"Come Lounge by the Pool (Tables)!"

That's ONE UP's tag line, though I'm terribly tempted to change it to
"Come (Book) LAUNCH by the Pool (Tables)!"
Hey! There was even a band. Didn't get their name, sorry to say. Tell you what: Let's just call them THE EXTREMELY LOUD BAND. Or, wait! How about "Middle-Aged Deaf"? By today's post-punk standards, that'd work as a band name.
(Say, what do you suppose Richard and the waitress are cooking up?)





Turned out two of my friends -- Maria and Kathi -- already knew each other from before.


"Your shoes are divine!"
(By the way, this is as close as I got to snapping a picture of Kathi's partner, Leann.)


SO COOL that the guests were READING!!! That's Kenna, along with Paul, and Mary B.

The final guests to arrive -- bringing us up to a perfect 15 -- were Molly and her daughters Ciera and Paloma. They enjoyed a game or two of Eight Ball...

HEY! I recognize that pool hall tush!

"The party's oooooh-ver
It's time to goooooo." Thanks, everyone, for helping to make my BIG WISH come true (and Peg's, too!) That's Mary B's friend Paul Suozzi holding the very artifact!!!

Didn't think to snap a picture of HEATH SHEPARD, the manager of One Up, but I'd like to ackn0wledge him, thank him for a swell time, and vouch for his combination restaurant/nightclub/pool hall ---- stop by, if you happen to be driving our little stretch of old Route 66!

Love, Love, Love (a.k.a. Way 47)
Sheila

TCM Review

"TCM Reviews for Book, Ebook, Audio Book, and Braille Reviews in Every Genre"

50 Ways to Leave Your 40s
Sheila Key and Peggy Spencer, M.D.
New World Library
ISBN: 978-1-57731-545-2
Non-Fiction, Personal Growth
Reviewed by Dr. Tami Brady

It wasn’t so very long ago, when 50 was deemed the beginning of the end. Soon you’d retire and then wait to die. Fortunately, times are changing. Better health care options mean that we are not only living longer but our so called golden years can now be spent doing what we want to do.

50 Ways to Leave Your 40s is essentially about celebrating a new phase of life and making the most of it. Perhaps, this is something we should do at every stage of life. Just take a moment to celebrate and look to the gifts that each age brings. Still, for many, 50 is the start of a whole new way of thinking and being. They’ve spent there entire lives focused on making money, getting ahead, succeeding in their careers, and taking care of family. Suddenly, all of those things seem to take on a different hue. It becomes more important to take care of oneself and have a little fun. Sometimes, it can be a very difficult transition. 50 Ways to Leave Your 40s provides the reader with 50 ways to celebrate, enjoy, and explore this new existence.

Radical Radio!

Sheila has done a TON of radio interviews all around the country. We'll post links to them here, in case you would like to listen in!

The Morning Drive - AM 800

Conversation with Vicki St. Clair - KKNW Seattle 1150 AM

The Maria Sanchez Show - KVTA

Kajama Website

Kajama website has three exerpts from the book. Click the links below to read them.

Okay, Have a Crisis Already!

Make the Call

Touch and Glow

Boomer Cafe

Boomer Cafe website has an exerpt from the book.

Living it Up in Life’s Second Half

Book Review

From Boomerful: Beauty and Being for the Best Years of Life:

50 Ways to Leave Your 40s

A book review by New Product Editor Mary Kellenberger

----------------

50 Ways to Leave Your 40s

by Sheila Key & Peggy Spencer, MD
Publisher, New World Library

My first thought when picking up this tidy little book was "what a great title!" Maybe this help-make-getting-older-not-quite-so-depressing collection of advice will be better than most of the articles I've read in those check-out counter magazines whose cover titles scream "Help! I'm old and I can't get up ... or get down ... or this is how we can help you get up and get down." I'm not saying they offer bad advice. Mostly, it's good advice, poorly packaged.

So, I was delighted from nearly the first page of "50 Ways to Leave Your 40s"! In fact, this book is just fun-filled great advice! In line with its delightful title that immediately tuned Paul Simon into my brain, Sheila Key and Dr. Peggy Spencer kept the beat going with music/memory-evoking chapter titles such as "Take a Load Off Fanny" and "Break on Through to the Other Side". Great music with the right advice to go along with these wonderful songs in my head. The Band and Jim Morrison probably never saw it coming!

I must admit, though, that I haven't finished the book yet. There are lots of wonderful sidebars in each chapter:

* "Cool Moves" - lots of simple exercise moves to tone, strengthen and even alleviate pain.

* "Things to Try at Least Once" - just what it says and I love what I've seen, so far.

* "Doc in the Box" - good advice on subjects from stinky feet to bad breath - head to toe coverage, so to speak.

* "Scribbles & Doodles" - to get us on the road to the healing and joyful habit of journaling.

This is truly a primer on how to feel good about living longer and better. But, it's also more than that. It's a great, laugh-out-loud (and at yourself) read. I may always keep it near as a refresher on living right and right now.

Chicago Tribune Mention

Published in last Sunday's Chicago Tribune Q section, under "5 Things We Learned From..."

50 Ways to Leave Your 40s:
Living It Up in Life’s Second Half

By Sheila Key and Peggy Spencer, MD (New
World Library, $14.95 paper)

Five million people turn 50 each year—
more than 12,500 every day—and must
come to grips with that milestone.
Whether it marks the start of the decline
or the beginning of a new life is up to the
birthday boy or girl, say the authors, who challenge readers
to consider aging in new ways.


1
Our metabolisms slow as we age. Use your 50th birthday to
prompt you to increase exercise, which, in addition to
myriad other benefits, boosts metabolism.


2
It is natural to acquire more stuff throughout our lives,
but crucial to know when to empty the closet. Purge! “How
gratifying to move into life’s second half without a ton of
dead weight from the first.”


3
Sometimes it’s better to act your shoe size, not your age.


4
“Musical memory is stored in the brain differently than
other types of data.” So sing. It strengthens the brain in
ways other forms of stimuli cannot.


5
While we can grow rigid with age, it is important to “be
open-minded, openhearted, physically unblocked, and
earnestly open to serving the common good.”

—Chris McNamara

Review on Longevity: About.Com

The Bottom Line

50 Ways to Leave Your 40s provides a seemingly endless list of ideas and things to do that can make 50 and beyond more exciting. If you are looking for a way to shake things up, this book will have it.

Pros

• Tons of ideas, tips and advice
• Fun style

Cons

• Some ideas are trite or impractical [author's comment: sometimes trite and impractical are FUN!]

Guide Review - Book Review: 50 Ways to Leave Your 40s, by Sheila Key and Peggy Spencer

From rethinking aging to offering advice about eating, 50 Ways to Leave Your 40s provides tons of ideas and tips for making the second 50 years of life better than the first. As you read through each section, you'll notice that some of the advice is familiar, though some of it does bridge new territory (often drawing on New Age approaches).

As each section ("Way") begins, there is often a story or cultural reference presented to ground the section. Examples of "Ways" include: "Just Keep Breathing," "Spurn Your Bra," "Go With the Flow," "Act Ageless," and "Touch and Glow." Each section seeks to inspire the reader to rethink aging and take action.

The book incorporates a good deal of New Age and alternative approaches -- which may be a turn off or a turn on, depending on the reader. The style of the book, too, may be a love-it-or-hate-it characteristic. It is quick and a bit choppy and at times, making it hard to follow, but it is also funny, fast-paced and surprising.

For the reader looking for a quick read and lots of ideas, this book is great. If only a couple of the ideas jump off the page and into the reader's life, this book would be worth it.

link to webpage with this review

5 Things You Can Do to be a Part of the “50/40” Book Launch

1. Tell everyone about 50 WAYS TO LEAVE YOUR 40s! Stay “in the know” about our tour schedule and media appearances, by getting on the list to receive our “Hot Flash” emails. (To do so, just email Sheila.)

2. Ask for the book at your library and favorite bookstore(s). If they don't have it, ask them to order it. It's available through the following distributors (and chances are very good your library and bookstores use one of these): Publishers Group West, New Leaf, The Ingram Book Company, Partners West, Baker & Taylor, and Dempsey (Canada).

3. Post customer reviews. (YOU get 5 stars for this!) amazon.com and barnes and noble.com are the biggies, of course, but GOOGLE THE TITLE! You'll find that the book is available at lots and lots of obscure little online shops. We're betting they'd appreciate your customer review, too! Heck yeah. Play your cards (er, reviews) right, and you could end up with FIFTY stars!

4. Blog with us at www.50waystoleaveyour40s.blogspot.com. OH! Here you ARE! Well, thanks for coming. Click by often, would you? Post LOTS of comments (or at least one -- please?). Watch for contests and prizes. And send the link to everyone you know, so they can blog with us, too!

5. Come to a book-signing event. And bring your friends! Or, hey! Help us book an event in your area. Email us, if you have any "ins" anywhere.

Thanks & Love from SK & PS

Scenes from a Book Launch

Garcia Street Books, Santa Fe, NM
March 19, 2008

Garcia Street's announcement board.

(Many thanks to Peg's dad, Dr. Steven Spencer, for taking all but the last of these photographs. The last one's by Sheila -- who's always on the look-out for a metaphor come true!) Enjoy! Wish you could'a been there!

Do we look excited or what?

We were excited, alright -- not least because we found the place only minutes before "show time." Thanks for driving, Peg! The fault was all mine. I just had to make 50 different bookmarks for the occasion!
Peg here: Notice how full this bookstore is. They don't waste a shred of space! Our attendees sat on chairs tucked in between the islands of books you see here and shelf-covered walls. Very cozy!


This is us (Sheila, L, Peggy, center) with Andrea, one of the bookstore workers. So lovely of her to greet us with such a warm smile --- and wine to calm our nerves!
My Dad noted that Andrea and her colleague, Aaron, were smiling throughout the event. And that in spite of us staying an hour past closing time! They were very gracious and generous. And they sold a bunch of our books, too!

While the two of us signed books, audience members enjoyed some of our toys. The woman in the foreground is looking at the "twin scales" she's weighing in on -- to see if she's literally balanced.
To the right is Peggy's sister Sally, trying out our Loofah-on-a-Stick. (You whack yourself with it --- feeeeels sooooooooo gooooooood!) And her son, Peggy's nephew Jaden is there in the middle, putting the Hoberman sphere through its paces. Yes, we had a grand old time, authors and audience alike. Didn't break out my guitar pillow, but.... next time!
We passed out Sheila's beautiful home-made bookmarks, each of which has a Way (chapter) title and brief description, then the audience members enjoyed reading their pick out loud. We also used these nifty souvenirs to help us randomly pick sections of the book to read aloud. The folks were very game, even getting up from their chairs to try out one of our "cool moves," a Key favorite called "Lasagne Loca!"

And finally, here's that "metaphor come true" -- Peg's and my BIG WISH to finish the doggone manuscript... so New World Library could make it into a book... so stores like Garcia Street Books could sell it... and so we could actually go there and "meet our public" (even if they were mostly Peg's family that night!). Thanks to everyone who had a hand in making our BIG WISH come true!

Media Whirl!

Heavens to Betsy, where have we been these past three weeks, Peg and I? Well, I'll tell you. We've been to Garcia Street Books, in Santa Fe, to launch our book tour. We've been to KCHF TV-11, also in Santa Fe, to tape our first television interview. (Watch for it on YouTube -- seriously! As soon as our publicist gets a hold of the tape, she'll be uploading it.) We've been to Classical KHFM 95.5 FM, right here in Albuquerque, to tape our first radio interview (with the charming Kip Allen). And we've been "live" in Ventura, CA, during afternoon drive-time, no less, on "The Maria Sanchez Show," on KVTU 1520 AM.

Those appearances involved the two of us together. Plus, I (Sheila) have been on the air, mostly live, and mostly on the AM band, on the following stations---since launching our media campaign on St. Pat's Day a couple Mondays back. (Major thanks to Peg Booth and Brittany Cohen, of Booth Media, for lining up this radio campaign -- and to New World Library, and especially our publicist Kim Corbin, for making ALL our media coverage possible!)

KRDO- 105.5 FM- Kansas City, MO (Host: Charlie Thomas)

WCMY 1430 AM, Ottawa, IL (Host: Karen Rhodes)

KSFR- 90.7 FM - Santa Fe, NM (Host: Diego Mulligan)

CKLW- AM 800- Bingham Farms, MI (Host: Mike & Lisa)

KLYC- AM 1260 - McMinnville, OR (Host: Eve Fuller)

WMMM- 105.5 FM Madison, WI (Host: Kitty Dunn)

KLPW- AM 1220 - Washington, MO. (Host: Diane Jones)

KJAN- AM 1220 - Atlantic, Iowa. (Host: LaVon Eblen)

WGAU AM 1340- Athens, GA (Host: Liz Dalton)

KBUR- AM 1490- Burlington, IA (Host: Steve Hexom)

WBZ - AM 1030- Boston, MA (Host: Laurie Kirby; Interviewer: Carolyn Firestone)

.... And there are a whole bunch more coming up.
NOT LEAST! This weekend... Peg and I will be heard live in as many as 38 states, all in one fell swoop of an hour, on "The Brad Walton Show," out of WCCO in Minneapolis, a.k.a. CBS Radio/ Twin Cities. We'll be talking to the Night Owls ( "Call me Bird of a Feather!"*), as we're scheduled from 1:00 to 2:00 in the A.M. -- and this time I don't mean the AM radio dial (though that is where to find WCCO -- at 830 FM, to be exact). Hope you can tune in. Or catch it streaming online at WCCO.

(* The "Bird of a Feather" line is from our Way #22: Seize the Night.)

Don't count yourself among the Night Owls? Okay. KCHF, that Santa Fe station where we taped our first on-camera interview, is making it a lot easier for people to "catch us" on the air. Our half-hour appearance on "Issues and Answers," with host Diane Kinderwater, will air on Channel 11, in Santa Fe (and on cable systems around New Mexico) five times, as follows:

Weds., Mar. 26, 4:30 p.m.
Thurs., Mar. 27, at 10:30 p.m.
Fri., Mar. 28, at 10 a.m. and again at 10:30 p.m.
Sat., Mar. 29, at 10 p.m.

Plus, as I mentioned, the "Issues and Answers" interview is coming soon to a YouTube near you!

Okay, that's the media round-up to date. Wait, make that the broadcast media round-up. We've got a few websites and (dare I say "old-fashioned") print rags to our credit by now. (Yes, I can say old-fashioned, by the way. Do it all the time. More and more often, it seems. Is that another midlife-ism?)

Stay tuned, will you? Peg has photos from our first booksigning event.

Love Love Love,
Sheila

March 4th, revisited

True story about March 4th a year ago. SO GREEN was our Christmas tree the holiday before last --- a beautiful ceiling scraper of 14 feet --- that when we carried it out of here (that is, as we marched forth with it, a year ago yesterday), the thing was actually sprouting new growth! Peg can vouch for this. She came over to work on the book that day, and I called her out to the compost pile to show her: our retired tree, stripped of its holiday bling, yet SELF-adorned with bright shoots of Spring Green, here, there and everywhere! A passionate part of me wanted to stand it right back up in water, but... well, it was March, for heaven's sake, and we'd already had more than one neighbor remark, upon seeing the gentle giant in our great room, still proud as a peacock past Valentine's Day, "Hey, I'd be happy to help you get that out of here!" So we decided to march forth on March 4th, out the back door, bearing the beauty to its final resting place, where it lay sprouting as it died.

Sigh.

Well, this year the winter holidays are long past, and I marked (er, marched?) the day in a manner much more in synch with the season: I shopped not one but two gardening stores. Mostly, I wanted a blooming bush of some sort, to celebrate the publication of 50 Ways to Leave Your 40s. Chose an orange rose named Rio Samba! Oooooohhh, I love orange. And I love roses! So there you go. Some onion sets hopped into my basket on the way to pay. Oh, and a small pot of shamrocks, to remind me of my papa. (Not only did he have Irish blood, but he was also a March baby who ended up dying in March. And he had an unusual take on the Ides of March. Stay tuned -- I'll tell that story on March 15th. Or perhaps the 16th!)

The second gardening store yielded strawberry plants and a hanging planter for them (so the pill bugs don't get 'em this year), two big packets of wildflower seeds, and --- oh, get this! This is a first for me --- pansies. Yes, this longtime herb-and-veggie grower is taking her first foray into flowers. I have transplanted blooming things into pots before, yes, but it was always for something or someone else. But this year, by gum, our property will be prettier with pots of pansies!

I p-p-peaked at the potatoes I have hidden in the dark pantry. Sure enough, they're sprouting eyes! Still no p-p-pea sprouts, though. I planted a couple different varieties straight into the garden two weeks ago -- was told the only secret to succeeding with peas around here is to plant them by President's Day -- and now I'm checking for sprouts everyday, even through the morning frost. It's been three years since I've gardened. Guess you could say I'm a little eager.

So! How does YOUR garden grow? Even if it's only the metaphorical kind, do tell!

Love, Love, Love,
Sheila

March FORTH!

Left. Left. Left-right-left.
The misspelling in the title is deliberate. After Feb. 29th, I'd have to say March 4th is my next-favorite date -- for its built-in, homonym-like call to action: "Get going," this date seems to say, "March forth!" So I had better, right?

Here are the headlines in the world of 50 Ways to Leave Your 40s:

THE BOOK IS HITTING THE STREETS. Even those who declined amazon's offer of overnight shipping are by now receiving their orders. Amazon sold out -- there's news! -- and were expected to have the book back in stock today. (March forth!) Oh, and the book has RECEIVED ITS FIRST CUSTOMER REVIEW!!! From Colleen Anderson, the sparkling soul who delivered the Answer of the Gods (in the form of the book's title) not one hour after I scribbled the Big Question: "I must write a book! What shall it be about?"

Yes, Colleen Anderson, whose own creative gifts are so numerous as to defy comprehensive description, did bestow FIVE FULL STARS on "50/40." Wanna read all about it? Click here then scroll down a ways. Thank you, Colleen! And give my love to Michael (Davis, her sweetie, and the guy who channeled The Answer in the first place.) Blessings on you both. Congratulations: You're GodParents!!!

BURIED LEAD (there's always at least one in my blog posts): The Chicago Tribune this past Sunday ran our book's FIRST MEDIA REVIEW. We haven't seen it --- HAVE YOU SEEN IT??? Peggy drove all over town looking for it on Sunday, but Albuquerque came up empty. Kim Corbin, our publicist at New World Library, has a call in to her contact at the Trib. And I, meanwhile, put out the call to a select subset of my email address book, whereupon Marty Ronish forwarded the request to her Chicago buds. Fingers crossed that someone will produce the clip --- and that what it has to say about the book is, you know, good!

Finally, what about those DAFFODILS in the photo up there? Well, I am kicking myself for not fetching my camera earlier and oftener, but this is how last Friday's (LEAP Day's) fistful of buds looks today. Actually, there were two fistfuls of buds, one of which I delivered to the doorstep of my beloved coauthor, Peggy Spencer M.D. Because I didn't know for sure she'd be home, I opted for buds rather than blossoms, lest they wilt and die before she discovered them. Of course, as soon as I did select buds about to bloom, I saw in them the perfect metaphor for our book going out into the world. "Let the blooming begin!" I wrote on her card --- and then on another one, for my family, more of my beloveds.

SURPRISE! They turned out to be daffodils. On a guess, I'd said tulips. But no. Sunshiny daffodils. So much did I regret the missed opportunity --- woulda, coulda, shoulda had a fabulous time-lapse film of "Bud to Blossom in Two Days Flat" -- that I went back over to the shop where I bought them, hoping to score another fistful. Again no. Sold out. (Another metaphor for the book, perhaps?)

OK, gotta go. Got a zillion things to do to be ready to be an author. Too late, I know, but I still "gotta." Keep in touch! PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT -- this blog could use a lot more comments! Take a moment, would'ja? Pop in and say hey.

EVEN BETTER: Join Colleen and leave a CUSTOMER REVIEW about 50/40 at amazon.com. There's also a place to enter useful KEYWORDS to help 50/40 come up when amazon's customers are looking for a particular kind of book. THE MORE THE MERRIER!

Whatever's on your agenda for today, do be sure to March FORTH! Ready to put your best foot forward? Left. Left. Left-right-left...

Love, Love, Love (a.k.a. Way #47)
Sheila

Leap Day is Ending... but May Your Leaping Go On & On!

Oh my heavens. What a day! I still have one important leap I've gotta fit into this dwindling evening. Besides being the day 50 Ways to Leave Your 40s leaped into the hands of the book-buying public (at least, those who paid for overnight shipping on amazon!) --- today was also the ridiculously optimistic "grand opening" date of my (Sheila's) other midlife baby: StudioFiftyForty.com.

As IF! Progress at my e-commerce website --- "the online gift shop for cool people of a certain age" --- is coming along u-l-t-r-a---s-l-o-w-l-y. But, as today's date adorns "The Studio's" welcome screen, I must LEAP over to there and post at least a little update.

I added a page for "WHO" the other day...

Wait, let me explain. Quickly! In setting up that original homepage for StudioFiftyForty --- a spotlit dancefloor, empty --- this fab idea occurred to me. Rather than title the pages like every other website out there (About Us, Contact Us, etc.), I decided to use the journalist's cribsheet: When reporting the news, a journalist is supposed to tell the "Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How" of the story. So... the other day I posted a first draft of the "WHO" page. Wanna see it?

OK, so now, being that it's the last minutes of this relatively rare date -- Feb. 29 -- let me leap off like one o' those proverbial Lords a'Leaping, and post something new about "WHEN."

Love, Laugh, LEAP!
Sheila

LEAP BLOG!

Happy Leap Day! Are you leaping yet? I am. Leaping between appointments -- all of them with "The New Me." Actually, I've been inching up to this New Me for ages (that's the only way to make changes stick, wouldn't you agree?). But I always look to special days like Leap Day for declaring a spirited new Beginning!

I'll play more LEAP BLOG with you when next I land here at the computer. But right now, I'm OFF again!

Love, Love, Love
One Lady a'Leapin'
Sheila

CONFIRMED: Amazon Is Shipping Orders!

THIS JUST IN.... from my friend Kevin, up in beautiful Roseville, Minnesota, USA:

Sheila,

Your book has been shipped from Amazon and I will receive it tomorrow.

This is so exciting. Congratulations - it was hard work but well worth it.

Can't wait to read it.

Love,

--Kevin--

Oh my God! PEGGY! Our book has been shipped! And it's arriving on LEAP DAY!

All day today I've been preparing for tomorrow's spirited LEAP. Make that "tomorrow's spirited LEAPS," as I have a short list of them cuing up for manana. Anyway, Kevin is in the book -- in Way #45: Respect Your Youngers -- along with his sweet daughter, Kaitlyn, and I sure do thank him, for letting us know that the blessed event is upon us: 50 Ways to Leave Your 40s is being born!

Hot diggity!
and, as always, Love, Love, LOVE!
Sheila

Check out StudioFiftyForty!

Hey, just a quickie to invite you to take a peek at my new baby. No, for once, it's not the book. This baby is still a bun in the oven. It's a companion to the 50 Ways website (indeed, it's temporarily "parked" at the 50 Ways website) and just the kind of thing you might expect from an old rock-and-roll DJ like me. Sorry the links aren't operational yet -- the bun is but half-baked! But have a look, anyway, would'ja? And stay tuned for your invitation to the Grand Opening of StudioFiftyForty.com.

Million-watt thanks to my friend Diane Arnold, who's finding time in her gruelling* schedule to teach me web design. (*She's training to do her first triathlon this year. Go, Di, go! What's more, this week she's "single-parenting it." Rest, Di, rest!)

Speaking of going, I gotta. I may not be running, biking, and swimming scores of miles weekly (nor single-parenting, thank God!), but as a web designer-in-training and a budding e-commerce retailer, I've gotta go pound pavement and push pedals in my own way. Gonna make a splash, don't-cha know!

Love all around,
Sheila

"Take a Leap" Day: T-minus two weeks and counting

Just a reminder -- that rarest of all dates, the 29th of February, is making its quadrennial appearance just two weeks from now. Got plans? If not, go on and think some up quick, because, according to my trusty little Pocket Astrologer, Feb. 29, 2008, is going to be a right dandy day for taking a Spirited Leap.

For one thing, the Moon will be in Sagittarius, and that (says the P.A.) "can give an idealistic feeling, restlessness, desire for adventure and sports, a love of change and motion, and the itch to travel."

Gosh, sounds like "Take a Spirited Leap," to me. But wait, there's more!

"People will be warm and friendly since Sagittarius is ruled by expansive Jupiter, but they will also have a strong need for independence and feel unable to endure restrictions." [Must...LEAP!] "People will likely feel spontaneous," [Now!] "intuitive (prophetic)," [The net will appear; I just know it!] "and animated with enthusiasm. Here the Moon stimulates our aspirations for self-improvement," [Watch me FLY!] "and brings a philosophical influence."

My wee little reference book goes on in this positive vein, and that's just in the "Moon in Sagittarius" part. Oh, but Feb. 29 is loaded with planetary "aspects," too, all of which seem plenty conducive to spirited leaping, even if I don't quite understand every aspect of "aspects." To wit:

On Leap Day, 2008, at:

• 2:03 a.m. (MST): Moon sextile Mercury -- "Communication and conversation are easy with this positive connection of mind and emotions. Practical mental abilities and good common sense are highlighted. It is a good time to conduct business," [at 2 in the morning, riiight], utilize communications media or to use writing as a means of expression." Perhaps we should all plan to be up blogging and emailing that night!
• 4:48 a.m., Moon sextile Venus -- "Sensitivity and affections are strong as subconscious sensuality seeks emotional satisfaction. This is a good time for romance or any social gathering. Personalities mellow. Dispositions are pleasant. Have a party!"
• 12:00 Noon -- Moon square Uranus -- "Expect disruptions or obsessions with the unusual and unconventional." [Break with tradition! Take a spirited LEAP!]
• 8:31 p.m. Moon sextile Neptune -- "Sensitivity opens the unconsciousness. Imagination is strong and inspirational."

See? A perfectly wonderful day to Leap. That's Feb. 29th, two weeks from today. Personally, I didn't need any more convincing. It's enough for me that there is but a single Leap Day in four long years. Rather like Presidential elections and the Summer Olympics, only way more fleeting -- and fun, I think, for the Average Joe & Jill. So don't miss it, okay? Get ready to LEAP!

My Gift of Love to the World

Coming soon to an internet connection near you, it's StudioFiftyForty.com, a gift shop for cool people of a certain age!!!

Tonight I finally registered the domain name, and while I was at it, I also registered such variations on the spelling as Studio50forty.com, StudioFifty40.com, and Studio5040.com. Those'll all forward to the main domain. Was disappointed to find that two variations --- Studio_50_40.com and Studio50_40.com --- were already taken, but you know what? When you type either of those URLs into a browser, nothing comes up. In other words, someone registered those domains but hasn't actually created a website yet. So I went ahead with my registration of, and webhosting agreement for, StudioFiftyForty.com.

Next, I loaded up my DreamWeaver software and read through the QuickStart. I'll be hard-pressed to do my real work tomorrow, I can tell already! (I'm supposed to be applying to be on Oprah's show --- fairly important stuff for a new author --- but I can't seem to give it my full attention. Not when there are expansive New Vistas to explore!)

My html-savvy friend Diane is gonna school me on DreamWeaver this Saturday. Not only are we going to update the official 50 Ways to Leave Your 40s website, but, by gum, I'm gonna get something up on my brand-new, 10GB piece of cyber real estate, at www.StudioFiftyForty.com. Hold me to it, would'ja? Click on over there on Sunday or so, and see if I've kept my promise to the world, or what!

Hope you had a LOVERLY Valentine's Day. Mine was positively heart-warming -- thanks for asking!

Love x3,
Sheila

Cupcakes & Cupid's Arrows

Valentine's Eve is always such a tizzy. I'm just finished with baking 36 cupcakes (my daughter decorated 'em, thank god) and cutting out dozens of red paper hearts and spearing each with a freshly sharpened Valentine's pencil, like Cupid's arrow, after my son wrote them out to everyone, in silver ink. Now all these pretty little things lie packaged and waiting at the door, for the school day tomorrow, when there'll be affection in the air and a mite too many confections in the teeth and bloodstream of the student body. Ah well.

Anyway, speaking of affection, I just wanted to share the email I got from my friend Lindy today. She handles marketing at KHFM, the commercial classical-music station here in Albuquerque, and has been such a fabulous cheerleader for me and this project, I can't begin to thank her enough. Now that Lindy is lining me and Peg up for an interview on KHFM, naturally our publicist sent her a copy of 50 Ways to Leave Your 40s. So today comes this email from Lindy:

Subject: "I Got It! I Got t!"

Hi! I am so excited!! I just got the book… I was holding it in my hands until I had this uncontrollable urge to write to you to let you know…. I GOT IT!!!

I have been waving it all over the office, making people queue up for “the reading” of it! I’m first; then Bob, then Kip. I AM SO AWFULLY PROUD OF YOU!!!!! I know I have no right to be “kvelling” (…a wonderful Yiddish word that means beaming from someone else’s good fortune), but I am!

Thank you for having Kim send it to me. I have also pre-ordered two copies and plan on giving it to all of my friends and my children and their friends!!! (Do you have a bulk rate?)

When can we have lunch so you can actually SEE me beaming?

Love,
Lindy

Oh, kvell away, my dear! Kvelling is something the world can always use more of. As to bulk rates, hmmm, I'll have to check that out. Thanks for writing, Lindy, and here's some love right back at'cha! You made my day.

Sheila

P.S. Oh, and yes, let's be ladies who lunch, for sure. I'll email you...