Alice Osborn » Creativity http://aliceosborn.com Write From the Inside Out Sun, 13 May 2012 23:42:32 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Goodbye 2011! Here’s My Year-End Wrap Up http://aliceosborn.com/creativity/goodbye-2011-here%e2%80%99s-my-year-end-wrap-up/ http://aliceosborn.com/creativity/goodbye-2011-here%e2%80%99s-my-year-end-wrap-up/#comments Sat, 31 Dec 2011 21:03:39 +0000 Alice Osborn http://aliceosborn.com/?p=2614 All in all, 2011 was fairly decent with a few lows and many more highs. As we say “so long” to 2011 and hello to 2012, I felt the need to be self indulgent and review my year with you!   2011 was the year my book, Unfinished Projects published by Main Street Rag, debuted. I traveled about 5,000 miles this year promoting my book throughout the Carolinas along with visiting New York’s Book Revue Bookstore and the St. Louis poetry scene. I met so many fantastic people on all of my road trips, but my favorite gigs were in Charleston and Waynesville, NC. I don’t think I laughed so hard in Charleston after the Monday Night Poetry and Music show in April—ever. (I think it involved not getting caught on Spruill Ave, Hurricane Katrina and Star Wars tattoos—thank you, Aaron, Kevin and Katrina!) Waynesville (about 20 min west of Asheville) was also a trip and a half. My hosts from the Mountain Writers Club took me and my best buddy/honorary poetry roadie Jane to the Sweet Onion where the conversation was a lively as an electric eel. Stay tuned for more road trips in 2012 when I visit Columbia, SC, Asheville, Charleston and Hickory to promote my new book, After the Steaming Stops, coming out in March or April.   2011 was the year I cut my hair. I was so bored with my long hair and tired of strangers telling me I looked like Kathy Griffin, the comic. So I got my hair cut in mid-May. It was a good cut, but so…different. I couldn’t style my hair like before and my husband kept calling me “Prince Valiant.” Oy. The good news was that folks said I looked younger than my 29 years. I’ve got my hair now to about my shoulders after 7 months and I want to go long again. Another part of the good news is that I found a curling iron that keeps up with my style even in bad humidity and my long hairs don’t clog our sinks anymore.   2011 was the year I became a Reiki Level II practitioner. Reiki has helped calm me down—but only so much since as you all know I’m a very intense person. I’ll be training to be a Reiki Master this spring! I’m using my Reiki to be more aware and intuitive, plus with my hair growing longer, my intuition will only get stronger! (there’s a theory that the longer your hair, the better your psychic abilities)   2011 was the year I called 9-1-1 after my three-year-old daughter Erin severely sliced open the bridge of her nose when she jumped from the bathroom sink onto the edge of a plastic trash can. I guess she was practicing for a role in Spiderman? I remembered my health ed classes and kept steady pressure on her wound. She was cool with everything and found it interesting that her older brother practically fainted when he saw her five stitches. 2011 was also the year my son wandered into the deadly April 16 Raleigh tornadoes—I wrote a poem about it. He ended up safe but you should have been a fly on the wall when my husband, who was at work at the time, asked me where Daniel was and I said, “IDK!” and then he said, “Well, the roof of the Lowe’s in Sanford just blew off!” Daniel followed a neighbor with Chihuahuas back to her townhouse to ride out the storm. Oy vay.   2011 was the year I got Craig-Listed by my boss. I was the editor for a fledgling magazine for three months and the publisher (I use that term loosely) put my position up on Craig’s List with me still in the job! I quit the next business day. I have to say I met SO many awesome people in that position that it was worth the time. But I realized I don’t want to take a “jobby job”—I’m having too much fun as an entrepreneur where I set my own hours and have the opportunity to increase my income. Take this job and shove it!   2011 was the year I sang in public for the first time in 10 years. I got the singing bug back, so watch out! I want to take singing lessons next. 2011 was the year I gave blood again after 10 years. And 2011 was the year I took a humor workshop AND wrote and performed five humor-themed speeches. I used one of those speeches in my emcee duties at the CHERUBS Angels Masquerade Ball for babies born with Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia (CDH), but I cheated since I made fun of Charlie Sheen the whole time.   2011 was the year I visited the Ozarks, Fort Smith and St. Louis for the first time with my husband. In St. Louis I saw my first cousin KC after 17 years! That was cool. 2011 was the year I took up running again and published a blog post once a week—do or die!   2011 was the year every single one of my dresses, save one or two, came from the boutique consignment store, Our Friends Closet in North Raleigh off of Durant Road in Falls River Town Center. 2011 was also the year of teaching fantastic writers in my memoir workshops, fiction editing workshops and blogging workshops (both in person and online)—may the knowledge continue in 2012! I taught poetry at the Nazim Hikmet Festival in April, sponsored by the American Turkish Association and the Town of Cary, and will return to teaching at the Festival this year as well. I do it to be invited to the crazy Turkish after-party, but please don’t tell anyone that!   Well, goodbye 2011 and I know 2012 will create a wealth of good memories and fun! In 2012 I’m going to keep posting my blog once a week, memorize a classic poem every month and practice my singing and comedy routine, along with writing some more riveting poetry—so watch out!   Your Turn:   How did you survive 2011? What are your promises to yourself for 2012? ]]> http://aliceosborn.com/creativity/goodbye-2011-here%e2%80%99s-my-year-end-wrap-up/feed/ 0 What Does Your Ringtone Say About You? http://aliceosborn.com/creativity/what-does-your-ringtone-say-about-you/ http://aliceosborn.com/creativity/what-does-your-ringtone-say-about-you/#comments Sat, 24 Dec 2011 21:35:47 +0000 Alice Osborn http://aliceosborn.com/?p=2552 Does your ringtone blurt out your favorite Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance” or is it Tom Jones’ “She’s a Lady”? Or maybe you don’t have a song for your ringtone—instead you opt for the silent feature or vibration. Because it’s Christmas I have the theme from “The Nutcracker,”—and thanks to wanting this ringtone so badly I learned I was delinquent in my iOS 5 update! Before getting my iPhone last year I had a variation of “Canon in C” or “Swan Lake,” and I mostly kept my phone on vibrate so I wouldn’t embarrass myself any further than I had to. But with my new gadget, I couldn’t wait to download iTunes and get personalized ringtones for my friends and family. You have to know I have a certain penchant for movie themes that lean to Westerns and adventure flicks generated from the mind of Spielberg. Let’s see, my husband’s tone is “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly,” because that’s what marriage is like after 10 years (get off of my back—he selected it), my friend Dave Baldwin has the theme from Bonanza, because he always calls me with exciting news, my friend Barnsley has the theme from Magnificent Seven, because when we meet she brings optimism and ideas. I feel my endorphins elevate when I hear “Nutcracker” or the Raiders of the Lost Ark theme or CCR’s “Lookin’ Out My Back Door.” What was life like before song ringtones? This summer I had the theme from “Jaws,” but I had to switch to the theme from High Noon: “Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darlin’” (which hardly anyone is familiar with and I like being obscure) because I started dreading picking up the phone. It’s not good when you cringe every time you hear your phone ring. That’s why you’ll never hear the theme from Psycho or Omen on my phone.   Your Turn Do you put a lot of effort into selecting your ringtones? If so, tell me what you have! Have you ever been embarrassed when your phone rings and it’s a song you wouldn’t want the other person to know you like? You know like, “I Just Called to Say I Love You,” or “Hello”? C’mon, tell me! It’s just between us:) ]]> http://aliceosborn.com/creativity/what-does-your-ringtone-say-about-you/feed/ 4 Take A Jump With Me: Skydiving with Coach Olga http://aliceosborn.com/creativity/take-a-jump-with-me-skydiving-with-coach-olga/ http://aliceosborn.com/creativity/take-a-jump-with-me-skydiving-with-coach-olga/#comments Wed, 19 Oct 2011 10:29:31 +0000 Alice Osborn http://aliceosborn.com/?p=2369 Today we welcome back Coach Olga Monroe who blogs about taking a big leap~Enjoy! Last month, while attending the Yoga Synergy Workshop I worked with a new friend, Jamie. While making casual conversation, we each asked what the other had been up to recently. It turns out that Jamie had just gone skydiving for the first time in her life and she was planning on going again over the 4th of July holiday weekend. A mixture of curiosity and excitement got the best of me and I immediately asked her if I could tag along the next time she went. So, about a month later, on Sunday morning, July 3, Jamie and I headed out to Triangle Skydiving Center for my first skydiving experience.   Knowing for the past month that I would finally go skydiving caused a reaction in and of itself. My old system of “agreements” consisted of nervousness, fear, and eager anticipation—the equivalent of swarms of butterflies fluttering throughout my system. In the past, I might have rambled on about my anxiety as a way of seeking others’ opinions, energy, and feedback. This time, I chose to keep the adventure to myself and, of course, Jamie. This gave me the luxury to create my own experience versus my old tried-and-true approach of having others create it for me. Trust me that this was not easy!   I have been exercising this new muscle of self-containment over the last couple of years. I am happy to say that it paid off in spades when the time finally came to go skydiving. My new approach was also instrumental for the friendship I was developing with Jamie. While we drove out to Triangle Skydiving Center, we both learned a lot more about each other, which further deepened our connection and awareness of one another.   When we got to the Center, the first thing we had to do was go through a series of waivers and watch a DVD designed to disclose, frighten, and “talk you out of” taking the jump. Guess they leave little room for any lingering doubt! Once the formalities were behind us, we went to the observation deck to watch other skydivers take their turns. Eventually, our names were called and we met our Tandem Jumping Masters. Jamie’s partner was the owner, Greg, and mine was John.   As John went through the process of fitting, securing and checking my equipment, he taught me the basic how’s, why’s, and what’s of skydiving. John had spent years in the medical profession and turned his skydiving hobby into a profession.   “Why do you skydive?” I asked him.   “While I am up in the sky, there are no problems, bills, issues, or DRAMA!” he said.   I felt as if I understood his statement perfectly, even without having tried the experience myself—yet!   I listened intently to every instruction that John gave to me. Eventually, we all went to the hangar, boarded the plane, and took off to the sky. I felt a combination of security, calmness, and excitement throughout the flight. I felt comforted by John’s instructions and the knowledge that everyone around me had already done this before—I was the only newbie. I also noticed that the experienced jumpers around me were more relaxed and joyous than most people I know day-to-day walking around on the solid ground.   So, armed with the affirmation that everything was going to be OK, I soaked up every detail that my senses could process. At first, I was focused mostly on the visual aspects of the experience, but when the plane got to the desired altitude, my visual, emotional, and kinesthetic senses all clicked together at once and came in sync.   All of a sudden, jumpers started rolling out of the plane like people escaping a fire through the nearest exit. Then, it was my turn to take the plunge. THANK GOD for John. We were attached as closely as Siamese twins. As we crept to the door, my mind kept repeating his directions like a spin cycle on a washing machine—right knee down and keep my sight to the sky.   Next thing I knew, we were free falling through the bright blue, vivid, and rich sky.   WOWIE ZOWIE!!!   I have to admit that the first few seconds included the tiniest drops of fear, but the love, beauty, and joy of the moment naturally flooded the fear out. It was simply the purest, most thrilling, and exhilarating experience ever! Knowing that I was so high above the ground and floating in the sky—a place so seemingly faraway and only “reachable” when I am in a plane—was surreal! We were all laughing, breathing, and enjoying this beauty of this experience and bonded by this unforgettable moment.   Eventually, John pulled the ripcord and our parachute opened.   There was a sudden jerk as it captured the air beneath it and proceeded to support us as we floated over the Earth. That is when I truly started to relax, look around, and slowly process what was happening. Oh, the expansiveness of the ground below me! I was able to take in the lay of the land, the limitless sky, and the surrounding atmosphere with absolute serenity. I noticed that without the parachute, I was completely in my body with only the air, and my fellow jumpers, around me to connect me to this world. When the parachute opened, I was able to maintain my sense of connection, but I also was able to add in my visual, mental, and emotional senses to the experience.   I am proud to say that I successfully followed all of John’s directions and even learned to land ourselves. I also got a superior report for the first entry in my Skydiver’s Logbook! But nothing beat the rush I felt of falling through the sky at 120 mph after jumping from a perfectly good airplane. Skydiving is an exhilarating and intense adrenaline rush. I now understand why John didn’t know—or need to know—what a Life Coach is. John exuded a happy, lighthearted, and exuberant energy. Thanks to him, I felt excited, safe, and aware of everything happening and what to expect. I felt I was living more “in the moment” than I have in a long time—and I loved it!   After I was safely back on solid ground—both feet firmly planted on the soil—I started wondering how I could hold on to this experience and learn from it, apply it to my life, and harness the feeling I felt while I was in the sky.   Your Turn:   What other lovely, beautiful, and joyous events are available to us, here on Earth, which we can use to strengthen or override the fearful, anxious, and nervous emotions that often throw us into inertia or depression? How can we add more adventure to our lives, or go outside our comfort zone to learn about ourselves a bit better?   About Coach Olga: Olga is a Certified Professional Co-Active Life Coach and Mentor who passionately inspires and motivates clients desiring to realize and achieve their life purpose to their fullest potential through a system of perspectives.  She encourages her clients to see the world and its many opportunities in a new way by learning to step fearlessly into their roles as leaders at work, in their family, and within the community.  Contact here here  919-604-0104    www.chickswhoknow.com Download Olga’s free Guided Meditation of Your Future Self now at www.yourrichesilluminated.com   ]]> http://aliceosborn.com/creativity/take-a-jump-with-me-skydiving-with-coach-olga/feed/ 0 How to Sing Karaoke http://aliceosborn.com/creativity/how-to-sing-karaoke/ http://aliceosborn.com/creativity/how-to-sing-karaoke/#comments Mon, 10 Oct 2011 20:16:34 +0000 Alice Osborn http://aliceosborn.com/?p=2336 When I tell people I enjoy singing karaoke they look at me in a new light. “I didn’t know you sang—wow, that’s pretty cool.” I then ask them if they’d like to try it and most of the time they say they’d rather hear me sing. Most people can sing karaoke if they pick the right song for their voice and if they summon the confidence to get up on the stage—it’s so much fun to be a rock star for three and a half minutes. After getting back into karaoke from my ten year hiatus, I can say that singing has given me more confidence with my poetry performances and with speech-making in general. So if you’re a performing writer and/or speaker and you want to improve you stage and crowd presence, try your hand a karaoke!   I started doing karaoke in the mid 90s while I lived in South Carolina and loved how singing made me feel better about myself as it earned me new respect among my coworkers. I soon become addicted when I lived in Myrtle Beach and was a devoted regular at Wed night karaoke. Sometimes I’d go with my friends and sometimes I’d go alone and I wasn’t alone for long—I was always making new friends and if it was a slow night, I enjoyed listening to the KJ’s (the karaoke DJ) singing.   While my friends sang “Summer Lovin’” and I stuck to 10,000 Maniacs’ “Because the Night” and Shawn Colvin’s “Sunny Came Home,” I learned new songs, I learned the real words of songs (in “Drift Away” it’s the “beat, boys” not “the Beat Boys” – the name of a new band, ha, ha) and I imagined my music teacher in 5th grade apologizing to me: “Sorry, Alice, I didn’t mean to tell you to stop singing so loud!” My parents were horrified I sang since they believed I couldn’t carry a tune, either. After I moved to Raleigh I sang Matchbox 20’s “If You’re Gone” and totally bombed it. Rob Thomas won new respect from me that day. Parenting, graduate school and the entrepreneurial life got in the way of karaoke until I returned to the stage this summer at Yucatan Cantina in Morrisville where Hillary Rich of Aries Entertainment is the KJ from 9:30-1:30pm every Fri. Lots of fun being back!   Yes, I wish I was Laura Branigan (“Gloria”/”Self Control”) with her contralto, four octave range, but I do my best to stay in key and to pick songs that don’t totally embarrass me like many of Patty Loveless’s hits and Juice Newton’s “Queen of Hearts.”   Here are some of my tips on how to sing karaoke:  
  1. Know a few songs that are in your vocal range and know them well enough so you won’t need the lyrics directly in front of you. Karaoke moves fast and it’s hard to do well if you don’t know the beats and pauses, oh, and the words.
  2. Sing directly into the mic; don’t whisper. We want to hear you and support you!
  3. Try not to stand still—move with the music. Bounce, kick and wave your arms. Yes, it looks and feels weird to do strange alien moves while everyone else is sipping their margaritas, but you want me to be proud of you, right? Show your passion! Feel the music!
  4. Plant your feet at least hip-distance apart and breathe! I promise you, you will stay vertical!
  5. Don’t drink too much. One or two drinks before you sing is good, but after that the law of diminishing returns applies.
   There you have it. If you live in the Raleigh area, I’d love to see you at karaoke at Yucatan Cantina some time.   Your Turn: What did I miss? What are your tips for how to sing karaoke? How has singing karaoke changed your life? ]]> http://aliceosborn.com/creativity/how-to-sing-karaoke/feed/ 0 What Does Your Business Card Say About You? http://aliceosborn.com/creativity/what-does-your-business-card-say-about-you/ http://aliceosborn.com/creativity/what-does-your-business-card-say-about-you/#comments Mon, 22 Aug 2011 11:00:56 +0000 Alice Osborn http://aliceosborn.com/?p=2202 If you’re a writer who wants to be noticed, you need a business card that stands out in front of the pack of boring white cards with nothing written on the back. This little card that represents you has to do a lot of heavy lifting so you get the call back that will help you fulfill your writing dreams. Better believe it that business cards are a small investment that can really pay off for you down the road. Here are 8 tips to make you proud to hand your cards out:
  1. Make up a quote for maximum impact on your card. Durham, NC, teaching artist Mimi Herman has “A credit to her species” on her cards—now, that’s a standout statement! What have others said about you? What are you known for? What’s your trademark?
  2. Include a friendly photo that’s recent on the front of your cards, especially if you’re a performer—you want your potential customers/clients to see your smiling authenticity! Mimi also has her smiling face on her cards.
  3. Hire a graphic designer to design a sharp logo. Besides using the logo on your card you’ll also use your logo on your website, brochures, blog, collateral, mugs, pens, etc. I love VistaPrint as much as the next person, but please customize your card so you don’t have the same flower design as thousands of your best friends.
  4. Don’t forget the back of your card! It’s wasted real estate space if you don’t use the back to list out your social media sites (Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter), include your quote (see #1) or book(s) ordering information.
  5. Consider the shape of your card as long as it will fit in a standard business card plastic sheet or card case. Cute cards that are the size of a notebook divider tab get easily lost and cards that are odd shapes have to be cut to size or they may be left out altogether from where you usually store your cards. I like seeing cards with rounded edges or ovals—it’s different but will still fit.
  6. This is basic, but make sure your card’s print is big enough to read for nearsighted folks and make sure that all of your information is accurate. Never give someone a scratched-over phone number or email address if you’ve moved recently. Please pony up the dough and get new cards with updated info!
  7. Don’t skimp on the card stock quality—get the heaviest stock you can afford. Have a glossy finish on the front and matte finish on the back so whoever you’re giving the card to can write on its back without the dreaded pen smudge.
  8. This is not a design tip, but be sure you always have enough cards on your person at all times, especially when you go to a networking event. I cringe when someone tells me they don’t have a business card and they’re at a conference—come on! Be the professional you think you are!
If you don’t have a perfect business card it’s not the end of the world, but like all in things we can continuously improve. Check out other writers’ cards and cards from other professionals and see how you can improve your own one item from this list at a time. Your Turn: What points did I miss on how to kick your business card up a notch? Please share! ]]> http://aliceosborn.com/creativity/what-does-your-business-card-say-about-you/feed/ 2 Guestpost: Remembering Amy Winehouse http://aliceosborn.com/creativity/guestpost-remembering-amy-winehouse/ http://aliceosborn.com/creativity/guestpost-remembering-amy-winehouse/#comments Tue, 26 Jul 2011 06:00:25 +0000 Alice Osborn http://aliceosborn.com/?p=2118 Today we welcome back Coach Olga Monroe who blogs about the positive and not-so-positive effects of creativity as we remember Amy Winehouse who died Saturday July 23 in her North London home at the age of 27. Janis Joplin, Sylvia Plath, Edith Piaf, Vincent Van Gogh, Toulouse Lautrec and Amy Winehouse are only a small handful of talented artists who contributed pricelessly to our world through music, poetry and painting; yet lived a life of angst and turmoil which they attempted to extinguish through alcohol and drugs. Eckhart Tolle, author of The Power of Now, expresses that, “The mind is a superb instrument if used rightly.  Used wrongly, however, it becomes very destructive.”  Just a few pages later, he states that, “All true artists, whether they know it or not, create from a place of no-mind, from inner stillness.”  Those of us with a deep appreciation for our favorite artists recognize exactly what this “place of no-mind” produces.  Our favorite artists have added a new dimension or perspective to our lives.  Some of you, more fortunate ones, have experienced that creative “place of no-mind” when in the midst of creating your own individual contribution.  This may be through writing, painting, carpentry, sculpting, drawing, dancing, physical activity, counseling others and so many other activities.  What have your experiences been? I know, from my own experience with depression and suffering, how much pain the mind is capable of inflicting on an individual.  This is where I resonate with Eckhart Tolle when he states, “Used wrongly…it becomes very destructive.”  I can only imagine a fraction of the pain that these gifted artists experienced.  I relate it to the “other side of the coin” of their explosive creativity and contributions.  For example, look at some of Van Gogh or Toulouse Lautrec’s artwork.  Listen to “Je Ne Regrette Rien” (Piaf), “Me and Bobby McGee” (Joplin), “Love is a Losing Game”   or “Valerie”  (Winehouse).  Read one of Sylvia Plath’s poems. Select something that you are especially fond of.  Take a moment to absorb and appreciate the genius of these creations. Now imagine the opposite of how amazing these productions are.  I believe that my imagination and experience captures a fraction of the deep darkness that these artists experienced. I remember Amy and all of the positive contributions that she left us.  My heart goes out to her family, friends and all of us who miss her. About Coach Olga: Olga is a Certified Professional Co-Active Life Coach and Mentor who passionately inspires and motivates clients desiring to realize and achieve their life purpose to their fullest potential through a system of perspectives.  She encourages her clients to see the world and its many opportunities in a new way by learning to step fearlessly into their roles as leaders at work, in their family, and within the community.  Contact here here  919-604-0104    www.chickswhoknow.com Download Olga’s free Guided Meditation of Your Future Self now at www.yourrichesilluminated.com Your Turn: What do you think about Amy Winehouse and her short artistic career? How does it compare to other artists who struggle along the creative/destructive path? ]]> http://aliceosborn.com/creativity/guestpost-remembering-amy-winehouse/feed/ 0 Guestpost: Sandra Moulin”I’m Published!” http://aliceosborn.com/creativity/sandra-moulin/ http://aliceosborn.com/creativity/sandra-moulin/#comments Mon, 20 Jun 2011 10:26:37 +0000 Alice Osborn http://aliceosborn.com/?p=1958 Today we welcome Sandra Moulin of Wilmington, NC to my blog. Sandra and I first met in 2007 when I conducted a memoir workshop at Quail Ridge Books in Raleigh. As soon as I met her (or before from her emails) I knew she was a passionate, persistent writer–NOTHING was going to stand in the way of her publication journey. So here is her baby, Before and Laughter, her humorous memoir and here is Sandra talking about her new book. You can purchase Sandra’s book at her website, The Write Note.  Enjoy! Alice After writing a humorous column for our community newsletter for three years and having various people tell me that they were keeping a file of my “hilarious” essays, I decided that putting essays like these into one volume would make an entertaining tome to market. I took the best ones, added many more, and over the period of about one year, I completed over 130. The first step was to set about finding an editor. Alice Osborn, whom I had met at her Memoirs Workshop in Raleigh a couple of years prior had motivated me to write my memoirs (which I did), and so I contacted her to ask if she’d edit my essays. She agreed and did an excellent job of not just editing but giving me marketing tips, helping me choose a publisher and referring me to a website designer. Upon her recommendation, I chose Createspace.com to self publish. I am very happy with the cover they designed for me, with the formatting of the book, the  distribution channels they provided and their prompt delivery of my copies. My book is “my baby.” It is not just a collection of clever, creative and amusing essays; it is a roadmap of how I see my world. It is ME. I pick it up as though it were a week-old infant, and when people look at it, I want them to think, “Oh, BEFORE and LAUGHTER, how adorable!” Humor is very subjective.  Although some people may find one topic hilarious; others might just smile and turn the page. Recognizing this as a red flag, I conducted my own survey on peoples’ sense of humor. What I discovered was that what many people laughed at, I did not find funny. What I laugh at, many people don’t find the least bit amusing. Therein lies the rub. As I am a risk taker, I decided to forge ahead and trust that MOST readers will find their own “you-can-say-that-again” or “I can relate to that!” chapter in my book. The journey of writing, publishing and marketing is exciting, tedious, frustrating, frightening, exhilarating and rewarding. The better one’s technological skills; the easier the publishing piece. I am just now entering the marketing phase, and the challenge is how to sell myself humbly but assertively. I consider this phase a personal journey. I must learn to thicken my skin, assert myself, take pride in what I’ve created and listen to but not internalize the criticism which is sure to come. I am proud to have created a tangible piece of myself to offer the world; but I know there are many lessons yet to learn. My goal is to publish my second volume and to practice what I preach:  Laughter is contagious; spread the virus.” Thank you, Sandra! Here’s more about Sandra Moulin: SANDRA MOULIN, M.A. is a freelance writer whose specialty is humor and lifestyle essays. A former high school Master Teacher and university instructor, Sandra is an accomplished pianist, a dynamic public speaker, a professional actress and a former President of Toastmasters of Birmingham, Michigan. Sandra has spent the past five years writing for local magazines in Wilmington, North Carolina and running fundraisers for local nonprofit organizations,. Her work has appeared in Livin’ Out Loud Magazine, Focus on the Coast, Wilma and The Porters Neck Homeowners Association Newsletter of which she was Managing Editor for three years. She lives with her husband and travels often to exotic places and to visit their four daughters and ten  grandchildren. Your Turn: What questions do you have for Sandra? Are you on the road to publication? What tip or tips can you give that might help a fellow writer who wants to be self published? ]]> http://aliceosborn.com/creativity/sandra-moulin/feed/ 0 What Should You Wear When You Perform? http://aliceosborn.com/creativity/what-should-you-wear-when-you-perform/ http://aliceosborn.com/creativity/what-should-you-wear-when-you-perform/#comments Tue, 07 Jun 2011 14:42:46 +0000 Alice Osborn http://aliceosborn.com/?p=1937 If you read your writing out loud in public you need to think of yourself as a performer–even if you’re reading at an open mic with five people. You’re on stage and you need to plan your lines as well as your appearance so you can attract the right energy.  What should you wear? If you’re a casual person and like to wear jeans, you should plan on pairing your Levi’s with a new belt or jacket. If you like to wear sweaters, perhaps you can jazz things up with a red scarf or dangling earrings. In other words, wear your normal street style but kick it up a notch so you still feel like you when you’re up at the mic. On the other hand, some writers take the other route and dress completely differently on performance nights than what you’d see them wear on the street. When I started reading my poetry at different events 5 years ago, that’s what I did–I’d wear gloves, ballet skirts bought at a real dance store, and lots of black. Soon it got too hard to top myself and I felt silly, so I decided to adopt a simpler style: body-hugging dresses or tops that are “normal” clothes. Just like Bono wears his trademark black leather jacket over a black T-shirt, Simon Cowell his V-neck tee and Scotty McCreery loves wearing his red plaid button down, I developed my performance style because I couldn’t expend that much energy on what I was wearing anymore–I wanted the pre-performance energy to be more productive.  Still, I didn’t want to be photographed wearing the same dress at every reading. That’s the fork in the road you have to cross–do you wear one of the same blue shirt every time you’re performing or do you vary it up a bit? If you wear the same shirt or blouse, you’ll be doing a good job of branding yourself. People will even say, “Hey, you wore that same shirt in your photo!” I chose the latter: I wear different dresses to each reading I do, but play it smart by buying these dresses at Our Friends’ Closet, a boutique consignment shop in north Raleigh. Yes, most of these dresses are black and white, but I do sometimes throw in purple, pink or even red. Whatever your style is, be consistent and plan well. You’ll feel more attractive and you’ll attract the audience. Unless you’re Lady Gaga, you won’t want to work so hard at managing your outfits. You’ll want to find clothes that suit you and your style and that also make people associate the outer you with the inner you. Comment below–I’d love your feedback on this post! Your Turn: What do you wear when you perform at an open mic or reading? How much or how little do you plan for what you’ll be wearing? Do you have a particular style? ]]> http://aliceosborn.com/creativity/what-should-you-wear-when-you-perform/feed/ 0 Guestpost: Coach Olga Tames Stress http://aliceosborn.com/creativity/coach-olga-stress/ http://aliceosborn.com/creativity/coach-olga-stress/#comments Mon, 30 May 2011 00:36:43 +0000 Alice Osborn http://aliceosborn.com/?p=1924 Today we welcome back guestblogger, Coach Olga Monroe of Raleigh, NC as she shares valuable tips on taming stress! You can’t manage your expectations and goals if you don’t know what it is that you want.  What are your goals?  Is it to be regularly connected to people?  To do an excellent job?  To call your own shots?  To have more time with your family?  To cultivate a personal relationship?  To maintain an active social life?  To maintain a health regime or exercise program? If you have two conflicting goals, such as being very active in your social life and also wanting to have a successful career, explore how to meet both goals in a way that works for you.  In this situation, perhaps you can parlay your social drive into professional networking activities after work so that you can kick back after you have left your office, while still actively improving your career. Manage Your Time When it comes to developing skills in time management, you’ll be most effective when maintaining awareness of your main goals. After you identify what you want—make a list or verbalize the goals you need to accomplish—start evaluating how to achieve them efficiently. Unplanned time gets wasted—your personal life spills into the work day, disorganization slows you down, and low energy can demotivate you.  What gets in your way?  What are your procrastination signs?  Do you tend to surf the Internet, walk around the office, take personal calls, or daydream when you begin to slip into procrastination mode? What daily routines can you establish to manage your time?  Set daily goals and priorities for each day so that you can plan out your schedule.  Find out which system works better for you—is it better for you to schedule your day the night before so that you will have it on your desk ready the next morning, or is it better to make it fresh each day when you arrive?  During the work day, we can become distracted by various external factors: ringing phones, incoming e-mails, co-workers coming in and out of our office, etc.  These distractions can wear our energy down unless we manage them.  How much time do you want to allocate each day to checking your e-mail and returning calls?  When are you free to talk with others?  What can be your standard phrase to let people know when you are available to get back to them if you are busy?  You may want to consider setting up an automated e-mail reply, or having a support staff screen your incoming e-mails and forward only the ones that require your attention at a specified time (for example, designate 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. each day for e-mails/calls), if your job is very interactive and fast-paced. Manage Your Stress Levels What do you need to do to keep your stress levels down while still working efficiently?  Do you need daily exercise, 8 hours of sleep, frequent stretch breaks, regular meals, or nutritious food?  No matter how carefully you plan your Outlook calendar or to-do list, you won’t achieve success if your agenda is not realistic or your stress levels are unhealthy. If you struggle to manage your stress levels, consider the following options to help reduce anxiety: What is your best time of day?  What tasks are best planned for those hours?  What is your slow time?  What tasks are best planned for that time? You may find that while your schedule is busy, it is not wisely planned, and this is burning you out every day.  If you are not a morning person, schedule important meetings for the afternoon.  If you notice you lack energy around mid-afternoon, avoid starting new projects at that time, or, consider having a healthy snack or taking a break to get some fresh air.  If none of these options are possible, how can you be creative? BEWARE of Multi-Tasking!  Recent findings reveal that we don’t actually “multi-task”, but rather, we switch attention from one task to the other.  It is estimated that we lose up to 40% (if not more) of our productivity by attempting to do more than one task at the same time.  This includes texting or checking Facebook pages while answering phones! Learn How and When to Say NO We live in a society that seemingly makes us feel guilty for saying NO.  But we need to remind ourselves that saying NO when something is draining our time and/or energy, is saying YES to our goals and to what we really want. Not every request or demand for your time needs be honored by you.  Learn to determine what fits with your goals and what doesn’t.  Learn to deliver a powerful, situation specific NO that you believe in and are comfortable with.  What makes a NO believable to you?  Is it a decisive tone, direct eye contact, a solid posture, a curt response with minimal (if any) added details? What skills do you need to improve on to make it easier for you to say NO? Remember: You Are NOT Alone We can often feel overwhelmed by our workloads and busy schedules, but what this Workshop reinforced, to me, is that we all experience the same struggles.  While our hectic lives may not be unique, we can create our own original plans in order to succeed with our goals. About Coach Olga Olga is a Certified Professional Co-Active Life Coach & Mentor who passionately inspires and motivates clients desiring to realize and achieve their life purpose to their fullest potential through a system of perspectives.  She encourages her clients to see the world and its many opportunities in a new way by learning to step fearlessly into their roles as leaders at work, in their family, and within the community. Contact her here or call her at 919-604-0104. Also visit her at ChicksWhoKnow. Download Olga’s free Guided Meditation of Your Future Self now at http://www.yourrichesilluminated.com YOUR TURN: How do you handle stressful situations? What tips can you offer? ]]> http://aliceosborn.com/creativity/coach-olga-stress/feed/ 0 Guestpost: Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain http://aliceosborn.com/creativity/guestpost-drawing-on-the-right-side-of-the-brain/ http://aliceosborn.com/creativity/guestpost-drawing-on-the-right-side-of-the-brain/#comments Mon, 16 May 2011 11:00:18 +0000 Alice Osborn http://aliceosborn.com/?p=1888 Today we welcome back regular guestblogger Dave Baldwin with his review on Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain by Betty Edwards. Enjoy! Do you think you can’t write? Do you think you can’t dance? Do you think you can’t paint? Do you look at the work of great artists and wish that you’d been “born with that kind of talent?” Are you willing to consider that the artistic world may be closer within your reach than you might realize? If you’re ready to suspend disbelief for a week or so, Betty Edwards’ self-study course will cast aside your preconceived notions about artists (and your reasons why you believe you can’t be one). I went through the Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain course in 2000, shortly after I realized that I still didn’t know what I wanted to be when I grew up. I was working the evening shift in a factory, and I knew that I was slated for layoff within the next few months. I dreaded “going back out there” to the job market, but at the same time, I looked forward to leaving the dull gray box-shaped environment that had been slowly bleeding my soul dry. I wanted to do something creative for a living, but I didn’t think I had it in me. The first exercise in Edwards’ course stunned me. I drew an upside-down picture of a knight on horseback, and the accuracy of my own freehand work surpassed anything I’d ever drawn in my life. What surprised me the most was the sheer simplicity of the instructions and the steps involved. I realized that it wasn’t a lack of talent that had halted my artistic development. I had just never learned how to shift my brain into what Edwards dubs “R-mode,” or the creative mode of thinking. If that sounds difficult, I can relate. It sounded difficult to me, too, until Betty Edwards showed me how easy it was. Doing the exercises in Edwards’ book resembled the thrill of staying upright on a bicycle without training wheels for the first time.  Like riding a bike, shifting into “R-mode” just requires a little bit of practice, and it’s impossible to explain directly. Once I experienced it, I couldn’t believe how simple it was. I also found it more than a little bit addictive. While I never pursued drawing seriously, my discovery of “R-mode” led me to re-energize my creative writing practice. During the next few years, I felt my latent passion for writing beginning to re-awaken. Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain was the initial catalyst that set this process in motion. In 2006, my friend Julie taught me how to paint with acrylics. When she initially made the offer to teach me, I remember feeling a twinge of resistance, followed by the thought, “What if I just can’t paint?” Then, I thought back to Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain and reminded myself that I probably just hadn’t learned how. As I put the final brush stroke to my first painting, I had proved once again that Edwards was right. Eventually, I developed the confidence to pursue writing full-time in 2007. When I left my job, I soon began to doubt whether I was capable of being an entrepreneur. However, this self-doubt was quickly displaced by a certainty that I just needed to learn the skill. This process has become natural, to the point where I almost take it for granted. I never say, “I’m terrible at…” I just think, “What skill do I need that I’ve never learned?” Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain was one of the experiences that inspired me to write Get That Book Out of Your Head! in 2009. I found that most people who struggled with writing had bought into the idea that writing is an inborn talent gifted to only a select few. While I do believe that the desire to write seems to have evaded some people, the gift of creative writing is open to anyone willing to learn some basic skills and practice them regularly. I thought back to Edwards’ course and decided that helping people explore the world of writing was part of my greater purpose. If you’re struggling with an art form of any kind, I would recommend this course. Even if you have no interest in drawing particularly, the experience of learning to see the world like an artist will prove invaluable for your artistic development. Your Turn: Please comment here if you have read the book and would like to share your experience! About Dave: Dave Baldwin is a writer who has lived and worked in Raleigh, NC since 2007. He has self-published two books: Pied Piper Entrepreneurship (2009) and Get That Book Out of Your Head! (2009). ]]> http://aliceosborn.com/creativity/guestpost-drawing-on-the-right-side-of-the-brain/feed/ 2