The Mia Story

Monday Morning Writing Prompt, November 21

2011-11-21T14:11:00.001-08:00

It's Monday. It's cold and cloudy. It's supposed to rain tonight - possibly enough to flood some areas. Sometimes it's good to just go with it. Here is your writing prompt for today:

Write about your gloomiest day.

Happy Monday? Yes, Happy Monday.

Imagine This: Monday Morning Writing Prompt, Nov. 7

2011-11-07T08:43:00.000-08:00

Today, a visual writing prompt. Fun!

Imagine you are on a cross-country trip to visit a friend.

Your car breaks down here.

Write a short story about what happens next.

Happy Monday!

Boo! Monday Morning Writing Prompt, October 31

2011-10-31T08:10:00.000-07:00

How convenient that today is a holiday of sorts for children (and adults who are kids at heart). Our memories of childhood often center around the excitement and anticipation of a holiday. And what better kid holiday is there than one that requires costuming and consuming sugar? So, here is your writing prompt for today:

Write about your favorite childhood memory of Halloween. Favorite costume. Favorite candy. Favorite scary moment.

Happy Halloween!

Goodbyes: Monday Morning Writing Prompt, October 25

2011-10-25T08:55:00.000-07:00

Keep in mind, we call it the Monday Morning Writing Prompt whenever it's posted.So it's Tuesday. I spent a long weekend in Phoenix reuniting with old friends that I haven't seen in almost 15 years. It was wonderful, but at the end of my time with them I had to do the same thing I did 15 years ago. I had to tell them goodbye. I don't like telling friends and family goodbye. Never have. Then again, there are some goodbyes that I do like. I like saying goodbye to summer, the flu, long-winded speakers...you get the idea. So here is your writing prompt for today:Write about saying goodbye to someone you loved, or to something you didn't love. Happy Tuesday!

Five Words and a Screen: Monday Morning Writing Prompt, October 10

2011-10-10T06:47:00.000-07:00

I've only recently begun to appreciate this kind of writing prompt. It forces me to move a little out of my writing "comfort zone," which is always a good thing. If you are especially proud of what you produce as a result of this writing prompt, then we will be too. So send it our way. Recently, one of our readers sent in her writing prompt and it is going to be published in the next issue of Mia. You never know...So here is your prompt for today:Write a 300-400 word short story in which you use the words: terminal, peso, anthropologist, polyester, exhaust, slipper.Happy Monday!

A Reader Loved This Book: Wednesday Good Read Recommendation

2011-09-14T06:44:00.000-07:00

This is the week for posting from our readers, which I love. After a while, I tire of hearing my own voice and we always love to hear YOUR voice. Nancy Simpson recommends Same Kind of Different As Me. Her book club read it and loved it. Her comments: "True story. Wonderful characters. So many details for discussion. Makes you really think." That's a great book review - succinct but enticing!Per her recommendation, I've already acquired the book and it's on my "to read" stack. Thanks Nancy. Okay, we would love more book recommendations from you. To get you motivated, here's a prompt: send us your favorite summer read. Surely you've finished it by now, right? lisa@miamagazine.net, or post a comment here. Happy Reading!

From a Reader: Monday Morning Writing Prompt, September 12

2011-09-12T13:03:00.000-07:00

I'm posting a wonderful writing prompt that a reader sent a few weeks ago. She loves yoga and says that it sparks her creativity, so she wanted to put this out for our bloggers/writers:Write about an activity or sport you do that takes your thoughts to new creative levels.Although hers was yoga, she said she also gets some of her best ideas in the shower! I can relate to that one. My mother used to solve the world's problems when she was ironing.What's the activity that sparks your creativity? Write about it and then send it our way: lisa@miamagazine.netFor our subscribers, you should be getting your copy of the Fall issue in the mail this week! The issue will hit the stands next week. (Hint, hint: if you subscribe, you get your copy first.)

First Day Jitters: Monday Morning Writing Prompt, August 22

2011-08-22T06:37:00.000-07:00

She couldn't get out the door fast enough this morning. With a bookbag, an umbrella, and her new school uniform (first year for these and I'm doing a fist pump!), she looked every bit like the confident fifth grader who is ready to start a new school year. Every year is not this way. With each of my three children there have been those years when angst ruled on the first day. They worried about new teachers, math class, the pimple that emerged the morning of, friends who might be - or not be - in class with them. But this morning, my youngest bounded out of the house not worried about anything but getting there early enough to socialize before the bell sounded. It was nice. But next year is sixth grade and there is a good chance that it could be a hand-wringing first day of school. So I'm reveling in the ease of this year's first day.

As you continue to write YOUR story, here is a writing prompt to take you back a few years:

What was your most unusual or memorable first day of school? Write about it and describe your feelings, worries, excitement, and of course, what you wore (even if it was a uniform!).

Happy Monday!

Baby It's Cold in Here! Monday Morning Writing Prompt, August 16

2011-08-16T11:11:00.000-07:00

I'm a stickler for sticking with titles. So even though it's Tuesday, this is still the Monday Morning Writing Prompt. I've been taking my daughter to a variety of doctor appointments before she goes back to college: dermatologist, eye doctor, foot doctor, and now the migraine doctor complete with a flurry of testing. She had an EEG this morning, and I sat with her while all the wires were attached to her head and the lights were blinking at her closed eyelids. For some reason, the room where she had the test was frigid. Why are doctor's offices always this way? Is it germ control? To keep waiting patients awake? To remind us that there is a reason we hate being here?

I'm cold-natured, so I always carry a sweater in the summer for the purpose of fending off the blasts of air-conditioning that most businesses and offices love. But I forgot my sweater this morning, and so I sat and looked at the bumps on my arm and tried to remember the coldest place I've ever been. It was Chicago. I'm telling the story in my writing prompt journal as I ponder today's writing prompt:

Where is the coldest place you have ever been, and what were you doing there? How did it feel? How did YOU feel?
If you love the cold, you'll write it one way; if you hate it you'll write it another way. Either way, I'd love to read about your coldest experience. Send it to lisa@miamagazine.net

Stay warm!

Music and Memory: Monday Morning Writing Prompt, August 8

2011-08-08T14:20:00.000-07:00

I just returned from our annual family vacation in Colordao last Friday evening. We've been going to various places in Colorodo for about 43 years (since I was about three years old) , and every year I am reminded that memories creep up at the most unusual times. I heard this song on the radio while I was there, and I was instantly transported back across at least three decades to the backseat of our old green Plymouth. I was about seven years old and trying to teach this song to my grandfather. He had only heard it a few times, but it was one of my favorites and I was determined that we would sing it together. It was not to be. He could never get the tune to the chorus right and it drove me mad. I kept asking him to repeat the tune after me, but he had it all wrong every time. "Why don't you sing and I'll listen," he finally said, probably weary of my efforts to teach him a song he didn't really want to learn. He got what he asked for. Many miles down a Colorado highway, Papa listened to me sing this same song over, and over, and over. He must have been a patient man. Or perhaps he was already losing his hearing.

Here is your writing prompt for today:

What song instantly takes you back to a vivid moment in time, or a poignant memory. Write about it.

Your Turn: Wednesday's Good Read Recommendation

2011-08-03T21:30:00.000-07:00

It's time for our YOU, Mia reader, to weigh in:
What is a book you would recommend without hesitation? Can you tell us about it? You don't need to write a book review, just give us the name of the book, the author, and what you loved about it. You can even give us the blurb from the dust jacket! We want your Wednesday Good Read Recommendations and we need your voice. Send your recommendation to lisa@miamagazine.net. We want to start posting our readers' favorite books each Wednesday. So...are you in?

Collecting: Monday Morning Writing Prompt, August 1

2011-07-31T20:59:00.000-07:00

Last week, a friend sent me the link to a wonderful blog belonging to a photographer. Among her many photos are a set of images reflecting her love of collections. It made me stop and think about what I collect. Everyone really should have a collection of something. It's fun, and it is a way to tell a story about what is meaningful to you. I've never been a big collector, but in looking at this blog I realized that collections don't have to fall into the category of figurines, stamps, coins, antique dolls. I'm not going to go any further with that, because the writing prompt for today will get you thinking creatively about what you collect. Don't limit it to stuff. Here you go:

What do you collect? Write about the things that you have more than two or three of, why you have them, and what they mean to you (think out of the box here: maybe you are a collector and you don't even realize it!)

This one might take some time for you to think about it, but after you have written about your collection, we would love to hear about it. We're compiling reader responses on this one for a future Mia issue!

Happy Monday!

A Heavy Read: Wednesday's Good Read Recommendation is "Pillars of the Earth"

2011-07-27T15:49:00.000-07:00

What am I reading on vacation? The Pillars of the Earth, by Ken Follett. It’s just under 1,000 pages, so I’ve been trying to wade through this one for about six months. I never could get past the first three chapters because it was just so intimidating. But once I got to Chapter Four, I was hooked. Do I care about the building of cathedrals in medieval England? No, not really. Am I a sucker for love stories? Actually, I’m not. So what is it about this heavy book that keeps me reading? Follett is a great writer, and so he makes me care about the building of cathedrals in medieval England and about the star-crossed lovers. We have nine days left and I’m on page 709. Will I finish? Yes I will. However, before heading back home, I may donate my softback copy to the local library here in Pagosa Springs so I don’t have to haul it back home. So that’s our Wednesday Good Read Recommendation this week. Pick it up...if you can carry it!

Chance Encounters: Monday Morning Writing Prompt, July 25

2011-07-24T14:32:00.000-07:00

In one of our early issues of Mia, contributing editor Sheilah Bright wrote about several people with whom she had a chance encounter, and how those moments affected her then, and now. You can read her story, "The Power of Strangers," on page 16 of our Fall 2009 issue here.

Here is your writing prompt for today:
Remember a time when a brief, chance encounter with someone made a difference in your life.

Happy Monday!

100 Good Wishes Quilt: Storytelling Tip #3

2011-07-22T17:45:00.001-07:00

I posted this to One Good Story the other day, and then realized that this would make a great storytelling tip. Who would have thought a quilt could tell a story? So head on over to my blog to read about my daughter's 100 Good Wishes Quilt!

Cutting for Stone: Wednesday’s Good Read Recommendation

2011-07-20T05:31:00.000-07:00

The video trailer for this novel calls it “an enthralling family saga of Africa and America, doctors and patients, exile and home.” I loved it. It’s the story of twin boys born to an Indian nun in Ethiopia. That should get you curious. The novelist, Abraham Verghese, is a physician who teaches at the Stanford University School of Medicine, but he is also a gentle and masterful storyteller. I agree with the reviewer who said that it is actually possible to live within it for the brief time one spends with this book. He adds, “You may never leave the chair.” I did stay up very late one night to finish it and I was not disappointed. This is a perfect novel for summer. It’s our Good Read Recommendation for today.

We would love to have your Good Read Recommendations to post! Email lisa@miamagazine.net with a paragraph about a great book you would recommend. If you need some ideas for great books to read, check out the New York Journal of Books website.

A Place to Write: Monday Morning Writing Prompt, July 18

2011-07-18T05:16:00.000-07:00

The Monday Morning Writing Prompt is back after a long hiatus. I have no good excuse except life got far too busy and writing got pushed into “I’ll do that later” column. I keep thinking of good and worthy things to write, but then find twenty things that need to be done first before I can sit down and not feel guilty. And then, I’m reminded that I should never feel guilty for taking the time to write. After all, it’s writing that makes me feel complete and at peace. After I have collected my thoughts, reflected on a moment or experience, and then crafted it into sentences and paragraphs, I can take a deep breath and feel like my life is in order. I have no idea why it works this way for me, but it does. If I don’t write, life just feels jumbled, cluttered…messy. So together, let’s commit to not feel guilty when we take time for ourselves to sit down and write.

With that in mind, here is your writing prompt for today:

If you could write anywhere in the world, what setting would you choose and why? Would it be a beach cottage with a rustic desk and a view of the ocean; a cabin deep in the woods with no desk – only a pad of paper, a pen and a rocking chair; or somewhere exotic, mysterious, lonely? Describe your perfect writing location in detail and write about how it makes you feel when you walk into it and sit down to work.

Now, look the real-life location where you write and think of one thing you can place in it to remind you of your dream setting (I have a framed photo of a river in Colorado to represent my dream of a solitary cabin where I can hear the water and smell the pine trees).

Your Life as a Great Story: Monday Morning Writing Prompt, May 16

2011-05-16T05:16:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I had a discussion with some friends about "writing your life story." Sometimes this is a literal process and we sit down with pen and paper or at the keyboard and we begin to write. For some, however, they write this story in their head and save it up for that "someday" when they will have time to sit down and do the actual writing. Not everyone wants to write their life story, or even a snippet of it. But there are those of us who feel a need to get it all down even if no one else reads it.

Let's imagine for a moment that you want to write your life story, or a portion of it, and you want others to read it. Since we publish a magazine of storytelling, of course we would want you to imagine this scenario, right? Every great story needs to have a great first line. So here is your writing prompt for today:

Pretend that you are sitting down to begin your autobiography, memoir, or novel loosely based on your own life. Write a first line that will "hook" the reader into not wanting to put down the book.

Happy Monday!

Your Moment in History: Monday Morning Writing Prompt, May 9

2011-05-09T14:42:00.000-07:00

School is almost out! My two oldest children had college finals that began today. My son wrote 13 pages for his final in Western Civilization. Ugh. In honor of his heroic effort, here is your writing prompt for today:

What is the period of history that you identify with the most? The flappers of the 1920s? The royal family during the War of the Roses? Choose one and write a day in the life for yourself during that time.

Happy Writing and Happy Monday!

Coming Home to Lindsey House Video

2011-05-03T19:41:00.000-07:00

Rediscovering Roller Skates: Monday Morning Writing Prompt, May 2

2011-05-02T05:10:00.000-07:00

My youngest daughter discovered roller skates this weekend after a birthday party at the skating rink on Saturday night. Watching the car hops at Sonic drive-in was her only experience with roller skates and so she was understandably nervous. "What if I'm the only one who can't skate?" she asked, which of course made me feel like a slacker mom - one who should have bought her a pair of cute pink or purple skates long before she was ten years old. As expected, she fell in love with skating during the party, so on Sunday she begged for a pair of skates and the guilty mom gave in. The fact that it was raining and cold didn't bother her a bit. She skated around the garage, which reminded me of the hours I spent in my childhood garage skating in circles and singing John Denver songs (yes, John Denver songs).

It amazes me how easy it is to forget the things we loved as children. I owned at least three pairs of roller skates as I grew out of one pair and had to replace them. I spent hours skating in the garage, with friends up and down the driveway and through our small town neighborhood, and of course, at the rink. How could that escape my memory? So now that I have rediscovered skating through my daughter, we've planned a trip to the rink to skate together.

Here is your writing prompt for today:

Go back in time and remember something you loved doing as a child. Describe it in detail and how it made you feel.

Here's an additional challenge: Chances are good that if you enjoyed that activity as a child, you would still enjoy it as an adult. Plan an afternoon to rediscover it and then write about it.

Happy Monday!

What To Get the Graduate Who Has Everything: Tuesday's Good Read Recommendation: A Short Guide to a Happy Life

2011-04-26T19:03:00.001-07:00

Spoiler alert: If you're graduating from college this year and you sent me an announcement, you will receive this book from me. It's a quick read. It takes me about one evening to read it, which is about every six months. This book is literally ON my shelf as a display because I love the cover, the title, the author, and of course, the content. So here is my pitch for the book, an excerpt straight from the dust jacket:

Life is made of moments, small pieces of glittering mica in a long stretch of gray cement. It would be wonderful if they came of us unsummoned, but particularly in lives as busy as the ones most of us lead now, that won't happen. We have to teach ourselves how to live, really live...to love the journey, not the destination.

So, here is the most prominent book on my personal bookshelf. And there you have your Tuesday Good Read Recommendation.

And by the way, Happy Graduation to our intern Nicole Pride. She's been a huge help to us this semester, and I hope we've been the same for her. No surprises on the gift though.

Moody Weather: Monday Morning Writing Prompt, April 25

2011-04-25T05:17:00.000-07:00

It's been raining for two days here in Tulsa, and the week I was in New York City it rained four of the six days we were there. I don't mind rain, but I'm missing the sunshine. There are other ways to get Vitamin D, but that's my favorite.

Here is your writing prompt for today:

Write about a time when you were caught in a storm - either figuratively, or literally.

If you've missed some writing prompts, you can access all the back writing prompt posts on the right column under Blog Feature.

Happy Monday!

Write It Short and Sweet: Storytelling Tip #2

2011-04-21T05:37:00.000-07:00

Thursday seems like a good day for Storytelling Tips. I posted the first one two weeks ago, so here is Tip #2.

Confession: I read blogs every morning. It's a kind of happy wake-up routine for me (and coffee, of course). When I read this from Gretchen Rubin's Happiness Project blog, I let out a deep breath of relief:

"The idea of keeping a proper journal was far too daunting, so I decided instead to keep a “one-sentence journal.”

Release! I am also a hit-and-miss-stop-and-start-love-it-and-hate-it kind of journaler. If I sit down at night, in the morning, or during the day to journal, I feel a need to write more than one or two sentences. After all, will I really want to go back and read a collection of one-sentence entries? Actually, when you are forced to hone your writing down to one sentence (or two, or three since cheating IS allowed), your writing can often become more focused, clear, and yes, creative. Facebook status posts are an interesting study in one-sentence journaling. The best "posters" are those who can say it quickly, but they say something that is worth remembering: funny, provocative, enlightening, but it doesn't keep me reading for TOO long. The rambling posts drive me mad. So in a one-sentence journal, I am able to hone my storytelling skills by force. I better think carefully about that sentence, because it's my story for the day. I have just begun my own one-sentence journal. I didn't go out and buy a fancy Moleskin notebook, however. That's too much pressure. I have a free app on my IPad called My Writing Spot where I dash off my one (or two, or three) sentences after dinner or right before bed. Of course, a notebook journal works fine too; just don't make an investment that doesn't seem worthy of only one sentence per page! If you need more inspiration for this, check out Gretchen's post about her journal.

If you want to slash that sentence even more, Smith Magazine is the home of the six-word memoir. Now there's a challenge! This website is also a bit addictive, and I've been known to spend way too long reading the six-word stories of other memoir writers. So lose the intimidation and try writing your story short and sweet!

The "miserable Irish Catholic childhood" is the subject of Tuesday's Good Read Recommendation: Angela's Ashes

2011-04-19T20:27:00.000-07:00

Today's book recommendation is one of my favorite books and one that is worthy of reading over and over again (three times for me). From the dustjacket:

"When I look back on my childhood I wonder how I managed to survive at all. It was, of course, a miserable childhood: the happy childhood is hardly worth your while. Worse than the ordinary miserable childhood is the miserable Irish childhood, and worse yet is the miserable Irish Catholic childhood." So begins the luminous memoir of Frank McCourt, born in Depression-era Brooklyn to recent Irish immigrants and raised in the slums of Limerick, Ireland, Frank's mother, Angela, has no money to feed the children since Frank's father, Malachy, rarely works, and when he does he drinks his wages. Yet Malachy - exasperating, irresponsible, and beguiling - does nurture Frank in the one thing he can provide: a story.

This is an oldie, but a great memoir worth reading if you haven't already.

Tuesday's Good Read Recommendation!

Monday Morning Writing Prompt, April 18

2011-04-18T07:00:00.000-07:00

April is a bittersweet month for me. I love spring and the warmth and new life that it brings. But there is also a cold reality to the month: my mother died in April and the anniversary of her death is a hard day to wade through. I've learned that it's easier to just go with it than to fight it, so I allow myself to cry and talk to her and remember all the things about her that I miss. It's a cleansing day and I don't dread it as much as I used to, but it brings a little cloudiness to the middle of this beautiful month. We all have people that we miss, so here is your writing prompt for this Monday in April:

Write about someone that you miss.

Use this writing prompt as a cleansing exercise and an opportunity to relive some good memories. If this writing prompt seems like a downer, here is a happy place to visit after you finish your writing: SouleMama. Fair warning: Addictive!

Happy Monday!

The Power of a Few Queens: Want a Good Read? It's Tuesday and it's on our Bookshelf!

2011-04-12T04:58:00.001-07:00

Today, we're recommending The Mighty Queens of Freeville: A Mother, a Daughter, and the Town that Raised Them. I read this book in two days. It gets our highest recommendation from the Mia bookshelf!

From Publisher's Weekly review:

"I didn't become an advice columnist on purpose..." writes Dickinson (author of the syndicated column Ask Amy) in her chapter titled "Failing Up." In the summer of 2002, after spending months living off of her credit cards between freelance writing jobs, Dickinson sent in an audition column to the Chicago Tribune and became the paper's replacement for the late Ann Landers. Here, Dickinson traces her own personal history, as well as the history of her mother's family whose members make up the Mighty Queens of Freeville, N.Y., the small town where Dickinson was raised, and where she raised her own daughter between stints in London; New York City; Washington, D.C.; and Chicago. Dickinson writes with an honesty that is at once folksy and intelligent, and brings to life all of the struggles of raising a child (Dickinson was a single mother) and the challenges and rewards of having a supportive extended family. "I'm surrounded by people who are not impressed with me", Dickinson humorously laments. "They don't care that my syndicated column has twenty-two million readers." Dickinsons irresistible memoir reads like a letter from an upbeat best friend.

Monday Morning Writing Prompt, April 11

2011-04-11T05:04:00.000-07:00

It's Monday morning and I'm in New York City. It's a world away from my quiet, sleepy hometown in the middle of the U.S., but I've always loved being out of my element. I'm a gawker and even worse than that, I'm a gawker with a camera. Seeing the city through the lens of a camera is wonderful, but even better is seeing it through the eyes of my 10 year-old daughter. She was fascinated by the "bubble guy" and I was encouraged to know that you can set up shop in Central Park with two rods and a rope, some soapy water, and a basket for loose change. The basket was full of dollar bills, so he's doing well for himself. I love entrepreneurs. And I love NYC! So here is your writing prompt for today:

Write about a city that has ignited your imagination. When? How? Why?

Send your responses to us at lisa@miamagazine.net, or you can comment here. We love to read your writing, however it comes to us!

Putting On Big Girl Pants

2011-04-08T07:51:00.000-07:00

My mother used this line quite a bit: "Put your big girl pants on and get back out there." I hated that phrase. But, of course, I say it quite a bit now that I am a big girl. This movie is all about "getting over it", moving on with life and embracing our passions despite the difficulties and challenges. Easy to say, not so easy to do. That's why when we see someone doing it, we write about it, make movies about it, sing about it. Those who have the courage to put their big girl pants on (and get back on the surfboard) are our favorite storytelling subjects. This girl is definitely one of them and the story has been told beautifully in this movie. No weekend plans? Now you have one!

Want to Tell a Great Story Using Home Decor? Here's a Tip!

2011-04-07T06:06:00.000-07:00

I love these frames from Pottery Barn. They come in sections and each holds three 8x10 photos, which can be hung horizontally or vertically. You can switch out the photos from the front, which makes it a breeze to change them around as often as you like. (I have my photos developed at Sam's, and 12 photos are under $20.) I bought four sections and hung them flush against one another. I must confess that I stole this idea from my cousin, but I have lived long enough to know that all great ideas are only variations of someone else's great idea. This one is not even a variation. I saw it on her wall and ordered them for my wall. There you go. A truly "hot" idea.

I have photos of my daughter's trip to India in the frames and when people come over she can tell the stories (notice the Hindu temple, the baby, the girl with the goat...all great stories!) Since our family travels regularly, most of what is displayed in our frames are travel photos, but you could put anything in the frames that helps tell your story: old family photos (wedding pictures during your anniversary month, baby photos during birthday month), special family gatherings, the big soccer game, the ballet recital, holiday photos, or just random shots from a ho-hum week. Stories are everywhere! Old photos can be scanned and enlarged. If they're grainy, it just adds to the "yesteryear feel."

These frames aren't cheap. I waited for nine months until they went on sale. If you want a cheaper version, you could always go pick up inexpensive 8x10 frames and arrange them however you like. The tricky part is changing out the photos, so you'll want to hang them in a way that makes it easy to take them off the wall when it's time to switch out photos. I've also seen frames displayed on long ledges, which makes it easier to change out the photos without taking the frames off the wall. However you do it, I think photo storytelling is a great way to add interesting decor to your house AND start the storytelling conversation.

Hairstyling in Afghanistan: Want a Good Read? It's Tuesday and It's On Our Bookshelf!

2011-04-05T06:54:00.000-07:00

Tuesdays are nondescript, without the distinction of "first day of the week" or "hump day" or "TGIF". Even Thursday is distinct because it's the day before Friday! But Tuesday? Sigh. So we want to give you something to look forward to. We're beginning a new Tuesday post. Every week, we'll recommend a good book. If we read a good book, it's tends to stay on our bookshelves. So we're going to share those much-loved books with you. You can write on Monday and find a good book on Tuesday. That should get your week off to a good start, right?

Today, we're recommending Kabul Beauty School: An American Woman Goes Behind the Veil.

From the dustjacket:
Soon after the fall of the Taliban in 2001, Deborah Rodriguez went to Afghanistan as part of a group offering humanitarian aid to this war-torn nation. Surrounded by men and women whose skills - as doctors, nurses, and therapists - seemed eminently more practical than her own, Rodriguez, a hairdresser and mother of two from Michigan, despaired of being of any real use. Yet she soon found she had a gift for befriending Afghans, and once her profession became known she was eagerly sought out by Westerners desperate for a good haircut and by Afgahn women, who have a long and proud tradition of running their own beauty salons. Thus an idea was born.

There you go. It's your Good Read Tuesday recommendation. It's on our Bookshelf, read and loved.
Let us know what's on YOUR bookshelf!

Happy Tuesday!

Monday Morning Writing Prompt, April 4

2011-04-04T06:04:00.000-07:00

When I think back on all the places I've lived, one stands out: our Phoenix, Ariz. rental house with 11 grapefruit trees in the backyard. It was a former fruit orchard and the yard always smelled like rotting fruit. Good memories! I don't think I've touched a grapefruit since we lived in that house.

So, here's your writing prompt for today:

What is the most unusual dwelling you've lived in? Write about it.

You can post your writing here in the comments, or email me at lisa@miamagazine.net

Happy Monday!

Lindsey House Needs YOU!

2011-03-30T05:39:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, The Leslie Group/Mia Magazine (Jan, Juli, Lina and Lisa) met with Karen Streeter, the director of Transitional Living Centers of Oklahoma at their first facility, The Lindsey House, opened a little over a year ago. If you read the first post about Lindsey House, you can see that this concept gives homeless women a way to move forward, not just for a few weeks or months, but for a lifetime. The women are held accountable for obtaining a high school diploma (if they haven't), finding a job, learning to budget money, opening a savings account, and developing the skills that go along with making a good life for themselves and their children. We were immediately drawn to this concept because we believe in giving women the message that they are capable and strong, regardless of their own mistakes, bad decisions, or unfortunate circumstances that have caused them to be homeless.

We decided to put words into action, and so we have adopted an apartment unit at The Lindsey House. The unit only needs a fresh coat of paint in one room, so there are no major renovations that we have to do. Instead, we get the pleasure of decorating and supplying the family with sheets, towels, kitchen items, and all the stuff that goes along with maintaining a home (think ironing board, shower curtain, cleaning supplies, clock radio...the list goes on). We get the even bigger pleasure of welcoming the family to their new apartment with a few casseroles in the freezer, staples for the pantry, fresh flowers on move-in day! And we will begin a relationship with the family to encourage the woman as she seeks to put her life back together. We believe that every woman has a story. In fact, we believe every woman IS a story, and so we are excited to be a small part of a woman's story as she seeks to move forward and make a better life for herself.

But, we need YOUR help! We have a lot of items to collect and we would like for our readers to be a part of this adventure. Stay tuned to the blog, our Facebook page, and Twitter for ongoing stories about how you can join us as we partner with Lindsey House. If you aren't a blog follower, now is the time to follow! Join our Facebook page, and sign up to follow us on Twitter. We'll be chronicling some of our journey with Lindsey House in the magazine, but frequent updates, requests, and stories along the way will be here.

Check out the "before" photos above. YOU can be a part of making this apartment a beautiful home for a woman and her children. YOU can be a part of making her life better. Join us!

Monday Morning Writing Prompt, March 28

2011-03-28T09:29:00.000-07:00

One of my projects this year (and every year for the past decade) is to get my old photos scanned and organized. In the midst of shuffling through photo boxes to collect all my official school photos, I began to see a pattern emerge. In my younger years, my hair had been "styled" by my mother. Keep in mind, this was the very early 1970s when many little girls were wearing either a) bouffant type hair like their mothers or b) straight across bangs with an upcurl bob (see photos above). My mother was quite proud of these hairstyles I'm certain. I was a bit of a tomboy, so I was mostly ambivalent about them. But now I have to admit, they were pretty bad.

As the years progressed, I made my own decisions about hair. I should say up front that these were not always good decisions and so I haven't posted any pictures of those. But I'd like to hear about YOUR hair. So, here is your writing prompt for today:

Remember your worst haircut, or worst hairdo trend that you followed (think feathered bangs). Describe it and write about the era of that particular hairstyle.

Send your writing to lisa@miamagazine.net. Happy Monday, and I hope you have a good hair day!

Monday Morning Writing Prompt, March 21

2011-03-21T06:43:00.000-07:00

I'm finally recovering from the nastiest bug I've had in years. Two weeks of it was enough to make me start feeling cranky and blue. I'm not good at sitting in the house - on the couch - for multiple days in a row, but my cabin-fever was compounded by a non-stop cough, chills...you get the idea. It got so bad I turned to advice from Mom: stop whining and start counting (blessings, that is). So I did. One by one, I counted and then I felt better. So simple, but I forget to do this way too often.

So here is your writing prompt:

List seven things you are grateful for, then spend 10 minutes each day writing about one.

I'm almost certain that will improve your week. I'm going to keep at it and take my mother's advice even though the cloud has lifted and I'm off the couch!

Monday Morning Writing Prompt, March 14

2011-03-14T06:13:00.000-07:00

I loved last week's writing prompt and the responses we got. It made me think about what we remember from our childhood. Here's the prompt for this week:

What is the first memory you have of your grandmother, or the grandmother figure in your life? Write about that memory and be sure to include the name that you used for her.

Sharing Stories is Good For Your Health

2011-03-12T07:04:00.000-08:00

Several nights ago we had family members over for dinner and sat around the table for over an hour after the plates had been cleared. We weren't talking politics, giving each other advice, or complaining about other family members. We were doing nothing more than sharing stories. Some of the stories were memories of our small town growing up, some were stories about friends that had passed in and out of our lives. Some of the stories were about challenges we have overcome and lessons we have learned. When the evening was over, I felt cleansed and calm. This morning, when I ran across an article in The New York Times about storytelling, my evening with my family made sense. It seems that our bodies actually have a positive, physical reaction to the act of storytelling. In her article titled, "Patient Stories May Improve Health," Pauline Chen writes:

The Annals of Internal Medicine has published the results of a provocative new trial examining the effects of storytelling on patients with high blood pressure. And it appears that at least for one group of patients, listening to personal narratives helped control high blood pressure as effectively as the addition of more medications.

Monitoring the blood pressure of nearly 300 African-American patients who lived in urban areas and had known hypertension, the researchers at three-month intervals gave half the patients videos of similar patients telling stories about their own experiences. The rest of the patients received videos of more generic and impersonal health announcements on topics like dealing with stress. While all the patients who received the storytelling DVD had better blood pressure control on average, those who started out with uncontrolled hypertension were able to achieve and maintain a drop as significant as it had been for patients in previous trials testing drug regimens.

Later in the article, lead author of the study and researcher Dr. Thomas K. Houston says this: “Telling and listening to stories is the way we make sense of our lives. That natural tendency may have the potential to alter behavior and improve health.”

Every culture in history, including our own, has had a way to pass along stories, whether through writing, pictures, orality, or song. Apparently, it is vital to a culture - and to individuals - to tell our stories. And it is good for our health as well. Our magazine is one way to tell and listen. I've discovered the value of sitting around a table and sharing stories as well. Sometimes I wonder if this is a lost art. We rarely have time to sit around a table and eat together, much less spend time telling stories after the dinner is finished. If storytelling is good for our health, what ways are you incorporating it into your life? I'd be interested to hear your comments.

Monday Morning Writing Prompt, March 7

2011-03-07T06:17:00.000-08:00

Welcome March!

Anyone out there do spring cleaning? Even if you don't you can participate in this writing prompt:

Write about cleaning out your memorabilia box in the attic. This is the box that holds all the things you would NEVER be able to part with. What is in the box and why have you kept the items?

Send your writing to me (lisa@miamagazine.net) or post it here. We are looking for short pieces to include in Mia, and a compilation of writing prompts would be perfect.

Happy Monday!

Believe in Her

2011-03-03T13:24:00.001-08:00

Juli and I visited Lindsey House yesterday for a "Lunch and Learn." This is an amazing place. The residents of this vintage 1920s apartment complex are women who have been rendered suddenly homeless because of crisis. They have children and nowhere to go. It's not a shelter, however. It's a Transitional Living Center, which is actually the name of the organization that gives these women the opportunity to pull themselves up with the help of community volunteers who believe in them. The women are carefully screened for substance abuse and interviewed to make as certain as possible that they are a fit for Lindsey House. The women must pay rent - a percentage of their income, have a high school diploma or be working on their GED, and generally prove that they have a desire to make life better for themselves and their children. Volunteer groups adopt units, furnish and stock them, and connect with the woman and her children who are living in that unit.

There are shelters that serve women (and men) who have substance abuse issues, are victims of domestic violence, or are chronically homeless. There is a great need for these types of shelters, but I was struck by the reality that many women need a place where they can prove themselves. On some level, don't we all? When a woman enters Lindsey House, there are high expectations for her success, but there is also plenty of help to get the women on their way to a better life. They are given budget and financial counseling and are accountable to other women for how they are spending, saving, and planning for the future. They are expected to take care of their apartment and be a member of the Lindsey House community. My guess is that there is a high success rate for these women after they have transitioned out of Lindsey House. When someone believes in us, most of us will rise to meet those expectations. I love this concept and am interested to follow the story of the Transitional Living Center model. If it works (and I have no doubt it does), then we'll see more TLC houses opening up around the Tulsa area, and hopefully around the state.

Check out their website here

Monday Morning Writing Prompt, February 28

2011-02-28T11:18:00.000-08:00

It's Monday, the sun is shining, it's the last day of February, the Spring issue of Mia is being distributed, and I'm working with my dog at my feet. She snores, but I find it an acceptable accompaniment to my fingers clicking away on the keyboard. So in honor of Grace, my nine-month-old black lab, here is your writing prompt for today:

Write a story from the perspective of your favorite childhood pet. Make sure to include details about how the pet sees you and your family.

Happy Monday!

Monday Morning Writing Prompt, February 21

2011-02-21T03:59:00.000-08:00

Some Mondays are harder than others. We had snow here for a week and a half, so life came to a grinding halt. It was kind of nice, I have to admit. Several friends and I agreed that being trapped in your house can be quite productive: no meetings, errands, school, social events. I got cleaning and work done, took some naps, learned how to do most of the exercises on my Wii Fit, and checked several need-to-see-movies off my list. But then the sun came out and the race was on to make up for lost time. Now it's Monday again and I don't feel quite as rested as I did last Monday. Sometimes it's good to take a deep breath before we begin. If you're feeling like me, here is a writing prompt to wake you up and get you going today:

Sit in total silence for five minutes and observe things around you. Write a story about the sense of awareness this brings you.

Happy Monday!

Do you have a subscription to Mia? If not, you should! We'll make sure it's delivered straight to your mailbox four times a year. It's easy to order your subscription online here. We need your support to keep publishing the magazine. , so consider becoming a subscriber!

Monday Morning Writing Prompt, February 14

2011-02-14T04:44:00.000-08:00

Happy Monday!
It's the beginning of a new week and the middle of the month of February. Valentine's Day, 2011. You can be as ambivalent as you want about Valentine's Day, but it looms large in the stores as soon as the after-Christmas sale items have been picked through and whisked away. Suddenly, red and pink lace hearts are everywhere and we're hit with reasons to buy chocolate, jewelry, flowers and cards that sing. Not to sound too humbug, but I don't get terribly caught up in the commercialism of Valentine's Day. I do, however, love the opportunity to remember to be grateful that I have people to love, most notably my husband. So we do a little Valentine's dinner and buy each other a funny card. But mostly we share memories of our lives over the past several decades and talk about how we would be different people if we hadn't been introduced by a mutual friend on that windy day in front of the college dormitory.

A long introduction, but here is your writing prompt for Valentine's Day:

Write about the first time you laid eyes on the person you love the most. Describe the setting, the person, the moment.

I'm collecting the responses to the writing prompts you are sending because changes are coming to the blog soon. I have been doing most of the writing, but I'd like to turn that over to you. Just as Mia is your magazine, this blog belongs to you also. We want it to be an extension of the magazine and of the storytelling that we publish in print. So keep sending your stories in! They don't have to be long, just a few paragraphs. You can email your writing to me at lisa@miamagazine.net.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Monday Morning Writing Prompt, February 8

2011-02-08T06:43:00.000-08:00

No need to check your calendars. February 8 IS Tuesday. That's today. Snow has a way of making the days run together.
So here is your writing prompt for today:

Clare Boothe Luce told President Kennedy that "every man is a sentence." At Mia, we would tweak it to say, "Every person is a sentence."

If you were a sentence, what would it be? Write your sentence using third person.

Watch the video below about Daniel Pink's book Drive and think about your own sentence. We would love to read yours. Send it to us! Or you can comment here.

2011-02-07T07:00:00.000-08:00

Last week, Lisa promised a favorite photo and the story behind it. Here it is:

In 1958, my mother developed an unquenchable thirst. She and my father had been married for only a few years when she was diagnosed with diabetes, but this photo was taken a year before that diagnosis. They were living in Baltimore, Maryland in a garage apartment. My parents were small town kids, transplanted from Kibler, Arkansas where they had grown up only a half-mile from one another. She was 20 years old in this photo, newly released from the edges of impoverished backwoods Arkansas and still a bit dazed by the world. I love this photo without reason. She doesn't look particularly happy or unhappy, but it's not her face that captures me in this photo. It's her leg.

The disease that she was diagnosed with about 11 months after this photo took her life, but first it took her legs. She battled diabetes from the age of 21, but it was the last ten years of her life that it landed its cruelest blows. Her kidneys stopped working and she was kept alive by dialysis. About the time her body seemed to have gone its distance with the dialysis, she noticed an odd blister on her foot. That was August of 2007. By March of the following year, doctors had amputated both of her legs. Along with breaking apart and killing vital organs, diabetes causes neuropathy - nerve damage that decreases blood flow. Her lower limbs were literally starved to death of life-giving blood and they became an enemy that had to be separated from the rest of her body. In two separate surgeries that were shockingly quick and simple, my mother's legs were removed.

When I look at this photo, I remember a statement she delivered a few days before she died. "I have been blessed every day of my life," she said with absolute sincerity. And on her face was that same expression that I see in this photo. She faced life with determination, her jaw set with it and a look in her eyes that meant business. She was tough to the end - never bitter, always grateful. She felt blessed, and in proclaiming it, even when her beautiful legs were gone, she was showing us all how to live above the difficult circumstances of our lives, and in the end, defeat them.

Monday Morning Writing Prompt, January 31

2011-01-31T06:45:00.000-08:00

I'm big on resolutions so I did make some for the New Year. One of them is to take more photos. Here's a big secret: I make this resolution every year. I've finally found a way to keep this one, however, by making a photo book to give my family at Christmas. It's our "year in photos." I don't want the book to be skimpy, so that means throughout the year I have to keep my camera handy and actually take pictures! It's been a good way to keep my resolution.

I think taking photos and writing go hand in hand because both are forms of storytelling. We can tell stories with words or pictures, but often it works best when one accompanies the other. So here is this week's writing prompt:

Find one of your favorite photos, old or recent, and write the story behind it.

I'll be posting mine later this week, and I would love to read (and see) yours. Send it to me: lisa@miamagazine.net
We're collecting the writing prompt responses that you're sending, and will use some of them in a future issue of Mia, so keep them coming!

Monday Writing Prompt, January 24

2011-01-24T15:37:00.000-08:00

I've changed the title of this to the Monday Writing Prompt. We're approaching magazine deadline and these days the morning is gone before I realize it. So, in the spirit of being flexible, let's just drop the Monday, shall we? Around here, it's almost dinner time and I'm thinking of tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches. My mother used to throw together this quasi-meal when my father was out of town on business. This week MY husband is out of town and it's just the youngest one and me, so in honor of my mother (who knew how to take advantage of a situation when it presented itself), I'm popping open a can of Amy's Organic Chunky Bisque soup and slapping two slices of cheese on rye bread. In the immortal words of Rachael Ray, "yum-o!"

So here is your Monday writing prompt:

What is your most memorable meal, and what made it special?

Send your writing to me at lisa@miamagazine.net. I need ideas for the rest of the week!

Monday Evening Writing Prompt, January 17

2011-01-17T19:32:00.000-08:00

Night has fallen, and the Monday Morning Writing Prompt is just now going up. Speaking of being late, here is the prompt:

Write about a time when you were the last one left.

Keep sending your writing! I love to read how you respond to the prompts: lisa@miamagazine.net

Monday Morning Writing Prompt, January 10

2011-01-10T13:04:00.000-08:00

Yes, it isn't exactly morning, but it IS still Monday, right?
So here is your Monday (afternoon) writing prompt:

Write about a time you ran away.

Want to read a great blog? Try this one.

Happy writing...and reading!

Monday Morning Writing Prompt and Our Facebook Winner!

2011-01-03T12:02:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!
Have you made your resolutions yet? Studies show that writing down a goal, resolution, dream, or plan increases the odds that you will meet with success. Perhaps seeing it in writing forces us to determine whether it is realistic. Or maybe writing it down and putting it where we can see it regularly makes us more accountable. So, here is your first Monday Morning Writing Prompt for 2011:

Write about a dream you would like to see come true this year.

Since we're talking about dreams coming true, our winner of the Mia basket (complete with one-year subscription, journal, back issues, and a coffee mug) is Lesa Bowman of Oklahoma City. Congratulations! We're thrilled to have so many on Facebook who "like" Mia magazine.

We have a few dreams for 2011 that we will be sharing with you in the upcoming weeks. But first, we'd love to read yours! Email lisa@miamagazine.net, or comment here.

If you haven't subscribed to Mia, this would be a great time! It's a new year, and we have exciting stories to share. For an easy way to subscribe, check out the Mia website

Monday Morning Writing Prompt, December 27

2010-12-27T06:34:00.001-08:00

It's two days after Christmas and I've already cleaned out a closet. I usually wait until after the New Year to start my "resolution of organization," but I needed a place to put the Christmas wrapping, ribbons, gift bags, and party supplies that I purchased on clearance at yesterday's after-Christmas sale. There is something about purging and reorganizing that kicks my brain into gear (which usually leads to more purging and reorganization). The closet that has caused me to open its door with trepidation is now a functioning part of my house. The next room I plan to tackle is my office. It's overflowing with books, papers, unfinished projects, and clipped magazine and newspaper articles. For weeks I've been finding other places to take my laptop and work because my office seems to be taunting and strangling me with its clutter.

So here is today's writing prompt:

Describe a room in your home that makes you feel peaceful and creative. What is it about the room that inspires you? What are you creating within that room?

If you don't have a room like that, you should. So think about that for a New Year's resolution. Can you find a place in your home that you can make your own, and then use it to create something beautiful?

If you are looking for inspiration to clear the clutter out of your life, the Simple Mom blog is a great place to land for a while. There are many posts that are also applicable to those who don't have young children (or any children). Happy writing (and organizing)!

Monday Morning Writing Prompt, December 20

2010-12-20T05:17:00.000-08:00

My network is down, so I'm sending this blog post from my IPad. What a way to start a week, right? This time last year, I wouldn't have had this option (no birthday IPad yet), which causes me to think about the giant leaps forward our lives have been forced to take because of technology. Is it a good thing, or not so good? I'm heavily dependent on my Macbook, IPad, IPhone, IPod and Internet connection. In fact, as soon as I finish this post, I'm calling Cox to get my connection back up. Since I'm working from home today, it's vital that I have all my technology in working order.

Which leads me to today's writing prompt:
Go back in time before cell phones, laptops, and the other somewhat frivolous items (IPads, IPods, e-readers). Write about a day in the life of your technological "dark ages."

Now this, I would love to read! Even if you only have a cell phone, your life had to be different when you were reduced to depending on your land line. How did you keep up with teenagers before cell phones? What was an evening like without checking email and the Internet constantly on your laptop? Life without Facebook? I'd love to hear about it. Share your writing with us: lisa@miamagazine.net

I hope you're keeping a notebook of your writing. I still love using a blank journal for jotting down ideas, thoughts, memories, moments. I discovered these journals several years ago (sometimes they carry them at Barnes and Noble). Check out Jill Bliss journals

Happy Monday!

Two Recipes for the Holidays

2010-12-16T11:14:00.000-08:00

Okay, we all know that the holiday season is a tough time to attempt healthy eating. What we love about the season are the desserts and the snacks, right? So here are two recipes that are delicious and healthy, and won't make you feel like you're being cheated during the holidays. And, if you have any recipes to share back with us in your comments, please do! We'd love to collect more recipes that won't make us feel like we're carrying around a "Santa" look as we start the New Year.

This recipe is a variation of traditional hummus, and goes great with pita bread, pita chips, or if you're feeling really healthy, baby carrots.

Black Bean Hummus:
1 cup black beans
1 cup chickpeas
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 Tbsp. plain yogurt
2 Tbsp. water
1 clove garlic
1 1/2 tsp. curry powder
1 1/2 salt and pepper to taste
Place black beans, chickpeas, olive oil, lemon juice, yogurt, water, and garlic in food processor. Season with curry powder, salt, and pepper. Cover and blend until smooth.

This recipe calls for fresh blueberries but in some areas they may be hard to find, so you can use frozen blueberries. Thaw them out completely first.

Whole Wheat Chocolate Blueberry Cake
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup sugar
6 Tbsp. cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup fresh blueberries
1 egg
1 cup Cool Whip
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In medium mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In blender combine water, blueberries, and egg. Cover and blend until smooth. Add to flour mixture. Whisk until well combined. Pour into greased 8x8 pan. Bake 30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely on wire rack and then invert onto serving plate. In small mircrowave bowl, combine Cool Whip and chocolate pieces. Cook 1 minute. Stir until smooth. Let stand 5 minutes and then pour onto cooled cake, spreading evenly. Cut cake into squares to bake, and top with fresh blueberries.

If you love healthy but decadent recipes, you'll love Maebird's blog. We love the photography AND the recipes. Happy eating!

Monday Morning Writing Prompt, December 13

2010-12-13T04:01:00.000-08:00

Describe the oldest photograph you own (is it torn, yellowed, faded?). Now, step back in time and write about what was happening in the lives of the people in the photo at the time it was taken.

Happy Monday, and Happy Writing!

Monday Morning Writing Prompt and Book Giveaway Winners

2010-12-06T05:18:00.000-08:00

Congratulations Jennifer and Georgie, winners of the book "Patternmaking for a Perfect Fit" book!!! Thanks for commenting. It's no fun to have a one-sided conversation. We love it when you read the posts and then talk back to us, so keep it up!
We really like this giveaway thing and we're planning on doing it again. Stay tuned to the blog for more chances to win books and other fun stuff.

We loved reading the comments about your favorite piece of clothing, so we're incorporating that into today's Monday Morning Writing Prompt:

Describe and tell about one piece of clothing you remember from your high school years. Why was it your favorite? Would you wear it today?

We really would love to read these, so send us what you've written: lisa@miamagazine.net

Patternmaking for a Perfect Fit!

2010-12-03T06:49:00.001-08:00

I love this skirt!! Here is my problem: This skirt is a perfect fit, but I only have one. I would like to have about two or three more that fit me like this one. Do you have this problem? Do you love to sew your own clothes but find it difficult to make commercial patterns fit? Has your favorite blouse seen better days but is no longer available in stores? Would you like to update your most flattering skirt by remaking it in a new fabric or adding new details? If so, you can find the solutions in your own closet - by creating customized sewing patterns using garments you already own and love to wear. "Patternmaking for a Perfect Fit" shows you step-by-step how to do it.

Steffani Lincecum is a theater costume designer who has worked on television and move sets in Hollywood and used her skills and talents to create beautiful clothing. In the book, she demonstrates the rub-off, a method of pattern drafting used by fashion and costume industry professionals that traces an existing garment or accessory without deconstructing or damaging it. You will be able to refresh your favorite fashions and replenish your whole wardrobe with brand-new looks. Amazing! The book is beautiful, user-friendly, and accessible to anyone - even those of us who have a limited knowledge of basic sewing skills. She has a great story, too. We're giving away two copies of the book to two of our readers who post a comment.

My favorite skirt fits me great without puffing out around my hips. It's not too short or too long. And yes, I wish I had about three more made just like it. So I bought the book!!

So do you have a favorite piece of clothing? What is it and why is it special to you? Post a comment for a chance to win "Patternmaking for a Perfect Fit"!

Monday Morning Writing Prompt, November 29

2010-11-29T04:43:00.000-08:00

Good Monday!

Writing prompt for today:

What's the most valuable thing you own that didn't come from a store? Write about it.

Monday Morning Writing Prompt, November 22

2010-11-22T05:16:00.000-08:00

Happy Monday!

Write a profile of your most eccentric relative. If you don't have an eccentric relative, create one.

We would love to hear from you. Email us at lisa@miamagazine.net.

Now, start writing!

Look Who We Met!

2010-11-17T11:07:00.000-08:00

The Mia women with Brad Place, former Chairman of the University of Tulsa Art department and father of Mary Kay Place. He was delightful to visit with and we enjoyed looking at the art of his students across the walls of his home. And he is so proud of his daughter. SO, what's your Mary Kay Place movie or television show? Ours is "The Big Chill" and "Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman."

Monday Morning Writing Prompt, November 15

2010-11-15T04:39:00.000-08:00

If you want to share your writing with us, contact us at lisa@miamagazine.net.
Here is your prompt for today:

Herman Melville said, "We become sad in the first place because we have nothing stirring to do." Write about what stirs you.

Monday Morning Writing Prompt, November 8

2010-11-07T18:52:00.000-08:00

We have enjoyed getting your responses to the prompts. You can email them to us (lisa@miamagazine.net), post a comment here, or keep them completely for your own private writing exercise. Either way, we just want to encourage you to tell your story! Once again, here is your Monday Morning Writing Prompt.

What's the worst gift you've ever received? How did you react and what did you end up doing with the gift?

Writing Prompt for Monday, November 1

2010-11-01T05:32:00.001-07:00

It's Monday morning. Are you ready to write?
Here's your writing prompt for this week:

Write for ten minutes using: "I used to think..." as a starter.

We would love to read what you write. Post it in the comments here, or send us an email: lisa@miamagazine.net. Happy writing! And Happy Monday!

Monday Morning Writing Prompt

2010-10-25T05:06:00.000-07:00

It's all well and good to talk about journaling, but there are many of us who buy a journal or open a new document on our computer only to discover that we are suddenly tongue-tied and staring at a blank page. Writing prompts can often be the kick that we need to get the pen moving and the keyboard clicking. So each Monday morning we'll provide you with a prompt to help you get words on a page. At the risk of sounding repetitive, we believe every person has a story and that those stories are lost if they are not told. Sometimes, we tell the stories to a select audience (maybe only ourselves), but there are times when we desire to tell the stories to a wider audience. However you choose to tell your story is up to you, but we do encourage you to put pen to paper and say something. If nothing else it's good therapy, but who knows how it might impact someone if you choose to share it? So here is your Monday Morning Writing Prompt:

Think back to your best friend in elementary or middle school. Describe her and your friendship. What secrets did you share? What was your favorite thing to do together? How did that friendship shape you for life, or did it?

Now, write!

We love to read your stories, so if you want to share it with us send it to lisa@miamagazine.net.

Journaling

2010-10-08T06:17:00.000-07:00

We took a stack of journals to the photo shoot for our Winter issue cover. We wanted to include a journal in the photo - not obvious, just a subtle nod to storytelling. That is, after all, the point of the magazine. I've posted the question on our facebook page: how do YOU journal? We first tell our stories to ourselves - a rehearsal of sorts - before we launch the stories to the world. It's not a rule, however. Some women just don't have time to sit every morning or evening and with pen write down the events and thoughts of a day into a thick journal. Honestly, I don't make the time, but instead find other ways to journal.

Some days I take a stack of photos with my IPhone - it's with me wherever I go, and the photos taken in the course of one day definitely tell a story. Other days I pull the thin, paper journal from my bag when I'm waiting somewhere and jot down three thoughts. The thoughts that cross my mind during a day also tell a story. About once a week, I try to post something significant on my blog - a longer, more polished form of journaling that (yikes!) the world can see. Some women seem to journal through facebook status updates and tweets. I'm not too good at this, so I'll let others tell their story through this form of social networking. I do like to read them, so I suppose in some way I'm participating in the social network storytelling process. For decades, my husband's grandparents wrote at least a two page letter every Thursday to their daughter who lived several states away. This most certainly qualified as journaling since the letters were filled with stories of the week and their thoughts and feelings about the events. I know some mothers who write a letter each week to their infants and young children, which is a great way to tell the story of motherhood and create a keepsake for a child.

There are many ways to journal. I've often given up on the process because I limited myself to one form - pencil, paper, and a block of time. But that doesn't often work for me, so I'm intent on finding creative ways to tell my own story that fit this season of my life.

We'd love to hear from you. How do you journal? You might even be journaling without realizing it! Think about it, then do a short form of journaling and send a comment to let me know how you tell your story. As you know by now, we love to read your stories - whether they are 1,100 words or only a few sentences.

-Lisa

Destination Calling

2010-09-10T06:01:00.000-07:00

"The first time I ran away to a foreign land I was about 6 years old. A mystical destination whispered to me through the windows of my tiny two-bedroom house, so I waited until my mother was loading the washing machine before I slipped out the storm door and set sail. I chose a dependable vessel, a turquoise banana-seat bicycle bought from Otasco..."

This begins Sheilah Bright's beautiful travel story, "Taking the Long Way Home", which was published in the Summer 2009 issue of Mia. Since that first voyage on the bicycle, Sheila has traveled to Antarctica, Thailand, Bhutan, South America, and is planning to continue her travels and visit Australia and Africa before her 50th birthday. That's a humbling goal, and one that I'm not sure I could make. But as she tells us in her travel essay, destinations don't always have to be far away or exotic. Those who have the vision to see the beauty in all places can share stories about locations that are as close as the neighborhood bookmobile (that was six-year-old Sheilah's destination as she pedaled her bike through Prattville).

I think all women love to hear stories about where others have traveled, whether it is the Arctic peninsula or the local botanical garden. What moved you? Changed you? Caused you to make discoveries about yourself and the world we live in? Share it with us! Give us a comment here, or send an email to lisa@miamagazine.net.

Happy travels!

-Lisa

Life To-Do List

2010-03-29T05:18:00.000-07:00

It's time for us to hear from YOU. Do you have a Life To-Do List - otherwise known as a "bucket list?" Are there things you want to accomplish or experience in your life? I've thought quite a bit about this, and realize that my own list has two problems: it's vague, and focuses on what is known as the "tyranny of the urgent." I'll give you two examples. Traveling is on my Life To-Do List, but I haven't quite narrowed it down to an exact location. My life is so hectic at the moment that I'm anything but particular about travel destinations. I told someone yesterday that I'd take a weekend in the woods with a tent if I could just wrestle myself away from the constant obligations that keep me here. But I'm determined to get more specific with the list, choose some places, and start planning. The other problem with my list: I've included things that "must" be done. My list includes, "finish graduate school." Since I'm already two semesters in, that should be a given. It's a bit like filling a daily to-do list with entries like "brush teeth" and "feed dog." A Life To-Do List should force us to look past the moment, and dream about something outside of the urgency of everyday life. What are your deep-down desires? Where do you long to go? Whose life do you want to influence? How can you make the world a better place? This is an opportunity to make a list of what you want to do, rather than scribble yet another list of what you need to do. I like that idea.

I'm curious about your list. Or maybe just nosy. But at Mia, we believe that when we share our stories - even the small stories - we gain strength for our own journey. Is an entry on your Life To-Do List a story? I believe it is. Here is what we would love to receive from you: tell us one thing that is on your Life To-Do List, and why it is important to you. You don't have to write much - only 50-100 words. We'd like to publish a collection of these small stories in the Summer issue of Mia. You can send yours to lisa@miamagazine.net. In the meantime, if I can find that tent and scout out a place in the woods, I'm going to work on my own list. I look forward to hearing from you!
-Lisa

What We Believe In

2010-03-20T07:17:00.000-07:00

We've been asked several times, "Why did you decide to start a magazine when there are so many out there?" We've also been asked, "Why start a print magazine? Why not an online magazine?" Here are our answers:

Everyone loves a good story, and that's what we publish. That's ALL we publish. We believe in the power of stories. Journalist Alex Tizon says this: "Stories give shape to experience and allow us to go through life unblind. Without them, everything that happens would float around, undifferentiated. None of it would mean anything. Once you have a version of what happened, all the other good stuff about being human comes into play." When we share our lives with one another, it makes us feel more human - more connected. We're all longing for stories that help give meaning and perspective to our own experiences, and each issue of Mia introduces you to women who tell these kinds of stories. So that's why we started this magazine, even though there are many magazines out there to choose from. We believe in storytelling.

Why a print publication? We don't deny the lure of the Internet, and we love having a complementary website where the magazine is uploaded in its entirety. But we also love holding our magazine and looking closely at the beautiful photography. There is nothing more rewarding than seeing our work come to life when its delivered from the printer and we open it for the first time, then seeing the faces of women we hand the magazine to as they open it for themselves. There is something about reading a publication that you can hold in your hands. That's why we started a print magazine, and that's why we'll continue to publish it. We believe in print media.

Dreams Do Come True

2010-03-12T06:01:00.001-08:00

It was about a year ago that four of us sat at Juli's lake cabin and envisioned a magazine for women that was unlike anything we had seen. We agreed that the checkout stands were filled with magazines that told women what to wear, what to eat, how to decorate, how to please men - or how to snag one. We wanted to offer a magazine that didn't tell women what they should be doing, but instead let the voices of women be heard through the art of storytelling. The magazine we were dreaming about could be a conduit of encouragement, healing, hope and community. When a woman picked up our magazine and began reading, we wanted her to feel like she was sitting around a table listening to the stories of other women, and finding the strength and courage to tell her own. We agreed that the big issues of life can often be most clearly seen through the seemingly small stories that we share together. Life has a way of coming into focus when we listen to the experiences of others, and then add our own to the mix. We believe that every woman has a story, so we knew there would be no shortage of content. It's been one year, four issues, and 47 stories later. Everything that we envisioned has come together in Mia magazine, and the positive response has been overwhelming. It has proven to us that stories - and the sharing of those stories - is good, and necessary.

We are hard at work on the Summer 2010 issue. It seems like not so long ago that we were at the cabin, dreaming and brainstorming and thinking about the stories we could share through our magazine. And now here we are preparing to publish our fifth issue of Mia. Yes, dreams really do come true. We're glad you're along for the ride!

Our Newest Team Member

2010-03-11T05:45:00.000-08:00

Michelle Presley is our new Advertising Director. Welcome aboard Michelle! Advertising is such an important part of Mia magazine. We do not publish advertorials or self-promotional articles about products or businesses. We depend on paid advertising to make the publication of Mia possible. We're adamant about this, and so we treat our advertisers very well. Michelle is such an important part of our team because she has direct communication with our advertisers - first and foremost sharing with them why their presence in Mia is a huge benefit to their business. Then she makes certain that they are taken care of all along the way, from the signing of the contract to the final product. Now that she is part of the Mia team, we're wondering how we were able to live without her! We know our advertisers are in good hands, and that makes us breathe a little easier. Thanks Michelle!!

International Women's Day Fair: We're There!

2010-03-10T05:24:00.000-08:00

Mia magazine was invited to participate in the International Women's Day Fair held at TCC South on Tuesday. The fair was organized and sponsored by Phoebe Baker's Women's Studies class (an amazing group of women, and one brave man.) The purpose was to highlight International Women's Day, and to offer the women at TCC a look at the many and varied services, organizations, businesses and groups that are geared toward them. We were honored to be there, and were thrilled to hand out over 150 magazines. More importantly, we met and talked with many women with incredible stories to share. This is our FAVORITE thing to do! There are so many courageous, determined, creative, smart women who walk through the doors of Tulsa Community College, and we were privileged to meet a few of them. And we learned some things as well:

70% of those living in poverty are women.
80% of the world's refugees and displaced persons are women and girls.
70% of the illiterate people in the world are women.
Each year of school can boost the future earnings of a girl by 10%.
Women produce 50% of the world's food and own 1% of the earth's land.
Women do 2/3 of the work in the world and earn 10% of the pay.

Amazing statistics. Mia magazine loves to highlight women who have overcome, and are living life fully, deeply, and with creative purpose. Thanks for letting us join in on a wonderful event.

Thursday Morning Fun

2010-02-20T06:04:00.000-08:00

Mia Magazine on KOTV's Six in the Morning!!!

2010-02-19T06:10:00.000-08:00

What a great time we had talking to Leanne Taylor (and TV land) about Mia magazine. We're about to put the finishing touches on our Spring issue, which means we have published a YEAR of magazines - an anniversary of sorts. We're patting ourselves on the back and looking forward to another four issues of Mia. The excitement continues to grow as we gain readers from all over the country, and many more right here in Northeastern Oklahoma. So onward we go toward year #2. Glad you are along for the ride!

Distribution Locations

2009-12-02T05:48:00.000-08:00

Get Mia at these locations!

Agora Coffee Shop 51st and Memorial
Anne's Daylight Donuts 58th & Sheridan
Baxter’s Interurban 717 S. Houston Ave.
Believers Coffee Shop 47th & Memorial
Camille’s Cherry Street Market
Camille’s 61st and Yale
Camille’s 96th and Riverside
Camille’s Woodland Hills
Chimi’s 81st and Sheridan
Coffee House on Cherry Street
Cosi 71st and Yale
Double Shot Coffee Co. 1730 S. Boston Ave.
Elote 514 S. Boston
Figaro’s 81st and Lewis
First Watch 81st and Lewis
Flirt Utica Square
Fresh Roast 81st & Harvard
Great Harvest Bread 51st & Sheridan
Hideaway 81st and Harvard
Ihloff Salon and Day Spa Utica Square
Ihloff Salon and Day Spa 84th & Memorial
IO Metro 51st and Sheridan
Isabella’s Brookside
Jan Markey Gifts 61st and Yale
Java Dave’s 51st and Sheridan
Kaffe Bona Church @ Battlecreek
Kaffe Bona Riverwalk Crossing
Kaffe Bona 91st and Yale
Kaffe Bona Eastgate Metroplex
LaRoma’s 58th and Sheridan
Little Black Dress Cherry Street
Lola’s Bowery 5 E. Brady
LSD Photography Brookside
Lulu’s 51st and Sheridan
Mary Ruby 61st and Yale
Mecca Coffee Co. Brookside
Nordaggio’s 81st and Lewis
Panera 41st and Yale
Panera 71st and Garnett
Perfect Touch 91st and Yale
Reflexion Spa 3912 E. 91st
Savoy 58th and Sheridan
Shades of Brown Brookside
Sideways Brookside
Starbucks 61st and Yale
Starbucks 71st and Garnett
Starbucks Utica Square
TCC/SE Campus 81st and HWY169
The Market 81st and Harvard
TiAmos 61st and Sheridan
Topeca Coffeehouse 115 W. 5th Street
Whole Foods 41st and Peoria
Windsor Market 71st & Memorial
All Tulsa City/County Libraries

Mia at the Printer

2009-11-25T07:27:00.000-08:00

After we have put the magazine together, the wonderful people at PressGroup transform it into the beautiful publication we hold in our hands. It's an amazing process! The Winter issue will be out next week and we will start distributing December 4th if all goes as planned. This is another beautiful issue with stories you will want to read and share with a friend. We'll have a list of distribution locations here on the blog, so check back next week to see where you can pick up a copy of Mia magazine!

Fall 2009 Is HERE!

2009-08-31T20:25:00.000-07:00

Fall 2009 issue is back from the printer and we have 7,500 copies!!! The summer issue was gone in less than four weeks, so we more than doubled our distribution. We can't wait to get this latest issue in your hands. We have more amazing women to introduce to you who have incredible stories to share. We are making our way through Tulsa delivering the magazines to restaurants, coffee shops, salons, hospitals, libraries. Here are locations where we have delivered the magazines so far. Each day, we'll add to the list, so keep checking back!

Agora Coffee Shop 51st and Memorial
Anne’s Daylight Donuts 58th & Sheridan
Baxter’s Interurban 717 S. Houston Ave.
Believers Coffee Shop 47th & Memorial
Camille’s Cherry Street Market
Camille’s 61st and Yale
Camille’s 96th and Riverside
Camille’s Woodland Hills
Chimi’s 81st and Sheridan
Coffee House on Cherry Street Cherry Street
Cosi 71st and Yale
Double Shot Coffee Co. 1730 S. Boston Ave.
Elote 514 S. Boston
Figaro’s 81st and Lewis
First Watch 81st and Lewis
Flirt Utica Square
Fresh Roast 81st & Harvard
Great Harvest Bread 51st & Sheridan
Hideaway 81st and Harvard
Ihloff Salon and Day Spa Utica Square
Ihloff Salon and Day Spa 84th & Memorial
IO Metro 51st and Sheridan
Isabella’s Brookside
Jan Markey Gifts 61st and Yale
Java Dave’s 51st and Sheridan
Kaffe Bona Church @ Battlecreek
Kaffe Bona Riverwalk Crossing
Kaffe Bona 91st and Yale
Kaffe Bona Eastgate Metroplex
LaRoma’s 58th and Sheridan
Little Black Dress Cherry Street
Lola’s Bowery 5 E. Brady
LSD Photography Brookside
Lulu’s 81st and Sheridan
Mary Ruby 61st and Yale
Mecca Coffee Co. Brookside
Nordaggio’s 81st and Lewis
Panera 41st and Yale
Panera 71st and Garnett
Perfect Touch 91st and Yale
Reflexion Spa 3912 E. 91st
Savoy 58th and Sheridan
Shades of Brown Brookside
Sideways Brookside
Starbucks 61st and Yale
Starbucks 71st and Garnett
Starbucks Utica Square
TCC/SE Campus 81st and HWY169
The Market 81st and Harvard
TiAmos 61st and Sheridan
Topeca Coffeehouse 115 W. 5th Street
Whole Foods 41st and Peoria
Windsor Market 71st and Memorial
All Tulsa City/County Libraries

A Few Launch Party Photos

2009-07-17T13:15:00.000-07:00

We had a great time at our Launch party last Thursday. We had over 100 friends with us to help celebrate the premiere issue - and the launch of Mia magazine! Thanks to all who joined us at Agora Coffeehouse. A good time was had by all!

Come Join Us!

2009-07-15T20:57:00.000-07:00

We are actively seeking sales reps and an advertising director for Mia Magazine. If you have seen the Summer 2009 issue (our premiere), then you know what a unique and exciting publication it is. We're a start-up magazine, and the response to this premiere issue has been amazing, so we are on our way!! Want to join the team? We want women who are passionate about the vision of Mia and want to share the excitement with potential advertisers. Email lisa@miamagazine.net

Tonight!

2009-07-09T07:17:00.000-07:00

Our launch party at Agora Coffeehouse is at 6:30 p.m. tonight! Agora is in northeast of the big fountain in Fontana Shopping Center at 51st and Memorial. We're expecting a crowd if RSVPs are any indication. It's been such an amazing long journey to go from concept to magazine. Women have a place to tell their stories, and other women have a place to read those stories. That was our vision for Mia. But we're not patting ourselves on the back, because there have been so many people along the way who have helped make our dream a reality. We could have never done this without their support, help, encouragement and heavy-lifting (literally). So that's why we want to celebrate tonight. If you can join us, we'd love to have you there because Mia is YOUR magazine.

Flying off the Shelves

2009-07-07T05:04:00.001-07:00

We hope you've been able to get a copy of Mia. They are going fast. We've restocked a few places, but we are almost out of magazines and still have two months to go before the next issue! Our circulation was small for this premiere issue. We wanted to see how it was received, and now we have our answer. The response has been nothing short of amazing, so we're upping our circulation for the Fall 09 issue - tripling it, actually. Thank you to all the women who have been handing out stacks of magazines. This is the way we prefer to distribute, although we do have stacks also available at the places listed two posts down! Hopefully, if you haven't picked up a copy, you can find it at one of these locations. We will also have magazines available at our Launch Party, this Thursday, July 9, 6:30 p.m. at Agora Coffeehouse, 51st and Memorial (Fontana Shopping Center). Hope we see you there!

Launch Party!

2009-06-30T19:58:00.001-07:00

We're in the midst of planning our Launch Party, which will take place on Thursday, July 9, 6:30 p.m. at Agora Coffeehouse in Fontana Shopping Center (by the fountain), 51st and Memorial. We would love the opportunity to celebrate with you the premiere of Mia! This is a very casual get-together, and you are welcome to bring a friend...or two. We believe in the power of stories, but also in the power of community. We would love to begin to build a Mia community of readers, writers, advertisers, and women who have a story to share. We'll look forward to seeing you on July 9 at Agora!

Hand to Hand

2009-06-21T15:29:00.000-07:00

Finally! We're holding the magazine in our hands, but we want to quickly get it into YOUR hands. The previous post includes a list of locations where you can pick up a copy of Mia. We're in rack locations across the city, however, we believe that the most effective way to spread the word is hand to hand: women handing other women the magazine. If you would like to be a "hand to hand" distributor for Mia, we would love to give you a stack of magazines. You can reach us through email: lisa@miamagazine.net, Facebook, or Twitter. We have many women who are passing out magazines to friends, family, co-workers, classmates. We'd love to hand you a stack!

Where We Are!

2009-06-19T08:58:00.000-07:00

Here are a few of the places where you can find a copy of Mia. We're still distributing, so we'll update you as we add locations.

Agora Coffeehouse - Fontana, 51st and Memorial
All American Fitness - 2530 E. 26th Place
Anne's Daylight Donuts 6021 S. Sheridan Rd.
Belissimo's 61st and Yale
Camille's Sidewalk Cafe-1342 E. 15th St.
Camille's Sidewalk Cafe 6030 S. Yale
Coffeehouse on Cherry Street -1502 E. 15th St
Cosi - 4929 E. 71st St.
DG's Salon - 5555 E. 71st. St., Suite 6112
Fiagaro's Plaza on Lewis
First Watch - 8178 S. Lewis
Fresh Roast Coffee 81st and Harvard
Great Harvest Bread - 5203 S. Sheridan Rd.
Health Zone 5353 E 68th St
Hideaway Pizza 81st and Harvard
Hideaway Pizza 51st/Memorial
Java Dave's 51st and Sheridan
Kaffe Bona (all locations)
LaRoma - 6027 S. Sheridan Rd.Panera Bread -1624 E. 15th St
Lulus Sweet Shoppe - 8005 S. Sheridan
Mr. Goodcents 81st and Harvard
Nordaggio's Coffee - 8156 S. Lewis
Panera Bread - 1624 E 15th St.
Panera Bread - 71st and Garnett
Panera Bread - 41st Street between Yale and Sheridan
Queenies in Utica Square
Queenlet in Utica Square
Savoy Restaurant - 6033 S. Sheridan Rd.
Shades of Brown Coffee & Art - 3302 S. Peoria Ave.
Sideways in Brookside
Starbucks - 5984 S. Yale (Kingspoint Shopping Center)
Starbucks (Farm Shopping Center)
Symmetry Salon and Day Spa in London Square - 61st and Lewis
The Market 81st and Harvard
Tulsa Junior College (Metro and South Campuses)
University of Phoenix

Welcome to Mia!

2009-06-17T10:39:00.000-07:00

Summer days are great for daydreaming. We're doing a little of that here at Mia. Our premiere issue is out on Friday, and we've already begun working on the Fall issue, which will be out in September. We've also launched our website, which, if you're reading this means you've found it. Congratulations! But we're letting our dreams take us even beyond the next issue and what you see on the website. We are excited to begin building a Mia community of women who share their stories with one another. We want to bring you even further into our community, so we're looking at ways to archive stories on our website. We're only able to print a limited number of stories in our magazine, so we're dreaming about ways to hear the voices of women everywhere.

We're also daydreaming about how to spread the word about Mia through women who believe in the importance of storytelling. Women are always excited to share with other women about something they believe in. We want our magazine to be distributed in two ways: the traditional rack at coffee shops, salons, restaurants, boutiques. But we also want to distribute from the hand of one women into the hand of another woman. There is no better endorsement. So we're dreaming about how to get magazines into the hands of women who will pass them on.

And finally, we're daydreaming about YOU. We want to make sure we connect with you in some way: through our print magazine, our website, our Facebook or Twitter page. We wonder about your opinions, your suggestions, your thoughts. We want to know your story. Please consider this your invitation to become part of the Mia community in whatever way you can. We'd love to hear from you. You can find us on Facebook or Twitter. You can comment on our blog. You can email us at lisa@miamagazine.net.

We'll have a list of locations where you can find our magazine on this blog, and on our Facebook page. Look for us. We'll be looking for you! Enjoy these summer days, and find some time for doing some of your own daydreaming. Welcome to Mia, the magazine by, for, and about women. It's your magazine.