The response that I received from these various individuals has been nothing short of amazing. Artistic communities are special and supportive, and I have found this especially true in the writing community. I sent notice to around 120 writers, and over half have responded not only with a request to be included on the new editorial list, but also with kind words and thoughts, as well as reminders that we are all human.

I feel humbled and blessed that, through a love of literature, curiosity, and social media, I have been able to connect with so many amazing people and become a part of an amazing community of writers. Needless to say, I cannot wait to put together my new editorial calendar this weekend and start reading and reviewing again!

Control Is An Illusion

Thanks to author and virtual-friend Jay Swanson for sharing the link above. I love how Jay writes, in general, but in particular, he shares his experience of looking for an apartment in Paris, and how letting go of attempts to control the situation worked to his advantage.

I recommend reading his post, and then thinking, like I did, about aspects of your life. After reading Jay’s post, I realized that there are so many things that we try to control, every day – things that we have absolutely no control over. I think, for instance, about trying to control my commute to work in NYC (ha!). I wake up, do my morning thing, and get out the door on the bus that “should” have me arriving at work on time. The regular morning traffic, combined with road work, weather conditions, or a bad accident, can have me quite delayed. Once that bus hits the city, I then need to take a subway. Again, I have arrived EARLY at the subway only to be delayed by “train traffic,” accidents, or situations of an unknown (to me) nature that have delayed or stopped the train altogether. On days like these, I simply have to acknowledge that I am going to be late, and not stress about it.

The stereotype of the disgruntled New Yorker is not difficult to imagine given the above circumstances. If you have ever been to NYC, you know that, more often than not, people are irritated by that which they cannot control. I still get irritated by it, even though I know better.

Thanks Jay for a refreshing reminder that letting go can be, and often is, a great thing to do.

I have been contacted by all types of authors and I look forward to sharing their stories and work here. If you would like to have a book reviewed, please e-mail me (jessanickel@gmail.com) and send a description of the work. I will let you know what genres that I enjoy reading and feel comfortable reviewing, and we can move forward from that point. Please know that, due to my own situation over the past few months, that there is a significant wait right now for a review. However, I do my best to honor all requests received.

Looking forward to hearing from you!

Many of us have done soul searching about our jobs, whether it is thinking about a full-time job or part-time job, or the unpaid but equally important job of having and raising a family and home. Everyone has different reasons for working: some of us work for income, while others work for personal satisfaction, and still others to support family and loved ones. Motivations might be different, but personal happiness is important to consider. I have spent the past few weeks thinking about what makes me truly happy in a work situation. Salary and health care are important, so that I can be self-sufficient, but ultimately the challenge-level of my work is what motivates me. I love an intellectual challenge. There is part of me that is absolutely thrilled by the challenge of exploring a new area, learning a new skill, and applying that skill in different ways. There is an element of risk involved in this, but the risk excites me.

With this attitude toward risk, I decided that I would look for a new job, in order to increase my skills in quality assurance through test writing and automation, as well as computer programming. I am fascinated by the idea of writing programs to solve problems, and I really enjoy the opportunities provided in the web and mobile spaces. I let go of my old job, with some offers on the table for new opportunities. I still have not made a 100% decision on what direction I will be moving, but whatever I do, I know it will provide the challenges that excite my mind.

What excites you? What motivates you to take risk? What scares you or makes you back away from risk?

Brooke Bowie explains how “adaptive” software testing provides nimble, high-value software test solutions that bend and shift with the changing needs of the market or the environment.

See on www.agileconnection.com

Search thousands of tutorial videos on any subject from the worlds best teachers. Before you know it, you’ll know it.

See on www.knowmia.com

TOUCH this image (“The Flipped Workshop” – a ‘thinglink’ overview for my #iTeach13 poster presentation on teaching w/soundcloud today.

See on www.thinglink.com

See on www.educatorstechnology.com

With the exception of few cruel individuals, most humans do not like to watch other humans suffer. Further, most humans do not enjoy pain themselves. When beset with increasing levels of pain, people turn to their faith, their loved ones, or other means of coping. When pain becomes so great that it can no longer be dealt with, some people fight while other people give up. Nothing knocks people on their ass quite as quickly or effectively as pain.

I can say that I have had more pain than some, and nowhere near as much as others. I have witnessed people I love go through pain I would not wish on anyone. I have also felt this kind of pain myself. More recently, pain has started to wear on me, take its toll, and make me feel useless, worthless, and uninspired. I have so many things that I look forward to, but the pain right now, and for the past month or so, has really been taking charge. I don’t like feeling a lack of control over my body and what is happening.

At the same time, I understand that, to overcome pain, there is a certain amount of acceptance and surrender necessary. This is a frustrating loop. I must accept what I cannot change, and beyond the basic measures of medical appointments and seeking appropriate treatment for my ailments, there is not much I can do. So I surrender. I accept this pain right now. I accept that I must live with it, but I do not do so happily.

See on techblog.rga.com