Writer’s Corner (Sisters of Crime) (men are included) cont.

 

     Networking is important.  Dedicate time for writing.  The wider and deeper network - the better.  Respect, empathy and resilience.  Share what is learned (yup, that’s what I am doing with everything) when asked and appropriate.  Lift up others.  Be general and set healthy boundaries.  Volunteer and be generous with it.  Volunteer an hour or two at conventions.  Give back and be connected.  Build community and trust in people.  One speaker received a contract through her networking.  Don’t take it personal.  Learn to discern.  What information is valuable?  An agent is heavily invested in your success.  What can you take from the

 critique, staying true to what you need? 

     Ok, let’s see what I am doing.  Networking?  My bad.  But, I have an excuse.  Yup, we all know about excuses.  I need to be better.  I actually like people and usually try to help, keeping in mind boundaries.  Writing has always been a constant for me as a hobby.  I have been invited by other writers to events but due to my schedule, I have just let it pass.  We cannot do it all so I have to prioritize.  Now I am making my home and books a priority.  You all know the nightmare I went through last year trying to sell my home in Toronto to move to Niagara Falls.  My network is all in Toronto.  However,  I do want to slow down and enjoy a tourist town so I can be on a constant holiday.  I have no problem setting up a network in Niagara (I don’t think they have one, but may be wrong).  I gave up my psychotherapy practice because it was too much to do it all and though I had all my conference education, I found that the College was micro managing too much and I have actually achieved a point in my life where I don’t tolerate nonsense unless I have to.  Through staging my home, items were broken, furniture scratched and damaged and I am still missing two pieces of art.  I shall never again stage - ever.  If you do, take pictures of it all before hand, and be there.  I was encouraged not to be there.  Then I was bombarded with real estate agents to sign up with them.  What they haven’t figured out is that I will never deal with overbearing disrespectful people.  The market is terrible right now and so I am focusing on what is staying and what is going.  I have given much away and am thankful to a friend who has a second property and loves my stuff.  She keeps me happy with home made meals and I keep her happy with treasures.  It just worked out that way without intention.  People have been selling their homes in Toronto for less money and some just need to sell because of this economy.  I don’t have to.  For these annoying agents, they can show me a contract from a prospective buyer or get lost.  You can read previous blogs from last spring  for more details.  I had planned on writing my next book spending at least an hour a day, but my bad.  Though I am very structured, when it comes to writing, I am not.  I love writing my books, so I don’t think of it as a job.  Don’t get me wrong, I also have always chosen careers that I liked and found interesting, keeping in mind that pensions were required.  Networking was always a given in my careers and that took precedence.  I enjoy the company of writers because they have imagination and smarts and hope.  I do intend to network more because it involves dinners and fun.  I now can make time for that.  I do not intend to ignore invites anymore.  I want to grow.  Volunteer?  I am still trying to step down from volunteer positions.  There are also others waiting for me to say yes.  I need to rest a bit and re-set.  Do I have an agent?  No.  I think I sent my last book out to two and they said it was not their genre.  This time,  I need to focus more on that as I slowly get organized.  To conclude,  I am always approached by hopeful writers at events and I answer their questions.  They need to have answers and why not?  I now encourage them to join an Association as well.  At Word on the Street, Sisters in Crime will have a booth and I shall direct them there.  I have my own mini booth this year (I am now on a budget) but always enjoy sitting with other Authors.  So that is all for now.  What do you think? Have a nice weekend and my tip is to trust in yourself and surround yourself with positive and loving people.

Land of Moah (Old Testament cont) Theology notes

 

     Before Israelites went to the promised land - Moses engages them with the covenant of God.  The Bible is the story of human kind with God.  Covenant is an image that expresses strongest between  people in this case, between people and God.  Covenant is a relationship.  Any relationship has two aspects to it - 1. Gifts   2.  Tasks.  Wherever have a gift, you have a task; where have a task, have a gift.  Image we inherent and adapt it to hope.  Sinai is a task.  What happens when you break it?  What happens to the relationship when all you have is gift?  God promises life - gift.  God does not give conditions.  It is a promise.  Abraham did have to leave his family and land - that was the task.  Get up and go and I will give you these three promises:  Last time he speaks to Abraham is to get up and go and sacrifice your son. It begins with a task and ends with a task.  A grant, a gift but something has been done and something is expected.  Think of a cycle.  Get up and go - and I will give your ancestors land and you will be blessed.  Story continues, Genesis moves to Egypt - to people - they become numerous in Egypt.  They become oppressed and cried out to the Lord.  God is the one who brings out his son out of Egypt.  With Abraham - get up and go -  God takes people out of Egypt - Then in the desert.  Finally God brings them out of Mount Sinai.  God brought out of Egypt - gift.  People say they will bring out Torah - task.  They will follow this task.

To be cont. 

Project Fatherhood: The Retrofit by James Schrage SMW (Founder ) and Devon Ivey ED.D., MEd. notes and Fathers and Families Coalition of America

.24 million children in America.  One out of every three live in biological father absent homes.  Nine in ten American parents agree this is a crises.  National Father Initiative (2019).  Focus is in the well being of children.  Located in Long Beach California, minimum needed in California 80,000 a year is required to live and have a mortgage.  100% of their dad’s have been victims of IPV.  They don’t report and say they never experienced it but through education with the project they understood they are victims.  Children are used to control them.  Increased rates of mental health problems such as anxiety, depression, PTSD, suicide ideation.  Entire staff is social workers.  They have support groups, group therapy, groups for different age groups of children groups for mothers.

Fathers and Families - Coalition   of America (Speaker is a social worker) 

States higher education is limited.  America is # 1 at divorce and never married.  Money is in Family Systems and not fathers (I would like to say that fathers are incorporated in family systems).  The first program he designed was for fathers in Arizona.  More single fathers coming out of poverty.  He is looking for funding.  Had a grant for 175,000 for three years.  He wants fatherhood funding.

This ends this conference. 

Writer's Corner

   

  In one Sisters of Crime, webinar, I learned that three in 100 finish their novel.  We were informed of the three p’s.  Planning, Professionalism and Patience.  It was suggested that we self reflect each day.  Do I plan?  I have been writing since I was a child so no.  I don’t plan it.  I just do.  Professionalism -  Most of my work if not all has been Professional so yes, a shadow of my professionalism since I write for fun to date and it is my down time.   Patience - nada.  Each year when I go to Confession, I don’t have to worry about what I will report to the Priest (which is coming up by the way.  I can’t remember if I went last year or if I was sick?  Probably the year before, because I could barley walk then).  I tell the Priest that I have no  patience and that will have some give me a little penance and others give me lots (for the same sin - really?)  How big a deal is it having no patience?  Well it probably is how the Priest has experienced it, listening to others.  I could try, “I have been consistently mildly impatient.  I am so sorry but I cannot suffer fools - nope, that probably wiill earn me more bad points.  I’ll just leave it at impatience.  Do I like going to confession?  Nope, but it is a requirement.  Anyhow, let’s get to self reflection -  I am used to it.  I am now about 30 pages into my next book or more and I know what the main theme will be and I normally kill people (in my books people) so you can depend on me for that.  This time my main actor is a Psychotherapist.  I have been having people who read my books and Authors bugging me about throwing some therapy into my work.  My Protagonist is a Therapist and this may be the first of a series or not.  I am learning that readers love series.  So, yup.  I am doing it people.  I have also turned down some cushy careers, so maybe I will fictionalize that in my book.  I decided to do that today as I reflected.  Back to the webinar.  We were asked what we want from our writing careers?  Let me think - money, would be nice.  In my notes I wrote,“I’m ok with what I do.  Expectations are for others.  I am self published, would like to be more active selling my books.”  The webinar  shouted (not really.  Webinars don't shout) if you are self published, you must have friends.  So, I am thinking “friends”.  You mean real friends.  Let’s see.  I know a lot of people but lots of friends?  What pray tell is the host’s definition of friends?  How many friends do I need to be an independent author?  The host hired an editor (not what she wanted).  She hired someone to do her cover.  I have my publisher who does all that and she’s honest which is why I kept her.  I also like the covers of my books.  She suggesting booking tours, depending on budget.  Right now.  At this moment, I have no budget.  I am in limbo watching the market.  I have to prioritize and self care is having priority.  We were asked which authors we admire.  I wrote down, Dean Koontz, Stephen King, James Paterson ( which I am reading right now and threw it in my own book).  We then went into the second portion of skills and knowledge.  How do I improve my craft?  I listen.  I joined Associations.  Ok that is all for now.  This week shall all continue into next.  If you want to buy one of my books or ebooks feel free.  If not that is ok too.  No pressure.  I am still going to update all that once I re-organize all my paperwork.  I will be at Word on The Street in Sept and at the end of Aug I shall be at “Meet Your Local Author” in Mississauga.  Feel free to invite me at any event I can sell my books.  My Legion has stopped so I am open to all Legions in the area, book stores, clubs etc……..Have a good weekend people.  And for my friends out there, I am not going to increase any for profit.  I actually found that part funny.

www.silvaredigonda.myshopify.com

Intro to Old Testament - notes

 Intro to Old Testament

Deutroniminous - wandering Armenian - meaning distant, wandering, not owning land.

The Bible makes a claim, read it with interest.  Expect to encounter others in text.  Comes to us as stories, as literature.  The only way we can appreciate what God is trying to say is through literature.  If you cannot read it whole and appreciate it, it will be hard to read scripture.  An artist, writer is trying to communicate.  He approaches word of God through literature.  Book of Chronicles - record - newspaper but for most of it is drama (Old and New Testament) etc…

     What approach can you take?

1. Collins in Hebrew Text
2. History can become a vision into Old Testament (OT).  Begins with creation and ends with Maccabees. 
3. Choose something theological by asking.  Example:  What is theology?  The problem with using a single image is that it does not cover most of the books.  For example, covenant - many books do not appear to resonate with the covenant.  However, covenant is an image between the relationship with God and Israel and covenant can be a good way.  When scripture does not utilize covenant - ask what is the relationship between God and Israel and why not use the covenant?

to be continued.

Men’s Conference - Continues

Paternal and Maternal Victimization of Psychological Partner Violence and spanking from University of Michigan, Research Student (Clarke?)

     In the US, 39% of children, two to four years old were spanked.  More likely to display aggressive behaviour.  45% of men and 49% of women experience Partner violence in their lifetime.  It has a negative effect on parenting -  inconsistent discipline - attachment insecurity with children (harsh parenting).  Findings:  Maternal psychological - Partner Violence - maternal depression ; spanking three year olds.  Fathers - paternal depression did not determine spanking.  Perpetrator is not associated with spanking.  Violence in family potentially spills over to partner or parent-child.

Moving forward I would like to continue with notes having to do with psychology until I phase it out (which will be a while) once a week, theology until phased out and writers corner.   Life happens so I won't always be concise.  Thank you for reading my blogs.

silvaredigonda.myshopify.com

Women's Day and Thoughts of the Week

 Yesterday I celebrated Women’s Day, and we were asked to talk briefly about our previous lives.  We each took a turn to talk about our previous careers.  Some took the host literally and talked about a previous life, while the majority spoke of present/previous careers.  The woman sitting next to me nudged me asking what she should say.  However, there was no time, it was my turn.  I started with working with the military police for 20 years and being a veteran, working another 13 years at York University with their security and actually forgot my position - which I later recalled was campus relations and working as a psychotherapist. I may have left out that I was a Marriage and Family thapist as well.   As I listened to everyone speak two things came to mind.  One being wow, I have done a lot.  Another was how I believe everyone is equal regardless of their careers or accomplishments.  I thought of the woman sitting beside me whom had nudged me.  She didn’t know what to say.  This woman is so warm and kind.  She is a great baker and mother.  She is resilient and kind.  What I realized is that I prefer the inner soul to the exterior accomplishments of anyone,  I have been told quite a few times in my careers to focus on important people and not on the common person.  I was told that it wouldn’t help me succeed.  They meant well, but most I didn’t even like because of that reason.  They were so busy trying to impress that they ignored the average person who could do nothing for their career.  What I am thinking at this moment is that I really like myself.  When I spoke yesterday,  I didn’t mention my education or that I have written four books.  It wasn’t necessary.  I didn’t want to sound like I was bragging.  I was also thinking about how I could actually take an entire afternoon talking about accomplishments.  As I contemplate my future,  I feel that the world is mine but I want to do good with it.  I have been very disappointed regarding politicians lately from many countries, including my own.  We have had three synagogues shot at and the USA embassy shot at just in one week.  We have undesirables with extreme ideologies  who have not been deported because it is inhumane?  Excuse me?  Canadians should always be first.   We need to stop catering to the rich which is the minority.  We need to conduct research on who is living on the street beside the addicted.  We need to protect children.  We need to provide seniors with a decent minimum pension so they do not end up homeless.  We need to take voting seriously and look at the big picture.  We need to prioritize.  Global warming has not been taken seriously.  Some don’t even know what it is.  They will soon, if they haven’t figured it out yet.  We live in a beautiful world and are trying so hard to destroy it.  All these thoughts came to me as I listened to the news and celebrated Women’s Day.  I can say so much more, but I won’t today.  I want to play.