About This Blog

Welcome!

Dancing on Mars ( published by All Things That Matter Press)—is available for Nook at Barnes and Noble online and at Amazon in paperback, Kindle, and audio. To check out reviews or order your own version: http://www.amazon.com/Dancing-Mars-Lucinda-Shirley/product-reviews/0985006617/ref=sr_1_1_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1


One reader says, "Dancing on Mars is a genre-bender, mixing interview, memoir and original poems. It's a feast, not an appetizer!"

Here's how author Cassie Premo Steele describes it: "They say 'the truth shall set you free,' and here it is: a truth-telling memoir about growing up in the small-town, segregated South—politics, sex and religion; relationship, marriage and motherhood; loss, healing, feminism and enlightenment; and the bare beauty of a life by the water's edge. . . ."

There are also some fascinating insights from other women on the subject of living married and single lifestyles— and a sprinkling of original poems to amplify relevant prose.

One reviewer says, "This is EveryWoman's book—every age, every experience. You will laugh, cry and learn through this fascinating, honest and courageous journey to one woman's truth, but you won't put it down." A few wise men have enjoyed it and learned more about women.

You'll find a book trailer here and photos from the hometown in Dancing on Mars. I'll be posting comments and sharing book reviews, writing about themes presented in the book, and sometimes commenting on the events of the day. Humor will be in the mix; it's a high-value aspect of my life.

Please click "follow" to receive new posts from this blog. Also, you can click the Facebook "like" icon if you like what you read. And there's an option to "recommend on Google." Promotional possibilities abound. Would you kindly visit my Facebook author page and "like" it? http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lucinda-Shirley-author-Dancing-on-Mars/189083217857282.

Writers need readers almost as much as we need oxygen, so major thanks for being here. I'll be happy to hear from you!

Lucinda

Monday, December 31, 2012

New Year's Eve 2012

 

When you surrender to what is and so become fully present, the past ceases to have any power. You do not need it anymore. Presence is the key. Now is the key.
                                                                                - Eckhart Tolle

 

Early morning on the lake this last day of 2012, on the cusp of a New Year. Hard freeze on the dam, and the moon hung around to kiss the dawn.

So, how will we choose to use this new time? How do we make the most of every breath?

Listening, learning, laughing, loving— being completely present in each unfolding moment. Fully attending to the moment just as it is. That's my lofty intention. What's yours?


Friday, December 28, 2012

Short Story Challenge

(Posted on Facebook by one of my  favorite authors, Janna McMahan.)   Shall we rise to the challenge?  It could be fun!

The Short Story Challenge 2013 is open for registration! Writers are challenged to create short stories based on genre, subject, and character assignments in as little as 24 hours. The first round kicks off on February 22nd where writers will have 8 days to create a 2,500 word story. Learn more and register at http://www.nycmidnight.com/Competitions/SSC/Challenge.htm - happy holidays!
The Short Story Challenge 2013
www.nycmidnight.com
The official website for the Short Story Challenge 2013 on nycmidnight.com, a creative writing competition that challenges writers to create short stories based on genre, subject, and character assignments in as little as 24 hours.
 

Sunday, December 16, 2012

The Bliss Bringer's Getting Excited . . .

You can bet she's charming Santa without even trying.  I'm proud of her and her amazing parents.   Wishing you Happy Holidays and a New Year filled with happy surprises!

Thursday, December 13, 2012

. . . Hope After Despair

I've been slack with commentary recently, minding other blogs and dealing with new allergies/asthma.   But here's an inspiring thought from Rumi, thanks to the Rumi page on Facebook. 

       There is hope after despair and many suns after darkness.  ~  Rumi


Thursday, December 6, 2012

Falling and Getting Up

                     (from Mary Costanza A Woman's Heart and Soul/Facebook)

Dancing on Mars is about starting over again and again, in many ways Everywoman's journey.  After all, isn't every woman the hero of her own life story?

I love hearing from readers, so be in touch if you'd like to e-talk about  how your life parallels my story.   Meanwhile, carry on!


Monday, December 3, 2012

Yep

Something to remember on a daily basis—better yet, every minute of every day.

(Robyn S. Dawson/Facebook)

Friday, November 23, 2012

"I'm Not Really A Feminist . . ."

From Upworthy via Facebook a video speaking to women who say things like "I don't think of myself as a feminist."    This is a good fit for the Dancing on Mars blog because it speaks to issues raised in the book.  Woman issues.  Being nice when you feel like screaming.  Being authentic.


Enjoy the view.  http://www.upworthy.com/finally-a-video-for-women-who-dont-consider-themselves-feminists?c=ucfb1

Thursday, November 15, 2012

Message for a Rainy Day

 

At a minimum!  Remember this, always.

(Cathy Lortie/Facebook)

Saturday, November 10, 2012

Knowing

T

This thought (from The Mind Unleashed/Facebook) is a major theme in Dancing on Mars.

Saturday, October 27, 2012

 

Oriah Mountain Dreamer speaks powerfully here to anyone in a life situation that stifles the soul.  Can we disappoint another —usually meaning opt out of living the way they want us to live— in order to be true to ourselves? 

 

This seems to be the perfect prelude to "The Journey" by Mary Oliver, possibly my favorite poem.

 

The Journey

 by Mary Oliver

One day you finally knew
what you had to do, and began,
though the voices around you
kept shouting
their bad advice --
though the whole house
began to tremble
and you felt the old tug
at your ankles.
"Mend my life!"
each voice cried.
But you didn't stop.
You knew what you had to do,
though the wind pried
with its stiff fingers
at the very foundations,
though their melancholy
was terrible.
It was already late
enough, and a wild night,
and the road full of fallen
branches and stones.
But little by little,
as you left their voices behind,
the stars began to burn
through the sheets of clouds,
and there was a new voice
which you slowly
recognized as your own,
that kept you company
as you strode deeper and deeper
into the world,
determined to do
the only thing you could do --
determined to save
the only life you could save.



Saturday, October 20, 2012

Thought for This Day

From Little Bird You Are Perfect/Facebook.

Thursday, October 18, 2012

Pat Conroy on Banned Books

This letter—a feast for book lovers of all ages—was emailed to me by a friend; the origin of the post was cited as Letters of Note.  Apparently it was posted on the internet during Banned Books Week.  I believe this is more than noteworthy:

When, in 2007, author Pat Conroy was told by a concerned student that two of his books, The Prince of Tides and Beach Music, had been banned by the Kanawha County school board following complaints from parents, he sent the following letter to the area's local newspaper, The Charleston Gazette, and made known his disgust at such censorship. It was immediately published. After much deliberation and publicity, the bans were eventually lifted.



October 24, 2007



To the Editor of the Charleston Gazette:


I received an urgent e-mail from a high school student named Makenzie Hatfield of Charleston, West Virginia. She informed me of a group of parents who were attempting to suppress the teaching of two of my novels, The Prince of Tides and Beach Music. I heard rumors of this controversy as I was completing my latest filthy, vomit-inducing work. These controversies are so commonplace in my life that I no longer get involved. But my knowledge of mountain lore is strong enough to know the dangers of refusing to help a Hatfield of West Virginia. I also do not mess with McCoys.



I've enjoyed a lifetime love affair with English teachers, just like the ones who are being abused in Charleston, West Virginia, today. My English teachers pushed me to be smart and inquisitive, and they taught me the great books of the world with passion and cunning and love. Like your English teachers, they didn't have any money either, but they lived in the bright fires of their imaginations, and they taught because they were born to teach the prettiest language in the world. I have yet to meet an English teacher who assigned a book to damage a kid. They take an unutterable joy in opening up the known world to their students, but they are dishonored and unpraised because of the scandalous paychecks they receive. In my travels around this country, I have discovered that America hates its teachers, and I could not tell you why. Charleston, West Virginia, is showing clear signs of really hurting theirs, and I would be cautious about the word getting out.



In 1961, I entered the classroom of the great Eugene Norris, who set about in a thousand ways to change my life. It was the year I read The Catcher in the Rye, under Gene's careful tutelage, and I adore that book to this very day. Later, a parent complained to the school board, and Gene Norris was called before the board to defend his teaching of this book. He asked me to write an essay describing the book's galvanic effect on me, which I did. But Gene's defense of The Catcher in the Rye was so brilliant and convincing in its sheer power that it carried the day. I stayed close to Gene Norris till the day he died. I delivered a eulogy at his memorial service and was one of the executors of his will. Few in the world have ever loved English teachers as I have, and I loathe it when they are bullied by know-nothing parents or cowardly school boards.



About the novels your county just censored: The Prince of Tides and Beach Music are two of my darlings which I would place before the altar of God and say, "Lord, this is how I found the world you made." They contain scenes of violence, but I was the son of a Marine Corps fighter pilot who killed hundreds of men in Korea, beat my mother and his seven kids whenever he felt like it, and fought in three wars. My youngest brother, Tom, committed suicide by jumping off a fourteen-story building; my French teacher ended her life with a pistol; my aunt was brutally raped in Atlanta; eight of my classmates at The Citadel were killed in Vietnam; and my best friend was killed in a car wreck in Mississippi last summer. Violence has always been a part of my world. I write about it in my books and make no apology to anyone. In Beach Music, I wrote about the Holocaust and lack the literary powers to make that historical event anything other than grotesque.



People cuss in my books. People cuss in my real life. I cuss, especially at Citadel basketball games. I'm perfectly sure that Steve Shamblin and other teachers prepared their students well for any encounters with violence or profanity in my books just as Gene Norris prepared me for the profane language in The Catcher in the Rye forty-eight years ago.



The world of literature has everything in it, and it refuses to leave anything out. I have read like a man on fire my whole life because the genius of English teachers touched me with the dazzling beauty of language. Because of them I rode with Don Quixote and danced with Anna Karenina at a ball in St. Petersburg and lassoed a steer in Lonesome Dove and had nightmares about slavery in Beloved and walked the streets of Dublin in Ulysses and made up a hundred stories in The Arabian Nights and saw my mother killed by a baseball in A Prayer for Owen Meany. I've been in ten thousand cities and have introduced myself to a hundred thousand strangers in my exuberant reading career, all because I listened to my fabulous English teachers and soaked up every single thing those magnificent men and women had to give. I cherish and praise them and thank them for finding me when I was a boy and presenting me with the precious gift of the English language.



The school board of Charleston, West Virginia, has sullied that gift and shamed themselves and their community. You've now entered the ranks of censors, book-banners, and teacher-haters, and the word will spread. Good teachers will avoid you as though you had cholera. But here is my favorite thing: Because you banned my books, every kid in that county will read them, every single one of them. Because book-banners are invariably idiots, they don't know how the world works—but writers and English teachers do.



I salute the English teachers of Charleston, West Virginia, and send my affection to their students. West Virginians, you've just done what history warned you against—you've riled a Hatfield.



Sincerely,

Pat Conroy

Saturday, October 6, 2012

A Room of One's Own


Intellectual freedom depends on material things. Poetry depends upon intellectual freedom, and  women have always been poor, not for two hundred years, but from the beginning of time ... That is why I have laid so much stress on money and a room of one’s own.
 
Virginia Woolf, A Room of One’s Own, 1929

 

Even though I'm working on some writing projects and continue with promotion for Dancing on Mars, I feel the urge to get back to my coaching.  That is, working with individuals or small groups to encourage and empower them as they take on personal writing projects.

 

Virginia Woolf was right about having a room of one's own.   I always tell coaching clients, if we're to fully express our creative selves, space of our own is an important thing to have.   In circumstances where a dedicated room is not do-able, there are other ways to claim physical space where creativity can flourish.   I once removed bi-fold doors from a double closet and had the shelf moved down to a comfortable height for writing or painting.  There was a light in the closet, so no need for expensive electrical work.  Even though the room was a dedicated guest room, my cozy alcove worked well until I moved to another town and made studio space a priority.  And it's the room with the best view!

 

If you don't have a room of your own, there needs to be a clear understanding between you and your housemates, be it spouse, partner, children or roommate:  That is, when you're in creative mode, you count on their respecting your time and solitude.  If necessary, work out a schedule where a particular room belongs only to you.  A room that has a door you can close while you are working if you need to do that.  Most of the time I need a quiet environment for writing; I don't even do well with most background music.  With painting, music sometimes stimulates my process.

 

Some writers do well taking their laptops or journals to coffee houses or the public library.  While I'm too easily distracted for that to work for me, public places sometimes work well for others.

 

I once gave a friend a tiny birdhouse—probably intended as a Christmas tree ornament or somesuch—to hang on the door of her designated writing space when she didn't want to be disturbed.   You might consider using a similar symbol that tells the family or housemate you are busy; it's a warmer way of saying "DO NOT DISTURB!"  It might be something as simple as a scarf tied around the doorknob.  And if you have children or a Type A partner, you could post a note on the door, giving a time others may expect you to re-enter their world.

 

One thing I especially enjoy coaching people through is writing their life legacy.  As I write this, I realize how ready I am to get back to that. Let me know if you're ready to launch a personal writing project; meanwhile, I wish you a creative day!

 

Today

I'm riding out a flood of uncertainties on a raft of hope.   Make your life raft sturdy, and you can trust it to get you safely through life's turbulent waters.  Every time.


Friday, October 5, 2012

A Reader-Friend Shares Food for Thought

Thanks to a thoughtful friend and fan of Dancing on Mars for sharing this thought.  We all can benefit from remembering these words and not waiting for our storms to go away before committing to fully live and love life, dancing our own authentic dances, even in the rain.  Thank you Dianne!

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

From Rumi

"This Love journey
is surely the hardest and
most twisted road I have taken.
I began the journey
but my Heart
is still dragging behind

                                                 wrapped around your feet."
                                                                                      ~Rumi
  (from Rumi Quotes page/FB)

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

This One's For YOU!

 "Beauty in You" - Karen Drucker

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5Jz6gLDOhg


Know, always, there is beauty in you.  Never doubt it.  Dance to the music of your beauty.  Follow it where it takes you.  Be the beauty that you are.  Live as authentically as the beauty that you are.  

I see beauty in you.  I see beauty in you.   Look in the mirror and see it, too!


Friday, September 28, 2012

For the Child in Us All

From Brookgreen Gardens, Pawleys Island, South Carolina.  Come experience the magic and serenity of this place.  Poems are carved in some of the garden walls;  the sculptures are breathtaking!    The Children's Garden is one of my favorite places at Brookgreen.  Actually I have several favorites.  

 

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Can You Disappoint Another?

These words from Oriah Mountain Dreamer are worth pondering.  They touch on themes in Dancing on Mars—people-pleasing, learning to be true to Self, and growing into an authentic life. 




Saturday, September 22, 2012

And the Seasons Go Round and Round

The diva below is bidding summer goodbye.  Here in the South Carolina Lowcountry, not far from the beach, it's a glorious day to welcome Autumn.  Actually, we'll have the best of both seasons for a while yet.  Today would be a good beach day, 80ish with a hint of fall's heightened energy already in the air.

Since today is about finding balance between the dark and the light, the positive and the negative, I intend to spend some time contemplating balance.  Maybe meditate on it.   Balance is a good thing any time I can find it.  People mistakenly believe Libras to be balanced, like the image of the scales in that sign of the Zodiac; fact is, Libras are always seeking balance and greatly in need of having it in daily life. 

I'll loosen my grasp on summer tonight and welcome the Autumn Equinox.  Meanwhile, the Diva sings her farewell, remembering the sweet gifts of summer.  She's good at "dancing on Mars"—savoring every moment.  May you keep dancing your own dance and find balance in the coming season. 

I love the Divas from Columbia, SC artist Bill Davis.  (He has a Divas page on Facebook.)

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Homage to a World of Books!

Happy International Book Week! 



"If there's a book you really want to read but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write   it."  ~ Toni Morrison

"I find television to be very educating.  Every time somebody turns on the set, I go in the other room and read a book."  ~   Groucho Marx

 "It is what you read when you don't have to that determines what you will be when you can't help it."  ~  Oscar Wilde

"Books had instant replay long before televised sports."  ~ Bern Williams

"Books can be dangerous.  The best ones should be labeled "This could change your life.'"       ~ Helen Exley

"Good friends, good books and a sleepy conscience:  this is the ideal life."  ~ Mark Twain 


Let's call in well and curl up with a good book this week! 









 

Pondering This Paradox


f
(from ZenCEO/Facebook via my friend Lisa)

Sunday, September 9, 2012

Thought for Today

These words from Ooopsidaisi on Facebook go hand in glove with the themes in Dancing on Mars.

 

Thursday, September 6, 2012

A Generous Review

5.0 out of 5 stars Dancing on Mars Review
By 
Jan Jernigan -Amazon Verified Purchase
This review is from: Dancing on Mars (Paperback)
This book is a breath of fresh air...written by an optimistic, witty southern woman. It is filled with wisdom and humor. I love the poetry! The characters are rich and very real. Dancing on Mars will keep you reading. The author offers deep insight into relationships as well as self-discovery. Lucinda Shirley can take the simplest phrase and make it come alive. I promise you will enjoy this book from start to finish! Your life will be richer for having read it!

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

What Kind of Book Reader Are You?

Check this out this article by Jen Doll in The Atlantic; it's a "diagnostics guide."  I'm about to read it  and learn more about my reading style.   I'd love to know what you learn about yours!

http://www.theatlanticwire.com/entertainment/2012/08/what-kind-book-reader-are-you-diagnostics-guide/56337/

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Bookish Thought and Shameless Plug

(from Book Riot via Facebook)

 Shameless plug:  DANCING ON MARS is available in Nook at Barnes and Noble,  in paperback and Kindle at Amazon.  A few friends are giving it as gifts to friends and family.  Great idea, huh?  Shameless.  Warned you!  


Sunday, September 2, 2012

Indeed - Key word "alone"

"Volume depends precisely on the writer's having been able to sit in a room every day, year after year, alone." ~  Susan Sontag

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Thought for Today

                                         from Calming Your Inner Storm via Facebook.

A New Review

By 
EHH
   This review is from: Dancing on Mars (Paperback)
Lucinda Shirley's Dancing on Mars is part autobiography and part search for answers to a meaningful life. It's also a book about relationships. She includes a number of interviews on marriage and the single life. I especially enjoyed the biography section. The honesty and forthrightness of her story jump off the page! It is a serious book but is filled with all sorts of humor and some really funny dry wit. Many times while reading it, I found myself suddenly laughing out loud. She takes on religion too. Her ideas about religion and the impact that early conservative Christian teachings had on her life concluding with her now robust and mature spirituality are intriguing. If you are inclined to look for new insights into living life fully, Dancing on Mars is a must read.

Monday, August 20, 2012

The Gift of Choosing

Found on Facebook via Begin Within; artist: Robin Meade.

 Lovely thought, isn't it?

At bedtime on a rainy Monday in August, I make a promise to mySelf:  I will remember this!  And I will remember there's always a choice.  Even when I'm not too enthusiastic about any of the options, I can choose.

Turning out the light now with the image of this glorious purple-red-turquoise bird behind my eyes.  Maybe it's the Bird of Happy Tomorrows.  Sweet dreams, y'all.

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

The Three-Letter Word

 I was surprised to learn of Helen Gurley Brown's passing.   She seemed immortal somehow, didn't she?  She was an inspiration to a lot of women and a role model for me, especially in her last couple of decades—tango lessons in her 80's,  still working up until her death the other day, at 90. 
In hindsight, I regret not giving her due credit in Dancing on Mars, the "Notes from a Recovering Victorian" chapter.  Ms. Brown and Cosmopolitan certainly impacted this recovering Victorian—even though some articles were beyond my small-town level of sophistication.  But the revelations I found between the Cosmo covers were filed away somewhere in my brain or my Being.  They were "filed away" until needed for practical application or to help me feel better about myself as a woman.  Truth be told, the purpose served was most often the latter.  Having those pages affirm that s-e-x, in and of itself, wasn't "dirty" at all (as we often heard it depicted in jokes, in high school and beyond was huge.  Cosmo gave self-respecting women permission to say "sex" without apologizing, permission even to like it. 
Ms Helen, you will be gratefully remembered by a countless women AND men, who feel sexier because of you and your life's work.  You richly deserve peace, although the thought of you resting  is beyond my imagination.  Thank you for being the pioneer we needed all those years.

Sunday, August 12, 2012

"Renewed faith in my gender"

Sharing another perspective on Dancing on Mars from an Amazon reviewer.   Thank you for sharing the book and reviews with your friends and contacts!  I get by with a lot of help from my friends!  Sending out love to you all this morning.


Renewed faith in my gender, July 20, 2012
By 
BulaB -   
This review is from: Dancing on Mars (Paperback)
After a couple of years of dealing with "mean girls" in the work environment, a friend shared "Dancing on Mars" with me. It reminded me that one's personal journey, ripe with life lessons, will be replete with bumps and potholes along the way but to not let them be the defining factors of the journey. The sharing of Shirley's and others stories helped to heal much of the hurt I was feeling, and to remember and treasure all of my many women friends and "sisters" who are a part of my circle of life. This is a great book to share with others and makes for thoughtful conversation.....a good selection for a book club for sure.

Enjoy!

Friday, August 3, 2012

Sharing Reviews


A dear friend who lives part-time in Pennsylvania and part-time in Colorado has given Dancing on Mars as a gift to several of her friends in both places!  She let me know that one of them posted a review, and here it is.  I hope to meet her one of these days and say thanks.

5.0 out of 5 stars Like Sitting Down With A Friend, July 30, 2012
By 
V.F.R. - This review is from: Dancing on Mars (Paperback)
If you'd like to measure your personal growth against someone who has been there, done that, read Lucinda Shirley's journey toward inner peace and contentment.
Reading Dancing on Mars is like sitting down with a friend and talking about topics that every woman reflects on for herself, but checks her impressions against others that she likes and respects. You might share events that sent you down one path or another; you might confer about allowing yourself to decorate whatever space you call home to suit yourself. You'd no doubt talk about religion versus spirituality, and about places, authors, and personalities that have influenced your lives.
No moralizing, no lurid tragedies, just good companionship. This is what you find while gliding through the pages of Dancing On Mars. You may even find yourself inspired to recount your own story of acceptance and celebration, of becoming who you are, of being yourself.


                                                                                 * * *

The following review further validates what some readers have been telling me all along:  The book is appealing to women across the age spectrum!  Of course that makes me happy.

As the song says, "Money can't buy me love," and that's something I keep in mind.  This book isn't making me rich in dollars; however, readers are making me feel every day that every hour, week, month and year have been worthwhile.  Thank each of you for making this a rich experience by giving Dancing on Mars and me your generous support! 

Insight for any age, July 24, 2012
By 
Eliza  Amazon Verified Purchase
This review is from: Dancing on Mars (Paperback)
As a 20-something growing woman, I feel this book is fantastic for any age. The pages are filled with beauty, insight, and humor that kept me turning one after the other. Her spiritual journey I found most interesting because I went through a similar experience of giving up the social norms and traditions of religion and moving to a more personal and profound spirituality. I can't wait to share this jewel with my girlfriends!

Monday, July 30, 2012

Starting Over

Indeed.  This is one of the themes in Dancing on Mars.   (Image from Connect With Angels)

Thursday, July 26, 2012

From Rumi

"If light is in your heart, you will find your way home."  ~  Rumi from Ganesha's Place on FB

This reminds me of "Hundreds of Ways to Kneel" from Dancing on Mars, the segment about the ever-evolving spiritual journey.

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Holding Patterns

I've come to recognize certain periods of inertia as times that deserve my trust.  They've earned it.  Now I understand that these "holding patterns" have a purpose:  to hold me in a place of inaction where I feel stuck and unable to break free.  At the onset of these periods, I'm usually clueless about what I will be breaking free of; I won't know that until later, when the next phase of life unfolds.  There's nothing I can do to accelerate the process.  Spiritual temper tantrums are useless, so now  I count on finding enough patience and trust to get me by.  Patience, trust, and - not least -  compassion for myself.  The Universe/Creator/God/Higher Power holds the ultimate wisdom, and I'll be moving in some new direction in good time.  At the right time, that is.



                                     (From Facebook.  Sorry, no source.)
                                           
             
There's no need to attempt" fixing" myself— or anyone else who appears to be contributing to what feels like my endless stagnation.  I understand that I'm not depressed or lazy.   I'm just on the brink of experiencing new aspects of self and new ways of being in the world.  For me, these times have become a natural prelude to change.

A "holding pattern" has been my reality this steamy summer; it will be interesting to see what it brings.   Meanwhile,  I intend to love myself through the waiting.  Not always easy, but a worthy goal.  I'll keep you posted.

Monday, July 23, 2012

Help Wanted

From Oriah Mountain Dreamer via Facebook

Musings Early on a Monday Morning

"i'm not telling you it's going to be easy, i'm telling you it's going to be worth it." - from busybeingfabulous.typepad.com via Pinterest.

So let's consider launching this work week with that thought, knowing that whatever comes our way will be "worth it."  Provided we're aware and able to learn from "it."

 Today I'm feeling especially grateful for friends and other loved ones.  Somehow whatever else is going on, when I can get myself back to a place of  gratitude, all is well.  All is well despite "whatever else" is going on.   Have a meaning-full day, Friends.

(Thanks to my exquisite friend Lyn for posting this smile material on Facebook.)

 

Friday, July 20, 2012

A Small Distraction to End a Sad Day

I closed the curtain on this hellish day after a spark of distraction came by way of a new review at Amazon.  Sometimes one good thing, small or life-changing, can shift my emotional state of being into a higher gear.   I'm grateful for that, even when the infusion of light is temporary.

 Surely few humans have remained untouched by the tragic shootings in Aurora earlier today; like me, many are probably experiencing grief on a number of levels—for starters, horror that something like this could happen in a suburban movie theater here in our Country.  (A movie theater always has been a refuge for me, sitting in the comfort of darkness clutching my popcorn like a life raft.)  And there's been deep sadness for the victims and their loved ones— even some sadness for the shooter who must be a deeply disturbed and tormented human, and certainly I feel great sadness for his loved ones.

 For me, another layer of compelling grief surrounds a knowing:  In my heart of hearts I feel certain this horrifying event isn't likely to turn any "right to carry"members of Congress into new gun-control advocates.  Not with the powerful NRA lobby calling the shots.  Forgive me.  I can do better than that.  I should say holding the re-election money bags.  I'll try to let go of the political rant festering in my solar plexus for now and move on to my welcomed trivial, but bright, distraction.

About an hour ago I visited the Amazon Dancing on Mars page to lift a few quotes from reviews— which, by the way, have been holding steady at 23 for a good while.  My heart became lighter at  the sight of the number 24, lighter still after reading the new post.  I greatly appreciate, and am humbled by, all the reviews.   I posted the one from today (by BulaB) under "Reviews" along with a few others and some excerpts from reviews and articles.

The generous spirits of readers have certainly lifted my spirits today.  There's still a lot of healing left to do all around though; I'm sending thoughts of love and comfort to everyone touched by the Aurora shootings— and wishing us all a peaceful and restorative weekend.

                                                                          * * *



Thursday, July 19, 2012

Enlightenment!

This has answered so many questions I explored in Dancing on Mars.  Simple, yet—profound.  Seriously, don't you love it!?


from Sherryl Frauenglass:  A Woman's True Voice via Mary Stevenson on Facebook.

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Embrace Life!


Embrace life - it is either pleasuring you, giving you opportunities or teaching you.
     This is a message worth remembering daily!

Photo shared on Facebook via Ganesha's Place -   July 17, 2012

Thursday, July 12, 2012

When Pigs Read

Arnold Ziffle and the Bliss Bringer found a good vacation read.   Staged?  Of course not—just one of Arnold's pig-headed ideas!


http://www.amazon.com

Saturday, July 7, 2012

DANCING ON MARS front cover






If I've posted a picture of the book cover, I can't find it now!  Definitely should be on the book blog, don't you think?  The cover art is a photo of a painting of mine, and the cover design was created by All Things That Matter Press.  As I was writing it, I had no idea what a cover for my book might look like.  It's amazing how we usually have everything we need, right?  Sometimes it's just a matter of being open to what it is and where it is.    I had this painting long before I began working on the book.  I'm learning that things have a way of working out when I don't attempt to "push the river" but just allow the energy to flow.  Great how that works and even greater when I can remember to trust what I can't see and let go!

Wednesday, July 4, 2012

Independence Day Inspiration

To all of you who know you can:

She turned her can'ts into cans
and her dreams into plans. 
                  ~  unknown 

    * * *

 Never let the odds keep you from doing what you know in your heart you were meant to do!
                    ~ etsy.com
             

Saturday, June 30, 2012

Treadmill Musings

As a child, Saturdays were reserved for the picture show;  I'd often go with my friends whose elegant grandmother owned the theater.  You know we got the royal treatment from her!

I remember how special those times were.  I'm also remembering a soundproof "cry room" at the back of the theater where parents could take a noisy child who'd be ruining "Lassie" or somesuch for the other ticket holders.  Sometimes, when it wasn't occupied, my friends and I would have dominion over the little room where a huge picture window faced the screen.  And there was sound coming into the room, if not going out.  When we'd manage to have time in the "Cry Room," we were too busy feeling important to cry; the place was like our own private screening room.

The other day I noticed a "Change Room" sign on a door at the gym.  How fabulous would it be, when we wanted to change—not our clothes, but ourselves—if we could walk into a room thinking about the changes we wanted to make in ourselves and walk out with those changes made.  Just like that.  Done. 

                                                    

Something like Clark Kent going into the phone booth and coming out as Superman.  If we could change habits or attitudes or our past hurts and grievances by simply deciding what we want to change and then walking into the room. . . .

Then I thought:  If we could do that, how could we know we wouldn't be eliminating a significant reason for having the human experience in the first place?  The struggles, the lessons— you know, the process of becoming more open-hearted.  Or becoming whatever.   We might be messing with the very meaning of life.  Besides that, a lot of mental health professionals would be out of work if personal evolution were that easy. 

Without our own "change rooms" we will continue to strive for more awareness, ever wanting to remember our wholeness.  Meditation, friends, a support group, a good therapist— whatever it takes to fully become our own authentic Selves.  And then to find the courage to live in sync with exactly who we are.  Yep, that just might be one of the challenges of a lifetime.

It was fun to think about a "change room" though.   There's always time for contemplation on the old treadmill for someone who can't read while moving.



Thursday, June 28, 2012

Fun with River Club Readers

Great evening with the River Club's Book Club at Pawleys Island, SC. What a fabulous group of intelligent, sensitive, and open-minded readers! DANCING ON MARS was their June selection.

Took my camera  so I could share more of the experience here; apparently I need more photo remediation.  The pics were either seriously blurry or too dark.  So, picture a room full of beautiful women you'd like to have as your friends.  And the dinner was outstanding.  Is there a cookbook project in their future?

During discussion, comments made it clear that the book continues to validate my intention; it's touching other women's  (and a few men's) lives in a positive way.  Generous in sharing their life experiences, the group talked about how the book has affected them.  They're sharing it with friends and family.   Thank you, River Club Book Club Book Club readers. You've made me very happy!

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Nora Ephron

So sad to learn of a brilliant writer's passing at 71.  I've always admired her honesty,  loved her sharp wit, and the amazing courage she showed in writing about subjects that are not easy to handle.  Rest in peace, dear Nora! 

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Of Book Reviews and Summertime

I've done a little better lately about limiting my compulsive visits to Amazon, checking out reviews for Dancing on Mars.  It had been a few days since my last visit, and I was happy to find  23 favorable reviews!  I don't think there's a limit on the number allowed, so feel free to post one if you'd like.

After a full day of medical tests in the Midlands yesterday, I'm glad the results were good.  Best of all, my doctor is enjoying Dancing on Mars.  Since he has very little time to read for pleasure, I'm honored that he chose this book.  He says he especially likes the humor; you know I loved hearing that!
                                                                            * * * 
    Words from Rudyard Kipling:                                

                                     Oh do not tell the priest our plight,
                                     Or he would call it sin;
                                     But we have been out in the woods all night,
                                     A-conjuring Summer in . . . .

Hope you're enjoying this first day of Summer.  Cloudless skies over the lake this morning, Great Egret fishing by the dam.  A lazy gator is gliding by, apparently in no hurry.  In a summer mode.

I'm thinking of my grandmother, Mammy,  and how she was ever-patient with my requests for her to play "In the Good Old Summertime" on the piano.  (You met Mammy in the book.) No doubt my feeling that Summer means freedom relates to school days.  But even today, despite the heat, humidity and mosquitoes, I still love "the good ole summertime."   Let me get back to you when the temperatures reach triple digits.

Meanwhile, it's time for a tall glass of iced tea - with mint!




Sunday, June 17, 2012

Father's Day 2012

In Dancing on Mars I say that my father, when he met my mother, was "a ringer for young Brando."  He's the one on the left, taking a break from Midshipman School to be with one of his older brothers, CW.  I miss Papa every day and so grateful that he's a part of me now.  We were a lot alike!

                                     

Saturday, June 16, 2012

So True

and yet it's so hard to believe when the wound is fresh, isn't it?  I've learned that it's also true that we become strong in the broken places.   Let's celebrate our Light and our strength today!

                   (KindOverMatter.com via Ganesha's Place on FB; thanks for this post!)

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Rainy Days & Book Reviews

It just keeps on a-raining here in Georgetown.  The lake is filled to the brim, white water gushing under the bridge like a miniature Niagara Falls.  I love rain, even lots of it; that is, on days when I can stay inside.  Somehow the rain slows me down, quiets the inner landscape enough to hear what's going on in my heart.   Rainy days grant permission to be only as productive as I truly want to be—not as productive as I "should" be.

Between yesterday's rainstorms,  a colorful visitor stopped by to snack at the bird feeder:  A Painted Bunting!  He wasn't spooked that I was sitting at an open window only inches away and talking on the phone, in a whisper after seeing him there.  A brave and beautiful fellow.  At one point, I could have sworn he winked at me.  What a thrill it was, this first sighting.   It seemed more likely he was AWOL from some magical movie set than outside my window.   Here's a photo; I didn't have a camera handy, so this one's from the web.
 

                                               

After the bird excitement, there was something else to be delighted about—a wonderful review of Dancing on Mars.   If only I could internalize these generous words, I'd be a whole lot braver!  Meanwhile, I'll just continue to feel very grateful.  Here's the review:

Lucinda Shirley opens up her life to readers in the warmest, most engaging and enlightening way. It is easy to relate to the changes and challenges she shares, especially as a southern woman. I love that she weaves her wonderful poetry throughout the book; it accentuates her wisdom, her questioning of the 'status quo' and her great sense of humor. I highly recommend the book... a great read! - L.P.

Have a delicious day, no matter what the weather may be in your corner of the world!

Sunday, June 10, 2012

Sunday Morning Book Talk

I was excited to see twenty favorable reviews for Dancing on Mars at Amazon.  Okay, one was written by a cousin (who discloses the relationship),  and I do know some of the people who posted - but not all.  No blackmail or bribery involved!  Here's a link if you'd like to check out what they had to say. http://www.amazon.com/Dancing-Mars-Lucinda-Shirley/product-reviews/0985006617/ref=sr_1_1_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1

More feedback is coming from men who are reading/have read the book.  A busy doctor e-mailed to say he has little time to read for pleasure, but wanted me to know he's savoring my book!  Feedback from one fellow (a relative) was that he believes I stand a good chance of going to hell — based on  my spiritual journey described in "Hundreds of Ways to Kneel."  Not sure whether to think of that as a favorable or unfavorable comment about my work.   I had fun penning a four-liner after he predicted my fate in the hereafter:

                                               I’m going to burn in Hell you say,
                                               Not believing the same as you.
                                               You know so well what’s in store for me,
                                                I’m delighted to have no clue!

A woman whose family has been friends with mine since early childhood wrote just after reading the "Notes from a Recovering Victorian" part of the book.  She clearly remembered something her mother told her when she was a little girl; what she shared brings me closer to solving one of the mysteries that has haunted me all my life.  I talk about it in the book.

Seems Dancing on Mars has taken on a life of its own now.  Y'all stand by.  No telling what I'll learn next! 




Saturday, June 9, 2012

Upcoming Book Club Visit

Thank you to the members of  River Club's Ladies Book Club in Pawleys Island, South Carolina, for making Dancing on Mars their June selection.   I look forward to meeting with them later this month for discussion and Q & A.  An opportunity like this is - as I see it - an invitation to visit, not to stand and pontificate in a formal speech.  I'd like to hear from them about, for example, what, if anything, their  take-away was and what they liked best and least about the book.   Did they feel that the poems added to the reading experience or were they just a distraction?

It will be interesting to learn whether the questions posed at the book's end will be a jumping off place for group discussion—or whether they will go with whatever came up for each of them as they read it.   It's amazing how many identical issues we women share, and yet each of us is unique in the way we live our lives and express ourselves.  Ahhhh, yes.  Let's celebrate our commonality and our individuality!

Can't wait to meet these readers, very cool women!

Saturday, May 26, 2012

The Urge for Going

You'd think a writer— a poet for Heaven's sake—would be an eager traveler, ever in search of new horizons.  She'd have an "essentials" bag packed at all times, right?  Sadly untrue.  This writer-poet tends to enjoy "Dancing on Mars" from home base.  Don't get me wrong.  I do like new places.  Once I get to a destination, nobody has more fun or, so I've been told, is more fun to be with —all modesty aside.  (Full disclosure: And nobody's more neurotic, but still fun.)

Here's the problem:  Generally, when the idea of a trip has come up, it's been presented when I'm either overwhelmed with a project or crises on the horizon, just turning out the light for a good night's rest, or feeling a bit wobbly from a diverticular adventure.  At such times the last thing I want to do is power up my calendar and start planning an event six months or a year from now.  Sorry, I can't dredge up the least bit of enthusiasm. 

 So, would-be traveling companions, please pitch your travel idea gently, as you would wake someone you love from a deep sleep, someone who needs caffeine and a little time to wander into an area of consciousness where critical thinking happens.  Key word:  Gently.  Ease me into the idea.  No jolting.  Don't ask me what dates next June are free (I keep as much white space as possible at all times), and please don't ask what my favorite destination might be when you're calling from the car revved up on a great idea, and I'm groaning in bed in the fetal position with my heating pad.  Just mention that you're having the thought; maybe we can talk about it soon.  You might suggest that I check out photos of this irresistible place you have in mind.  Sometime.  Google it sometime.  Key word:  "sometime."

I'm in the midst of all sorts of vicarious travel at this very minute.  No ticket, no dramamine required.

On this day my fairy goddaughter and her family are flying away for the summer.  She was packing four people for three months and two climates.  They will be headquartered most of the summer in Bermuda and visiting friends and family in France, Italy, England and Wales.  Can't wait for the photos and blog entries.

Today is the last day of a Grand Canyon vacation for my son and his family.  They're having a great time.  How I wish I could have clicked my heels like Dorothy and joined them for a day; sadly, I have yet to master that.  I'm working diligently on heel-clicking and the art of bi-location.  Until I become proficient in both, I'll look forward to hearing more about their experiences and seeing all the pictures.  It would have been beyond great to see the Bliss Bringer's face when she first saw the big hole in the ground at age seven!

 They visited Sedona, briefly, and liked it a lot; it's one of the few places I've always wanted to go.   Sedona might be their destination next year, I'm told– made them think of me.  It was the vibe, I suppose.  And they will invite me to go with them.  I hope the idea becomes reality—but I'm not ready to start planning just yet!   (My grandmother, Mammy, used to say "If you want your vacation to seem longer, invite your mother-in-law to go along.")   Catch me sometime when my feet are propped up and I'm glorying in a glass of wine; then we'll talk.

 Here are my precious peeps!


While I wait for wanderlust to surprise me, the view at home ain't too shabby.  The wildlife here is one word, not two.  The ocean's just down the road,  but I can see this, and more, from my bed!  No packing, no passport.   The lake is mesmerizing, transports me to new inner landscapes.

                                             Egret on the wing, heading for the dam

                                             Elder Great Blue Heron under the Magnolia

Happy travels, y'all!
                                          

Thursday, May 24, 2012

Artful Words from "Quirks of Art"

One of the themes in Dancing on Mars is living authentically.   I've found the heart to be a reliable compass for getting me to that place.  Doing what we love and recognizing that it makes our heart sing—maybe that's how we best serve in this world.

 Don't you love this message by Quirks of Art and posted by a friend on Facebook?

                  
What was it you did as a child that got your full attention, held your interest so deeply that the hours seemed like minutes?  What does that for you now?  What, if it's going to be part of your day—or most of your day if you're wise—gets you out of bed, filled with energy and enthusiasm?  Whatever that is would be what makes you "come alive."  Let's go get ourselves a big helping of that! 


Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Another Review!

Is there a 12-step program for authors who compulsively check their book page at Amazon?  I've recently heard that, after receiving 20 or more reviews, a book is placed in a more favorable position  with Amazon.  Whatever that means, it would be great to have 20 positive ones.  Fourteen at last count, so six more to go!  
I keep hearing from men (and about men) who have found the book an "instructive and enjoyable" read.  That's great news!  What's especially gratifying is hearing from readers who identify with what I've written and honor me by sharing aspects of their own lives; sometimes they tell me about "secrets" that have held them back, saying the book has helped them let go.   As the book trailer said, "When we share our stories, something always happens."  

Here's the latest review:
5.0 out of 5 stars Life, May 16, 2012
By 
This review is from: Dancing on Mars (Paperback)
Life comes down to a series of choices. To hold on, to let go, to forget, to forgive. Dancing on Mars gives us the joyful and reasonable approach to complex issues that we all experience as we go through life. The impact of this book will stay with you for the rest of your life. Every woman should read it!