My Life on Full Throttle

 As I begin writing, my cat is sniffing my lips and sitting on the keyboard. This could get interesting...

So, I haven't written every week on the blog lately, and that's because I really feel like I have been going at full throttle since I returned from the Midwest trip. It's times like these when I realize that maybe, just maybe, I have indulged too many interests at one time, but I love them too much to give them up!

The house is a mess, the laundry is piling up, the dishes are only getting done because of my  husband, and the yard...well, I'd rather not talk about the yard and the possibility of a snake living there.

So, what have I been doing, you may wonder, that has caused me to neglect the basics? Well, you see, I have three kids...oh, you already knew that. I'd say we homeschool, but since we mostly unschool, it is very hard to distinguish "school time" from just living and learning and having fun.

Okay, okay, I'll stop messing around and tell you, listwise, a few of the things that I've been up to:

• Helping out with my girls' musical theater camp by helping backstage, tie dyeing T-shirts with all of the kids, and, of course, going to see their show. Whew! That ended last week. It was great, but I'm glad when anything's taken off the schedule!
• Planning and executing my youngest child's birthday pool party! Yay! Again, that was over yesterday, thank goodness! I was happy but exhausted by the end of the day.
• Going to karate classes once a week. I've actually been in karate about 2 years give or take. I usually go twice a week, but I've had to go down to once because of ...
• Play rehearsal! I am rehearsing to be in a play in September, a murder mystery called Murder Inn. I was in drama a bit in high school and college, but this is only the second I have done in my "adult" life. Rehearsals are a blast, and performing will be awesome. 

• Going to my historical European martial arts class once a week for about two hours, where I am learning long sword alongside my son and other classmates. We also had an annual gathering and mini competition last week. I came home with two medals, and a big bruise on my arm from getting hit with foam swords!

• Trying to edit more fiction. I am mostly an academic editor but am taking classes, building a web site, creating a new name for myself, and doing the work it takes to transform my business into mostly fiction editing.
• Trying to write more fiction. I have written and promoted my nonfiction breastfeeding book, but my writing passion has long been fiction. However, I haven't put in the work it takes to get it off the ground (aka finished and published). With the help of a few really awesome books that I've read lately, I think I'm ready, if only I can find a few minutes here and there to get some words down on paper...
• I'm still maintaining my YouTube channel and this blog, although maybe not as often as I'd like.

Did I mention that I have kids? Well, they always throw a wrench into things, but I wouldn't change that part for anything. I'm going to miss it when they are gone, and I have the quiet and time to get things done.

I am not going to start a new play once this one is done or start anything else new, though, because I really do want to spend some time getting the house back into a place I'd actually like to live in (maybe not so realistic with kids, but I can try!).

So, how has your summer been?  Is it just me, or does time really fly more quickly the older you get?

Who Am I and Why Am I Writing This Blog?

Hi, and welcome. My name is Janell, and I am a woman of many interests and (hopefully) talents, a renaissance soul if you will.

One of the things I like to do is write. I have published many articles, mostly on breastfeeding, pregnancy, and homeschooling. I also published a book last year with Praeclarus Press about long/natural term breastfeeding called To Three and Beyond: Stories of Breastfed Children and the Mothers Who Love Them.

However, with my breastfeeding days behind me, I want to do more writing about all of the other things that interest me, and friend, my interests are vast and varied and continue to grow.

As I said, I love to write. Nonfiction is great, but I want to put more love and work into fiction as well (I've dreamed of being a novelist since I was a wee 14-year-old). Paranormal fiction and fantasy are my favorite to-read genres, and I hope to someday have a place among the fantastic writers I have come across. It goes without saying that I love to read.


I have a degree in zoology because once upon a time I wanted to be a marine biologist. I still love animals, and sometimes our house seems like a mini zoo. Right now, we are down to only 2 cats and 2 dogs with visions of a puppy in our future for our 8-year-old daughter.

I am an editor by trade, and that is all right, but I am trying to break into fiction editing to make it more enjoyable.

I love video games and have a YouTube channel dedicated to family gaming. Minecraft is awesome. What can I say?


I love crafting and occasionally sell homemade jewelry like this.

I love art and can often be found sketching, painting, or discovering new techniques.

I've been taking goju ryu karate for two years (I recently earned my green belt) and just started longsword training through a historical medieval martial arts school. I love both.

Despite being obese or perhaps because of it, I spend a lot of time studying food and nutrition and trying to find a balance with all of the options out there, including health and ethical concerns.

I am a wife and a mother. These brings my interests related to family, homeschooling, autism, and all of my kids' interests into play.

All of these things define me as do many other things. I hope you'll join me on the ride as I learn, ponder, and experience, taking dips here and there and sometimes going in whole hog on different topics and themes.

Thus is the life of a renaissance soul.