Kindness Chronicles

What brings out the holiday spirit in you?
What makes you smile and feel as though this season is magical?
Write down 5 things that make you grateful for December.
What did you think about?
For me...it's simple
1.)People giving me cards/tokens because they thought of me
2.)Strangers greeting me just because they feel cheerful
3.)Christmas songs
4.)Times of reflection and gratitude
5.)Being surprised

Soooo...I have a challenge for you to keep others cheerful and bright during this season. Grant a wish everyday. It does not have to be extravagant. It can be small. Write a nice note to someone that you are grateful for; Be a secret santa and drop off treats for those in need; Drop a $1 on the ground and realize the person that needs it the most-will probably need it. You can get creative and come up with your own. If you plan on doing this everyday of December-please let me know and share what you learned. It helps all of us to keep the season bright. :)
Read something great
Tara
-Tara

Sorry for my distance...

Have you been looking for me? You have not been missing from my heart but I realize that my words have been missing from this blog. Please forgive me. The Fall of 2011 has given me great joy and even greater projects. I have been able to launch several anti-bullying initiatives and programs to change the scope of our communities. Much of my time has also been occupied by researching relevant subjects that will be in future books.
Whenever I am not around-you are still with me. Without my readers I would not be who I am. I have been asked on several occasions about my motivation for doing the work that I do. It is simple. I want to use my passion to inspire and motivate others to be kind, to be caring and to be courageous. When I deliver a shipment of books to our Literacy Project Partners I deliver hope in written form. When I host anti-bullying info nights and sessions together we create a community that cares and when I meet my readers I meet my favorite people.
Have you been working on a new project? Do you have something that is consuming your time that brings meaning to others? Let us know! Together we can make a difference.
-Read something great

Back to school and back to Anti-bullying

I know that my posts have been few and far between lately and I hope that you know that it's because I have been working very hard to get the word out o self-esteem, diversity and literacy work. When you think about anti-bullying do you also think about back to school? I remember being excited as a young person about going back to school. I always had a nervous feeling but I also felt that this was my opportunity to start fresh and build up new relationships. It was not always easy.

The last thing that I wanted to do was be late to class. Have you ever been late to class on the first day of school? Walking in while the teacher is talking and pause-everyone stares at you and ogles you as you try to find a seat. It is even worse if the seat that you sit in is someone else's and then you have to find another seat. What was your hardest part about adjusting to back to school? Did you have a hard time fitting in? Making new friends? Or finding a place to sit at lunch where you felt welcome? Tell me! I'm working on lots of programming to suit the needs of those who don't always feel comfortable in their schools. For some people back to school time can be the time of the year when they feel the most alone-but we can do something about it. We had an Anti-bullying back to school brunch just recently and gave school supplies, programming and hope to tweens, teens and families and with the help of Bonefish Grill of Novi we even gave them lunch. Would you like to help? Let me know! I'm working on more books, more events and more dialogue to create safe spaces for students and families to talk about these issues.

Hope to hear from you soon and as always Read Something Great!!

The girl who does too much...aka ME!

So...it never fails that at least once a day I hear...Wow-you do so much! I have heard that since high school when I had two part-time jobs and my regular course load. I heard it even more when I was in college and worked 40 hours a week (to pay for college) and was the co- leader of a campus/singles based ministry, Student Government Vice President while juggling a 20+ credit load. This is me. I always encourage people to embrace who they are. Be you! Love yourself. Know your Kryptonite and be aware of your power pellets. I remember when I was in middle school and my friend drew a really nice "Say no to drugs" poster. Immediately my mind composed a campaign. I told her that we should mass produce them and have them be the marketing capstone for a program and play that we would put on for the whole school. I suggested that we talk to the teacher who always seemed to be involved in outreach and positive programs for kids.
My friend looked at me and said why do you always take everything too far? she shook her head and said...it's just a poster. That was the end of that. I remember feeling sad because I thought the beautiful poster could change lives, inspire difference, allow us to have a platform that was spearheaded by two sixth graders. It never did any of that. It just sat in a book bag for no one to see and eventually I'm sure it was crumpled and thrown away. I do a lot-I know. I have thoughts times a million and idea overload but I also know that these thoughts can change lives. What are your thoughts? I'd love to know! :)

-Read something great

With a couple of words...

Hi Readers,
Have you ever thought about the power of language? When we decide to greet someone and ask them about their day-we can make them feel special and cared for. When we say mean, careless comments we can make them feel as if they don't matter. When I was young someone told me that words do not have the power to hurt-they are just words. I don't agree.
When the civil rights workers fought for freedom and had racial slurs painted on their homes-those words hurt. When it is some one's birthday and they get a card that tells them they are great-those words help. My goal is to help spread the word (no pun intended) about self-esteem, diversity and literacy. I do this through my books, events and projects. So before you speak-try this exercise first. Ask yourself is this helpful or hurtful? If it could go either way refrain from saying it. Let's build up this world with our words.
-Read something great.

It's here!!

Hi Readers!
For everyone who has been asking about the newest book in the "Teen Books By Tara" series...the wait is over. "No Longer Besties and Other Assorted Teenage Drama" is now ready for pre-sale! This book introduces our newest character Madisyn Parker and her dilemmas with family, friends and fitting in. Bullying is one of the main topics we cover in this 200 page novel. We are reserving spaces now for reading clubs and topic sessions. Thanks to everyone who is a reader-your support helps me to continue to do this work.
-Read something great!

In an effort to end bullying...

If you are free this Friday-I'd like to welcome you to join us at our Professionals Against Bullying Roundtable hosted by the Friendship Circle. We will have a presentation, dialogue session and time to network and talk to others about this issue that effects our communities. We are meeting at 6 p.m. and it will run until 8 p.m. All ages are welcome to join us.
If you can't make this please try and come to Much Ado About Bullying: Signs, Symptoms and Solutions on Sunday May 15 from 1-6 p.m. at the Holocaust Memorial Center in Farmington Hills. I will be one of the speakers and will be joined by Dr. Elizabeth Barton and Glenn Stutzky. Bullying is not just teasing and joking it is an act that is being amplified by our global media capabilities and hurting the quality of life and self-esteem of people of all ages. We have some great ideas and events on the horizon that I promise to keep you up to date on.
-Read something great!

Happy May!

Readers,
I know that it has been a long time since I have blogged but I promise that I have not been idle. As an author and advocate I have experienced some great milestones that I would like to share with you! My new curriculum guides have been able to help kids and teens all over Michigan and beyond embrace self-esteem, diversity, literacy and anti-bullying. If you are interested in a workbook or a program customized to the needs of your group-please let me know. This work has kept me quite busy but it has been very fulfilling and it is refreshing to see that people are seeking this type of content to improve the relations of our communities. If you like my T-shirt in the picture-we have a facebook contest going on right now at our "Teen Books By Tara" Page. You can win a chance to get your own for free if our page gets to 300. Stay tuned to this blog for some new announcements coming soon that will make you smile. Last but not least I want you to know that you can always stay up to date with my books and work by following me on Twitter at @Taramichener. I love to be able to engage with you my readers and learn about your endeavors and goals! :)
Read something great!

Something to smile about...

I know that it has been a long time since I blogged readers! Thanks for your patience. I was just inspired by an epiphany that involves self-esteem and I realized that My hiatus had to end today. Have you ever had an occurrence that made you stop in your tracks and critically think about your life?
I was recently tagged in pictures from a good friend that I have known for a large part of my life. As I looked at the photos and viewed the reflection of a younger version of myself something significant stood out to me. I looked different. I know you are probably thinking of course you looked different these are old pictures. It was not just the fact that I am older. It is deeper than that.
When I was a little girl I was always told that I had a pretty smile. When I got to middle school a girl told me that I should not smile because I had crooked teeth and I did not look good when I smiled naturally. She taught me how to hold in my smile. If you have ever been around me-you know that this is hard for me. My smile is a default. I do it all of the time and it is sometimes impossible to hold back even if I am not happy. I still feel joyful enough to smile.
Nevertheless, I learned the art of holding in my joy. I learned how to keep my teeth contained. In the pictures that I recently viewed I saw a vital component of Who I Am missing. I am not exactly sure when I decided to release the smile edict and embrace my smile again but I am glad that I did. Is there someone asking you to hold back your smile? Have you ever tried to disguise a natural part of your character? My advice is that it is not worth it. So many people have shared with me the power of my smile and I realize that to hold it back I am holding back a natural gift from others. This may sound a bit bold and possibly conceited but trust me that is not the point. The point is that all of us have a talent. Once you realize what your specific talent is...holding it back only harms others instead of helping them. Playing small or censoring your gift is not humble-it's just unfair. Think deeply about who you are as a person.
What are you complimented on the most? What do you love about yourself? Share it with others. Give them something to smile about.
-Read something great

WINTER WEATHER...SUMMER DREAMING

It's hard to think about summer when the snow is still on the ground and the air is cold. But if you try really hard you can imagine warm weather, beaches and one of my personal favorites ice cream. Now that I have you focused...think about one other thing that makes summer special. Reading. Summer Reading is such an important activity for young people. It allows them to retain and/or improve their reading levels, increase vocabulary, stretch their creative muscles and it's just plain fun.
This summer me and my hubistrator will be working really hard to support the efforts of Southwest Early Learning Community. This group is located on Detroit's Southwest side and serves families and young people with family literacy and educational enhancement opportunities.
Are you interested in helping? Take a look at the side panel of this blog and donate a book. You can help a child get brand new materials signed by the author. As it gets closer we will let you know how it's going.
Summer should be about bike riding and ice cream but most importantly it should be about educating our young people and helping them with their literacy goals. That is my summer dream.
-Read something great

My own Black History...

Readers,
February is the month that we celebrate the trials and victories of African-Americans in our society. I love this month! I enjoy seeing posters and acknowledgments of those who came before me and allowed me to be who I am today. I have talked a lot about Dr. King in this blog so now I will talk about another Black American that inspired me.
Langston Hughes may not have his own holiday but to me he was an inspiration and an icon. Langston was a poet during the Harlem Renaissance. He used his words to commemorate an interesting time in the history of America. This was before civil rights. This means that he could not sit in the front seat of a bus. He could not sit at a lunch counter either. But he could stand for something great. He expressed his dreams, apprehensions and thoughts about the African-American experience according to him. He used the pen (which is far mightier than the sword) to fight back and speak up. He was one of our great writers. I did not learn about his work until I reached high school. He was not mentioned much in my history books. I love that I can give him acknowledgment here in this forum that might not have existed if he did not inspire me to use my words to make a difference.
Who can you use today to inspire? Is there someone who looks up to you? I often wonder if Langston and others like him knew the impact that they would have on future generations. Let's continue to make history.
-Read something great

Guest blog from Mallory Brown...read something great!

World Clothes Line
My family calls me “The World Traveler.” It’s true, I travel a lot. I love exploring new places, more so than the average Joe. I also own a clothing company which, fittingly, is called World Clothes Line. WCL is a fashion brand that raises awareness of clothing needs around the globe. Every purchase helps give clothes to people in need.
WCL clothes are designed to embrace different countries and their cultures. Our initial collections represent Indonesia, Peru, and the United States. Beaches and temples for Indonesia. Mountains and Llamas for Peru. Liberty and History for the U.S.A. Get the idea? All items purchased will benefit their respective countries.
In founding a humanitarian company, I had faith that my customers would support my cause, but I wasn’t sure if they would sport designs that weren’t from their own culture. My plan was to showcase different countries in new, innovate ways, but I didn’t want to cross the line. My clothes needed to be worldly but also stay trendy.
I had two designs that were on the fence. I called them the “native language” garments. The first was a sweatshirt for Peru that read “Vestir Al Mundo” across the chest. The English translation, “Clothe the World” was written on back. The second was a t-shirt for Indonesia that read “Berikan Untuk Dunia” in a similar fashion, with “Give to the World” translated on back.
Would people actually wear designs of a language that is not their own? Was that pushing the envelope a bit too far? The majority of my customers are Americans, and the majority of Americans don’t speak a foreign language. Even I, “The World Traveler”, don’t speak Spanish or Indonesian.
I decided to go for it and included the two designs in my launch. Let’s see how adventurous my customers will be! To my delight, the designs not only sold, they were quite popular! I couldn’t stock the shelves fast enough. The “native language” t-shirt (now called “Generosity”) is the #1 selling item in the Indonesia Collection.
It gives me great pride to know my customers and fans so easily purchased these designs. They not only accepted diversity, they embraced it!
If you want to add a little language to your wardrobe, please visit www.WorldClothesLine.com
Mallory Brown
Founder – World Clothes Line

Dream on...

Today commemorates a wonderful day in American culture. Schools are closed, people have the day off from work and even if it rains, sleets or snows the mail will not run today. Have you pondered the dream of Dr. King? What does it mean to you that he sacrificed and fought for freedom? My rights are important to me. I believe in going to the polls and voting. I love going out for lunch. I rarely sit in the back row anywhere that I go. These are simple luxuries. If it had not been for the steadfast dream of Dr. King and the hard work that went along with his dream-my life would be different. Have you ever thought about the simple things and how his legacy changed our present circumstances? The bigger question is...what is your dream? How can you change the lives of others? Do you have a dream that will live on beyond your existence. Will your hard work be a benefit to those who are not even born yet? I was not able to see any speeches of Dr. King in person. I was not born when he lived. His dream still impacts my life today. I am compelled to work as hard as I can so that when my life is over...my legacy allows someone else a freedom or benefit that they otherwise may not have known. This could be enriching them in diversity, helping them to embrace self-esteem or encouraging them to seek out the beauty of literacy. I implore to you today to Dream on...
-Read something great

HIGHLIGHTS, THANK YOU'S AND BIG DREAMS FOR '11

I love to reflect before the new year rolls in and reflect upon milestones that I have experienced.

Highlights include building amazing bridges with various community organizations, planning and leading diversity walks, a 5K and being a coach for Girls on The Run. We were able to make so many kids smile by offering various workshops and outreach programs for young people in Michigan and on the East Coast. We celebrated literacy by launching "Summer Camp Survival" our first chapter book this year! We fought hard to get people to recognize the damage and impact that bullying and destructive behaviors adds not only to the intended victim (s) but the whole community. This year we were recognized by CORP Magazine for our work in Diversity and for the "Who I Am" series. We shared the message of my books at Princeton University and had an amazing speaking engagement at their National Symposium on Race. We celebrated our mission by allowing others to join us as we participated in laptops drives, beautification projects and conferences that celebrate the hope that is amongst us. I met some amazing people who nominated me and allowed me to receive A Yellow Envelope Award (A project based in Texas) which celebrated my work in our local community. If I leave anyone out I am sorry but a special thank you to: Jason Michener-My Hubistrator, Joni Hubred-Golden, Chelsea Rodgers My intern and Marketing Associate/Consultant, Social Media Club Detroit, Tweetea, Black Women in Business Brainstorm, CORP Magazine, PBS: A Wider World, Operation: Kid-Equip, Lighthouse PATH, Salvation Army, Princeton Prize in Race Relations, Detroit Soup, Michigan Diversity Council, Michigan Roundtable for Diversity and Inclusion, Detroit Church of Christ, Holocaust Museum, Celebrate Michigan, CW50, MYTV20, #BackChannel from WXYZ, Stephen Clark, Alicia Smith, Ann Arbor Book Festival, Workantile, Flourish Florals, Mia Verde, Trinity Life Solutions, Girls on The Run, Biggby Coffee, Bonefish Grill, Borders, Detroit Regional Chamber, Detroit Synergy and so many more that are in my heart even if not in my head at this point. Let's make 2011 amazing! I am so excited to step into new territory, take on new ventures and create content that allows us to grow, be entertained and to make a difference! Thanks for reading and for being a part of WHOIAM! -Read something great!

A guest blog from Torrie Bush...Read something great!

Full Circle

It’s easy to get inspired when you’re taught by the greats. No, I’m not talking about Milton, Shakespeare, or Keats. I’m talking about local heavyweights, Jackson, Hayes, and Waits. Yes, as a student at Southfield-Lathrup High School from 1996-2000, I was taught by literary heavyweights…scholars ahead of their time and their colleagues; scholars who inspired me to teach. So when I got my first teaching job at my old alma mater, you can only imagine the rush of emotions I felt when I found myself among the ranks of those I looked up to. I was told to call them my their first names (I can’t do that, I thought) and I did. Two out three were still there when I returned, and today only one remains.
The “heavyweights” quickly became my mentors and friends. We taught together, shared ideas & frustrations, and honed in on our craft. But what surprised me the most was when they came to me for ideas or help. Me? No really, me? I suppose I had taken for granted the fact that I was a college student during the age of blogs, wikis, and podcasts. To me these were just various forms of technology to get students interested and involved in the lesson, but to my veteran colleagues, these were foreign words. I had something meaningful & awesome to share with the people who had already given me so much. At that moment I felt like we had all come full circle. I was the teacher, and for a few moments during the school year, they were my pupils. They learned from me and I from them.

Something old Something new

When I first got married everyone I talked to stressed to me the importance of preserving my wedding gown. I really never got around to shelling out the extra bucks to have it placed in the wedding dress fountain of youth and here I am almost six years later wondering if it has changed colors and textures in my original wedding bag. I had a talk with a friend at a meeting and he talked about junking a wedding gown. He mentioned that his bride to be was going to have pictures taken of her in her dress having fun. He said that she thought it would be great to have non traditional poses that might ruin the dress but preserve the memories. I thought this was a great idea.
My mind began to think about how I could use my old wedding dress if it was still in tact. I also had a self-esteem check wondering if it still fit properly. Today I tried it on and grabbed my hubistrator and he happily took photos of me around the house being silly and just having fun.
What did I learn from this? I learned that life is meant to smell the roses and enjoy the special moments. That's what we did tonight! This might be a non traditional post for ma and my blog but think about it. My goal is to help others to embrace inner beauty and self-esteem. These pictures include me in no make-up, freshly washed unstyled hair and a big smile. Let's teach our kids to enjoy the little things in life! :)
-Read something great

BE A PART OF THEIR STORY...DECEMBER EDITION!

Readers, I have been so blessed to Lead up the "Be A Part Of Their Story Literacy Project" since 2009. This project started because I was asked by various charitable groups for books, presentations and supplies for their participants. It broke my heart when I realized that I did not have enough capitol to help these groups out in the way that I wanted to so I was inspired to be creative. I developed a model for a project that would help the non-profit groups in Michigan to be able to enjoy the "Who I Am" series and my other books at no cost. I tapped on the shoulders of my business colleagues, held fundraisers, brought in the community and teamed up with other groups to make this possible.
To date we have been able to partner with Little Girls Big Dreams, Operation: Kid Equip, LightHouse Path, Detroit Reality Check, Salvation Army and many other groups to make their dreams come true. I recall being a young girl who's family had to rely on special groups such as these to get by. Lighthouse helped us to be able to have groceries and they even went out of their way to provide funding for an educational goal for me when I was a teen. Salvation Army provided food, and lots of gifts during the holiday season for me and my family.
I can't forget how much these acts of kindness impacted my life and I can't turn my back on the needs out there today. There are so many girls out there who were like me who yearn to live their dreams but they might need to see someone who came from an under served background who is now considered successful to give them extra inspiration. This Saturday I am going back to LightHouse to share my books, story and hope with the girls and we even added a special feature this season by asking Girls in Tech to get involved and to have a laptop drive to share with the parents. Would you like to help? We are still seeking donations it extra special-you can use the button on this page to give back. If you can't help this week-no worries this project is ongoing and the next December distribution will be at Detroit Reality Check on December 18th.
If you have specific questions-please email me at whoiamnotwhatiam@yahoo.com
Read something great!

The Night Before TG

A bit of a retro look back; I wrote this poem last year and thought it was appropriate to share it again. Happy TG!(Read something great!)

Twas The Night before Thanksgiving
Readers! I am thankful for you! Tomorrow is the big day and my gift to you is a poem that I thought would make you smile (disclaimer) I am not a poet!

Read something great!

The Night Before Thanksgiving
By Tara Michener

Twas the night before Thanksgiving and look at my house
this place is so messy hope there is no mouse

The dishes are piled all the way in the air
and I still have so much food to prepare

The guests will help themselves to pies and breads
While thoughts of more gym time will be in their heads

I need my hair done but I threw on a cap
maybe while I'm under the dryer I'll take a short nap

I started banging pots and pans and made such a clatter
I lamented that after Thursday I would surely be fatter

The day will come and go like a flash
Then on Saturday I'll be signing books in a dash

When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
Lots of little kids who want their books signed so dear

I'll sign at the mall and try to be quick
I'll be sure to have my sharpie never a BIC

But until Saturday I'll focus on dinner and try to stay lucid
Now potatoes, now rolls now tofukey and all
I hope I have enough to feed them all

My crock pot was boiling over like a brew
A house full of food and so much to do

And then, in a twinkling, I thought of my roof
and happily felt blessed to serve in spirit and truth

As I drew in my hand, and was turning around, I noticed all of the blessings around.
I had great things and they would get done I needed to stay put
I said a small prayer and stopped tapping my foot

A bundle of food lay still in it's pack
And I smiled as I lined up the to-do's in a stack

My eyes -- how they twinkled! I no longer felt scary
I began to prepare the pies apple and cherry

I made things fancy adding a bow
and wondered if tomorrow would bring our first snow

I dug out our decorations and found our wreath
Now I was grinning and showing my teeth

I ignored my diet and embraced my little round belly
That shook, as I laughed like a bowlful of jelly.

The turkey looked pretty and plump, like art on the shelf
And I laughed when I saw it in spite of myself;

A tasted the gravy and tried out the bread
Yep I realized I had nothing to dread;

I stopped feeling bad and finished my work
And wrote cards so fast I felt like a clerk

Laying the bread in the dish that I chose
I gave a nod, when I saw how it rose

My hubby came in and looked impressed and gave a whistle
I gave him a kiss as I held up the toe of mistle

But I heard him exclaim, as he ran out of sight
I can't wait to watch the game tomorrow night

THANKS TO THOSE WHO SUPPORTED THE SHOW & TELL

We had an amazing day at the 1st Annual Show & Tell, celebrating the creative community of Michigan. Every vendor donated books to our "Be A Part Of Their Story Literacy Project" that provides new and signed books to local charitable organizations. This event is meant to celebrate their creative talent and allow them to show and tell about what they do because they are heroes for literacy. The public enjoyed viewing and purchasing their works and giving back to our project. A Special Thanks to our premier vendors and givers Mike Han, of Street Culture Mash www.streetculturemash.com Erica Howell and Melanie Verdell of Mia Verde, www.Shopmiaverde.com Kristina Marie of www.flutterbycreations.biz Nichole Wylie, Photographer & Poet; Chelle Enerio, Graphic Designer and Artist www.coroflot.com/cenerio Jennifer Halls, Singer and Voice Coach.
So many others helped this event to be a success and we thank you! Please view our pictures and enjoy! Read something great!

Show and Tell!

This weekend the creative community in Michigan will embark on a fun event that brings together two important subjects... Art & Literacy. We will have many talented artists in the form of photographers, jewelry makers, clothing designers, and other creators display their work, talk about it and share it with you for purchase.
Our goal is to ignite the spirit of creativity that helps Michigan to grow and florish. Each of these artists were kind enough to donate funds to help us out with our goal is supplying local non-profits books for the Holiday spirit. Are you a creative spirit? Do you enjoy learning about the work that is put into a beautiful painting? Join us! You can also donate to our effort to support Lighthouse Path, Detroit Reality Check and Detroit Parent Network. The Be A Part of Their Story Literacy Project was my idea to give back to our youth and help them to embrace the joy of reading. My hubistrator and Creative Director, Jason inspires the young people with his illustrations and talks about the way that their doodles can become more than just a past time.
If you can join us we will be at 118 S. Main (Workantile) top floor from 2-6 on Sunday November 21st. If you would like to donate but you can't make it take a close look at this page and donate a book or two to a deserving child. Lighthouse was helpful to me and my family when I was a kid and allowed me to enhance my education and everyday life so that I could be who I am today.
You might just be helping the next children's book author fall in love with reading.
-Read something great