Let me explain …

I have basically been confined to the house for the last year and a half because while I had my leukemia and lymphoma in remission, it slipped back into an active state. While active, my immune system is compromised, and the targeted therapy course I am on to stabilize the cancer also suppresses the immune system. In other words, any little bug floating around that wasn’t enough to keep the kid home from school, could potentially put me in the hospital because I have no resources to fight sickness. My blood values on the cancer have been stable for several months, so we decided the Career Day was a good opportunity to test the immune system boosters I’ve been going through for the past five months — properly protected, of course.

Many of the kids who came to my table were at first confused by what jobs I was there representing. I expected them to be. As I cannot go out in a public setting without wearing a face mask and (if potential for contact is present) gloves, I decided to dress to theme and wear scrubs. So some kids thought I was a doctor or a nurse while others thought I might be a vet because I had Sergio with me — which was the goal. Why? So when they questioned what job I had, or made an assumption, it reminded me to talk about the leukemia and how they should follow their dreams/passions no matter the obstacle. It was also a subtle reminder to them not to “judge a book by its cover.”

Here are a few of my observations/remembrances from the day and some of the questions I was asked:

• All the kids I spoke with were fantastic. They had a “passport” to collect stamps from each of the presenter tables they went to. They quickly learned the question of “stamp my paper?” would be declined until we had talked a bit.
• If you give me a marker in the morning, by the day’s end I will have marker on my face.
• The event was well organized and flowed smoothly.
• Is it real? (while pointing at Sergio, my stuffed sloth) was one of the most frequently asked questions of the day.
• Some of the other questions were:
  • How many books have you written? (10 with about 20 in the pipeline)
  • What is the favorite book you’ve written? (Tough question as I love all my work, but Speak No Evil (2019 Young Adult) because I love the concept of communicating through music instead of words)
  • What is 7th Grade Revolution about? (Synopsis here)
  • Where do you get your ideas? (Twitter — for 7th Grade Revolution and The Star Warriors and the Secret of the Red Key (Homeless Myths Series), dreams — Misfit McCabe series, characters popping up and talking to me — The Journal of Angela Ashby (Fall 2018) and Speak No Evil, life experience.)
  • Why do you like writing? and Why do you write? (Because getting lost in the worlds of my characters consumes me and the characters in my head won’t let me be until I write their stories.)
  • How much schooling did it take for your job? (For me? I didn’t have any specific schooling for the jobs I have. I took college courses to be a teacher. But for the System Analyst job there is a Bachelor of Science degree (4 years) most companies want, and for writing there is a Masters of Fine Arts degree(5-6 years). I have taken creative writing courses through adult education and studied my craft through books and articles on the internet for writing. Ultimately, by following your passions and learning as much as you can about them, the jobs will find you.)
  • What is a System Analyst or Process Analyst? (I look at what the people in my company do, how they are doing it, review our system capabilities and identify the gaps, then make recommendations for bridging the gaps and/or build a tool to bridge the gap for the immediate term)
  • Is it contagious? on learning I have leukemia (No, it is a cancer of the blood and cannot be shared)
  • Do you get writer’s block and how do you get rid of it? (Not very often, but when I do it’s because I’m missing something. Ways to combat it are to go for a walk, listen to music, and spend time with my characters.)
  • What inspired you to write? (Reading, Little Women by Louisa May Alcott, and the stories won’t leave me alone until I write them.)
  • How long have you been doing your job? (System Analyst/Process Efficiency Expert – 23 years, Writing … since I was 9 — when I began a terrible book — but finished my first novel at age 23, which went on to win a teen choice award in Toronto.)
  • Can I touch it? meaning Sergio (Yes)
• The energy of the event carried me through the day. I love talking about what I do. And seeing the kids eyes light up when I described what happens in 7th Grade Revolution or how the Timmy and the Golden Lion Tamarin books bring awareness to endangered species as well social issues kept me going.
• My voice managed to hold up throughout all the sessions, although today I’m croaking like a frog.

Even though tired by the end of the event, I was able to make the drive home fueled by the energy from the kids. And I cannot wait to go back for their book fair in April. On the way home, Sergio decided my mask makes a better hat.

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While I just happened to see this in my feed, the original has been around for a while, as it was featured on Animal Planet in 2011, so Violet and Sebastian are all grown up now. I’ll bet they are just as cute. I enjoy the narrated video because not only can you see the extraordinary care being given to these homeless sloths, but you can hear it in their caretakers voice. They are loved. Do you think I could start a sloth reserve for homeless sloths? Sergio would enjoy the company.

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Monster Loch Ness Scotland, Nessie MaxPixel

For years, there have been sightings of the Loch Ness Monster in Scotland, and while some of those sightings, including the most famous of them, have been proven as hoaxes, there are enough sightings to at least consider there may be an “unknown” species hanging out in Loch Ness. And scientists have considered whether the monster could be a descendant of the plesiosaur, a discarded theory, but enough to open the door for consideration of a species like it. I’m rather partial to the myth of Nessie because a monster of that ilk becomes part of the mythological fabric in my upcoming Homeless Myths series.

One creature we didn’t know about as a separate species until 2001 is the pygmy three-toed sloth. Sergio, a character in the Timmy and the Golden Lion Tamarin series, is the endangered animal who befriends Luna and helps her deal with her problems. I was fascinated when researching sloths to learn the reason the pygmy sloths are smaller than other types of sloths is because they had to adapt to their environment. The pygmy three-toed sloth is only found in a 4 square kilometer (~2.5 square miles) mangrove forest off of Panama on the Isla Escudo de Veraguas. Deforestation has put the pygmy three-toed sloth on the critically endangered species list and measures are now being taken to build up rather than destroy their habitat.

Without people like the monster-hunting Cryptozoologists who are always searching for hidden animals, would we even know of the existence of the pygmy three-toed sloth? Would it have perished before we were aware it lived at all? Something to think about.

* Cryptozoology is the study of hidden animals with the aim to prove the existence of entities from folklore.
** Conservation is the practice of protecting wild plant and animal species and their habitats. The goal of wildlife conservation is to ensure that nature will be around for future generations to enjoy and also to recognize the importance of wildlife and wilderness for humans and other species alike. Wikipedia

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He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ‘ere he drove out of sight,
“Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!”

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Rather than panic, Sergio thought about all the Christmas stories he had read, and decided they couldn’t go wrong by following the brightest star. After all, it worked for the wise men when they were trying to find Jesus, didn’t it? He scanned the sky. And there … before them … was the brightest star he had ever seen. It was beautiful — the most glorious star in the heavens.

He turned toward the star and on they flew. He knew he had to make it home before Christmas Eve, or Luna would be upset. The light from the star lit the hills and valleys below, and Sergio wanted to be able to share its beauty with Luna when they arrived home, so he landed, so they could take a selfie with the star in the background.

The star up above was a beautiful sight,
Sergio prayed for its guidance with all of his might.
He couldn’t thank her enough for letting him roam,
But now was the time he had to be home.

The post Sloth on a Shelf – Day 23 appeared first on Be the Cat.

The animals in the surrounding woods came to the edge, drawn by the lights on the tree. The evergreen — the pagans believed it a symbol of immortality and something to ward off evil. And for Christians it became a symbol of life. The lights were to ward off darkness and show us the way — a reminder of Jesus. In the midst of the winter hush, Ella raised her voice and sang the first verse of Silent Night, her pure notes dancing on the air. When she finished the verse, Sergio, Finn, and Sandy joined in on the second. Soon Bobo, Tizzy, Rin, and Jagger lent their voices. When they finished the third and final verse, the last note still vibrating the air, every heart beat with the spirit of Christmas.

On the way home, the critters did see,
A perfect place for a Christmas tree.
The lights how they twinkled to show them the way,
And the crew felt the full meaning of Christmas Day.

The post Sloth on a Shelf – Day 22 appeared first on Be the Cat.

Luna has been worried sick about Sergio and at one point had him kidnapped by pirates and forced to walk the plank. My attempts to tell her that as far as I knew, no pirates sailed past the North Pole because it was a land mass … and covered with snow. She then insisted it was the snow pirates that were after him and she feared she’d never see him again. Imagine her relief when we received an email with this picture telling us they had made some deliveries, had a nice chat with Santa, who had given them each a gift for being such good helpers, and were headed home. And Sergio added a PS to the end. Don’t worry, Luna. Santa said you did a good job waiting, so he gave me a present for you, too.

When the critters returned Santa praised their good job,
And he sat down beside them, ’cause Santa is no snob.
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly!

The post Sloth on a Shelf – Day 21 appeared first on Be the Cat.

Huffing and puffing after making the big snowballs, Sergio lifted his nose in the air to catch the snowflakes as they fell on his tongue. He stilled when he heard a mewing noise coming from the brush. Following the sound, he discovered a baby Sand Cat, who had become caught in the brush. He soothed her and released her hind leg from the brambles.

Across the opening twigs snapped and scratching noises were heard. Bobo waddled over and peered into the bushes — first one way, and then the other. The branches shuddered and out popped a small Tasmanian Devil. Both were alone and lost in the snow, so they decided to head back to the North Pole with Sergio and the crew to see whether Santa could help them find where they belonged.

The presents were gone, they had emptied the pack,
And the critters all knew they should take the sleigh back.
But a snowman they built and while donning the hat,
The cries reached them from a lost little Sand Cat.

The post Sloth on a Shelf – Day 20 appeared first on Be the Cat.

Sergio’s fur was covered from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.
Rin and Bobo had brought the Toys through the back,
While Jagger thought it was high time for a snack.

The post Sloth on a Shelf – Day 19 appeared first on Be the Cat.

At the first house, Sergio climbed up to the roof and scaled the chimney. He told the others he’d scout things out before they brought the presents up … because after all, what would happen if he couldn’t get through. At the top, he hung out for a moment after peering down the shaft and told the gang that they’d better be prepared as it was pretty dirty down there. Then he let go with a “Wheeeeeee!”

They arrived with a bounce, and I watched in such awe,
The joyous helpfulness of each little paw.
The packages were unloaded up there on the roof,
Down the chimney Sergio slid with an, “Oof!”

The post Sloth on a Shelf – Day 18 appeared first on Be the Cat.

Rin helped himself to a Christmasy sweater and scarf set, although Luna had to help him find the right hole for his head when he got caught in the sleeve. When she got to Jagger, he just shook his head and combed his already thick fur coat. Luna paced for a few moments, worried that Jagger would get cold, even though he was more used to the weather than the other animals. She ran to the closet and pulled out a bright yellow scarf and wrapped it around Jagger’s neck. He stood on his hind legs to better admire how he looked in the mirror.

When she reached Sergio, she didn’t have anything to give him, as he was already dressed as an elf … and if an elf cannot survive the North Pole, then nothing can. But at the worry in her eyes, Sergio drew her into a tight hug. She told him to be careful, and to come back safe. Sergio already had everything figured out, you see. He’d drive the sleigh with Rin and Ella as his navigators, and Finn, Bobo, and Jagger would keep an eye out for anything else flying in the sky. Then he walked her over to the Santa and sleigh wind chime and told her when she heard the chime it meant they had arrived safely and were getting the details for their secret mission.

The critters all gathered, to the North they did fly,
Bundled for winter, so they all would keep dry.
Rin and dear Ella took their places as crew,
With the sleigh full of Toys, and elf Sergio too.

The post Sloth on a Shelf – Day 17 appeared first on Be the Cat.

Sergio: But Luna, I had to put on the mustache.
Luna: folding her armsWhy?
He led her to the chair where they always read their books and snuggled up next to her.
Sergio: In Toyland there is an evil man named Barnaby.
Luna gasped and her hands covered her mouth
Sergio: And Barnaby likes to kidnap and shrink people who get in his way, so he couldn’t know I was there. In order to chat with the Captain of the Guard to get the information I needed, I had to look like the rest of the guards, and they ALL had mustaches.
Luna: So what did you do?
Sergio: I snuck into the toymaker’s lab, inch by inch, and found the box of toy soldier parts and found the biggest mustache I could find. He wiggled his nose. It tickled at first.
Luna: Weren’t you afraid that the toymaker would find you?
Sergio: I had a plan. If the toymaker came in, I’d freeze and do pretend I was a stuffed toy.
Luna: That was so brave of you, Sergio.
He beamed.
Luna: Now take the mustache off.
Sergio: You don’t think it makes me look dashing?
Luna: You don’t look like MY Sergio!
Sergio: He peeled the mustache off and put it in his pocket. I’ll just keep it in case I need to go undercover for an assignment again. Speaking of … the other critters and I have something to do for Santa’s elves. I found a heard of magical dachshunds to help us fly.

As he trotted out the door, I heard the elves calling out.

“Now, Ella! now, Bobo! now, Sergio and Rin!
On, Jagger! on, Tizzy! on, Sandy and Finn!
To the kids you must go! and their hearts hold in thrall!
Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!”

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