2006 Year in Review

I was thinking back about all that has happened this past year in my life. It has been a busy 2006, no doubt about it!

I turned 30!!
My brother and his wife had their first baby (making me a first-time aunt.)
My best friend got married.
My grandmother died.
My aunt died.
I was named an Associate Editor for Texas Family Magazine.
After 3+ years, I gave up my "Candidly Caroline" column for the Oak Hill Gazette.
I was a finalist in the Austin Under 40 Awards.
I traveled a LOT:
Matagorda County, Texas Coast
Gatlinburg, Tennessee
Gulf Shores, Alabama
Anna Maria Island, Clearwater/Caladesi Island, Tampa, and South Beach/Miami, Florida (five separate trips)
Southern Kentucky
San Diego, California
Coastal Maine

Here's to a little calmer - but not too calm - 2007!

Lots of Goodies

These are some of the goodies I made this Christmas. Here are my Chocolate, Vanilla, and Peppermint Marshmallows. Then, we have the Cranberry Pumpkin Bread and the S'Mores Bark. All of these recipes are my own creations.

Trail of Lights

We visited the Trail of Lights in Zilker Park again this year. I really enjoy that experience; it's fun to walk through and see all the different displays. I love the blue lights! The Trail is a mile long and a million and a half lights total, if I remember correctly - that's a lot of lights!!

Can you see me? I'm the one holding the camera. ;)

Another Christmas Angel

This has been a tough week for my family. Four days after my grandma's passing, my aunt died. Yesterday, we had memorial services for both of them. At least they, mother and daughter, are seeing Heaven for the first time together. Now, we have two new angels to look over us this Christmas.

Celebrating Life

Mourning death doesn't make much sense unless we celebrate life.

This week I was able to celebrate several events - my new niece Alivia finally coming home from the hospital (I am so looking forward to being an aunt!) and the birthdays of three friends - Ellen and Jennifer squared.

Welcome to life, Alivia!
And, Happy Birthday, Ellen, Jennifer, and Jennifer!

Goodbye, Grandma Shearer

Goodbye, Grandma.
May you live well in Heaven.
Until we meet again ... Love, Caroline

O, Christmas Tree

I finally got my Christmas tree up this weekend. It's another eight-footer and looks great, even with the one lonely present underneath it. I have done NO Christmas shopping yet and don't have any plans to start for at least a week. Oh, well!
I have my usual complaints about Christmas lights, of course. (I should not have to have a degree in electrical engineering for my lights to work properly, nor should I have to buy brand new lights each year.) With my outside reindeer, I have the sporadic problem once again of the front half of two deer lighting up and the back halves not. With the indoor lights, I checked them all before I put them on the tree, but sometime while stringing them, my clear strand that did all the neat effects stopped working. Now, it just sits on the tree, remembering how pretty it used to be.
I'm not worried about any of it, though. Christmas is my favorite time of year! I'm really looking forward to starting all my holiday baking. I tried out the S'Mores Bark, and it turned out really well so now I'm even more excited about having time to just get in the kitchen and create! I love exploring in the kitchen!

Wine, Cheese, and Chocolate Party

My friend Jennifer had a Wine, Cheese, and Chocolate Party this past weekend, and there were plenty of excellent choices of all three to be found -- plus, great people, of course! We had such a fun time!


Here's me and host Jennifer and then me and Ellen and another Jennifer.

Let the holiday party season begin! :)

Queen of Sky Book Signing at Mozart's

My friend Ellen, known to others as the "Queen of Sky," will host her very first book signing for "Diary of a Dysfunctional Flight Attendant: The Queen of Sky Blog," on Wednesday, December 6 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Mozart's in Austin. A reading and question-and-answer session will start at 7 p.m. Books will be available for purchase for $24, including tax. In the event of rain, the location will be downstairs on the covered deck. Books also are available at Book People or on Amazon. Click here for more information.
I will be there on Wednesday, helping Ellen with the event.

Little Miss Alivia Rose

Here is my niece, little miss Alivia Rose. She is 4 pounds, 14 ounces and 18 inches long.
Despite being itty bitty, she already knows what she wants. When Mommy and Daddy asked her where she wants to go to college, she said, "Sign me up! Texas A&M, Class of 2029. Whoop!"

Aunt Caroline

As of this morning, I am now "Aunt Caroline" to one itty bitty baby named Alivia Rose. She was so excited to greet the world that she showed up pretty early, but we are all very happy to have her. I will get to meet her this weekend!

Texas Family Magazine - New Issue

A new issue of Texas Family Magazine is out, this one featuring an article I wrote on teaching kids about money. I think a lot of parents don't get much beyond the basics in educating their kids about money; maybe this article will inspire some parents to pursue it further.
This is the first issue, btw, where I officially am listed as an associate editor.

Holiday Baking Season

Let the holiday baking begin!
As soon as I arrived back in Austin from my Thanksgiving travels, I started getting in the mood for baking all the treats I so love to make this time of year. I'm waiting until next weekend to start my Christmas season, but I know many of you are already there. I'm receiving a lot of requests for some of my holiday recipes. The favorites this time of year tend to be Homemade Chocolate Marshmallows (great for gifts,) Dark Chocolate Peppermint Bark (also great for gifts,) and Cranberry Pumpkin Bread (great for anything.) If you're wanting any of these recipes for personal use, I'm happy to e-mail them for free. (Of course, I charge for them to be published, as they are copyrighted and my own creation.)
I plan on continuing my experiments in the kitchen this year. I've made Peppermint Marshmallows and Vanilla Marshmallows before, and I think I'll try that again, maybe throwing in a little caramel dip for the vanilla ones. I'm also going to try a S'mores experiment with the Bark. That could turn out phenomenally. We shall see.
My theory in cooking is this: If everything going in to it is good, then it will be good! This has served me well. I love trying new things in the kitchen!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Well, I've been sick again, pretty badly, this time for over a week. Clearly, I need a reduction in stress because, under normal circumstances, I rarely get sick. Hopefully, over the Thanksgiving holiday I will get some extra rest and get my health back to normal.
And, on that note, have a great Thanksgiving everyone! Eat lots of turkey and cranberries and all that good stuff!

Writing

My faith in the ability of future generations to write is being restored, thank goodness. I am a guest judge for a school writing contest, and I have been surprised pleasantly by what the students have produced, and, in particular, I have been surprised by their creativity. I've also been doing some volunteer tutoring, and it's interesting for me to see how the kids' personalities come out so differently in their work.
It's amazing to think about all the different thoughts and layers of thoughts we have running around in our heads. My head just doesn't turn off, ever, and so many of my thoughts are intriguing, to me at least. I could never even begin to get all my ideas out, even if I published two books a year, every year, for forever.
I wish I were a little better about putting my thoughts on paper. I should be more disciplined about it, but it is a long process to train myself, especially when it seems my spare time is so limited. I am making progress on my book, however ...

Lantana - Best in Texas Music Magazine

I wrote a story on a really cool music group named Lantana for this month's Best in Texas Music Magazine's "Stars on the Horizon" section.
Lantana is made up of three women who are at least 35 years old and starting off a new direction in their lives. They have a little bit of a kick butt attitude, in a good way.
I had fun with the story. In one of their songs, "The Juice Ain't Worth the Squeeze," they sing about a phenomenon so many of us women are familiar with - the miraculous "growing up" of men that usually occurs around the age of 40.
Only through November 2006, you can read the story here.

2nd Annual Game Night

I hosted my second annual Game Night this past weekend. It was a blast!! Lots of good friends and good food and a little dose of healthy competition.
Here, some of us are scrambling to see who can come up with the best answers for Scattergories!

I Am Like a Wild Horse

"I am like a wild horse. You can't tame me.
You put the oats in the pen, though, and I'll come in for a nibble every day.
But the minute you shut that gate, I'll jump the fence and you'll never see me again."

(Love it. Love it. Love it. Wish I'd written it.)

Get Going - Vote!

* They didn't give me an "I voted" sticker this morning. : (
I was out walking last night, and I heard a father call his son. He told him that if he went to go vote he'd buy him dinner afterward. The mom jokingly cried foul: "He's buying votes!"
I hope everyone takes every initiative they can to encourage people to hit the polls today - - especially if you are on my side of the aisle!!! ;)
Get out today and vote. Don't put off today what you can't do tomorrow!

Pretty Pictures from Waldo County, Maine

Here are some pictures I took that I just thought were really pretty.

It was a gorgeous time of year to visit coastal Maine. I never imagined myself to be big on leaf-peeping, but I particularly loved walking through Moose Point Sate Park along Penobscot Bay and seeing so many great trees, which is where the middle two pictures are from.

Purely Gratuitous Photos

All work and no play ... right?

Thanks to Perry's Nut House and Weathervane Restaurant in Belfast, Maine for providing these scintillating photographic opportunities. ;)

Ghost Stories of Coastal Maine

While in Maine, I tried to find out as much as I could about the ghosts and ghost legends of the area. With so much history (and surely tragedy) there were bound to plenty of stories to go around, I figured, so I went in search of them!
At the Carriage House Bed and Breakfast, I heard about an eerie circumstance of a very heavy book being thrown across a room. Accident? It so happens the house once was owned by Impressionist painter Waldo Peirce, best friend to Ernest Hemingway. At that house, they did the kinds of things ornery guys did those days so it’s not so much of a stretch to think his ornery ghost still might be lurking around!
I stayed at a place I just knew was haunted - the Harraseeket Inn in Freeport - but I couldn't get the story out of the owner, no matter how hard I tried! I even found an orb on a picture of my room! Lack of ghostly disclosures notwithstanding, it was an awesome place to stay. I had my own fireplace, which I lit myself, thank-you-very-much. All of their food was organic or all-natural (particularly impressive to me,) and they hosted a tea each afternoon, an overlooked delight these days. The Inn also happened to be within walking distance of 170 outlet stores and shops! I think I'll have to go back and keep working the owner for those ghost stories! :)

Seaweed Lobster Bake in Belfast

What trip to Maine would be complete without lobstah, right?

At Belfast, Maine’s Three Tides, I took part in my first lobster bake! The owner baked about 15 lobsters, along with new potatoes, corn on the cob, eggs, and clams, in 1,000 pounds of seaweed over a flaming, hot fire. The seaweed pop-popped as the food neared being ready, and the smell was delish.

Seeing it baked this way was very cool! The seaweed gave the lobster a little bit of a smoky flavor and kept it superbly moist. It easily was the best lobster I ever have eaten!

Visiting Cabot Cove, Maine, Home of Murder, She Wrote

My trip to Maine was exciting for a reason that perhaps demonstrates my obsessiveness with mystery-solving, mystery-writing women.
I am a huge "Murder, She Wrote" fan. Huge. I have the entire first season on DVD, and I don't usually do that kind of thing. When I found out I would be heading to Belfast and Freeport, Maine, I immediately compared their locations to Cabot Cove, Maine, home of Jessica (J.B.) Fletcher. I discovered that Cabot Cove actually is a fictional location, but, from visual cues throughout the show, it can be determined that Cabot Cove is in the very same vicinity! I was so excited, I just can't even tell you! I immediately went online and requested "Murder, She Wrote" books to take with me on the trip. It was so cool to be where she solved all those mysteries and got all that inspiration for her stories! ;)
Doesn't this picture of Belfast look exactly like Cabot Cove?

River City Renaissance

The very first edition of the Austin arts magazine River City Renaissance has just come out, and I am pleased to announce I was part of this first endeavor. I have a story in it on the different performing arts venues in Austin, and the publisher was nice enough to put my picture and bio at the front of the magazine.

Home, Sweet Home

Whew! I have just returned from a ten-day cross country spree spanning from Kentucky all the way up to Maine. While I had a great time, I am happy to be home - I get to sleep in my own bed, detox from all the rich food, have a social life again (hopefully) and get back to the nitty gritty with work (although the trips themselves were work, as they were for my travel writing.)
I should be back to more regular posting here shortly, and I have some fabulous pictures to share, too.
It feels good to be back in Texas! : )

Horseriding - Daniel Boone National Forest

My favorite part of my trip to Kentucky was horseriding on a beautiful horse named Novar through the Daniel Boone National Forest. Novar liked people but not other horses - she was good to me! :)

The weather was beautiful. It was right before a cold front came through so it was still fairly mild, but there was a strong breeze rustling all of the leaves way above our heads. I loved it when they let us run the horses at the very end!

I've cemented a horse in to my future plans. You know, when I retire, my ranch in the country - now with a horse (in addition to my beach house, of course!)

Cumberland Falls in Kentucky

I've been staying on Lake Cumberland (literally, in a houseboat) touring Southern and Eastern Kentucky. These pictures are of the area near and of Cumberland Falls in the Daniel Boone National Forest. I took a very wet raft ride up to the base of this waterfall. The ride is called the Rainbow Mist because of the rain-like mist that pours from the waterfall. What I did not get to see - but I am super intrigued by - is a phenomenon called a "moonbow." On full moons and a couple of days each way, a moonbow is created around the falls. A moonbow is similar in effect to a rainbow. There are only two regular ones in the world - Zimbabwe and Kentucky. Who knew?

Where's Candidly Caroline Now?

Where am I now?
I'll give you a hint - I've had no Internet access, and even my cell phone hasn't been working! I've managed to scrounge a few minutes online, but that, too, will soon be gone!

I Don't Love Ana and Mia

I don't "heart" ana. I don't "heart" mia. I am not an angel.
I can not tell you how to throw up; I will not provide thinsperations; I can not show you pictures of bones sticking out; I certainly don't have any ana recipes - and I find it very discouraging to see your searches for these terms landing you here on a daily basis. Exactly how big is this problem? The enormity even staggers my frame of reference, and I consider myself fairly educated on the subject. Please find real help, not the kind you will find on friends of ana and friends of mia sites.

For my readers, you will find the comments (which have grown steadily) interesting on Pro Ana and Pro Mia - Still and Pro Ana and Pro Mia.

Newly Published Work

My "Smile at a Kid Today" column-style story just came out in Kansas City Parent. The story is a worthwhile read if you have a minute or two. It talks about how adults are really the only sources of meaningful compliments for kids and how we should exercise that ability often:
With peers - "Children know they are accepted only when they are included, but even that is really more the taking away of a punishment (being excluded) than the giving of a reward (a compliment.)"

Placing My Order for Mr. Right

I decided to check the accuracy so far for my Cancer and Dragon horoscopes. You'll remember I posted them at the beginning of the year. They have been surprisingly accurate so far, which is somewhat intriguing.
All the horoscopes I've read, in addition to these, seem to point toward me finding love in this last quarter of 2006 - a very welcome change, if it's true. However, my schedule as of late doesn't seem to support any serious mate searching so I'd like to get the ball rolling by placing an online order.
First of all, refer to My Must Haves and Can't Stands. These are essential, the Bible of Caroline Eligibility.
In addition:
1.) It'd be nice if he lived in Texas (or at least had a private, kick butt beach house on the Gulf.)
2.) Preferably, he'd be my age to lower 40's.
3.) My height or taller is a plus, but I've gotten over this hang-up.
4.) I'm a complicated person. I'm pretty sure I 'm a lot to handle so I need someone up to the challenge. Most men are not.
Please send resumes or curriculum vitaes, cover letters, and any applicable and substantial bribes. Submitted materials will be reviewed until the position is filled. Trial periods, perhaps concurrent with other applicants, may be required of the man or men selected, especially if multiple applicants are highly qualified.

Debbie Gibson and New Kids on the Block

This morning on television, I had a pre-teen flashback of the "we're a lot older now" variety.
Deborah (Debbie) Gibson and Jordan Knight (New Kids on the Block) were singing a duet! What a blast from the past! My very first tape (yes, I said "tape") was New Kids on the Block, with "The Right Stuff." Debbie Gibson followed shortly, with "Electric Youth." Gaw ...

Cristal for the Honeymoon

All us girls who went to the bachelorette party in Miami surprised Erin with a honeymoon gift - a bottle of Cristal! It was a special and very fun reminder of all the Cristal we enjoyed in South Beach. She was so surprised!

My Best Friend's Wedding

Erin's wedding in San Diego was wonderful. The wedding was held on the terrace of the historic El Cortez, overlooking downtown San Diego, and the reception was held indoors. With wooden ceilings and candlelight, everything was romantic and elegant. I was so happy for her.

I was super nervous about giving my toast - not because I was talking in front of people but because I wanted it to be perfect for Erin. I am happy to say that it went beautifully. Whew!

Caught Red-Pawed!

... and yet she takes time for a stretch!
This is the newest feline member of my household - Gracie. My sister has moved in with me, and this is her cat. Gracie is a nice enough cat ... but climbing on top of my ten-foot tall cabinets is a no-no!
Geez, who's in charge around here? ;)

Let the Queen of Sky Ebay Auction Begin!

Note: This is a close copy of my column this week for the Oak Hill Gazette.
The Queen of Sky and I
Those of you who know me personally or who follow my blog know that I am good friends with a woman named Ellen Simonetti. Beyond our circle of friends, Ellen is better known to the world as “Queen of Sky,” the former Delta flight attendant who was fired for her “inappropriate” blog about the life of a flight attendant. Pictures included.
Her grounding resulted in a lawsuit that still is pending against Delta Airlines and a rush of worldwide attention. While this fame - or infamy - has caught the attention of the likes of the Today Show, People and Glamour Magazines, and USA Today (and an upcoming guest column by Ellen herself in the New York Times,) this week I am writing about her because of an exciting new development in her world – the release of her new book, “Diary of a Dysfunctional Flight Attendant, the Queen of Sky Blog.”
Being billed as the first novel in blog format, this fictional story of a slightly off-kilter flight attendant named Elena will immerse readers in a similar story to that of Simonetti - the creation of Elena’s blog after the death of her mother, the perks and quirks of international travel, life as a flight attendant for “Legacy Airlines,” and the eventual end of her seven-year career as a flight attendant because of her blog. As in the real-life blog, the book is filled with many of the pictures that led to her firing.
Of course, people have differing opinions as to whether the real Ellen Simonetti should have been fired or not, and her story remains a controversial one. But, controversy breeds interest, a result Ellen learned firsthand after being thrown in to this unexpected ordeal. I do believe most who have found interest in Ellen’s story will find their interest transplanted vicariously to the character of Elena, whose story does reach a conclusion - unlike Ellen, whose story has yet to be written.
Even though we are close friends, I was surprised pleasantly to find that on the dedication page of Ellen’s book, my name is listed. Ellen thanks me for my support as she went through what has been quite a traumatic and life-jarring experience for her. Hopefully, the release of this new book will help propel her forward to a brighter, happier, and – pardon the pun – less turbulent future.
In that spirit, Ellen (who has innumerable fans and supporters) will be auctioning off five, hand-signed and hand-numbered copies of her book beginning September 18 on E-bay. This promises to be an interesting experience, as I have found many of her fans are rather hardcore. (She has had people record songs for her and make t-shirts for her – it’s crazy, really.)
Her book is available for regular purchase, to be shipped after September 25, at BlogBasedBooks.com.

Art Party X

I went to an Art Party shindig last night thrown by my friend AEJC. He has them a couple of times a year or so, and they promote different artists, photographers, sculptors, bands, etc. The parties always are great, with usually about 175 people, and are are a good chance for me to catch up with friends and acquaintances since I seem to be always off somewhere or working - like I'll be this weekend. Totally OK, though, because the reason I am working this weekend is because I'll be heading out mid-week for my best friend Erin's wedding. Remember her bachelorette party? I have my maid of honor gown ready, and now I am just working on my toast!!

Belly Dancing Birthday

Over the weekend, we celebrated the birthday of my friend, Prabhakar, at a Middle Eastern restaurant. I haven't had a lot of experience with that kind of food, but I tried several appetizers and a shish kebob - everything was good.


We all ended up belly dancing with the restaurant's performer, and she said we were the best group she's ever seen. ;)

September 11, 2001

* I decided I did want to say a couple of things.
Every time I see 9:11 on a clock, I remember.
And, it was worse for the first year or two after the attacks, but still, every time I hear the ring of the Fox News Alert, I'm waiting for the bottom of the earth to fall out again.
In lieu of a post today about the five year anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks, I encourage each of you to spend a moment remembering the emotions you felt while you heard and watched those terrible events unfold.
May God bless us all.

Texas Family Magazine Associate Editor

This is exciting news! -
I have been named an Associate Editor for Texas Family Magazine!
I am quite happy about this! : )
Since the beginning, I have been a supporter of this magazine, and I really encourage people to check it out/subscribe. It is a great publication, in my opinion, so I am very happy about this development!

150 "Candidly Caroline" Columns

I was turning in my "Candidly Caroline" column for the Oak Hill Gazette just now and realized it was my 150th column for them! It's hard to believe people have been listening to me for so long - three years!
A lot of you, not living in Austin, are like, "The Oak Hill what? Where's that?" But, a lot of people here, who aren't familiar with the scads of other work I do, identify me with just that paper.
My nice, little, fragmented world. : )

Under the Weather

Well, I've been pretending it wasn't so, but it looks like I really am sick. I need to just crawl back in to bed and stay there, where all these "I could be, I should be's" will be running through my head. Blah! I rarely get actually sick, and I definitely don't like it. Okay, off I go. Maybe I can watch some more of my "Murder, She Wrote" DVD's when I wake up again.
Meanwhile ... My column on "Back to School Shopping" was published in Brooklyn Family Magazine, and my story, "Nagging - the Grudge Work of Parenting," just came out in Western New York Family Magazine.
For a little twist to my norm, Kidz on the Coast Magazine in Destin, Florida, used parts of my "Teaching Work Ethic" article for a local television news broadcast.

New Sidebar Link - Bio and Publications

I just created a new link on the sidebar - my Bio/Publications. It has examples of some of my work. There are a lot of other goodies over there in the links, too, btw.
Also, I wanted to let you know this site is best viewed with Mozilla Firefox.
As always, you can reach my blog at www.CarolineShearer.com or www.CandidlyCaroline.com.

Caroline's Publications

Caroline A. Shearer is a bestselling author, speaker, and the founder of Absolute Love Publishing. She established herself as a writer in virtually every medium possible - and then finally began fulfilling her own life purpose. Known as a fresh, distinctive, spiritual voice, Caroline’s vision is to promote goodness and love in the world through the inspiration of others. Her popular books include "Dead End Date," the first mystery in the Adventures of a Lightworker series; "Love Like God: Embracing Unconditional Love;" and "Raise Your Vibration: Tips and Tools for a High-Frequency Life," a min-e-book™.

Previously, Caroline was a journalist for publications across the U.S. and was the editor in chief of a statewide magazine. Caroline is respected for her conscientious approach to the written word and twice has been recognized as a finalist in the prestigious Austin Under 40 Awards. She is a graduate of Texas A&M University, from where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism, with a minor in Psychology. She also began an Interdisciplinary Studies Masters' Program focusing on Children's Literature and Psychology at Texas State University.

Thousands of Caroline's stories and articles have appeared in such publications as Texas Family Magazine, Best in Texas Music Magazine, Birmingham Magazine, Connecticut Parent Magazine, Metro Kids, Baltimore's Child Magazine, Cleveland Family, Mahoning Valley/Trumbull County Parent Magazine, About Families Magazine, Florida Family Living Magazine, Kansas City Parent Magazine, Western New York Family Magazine, Sonoma Family Life Magazine, Cecil Child Magazine, River City Renaissance Magazine, the Oak Hill Gazette, and the Downtown Planet. Hear her speak, as a notable Austinite, here on the Armadillo Podcast. 


Her blogs, under the nom de plume “Candidly Caroline,” are, of course, more casual than her professional writing. Some columns, articles, and recipes are available for paid reprint - follow the links for previews.