GOSSIP FROM THE GIRLFRIEND GATHERINGS

Learning from YOU to empower ME !

Happy New Year – 2014!

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Overall, life was good for me in 2013.   I am now sitting here in my home office doing the one thing I truly love – writing – and I feel this is the perfect spot for me as I wait out the last minutes of 2013.

The writing life has brought me a lot of wonderful experiences this past year.  It has also brought new friends / colleagues / followers and I am very THANKFUL for these new relationships.

One of the most important lessons I have learned on my life journey is that TIME is the greatest human asset because it is the one thing we cannot replenish.  So, in this New Year, may I encourage you to fill all of your moments with loving people and wonderful experiences.        I wish all of you and yours Joy, Love, Peace and Success in the upcoming year.

NaBloPoMo #21 – The Way I Feel About Endings Is………

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I have made it to the end of the National Blog Post Month-November 2013 and I feel good that I have made it without missing a blog post.  I feel a sense of accomplishment about blogging now because I never thought I could find time to blog so often in my schedule.   Due to this experience, I have gained some insight on how I can improve my blog and blogging life.  So, this is an ending I feel good about which is usual for me when I reach a career goal.

Endings that I don’t normally feel good about are the endings of relationships.   Normally, when I befriend someone it is for life.   However, sometimes people outgrow one another and there comes a time when parting is the only amicable resolution.   These endings are always difficult for me even when they are necessary.

NaBloPoMo #20 – The Way I Feel About My First Blog Post Is………

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I just re-read my first post from January 2009 and I admit that I am still excited about that blog post.    Here is a link to it:

https://gossipfromthegirlfriendgatherings.com/2009/01/05/the-mystery-of-girlfriend-gatherings/

I recall working very hard on it because I wanted it to set the tone and voice of my blog.   I designed very beautiful post cards with that blog post on the back of the card.   I passed those cards out wherever I went and encountered a group of women “gathering”.     I received positive feedback from my efforts with that post.

If I was starting my blog now, I would still start it with the same post.   I would not change one word of it.   I think it set the goal and direction of my blog.  I am still writing and working to achieve those goals that I defined in that post.

NaBloPoMo #6 After 1 Week of Daily Blogging, I’ve Learned…….

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NaBloPoMo November 2013Women Having Coffee

Before my friend and fellow writer/blogger asked me to join her in BlogHer NaBloPoMo for November 2013, I never considered daily blogging because I thought it would be difficult.    Now, I am glad I did not hesitate because I have learned some things about myself while writing the first 5 blog posts.   What I have learned is presented as follows in order of importance:

  1.  I have learned there are people interested in my writing because I have acquired many new followers here and on Twitter in the last 5 days.  I want to say THANK YOU to all of them for dropping by and reading my thoughts.
  1. I have learned if I am presented a topic I can write about it pretty quickly.   (Now, what that really means is I have an opinion about everything!)   This month the topics are being provided by BlogHer and that is helpful.  So, I realize that, with some pre-planning, I can determine some topics and increase the frequency of my blog posts in the upcoming months.
  1. Daily blogging engages the writer more with the blog readers because of the frequency of new content.    It is more interactive.
  1. With some discipline, time management and the use of scheduling tools, I can do this!

NaBloPoMo #5– If I Had to Change My First Name, I Would Choose…….

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NaBloPoMo November 2013Women Having Coffee

If I was mandated to change my first name, I would rebel.    I would rise up and use all the power I could muster to retain my first name of Elaine.     You see I love my given names – Elaine Rouchelle.     I fell in love with my name as a child when my mother told me how my name was chosen.    My mother told me she allowed my beautiful Aunt Rae who lived in far away (when you have to drive across Texas to get there it’s far away!), mysterious California  to choose my name.   Over the years, when Aunt Rae would come to visit us she would always tell me how the beautiful name she gave me was fitting for the beautiful girl I was growing up to be.

Throughout my life I have not met very many women with the first name of Elaine.   Usually it is the second name.   I like this – having a common name that is sort of uncommon as a first name.   I love the meaning of my name – which is “Light”.     Here is a poem about my name and I think it is accurate for me.

You’re quick to solve puzzles

Without hints or clues

And shed light on situations

Known to confuse.

The inner glow you have

Because of your name

Makes your life a lighthearted,

Whimsical game.

You’ll always know happiness,

Love and delight,

For you follow a lifelong path

Cheerful and bright.

Also, last but not least, the greatest love of my life was Latino and the way he said my name makes it a keeper.    So, I am Elaine and Elaine is me.