"Year One" by Nora Roberts

As an avid reader, I look for all types of books to read. Even genres that are not by favorite I still will try a new book here and there. I can't say that I have a favorite authors, however there are ones that I turn to when I am looking for something to read.

Typically I will ask for books as gifts for Christmas and birthdays and this past Christmas "Year One" by Nora Roberts was one of my gifts. I didn't know a whole lot about it before starting it. If I had, I might have not asked for it as a gift. First off, I do read Nora Roberts books many times a year. The bit of supernatural that are in many of her books adds to the story lines and the romances in them. I have never been a fan of the apocalyptic themes (and before you ask, no I have not watched "The Walking Dead Series" or any of the shows like that. Have tried, but can't get into them). 

So starting out reading "Year One" was a bit difficult. A supernatural darkness that kills some but not others. Some of the living have magic (also called the Uncanny) and some do not. During the first portion of the book I thought "did I really ask for this?" But I pushed on. There are only a handful of books that I can say that I have not finished reading once I start. Most of the time I will continue to push through ones that I don't like because there is the chance that even halfway through it will get better. "Year One" is definitely one that got better as I read further. (In truth - it was only the first few chapters that were difficult to connect to, but they were necessary for character introductions).

This book (first in a series) details the first year (hence the title) of the new world that people are living in. One filled with death, violence, good and bad people, love and hope. As I am approaching the final pages, I am glad that I asked for and received the book, took time to read it, and eagerly awaiting the second installment that is slated for November 2018.

Kids with Allowances: Pay "rent" or not

So I was listening to the radio on my way into work and a discussion was taking place about kids and allowances. A story started the discussion of a mom of a 5-year old who paid her daughter $7 a week for allowance, but then took $5 of it as "rent." The rent money went into a savings account that the mom planned to give to her daughter when she turned 18. The discussion surrounded whether this was actually teaching the 5-year old anything. Reasoning was that 1. a 5-year old doesn't have a good grasp of what money is or means and 2. if she doesn't know that the $5 is going in savings how is she learning that saving money is a good thing to do.

Various callers offered their own experiences and as you might expect comments were as varied as the people who called in. This got me thinking about my own son. As an almost teenager, he does get an allowance of $5 a week (paid bi-weekly just like my husband and I get paid). Out of that, he gives $1 to the church each time we go. He has gotten an allowance for close to eight years (starting with $2 a week when he was in kindergarten). We have talked with him since he started earning money about the benefits of saving and the reward of saving up for something that he really wants instead of spending all his money right away.

As he has gotten older, his allowance has increased as his responsibilities have increased. His has continued to save money and when he thinks about the cost of something versus how many weeks of allowance that cost means, it helps decide if something is really worth it to buy. Over time he has made a few poor choices, which I have let him make so that he learns (typically $5 or less) how to think through decisions on purchases. I can't count the number of times now that we have gone out and he see something he wants but makes the decision to think about it for a week or more before buying it. Most of the time he realizes that he really doesn't need it and that the want isn't as strong as the initial impulse to buy.

In the past year, he has started to house/pet sit for neighbors, mow lawns when people are out of town and shovel driveways/sidewalks this winter. He is not old enough yet for employment at an outside place such as a grocery store or such, nor do I feel he should have to work yet. He needs time to be a kid, working for come soon enough. We (his parents) decided with his input that it was time for him to start thinking about saving more for the future. As a group we came to the conclusion that his allowance and monetary gifts (birthday and Christmas) are his to keep and do with as he likes. Money that he earns from jobs will be split - half to spend and half to save. I am hoping that by starting this thinking early on it will help him once he gets a job to continue on a path with little to no debt.

What are your thoughts on allowances and savings when it comes to kids? There is really no right or wrong answer - just whatever is right for your family.

Freelance vs. Permanent: Why choose

Having been in the PR profession for nearly 17 years, I have been able to experience working for government agencies and as a freelancer. While I may not be the best person to post on this topic as my experiences are probably different from most practitioners, I wanted to put my thoughts out there.

I have held full-time positions at several state agencies over the nearly 18 years since I graduated from Ohio Northern University. I began doing freelance work when I was in-between positions and did not want to rely only on unemployment wages. It was also a great way to keep honing my communication skills and relationships with media personnel.

During my various employment ventures, I realized for me having a full-time job for an organization was better. While I really enjoyed learning about various topics and having new projects thrown at me, I prefer the stability of a government entity. I also like not being tasked with keeping track of what hours I have spent on which project/client or having to log time just to take a phone call. However, I do see advantages to either working freelance or owning your own business such as setting your own hours and being able to choose whether to take on a project/client or not.

So really, while there is a choice to be made between a permanent position somewhere and being a freelance practitioner, there is no right or wrong decision. For some a permanent position is better, for others the best choice is freelance work. 

Another Year, Another Shot at Blogging

Why does it seem that every year in January my blog comes to mind. I post a few times and then the who blog thing slips to a way back burner in my mind. It might start to simmer as an idea every once in a while, but never when I am in a position to do anything about it so it gets pushed back again and again and again.

Part of that I have discovered is because no matter how good my intentions are about blogger or doing other things I want, I make excuses for why I don't have time. I have found with my work that keeping a physical "journal" of projects and tasks helps me keep on track to get them done and on time (electronic versions do not work for me - don't ask me why). So for 2018 I have started a "goal" notebook for my personal life.

The items I am placing in it are not huge and life changing necessarily, but I have certain goals that I want for each month. These are ranging from reading certain books to completing a craft project. I have included one organization project each month as well. And yes, posting to this blog page is on my list too. (Hoping for two posts per  month, maybe more.)

I also have decided that I am changing up the blog a bit too. It will become a bit of a writing journal for me. About a year ago I discovered through an online class a website that has creative prompts for writing. Instead of always talking about what is going on around me, part of my blogging will be choosing a prompt, at random, and writing on it. Will everything I write be good? Most likely not! But the only way to get better at something is to keep doing it and do it often.

Here is to a new year and a new start.