Not a Bad Start

My first week of 2013, was not a bad start. I managed to squeak out a my daily prompts, a so-so poem, critiques for my writing group, and write around 500 words on a new project. All in the midst of taking down Christmas decorations and returning the household to a "normal routine."

Of course, "normal" has new a meaning at our house these days. Sure, I would have preferred to have written more words per day, but given the disruptions over the last few months, I'll take the 500 words.

I'm exploring new ways to inspire ideas and to ignite my stories. But, I'll have to wait and see where the wind takes me this next week. I never know from day to day.

Intuition

I can't believe Christmas is here. The week has flown by with last-minute preparations for family, and as the year winds down, I'm contemplating the direction I want my writing to go for next year.  As, of now, I'm now sure which direction I plan to go, but I'll share more later. In the meantime, I along with the rest of you will be taking a few days off to be with family and friends to enjoy this sacred holiday.
But, before I go, I'd like to pass on a great article, I read this week, The Moo of Intuition.

The article was written by one of my friends Nan Lundeen, author of The Pantyhose Declarations. Nan teaches The Moo of Writing Workshop, and you can find her columns in Female First.

This week she wrote about listening to your intuition,  and the role it plays in our creativity. For me, listening to intuition goes hand in hand with authenticity, especially in writing, staying in tune to both is the key. I highly recommend Nan's article.

You can find her book, The Pantyhose Declarations  at Amazon, and it's on sale now for those of you who may still be looking for last-minute gifts.

Merry Christmas and God Bless

"Why?"

There is less Christmas joy in the air, this week. The merry season is forever tainted. Our nation is still reeling from the tragedy that unfolded, two days ago, in Newton Connecticut. We can't wrap our heads around the insanity of such an act against innocent children. That it happened so close to Christmas, a time families cherish with their children, only adds to the horror. And, we are all left asking "Why?"

The truth is, there is no "why." There is no "one" explanation for why bad things happen to good people. I wish there were, and then we could stop it, eradicate it.

These parent's will be grieving for a long time. They have every right to scream to the Heavens,  "Why?" I can only imagine their grief and pain. I pray for them every night.

But, the politicians and lobbyists shouldn't try to answer that question for these families by promoting their own agenda's. They should leave them alone.

There may come a time when one or more of the families choose to take up a cause in the name of their child, but that should be, must be, their choice, not a choice driven by the media or politics.

This is not about gun control, violence in Hollywood, the music industry and their influence, or how inept our nation is in helping the mentally ill. These issues are important and worth discussing, but NOT NOW.

This is about 26 innocent victims, 20 of them children, killed less than two weeks before Christmas. For those families and surviving siblings, Christmas will never be the same. For journalists and politicians  to exploit these grieving families to further their own agendas, is but another tragedy.

It is up to us, society, and to those close to the families to help them as best we can by offering our prayers, words of comfort, and help protect them from opportunistic journalists and politicians. Tell them to let these families grieve in peace.


To the families of Newton, Connecticut, you are in my prayers.

Christmas Magic

Christmas is just around the corner, and we adults are hustling and bustling, to buy the perfect gift for everyone on our list. By now we'd received all kinds of hints and a few suggestions (lists, to make our shopping experience easier). 

Christmas is for the little ones, but my children are adults now with families of their own, and on Christmas morning, my husband and I will wake up in an empty old house. I'm sure Christmas morning will be lovely, but the sound and excitement of little ones are but an echo. As a result, the season has lost a little of its magic.

Months of commercialization sap the life out of the Christmas spirit and crowds of shoppers which grow every year, are overwhelming. By the time, my family arrives on Christmas Eve, I'm worn out from shopping, wrapping presents, decorating and baking. I'm just ready for the New Year to begin.

But, in an instant a precious grandchild can bring the magic back, and remind us all of the true spirit of Christmas. 

It isn't about the most expensive or trendy gift but a gift from the heart. My seven-year-old granddaughter's school sponsored a Santa Shoppe for students where each child would have the opportunity to purchase Christmas presents for their parents, and friends; the prices ranged from $1-$5.  

Included on my granddaughter's Christmas list was her daddy, a construction worker. She spotted the perfect gift the minute  she walked  into Santa's Shoppe.

Her daddy often received calls after hours, and on more than one occasion, she watched him  go out to his van at night. Unable to see well enough to unlock the door to his van, he always came back, grumbling  in search of a flashlight.  

What did my seven year-old granddaughter buy her daddy for Christmas?

A keychain flashlight. 

Her thoughtfulness brought him to tears.  How do I know? She couldn't wait to give it to him. 

Often it's the small things that make the biggest differences in our lives.

This is the spirit of Christmas. The magic is back.

Two Steps Forward, Three Back

Every year Christmas season seems to come earlier. Before Halloween decorations are down the Christmas lights are going up, and the shopping frenzy begins. 

Tis' the season to be merry with Christmas lights, music, and decorations filling the stores, crowds of people materialize from nowhere and everywhere. The hours of the day are suddenly crammed with to-do-list so full it makes my head spin. 

I wonder how I ever managed to work a full time job, raise a family and still finish the things on my list. Hats off to young mothers everywhere. Maybe it's my age, who knows, but for whatever reason, my list keeps growing. It feels as if I'm taking two steps forward and three steps back. 

All I can do is keep putting one foot in front of the other; I'll eventually accomplish what I set out to do.  For now, I intend to relax, enjoy a bit of this Christmas spirit, and my family. There's sure to be a few stories I can glean from this crew!

Decisions

There's an old saying I keep in my desk drawer. I pull it out every now and again when I need to be reminded. Today was one of those days.

     "Indecision is like a dull knife that hacks and tears, leaving ragged edges behind."

When I worked, making decisions came easy. Perhaps, it was the added responsibility, or the multi-tasking. Regardless of the reason, in my professional life it was easy. 

I can't say the same, now. I'm always the holdup when we go out to dinner. Unable to decide between two menu items, the waitress  will end up waiting on at least two other tables before I can make a decision, and in the mean time I have to listen to my family's stomach's growling and their protest urging me to "just pick something." 

Shopping isn't much different. I no longer have my best friend, having lost her three years ago, so it's less fun and deciding which shoe or dress I like the best has become exhausting.

So, you can imagine my consternation today, when I was handed a bigger, more important decision to make, especially when someone close to me differed in their opinion about what I should do. Boy did I feel those ragged edges.

 I sat back, thought about it for a long time, and remembered who I was. I may not make the same high-powered, fast-pace decisions I once did, but I am still the same person. I haven't forgotten the process. Decisions are like a sharp razor quick and smooth, leaving no ragged edges in sight. I know and I will.

Best Laid Plans

I had the best plans laid out yesterday morning. I  was up bright and early at my keyboard, ready with an article outlined for Cow Pasture Chronicles, and Morning Pages was brewing in my head. I had pulled my notes and was prepared to start back to work on my novel, mid-morning, when....

Well, stuff happened... Instead of getting any of those things accomplished I end up spending the next twelve hours in the emergency room with my daughter. It wasn't as simple as the flu, but she will be fine. It's going to require more family support, but taking care of family is my top priority, right now. Even, the best laid plans don't  always work out.

So, what is the writer supposed to do? Here are a few of my suggestions.

1. Schedule like hell.
2.  Make a to-do-list
3. Use micro moments of time - use travel time to revise, or work on previous pieces.
4. Have a notebook and pen with you at all times, even at the bedside to jot down ideas, outline notes, etc.
5. Assign a limited time to social networking each day, otherwise you may find yourself wasting enormous amounts of time.
6. To save time group tasks together.
7. Learn to say,"No" to unnecessary drains on your time.
8. And, keep on writing one word at a time.