Brenda Mahler
Bio
Travel
Writing Lessons
Memoirs
Poetry
Books AVAILABLE ON AMAZON.
* Lockers Speak: Voices from America's Youth
* Understanding the Power Not Yet shares Kari’s story following a stroke at 33.
* Live a Satisfying Life By Doing it Doggy Style explains how humans can life to the fullest.
Stories (453/0)
Politics Limit Opportunities to Establish Long Term Life Plans
At the age of 21 in 2009, my daughter was diagnosed with bone cancer, Osteosarcoma. At that time she was an independent videographer contracting with ESPN, the US Army and local media. She lived a dream life of travel, earning an income that allowed her to be self-sufficient, meeting new people and working at a job that rewarded her passions and skills.
By Brenda Mahler4 years ago in The Swamp
Reverse Trick-or-Treating: Giving Provides Rewards in Return
As we ventured down the hall to physical therapy, Kari held a leaf shaped bowl filled with candy – resistantly. Halloween decorations adorned the walls and some of the staff dressed in costumes. We decided to reverse trick-or-treat. Truthfully, I hatched the idea; Kari scowled when I handed her the bowl, “No, that’s stupid.” Any other time, a rebuke would have labeled her statement “bad-mannered” but with her vocabulary limited by the stroke, she responded with blunt abruptness. I understood her hesitancy. Never one to draw attention to herself, she liked to exist in the shadows, therefore; this activity resided WAY outside her comfort zone.
By Brenda Mahler4 years ago in Humans
7 Strategies to Write the Perfect Lead to Hook the Reader
If the opening lines of the narrative permit the reader’s attention to wane, if it doesn’t mesmerize his mind and captivate his body, my dreams of a writing career will crumble and dissolve like the faded pages of a brittle, time-worn, abandoned novel.
By Brenda Mahler4 years ago in Journal
Asking for Help is Difficult but It is Harder to Survive Alone
Forty-three days is not a lot in the course of a lifetime, but as our family lived the nightmare, each day following Kari’s stroke moved in slow motion. Waiting prompted fear. The unknown paralyzed emotions. When our 33-year-old daughter experienced a traumatic brain injury, a stroke, logic no longer existed.
By Brenda Mahler4 years ago in Psyche
Identify the Audience and Target Their Interests
As a reader, an article that lacks focus, changes topics, and shifts in voice forces me to abandon it and move on. Two common problems cause disorganization. Either the writer has not identified the audience or the topic is too broad to be manageable.
By Brenda Mahler4 years ago in Journal
I Am Retired But I Am Not Old
This morning, I stood in the bathroom looking hard into the mirror. The corners of my eyes looked like somebody had crumbled a piece of paper and then attempted unsuccessfully to smooth it out. A little extra pudge rolled over the top of my pajama bottoms and my hands resembled the hide of a giraffe — tan with random brown spots of differing sizes and shapes. Whatever occurred in my dreams last night wreaked havoc with my body. I recall dreaming about aging and turning into an old lady who hunched over at the shoulders, always wore a support bra to keep her breasts from sweeping the floor and shuffled when she walked.
By Brenda Mahler4 years ago in Longevity
I Never Have to Mow the Lawn Again
I am married to a perfectionist. When he mows, the yard resembles Torrey Pines Golf Course during a championship round, a true art form. After he delicately maneuvers the mower over the rich, green blades, friends comment that he missed his calling to be a stylist; his skills rival Vidal Sassoon.
By Brenda Mahler4 years ago in Humans
I Learned Planning a Funeral is Supposed to be a Somber Event
My husband and I are responsible adults, at least we like to thing this is true. Recently, we decided to relieve our children of the burden of planning our funerals, so we scheduled a meeting with a funeral preplanning director to become informed. Believing we could adult when necessary, we dressed in conservative clothing, meaning there were no holes in our shorts; we wore stylish sandals instead of flipflops, and my husband even took off his baseball cap. We began the meeting on a positive, respectful note.
By Brenda Mahler4 years ago in Lifehack
A Strategy to Develop a Narrative
Some of the world’s greatest accomplishments required immense planning: building a pyramid, flying to the moon, and exploring the oceans. But for success, life’s daily events also demand planning. Think about the planning that’s required for a trip, to gain employment, to graduate. The more details in executing the plan, typically the greater the success. The same is true in writing.
By Brenda Mahler4 years ago in Journal
Commas Cheat Sheet
Sometimes writers believe comma placement is determined by where a natural pause occurs. Unfortunately, what feels natural for one reader may be different for another. For example, an often shared paragraph can be interpreted in two ways depending upon comma placement.
By Brenda Mahler4 years ago in Education