Wonderings on Wanderings: Submitting my Book!

revised cover

The time has come. I signed up with iUniverse last March 14, my editor sent me her Round 2 comments on April 5, and now, three weeks after, I am poised to submit the 82,000 word manuscript plus the accompanying 50 images. I am also submitting the following 200-word back cover copy that, hopefully, will interest book lovers shopping around:

“As a travel book, Carolina Cruising is packed with interesting facts about wildly beautiful places, first-hand insights about many encounters, and innovative how-to guides. Unlike similar works, however, it is not only a retirement story but also a daringly different love story. Written by a jet-setting corporate executive from the Philippines, at 55 Carolina became an American immigrant and at 59 new bride to a 63 year-old Caucasian American. Cruising for more than a hundred thousand miles in four and a half years, they traveled to forty-nine American states (no highway to Hawaii), nine Canadian provinces and six Mexican states. On their charming third tries, they were not looking for love but to stay in love.

Thrust into a largely white community, Carolina immersed herself into the beauty of American geography, its liberating culture, her groundbreaking history, and loved the journey. Within the cozy confines of an RV, lessons came as fast as scenes changed. She not only learned to become a wife without losing her identity but also to be an American, without losing her roots. This book is about her ultimate adventure, cruising in America to feed a fascination, find a friend, and fulfill a fantasy.”

These will also be submitted: 50-word author bio, 25-word elevator pitch, 8,000 character (including spaces) free preview, the above idea for a Cover design with the suggested Title and subtitle and my complete penname as copyright holder, audience level targeted, key search words to be used, book format desired, list of contributors, and royalties desired.

What this means is that, depending on my speed of reporting back to them when they have questions or suggestions, the book may come out in three months. Since there will be an editorial evaluation which means a third round of edits through me and my editor, I would have to add two to three months to that. And, since Bill and I are leaving on a three-month European trip in less than three weeks, I should add another month or two. In other words, the earliest the book can come out will most probably be in six to seven months from now, i.e. October or November. Given this, I will target launching the book on my sixty-sixth birthday on November 25, 2014.

 At this point, I would like to thank all those who helped make this book possible. This will be the Acknowledgment Page, unless I have forgotten some people:

“There are many people without whom this book could not have been written nor seen publication. My husband’s idea of RVing in North America gave me the opportunity to write about something many dream of but have little chance of doing. He was not only my gallant travel companion; he edited my first drafts ad infinitum. I could not have started my blog nor transformed it into a book without him.

From the Philippines, my editor Chit Aldave-Tribiana, a former colleague at the Institute of Advanced Computer Technology, gave me useful insights and cleaned my manuscript in three rounds. Author friends from America, Linda Hermann of Parents to the End, Roberta Dolan of Saying It Out Loud, Linda Kennedy of Brooke’s Miracle and Merry Binkley of Travelblog.org, from thePhilippines Raju Mandhyan of The HeART of Public Speaking, and from Australia Tel Asiado of Inspired Pen all gave me wonderful advice.

Thanks to Silly Willy and Fluffy for teaching me blogging basics that started it all. Liz Kranz, Conchita Derkits, and Suzanne Harper, thanks for your comments, too! Blog readers wrote in tips and Facebook friends enthusiastically participated in polls about the title, the cover, and photos. Author photo is by my accomplished friend, Tony Nievera, and cover design is by my talented son-in-law Deejay Aberion.

I am also grateful to those who visited with us, making our travels more interesting. What would a writer do if not for all those who inspire, encourage, and support? Writing a book would also have been quite an arduous task if not for all those in the technology field who gave us all the tools. Lastly, I salute all the travel writers who wrote classics, giving birth to this genre that I now so happily belong to!”

Our Lifestyle Adventures: Sedona, Lovelier the Third Time Around!

Bell Rock in Sedona

@ Cheesecake Factory

Before we left for Sedona, Bill’s college fraternity brother Jim and his wife Glenda and their friends Archie and Teresa were also our neighbors for a couple of days during our last few days in Viewpoint (which is now almost a ghost town since most everybody has gone home). It turned out that they were also headed to Sedona and Verde Valley. Unfortunately, our schedules did not match. 

But yes, it was our third time. First was 2012 when Bill and I were looking at Arizona closely for a base. Then last month, we accompanied Rick and Cherry to see the lovely red city. Last week, as our ‘home’ was being attended to at Camping World, we booked ourselves a three-night, four-day stay at the beautiful Sedona Summit, a resort of Diamond Resorts International where we are members for a nice little vacation. 

Sedona Summit stucco buildings
blend with Thunder Mountain

The entire facility is broken into buildings of several units each; total number of units is 400. Our unit was a studio with a spacious bathroom suite and functional kitchen and dining aside from the living area and bed. We had a balcony and the walkway to our unit has a sneak view of the beautiful Boynton Canyon area.  Distributed around the property are five pools and even more hot tubs. There is even a large hot tub right next to our building of eight units with a good view of Thunder Mountain.

on walkway to our unit

In addition, there are many rooms at the Activity Center for a full schedule of activities like photography classes, etc. A fully-equipped Fitness Center is also housed at the Center.  During our stay, I was able to use this facility twice. At the guest lobby, there is a Café Center where coffee, tea, or hot chocolate is served free all day. It would be a nice place for a vacation of a week or two or even a month!

Cathedral Rock near sunset

In our last two visits we covered the Chapel of the Holy Cross, the Slide Rock State Park, the Airport Overlook, and trendy downtown shops and eateries. This time we visited Bell Rock, Courthouse Vista, and Boynton Area up close but we lingered a bit more at Red Rock Crossing where the dominant Cathedral Rock and the Oak Creek meet in the most beautiful setting of the city. There was even a wedding going on when we were there. We waited until sunset for the glorious sky painting at twilight!

@ Red Rock Crossing

The following day we were toured around model units in the Resort. After that we had a long discussion with sales executives and. Finally, we decided to be owners and start a new phase in our cruising lifestyle. Then we went to the Grill and Tavern for a date night and dine with the most spectacular view of the Red Rocks. What a fine way to end our little vacation!

dinner @/Grill and Tavern with the view!

As I said after our first visit, it is a wonder Sedona was not declared a national park. Sedona's red sandstone formations appear to glow in brilliant red when illuminated by the sun. They are a popular backdrop for many activities like hiking and biking. Many people visit Sedona to explore its vortexes, areas that have concentrated energies conducive to healing. This is relatively new but Sedona has been known as a sacred place long before that time. Pink Jeep tours are also a popular way to visit all attractions as well as helicopter rides that highlight the magnificent panorama from high above. Founded in 1902 and incorporated in 1988, Sedona now has a population of 10,000. It is too late to declare it a national park.

on Black Saturday

By Saturday we hurried to see if our home was ready. Good thing it was so we took it to our next Resort, Thousand Trails’ Verde Valley in Cottonwood only thirty minutes from Sedona. This is also our third time Bill and I are staying in Cottonwood. As a matter of fact, it will be a yearly companion park to Viewpoint since temperatures are about ten degrees cooler than Phoenix. People in the public library and the community center remembered us. And the three crosses at the Immaculate Conception Church's made a good photo for Black Saturday while easter lillies ushered in Easter Sunday!

Easter Lillies for Easter Sunday

Between this little vacation and our two to three month European tour, I will be busy with the submission of the book and the start of its marketing activities. Here goes.

Wonderings on Wanderings: Going Back to School

There are only eight places in the US where instructors of the School of Practical Philosophy are located: New York City (where the American school started in 1964), Hudson Valley NY, Rochester NY, New Jersey, Boston Massachusetts, San Francisco California, Albany Georgia, and Scottsdale Arizona. The American school is affiliated with schools in the rest of the world, in fifty-five places in eighteen countries. The highest number in a country  is in the UK where the school was started in 1937 by Leon MacLaren.

a poster in New York subway

If we had not chosen to snowbird in the Phoenix metropolitan area, I might not have been introduced to this School. The School ran a series of FB ads on a free introductory course entitled ‘Philosophy Works’ that reached me as a resident of the area. From the inquiries they generated, three classes were born, one in Scottsdale, another in Glendale, and the one I joined, in Mesa. I hoped that my propensity for  stress could be finally remedied, especially now that my book project is getting to be in full swing.

This introductory course centered on finding the ability and desire to dig deep into the limitless source of ‘nourishment, well-being, and understanding’ that is within each of us. Each week a new principle is introduced and the secret to cumulative wisdom is the acceptance and practical application of each weekly principle.  Each class dwelt first on the experiences of the students in trying to apply the principle of the previous week and then next the explanation of the new one for the week.

It began with an exercise of tuning into one’s five senses, receding from the world outside, tapping into our own ‘within’ and gradually welcoming each new stimulus again. We did the exercise twice in class in the beginning weeks until we could do it several times throughout the class, whenever it seemed like we needed to. With this foundation, we tackled each of the following principles for the rest of the course.

borrowed from the website
of the School of Practical Philosophy

1.       What would a wise man or woman do?

2.       My word is my bond.

3.       Whoever or whatever is in front of me
       is my teacher.

4.       What you give your attention to grows.

5.       In any conversation, there is only one profitable
       activity, listening.

6.       Look for Beauty. If you don’t see it, look again,
       and again.

7.       The fruit of negative feelings is endless ignorance
       and suffering

8.       I am not this body, mind, heart. They are
       instruments for my use.

9.       Look for unity, the wholeness beyond the
      surface agitation.

Bill took me to class every Wednesday at 6 pm and when he picked me up at 7:30 pm, he would be interested to find out what the new principle is! Invariably I would tell him that the class thoroughly enjoyed again the example I shared of our life together. Like for #3, it was so obvious that he was the one who was always in front of me! I absolutely loved the first four and then I had some difficulty with #5! #6 was easy but then the rest became not only harder to embrace but more so to practice.

When the class was bigger and more diverse in the beginning, the discussions were richer. It is too bad that the class dwindled in size and ended with only two men and six women.  Nevertheless it was inspiring to hear their stories. There was a young couple, Chris and Stephanie, whose knowledge of himself and herself improved as much as their bond as a couple. They said at the end that they were lucky to have gotten lessons early in life. I say, ‘Better late than never and how.’ How I wish Bill went to class with me!  

After this introductory course are four foundation courses: Philosophy and 1) Happiness, 2) Love, 3) Presence of Mind, and 4) Freedom. Each class invites the student to become more fully aware and connect more deeply within with more exercises that bring him closer to the truth behind the question, ‘Who am I?’ I wanted to continue to the next level course but Bill and I had planned on our 2-3 month European vacation. Thus I will only be able to continue only when I am back in September.

Undoubtedly, the course helped me to be less anxious. I have felt more at peace, seemed more relaxed, and slept better. Looking back at my stress-laden career, I think I could have accomplished more (maybe more appropriately, better) had I been more at peace with myself, as the course is teaching me.  More importantly, it might have helped me relax and enjoy my success more. 

Actually, after the Foundation Courses are the advanced courses on meditation, service, and special studies, a special program on Economics and Justice, and other special events. But I doubt I will go as far as the advanced courses but I intend to complete the four foundation courses. That means I probably will be with the school for the next two years (they offer only three terms a year), whenever we are in America.

 

Thus the Phoenix metropolitan area will definitely be home to us for a while. This dovetails well with Bill’s CASA project.  I also hope that someday, a Philippine school will be opened, if not by me, by another Filipino who finds the program practical even if it is philosophical!

Our Lifestyle Adventires: Taking a Break VI

the brand new Vegas High Roller, bigger than the Singapore Flyer and the London Eye!

Cherry and Rick and Bill and me
at Slide Rock State Park, Sedona

I have been working on my website and FB business page but family matters take precedence!

First, my youngest sister Cherry and husband Rick spent a weekend with us at Viewpoint. We had fun at the hot tub and pool and had a long billiards game of Brocks vs. Colborns. Then we trooped to Golden Corral, a very popular buffet place anchored on great salads, superb grilled sirloin steaks, an array of entrees from Asian to Mexican to Italian, and an innovative dessert spread that features white and dark chocolate and caramel fondues and cotton candy with the traditional cakes and pies and ice cream. For $10.49 you can eat all you want. I had four plates: a salad, two entrées, and a dessert!

at Golden Corral

After an evening of ‘Saving Mr. Banks’, we woke up early to proceed to Sedona by 8:30 am. The road trip was delightfully interrupted by my first ever McGriddle, awesome breakfast treats at McDonalds. Our day in Sedona was spent taking photos at the Slide Rock State Park, feasting on rolled tacos, chicken enchiladas, and Santa Fe chicken sandwiches for lunch, and being solemn at the Holy Cross Cathedral on the Rocks. Sadly, the duo had to go home early. Rick starts with his new job in Lancaster, California on April 1. No hassle. We meet them again the following weekend.

the McGriddle with the M!!!

On April 3, the last of our neighbor-friends, Bud and Bonnie and Cris and Bonnie left for Washington and British Columbia respectively. Bill helped them get the RV ready for storage while I stayed home to cook fresh lumpia, a request from our friends from another campground, Bev and Dan. Dan, who came for a round of golf with Bill and for chatter and board and card games with me. Then we settled for dinner at Fat Willys, Viewpoint's bar and grille, for their 3-6 pm discounted specials.

Parents of the Bride and Principal Sponsors
with the Bride and Groom

my First Apo Krishna

We arrived in Las Vegas past 4 pm last Friday and checked in at the Riviera. Krishna arrived by bus from Santa Monica and joined Bill and me. She is the make-up artist and hair stylist for the 11 am wedding of Zan, Cherry’s youngest daughter, to Harley at Treasure Island's Wedding Chapel the next day. We went to a bar and hurried to see the newest sensation in Sin City, the High Roller, the tallest ferris wheel in the world beating both the Singapore Flyer and the London Eye.                                                                                                                        The wedding reception was held at Bucca di Beppo, a very popular Italian restaurant chain. The Caesar's salad, Penne San Remo, Chicken Parmiggiana, and their classic Spaghetti with Meatballs plus the cannoli made for a very good feast to celebrate the happy occasion. I had to put on my Toastmaster hat and emceed the program. Bill was godfather and Cynthia, my eldest sister was godmother but she couldn’t make it from the Philippines so I stood in for her. Toasts from Mother and Father of the Bride, uncle of the groom, best man, maid of honor, and other close friends completed the joyous affair. That night, the maxim, ‘Whatever happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas, ’ was put to good use!

Bot and Jim, Cjerry and Rick, and Bill and I
at Gordon Ramsay's in Caesar Palace

Cherry and her husband Rick, their friends Bot and Jim, and we walked the Strip from Treasure Island to the Mirage, Caesar's Palace, and Bellagio. We had dinner at Gordon Ramsay's Pub Grille at th Palace and got fascinated all over again in Bellagio's Conservatory new display and the Bellagio Lights with the new Wheel and the old Eiffel Tower in the background. The young ones had a drinking party at the bride and groom's wedding suite before walking the strip, too. We ended up sleeping at 3 am!

the new flowers at the Conservatory

          The next day my sister Cherry and I, with our husbands, had brunch at the Treasure Island Coffee Shop after which we all trekked back to our homes, happy that we had the chance to feel the warmth of family in two weekends once again! But, before doing so, Tony Nievera, former Country Manager of IBM Philippines, came to our hotel and took photos of me for the book. He has turned to many interests after retirement, one of them serious photography! So lucky to have found him again!

Last Hurrah in Vegas: brunch at Treasure Island's Coffee Shop

Now back to writing. The Round 2 edited manuscript from my editor has come and I would like to submit the book to my publisher before we leave for Europe on May 17!