The Survival Of A Zumba Virgin

Written by Rebecca Laffar-Smith on Feb 23 2011

Have you ever seen a golden retriever that’s grown excited by the prospect of his master coming home? There is an energy and bounce to the large animal as it prances on the pads of his feet. Its forefeet lift in a sort of half jump and it crosses from one side of the room…Read More…



An Adventurine Angel [Short Story] (Second Draft)

Written by Rebecca Laffar-Smith on Feb 23 2011

I could feel his eyes on me as he stood watching me from across the room. He never seemed to look away, even when he mingled with the other guests, and despite never having seen him before I always knew where he was in the room. ‘He radiates,’ I thought as I circled around and,…Read More…



An Adventurine Angel [Short Story] (First Draft)

Written by Rebecca Laffar-Smith on Feb 22 2011

“So, she’s pregnant again!” Dan rolled his eyes at me as I took a breath. It wasn’t the first time I had ranted about my little sister’s ‘perfect’ family unit. The issue had been a recurring theme through the years of friendship Dan and I had shared. Somehow, Ronny had all the charm, poise and…Read More…



Learning To Balance FEEL with THINK

Written by Rebecca Laffar-Smith on Feb 22 2011

Have you ever been “suckered” into something? Emotional blackmail, manipulation, guilt, and all those touchy-feely things get you doing things you don’t really want or need to do. In fact, this sort of materialistic manipulation of my emotions is the primary reason I DO NOT WATCH T.V. Or at least, the T.V. I watch is…Read More…




“You Better Wake Up And Pay Attention”

Written by Rebecca Laffar-Smith on Feb 21 2011

I used to be a VICTIM. I used to think there were all sorts of things I could not do for myself. But I woke up hard when I HAD TO. There is a refreshing power that comes from having to do things for yourself. When you step away from the crutch of society, of…Read More…



Debunking Anxiety-Fallacy With Logical Argument

Written by Rebecca Laffar-Smith on Feb 20 2011

At the end of the first “How To Think Sideways” lesson, Holly points us to some further reading, particularly for those who are primarily right-brain oriented (like me). I found the material on “logical argument” and “fallacy” particularly fascinating (especially when I could grasp them in relation to given examples). I could see how this…Read More…



Is This Poetry? Standards in Poetry – “industry” vs. “other”

Written by Rebecca Laffar-Smith on Jan 21 2011

Recently, a fellow writer and novice poet came to me feeling very dejected after writing another poem. She writes: I have this big question hanging over my head… is this poetry? I would say yes, but some have said it’s just prose. I feel off with my poetry and always have. I seem to get…Read More…



My Life Matters To Me

Written by Rebecca Laffar-Smith on Sep 09 2010

My Right To Live My Life On My Own Terms Because MY LIFE MATTERS To Me My life is a unique gift that is limited and precious. Every moment of my life is irreplaceable and I choose to commit myself exclusively to endeavors that improve the quality of my life and the true joy of…Read More…




The Knife-Edge Choice – A Philosophy from Suicide

Written by Rebecca Laffar-Smith on Jul 08 2010

When I was fifteen, I sat on the floor, knees drawn up to my chin, with my back braced against my bedroom door. I gazed at my blurry reflection in the strangely scratched and aged stainless steel of a filleting knife. My soft fingers caressed the cool blade. I remember sitting there as if that…Read More…



Are You Ready by Three Days Grace

Written by Rebecca Laffar-Smith on Jun 23 2010

My daughter wanted to watch, “Raise Your Voice (2004)” tonight so we put it in. Now I’m sure I’ve seen this movie a dozen times before but I never really paid attention to the rock band that Terri and her brother Paul go to see. But as I’m working away and listening to the movie…Read More…



My Name Means I’m Awesome!

Written by Rebecca Laffar-Smith on Jun 20 2010

I was playing around with names today discussing numerology with Dawn. She needed a name for her blog and so I settled into some market research on the hunt for a name that would perform well. And I found one! We ran that name’s numbers and were pleased with favorable results for the kind of…Read More…



The Naysayers of Labyrinth!

Written by Rebecca Laffar-Smith on Jun 19 2010

As I was working today my mind wandered over another great movie example of external naysayers and those who achieve despite the discouragement from those around them. Sarah of Jim Henson’s Labyrinth came to mind. “For my will is as strong as yours, and my kingdom is as great. You have no power over me!”…Read More…