We hope you enjoyed the March 2025 issue of This Awful Awesome Life. Many thanks to Orlando Bartro for his contributions to the magazine. Let’s hope the next 25 years of the 21st century will be less awful and a lot more awesome. So far, it’s a close call. With the cost of almost everything certain to increase in the coming months, remember; we are a free publication.
Orlando Bartro entertains us with, “The Picture of a Thought.”
This month, I wrote five stories from one writing prompt. I like to do this at least once a year to use my imagination and build some creative muscles. This year, my writing prompt is a quote from the incomparable Dolly Parton, “You gotta bloom where you’re planted.”
My poem for April is about the current war on words in Washington. D.C.
This month, we’re celebrating Earth Day, World Autism Acceptance Month, and National Child Abuse Prevention Month.
For our new column, “Happy Birthday,” celebrating the birthdays of famous writers, I selected the Irish poet Seamus Heaney.
This month, I reviewed The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah. This novel is set in the wilds of Alaska. Find out why I couldn’t put it down.
For April 2025 in “The Twelve Months of Fruit,” I decided to feature bananas. You’ll flip for our link to this website and the recipe for Healthy Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Oatmeal Bars.
Our reading recommendations for kids and young adults have a spring theme and for adults, we’re celebrating spring cleaning for your home and your mind – in with the good thoughts and out with the bad.
We’re streaming movies and TV shows from around the world.
This month our quiz is a fun word scramble in honor of Earth Day.
We’re constantly updating our Author Page to include the latest published works of your new favorite authors, and we’re adding authors. Being able to give authors a free place to display their work is a dream come true for me, so please check every month to see who’s new and what’s new.
Don’t miss our new Artist Page where we will be celebrating creatives and providing their contact information. We will be updating and adding to the list during this month and the following months, so keep checking our new page.
Last month, an Iowa teacher was ordered to remove a poster from her classroom because it promoted ideas of inclusion and diversity that a parent or student might object to. Here is a link to the story, https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/national-international/idaho-teacher-remove-everyone-is-welcome-here-sign/3868678/?_osource=SocialFlowFB_DCBrand&fbclid=IwY2xjawJcMhdleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHQPa8L0izLCVn_KH0hFIAcVm4qe6K5ckXLg2Q6utq2RsSJECNPmbmHwxvg_aem_T4lrS0A5pRPVNf9DXRbgOQ
If you believe classrooms should be welcoming places for all students, please send a postcard or quick note of support to:
Lewis and Clark Middle Scholl
C/O Sarah Inama
4141 E. Pine Ave.
Meridian, ID 83642
United States
Everything in Between is now available in audiobook. The narrator, Louise Porter, does a wonderful job bringing Sabrina and her story to life, and I can’t wait for you to have a listen. You can purchase the audiobook for Everything in Between on Amazon, iTunes, or Audible. https://www.amazon.com/Audible-Everything-in-Between/dp/B0DDR8GRWS/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3TV0J0HCWYT7T&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.tdRKc5MxwdOobXZOLckDvQ.0BXe9QYH3JnZOn9j0LC6Yy6gCG9UI3lIcRu4KlRnIPs&dib_tag=se&keywords=everything+in+between+by+frances+joyce+audiobook&qid=1725234363&sprefix=everything+in+between+by+frances+joyce+audiobook%2Caps%2C103&sr=8-
Congratulations to New Jersey Senator Cory Booker for breaking the record set for longest filibuster speech set by Senator Strom Thurmond from South Carolina. Thurmond spoke for 24 hours and 18 minutes in an unsuccessful attempt to prevent a vote on an amended version of a Civil Rights Bill in 1957 to expand federal supervision of integration in Southern states. Thurmond resorted to reading entries from an encyclopedia to hold the floor. Senator Ted Cruz spoke for 21 hours and 19 minutes in a 2013 speech opposing the Affordable Care Act. He resorted to reading a children’s book, Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss.
Senator Booker spoke for 26 hours and 5 minutes in opposition to the Republican’s proposed Budget giving tax cuts to the wealthy and the dangerous policies of the Trump administration and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) headed by billionaire Elon Musk. Senator Booker remained on topic for the entire time reading letters from concerned constituents who have lost jobs or services because of Executive Orders and actions by members of the president’s cabinet or Mr. Musk. He fielded questions from his democratic colleagues, but remained standing without food, drink, or bathroom breaks for the entire time.
All year we’ve been encouraging you to make informed choices at the ballot box. The election may be over, but insuring we have responsible qualified cabinet members is our next job. If you’re worried about the capabilities/qualifications of certain nominees to understand the needs of our public-school students, housing, the environment, Healthcare, Social Security, or safety regulations that protect our workers, please make those concerns known to your Senators. You can email or call their office and make your concerns known. We The People should have a say in our future. If you don’t want a billionaire and his newly hired employees without proper security clearances having access to your private information and finances, speak up because it’s happening. Do you want people with no accountability to the American people evaluating how your tax dollars should be allocated and the benefits you will receive? Let the people in Congress know what you expect them to do to restore our safety, security, economy, and good standing in the world before we have a recession and/or a major global conflict.
If you are worried about the direction of our government, start preparing for the midterms now. Do your research, so we don’t end up with legislators who care more about partisanship than serving the needs of the American people. The League of Women Voters is a reputable and impartial source for information. Check them out before you head to the polls.
Please keep showing up and voting. We will never tell you who to vote for, but we will keep telling you to vote and do your homework!
Which incumbent legislators have actually authored and submitted legislation to benefit Americans? Who’s all talk and soundbites? Who refuses to bring legislation to the floor of the House of Representatives or Senate, so our Representatives/Senators can vote on it? We pay them to conduct the government’s business, not to sit and do nothing. We don’t pay them to do the bidding of political parties or billionaires. Would you hire this person to run your business or trust them to be a fair boss? Would you trust them to make decisions about your safety and well-being?
Samantha Sayers has been missing since she disappeared on August 1, 2018, after a day of solo hiking at Vesper Peak near Seattle, Washington. Sam grew up in the Erie, Pennsylvania area where her parents Ron and Lisa still live. Her family is exploring all avenues of inquiry to find and bring her home. In the face of such an enormous challenge, they have chosen hope. Please keep sending positive thoughts to Sam and her family. As promised, we will be displaying a yellow ribbon for Sam on the opening page of each issue of This Awful Awesome Life until she is home.
If you are a person of faith, please pray for her safe return to her family. Because we are an online publication, we can update this article with any news. We will also post information on our Facebook page, but only after it is verified. Thank you!
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Happy Reading,
Fran