Adventures N Writing

Starting January 1st 2011, it will be your last chance to purchase the limited first edition of Happy Hour. This book is scheduled to be re-released by ZOVA books, March 2011, with a new cover and other additions. This is your chance to have a collector’s item book about the special relationship between four friends working in Napa Valley, in which Sundays are for fellowship, good food and wine. Jamie is editor-in-chief at "Wine Lover's Magazine," and a single mother. Before her husband died, she lived a fairy tale life. Guilt from his death keeps her from moving forward. Kat is a sommelier, and co-owner of a restaurant with her chef husband Christian. Although deeply in love they deal with a myriad of issues, including ex-spouses, Kat's teenage sons and her new age mother Venus. Danielle is a vintner who finds herself entrenched in both an identity and family crisis when her eldest daughter returns home from college with a bombshell of a secret. Alyssa

Another post by team Long Shot My last post was on having a bad day and how to bounce back. Naturally, lots of different methods are available to every individual, but after the events of this past bad week, I felt a crying need to get away from it all. Given the opportunity, I packed my bags and went to a friend’s house for the weekend. On the surface, this approach may seem like an attempt to run away, but I focused on the need for a mental vacation. Now that I’m back, nothing magically fixed itself, but my problems somehow seem in better focus, and I have far more energy to tackle them. Michele and I would like to hear about what you enjoy on your mental vacations? I bet lots of you would like to blow the whistle, call “time out” and read a great book! Thanks for reading, Cassie

Another Post by Team Long Shot Just had one of those days where if it can go wrong it does. Work was tough, car breaks down, bad weather, feeling sick, and I even realized I only grabbed one sock instead of two, halfway to work… It is times like these where I usually turn to what brings me peace, whether it be writing, riding my horses, or just taking a nap. Unfortunately, with the holidays coming up there hasn’t even been time for any of that. I’ve decided the only way to deal with all this crazy is to let it go. I will do my best to accomplish and fix everything on my list but if it doesn’t get done I have to let it go. Everyone will tell you it is not worth stressing out over, yet inevitably we do anyways. One small thing that makes me feel better is the song “Bad Day” by Daniel Powter. Michele and I would love to hear how you deal with a bad day. Thanks for reading, Cassie http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gH476CxJxfg

Another post by Team Long Shot… I was watching TV, when a commercial for the new movie, “127 Hours” appeared, with James Franco. This movie is based on the true story of Aron Ralston, who in 2003 was hiking in Utah. He fell into a deep crevasse, followed by cliff edge debris and an 800 ton rock that smashed and trapped his right hand against the face of the wall. Aron was hiking solo, so there was nobody who was aware of his location and dire circumstances, eighty feet underground. He was presented with two options, die of dehydration or cut his own arm off in an attempt to survive. Using a very dull knife, he cut though the skin and muscle, and in a moment of inspiration, used the leverage of the rock itself to break the pair of bones leading to his hand. With his victory over the rock insured, he climbed up out of the crevasse, basically rescuing himself. This powerful story really hit home with me. All too often we are limited by what our minds and what others view as possible. W

I heard something really interesting on the radio this morning on my way to work and it got me thinking. I listen to a show here in San Diego every morning called The Mikey Show. It's funny, relevant and in many ways it has helped me personally get through some dark times recently. Laughter is always a wonderful medicine for what may ail us--and this group of people in the early hours makes me laugh--a lot. Anyway, this morning I heard "Mikey" talking about a campaign that he is doing called "Be Different." From my understanding of "Being Different" through listening to "The Mikey Show" this morning is that Being Different is about being accountable for one's actions, it's about taking a second or two or even a minute before reacting negatively to something you might find upsetting or offensive. It's about being gracious, which in some ways I think our society has forgotten how to be. It's about lending a hand, being real wi