Everything I Needed To Know I Learned In Hell by Dan Balestrero

 

Everything I Needed to Know I Learned in Hell is a compilation of things I've learned about succeeding and failing - in life and business - while teaching. Teaching leads to a lot of revelations, laughter, tears, disbelief, theater of the absurd, the occasional miracle, and, more often than not, exciting progress.

It's important to point out that I'm an observer of behavior, not a therapist. Having said that, the reason I wrote this book is I felt a need to put down some thoughts from my personal point of view about how to work through limitations and move on to full success. Anthony Robbins is right, "Success leaves clues."

And just as importantly, failure also leaves clues. Or, more directly, it leaves a trail - usually an icky trail- of bad choices executed with no plan and way too much false hope.

We all have our own self-doubts and small hell that we have to escape from in order to succeed. Over the years, I've seen different people succeed and fail, and I've made notes about the causes and traits that seem to create those two outcomes. I've tried to offer encouragement to the people I've worked with, and I've laughed and cried with many in an effort to discover how to escape personal demons and model the success of others. Other people's success can be inspiring, and sometimes totally annoying, as we try to figure out, "Why not me?"

Everything I Needed to Know I Learned in Hell is about the things that have helped me and others escape our private hells. I offer this information in the hope that it might be of some help to you. Even given the difficulty of life, everyone- I mean everyone- can escape. This book contains my personal view of how the mountains of shit can be used to fertilize your orchard of success.

Where you can find Everything I Needed To Know I Learned In Hell:

https://www.amazon.com/Everything-needed-Know-learned-Hell-ebook/dp/B06XB4M2MY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1490647315&sr=8-1&keywords=everything+i+needed+to+know+i+learned+in+hell

https://www.amazon.com/dp/154409809X/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1490647315&sr=8-2&keywords=everything+i+needed+to+know+i+learned+in+hell

Where you can find Dan:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34507930-everything-i-needed-to-know-i-learned-in-hell?ac=1&from_search=true

Here's The Press Release For Poetry and Ponderings!

The new press release from Online PR Media!

Online PR News – 18-June-2017 – Green Bay – In this rare collection of nonfiction Christian poetry and prose based on real life experiences, Diamante Lavendar, a victim of abuse, shows the reader the raw emotions of pain, hate, and denial that occur before a victim of abuse can find a way to heal from the pains of assault. Knowing herself the very difficult journey of being a victim, Diamante was abused as a child, and turned to alcohol and drugs to numb the pain. Many years later, she started to heal under God's watchful eyes and was able to find love in her life again. She shares these truly inspiring, religious poems in the hopes that it may help other victims heal their hurts, as she did while writing the poetry collection.

"Poetry and Ponderings is the most loving and beautiful dedication to Diamante Lavendar's daughter. Anybody who has gone through a grieving time needs to read this classic expression of love and devotion. I tip my hat to the author for this marvelous collection of wisdom, insight, and truth."—Mel Novak, Actor, Best known for his role in Bruce Lee's Game of Death.

“Poetry and Ponderings is the most loving and beautiful dedication to Diamante Lavendar’s daughter. Anybody who has gone through a grieving time needs to read this classic expression of love and devotion. I tip my hat to the author for this marvelous collection of wisdom, insight, and truth.”—Mel Novak, Actor, Best known for his role in Bruce Lee’s Game of Death.”

"Tragedy turned triumph. Poetry and Ponderings beautifully leads the reader from gut-wrenching pain to glorious freedom and healing. A must read for survivors and those who love them."—Sarah Boes, Founder of More Precious Than Rubies, reaching victims of commercial sexual exploitation.

"Ms. Lavendar takes the reader through her powerful, unfiltered emotions on each page with every poem. The personal nature of her poetry opens a window into her life, into her being."—IE Castellano, Author of The World In-between Series.

"Diamante's Poetry and Ponderings are an affirmation, and flow to the close of her book with the summation of her awakening. She has in each poem walked us through to her understanding, and acceptance; we are the creation of God's breath, as souls to live life to the fullest, and with forgiveness… ‘Writing is her way of leaving her mark; one poem, one story at a time.’ This book achieves this endeavor."—Sam Eastwood, International Poet.

"A really nice collection of poetry. The poems flow well, as well as vary in structure and length…I enjoyed the positivity that took over the majority of the work and the enlightened affirmations that punctuated every few pages. I really enjoyed the branch graphic on every page; it’s neat how the branch reflected healing."—Maddy Drake, Dreaming Big Publications.

About the Author: Diamante Lavendar has been in love with reading since she was a child. Diamante believes that everyone should try to leave their own positive mark on the world, and to make it a better place for all. Writing is her way of leaving her mark-one story at a time. She began writing in college and has published poetry in anthologies over the years. Most of her writing is very personal and stems from her own experiences, and those of her family and friends. She writes to encourage hope and possibility to those who read her stories. Her book, Breaking the Silence has been nominated for and won many awards. To learn more about Diamante Lavendar and her books, please visit her website at: www.diamantelavendar.com.

- See more at: https://www.onlineprnews.com/news/912410-1497614270-poetry-and-ponderings-a-new-chapbook-of-hope-and-healing-by-award-winning-author-diamante-lavendar.html#sthash.zXJ59Vmb.dpuf

Review: The Magnum Opus by Christopher and Christine Kezelos

A beautiful, sentimental story written by Christine and Christopher Kezelos.  If you enjoy fantasy and whimsical storytelling, this book is for you.

I absolutely loved how the authors wove spiritual wisdom into the book's pages in a subtle yet striking way.  The story is a must read for anyone looking to develop more meaning and intention in their lives.

I highly recommend this book to adolescents and adults alike.  The Magnum Opus would make a wonderful gift for anyone interested in fantasy or fiction.

My rating:  5 Diamonds!  <>  <>  <>  <>  <>

Where you can find The Magnum Opus:

https://www.amazon.com/Magnum-Opus-Seek-shall-find/dp/0998462802/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1496742473&sr=8-1&keywords=the+magnum+opus

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-magnum-opus-christine-kezelos/1125384778?ean=9780998462806

My poem entitled Life, set to music.

I wrote this poem a while ago but recently decided to set it to music. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMHeJpo7ij4

As is everything I write, this poem has a lot of personal meaning to me.  I hope you enjoy it!

Feel free to follow me on youtube.  I have created 20 videos there with different types of content.  I'd love to have you join me!

You Shone Like The Sun On Autumn Leaves

You shone like the sun on autumn leaves, Their remaining life brief before they fell from the trees;

The sun's light was strong, the warmth intense, Just as was your heart; loving, immense;

But the leaves shriveled up and neared their end, Just as you when you left, my child, my friend;

Your meaning lives on in every new day, I begged God for time to extend your stay;

It's a hard lesson to learn that you have no control, Over life, over love, over a darling child's soul;

All we can do is sift through the hours, And beg for provision, mercy and power,

To experience life's sentence of lessons and fate, Before we, too, find ourselves in heaven's estate.

Love us and guide us from your ethereal view,                                                                                 Until one day we are reunited with you.

-Diamante Lavendar

Ominous Clouds

Ominous clouds on a haunted street, Passers by shuffling quickened feet; Ghosts lurk behind windows, and half open doors; Watching, waiting, squeaking furniture and floors; Their time has stopped, clocks are meaningless pieces; Of a life they once knew, before meeting the reaper; Confused and rattled, they are bound to cold earth; No longer feeling happiness, meaning or worth.

-Diamante Lavendar

Available on Fine Art America at:

https://fineartamerica.com/featured/ominous-clouds-diamante-lavendar.html

Pug With A Passport by Marie Story!

Jump into an exciting travel adventure with Kipling, the Pug with a Passport! Ride along with Kip as he travels through the big, busy city of Tokyo. Join him as he learns about the country and culture of Japan with his friend, Taiki. Explore with Kip as he rides the train and learns to play taiko. Tag along as he tries sushi, learns some Japanese, and makes new friends!

Interview with Kip:

1.  What is your name?  Tell me a little about yourself.
My name is Kipling, but you can call me Kip. I'm a five-year-old pug who loves adventure. I travel all over the world, learning about different countries and cultures. I have friends in so many countries, and they teach me a lot about how people live in other places. I also like playing with my friends at the park and taking long naps on the couch. My favorite snacks are bacon and bananas.
2.  You have a passport.  Tell me where you enjoy travelling?
I love traveling EVERYWHERE! I just got back from a big adventure in Tokyo, where I visited my friend, Taiki. On my next big adventure, I'll be visiting a new friend in Mexico City! You can follow all of my adventures on Facebook or Instagram. I like to post a lot of photos of the places I visit.
3.  Why do you like to travel?
Each country has so much to see and do. There are so many different types of food to try, and places to visit. I love to learn new languages as well! It's fun to see how different people are all around the world. I think it would be boring if everybody was exactly the same! Don't you?
4.  Tell me about Marie, your creator.
Marie was born in the Philippines, and grew up in Japan and Mexico. She spent most of her life bouncing around to different continents, including Asia, Africa, Europe, and North America. She loves to tell kids about how wonderful travel is, so that's why she started writing stories about my travel adventures.
5.  What would you like people to know about Marie?
Marie is a writer, illustrator, and designer. She lives with her husband (author Peter J. Story) and two pugs (me and my sister) in San Antonio, Texas.
Where you can find Traveling Through Tokyo:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MV6OU0D/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1486613877&sr=8-1&keywords=traveling+through+tokyo
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/traveling-through-tokyo-story-marie/1125924918?ean=9780990749332
Where you can connect with Marie Story:
https://www.facebook.com/pugwithapassport/?fref=ts
https://www.instagram.com/pug_with_a_passport/

Introducing Artist Monika Vijay!

I met Monika on Fuzia.  She is an artist from India-a very talented artist!  I offered to feature her on my blog and social media sites.  Here are a few pieces of her work:

U & Me

Autumn Beauty

Lord Buddha

A Note From Monika:

Hello, This is Monika Vijay. I am from Bihar. I was never into painting and writing until I got older. With my parents' pressure and interest, I was taught painting by Diya Mam when I was in 7th study; but after that I didn't do much work with it until prompted by my husband. Now, after marriage and getting free from studies, my hubby encouraged me to be a painter. He bought colors, brushes, charts and everything required for painting. Now I'm used to it and I love painting whenever I get free time. I have also started taking drawing classes. Next, I'm going to sell my paintings for home decor or for hotel & restaurant interiors. People can contact me as per their painting requirement. I would like to thank my hubby for encouraging me and for helping me to become a fine painter now.

How To Contact Monika:

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100011561172639

Where To View Monika's Work:

https://www.facebook.com/mvartgallery.in/?pnref=story

Peach Blossoms

The peach blossoms reach And grasp for the sky, Watching graceful birds And insects fly by;

They drink in the essence, Of the winds' lusty breeze, And the sweet scented flowers, Growing nearby their trees.

They watch and marvel, At the vibrant colors, Of the grass, the skies, Flowering sisters and brothers;

All in due season, All in due time, There is no worry or pressure, In nature's rhythm and rhyme.

Available on Fine Art America at:

https://fineartamerica.com/featured/peach-blossoms-diamante-lavendar.html

 

Four New Photographs!

Here are some of my new pieces. All available on my art website. The first is entitled After The Rain.

Water falls upon the earth anew.  From morning's mist to setting sunlight's dew.  Cascading upon nature, bringing life again.  Another simple pleasure from heaven's blissful realm.  Celebrate rain and our earth's health!

My photograph entitled Cotton Candy Clouds.

On a warm, winter day as the snow melts away, the clouds came out to shift and play in a cotton candy formed array!

My photograph entitled Purple Rain.

Rain is soothing to the soul.  How much more is purple rain?  The color purple uplifts and calms.  It is the color of royalty and spiritual awakening.  Purple also encourages creativity.  What more could you ask for?

My piece entitled Moonlight Branches.

On a lonely, moonlit night, gnarled branches caught my artist's sight.  Displaying calm and peaceful gloom, their image met my camera's zoom!  I love night time.  I see the most peaceful things in the dark of night.

You can find all of these and more at https://diamante-lavendar.pixels.com/

I Have A Friend On Jupiter by Celine Rose Mariotti

Carlos and Indiana find a website that promises to find them pen pals from outer space. Imagine their surprise and excitement when they are paired with Mannie and Kossie, two children from Jupiter! The two pairs of pen pals are excited to learn about each other and their planets, and are even more excited to learn they may be able to visit! Will the other Earthlings be as open to a visit from aliens from Jupiter, though?

Where you can find I Have A Friend On Jupiter:

https://www.amazon.com/Have-Friend-Jupiter-Celine-Mariotti/dp/1540801020/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1493972538&sr=8-1&keywords=i+have+a+friend+on+jupiter

Check out the book trailer here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVeu2m9-iqM

Available through Dreaming Big Publications!

Sea Goddess

My newest piece of fractal/digital art.

Water is one of our most precious commodities.  We need to respect it and take good care of it so that it can continue to sustain us.

Sea Goddess interprets the beauty of water on the planet and acknowledges that it had to have been created by divine guidance.

Available on Fine Art America at https://fineartamerica.com/featured/sea-goddess-diamante-lavendar.html

Angel Of Light

Here is my newest creation entitled Angel Of Light! A combination of digital and fractal art!

Angels are all around us all of the time.  We can feel them in our hearts and see them in our minds' eye.  Sometimes we're lucky enough to see them with our natural eyes and they can be felt too with a cool, prickly sensation or a warm, loving sensation.  They are only a heartbeat away!  (https://fineartamerica.com/featured/angel-of-lilght-diamante-lavendar.html?newartwork=true).

Weeping Well by Angel M.B. Chadwick

Fear is like a looking glass.....

Eva Murphy loses something she'd never thought she'd lose. From that day forward her world changes and her journey begins.

Love and devastation come her way constantly and as she comes of age, her inner strength is tested over and over again.

Interview with Telly Glanville from Weeping Well:

     -Telly Glanville. I'm 18 years old. I'm from the UK. I play centre for the rugby team  at Summerville Boarding School.
     -Keeping afloat in the struggles of life. Embracing the darkness and knowing that there is strength in vulnerability. 
     -Eva Murphy. She's a spitfire. She always lets you know where she stands.
     -She thrives in the darkness. Because of this her works and characters are complex,    authentic and unique as well as relatable. She has a unique insight into mankind. She doesn't  live vicariously through her characters, we live vicariously through her.
     -Because it's her life story. She has an abundance of  her own real life stories to show and tell.  Yes, I agree with her perspective because it's universal as well as extremely personal.
Where you can find Weeping Well:
https://www.amazon.com/Weeping-Well-Mrs-Angel-Chadwick/dp/1541341082/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1491981014&sr=8-1&keywords=weeping+well
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/weeping-well-mrs-angel-mb-chadwick/1125412278?ean=9781541341081
Where you can find Angel:
https://www.facebook.com/angel.chadwick.10
https://www.amazon.com/Mrs.-Angel-M.B.-Chadwick/e/B00O4KZI8Q/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0
https://www.wattpad.com/user/Amaboo

Writer's Retweet Audiobook by Piers Anthony

A new audio book by Dreaming Big Publications!

Horrifying illusions. Classified government operations. Heavily guarded secrets. Cryptic rumors. Dangerous prisoners. Irresistible passion. Demonic magic.

Piers Anthony weaves this and more into Writer’s Retweet, a collection of five short stories abounding in the adventure, magic, and naughtiness that fans have come to know and love from this author.

In “Experiment,” “Discovery,” and “Mission,” painfully average Bigelow Bilge and Paula Plaintiff are thrust unwillingly into a world fraught with terrifying, victim-specific illusions. Who—or what—is the source of these horrifying encounters? Why have Bigelow and Paula been targeted?

A newspaper reporter in “Dull Street Incident” gets wind of a delicious scandal rumored to have punctuated a stale suburban street. Menacing prisoners, conniving teenage girls, and one well-kept secret leads this reporter to the story of a lifetime. But who will believe it?

In “Forbidden Fruit,” dowdy, middle-aged Edith happens upon a mysterious fruit that completely alters her life—and the life of Kent, an attractive, young neighbor. Seduced by her newfound magical abilities and rediscovered sex appeal, Edith plunges into a world filled with demons, pleasure, and unthinkable risk.

ABOUT THE NARRATOR:   As a child, Harry Benjamin spent many hours lying on his bedroom floor, reading his favourite novels aloud in time to the accompanying audiobook. Now a young actor with a passion for telling stories, it is only natural that he has made the leap into audiobook narration himself, something he intends to keep doing for a long time to come! In addition to voiceovers, Harry also acts, writes and directs for theatre, and is a member of the recently formed theatre company Colossal Porpoise, who can be tracked down on Facebook and Twitter.

Where you can find Writer's Retweet:

https://www.amazon.com/Writers-Retweet-Piers-Anthony/dp/1535513314/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1491727480&sr=8-1&keywords=writer%27s+retweet

The Bridge Of The Golden Wood by Karl Beckstrand

"A child with a knack for solving problems helps some hungry fish and finds a treasure. Illustrated folk tale teaches the value of work and comes with ideas for businesses; money-making activities; and online resources ."

My Rating:  3 Diamonds <>  <>  <>

This is a cute and nicely illustrated story about earning a living.  A boy goes on an adventure and learns how to earn money while he is helping a stranger.  This story speaks of being creative when it comes to living life-which is always a good idea!

The illustrations are well done and the story is easy for young children to understand.  This would be a good gift for a child for any occasion.  Plus the book conveys useful information for children in how to be a success in life.

Where you can find The Bridge Of Golden Wood:

https://www.amazon.com/Bridge-Golden-Wood-Parable-Money-ebook/dp/B01N0XCPQK

http://www.gozobooks.com/bridge-of-the-golden-wood.php

 

 

 

Music I Created For My Daughter Who Passed

I've always loved music. Twenty years ago I wrote and sang. Now, so many years later, I find myself doing it again. In memory of my daughter who passed only three and a half months ago.

I wanted the music to make the listener feel the unreal, ethereal and disillusioning feeling of losing a child.  I think I succeeded.  Take a listen.  I hope my daughter can hear me and know how much I miss her.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/i-miss-you-single/id1206898119

https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/for-my-baby-radio-version-single/id1206895872