This week I’ve been thinking about fascinating logos. They are everywhere around us, and some are so recognizable we don’t even need to read the company name to know exactly who they are.
My all-time favorite has got to be the opening scene of almost any Disney movie. The one with Sleeping Beauty’s castle — with a cascade of stars streaming overhead in a magical arc at a touch of Tinkerbell’s wand. When I see that image, I know I’m going to be going on a magical adventure.
I also love the Disney scene with an old-fashioned steam engine train chugging through a mystical countryside where sometimes I wish I could live. Speaking of fantasy places I wish I could live, I often get that feeling when I see Thomas Kincade’s paintings of a house or cottage nestled by a stream with the windows ablaze with that special light he creates. But I digress!
Another of my favorite logos is the NBC peacock. I’ve watched it morph from a simply drawn colorful image in the beginning, many years ago, to more evolved and updated images through the years. But we always know that peacock means NBC.
I appreciate graphic artists and designers who can take the initials of a company’s name and make a clever logo out of them. I admire their imagination and creativity!
The San Diego Zoo publishes a magazine called ZOONOOZ. I like it because I love the zoo, but also because the name reads the same from front to back. A word like that is called a Palindrome. Radar, toot, and refer, are other palindromes. How many can you think of?
I’m also a fan of words with double meanings. The Alazo Press logo has a double meaning that I appreciate very much. The word “alazo” occurs in two different languages, and I find that fascinating. I first discovered alazo, in Greek, means “to change.” Like changing your life for the better. The second alazo is Spanish, and it means “a stroke of the wing,” like a bird in flight. Alazo Press’s logo is a hummingbird. How interesting is that!
How many creative and interesting logos have you noticed? It’s kind of like cars on the freeway, once you start noticing one you’ll see it everywhere. When you find some that appeal to you, let me know. I’d love to hear from you!
As always, you can reach me at joan@joanklacy.com or visit my website at www.joanklacy.com to learn about all six stories of my “Alex Cort Action Adventures” series. Starting with A Shadow Away, each book is an action adventure connected with a myth or legend, with a touch of magic, and a bit of romance.
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Action adventure author Joan K. Lacy combines research and imagination to create the Alex Cort Action Adventures series, a series of classic adventure books, with an added touch of magic, filled with archaeology, mystery and intrigue. Titles include A Shadow Away (Book 1), All Under Heaven (Book 2), and more forthcoming stories. You can also find her on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, Goodreads, and Google+.
It’s time for my weekly blog again, and I’ve been thinking about pets I’ve known. We give them unusual names, or funny ones, or names that mean something to us. Before I go any further, I have to share the best dog name I ever heard. She’s so cute, I included her picture here, so you can see my favorite breed of all time. They are called Goldendoodles, and this is one combination that really stole my heart. They are smart, and inherited that from both sides of their doggie lineage: the Golden Retriever and the Standard Poodle. Goldendoodles are also sweet and gentle—which is what I look for in people as well as puppies!
I went on a bit about this wonderful “new” breed, but I wanted to introduce you before I told you how this puppy gets called for breakfast: “STELLA!” I laugh every time I think of that one.
I’ve had favorite names for my pets, and each one has a special meaning for me. A dog named Pal, who will always stay in my heart. A parakeet named “Babette,” who liked to sit on my head and play with my hair. A terrier my sister named Tammy, after the Debbie Reynolds movie that was made long before most of you were born. So many other names and pets through the years. I’m older now, so I have had the pleasure of being a Pet Parent to a wonderful series of animals of every type, and I remember them all fondly. Their memories still bring me joy.
We think we “own” them, but really, we are only given custody of animals who mostly give us unconditional love. I wish I had not taken so many of them for granted. That’s the benefit of hind-sight, which I am passing on to you.
My family’s first pets, a dog and a cat, were given Chinese names because my dad studied about that country and always loved it. And then later, a white cat named “Snowball” of course. So many animals to give me love. I was lucky to have known them all.
My greatest sadness is that our pets don’t live as long as we do. I didn’t think about that much when I was young. My pets were just there, and they followed me everywhere or sat on my lap in the evenings and purred, and I never took the time then to appreciate them as I do now.
If you would like to write me about pets you love, or have loved, please feel free to contact me at joan@joanklacy.com. I would be very happy to talk with you about your stories and the names of your favorite pets.
If any of you reading this are allowed to have pets, can take care of your pet, and have the proper space and lifestyle for a pet, I highly recommend bringing a loving animal into your life. So many shelters are filled with possible pets of all kinds. Rescue one of them!
If you enjoyed this post, please remember to “like” and share it with your friends! And use the sign up form below to be added to my email list so you never miss a post or update.
Action adventure author Joan K. Lacy combines research and imagination to create the Alex Cort Action Adventures series, a series of classic adventure books, with an added touch of magic, filled with archaeology, mystery and intrigue. Titles include A Shadow Away (Book 1), All Under Heaven (Book 2), and more forthcoming stories. You can also find her on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, Goodreads, and Google+.
I’ve been learning about compromise nearly all my life, as most of us have. A long time ago, I heard the phrase: “You must give a little to get a little.” It’s a hard lesson to learn sometimes, to give as well as take.
I’ve had some interesting teachers along the way, and most of them were animals. I learned about unconditional love from a small dog who was mistreated by the person who was supposed to be caring for it. That person made me mad, and I wanted to retaliate for the hurt he caused. And then I watched the little dog make friends with that person a few days later, as though all was forgiven. How could the little dog still be loving to that terrible person? It’s a compromise I still have trouble with when I see injustice.
I learned another lesson in compromise when I introduced a female cocatiel, “Sweet Cheeks,” to the male, “Peaches,” which was my pet first. The male was pretty nasty to her, and I watched how she handled him. It was really very interesting, and taught me a big lesson in “getting along” with others. He started out by claiming his territory, instead of making friends with his new mate. I thought that was pretty selfish of him, as I watched him peck at her, and force her off their perch.
She didn’t fight back, as I would have done at the time. Instead of retaliating, she turned her back to him and stayed put when he acted belligerent. It took a week or two, but finally Peaches figured out she wasn’t a threat, and calmed down. When he became less hostile, Sweet Cheeks made an effort to be friendly. She would sidle over to him, closer, and a little closer, as time went on. When he still pecked at her, I talked to her sternly: “How can you be so forgiving when he treats you like that?!”
After another long while, I saw them sitting close together on the perch. He allowed her to groom his neck feathers, and before I knew it they were starting a family! Her non-reaction to his behavior showed me a lot about compromise and how to get along with others who are being difficult. I admit it has taken me longer than it took her to be forgiving in unforgiveable circumstances. It’s good to remember, though, that it might not always work, and the person being mistreated may have to pull away in truly difficult circumstances.
That being said, I’m still working on the valuable lessons a bird and a little dog taught me a long time ago! From them I learned that in a successful relationship, one person must be willing to change their mind about the difficult situation between them. If the relationship is worth keeping, choose compromise over retaliation, or avoidance—either of the subject or the other person involved.
We can learn a lot from the animals in our lives. For the most part, they love us unconditionally, forgive us when they need to, and trust us with their lives. If you have a pet, or there are animals in your life, watch them. Learn from them. They give back much more than they receive.
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This week, I would like to talk about my favorite instrument — the banjo. I’ve always loved the sound of bluegrass music, and I always listen for breaks with the banjo solos. Some tunes call for bands to play at blazing speeds. I like listening to them, but that’s not the kind of music I enjoy playing myself. I like some rhythm in my tunes, a little slower pace with syncopation — that’s my kind of music!
If you play the banjo, or just love the sound of it, Tom Adams is my hero. I absolutely love the way he plays. He also writes original tunes, and I liked so many of them that I got his whole book of tunes, with accompanying tablature. They’re better suited for intermediate to advanced banjo players ’cause they’re not easy, but I do love every tune! If you’re interested in learning more about Tom Adams, you can find him at www.AdamsCountyBanjo.com. I’m not promoting him, I’m just a fan!
Comedian Steve Martin also plays a mean banjo, and he is one of the guys who inspired me to learn. He plays fast, three-finger style too, but the last time I saw him, he played the clawhammer style. Clawhammer is okay, but for me, I prefer the sound of the three-finger style.
I still love my violin and playing Irish music on the fiddle, too. Unfortunately, I don’t have enough time to pursue music right now, because I am very involved in the marketing and publishing process of A Shadow Away, the first book of my “Alex Cort Adventures” series. In addition, I have just completed my second book, All Under Heaven, a time-traveling adventure in ancient China, with a sorcerer who controls mythical dragons and wants to force my hero, Alex, to find the enchanted cauldron of the First Emperor of China. It is now going to the copyeditor/proofreader and will be released in the fall of 2018. The third book, Secrets of the Crystal Skulls, a different take on the legend of Atlantis, is now entering the editing phase, so that it can be released in the spring of 2019. As wonderful as my stories are, there is always a bit of editing needed to make sure they are “perfect” for you to read and enjoy.
Again, all that editing and correcting and copyediting and proofreading takes time! And that’s why I don’t have time right now for my banjo, or anything else, really. If I play a little, then don’t get back for a while, I forget the progress I made and have to start all over again. That’s happened to me at least three times, and it’s very frustrating! I learned a beautiful boss nova tune on the guitar — and now it’s completely gone from my brain. Muscle memory is very interesting, because my fingers can remember parts of the tune even if I can’t. That’s why practice and repetition are so-o-o-o important!
Music is a part of my life, and always will be. It gives me joy, and a sense of accomplishment when I learn a new piece. I’m happy to say that while I will still be involved in my weekly blogs, writing articles, and doing radio interviews, I have scheduled time for my music in a way that I can still write my fourth book, The Black Horseman, set in Ireland, which will be released in the fall of 2019.
I hope you all enjoy music of some kind in your lives, too.
Happy Fourth!
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This week I’d like to write first about TV shows that expand my imagination. Everyone benefits from new ideas, and writers thrive on inspiration. I especially enjoy science programs, because there is almost always something that triggers an idea for a plot or storyline.
One of my favorite TV shows is How the Universe Works. Scientists are making many discoveries that can add fuel to science fiction writers’ imaginations, because what we are discovering “out there” is often more strange and bizarre than the most vivid writer’s imagination. I also like Secrets of the Earth, because even our own world is far more active and volatile and less safe for many of us than we like to believe. From tornadoes to floods, from wild fires burning out of control to the latest volcanic eruption, the mostly safe world we knew before is starting to fight back.
National Geographic, NOVA, and the Science Channel all offer insights into this wonderful world we live in. When I see the beauty of nature and the abundance of myriad creatures that surround us, I realize how fragile the world is that has been created here.
Magazines offer a great deal of information I find interesting, too. I’ve always been fascinated by earlier cultures and civilizations, and Archaeology magazine delivers the latest discoveries and updated opinions about what transpired before our own civilization progressed, from hunter-gatherers to farmers, to the beginnings of our first cities.
Discover and Smithsonian magazines always have articles I find interesting in a social context, as well as nuggets of some new piece of information I can use to think about as a writer to further a story line or create another plot for a new adventure.
My oldest and dearest friends are the many books I’ve read over the years. Besides a love of art and music, I developed an early interest in science as well. I always loved adventure stories, and the magical fairytales collected by the Brothers Grimm. The books of Elizabeth Peters’ Amelia Peabody series are very entertaining stories of mystery and archaeology, which have always appealed to me. Other favorites include books like The Tao of Physics by Fritjof Capra, and Steven Hawking’s A Brief History of Time.In Search of Schroedinger’sCat, by John Gribbin, afforded me an introduction into the strange and unpredictable world of quantum physics. So, you can see how I wove all the threads of what I learned over the years into my magical adventure series Alex Cort Adventures.
I believe research can be fun. If you are reading about something because it interests you, chances are it will be interesting to friends or your readers as well. At the very least, you will always have something new to talk about!
A number of movies have been inspiring and entertaining over the years as well. Who doesn’t love Star Wars and Indiana Jones. And now there is a new take on an older story, A Wrinkle in Time.
Tell me about your favorites — I’d love to know! Where do you get new story ideas?
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This week, I’d like to talk about the things I love most. The things that make me happy, and what I miss when there’s not enough time in the day to enjoy them.
I’ve always been an artist. I like working with my hands, so drawing came easily when I was still very young. I started out drawing rearing horses, because, like most young girls my age, I loved horses. We were lucky enough to live in the country outside San Diego, and my family always had a variety of pets: dogs, cats, rabbits for 4-H . . . even guinea pigs, and a white rat named Lightning. I just naturally came to love animals of all kinds, and that led to me wanting to draw them.
I started out with pencil sketches, then later charcoal drawings led to oil painting, and finally I discovered bronze sculpture. I always focused on animals as my subjects because of their sweet natures, and they were my friends. Living near the San Diego Zoo gave me the opportunity to study wild animals, and now I enjoy capturing their expressions in two-dimensional bas-relief sculptures. I did create a number of three-dimensional freestanding pieces, but I found it was their faces that interested me most.
At about that same time, I saw a TV program featuring Andrew Rodriguez. He is from New Mexico and created bas-relief images of Indian Spirits emerging from a flat background. His technique captured my attention, so I started experimenting with his style. I tried to make my images impressionistic, as his were, but I kept going back and adding more realism, until I developed my own style. It was an enjoyable journey of discovery!
The joy of playing music came to me later in life. I took piano lessons for seven years, and that gave me a good background for learning other instruments. I saw a video of a concert by Yanni called “Live at the Acropolis.” It changed my life. A woman in a red dress played her violin with so much joy and enthusiasm that I said to myself, “I want to do that!” I persuaded my husband that I really, really wanted to learn how to play like Karen Briggs, and he gave me a gift of a beautiful violin.
I started out learning to play Irish music, because that is one of my family’s histories. It is joyful music, and it’s a lot of fun to play with other people. I learned to play classical music because it is important to learn to play the violin correctly. There is a lot of technique involved, from holding the bow and violin properly, to learning how to play “up the neck.”
I always loved the sound of a banjo, and I just got it in my head that I wanted to learn to play the three-finger Earl Scruggs style. I think it was hearing Steve Martin play “Rocky Mountain Breakdown” that motivated me! I love that tune, and took some lessons to get started. I also love Bossa Nova, and when my husband got a guitar to accompany me, I “borrowed” it to teach myself that beautiful music with several instruction videos.
That’s all for now. See you next week!
Video: What Are Your Other Artistic Outlets?
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