Author Archives: Author Julie Seedorf

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About Author Julie Seedorf

As human beings, we are always a work in progress. From birth to death we live, hurt, laugh, cry, feel, and with all of those emotions we grow as people, as family members, and as friends. I'm a dreamer and feel blessed to have the opportunity in my writing to pass those dreams on to others. I believe you are never too old to dream and to turn those dreams into a creative endeavor.” I live in rural Minnesota and am a wife, mother, and grandmother. Throughout my life I have had many careers or should I say opportunities at jobs where I have learned different skills such as working as a waitress, nursing home activities person, office manager, and finally a computer repair person eventually owning her own computer sales and repair business. Add my volunteer activities such as Sunday School Teacher and SADD advisor and more and it's been a full life. I never forgot my love of writing and quit my computer business in 2012 after signing a contract with Cozy Cat Press for Granny Hooks A Crook, the first book in my Fuchsia, Minnesota Series. I currentlyntly have written nine cozy mysteries, three children’s books, participated in three group anthologies or mysteries, and write three blogs about various subjects.

Families Feud

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I have been thinking about families today. I have especially been thinking about families that are estranged from one another.

It makes me very sad when I see relationships broken up because of misunderstandings. I once knew a brother and sister in their middle adult years become enemies.  They started feuding because of money and homes being left to one and not to all. I do not know who was right or wrong in this case. Many years passed and the feud continued. Children of these adults were not allowed to have any relationship with their cousins. Family events came and went without these people and families being part of each others lives. Soon the brother was on his deathbed. He asked to see his sister. At that moment it didn’t matter who was right or wrong. It didn’t matter what was left to who. All that mattered was that it was time for healing.

The brother died and those cousins, the man.s great nephews that never knew him were the pall bearers.The sister wept about all those lost years. She couldn’t go back. The relationship was mended at the end but there wasn’t enough time left to create new memories.

Relationships are never easy. Forgiveness is never easy. We are a proud people. We always hurt those we love the most.  Why am I writing this? Another family I know is suffering from estrangement. Soon it may be too late.

Perhaps I am so passionate about this subject because I have no siblings to feud with. Of course I can’t understand the sibling relationship but what I want to say is that a solo life without your siblings is a lonely life.

Who else is there in this world besides your parents  that has shared your life since your birth? Who else shares your genes and your history? Who else resembles your parents so closely?.Who else could share the sibling rivalry?You may not always like your family but there is love possibly deeply buried in the heart.

I have heard the words “I have no regrets if I never make up with my family, with my mother, with my brothers and with my sisters.” I say to you: perhaps you don’t know yourself as well as you think and someday those words will be flung into space in sorrow.

When we cease to exist in this world all that will be left will be those feelings we leave behind. We may think the material things of this world that we leave those we love are all important but they aren’t. They can’t take it with them anymore than we can take our earthly riches with us. What we can take is the love of those we left behind and leave those we left behind our love.

We might not know it but under the non existant feelings we think we don’t have,  that love  is there somewhere hidden in our heart. It is hidden by our pride, our need to be right, and our selfishness. We all have those feelings. It is ok to feel what we are feeling but ask yourself when the end is near will you like the brother and sister in the story regret not forgiving each other sooner?

Time is all we have until we don’t.

Becoming An Early Bird!

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I am not a morning person. I am not a night person. I guess that makes me a mid-day person. However this week I have become an early bird.

Cats love birds. I am cat sitting this week with a cat that seems to love me at 4:30 in the morning. You know the saying the early bird gets the worm?
He must believe the early cat gets the early bird to get out of bed so he can eat an early meal and that means that his meal is the worm.

I have found a whole new world that early in the morning. With the sun coming up I watch the birds flitting from tree to tree and the bunnies coming out of their hiding place. This morning the earth was washed with showers and everything looked fresh and beautiful. Maybe that is why this early cat thought he needed to rouse me out of a deep sleep. He knew the secret of what I was missing.

I did catch the worm. I caught God‘s beauty at it’s best with fresh eyes on a fresh morning. What better way to start a new day?

“When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive – to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love.”   Marcus Aurelius

Community Theaters Rock!

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Judy Garland was born on June 10, 1922 in Grand Rapids, Minnesota. I imagine her parents and the residents of Grand Rapids had no idea the impact that tiny little girl would have on America’s film history. I wonder if Judy Garland herself in her later years had imagined that when she made the movie Wizard of Oz it would live on in the generations to come.
I knew who Judy Garland was because The Wizard of Oz was made in 1939 and I was the first generation after my parents to view the iconic film which was re-released in the theater. Later on it was always on television at Easter so my kids could experience the magic of Dorothy, Toto, the Tin Man, The Cowardly Lion, The Scarecrow and of course the Wicked Witch and the Glinda the Good Witch. We also cannot forget the great Oz.
Many movie icons are not known by future generations. My kids know who John Wayne is because their dad is a John Wayne fan. My grandchildren have no idea who Marilyn Monroe, Clark Gable or who Sandra Dee and Troy Donahue are. My grandchildren know who the Three Stooges are because it is being brought back in film. My grandchildren know who Judy Garland is because Judy was Dorothy.
A couple of weekends ago I had the pleasure along with my daughter –in-law and granddaughter to attend The River Valley Theatre Company’s production of the Wizard of Oz in Shakopee, Minnesota.
I was ready for the usual version. I hadn’t seen the advertisements and although I love live shows and musicals I have seen the Wizard of Oz many times. Occasionally when I see something many times I get a little bored. However this time I was wowed.
This was River Valley Theatre Company’s version of the Wizard of Oz. This was the steam punk setting. Things were out of the ordinary. Dorothy had gold sparkly boots instead of red slippers. Steam punk incorporated elements of science fiction and fantasy. It incorporated fictional brass and steam machines found in the works of Jules Verne and H.G. Wells.
This version was exciting, toe tapping and hand clapping. The costumes were out of this world. Everybody was sparkly and colorful and the wicked witch’s costume of black leather, spandex and corsets was awesome. My granddaughter will forever remember this version of the Wizard of Oz. This version made me want to go back again and again. No longer did I think I may doze off because I had seen Dorothy make it back to Kansas many times. What could possibly be different? Dorothy made it home but with a few twists.
Why am I writing about my awesome experience at a community theatre? We never know what in today’s world will still be passed on to the generations that come after us. We never know what is going to influence the culture of our grandchildren and great grandchildren. We never know what might influence the culture even beyond them. What icons will still be remembered 100 years from now? If we knew something would be remembered long after it was presented would we change as a culture what we put before our society today? How do we want to be remembered? How do we want our actions to affect the future?
I also want to praise and complement community theatre companies that aren’t afraid to change and use their vision of a production to inspire all of us. The creativity used in creating a twist in theatre to change the humdrum of what we are used to should be applauded.

SOMETHING ABOUT NOTHING
by Julie Seedorf © July 2012