Top Ten Things Not to Do According to Murphy’s Law

Posted on by Rae Longest

Fiction Favorites

The inspiration for this list was thinking of all the things we do on a daily basis that someone else has done before. This naturally brought up the idea of mistakes and how often they are repeated down through history. Then the thought turned to specific laws governing natural phenomena. An example would be Newton’s law of gravity. “What goes up, Must come down,” was inspired by an apple falling on Newton’s head. (or so the story goes.) Finally turning to other laws prompted the inspection of certain laws and most specifically Murphy’s. The law, “What can go wrong will.” After all, some of the laws of science way too boring for this kind of blog. I hope you enjoy.

10 According to Murphy’s Law do not drop a much-needed and irreplaceable hex screw being installed in your current project. If you do, at best it will roll under the bench…

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The Magnolia Market: Waco, Texas

Posted on by Rae Longest

Texas Treasures

Right smack dab between Dallas and Austin is the cute and quaint town of Waco. Before everyone’s infatuation with the Gaines family, Waco was only known to America as the home of the fighting Baylor Bears (Sic ‘Em!) In the spring of 2013 that all changed when Chip and Joanna Gaines aired a pilot episode of a home improvement show on HGTV called Fixer Upper…and America FELL. IN. LOVE. Everyone thought that they were “couple goals” and that their show was the best ever on HGTV. Fast Forward two years, and Joanna opens up The Magnolia Market at the Silos. Now Waco, Chip & Joanna, and the Magnolia Market are household names across America. All of their followers, far and wide, have visiting the Silos on their bucket list now. I know I did!

I came into the “Love me like Chip loves Jo” game a little late, but once…

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DYING FOR SPACE: A REVIEW

Posted on by Rae Longest

powerfulwomenreaders

As soon as I finished the first book in the “Sunblind Series,” Running Out Of Space, by S.H. Higbee (of Brainfluff blog), I ordered the sequel, Dying for Space. I was so enamored of the main character, “Lizzie”, now matured through loss, revelation and responsibility into “Liz”, illegitimate  daughter of the overbearing General Norman that I couldn’t wait for more of her adventures and misadventures .

Dealing with lingering loss, duplicity, and betrayal, Liz gains a following and popularity that her love/hate-relationship father covets. Many twists and turns fascinate the reader who reads way beyond bedtime. As in the first book, lots of action and crisis moments occur. The book is a fast-paced, attention-keeping read that can be summed up as a “darned good read.” I believe the series is intended to be a trilogy, and am eagerly awaiting the third book centered on a character I have grown…

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TELL ME MORE, AN ESSAY COLLECTION by Kelly Corrigan

Posted on by Rae Longest

powerfulwomenreaders

This 2018 collection of essays called to me from the display shelf at the public library because it was in large print and the cover design was appealing. The book’s subtitle is “Stories About the 12 Hardest Things I’m Learning to Say.”  Huffington Post called the author “the poet laureate of the ordinary”, and says she deals with “the essential phrases that turn the wheel of life.”

Corrigan includes essays dealing with the loss (death) of a best friend and of her father and how both deaths affected all of their families. It is her meditation on life, love, and loss. Another reviewer said, “This book is about things we say to people we love [including ourselves] that make things better.” Much of the book flows in narrative form while the author thinks about events and happenings that occur. She “speaks” aloud to herself and to the reader. Oftentimes the…

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IT’S GETTING CLOSE

Posted on by Rae Longest

What’s getting close? The end of the semester at the university.  I have been blessed with such a good group this semester. No class could top last semester’s “crop” as far as gifted writing and talent go, but this semester’s class has attitude, make that good attitude, and personality! What a lovely group of individuals. It has been so much fun and such a pleasure to teach them.  Even helping “strugglers” along the way has been lovely. Most have been faithful in attendance (at least down to the past couple of weeks, when things get “tight” at the end of the semester in their other courses, and they have to steal time from my class to apply it to another). My one concern has been for the lackadaisical concern about being on time. Perhaps this is something the current generation thinks differently about than those of us who were raised to think punctuality is a sign of good character. Perhaps I was not strict enough about enforcing penalties for tardiness. Whatever the cause or reason, I’m going to take my grandmother’s advice when she told me to “Pick your battles.” After all, improvement and a renewed pleasure in writing are good enough goals to accomplish. Thank you, Advanced Writing, Spring 2018 for a wonderful semester, and special congratulations to those of you who graduate this semester. May life bring you only good things.