July 2023

July 31, 2023

Little One…and Mama

I spied…mama and baby deer this morning and I was shocked by how much “baby” has grown (first pic). The second photo (sorry for the grainy-ness through the screen) was taken just a couple of weeks ago when I wrote about my favorite twosome. Baby’s sweet markings and slight physique were obvious then…less so today. Continue reading

Wellness

baby, gratitude, lifestyle, love, mama, nature, Wellness
July 30, 2023

Learning from Wise Ones: Three C’s

Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms – to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way. -Viktor Frankl When people ask me – especially after reading “Surviving Sue” – about my self-preservation secrets and tips for resiliency, I smile. Continue reading

Wellness

fathers, gratitude, love, quotes, self-care, Wellness
July 26, 2023

When You Crack Yourself Up: Lisa and Dollar Store Delight

Every now and then I need to be an interpreter for my sweet sister, Lisa. When she’s overcome with laughter, the fine line between despair and delight can be hard to detect. Tears and torment might ride along with giggles and smiles. Mercurial and rapid, Lisa’s capacity for displaying the full range of human emotions Continue reading

Family

dementia, disabilities, humor, laugher, mental health, sister love, Wellness
July 25, 2023

Peek Inside: “Surviving Sue” – Writer’s Vulnerability

Gifts come in unexpected wrappers. I doubt she suspected her post would be perceived that way, but when Georgia from the beautiful blog Person on the Page wrote about personal nonfiction a few weeks ago, referencing “Body Work” by Melissa Febos, she bestowed a gift upon me. The whole post was a treat, but Georgia’s Continue reading

Surviving Sue

author, courage, Family, gratitude, memoir, new book, vulnerability, writer
July 24, 2023

Getting Out of My Way

The notion of getting out of my own way is nothing new, but when applied to writing, there’s an extra reveal. A greater depth of understanding about how maddening I can be…to me. I put a project on the shelf about a year ago, just when things were coming together, publishing-wise, about “Surviving Sue”. For Continue reading

writing

authors, humor, Inspiration, muses, writer
July 23, 2023

Economy of Words

I wanted to title this post “For the Love of Joe” but in my effort to convey how and why this piece is a companion to my Heart of the Matter post this morning, I decided “Economy of Words” was a better title. You’ll see why as you read, but as you do so, would Continue reading

Family

communication, humor, lifestyle, listening, love
July 22, 2023

The Concert That Never Was…

My parents, Sue and Sonny, adored Tony Bennett and during the time they lived near San Francisco, they’d make a point of attending one of his concerts every year – often around Christmas or New Year’s Eve as a way to celebrate their birthdays and holidays all rolled into one. In 1989, the concert date Continue reading

Family

Family, laughter, lifestyle, love, memories, sister love, Tony Bennett
July 19, 2023

Peek Inside: “Surviving Sue” – eBook Arrival!

Thank you to those who’ve been asking about the eBook version of “Surviving Sue”. It’s available now, on Amazon. 😊 If you’re interested in purchasing the book…as a book…you can do so through my publisher: Surviving Sue | Eckhartz Press. Reviews and comments are welcome, welcome, welcome! Please visit the “Surviving Sue” page here to Continue reading

Surviving Sue

author, book, gratitude, love, memoir, writer
July 16, 2023

Peek Inside: “Surviving Sue” – Launch Party

Book signings, launch parties. Fun stuff! Now that I’ve crossed that threshold, “Surviving Sue” is officially in the world. The opportunity to celebrate with friends and family was wonderful and overwhelming. Join me as I share a few photos and insider info. The Venue Matters: The launch party location couldn’t have been more perfect. Known Continue reading

Surviving Sue

author, book launch, book signing, friendship, gratitude, lifestyle, love, writing
July 12, 2023

Party Time!

Hey, friends! It’s party time! I wish I could invite all of you to the launch party for “Surviving Sue“. Celebrating this milestone with the fabulous humans who helped the book become a reality is incredibly joyous. Color me grateful. The next couple of days will be all about food, friends, family…and love. Try as Continue reading

Surviving Sue

author, book launch, gratitude, lifestyle, love, party, writing
July 11, 2023

The Nearness of You

I promise I won’t post about the deer in our backyard forever…but I think I’ve got two more photos to share, along with a moment that stirred me this morning. Not so much about the deer but about being a mom and what it means to me, how ever-changing and awe-inspiring it can be. Continue reading

Family

gratitude, lifestyle, love, mom life, moms and daughters, parenting
July 9, 2023

My Natural State is Happy

I love hearing from former students. They pop up for all sorts of reasons. Letters of recommendation? Sure. Reference requests? Yes, yes. Fairly often. Outreach to ask for career or relationship advice? Definitely. Many of the referrals I receive in my consulting business come from former students and clients. They know that Vicki. When I Continue reading

Wellness

happiness, humor, lifestyle, love
July 7, 2023

Publishing = Panic at the Disco?

No, no. Not the band of the same name, “Panic at the Disco”. I’m referring to a silly moment in my latest podcast with Wynne. What a treat it is – every time I visit with her. Even when the topic’s fairly serious, we find ways to have fun. 😎 In this week’s Heart of Continue reading

Surviving Sue

authors, friendship, humor, podcasts, publishing, resilience, writing
July 5, 2023

Peek Inside: “Surviving Sue” – Angels On My Path

One of the recurrent themes in the story of my mom’s life is the presence of empathy warriors – beautiful humans who stepped out of their comfort zones to provide support, despite the potential of triggering Sue’s wrath. In “Surviving Sue” I pay homage to the individuals who made a difference by extending loving kindnesses Continue reading

Surviving Sue

angels, empathy, gratitude, heroes, kindness, memoir, writing
July 4, 2023

Baby & Mama

A couple of weeks ago I posted about our worries about a “Dear Deer”…a sweet lonely and lame girl who became a frequent visitor in our backyard. Sadly, we’ve seen no signs of her recently, but other family members 😊popped by, reminding us that life goes on. The scene in the pic (snipped in above) Continue reading

Uncategorized

Family, gratitude, love, nature
July 2, 2023

Finding Our People

I’ve been a lucky human. Many times, I’ve had the blissful experience of encountering someone who automatically oozes familiarity. Someone I’ve met before? An acquaintance I’ve forgotten? Often, it’s not that the names or faces that are recognizable, but a person’s loving essence. Well, that and a sense of humor and a knack for not Continue reading

Family

authors, Inspiration, love, writers

“Surviving Sue”, a special story about resiliency and love: Eckhartz Press (paperback) and eBook on Amazon.

Peek Inside “Surviving Sue“

Visit Resources on Atkinson Group Solutions for more.

Podcasts

Listen to the “Sharing the Heart of the Matter” podcast.

You can find our podcast on Apple, Amazon, Spotify and Pocket Casts. Please subscribe!

Workshops

Chicago Writers Association Speakers Bureau – Writing for Wellness; Navigating Elder Care with Grace & Humor; How to Create a Writing Platform; AI for Caregivers

About Me

Learn about five books that inspired and supported my writing journey by visiting my personalized book review page on Shepherd.

BLOG ARCHIVES

Victoria Ponders

July 2023

Little One…and Mama

Learning from Wise Ones: Three C’s

When You Crack Yourself Up: Lisa and Dollar Store Delight

Peek Inside: “Surviving Sue” – Writer’s Vulnerability

Getting Out of My Way

Economy of Words

The Concert That Never Was…

Peek Inside: “Surviving Sue” – eBook Arrival!

Peek Inside: “Surviving Sue” – Launch Party

Party Time!

The Nearness of You

My Natural State is Happy

Publishing = Panic at the Disco?

Peek Inside: “Surviving Sue” – Angels On My Path

Baby & Mama

Finding Our People

Peek Inside “Surviving Sue“

Podcasts

Workshops

About Me

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