Writer’s Rite of Passage: Rejection Slips

In March I sent a story idea, and an example of my writing, to the editor of a local newspaper, and received my first rejection as a writer. The full story on my first attempt to kick start my writing career is here. Come June, I was overdue for a second attempt. Becoming a Travel [...]

How To Listen To Kids

Candy Family Communication Problems I’ll be the first to admit that often I don’t really listen to my kids. In the mornings they’ll be chirping away merrily about this and that while I prepare sandwiches, make breakfast, look for clothes and add to the shopping list, usually all at the same time. When I’m able [...]

What Can You Give Up To Live Your Dream?

What We Can Happily Live Without Flash Cars We have an old no-name type car. Who gives a flying fart anyway? However, don’t let your kids use your car as a climbing frame like we did in Costa Rica or the roof rack will fall off one day while you’re driving along. Ooops. Fancy Clothes [...]

Live Your Dream in a Material World

Things I’ve Given Up To Live My Dream Giving things up sounds like such miserable, hair shirt stuff, but even the thought of writing this article makes me happy. Somehow downsizing my life so that I can achieve my life goals isn’t much of a sacrifice at all. In fact, it’s liberated me. Granted I’ve [...]

Wicked Winter on the Sunshine Coast, Australia

I’ve written recently that winter on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, Australia doesn’t really get cold. Sorry, folks, I take it all back. It’s now wickedly chilly and some mornings I’m sitting here with socks, slippers, all my clothes and the pink fluffy dressing gown I couldn’t live without over the top. Hot stuff I [...]

Changing Crappiness Into Happiness

Inspirational People and the Key to Happiness I recently went to an inspirational talk by cancer survivor, young mum, triathlete and fellow Noosa resident, Sam Naudin. Over the past two years she’s had a tumultuous journey which included being diagnosed with breast cancer and subsequently undergoing a mastectomy, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. As if this [...]

Puberty Bites: Talking About Puberty With Kids

We all need to laugh more and here’s something that amused me last week. Being a Parent’s Hard But We’re Doing the Best We Can Two of the cardinal rules for good parenting are not to stereotype your children and not to compare them, however, I’ve noticed that my older son, aged 11, is often [...]

Maintain Motivation: Celebrate Your Successes

Recognise Your Achievements Last week was my oldest child’s 11th birthday, a true milestone for both of us. Taking a rare moment out of mothering and work, I had time to realise that it’s a real privilege to watch someone evolve from birth to puberty. Previously a helpless baby, he’s now reached the the cusp [...]

Search Engine Terms for Blogging

The Fine Art of Search Engine Optimisation Some people have found this site by typing totally ludicrous and, in some cases, inappropriate phrases into the search engines. It all goes to show how hard it is to find the information you’re really looking for on the Internet because I’m pretty sure that the people who [...]

How To Break the Blogging Rules

Inspiration, Information and Idiosyncrasies for Living Your Dream Despite 12 years of online marketing experience and a good understanding of the rules of blogging and social networking, I’m breaking all the rules and doing my own thing here. I know I’m supposed to be targeting a specific audience and focusing all my articles on one [...]