This is a day that speaks to me! At 50, I'm single, having never been married, but I love my life. And I don't ask anyone to feel sorry for me because I don't have a husband. A full life can be led without a wedding band. You know how I know? Because I'm living it.  So today, we celebrate single people and the contributions they've made to our society! 

If you're single, I encourage you to do something to celebrate yourself today. Take yourself out to dinner, watch a movie you've been wanting to see, go the beach and walk among the waves. Fly a kite or a balloon. Just be grateful for your life!

Our nation came under attack. I don't think anyone will ever forget that day. Thousands of lives were lost, thousands more changed forever. Today is not a day of celebration; it's a day we remember the lives lost, the lives changed, and the day our nation became a target. And no amount of time will ease the suffering of the families that lost loved ones, the departments that suffered catastrophic losses, or the city that was rocked to its core. 

We honor all those affected today by telling them we will never forget the losses, the sacrifices, and the strength it took and still takes to put one foot in front of the other when your life was ripped apart. And we say you can count on us to remember, to pray with you and for you. 

National Book Lovers Day is celebrated on August 9th, but today is the day we celebrate those who love to read and to encourage others to pick up a book. Did you know that reading increases memory, reduces stress, expands your vocabulary, improves your focus, and it increases intelligence? That's an awful of positives you get from making time to read! 

I just finished Wolf Winter by Rachel Raithby, and now I'm starting another series called Bitter Ashes by Sara C. Roethle. I try to read at least two fiction books a month and one non-fiction. I'm on a better schedule this year, though, and I'm averaging about three fiction books a month. 

So what are you reading on #Readabookday? 

I saw this blog question on a challenge list, and it really made me stop and think. Once upon a time, I had a full-time career as a paralegal, and writing was a creative outlet for me. I didn't get published until I was almost thirty-five. I enjoyed writing, but it wasn't a necessity to me. All that changed after publication and the book reviews started coming in followed by even more contracts.  Then I got excited because I loved to write and realized I could do this for more than just the thrill of writing. 

Now, if I couldn't write for whatever reason, I would have to find another way to express what I can say with written words. I don't know what that would be, possibly doing more public speaking. But it wouldn't erase my desire to write. 

Honestly, i can't imagine not writing, but if I had no choice, I would adapt and find another way to love what I do which would undoubtedly be something just as creative. I don't see myself ever returning to the full-time grind of being a paralegal. I enjoy being my own boss too much.  As I'm already the editor-in-chief of Vinspire Publishing, I imagine I would throw myself even more into helping writers achieve their dreams. 

I'll admit that this question scares me because I don't want to imagine not writing. Even writing a blog post like this one fills a need in me, and I wonder if I would feel the same if I couldn't write. 

I'm a big fan of ongoing education. I'm constantly taking courses to improve my writing and marketing processes as well as reading non-fiction. But I also take classes for topics that interest me that I never learned in college. I don't think we should ever stop learning in life, and with so many places to take free or low-cost courses online, we don't have to. 

Currently, I'm enrolled in a Complete Digital Marketing Course from StackSkills that was originally $199, but because I happened to be paying attention, I ended up getting the course for $19.  I've only tackled one of the topics included in the course, but it's already made a change in how I approach working with Instagram. 

Below are a list of some of the other places I've used to take classes:

Udemy—These aren't free, but a lot of times they have specials like $12.99 for classes. They have language, design, personal development, business, and so much more! 
Coursera—These classes are free. I took a screenwriting class through here, and because of that, I wrote my first screen play! 
Open 2 Study—This site has both paid and free classes like Astronomy and Financial Planning. 
Alison—Free classes are available there, too, although, if you want the certificate for finishing the course, you do have to pay for it. 

And if none of these strike your fancy, there are plenty of additional options online.  And this doesn't just have to be about personal growth or learning more about your career. 

These classes are perfect to use for research for your next book or article.  If you want one of your characters to be interested in a topic, you can learn about the topic so you know how to write about it. 

But if you are looking for a career change, these online classes are the perfect place to start.  Classes like beginner digital photography, introduction to carpentry, introduction to plumbing, and visual and graphic design can put you on the path to a better future! 

I am a huge fan of the Die Hard movies and have seen them more times than I can count. I love any type of action movie really so when the previews for Skyscraper started, I knew I'd go see it, especially since it starred Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. 

This movie was fast-paced, intense, edge-of-your-seat action with a soft side.  Johnson plays a former FBI agent who runs a private security company. He's married with twins (around 7 or 8) and has a good life after having survived a horrific explosion ten years previously. When he gets the bid to test the security measures for the world's tallest building, he's naturally excited. What he doesn't know, though, is it's a set-up.  From that point on, the action is intense. 

There's fire, shootings, fights, rappelling off the side of a building, do-it-yourself surgery, and much, much more. You won't be bored. Though Johnson is used to the physically active roles, this one is unique in that he comes in with what he thinks is a disadvantage. Turns out, the disadvantage is something he could not have survived without.

This movie does have some strong language but not a whole lot of it. It does, on the other hand, have a boatload of violence. , Something to think about if you're planning on taking the kids. I'd definitely give it an A-, though. The minus is only because I wish there'd been a little more of a wrap-up at the end of the movie. 

I saw this topic on a blog challenge, and it resonated with me because I've been watching a lot of television from the eighties and nineties.  As I lived through that time period, I didn't think there was anything I'd miss about it. Surprisingly, I do. I say surprisingly because I'm a big fan of technology and the advancements that have been made in the 38 years since 1980 which is why I'd never go back to the way things were. However, I do miss the importance of phone calls. 

Nowadays, we have our phones glued to our fingertips so we don't miss a call. It's easy to get in touch with someone, and if you can't talk to them, you can always send them a text. But back in the late eighties and early nineties, phone calls were something you had to invest time in, especially if it was to a relative or friend who lived out of state. You scheduled a time to call, poured yourself a glass of iced tea, and settled in for a long evening conversation on your corded phone.  And when you got a phone call in the evening, you didn't have caller ID to check, and it didn't matter because you wanted to know who was calling you.  Generally, a telephone call was something you looked forward to, not a nuisance. 

There were payphones on every corner along with telephone booths, and a call had to be pretty important for you to stop. But it was that waiting to talk to someone that made it a little more special. Communication wasn't right at our fingertips, and it made telephone conversations special. It built anticipation as you waited for that call from someone you loved. 

Honestly, though, while I get nostalgic about the past at times, there's no way I'd willingly give up my cell phone. I might miss a call! 

One of the best ways I've found to motivate myself is to write a letter to myself to read in the future. A website, www.futureme.org, allows you to write letters to yourself and schedule them for thirty days or longer. I set goals for myself, and the letters help to remind me thirty days down the road that the goal is coming up. 

But Future Me can be used for so much more than that. You can write a letter to yourself about all the things you're worried about today. When it arrives in your inbox thirty days later, you'll see that the things you worried about weren't worth worrying about at all. 

If you're having a problem in your life, write a letter of encouragement to yourself. Remind yourself that the future will be brighter, and when the letter comes, it'll bring a smile to your face. 

So go ahead and give it a try! I'm off to write another letter to myself! 

I'm redecorating my house, and it's been an ongoing challenge! I love, love, love the 1920s, and I wanted a way to incorporate it into my house without it being too overbearing. I didn't want my living room to look like a speakeasy or anything like that. So I decided to dedicate one room of my house to the theme. 

Below is the first puzzle I've finished that will be matted and framed. (I prefer using my own creations for my walls and decorations.) Another one is underway, and I'll be setting up the painters shortly. I can't wait to share the results with you!

I also have a vintage office. I shared previous photos with you back in 2014. I have since then changed some of the furniture, and since that's been four years, I decided it was time for a little sprucing up. So here is yet another puzzle I've finished! I'll still keep with the vintage theme, and I'm excited about looking for antique items that will complement the puzzles! 

What do you think? I'd love to hear your thoughts!