendar -- full family mode -- with notes in ALL the margins AND scribbled over the full-page images.

In this is a new age, every little edit, every suggested change has become a sticky note. A physical presence. A bright colored reminder. Though I still have a calendar, I now keep lists on my phone, but  life looks like a lot like this:

Except in more colors -- yellow, pink, green, blue, orange, purple... All the colors. I try to keep tasks organized by color, but I'm too much of an artists and just grab the nearest thing when inspiration strikes.

This is a constantly evolving system. I think we often get frustrated when our efforts aren't working or fall short, not realizing that there is room for change. That change is good. Change is healthy. Change keeps us growing. So I hope if you're feeling that tension, you'll take a minute, breathe, and reexamine your process or world. Take control. Try again.

Because you're awesome and powerful and you've got this! 

What system have you discovered that works to keep you organized, motivated, and moving forward?

IWSG June 4 question: What were some books that impacted you as a child or young adult?

I'm going strictly little kid here because this is a BIG question.

• The Giving Tree. Loved it as a kid. Someone so selfless was amazing and should be emulated. (I hated it as a mom -- when my proverbial well was empty.) 

• Where the Wild Things Are. Keep that imagination alive, kiddoes! This was life for me as a kid and the book gave me permission to keep that creativity bubbling. 

• The Velveteen Rabbit taught me about compassion, about loving someone to the end.  

• It's Not Easy Being a Bunny really registered with me as one of eight kids and the black sheep of my family, interests wise and academically. It taught me it's okay to be an individual and STILL appreciate your unique family culture. 

• Alexander and the Terrible Horrible, No-Good, Very Bad Day. Mom quoted this so often it would be hard NOT to have an impact. Bad days happen to everyone, even in Australia. 

And lastly, but most importantly, The Bible (especially the New Testament) and Book of Mormon. Most influential books of all time.

What books had a BIG impact in your life? What are you doing to be organized or motivated? How much cheese have you eaten this week?

The Death of America, Happy 4th! & IWSG

"This is the way the world ends, not with a bang but with a whimper."

As we've been seeing lately, major countries and their decisions affect the world. We live in a global economy, and I for one think that's an amazing thing. The world feels a bit smaller, more accessible.

So what is my deal? Why am I calling America's demise?

History. And no, it's not what you think. Last month a friend posted about a negative population growth and asked people's opinions on the matter. The majority thought this was a great thing. More resources for the rest of us!

First of all, let's define a negative population growth: It means the current population isn't producing enough children to replace the current generation. Basically, Mom and Dad decide to only have one child. Or a fur baby instead.


A few years ago I attended a lecture given by a man whose job is to track population growth, decline, and the affects it has on the economy and every day life. (He works for the US government). Until that evening, I might have thought a declining population growth wasn't a big deal.

I WOULD HAVE BEEN WRONG. SO WRONG.

We're already seeing the results in many European countries. Their numbers dwindle, and so does their world influence, their financial status, and their ability to support themselves as a country. They begin taking on debts to stay above water, and then default on them or raise taxes beyond reason. How many countries are bankrupt at the moment?

When good people stop making proactive choices that benefit others, the world suffers.

Think about this: an educated, thriving couple decides not to have children, while the druggie on the other side of town ends up irresponsibly spawning 3, 5, 7 kids (whom they don't raise). Who is the future of that nation? What kind of future can the generation after that expect? What kind of country is this going to be in just a generation or three?

Jobs go empty. Pay increases for menial labor that no one cares to do, and then the cost of living skyrockets. Cities shrink and empty homes fall into disrepair. Because there are less producers, there is less national product, and the tax burden falls heavily on the workers who remain. There aren't enough doctors, police, firefighters etc. to support the populace. Out of necessity, high paying jobs go to other countries because the basics (like food production) must be covered on the home turf. That, or immigrants end up filling the vacancies. Roads, sewers, and electrical sources crumble because there aren't enough able bodied people and finances to maintain them. The wealthy find homes in more prosperous, less taxed locations, and after only a generation or two, we live in a second world country. Or third. 

The lecturer I listened to was sincerely terrified for the future of this great nation. He was raising the warning voice and asking us to raise it as well.

All things change. I get that, but please tell me there are a few other people out there responsibly and intentionally raising the next generation FOR THE SAKE OF THE FUTURE. (I'm raising enough to cover at least one and a half other families...which doesn't stretch a long way.)  

Let's not intelligence ourselves and our kids out of a prosperous future.

Happy Birthday, America.

And last of all, the IWSG question for the month: What are your ultimate writing goals, and how have they changed over time (if at all)?

My overall writing goals remain the same: get out the rest of my tri-series and capstone book/series, then everything else. Basically, share all the cool stories burning through my brain. The timeline is different though. It's not a big deal if I can't get back into the stress of publishing for a couple years. I'm also more focused on what my writing is saying. What positive message am I planting in readers heads? How am I exploring the range of traumas & emotions we poor humans experience?

Huge thanks for hosting
Alex Cavanaugh, Nicki Elson, Juneta Key,
Tamara Narayan, and Patricia Lynne!

Last month Donna K. Weaver shared KINGS CROSSED LOVERS along with two truths and one lie. Anyone who guessed was entered to win an audiobook or eBook of SWING VOTE.

The game:

1. I was interviewed on TV just before the release of the last Harry Potter Book, Deathly Hallows.
2. I started school in Greece.
3. I flunked the second grade.

The lie: #2. Donna actually did flunk second grade. *gasp* But she's definitely made up for it since. Out of hard things we gain greater strength.

And the winner is:

...DRUM ROLL...

Sherry Ellis!

Congrats, Sherry!

How is your summer going? How about a little mystery to spruce it up? Check it out:

A dilapidated sailboat for your anniversary—not very romantic. A dead body on board—even worse.

Mollie McGhie is hoping for diamonds for her tenth wedding anniversary. Instead, her husband presents her with a dilapidated sailboat. Just one problem—she doesn’t know anything about boats, nor does she want to.

When Mollie discovers someone murdered on board, she hopes it will convince her husband that owning a boat is a bad idea. Unfortunately, he’s more determined than ever to fix the boat up and set out to sea.

Mollie finds herself drawn into the tight-knit community living at Palm Tree Marina in Coconut Cove, a small town on the Florida coast. She uncovers a crime ring dealing in stolen marine equipment, investigates an alien abduction, eats way too many chocolate bars, adopts a cat, and learns far more about sailing than she ever wanted to.

Can Mollie discover who the murderer is before her nosiness gets her killed?

A Mollie McGhie Cozy Sailing Mystery - #1

Buy your copy now on Amazon.

Ready to meet the author?

Ellen Jacobson writes mystery and sci-fi/fantasy stories. She is the author of the “Mollie McGhie Sailing Mystery” series. She lives on a sailboat with her husband, exploring the world from the water. When she isn't working on boat projects or seeking out deserted islands, she blogs about their adventures at The Cynical Sailor. 

You might run across Ellen on the open sea, enjoying some tasty goat cheese, especially on crusty bread along with some prosciutto or Parma ham.

Ellen gave me two truths and one lie to test your "lie detector" skills. If you guess the lie, right or wrong, you will be entered to win an EBOOK of MURDER AT THE MARINA. (Open internationally.) DON'T HAVE A BLOGGER ACCOUNT OR AN EMAIL ON YOUR PROFILE? No problem. EMAIL crystal@crystal-collier.com to enter.

You have until Tuesday, July 31 at 2 p.m. EDT to guess. Be sure to come back for the answer on August 1st, 8 a.m. EDT.

TRUTH OR LIE

1. I once dressed up as Lt. Uhura from Star Trek for a scifi/fantasy convention.
2. I refuse to eat anything that has a wooden stick in the middle, like Popsicles.  
3. I'm allergic to tetanus shots and try to avoid stepping on rusty nails at all costs. 

So sleuths, which is the lie? What are your feelings on a negative population growth? Are you worried too? Have you met Ellen? Do you like clean cozy mysteries?

Life is what we make of it, so make it a good one.

Do you ever feel powerless?

After spending 2 weeks away from home, I've returned--with dread in my gut. Worries plagued me all through the last night of our vacation--whether I'll admit it or not. I suddenly started to think about this ridiculous schedule I'd been keeping before leaving: early morning walking, a couple hours of cleaning, an hour or two of blogging, a couple hours teaching, a couple hours writing, then cooking, more cleaning, some calling work, a little critiquing, and finally the bed routine. Should it be any wonder I've been dreading it?

Then as I read an article about Islanders in the South Pacific, it hit me. Their priorities are very different from your average American. They LIVE A SLOWER PACE.

So why can't I?

My brain automatically sputtered back, "Well, because it's expected that I run until I burn myself out, and then pick myself up and keep going." LOL. Expected by whom? Silly me.

I had a mantra throughout high school: You make your own reality. Really, it's true. You are the one who defines what your life will be, what you'll tolerate, how far you'll let it go before working to change it. Now that doesn't mean things will change over night, but if it's a priority, you have the power to alter your current existence. Rather than complaining, our energy can be better spent, eh?

That said, will I be any less insane? No, but it will be a slightly altered insanity that fits more with my family and circumstances of life. It might even be a SLOWER PACE OF LIFE. *gasp* I think the older I get, the slower I move, and thus, it's wise to willingly adapt my pace accordingly. (That or I'm just getting bogged down with the needs of a middle-stage family.)

Regardless, what is it you find yourself complaining about lately? Do you know of someone who has dramatically altered their own world? (I think this might be why I write fiction--to create that alteration regularly.) Priority check, what is it you wish you were doing less/more?

P.S. I'll post one or two of our adventure stories in the next couple weeks. *rubbing hands* Boy, have I got some good ones!

In the Blink of an Eye

I found out yesterday that my cousin's son, a boy I used to play with at family reunions, was in a major car accident. He is in his senior year and just turned 18. While driving home, he rolled the car--not sure why or how it happened. What we do know is that he's been in critical condition for the last two days with a collapsed lung, dual broken hips, fractured ribs, and multiple other injuries. As we've prayed for him and thought about his family, it hit me how quickly everything can change. It's startling how this young man's entire future has changed. I worry about his future, immediate and distant. How will this alter who he might have become? Mostly though, I'm remembering how we have to count our blessings, the importance of family, and how you never know what tomorrow might bring.

Say a prayer for Parker, eh?