Amy J Romine: Saturday Seven

Showing posts with label Saturday Seven. Show all posts

Saturday, May 2, 2020

Saturday Seven ~ May 2, 2020 ~ Romine's Roundup!

Enjoy your weekend & this post! Amazing things to come!

~Amy

What am I Reading? - Origin by Dan Brown ~ Robert Langdon, Harvard professor of symbology, arrives at the ultramodern Guggenheim Museum Bilbao to attend the unveiling of a discovery that “will change the face of science forever.” The evening’s host is Edmond Kirsch, a forty-year-old billionaire and futurist, and one of Langdon’s first students.

But the meticulously orchestrated evening suddenly erupts into chaos, and Kirsch’s precious discovery teeters on the brink of being lost forever. Facing an imminent threat, Langdon is forced to flee. With him is Ambra Vidal, the elegant museum director who worked with Kirsch. They travel to Barcelona on a perilous quest to locate a cryptic password that will unlock Kirsch’s secret.

Navigating the dark corridors of hidden history and extreme religion, Langdon and Vidal must evade an enemy whose all-knowing power seems to emanate from Spain’s Royal Palace. They uncover clues that ultimately bring them face-to-face with Kirsch’s shocking discovery…and the breathtaking truth that has long eluded us.

What am I Listening to? – Winnie the Pooh ~ Let me explain. I am watching my granddaughter during the day and so we listen to the Winnie the Pooh movies and the show The Book of Pooh. Winnie the Pooh is one of my all time favorites, and this is going to date me, however I am curious if anyone else remembers this – I had a Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh Album when I was a kid and used to listen to it constantly. I realize now, the recording was literally the audio track from the motion picture.

What Quote am I pondering? – Never stop doing your best just because someone doesn’t give you credit. ~unknown

What am I Researching? – I have been researching all things YouTube. Watching YouTube channels, including the amazing Jeffree Star and several book reviewers all in preparation for the launch of my YouTube Channel, Romine’s Reviews! Subscribe here, the first episode will premiere in a few weeks!

Yummy Meal of the Week – Fruit Nachos! So easy to make, cut up apples, bananas, & strawberries. Layer the fruit on a dish, heat up some peanut butter in the microwave and pour it over (looks like caramel) and sprinkle with dark chocolate chips. (Pictured above).

What did I Learn? – I learned about Canva (an online marketing program) and created a plethora of social media posts for my books, Writing Warriors United and Romine’s Reviews. Loads of fun and so easy. Highly recommended. (If I can figure it out so can you!)

What am I Watching? – This week I finally broke down and start watching Game of Thrones (yes, I am aware I am late to the party). I have completed Season One and I am supposed to start watching Season Two with Zack sometime this weekend. Loving it so far!

That is all for this week, my lovelies!
I hope you have an amazing week, and I will talk to you all next Saturday!

*BONUS Content ~

Have any thoughts on my week’s activity or want to make a recommendation? Drop me a line or a tweet. One lucky commenter will win a free Romine book of their choice! Never want to miss a blog post or a Saturday Seven? Join my mailing list, and I will be happy to send it straight to your inbox!

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Saturday, April 25, 2020

Saturday Seven ~ April, 25th ~ Romine's Roundup!

Photo Credit : https://order-order.com/2017/11/25/saturday-seven-up-404/

What am I Reading? - Life Sentence, Life Purpose by Mickey Owens & Kim Whiting - An amazing story that will change the way you view prisons and the people who live in them --as well as the very meaning and purpose of life," says Tom Lagana, coauthor of Chicken Soup for the Prisoner's Soul. Mickey Owens, through his life story, takes us on a journey into the bowels of prison and the minds and souls of inmates. He shows us that love, peace and purpose can be found anywhere, even in the hard and shadowed landscape of prison.

What am I Listening to? – A Brief History of the Philosophy of Time by Adrian Bardon ~ A Brief History of the Philosophy of Time covers subjects such as time and change, the experience of time, physical and metaphysical approaches to the nature of time, the direction of time, time travel, time and freedom of the will, and scientific and philosophical approaches to eternity and the beginning of time. Bardon employs helpful illustrations and keeps technical language to a minimum in bringing the resources of over 2500 years of philosophy and science to bear on some of humanity's most fundamental and enduring questions.

What Quote am I Pondering? – Self imposed limits are the most challenging to overcome, for it requires we define our own self-image ~ Me

What am I Researching? – Homemade Cleaning supplies – seems the three things to have for practically any cleaning job is baking powder, Vinegar, and Dawn 😊

Yummy Meal of the Week – Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup ~ LOVE this, make it as spicy or bland as you like.

What did I Learn? –

I didn’t learn but more of a discovery. This happens to me often where I identify things I would like to learn how to do. I have a list. Some examples are learning to Knit, Paint, design (aka use Photoshop), and play the flute. Do you have a list of things you want to learn how to do? Please do share!

What am I Watching? – The West Wing on Netflix – I loved this show when it was on network television and I still love it. It stands up to the test of time. Stimulates my writing brain.

That is all for this week, my lovelies!
I hope you have an amazing week, and I will talk to you all next Saturday!

*BONUS Content ~

Last week's COMMENTOR winner is BEV TAYLOR!! Thank you for getting in touch. Congratulations! You'll be receiving an email from me shortly!

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Come Find Me!

Don't have a Kindle, no problem. I've got you covered! Read eBooks on your phone, tablet and computer no Kindle Needed!

Saturday, April 18, 2020

👀 Saturday Seven ~ 18th April ~ My Weekly Roundup!

Happy Saturday, what have you been up to this week?

Here is a rundown of highlights for the week. I hope you find them useful in your life! My goal as a person and a writer are to always Pay-It-Forward, so please let me know how I can help you. YES, YOU!

Enjoy your weekend & this post! Amazing things to come!

~Amy

What am I Reading? - Life After This: 6 Heart Fire Stories To Pick You Up When Life Knocks You Down by Andrea Cadelli and Kate Michael Gibson ~ Designing Your Future Begins With Healing Your Past. How do you respond when life knocks you down? Are you merely going through the motions and calling it living? How do you bounce back and grow from difficult circumstances? In Life After This, storytelling coach Andrea Cadelli talks honestly and vulnerably about why our lives spiral out of control and how to get back in the driver's seat.

What am I Listening to? – Wired for Story: The Writer's Guide to Using Brain Science to Hook Readers from the Very First Sentence by Lisa Cron ~ Imagine knowing what the brain craves from every tale it encounters, what fuels the success of any great story, and what keeps readers transfixed. Wired for Story reveals these cognitive secrets--and it's a game-changer for anyone who has ever set pen to paper.

What Quote am I Pondering? – The only way to discover the limits of the possible is to go beyond them into the impossible.

What am I Researching? – Hidden civil war gold. Truth versus legend. Any thoughts or stories? Please share!

Yummy Meal of the Week – Homemade omelet with cheese, hash browns and bacon. Kudos to my eldest son! There is nothing like breakfast for dinner.

What did I Learn? – I think we should all read who moved my cheese? I learned, once again—maybe this time it will stick—I do not do well with change. My life, as of late, has been chalk full of change. While I can ignore it all I want, until I get re centered and settled my little princess (aka my subconscious mind) will do all she can to torpedo all efforts to move forward in an effort to protect me from the unknown. Can anyone relate?

What am I Watching? – Dear White People ~ on Netflix. Season’s one & two were very interesting. Season Three was a little scattered. Look for my upcoming review. Here are the details. - At a predominantly white Ivy League college, a group of black students navigate various forms of racial and other types of discrimination.

That is all for this week, my lovelies!
I hope you have an amazing week, and I will talk to you all next Saturday!

*BONUS Content ~

Have any thoughts on my week’s activity or want to make a recommendation? Drop me a line or a tweet. One lucky commenter will win a free Romine book of their choice! Never want to miss a blog post or a Saturday Seven? Join my mailing list, and I will be happy to send it straight to your inbox!

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Come Find Me!

Don't have a Kindle, no problem. I've got you covered! Read eBooks on your phone, tablet and computer no Kindle Needed!

Saturday, April 11, 2020

Saturday Seven - 11th April, 2020 My Weekly Roundup!

What am I Reading? - Love is Blind by Nick Brady ~ A book published by one of my students and I am loving it! ~ Andrew and Ian are students in the same University. Andrew is sighted and Ian is blind. Andrew is curious about how Ian manages to adapt to a sighted world and an unlikely friendship develops. They have much to learn from each other. What begins as a casual friendship evolves into a lasting relationship as two very different people discovered that they are much more alike than they first thought. They share many trials and adventures and eventually make a life together

What am I Listening to? – Talk Like TED: The 9 Public Speaking Secrets of the World's Top Minds by Carmine Gallo and Macmillan Audio ~ This listen has helped me break through the barrier I built when it comes to writing my speech. It is a terrific read if you are thinking about public speaking or even if you enjoy TED Talks.

What Quote am I pondering? – We are all coping with an intense tragic event, be patient with yourself. It is okay to just vegetate and process.

Not sure where I saw this, but it affected me. Nothing like COVID19 has ever happened in modern times. The closest we’ve come here in the US is the Swine flu years ago. I am grateful my family and friends are safe and healthy. I have sympathy for all who are afflicted or touched by this Pandemic. I will be patient with the world, social media, and myself.

What am I Researching? – Virtual and Online Classrooms ~ Everything has shut down so Writing Warriors is going virtual. Honestly, I have been struggling with my perfectionist side and the need to move faster. I found Google Classroom, which funny enough my son’s school is using for their lessons as well. We will see how it goes!

Yummy Meal of the Week – Gyros from Arby’s – I haven’t been Arby’s in forever, but my son and I went for a change of pace and good lord what I have been missing. I am a huge fan of Gyros and did not know they have the traditional lamb as an option! Love it!! Go eat now – ask for extra tzatziki for you Gyro and horsy sauce for your curly fries!

What did I Learn? – The average consumer is using more toilet paper – No seriously. Think about it. While the disappearance of toilet paper from grocery store shelves is a result of panic the fact is – we will be using more toilet paper. Normally people are not home from about 7 AM to 5 PM. Now they are, including kiddos. The need to restock toilet paper, paper towels, and garbage bags is going to be more frequent.

What am I Watching? – Raising Dion on Netflix ~ keep an eye out for a full review but wow, love the show. Here are the details. A widowed single mom discovers that her son has superpowers and tries to figure out how to raise him safely and responsibly.

That is all for this week, my lovelies!
I hope you have an amazing week, and I will talk to you all next Saturday!

*BONUS Content ~

Have any thoughts on my week’s activity or want to make a recommendation? Drop me a line or a tweet. One lucky commenter will win a free Romine book of their choice! Never want to miss a blog post or a Saturday Seven? Join my mailing list, and I will be happy to send it straight to your inbox!

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Come Find Me!

Don't have a Kindle, no problem. I've got you covered! Read eBooks on your phone, tablet and computer no Kindle Needed!

Saturday, March 7, 2020

Saturday Seven - March 7, 2020

Enjoy your weekend & this post! Amazing things to come!

~Amy

What am I Reading? -

So many books, so little time! This week, between unpacking from my recent move, babysitting my granddaughter, working at the day job, Writing Warriors and volunteering in the evening and writing there has been no time for reading! I have several books waiting to be read and I try to keep track of them on Goodreads. If you don’t have an account get one! It is the place to be if you like to read!

What am I Listening to? –

Unstoppable: A 90-Day Plan to Biohack Your Mind and Body for Success ~ by Ben Angel, Gary Tiedemann, et al. ~ I wasn’t sure about this book but found it fascinating. Check out my review on Sunday!

What Quote am I pondering? –

Earth laughs in flowers. -Ralph Waldo Emerson

What am I Researching? – (an ode to YouTube)

I am constantly dumbfounded by the amount of time my youngest son spends on YouTube. When he was younger, he always watched gaming videos. Grown men giving play by play analysis of the latest game while also screaming and laughing in hysterics. I found it useless and annoying. My daughter has clocked months of YouTube time watching make-up videos. A common phrase in my house became-- headphones, please. I wasn’t bothered by the watching of the videos, but I didn’t have to listen to them as well.

Last night, I was chatting with my son about the flower garden we are going to be planting and composting. He said – out of the blue—Just make sure you don’t throw the apple seeds into the compost pile. I asked why and he replied that apple seeds contain cyanide and if there are too many of them, they can corrupt the compost and kill the plants.

My jaw dropped. I asked him how he’d resourced the information and he said – I saw it on a YouTube video.

Moving into a new house there are lots of things to research. From a new-to-me washer that needs the bearings replaced to how to plant a flower garden, revitalizing an ugly lawn and composting. YouTube is such an amazing resource. I am floored by the way the media channel enables us to educate ourselves as needed! There are YouTube videos for everything!

While my view on YouTube has changed, please, for heaven’s sake, wear your headphones!

Yummy Meal of the Week –

I found this amazing recipe for making bread in my slow cooker! Check it out here. Bread in 5 minutes!

What did I Learn? –

As I stated above, I am going to attempt to plant an grow a flower garden in the front and back yard of our new house. For those of you who know me, you know my luck with plants has been wanting. I have a black thumb. This to me is very disappointing. My grandmother could grow a beautiful plant from a dead root and my mother had a huge, thriving vegetable garden in your backyard while I was growing up. The curse of a black thumb is sad to me. The only thing I have been able to keep alive is a peace lily and then it was only because she talked to me. She died last year *sniff* after one of our cats decided it was an awesome place to relieve themselves.

I am not giving up!

I researched and learned how to plant a flower garden with little to no digging. Also learn how to winter grow my flowers in my house as it is still a little chilly and we will inevitably get another freeze before spring.

I will take pictures and maybe even a video or two of my progress!

Wish me luck!

What am I Watching? –

No time to watch anything this week too darn busy. I keep hearing a lot of buzz around The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. I have looked it over a few times and the trailers look entertaining but never really thought to watch it. Not really my kind of show. I will say I am considering it. If you’ve watched it let me know what you thought!

That is all for this week, my lovelies!
I hope you have an amazing week, and I will talk to you all next Saturday!

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Saturday, February 29, 2020

Saturday Seven ~ February 29th 2020 - HAPPY LEAP YEAR DAY!

Welcome to my Saturday Seven ~ Weekly Roundup!

HAPPY LEAP YEAR DAY! ~Amy

What am I Reading? - Gable and Lombard a hollywood love story. The book starts with the tragic plane crash that ended the life of Carol Lomard and 21 others. From there it takes the reader back to the beginning of their love affair. Just adore this book.

What am I Listening to? – alot of talk radio. With the recent revelation of Rush Limbaugh's advanced lung cancer diagnosis and the current political climate, makes for interesting listening.

What Quote am I pondering? – "There was once a man who said...absolutely nothing. His voice was heard around the globe."

What am I Researching? – The effects of CBD on pets. I have a friend who gives her once out of control schnauzer a little dose of cbd in his water every morning and she swears it has a completely different, chill dog. With Pip's PTSD I am considering it.

Yummy Meal of the Week – Coleslaw (I will admit, not really a meal but had to share) - found a marvelous recipie for cole slaw using honey mustard instead of mayo and milk. Doesn't spoil as fast, reduced calories and ohhhh so good!

What did I Learn? – I learned that the universe is awesome! Universal intelligence is freakin real! Amazing things are happening and I am going to fill you all in very soon!

What am I Watching? – Sesame Street, as a new Grandma I was researching what is the best programming for little ones to wacth when -- you kow-- I gotta pee. Sesame Street still ranks as a top performer. I haven't watched it since my kiddos were little and even then I was at work during the day and they love Nickelodeon, and Nick Jr. Even so, I still remember all of the characters names, the songs and find myself as tickled by the show as its infamously hilarious toy (yes, my youngest had one). My little sunshine loves it as well. There is lots of music and as she is still little, she focuses on that more than anythigng else. Thank you Sesame Street for being so iconically good. (Sesame Street is available to stream on Hulu)

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That is all for this week, my lovelies!
I hope you have an amazing week, and I will talk to you all next Saturday!

~ Amy

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Saturday, November 23, 2019

Author Amy Romine ~ Saturday Seven ~ November 23rd 2019

Happy Saturday, what have you been up to this week? Here is a rundown of highlights for the week. I hope you find them useful in your life! My goal as a person and a writer are to always Pay-It-Forward, so please let me know how I can help you. YES, YOU!
Enjoy your weekend & this post! Amazing things to come!
~Amy

What am I Reading? - It seems every time I make a dent in my list, I add more books! Have to say, I kinda love it! Christmas Hostages (A Mission Justice Book) by Elizabeth A.Wilson, ~ A reluctant speaker at a pre-Christmas elementary school assembly, FBI Special Agent Lucas Shaw feels the eyes of hundreds of children pleading with him for protection when South Mountain Militia storms the building. Scrambling against a ticking clock, Lucas must find a way to get the children and faculty to safety, a daunting task for a single armed federal agent against a small army of gunmen. As if the pressure of his task isn’t bad enough, his day is about to get even worse. Fighting for her life when captured by a gunman, Lexie North manages to escape only to collide with Lucas — a man who has every reason to hate her. With danger closing in on them, rescuing the hostages and ultimately their own survival depends on their ability to work together. But can they put aside their past to do it?

Rapid Release by Jewel Allen This one was recommended to me and an interesting idea if you can pull it off. - When novelist Jewel Allen's earnings tapered to a buck per month for each of her 11 books on her backlist, she knew she had to change her self-publishing model. Applying the principles of rapid release, where an author publishes fast to keep readers’ interest before the dreaded 30-day cliff, she started a to-market series and recouped five times her investment in 30 days. She repeated it, not just once, but six times on her way to energizing her publishing career.

What am I Listening to? – To be honest, Talk Radio, I am a politics junkie. Government soap operas are so fascinating (LOVED West Wing BTW), so I have been tuning in to listen in on the rhetoric and hysteria. Very interesting.

What Quote am I pondering? – “If someone asked me to define Hell, I would say ~ being separated from the ones you love the most.” ~ Unknown

What am I Researching? – Publishing Houses and where I want to go with all these ideas I have. What is the end game? Do I even have one? I found out I do.

· Develop a resource for all authors to achieve their goals.

· Create a national support network for authors of all kinds to connect based on giving and not receiving. Reciprocity, confidence building, encouragement and real life tools to help them move forward

· Continue writing the books I love and setting an example for my children to follow

· Sharing what I’ve learned about balanced living, following their passions and living their best life

· In the end, writers shape the world, past, present, and future. I am a writer.

Yummy Meal of the Week – This week had to be Chicken and Dumplings YUM!

What did I Learn? – I am grateful for the only person or obstacle standing in my way is myself.

What am I Watching? – My son and I watched a new show on Netflix. Unfortunately, we only made it through one episode. It is called Daybreak – a biochemical weapon that turns the adult world into ghoulies (brainless human-eating monsters). All that is left is anyone under 18. Interesting premise. Watching the show, it is Ferris Bueller’s Day off meets Zombie Land (Matthew Broderick is in the show, he plays the Principle of the High School). I am not going to spoil anything, and I may just not have been in the mood, but...eh not overly impressed. I will give it three episodes, though, just to be fair.

That is all for this week, my lovelies!
I hope you have an amazing week, and I will talk to you all next Saturday!

*BONUS Content ~

Happy Holidays! ~

The Prophet and the Snow Angel, my Christmas release is coming Dec 6^th! It is available for Pre-Order Now. Pre Order a copy before Dec 6^th, and I will send you a Swag Grab Bag full of goodies! Just send me an email with your name, address, and date of purchase. 😊

Come Find Me!

Don't have a Kindle, no problem. I've got you covered! Read eBooks on your phone, tablet and computer no Kindle Needed!

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Saturday Seven ~ November 16th 2019

What am I Reading? - By TBR pile is HUGE, but I am working on it. Reading fiction, Antique Trove by Gabriella Bradley & Taryn Jameson. Reading and learning, I am engulfed in 2K to 10K by Rachel Aaron in honor of NaNoWriMo (yes, I am participating this year!) and Tools of Titans by Tim Ferriss. (Links Below)

What am I Listening to? – I listened to a podcast by Speaker Hub about Speakers and Podcasting. The interview was with Mary Drumond on World of Speakers. Very interesting interview. If you are thinking about becoming a speaker or a podcaster definitely worth a listen (link below)

What Quote am I pondering? – Everything Happens for a Reason ~ yes, I use this one a lot, but I keep coming back to it. This past week there were several experiences where outcomes would have been much worse if things had not gone wrong. Annoying cancellations turned out to be “thank God I was here,” and Laundry sucks turned into a new author coaching client. Life takes us in the direction we need if we let it.

What am I Researching? – This week has been all about learning how to manage it all--From scheduling my life (which is very necessary) to finances and the future. Researching how to do things better, identifying what mistakes I am making and how to solve for them.

Yummy Meal of the Week – Pie Day! No, I did not make the pies, but they sure were yummy. With grown-up kids, Halloween is not as much of an event as previous years. A few years ago we decided to celebrate the holiday with pie! We all love pie, and it is euql if not a little less to a bag of Halloween candy.

What did I Learn? – I was fortunate enough to have a friend who is already using an app I am currently trying out, Google Keep. It is very cool and a great tool for people like myself and YOU to have a place to jot down ideas, take notes and get organized. You can color code or ag the topics and then search for them later. Loving it~

What am I Watching? – This week Zack and caught up on our absolute favorite show, 9-1-1! We had four episodes to watch for this season so far, and the show always delivers. If you have not seen it yet, it is on Hulu, and I HIGHLY recommend it! ( this is NOT Rescue 911 from the eighties, this is a current show. Mondays on FOX )

*BONUS Content ~

Check out a podcast I was interviewed on ~ Write Away Podcast - https://tinyurl.com/y6e7q4d3

Special Treat! ~ If you haven’t seen it yet, please check it out my trailer for my recent release Finders! http://bit.ly/2JZQIC2

Links

Antique Trove by Gabriella Bradley & Taryn Jameson - https://amzn.to/33ppvAg

2K to 10K by Rachel Aaron – https://amzn.to/2Np7Djm

Tools of Titans by Tim Ferriss – https://amzn.to/2PRWCJc

NaNoWriMo - https://www.nanowrimo.org

World of Speakers Podcast w/ Mary Drummond http://bit.ly/2K0zDrv

Google Keep – https://keep.google.com

9-1-1 - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7235466/

Suspense for the Romantic Heart – http://amyjromine.blogspot.com