Yes, ditto. Let us know what your research turns up SMILES...

JJ

I was in a journaling class yesterday and this very topic came up.

I always journal longhand because I can't erase ink or change my words. They just flow. I believe this is a more honest way of writing. No delete buttons to hit if you think you wrote something too personal. It's already there.

I use the computer when writing what I submit, or want to share with others. It's so much easier. I can edit as I go along, cut and paste, delete, whatever.

Dotsie-- I'd love to hear more about your journaling class. What other topics did you discuss? I'm always looking for ways to dig deeper, fly higher and be more honest in my writing.

Can't believe how fast the month is zooming by; I only have one more week on this forum. To recap, here are some of the issues we’ve discussed so far. Feel free to comment again on any of them…or bring up a new topic.

1) Finding a publisher and agent

2) The financial dimension of following one's dream

3) The seasons of our lives: Respecting timing

4) Issues revolving around children leaving home

5) The importance of being bold (News update: I took Dotsie's comments to heart and signed up to do that Illinois conference. )

6) Finding a way back to our "good parts" and downloading the "bad parts" (I love Unique’s technology-inspired image!)

7) Good coming out of "bad"

8) Shyness about promoting oneself

9) Dealing with public speaking jitters

10) The value of storytelling

11) Worrying about what others think of us versus our own needs and desires

12) Teaching kids to drive

13) Overcoming trauma through writing

14) The value of doing something for the sheer joy of it

15) Writers’ need for validation

16) The rewards of networking

17) Defining Moments: How one sentence can change a life

18) Finding one’s voice

19) Jaw Jaw being cute and loveable (Every one of you is loveable! )

20) Journal issues—private vs. public

21) Importance of trust

22) Questions about the Defying Gravity women

23) Technology—designing websites, etc.

24) Longhand versus typing

Whoops. I forgot #25: Being comfortable in our seasoned bodies. (Hmmm....not sure I like the word "seasoned" here. It sounds kinder than "middle-aged," but conjures up visions of being prepared for a stew. ) In case anyone lives in the L.A. area, or is planning a trip there, here's the website of the Korean spa I visited web page . It's for women only. I highly recommend it.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Prill:

6) Finding a way back to our "good parts" and downloading the "bad parts" (I love Unique’s technology-inspired image!)
I'm an *analog* woman in a digital world

16) The rewards of networking
This is the best place for it on the web!

18) Finding one’s voice
You can do that here, too

19) Jaw Jaw being cute and loveable (Every one of you is loveable! )

Ditto!
I love how you broke it all down for us. Were you a curriculum developer in a *previous* life?

Prill, I have to mention Jean Karotkin again. She's the woman who did the photography book about breast cancer.

A very important topic was mentioned in her story and that is timing.

Timing is everything, and unfortuately we aren't always in charge of that time. I believe God has everything in order. He sees the big picture and knows when to make things happen. We need to be patient and receive His grace. We need to let Him connect the dots and in the end the whole picture will be revealed to us.

Unique— Love how you broke down my breakdown! And what a great way to describe yourself: "an analog woman in a digital world." I'll have to think about this concept some more, maybe springboard it into an essay.

In terms of being a curriculum developer, I was never one per se. But as a teacher, I routinely designed lesson plans. Some people consider themselves right-brained; others, left. To bring my Defying Gravity vision into the world, I've needed to access my creative/intuitive side as well as my logical/organized one. It takes both to write, publish, and promote a book. The good news is that you can always solicit help if you feel deficient in either of these domains. There are scores of wonderful souls out there--not to mention every single woman on this forum--who would be happy to assist you. All you have to do is ask.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

It’s FREEZING here this morning! (My thermometer says it's 7 degrees outside.) Not only are the rhododendrons curled up like tight cigars—always a clear sign of frigid weather--but when I went outside a few minutes ago to collect my newspaper, it even hurt to breathe. Hope you all are in gentler climes.

As I’m writing this, I’m realizing that I associate each of you with a state: Dotsie from Maryland, Jaw Jaw from Alabama, Unique from North Carolina, Meredithbead from California, etc. (Meredith, are you by any chance an “OC” fan? My secret vice is watching The OC on Thursday nights; my secret crush, on the other hand, is Nicholas Kristoff of the New York Times. Guess I'm a complicated woman.) Of course, you all might not actually be natives of these places, but that’s how I've got you organized in my mind. Does anyone else do this?

Speaking of breathing, in case you're interested, here's an update on my choking episode. I finally went to an ear/nose/throat guy yesterday at the recommendation of my G.P. He put a camera down my throat. Very strange sensation. It didn't hurt, though I had to supress my gag reflex. Anyway, he said that my throat's been injured from, among other things, a bronchial infection. I had no idea. He gave me some medication that he claimed would stop the spasming and allow my throat to heal. (I'm generally an anti-medication girl; I don't even like taking aspirin unless I'm in agony.) Should take about a month. He also said it was good I came to him when I did because I could easily have had another attack and that, this time, I might not have lived through it. That sure got my attention. Needless to say, I'm taking my meds. The moral of the story is: Don't put off seeing a doctor when you've got something wrong.

Unfortunately, at least for now, I'm not supposed to eat anything with caffeine. That means no chocolate. I'm also not supposed to ingest anything with mint, ginger or cinnamon. As an Altoids addict and a chocoholic, this is not welcome news. Yes, I'm grateful to be alive, but I'm feeling a wee bit cranky today.

Dotsie— Sorry I missed your posting before I pressed "Add Reply."

I agree that timing IS everything. The phrase has become a cliché, but that doesn’t make it any less true. Not only Jean Karotkin, but every late-blooming woman I interviewed would concur.

For those of you who haven’t read my book, here’s an excerpt on this very topic. It’s from my journal, tidbits of which I weave in between the stories of the women:

“I recently read that Native American author Beth Brant was driving somewhere before her fortieth birthday when a bald eagle flew in front of her car and told her she was supposed to be a writer. She changed the direction of her life and stepped back on the gas. For most of us the signposts are much more subtle. More often than not, I suspect, one misses them altogether.

“That said, several of the women I’ve interviewed—Linda Bach, Jean Kelley, Jo Fuchs Luscombe and Patricia Symonds—were similarly approached by a casual acquaintance who innocently uttered a few words and altered the trajectory of their lives.

“Here’s what I wonder. Were these four women—five, including Beth Brant—approached at the precise moment they were prepared to take their respective leaps? If they had heard these words of encouragement a month earlier, would they have been able to respond? Or would the words have been dismissed as pure folly? In my case, I think it’s very possible that I wouldn’t be writing this particular book if I had read about Wini Yunker even one day before I did" (111).

If I held the answer to that question Prill, I'd be considered one smart Buddha instead of so darn lovable.

Its such a good question, and one that I've often asked myself..."why did I discover writing now? Why not earlier in my life when I had a good memory for Pete's sake?

And I think the answer lies in the fact that I would not have listened to the voice inside that guides me to write.

God, the universe (whatever one chooses to call IT), knew I wasn't ready. It's almost like I finished off the first 50 years and went, "Whoa Nellie, that was fun! Hm...now what?" And in comes the writing...

I think everyone is different and their "Aha" moment comes when they're ready to receive it and are open to discovery....just my dollar's worth...

JJ

Wow, Prill, that question really makes me think! (ouch) No really, great question. I sometimes wonder about things like that myself. Like why we decided to move out of state when we did. A year earlier and I would have said it was nuts to even think about it. Now we say we wish we had done it sooner. Timing is definitely everything.