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Raise your acceptance; lower your expectations.

Mary Pat Straw

On occasion, Sharon writes about her life and her work and shares these writings with the members. It is a chance for members to get to know Sharon on a more personal level. It is an opportunity to understand "the woman behind the curtain." Sharon's writing often gives members a better understanding of how Neighbors evolved and why. It also gives members a better sense of community.

Sharon's Bio

I didn't call myself a writer until 2007, and it was my husband who named me one initially. Writing has been my passion since childhood, though I never dreamed of being able to publish anything until my 40s. I published on my own site and in a local paper, but had never written anything for pay until 2008. Now, it is a critical element of my job and it remains my passion.

I am a middle-aged, happily married woman. I have a teen age son and two step children in their 20s. My parents call me their "flower child", though my friends consider me relatively conservative. I live in Great Falls, VA with our menagerie of cats and dogs and neighboring wildlife. I vacation in New Mexico and Florida at every possible opportunity.

I was born in El Paso, Texas, but was raised just a few miles from where I live now from age 7 until I attended college at Randolph-Macon College in Ashland, VA. I taught middle and high school English for a few years, moved to Okinawa, Japan for a few years during a short first marriage. I earned my M.Ed. in Counseling & Personnel Services from University of Maryland, then taught a few more years, then married my current husband.

I worked with Jeffrey for 12 years as co-owner of a remodeling company, and then I started myNeighborsNetwork.com in 2000. In 2003, I turned my hobby into a business and have been running it ever since.

I am an introvert, shy by nature. I love to read, knit, needlepoint, pet my cats, and of course, write.

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Becoming a Bookworm
Becoming a Bookworm When I was young, I did not like to read. I loved to write, but I did not like to read. My parents were (and still are) avid readers, so I had some great role models, but it would take another 30 years before the bug bit me. English was my favorite subject in middle and high school. I loved t... click here to read more

Looking Forward
My friend Michelle Woodward is helping me with my To Do Lists. A few days ago, she talked about Looking Back and then she talked about Looking Forward. She is talking in terms of this year and next year. Sometimes, I am just talking about this morning and this evening. But I took her assignment to task and made my list... click here to read more

Looking Back - 25 Things I Accomplished
A friend of mine, Michele Woodward, has a great blog that is quick to read, and provokes some thoughts for me. Sometimes, I feel like she gets so many thoughts going in my head, though, that I can’t catch up with her. Last week, she wrote about Looking Back at this year and writing down 25 things I have accomplished. I... click here to read more

Who is Coming to Taos with Me?
The Taos Summer Writers’ Conference is now accepting registration and some of you have already beaten me to it! I have signed up for Mark Sundeen’s weeklong class, The New Nonfiction. My weekend class is Creative Journaling, though I still wonder if I should try the Publishing course again. I think I will stick with th... click here to read more

Sharon Has a Calendar
We have created a cool calendar with some of my favorite quotes and photos in there. Feel free to take a look and order one for 2009. http://www.cafepress.com/myneighborsnet.277957525#... click here to read more

Sharon is Going to Post More Often
Just writing the subject heading is painful for me. I promised someone that I would try to let my "editor" go and keep my "writer" flowing. My background of being an English teacher makes me thinks revision is awesome. But my perfectionism has become a character defect and I am not getting my thoughts on paper for fear... click here to read more

Taos Summer Writers' Conference
Sometimes, I am made aware of exactly how weird I might be. Today is one of those times. I just went to the Taos Summer Writers' Conference site and saw that the 2009 schedule is up. There are no details, but the course titles and teachers are listed. And I am already drooling. i can't wait to go back . . . . I really... click here to read more

Speeding Tickets
“The only time I see a cop around here is when they are handing out speeding tickets!” I have heard this more than once from some of my friends. When I was in my 20s, I owned a Mazda Miata. I loved that blue car. I was young, slim, blond, single, and loving life. And my Miata exemplified that time of my life. That Mi... click here to read more

Do Your Community a Favor This Week
I have now gotten a flu shot every year for 15 years, since our son was born with significant health issues. It was one of the documents we signed before we could bring him home. That, and to promise to never allow anyone to smoke in our home or in our son's presence. Stephen, and my husband Jeff also get flu shots every... click here to read more

How 9/11 Changed Me
I am too young to remember where I was when JFK was shot. I was just a few months old; my mother was feeding me baby food on the red sofa when she heard the news on the television. I am not too old to remember 9/11 – I was at a doctor’s office in Mclean. It took Jeff 45 minutes to get a hold of me on my Nextel. “L... click here to read more

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