@Teresa_Giudice is now following@doreenb

[NY Times Bestselling author of FABULICIOUS: FAST & FIT! (Out 5/15!) Star of RHONJ & CELEBRITY APPRENTICE, wife of Juicy Joe & mom of 4 fabulicious daughters!]

Twitter is starting to be so much fun.

My week did start out with the promise of being boring so I spent some time on Pinterest.  Oh yeah, I am sucked right into it. It is FUN! Of course, it has an awful learning curve but once you figure it out…

I was feeling a bit sad that I was not receiving any new book reviews and just like that I received (3) yesterday and they were so good. I had no idea how important reviews were to an author, until I became an author. Just a simple ‘I read your book and loved it’ can bump up your ratings on Amazon or Barnes & Noble. I have been going back and doing this on all of the books I can remember reading. You can read the reviews by clicking on that folder up there…marked reviews.

Speaking of reviews…if you would like to do one for me along with a giveaway on your blog please let me know…doreenb8@verizon.net

My second book is starting to come together and I am starting to get excited about sharing it with you. Have you read about my other projects?  They are up there in the folder that says booksJ

I have been missing my grandkids so much over the last few months. I was able to see (2) of my grandsons play ball this week and I also enjoyed some time with a few of the girls. I am SO looking forward to our annual New Jersey shore invasion. All the kids, spouses and grandkids for a week. My husband’s siblings will be there as well with their kids, spouses and grandkids.

My favorite quote of the week:

You have enemies? Good. That means you’ve stood up for something, sometime in your life. ~~Winston Churchill

I will leave you with a few of my favorite beach photos from last year…

Have a Fabulous Weekend,

Doreen

]]> http://doreenmcgettigan.com/2012/05/friday-fragments-and-i-miss-the-crazed-fans/feed/ 1 http://doreenmcgettigan.com/2012/05/friday-fragments-fun/ http://doreenmcgettigan.com/2012/05/friday-fragments-fun/#comments Fri, 11 May 2012 14:43:51 +0000 Doreen McGettigan http://doreenmcgettigan.com/?p=3016 Hello Friday! It is a beautiful, bright and sunny day in Philadelphia.  For the past 2 weeks, it has been rainy, cloudy, windy and chilly.  The weekend is promising to be very warm and sunny. Next week is looking rainy:(

Anyway, I have really missed my friends and the chance to join in on Friday Fragments. Friday Fragments is the creation of Mrs. 4444.  It is an opportunity to get a bunch of clutter out of your mind.  Stuff you want to say…but do not have a lot…on the subject.  Feel free to join us!

http://www.halfpastkissintime.com

During the month of April, I participated once again in the A-Z April Challenge. Every day (except Sunday), you wrote a blog post with a title staring with the corresponding alphabet letter. The good news is I survived and I finished. The bad news is I was so challenged for time and some of the posts were not the best they could have been.  I am already planning how I can be more organized next year.

My youngest granddaughters will be having birthdays soon.  It seems like yesterday when I wrote the post announcing Adriana Jean’s birth. She will be three-years-old on the 30^th.

Peyton Elizabeth, who we call 24/7, will be two on June 1^st.

In just about five weeks, we will be heading to the beach with all of the grand’s. I have been so busy with book tours, marketing, writing and still working that I have not had much baby time. I miss them all so much.

Happy Mother’s Day to all of you who are Mom’s or grandmothers or step-moms. And many prayers for those of you who want to Mom’s…May this be your year!

I went on a tour last week of the old Lansdowne Movie Theatre. The Theatre was built in the 1930’s to show silent movies. I was stunned to see how much of the original theater was still in tact. It was quite a ghostly experience. Check it out here… http://www.lansdownetheatre.org  and this is SO call too…http://www.cinema169.com

Do you have an old theater in your town that has been or is being restored?

I entered a contest that was a bit out of my comfort zone.  It is called the Victorious Woman Contest.  It involved writing an essay that explains your victory.  If you have some time I would love for you to read mine and of course vote for it..My essay is called Arms Outstretched.

https://apps.facebook.com/contestshq/contests/213986/voteable_entries

Jeeze, I posted something political on FB the other day and I thought I checked it out but apparently, I got it wrong. So many people are SO passionate about this election.  I do not want to be left out of the conversation yet I do not want to be part of any mean spirited or hate.  I am going to have to draw on some of my old journalistic skills and do some real research before hitting share. Will you be doing any political posts?

My favorite quote this week:

Help them any way you can and if you cannot help them at least don’t hurt them~~Dalai Lama

Have a Positive Weekend,

Doreen

http://a-to-zchallenge.com

I almost didn’t participate this year because of time constraints but I am so glad I didn’t let that stop me.

I am a bit disappointed I did not visit as many sites as I wanted too. There were SO many! That being said, I did visit quite a few and I’ve met people that I am sure I will stay in touch with.

I met some of my favorite blog friends here last year.

Thank you so much to everyone ‘behind the scenes’ you did a fabulous job!

Congratulations to everyone that finishedJ

I hope to catch up with all of you before next year..I’m already looking forward to it!

http://a-to-zchallenge.com

ZIPPIDY DOO DAH

http://youtu.be/LcxYwwIL5zQ

Have a great day!!

YOGA

Life was not so easy back when I was an early teen. A kind neighbor took an interest in me and one of the things we would do together was yoga. It helped me to think clearly and to feel better about myself.

Through the years, I have often thought of taking a class. When my brother was murdered, I thought it might help me to get out from under the clouds of grief. I never found the time.

I wonder if subconsciously I have been associating yoga with the trauma I experienced as a young teen…

Earlier this year, I became ‘facebook’ friends with Michele Paiva. Michele Paiva, E-RYT, Hypnotherapist and wellness warrior, is an author, yogi and national instructor & presenter. She also offers distance hypnotherapy. I am curious and I think I will try this in the near future. 

Have you ever been hypnotized?
You can find Michele online at her at http://www.michelepaiva.com or on facebook.

Thank you for following along on the A-Z April Challenge.

http://a-to-zchallenge.com

The Xterra lassos an award at the 2011 Truck Rodeo of Texas

The 2012 Xterra Pro-4X was voted Compact SUV of Texas. Held at the rugged Knibbe Ranch in Spring Branch, the Truck Rodeo of Texas pits dozens of SUVs and pick-up trucks against the elements and each other, and nearly 50 members of the Texas Auto Writers Association vote on a winner. Xterra Pro-4X beat all challengers and took home the title.

The … Nissan Xterra may lack the funky styling and unique features of its off-roading competitors, but it’s the easiest to live with on those days when you’re not rock-crawling and mud-splashing.” — Edmunds

The 2012 Nissan Xterra ranks 13 out of 20 Affordable Compact SUVs. This ranking is based on our analysis of 65 published reviews and test drives of the Nissan Xterra, and our analysis of reliability and safety data.

The 2012 Nissan Xterra is a good option for those who want a rugged off-roader with plenty of utility and space. Its 4.0-liter V6 has lots of power, but its on-road ride simply can’t compete with crossovers like the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4. Then again, they can’t compete with the Xterra when the pavement ends.

In rollover tests with the federal government, the Nissan Xterra earns three out of five stars. It has not been scored in any other area yet.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gives the 2012 Xterra a top score of “Good” in both frontal offset and side impact tests. However, the Xterra gets a score of only “Marginal” (the second lowest out of four ratings) in rear crash protection tests, and the second highest score of “Acceptable” in roof strength tests.

Standard on the Xterra are four-wheel anti-lock brakes, electronic brake-force distribution, traction control, dual-stage front airbags, side-impact airbags and roof-mounted curtain airbags. Models with an automatic transmission receive hill descent control and hill start assist, but these features only come on the PRO-4X model.

“Inside the 2012 Nissan Xterra is a world quite opposite the vehicle’s rugged exterior. The tall roof makes for an open and airy cabin, while theater-style raised rear seats allow back-seat passengers an equally good view of the trail ahead. The Xterra’s seats are comfortable and supportive, and the dash and instruments are logically arranged with large knobs that are easy to reach and operate while bouncing along unpaved roads.” — Kelley

Versatile cargo capacity is where the Xterra shines: It provides 65.7 cubic feet with the second row folded down and 36.3 cubic feet with all seats in use. The Xterra also provides more cargo features than most SUVs, including luggage side nets, ceiling hooks, side hooks and under-floor storage in the cargo area. All but the base model also include an Easy Clean cargo area and an Utili-track Cargo Channel System. The Xterra also has a lockable compartment on the roof. There are steps on the rear bumper that make it easier to reach the roof compartment.

So it seems the XTERRA is a vehicle for the more rugged outdoor lifestyle and not so much a luxury vehicle. What do you think of Nissan?  What do you think of the American car companies?  What is your dream car?

Worry

http://youtu.be/S9PBchR3Fj8

Hmmm…I always thought that song was kind of dumb..until now.  I was born worrying.  I worried about school, my sister,and my brothers.

I worried about my babies.  I did not sleep until they were 6 months old because I heard the cases of sids deaths drop dramatically after the age of 6 months.

I really worried when my kids started to drive, when they married, when they had babies.  I worried about my husband, my dogs, everything and everyone.

It only took a bunch of decades, the murder of my brother and the broken heart of my husband after losing his son to finally dawn on me..it is going to happen or not happen whether I worry or not there for worrying is a huge waste of time.  Dang I wasted a lot of time.  I am working very hard at conquering the worry habit.

This song will be in my head all day now.

I hope you will all stop back on May 6 and vote on my essay..[insert puppy dog eyes here]

Women and Victory

Book Shares Stories of Women Shaping Challenges into Victory:

What does a woman do when she is faced with a seemingly insurmountable challenge such as domestic abuse, abandonment, corporate glass ceilings, entrepreneurship or cancer? That’s what author Annmarie Kelly wanted to know when she interviewed women for her book, Victorious Woman! Shaping Life’s Challenges into Personal Victories (Optimal Living Press) After speaking with dozens of women, Kelly chose nine compelling stories of women who dealt with these and other real life issues. In Victorious Woman!, Kelly shows how a woman’s thoughts and actions determine whether she becomes a victim of her adversity, merely survives it, or advances to victory.

For each victorious woman’s episode, Kelly uses touching and insightful storytelling to chronicle the events that led each woman to her victory. Then, instead of leaving the reader with an only inspirational story to ponder, she takes the reader a step further. By concluding each chapter with probing follow-up questions, the reader can record her thoughts and insights in a personal journal.

“I will reread this book many times in order to lift my spirits and inspire me when I most need it.”

~ Peggy Klaus, author of
Brag! The Art of Tooting
Your Horn without Blowing It

“Through the Victorious Woman Model, Annmarie presents a practical approach to taking control of your life and creating your own personal victories.”

~ Dr. Karen Lawson, author of The Art of Influencing

“Victorious Woman! is an uplifting book EVERY woman should read. The stories are a testament to what can be achieved through the power of purpose
and optimism…you are left with
a true sense of hope that anyone
in any situation can find a way
to victory.”

~ Theresa Hummel-Krallinger
Laughologist

In the final chapter, the author summarizes lessons learned and introduces the Victorious Woman Model™. In addition, she outlines the lifestyles or “Stepping Stones” that either draw a woman toward victory or pull her in the other direction. By explaining the differences between the victim, surviving, advancing and victorious lifestyles, Kelly challenges the reader to ask herself, “am I living my life on autopilot, or am I creating outcomes that made me happy, satisfied and proud?” Using the Stepping Stones and the Victorious Woman Model™, the reader can begin strategizing her own path for victory.

About the Author

Kelly writes with an understanding that comes from her own experiences and victories over early familial dysfunctions that included alcoholism and sibling abuse, teenage overweight that resulted in self-image issues and paralyzing shyness, and later financial devastation and emotional loss.

She is a member of the National Speakers Association (NSA), the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD), the National Association of Female Executives (NAFE), and the Brandywine Valley Alliance of Coaches. She has been presenting workshops and seminars since 1994 and is a frequent presenter at local and national women’s conferences including the Delaware Women’s Conference, ASTD Leadership Conference, Clemson University’s Professional Development for Women Conferences, Berks County’s Paving the Way Conference as well as professional organizations such as the Amercian Business Women’s Association, Wilmington Women in Business and Chester County Women.

To order the book, enter the contest or for more information visit:

http://victoriouswoman.com

In honor of election day in my home state of Pennsylvania today’s  “U” word is:

United States of America

One of my favorite songs:

http://youtu.be/lZD4ezDbbu4

http://a-to-zchallenge.com

“T” is for Trailer

My publisher offered to create a book trailer for me but I wanted to create a little movie.  I like the other trailers with the photos and music; I just wanted something more personal.  It was not easy to find someone to create it either.  I kept looking and was lucky enough to find J.C. from New Pace Productions.  My husband said we could not go wrong with him {because of his initials.} I was so relieved when he understood…

This week is the one year anniversary of the day we filmed the trailer at the Victims Memorial Arbor and Gazebo in Core Creek Park, Langhorne, Pa.

We chose that day because there was going to be an annual candle light tribute to crime victims that afternoon in the park. The weather reports for that day were scary.  They were calling for possible tornados and torrential rain. The service was cancelled. We decided to go ahead and try to get the filming done ahead of the weather.  The storm never arrived.

When J.C. finished the production work and I watched the trailer for the first time, the voice over man sounded so familiar.  I could not figure out who that was..see if you can guess..

What do you think of  book trailers?  Do they influence your decision to read/not read a book?

BRISTOL bOYZ STOMP book trailer…

http://youtu.be/_6ApR_tV63Y

The best voice over guy…

http://www.ScottPerryVoiceOvers.com

The best production company…

http://www.newpaceproductions.com