Battle of the Bands ~ I Won't Back Down

For those of you who participate in the IWSG (Insecure Writer's Support Group), you know that everyone posts on the first Wednesday of the month. If you have considered posting, but haven't for whatever reason, I encourage you to follow the link and sign up. This week the first Wednesday is this Wednesday.

And I fully intend to participate this month since I totally forgot last month and didn't.

But, Battle of the Bands also posts on the 1st and that leaves me with a dilemma. I want to give EVERYONE a chance to find this post and vote before I cover it up with my IWSG post.

So, I am posting Battle of the Bands early AGAIN in an effort to avoid conflict with the IWSG post.

It is my fervent hope that this Battle of the Bands leaves you feeling conflicted about which song is better. I love BOTH versions of this song and feel conflicted about my own vote. Since I do love them both I will do something I normally don't and tell you what I love about each one.

The song is I Won't Back Down. It was a hit for Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers from their Full Moon Fever album. At the risk of giving away my age (like it is a big secret), I will tell you that I owned this one on cassette tape. I think I wore the tape out on this cassette. Yeah, that means I really liked it. Every track on this one was amazing. Just loved loved loved it. I Won't Back Down might have been my favorite track of all of them. I really liked this song. I still really like this song as recorded by Tom Petty. The lyrics are something I can get behind and the tempo of the song makes you want to rock out. Or maybe wave a sign around. Whatever. Most of you will know it, but here it is...




I think that I heard the Ryan Star cover of this version as background music to a TV show that I like. I honestly cannot recall which one. I do know that I was so enamored of the song that I backed up and watched that section several times so that I could tune out the dialogue and just listen to the song. Then, I searched for it on YouTube. It is a much slower version with a more piano/acoustic feel. It is the metal fist (of the first version) wrapped in a velvet glove. I think what it is going to come down for YOU is if you like it hard and fast or delivered with a more delicate touch.

Here is Ryan Star and I Wont Back Down...




I can imagine the Tom Petty version as the one that brings people to their feet and shake their fist in the air. The Ryan Star version is the one makes people hold up cigarette lighters and might even make a few sentimental souls shed a tear. Like I said earlier... it is a matter of preference... do you like it hard and fast or tender and slow? Yeah, I will be taking notes on your votes since I think this says a lot about you. :D


Tomorrow, the rest of the Battle of the Bands are going to roll out. I hope that you will take a few minutes and visit them. Every single participant posts TOTALLY DIFFERENT MUSIC for their battles and I find that fascinating. Plus, you might discover some really cool tunes you've never heard before!

Faraway Series

FERRET-FACED FASCIST FRIENDS

Tossing It Out

DiscConnected

Donna Hole

Seriously please tell me at length what you think about BOTH versions because I love it when you give me long comment. In this case, there really is no *wrong* answer.

Are You Fighting From In The Hole Or Even Ground?

Earlier this week my friend Christine over at A Deliberate Life posted a blog that I am going to share here with you. I read it at least three times.  I think it was the third reading when I decided to try subbing in the words "chronic migraines" for eating problems or overeating or any other similar version. I also subbed in "return to wellness or migraine improvement" for weight loss. It is a bit eerie how close to home this hit for me. I am often shocked, though I shouldn't be by now, how similar our journeys are. When I say "our" I don't just mean Christine and I... I mean the human race and I. Obstacles are obstacles and the overcoming of them is what it is all about to live a healthy, happy life. It was also more like 10 years to the 20 she referenced, but you get the idea. The parts that are in bold are mine. These sentiments were like... wow.

This is what Christine wrote on her post fighting to get even:

I fought to level.

I fought to even ground.

All my life I have been in a deficit.
When I lost weight...
I wanted to skip the rest of it..
I wanted to believe I had done all I needed to do..even though I knew I hadn't.
It took me 20 some odd years to come to grips with my eating problems..
Finding out I had more shit under there was discouraging.
I just wanted to be better!
When I got down to a weight where men were noticing me..
it scared the shit out of me.
so badly I nearly fainted.
That was when I knew I couldn't ignore it...or act my way better.
I had to fix it.
So I took self defense classes.
Then I knew my marriage wasn't what it should be...
because even though my husband was better towards me because I lost weight.
he was better towards me because I lost weight.
The solving of the problem created a problem.
One I couldn't ignore...and it began to expose other problems....that I couldn't ignore.
Any person who has lost a significant amount of weight...
and was using that weight to solve emotional issues,...
will have one hell of a surprise waiting at the end of their rainbow.
You don't get in that kind of predicament without living with a seriously faulty set of beliefs....about yourself, relationships, life and everything in it.
When you begin to correct how you see yourself, long term?
yeah...
When you no longer lose weight from self hatred..
and begin to have faith in yourself..
Your mindset will shift...and will no longer align with the people in your life.
Remember, those people were attracted to a person covering their pain with food....
or a person who had no boundaries.
or a person that wanted love so badly, they would accept even the chimera of it...a shadow.
and either they will change, you will change back...or one of you will have to leave.
IT is rare for both people to change.
It is nigh on a miracle.
Your weight loss is going to expose every crack in the dam.
This is why weightloss fails.
major weightloss.
Because ripping apart your whole life wasn't the deal...fitting in a bikini was the deal.
But your health is bigger than clothing...

all my life I have felt less than...
I had to tear it all down and fight like hell to get to a healthy even.
to even begin to build.
I spent three years fighting the notion that I still had to fight.
I was tired of it.
But I remained steady long enough..
when I got tired..I held steady..
gave it a rest.
You don't have to keep pushing all the time.
If it is a long ass battle...
sit down for a month or two and hold your ground.
Or hell, like me...a year here, or a year there.
take note of where you were and where you are headed.
And then move forward.
I tell you...
one day you will reach daylight.
and you will find.
fighting from even ground feels like fighting from high ground when you are so used to being in a hole.
fighting for so long teaches you how to fight.
teaches you patience.
I am ten times stronger for it.
So keep fighting.
It may not be fair that you have to fight so hard...when others came out the shoot even.
but like a bone that fractures and heals..fractures and heals..
you become nearly unbreakable.
Chris out.


I have nothing to add to that.
Robin out.

HERE'S TO YOU THURSDAY

There are some weeks that I think The Thursday Post just isn't going to happen. In fact, yesterday I checked out the contents of my Favorites to see what struck me between last Thursday and today - and it was sub-par. So, that thought niggled on my brain as I drove to the doctor and dance class. Several of your blogs came back to mind and *voila* I knew what went with them. Just so you know, it doesn't usually work that well.

If you don't know what this HERE'S TO YOU stuff is about, let me explain.  This used to be a weekly event landing typically on Thursdays.  When I read your blogs or you say something in the comments that sparks my imagination (or I hear something and I think of you), chances are good I will click over to YouTube to find footage for you. In the old days you wouldn't have to reach back in your memory bank farther than one week. Now... all bets are off. It could be several weeks ago.

The best (or worst) part is that I am not going to explain why I chose "whatever" footage for each of you. If, you watch your footage and are scratching your head at the end, well that means I didn't do a very good job. However, all is not lost. You can email me at rarichards68@gmail.com and ask me what I was thinking when I chose that particular piece of footage off of YouTube and connected it to you. And then I will tell you. Then I will start sending up prayers that I haven't offended the crap out of whoever is on the receiving end of that email....lol. Because, honestly, I will tell you right now... I admire all of you enormously so I really hope that doesn't happen.

Also, this is not an exclusive venture by any means. I hope that you will take the time to watch ALL of the footage because I don't pick bad footage:-) I also hope that you might check out the blog of the person I dedicated the footage to because they are pretty darn awesome. If you haven't figured this out yet... I pick the footage based on something that you've written or something that I've gleaned from your personality. Think on that for a while... If you are having trouble watching the entire video (meaning it is being cut off on one side), click on it a couple of times and it will take you straight over to youtube. If you click on the four squares at the bottom corner of the video, it will enlarge it to fill your screen. The escape key will bring it back to normal size. The back arrow will bring you back to my page.

Now, let's get this PARTY STARTED!!!!

This one is for everyone:



This one is for Cathrina Constantine at Constantine:



This one is for Patti at Magnolia Cottage:



This one is for Stephen T. McCarthy at FERRET-FACED FASCIST FRIENDS:



This one is for Jasmine at A Yellow Rose of Texas:



This one is for Liza at Middle Passages:



This one is for JJ The Disconnected Writer:



This one is for Christine at A Deliberate Life:

Help! I Can't Follow You, Delete You, or Comment on Your Blog

I believe that I have mentioned before, loudly and often, but not recently about how I lack technical savvy. I have a TERRIBLE time navigating this site (and other sites) and found all of YOU by serendipity. In other words, there was no skill involved. I just back-doored into a good thing and then kept doing it. If you have read the Stephanie Plum novels by Janet Evanovich.... I blog with the same amount of skill that Ms. Plum apprehends her FTAs (Failure To Appear). Though I don't think my adventures are nearly so comical.

Let me tell you about my current predicament(s) and see if anyone has an answer for sorting this mess out. Yes, I am talking about my Blogger predicaments.

1) I have hesitated to follow any blog that doesn't have a Google Friend Connect button that adds the blog to my Reading List (aka Dashboard). If you don't have that button then I am stuck with your blog in my dashboard FOREVER. In some cases, that is a good thing, but in others... not so much. People quit blogging or I stop reading (for a variety of reasons) but they are there FOREVER. Which leads to my second predicament...

2) Since I now follow over 300 blogs I cannot add any more blogs unless you have the GFC feature because I have exceeded the Reading List maximum. Let me back up...

3) If you don't have the GFC button the only way to add you to my Reading List is to copy/paste your URL into the Add A Blog feature on my Reading List. Okay. I have done this, but now I am stuck with you FOREVER (see #1) because you don't have a GFC button so that I can remove non-working blogs.

4) I have done some investigating and there is a thing that looks like a Nut across from the Reading List. If I click on this I should be able to Manage My Blogs. In other words, I should be able to delete some out of my Reading List to get back under 300 and add some that I would like to add (but can't). Every time I click on this "Tool" I get the message that it cannot access my blogs and I should come back soon. Well, I have been coming back soon for about a month and I still get the same message EVERY SINGLE TIME.

5) Yesterday, blogger decided it would be fun to only show me ONE blog on my Reading List (instead of the usual 20 or so) and then when I am through those, I can click on the "More" button and it loads another 20 or so. Now, I have ONE and the MORE button doesn't work. Sorry if I haven't visited. I am having issues. If you have found this post, you clearly know something that I don't... after all, you are here and I am stuck.

6) So, friends, how do I delete blogs out of my Reading List that don't have a GFC button? Should I be using some other system (other than the Reading List/Dashboard)? I have heard some of you talk about Feedly and probably others, but it is like reading Greek. Makes No Sense to me. I have no idea how to begin to compile my blogs into another List. Is there another tool that I have yet to find that will help me to "manage" the Reading List? 

7) And, last thing, if you update your blog and change your comments so that I have to comment via Google's Circles (Briane P. I am looking at you!) I cannot comment. They want too much information for me to leave a comment and I am just not comfortable with that. They should just ask for fingernail clippings to be sent to a predetermined address and be done with it. So, if you can change it back... please do!

Okay, Wizards of Blog Land, bring on the advice and help (lots and lots of help), because I NEED IT.

Battle of The Bands Result, Migraines, and High vs Low Maintenance

Hello friends. I meant to post the results from Battle of the Bands along with whatever my Thoughts Of The Day happened to be yesterday, but instead of thoughts I had a migraine. A relentless one. I didn't even turn my computer on yesterday. I went to bed at 7pm and had difficulty getting up for church at 8:30 this morning. That is just Crazy.

Anyone who monitored the comments from Battle of the Bands is keenly aware that Dire Straits won this one easily. Dire Straits garnered 21 votes while The Indigo Girls only took 6 votes from you.  Since this was not a big Dire Straits song, the first time I heard it was on an Indigo Girls record. As is so often the case, I had NO IDEA it was a cover until I heard Edwin McCain's version. That caused me to investigate. That said, I was predisposed to prefer The Indigo Girls version (familiarity might breed contempt, but I have found with these battles that it also breeds fondness). After hearing Dire Straits, I still liked The Indigo Girls version better. Some of you thought it was angry and I get that. Their take on the song was passionate (How can you look at me as if I was just another one of your deals?) and they sing the lyrics with all of that bottled-up emotion that spills out when you feel like someone said "they'd love you til they died" and then say, "Ah, yeah, Romeo I used to have a scene with him." That smarts more than a little bit. (Adding my vote to the total only brings The Indigo Girls up to 7 votes. Still a huge win for Dire Straits.) Edwin McCain recorded it on his album as a love song. Very different from both of these versions and it is probably my favorite (though YouTube doesn't have a good version of it...  period). So, if ever I come across a good version I might very well bring this one back against Dire Straits (your choice) and see who you choose.

Now that we have that business done, I have a question for you. My mom asked me this morning about the difference between high and low maintenance people. What makes a person high maintenance? What makes a person low maintenance? I reminded her of of the clip from When Harry Met Sally, which is where I think this idea sprouted from, but has it exceeded its origins?

If you didn't see When Harry Met Sally...



What do the terms High Maintenance and Low Maintenance mean to you ?

HERE'S TO YOU THURSDAY

It is Thursday and that means it is HERE'S TO YOU day!  All in all, the best day of the week here on YOUR DAILY DOSE. Why? Because it's a celebration for YOU.

One quick note, before we get this thing rolling. I want to explain something to Briane P. over at Thinking The Lions on this post.. Briane, I still read your posts BUT cannot comment on them since you changed your commenting format. I absolutely refuse to deal with Google and their circles. For the sake of showing that I did read (and did have a comment) I tried and was met with the Google Loop de Loop. It is one of the most unfun rides on the Internet. I got off. Just wanted you to know why my comments disappeared...

If you don't know what this HERE'S TO YOU stuff is about, let me explain.  This used to be a weekly event landing typically on Thursdays.  When I read your blogs or you say something in the comments that sparks my imagination (or I hear something and I think of you), chances are good I will click over to YouTube to find footage for you. In the old days you wouldn't have to reach back in your memory bank farther than one week. Now... all bets are off. It could be several weeks ago.

The best (or worst) part is that I am not going to explain why I chose "whatever" footage for each of you. If, you watch your footage and are scratching your head at the end, well that means I didn't do a very good job. However, all is not lost. You can email me at rarichards68@gmail.com and ask me what I was thinking when I chose that particular piece of footage off of YouTube and connected it to you. And then I will tell you. Then I will start sending up prayers that I haven't offended the crap out of whoever is on the receiving end of that email....lol. Because, honestly, I will tell you right now... I admire all of you enormously so I really hope that doesn't happen.

Also, this is not an exclusive venture by any means. I hope that you will take the time to watch ALL of the footage because I don't pick bad footage:-) I also hope that you might check out the blog of the person I dedicated the footage to because they are pretty darn awesome. If you haven't figured this out yet... I pick the footage based on something that you've written or something that I've gleaned from your personality. Think on that for a while... If you are having trouble watching the entire video (meaning it is being cut off on one side), click on it a couple of times and it will take you straight over to youtube. If you click on the four squares at the bottom corner of the video, it will enlarge it to fill your screen. The escape key will bring it back to normal size. The back arrow will bring you back to my page.

Now, let's get this PARTY STARTED!!!!

This one is for everyone:


This one is for Jay Noel:


This one is for Jennifer Chandler at The Cup and Page:


This one is for Stephen T. McCarthy at FERRET-FACED FASCIST FRIENDS:


This one is for C.W. Martin at Tilting at Windmills:


This one is for JJ The Disconnected Writer:


This one is for Susan Gourley/Kelley at Susan Says:


This one is for L.G. Smith at Bards and Prophets:

Battle of the Bands ~ Romeo and Juliet

I know that I am late in the day posting this Battle of the Bands feature. I will simply say that time got away from me. Better late than never, right???

The song for today is Romeo and Juliet, written by Mark Knopfler, for his band Dire Straits. It has been featured on many Dire Straits records, but the first was Making Movies in 1980. This song has been covered by multiple artists including Lisa Mitchell, The Killers, Matt Nathanson, Edwin McCain, and The Indigo Girls (to name a few). Had I been able to find the original recording from Edwin McCain on YouTube this might have been a very different battle... because his version is COMPLETELY different than the others.

Oh yeah, failed by YouTube AGAIN.... I know I make it look easy, but it is NOT. ha!

Anyway, after much back and forthing on my part, I decided to pair the Dire Straits version against The Indigo Girls. Since Dire Straits recorded first, we shall listen to them first.

Dire Straits...


Versus

The Indigo Girls...



This is not the only battle going down today so make sure you visit the following blogs and vote on their match-ups:

Faraway Series

FERRET-FACED FASCIST FRIENDS

Tossing It Out

DiscConnected

Donna Hole

Now, is the time to vote. Please tell me which one you liked best and why. Yes, this is the time for that extensive comment you have always wanted to write.  I'm listening...

HERE'S TO YOU THURSDAY

It is Thursday and that means it is HERE'S TO YOU day!  All in all, the best day of the week here on YOUR DAILY DOSE. Why? Because it's a celebration for YOU.

If you don't know what this HERE'S TO YOU stuff is about, let me explain.  This used to be a weekly event landing typically on Thursdays.  When I read your blogs or you say something in the comments that sparks my imagination (or I hear something and I think of you), chances are good I will click over to YouTube to find footage for you. In the old days you wouldn't have to reach back in your memory bank farther than one week. Now... all bets are off. It could be several weeks ago.

The best (or worst) part is that I am not going to explain why I chose "whatever" footage for each of you. If, you watch your footage and are scratching your head at the end, well that means I didn't do a very good job. However, all is not lost. You can email me at rarichards68@gmail.com and ask me what I was thinking when I chose that particular piece of footage off of YouTube and connected it to you. And then I will tell you. Then I will start sending up prayers that I haven't offended the crap out of whoever is on the receiving end of that email....lol. Because, honestly, I will tell you right now... I admire all of you enormously so I really hope that doesn't happen.

Also, this is not an exclusive venture by any means. I hope that you will take the time to watch ALL of the footage because I don't pick bad footage:-) I also hope that you might check out the blog of the person I dedicated the footage to because they are pretty darn awesome. If you haven't figured this out yet... I pick the footage based on something that you've written or something that I've gleaned from your personality. Think on that for a while... If you are having trouble watching the entire video (meaning it is being cut off on one side), click on it a couple of times and it will take you straight over to youtube. If you click on the four squares at the bottom corner of the video, it will enlarge it to fill your screen. The escape key will bring it back to normal size. The back arrow will bring you back to my page.

Now, let's get this PARTY STARTED!!!!

This one is for everyone:

This is also for everyone:



This one is for Stephen T. McCarthy at FERRET-FACED FASCIST FRIENDS (because the ENTIRE time I watched this episode I thought of you):


This one is for Brandon and Bryan at A Beer For The Shower:



This one is for DiscConnected:



This one is for Sherry Ellis at Mama Diaries:



This one is for Steve at Steve's Nude Memphis Blog:

Raining Down A Hail of Bullets

On my last bullet point post, Biting The Bullet, I started with the wind sock (stuck in the gutter) and ended with the idea that I wanted to be like wind sock when it is flowing free and fulfilling its nature. I linked that old post if you are interested in my idea of metaphor. (Hint: It is a rambling post that SEEMS to go nowhere and then doubles back and actually finds a point.)

Let's try it again.

• The wind sock is once again hopelessly caught in the gutter.
• I would snap a photo, but I already did that once and, seriously, how many photos of a wind sock in a gutter does a person need to see?
• I finished reading the book The Fault In Our Stars, by John Green, a little over a week ago. 
• Yes, there is a movie based on the book at the movies. I have yet to see the movie, but I laughed and then cried through the book. Since I know how it ends, I think I will save it for home viewing. As much I love sobbing at the movies, I will take a pass.
• I don't think this is any sort of spoiler alert, but the teenage characters in the book (and movie) have cancer. The boy, Augustus Waters, is a huge fan of metaphor. His constancy in looking for it in everything around him made me fall in love with him just a bit more than I expected.

• Okay, it is a little creepy saying that I fell in love with Augustus Waters and then SEEING Augustus Waters. He is a teenager. It was a whole lot cooler when he was just a character in a book.
• But, I still love that metaphor clip. It was exactly the way John Green wrote it. So, maybe it is HIM I fell in love with just a little bit. That is slightly less creepy given that he is closer to my age, but married.
• Let's move on...
• So, I read this book about cancer and had a bit of a breakdown. I did mention the crying, right?
• One of my friends from high school has been battling cancer since his 20s. I thought constant, chronic migraines were a bitter pill. Lest you ever forget... there is ALWAYS someone who has it worse than you do.
• So, anyway, he posts these horribly long (and dreadfully sobering) updates on his Facebook page. The cancer is slowly becoming him. As it is in his brain, spine, lymph nodes, legs, and now pelvis. The fact that the guy lived this long is a miracle in itself. The treatment stopped working a while ago and he has decided No More. So, now it is just a waiting game. 
• I told you about my friend from high school whose son died of cancer. Well, I mentioned it. I didn't really go into it. That was last December. I feel surrounded by cancer.
• A friend from college just announced that her teenage daughter has been diagnosed with osteoscarcoma (bone cancer), which is the same cancer Augustus Waters had in The Fault In Our Stars.
• Since I just read that book I know a whole lot more about osteoscarcoma than I did a week ago. 80% of people beat it. That is a great statistic unless you fall in the 20%. I have debated sending my friend an email to NOT read this book or watch this movie.
• Yesterday I just had tissue biopsied to determine if I have cancer. Isn't that exciting? I could be the next person on Facebook to create a page that is devoted to cancer!!!!
• Before you get too excited, the doctor who performed the biopsy took me aside after and said that it was unlikely (though not certain) that I had cancer. He had seen cancerous tissue many times when it was OBVIOUSLY cancer and mine wasn't. 
• So, for right now, I am riding on the good side of the stats. Of course, he was less than thrilled about everyone on my father's side of the family dying of colon cancer. Well, not the young people (as in my age or younger) yet. He made sure that we had a sobering talk on the importance of colonoscopies. I assured him that I am well aware.
• I am well aware.
• I am currently reading George R.R. Martin's Game of Thrones. Now, that is a tome. And it is the first of a series. The first book tops 800 pages. 
• I watched the first three seasons of the TV show that follows the book and am glad I did. It makes the book much easier reading.
• Spoiler alert: No one dies of cancer in Game of Thrones. No one lives long enough to die of cancer. They live in a medieval time and are much more likely to be run through with a sword, battle axe, or one of those wicked spiked balls that warriors like to throw around.
• As I read it, I find myself pondering the bigger issues of holding to honor and valor and honesty when lying, corruption, and deceit seem to repeatedly win the day. I think on how things are going down in George R.R. Martin's fictional world and then take a look at how things are going down right here... and it all seems frightfully the same. The surest way to lose the game is to fight it honorably and the surest way to win it is with cunning and deception.
• And that brings me back to the wind sock. You knew we were coming back to the wind sock...
• All the wind sock desires is to blow free and fulfill its Nature. That is its greatest happiness. 
• Yet it remains glued to the gutter. And so it shall be until I walk out there and give it another good yank. 
• Is it our destiny, like that of the wind sock, to constantly return to the gutter and consistently require a good yank from an outside source to set us right again?

Two Easy Chicks

I have a special guest here today.  If you have never met Carol Kilgore, from Under The Tiki Hut, you are in for a treat. If you have met, you're still in for a treat. Carol graciously agreed to pen something for my All Things Writing feature. Carol is a wonderful writer and all-around fantastic human being. I hope that you enjoy this as much I did. And here she is...

When Robin asked if I’d like to guest on her All Things Writing feature, I jumped at the chance. I asked if she wanted me to write about anything in particular or if there was anything she wanted me to stay away from. I told her I was easy.

She responded that I had a free hand to write what I wished. And that she was easy, too.

So here we are--two easy chicks, who also happen to be writers, having a good time. You were thinking what? Stop that!

Moving along . . . this is All Things Writing.

I don’t usually talk about writing because each of us is unique. I’m a little weird. Things that work for me probably won’t work for you. And vice versa. Basically, if you know the story you want to tell and write it to the best of your ability, you’re off to the best possible start. Then edit, edit, edit so that readers can experience your vision, too.

Doesn’t that sound easy?

So instead of writing about writing, I decided to talk about another part of the writing process--one you’ll deal with at some point unless you’re a selfish, crotchety old troll. But I think Robin’s bouncers toss all of those back under their bridges. The part of the process I’m talking about is giving back to the writing community by paying it forward.

I’m overflowing with gratitude for all the writers who’ve helped me along the way and those who are still helping me. Some held my hand while I cried. Others showed me how not to tell. Some sat by me at the bar while we moaned together about how unfair the publishing industry was (true or not). I’ve also been blessed with a couple of fantastic editors, lots of critique partners, and many blogging friends.  Like Robin.

I love visiting here, and I especially love Here’s to You Thursdays. I may be a die-hard Joan of Arcadia fan. Ahem J

I’m also easily distracted. Can you tell? So . . . getting back on track with paying it forward, now it’s time for me to return the favor.

Writers do this in all kinds of ways. The way I’ve chosen is to provide other up and coming writers, like myself, a new outlet for readers to discover their work by running a monthly contest on my website at http://www.carolkilgore.net and all of you are invited to enter.

Each month, an author will give away a book, an ebook, a gift card, swag—whatever she chooses. To enter, all you need to do is answer a question about a photo prompt. There are no wrong answers. The winner will be chosen at random on the last day of the month.

I’m starting small by giving away the first prize this month—a Kindle copy of my debut novel, In Name Only.

In the meantime, feel free to pass the word about the monthly contest to all your reading friends. If you’re an author and would like to try my contest for spreading the word about your work, please email me at tikihuttime AT gmail DOT com. I’d love to hear from you!

To return to one other thing about writing, there’s this: The more books you publish, the more non-writing work there is to do. Scheduling and time management become top priorities. My advice is to master these skills early on--preferably before you publish. You’ll be glad you did. I wish someone had told me that.

It’s hard work for an easy chick.

Carol, thank you so much for guest posting here and sharing a bit of what you've learned on this writing journey. 

Note to self: schedule your time better now. Your future self will thank you later.

I hope that you will visit Carol's blog, website, Facebook, Twitter, Amazon site, or Goodreads site (all listed below). She is EVERYWHERE. And enter that monthly contest!

This is her newest book. ::thunderous applause::

By the end of a long evening working as a special set of eyes for the presidential security detail, all Kat Marengo wants is to kick off her shoes and stash two not-really-stolen rings in a secure spot. Plus, maybe sleep with Dave Krizak. No, make that definitely sleep with Dave Krizak. The next morning, she wishes her new top priorities were so simple.

As an operative for a covert agency buried in the depths of the Department of Homeland Security, Kat is asked to participate in a matter of life or death—locate a kidnapped girl believed to be held in Corpus Christi, Texas. Since the person doing the asking is the wife of the president and the girl is the daughter of the first lady’s dearest friend, it’s hard to say no.

Kat and Dave quickly learn the real stakes are higher than they or the first lady believed and will require more than any of them bargained for.

The kicker? They have twenty-four hours to find the girl—or the matter of life or death will become more than a possibility.

BIO

Carol writes grocery lists, texts to her family, new lyrics to old songs for her dogs, love notes to her husband, and novels for herself. And for you. In between, she blogs weekly at Under the Tiki Hut and is active on Facebook and Twitter.

She sees mystery and subterfuge everywhere. And she’s a sucker for a good love story—especially ones with humor and mystery. Crime Fiction with a Kiss gives her the latitude to mix and match throughout the broad mystery and romance genres. Having flexibility makes her heart happy.

LINKS

Either/or, please. There are preformatted clickable links or individual links with the full URL included. Your choice – use whichever works for you.

You can connect with Carol and her books here:

blog . website . facebook . twitter . goodreads . amazon

OR

You can connect with Carol and her books here:

Under the Tiki Hut blog:  http://www.underthetikihut.blogspot.com

Website with Monthly Contest: http://www.carolkilgore.net

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/carol.kilgore1

Twitter: http://twitter.com/carol_kilgore

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6094110.Carol_Kilgore

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Carol-Kilgore/e/B008FRCXQY

 

HERE'S TO YOU THURSDAY

Seems like I NEVER post about JUST ONE THING any longer. Let's get started on the list (short and sweet-style).

First, I tabulated Battle of the Bands. For anyone who tracked the comments, this wasn't even a battle. It was a skirmish at best. Looking Glass killed it by garnering 16 votes, The Red Hot Chili Peppers took 3 of your votes, and Kenny Chesney got 3 votes when you factor in mine. And here is my chance to tell you why... I really like the instrumentation best in his version. It feels like island music to me and the song is about ships and a love of the sea.

Second, thank you for the many encouraging comments on my last post. My mom has made tremendous progress since I wrote that one. I am not sure when or how or why it precisely kicked in her brain that ANYONE who asks for money before meeting you is just someone you don't want to know. All I can say is that I am glad it did!!! And I think she is getting better at seeing the Signs. After therapy today she was speaking a different language than before. Woohoo!

Third, it is Thursday and that means it is HERE'S TO YOU day!  All in all, the best day of the week here on YOUR DAILY DOSE. Why? Because it's a celebration for YOU.

If you don't know what this HERE'S TO YOU stuff is about, let me explain.  This used to be a weekly event landing typically on Thursdays.  When I read your blogs or you say something in the comments that sparks my imagination (or I hear something and I think of you), chances are good I will click over to YouTube to find footage for you. In the old days you wouldn't have to reach back in your memory bank farther than one week. Now... all bets are off. It could be several weeks ago.

The best (or worst) part is that I am not going to explain why I chose "whatever" footage for each of you. If, you watch your footage and are scratching your head at the end, well that means I didn't do a very good job. However, all is not lost. You can email me at rarichards68@gmail.com and ask me what I was thinking when I chose that particular piece of footage off of YouTube and connected it to you. And then I will tell you. Then I will start sending up prayers that I haven't offended the crap out of whoever is on the receiving end of that email....lol. Because, honestly, I will tell you right now... I admire all of you enormously so I really hope that doesn't happen.

Also, this is not an exclusive venture by any means. I hope that you will take the time to watch ALL of the footage because I don't pick bad footage:-) I also hope that you might check out the blog of the person I dedicated the footage to because they are pretty darn awesome. If you haven't figured this out yet... I pick the footage based on something that you've written or something that I've gleaned from your personality. Think on that for a while... If you are having trouble watching the entire video (meaning it is being cut off on one side), click on it a couple of times and it will take you straight over to youtube. If you click on the four squares at the bottom corner of the video, it will enlarge it to fill your screen. The escape key will bring it back to normal size. The back arrow will bring you back to my page.

Now, let's get this PARTY STARTED!!!!

This one is for everyone:


This one is for Michael di Gesu at ...MICHAEL DI GESU... ... ... In Time ... ...:


This one is for Liza at Middle Passages:


This one is for Robyn at Life by Chocolate: Robyn Alana Engel's Blog:


This one is for Stephen T. McCarthy at FERRET-FACED FASCIST FRIENDS:


This one is for JJ The Disconnected Writer:


This one is for DiscConnected:


This one is for Manzanita at Wanna Buy A Duck: