Always Juggling on Squidoo
Ranked #1,519 in Squidoo Community, #140,618 overall | Donates to Save the Children
A J is Always Juggling
Oh, but just one more thing. I am NOT Superwoman and I often drop the balls!
Contents at a Glance
My Lens of the Day! Twice!!
Lizzie's left ear is now very famous!
All about Writing Online
The website I own with two other Squidoo Members
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byI am....a dreamer
Distant Dreamer by Duffy
Duffy for your MP3
I Love....Squidoo

I have been "interviewed" by Lensmaster Spirituality. Click on the badge to find out what I have to say about Squidoo.
On Squidoo I have been a Squidoo Angel
What an honour!
When some of my Angel colleagues retired in October 2009, I stayed on until 31 December 2009, when I too hung up my wings.
Being a Squidoo Angel made it possible for me to find Lensmasters I may never have found!
Who Am I?
A little bit of "AJ" history
I was born in the UK, left school at 16 and my one regret was not being taught English by Mrs Potter. She was a breath of fresh air in the school with her brightly coloured mini skirts and stripey tights. Now she is known all over the world as Joanna Trollope - I really ought to read some of her books sometime!I married too young and following a totally unremarkable career in banking and insurance I stayed at home to raise my two eldest children, as was the norm for the 70s and 80s.
Life was not at all easy following the mutually agreed separation from my first husband. The divorce became difficult but I wont dwell on it and money was very tight. However, there was a happy ending as through my job, not only did I make some lovely friends but one of them evolved into my current husband and we married in 1996.
Two home births later, I now have two more daughters and my children's ages range from 11 to 32! It makes for very interesting family dynamics.
My Career
If you can call it that!
The technology revolution happened in the 12 years I stayed at home looking after my older children. Typewriters evolved into Word Processors and then into PCs. At first it was a steep learning curve but I ended up very proficient in Spreadsheets, Databases and Desk Top Publishing.When my youngest was 14 months old I did a part time University Course for six months in how to start up a business. This involved writing a business plan and as a result of all this I ended up teaching Business Startup to adults.
During this time we had a lovely Nanny for the girls, but as the time came for the youngest to start full time at school, I made the decision to look for work that I could do at home so I could be there when the children came home from school and during the holidays.
I also worked on various database projects but due to balance and co-ordination problems caused by a disease in my right ear called Otosclerosis I am unable to go out to work. So I have decided that now is the time to indulge my passion for writing. So here I am on Squidoo.
Books that helped me develop my IT skills
I am a ...... WAHM
A work at home Mum
My PC maintenance and "tricks" lenses
Direct links to free software
I also discovered how to move a Blog from Wordpress to Blogger.
I have......Otosclerosis
A disease of the middle ear
However, once the show was finished, I realised that my symptoms were worsening and it was becoming a huge concern. I was referred for tests, including an MRI scan, to see if there were any abnormalites in the brain and in June I received the diagnosis of Otosclerosis.
The impact on my lfe has been huge as I try to recover and also adapt to hearing loss in my right ear. My lens about Otosclerosis discusses symptoms, diagnosis and treatment and is regularly updated with my progress.
Otosclerosis
Information about Otosclerosis and how it has affected my life
I Love......Christmas! Ho, ho, ho!
My Christmas Lenses
Then I did another, this time with a "green" theme....
Another Lens of the Day!
01 December 2008
10 More Things I Love!
I love:My "nature" lenses
I love my garden and I love wildlife and we have pets
One of my favourite gifts
I hope you dance - an inspirational song and book
I have a very special friend. She is a "dixie chick" from Florida, who came into my life when we went on the same college course in 1999. She is one of those people who, no matter where you are in the world, you think of them often.We are so different, but we are also so alike and we have supported each other through many ups and downs. She is living back in the States now and oh, how I miss her and laughing and crying over a cappuchino!
She gave me a book "I hope you dance" and it is one of my favourite gifts. But like you often do, you put a treasured possession to one side and you forget about it for awhile. I suppose that's what makes it so special - when you find it again you experience the good feeling you had when you were given it, all over again.
This wet September morning, it is early and I cannot sleep. I have just got up and played the song that goes with the book. It is inspirational.
Lee Ann Womack recorded the song "I hope you dance". In the introduction to the book, she says that the lyrics makes her think of her children and what she wants for them in life. It does the same to me.
I hope you dance too!
Update 21 October 2008
My Dixie Chick visited my lens and this is what she said in the Guestbook:
"I sit listening to sultry words of hope, vision, dreams... wandering through your thoughtful prose. There are no miles between us when I can feel your presence so pure. Go Girl ! We once were called 'scribblers' ... now we are 'tappers'!
xo
I hope you dance
I hope you dance - the book & the CD
A thoughtful and inspiring gift
Some great reference books
Books I dip in and out of
10 Things I Hate!
I hate:I love ...... MASH
One of my alltime favourite TV shows
My Favourite TV Shows
Something I was not expecting to find
I'm glad I found it!
Cheesy! Yep, it is so cheesy you could serve it up with pickle but I just love this clip!
Going Green Ideas
Environmentally Friendly Lenses
Everyone should have at least one of these
Do your bit to save the planet. Always have at least one of these on you when you go shopping
AJ's Blog: Going Green Ideas
A Green Blog on Crabby's Beach
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byMy Family & Parenting Lenses
Bullying, APD, Otosclerosis and more...
Three of these lenses are about my family.
I want to see......wild horses running free
My Friend Flicka was one of my fav books as a child
One of my favourite books was "My Friend Flicka", as well as the sequels, "Thunderhead" and "The Green Grass of Wyoming". I did have my own horse eventually and he was just like Flicka - a golden chestnut with a cream mane and tale. He was my dream come true but sadly I had to sell him when my first husband and I were divorced.
I no longer ride, thanks to two very bad falls and lack of funds, but one of my daughters is as passionate about horses as I ever was and we would both love to see horses running free in the central states of the USA. We would love to make it to Wyoming one day.
My Friend Flicka & my other favourites
Wonderful books for young horse lovers
I Love . . . . animals
Dogs, rabbits
I love ...... cooking, but I am wheatfree
A recipe lens and one of my fav Chefs plus wheat=free dieting!
Some of my favourite Lensmasters
Since joining Squidoo I have enjoyed reading many, many lenses and have been impressed by how friendly and helpful the Squidoo Community is. These are just a few of the Lensmasters who have made an impression on me for various reasons.I am ....Gemini
AND I was born in the Chinese Year of the Horse!
Gemini traits according to Wikipedia
Ideal Careers
Architect, archaeologist, comedian, teacher, model, playwright, diplomat, public speaker, singer, author, psychologist, poet, musician, journalist, lawyer, movie writer or director, debater/politician.
As far as an ideal career is concerned, I have taught adults and my children tell me that I am better than their IT teacher. Model? Not these days!
Playwright - well I am currently writing a show with a couple of friends and I have written Pantomime scripts. Diplomat - oops, sometimes I put my foot in it. Public speaker - have done that and I get good feedback.
Singer - good at backing, find solo hard as due to lack of confidence, my throat closes up. Author - I have a draft novel, but have been sidetracked by Squidoo. Psychology interests me but I could not be a psychologist I would get too drawn in by my patients. Poet - don't think so.
Musician, could never get the hang of reading music. Journalist - would have liked to have been article writer - could still do it and isn't that sort of what I am doing on Squidoo and on Imperfectly Natural? As for movie writer or director - would like to turn my novel into a screenplay and I have directed pantos and shows in amateur theatre.
Debater - most definitely. I have an opinion on everything! Politician - NO! Most of them in my opinion have no ethics!
Likes
Talking, the unusual, teaching, learning, different things in life, having multiple projects all going at once, traveling, making jokes, jet-setting
Likes talking? Moi? Yes, of course I do! Unusual things do catch my eye, and I do like teaching, but not all the time.
Rehearsing 45 children for a couple of hours a week for 3 months of the year is about all I can manage. Learning? My mother says I was a sponge when I was a child, I would absorb everything. Still do.
Multi-tasking was always a speciality but as I get older I enjoy it less. I like to focus on one thing at a time, but I can be easily distracted. I love travelling abroad and yes, I can usually see humour in most situations - but it is not always appreciated!
Dislikes
Feeling tied down, losing, being wrong, being in a bad situation, mental inaction, being alone, not getting credit for one's successes
I do like to be a free bird and hate feeling tied down. As for losing, winning is not everything but trying to win is. Being wrong is horrible but not the end of the world and I am good at apologising if the fault is mine.
I hate being in a bad situation particularly if it is not of my own making - but being a Gemini, sometimes it is! Mental inaction - I find it hard to watch TV, unless it is something I really want to see. I would far rather be doing something, so in order to compromise with my family and be there with them, I will be happy if I can sew. In the weeks before Christmas it is fine because I am usually making my costume for a show.
I don't mind having time on my own, if I am writing - it is a blessing. However, I hate staying away on my own, would never go to a restaurant or the cinema on my own.
As for not getting credit for my successes - I get very, very riled if someone steals my thunder or gives the impression that my idea was theirs. As a result I will always give someone credit for any ideas that I make use of.
Of course I don't believe in all that astrology rubbish!
My Astrology Lenses
My newest niche
My favourite musicals
Well some of them!
Mamma Mia!
If you can't wait for the delivery of your DVD, then have a look at this trailer!
I also love Hairspray, Pantomimes and The Phantom of the Opera!
I love Musical Theatre!
My "Miscellaneous" Lenses
Everything else....
Dancing in the Rain
Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass
It's about learning to dance in the rain"
I came across this quote in early 2008 and have been unable to find out who wrote it. The words evoked various emotions and thoughts. The first thing I visualised was a picture of me and my very dear american friend just "singing and dancing in the rain!" Not literally, but it does sum up what we both try to do.
Occasionally I do a Google on "dancing in the rain" and there's masses of hits on blogs and pages. But there is one that I found that has touched me more than any other:
Dancing in the Rain - a tribute to two sons
Although I have four children, I cannot begin to imagine what it must be like to lose a child. But to know that your child may still be alive if it was not for the deliberate murderous actions of other human beings must be one of the biggest burdens that any parent who loses a child has to bear.
This website just makes me feel blessed and I hope the parents continue to develop it further. There's links to help for people having to come to terms not only with their loss, but the circumstances of that loss. There's also links to fundraising for various causes, so I hope you will go and take a look for yourself.
More favourite Lensmasters
How did I do on Squidoo in 2008?
Some landmark dates
I join Squidoo
14 July
I publish my first lens: Janey Lee Grace
31 July
Four lenses published
31 August 2008
Seven lenses published
10 September
Auditory Processing Disorder is Lens of the Day
15 September 2008
Auditory Processing Disorder made it to my highest ever lensranking of 129
23 September
Auditory Processing Disorder is Lens of the Day for the second time!
24 September 2008
Auditory Processing Disorder achieved my highest ever lens ranking of 107! Nail bitingly close to the Top 100
25 September 2008
I did it! I made the Top 100. Auditory Processing Disorder is now 58 in the overall rankings - WOOOOOOOOO!
28 September 2008
TWO lenses in the Top 100 - another objective achieved with Auditory Processing Disorder and Squid Etiquette
29 September 2008
My highest ever lens ranking: Squid Etiquette made it to 54 in the overall rankings! It's nail biting time again, will I get into the Top 50?
30 September 2008
Unbelievable! Squid Etiquette made it to 49 in the overall rankings in just seven days!
12 lenses published
06 October 2008
Squid Etiquette made it to 23 in the overall rankings - my highest ever ranking
31 October
15 lenses published
30 November
20 lenses published
01 December 2008
Tweleve Days of a Green and Ethical Christmas was Lens of the Day!
31 December
21 lenses published
Final stats on 31 December 2008:
Top 2,000 = 1
Top 10,000 = 7
Top 20,000 = 5
Top 40,000 = 3
40,000+ = 4
A few things I want to do
My aims and ambitions
By end March 2010
Longterm
I wannabe....a writer!
My review of a fav book plus more fav books
The Chromicles of Narnia was one of my favourite set of books when I was child.
My "Squidoo" Lenses
Anything Squidoo
On 24 September my lens Squid Etiquette arrived in the rankings at 1187. The next day it was 141!
I am...romantic
Stardust - great film!
My Romantic Lenses - topical for Valentine's Day
There's more to these lenses that you think!
For Valentine's Day I wanted to try to do something different. This lens has an ethical theme and for the first time features photographs taken by my very creative eldest daughter.
The Weather where I am
Yes, it's true. The British ARE obsessed by the weather
A place I want to take my family
Washington State
Travelling for business rather than pleasure is very different to travelling with people you are close to. We stayed on Mount Rainier and also visited Mount Hood and Mount St Helens but they are the sort of places you want to share with someone close.
We stayed in an old hotel, on Mount Rainier and the inside was like something out of "Lord of the Rings". All wood, with high ceilings and huge log fires. I remember sitting by the fire as a chipmunk ran up and down my leg as I read a book - magic!
However, the most awesome part of the visit was driving up Mount St Helen's which had erupted twelve years previously.

Image courtesy of USDA Forest Service, Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument.
We had to abandon our attempt to get very high as without warning we got caught in very thick fog. However, we still saw some amazing sights. I remember looking down onto Spirit Lake and thinking what a very grey, muddy shoreline it had. Then I realised I was looking at millions of trees that still littered the shoreline! Watching a film of the eruption on a huge screen at one of the visitor centres was absolutely breathtaking.I watched the eruption on the TV when it happened in 1980, but it is only when you actually visit Mount St Helens that you can truly understand what an incredible event the eruption was.
AJ's Autumn To Do List
Publish more lenses in my Astrology niche
Review HTML on some lenses and make them more visually interesting
Add more Fair Trade products to lenses
Will I be a Giant 100 by then?
Countdown to My second anniversary on Squidoo
I Twitter!
My username is aj1996
If you Squidoo like I do, then by all means follow me!
I love....my country
Yep and I like "The Royals" too!
I am ....a RocketMom!
A new initiative on Squidoo
RocketMoms is a gathering of the smartest women on the web, working together to make Squidoo lenses (and a whole lot more). Well that's what is says on the Homepage!The group is specifically aimed at Mums (Moms) publishing on Squidoo and the first cohort started their six week course on 20 April 2009.
In Week 1 our first task was to make an "about me" lens. We have our own template and I have published a Lensography for all my RocketMoms lenses and there's plexos for other RocketMoms to add their lenses as well.
RocketMoms
Lenses using the Rocket Moms template
My Groups
All lenses are personally approved
I Squidoo!
You can too!
Do you have some stories to share?
Do you want to get a message across about something you believe in?
Do you have a website to promote?
Would you like to try your hand at writing on Squidoo?
Then become a Lensmaster! You may even make some extra cash too! AND it is free!
All you have to do is click on this link. Choose a Username and a Password - you dont even have to publish until you are ready - then go visit some lenses and to help you there's lots of "How to Squidoo" lenses, written by lensmasters who have "been there"!
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Please stop by and say hello!
I would love to hear from everyone who may just be slightly interested enough to have taken a peek at who I am! And if you liked this lens then please Tweet it - thank you.
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desa999
Jan 29, 2012 @ 12:33 am | delete
- Wow what a comprehensive lens. Well done.
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favored1
Dec 8, 2011 @ 6:49 am | delete
- It will take me quite a while to fill my bio page with interests. I've just begun, but I've so enjoyed spending time on yours. I will want to read your lenses on England.
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Graceonline
Nov 12, 2011 @ 3:21 am | delete
- Well, I'm exhausted, and all I had to do was read about your life and interests. What a ride! Incidentally, you may be interested in RenaissanceWoman2010's lens on wild horses in her mountain meadow.
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desa999
Nov 4, 2011 @ 2:00 am | delete
- Hi, you've certainly covered some amazing topics here and juggling it all is a major achievemnt. Well done.
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sousababy
Oct 26, 2010 @ 6:59 pm | delete
- Dear AJ,
Wow, your life has been (and still is) so full...and you have chosen to "dance" more than "sit it out." I too am born in the Chinese year of the Horse (1966) but I am a Scorpio. I see that you have visited Niagara falls, that's pretty close to me. What a coincidence that you too love horses (and all animals). Another Squid lady greeted me and was the first one to comment on many of my lenses, she is known for her amazing portraits of horses. If you wish, check her out at: http://www.squidoo.com/lensmasters/d-artist
Oh and I think I accidentally made myself a "Fan" of yours twice, I do not have a twin. (And thanks for becoming my third fan).
Take Good Care,
Rose
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April 2009


