Wednesday, January 1, 2014

Writing Tips Wednesdays: 5 Tips for Starting Anew in 2014


If you’re anything like me, getting back into the swing of things after the holidays can be tough. I enjoy the holiday season, and I try to take off as much time as possible to spend with friends and family during that time. I do less work in December to make room for family time.

But, after January 1st, going back to writing again can seem like a drag. So, what are some ways to stay motivated for a new year? My favorite ways are listed below:

Review Your Goals

You had goals that you started in the previous year. In 2013, I wanted to increase my blog following and write a book. I accomplished both of those things, but I don’t want to end there. This year, I am modifying my goals to obtain bigger, greater things. I always want to move forward. Having something to work towards is motivating and helps me pull through the after-holiday blues.

Plan Something Fun

Daily work can get boring. To keep motivated to work, planning something fun can be a good option. This could be a fun break a few months into the year, or perhaps a fun goal, like a reading challenge or something you buy yourself after you reach a big goal.

Stick With It

I find that January can be a hard time for staying motivated. In some instances, the best thing you can do is just stick with it no matter what. No matter what you are writing or working toward, just try to make progress every day. After you start to meet your goals, then you will more than likely become more motivated to continue throughout the year.

Don’t Give Up

If you didn’t meet your goals from last year, or didn’t quite get where you wanted to, you may want to throw in the towel. For example, perhaps something you wrote was rejected or passed over in favor of someone else. You don’t have to throw in the towel. There are thousands of opportunities for a person who doesn’t give up. If you continue on your path and don’t give up, eventually, you will end up in a place that makes you happy.

Stay Positive

It is easy to look forward to the year and get overwhelmed. You don’t have to look at the entire year at once. Sometimes, the easiest way to stay positive about the year is just to look ahead to next month or even next week. Staying positive will help you reach your goals- no matter what they are.



How are you facing 2014? Are you facing the year with open arms or dragging your feet a little? 

Brenda is a fellow book-lover and coffee-addict. She is a freelance writer, punctuation nerd, and grammar enthusiast. Her favorite book genres are Science Fiction, Fantasy with a Twist, and Dystopian. Brenda blogs about books, writing and more at Daily Mayo. Find her here on CaW for Writing Tips Wednesdays the first Wednesday of every month.

Follow Brenda on Facebook and Twitter or subscribe to updates from Daily Mayo to keep up with all the exciting things in her life; ranging from drinking coffee to get through the day to drinking coffee just for fun.

Trial And Error - Ronnie’s Journey To A Healthy Lifestyle

Its officially 2014! I'm assuming many people (including myself) are waking up bright and early to exercise as part of their New Year's Resolution. I'm kicking off the 1st with an article by a fellow writer (Not me!). 



Ronnie was always a slightly plump girl, even as a child. She had an unhealthy body image from an early age, leading her to compare herself to her ‘thinner’ friends. This lead to years of erratic eating, with periods of extreme dieting annulled by periods of binge eating.

Struggling with Weight and Low Self Esteem

Throughout high school, college and graduate school, Ronnie struggled with her weight, never really finding a solution that was both healthy and sustainable. Every year in college she would gain 10 lb reaching over 200 lb. Then, after her first baby, she decided to try Weight Watchers.

Struggling with a weight problem often leaves a certain mark on one’s personality. Sometimes it makes you more sensitive to criticism and in Ronnie’s case, it left her with a lack of confidence and negative self-image. It was not until she and her husband decided to start a family that she realized that she could not raise a confident and happy child if she herself was lacking in those qualities.


During her first pregnancy she gained 70 lb. She and her husband started Weight Watchers together just two weeks after the birth of her son. She lost 11 pounds in her first month and from then she was hooked.

Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Blu-ray Review - Don Jon

Don Jon
Directed by Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Starring: Joseph Gorden-Levitt, Scarlett Johansson, Julianne Moore
Studio: 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
Release Date: December 31, 2013
Retail: $39.99
ASIN: B00FRILRYS
Running Time: 90 minutes
Rating: R

Review:

Available today on Blu-ray and DVD is Joseph Gordon-Levitt's directorial debut Don Jon, costarring Scarlett Johansson, Julianne Moore, Brie Larson and Tony Danza. Special features include: Making of Don Jon, Don Jon's Origin, Joe's Hats!, Objectified, Themes and Variations and HitRECord Shorts.

Besides from writing the screenplay and directing the movie, Joseph Gordon-Levitt always stars as Jon "Don Jon" Martello, Jr., a womanizer who is addicted to internet pornography. He regular views pornography throughout the day on either his laptop or cell phone. At night he hangs out with friends at a night club, where he picks up random women for one night stands.

Jon's life changes when he sees the beautiful Barbara Sugarman (played by Scarlett Johansson) at a nightclub, which he attempts to work his charms on her, it backfires, she leaves and he ends up picking up a different woman.

Monday, December 30, 2013

Monday Morning Madness #36: End of the Year Post

My original intention was to write the final Monday Morning Madness post for 2013 this morning, but it slipped my mind, so I'm writing this at nearly 10:30 PM on my Dell latitude laptop while I'm halfway watching (or more like listening) Superman III. Yes, I said laptop. I have officially owned a laptop since right around Thanksgiving. It does come in handy for writing late at night! Plus, it connects quickly to the Wifi, where I've been catching up with the last few episodes of The Big Bang Theory and The Vampire Diaries.

Christmas flew by way to quickly, but I did have a wonderful time with my parents, grandmother and uncle. I spent the majority of last week watching a few Blu-rays (Christmas gifts), such as Man of Steel, The Wolverine, Fast & Furious 6, The Conjuring and a few others.

Most people will probably be thinking about their New Year's Resolutions, but I started mine on December 26th, which is basically the same resolution as I had last year. What is my resolution? Well, it is to get healthy. I've been exercising daily since last Thursday and I've been eating more greens, so I think I have a good jump start on my resolution this year.

Last year, I had many ups and downs, including a family emergency, that derailed my resolution, but I'm thinking positive thoughts this year. I even bought myself the new P90X 3 home workout program, which I received today in the mail. According to the FedEx tracking, I should receive a box with some fitness bands tomorrow, so I'll start the workout program on the 1st.

Runner Runner Blu-ray Giveaway

Ben Affleck and Justin Timberlake star in the high-stakes crime thriller Runner Runner on Blu-ray & DVD Jan. 7


Win the Runner Runner Blu-ray Combo Pack to find out “Who’s playing who?” 


Justin Timberlake and Ben Affleck star in this high-stakes crime thriller where the lure of easy money is the riskiest bet of all. When Princeton grad student Richie Furst (Timberlake) believes he’s been swindled by an online poker site, he heads to Costa Rica to confront gambling tycoon Ivan Block (Affleck), the man he thinks is responsible. But Richie will soon face the ultimate power play as he finds himself caught between Block’s promises of unlimited wealth and the zealous FBI agent (Anthony Mackie) trying to bring him down.

The Blu-ray Combo Pack includes a bonus feature that reveals the true story behind the world of online poker, as well as never before seen bonus content.

The Runner Runner Blu-ray Combo Pack also includes a Digital HD copy of the film.

For your chance of winning a Runner Runner Blu-ray Combo Pack, simply answer the following question:

All of the below are online poker websites except _______.
  • Full Tilt Poker
  • Poker Stars
  • Poker Heroes
  • Party Poker
Follow @FoxHomeEnt for all news updates on Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment!

The Protection Offered from Samsung Cases

You can use your cell phone for a lot of different things, like answering calls, sending text messages, checking your email, getting directions, etc. With all of the tasks that cell phones help you perform, you probably keep your phone with you most everywhere you go. Taking your phone with you in your purse, pocket, holster, or whatever else can make your cell phone more vulnerable to damage and breaking. For this reason, you have probably considered different options for protecting your cell phone. Here are some of the ways that Samsung cases can protect your phone and some other advantages they have to offer as well.

Saving You Money

Cell phone cases are primarily used to protect your phone from the damages and breaking that can happen from everyday use and normal wear and tear. When you accidentally drop or smash your phone, it can easily be scratched or dented. When this happens, your phone quickly begins to look worn down and old, which greatly reduces the amount of money you could sell your phone for and quickly reduces the life of your phone. Additionally, these kinds of accidents can cause your phone to break completely, requiring you to buy a replacement phone. Paying to have your phone repaired or replaced can add up very quickly. But if you put a cover on your cell phone, it can prevent your phone from being damaged or broken in the case of an accident, thus saving you from having to replace your phone and extending the lifetime of your cell phone.

Blu-ray Review - Sweetwater

Sweetwater
Director: Logan Miller
Starring: Ed Harris, January Jones, Edurado Noriega, Jason Aldean
Studio: Arc Entertainment
Release Date: December 31, 2013
Retail: $24.99
ASIN: B00F3TD8XO
Running Time: 95 minutes
Rated: R

Review:
 
Arriving on Blu-ray and DVD tomorrow, December 31, 2013, is the western-thriller Sweetwater, starring Emmy and Golden Globe nominee January Jones (AMC's Mad Men) Academy Award nominee and Golden Globe winner Ed Harris (Pollock, A History of Violence) and Jason Issac (Harry Potter film series). It is directed by Logan Miller (Touching Home). The film was an official selection at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival.

Set in the late 1800s, January Jones plays Sarah Ramírez, a former prostitute who is trying to have a normal life with her husband, Miguel, while living in a small farmhouse in the middle of nowhere (probably New Mexico, but I'm only guessing).

Miguel crosses the path of a crazed-so-called-religious man, whom calls himself the "Prophet Josiah", and his gun-hands, which one them is played by country singer Jason Aldean. Josiah basically wants all the land (or God's land as he calls it) in the area. After Miguel accuses him of a crime, Miguel is brutally murdered.

Another strange character comes into the mix when Sheriff Jackson (played by Ed Harris) arrives in town looking for two criminals and bunts heads heads with Josiah.