Awesome Girl Gifts That Won't Break the Bank

I must admit I'm totally taken with these adorable charms for Pandora style bracelets.

You know, those uber-expensive bracelets that cost about $50 bucks in silver and about $300 in gold? They're a slender coiled chain that comes apart so you can slide charms on them. Yes, those!

Well, it's Easter, and if you have some tween or teen girls on your gift list, you'll appreciate today's post. It's all about girly things that I find appealing, and they're all Amazon Prime.

You could probably get these in time for Easter if you live in a city. Otherwise, it might take a day longer. I find Amazon's next day delivery isn't as fab as "next-day" as it once was.

The item shown above is the Happy Birthday Heart Charm from BEVALY, a company that has a huge line of charms for Pandora-style bracelets. This charm is only $11.99. Isn't it cute? A teen I know who is having a birthday next month is going to love this.

There are so many cute charms like Moon Star Dangle shown at right which comes in a silver finish or Rose Gold, but I'm only showing you the ones I want to order. This one is $13.99. Most of the Bevaly charms are in that price range.

Yes, I think these are so cute that I wanted a Pandora Style Bracelet for Charms too. Sure, I have expensive bracelets, but I seldom wear them. I guess because I'm a little wary in today's world. 

Also, I don't go to elegant formal events very often so the diamonds stay locked up. But I like wearing jewelry, and this is fun jewelry that's chic and stylish too. 

If I lose it or something happens to it, I won't be devastated. This is worry-free good-looking jewelry.

At left is the bracelet I found on Amazon. I like the little barrel clasp decorated with sparklies. It's not by BEVALY, but those charms will fit since they're designed to fit most U.S. and European bracelets, such as Pandora, Biagi, Troll, and Chamilia. 

The BEVALY charms are made of hypoallergenic 925 sterling silver, and the ones with cubic zirconia are set in a high-polish finish which means they're fade-resistant for a long time.

This summer one of my girlfriends is taking her first cruise, and I have the perfect bon voyage present for her—this Cruise Ship Charm, another BEVALY design. There's also an airplane with little dangles that's cute.

Last but not least, here's a 925 Cubic Zirconia Heart Charm, also $13.99. This is a gift for an August birthday.

And that concludes my birthday shopping for the next few months plus a couple of things for me—my reward for spending time searching for these delights. *G*

I think many women would find these gifts charming—if you'll pardon the pun.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

I'm so taken with these that I think I'll buy a couple to give away as prizes when I run my next promotion. What do you think? Do you find them appealing? Drop a comment and let me know.

Joan participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, affiliate advertising designed to help websites earn advertising fees by linking to products on Amazon. If you click an Amazon link in her post, she may receive a small commision at no extra cost to you.

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Why Offer Ads on a Blog

Hurray! It's Hump Day. 

Have you grabbed a new book to read yet?

Me? I have a book to read and some loquat trees to plant. Sounds like a busy weekend, doesn't it? But it's the kind of weekend that's fun and energizing.

To me, just as satisfying as writing a book is  working to beautify my front and back yards.

I once read that one's front yard is your gift to the world, but the back yard is your gift to yourself.

Think about that the next time you drive past a beautiful landscape. It will make you wonder what the private space in back looks like.

But I didn't intend to talk about the joys of gardening. Since I just updated my Advertising Policy and I know several other authors who have begun accepting ads, I thought I'd give some insight into...

WHY BLOGS ACCEPT ADVERTISING

I've always offered advertising on SlingWords and have had the sidebar graphic that says that. I've never actively worked to obtain paid advertising though. 

Through the years, I've often been offered quite a bit of money to advertise products that I would never use so I decline.

I'm always open to authors who need to build an audience for a book or blog or for someone offering a service to authors. 

Other than something specifically aimed at readers and writers, other advertising has appeared because someone contacts me and asks if I will publish a guest post about a specific service, product, or area of interest that may be of general interest rather than specific to readers and writers.

If it interests me, I accept because I blog about subjects of general interest. Every ad or guest post is subject to review by me before I accept it. Sometimes I'm offered a fee, but not always.

BARGAIN ADVERTISING

I offer advertising for those who are looking for an inexpensive way to draw attention to what they have to offer. 

Since SlingWords averages 20K to 30K views each month, it's a good opportunity for advertisers.

I offer it at a low price because I know authors are having a difficult time in today's world. The competition is fierce for reading dollars.

Discoverability is difficult without a lot of marketing and high-priced ads. I see offering ads as a win-win for an advertiser and for me. They get eyeballs on their product. I get a few bucks into my PayPal account.

PET PEEVES ABOUT ADS

I hate blog posts with umpteen hot links that glow or, worse, pop up as you move your mouse to read the post. I hate pop-ups in general and will never use them because I think they take away from the reading experience.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

That's my 2¢ worth about blog advertising. What do you think? Got any pet peeves?

 

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Review - Resident Alien - Netflix

I adore Alan Tudyk and was delighted when he got a series that has been successful.

I'm talking about Resident Alien, now streaming on Netflix and Peacock for subscribers. You can also rent it on Apple, Google Play, YouTube TV, and Amazon Prime.

Resident Alien, an American science fiction mystery comedy-drama TV series was created by Chris Sheridan, and is based on the comic book of the same name by Peter Hogan and Steve Parkhouse.

It premiered January 27, 2021, on Syfy, with Mr. Tudyk in the title role. The series has now moved from SyFy to USA Network which will air the new episodes.

WHAT'S IT ABOUT

An extraterrestrial crash lands his spaceship near the small town of Patience, Colorado, and is ejected. His mission is to wipe out humanity so when he accidentally kills a vacationing doctor, he takes on the doctor's appearance and identity. 

When he's asked to take on the job of town doctor, he figures that will enable him to locate his downed spaceship. The only initial problem is the mayor's young son who can see him in his true alience form. Of course, the fact that he is an alien creates hysterically funny complications, and that he becomes more human, he learns emotions.

2 THUMBS UP

Why should you watch? Because it's so off-the-wall and unexpected in dialogue and situations and surprising with heartfelt emotion. It's irreverant, inventive, and just plain laugh out loud funny.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

If you're a subscriber, absolutely add this to your list. You'll become a fan too.

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Monday Magic Tip - Tabs

Instead of a review on a free app for Monday Magic, I'm giving you a quick tip to make your browsing easier.

If you're still opening tabs on a browser the old school way—by moving your mouse up to the + sign and clicking, you're wasting time.

When you want to open a new tab, simply click this key combination: CTRL + t. Voila! A new tab opens in a nano second.

That's right, it's that simple—the CTRL key and the letter t on your keyboard.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

Seconds saved can add up to minutes. I'll give more tips like this because I find them so useful and time-saving. Try this and let me know if you incorporate it into your work routine.

Heat Lightning — 99¢ SALE

Joan participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, affiliate advertising designed to help websites earn advertising fees by linking to products on Amazon. If you click an Amazon link in her post, she may receive a small commision at no extra cost to you.

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Funny How Time Disappears

There's an old country song, "Funny How Time Slips Away," written by Willie Nelson for Elvis Presley and recorded by Willie, Elvis, and other singers too.

Originally, the song was a lament about losing someone you loved to another and hearing the lost lover tell a new person the same thing you were told—that he/she would "love you forever."

The viewpoint character muses over how time changes some things but that, sometimes, the deep emotion and sense of loss remains.

The lyrics are so true and applicable to so many aspects of life. That struck me today when I was lamenting that we are in the 4th month of this year, and I haven't accomplished nearly as much as I thought I would.

The Rolling Stones may have sung that "time is on our side," but I'm at the age when I must disagree with that idea.

The Theory Simplified

EINSTEIN'S THEORY OF TIME VS. MINE

I'm not a physicist, but I think Einstein left something out of his Theory of Relativity that revolutionized the understanding of time. Yes, it's definitely not absolute. 

According to Einstein, time is relative to the observer's frame of referenced—yes, I concur—and gravitational field. Well, I don't know much about the gravitational field to which he refers.

I do know that time is definitely relative to my frame of reference. See if you agree with my Theory. 

When going through hard times of grief and loss, time seems to freeze. You're stuck in that emotional mine field, seemingly forever.

Then there are the times of great joy, happiness, and excitement. Those moments seem to pass quickly and slip away before we notice that they're now in our past.

TIME DILATION FIELD

Other examples of time and one's frame of reference that make you think you're frozen in a time dialtion field:

* standing in line at the DMV or post office

* waiting in a doctor's office for your name to be called

* waiting in a hospital ER for news of your loved one who's being treated

* working on a project for so long you feel as if it will never end

* waiting for your kid to come home after he or she drives to a nighttime event, alone, for the first time.

Bad times don't last forever—it just seems as if they do.

Good times feel fleeting, but as long as there's life, good times will come again.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

I guess all I'm trying to say today on this Palm Sunday is to be aware of the truly important people in your life and make the moments with them memorable in a good way because it really is not funny how time slips away.

In case you want to learn more about the REAL Theory of Relativity, John Stoddard published an excellent book on the subject, in plain easily-understood English, and it's available in paperback and hardback from Amazon.

The book has a LONG title which I've shortened: Relativity For Beginners, The Special And The General Theory

Joan participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, affiliate advertising designed to help websites earn advertising fees by linking to products on Amazon. If you click an Amazon link in her post, she may receive a small commision at no extra cost to you.

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Happy 20th Birthday, SlingWords!

Twenty years ago today, I wrote and published the first post to this SlingWords blog. Yes, I've been blogging for you since 2005.

That post was an inspirational quote, a Japanese proverb that I believe wholeheartedly is a secret to success.

Since then I've blogged 4,388 times. That's probably not a record, but I'm proud of it because each post has been personal and meaningfull in some way.

At least that's what I intend with every post whether it's a bit of inspiration, a guide to authors, a recipe, a movie review, a guest author feature, or heartfelt thoughts about some subject. 

My blog has mostly had the same design for many years. I go in periodically and update the images on the sidebars, but the look of it—blue skies and bluebonnets—remain the same because I simply like those images. They visually represent optimism.

Every blog I've written can be found in THE ARCHIVES, and all of those posts are categorized in SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT.

When I mention a product, it's because I believe in the product. 

I use it myself, or I'm purchasing it for my own use. 

I don't receive free products of any kind, but if I ever do, I will disclose that.

NEW FEATURE

I have some standard posts, but I haven't posted many of those during the last year. I'll get back to that this year. Also, I'm starting a new feature, ASK JOAN, as a way to help beginning authors or maybe to explain to readers why authors do some of the things they do. 

If anyone reading this wants to know something about the art, craft, or business of writing or the bookss, or the writing life, feel free to ask just about anything.

I've been in the business a long time, and this is a way I can help those just starting out. I'll answer anything to the best of my ability.

STATISTICS

To this day, years-old posts are still being read. Here are a few stats about the readership of SlingWords.

Since 2005, this blog has been read 2,492,372 times. Here are the view stats which I culled on April 4. Views are unique, meaning not the same internet visitor reading the same post.

Yesterday: 2,548 views.  This month, April: 7,679.  Last month, March: 31,099

SURPRISING READERSHIP

Even more surprising than these big numbers are the locations of these blog readers. It's gratifying to know so many people worldwide, through the years, have read SlingWords.

United States - 1.34M

Singapore - 326K

Hong Kong - 109K

Russia - 67.4K

Germany - 54.3K

France - 52.2K

Israel - 44K

Italy - 33K

Sweden - 28.9K

United Kingdom - 25.6K

Ukraine - 23.6K

Türkiye - 23.6K

Canada - 21.7K

India - 20.5K

Netherlands - 18.3K

Brazil - 12.8K

Saudi Arabia - 9.89K

China - 8.34K

Australia - 6.96K

Other - 270K

Thank you, readers, I apprecciate each and every one of you.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

That's a wrap for looking back at 20 years of SlingWords. Keep reading, and tell your friends about this blog with original content written by a Human, not AI generated.

Thanks for reading. I appreciate your time and your Comments.

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Quote for the Week - Renewal

Easter is the season of renewal of the spirit, of nature, and, for many people, physical renewal.

Many take this time to renew their commitment made during New Year's for better health, a more balanced life, etc.

The desire to change ourselves is a constant in life because we are always changing whether we realize it or not.

Emile Zola said, "Vines will be planted, corn will spring up, a whole growth of new crops; and people will still fall in love in vintages and harvests yet to come. Life is eternal; it is a perpetual renewal of birth and growth."

In today's world, people are worried and scared, and that is true of conservatives and liberals. Avoid fear mongering. Seek the truth from impartial sources. Disdain click bait titles that seem to be created to spread fear and anxiety.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

Take heart in these scary times. As long as there is life, there is hope so keep hope in your heart and in your speech.

Read Romance, the Optimistic Genre.

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Saturday Share Recipe - Sausage and Bean Stew

If you're trying to eat healthier by adding more legumes to your diet, today's recipe can help.

If you want a vegetarian version of this dish, simply eliminate the smoked sausage.

A WORD ABOUT BEANS

Use this recipe as is, or cook your own beans rather than using canned beans. Of course, that takes advance preparation so if you need to make this quick and easy, add canned beans to your pantry.

You can use any kind of canned bean you like. In fact, you can mix and match beans different from the ones in the recipe.

Your local supermarket probably has several brands. As far me, I try to get Trappey's, for sentimental reasons I guess. We lived near a Trappey's cannery when I was a kid so my Mom always used Trappey's brand.

They also come as plain beans or a spicy variety wtih hot peppers and slab bacon seasoning. Just another way to add seasoning. 

To make this dish spicy without the Trappey's brand or even with it, use Rotel tomatoes instead of stewed tomatoes.

If you don't use Tony's, maybe give it a try. Since I grew up in Louisiana, Tony's Creole Seasoning is almost a requisite ingredient in many of the things I cook.

For those who really like big, bold flavor and who isn't afraid of heat, try Tony's sidekick  spice,Slap Ya Mama. 

SAUSAGE AND BEAN STEW

Ingredients

1 pound of smoked sausage, sliced

1 medium bell pepper, diced

1 medium to large onion, diced

2 cans stewed tomatoes or Rotel

1 can red beans, drained and rinsed

1 can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

1 can great northern beans, drained and rinsed

1 teaspon Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. In a large Dutch oven, brown the smoked sausage, remove from pan and set aside.

2. Drain all the beans and rinse.

3. Saute the onion and bell pepper in the drippings from the sausage. 

If that's too much fat for your diet, drain the rendered fat away and use some olive oil to saute the vegetables.

4. When the vegetables are soft but not browned, add the tomatoes, all the beans, and the seasonings.

5. Simmer about fifteen minutes on low then add the seasonings and the cooked smoked sausage. Simmer another 10 minutes. Make sure the liquid doesn't cook down too low.

6. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper if needed.

7. Serve over rice and with cornbread.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

This is actually an economical dish to make, and it serves a lot. Even better, it's the kind of comfort food we all love.

Joan participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, affiliate advertising designed to help websites earn advertising fees by linking to products on Amazon. If you click an Amazon link in her post, she may receive a small commision at no extra cost to you.

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My Week In One Word

Thank goodness it's Friday. If I had to use one word to describe my week, that word is BUSY.

Yes, I edited a book and got it uploaded, designed 4 new book covers, wrote a chapter in the new book, created 2 new FB ads, started editing another book, cleaned up my office, filed a gazillion papers, worked on a spreadsheet to judge the performance of my FB ads, and then there was...

THE PERSONAL SIDE OF MY LIFE

I cleaned up the guest room since we're expecting a house guest, and that meant I had to remove all of the income tax documents from the guest bed since I use it as a conference table.

The guest bed? Well, yes. It's a large surface that isn't used until someone comes to visit so it's perfect for organizing papers and projects. (One of these days, I hope to again have a larger office with a table for that purpose, but for now, I use what I have.)

Groan. Income tax. Yes, I started on that, and today we'll finalize it and get it shipped off. Also upped my workout routine with weights, cooked at least 2 meals most of the days—Darling Hubby did the other meals in between working on his own projects—and kept my patio plants watered since we had a lot of wind every day that dehydrates them.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

 Sometimes I feel overwhelmed by all of different tasks I undertake as a self-published author, but I tend to believe what Deepak Chopra once said, "All great changes are preceded by chaos.”

How was your week?

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25 for 2025 - Achievement Fatigue?

When you're working on a long-term project, it can begin to feel as if you're pushing a giant boulder up a steep hill.

I call this achievement fatigue. I don't know if that's a real phrase I've heard somewhere or if I just came up with it, but it definitely applies.

Sometimes when you're working the same project day after day, you start to feel as if it will never be completed. That's usually when you falter and may think about quitting.

Hang in there. Hold fast to the visualization of the end of the project—the culmination—the point when it's over, and you've done it!

That's persistence and that's what it takes to achieve anything worthwhile which brings me to...

MARCH UPDATE OF 25 FOR 2025

I've accomplished a lot this month by consistently working on my big projects—new book covers, new file formats, editing older books, writing the new book, and other writing-related tasks that many of you may not relate to.

When that "achievement fatigue" began to hit me, I knew it was time to shake things up so I broke my day into two—before noon and after lunch. 

Before noon, I began working on my spring garden and new landscaping. After lunch, I went to my office and started on the writing work I had scheduled for the day.

This change-up works for me because while I'm working in the yard, my brain is busy with the plot, characters, and upcoming scenes in the book I'm writing. Plus, I get some much needed physical activity.

Because I'm thinking about my work in progress, I'm ready to get started when I hit the office.

HAVE A PLAN WHEN FATIGUE HITS

I think many of us try to push past "achievement fatigue" and keep our noses firmly on the grindstone, but that can be counter-productive. In fact, our malaise may continue to grow until we hit the wall and just want to quit.

Plan for that. Know what you're going to do when you reach the point that you just don't want to do it a minute longer.

RECAP OF PROGRESS REPORTS ON 25 FOR 2025

If you want to check in on the monthly progress reports, click the link to read each.

#1 for 2025

Be realistic in setting goals, planning work, or writing resolutions. If you find yourself constantly feeling overwhelmed, take a step back and look at your expectations. Are they realistic?

#2 for 2025

Use a day planner to be accountable and to stay on task. Make scheduling your work  a daily habit because it will make the goal ever-present in your mind which will make you accountable. This is a profound key to accomplishment.

#3 for 2025

Attack your long-term projects persistently and consistently. A mountain can be moved one shovelful at a time, and a big project can be completed, one small segment at a time. 

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

Nothing lasts forever. If you're trying to achieve something amazing, give yourself the best shot at it by planning for that "hit the wall" feeling that will crop up. Change your attack, and you'll come out on top.

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Saturday Share Recipe - Peach Salad

I suppose you can guess that I've been eating a lot of salads lately since I keep giving recipes for salads.

One reason I'm always looking for a new salad recipe is that salads can be boring—a bowl of greens, a few add-ins and your usual dressing day after day gets monotonous.

Today's recipe is a fruit salad, but this is what I typically serve for dessert in warm weather.

It has some of my favorite fruits and the dressing actually comes from the peach pie filling as it melds with all the other fruits.

The ingredients can be a mix of fresh and canned to make life easy for you. It's cold, delicious, and sweet enough to pass as dessert.

First I want to tell you this new Duncan Hines Comstock Peach Pie Filling. The only ingredients in this canned product are: peaches, water, sugar, cornstarch, peach juice concentrate, and citric acid. No HFCS, no preservatives, no vegetable gums. It's probably as "clean" as a canned product can be.

The link is for a case of the peach pie filling on Amazon. If you're like my family and love peach anything, you may want to buy the 8 can case. At Walmart, this can is almost $9.67—talk about sticker shock!!! At Amazon, a case of 8 breaks down to $3.60 a can. ($28.83 a case.)

PEACH SALAD

Ingredients

2 (15 and 1/2 ounce cans chunk pineapple, drained

2 (11 ounce) cans mandarin oranges, drained or 2-3 fresh oranges, peeled and diced

16 ounces fresh strawberries, sliced (or frozen if you can't find fresh)

4 large bananas sliced

1 (21 and 1/2 ounce) can Duncan Hines Comstock Peach Pie Filling

Directions

If using canned fruit, drain and save the liquid for mixing with other juices.

Mix the pineapple, oranges, strawberries, and bananas in a large bowl.

Add the peach pie filling to the fruit in the bowl and gently combine well.

Cover the bowl and refrigerate overnight.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

This is so good, you'll get rave reviews. You can also serve it as a topping for vanilla ice cream or pound cake for those who like a serious hit of sweetness.

Joan participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, affiliate advertising designed to help websites earn advertising fees by linking to products on Amazon. If you click an Amazon link in her post, she may receive a small commision at no extra cost to you.

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