I agreed and noted how much I was enjoying this creative work. I shared that I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how enthusiastically my readers often comment and share their experiences.

“So,” he noted, “now it becomes easy – just focus your writing on subjects that your audience cares about; you know, like shopping… and kids…”

Right…. Wait… WHAT?!  

Oh, he most definitely saw my hackles go up.

He continued, “Now before you go all ‘I’m a Sexist Pig’ on me, I’m just saying: knowing your audience is a GOOD thing. You need to pay attention to topics and issues that they care about. If you write about sports, or beer brands, you are going to lose them.”

Oh, HELL NO, I thought.

After I simmered down a bit, I attempted to rationally consider his advice. Do women truly only care about “girly stuff?” I do take sincere and sage writing advice to heart – this was certainly not the first time I had heard the “know your audience” mantra. For example, here is a link to a very good article by Dan Blank, published by “Writer Unboxed,” that speaks to the importance of connecting with to your audience:  http://writerunboxed.com/2012/08/24/do-you-know-who-your-audience-is-no-really-do-you/ 

However, I became a little hung up on the idea that women could be pigeon-holed as a demographic that only cares about certain things; stereotypical things – such as make-up or weight loss. So, I decided to conduct a little experiment. And you were all participants… surprise!

Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kaptainkobold/257491210/

Over this past month I posted two blog entries: one focused on a topic that most would consider masculine – automobiles; and one that was more centric to traditionally feminine preferences – shopping. How did I select these topics? Pretty much ROMA (right out of my …). For the record, this whole experiment was about the least scientific you’ll ever come across – so don’t split hairs with me regarding my methods; I wasn’t going for a Nobel Prize in science here.

• On April 5^th my blog post, What's Your Car Avatar?, focused on our attachments to our automobiles. Now I know, I could have been much more intentional and focused on, for example, the mechanics of a combustible engine – but I had to keep the post at least within a reasonable radius of a topic I could actually write about. According to Google Analytics, when compared to the previous blog post (which had focused on spring cleaning) the visits to the blog had decreased by 20%. Whoa, I had to admit that’s a pretty hefty decline.
• Next, on April 19^th, my post SHOP.DOT.KIMBA focused on online shopping –a topic I envisioned to be a more stereotypical interest for women. And, guess what – my blog visits decreased again! Down another 5%!!    

What can I conclude from this – practically nothing. Last week’s post – I Blinked – received visits equal to and almost surpassing those experienced back in March. Honestly, there are just too many variables to account for: quality of the writing of each column (ahem [clears throat]); where the various posts may have been shared; other news of the day that folks found more interesting – i.e. was it a slow news day? –  Etc.

What I do know is that I’ll continue to write with my audience – yes my female, middle-aged, wise-ass audience – in mind. However, I don’t want for us, as a demographic, to be predictable. Let’s challenge a few of those perceptions about us, OK? Anyone want to join me on my next salmon fishing trip… um, I’m quite serious….

Cheers,

Kimba

Most research seems to suggest that my perceptions of time have a lot to do with where I am in my life cycle AND what increment of time I am measuring. In time perception studies, adults in mid-life [MOI!] report that the hours and days pass at what seems to be a normal speed; it is the YEARS that seem to streak past us (see Aging and the Speed of Time ). I can attest that these years have flown by much too quickly.

I am sure that my current musings have something to do with where I will be tomorrow: my son’s college graduation. I honestly feel like it was just yesterday that he joined me in this world; a beautiful young soul who has shared with me far more than I will ever be able to teach him. I blinked: and here he is now, about to finish under-graduate and start graduate school in the Fall. How is this possible? My chest still tightens as I recall college drop-off day – him walking through the dorm door and out of sight and me believing with all my heart that I would not survive leaving him there. How can it be four years later??

Photo accessed via http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/ 10053446

It does seem that time is beginning to catch up with me; what is it they say?…

It’s not the years baby; it’s the mileage.

I used to think I could get away with shaving a few years off my age and it not being completely unbelievable. And, yes, I’ve been known to lie a little about my age (see Don't I Look Great … For Sixty?! ). However, recent passing glimpses in the mirror have me pondering: “Wow, I really can’t pass for even five years younger than I am.” Vanity aside, the years have brought some wisdom and a lot of laughs; I just wish things would slow down a bit.

I do love this quote from the great Albert Einstein regarding the passage of time:

"Put your hand on a hot stove for a minute, and it seems like an hour.

Sit with a pretty girl for an hour, and it seems like a minute. That's relativity."

Cheers,

Kimba

PS: please indulge a little shout out to my son Jimmy – so proud of you darlin’; tomorrow and EVERY day!

Here is what has really gotten my attention: “In the next five years, Boomers are set to control 70% of the disposable income in the US and they stand to inherit $15 trillion in the next 20 years.” In summary: we’re learning how to maximize the Internet and we’ve got money to spend…. Hmmm…. What to do?

I know, let’s go shopping! 

In certain circles I’ve acquired a nickname: Shop.Dot.Kimba. I do love to shop, but I love to shop – FOR BARGAINS. This thrifty southern Irish gal is always on the look-out for a steal, a deal, or a curbside treasure – the whole “another man’s trash” mantra. If you’re a regular blog reader, you’ve seen my post sharing secrets of an estate sale junkie. As crazed as I am about scouring estate sales for bargains, I’m equally as dedicated to discovering terrific finds on the Internet. Here are some tips as well as a few of my favorite online sites:

• Avoid shipping costs. Always take into account that for most online purchases you will not have to pay sales tax. But to make an online purchase truly cost-effective, the key is to avoid shipping costs as well. Here is one site that I highly recommend you visit before any online purchase: Retailmenot. This site is very easy to use: search for the online store from which you are about to make a purchase and Retailmenot will show you any useful discount codes. Many times a code for free shipping will be available. Also, look for free shipping with a minimum purchase. If you are a dollar or two away from free shipping status, it may be worth your effort to find something to put you over the order minimum to save on shipping. Otherwise shipping can add upwards of ten+ dollars to a purchase total.

• Comparison shop. I recommend looking up an item on Amazon before you hit that purchase confirmation button. Amazon was launched in 1995 and has evolved into the largest online retailer . Amazon is also great for product reviews. A gal pal was recently considering purchasing a substantial piece of furniture online, but she took the time to look up the reviews – which were terrible – and wisely decided to pass on the purchase.
• Pay attention to return policies. Sometimes sales are final; no returns. Consider carefully if you love a product enough to live with it no matter what. Also, online retailers often require you, the consumer, to cover the shipping costs for an item that you are returning. That cute little silk blue dress that is three inches shorter than it appeared in the picture could  cost you $8 to return.

• Take note of sizes. Size matters. Sizes can vary dramatically from one site to another. Most of the time I don’t shop for clothes online – I’m just too difficult to fit. However, here’s a list of ten recommended online clothing and shoes sites that I found featured on the Huffington Post.
• My two favorite sites. I have two online sites that I stalk on a regular basis: One Kings Lane and Joss & Main . Each of these sites offers terrific daily sales and prices are very good. A few things to remember: all sales are final; you will pay shipping (but it’s usually very low); and items move quickly – if you love it, buy it, because it could be gone in a matter of not minutes but seconds. In particular pay attention to OKL’s “downstairs” where they feature clearance and sale items. By the way, if a friend “refers” you to either of these sites (they must be a current site member), and you make a purchase, your friend receives a $15 credit on their account. If you’re interested, e-mail me and I'll hook you up!

• For my “girly” stuff. For health and beauty needs I like to use Drugstore.com This site offers a huge selection of products, usually has free shipping, and offer bonus dollars to use for future purchases. Tip: create a “your list” of the products you purchase most often – this usually entitles you to a deeper discount than the regular onsite price.

Cheers,

Kimba

It was with a bit of a sad heart that this week, after ten years and 150k miles of faithful service, I finally had to pick an upgrade to replace Ol’ Bessie. She’s been a reliable chariot indeed, with only one spectacular breakdown near the end; and even then she had the good sense to snap her serpentine belt right in front of the Plow and Hearth outlet.  

Fear not friends, Bessie will now live out her years down at the lake, housed in a spacious and clean garage and saved for weekends tooling around, hauling boats and what-nots. I see many good years ahead of her.

Isn’t it fascinating how attached we become to our cars? Dr. Charles Kenny, a consumer psychologist, has studied car buyers and has noted that similar to the “you are what you eat” mantra, many of us also believe that we are what we drive. Do you think this is true? I would like to believe that if money were no object, a car that would truly reflect my personality would be an Aston Martin, circa 1964, made famous by James Bond. Vintage, makes an entrance, with a little kick under the hood – yep, I could live with that being my "car avatar" (av·a·tar – an incarnation, embodiment, or manifestation of a person or idea). It might be the only thing I would ever have in common with James Bond.

For me, cars serve as as my “automotive time stamps.” I’m amazed that I can instantly connect important periods in my life to the car I was driving at the time. For example:

• High School: my mom’s Chevy Malibu … because I couldn’t afford my own car! When I could talk Mom into letting me borrow her ride, I sure did have some fun back in South Florida in the late 70s.
• Attending College: a beat-up “POS” 1974 Plymouth Duster, AKA “the Beige Bomber.” That car, which I bought used, was a death-trap; with a wide bench seat across the front. The steering was shot and the carburetor stuck so badly that you had to use the brake as a clutch. But, it was my very first car and it carted me and my friends around Tallahassee and got us into more than our fair share of fabulous trouble. It’s probably a classic now, if it didn’t end up on the junk heap.
• Raising My Son: my 1993 Ford Explorer – “Dora.” Jimmy was just two years old when I bought this, my first ever new car. Twenty years later I can still picture how excited he was to be riding “up high!”

Regarding Jimmy, I also equate Ol’ Bessie to his high school years, when we depended on her to carry him to band practices and football games as well as a few “activities” that I'm sure it’s better we never know about.

I find myself now here in 2013, with this new automotive time stamp in my driveway. It sure is pretty and I’ve already named it “Junior.” It's not that Aston Martin, but, the Subaru seems to also fit. Just thinking about all the adventures I'll have driving Junior over this next decade puts a smile on my face. I wonder what Dr. Kenny would say about this recent purchase as a reflection of my personality… Hmmmm…

Cheers,

 Kimba

This happens to me every March: I believe that Spring will arrive in this third month of the year. I believe that the gloomy, grey, overcast skies will transform into magical sunny clear blue warmth. I believe that I will be able to turn off the heat and go play outside in my garden and fill my planters and hanging baskets with beautiful impatiens, ivy, and geraniums. March 20^th is supposed to be the official beginning of Spring, right? Well, as always, this week was my reminder that Mother Nature has a calendar, and a mind, of her own (as all women do). As my little happy welcome dance for Spring was side-lined by cold icy snow (yes, SNOW!), I found my Virgo brain contemplating:

If I can’t go outside; what can I be doing right now – indoors?

If by chance you’ve read my book , you know that I possess many crazy Virgo tendencies, including a fondness for the neat and the orderly. Marry my “Virgotitis” with good ol' southern girl sensibilities, and you’ve got a gal who likes her living spaces tidy. Wandering through my home, I wondered what out-of-the-ordinary Spring cleaning I could tackle. There were plenty of Spring 2013 outdoor projects piling up: gutter cleaning; power washing the siding; flower bed planting, etc. But, what could I accomplish indoors? This needed to go beyond the typical house-cleaning. I wanted to be inspired.

What follows are the results of this past week's indoor Spring cleaning throw-down. My goal was to discover areas of my house that had been truly neglected for a long, long while. If you’re not feeling this, you’re probably not a Virgo.

• Cleaning the dishwasher. I recently discovered a website that provides great how-to advice regarding all types of topics and issues: One Good Thing By Jillee. I perused the site and discovered that, much to my surprise, dishwashing machines require cleaning – who knew? Jill’s (I hope she is OK with my calling her Jill) steps for cleaning a dishwasher are fairly simple: http://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/2012/02/how-to-clean-your-dishwasher.html Here’s a tip: do NOT skip the part about examining the drain area. I discovered some extraordinary gunk up in and around the drain. Seriously gross. After following Jill’s steps the next load of dishes did seem to sparkle a little brighter.
• Cleaning the washing machine. This was another example/inspiration that I found on Jill’s site. In the interest of full disclosure, in the dozen years that I have lived in my house, I have never “cleaned” the clothes washing machine. The grime that this endeavor dislodged was truly disgusting. I’m talking NIH-should-be-notified sort of stuff. I should also note that this cleaning exercise required a bit more elbow grease than Jill had suggested, but I can’t really blame her: the machine had not been cleaned since 2001! Here is the link to Jill’s instructions. http://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/2012/04/how-to-clean-your-top-loader-washing.html
• Cleaning out the kitchen junk drawer. We all have one, that one drawer in the kitchen where we deposit all the coupons, take-out menus, pencils, notepads, magnets, and various other will-throw-this-away-later treasures. It was amazing to me how much “stuff” had been shoved into this one helpless little drawer.

Before …

After … (I’ve been looking for those grill wipes for-ev-er…)

• Utilizing the self-cleaning oven function. This one might not really count; it was just too easy. However, there was lingering Thanksgiving sweet potato pudding on the bottom of the oven which definitely needed to be eliminated.
• Washing the pillows. All pillows are not created equal. I must admit that when I took the time to really inspect the pillows in my house, some of them just had to go. Others I saved by following the instructions that I found on Apartment Therapy: http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/how-to-wash-your-pillows-marth-105944

There were a few things I did not get to this past week: washing the dog (which really needs to wait until it’s warm enough to go outside); and cleaning out the winter coat closet. Maybe I’ll tackle that closet next week; or perhaps Mother Nature will have other plans.

Happy Spring everyone.

Cheers,

Kimba

I had been pestering hubby Greg to start putting out on the dresser his clothes, and his everyday “must-haves”, for the next day before he climbed into bed each night. He’s a grown man, and he can certainly dress himself, but I had become weary of the o’dark-thirty mad dash around the bedroom in search of matching socks, shoes, cell phone, car keys, belt, etc. He had obliged and it had been working out pretty well… until last week.

On a recent early morning, all snuggled up under the covers, I groggily started to awaken as the hubby was grumbling and bumping around the bedroom. I soon realized that he was muttering: “Dammit, where is it… I know I laid that out with my clothes…”

He was clearly on the hunt for ….something.

“OK, honey, what are you looking for?” I mumbled.

“My under-shirt,” he replied. “How can an under-shirt just up and walk away?”

Lying there, up under the covers, it slowly occurred to me: I was wearing his under-shirt. I had stayed up late the night before, watching Jimmy Fallon, and I had just grabbed it off the dresser before I jumped into bed. Did I ‘fess up? Oh, hell no.

“Well, just get another one out of the bureau,” said the gal lying there in the comfy white cotton under-shirt with the quilt pulled up to her chin.

“Fine, I’m really trying to make a peaceful exit outta here in the mornings. Sorry.”

He said sorry … to me.

Because I am a big believer in karma and the universal righting of wrongs, I did come clean as soon as he walked in the door that night and I apologized … a lot. He thought it was funny; yep, have I told you lately how cool my husband is?

I had another recent occasion where a little lie came back to haunt me. Well, it’s not exactly a lie, it’s more like an on-going sight gag. Back in my early forties, I used to joke: “Hey, don’t I look great …for fifty?” I said this so often that it became a running joke.

UNTIL…

I turned forty-nine this past year and I made a comment about having one more year before I joined Club Fifty. My brother-in-law replied; “Wait a minute, I’ve heard you make jokes about looking great for fifty for awhile… what do you mean you’re not yet fifty?”

Ummm …. OUCH!!! Funny, but, really?! Have I now put myself in the position to have to change my tune to: “Don’t I look great… for sixty?” Well I got no one to blame but the gal in the mirror for this one.

If you’ve read my book, then you know that one of the stories included is titled: “Why It’s Always Stupid to Play Stupid” and focuses on how I once got myself backed into a corner by forgetting the name of a spouse of a colleague. The situation turned into an “I Love Lucy” episode gone bad. So I certainly have some experience when it comes to this little white lie dilemma.

 I do have a few personal rules about this subject.

•  It is ALWAYS OK to lie about babies. There was a great Seinfeld episode (honestly, weren’t they all great?) where the gang was stressing about attending a bris where the baby was portrayed as less than beautiful. OK, ALL babies are beautiful, but, I can see where from time to time you might come across a little one who may not be your ideal of beauty. DO NOT BE HONEST here. If all else fails, go with: “That’s a fine baby.” This is the equivalent of “bless your heart” in the south; kind of a linguistic get-out-jail free card.
• It’s OK to lie about your weight… or your height. All women want to weigh 125 lbs and all men want to be six feet tall. So be it. Some will argue that we should learn to be happy with who we are, no matter our weight or height. Well, good for you. For the rest of us, yes, I weigh 125 lbs…
• It’s OK to tell a little fib about how much you paid for a dress or pair of shoes. However, be warned: don’t ever ask me how much I paid for a dress. My mama taught me that asking how much something costs is rude (but I get that this might just be a southern thing). My go-to response to this question, which is not a lie, is: “It cost enough.” But if you feel the need to lie a little here, go ahead, you have my permission.
• It’s almost never OK to lie to your spouse; especially about money, sex, or kids. If anyone can give me a good reason to alter this rule, I’m all ears.

Look forward to your responses; and that’s not a little white lie.

Cheers,

Kimba

Did you know that February is American Heart Month? A whole month, dedicated to what is arguably the most important organ in your body. Last week, perched here in the middle-aged cheap seats, I became acutely aware of the warning signs that every woman should know regarding her heart and heart health.

Monday evening, after a rather grueling weight training class, I began to feel an uncomfortable pulling kind of pressure under my left ribs. First thought: – I’ve pulled a chest muscle.

Tuesday, day two, I was still experiencing an uncomfortable kind of tug on my left side. I also seemed a bit more tired than usual. But, I chalked it up to over-doing it in the gym and powered through the day.

Wednesday, day three, I began to suspect that something was not quite right. To go along with the uncomfortable sensation up under my left ribs, I also seemed to have terrible indigestion – with pressure in my chest. This continued most of the day. When I Googled “Women and Heart Attacks” this is what I discovered:

Women don't always get the same classic heart attack symptoms as men, such as crushing chest pain that radiates down one arm. Those heart attack symptoms can certainly happen to women, but many experience vague or even “silent” symptoms that they may miss:

1. Chest pain or discomfort. Chest pain is the most common heart attack symptom, but some women may experience it differently than men. It may feel like a squeezing or fullness, and the pain can be anywhere in the chest, not just on the left side.
2. Pain in your arm(s), back, neck, or jaw. This type of pain is more common in women than in men. It may confuse women who expect their pain to be focused on their chest and left arm, not their back or jaw.
3. Stomach pain. Sometimes people mistake stomach pain that signals a heart attack with heartburn, the flu, or a stomach ulcer.
4. Shortness of breath, nausea, or lightheadedness. If you're having trouble breathing for no apparent reason, you could be having a heart attack, especially if you're also having one or more other symptoms.
5. Sweating. Breaking out in a nervous, cold sweat is common among women who are having a heart attack. It will feel more like stress-related sweating than perspiration from exercising or spending time outside in the heat.
6. Fatigue. Some women who have heart attacks feel extremely tired, even if they've been sitting still for a while or haven't moved much.

And here was the kicker:

If you have chest discomfort, especially if you also have one or more of the other signs, call 911 immediately.

Well, I was experiencing #1, #3 and #6 – ding, ding, ding – DANGER!!

By Wednesday evening, the pressure in my chest was becoming more intense and by 8:30 pm I calmly told my husband, “I think we need to go to the emergency room.” How did he know I was serious? Modern Family was about to start – and I never miss an episode of Modern Family.

Note this mistake/important lesson: we should have called 9-1-1. Chest pains of any kind should be taken seriously and driving yourself, or having a friend or family member drive you, to the emergency room is unwise. We were not impeded by traffic or any other mishap – but we were lucky. Do not rely on luck.

Upon arriving at the emergency room, I encountered a common misconception about the symptoms of a heart attack: I was not male; I was not an over-fifty male; I was not an over-fifty male clutching my chest and yelling “I coming to join you Elizabeth!” (Props to anyone who gets that Sanford and Son reference…)

After I calmly completed the initial admissions paperwork and returned it to the “could-not-be-more-bored-with-my-job” receptionist, he mumbled for me to have a seat and I would be called soon. Eyebrows raised, I stared back at him and replied;

“Um, I’m having chest pains.”

He blinked a few times, seemingly trying to process what I had just said. He looked down at the paperwork, then back at me with an expression that conveyed – Well, you don’t LOOK like you’re having a heart attack. Then he mumbled, “OK, just a minute.”

Once we got past Mister “I Couldn’t Give a Damn” and through the magic retracting doors, attention was swift and immediate.

“Are you experiencing pain or pressure in your chest?”

“Yes.”

“Do you have a history of heart problems?”

“No.”

“Is there a history of heart disease in your family?”

“Yes.”

“What is your age?”

“Forty-nine.”

“Have you ever experienced these symptoms before?”

“No.”

I was hooked up to monitors, blood was drawn, blood pressure was taken…. And then we waited. I realized that waiting was good. If I was in the middle of a heart attack there would have been a lot more action. I also had a chest x-ray, to check for a blood clot. As we were walking back to the x-ray area, the technician, his head buried in my paperwork, asked if I could be pregnant. I stared back with a crooked grin and he looked up, smiled back and said;

“Sorry, I have to ask.”

Dude, did you have to apologize?!

Three hours later we were relieved to be told that there were no indications that I was having or had experienced a heart attack. More likely, it was acute indigestion coupled with a pulled chest muscle. EVERYONE – nurses, technicians, and doctors – commented that we had absolutely done the right thing by coming to the emergency room.

“AT YOUR AGE, better to be safe than sorry.” At my age… sigh.

I do have a follow-up appointment scheduled with a cardiologist, just to be safe. Will probably entail a stress test – not a bad idea; better to be safe than sorry indeed. 

Cheers,

Kimba

**This blog posted has been updated from its original posting on February 14, 2012**

Observing our world from the middle-aged cheap seats, I can recite a litany of reasons to not love what I see. School shootings, freak and destructive storms, crazy political rancor – it can all make a gal a little despondent. However, in the spirit of this upcoming Valentine's Day, I would like to instead share that hope – and youth – springs eternal and is most certainly thriving in a place that has taken a few hard hits of late: State College, PA. 

Yes, you’ve heard quite a bit of negative rhetoric about Penn State. I don’t need to rehash any of the scandal or heartache. But what you may not know is that this next weekend (February 15 – 17, 2013) something will happen at Penn State that is nothing short of remarkable. Thousands of students will stay awake and on their feet for 46 hours straight; all united in working toward the sole purpose of supporting the fight against pediatric cancer.

A bit of background: THON is the largest student-run philanthropy in the world. That’s right: all STUDENT-LED. The THON website notes that back in 1973 the first dance marathon raised $2,000. Now, forty years, THON encompasses over 15,000 student volunteers, 700 dancers, and has raised more than $89 million, benefiting The Four Diamonds Fund at Penn State Hershey Children’s Hospital.

Our son Jimmy, who is actively involved in THON, implored us two years ago to come to State College and see for ourselves what all the fuss was about. I must admit that I was expecting to observe an enthusiastic but perhaps a bit of a ragtag frenetic jumble of students running around; dancing and singing to current hip hop tunes. Something maybe equivalent to Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney’s “let’s put on a show.” I was astounded to instead be greeted by an organized event machine, much more akin to a professional telethon. The Bryce Jordan Center, with a capacity of 16,000, was filled with not just the THON volunteers, but also thousands of additional students and supporters, all standing – never sitting – and cheering for the dancers.

It was an electrifying scene, all accomplished through the love of fifteen thousand student volunteers.

This year, as Valentine’s Day approaches, I’m reminded that these students are once again working diligently and preparing for THON 2013; steadfast in their belief that they will help find a cure for pediatric cancer. I’m beyond proud to offer a little shout to our son Jimmy who was selected this year to be one of those 700 enthusiastic dancers. We’ll be traveling back to State College to cheer him on and support the cause.

Happy Valentine’s Day Happy Valley; best of luck this coming THON 2013 weekend. And, of course, Happy Valentine’s Day to you too Jimmy – thanks for everything that you, and your thousands of student friends, will be doing “For The Kids.”

**UPDATE**:  THON 2013 was a HUGE success! Was life-changing to see all those students putting themselves through an amazing, grueling, 46 hour experience.  In the end, the total raised surpassed $12 MILLION – a new record. THANK YOU everyone who supported this wonderful event – FOR THE KIDS!

Cheers,

Kimba

  Orangeberry Book Tours 2012 Hall of Fame:  http://blog.orangeberrypromo.com/orangeberry-book-tours-hall-of-fame/

The Authors Show, 50 Great Writers You Should Be Reading, Winner, 2012: http://www.wnbnetworkwest.com/WnbAuthorsShow50Writers.html

The Five-Star Reviews Book Corner: Where readers go to find books with at least twenty-five 5-star reviews  -  http://www.victoriatwead.com/i-was-in-love-with-a-short-man-once

As hard as it is to believe, this coming week marks the one year anniversary of my blog launch. 

YEA! Happy Anniversary!

A big THANK YOU to everyone who has followed and encouraged me, commented, and provided wonderful feedback.

When I began this journey, I had NO idea what to expect. Would I be able to find something interesting to write about on a regular basis? Would anyone stop by, read, and maybe even leave a comment? Would the blog become a giant time-suck and get in the way of: my job; my writing; my marriage; or my growing fondness of naptime (not necessarily in that order)?

I had made a one-year commitment, and based in part on a few “Aha” moments along the way, I’ve decided to keep blogging through 2013. Some of my favorite revelations have been:

• I’ve been surprised that I don’t blog very often about my book , even if I do weave it in every now and then, like just now….
• I’ve also been surprised that I have been able to find something to write about each month, and blogging has been something that I have looked forward to – it has not yet become a chore.

• Illustrations, top ten lists, and quick references resonate with readers.
• I don’t have to be brilliant every post, but I should create posts that are colorful, easy to read, and provide a little value or perhaps advice.
• There were blog topics that were more popular than others. Your favorites included:

 In Search of Angry White Male  This post definitely hit a nerve right after the election.

Three Little Words This post, dedicated to why I miss Florida, had many of you waxing poetic about where you grew up.

 There Once Was a Girl From the South  Apparently we have quite a few poets amongst us. I may have to think about a Haiku challenge for 2013.

Along the way I’ve connected with some wonderful groups:

• The Women of Facebook  
• Celebrating Authors
• The Indie Exchange (TIE)

In particular, two terrific women bloggers who have provided lots of fun and support are:

• Megan Blogs
• Peace From Pieces

I hope you’ll visit all of them – tell them Kimba sent you.

Overall, this blog seems to be humming along just fine, so there won’t be many tweaks or changes for 2013 (if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it mantra). There is one minor change we have just implemented: the blog is now titled “The Middle-Aged Cheap Seats.” What do you think? Do you believe this is an accurate depiction of the types of topics I usually discuss? 

Cheers and I hope 2013 is as much fun for us as this past year has been,

Kimba