More!
On this page you will find the tip of the iceberg of the many things that currently strike my fancy.
Game Nights - I love to buy and play board games of all sorts. I especially love when I have the opportunity to bring my games to the homes of friends and family where we have wonderful evenings full of playful fun and sparkling laughter. If you happen to live in suburban Philadelphia and see a car with lots of games in bags nestled among bottles of water, boxes of my books, clothing that I discard as the weather changes, four chairs and a folding table, all stuffed into the hatchback area, you will know I am close by. Find me and I will gladly set up the table and open a box so we can sneak in a little play-time. If the weather isn't conducive to outdoor play (I hate the heat and humidity but will gladly play a water-proof game during a downpour), I will happily follow you to your home where we can play at your kitchen table. I just won't invite you to our apartment because we have too much clutter (You never know when I might just need that placemat I embroidered in 7th grade and haven't touched since.) and a shortage of chairs. FYI: The website for the above image is www.boardgamegeek.com, a goldmine of info on board games.
Marcus Hook Plank House - This is one of the Philadelphia area's hidden gems. The house is not only haunted, and reputedly the long-ago home of one of Blackbeard the Pirate's mistresses, but it is also a wonderful place to participate in an ongoing archaeological dig. If you find yourself with a free Saturday or Sunday in the summer, check the website to see if you can take a tour or, even better yet, participate in the dig. I hope to see you there. Here's the link: www.marcushookps.org.
Herb Gardening (especially making teas and catnip toys)- Every spring I get really jazzed about growing herbs. As the season progresses and the humidity creeps up, I usually end up neglecting the plants and opt to stay indoors. Last year was an exception and I managed to grow a lot of catnip which I used it to make toys for one of our cats, as well as the cats of friends. This year, if we have a bumper crop, I will make extra toys and offer them here for a couple dollars. So if you are looking for a holiday gift for the cat lover (or the cat) on your list, let me know. I am also on a quest to make my own herbal tea concoctions this year. In my garden I currently have the following herbs which I plan to dry, crush, mix, and put inside tea bags: peppermint, spearmint, chocolate mint, pineapple mint, stevia, bee balm, lemon balm, lemon verbena, pineapple sage (not sure this one will make a good tea, however), catmint, and chamomile.
Hallmark Greeting Card Contests - Every month (or so) Hallmark offers up a greeting card contest for regular folk to enter. It's a great way to get your creative juices flowing and it's totally fun! There's even a facebook page where the entrants interact with one another as well as the people who run the contest. The most exciting time to visit the page is on judging day where they post comments and blurred (known as blurries to the facebook brigade) photos of the finalists. It's a blast to blow up their blurries to see if you can find your card. I enter all the time, and even won once. To enter, visit the website: www.hallmarkcontests.com. Here's a pic of my winning card (Coolio is the white cat; Booger, the black one) that was actually sold in stores. The inside reads: In honor of your special day, we spiked the punchbowl. Happy Birthday.
LearningRx Main Line - I am a cognitive skills trainer for LearningRx and I work evenings and weekends. It is amazingly rewarding to be a part of helping students who have learning challenges make huge strides in their skills. The training is more akin to play than work. If you know someone who is struggling in school, definitely check out this place and use the discounted assessment coupon found on the website, www.learningrx.com/main-line/. Maybe I will get to train you, or one of your family members. I'd like that.
Women's Yellow Pages of Greater Philadelphia - I've been affiliated with the Women's Yellow Pages since 1999. My favorite part of the job is writing the eZine. If your business targets women in the greater Philadelphia area, you MUST be in the print and online directories. The Women's Yellow Pages was started in 1982 by a wonderful woman, Ellen Fisher, who still publishes it today. Call 610-446-4747 (I might be the one who picks up the phone), email bonnie@philawyp.com, or visit the website for more info: www.philawyp.com. You'll be glad you did; it's a wonderful community of women.
Rachel Simon, Author - Rachel is a fantastic writer whose books have characters that stay with you long after you finish the last page. Her most famous book is Riding the Bus with My Sister which was made into a Hallmark Hall of Fame movie. Her current book, another memoir of her life journeys, is The House on Teacher's Lane. I am actually mentioned in the story. If you catch my name while reading, drop me a line!! Rachel's next book, a riveting work of fiction with characters with disabilities, is due out in 2011. I have a sneaking feeling it's going to be a huge hit. It has Oprah written all over it! The title is The Story of Beautiful Girl. Her website is overflowing with info, including lots of tips for writers. Check it out at www.RachelSimon.com.
Buckyballs - A collection of over 200 little magnetic balls that provide hours upon hours (in my case, months upon months) of fun. My husband, Gil, gave these to me for our 10th wedding anniversary and I can't put them down. I love the feel of the cool metal and the magnetic pull of all the little pieces. It's amazing how many designs you can come up with. There are even YouTube videos to show you how to do some of the more complex things. You gotta get these. Really. You do! www.getbuckyballs.com.
Writers at the Beach (Pure Seaglass) - This is, without a doubt, my favorite of all conferences for writers. All profits go to a charity to help children with Mitochondrial Disease. It's a 100% volunteer effort, headed by a gem of a writer who has a huge heart, Maribeth Fischer. If you find yourself in Rehoboth Beach, DE in March, and want to be part of a feel-good event where you learn tons, this is the conference for you. I love leading workshops here for kids, teens, and adults. While you are in Rehoboth, make sure you stop by Browseabout Books, a great indie bookstore in the heart of town. The conference website is www.writersatthebeach.com.
Burlap and Bean - Gil (my husband) and I refer to Thursday evening as our date night. We both do our best to keep our schedules free so we can spend some quality time together. Nine times out of ten you can find us at a table playing games as part of the audience at the Open Mic at Burlap and Bean, a great family-owned local cafe. The evening's emcee is Kyle Swartzwelder, a talented country-folk singer-songwriter and a most gracious host. A couple of my favorite performers are Ryan Leahy and Sam Vile and Will Donohue, from the band Vilebred. It's a nice, friendly, relaxing way to spend a weekday evening.