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Firsts – Origins of Everyday Things That Changed the World

February 15, 2010 By

Firsts: Origins of Everyday Things That Changed the WorldFirsts-history through the milestones of human achievement-are fun. And Wilson Casey, trivia expert, has collected over 500 firsts in nearly every major category of culture: from fashion to food, politics to science, entertainment to art to architec­ture. Each “first” is a full explanation of the topic at hand, written in a humorous yet authoritative style. You’ll read about Firsts like:

  • The first drive-thru restaurant, established in 1926 in Springfield, Illinois
  • The first official day of American television and what programs the two channels aired
  • The first female Olympic individual event champion
  • The first countries to use Daylight Savings Time (it wasn’t the U.S.!)

About the Author: Wilson Casey is one of the country’s foremost trivia aficionados, with a syndicated column, numerous books, and an award-winning website, www.TriviaGuy.com. Since 2000 he has written a daily trivia column for numerous papers, including the Albuquerque Journal, Wilmington Star News (NC), and Spartanburg Herald-Journal (SC), and a weekly Bible Trivia column.

This book is great for taking in the car or to leave out on your coffee table to pick up and leaf through.   Pick up Firsts at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, and other booksellers. List price is $12.95.

disclosure: I received a copy of this book to facilitate this review.

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Guest Post, Victoria Moran, author of Living a Charmed Life

June 16, 2009 By

Lucky Charms Aren’t Just for Breakfast Anymore — Use These Lucky Charms and Find Yourself Living a Charmed Life

By Victoria Moran,
Author of Living a Charmed Life:Your Guide to Finding Magic in Every Moment of Every Day

Sometimes all it takes to shift the direction of your life is to start the one day differently. You set the tone for your day first thing in the morning. Each of the actions that follow is an a.m. lucky charm to help you to a totally glorious day. Put a string of days like this together, and you’ve got yourself a charmed life.

  • Set your clock for 15 minutes earlier than usual. This will put extra room in your morning so there’s a bit more time for tending to your own needs before the world starts putting demands on you.
  • Start with a little quiet. Instead of blasting into your day like being shot from a cannon, take five or ten of those extra minutes to be still with yourself and compose your day. You can use this time for prayer, meditation, journal writing, or just being and breathing and deciding that, for the next twenty-four hours, you’re going to seize opportunities, shine like the dickens, and make a difference in the world.
  • Have a keynote thought, one positive idea to set the tone for your day. You might try. “It’s wonderful to be alive,” or “I fully intend to make this a great day.” This thought is independent of circumstances. It isn’t wonderful to be alive because you just got the raise or the last 38-C on the sale table, but because you’ve been given a day which is, by definition, filled with possibility.
  • Get to the gym. “No matter who you are or how much money you have, you can’t buy muscle,” says New York City trainer Sasha Lodi. “The only way to get it is to build it yourself.” And knowing you’ve done it, you’ll feel terrific about yourself.
  • Wear something you love. It may not be new (it may very well be old) and it probably won’t be the most expensive thing you own, but choose today to wear something that makes you feel like a million bucks.
  • Have some fresh juice in the morning. Whether you like breakfast light or substantial, try starting with fresh juice (apple, kale, and lemon is yummy). This gives your body an infusion of vitality since you’re ingesting vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals in their most easily assimilable form.
  • Cut today’s to-do list in half. And trust that it won’t cause the world to end. Prioritize the thousand things you “ought” to do so that you get the important tasks for work, family, and yourself taken care of. Everything else can take a number.
  • Tend to the intimidating assignments first. When you’ve tackled what’s scary or overwhelming first, you’re won out over procrastination. And you’ve already succeeded today, even if it’s only 9 a.m.
  • Be completely, utterly yourself. From the moment you open your eyes. Nobody can do “you” the way you can. All sorts of great stuff is heading your way, but it can’t find you when you’re impersonating someone else. Cherish your individuality and relish your authenticity.
  • Make a point that today you’ll remember your own worth. Nothing will give you a better shot at having your best day ever than remembering your own innate worth. Choose a common action (like looking in a mirror or walking through a door), and every time you do it today, remind yourself that you are worthy. Because that’s the truth.

©2009 Victoria Moran, author of Living a Charmed Life:Your Guide to Finding Magic in Every Moment of Every Day
Author Bio:
Victoria Moran, author of Living a Charmed Life:Your Guide to Finding Magic in Every Moment of Every Day, is an inspirational speaker, a certified life coach, and the author of ten books including The Love-Powered Diet, Lit from Within; Fat, Broke & Lonely No More; and the international bestseller Creating a Charmed Life. Her articles have appeared in numerous publications including Body + Soul, Natural Health, and Yoga Journal. Her blog, “Your Charmed Life,” is published daily on BeliefNet.com. She lives a charmed life in New York City.

Visit Victoria Moran online at www.victoriamoran.com

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Book Review-Sweet Life by Mia King

October 19, 2008 By

This past summer I received the book Sweet Life from Family Review Network. I started reading it one afternoon and got instantly hooked. I read every minute I could spare until I finished it the next day! I found myself completely sucked in to the story of Marissa, who leaves her comfortable life in Manhattan behind to move to Hawaii when her husband gets a new job there. From the back cover:

“When her husband, Paul, gets a new job, Marissa Price leaves the island of Manhattan for the island of Hawaii. Paradise seems like the perfect place to find herself, save her marriage, and reconnect with her eight-year-old daughter. But once there, Marissa discovers her new life is less about beaches and beautiful sunsets and more about cows and lava flows. Their new home is a fixer-upper at best. But what most needs fixing – her marriage – is the first to crumble when her husband announces he wants some time apart to find himself.

As New York beckons her back and Marissa suspects Paul of having an affair, she begins to seriously question the wisdom of having made the move to Hawaii. Yet the women she takes in as tenants to make ends meet and her daughter’s blossoming love of the island begin to hint at a new definition of ohana, or family. Pulled in opposite directions, Marissa is faced with the most important decision of her life – a choice that will define who she is, what she wants, and where her happiness lies”

Mia King’s imagery of Marissa’s house in Hawaii was so descriptive that I could close my eyes and picture the house in my head. Through a series of interesting coincidences, Marissa becomes both landlord and friend to three unique women. I found myself wishing I could be there, standing in the kitchen while Jane baked muffins, Kavena brewed tea, and Malia-well, Malia figured out what to do with the cans of spam that Marissa brought home from the grocery store, which was clever, but I’m not a fan of spam :)

The book includes recipes for some of the dishes eaten by the characters in the book; I got hungry just reading through them. You can visit Mia King‘s website for recipes and to learn more about her and her books. If you are looking for something to read and want a fresh story with memorable characters, I recommend picking up this book.

Book for review provided by Family Review Network.

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