Trust and Tea

Off the record: I like the way this woman thinks.

“I often consider how life could be different if we all began to cultivate meaningful relationship with our suppliers (the way so many of our customers have) visit their farms and know their children or pets by name...we would trust one another.”
~ Angela Macke, founder Light of Day Organics, a tea company and biodynamic family farm

When I get to speak with cool people like Angela Macke, I feel inspired and blessed. As you may have guessed, today I am writing about tea - actually fruit based tisanes. Have I mentioned how much I love tea and tisanes? Writing this sort of article makes my mouth water. Thank you, to the editors at FRESH CUP magazine for giving me something new to drool over.

On that note, time to go brew a cup...

Media Bistro

Off the Record: Why did it take so long for me to discover Media Bistro?

This site is an invaluable resource for writers. They offer how-to articles, info about mastheads, a place where writers can post their credits or CV, and a plethora (I Love that word) of other information. They also offer classes in cities throughout the U.S.

Last night, I went to a class offered by MB in Boston. It was inspiring, informative and a great opportunity to meet other writers. I suppose some folks would feel competitive, but that's just not me. There's room for all the kids in the coffee shop, and we'll do much better if we share the cream and sugar instead of hoarding it. Bravo to the folks at the bistro who invited us in for a "cuppa joe"!

To Your Health!

Off the Record: What do we really know about nutrition?
I'm researching Nutrient Dense Crop production today for an article in an agricultural trade magazine. While searching the USDA website, I stumbled upon this fascinating article.


Here's an excerpt:

"Contrary to what previous research had suggested, the rate at which calcium was removed from bones of the volunteers--for other uses by their bodies--was the same for omnivore women as for the vegan women."


To your health!

Shout out to HARO

Off the record: A friend introduced me to Peter Shankman's website a few months ago, and I will be eternally grateful! HARO (aka. Help A Reporter Out) is the go-to site for journalists in need of sources. On those rare occasions when I have received an assignment with no leads, or when an editor has accepted a pitch but changed it significantly enough that the contacts I was going to use no longer work, I have turned to HARO.

If you're a reporter in need of sources, a PR agent scouting media placement opportunities for your clients, or an expert in any field, then it would behoove you to check out HARO and it's sister site www.shankman.com

Thanks, Peter, Mike, Laura, Meagan, and Thom!

Live Passionately!

"In order to be ALIVE you need to live passionately. You need to feel things deeply or you become like the simple donut, with a big hole in the middle."

Off the record: these words of wisdom are courtesy of my Aunt Lil, a former art teacher, who still paints and remains active, despite living with a painful and debilitating disease

The Book(s)

Wow, has it really been almost a month since my last post???

Off the record: Vacation Time is GRRRRRREAT! What did I do, aside from spend time with my beautiful child?

I reflected, I read novels and magazines, and I considered my future. And, oh yeah, I wrote FOR MYSELF. As enjoyable as journalism is, there is nothing like the feeling of just letting words flow without worrying about who's going to read them, what they may think, and whether or not the writing is actually good. Playing with words is one of the joys of my life.

I also resumed thinking about the book project I started earlier this year, when I traveled to Nicaragua to interview people with disabilities. Just as I was feeling discouraged about the possibility of actually getting the thing published (or being PAID to write it), I stumbled upon a super-helpful post about getting published at Editorial Ass. It's amazing how just reading the info therein got my creative juices flowing, reminded me of how much I have to offer and made me see that I actually do have a chance at getting a book published!

As Moon Rat (the Editorial Ass blogger) says, "Published authors are just the writers who had the most perseverance."

p.s. Two novels I read and LOVED this summer:
"The Sound of Waves," by Yukio Mishima
"The Westing Game," by Ellen Raskin (recommended by my daughter)

Two Beautiful Words

Off the record, the 2 most beautiful words I heard last week were "It's benign."

Spoken by the surgeon who removed the left suprior parathyroid, with embedded tumor, from my mother's neck, those words sounded better than anything I had heard in a long time. It's been a busy and intense summer, in large part due to the havoc that 3 millimeter tumor wreaked on mom's health and ability to care for herself. Thankfully she is healing and regaining her strength and energy quickly!
Prior to this nightmarish experience, I had never heard of the parathyroid. I had no idea it was one of four tiny glands within the thyroid; nor did I understand the important function these glands serve in regulating calcium. Had we left this condition unchecked, my mother's bones would have become severely brittle and she would have been at serious risk for renal failure!

There is a story here for sure, and it is one that, if published in the right outlet, has the power to save lives.