N is for: New England

I was born in Massachusetts. Four of my five sisters live in Massachusetts or New Hampshire, as do countless relatives. I go back as often as I can, because I'm not completely me unless I'm in that environment. My family has instructions to divide my ashes when the time comes: half here in Colorado, half there in New England, off the coast into the sea. I'll be going for a visit this month, traveling on Easter Day. I'm badly in need of sister time.

An ideal trip to NE for me includes spending time in New Hampshire where two of my sisters and my niece live within minutes of each other. I have my own room in one of their homes. There will be horses, chickens, goats, dogs, and cats and beautiful country, lush with trees, to enjoy. Then it's to a world connected by buses and subways to Boston to savor museums and the spicy flavor of city life. If I'm able, I transport myself down to stay with my cousin on Cape Cod to the tranquility of sea and sand.

My roots are deep here in Colorado, but part of my soul waits for me there.

M is for: Musical Connections

Al D'Amato, my father, played the saxaphone in the Big Band days. Mama told me how good he was then, and she never had too many nice things to say about him. I have a wonderful picture of Dad as a teen and some shipmates in WWII, playing their music to entertain the officers. Now that he's gone, the song Leader of the Band never fails to pull on my heartstrings.

My two sons have natural musical abilities, too. Gotta love good DNA. As for me, I love and need music. I sing in my church choir and frequently dust off the piano in my living room, just knowing that I will play beautiful songs. Someday.

Nothing puts me back together faster than music. When I'd come home from nursing school frazzled to the core, I turned to Frank Sinatra. Times I have sadness to work my way through, it must be the Irish women. To feel the deepness of love there's nothing like Italian opera.

My writing requires that music surround me, all kinds of music. From the Beatles to Franti to Lady Antebellum to Coal Fire Band. It's a need for me, like food or drink.

L is for: Leaving the Past Behind

I don't know anyone- friend, family, or foe- who doesn't carry the burden of regret. If only I had thought before I spoke. Why didn't I tell her I love her before it was too late? If I hadn't told him to leave, had let someone else drive me home, not moved away, if I had only believed in myself...

The way I see it, most of the mistakes we all make are essential to our spiritual growth as humans. Our regrets can paralyze us, cause physical pain, shut us down, especially the times gone by that we just can't fix.

Let's make this Leaving the Past Behind Day. We'll put all past pain and mistakes in a closet way back in our memory. And close the door.

K is for: Keeping Up with the Challenge

In order to keep up with my A to Zing, I've needed to make it a priority. Even then, I don't spend as much time on the blogs I've discovered and now love as I want to.

Thank you to all who have commented on my posts. I so enjoy reading what you have to say and am often inspired by your words. Starting today, I'll try very hard to reply back more often.

Things I will try to get more organized with the Challenge:

• writing more posts ahead of time
• taking full advantage of any quiet time
• re-making it a habit to write early in the morning or late at night
• stick to a list of topics

I know these things work for many of you who are A to Zing now or they have become part of your daily writing routine. Any suggestions are welcome.

J is for: Judging

Judging others: others who are different, who make you nervous, who don't make sense to you sometimes. People with Asperger's Syndrome, a form of autism, know only too well how it feels to be on the other end of this. Especially the Aspie kids.

April is National Autism Awareness Month. Take a few minutes to learn on www.autismspeaks.org. You'll most likely understand at least one adult or child you know a lot better.

Taken from the Autism Speaks website:

The following behaviors are often associated with Asperger syndrome. However, they are seldom all present in any one individual and vary widely in degree:

• limited or inappropriate social interactions
• "robotic" or repetitive speech
• challenges with nonverbal communication (gestures, facial expression, etc.) coupled with average to above average verbal skills
• tendency to discuss self rather than others
• inability to understand social/emotional issues or nonliteral phrases
• lack of eye contact or reciprocal conversation
• obsession with specific, often unusual, topics
• one-sided conversations
• awkward movements and/or mannerisms

I is for: I think I need a minute here...

 

I'm glad I'm A to Zing. It's my first time, and I find it stimulating. This challenge has gotten me to work on my blog, read and comment on the fabulous blogs of others, and it commits me to writing. All good things. I understand more about the pros and cons of Blogger and Wordpress, too. But, you know how sometimes you think you understand how something works only to find you actually don't have a clue? Today I'm facing the truth: I haven't been paying attention to Google+, and I don't get it.

Of course, anyone reading this is shaking his or her head, wondering how I can be so confused about this. I know. A mystery to me, too.

This means I have to take the time read all about it, whip my Google+ into shape. Create my profile. Take a look at the circles I may be in. Circle up my friends and family. Come on, Maggie. You can do this!

H is for: High Hopes

My writing buddy and I spend a lot of time together at my desk. We still have hopes my writing will be successfully published and enjoyed- high hopes. What I`m considering right now is whether to retrieve my finished novels from their captivity, sharpen them up, and go with an independent publisher. Or maybe I should just chase agents and traditional publishers until the end of my days.

I will seek advice from those experienced with independent publication. I self-published years ago through an established print on demand because I wanted my novel based on Internet safety issues to get out there. I don`t regret doing this. I sold and donated books and got them to many who needed to read this story to illustrate how easily a child can get into a bad situation. Mission accomplished.

Things have changed in publishing since then, and so have I. In spite of my more realistic attitude, I still hope, but now I know that hope sometimes needs a little help.