SISTER WISDOM : build a better life

Maybe these will be helpful. If you know of other good ones, please share in the comments... or just be selfish and keep it all to yourself, that's fine too...

Inner Growth

Bible Reading Plans: Choose from 13 different Bible reading plans, sign up in one click, and get your daily reading mailed to you. I just started the "Read the New Testament Letters 3 Times in a Year" plan.
Blue Letter Bible: A great resource for Bible reading and study. You can click on words and phrases within the passage to read their definitions from Strong's, read commentaries, or do searches. Lots of translations.
Bible Study Tools: A flashier version of Blue Letter Bible, same basic stuff. I prefer the simpler Blue Letter site for basic study, but Bible Study Tools also has a large library of related books.

Health

The Green Smoothie Challenge: A former editor of mine started this site; you can join the world-wide challenge beginning on January 5th, 2010, or conduct your own challenge. It's a great way to kick start a diet or lose a few holiday pounds.
The Rosedale Diet: Joe and I are starting this diet on Monday, January 4th. It's not ground-breaking, persay, in the eating plan: cut out carbs and sugars, eat lean meat, eat a lot of vegetables. A twist is his take on fat; Dr. Rosedale recommends eating more good fat, snacking on nuts and the like, in order to reset your metabolism to burn fat instead of sugar. More on the diet and our experience with it later. For now, here are some links if you're interested:

• Articles by Dr. Rosedale
• The book: "The Rosedale Diet" from Amazon.com
• Dr. Rosedale's official Website
• Review of Rosedale's book from CurledUp
• Aside: I could not find a good source of Rosedale Diet-compatible recipes online. Maybe I will start posting some... The book itself has a hefty recipe section in the back, but some of them are a bit out of my food budget (Lobster Salad, oh dear Lobster Salad).

About.com's Walking Site List of Walking Programs: I generally find About.com sites to be thorough, well-stocked, and good for related recommendations. This list is of walking challenges and programs online that can serve as a guide for your walking.
2010 Fitness Challenge with MommyMandy: I'm all about group participation, accountability, encouragement, and challenges. Mom blogger Amanda Acuna is kicking of a 2010 Fitness Challenge with weekly updates, giveaways, and more. I'm in.

Writing/Blogging

Roy Peter Clark's Writing Tools: one of the best books on writing I've ever read also resides (in summarized form) on a website as quick posts or listens (2-minute podcast). Every writer should go through this series.
National Blog Posting Month: NaBloPoMo is actually every month now; you can sign up for the current month and get on the list of participants. It's also a great way to find new blogs to stalk... (not that I would do that).

There Is Always More

Resources, especially the online type, are infinite. I still think the best is the simplest, though: just brag up your resolution and then let your own sense of shame and fear of embarrassment keep you from goofing. Hey, if we can't quite get over our need to impress people we might as well use it to improve our lives.

Downloadable version of Food & Fitness Goals

GETTING ACTIVE

Family walk in the evening

Weights at home

Active fun stuff: skate park, soccer, hiking, etc.

NO MORE BAD STUFF

16-week soda fast

Quit buying over-processed, packaged snacks/junky nonfood

GET IN THE GOOD STUFF

Go to the farmer's market weekly

Eat a green salad and fresh fruit/veg with dinner every night

Eat more fish (once a week)

Eat more whole grains (oatmeal, granola, whole grain/wheat bread, bran muffins)

Find local sources for free-range/organic meat

Keep lots of fresh fruit and prepped veggies for snacks

Grow and use more herbs

Make a monthly co-op order

Eat less of the BEST instead of more of not-so-great stuff

I'm going to be as detail-oriented and organized as I have to be to keep my household rolling along, enjoy life with 3 babies under 3, and still be able to have a smile on my face when Joe gets home. Welcome, inner nerd. Come into the light.

She did, and I ended up with this cleaning schedule. Sheesh. I was hoping for a maid...

Daily Cleaning

Bedroom:

• Make the bed
• Straighten
• Sweep
• Start a load of laundry

Kitchen/Dining Room:

• Clean up breakfast
• Empty drain board and dish washer
• Start lunch (or just decide what it is)
• Start dinner
• Wipe down table, counters and shelves
• Sweep and mop

Bathroom:

• Straighten
• Wipe down counters, toilet, bathtub as needed
• Shake out rugs
• Sweep

Kids' Room:

• Make beds (shake out and fold blankets)
• Straighten
• Sweep (including hallway)

End of Day:

• Clean up kitchen
• Sweep under table
• Straighten, pick up toys
• Done.

Weekly Cleaning

In no particular order...

• Wipe down kitchen cabinets
• Clean out refrigerator
• Sweep patio
• Dust the whole house
• Declutter and vacuum playroom
• Change all linens (and wash rugs)
• Mop bedrooms and hallway
• Sweep front porch and sidewalk
• Clean up garage
• Vacuum and clean out the car

Babies and Sign Language Website

A great resource for getting started with teaching your baby sign language (and learning it yourself as you do), this site contains simple how-to instructions on getting started, answers lots of common questions (When should I start? What signs should I teach?), and has related videos. Most valuable is the Baby Signing Glossary, which contains clear instructions, including pictures, of a great baby sign vocabulary.

American Sign Language Browser

This search engine for signs lets you find the word you want to teach your baby. As you begin teaching basic signs, you'll notice words your family uses frequently that would be great for your baby to know. Start making a list of signs to learn and, when you have a few moments, go to this sign language dictionary to learn how to make the sign. Then you can start teaching your baby.

First 100 Signs Glossary with Links

LifePrint has a list with links to the first 100 signs commonly used in American Sign Language for parents and young children. Each word is linked to a clear photo tutorial on how to make the sign.

Baby Sign Language Videos

This is my own playlist of 22 baby sign language videos I've found helpful. Some of them are tutorial style on how to teach your baby sign language; some just show signing babies; and other are instructional for how to make signs. They're not all kid-oriented. I included some from Expert Village that teach how to make some basic signs, but my oldest (2 1/2) still likes watching them. She makes the signs as we watch.

This ebook is a compilation of several posts, articles, and tip sheets that I have written for Writers Unbound. I've pulled together the best of the more beginner-oriented information and put it together in a pretty little downloadable ebook so that you may peruse as you wish, online or off.

To preview it online, just click on the link below. To skip the preview and download it, right click on the link and choose "Save Link As," then choose "Save" in the dialog box that opens.

The Get Started Guide for Freelance Writers

P.S. This book is a free resource, so feel free to pass it along to friends or link to it from your website. I only ask that 1) you pass it along in its entirety, and 2) you link to the download button from this website (don't upload it to your own website for distribution). Thanks!

I'd love to hear what you think! Is there anything missing? What did you find helpful? Do you hate ebooks? Do you wish there were pictures?