Category Archives: 1

Boost Your Brain Power! For Free!

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So I was chatting with a dear friend who’s recovering from brain surgery (I know–brain surgery! But she’s coming along well.). And she told me her doctor had recommended she stimulate her brain through the activities at Lumosity. So I checked out the site, played a few games, and all in all, deemed myself (and my brain) way stimulated.

But then I realized I’d have to pay a subscription fee for Lumosity. Er…maybe I could just go back to the Word Jumble in the paper (though I never can figure out those scrambled words). I was in a bit of a funk till I realized (thank goodness I’d stimulated my brain or I would never have come upon a second realization) that I have a couple copies of Chicken Soup for the Soul Boost Your Brain Power!

And you know what’s inside that book? “Revealing personal stories, clear medical advice, and tips”  to energize your brain at any age. So I thought I should read the whole book very carefully, take a few notes, get with the brain program. And then I thought I should send a copy to my friend who’s recovering from brain surgery. And then I thought, Hey! I’ll give away a copy to one of my blog followers!

So, leave a comment on this post today through June 24th. On Monday the 25th, I’ll select a random winner. It would be really swell if your comment had a brain-stimulating tip to share. Because honestly, I need plenty of stimulatin’ to keep ahead of the Beneficent Mr. Hall.

 

Mozark Press Call Out and Trying to Be Funny

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Mozark Press has a quick call out for humorous stories that I received while hanging out at the beach with my folks. Which is kinda funny…well, let me tell you about the call out first.

The editor is seeking humorous fiction for A Shaker of Margaritas: A Bad Hair Day and you must submit by July 15th. So you probably want to go straight over here for all the submission details. It sounds like a fun premise, and the stories in the Shaker of Margaritas series are always a hoot, so I hope I can come up with something soon. Though I don’t know how good it’ll be if I need to write a humorous story.

See, I brought my mom and dad a handful of Chicken Soup books on this last visit: Chicken Soup’s Messages From Heaven, Boost Your Brain, and Married Life. All books that you may recall have a story from yours truly (also known as their loving daughter). My mom finally got around to reading my contributions (after I’d left) and so when I called to let her know I’d arrived safely back across the state, she wanted to let me know what she thought about my work.

MOM: I really like when you write a simple story…like the one in that Brain book. I don’t know about those stories when you try to be funny.

ME: Well, thanks, Mom. I’m kinda glad Chicken Soup doesn’t feel that way.

(I had two stories in the Married Life book.)

MOM: I’m just saying that your simple stories are better. I don’t know why you try to be funny.

(Notice how Mom kept saying “try to be funny”–clearly implying that I’m not succeeding.)

ME: Well, Mom, the Married Life book asked for funny stories. So I had to “try” to write something funny.

MOM: Oh. Well, I suppose if you had to try to be funny…

So I shall “try to be funny” for Shaker of Margaritas: Bad Hair Day. But I don’t think my mom’s expecting much.