Just Sayin: 2021: A Perspective in Rhyme By: Steve Rosen 2021 was another volatile year on the political and social fronts. It was President Biden's first year in office, and while his administration attempted to legislate a new social agenda, it had to contend with the neverending fallout from the election and the prior Trump administration. Trump's "Big Lie" energized the Republican base and proved to be a force in the year long struggle between the parties. Adopting a voter suppression strategy and sensing the country's unhappiness with the direction Democrat progressives were taking the country, Republicans set their agenda to win back Congress in 2022 at any cost. And throughout the year, the COVID virus, its mutations, vaccine hesitancy, and mandates proved challenging for the Biden Administration, adding another dimension to the struggles between the parties.

Just Sayin’ tells the story of an almost-blended family that almost falls apart before it even begins. 11 year-old Cassie Callahan is staying with her grandmother while her mom, Jennifer, recovers from a difficult breakup from her fiancé, Trent. Cassie, along with Trent’s kids, Nick and Julie, are trying to figure out why their parents’ relationship ended so abruptly and searching for a way to bring them back together. Meanwhile, the kids get caught up in a game show that encourages the “art” of insults, and learn along the way that our words have much more power than they think. In a way that only Dandi can accomplish, this story weaves together, in a contemporary way, an old-time game show, letter writing, outstanding vocabulary, and reminders from God’s word that taming our tongue is both difficult and important!

The long-awaited autobiography of one of the world's greatest children's writers, and an empowering and inspiring account of a life in books. Malorie Blackman OBE is one of Britain's best loved and most widely-read writers. For over thirty years, her books have helped to shape British culture, and inspired generations of younger readers and writers. The Noughts and Crosses series, started in 2000, sparked a new and necessary conversation about race and identity in the UK, and are already undisputed classics of twenty-first-century children's literature. She is also a writer whose own life has been shaped by books, from her childhood in south London, the daughter of parents who moved to Britain from Barbados as part of the Windrush Generation, and who experienced a childhood that was both wonderful and marred by the everyday racism and bigotry of the era. She was told she could not apply to study her first love, literature, at university, in spite of her academic potential, but found a way to books and to a life in writing against a number of obstacles. This book is an account of that journey, from a childhood surrounded by words, to the 83 rejection letters she received in response to sending out her first project, to the children's laureateship. It explores the books who have made her who she is, and the background to some the most beloved and powerful children's stories of today. It is an illuminating, inspiring and empowering account of the power of words to change lives, and the extraordinary life story of one of the world's greatest writers.

As the notorious Reva Shayne on the daytime television drama Guiding Light, Kim Zimmer portrayed a vixen, a manic-depressive, an Amish woman, a time traveler, a Civil War belle, a talk show host, a cancer survivor, a loving mother, and a devoted wife. In her more than two decades on the show, she earned eleven Daytime Emmy nominations and four wins, not to mention a legion of loving fans. Now, in this heartfelt memoir, Zimmer delves into her experiences as a daytime diva. Packed with on- and off-set photographs and behind-the-scenes information, blatantly honest and wildly indiscreet, I’m Just Sayin’ tells all in an insightful journey through the parallel lives of Reva Shayne and Kim Zimmer—and the true stories behind the longest-running drama in television and radio history.

I grew up in a small town in Ohio, called Brunswick. No we didn't have computers growing up, but what we did have were books and imagination. We made lifelong friends as we played ball, built forts, camped and fished . We were the neighborhood kids. Later as I got older, I jumped out of planes, went white water rafting down a few rivers and yes even in a glider plane. I made a career in commercial construction and finally retired from it. Now I just write a little and kayak down a river or two. Always with my faithful friend, Jazz the wonder dog at my side. This book is a collection of short stories. Just some of my thoughts I put to paper and after a while became a story. A collection of stories that are true that happened to me as well as stories I thought of but all are from the heart as a writer. I can only hope that I made you smile, just a little. Belly laugh out loud, maybe made you think, but most of all, touch your heart. If you get anything out of my writing it is this. That you are never alone no matter how dark the night there will always be light. If you just ask. Cause behind every dark cloud is the sun just achin' to come out. Just saying...

Back Cover You must purchase this long awaited book! This is a woman of valor and I have professionally known her for over 3 years through her being an opening act for our show “Conscious Comedy Explosion!” and for performing her phenomenal poetry to our audience. Not only does she awake the crowd with her talent for breathing life into words but she makes your spirit jump to attention to get the “Word” that God wants you to hear. She is amazing! Pretina is currently working on doing comedy for our shows. Her poetry is thought provoking and her sense of humor about life is exciting. I wish Pretina McNeil the best success with her upcoming book. Makena Hayes-Gargonnu “Celebrity” Event Producer Conscious Comedy Explosion! --------------------------------------------- The thought provoking poetry of this book will have you asking questions. Questions that are relevant in our walk with Christ. Such as, how much further would we if we stopped living for ourselves and started living to fulfill God's purpose in our life? It also has an empowering effect causing us to stand firm in our belief that our Heavenly Father is guarding, protecting, and seeing to our need. So what do we have to worry about?However, the ups and downs, frustration, and aggravations are needed to sculpt us from a diamond in the rough into a gleaming fully faceted gem that shines brightly. I believe that Pretina has written a poetry book that is inspiring, challenging, and can be a step by step guideline to walking out your destiny. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have. Shellie Dailey Dean of Immanuel Bible College --------------------------------------------- "The poetry of Ms. Pretina McNeil is simplistically classy with an urban edge that challenges the senses of the soul. You will go from laughter to introspective thoughts that ask and answer questions from a real place of honesty. As you read you are sure to be absolutely BLESSED! Pastor Cedric Baltrip --------------------------------------------- I'm just saying... Lessons on life, Love and Faith, is a refreshing collection of invigorating words of hope, love, peace and joy. Through our trials and tribulations that have turned into triumphs a praise of adoration towards our Lord is fitting. This book is full of spirit led poetry. Sit back and fasten your seat belt, as you open this book, you truly will declare that the Lord is good." Di Smith

Have you ever had a “moment?” Sure you have. We’ve all experienced events in life that preceded these moments of confusion, explosion, and even bliss. The poems presented in this anthology express feelings and thoughts accompanying these life moments.

Children and adults will enjoy reading, relaxing, and even having a thought-provoking experience. If they are facing challenges in life this book may help to inspire them to overcome those challenges to accomplish goals they never thought possible. The key themes are words and sayings that people may or may not have heard and are meant to be thought-provoking and maybe even funny. The audience at many ages can relate to hearing, thinking, or saying any number of words and it may stir up some memories and hopefully provide inspiration to have or provide a positive experience for themselves or someone else Scott's main objectives are to fulfill a life-long goal and to inspire his family and others to realize that dreams can be achieved and challenges overcome with patience and determination. It is also to raise money for a creative invention project that he is also working on. Readers should buy the book because they will enjoy reading it, whether to relax or to have fun. They will also be helping Scott to leave a great legacy for his family and to help prove that challenges can be overcome and that even if someone is "differently-abled", the potential can be great and realized.

Based on a rich set of historical data, this book traces the development of pragmatic markers in English, from hwæt in Old English and whilom in Middle English to whatever and I'm just saying in present-day English. Laurel J. Brinton carefully maps the syntactic origins and development of these forms, and critically examines postulated unilineal pathways, such as from adverb to conjunction to discourse marker, or from main clause to parenthetical. The book sets case studies within a larger examination of the development of pragmatic markers as instances of grammaticalization or pragmaticalization. The characteristics of pragmatic markers - as primarily oral, syntactically optional, sentence-external, grammatically indeterminate elements - are revised in the context of scholarship on pragmatic markers over the last thirty or more years.

What does making Leadership a Way of Life mean? I'm Just Sayin'... - Revelations for Making Leadership a Way of Life is a compilation of the most compelling ideas to becoming the leader everyone follows! Whether you are an individual professional, a business owner, a corporate leader of multiple levels of management or a non-profit leader, understanding the attitudinal mindset of a leader is the secret to thinking and being a leader versus being in a leadership position. Based on over 30 years of successful leadership in the Military, Fortune 100, Entrepreneurial and Non-Profit ventures, this is everything the leader needs to know about making Leadership a Way of Life. Are you ready?