Our Amazing Moon

Our Moon. Something that has captured our imaginations and fascinated the minds of mankind for millennia. The moon and its regular cycle of phases have made it a vital cultural influence on language, calendars, art and mythology since ancient times. The moon has inspired stories of werewolves have frightened us and poems of love. Books, movies, and songs have centered around the moon. I Googled the list and it is far too long for me to elaborate here.

Our moon, which does not have a name like other moons, is Earth's only known natural satellite. It is the fifth largest satellite in our solar system. It has a diameter one fourth that of Earth’s, making it the largest satellite relative to its host size. Our moon is in a syncrhonized rotation with Earth. That is why we only see one side of it. Hence, the term The Dark Side of the Moon. Its gravitational pull produces the ocean tides and the minute lengthening of the day.

The Soviets actually reached the moon before us with an unmanned spacecraft in 1959. Since then, NASA’s Apollo program has sent an orbiting mission in 1968, followed by six actual manned landings from 1969-1972. Twelve men have walked on its surface. We brought back lots of rock that helped scientists determine its age: 4.5 billion years old.

The prevailing hypothesis is that the Earth–Moon system formed as a result of a giant impact: a Mars-sized body hit the nearly formed proto-Earth, blasting material into orbit around the proto-Earth, which accreted to form the Moon. It is believed most of the Moon came from the impactor, not from the proto-Earth. Like the earth, the moon has a crust, mantle, and core.

Water cannot exist on the moon as exposure to solar radiation causes water to decompose, a process known as photodissociation. However, comets and hydrogen from solar winds combined with oxygen in lunar rocks could have deposited water ice in permanently shadowed craters. This is of vital importance if we want to set up a permanent base on the moon, a possible stepping stone for reaching Mars.

Although we have recently found proof of frozen ice on the polar regions, the moon does not have wind or erosion. That is why we see crater impacts large and small that pocket its surface over its life. Volcanoes in the past have spewed out basaltic lava. With a decent set of binoculars or a small telescope, you can see fascinating features on its surface on a clear night.

There is no legal ownership of the moon, although the U.S. has planted flags there. There is an Outer Space Treaty (1967) that defines the Moon and all outer space as the "province of all mankind. The moon cannot be used for military purposes and bans weapons of mass destruction.
You can view the moon using Google Earth.
Grail Moon Mission – September11, 2011 (Very Cool Stuff Here)On NASA's third attempt, the dual-spacecraft mission finally lifts off from Cape Canaveral. The twin craft separate and begin their journey to the moon, where they will study its gravitational field. Scientists predict that the mission will provide a map of the lunar gravitational field, data that will allow for the first comprehensive assessment of the moon's crust, mantle and core.

Some scientists say GRAIL is the beginning of a revolution in planetary science. Precision formation flying could allow for numerous spacecraft to create singular technology "platforms" that could see deeper into space and in far greater detail than ever before. Scientists envision a day when they will send swarms of iPod-sized spacecraft into space, a technology that could replace satellites and offer other advances in communications.

Well, how about it? How has our most awesome neighbor inspired you? If you think this post is worthy of Twitter or Facebook, please select the appropriate icon below. Thanks!!!

Stephen Tremp, author of the BREAKTHROUGH series, is finishing his fourth book titled Murcat Manor.

You can visit Stephen at Breakthrough Blogs for the synopsis for Murcat Manor.

The A to Z Team Honors Tina Downey

Today the A to Z Co-Host Team, past and present, would like to honor fellow co-host, Tina Downey from Life is Good. We lost Tina on August 23, 2014, and words cannot express how much we will miss her or how much she meant to us. But in this tribute, we give it our best…

Tina, like I used to say to you every so often, I was in awe of you, your will to smile in the face of all kinds of odds and pain and despair. You made light of your suffering. Always.

I was in awe of how much you gave of your spirit. Only you could talk to hundreds of strangers online in a day and make each of them feel special. You knew how to make our team work together. You made people feel like sending you a hug even as you told them what not to do. You had this gift for listening, just being there.
Thank you for being my SIS, for teaching me that life is good, no matter what. Above all, thank you for your words, your smiles, and the gazillion icons of sunflowers. They lit up my darkest hours.
Farewell, till I see you next. As someone has said-- meeting again, after moments or lifetimes, is certain for those who are friends.

-- Damyanti Biswas at Amlokiblogs


I met her on the A to Z this year, and loved her sense of humor right away. She bubbled and bossed all at the same time, and who can resist that combination? While I never talked to her or met her in person, I feel the loss of her. If she were here, I’d be getting emails telling me to stay on my toes because, if I didn’t follow the directions, she’d have to take some serious action, like send in one of her Flamingos to set me straight.

I’m sure she would be organizing this tribute, and perhaps she is. Certainly, her energy is still with this group and she’d love to know sunflowers remind us of her.

C. Lee McKenzie

I’ve never met Tina Downey.
But, I’m going to miss her very much.
We emailed frequently, as she did with so many people.
You could always count on a funny movie quote, or a funny Tina quote, at the end of her emails.
Here are some of my favorites.
-----------
~Tina, who’s ready for her chardonnay, but since I still have to write, will reluctantly wait...
The weirdness has begun…Tina
Happy dance!....Tina
Buckle up! It’s a bumpy ride. Fun, but it has it’s twists and turns, and unexpected surprises…Tina
~Tina, see I've already chatted with you twice in 10 minutes...
Tina, here all day ;-)
~Tina, off to write a post
~Tina, who is worried about Sonny. He's practically buried in weeds...poor fella.
~Tina, who usually signs off with something weird at the end of a comment. So here's one. "Something weird."
-----------
Who is Sonny? He’s Tina’s garden gnome. She sent me a picture.
I don’t know what else to say except that we will never be the same without her.
Our thoughts are with her family.
Rest in peace, Tina.
Heather

You have gone... you were a friend when I needed a laugh, you were a sister when I needed to cried and you were... just there. Now you are watching over all of us, may your flight to heaven be a peaceful journey. Now sweep those damn flying monkeys out, share your kindness and humor with the angels.... Please, please... please watch over your family, they love and miss you something dearly! Peace, Tina... you are a person I will miss, we all will miss... thank you for always being so strong!
-Jeremy


When I found out Tina had become an A-Z co-host and she introduced herself to everyone, I couldn’t help but wonder what kind of wild ride we were in for. She was a blogosphere ball of fire with boundless amounts of energy, which frankly intimidated me a little. And outside of A-Z she was a tireless supporter, always willing to help champion a cause or help promote a project. She was so forthright, so real, it was a pleasure to interact with her – even if it was just digitally. I’m jealous of the people who knew her in the real world; because she seemed like a person who would be the life of whatever party you were throwing.
I’ll truly miss Tina. The blogosphere is a dimmer without her.
DL Hammons


Though I only met Tina Downey a short time before she passed, she made a lasting impression that will stay with me every time I open up my blog. I will never forget her kindness as I entered a strange, new community, nor her reassurance when I felt overwhelmed. From her first introduction, she exuded encouragement, support, and snarky fun. She made the overwhelming seem possible, and hard work feel like entertainment. But more importantly, she brought strangers spread across the globe together in an online community that far surpassed its digital bounds. Her legacy will live on in the people she inspired and the connections she forged. And everyone, from her oldest of friends to her newest acquaintance, will remember her.

-- Lauren Hennessy


I met Tina via the A-to-Z, so it's only right I say goodbye to her here. We challenged each other to visit all A-to-Z participants, and from that the Post A-to-Z Road Trip was born. Road Tripping together, we became friends. Tina was dynamic, a lady with a big, welcoming heart. She was always positive, no matter what was going on. Not only was she a pleasure to work with, but she was a friend, a confidante, and a great support. My heart goes out to her family. I'll miss you, Tina. The world lost a phenomenal person last week, but there are a lot of us who will think of you and be lifted up every time we see a sunflower.

~ Shannon


Whenever I’m faced with tragedy I always turn to a book for solace. Maybe you’re no different? Some turn to the Bible or other sacred texts. I, turn to poetry. During times of sadness or loss, poetry speaks to me and provides comfort.
I lost a friend last week, Tina Downey. She was my Cheese Girl. Whenever I mentioned needing a cupcake or other sweet, Tina countered with cheese. No matter what the situation was, Tina was quick to offer sarcasm, a virtual hug, a listening ear or whatever she could.
I never had the pleasure of meeting Tina IRL (in real life) but I feel the loss of her just the same. She was my friend. Tina brought people together. Tina was the sun and we are the sunflowers who have benefitted.
“Every friend is to the other a sun, and a sunflower also. He attracts and follows.” ~ Jean Paul Richter

Pam Margolis, An Unconventional Librarian


I didn't know Tina as well as some others, but we co-hosted several A to Z challenges together, and I was always struck and inspired by her. Not only by her enthusiasm for blogging and writing, but by her drive for working together, for getting to know people, and for being helpful, not only to those of us who "knew" each other, at least on the internet, but to any stranger who came along with a question, an idea, or a request for assistance. Tina was a wonderful person to work with, and she will be dearly missed.

Matt


I’ll make it no secret I loved and adored Tina. She was more than a friend. She was like a sister. She was the rock of stability. Within the A to Z Team, Tina was the one who held us together. Her wit and whimsy were amazing, and I treasured the long, snarky, no-holds-barred emails from Tina.She told me once that I was as real to her if not more so than any real-world friend, and I felt the same way about her.

I know you’re with the Lord now, Tina, but I am really, really going to miss you. I promise to keep giving my all to the A to Z Team, although I am certainly no super glue. Not like Super Tina. But I will do my best. Schedule Woman would expect no less.

Your online brother, Alex


Dearest Sister, friend and fellow rebel in our blogging world,

We sure had some good times, didn’t we? Both of us on bloggy steroids, only to pick up the phone one day and start exchanging live conversations and texts. Oh, the laughs we had, the tears we shed and the most wonderful friendship we nurtured. We were story tellers, support systems and A - Z gurus…you being the stable one, me hanging on by the seat of my pants, wondering what might (or might not) happen next.

We became so much more, “You are such a good friend. The kind where we just pick up where we were and it’s like we were never apart.” These are some of your last words to me, words every person should read or hear at least once in their life. I too treasure our friendship and know that even the distance between heaven and earth can only increase what we share, a friendship so special, one that I will treasure forever. God bless you, Tina. I too look forward to so much more.

Hugs with a sunflower and cactus.

Teresa


If I can give on word to help Tina Downey be remembered by, it is the word faithful. Over the past years that I knew Tina through the Blogging Community, she was always there to give support to others, regardless of who they were, where they lived, or the circumstances surrounding their lives.

Tina was a true source of inspiration. Her motto, “Life Is Good” was simple yet powerful. Often I would stop by per blog and be reminded even though there were circumstances in my life that were less than pleasant, Life Is Good. I could go forth with a thankful heart and my day had become brighter and filled with hope that life is indeed good and good things awaited me. Thank you Tina for all the positive things you brought to the world.

Stephen Tremp


I met Tina in 2012 when we both co-hosted the A to Z April Blogging Challenge in 2012. By the end of the challenge we weren’t just team mates but friends! She made me feel important. She made me work for my dreams. She also helped me to believe in myself.

Even while she struggled with her own problems, she selflessly helped me. The world didn’t just lose a friend, it lost one of the most beautiful people to have ever lived. And because we met through the A to Z challenge, I wanted to honor her with a list of all the things she was, A through Z.

She was . . . An Angel on Earth, Best friends to everyone she met, Caring, Determined, Encouraging. Funny, Gracious, Helpful, Imaginative, Jubilant, Kind, Loveable and loving, Mindful, Noteworthy, Original, Positive all the time, Quirky in the best way possible, Real, Supportive, Thoughtful, Unconditional, Vibrant, Wise, Xenodochial, Youthful, Zealous.

~ Konstanz Silverbow


Tina was one of those rare people who could ask blunt questions that might be too forward coming from anyone else. She had uncanny timing, almost like a sixth sense, for when people needed her, or needed to talk. She was funny, genuine, and most of all loving. Our friendship really started when she sent me an email with some of those blunt questions, at just the right time, before the Challenge in 2013. I needed support, and it turned out that she was just the right person to provide it. From there and through the craziness of the Challenge, our friendship grew. We discovered that we lived only about 30 minutes apart, and vowed to meet at some point. I am so sad now that we only succeeded at hanging out once, but so grateful that we managed that.

We often joked about me smuggling her some red wine at the hospital. I imagine her sitting up in heaven (which of course is fields of sunflowers) looking down at us all, with a glass of wine in her hand and endlessly quotable movies for her viewing pleasure. She's probably talking god's ear off. She's closer now, so he won't have much of a choice but to listen :)

My dear Tina -
Life is Good, and yours was a good life, my friend.
All my love,
~AJ


Dear Tina, it seems like just yesterday you and I were swapping funny Barbie doll stories while treating many of our daily grinds with a glass, or two, of wine. To know that you are gone has made for a heartbreaking Summer, to say the least. The news hit me like a ton of bricks, leaving days filled with denial, numbness and later, a bit of regret in its wake. Boy have I delayed that trip we talked about for too long, right?! If there is one thing for certain, it's that I will cherish the time we had, the lengthy conversations we engaged in and the experiences we shared with each other. I am also grateful for what you've taught me about honesty, kindness, healing and not being afraid to “let it all hang out.” It has been a pleasure to learn so much about you over the last few years and an honor to have worked with you on Arlee Bird's alphabetical adventure.

I miss the spontaneity of your comment sign-offs, which often made the day. I miss the movie lines you had us guessing from time to time. I miss your superpowers of holding it together through the joys and pains that any day delivered. You embodied great leadership in often being the (only) one who says what needs to be said and does what needs to be done. Just when it seems all things might fall apart without you here, I believe things will be ok because your legacy remains. Most importantly, I want you to know that you've left a positive impression on me and the blogging community at large. We are lucky to have had such a wonderful, compassionate and generous woman in our lives. Thank you for always being yourself and showing us that there are bright sides to life so long as we dare to seek them out. You are one fabulous lady, Tina Downey!
– Sincerely, Nicole Ayers


Tina Downey was like a supernova in my blogging universe. She appeared and shone brightly for a few years until her recent passing. In reading much about her since that sad day when we lost her physical presence, I realize that she was a special human being who has touched so many others throughout her life. I am but one of many who have been touched by her delightful presence in the world. Tina has made the world a better place in her being in it.

After the 2011 A to Z Challenge Tina Downey and Shannon Lawrence started a Post Challenge Challenge Road Trip to encourage others to visit all of the blogs that had been signed up for the A to Z Challenge. Their enthusiasm for A to Z caught my attention so I invited both of them to be a part of the 2012 Challenge. Tina stayed on after that first year and was active for the next two Challenges serving as one of our main motivators and organizers. She kept right at it until her illness prevented her from doing any more. I know A to Z was on her mind through many tough times up until the end.

If the world of bloggers were to be compared to a field of sunflowers, then Tina is the flower who stands taller and brighter than most of the rest. She planted seeds of kindness, caring, and diligence that will hopefully grow within many of us who knew her. She has been an example and an inspiration for us to follow.

The A to Z Challenge has always been special to me, but the good teammates like Tina and all of the others have made A to Z even more special. Tina knew that as well and she gave it her all. And I thank her for that.

Arlee Bird from Tossing it Out, founder of the A to Z Challenge

We are honoring Tina with sunflowers on Monday, September 8 – I hope everyone can join us and splash the Internet with yellow that day.
Sign up here - Sunflowers for Tina.

The family has also set up the Downey Education Fund, which will go toward a college fund for Tina’s two boys. You can donate via PayPal here -

Stories Connect Us All

Today I would like to bring you a wonderful little gift from the world of storytelling: Let me tell you about the Stories Connect Us All project and Online Storytelling Festival!

The Fairy Godmother of the whole thing is Chicago storyteller Susan O'Halloran. She has been working with stories of diversity and cultural pluralism for a long time, and she poured her wonderful heart and soul into the project. What Stories Connect Us All is about is simple: Susan gathers storytellers who have something to say, she records them telling their tales to the camera, and then she makes the stories available. To everyone. To you. Free of charge. This wonderful collection of some of the best storytellers near and far exists for a very, very important purpose:

To tell us about diversity.

All the stories are personal stories (although a lot of them also have to do with larger events in history). Storytellers talk about their own experiences with culture, ethnicity, diversity, race, and prejudice in the USA. Many storytellers come from many different backgrounds, and their tales make a mosaic of story that reflects the amazing diversity of the USA, and the diversity that surrounds us everywhere we go in the world.
During the storytelling festival, a new video is posted online every hour, and they are made available for comments and discussion on Facebook as well.

You know what else is great about this? The videos are all online, all the time, and they make wonderful teaching tools! I use them myself quite often in my Cultural Pluralism class. Whether we are discussing civil rights, First Nations history, inter-cultural relationships, or cultural holidays, there is always something useful to find in the project. Students respond very well to stories, especially if they are personal stories from people with first hand experience.
In order to make the teaching experience even better, they also come with a great website that includes tons of information, classroom activities, teaching materials, and of course, stories.

At the start of the school year, I wanted to put this information here in case the teachers and educators among you are looking for new tales to bring to the classroom!

You can find Csenge (@TarkabarkaHolgy) at
The Multicolored Diary - Adventures in Storytelling
MopDog - The crazy thing about Hungarians

National Literacy Month and Happy Labor Day

Co-creator of Spider-Man, the Hulk, Xmen, Iron Man and the Fantastic Four and Honorary Chair of Library Card Sign-up Month Stan Lee.

September is National Literacy Month and Library Card Sign-Up Month. And as a writer I'm interested in raising awareness about this issue. After all, I write books, and what's the use of doing that if people can't read them? Here are some stats that I discovered when doing research for my latest novel in which my main character is barely literate.

• A 2003 National Assessment of Adult Literacy (NAAL) revealed that 90 million Americans read at basic and below basic levels. READ MORE
• The anual U.S. cost for low literacy is mind boggling: 80 billion in lost worker productivity, 225 billion lost to unemployment benefits, lost taxes and crime. Literacy Partners 
• L.A. county, population 7,000+ has 33% of its people who are lacking basic literacy Visalia Times READ MORE
• 2 million New York City residents are functionally illiterate (25%) READ MORE .
• 32 million (14%) of U.S. adults can't read and 774 million people worldwide can't read. READ MORE

If any A to Zers are interested in joining the cause here's the LINK to my post about Writers Supporting Literacy. 

******

And now LABOR DAY!

Labor Day has been with us for 132 years. The U.S. celebrated the first one on Tuesday, September 5, 1882, in New York City. Then in 1884 the first Monday in September was selected as the holiday.

Over the years, it's had it's poster girl and other spirited patriotic images to communicate the U.S. Can Do spirit.

Here's the famous Rosie The Riveter that was popular WWII. 

AN ICON OF AMERICAN LABOR, 1942

NORMAN ROCKWELL'S SATURDAY EVENING POST ROSIE, 1943

Have a safe, wonderful, restful LABOR DAY! 

#atozchallenge #roadtrip #lifeisgood - Road Trip Detour

A slight detour on today's Road Trip post.

I'm sure you've seen the news by now, that we have lost a very influential and inspiring woman from the blogging world, Tina Downey.

Tina and Nicole Ayers were kind enough to ask Stormy the Weather Gnome and I to join them in the Post A-to-Z Road Trip this year.

I was truly flattered and honored that they asked. Tina was very supportive and understanding when the newbie and her gnome asked the dumb questions.

I'll never forget her funny emails, her always relevant movie quotes, and just her general positive attitude, even when things weren't going well for her.

The Road Trip won't be the same without her.

Check out this POST to find out about the Sunflower for Tina tribute taking place soon.

Sunflowers for Tina - September 8, 2014 #LifeisGood #AtoZChallenge

In memory of Tina Downey, the A to Z Team is hosting a sunflower tribute on September 8, 2014 – Remembering Tina Downey.


Prior to that date, purchase or plant a sunflower in her honor. (If you have to resort to plastic, that’s cool.) Take a photo of your sunflower and post in in her memory on Monday, September 8. Tina loved her sunflowers, and we want to splash the blogging world with sunflowers that day and honor a truly amazing woman who was friend and family to so many.

You can sign up now or add your link when you post your sunflower.

Please help us spread the word! Add Tina's motto #LifeisGood as hashtag and share about this blogfest on all social media platforms.

Let’s brighten the Internet with sunflowers the way Tina brightened the lives of so many.

Themes That Rocked - Amazing Photos From Around the World!

Please welcome expat and travel master, Rhonda Albom!

Your theme was My Photos of AmaZing Places – why did you choose that theme?

I wanted a theme that defined me, something incorporating adventure, travel and photography. I also wanted short, easy to read posts. April was prior to my re-branding to Albom Adventures, so my blog was still named Laugh-Quotes. I wanted a clever theme as I was still trying to make that name work. Using the AtoZ style in AmaZing seemed to meet that need.

How many countries did your photos represent?

I had to go back and count. I used photos from only 24 countries, half of the number we have been to collectively, although my teens have only been to 34 countries (I know, I shouldn't say "only").

Which set of photos was your favorite?

Being that AtoZ was a collection of my favourites, this was a difficult question. I am choosing three:
K: Kate and William – Watching the Royals Racing Yachts in Auckland For some reason, I am enchanted by the royals, and when Kate and William came to New Zealand in April, I had to change my post for them. I was pretty pleased with the photos I was able to get.
N: Night Shots of Cities on Five Continents I really love taking night shots. I have printed the night shot of St. Basils Cathedral in Moscow on canvas and it hangs in my house.

X: eXpert Craftsman in Morocoo Did I cheat with eXpert? I am not worried about it. This post made this short list because it is about the people. And for me, meeting the people is one of the best part of travel.

Which letter provided the greatest challenge?

You will never guess . . . it was S. My process was to make a list of AmaZing places. Then I matched it to the alphabet starting with the traditionally difficult letters like J,k,q and z. As I assigned the photos, and paired down the list I had about 10 items remaining at the end, and only the letter S.

Of all the places you’ve visited, which is the most amazing?

Having walked on the Great Wall of China, been inside the Kremlin, rode an elephant in Malaysia, seen platypus in the wild and even taken a broomstick flying lesson at the same castle as Harry Potter, I found this to be a very difficult question. So I used my dictionary, amazing "causing great surprise or wonder." Using this definition, I would have to say it was somewhere in Portugal, either arriving at Obidos to find the city gates locked or Evora where our hotel was haunted, we visited an ossuary, and a circle of monoliths created 400 years before Stonehendge.

Were there any scary moments?

I am pretty easy going in most situations, so being stopped, detained or overly questioned generally doesn't frighten me, especially when I am fairly sure it's more about paying a bribe than about the "issue." I think all long term travels encounter some difficulty along the way. Our scariest moments were: the creepy guy setting us up to be mugged in Morocco; driving through rapidly raising flash flood water in Oman (incident death toll of 6); landing without runway lights in Samoa; riot police running past us towards protesters in the park in Rabat; or being let off a boat in a closed to the public area being used by the military in Moscow.

Did drinking from the Fountain of Youth in Norway work?

I will let you decide. I am actually 107 years old.

If you do the Challenge again next year, do you have a theme in mind?

Yes. It is a fantastic theme and I can't wait for the big revel day so I can share it with you.

Whoa! I guess the fountain did work. Thanks, Rhonda.


Co-host Ninja Captain Alex J. Cavanaugh is the author of Amazon Best-sellers CassaStar, CassaFire, and CassaStorm, and his blog can be found HERE

A Great Loss to the Blogging Community: Tina Downey

       The sad announcement of the passing of Tina Downey appears on her blog Life Is Good today.

        Tina has been an integral part of the A to Z Team for many years and has been the motivator and scheduler on the Blogging from A to Z Challenge Blog.  

          We will post a tribute to Tina here later in the week.    For the time being we hope you will leave a message for her family at Life Is Good.

 
            We all love you Tina!   You will be missed.

Does Weather Affect Your Stories?

Being a California native, I’ve always had to take trips to experience “weather” in the sense of really hot and humid (Southeast Asia) or really cold (Alaska).  Most of the weather we get is of the medium variety (50-70 degrees) with a rare freeze and sometimes a few days in the hundreds during August. And boy do we complain when any of those "extreme" days happen. I think we’re weather sissies.

When I thought about how the weather affected my writing, I had to scratch my brain a bit to come up with something. Then I went to my journal and thumbed through a few entries. What I found was I become more prolific on either really stormy days (usually about day three) or on really sunny, sparkly days. And I know this because I have pages that remark on exactly these weather conditions.


I did discover that any settings I write about during those wintery times have a lot of clouds and windy electrifying scenes.  Here's some wintery day writing.

The first time Marian met Justin Kane, he stood at the center of the burned out lot, making notes on a yellow legal pad while trying to stay dry under his oversized black umbrella.  The unexpected September rain had started early that morning and gave no sign of stopping.  Now with thunder promising an electric sky, the wind picked up and whipped at her jacket, blowing sharp, cold drops against her cheeks. 

There are several summer notes that involve toasty park benches with fountains playing in the background. 

The sun hung in the window, filtering light through the old glass and tinting everything amber inside the kitchen. Outside the fountain sprinkled into the pond, teasing fish to the surface. 

Since I like to write in different locations, when the rain keeps me inside I often roam to different rooms with a clipboard. I do this roaming after I put in a morning (between 4 and 8 is my usual stint) at my desk, pounding on my computer keys. Those spring and summer days allow me to be in the garden or on a hike with my journal tucked into my backpack. I can always spot entries I’ve made outside. They’re smudged with dirt and sometimes a leaf falls out when I flip the page--a small token of a day I’ve lived and written about.

One other thing I discovered, thanks to having thought about weather and writing at the same time, is that I’ve made so many notes about the sounds and textures of what I’m surrounded by, that I have tons of weather to include in almost any book I write that takes place above ground level. 

I keep thinking that Poe must have had a lot of bad weather. Dicken’s, too. I mean all of that snow and British fog had to have some effect on those stories. I’ll bet Miss Haversham wouldn’t have lived in that dark house with the moldy wedding feast if Dicken’s had written his story in, say, Hawaii.

How about the rest of you? Does weather affect your characters and your setting? Ever thought about it? 

Cryogenics: Can We Live Again in the Future?

Robert Ettinger

Robert Ettinger, founder of the cryogenics movement, has died (at least for now) about eighteen months ago at the age of 92. Cryogenics is the process of freezing your head or your entire body in hopes science will one day figure out a way to bring you back from the dead. Ettinger will join his two wives (what was he thinking???) and his mother in frozen limbo. 

The facility is in Clinton Township, Michigan. Over 100 human corpses are floating in the gentle giant capsules filled with liquid nitrogen in hope
s of one day living again. Nobody knows for sure whether we can ever restore consciousness frozen bodies, but cryopreservation is a phenomenon present in the animal kingdom and effective medical technology. 

Many livestock have developed tricks to survive temperatures below zero degrees Celsius, accounting and after periods of paralysis caused by frost. And scientists have made important progress in freezing living tissue and even of whole organs for medical purposes. 

The minimum price that the airline claims for his services is 28,000 dollars. Other organizations charge for customers and amounts up to $ 200,000 and offers the possibility of "neuroprezervării" instead of full body freeze, freezing heads may require only interested in the idea that personality and memories are stored in the brain and loaded into a computer or an artificial body in the future. 

One obstacle to overcome is frozen ice crystals within the bloodstream are very sharp. They can actually cut tissue and blood vessels, causing sever damage that make it difficult preserving vital parts of the human body. 

Question: Do you think this process of cryogenics is actually a possibility? Can we freeze our heads or bodies in hopes that one day technology will enable us to one day live again? 

Stephen Tremp, author of the BREAKTHROUGH series, has a B.A. in information systems and an MBA degree in global management. Stephen has a background in information systems, management, and finance and draws from this varied and complex experiential knowledge to write one-of-a-kind thrillers. His novels are enhanced by current events at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) and other scientific research facilities around the world. These potential advances have the ability to change the way we perceive our universe and our place in it! 

You can visit Stephen Tremp at Breakthrough Blogs. 

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Storyteller's Perspective: History and fiction

Today I stray a little from oral storytelling to telling tales of history.

Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series is taking the Internet by storm. Seriously, has any of you been to Goodreads lately without seeing the banners for the book? Some people cite the show as the "feminist response to Game of Thrones," while others cite the books as the long-awaited revival of historical fiction.
Which is what got me thinking: Is historical fiction really in need of a revival?

I'm going to tell you up front: I don't have an answer to that question. Really, I'm just writing this post to pose the question to the A to Z audience. Visiting blogs as a minion this April I encountered many wonderful authors who work in many genres, and I enjoyed all of those visits. I also noticed that the hottest genre right now seems to be romance and its subgenres (paranormal, erotic, historical, etc.). Which is probably why Outlander reached more exposure (ha! kilts!) and more popularity than many other historical fiction books lately.

I had conversations with people about historical fiction and the challenges authors have to face when they decide to work within this genre (disclaimer up front, I am one of them, hence the interest). The thoughts and opinions I gathered ranged from "Well, no one gives a **** about history" to "It is a lot harder to read than other fiction." Other complaints about historical fiction included "Well, it's kinda boring" (coming from a person that had no problem blazing through 5 volumes of Game of Thrones) and "I have never heard of that place/those people/that time period, so I am not really interested."

With all of that said: Historical fiction lives, thrives, and does have a serious following. People like Philippa Gregory and Bernard Cornwell are doing active and amazing work. The fandom might be less visible than fans of other genres, but that is a topic for another time. For now, I would like to ask a few questions, and see where they take us:

1. Do you read historical fiction?
2. If so, who is your favorite author / what is your favorite book?
3. Do you write historical fiction? What kind? Why?
4. What do you think makes a historical book good?
5. If you want to share any blogs, Twitter feeds, FB pages, etc. related to historical fiction, please do!

Happy last weeks of summer, everyone!

You can find Csenge (@TarkabarkaHolgy) at
The Multicolored Diary - Adventures in Storytelling
MopDog - The crazy thing about Hungarians...

Back-to-School Means...

Hey there friends, it's been a while since I've taken a turn at this wonderful venue.  It's been quite the summer for us - each day a new surprise adventure, some good, some bad, some scary, some a total blessing.  I'll come out and say it: I consider summer over as of today. My youngest started high school.

For many of us, end of summer and beginning of fall doesn't much matter.  Our lives run on a regular schedule, January-December.  Once we were done with school, we became adjusted to a different calendar.

That's never been the case for me.  I went from being a student into immediately being a teacher into having kids and then they had a school schedule.  My life runs mid-August, then all around the year, with summer in between.

There are many rituals I enjoy about getting ready for a new school year to begin: buying school supplies, getting new clothes, getting a fresh haircut, and other preparations.  Egads there's more when you have a senior.  I had been warned repeatedly by my friends with older kids, but being me, Schedule Woman, I thought, "How much different can it be?"  I was wrong.  I'm adjusting.

What does "back-to-school" signify for you?  What's the school year like in your country?  What calendar does you life run by?  Do tell.

~Tina, feeling a bit blue, yet also excited because my son was so thrilled about going :-)

August’s Delicious Detour for Bloggers #atozchallenge #roadtrip

Teriyaki Chicken from Koja Grille. Photo by Nicole Ayers.

What’s a road trip without snacks, drinks and good food?! After all, they are the very basic necessities for a spontaneous picnic, or two. That is why today’s pit stop involves one of the most delicious scavenger hunting activities ever introduced to the A-to-Z Challenge Road Trip, to keep our engines running throughout August. I double dare all road trippers to complete the following tasks before my next Road Trip check-in:

1. Find and visit blogs named after food on the 2014 A-to-Z Challenge Signup List. 

It doesn't have to be a foodie blog with recipes or restaurant reviews per se. Just look for blogs that include food in their title such as Buttered Toast Rocks and you're good to go.

2. In 150 words or less, write a “(Blogging) Book Report” on your blog about one of the places you visited on the list. Make sure that your Blogging Book Report includes information about the following topics:

• The name and subject of the blog.
• Your favorite post on the blog.
• Whether you would visit the blog again in the future.

There are so many blogs on the A-to-Z Challenge list with fruits, nuts, baked desserts, cookies, bread or chocolate in the title (some even with the term “food”) that this is an easy way to get your road trip on while also having a writing prompt for your own blog. Plus, I’m sweetening the deal – send me a link to your “(Blogging) Book Report” post after it’s published and I’ll list your blog my Road Trip check-in next month.

Who’s in?

A-to-Z Challenge Co-Host Nicole Ayers brings the 411 on indie films at The Madlab Post. She recently ate a Mr. Goodbar for lunch and then washed it down with a Snickers; all after months without eating these types of candy, in favor of assorted cakes and pastries. 

Can we blog from Aardvark to Zebra?

Dylan at work

Some time last month my guinea pig Dylan announced he was going to do the A to Z Challenge next year.  He wouldn't be the first guinea pig, since Victor took part in 2012, doing the A to Z of guinea pig food.  Dylan hasn't come up with a theme yet, but I think if he does, he's going to need some help.

Victor made a lot of friends with other animals on the A to Z challenge that year.  There was Dreamweaver, The Mane Point, and Rob Bear, who comes out of hibernation around then to do his blog Chrome on the Range.  I don't think he kept up with them for very long, but time flies when you're a guinea pig.

Last year I noticed that my good friend and fellow A2Z minion Guilie Castillo has a second blog called Life In Dogs.  It's about dog rescues - which she does in Mexico, but also about cat rescues and any animal rescues at all.  She set up a linky for other pet bloggers on the A2Z which I thought was a wonderful way of getting special interest sites together.  If she does it again next year then I'll tell Dylan to sign up for it, as well as the main challenge, and the Theme Reveal, and all those other extras that go with being part of the A to Z Challenge in April.

Are there any Aardvarks or Zebras blogging out there who would like to get involved in the A2Z Pet Network?

*** 

Last week was a painful reminder for me of the good reasons for backing up your blog.  Mine was out of action (although readable by viewers) for nearly a week after a conflict in upgrades gave me no back office/dashboard access.  Faced with the prospect of rebuilding it, I looked for my last back up.  I can do a simple posts export which is the easiest way of keeping content - and in a useable format should I need to change hosts.

I last saved my posts on April 17th - presumably the date I had all my A2Z posts done for the month.  So if things had gone wrong then, all my posts were ready and scheduled.  It's a good reason to schedule posts anyway - you never know when the gremlins are going to hit you!

Given that I'll be away for a week at the end of March, I think I'll have to do most of my April posts before then.  Schedule, and back-up (or save off line).  It's the only way to get peace of mind.

Dylan had better start planning his posts now - then I can back up his blog too!

What about you?  Any interest in pet blogging?  Done a back-up lately?

Jemima Pett blogs at jemimapett.com, and is on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.  She has written the Princelings of the East series (whose characters are guinea pigs) and is working on a new scifi series, the first of which, The Perihelix, Viridian System #1, will be out in 2015.