Keeping Sunday

Another thing about the computer: it is quite the individual tool or toy. Most people sit alone at the screen working or communicating with cyber-others. At least with the tv, you can share the experience of wasting time together.

One thing our family does occasionally enjoy on Sundays is watching a good old movie or an episode of The Apostle of Common Sense on DVD from EWTN. We also enjoy bringing out the family movies and letting the kids see what they looked and sounded like when they were two.

We have this thing in our living room that looks like a tv, but isn't connected to anything. So basically it's a monitor that plays what we tell it to.

Keeping Sunday

One of the things our family has instituted for keeping Sunday a family day is:

The "No Computer on Sunday Rule"

This, as you may have noticed, is why I don't blog on Sundays.

The computer is the new TV in my opinion for addiction to the screen. In the old days, people could easily spend 6 hours a day in front of the tube, mindlessly watching stuff and feeling entertained.

These days, one can justify the computer because one is gaining information or interacting with people or providing a service or even working. But let's face it. Aren't we really wasting a lot of our time, too, on the computer?

So, Sunday is a time to take a break from the computer, and get caught up with the real people who live in our house.

On the Radio

I'm tickled pink to let all you Pennsylvania (Erie) and Ohio (Cleveland) people who listen to WWOW that I'll be a guest on the Morning show (Catholic Mornings with Gary and Michelle Gersin) this coming Monday, May 19th at 8:30 EST. It looks like you can listen live, too, so check your time zone (it will be 7:30am for me, CST).

We're going to be talking about Harry Potter, and I don't know if there will be callers, but if there are, please call in!

Please Buy Maureen's Books

She's moving, and these books need to find their homes now. Gifts? Need ideas? Maureen has great books.

Keeping Sunday

I am old enough to remember when everything was closed on Sundays. Department stores, grocery stores, even gas stations. You just planned around it.

Or, if you were like a friend who ran out of gas on a Sunday, you go to 10 pumps, and get out the few cups you used to get for free before the thing cut you off.

Can we even imagine a world today where department stores or Walmarts or grocery stores would be closed on Sundays?

The other day, we walked into a Hobby Lobby for the first time. There was a sign on the front door that told us they would be closed Sundays to allow their employees some family time and the chance to worship. I remembered hearing that the fast food chain Chick-Fil-A does the same: Closed on Sundays. It is possible for a business to plan on being closed on Sundays.

Perhaps we should find out more about this and patronize these businesses.

Keeping Sunday

Besides going to Mass (which we'll get back to, as there's more to say on that subject), let's talk about the rest of Sunday.

There is a huge temptation for me to use Sunday as a "catch up" day. I find myself thinking I could do the main laundry today, so I can so the linens tomorrow, or, we could get the garbage out today, and then we can get school started a little faster in the morning, or if I make a bunch of meals ahead, I won't have to do it during the week, etc.

But what I should be saying to myself is that Sunday is a day to catch up, yes, but on family, not things. We should be trying to have chats with our children, one-on-one if we can, or playing that board game we didn't have time for on Tuesday last week. Or getting everyone over to the park and playing a family game of baseball, kickball, or volleyball. Or if the kids are too little for that, just going to a park that has a large play structure can be fun.

Catching up with our spouses is good, too. Sometimes a long walk in a local state park or forest preserve can give the kids a chance to run and play or collect leaves and stones, while mom and dad have a chance to talk in a casual way a little further behind.

So, Sundays should be our catch up day. Catch up with the people who are most important to us (after we've caught up with God, right?!).

Keeping Sunday

Well, the first thing is, and this is going to seem really nothing to many of you, and really something to others.

The first thing is to commit yourself to going to mass each and every single Sunday. No sleeping in, no making excuses, no being lazy or cowardly or thinking it's no big deal. It is a big deal. There aren't many people who will tell you to miss is a mortal sin, but it is. But beyond that, you should go because it's good for you to go. You get one hour a week to tell God that you appreciate the Life you've been given.

There was a time I went to mass because I knew I should. I went to mass because it was a habit, I went to mass because I would feel guilty if I didn't. But there came a point where I decided to go to mass every Sunday. This was a turning point for me, and if you haven't made that commitment yet, I think it will be a turning point for you, too.

Happy Mother's Day

I pray your Mother's Day will be a day of rest and fun with your family. If you are separated from your children, Mother's Day can be particularly difficult. Let's pray especially today for those mothers who have lost children from any circumstance, and those who have children overseas this Mother's Day. Lord, protect our children when we can't. Amen.

Keeping Sunday

I'm going to start a new series, this time of a more general nature. Sorry for all you who couldn't make use of the amazon.com marketing posts.

I want to start a series on keeping Sundays special. There was a time in my life when I wondered if I'd even get to church on Sunday. And then after I did manage to get there, what more was there to life than spreading out the paper on the floor, making myself a bottomless cup of coffee, and reading for the rest of the day? Ah, those were the days. When Sunday meant doing nothing.

Then, came marriage and babies. And Sundays gradually morphed into a busy day, just like any other, except this time you have to get kids up and dress them kind of nicely and get hair done and make sure people have more than just tennis shoes to go with those dresses.

And the rest of the day, there's still laundry, garbage, yard work, and the occasional relative one should visit. What happened to those lazy, restful Sundays?

Well, I want to talk about getting Sunday back and keeping it different. So, we'll begin tomorrow. Be sure to add in your ideas in the comments box.

Gardening

As you've noticed, I've got a gardening poll over there on the left. I love to be in the garden, soaking up the sun, getting dirt under my nails and on my knees; smelling the good clean earth, pulling up weeds, pinching back flowers, and enjoying the beauty of everything that grows. Gardening is a great thing to share with children as they are naturally nature lovers.

I was asked some gardening questions, so I thought I'd answer them here.

Do you use a rototiller?

Yes, in fact, we have two. We have a big Troybilt Rototiller, the Pony (gas engine). It's large, heavy, and can do big spaces quickly and easily: Like if you want to till up a 10 x 20 wildflower meadow; or do a corn or pumpkin patch.

For little jobs, and for those times when you just don't want to haul out the Troybilt, we also have an electric Mantis. Because it's electric, it is very light, and even though it's small, it does a great job. Like the other day when we were planting four new fruit trees (apple, pear, cherry and a crab apple), the Mantis did a great job of helping prepare the holes. It grinds the dirt so fine, we didn't even need to buy top soil or any kind of fill soil.

The Mantis also does a great job on side beds and smaller flower beds. And it can help keep edges and handles weeds between bushes and other plantings.

Ours both get a lot of use, and there was a time after getting the Mantis when we thought we could sell the Troybilt, but then after using it to get a wildflower meadow ready, we were glad we kept it.

Let Us Pray for Myanmar

Everyday, the news is worse. Please let's all pray for this country and her people.

How to Forgive: Pray for them--Part Three

(This connects to something I was working on before I was interrupted to go to Texas, and did the amazon series. You can find part one and part two, thanks.)

Pray for them.

And I'll admit, praying for the people who hurt me was the very last thing I wanted to do for them. I wanted God to somehow zap me into instant forgiveness, I guess. Or else, I wanted to find out that I was justified in my continued angry feelings towards people.

I wanted to stay with my head in the heavy rain clouds, basking in the darkness, closing my eyes to the light being offered me. If I lightened up, I might not be able to continue to dwell in the hurts of the past. If I lightened up, I might not be able to tell other people such good stories about the other people I had grievances against.

Amazon.com Marketing Ten Minutes a Day Guide-#18

18. Conclusion
I haven't mentioned Kindle, AmazonStore, or Amazon Associates; you can look into them if you're interested.

You can continue on this amazon odyssey by continuing to suggest searches, adding to your tags, finding new people to write reviews, starting new discussions (or keeping up with the ones you already started), posting to your AmazonConnect blog, and keeping a high profile by reviewing books and creating lists with ListMania.

10 minutes a day is all you need, good luck, and happy book sales!

Amazon.com Marketing Ten Minutes a Day Guide-#17

17. Create a ListMania List (or two). ListMania allows you to suggest books that go together, and you are free to include your own book/s on those lists.
Think of a few topics that all relate to your book, or other authors that mix well with you, or subjects that match, and create your own list. Now if someone searches for those other books, yours will come up, too.

One of your goals on amazon is to help people who have never heard of you find your book.

Catholic New Media Celebration in Atlanta!

If I were free June 21-22 weekend, and I had an extra frequent flyer, I would be here. Sounds so exciting!

New Catholic Homeschooling Magazine Announced!

Check it out!

I am excited to let you know that there is a brand spankin' new Catholic Homeschooling magazine, taking over for the former "Heart and Mind" magazine, but run by a new and highly reliable organization: Hillside Education.

I am looking forward to a very positive experience with Mater Et Magistra Magazine, and can't wait to see the first issue.

Amazon.com Marketing Ten Minutes a Day Guide-#16

16. If your book doesn't have the "Look Inside" feature offered by amazon, ask your publisher if this might be possible. Your potential customers might buy your book after viewing the table of contents, or the back cover. The more they look, the better your chances of a sale today.

Amazon.com Marketing Ten Minutes a Day Guide-#15

15. Under your Product Information, there is a sentence that reads:

(Publishers and authors: Improve Your Sales)

and "Improve Your Sales" is a link. Click on that link today, and see what else amazon.com suggests you could do to boost sales.

Amazon.com Marketing Ten Minutes a Day Guide-#14

14. Be an Amazon reviewer.

What books have you read that you loved? What books have you read that you hated? Why not let the world know? Find the book you loved or hated on amazon, and write a review using your "Real Name". Now when someone else reads your witty, clever, sarcastic or helpful review, they'll click on your name and discover that you've written books! Ta-da. More marketing.

In addition, whenever you read a review on amazon, always mark the "Was this review helpful? Yes No" buttons. They help other authors, and it's a good habit to get into.

Amapedia

Yesterday, Maureen asked about Amapedia, and so I checked into it. At first, I suspected it was a wikipedia look-alike. However, I believe it is another opportunity to describe your book to the world.

If you are the author, you can use Amapedia as another way to reach your potential readers. So, try it out, read about it, and see if you have a few moments to create your Amapedia page.

Amazon.com Marketing Ten Minutes a Day Guide-#13

13. Brainstorm again. Think of three more words or word combinations that someone could put in the main amazon Search box that you believe should lead them right to your book. Make these search suggestions.

Be advised that amazon really does take the time to investigate whether or not these are good search ideas. And it may take a week or more for your suggestions to go live. But they are well worth it. I really wanted my book linked to John Granger's and had no idea how to do that. But once I suggested that if someone search on his name that my book should come up (because I mention his books in my book), now, my book is listed when someone searches on his name.

Amazon.com Marketing Ten Minutes a Day Guide-#12

12. Brainstorm. Think of 5-10 more tags today. Add them to your tag list.

Amazon.com Marketing Ten Minutes a Day Guide-#11

11. Start up an Amazon Discussion

Below your book's listing, will be a list of about 5 different but sort of related "Customer discussions" about different topics. Click on "Start a New Discussion" and think of a question relating to your book's topic, and see if you can get a discussion going that will lead people to your book.