Mormon Bloggers

Those of you who know me know that I hate – HATE self promotion. I have the hardest time in the world telling people, “come buy my stuff!” Just the thought makes me want to gag. Which brings up the question, why did I go into music and writing? Well, the $4 answer is that I love to do it. I love writing, I love composing, and I’m happy to share it with those who come asking for it. Anyway, so my publisher – remember, I’m brand new at this stuff, is asking me to be proactive and find ways to advertise my book (once it’s ready) in as many ways as possible, multiple times a day. Some of the suggestions they have include blogging, twittering, having a regularly updated website – stuff like that. I follow a lot of other authors, so I see how most of them are doing it, with tweets, giveaways, review invitations, and contests. They’re doing great at it. I’m amazed at how well they are able to promote their stuff without sounding too advertisy.... Read the rest of this entry »

In case you were curious, another round of 30 for 30 is going on at Kendi’s Korner and across the Internets, but I am not participating. Why not? Democracy is why not. You see, the people have spoken, and they have said they don’t want to see me blog about clothes for a month, because when I have a daily blogging goal like unto such, I generally don’t blog about other things (at least, that’s was Vilja‘s line of reasoning). But then, hahaha suckers! I haven’t really been blogging much anyway. I’ve been super busy with work and getting my ducks in a row before school starts. I can’t promise I will be blogging as much as I was when I was an unemployed stay-at-home attic-cleaner, but I do promise that I have some good stuff in the works (including some 2011 book reviews, and a REALLY INTENSE post about dating … eh? Anybody perking up?). So please don’t give up on me yet. Also, if you totally super hearted my last 30 for 30 and... Read the rest of this entry »

Temple Square at General Conference Last month from January 17-23, Philadelphia became the first city in nearly 50 years to reestablish National Thrift Week. National Thrift Week was an American social movement that was begun in 1916 and continued until 1966, when it was abandoned. Apparently for many, thrift has been a forgotten virtue for the last few decades but it is now making a comeback. Let’s look at what the original National Thrift Week was trying to accomplish and then follow up with quotes from Mormon Church presidents because for Mormons at least, thrift never went out of style. National Thrift Week In 1922, according to the New York Times, the committee in charge of National Thrift Week emphasized: Enrolling 500,000 individuals to operate their finances on the budget plan. State Thrift Week committees had quotas. Observance of Benjamin Franklin’s birthday in cooperation with schools, patriotic societies and businesses. Franklin was a keen practitioner of... Read the rest of this entry »

Yay!  It’s February!  January is over!  For those of us who do payroll, January is the crazy month.  We have quarterly taxes to do, sales tax to report, and W-2’s to get out.  It’s insane, and my boss is not that fun to talk to.  I ended up working on a Saturday morning to get a report out for her.  And it doesn’t help that stupid clients wait until the 25th to give us their paperwork. As in their entire year’s worth of bank statements that have to be data entered and reconciled before we can do their sales tax.  Grrrr.  But, it’s over!  And now we can breathe! Now I can think about doing my own taxes.  I love doing my own taxes!  Read More →

It never fails. The weekend comes and my goal is to ensure that when we wake up Saturday morning, there is nothing that needs to be done. All the laundry is caught up, dishes are caught up, counters cleaned off and organized, everything is placed where it is supposed to be. Yet, something magical happens. [...]  Read More →

Today is definitely a very productive and busy day. Cleaning up after Megan is always a constant chore. My wife uses the analogy of trying to shovel away snow in a blizzard – you are not going to get very far. While there is still much to do around the house, the fact of the [...]  Read More →

I had to go into the office today. Again. For the third day in a row.  It was so hard to go. I left for home around 1:50. I got on the freeway and saw the traffic meters going, which isn’t a good thing. Then I remembered overhearing a client at the office saying there was a huge a accident at 7800 South. I was able to get right off the freeway at 114th, right where the traffic was backing up, but then discovered that the road doesn’t go all the way through yet. So I had to take the frontage road down to 106th South, and then head West with everyone else that was getting off the freeway there. I was on the phone with The Teenager, and then the call dropped. Then The Doctor called. Then The Teenager beeped in. And I was frustrated and just wanted to get home. I was nearing an intersection and the light turned yellow and I sped up. I was talking to Tom and looked in my mirror and there was a cop and I was being pulled over. Crap. I pulled into a gas station and gave him my license... Read the rest of this entry »

 Michaelangelo Buonaroti, hailed as one of the most masterful artists in history, enjoyed much fame during his life.  He was given the distinction of being the first artist to have his biography published during his lifetime.  He was referred to, in Florence and around Italy, as Il Divino, or “The Divine One.”  Once he entered the forefront of the Renaissance art society, his fame spread, and throughout his life he received commission upon commission by the most respected patrons in Italy.   Although reported to be somewhat arrogant regarding his talents, his own words provide a deep insight.“If people knew how hard I worked to gain my mastery, it would not be so wonderful.”   Ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, painted by Michaelangelo Hesiod  (c. 700 BC) The early Greek poet and author, Hesiod, a contemporary of Homer, believed as well in diligence. “Mediocrity is easy, it can be had in quantity. ... Read the rest of this entry »

Who doesn’t struggle with motivation sometimes? I do more often than I don’t. I felt, as I listened to General Conference over the weekend, that many of the talks mentioned the importance of work. Maybe it only stood out to me because of my need to improve that area of my life. As a mother, and especially as a stay-at-home mom, I feel that the challenge to be self-motivated is even greater. You have no outside source telling you when to finish something, nor do you have an end to much of the work you do. I’m having one of those days. I woke up late. I did the bare minimum necessary to get out of the house and accomplish the few things that couldn’t wait: have the car checked, deposit checks, fill prescription, etc. I got home and have done a whole lot of nothing since. It’s easy to fill my day with non-essentials. But when I get to the end of it, I feel no joy or fulfillment. I feel tired, but for no good reason. The apartment is messy, I still... Read the rest of this entry »

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I want to talk today about work ethics because I need to get some things off my chest. I was raised to work hard.  When you have something to do, dig in and get it done.  Don’t play around because that just puts off the inevitable (and makes your dad really mad!).  Do it right the first time because if you try to cut corners, you will just have to go back and do it right eventually (and you will make your mom really mad!). When I am working, I am very proud of the fact that I put in my full time.  I work hard and I work fast.  In the office, there are others who are not so concerned with their time.  They like to talk.  A lot.  Now, remember there is a reason why I became an accountant.  I am not a talker.  I like sitting alone and working.  These women will talk for a full half hour after they get to work.  It drives me nuts.  They also have to take care of their farms on Farmville.  And then at 10:30 they start... Read the rest of this entry »

“How’s work?” This question started nearly every conversation with my family or friends in the past three weeks. Those who ask already know the answer because they know me.  They know my need for order and balance.  They know that I make family time and personal time a priority. They know I value quiet. “An [...] All Content Copyright (C) 2007-2009 TJ Hirst. No content may be reproduced without the copyright owner’s express written consent.Labor Day Blessings  Read More →