March Update on 24 in 2024

In January, I posted 24 for 2024, a list of 24 things I wanted to tackle this year. I didn't call these goals or resolutions. They're just a list of things I wanted to focus on this year.

In that first post, I didn't list all 24. I wrote about 3 things I planned to work on in January. I didn't post in February. 

I think it's time I confessed how well or poorly I've done so far.

The January 3 and my progress report follow.

(1) Regain my energy and muscle mass I'd lost when sick the previous year by walking and engaging in the weight lifting program I've always used. I've done pretty well with this one and walked more days than I've missed.

(2) Workout in the morning within thirty minutes of waking up.  Ack! I managed to do this 3 times in 2 months. I'm just not a morning person. However, I have lifted weights a couple of days each week and I'm still working toward doing at least 6 times a week.

(3) Return to my previous Monday through Friday office schedule, starting at 8:00AM and ending at 5:00PM. Again, I just haven't got into this groove. Every day it seems as if something has to be done in the mornings then it's lunch time, and before I know it, I'm walking into myoffice at 2:00 in the afternoon and working until 8 at night and going to bed before 11:00. My whacked-out schedule needs to change.

ANOTHER 3 FROM 24 IN 2024

(4) Make a decision about Kindle Vella. I've already done this. I wrote 3 long books that were published a chapter at a time with Vella. After analyzing the data, it just doesn't pay off in the long-term even with bonuses. I'll be publishing those in print and digital this year.

(5) Be more active on social media. I'm working on it, but it still takes a lot of time because it's too easy to get sucked in.

(6) Publish all my books "wide" which means make them available on all book-selling platforms. I've already started on this. As my books age out of KU, I'm removing them and publishing them "wide" through Draft2Digital which distributes just about everywhere worldwide. 

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

That's my report. What about you? Did you make a 24 in 2024 list? If so, how are you progressing?  Leave a comment and tell me. 

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Girl Scout Cookie Memories

Late yesterday Darling Hubby was standing in the billiard room and looking out the window.

I was in the kitchen throwing together fried rice for dinner when he said, "There's a little Girl Scout with a wagon full of cookies going door to door while her father stands in the street and keeps watch over her."

I had this sudden emotional reaction which must have been the same as his since he sighed and said, "It makes me remember when Adina was a Girl Scout and I would go with her to sell cookies every year."

I felt tears sting my eyes as I thought how long ago that way yet, in a way, it seems as if it was only yesterday.

EMOTIONAL TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE  

We stood at the window, watching and waiting until she rang our doorbell. We opened the door and greeted her with big smiles. I said, "I'm so glad you rang our doorbell. We remember when our daughter used to sell Girl Scout cookies every year."

She beamed a smile at us as we walked down the sidewalk to where her father waited with a red wagon full of cookie boxes. "How much did cookies cost when your daugter was a Girl Scout?" she asked.

By DBenson928 onPixabay

When I told her "$2.00, she laughed. "They cost $6.00 now."

When we reached her dad, the charming little girl pointed at the cookies, told us the name of  each variety, and asked what was our favorite. I told her Peanut Butter Patties, and I asked what her favorite was. That little girl has a bright future in sales.

She giggled. "Trefoils, but I love the chocolate ones too."

We bought 2 boxes, and she urged us to try a different variety, but we declined with a laugh. By then Larry was talking with her dad about being a Girl Scout's father during cookie season.

The little girl and I talked about cookies—eating them and selling them. She was adorable and brought back so many memories of those years.

Our daughter is still friends with some of the girls who were in her Girl Scout troup—best friends with one—and I'm still friends with the women who were the troop leaders.

I'd been a Brownie leader, but I passed on being a Girl Scout leader because I'd become ensnared in the quest to be a published author. I succeeded in my quest.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

I think, in part, I owe those troop leaders a debt of gratitude for enabling the girls to go into Girl Scouts because it was rewarding in so many ways. Thank you—dear friends—you wonderful Girl Scout troop leaders.

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Top 10 Google Searches Last Year

Did you ever wonder what question is asked on Google most frequently? Well, I have an answer.

Below, you'll find the Top10 Google searches made in the last year.

Frankly, I was shocked by some of these questions—not the first one.

Everyone is always looking for something new, something popular, or something trending to watch on a Smart TV so it's not unusual to see what the first question is.

But asking that question on Google means the questioner was on a device that connected to the internet. Surely the device showed the time.

1. What to watch?

2. What time is it?

3. What is my IP?

4. How many weeks in a year?

5. How many ounces in a cup?

6. How many days until Christmas?

7. When is the Super Bowl?

8. When is Easter?

9. How to screenshot on Mac?

10. Who called me from this phone number?

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

This list was interesting, but it was also troubling that there are people who don't know how many weeks are in a year and how many ounces are in a cup. Is that a statement on the educational system?

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Free App Useful for Bloggers

This free app is useful for bloggers and for anyone who posts online with a headline or title.

This free app is Headline Analyzer by Advanced Marketing Institute.

The app is free to use and so easy. Simply paste in your proposed headline and click Submit for Analysis.

I entered this post's title and received a rather interesting and lengthy analysis.

THE HEADLINE ANALYSIS RECEIVED 

"This score indicates that your headline has a total of 40.00% Emotional Marketing Value (EMV) Words. Your headline's score is based on a scale of 0-100%. To put this score in perspective, the English language contains approximately 20% EMV words. For comparison, most professional copywriters' headlines will typically have 30%-40% EMV Words in their headlines.

"While the overall EMV score for your headline is 40.00%, your headline also has a predominant emotion classification: Intellectual & Spiritual

"Our analysis determined that your headline appeals equally to people's intellectual and spiritual spheres.

"Intellectual impact words are best used to attune copy and sales messages aimed at people and businesses involved in the fields of education, law, medicine, research, politics, and similar fields. While not restricted to these groups, by giving presentations which are weighted with Intellectual impact words, your clients and customers will be more positively influenced and you are more likely to attain a more favorable response.

"Words with Spiritual impact are best used with ..."

Wow, there's much more, but I think you get the picture.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

 Whether you need such an in-depth analysis or just want to know if your headline will attract interest, Headline Analysis is a great tool.

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Regenerative Agriculture? Watch Kiss the Ground!

If you're concerned about the environment, climate change, and other planetary calamities, you really need to watch Kiss the Ground, narrated by Woody Harrelson and now streaming on Netflix.

This 2013 documentary addesses all of these concerns. 

More importantly, it offers a much simpler solution than some of the outlandish suggestions offered.

Even better this way to heal the planet would work faster than anything else I've read. Personally, as the daughter and the sister of farmers, this documentary makes total sense.

I've seen firsthand what happens to the land with cutting down the trees, growing single crops, using expensive chemical fertilizers because the soil becomes so depleted, etc.

Farmers can't make a living in today's world, and the so-called "traditional" methods of the last 60-70 years have killed the soil.

Once the top soil is gone, death ensues—death of micro organisms at first, but eventually all the way up to humans and to the planet.

PEOPLE SMARTER THAN I KNOW THIS

Don't take my word for what happens when the top soil is gone. A group of activists, scientists, farmers, and politicians believe this to be true.

They've joined together in a global movement, Regenerative Agriculture, which has these goals: balance the climate, replenish the vast water supplies, and feed the world.

If you're thinking this is something impossible to do simply by restoring our top soil, then you're mistaken. It's something anyone who has farmers in the family knows.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

If you want to save the world, it may be easier than you think, but education about the problem is key. Please watch the film which is available on most streaming services—just Google Kiss the Ground. Even more important, tell others about the film.

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Saturday Share - Recipe - Cheesy Meat and Potato Bake

 If you have a man in the family, chances are he'll claim to be a Meat and Potatoes guy. I think most of the male population can make that claim.

Today I'm sharing what I call a Deadline Dinner—something easy I can throw together if I'm on a deadline and have little time to prepare a meal.

This main dish is inexpensive and calls for only 7  ingredients and it takes only 5-10 minutes to throw it together and pop it into the oven where it will bake 50-60 minutes.

Best of all, it tastes delicious and any leftovers keep well. I'll give you 2 versions of this recipe.

One is Tex-Mex (because I've lived in Texas most of my adult life), and 1 is Creole (because I grew up in Louisiana).  

CHEESY MEAT AND POTATO BAKE

Ingredients

1 pound ground beef 

2 large potatoes, sliced about a quarter-inch thick like for potato au gratin

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1 medium onion, diced

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 to 1 and 1/2 cup grated cheese (Jack and/or Colby)

Creole Version: Use Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning which I use instead of salt and pepper. If your local grocery doesn't stock it, you can order it from Amazon.

Creole Version Herb: 1 teaspoon dried thyme

Tex-Mex Version: Use Fiesta Fajita Seasoning which comes in a salt-free version so if you get there, you'll need to use about a teaspoon of salt to season the meat and potatoes. I've included a link to Amazon if your grocer doesn't stock this item.

Tex-Mex Version Herb: 1/2 teaspoon Chili powder and 1/2 teaspoon cumin. Increase these amounts if you like it extra spicy.

Instructions

from Amazon

1. Prepare the vegetables in advance and grate the cheese.

2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

3. In a large skillet or ovenproof dish, brown the ground beef. When it's half-way browned, throw in the diced onion and saute for about 5 minutes. Sprinkle in the garlic powder, the seasoning, and the herb. Stir to combine.

4. Turn the burner off or removed from the heat if it's an electric stove. Layer the potato slices on top, sprinkle the seasoning (salt if you're using the salt-free seasoning) over the potatoes, sprinkle with  cheese. Add another potato, seasonings, and cheese layer which should finish with cheese on top.

5. Cover with an oven-proof lid or foil and bake about 50 minutes. Remove lid and bake another 10 minutes to brown the top. Serve immediately.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

I think your family will love this main dish. Let me know if you try it.

Winner of February 2024 Rafflecopter

Congratulations to Amy M. who won the JANE AUSTEN JOURNAL.

Amy's winning entry—signing up for my free newsletter—was selected by Rafflecopter Random Draw last night (February 29).

MANIC MARCH

I'll be spending March eding a new book that will be published in a couple of months as well as completing the format for print of at least 3 of my novels.

Drop by SlingWords every day to find out what's going on in my reading, writing, video-watching, pop culture world.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

I have another Deadline Dinner main dish recipe to share so stop by for my Saturday Share Recipe: Cheesy Meat and Potato Bake.

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