She was trapped, caught in a web of her own design. Tears fearcly rolled down her cheaks. Quickly wiping them away, thoughts racing, she had planned for everything but her emotions. Damn. Turning slowly, giving herself time to recreate her mask of calm. Pulling in a deep breath, transformation complete. Two guards opened the doors presenting the crowd their next Queen. via Daily Prompt: Transformation
Bad Habits or something else?
I was reading a fellow blogger’s blog today on Writing Drunk, Edit Sober and it rang a bit true. Putting our selves and our thoughts out for the masses to read, relate, or even dismiss is a scary endeavor. I will admit to you that I don’t always thing what I write is read worthy or even very interesting, so I don’t post very often. I know that isn’t always fair to you that do read my posts. I make no guarantees but do hope that you stick around for times that I do write and ‘give up’ my thoughts for you to react to. I will try to stick to my byline of my “adventures”.
I chose ‘Adventures’ as my life, at least in my opinion, is never very normal. That might just by my skewed view of it, however you tell me if it’s just me or are my little ‘adventures’ a little odd.
The past two days have been unseasonably warm here in Minnesota, we actually broke a record yesterday for 70 degrees, yeah, just typical Minnesota weather. In my mind the wonderful warmth needed to be felt to its fullest after a long day at work. This feeling needed to be felt by all member of my family especially the dog who rather enjoys being outside with her humans. I announce my plans to my daughter as she is the closest, “I am taking the dog and myself for a walk. I would love for you to join me, perhaps not today but tomorrow for sure!”
“I’ll go with you now. Let me get my socks and boots.”
Yes she actually wore her snowboots on our walk. I wasn’t complaining, she is coming with! Win for Mom. We walked and enjoyed the weather and time together.
~repeat for day 2, another score for mom to get child out of house in fresh air!
Which brings me to Day 3. Minnesota weather, it’s now a high of 45degrees, raining/misting all day long, blustering so hard the window rattle at times, so not really feeling up for a walk.
After dinner and clean up, I’m settling in to do some writing. If you are a lucky person to be owned by animals, even thing that statement will bring the furry friends running. I am currently writing AROUND a cat on my lap. She’s not just curled into a ball, she is fully stretched out paws extended. I need one of those over the lap trays so I can type.
Sorry distracted by purring. So I’m settled and now hear from the other side of my laptop screen a bit of soft whining. Absently telling the dog to shush apparently is the code to continue and be louder about it. I mean do dogs get taught by their parents that this works right after they are born or do human just give off those vibrations that dogs KNOW what will annoy us? Proceeding on, this goes on for as much as I can stand it. I am eliminating the obvious, she’s been fed, treats have been given and eaten, and she’s gone out for a bathroom break. So uttering the phrase “show me” makes her shove her nose into the back of my leg and with her head giving me the direction of whatever she is trying to tell me. Turns out tonight it’s a direction to grab the leash off the wall and go for a walk. I’m not sure how some people think that dogs don’t think, all I know is that if anyone tells you that humans are not trainable, they are wrong, dog wrong.
What is your fun animal direction story? I would love to hear that mine isn’t the only one that pushes me to do things I don’t want to do.
Don’t worry no animals were hurt in the progression of this story however she’s not a total pushover, we didn’t go for a walk, she settle for another treat instead and is now sleeping peacefully next to me.
Reflections of Scrapbooking & Writing
It hit me this morning that Scrapbooking is a little like Writing. Most notably is that no matter how long it’s been you will start out a little slow at first to get your bearings. As the day progress’ it becomes easier to create that page of pictures. A little like writing starting out with a few lines, possibly of nothing, then progressing into several paragraphs then pages and more pages until the story is finished. The scrapbook is done with all its pictures telling a small story hopefully added by some journalling – writing the story for that moment, as no one else knows what happened there but you, that needs to be told for a picture may tell a 1000 words but sometimes it needs a little help to get there.
I am at a Retreat with 14 other people. They are all telling their photos stories, some digitally some doing it by hand. None of us are judging their pages against ours everyone has a different way to tell a story so as writers how can we judge what we write against other either. We tell our story one way and another will tell there story their way. It’s not wrong just different which in the end doesn’t matter as now there is a story that is at least written and out in the world for others to enjoy. Just like a scrapbook page, we can share it with others, in the end its what we created is now out of the computer or camera and can be viewed by others.
Don’t be afraid to put your story out there. It is wonderful!
Happy Writing
January thoughts
Everyone thinks about their new year resolutions/goals/ideas in January. The downfall of this month as it leaves out all the other months that a person can start new goals/wishes/dreams. What January leaves us with failure or disillusionment half way through. I mean if you really want to makes changes or do something, just do it! Easier said than done, I know, however if you follow it up with hard work, determination, and a PLAN, then you are already half way there and the rest will seem easy…goal accomplished! Boy does that feel good when it happens.
I have been following a couple, Betsy and Warren Talbot from An Uncluttered Life, for a year or two. They are super funny, down to earth people. They both have made their lives work for them, a great source of inspiration for me, and they give out some sound advice. One for this year is to take all your lofty goals and map them out in two week sprints. Sorta of mini-habit building technique, but small enough to give you an idea of what works and what doesn’t for you and your situation.
One of their first steps was to have you write down 26 different items you wanted to change in your life. I did not get to 26 but the list can evolve as the year progresses. My first two weeks was getting my financial views adjusted to real-time with a new budget and no lofty aspirations of going off track, YNAB is a great tool – recommended by me. I look at my finances and make sure i’m not going over budget. Two weeks was a great start for me to make sure I could afford what I really truly wanted to buy and if I could. Budgeting and money planning in a smarter way.
The next two weeks…here we are. Taking and working on my writing. I am taking a writing course from Future Learn, Start Writing Fiction. It’s an easy pace but it’s eight weeks long, a bit of an overlap, but I know I can do it. I also started participating with Jerry Jenkins Writing Guild. Learning fiction from a man who has sold over 187 books, I am sure that I will be able to learn something from him. Plus he is going to hands-on for webinars and some special editing times during the month, very exciting.
I also entered a contest Writers Digest put on ‘Short Short Story Competition’. Had to be under 1500 words…I never realized that my stories go way beyond that so I had to cut it down, so really not sure on how it will reviewed by the judges however I should get some “professional” feedback. LOL – at least I tried and now have a good basic start for another story other than the one I started in November for NaNoWriMo, still have to get back to that one. So much to do but lets not get overwhelmed.
Moving on, this next week is for writing to finish up week 2 spring, then begins the scrapbook affair. I am switching over to digital scrapbooks instead of the paper in hand, just can’t handle all of the “extra” stuff that comes along with doing it that way. I am hoping it will be economical as I still have quite a few scrapbooks unopened. I have several challenges that come with the change. I have some printed events that really should go into books however I have 3-4 years worth of photos that I never printed to go through, they aren’t getting looked at sitting on the hard drive.
Where do I begin? A 5 day scrapbook retreat starts feb 3 and I hope that I can gather all the photos and put them on my laptop, burn to CD, or USB drives. Not sure how many years I will be able to get on them. I also have two programs that I can use for digital scrapbooks. Close To My Heart has one but it requires internet to access, the other is Panstoria, does not require internet but I am not familiar with it at all plus my 30 day trial is going to end soon and I haven’t tried it out very much…will be doing that tomorrow while I am working, me thinks. Now if you have had any experience with either program please let me know your thoughts.
How are your new aspirations for 2016 coming along? Faltering? Start anew, I know you can do it.
Until next time, Happy Writing & Adventuring
trena's adventures 