1, Q: How do I stop over-explaining?
Give one promise and three proof points, then stop. If someone wants more, let them ask. That's a win.

2. Q: Why do people tune out even when my topic matters?
They can't see the stakes or what you want them to do. Make the problem real, say what happens if nothing changes, and end with a clear request.

3. Q: Can I be persuasive without hype?
Yes. Trust beats theatrics every time. The business of writing is really about building relationships. Be honest, be specific, and be useful.
​
4. Q: When should I use a visual instead of more words?
Any time you're describing a process, a comparison, or a change over time. One chart beats three paragraphs.


​

​ Thanks to Guest Blogger, Andrea Needham, for this post and its great suggestions!​

​
​Andrea created Elders Day to remind everyone that getting older isn’t synonymous with slowing down. Everyone has their own pace, but age shouldn’t be what stops you from fulfilling dreams, goals, and desires.

You have great facts. You know your business inside and out. But when you share your message, people's eyes glaze over. Sound familiar?


​

3.  A 7-Step Plan for Stories That Stick
​

A great business story doesn't need fancy words. It needs a clear point, a simple structure, and a little practice. Here's how to build one.

1. Start with one goal.
Write one sentence before you do anything else: "For this audience, my story needs to do this." That's your target. A quick way to aim well is to understand your audience by listing their top three worries and top three goals.

2. Make one promise. Back it up three ways.
Keep your core message simple: "We cut onboarding time from weeks to days." Then pick just three proof points: one number, one short example, one objection you answer. Most people remember structure, not detail.
​
3. Use a 5-beat story spine.
Great stories follow this pattern: Problem → Stakes → Insight → Plan → Ask. Put your ask at the end so it feels earned. Keep your language literal if you're speaking to global audiences. Idioms don't always travel well.

4. Use visuals instead of paragraphs.
One visual per idea. A before-and-after diagram. A simple three-step flow. A single chart. If a slide needs more than 12 words to make sense, it probably needs a picture instead.

5. Make your customer the hero.
Tell the story from their point of view. What's their problem? What are they up against? Your product isn't the star. It's the tool that helps them win. This works for every audience: buyers, investors, and employees.

6. Practice three 60-second versions.
Tell your story out loud in under a minute for three different listeners: a buyer, an investor, and a new hire. Keep the same core promise but swap the proof. Buyers want results. Investors want growth. Employees want purpose.

7. Make small fixes after every meeting.
Write down what landed, what confused people, and what question you fumbled. Many teams set aside up to 10% of their time for this kind of cleanup. Small tweaks add up fast.

                                               Tomorrow: FAQs and the Simple Truth about Great Storytelling

​
​Andrea created Elders Day to remind everyone that getting older isn’t synonymous with slowing down. Everyone has their own pace, but age shouldn’t be what stops you from fulfilling dreams, goals, and desires.

You have great facts. You know your business inside and out. But when you share your message, people's eyes glaze over. Sound familiar?
​

You have great facts. You know your business inside and out. But when you share your message, people's eyes glaze over. Sound familiar?
​

​

1.   What Is Audience-Centered Storytelling?
​It's simple. You shape your message around what your listeners need to hear,
not everything you want to say.

A good business narrative has three parts: a setup, a problem, and a solution. That's it. No jargon. No info dumps. Just a clear story with a point.

              Here's the thing: different people want different things from the same story.

• Customers want to know: "Will this make my life easier?"
• Investors want to know: "Is this a smart bet?"
• Team members want to know: "Why does this matter?"

               Same facts. Different frame. And stories are memorable in ways that bullet points never are.


​

Once your story is clear, you want as many people to hear it as possible. But what if your audience speaks a different language?
​
You don't have to re-shoot anything. Automatic AI voice dubbing tools can translate your video into other languages and even sync the lip movements so it looks natural. Your story stays the same. Your reach gets bigger.


                                                       

3.  A 7-Step Plan for Stories That Stick
​

4. Use visuals instead of paragraphs.
One visual per idea. A before-and-after diagram. A simple three-step flow. A single chart. If a slide needs more than 12 words to make sense, it probably needs a picture instead.

5. Make your customer the hero.
Tell the story from their point of view. What's their problem? What are they up against? Your product isn't the star. It's the tool that helps them win. This works for every audience: buyers, investors, and employees.

6. Practice three 60-second versions.
Tell your story out loud in under a minute for three different listeners: a buyer, an investor, and a new hire. Keep the same core promise but swap the proof. Buyers want results. Investors want growth. Employees want purpose.
​
7. Make small fixes after every meeting.
Write down what landed, what confused people, and what question you fumbled. Many teams set aside up to 10% of their time for this kind of cleanup. Small tweaks add up fast.


​

​1, Q: How do I stop over-explaining?
Give one promise and three proof points, then stop. If someone wants more, let them ask. That's a win.

2. Q: Why do people tune out even when my topic matters?
They can't see the stakes or what you want them to do. Make the problem real, say what happens if nothing changes, and end with a clear request.

3. Q: Can I be persuasive without hype?
Yes. Trust beats theatrics every time. The business of writing is really about building relationships. Be honest, be specific, and be useful.
​
4. Q: When should I use a visual instead of more words?
Any time you're describing a process, a comparison, or a change over time. One chart beats three paragraphs.


​

You don't need to explain everything. You just need to say the right thing to the right person at the right time. Start with a clear point. Keep it short. Make your audience the hero. Then do it again until it feels easy.
​
                                                                                  Clarity wins. Every time.
​

 ​                        Thanks to Guest Blogger, Andrea Needham, for this post and its great suggestions!

​During the summer of 2007 I made my first trip to Germany. One of my sons went as part of the Sister Cities exchange program, and I agreed to come along as a chaperone.

Part 3: How the Story Ended:   ​This is me in 2007. I’m not sure exactly what I said at the Ministry in Bonn. Probably that some things can’t wait. That you have to act the minute you spot danger.

I’m a teacher so I told them about the most difficult student I ever had. I could see her temper brewing all day on the first day of school. That’s not normal. She held it in check but hit two kids on her way out to the bus. That’s not normal either. Most kids have a few good days before they act out. She didn’t.

I also told them how I protected the other kids. I didn’t wait for trouble. I always sent another girl with her to the bathroom. Her job, to hurry back and tell me if something happened. Then I’d take care of it. It worked; I don’t remember getting any reports.

My point, it was better to take care of trouble before it started. That’s what I did, and that’s what my president did too.
​

Whenever he had an audience with Germans and Americans, he’d poke us about the Bush Doctrine until we finally defended it. Just like he’d done to me. Why? My guess, he wanted his fellow Germans to hear a different point of view.

​

BTW, this is not the first post I’ve written about Germany. My trip in 2007, changed my life. I began writing thanks to a bat who flew through the house I was staying in. These are the three posts I’ve written about Germany since then.

1. Me and North Rhine Westphalia: https://www.rindabeach.com/blog/me-and-north-rhine-westphalia?__cf_chl_f_tk=TJzOffqez4eRyK0DUTlru6qTecPYKwYGDOiytV.FFIM-1783191011-1.0.1.1-HBZ4MpF5HhGXUp4keYaw1GcpVKp6V3ROkjC3sGqzJPw
​
2. Stories from the Benderblock: https://www.rindabeach.com/blog/stories-from-the-bendlerblock
​
3. The Story of the White Rose: https://www.rindabeach.com/blog/the-story-of-the-white-rose

​Part 2: Later—That Bigger Story:   We had a German officer as our tour guide. The only thing I remember, how we sat in a small meeting room and listened to him talk about the Bush Doctrine and the German position on it.
​

The officer kept pointing out the differences between them and pushing why the German one was better. I kept biting my tongue. My son was in the room, and I knew he wanted my mouth to stay shut, so I tried my very best. 

Then it happened. One of our German hosts said in an all-knowing voice that their position was better. They waited for proof before striking, even if their own citizens and soldiers were killed first.

This is me in Germany, at a different time. I knew I had to speak. I understood why President George W. Bush didn’t wait. I watched the towers collapse on 9/11/01. That fall the entire country lived in fear that terrorists could strike again.

The president sent troops into Afghanistan on October 7, less than a month later. He had to hold the Taliban and al-Qaeda responsible for 9/11 and make sure it didn’t happen again.
​
Then on March 20, 2003, the president again sent in troops. This time to Iraq. Saddam Hussein was threatening the US with weapons of mass destruction (WMD). 


​

In the two years between Afghanistan and Iraq, the President created the Bush Doctrine. It said the US could strike if there was an immediate or looming threat. The goal, to stop the attacks on us. President Bush was especially concerned with Iraq, Iran, and North Korea, the nation states most connected to terrorism and WMD. 

​
​                   Tomorrow: What I finally said, and what I learned at lunch from the German officer.

During the summer of 2007 I made my first trip to Germany. One of my sons went as part of the Sister Cities exchange program, and I agreed to come along as a chaperone.

Take your finger east across the map towards the light green area. If you go all the way across the German state of North Rhine Westphalia, you’ll run into Bonn. It’s close to Hesse, the next state. It’s in yellow green.

                                                                                             My map source:
               https://printableworldmaps.net/political-germany-map-map-of-germany-with-cities-pdf/
​

​

​Part 1: The Story Begins:   This is the Hardthöhe (hard-though-he) building in Bonn, the headquarters for the Federal Ministry of Defense. It’s like the German Pentagon. I remember the building from 2007, but without the construction.

​There was something important going on that day. Almost 85% of Germany’s generals were meeting inside, and our tour group had to enter through a side door. I felt like a spy in a James Bond movie.
It was odd and rather exciting, but the bigger story happened later.
​
                    Photo and Information Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hardthöhe_(barracks)


​                                         

​Part 2: Later—That Bigger Story:   We had a German officer as our tour guide. The only thing I remember, how we sat in a small meeting room and listened to him talk about the Bush Doctrine and the German position on it.

The officer kept pointing out the differences between them and pushing why the German one was better. I kept biting my tongue. My son was in the room, and I knew he wanted my mouth to stay shut, so I tried my very best. 
​​

Then it happened. One of our German hosts said in an all-knowing voice that their position was better. They waited for proof before striking, even if their own citizens and soldiers were killed first.

This is me in Germany, at a different time. I knew I had to speak. I understood why President George W. Bush didn’t wait. I watched the towers collapse on 9/11/01. That fall the entire country lived in fear that terrorists could strike again.

The president sent troops into Afghanistan on October 7, less than a month later. He had to hold the Taliban and al-Qaeda responsible for 9/11 and make sure it didn’t happen again.
​
Then on March 20, 2003, the president again sent in troops. This time to Iraq. Saddam Hussein was threatening the US with weapons of mass destruction (WMD). 
​​

​In the two years between Afghanistan and Iraq, the President created the Bush Doctrine. It said the US could strike if there was an immediate or looming threat. The goal, to stop the attacks on us. President Bush was especially concerned with Iraq, Iran, and North Korea, the nation states most connected to terrorism and WMD. 


​

Part 3: How the Story Ended:   This is me in 2007. I’m not sure exactly what I said at the Ministry in Bonn. Probably that some things can’t wait. That you have to act the minute you spot danger.

I’m a teacher so I told them about the most difficult student I ever had. I could see her temper brewing all day on the first day of school. That’s not normal. She held it in check but hit two kids on her way out to the bus. That’s not normal either. Most kids have a few good days before they act out. She didn’t.

I also told them how I protected the other kids. I didn’t wait for trouble. I always sent another girl with her to the bathroom. Her job, to hurry back and tell me if something happened. Then I’d take care of it. It worked; I don’t remember getting any reports.

My point, it was better to take care of trouble before it started. That’s what I did, and that’s what my president did too.

​ I cornered my German tour guide at lunch and demanded to know what was going on. He admitted the truth…he pushed me on purpose. He’d been stationed in Iraq for a year or two.

​Whenever he had an audience with Germans and Americans, he’d poke us about the Bush Doctrine until we finally defended it. Just like he’d done to me. Why? My guess, he wanted his fellow Germans to hear a different point of view.
​

So why did I decide to tell this story now? It feels like history is repeating itself. This time it’s Iran and President Trump.

​In February US and Israeli intelligence said the Iranians were trying to rebuild their nuclear program, and they were developing long range missiles that could hit Europe and eventually the US. In March we discovered the Iranians could launch a missile 4000 km. That’s 2000 km farther than we thought.

Also, when a country calls the US the ‘Great Satan’ for over 40 years, take them seriously. These people took Americans in the US Embassy in Tehran hostage for 14 months. They released them the day President Reagan took office in 1981. Why? They feared him, not Jimmy Carter, the previous president.
​
Then on October 23, 1983, they saw an opportunity to bomb the US Marine barracks in Beirut, Lebanon. They killed 241 marines and sailors that day in one strike. I remember both acts of terror, and I haven’t forgotten the attacks they’ve made in the years since.

​

BTW, this is not the first post I’ve written about Germany. My trip in 2007, changed my life. I began writing thanks to a bat who flew through the house I was staying in. These are the three posts I’ve written about Germany since then.

1. Me and North Rhine Westphalia: https://www.rindabeach.com/blog/me-and-north-rhine-westphalia?__cf_chl_f_tk=TJzOffqez4eRyK0DUTlru6qTecPYKwYGDOiytV.FFIM-1783191011-1.0.1.1-HBZ4MpF5HhGXUp4keYaw1GcpVKp6V3ROkjC3sGqzJPw
​
2. Stories from the Benderblock: https://www.rindabeach.com/blog/stories-from-the-bendlerblock

3. The Story of the White Rose: https://www.rindabeach.com/blog/the-story-of-the-white-rose

Katharine Esty, PhD, wrote the source article that made me want to write this post. She’s 90, and she interviewed 150 people ages 70-90 from her retirement community and her hometown. Katharine discovered aging is better than it used to be. You don’t have to dread it. Most people in their 80s were happier than 70-year-olds. The same was true for people in their 70s. They were happier than 60-year-olds. 

                                                                   
                                                                    The link to Katharine’s original article:
https://www.cnbc.com/2025/03/16/i-just-turned-90-this-year-unexpected-joys-about-old-age-i-want-young-people-today-to-know.html?msockid=1eb2843b6b3b664b014e93696a956751
​
​
​

Today most seniors live longer and have a better quality of life than our parents or grandparents. Katharine’s parents were 65 and 72 when they died, but she was 90 when she wrote her article. Katharine is still active—in one week she took three exercise classes and walked over 1.5 miles.

We can live longer and better because we get new parts, like knees, hips, and shoulders. Our hearing aids work, and we don’t have to live with cataracts. I’ll probably get my eyes done in the next couple of years.

We see our family doctor, dentist, and eye doctor, but specialists are easy to schedule and pay for. We can get the right medication for our pain, so seniors like Katharine can stay active.


​

                                                         2.  You continue to learn and develop.  ​

​​Some people say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, but I don’t believe them. I’m retired, and I’m still learning new things. Sometimes I write about them, like I did for this post.
 
In the last 50 years, we’ve learned more about the brain and how it works. We’ve also discovered what happens to its neuroplasticity as it ages. That’s my new vocabulary word. It’s about how the brain grows and reorganizes its network of nerves. That means our brains can grow and repair themselves over time.
 
That’s great news for you and me, for senior citizens, and for anyone with a head injury! We can still learn…it might take longer than it once did. Using our brains and trying new things, they sharpen our neurons. Remember the author from my source article? Katharine’s 90, and she’s taking Zumba classes and learning French. WOW!


​

​Do you see a glass as half full, or half empty? Many seniors see it as half full, and they choose to stay positive. I’d never heard of the paradox of aging. It says that as we age; our health and abilities get worse. We lose people around us, yet our mental health gets better. Maybe it’s because we feel happier with what we have, instead of disappointed with what’s missing.
 
As I look at my own life, that’s how I feel. The grandmother I’m named after died at age 40. Katharine said “less than 2% of Americans make it to age 90.” That makes them blessed. If you’re a senior, why complain when there’s still time to enjoy whatever time we have left.
​
     Tomorrow: living in the present, finding joy in relationships, and a final thought from Katharine.
​

Katharine said it’s especially true for seniors in their late 70s and 80s. They stay focused in the present and rarely think beyond the next 18 months. Her reasoning, life is uncertain, so why bother. I hadn’t thought about it, but I tend to plan for the next week or two, and not much farther.

Another surprise, many seniors don’t dwell on the past. Katharine said they’ve left most of their regrets behind. I feel the same way. There are things I’d have done differently, but if I had the chance I wouldn’t go back and change them. It might change something that I’m happy with.
​
Katharine also noted that seniors talk more about sports and TV shows than the past. They focus on little things like taking a walk, looking up at the night sky, or hanging out with friends. I wish I had spent more time doing those simple things, but back then, I was teaching and raising my family. THAT took all my time. 


​

When I was younger, my life revolved around my job and my family. When the school year ended, I was lucky. I could slow down and focus entirely on my family.
 
Seniors like me are retired. We’re downsizing possessions and responsibilities. We finally have time to enjoy family and friends, especially the young ones.
​
When I retired, I lost so many friends, but when I went back to visit, it was different. They’d moved on without me. As I’ve aged, I’ve started to build a new network of friends. Some online; some from volunteer work, and I look forward to the ones I'll make in the future. 


​​

I’ll end the way I began, with Katharine Esty.
This time her advice is for our young friends who are still working.
​

​Katharine said, “Friends, there is much to look forward to as you age,
​ and the research suggests you will be happier, too.”

Self-care isn't just for adults. When kids have simple, repeatable ways to reset, they bounce back faster. They're calmer. They're easier to be with. And they start building emotional tools that carry them through hard days now and later.

Here's what that actually looks like in real life...

​​Self-care for kids is anything that helps their body and brain reset so they can handle the next thing. It is not fancy or selfish, and self-care is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation. The core pieces are simple: move, rest, fuel, connect, and calm down.

It matters because a good reset makes everyday life easier, not perfect. When kids practice quick, repeatable resets, they bounce back faster after hard moments and show up more ready to learn and play. That kind of readiness includes many skills and behaviours beyond academics.

Think of it like packing a tiny “travel kit” for their day: water, a snack, a stretch, and a quiet minute. You are not adding chores, you are building a routine that prevents meltdowns from piling up. With that mindset, you can pick quick resets that fit your child and your schedule.
​

​​

​
​Small, predictable rituals help kids reset without a big production. Don't try all five at once. Pick one and use it every day for a week. Once it feels normal, add another. When the same mini routine shows up again and again, it becomes a tool your child can reach for on their own -- at home, at school, or anywhere the day gets hard.

1. Two-Song Shake-Out

• What it is: Dance or do jumping jacks for two songs, then sip water.
• How often: Daily
• Why it helps: Burns off stress energy and makes it easier to focus again.

​2. Five-Finger Breathing

• What it is: Trace each finger while taking slow breaths in and out.
• How often: As needed
• Why it helps: Slows the body down fast after big feelings.

3. Bedtime Calm Visualization

• What it is: Guide your child to close their eyes and slowly picture a peaceful place, noticing what they'd see, hear, smell, feel, and taste there.
• How often: Nightly
• Why it helps: Eases worry loops, shifts the brain away from the day's stresses, and supports smoother sleep.

4. One Good Thing Check-In

• What it is: Share one good thing from today at dinner or bedtime.
• How often: Daily
• Why it helps: Gratitude interventions are linked with small well-being gains.

5. Create-and-Leave-It Corner

• What it is: Ten minutes of drawing, Lego, or clay, no “perfect” goal.
• How often: 3 times weekly
• Why it helps: Gives the brain a break and boosts emotional flexibility.

​  ​

​The rituals above work best when they're attached to something that already happens. Shoes off at the door. After teeth brushing. Right before homework. Habit-stacking cuts down on reminders and willpower.

​
        Q: What are some simple self-care activities that kids can do to reset during a stressful day?
A: Try micro-resets that take under five minutes: a water break, wall pushes, a quick stretch, or a quiet corner with a book. If your child refuses, shrink it down -- one breath, one sip, one song. Keep one portable option that works anywhere, like a sensory item in a pocket, for when the day goes sideways.

                           Q: How can parents encourage their children to practice self-care regularly?
A: Keep it tiny and doable. A few minutes a day is enough to build consistency. Use simple cues and praise the attempt, not the result. And if you're running on empty yourself, identify social support so you have the patience to stay consistent.

                          Q: What role does mindfulness play in helping kids feel ready for the day?
A: It teaches kids to notice stress signals early -- before the meltdown. Keep it kid-sized: three belly breaths, a "five things I see" scan, or one quiet minute. If they get silly, that's fine. Just return to the routine without making it a big deal.

                Q: How can creative activities like art or music support a child's emotional health?
A: Creative time gives feelings a safe exit when kids don't have the words yet. Try doodling to music, drumming on a pillow, or building a "mood playlist" for after school. If they're stuck, give a prompt: "Draw what your stress looks like." Then let them rip it up or put it away.

                         Q: How can a simple planner or checklist help kids build a self-care routine?
A: A checklist makes self-care visible. That makes it easier to remember on busy days and easier to restart after a disrupted week. Keep it to 3 to 5 items. If you use a printable, clean up the layout with a tool that lets you edit PDFs directly before printing so it matches your child's actual day.


​

​Some days the plan falls apart. Kids refuse. Everyone forgets. The schedule shifts again.

That's okay. Just come back to one habit. Keep it small. Keep it visible. Give it two ordinary days.

That's enough. Small resets, done often, build real resilience. Over time, they send kids a quiet message: your body matters, your feelings matter, and you have the tools to handle a hard day. Pick one habit this week. Stick with it. That's where it starts.


​

   Thanks go to Kurt Brown for this post and his great suggestions!
​
Kurt Brown knows that some of the best adventures happen off the beaten path. Unfortunately, those experiences are not always well-documented and, as a result, helpful information is not always easy to find. That’s why he created Travel Tip Tank. The website offers travel tips visitors won’t find anywhere else.

Have you heard the 2026 World Cup is almost here? That it’s going to be played in the US during our 250th birthday? In Canada and Mexico too? There’s going to be more teams and matches than ever before.
​
Official play won’t start until June 11, but the preliminaries are already starting. The one that caught my eye, a commercial about an impossible dream…The US Men’s team winning the World Cup. It’s an incredible ad! An incredible dream!
​
                           And here’s how it started…

My Source: https://www.foxsports.com/stories/presspass/fox-sports-unveils-fifa-world-cup-2026-campaign-inviting-america-dream-big-summer


​

It all began with FOX Sports Marketing asking a simple question, ‘What If?’ What if the impossible happened, and the Men’s National Team won the World Cup?

The ad debuted on May 2, during a baseball game on FOX. I don’t remember when I saw it, but it’s been echoing through my head, asking me to imagine the possibilities. 


​

I searched, found, and retweeted the ad so I could share the highlights.
​

Imagine…it’s the last minute of the last game of the World Cup Championship. It’s tied, and the US has a corner kick. You hear the announcers. Then silence as you watch people across the country wait…
​
                 Then Christian Pulisic, who’s really on the team, takes the kick, and the music begins…

​

​​
The Impossible Dream, sung by the King, Elvis Presley.

As you watch, the goal goes in, and America celebrates this impossible dream…An American Men’s World Cup.

The music continues to play until Elvis reaches the climax of the song, that unreachable--

And then abruptly, as if someone yanked the needle off a record—Elvis stops.
​
The next scene, a bar where someone’s asking if the US could really win the World Cup. The answer…It could happen. 


​

​And then an old man asks do you believe in miracles?
​

​He turns, and you see the back of his jacket, with USA and two hockey sticks. That’s the moment Elvis belts out the end of the song.

And that’s when I recognized the miracle—February 22, 1980. The one in the photo from Sports Illustrated. No caption needed. Everyone who watched that game still remembers. I do!

A bunch of college kids were playing the Soviets. There was no way they could win the Olympic gold medal, till the last minute when Mike Eruzione shot the winning goal.
​
It was incredible! It lifted the whole country. It became a Hollywood movie, Miracle on Ice. You can still watch that amazing story.
​

​The World Cup won’t start officially until June 11, and the US men play on the 12. But don’t worry…you can imagine the impossible dream until then.

And if it doesn’t come true, we’ll have almost two months to enjoy our own version of that dream.
​

​

​First up, our coach, Mauricio Roberto Pochettino. He played for the Argentine team and managed it too.

Mauricio announced his choices for the US roster on May 26, 2026, but he could make changes until June 2. Today is the 3rd, and I checked…no changes to the roster.

The US Men are in Group D, so we’ll play Australia, Paraguay, and Turkey.
​
​If you’d like to read more about the US men, click on my source link: https://www.fifa.com/en/tournaments/mens/worldcup/canadamexicousa2026/articles/usa-squad-announcement-mauricio-pochettino
​

​

Now for the 26-man team; many are veterans of the Qatar 2022 World Cup.
Our 3 Goalkeepers are Chris Brady, Matt Freese, and Matt Turner.
​

The 10 Defenders who also protect the goal: Max Arfsten, Sergino Dest, Alex Freeman,
Mark McKenzie, Tim Ream, Chris Richards, Antonee Robinson, Miles Robinson,
Joe Scally, and Auston Trust.

The 10 Midfielders include: Tyler Adams, Sebastian Berhalter, Weston McKennie,
Cristian Roldan, Brenden Aaronson, Christian Pulisic, Gio Reyna, Malik Tillman,
Timothy Weah, and Alejandro Zendejas. They move the ball up and down the field.
​Sometimes they score, like Christian Pulisic did in the commercial for the Impossible Dream.
​
And the 3 Forwards, who aim for the goal: Folarin Balogun, Ricardo Pepi, and Haji Wright.
Here’s to the US Men’s 2026 team! May the force be with them!


​

As for the US cities hosting World Cup matches, I only have a map of the states.
​They’re first to help you find them. The cities, in parenthesis. 

They include Georgia (Atlanta), Massachusetts (Boston), Texas (Dallas and Houston), Kansas (Kansas City), California (Los Angelos and San Francisco), New York and New Jersey (cities not listed), Pennsylvania (Philadelphia), and Washington (Seattle). 
​​

​When I found a post by Emy LaCroix last week, I discovered I missed Jane’s 250th birthday. She could have never imagined five of her books would still be remembered over two hundred years later. Those titles, Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park, Emma, Northanger Abbey, and Persuasion. 

Jane was born on December 16, 1775, six months before the American Declaration of Independence.

Emy’s Link:
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/jane-austen-turns-250-10-fun-facts-about-the-legendary-author/ar-AA1StzVz?ocid=winp2fptaskbar&cvid=947d779bcff0471adf87e176b4943330&ei=73

​

Now for some fun facts…
#1. Emma, inspired the 1995 movie, Clueless.

Jane Austen’s character, Emma Woodhouse, starred as Cher Horowitz in the movie. Both are young ladies. Emma is 21, and Cher is still in high school. Both are wealthy, and they love to make matches. Cher makes hers in high school, and Emma among her neighbors. They both have a lot to learn about themselves and about love. 


​

                     #2. Jane published her books anonymously.

​The general public in her time never knew her name. Jane first used “By a Lady.” Then later, “By the Author of Sense and Sensability.” Ladies could write letters, but they were discouraged from writing and publishing books.
Jane only got credit for her work after she died, but not by choice. Her brother Henry put a biographical note into her last two books, Northanger Abbey and Persuasion. That’s how Jane’s secret was finally discovered.

  
​

​
​                       #3. Jane’s family had a coat of arms.

They used three bear paws, so this isn’t hers. They also had a family motto. The Latin version: Que Invidet Minor Est, which means, To Envy Is Inferior. 

​

​                                         #4. Jane began writing as a teen.

​From age 12-18, she filled three notebooks with stories, parodies, and short plays. Luckily they were preserved and later published. The title, Juvenilia. That’s the name of any work done by a young author or artist, and you can buy Jane’s on Amazon. 



​

#5. Jane was engaged for one day, but she never married.
​

In December of 1802 Harris Bigg-Wither, a wealthy friend of her family proposed. Jane accepted, but she called it off the next morning.
​
 
​​​

#6. Jane didn’t earn much during her lifetime. 
​

​Jane published 4 successful books and made about $800-$940 in American money back then. That’s about $54,000-$81,000 today. Then she lost money on Emma because she paid to get it published.


​

#7. Jane’s last words were to her sister Cassandra. 
​

Cassandra wrote down Jane's words. “God grant me patience, pray for me, oh, pray for me." Jane died from a painful disease. As it got worse, she wanted “nothing but death.”


​

Her fan club didn’t form until the late 1800s, and they called themselves the “Janeites.” What did they do? Debate her characters, defend Jane against critics, and visit anyplace Jane had lived during her lifetime. From London to Bath. From her birthplace to the house where she died. Someday I want to visit those places too!

​Tomorrow: the last two fun facts about Jane

#9. Jane is still one of the most translated English novelists.
​

 ​     #9. Jane is still one of the most translated English novelists.

Did you know you can buy Jane’s books in dozens of languages? Or that they have never gone out of print for over 200 years? That’s incredible! One of my books is already out of print, the one done with a hybrid publisher. Why? It didn’t make them enough money.
​

​

​
Jane is on British bills, the £10 Bank of England note. The UK doesn’t have dollar bills. They use pound notes.

Jane’s first bill was printed in 2017 to celebrate her legacy. Male authors have had this honor before, but Jane is the first female to be chosen. If you look carefully at this note or google it, you’ll see a quote from Pride and Prejudice, plus an image of Godmersham Park. Jane’s brother Edward, inherited the estate from his cousin, and many believe Jane modeled Pemberly, from P and P, from her brother’s estate.

Bonus: If you’re a Janeite like me, you might want to check out this link. It’s to an article that suggests the order to read Jane’s novels sequentially, starting with her first, Juvenilia.
​
Link: https://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/lifestyle-buzz/how-to-read-jane-austen-s-novels-in-order/ar-AA1SseL1?ocid=winp2fptaskbar&cvid=9021e4a5cd674c628f95dc318e5047e3&ei=44