Friday, March 7, 2008
Guest Editor's Picks -- March 7th, 2008
Hi
journal friends old and new! I am Val from There is a
Season. I want to thank Vishy from Magic Smoke for
allowing me to be Guest Editor this week! Magic Smoke is a
blog well worth putting on alerts! Again, thanks
Vishy!
Who am I? I am a 42 year-old mom to
a young adult son and daughter and a grandma to two boys. I
live in central PA and love the area! I started blogging four
years ago as an outlet for my pent-up feelings. I have always
kept a paper journal since a young child, and when I saw the "create
journal" icon I was fascinated. I typed a few entries and
began to get comments. I was astounded that anyone wanted to
read MY words. I still am to this day. Now I write
for others as well as myself. I like to share my thoughts on
my disabilities, my passion on mental health awareness, blood donation,
feeding the hungry, domestic violence, taking care of one another,
among other passions. as well as sharing fun, games and joy along the
way! Reading someone's journal is like walking into their
home and sitting at their kitchen table and sharing a moment in
time. I value it.
Now on to my
picks. I thought awhile about who I wanted to
showcase. There are so many good journals out
there!! I decided that I would introduce you all to five
blogs that I have found inspirational as well as educational and
perhaps even life-changing. I hope you enjoy these
picks!!
*
Tammy from Down
Home has been a true inspiration to me since the day I met
her! Although she isn't always feeling well herself, she
makes sure that others are taken care of! She keeps numerous
journals. In Down Home she shares recipes, facts, her life,
and fun links! She has another special journal that has
brought the disabled together in JLand - As I Am.
They have been able to learn more about their
disabilities and each other's. Tammy has done so much behind
the scenes that she has truly inspired
me!
* Kellen from
Faith in Roman
Catholicism
is one of the neatest teenagers I have ever met! He has
brought together different Christian faiths in JLand as even
non-Catholics enjoy his blog. He fosters community spirit and
education through his Journal
Tournament. If you have ever played, you have certainly
learned a few facts!! He has shared his journey through
high-school and now college. Presently,
Kellen is in a musical, Guys and
Dolls, and is really
excited!!
*
John from too stubborn to
die is, well, too stubborn to die!!! John writes
with poignancy and wit. He is re-telling his experience with
Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma, bone cancer and a subsequent bone marrow
transplant. John has just celebrated two years.
Happy Birthday, John!! His experience has inspired others to
donate 274 + pints of blood!! If you would like to know how
to donate in John's name, send me an
email!
*
Angie from Peyton's
Water shares her life as a mom and a
co-owner of a home business. She is sharing her weight loss
journey with her readers as well as sharing
her desire for others to donate blood. Angie started and now helps
run The
Giving Tree in JLand. This is
a journal that mates a need with those who can supply the
need. She also offers a discount in her sidebar for her
readers.
*
Rosemary from Inspirations is a Life Coach. She says
she hopes people find "comfort, inspiration, hope, and love" in her
blog. She makes inspirational posts as well as gives free
life coaching assignments. A recent one is called
Define
Yourself. Rosemary is filled with wisdom and
love.
I hope you enjoyed my picks this week and were
able to find a new journal or two that just may change you in some
way. Hugs, Val xox
Friday Blogplugs - 3/7
Happy Friday
folks,
A very busy week just went by. Let's see what
we got for
blogplugs..
started filling up her Christmas
jar! You can do this too, to help someone in greater need
than you.
* Krissy's
very last entry on John's birthday
party.
* Indigo
talks about how patience and love has restored good
relations with her daughter. Good for
you!
* Guido highlights
a Breast Cancer fund raising activity, that Kelly (Kim's sister) is
participating in. He also writes that next week the focus is on
Prostate Cancer.
* Krissy
reports that she has a health
problem (a Pulmonary Nodule). Further tests need to be done
to determine if it is malignant or benign. We hope and pray for the
latter.
Contests!
* Weeklysentence with Val. This week's letters were APSTMS
and the winners are here.
Lights, Camera and
Action!
*
Marie's AOL
Community Photo Challenge, beginner
and advanced
entries
for the subject "March into
Spring".
* Krissy's
JLand Photo Shoot entries
for the subject "Sights of My
Town"
Thanks again for the blogplugs
this week. Don't forget to tag your best entries with
"blogplugs". If you want to be a Guest Editor or have some
interesting (or useful) blogplugs, send your submissions to
JournalsEditor@aol.com and we'll review
them.
~Vish
Friday, February 29, 2008
Mountain Of Knowledge
Before love, before sex, before shelter, even before eating, Adam and
Eve reached for the “apple” from the Tree of Knowledge. Knowledge!
Before they could move forward, they needed to know who they
were!
My name is Marc, I am a clone of
Adam. Like many before me, my hunger is for knowledge. At an early age
I set off to climb the Mountain of Knowledge. I mused upon every
element there, everything from the grains of sand to the setting of a
giant sun. There is nothing too small or insignificant in creation.
Thus, this journey has become a sacred
adventure.
I have learned many lessons on that
Mountain and have carried them back here, assembling them in my
journal, "grains of
sand". For the many who have stopped at my journal, I am
thankful and gracious for your company!
While climbing that Mountain of
Knowledge I have noticed many sets of footprints, yours! Each day many
of you return here, leaving your insight, your images, your joys, your
fears and above all, your purpose! As this week's Guest Editor, I am
entrusted with the task of illustrating six journals (not fair,
really). Six fellow journeymen, their hearts and minds wide open,
leaving their life’s encounters for us to muse
upon!
Her heart is an open house for all people and all things. Her thoughts have a way of unifying
the reader to affirm our commonalities. Her zeal for her
commitments,the treasuring of her kinships provokes us to hit that
comment key. Sadly, her “tip jar” is gone, so read
and enjoy!
has captured the essence ofwhat makes life so sacred in her
photographic journal. I view her photos, close my eyes and become
boundless. I journey to a snowbound cabin, my feet suddenly ice cold. I
am taken to white picket fence in a seaside town where I spent a
weekend with my sweetheart. Her photos have us become more sensitive to
the image displayed. Truly, an art of the
artist!
visiting) has two journals running. Just Visiting, is
appropriately named. She moves so quickly, with so much energy, it
seems like she is just visiting! When she does stop, she brings a sense
of renewal. She exhibits her self exploration through her challenges
and confessions. No doubt, she has jogged the Mountain many
times!
"Tales
of Trailer park princess" is just one of her six journals!
She clearly brings her deep sense of compassion, hospitality and hope
here. Imaginative, she explores and reveals the brighter sideof
life!
Lament", takes on giant meanings and threads them through the
eye of a needle and then weaves a quilt of warmth. Her faith is
extraordinary., living with obstacles and doubt, she uses them to carve
a new direction for herself and you to follow. There is nothing more
potent than Hope, and she serves up a healthy portion in each
entry!
of the Iris". Has the art of making the reader receptive,
because she holds nothing back in her observations. She becomes our
eyes. Rebecca's appetite for climbing is voracious! She has brought
enough material from that Mountain that belies her young age!. Her
grace and gratitude is always evolving, strengthening her
connection to her passions of living a deeper and fuller life! I can
hardly wait to see what she will be writing in a few years from
now.
You now have some wonderful reading
ahead of you! I want to thank the editor at AOL for allowing me this
opportunity to feature a few of the writers who with their acts of
kindness have made this world a better place!
As for me, I am heading back to that
Mountain, the journey continues!
Peace and Blessings to
all!
Marc J
Friday Blogplugs - 2/29/08
Hey
folks,
A short week for me as I was out with the flu
for a couple of days. Just getting my bearings back. Off we go
blogplugging..
recently found herself needing the "Domestic Violence
Hotline" number to help a friend. She urges you to have it handy and
has badges in her entry
that you can display in your
sidebar.
* Krissy
wants you to know that she is still under
the weather and hence not able to blog much.
* John's list
of cool
things starts off with Apollo 11, The Starship Enterprise,
and Star Trek.
* Ken expresses
his views on harassment.
* Sherry is
preparing
for a trip to the hospital and wants to thank everybody for their
support and prayers. She also requested her friends from the weight
loss group to fill-in
during her absence.
* Sugar has some furry
notes that needs to be posted VERY LOW on the refrigerator
door.
* Dan reviews
the show Lost: The Constant ..Season 4, Episdode
5.
Krissy writes about the games
they played at her husband John's birthday
party.
* Sherry
rants
about parents not seating their kids in the shopping cart and strapping
on the safety belt. In the past, she was witness to a child falling
from the cart and having the ambulance
called.
* Beth
wouldn't trade her home in Nutwood Junction for anything. A
very tranquil reading,
I must say.
* Donna
wants us to know that she has had it with winter and writes
about her attempt to get her car out of her inclined driveway. Not fun!
Please stay warm.
* Guido has
formed a AIM group called J-land
as a further means of communicating within J-land, allows the sending
of group emails etcetera. If you want to be part of this group please
send email to Guido. Details in his entry.
* Donna (this
is a different Donna:)) has some more poetry
for you this week.
* Sherry is
hitting diet
fatigue and has tips on how to get over
that.
* gifdude
writes
about how he lost 45lbs and gained it all back. He is not a quitter
though, he is trying again. Hope you lose it for good this
time!
Contests R
Us
* Weekly
sentence with Val. This week's letters were TPIWIS
and the winners are here.
Lights, Camera and
Action!
* Marie's AOL
Community Photo Challenge, winners
for advanced entries
for the subject "Winter
Blues".
In other
JLand
news...
* This week, JLand lost another
one of its own. Irene, who had been battling
cancer, succumbed to her illness. She
had a journal called "Meet
Me At The Breakfast Table".
She will be greatly missed. May her soul rest in
peace. Our deepest condolences to her
family.
*
And finally, one
last item from me. Do you find blogplugs useful? Are people clear on
how blogplugs work? Do you have ideas on how to improve it? Or how to
improve the discovery of other quality journals? The best ideas
generally come from users, hence we are asking you for suggestions.
Please leave your suggestions, if any, in the comments section.
--
Thanks again for the blogplugs
this week. Don't forget to tag your best entries with
"blogplugs". If you want to be a Guest Editor or have some
interesting (or useful) blogplugs, send your submissions to
JournalsEditor@aol.com and we'll review
them.
~Vish
Friday, February 22, 2008
Guest Editor's Picks -- February 22, 2008
Hello all you lovely
J-Landers. I'm Pam, your Guest Editor for this week. I am absolutely
thrilled to bits and extremely honoured to have been chosen,
and I will do my best to showcase some great journal's.
For those of you who
don't know me, I am a 38yr old mother of one, fabulous, funny and
loveable teenage daughter, who, In J-Land Is referred to as "My Wee
Treasure" much to her displeasure I may add! lol. I
met my wonderful, future "hubby to be" 16 years ago, He was,
and still Is, my best friend. He is known as "Mister Man". I am also a
"Mamma" to my 3 beautiful cats, Purdie, Oscar and G-Cat, who Is a brand
new addition to our family, since being
abandoned.
I love my cats with
a passion and one day, want very much, to have my own cattery for
stray's and unwanted or abandoned cats. I first started writing my
journal, Almost
40! In August 2007. I sat one saturday
night, In sheer desperation, with my bottle of wine, just needing to
reach out to any ears available! lol. I wanted to try and do
something, that would get the publisher's knocking on my door, offering
me book deals! lol. Oh God loves a tryer! If nothing else, I still have
hope!.
I love writing and
feel a connection with people here In J-Land, that I haven't
experienced anywhere else! It's the strangest, yet fantastically
uplifting experience, I have ever had, people, I have never met, saying
things that totally lift my spirits and touch my very soul, and for
that, I want to thank each and every one of you, who have taken the
time and trouble to stop by my journal. Thank You all so very much.
xx
Now for
the best bit: It's time to grab a cuppa and enjoy some truly wonderful
journal's:
My Guest Editor picks
sharing
Morton, Is one of life's true
gentlemen. He cares for his mum full time and has been diagnosed with
M.S. himself. I love his determination and attitude. He Is definately
not one of life's "quitters". His shortcut's leave me In stitches,
demonstrated in his entry "be my valentine".While he awaits
the parts arriving to fix his tumble dryer he "discovers" that by
spinning the drum and closing the door fast, It works!! and dry's the
washing just as well. lol.
and the Gang
Amanda, Is a very funny lady
who spends a lot of her time at her allotment. As well as being a wife
and mother she also has 5 cats and a beagle!. Living with the
very painful condition Fibromyalgia, which, I noticed a few other
J-Landers also suffer from, she battles on, to keep building up her
allotment and has even taken up pottery. Amanda's down to earth
attitude and wit, Is a real tonic. She may not post as regular
as I would like, but I just know how
much I smile, when my alert shows her
name.
SHE GREAT!!
Yasmin, always seems to be
able to put a smile on my face, she lives with her 2 cats Scarlett and
Domino, and It's very clear to see, they are her, "little darling's".
Yasmin certainly does have a zest for life!. Her travelling exhausts
me! lol. Her fantastic ability to describe everything to a "T", Is a
real gift. After reading her entry named "REMEMBER WHEN!!!!" I was
taken back In time, to share In her memories of her first disco, what a
brilliant read.
Boredom Eats Away At
Me
Jenny, a total music lover and No:1
Queen fan, Is 30 going on 18!! lol. Her journal leaves me In awe of the
things she manages to do. All the gigs she attends, Her bike ventures
and best classic line of all, was from her entry, "Work, NHS, Family
and Friends" she describes feeling worthless, sitting In a
meeting at work and decides to doodle away on her pad, It
turned Into a Pirate Boat that she was so proud of, she took It home!
lol. Her closeness with her best friend Trina Is heartwarming, they
have so much fun. Jenny shares all her stories from every gig she goes
to and makes you feel a big part of It all.
A Quiet Life......I
Wish
Carol, Is simply one of
life's nice people. Although, she strikes me as rather shy sometimes,
her motherly kindness and protectiveness shines through. I adore
reading her stories, Her young son Adam who Is just 7yrs old had an
accident a while back and burnt his hand quite badly. Carol got a
terrible fright and I really felt for her, Even then, with so much
going on, she was kind enough to pass on messages, that I
had left for Adam and even took the time to mail me back his
answer! How thoughtful. It was appreciated very much Indeed. I
am happy to report, that he Is on the mend and healing well. Way to go
Adam!.
journey of another
kind
Jane, Is brand new to me, and yet she
has made such an Impact. I came across her journal
after popping along to wish her well on receiving an award, only to be
sat, staring at the screen, In silence, as I read her story. Jane has
been diagnosed with renal cell carcinoma and continues to put up an
almighty fight. Her sense of humour Is astounding. I want to do more,
but I can't, I remain helpless. A little support may help to ease the
burden of such a despicable disease. Jane you are In my thoughts and
prayers.
Please stop by my
choices and wish them well. There were so many to choose from, I have
been sighing and huffing and puffing all week! lol. It has been a real
honour. Don't forget to pop back next week for the next six
picks!....and that my dear J-Lander's, bring's me to a close, so, Take
Care wherever you may be.
Love Pam
xx
Friday Blogplugs - 2/22/08
Hey
folks,
I am blogplugging from sunny Seattle (yes!),
where I am visiting family for the
weekend.
gives us a detailed
look, into how she manages her
money.
* Ken sees
opportunities
to help others everyday and challenges us to
move out of our
comfort zone.
* Indigo
reminds us that words
do hurt and urges us to use them carefully, especially when
commenting on a journal whose writer is going thru some tough
times.
* Guido has
set up a journal about the aftermath
of Hurricane Ivan at Madagascar.
* Krissy is
recuperating after a bout of pneumonia and she and John are making an
hour
by hour list of what is needed to be done for their meds.
* Lisa provides us an update
on her doctor's visit and the emotional roller coaster ride that it
was.
*
Sugar wants us to know that February is National Pet Dental
Health month and has some additional
info for you. She also has some tips
to keep your pets warm.
Contests R
Us
* Weekly
sentence with Val. This week's letters were TCRABC
and the entries are here.
Lights, Camera and
Action!
* Krissy's
JLand Photo Shoot entries
for the subject "My
Pet".
* Marie's AOL
Community Photo Challenge, beginner
and advanced
entries
for the subject "Winter
Blues".
Other "blog"
plugs...
* If poetry is your
bailiwick, then do drop by Donna's journal
where she has poured out her
soul.
* Want to grow the
perfect
tomato ? Then say hello to Ray White
who at 94, is perhaps our oldest journaler. He has had his
journal for 4
years.
* Please stop by
Paul's journal
to say hello. Paul is a retired TV reporter, nee
teacher, actor now wallowing in
academia.
--
Thanks again for the blogplugs
this week. Don't forget to tag your best entries with
"blogplugs". If you want to be a Guest Editor or have some
interesting (or useful) blogplugs, send your submissions to
JournalsEditor@aol.com and we'll review
them.
~Vish
Friday, February 15, 2008
Guest Editor's Picks -- February 15, 2008
Osiyo!
(Hello),
Welcome to this weeks, Guest Editor Edition! I'm as
surprised and delighted as you are to be the chosen
guest editor. I'm a tad uneasy talking about me, but it
seems requisite that I tell you a little bit about
myself:
Raven's
Lament began
as a means to communicate my growing frustration of living in a world of silence,
brought on by my deafness. Around the same time I was blessed with a
hearing dog to aide me on my journey. Since those first few intrepid
footsteps, my journal has evolved to be so much more than originally
intended. I found within it's pages, I did indeed have a voice. That
voice has been outspoken on Domestic Abuse, Animal Cruelty, Compassion
and Empathy. My original premise stills stands strong, I invite my
readers into my world to experience the life of a Native American Deaf
woman through my eyes. Along the way I've encountered and
befriended so many wonderful, caring people within these journals. Come
sit by the fire, warm yourself and let me introduce you to a few of
those
individuals.....
For This" I would be remiss if I didn't place this journal
on the top of the list. I still miss Kim and her inspirational words.
She drew people to her even before her battle with Cancer. I never knew
someone who fought so hard, with so much passion and love for all those
who knew her. Her journal is a testament to life and the challenges we
face to live it to the fullest, despite our battles.
Mary, was kind enough to remind us this
past Tues. would of been her 45th Birthday. Stop by and remember this
beautiful spirit and her
story......
Iris,
is
another thought provoking gem hidden among the
volumes of journals. Rebecca has become not only a friend, but a joy to
read. She is what I would call a "Tell it like it is kind of woman".
I've found her outlook on life to be an interesting
view.
Sand ,
In his
journal Marc restores my faith in men. Not to say
there haven't been a few within the journal's realm that haven't made
me pause. This gentleman honestly has a deep understanding of life, the
lessons wherein, as well as that elusive knowledge on how a woman may think.
Whenever I get the pleasure of reading his thoughts, I walk
away somehow enlightened and
inspired......
Is written by Michelle. If there
ever was a woman who expressed such beauty of spirit it was her. Not
only does her spirit reflect in her words, but in her actions and
comments to those who have come to know her. You won't regret
encountering this wonderful woman. She knows how to make someone feel
cherished.
Up,
Is Linda's story. It's a journal about endurance, faith,
courage and a battle so many of us have faced. Linda is not just a
testament to weight loss, she is inspiring, funny, and in my book down
to earth. She doesn't just inspire you to lose weight, but to truly
challenge life on life's
terms.
Junction, Is Beth's little piece of
Nirvana. In her own words describing her journal, she has said
"Anything can and will show up here". I'm delighted to say she
wasn't kidding. She has a fresh perspective on just about anything
under the sun. Boredom doesn't exist in Beth's world....an interesting
and thought provoking read
always.
And that my dear friends ends this
weeks "Guest Editor Picks". There are so many more I could of
recommended and would of loved to do a review on as well. Never know,
maybe someday I'll show up on these pages again. For now it's been a
delight and a pleasure to be the this weeks
entertainment.....
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