A picture began circulating in November. It should be “The Picture of the Year,” or perhaps, “Picture of the Decade.” It won’t be. In fact, unless you obtained a copy of the US paper which published it, you probably will never see it. The picture is that of a 21-week-old unborn baby named Samuel Alexander Armas, who is being operated on by a surgeon named Joseph Bruner. The baby was diagnosed with spina bifida and would not survive if removed from his mother’s womb. Little Samuel’s mother, Julie Armas, is an obstetrics nurse in Atlanta. She knew of Dr. Bruner’s remarkable surgical procedure. Practicing at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, he performs these special operations while the baby is still in the womb.
During the procedure, the doctor removes the uterus via C-section and makes a small incision to operate on the baby. As Dr. Bruner completed the surgery on little Samuel, the little guy reached his tiny, but fully developed, hand through the incision and firmly grasped the surgeon’s finger. In a Time Europe article highlighting new pregnancy imagery that show the formation of major organs and other significant evidence of the formation of human life but a few days after conception, Dr. Bruner was reported as saying that when his finger was grasped, it was the most emotional moment of his life, and that for an instant during the procedure he was just frozen, totally immobile. The photograph captures this amazing event with perfect clarity. The editors titled the picture, “Hand of Hope.”
My late husband and I spent two months island hopping the Hawaiian islands in 2002. I can not begin to tell you of this paradise vacation, however, memories are tucked safely in my heart and mind.
I attended the Maui Writer's Conference while there. It was pure bliss to meet authors in a casual setting, Luau included.
I felt as if I were in a dream with flowers in my hair and leis dangling aromatic perfumes around my neck. The tan I brought back made my flesh glisten.
I met so many wonderful writers and authors. It was a dream come true.
I brought back many shell trinkets from snorkeling, leis, music videos and even a Hawaiian doing the hula bobblehead for our dashboard.
by Gina Day Copyright 2000 (This is an excerpt from my old manuscript, not the current manuscript. )
Chapter 1
A thick fog was rolling in. They could see the fluff a
mile or so away, and it was closing in fast despite the distance. The
temperatures had already started to drop, although the sun wasn't
setting.
It was all so surreal and beautiful at the same time that it
took your breath away. The fog was pouring in from the swamps and dumping
into the river, then flowing toward the couple as if it was a part of the
stream.
Logan and Shealyn were making their way up the slippery banks of
the Mississippi River. Home had always been here in the Mississippi
boonies and they loved growing up here; a nice place to raise kids. The
river was always a place of refuge and challenge. Always something exciting
going on.
They had hiked several miles and back on the banks hand in hand,
deeply involved with some intriguing conversation, and on an occasion, throwing
out a fishing line in hopes to catch an addition to supper. Granny sure
could cook and Shealyn was enjoying learning from her. All she had to do
was imagine what Granny might be cooking and she could actually smell the
aromas and taste the food.
There had been no fish biting this day, just the mosquitoes.
They were content just to have gotten the opportunity to get out of the house
for a while, especially with homework and chores to finish.
They scrambled toward the old beater in hopes to get out ahead
of the annoying fog. A familiar, yet haunting version of a horn echoed across
the once gentle, now splashing, crashing waters. Like-minded as they
were, the deep rattling blasts were sounds that terrified and confused them, so
they both turned to look behind them at the same instant.
The scene produced large goosebumps on Shealyn and later on,
Logan would testify he felt his hair stand on end; his hair was thick and
shoulder length. They stood steadfast and attempted to reckon with what
they saw.
Waves of mist appeared now to be rolling billows of clouds;
piled in layers, one on top of another. The clouds were barreling toward
them. They appeared almost translucent, but not quite, glittering with
what resembled diamonds blazing. And with soft edges of pale pinks, blues, and
purple hues. The sight mesmerized them, so neither made a move to bolt
toward higher ground.
The ship was very different from most ships around these parts,
for they knew just about every one of them and their owners by heart. It
was a safe bet they could describe every ship and boat launched within a
100-mile radius.
The only exceptions being those which tourist brought in and
left back out with on a seasonal basis which you could set your clock by.
Dealers were all familiar and not a new boat or ship came in they had not
reviewed. They loved to visit them in what little spare time they could
come up with in between school, work, and taking care of Granny. This
ship wasn’t anything in their sketches or in stock, either.
She was a beaut. At the least, she was definitely a steamship
from history’s stormy past. The ship had a toughened and disfigured,
ghostly appearance as if she had been through a battle or two of some sort, yet
she still seemed to be an extraordinarily regal and unique steamship no matter
where she came from.
She bore masterful and creative carpentry. There was
awesome scrolling ironwork, and weathered carvings intricately detailed with
depth so cleverly fashioned that you couldn’t take your eyes off the art. Her
flags waved boisterously, each one intact, and seemed to salute them,
distracting them, and refreshing their memory of possible danger and doom. She
was larger than life; inexpressible in size.
She seemed to be racing the fog too; running for dear life, and
dressed for the finish line in all her glory. She was painted in creamy
aged linen, more riveting than faded, and the ironwork was awesome. It
was dressed in the finery of intense reds, golds, purples, and touches of an
assortment of greens and browns where the iron art bore leaves and branches.
Shealyn shoved Logan toward the path and took off running as
fast as her legs could carry her, dropping, throwing all the fishing poles she
had been earlier cautiously carrying as not to damage the newer ones. It
was her best bet, those rods, reels, and cane poles could be replaced. She
couldn’t be and neither could Logan. As far as Granny was concerned,
anyway.
Shealyn could hear his panting as Logan sped noisily past the
full-throttle gallop she was in. He leaped high, and onto the ledge of
grass and trees above the bank, spun around, and reached down to grab her
outreached hands when she was in mid-air. A quick jerk and her slim body
went flying past him in a tangle, rolling several feet before she managed to
stand back up and once again, launch into a gallop.
They sprinted toward the beater, looking over their shoulders on
an occasion or two, and then once again after they jumped in and slammed the
doors. Spitting mud and gravel, off they peeled, bumping and tossing over the
ruts. They were headed out of the inlet, and toward the bridge where the
river access led them back to the highway; their way back to civilization as
they knew it. The ship should have been upon them by then.
Glancing in the rearview and
witnessing the scene from a different view, Logan braked hard. He jumped out
from his seat leaving the beater still in gear and running. Shealyn
slammed the gear into park to keep it from rolling backward as she bailed
out.
His mouth was wide open, eyes bulging, and
with cap in hand, commenced to scratching his thick curls Shealyn adored and he
hated. He was so handsome standing there in amazement. She followed
his gaze and was rendered speechless at the mind-boggling spectacle
10 Ways You Can Help Prevent Domestic Violence Locally
Want to do something to help, but not sure what? Start here.
By domesticshelters.org
More than one-third of women and one in 12 men have experienced intimate partner violence in their lifetime , according to the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey. Anyone would agree that’s too many. If you’re asking yourself what you can do to help, read on. Below, 10 steps you can take to help stop domestic violence in your community.
1. Know the signs. Domestic violence can happen to anyone—white, black, young, old, rich, poor, educated, not educated. Sometimes violence begins early on in a relationship and other times it takes months or even years to appear. But there generally are some warning signs. Be wary of the following red flags an abuser may exhibit at any point in a relationship:
Being jealous of your friends or time spent away from your partner
Discouraging you from spending time away from your partner
Embarrassing or shaming you
Controlling all financial decisions
Making you feel guilty for all the problems in the relationship
Preventing you from working
Intentionally damaging your property
Threatening violence against you, your pets or someone you love to gain compliance
Pressuring you to have sex when you don’t want to
Intimidating you physically, especially with weapons
2. Don’t ignore it. Police officers hear the same thing from witnesses again and again—I heard/saw/perceived domestic violence but didn’t want to get involved. If you hear your neighbors engaged in a violent situation, call the police. It could save a life.
3. Lend an ear. If someone ever confides in you they are experiencing domestic violence, listen without judgment. Believe what they are telling you and ask how you can help, or see this list of 25 ways to help a survivor.
4. Be available. If someone you know is thinking about leaving or is in fear the violence will escalate, be ready to help. Keep your phone with you and the ringer on, make sure you have gas in your car and discuss an escape plan or meeting place ahead of time.
6. Check in regularly. If a loved one or friend is in danger, reach out regularly to ensure his or her safety.
7. Be a resource. Someone experiencing violence may not be able to research shelters, escape plans or set up necessities like bank accounts and cell phones while living with his or her abuser. Offer to do the legwork to help ease stress and keep things confidential. Here’s a list of items a survivor may need to take with them.
8. Write it down. Document every incident you witness and include the date, time, location, injuries and circumstances. This information could be very useful in later police reports and court cases, both criminal and civil.
9. Get the word out. Assist a local shelter or domestic violence organization in their efforts to raise awareness in your community. Or use your personal connections to start a grassroots campaign. Organize talks at your workplace wellness fair, HOA meetings and church groups.
10. Put your money where your mouth is. Use your power as a consumer and refuse to support the culture perpetuated in music, movies, television, games and the media that glorifies violence, particularly against women.
MAKE A DONATION
It is easy to ignore this message. Please don't. We and the millions of people who use this non-profit website to prevent and escape domestic violence rely on your donations. A gift of $5 helps 25 people, $20 helps 100 people and $100 helps 500 people. Please help keep this valuable resource online.
How to Easily Do Top-Notch Search Engine Optimization
by Fern Reiss, CEO, PublishingGame.com/Expertizing.com
One of the most common laments in the business world is, “But now that I have a website for my book/business, how do I get people to find it?” Putting up the website is only half the battle; unless people are able to find it, you won’t be improving your business. Here’s how to fly to the top of the search engines—and stay there:
Optimize for your top keywords
When people search online for your topic, what words or phrases are they looking for? And which of these words can you realistically hope to ‘own’ in the online marketplace? The better your choice of keywords, the better your ranking will be. For example, I advise writers on how to find literary agents. “Literary agents” is a Google search phase that’s extremely popular—too many other websites are vying for this phrase, so my chances of ranking highly would be minimal. But if you do a Google search for ‘find a literary agent,’ a slightly less popular phrase (but one that authors still use), my PublishingGame.com site pops up on the first page.
Don’t neglect indirect marketing Think carefully about how your indirect markets will find you. For example, the primary market for my Publishing Game products is books, workshops, and consulting for the writers themselves. But my indirect market is anyone who knows a writer. This resulted in a whole sideline of products for friends of writers—gift baskets for writers, in prices ranging from $39 to $99, particularly popular around the holidays. (Try a Google search for ‘holiday gifts for writers’ and see what comes up.)
Put up an online press room
Physical press kits—a fancy folder, glossy photos, detailed bios of company principals, press releases—are passé: Journalists don’t pay much attention to them anymore, and they’re almost always suggested by PR agencies as a way to produce a pretty deliverable without much effect. But online press rooms can be very powerful. Remember to include high quality resolution photos of yourself and your book; press releases (including press releases that mention your other press attention), and full contact details.
Add informative articles
Next, write a few articles on your niche topic. Including content on your website that relates directly to your keywords will cause your search engine optimization to climb. This is one reason why blogs are so effective for search engine optimization; search engines appreciate fresh content, and blogs are an easy way to get new content on a regular basis. If you’re going to blog, make sure you put in the few extra minutes to both publicize and syndicate your blog.
Get a handful of quality incoming links
I’d also recommend writing articles for other websites. Sometimes called ‘online article syndication,’ the more articles you have on the internet that link back to your website, the more likely your website is to rank highly. For example, try doing a Google search for ‘media attention for your business.’ Even though these aren’t my principal keywords, there are at least three mentions of my Expertizing.com site on the first page of Google! (But remember that the syndicated articles can’t be too similar to each other—that’s called ‘content mirroring,’ and will actually hurt your optimization efforts.)
Even before your website is up, start thinking carefully about how people will find it. And then get out there and optimize, optimize, optimize!
Or enjoy a one-on-one consultation with Fern on how to improve your website and search engine optimization: PublishingGame.com/consulting.htm.
Fern Reiss is CEO of PublishingGame.com (www.PublishingGame.com) and Expertizing.com (www.Expertizing.com) and the author of the books, The Publishing Game: Find an Agent in 30 Days, The Publishing Game: Bestseller in 30 Days, and The Publishing Game: Publish a Book in 30 Days as well as several other award-winning books. She is also the Director of the International Association of Writers (www.AssociationofWriters.com) providing publicity vehicles to writers worldwide. She also runs The Expertizing® Publicity Forum where you can pitch your book or business directly to journalists; more information at www.Expertizing.com/forum.htm. Sign up for her complimentary newsletter at www.PublishingGame.com/signup.htm.
Without even realizing it, we wake up daily to clutter pouring in-constant television or the Internet at home, talk radio in the car, TV news programs at the airport and loud music in restaurants. Soon our senses become dulled and our vision turns lusterless. How can a person connect with their intuitive vision and goals while being constantly bombarded by thousands of outside messages?
Vision is essential to success. Yes, you can stumble on a great idea without knowing where you're going, but in my experience mentoring thousands of people, it rarely happens that way. Successful people look ahead, imagine the future they want, then make it happen through a combination of passion, commitment and intuitive vision.
To conceive any vision you must first get quiet. Remove the clutter and turn down the volume. When you consciously eliminate pervasive noise, silence arouses your imagination. Make it a goal to eliminate clutter from your mind, your day and your life.
I started with my physical environment, which is the easiest to control. I successfully created an uncluttered house and an uncluttered office. Next I uncluttered my mental environment. While I rarely watch TV or listen to talk radio, and I don't crave an hourly update on current events, I have my own clutter addiction to battle-movies. My addiction got so bad for a while that I found myself going to really bad movies, wondering later why I wasted that time and money. I still love going to good movies, but now I'm more selective.
I appreciate that these activities are some of the most common ways to relax. But you cannot wake up to clutter, be bombarded with it all day, go to bed with that same level of intrusion and still have the mental space to connect with your intuitive vision. Choose renewing ways to relax, such as strolling through a park, soaking in the tub or reading a great book.
As with most ambitious endeavors, eliminating all the clutter in your life can be overwhelming at first. The trick is to start small:
1. Clear your space.
Unclutter your physical environment at home and work. Take 10 minutes every day to file that stack of papers that's been sitting on your credenza for months. Devote 15 minutes a day to cleaning out a closet or a room that's only slightly less attractive than the city dump. Don't tackle the whole attic. Start with one corner, then move on to another until it's done.
2. Unclutter your mind.
Eliminate one outside stimulus, one TV show or one chatty phone call. Then eliminate another. Instead of reading three newspapers or magazines, read one. While driving, replace talk radio with inspirational CDs or music that stimulates ideas and opens a space for success. Meditate as you fall asleep or read something relaxing that brings you peace, not agitation.
Be equally selective about how you spend time with friends and family. You might not think of a relationship as clutter, but it can be. Are casual, unsatisfying relationships keeping you from your vision? Would fewer, more meaningful relationships be more helpful? Assess whether a relationship is one that you value. If not, eliminate it or, at minimum, reduce the exposure. Uncluttering is about making choices in all the areas of your mind, space and time.
3. Put off procrastination.
Procrastination leads to worry and anxiety, which is mind clutter. You're anxious about the upcoming meeting because the report due is still rough at best. You worry about overdrafting your bank account because you've put off balancing your checkbook. Instead, just put off procrastination.
Eliminate one area of procrastination each week. Schedule it in your calendar, as you would any important appointment, and when that time arrives, do what needs to be done. Your mind will feel refreshingly alert and uncluttered.
Yet, procrastination is not always bad. I hear people say, "finish what you start" or "you had that idea, where did you go with it?" Every day I wake up with new ideas, but like you I have only 16 waking hours a day in which to do it all. Misplaced stubbornness, as in, "I started it, I have to finish it," can exhaust you as you plow onward in the wrong direction. Selective-intuitive-procrastination allows the best ideas to rise to the top and keeps you focused.
In the emergency room all nurses learn the value and skill of triage. When several patients come in at once, nurses treat the sickest ones first. That's triage. You can triage ideas. All ideas are not equal, so match your ideas to your intuitive vision to determine which to develop first.
Selective procrastination also eliminates unnecessary busyness. Imagine a low-priority task-perhaps starting a routine project or writing a letter. You procrastinate, and at the end of the day, or the week, that situation resolves itself. The project is canceled or the topic of the letter gets resolved with a two-minute phone call. Selective procrastination, or triage, combined with your intuitive vision can eliminate the clutter of unnecessary tasks.
Ditching clutter enables you to tune in your intuitive vision and connect with future success. In turn, your newly awakened senses arouse your passion. You not only see the future you want, you're ready to implement the goals and strategies to make it happen.
Author Bio
Inc. Top 10 Entrepreneur Vickie L. Milazzo, RN, MSN, JD is the founder and president of Vickie Milazzo Institute. She is credited by The New York Times with creating the legal nurse consulting profession in 1982. She is the recipient of the Nursing Excellence Award for Advancing the Profession and the Stevie Award (business's Oscar) as Mentor of the Year. Vickie has revolutionized the careers of thousands of RNs. She is the author of (www.InsideEveryWoman.com) Inside Every Woman: Using the 10 Strengths You Didn't Know You Had to Get the Career and Life You Want Now, coming March 2006 from John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Order this top 5 Amazon.com bestseller now. Reprinting and republishing of this article is granted only with the above credit included. Permission to reprint or republish does not waive any copyright or other rights.
