Started 9/21                                                                          Finished 9/26
I read plays with my class when I was teaching. I’ve gone to see them, but I’ve never read one for fun, until now. I didn’t like it at first – it was out of my comfort zone. I thought I’d read it once, but I found myself hooked by the story, by the two boys and their fathers – so I read it again.
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One boy is the son of Harry Potter. The other is Draco Malfoy’s son. Each one is trying to figure himself out, his father, and his friend. This is a play, but it’s also a great story of love, friendship, family, and most of all – MAGIC!

Quotes That Caught My Attention:  
1.  “People say parenting is the hardest job in the world – they’re wrong – growing up is. We all just forget how hard it was. (Draco Malfoy) I disagree. I don’t think it’s easy on either side of the fence! Each one has its own challenges.

2.   “I think you have to make a choice – at a certain point – of the man you want to be. And I tell you that at that time you need a parent or a friend. And if you’ve learned to hate your parent by then and you have no friends . . . then you’re all alone. And being alone – that’s so hard. I was alone. And it sent me to a truly dark place. (Draco Malfoy) I was surprised by Draco. He became more than I ever thought possible. This quote truly explains how our dark sides grow and develop. Shining light into darkness can brighten anyone, even Draco.

3.  “Losers are taught to be losers. And there’s only one way to teach a loser – and we know that better than anyone – humiliation. We need to humiliate him. So in the second task that’s what we do. (Albus Severus Potter) Albus and Scorpio both failed at Hogwarts. They were bullied and humiliated. If you read the story, you’ll find out how humiliation also changed Cedric Diggory, from the Triwizard Tournament, in a way I never, ever, could have imagined, but it makes sense.

4.  “We have both tried to give our sons not what they needed, but what we needed. We’ve been so busy try to rewrite our own pasts, we’ve blighted their present.” (Harry Potter) That quote fits the story of Albus and Scorpio. Their fathers gave them what they needed as children, but not what Albus and Scorpio needed. Sometimes sins, wants, and needs are generational, whether it’s Harry Potter or the Bible.

​Amazon’s Description:
The official playscript of the original West End production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.

It's been nineteen years since Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger saved the wizarding world, and now they're back on a most extraordinary adventure, joined by a brave new generation that's only just arrived at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. While Harry grapples with a past that refuses to stay where it belongs, his youngest son, Albus, struggles with the weight of a family legacy he never wanted. As past and present collide, both father and son are locked in a race through time as they battle mysterious forces, all while the future hangs in the balance.

Based on an original story by J.K. Rowling, John Tiffany, and Jack Thorne, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is the complete and unabridged playscript of the award-winning West End production. This edition includes the final dialogue and stage directions of the original, two-part play, a conversation piece between director John Tiffany and playwright Jack Thorne, the Potter family tree, and a timeline of key events in the wizarding world leading up to Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.

Started 9/19                                                                            Finished 9/21
This short story started as a gift from the author to her readers. It takes place after the 3rd book in the original series, The Arbella Stuart Conspiracy, but before its epilogue.

Like the other books, The Weeping Lady Conspiracy is historical fiction based on real characters and events. It focuses on Margaret, daughter of Katherine de Valois and Owen Tudor. She became a nun, and her brother Henry became King of England.

Margaret returns from Henry’s wedding, and a body has been found. Everyone thinks it’s St. Adwenna, but Margaret knows the truth. That it’s not the real saint. You’ll have to read for yourself to find out who the lady was, and why she’s weeping. 
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​Amazon’s Description:
Christmas has come to Marquess House and, with it, an unexpected mystery for Perdita and Piper to solve. Will they be able to help devoted sisters from the past find each other again?

The Convent of Llyn Cel Island, 1486 . . . Mother Superior, Sister Non, returns from a family wedding to discover the bones of a saint have been revealed during a storm. As her ecclesiastical superiors make plans for a Holy Shrine to be erected, Sister Non knows she must stop them before her bitter secret is revealed.

Present Day, Marquess House, Pembrokeshire . . . Perdita and Piper Rivers are spending their first Christmas at Marquess House but when lightning strikes the ancient tower at the heart of their manor revealing a hidden reliquary they are unexpectedly drawn into a ghost story. With Kit Mackensie and Callum Black, Perdita and Piper delve deep into the past to help a centuries old story finally reaches its conclusion.
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Started 9/11                                                                           Finished 9/19
When Lexie meets a house-sitting tourist at dinner, she sets up an interview the next day, but the tourist is a no-show. The mystery – no one at the restaurant remembers seeing her, even though she was sitting beside Lexie.

The best part about these books – the mix of paranormal, mystery, and details about the newspaper business. Add in a reference to Agatha Christie in Book 4, and you’ll find the key to solving the Case of the Vanishing Visitor. Enjoy!

Quotes That Caught My Attention:  
1. “The lesson here was to never piss off an English teacher. They read enough to know how plots work.”(Lexie) I would never have thought of this line, but it’s so true . . . English teachers really know their plots!

2. “Desperation really does make people do dumb things, doesn’t it? I’ve always been so critical of characters in books and movies when they do dumb stuff, but now I think I get it. I must have completely lost my mind.”  (The Vanishing Visitor). I giggled!  Now when a character does something dumb, I’ll know why, and I won’t blame the author.

Amazon’s Description:      Is she missing, or was she ever there? As a newspaper reporter, Lexie Lincoln knows a good story when she sees one, and when a source doesn’t show up for an interview and doesn’t answer her phone, Lexie feels certain there’s something wrong. This woman is a visitor to town, on her own and vulnerable, and Lexie may be the only person to realize she’s gone missing.

The weird thing is that nobody else remembers seeing this woman, even though Lexie met her during a busy night in her friend Margarita’s restaurant. That makes it hard for her to convince anyone that there’s a problem. After all, Lexie can see ghosts most other people don’t. The woman Lexie talked to might not even have been alive.

Sure of her instincts, Lexie sets out to learn more about the woman and what might have happened to her. The plot thickens when the woman’s car is found abandoned. Now Lexie knows she didn’t imagine the visitor, but where is she, and what happened to her?

As the clues line up, Lexie starts to worry that they’re just a bit too neat, too much like a good story. Now that the police are seriously investigating the woman’s disappearance, Lexie’s credibility may be in danger if she got the story all wrong in the first place. She has to find the truth before the police do—and before her next issue goes to press—if she doesn’t want to be the editor who cried wolf.

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Started 8/29                                                                                    Finished 9/11
Whenever I get a new book, I always read it twice. The first time I get a sense of the plot, and I just enjoy the story. The second time details pop out at me. That’s when I see things, I didn’t see the first time.  I go deeper into the story, and that’s when I fall in love with it.

The most interesting part of that first read was the author’s note to the reader, after the story. Alexandra wrote about her research for this book. It’s odd – this is a Tudor Conspiracy Thriller, but that’s what makes this book so unique . . . research forms the bare bones to the plot.

One of the amazing things is that the main character was supposed to be Elizabeth Boleyn (Anne’s mom) but the research said it should be Jane Seymour. That’s story magic – when your research, your characters show you what to write, and how to do it.  One of the things that allowed Alexandra to create this plot – all the gaps in Jane Seymour’s real life. What really happened – no one will ever know for sure. A biographer will draw conclusions to connect those gaps. Someone writing a Tudor Conspiracy Thriller will do the same thing.

Here are some of the details I’ve read before . . . 1. Jane wanted to be a nun. 2. Francis Bryan was the relative who got Jane to Henry VIII’s court. 3. Anne Boleyn and Jane Seymour served as ladies-in-waiting for Katherine of Aragon. Then Jane served as Anne’s. 4. Elizabeth Barton, The Maid of Kent, really warned Henry against marrying Anne. Eliza’s reward – she was hanged.
I knew about these historical details, but I’ve never seen them put together like this. It reminds me – the winners in history – they tell the story. 

Amazon’s Description:
Marquess House is under threat… London, 1527
Nineteen-year-old Jane Seymour arrives at court to take her place with Queen Katherine of Aragon. Discovering a court already beginning to divide into factions between Katherine and Jane’s second cousin, Anne Boleyn, Jane finds herself caught between the old world and the new. Determined to have a son, the king appears to be prepared to take whatever steps he deems necessary to secure the Tudor dynasty.

When King Henry VIII finally succeeds in his pursuit of Anne, Jane witnesses the slow unravelling of his interest in the new queen as she, too, fails in her task to deliver a son. Having watched both Katherine and Anne fall from grace, Jane has no ambition for the throne, but when the king begins seeking her out, Jane realises the decision may be out of her hands…

Pembrokeshire, 2020
When a set of papers called The Pentagram Manuscript makes its way to Perdita and Piper at Marquess House, they find they have a new mystery to unravel. The manuscript is the tale of five women on a quest to find true love, written while Anne Boleyn was queen. As Perdita begins to unravel the text, she discovers a code that leads to a whole new outlook on Henry’s relationship with Jane Seymour.

But before they have a chance to reveal all, the twins find themselves under threat from a different source. Their second cousin, Xavier Connors, is determined to wrest Marquess House from them. As Marquess House must be passed down through the female line, and Perdita and Piper do not have children, Xavier sees his twin daughter as being next in line. And when Piper is nearly driven off the road, they realise he will stop at nothing to get what he wants…

What really happened to Henry VIII’s Tudor queens? Why was history rewritten? Will Piper and Perdita be able to unravel all of the secrets before it’s too late…?

Tip #7 – Share in your child’s enthusiasm. If they’re excited, you should be too. Match your child’s happiness, and you won’t go wrong. And, it’s fun!
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Example – If your child’s on Cloud Nine, Super-de-dooper! You scored the winning goal. If they’re quietly happy, You played a good game. Your passes went right where they needed to go.

Tip #8 – Be creative with praise. It can be a high five or a favorite treat. Don’t be afraid to live in the moment. Who doesn’t like a good surprise?

Pay attention to your child’s moods. When they’re feeling down, that’s a great time to reward the little things they do, like making their bed or eating their veggies.
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Example – Thank you for making your bed all week, without a single reminder. Or slip a note in their lunch box. Little things mean a lot! I used to give out Hershey kisses for kids who turned in all of their weekly homework. 

Tip #9 – Knowing how to deliver praise in the first place. Here are a few great tips from Findyourtribe.com . . .

• Make and keep eye contact. If you have littles, bend down so you are eye to eye with each other.
• Think about what you want to say, what you want to notice. Then you’ll be ready when opportunities pop up.
• Tone of voice and facial expression matter. Match your child’s emotions, and you’ll do fine.
• Most of all use common sense. Focus on your child’s strengths, and you’ll build a better relationship with them.

​

Real praise is a good thing, for kids, their parents. For everyone. Do you remember the last compliment you got? I do, and it made me glow, from the inside out.

Praise builds relationships and trust between people. It can give you confidence, inspire you, and improve your mental health. Great things, whether you’re 1 or 100!

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I saw this image on Facebook last June.  I saved it for a post, but I never got back to it . . . until last night. Praise is important for kids, and for everyone else too, but it needs to be done well. I started looking for simple advice that I could use with this screenshot. I found it!
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The link: The 9 Best Tips On Praising Children Without Spoiling Them (findyourmomtribe.com)

Tip #4 – Don’t compare your kids to others. How would you feel if someone said way to go? Then added . . . you’re almost as good as your big brother. It would ruin everything.

Better – Way to go! You kicked the soccer ball down the field.

Tip #5 – Stop trying to use praise as a tool for control. URGH! Doing that would take all the joy out of the compliment. It’s like saying you did great, but next time you’ll do even better. I’d quit!
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Better – Way to go! That’s your longest kick! EVER!

​Tip #6 – Praise kids for the right things. Findyourtribe.com said there are two things to praise – achievement and effort. Guess which one is the best choice? Effort! If you praise it, your child will keep trying until they reach their goal. I would too!

Example – Way to go! Your kick is getting stronger every time you practice. 

I saw this image on Facebook last June.  I saved it for a post, but I never got back to it . . . until tonight. Praise is important for kids, and for everyone else too, but it needs to be done well. I started looking for simple advice that I could use with this screenshot. I found it!
​
The link: The 9 Best Tips On Praising Children Without Spoiling Them (findyourmomtribe.com)
​

Tip #1 – Avoid generalizing: Take a look at these 99 ways to praise kids. They’re nice, but they’re not very specific. The good news . . . you can use them to help you get started.

Example – Good job. Be specific. Tell your child why they did a good job. It helps them do it again.
Better – Good job with the table. Thanks for taking the dishes into the kitchen. 

Tip #2 – Sincerity is key. Your tone of voice matters. Kids know when you mean it. Be honest with them. Kids don’t have to be perfect. Effort matters.

Example – Good job! You got 3 more spelling words right tonight.

Tip #3 – Stop overpraising your kids. Don’t talk about the things they do every day. Findyourtribe.com suggested recognizing what your kids have done well over time, in school, or with something new.

Example – Good job! You’re landing those cartwheels.

Tip #4 – Don’t compare your kids to others. How would you feel if someone said way to go? Then added . . . you’re almost as good as your big brother. It would ruin everything.
​
Better – Way to go! You kicked the soccer ball down the field.

Tip #5 – Stop trying to use praise as a tool for control. URGH! Doing that would take all the joy out of the compliment. It’s like saying you did great, but next time you’ll do even better. I’d quit!

Better – Way to go! That’s your longest kick! EVER!

Tip #6 – Praise kids for the right things. Findyourtribe.com said there are two things to praise – achievement and effort. Guess which one is the best choice? Effort! If you praise it, your child will keep trying until they reach their goal. I would too!
​
Example – Way to go! Your kick is getting stronger every time you practice. 
​

Tip #7 – Share in your child’s enthusiasm. If they’re excited, you should be too. Match your child’s happiness, and you won’t go wrong. And, it’s fun!

Example – If your child’s on Cloud Nine, Super-de-dooper! You scored the winning goal. If they’re quietly happy, You played a good game. Your passes went right where they needed to go.

Tip #8 – Be creative with praise. It can be a high five or a favorite treat. Don’t be afraid to live in the moment. Who doesn’t like a good surprise?

Pay attention to your child’s moods. When they’re feeling down, that’s a great time to reward the little things they do, like making their bed or eating their veggies.
​
Example – Thank you for making your bed all week, without a single reminder. Or slip a note in their lunch box. Little things mean a lot! I used to give out Hershey kisses for kids who turned in all of their weekly homework. 

Tip #9 – Knowing how to deliver praise in the first place. Here are a few great tips from Findyourtribe.com . . .

• Make and keep eye contact. If you have littles, bend down so you are eye to eye with each other.
• Think about what you want to say, what you want to notice. Then you’ll be ready when opportunities pop up.
• Tone of voice and facial expression matter. Match your child’s emotions, and you’ll do fine.
• Most of all use common sense. Focus on your child’s strengths, and you’ll build a better relationship with them.

​

Real praise is a good thing, for kids, their parents. For everyone. Do you remember the last compliment you got? I do, and it made me glow, from the inside out.

Praise builds relationships and trust between people. It can give you confidence, inspire you, and improve your mental health. Great things, whether you’re 1 or 100!

​Would you believe this post started with an email? Gwen Payne wrote to ask if she could write an article to help the parents of kids with special needs.  It’s not easy to raise children, but it’s even harder when they need more from you. I said absolutely, and this is what she wrote. I hope it helps you and your kids.

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Making Time for Self-Care for Parents of Special Needs Kids
 
As a parent of a child with special needs, you know just how important it is to care for their emotional health in addition to their physical health. For many parents in your position, though, it can get exhausting to constantly give care and rarely receive it. According to research, 66% of working parents experience burnout — and this figure might be even higher for parents of special needs kids. In order to be the best parent you can be, it’s imperative that you make time for self-care. This article will help you find ways to take care of yourself and prevent parental fatigue.

Part 1: Recognize Your Roles Outside of Parenthood
It’s easy for any special needs parent to become absorbed by their role as a caregiver and forget that they have other interests, too. This is especially true when you’re battling parental fatigue and burnout. If you suspect that you may be fatigued, consider whether you’re parenting effectively — or whether you’re satisfied with your parenting. If you don’t feel that you’re at your best, this may be an indication you’re dealing with fatigue.

​ To combat it, consider what roles you have beyond your role as a parent. Are you a musician? Craft enthusiast? Writer? Reader? Tapping into other aspects of your identity can help you achieve a sense of balance that’s often lacking for fatigued parents of special needs kids.

​Making time to invest in your other interests can be challenging, though. As you pursue a self-care plan, you may find that you struggle to seek help from your support system without overburdening them. To avoid this, you should simply be straightforward in your communications and ask your friends and family to set clear boundaries.   

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​ Part 2: Invest in Your Mental and Physical Wellbeing
Another way to assess your level of fatigue is to consider how much physical exercise you’re getting. In many cases, a lack of exercise can contribute to fatigue — especially for special needs parents who are tasked with daily caregiving. It’s important to make time for exercise and ensure you maintain a quality diet, too, in order to prevent physical exhaustion.

​Of course, your physical health isn’t the only aspect of your wellbeing that necessitates care. You must also tend to your mental health in order to take care of yourself. It’s not uncommon for special needs parents to experience anxiety and depression, but an online therapy service can help combat these symptoms.

​You can take advantage of the convenience of virtual therapy by scheduling an online appointment. This allows you to consider a wide variety of licensed providers, eliminate the need for travel, and pay less than a traditional therapist would charge. You may even be able to take advantage of a free consultation to ensure that your new therapist is a good fit.

​Part 3: Don’t Get Burned Out on Caregiving
Caregiving of any kind is an arduous task. When you’re taking care of your special needs child, though, it’s an especially difficult responsibility. Feeling fatigued doesn’t make you a bad parent — it simply means that you’re human. You can mitigate this fatigue by investing in self-care, eating healthily, getting enough exercise, and scheduling an online therapy session. These steps can help you regain a sense of balance that will ultimately make you a better parent.

Started 8/21                                                                                  Finished 8/28
This book was all about how J.K. played out the last bits of back story with Harry, Hermione, and Ron. It was also about two words – horcruxes and the deathly hallows.

A horcrux is an object used by a wizard to store part of his soul. Voldemort created six, but he never knew about #7 . . . not until he discovered it in this book. You will too!

The deathly hallows is a children’s story about three objects that can give you eternal life. Except – they really exist. You’ll discover who owned all three. It came as a HUGE surprise the first time I read this book.

My favorite part – the ending. J.K. gave us an epilogue and let us peek into Harry, Ron, and Hermione’s future. After all the angst, I was so glad all three had happy endings.

My least favorite part – the first two chapters. #1 started with Voldemort, where he was, and what he wanted. #2 has Harry reading Dumbledore’s obituary. He found a side to the headmaster that disappointed and angered him. I was disappointed too. I wanted a quest, an adventure to end Voldemort, but that’s not where J.K. wanted to start. I stayed with her, and I wasn’t disappointed, at all.

​Quotes That Made Me Write Them Down:  
1.  Harry wonders how you put yourself back together after horcruxes. The answer – remorse. “You’ve got to really feel what you’ve done. There’s a footnote. Apparently the pain of it can destroy you. I can’t see Voldemort attempting it somehow, can you?” Me, I’ve never had a problem with remorse. When I do something wrong, I apologize, then try to make it right. That’s the way my parents brought me up. (Chapter 6 – Hermione)

2.  Dumbledore’s talking to Snape, “You know, I sometimes think we Sort too soon . . .” He was talking about how the Sorting Hat put them into houses the first night at Hogwarts.” That makes sense to me. You know yourself so much better as you age. Me – I didn’t start writing until I met the bat in Germany in 2007. I was 48, and it was perfect timing. (Chapter 33 – Dumbledore)

3.  Dumbledore says, “Do not pity the dead, Harry. Pity the living, and, above all, those who live without love. By returning, you may ensure that fewer souls are maimed, fewer families are torn apart. If that seems to you a worthy goal, then we say good-bye for the present.” I saw my father pass in 2015. My mother last December. I’m grateful for their lives and the love they gave me and my family. I believe they’re in a far better place. (Chapter 35 – Dumbledore)

4.  Dumbledore’s answer to Harry at King’s Cross Station. “Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?” I love this answer! Why not?! Perception is reality! (Chapter 35 – Dumbledore)

Amazon’s Description:
Give me Harry Potter,' said Voldemort's voice, 'and none shall be harmed. Give me Harry Potter, and I shall leave the school untouched. Give me Harry Potter, and you will be rewarded.'

As he climbs into the sidecar of Hagrid's motorbike and takes to the skies, leaving Privet Drive for the last time, Harry Potter knows that Lord Voldemort and the Death Eaters are not far behind. The protective charm that has kept Harry safe until now is broken, but he cannot keep hiding. The Dark Lord is breathing fear into everything Harry loves and to stop him Harry will have to find and destroy the remaining Horcruxes. The final battle must begin - Harry must stand and face his enemy.

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Started 8/14                                                                                  Finished 8/21
​J.K. is a master at creating great characters. She weaves the Half-Blood Prince into the plot, but we won’t know his real identity until late in the story. The only clue – his old potions book – that winds up in Harry’s hands.

Harry also finds himself taking private lessons with Dumbledore. The first – to enter the Pensieve and see a distorted memory of Professor Slughorn with a young Voldemort. Harry’s homework – to uncover what Slughorn really told Voldemort about Horcruxes.

Finally you won’t be disappointed by the twists and turns with Malfoy and Snape. They finally show that they’re as evil as we always believed.  
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Quotes That Resonated With Me:  
1.   “Voldemort himself created his worst enemy, just as tyrants everywhere do! Have you any idea how much tyrants fear the people they oppress?” It feels like we’re going through a dark period today. It gives me hope that someone is out there, someone who can take down the tyrants. (Chapter 23 – Professor Dumbledore)

2.  Harry remembers his first meeting with Voldemort. “It was important, Dumbledore said, to fight, and fight again, and keep fighting, for only then could evil be kept at bay, though never quite eradicated . . .” This describes how I feel about evil today. If we keep fighting and fighting, things will get better, but never perfect. (Chapter 30 – Harry)

​Amazon’s Description:
There it was, hanging in the sky above the school: the blazing green skull with a serpent tongue, the mark Death Eaters left behind whenever they had entered a building... wherever they had murdered...

When Dumbledore arrives at Privet Drive one summer night to collect Harry Potter, his wand hand is blackened and shrivelled, but he does not reveal why. Secrets and suspicion are spreading through the wizarding world, and Hogwarts itself is not safe. Harry is convinced that Malfoy bears the Dark Mark: there is a Death Eater amongst them. Harry will need powerful magic and true friends as he explores Voldemort's darkest secrets, and Dumbledore prepares him to face his destiny...

Started 8/5                                                                              Finished 8/14
Book 5 (original cover) is structured so much differently than #4. It followed the Triwizard Tournament from the drawing of names through the three challenges. It’s classic three act structure.

Order of the Phoenix is all about the back story being played out in the present. The Order is the group of wizards who fought off Voldemort ten years ago. Now they’re back to keep Harry and his friends alive.

The back story twists and turns when Harry sneaks a peek in the Pensieve. He sees his father, Sirius, and Lupin through Snape’s eyes. Harry can’t understand how they’re less than perfect, less than heroes.
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J.K. introduces two new characters. Delores Umbridge is pure evil. Harry isn’t fooled by her fake sweet voice or pink attire, and she takes cruel discipline techniques to new depths. Imagine writing sentences using a quill that cuts a little deeper each time you write. Horrible!

The other character’s positively Loony (her nickname), but Luna Lovegood is looney in a fun way. She helps balance out the dark moments that are coming closer and closer together. She sees thestrals, like Harry does. Only those who’ve experienced the death of a loved one can see them. In a way the thestrals foreshadow the dark moment that’s coming . . . someone must die, someone from the order.

J.K. is brilliant at weaving the back story and her characters together!

​Amazon’s Description:
'You are sharing the Dark Lord's thoughts and emotions. The Headmaster thinks it inadvisable for this to continue. He wishes me to teach you how to close your mind to the Dark Lord.'

Dark times have come to Hogwarts. After the Dementors' attack on his cousin Dudley, Harry Potter knows that Voldemort will stop at nothing to find him. There are many who deny the Dark Lord's return, but Harry is not alone: a secret order gathers at Grimmauld Place to fight against the Dark forces. Harry must allow Professor Snape to teach him how to protect himself from Voldemort's savage assaults on his mind. But they are growing stronger by the day and Harry is running out of time ...

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Started 7/27                                                                     Finished 8/4
Book 4 (original cover) is all about theTriwizard Tournament between the three top wizarding schools. It’s JK’s longest book, by over 100 pages, but the tension rises to the very end. How?

JK started with the Goblet of Fire picking an extra champion, and she raised the tension with each new challenge they faced. The plot’s like a roller coaster with its ups and downs between challenges. And the end . . . it came as a complete surprise.

Quotes That Struck a Chord With Me:  
1. “If you want to know what a man’s like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals.” There’s a huge difference between how Draco Malfoy and Harry treat Hagrid. I’d rather hang out with Harry. (Chapter 27 – Sirius Black)

2. “Decent people are so easy to manipulate, Potter. I was sure Cedric would want to repay you for telling him about the dragons, and so he did.” Do you ever feel like some people get away with everything, and others – nothing? (Chapter 35 – Fake Mad-Eye Moody)
 
3. “You place too much importance, and you always have done, on the so-called purity of blood! You fail to recognize that it matters not what someone is born, but what they grow up to be!” Another way to say it . . . it’s not where you start, but where you finish. (Chapter 36 – Dumbledore)

Two Great Tools:
1. Chocolate - Whenever the dementors appear and take away every ounce of joy, chocolate is the best medicine. It works for me! I always feel better after a little chocolate.

2. Pensieve – It’s something that JK made up. Dumbledore pulls out disturbing thoughts with his, then he looks for patterns. We can’t, but when I feel pensive like Dumbledore, I write down my thoughts, then look for patterns.  (Chapter 30)
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Amazon’s Description:
The Triwizard Tournament is to be held at Hogwarts. Only wizards who are over seventeen are allowed to enter - but that doesn't stop Harry dreaming that he will win the competition. Then at Hallowe'en, when the Goblet of Fire makes its selection, Harry is amazed to find his name is one of those that the magical cup picks out. He will face death-defying tasks, dragons and Dark wizards, but with the help of his best friends, Ron and Hermione, he might just make it through - alive!

Having become classics of our time, the Harry Potter eBooks never fail to bring comfort and escapism. With their message of hope, belonging and the enduring power of truth and love, the story of the Boy Who Lived continues to delight generations of new readers.

This post grew too long . . . so I broke it in half. The first half is about putting together a blog​.

​​Now the new second half . . . it's about taking that blog and converting it into a vlog.​

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Converting a Blog Post into a Video:  A vlog is just like a movie or a television show . . . it starts with a script. I don’t have to stick to it, but it guides me from the beginning, to the end. I usually pick the blog that’s up next, but not always. This time I picked an old post from August of 2017. I needed an easy button this week.

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​Step 1 –Putting Together a Slide Show:  That’s what I started on today. This is the screenshot for the whole post – The Search for Zero Gravity. It’s short and sweet, but it still takes time. I usually go back and forth between writing the script and making the slides, but I can’t. Not when I’m writing this post at the same time. It’s too complicated . . . too many moving parts. I needed an easy button for this one.

​​​I start each vlog with a question about the topic. I’ll add in another sentence or two. Then I introduce myself. I’ll tell you a little about me and why you should tune into this vlog.

Here are three screenshots of what it looks like to edit slides. The 1st has the title, too big. The 2nd is about right, but I usually go in/out of zoom a few times until I’m happy with it. The 3rd  – I’m ready to move onto the next slide. 
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​I wanted this pair of images from the original blog post for the 3rd slide. I took a screenshot, cropped, and pasted them into the new slide.  I changed the title and checked on zoom to make sure we looked good together. It’s a process! It just takes time and patience. 

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This pair of images came from the original blog post. I wanted it for slide #3. I screenshotted, cropped, and pasted them into the new slide.  I changed the title, then checked to see how we looked on zoom. It’s a process! Give yourself time, and a little patience. 

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Step 2 – Putting Together a Script:  It’s not pretty, like the slides are, but the script is key to a good vlog. This is a screenshot from the new one, on zero gravity. I caught the last sentence from the 1st paragraph, and all of the 2nd one. That’s where I introduce myself to the audience. It’s a first draft, the worst one. I’ll go back and make changes when the script’s done.

Take another look at the screenshot. Do you see the sentence in red? That’s my note for what to say or do. This one tells me to go into my slideshow. That teeny-tiny picture is the first slide you’ll see.
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Look down below the large print, and you’ll see two paragraphs in small type. I copied and pasted them from the original blog. I’ll type them back in large print, and I’ll simplify as I go. I want to make my video feel like I’m really talking to you. (Note – It’s still the first draft, the worst one.)

Here’s that same page again, but the letters are all the same size. When I print out the script, bigger type is way easier for me to read.

I also use short paragraphs. Sometimes I go off script, and when I do, those short paragraphs help me find my place again.

Finally, look at the bottom of the page. Can you tell when I should click and move onto the second slide? (The answer – after I say, “remembered to get a picture.” The proof – there’s a mini slide below it.)
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This is a screenshot of how I end my vlogs, with the same basic last five slides. This one’s from my last vlog, Christmas in July. The first invites you to listen to the vlog again. The second, to check out the original post. The next two slides take you on a scavenger hunt across the buttons on my website. The final slide says goodbye, and it invites you back next week.
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PS – I do change the slide titles . . . as needed.

This is the last slide I create. I go into my digital playground on Facebook. That’s where I’m the one and only member. I paste in the original blog link and get back a copy of it as a post. It’s a great trick to test-drive your content.
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Step 3 – Revision: This isn’t pretty either, but it’s key to making a good video. With 3 pages, or more, it takes time, but I still revise everything! I use narrator to listen to the script. I make at least three rounds through the words to make sure I’ve said what I wanted to say, that I said it clearly, and that it sounds good to my ear.    

For the vlog I listen to the script paragraph by paragraph. I change the first one that’s off. Then I go back and keep listening until that paragraph is clean. Then I move onto the next one, revising until it’s bug-free. I keep going until the first page is done. Then, I listen to the first page as a whole. Would you believe I always find a few small things I want to change? Or that I won’t leave page 1 until it’s done?

Then I move onto page 2. I do it twice until it’s clean. I repeat this process on each page until I reach the end of the script. When I’ve reviewed each page twice, I do one last round with the whole script. This time I listen from the beginning, all the way to the end. If I make a change, I only repeat that paragraph. When I finish that 3rd round, I’m happy with what I’ve said, and how it sounds. At some point – you have to move on. The rule of 3 rounds of revisions makes me feel like I’ve done the job, to the best of my ability.
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Step 4 – Video Taping: I video tape my script and power point on zoom. But first, I practice going through the whole thing at least one time, from beginning to end, without hitting record. I may have gone through the script 3 times already, but this is the first time with the script and the slide show together, so I practice again.

Sometimes I catch mistakes in the script or in a slide. The vlog is a lot longer than Saturday Reads, at least 3 pages long. So one more practice really helps me learn how/when to move the slides. It doesn’t make me perfect, but it makes me feel more confident about doing the video. Confidence makes everything easier. It’s easier to make a vlog now from the beginning to the end. That’s because of all the time and practice I put into them. The result – confidence!
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Step 5 – Social Media: I do 3 rounds of it, just like I do for Saturday Reads, but I’m a day behind. Round 1 – on Friday afternoon I post my announcement for Sunday’s Vlog on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. It’s like a free commercial – something I do to get your attention.

Round 2 – I’ve gotten in the habit of taping the video on Thursday or Friday. I tape Saturday Reads on the same day as the vlog. That way I only have to do the prep work once. BTW – the key to a good video is making sure you have good lighting when you tape. Once I’ve trimmed and saved it, I schedule it on Facebook Meta, unless I’m at the lake. When I’m there I try to time my Meta scheduling with when I’m in town . . . the internet’s better!
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Round 3 – The video goes live on my Facebook business page Sunday at 4. As soon as it’s live, I copy and paste it on my personal Facebook account, on Instagram, and Twitter. Then I’m done! Finally! Until Sunday night when I start thinking about my next blog to convert, and my next book to read. It’s my writing circle of life!

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​Have you ever wondered how I put my Sunday Vlogs together? They all start with a blog post, and here’s how they start.
 
Part 1 -  Putting together a Blog Post:  Like all good things, they grow out of an idea. Then I search for images to illustrate them. I have two examples for you to see. Pick one or look at both.

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​#1. The idea and images for zero gravity.
Link http://www.rindabeach.com/blog/how-i-put-together-a-blog-post

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​#2.  The ideas and images for lost/devastated and found/grateful. Link: 
http://www.rindabeach.com/blog/putting-together-a-post-from-start-to-finish-the-story-of-lost-devastated-found-grateful

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Part 2 -  Writing the Blog Post:  Once I have my idea and the images, I write the post. It’s like typing from one picture to the next, like connecting the dots on a road map.

Sometimes I add or delete images. Other times I need to do a little more research before I can write. That usually means googling things like, ‘What is zero gravity?’ or ‘How do I find something I’ve lost?’

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#1. My Blog Post – The Search for Zero Gravity
Link: http://www.rindabeach.com/blog/the-search-for-zero-gravity

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​#2.  My Blog Post – From Lost/Devastated to Found/Grateful
Link: http://www.rindabeach.com/blog/lost-devasted-found-grateful
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Part 3 – Scripting Saturday Reads Videos:  I wrote about it first, because it’s shorter. It’s only one page that I have to get ready by Saturday at 4PM. My Sunday Vlogs are much longer, usually 3-5 pages, but the process is a lot alike . . . I write a script, revise it, video tape, post the video on Facebook, and then put out the word on social media.

The two big differences – 1.  I pick a book that matches my Sunday Vlog. 2. I don’t have to prepare a power point slide show. All I have to do is share the book . . . it has all the pictures I’ll need, and more. I’m not allowed to read the whole book . . . because of copyright.

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The Blog Post – Putting Together Saturday Reads for You
Link: http://www.rindabeach.com/blog/putting-together-saturday-reads-for-you

​I firmly believe that if you don’t take care of yourself, no one else will. Self-care is more than eating nutritional foods. More than exercising. It’s believing in, and having confidence in yourself. It’s allowing yourself to make mistakes, and learn from them.

That’s what this post is all about . . . caring for your own self-concept, for your own belief in yourself. It’s still true . . . if you don’t do it, no one else will.

Quote #1 – As one goes through life,
one learns that if you don’t paddle your own canoe, you don’t move.
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Who said it? ​

Katharine was an actress. She paddled her own canoe from the moment she stepped onstage in 1928 until she took her last curtain call for a TV movie in 1994. She was 87 years young.

Katharine was known for the roles she played – strong-willed and sophisticated women, and they matched who she was in real life – with her headstrong independence, spirited personality, and outspokenness. She was one of my childhood heroines. When I grew up, I wanted to be as strong and independent as she was.  

Katherine was part of Hollywood’s Golden Age, but she did it her way. She wore pants before other celebrities did, way before I was born in 1959. I remember wearing dresses to school, and that was in the 60’s. We weren’t even allowed to wear culotte’s (shorts with a skirt in front) until 4th grade. That’s the year we were finally allowed to wear pants. THAT was a HUGE deal. 
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Sources:
​1.  Daily Inspiration | Inspiring Quotes
2.  Katharine Hepburn - Wikipedia

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Quote #2 - You will either step forward into growth,
or you will step backward into safety. 

Who said it? ​

​Abraham Maslow
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​Abraham was an American psychologist. He stepped forward into something new when he focused on the positives of his patients. He believed they were more than a bag of symptoms. Abraham could have stepped backwards by focusing on the abnormal, the ill. He refused.
 
Abraham taught psychology at Brandeis University, Brooklyn College, New School for Social Research, and Columbia University. He is best known for creating a hierarchy of needs. When I went to college to become a teacher back in 1977, I learned about that hierarchy. It made a lot of sense then, and I think it still does.

​This looks like a chart I would have studied in the 70’s. What stayed with me, all these years later – the needs at the bottom must be met first. If you don’t have food, water, warmth, and rest, it’s hard to move up to your need to be safe. It’s like the foundation of a house, if you don’t have a good one, it’s hard to build the upper floors of Belonging, Esteem, and Self-actualization. 

​If you’re living in the suburbs and suddenly lose your job, esteem and self-actualization are a lot less important. You’ll be focused on getting food, water, utilities, and shelter, the things you really need to survive.

• Sources:
• 1.  Daily Inspiration | Inspiring Quotes

2.  Abraham Maslow - Wikipedia

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Photo Sources: 
1.   Abraham Maslow By -  
http://www.celebriton.com/abraham_maslow/photo/a_photo_of_abraham_maslow,
Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=34062949

2.  Maslow's Hierarchy By - 
Androidmarsexpress - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0,
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=93026655

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Quote #3 - Try not to become a person of success,
but rather try to become a person of value. 


Who said it? ​

​Albert Einstein
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Albert was a theoretical physicist born in Germany. He immigrated to the US during WWII and became a citizen. He’s one of the few physicists who’s known around the world, but he’s also known for his values.
 
Albert is famous for his theory of relativity. Have you heard of E = mc2? That’s his equation! He’s also known for his work in quantum mechanics. Together they form the heart of modern physics.
 
Albert won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1921, partly because of his work in theoretical physics, but mostly because he discovered the photoelectric effect. He noticed when light strikes and hits something, electrons bounce off and become photoelectrons. 

​Albert wasn’t afraid to be different. He believed nature worked systematically, not randomly, like throwing a dice. He also came up with the unified field theory, which I can’t even begin to understand, or explain. What I do get – he was willing to work outside the mainstream of physics.  
 
Albert could change his mind when the data changed. He joined several European scientists before the US joined WWII. They sent a letter to President Franklin D. Roosevelt warning him that the Germans were building nuclear weapons. They said the Americans should too. After the war, he said that letter was the great mistake of his life. He joined ten scientists, and they sent another letter. This time they warned the world about the danger of nuclear weapons.  

The idea for this post came in an email from Laura Mitchell. She represents cellphonedeal.com, and that’s where I found this link, and this image. She asked if I’d share it with you. My answer . . . with pleasure!             Link: 13 Awesome Uses for Your Old Smartphone (cellphonedeal.com)
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​​                                                                                     Part 1: Four great ways to use your old smartphone. ​
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1.  A Music Player – Who would have thought you could recycle/reuse your phone as a record player or iPod? I didn’t! You can also use it to listen to audio books or podcasts. That way you can save your smartphone battery for something else. 


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2.  ​An e-Reader – If you use your old phone as an e-Reader, you can always have it charged up and ready to go. Best of all, it’s old so no one else will borrow it!

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​3.  A Spare Camera – Who doesn’t need one, that fits in your pocket? I didn’t realize cell phones had better cameras than some of the ones you buy in a camera shop. Another plus – you can buy accessories that will fit your old, recycled camera. If you keep them altogether, you’ll be ready for your next photo-op!

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​4.  A PDA or Digital Calendar – I had to look up PDA . . . it’s like a palm pilot from the 90’s. They worked like a little computer, but you could carry them around. They probably became today’s smartphones. Digital calendar . . . now that one I understood. Who knew an old, outdated phone could be so useful!
 


​                                            Part 2: Four more great ways to reuse/recycle your old smartphone. 
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​​5.  A First Phone for Your Child – Here’s another way to reuse your old phone and save a little money. Kids only need basic features for their first phone. Your old one might be a perfect fit for them. Just do yourself a favor . . .  double check that it’s kid-friendly before you pass it on to them.  

​​ 6.  Backup Storage – Need extra storage that you won’t lose, like a thumb drive? Try using your old phone. You can keep files, videos, or photos on it. It’s a great place to store data, and it’s easy to get to. 

​​7.  A Universal Remote – I didn’t know smartphones could control the TV, but my daughter did. She added an app that put me back in control. Guess what?! Your old phone could do that for you and your family too.

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 8.  A Gaming Device – Have you ever had your phone die because someone was playing games on it . . . Maybe, it was even you! Did you know you could use your old phone as a Gameboy, like back in the day? Try it out, and you’ll have a great new way to play the latest online games. And, your new phone will still have a charge! 



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Part 3:  The last five ways to reuse/recycle your old smartphone.
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​9.  An Alarm Clock – My phone wakes me up. It’s simple, and it works well. It can for you too, whether you use your old phone, or a new one.


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​​10.  A Back-up Phone – Back in April I really wanted that extra phone. I lost mine somewhere in the airport on my way home from Texas. It took 2 days to return and get a new one. I felt lost without any phone. I spent the third day making sure all my apps worked again. Having a back-up would have made everything easier!


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11. Emergency Phone – It sounds just like a back-up phone. The biggest difference between the two – an emergency phone must always be charged; in case you have to make that call.

My husband and I don’t need an emergency/back-up phone. A better idea – to give our old phones to seniors, like parents or relatives. It could be a lifesaver, if they know how to use it properly. 

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​ 12. Donate it – There are some great services out there that will accept your old phone. My local funeral home collects them, then sends them overseas so our troops can phone home to their families. That’s a great cause!
Important Warning – make sure you delete all your information from your phone. If you’re not sure how to do it, check the link from cellphonedeal.com. List item #12 will tell you how to do it.


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13. Donate its Processing Power – I hadn’t heard of this, but the link from cellphonedeal.com had some apps that can and will use the processing power of your phone. It’s wonderful to know that your old phone can help someone in need.