This Date in My History

Coincidence — Or Something More?

13 August 2026

On Sunday 2 August, I copied this quote in my commonplace book because I liked it. I often connect to a quote for a particular, immediate reason, but this time I didn’t. The truth of the words spoke to me.

Signs and coincidences are not just funny little weirdsies… They are not accidents. They are real. They are cosmic messages. They are made of love, and they are for you… There is a web that connects all things, all timelines, all thoughts, all possibilities, and certainly all souls… What you call a coincidence is nothing more than a moment when you actually notice the web… If you were even more tuned in. more calm, and present at all times, pretty soon you will see nothing BUT such glimpses, signs, and coincidences.
— Elizabeth Gilbert, 8/2/26 Letter From Love newsletter on Substack

Shortly after writing the quote in my book, I was bloomscrolling on Substack and saw 2 random notes from people I don’t follow that contained the same message. When 2 people who didn’t collaborate say the same thing, I know the Universe is trying to tell me something! The messages were:

THIS DID NOT APPEAR ON YOUR TIMELINE BY MISTAKE! August is about to blow you away with massive abundance and success!
— @EliseMcDowell

August will be a month of abundance.
— @BadRedheadMedia (Rachel)
(The message looked like it came from a fortune cookie.)

ACX had notified me on the previous day that one of my audiobooks is on sale throughout August. That’s certainly one way the Universe could bring some massive abundance and success to me this month!

When our housekeeper came last week, she asked me about meeting the incomparable Barry Manilow. At the precise moment I showed her the pictures, the SiriusXM Escape channel started playing Daybreak! Even she recognized it as one of Barry’s songs!

That afternoon at the dentist, I liked the electric mix of music, but I was still surprised to hear ABBA’s Dancing Queen. I always feel that’s a hello from my Daddy!

It’s easy to dismiss or completely miss little occurrences like these. However, sometimes too many related “coincidences” are stacked together that I must believe they were ordered by the Universe.

When writing about my experience of meeting Barry Manilow, I was reflecting on all of his concerts I’ve attended. One in particular stands out because a number of so-called coincidences taught me a valuable lesson.

Stop The Comparisons

29 April 2026

Twenty years ago today, I was a computer specialist at the IRS. During a break or lunch, I looked at the Barry Manilow message boards on my personal laptop to see what was new. Someone posted an interview with Barry published that day in the Sydney Morning Herald.

One meaningful quote leaped off the screen at me! I immediately reached for the nearest piece of paper, which happened to be a notepad from work, and copied it:

I have never done anything for the money or the charts. I do what I want to do because I believe in it, and it’s always been that way for me.

I didn’t even listen to the radio back when I first recorded Mandy, so I never really knew what was going on, and I still don’t.

When you start trying to compete with what everyone else is doing, you’re lost. (my emphasis)

After suffering from comparison-itis for years, I wrote in my journal one day:

Maybe this is my purpose!
Maybe my biggest challenge is the thing
I was sent here to learn and teach.

While I can’t say I am completely cured from comparison-itis, I do have some techniques to keep it at bay.

[Read more…] about Stop The Comparisons

TDIMH – Frustration Is Temporary

23 January 2023

I often look at my journals from the past with the thought “What happened X years ago today?”

When entries are at least 10 years old, I sometimes re-publish them here on my blog in the category of This Date in My History (TDIMH). They helped me see how far I’ve come and hopefully encouraged others along their path.

Today, I happened to wonder about my life 20 years ago. I hadn’t planned to write on my blog, but the story that day was too good to pass up.

The Story Behind the Story Part 2: Music

13 December 2022

Today’s World Violin Day! As you know, I play harp, not violin. However, a violinist and his instrument figured prominently in my audiobook of FANNY HERSELF: A PASSIONATE INSTINCT by Edna Ferber and in the music I chose to go under the credits.

I started to write this quick story as a Twitter thread, but I strive to keep my original content on MY site and share it on social media.

20 Things Learned in Last 20 Years

1 September 2019

Happy 20th anniversary to me!

I launched my voiceover business 20 years ago.

Since my last post was about using my journal, it’s only appropriate that this one goes back to where it all began, my first entry in my first book.

Saturday 8/28/1999 9:25pm

I’m spending my evening copying the CD of my first voice-over demo with the plan to mail a few to agents on Monday. How I got to this point and where I go from here will be the subject of this journal.

Friday 9/3/99 10:15pm

On Wednesday, September 1, 1999, I mailed 3 CDs to [3 Atlanta VO agents]. It was such a huge step, and I felt a tremendous sense of accomplishment and excitement to have pushed the dream out to people who could do something about it!

The past 20 years have been a remarkable evolutionary journey, to say the least! As I was reflecting on all that I’ve seen, read, written, voiced, and otherwise done in that time, I decided a blog post of 20 things I’ve learned would be a great way to celebrate this milestone!

So here’s the list, in no particular order. By the way, you’ll find more private journal entries sprinkled throughout these articles!

Bly vs Bisland: The Story Behind the Story (Part 1)

16 July 2015

Every now and again, we get a Divine whisper of an inspired idea. Such was the case about a very special and exciting audiobook I created and produced earlier this year.

In 1889, Nellie Bly and Elizabeth Bisland were female reporters in New York. Each went on a daring solo trip around the world at the same time. Nellie wanted to beat the time of Phileas Fogg, Jules Verne’s fictional character in Around The World in 80 Days. Rival reporter Elizabeth Bisland left on a solo race around the world hoping to beat Nellie’s time!

Nellie sailed east to England in the morning. That night, and unbeknownst to Nellie, Elizabeth took a train west to San Francisco. In Bly vs Bisland: Beating Phileas Fogg In A Race Around The World, I combined the narratives from both women into a single book with 1 timeline! Who will win the race?!

My journal entries tell Part 1 of the story behind the story between idea and implementation.
[Read more…] about Bly vs Bisland: The Story Behind the Story (Part 1)

Karen Commins

Award Winning

Atlanta Audiobook Share-rator™