Dictionaries

Sharlee Plett fell in love with language and the written word at a very early age and even to this day is fascinated by words, their meaning and their history.  The links below are some of her favorite dictionaries and word exploration websites.

Etymology Dictionary

Dictionary.com

More Words

1913 Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary

1844 Webster's Dictionary

Chamber's Etymological Dictionary of 1871

You are Beautiful Message

Sometimes it seems that there is no shortage of criticism and fault-finding in the world, particularly self-criticism.  This remarkable video was produced as a gift to the world by Sivan Garr as a message to everyone to remind us that even with all our flaws, we are all beautiful in our diversity and uniqueness.  Listening to the video can have an amazingly uplifting effect.  Enjoy!

The Trouble with Mandy

Shirley Bigelow DeKelver, current President of the Shuswap Writer's Group, has published her new book, "The Trouble with Mandy," a novel for young teens.

Her novel release was featured in the Shuswap A.M. community newspaper:

To read more about Shirley, and to learn how to order her new book, you can visit her website at: www.shirleydekelver.com

You are Beautiful! Already.

There's an old saying: "Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder," and this video explores ideas about how you can adjust your own view of yourself, the view that you present in your world, in ways that are empowering and full of possibility.  The video is entitled: "On Real Beauty."

Here's the top 10 ways to make sure everyone knows you're beautiful, as shown in the video:

1.  Remember there are differences, but there are no flaws.

2.  There's only one fashion rule: if it makes you feel awesome, wear it.

3.  Be willing to be vulnerable, so you can also fully experience joy.

4.  Control your own perspective.  Perspective is everything.

5.  Another word for sexy?  CONFIDENT.

6.  Breathe.  Deeply and every day.

7.  Express yourself.  Often, kindly and without apology.

8.  The adventure is in the attempt.  Embrace possibility.

9.  To remain youthful, never stop looking for the wonderful.

10. And finally: create your own story.  Never let others create it for you...

Because no matter what anyone says, there is an underlying truth:  you are different and you are beautiful, amazing,

The video links to the website: thebeautyofdifferent.com, which offers a wonderful book:

the beauty of different

What if you had a superpower?  Because you just might.  The Beauty of Different contains intimate portraits of men and women who have discovered what makes them beautifully different.  Walrond's gifted eye captures their beauty and the beauty in the world around us in unique and stirring ways.  Spend time looking at life through her eyes, and you'll discover a whole new way of seeing yourself.

And remember -- you are ALREADY beautiful!

The World's Funniest Joke

Why do we laugh?  What makes us laugh?  Why do we so love funny stories, movies, jokes and events that make us laugh?

Believe it or not, a researcher named Richard Wiseman decided to conduct a study to try to answer some of these questions.

The project was set-up in collaboration with The British Science Association, and involved people sending in their favourite jokes, and rating how funny they found the jokes submitted by others.  The project attracted attention from the international media, resulting in the website receiving over 40,000 jokes and 1.5 million ratings. ~ LaughLab

At the end of the year of research, this joke was found to be the world's funniest joke:

Two hunters are out in the woods when one of them collapses. He doesn’t seem to be breathing and his eyes are glazed. The other guy whips out his phone and calls the emergency services. He gasps, “My friend is dead! What can I do?”. The operator says “Calm down. I can help. First, let’s make sure he’s dead.” There is a silence, then a shot is heard. Back on the phone, the guy says “OK, now what?” 

The second funniest joke was:

Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson go on a camping trip.  After a good dinner and a bottle of wine, they retire for the night, and go to sleep.  Some hours later, Holmes wakes up and nudges his faithful friend. "Watson, look up at the sky and tell me what you see." "I see millions and millions of stars, Holmes" replies Watson. "And what do you deduce from that?" Watson ponders for a minute. "Well, astronomically, it tells me that there are millions of galaxies and potentially billions of planets.  Astrologically, I observe that Saturn is in Leo.  Horologically, I deduce that the time is approximately a quarter past three.  Meteorologically, I suspect that we will have a beautiful day tomorrow.  Theologically, I can see that God is all powerful, and that we are a small and insignificant part of the universe...  What does it tell you, Holmes?" Holmes is silent for a moment.  "Watson, you idiot!" he says.  "Someone has stolen our tent!"

Funny Newspaper Headings

Need a good laugh?  Check out these hilarious newspaper clippings!

This collection of funny headings is just in time for National Newspaper Week -- celebrated during the first full week in October.  In 2012, it falls on October 7th to the 13th.

Visiting England Series by Sharlee Plett

In the summer of 2008, Sharlee Plett visited southern England for three months, touring all over the county of Devon, visiting the famous Jurassic Coast, Cornwall, and some of the more famous sites like Stonehenge, Glastonbury and  the Roman baths in Bath.

You can follow her journey in photos and stories from her visit -- each day there is a new set of photos and stories from the various places she visited.

Here`s the link: Visiting England Series by Sharlee Plett

Where is Salmon Arm?

Sharlee Plett is currently living in Salmon Arm, British Columbia.  So where in the world is Salmon Arm?

Just for the fun of it, this post will start with a global view, then zoom in more and more and end with local photographs of the Salmon Area.  Be sure to click on the links -- they open to satellite views from FlashEarth, which you can zoom in and out to see greater and lesser detail.  (Note: links are in blue)

North America

We'll start with a map showing a global view of North America, courtesy of Wikipedia.

North America is bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the North and the Caribbean Sea to the South.

North American countries include: Antigua & Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & The Grenadine, Trinidad & Tobago, and the United States of America.

Canada

Canada occupies the northern part of North America, and is bounded by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Pacific Ocean to the west, the Atlantic Ocean to the west and the United States of America to the south.

West to east, there are ten provinces in Canada: British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland-Labrador.  In the far north, there are three territories: Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut.

Map of British Columbia showing the location of Salmon Arm.

Salmon Arm, is in south-central British Columbia.

It gets its name from the Shuswap Lake, which has four long arms, one of which is named the "Salmon Arm," the arm that connects to the Salmon River.

Salmon Arm is part of the Columbia-Shuswap Regional District, which include the cities of Salmon Arm, Sicamous, Revelstoke, Golden.

Smaller communities include: Anglemont, Blind Bay, Celista, Craigellachie, Eagle Bay, Falkland, Malakwa, Notch Hill, Ranchero, Scotch Creek, Silver Creek, Sorrento, Sunnybrae, Swansea Point, Tappen and White Lake.

Trans-Canada Highway #1 runs right through the middle of the city of Salmon Arm.  On the map to the left, you can see that it is right on the shores of the Shuswap Lake.

It is a 5 to 6 hour drive to Vancouver, on the west coast of British Columbia and a 6 - 7 hour drive to Calgary, Alberta.

It is a four season area, with distinctive weather for spring, summer, autumn and fall.

It can be remarkably hot in the summer time and yes, it snows in the winter, with the first snows usually arriving in mid December and sticking around until late March.


      The Shuswap region is drop-dead beautiful with its pine forests, mountain plateaus and fresh water lakes.

The Salmon River, where it connects with the Shuswap Lake ~ Photograph by Sharlee Plett

The Shuswap River at Enderby, B.C. ~ Photograph by Sharlee Plett

Wondrin' Where the Lions Are

Growing up outside Vancouver, in Tsawwassen, after graduation Sharlee Plett found a great job just outside of the downtown core near Broadway and Granville Street.  Kitsilano and English Bay were just a short walk away at lunch hour, so beautiful in the summertime with the snow-capped mountains in North Vancouver towering across the bay.  A quick drive across the Lion's Gate bridge and up to Capilano Canyon brought the twin peaks of the Lions into view.  (You can see them in the photo to the left).

One of Sharlee's all time favorite songs from that time period is Canadian artist Bruce Cockburn's "Wondering Where the Lions Are" from his album "Dancing in the Dragon's Jaws."  

This beautiful song always reminds of Vancouver, magnificent English Bay and the snowy mountain range where the Lions live.

The Secret - Short Story by Sharlee Plett

In the fall of 2011, Sharlee Plett participated in a weekly writer's meeting in Salmon Arm, B.C.  Each writer brought their original short pieces for reading at the meeting, created from the weekly "homework assignment" given at the end of each class.  

As an example, the homework assignment might be to write a story that included a list of words.  Each word had to appear in the story or poem.  Another type of assignment might be that the story had to begin or end with a particular paragraph or sentence.

It was surprising and fascinating to hear the different ideas that were drawn from each assignment, as each author wove their tale from their own perspective and style.

"The Secret" was a short story written by Sharlee Plett from one of the homework assignments.

You can read Sharlee Plett's version of the homework assignment at her site on the Writer's Network:
The Secret - A Short Story by Sharlee Plett


If you live in the Salmon Arm area of the Shuswap, and you love to write or would like to, consider meeting up with the Shuswap Writer's Group.

This wonderful group of people always begin their meetings with a reading of their Mission Statement:

Our goal is to provide mutual support in a safe, encouraging and positive environment as we each develop our writing skills and flex our creative muscles.   

When it is requested, feedback and evaluation of a member's work will be done in an atmosphere of sincerity and empathy, keeping in mind that it is the evaluator's opinion only. 

As we explore the poetic world of imagination  individual goals will be respected; where one member may be committed to publish, another member may be writing for their own personal pleasure.  All paths are honored.   

It is our intention to evolve as writers.

If not, you might want to feature your work on the Writer's Network.  You can set up your own profile, publish your work, and receive feedback from other members on the network.

Sharlee Plett - Writer's Network Profile

Goodwill

Sharlee Plett scanned and digitally restored this early twentieth century penny postcard and created desktop wallpaper from it.  "There is peace on earth for him who sends goodwill to man."

Click on this link to download this wallpaper for your desktop

Declaration of Interdependence

One of Sharlee Plett's all-time favorite authors is Will Durant, who wrote a series entitled "The Story of Civilization," an eleven-volume set covering the history of Western society from about 330 B.C. to the 20th century.

Each volume explores an era in terms of its inventions, economic organization, government, religion, morality, literature, science, philosophy and art, which Durant sees as the components of civilization.

"Civilizations are the generations of the racial soul. As family-rearing, and then writing, bound the generations together, handing down the lore of the dying to the young, so print and commerce and a thousand ways of communication may bind the civilizations together, and preserve for future cultures all that is of value for them in our own."~Will Durant

The series was released over four decades, the last one published in 1975.

As Sharlee revisited this magnificent series, she found that there now was an entire website devoted to the works of Will Durant and learned that in  the 1940s, Durant wrote a "Declaration of Interdependence," which he explains in one of his many lectures:

"Our main task is to reduce the causes of racial animosity. First by recognizing that we are all guilty. Which of us has never uttered a word of racial hositility? Let us resolve never to do it again. Let us watch our own conduct, and by our moderation, our modesty, our good will, given no handle or excuse to racial division. Let us burn the second half of this Declaration into our hearts, and make a sacred vow, here and now."

Declaration of INTERdependence

Human progress having reached a high level through respect for the liberty and dignity of men, it has become desirable to re-affirm these evident truths:

• That differences of race, color, and creed are natural, and that diverse groups, institutions, and ideas are stimulating factors    in the development of man;
• That to promote harmony in diversity is a responsible task of religion and statesmanship;
• That since no individual can express the whole truth, it is essential to treat with understanding and good will those whose views differ from our own;
• That by the testimony of history intolerance is the door to violence, brutality and dictatorship; and
• That the realization of human interdependence and solidarity is the best guard of civilization.

Therefore, we solemnly resolve, and invite everyone to join in united action.

• To uphold and promote human fellowship through mutual consideration and respect;
• To champion human dignity and decency, and to safeguard these without distinction of race, or color, or creed;
• To strive in concert with others to discourage all animosities arising from these differences, and to unite all groups in the fair play of civilized life.

ROOTED in freedom, bonded in the fellowship of danger, sharing everywhere a common human blood, we declare again that all men are brothers, and that mutual tolerance is the price of liberty.

The Declaration of Interdependence

New Directions for Sharlee Plett

From 1999 to 2007, Sharlee Plett worked extensively as a computer programmer, web designer and graphics artist, producing thousands of digital images, and dozens of websites.  In 2008, Sharlee took time out to review the direction she wanted to go in terms of lifestyle and career.

The next several years was a period of introspection and exploration for Sharlee, as she reviewed her several decades of experience and learning.  The question was: what direction to go in for the greatest fulfillment and success?

Travel figured prominently during the first few years, during that time she traveled throughout the interior of British Columbia, Canada, visited southern England for three months, and traveled across Canada from St. John's, Newfoundland to Victoria, British Columbia.

In 2011, Sharlee moved to Salmon Arm, B.C. and began a course of learning and self-exploration that was intensive and life-changing.  One outstanding book, full of exercises and insights was "The Artist's Way - a Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity" by Julia Cameron resulted in a whole new way of regarding life, success and personal satisfaction.

This workbook caught Sharlee's eye one day in a bookstore, with its focus on creativity, one of the great loves of her life.

Over a period of six months, she completed all of the exercises in the book with all its insights and personal transformations.

One thing became very clear to Sharlee -- the creative impulse, coupled with a love of people simply had to be the backbone of any new direction taken.

The approach taken in the book is very holistic, emphasizing as it does the importance of the whole and the interdependence of the parts.

By the beginning of 2011, Sharlee Plett decided to embark on her new direction, a holistic approach to living characterized by connection to people in caring and inspirational ways.  She sold her interests in various websites, and shut down the rest, and has since been studying in the holistic, wellness and beauty fields.

By the end of this year, Sharlee Plett will complete her training in a number of Beauty and Wellness techniques, including professional nail technician training, reflexology, aromatherapy, and wellness and life coaching.

Join Sharlee Plett on an exploration of this extraordinary journey to true fulfillment and joy in living!

p.s. if you would like to explore this workbook yourself, here is a link to it on Amazon.ca:
The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron