I'm so excited. I got myself some clay, some tools for modeling clay, some inks for antiquing metals, and some liquid clay so I can get started on sculpting. It's terribly thrilling. However, since I haven't been feeling quite the best tonight, I'm waiting until tomorrow to dive in and create. So that's something to look forward to!
You know how you just have those days where all you do is have fun? That's kind of how my day was today. We, my mom and two sisters, drove to town and went to Michaels, Target, Walmart, and Bed Bath and Beyond. It was so much fun. We just did a lot of window shopping and browsing, and I was able to write my poem for the April PAD. (That's Poem-A-Day, for those who don't know what that means. For more information, you can go here: http://blog.writersdigest.com/poeticasides/ Join the fun, if you want to!) I also came up with another story idea, and have two poems that I want to edit and submit to different mags. That's in my to-do list in my day planner... or it's going to be soon!
Also, since I feel in a celebrating kind of mood, it feels like Spring out here. Seriously. We had an enormous dump of snow about a week ago, and we got so much that it was impossible to chuck the stuff on the berms. It was too high! Now, seven days later, I'd say a good 1/2 of the snow has melted. That's amazing! We went from about 6 feet to 3 feet in a week. Lovely, and I have to say, FINALLY! Snow is beautiful stuff, but shovelling is probably one of the few forms of exercise that I quite despise. I'm more than happy to see the sunshine.
At the end of the day, there's nothing quite so nice as sitting on the couch with a stuffed animal of sorts, (I know, infantile. But stuffed animals are SO comforting!) and listening to music. Right now, it's "The Secret Garden", a Broadway musical. Very soothing, and relaxing.
Showing posts with label On Everything Else. Show all posts
Showing posts with label On Everything Else. Show all posts
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Saturday, March 5, 2011
I had a craaaazy busy week this week!
First off, my sisters and I had to go online and book tickets to Scotland. I decided, then and there during the whole purchasing process, that I love the thought of traveling, and being in the place where I want to travel to, but I hate booking tickets and I hate the airport.
After that, since my fav'rite singer is going on tour and will be in my area in the summer time, I bought tickets to his concert. Hoot hoot! That was the most thrilling moment of the evening! **sigh**
Then, I am in the process of moving into a wee small house with my sister, and so there's a lot of packing up being done. That being said, I'm surprised I have time to post anything!! :-)
However, there is still time to have fun. For one thing, as a consolation prize, I purchased the most adorable monkey that also substitutes as a neck warmer. See, this little animal has some sort of warmth-retaining beads in it, so when you microwave it (or bake at 150 degrees for about twenty minutes, if you don't have a microwave), it radiates heat for quite a long time. Makes you feel fuzzy all over while you're writing and listening to music. Next, I bought a Writer's Tool Box by Jamie Cat Callan, which contains "first sentences", "non sequitors", and "sixth sense" cards that are all made expressly for the purpose of stimulating the right and left side of one's brain. Last, I bought a book I've been hankering after for quite a while. It's called "The Art of War For Writers" by James Scott Bell, and it is fanTAStic! I love love love books on "How to Write". I always learn so much from those "How to" books! :-)
There was one section from "The Art of War for Writers" that I loved. It depicts a hero and a fool, emphasizing their differences. Here's the section:
Hopefully, that thought will leave you with a little sparkle of inspiration.
Tonight, I'm writing this blog, watching an Avonlea, and leafing through "The Art of War for Writers." Aaah, I live for weekends!
Don't forget the fuzzy monkey. **winky**
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| Photo courtesy of FreeFoto.com |
First off, my sisters and I had to go online and book tickets to Scotland. I decided, then and there during the whole purchasing process, that I love the thought of traveling, and being in the place where I want to travel to, but I hate booking tickets and I hate the airport.
After that, since my fav'rite singer is going on tour and will be in my area in the summer time, I bought tickets to his concert. Hoot hoot! That was the most thrilling moment of the evening! **sigh**
Then, I am in the process of moving into a wee small house with my sister, and so there's a lot of packing up being done. That being said, I'm surprised I have time to post anything!! :-)
However, there is still time to have fun. For one thing, as a consolation prize, I purchased the most adorable monkey that also substitutes as a neck warmer. See, this little animal has some sort of warmth-retaining beads in it, so when you microwave it (or bake at 150 degrees for about twenty minutes, if you don't have a microwave), it radiates heat for quite a long time. Makes you feel fuzzy all over while you're writing and listening to music. Next, I bought a Writer's Tool Box by Jamie Cat Callan, which contains "first sentences", "non sequitors", and "sixth sense" cards that are all made expressly for the purpose of stimulating the right and left side of one's brain. Last, I bought a book I've been hankering after for quite a while. It's called "The Art of War For Writers" by James Scott Bell, and it is fanTAStic! I love love love books on "How to Write". I always learn so much from those "How to" books! :-)There was one section from "The Art of War for Writers" that I loved. It depicts a hero and a fool, emphasizing their differences. Here's the section:
"If you want to be a writer, know this:
A hero knows it takes hard work and a long time to get published; a fool thinks it
should happen immediately, because he thinks he's a hero already.
A hero learns the craft; a fool doesn't think there's much to learn.
A hero keeps growing all his writing life; a fool thinks he's fully grown already.
A hero fights to make his writing worthy, even when no one's noticing; a fool demands
to be noticed all the time, even if his writing stinks.
A hero is persistent and professional; a fool is insistent and annoying.
A hero gets knocked down and quietly regroups to write again; a fool gets knocked down
and whines about it ever after.
A hero makes his luck; a fool cries about how unlucky he is.
A hero recognizes the worth in others; a fool can't believe others are worth more than
he.
A hero keeps writing, no matter what, knowing effort is its own reward; a fool
eventually quite and complains that the world is unfair.
Be a hero."James Scott Bell
Hopefully, that thought will leave you with a little sparkle of inspiration.
Tonight, I'm writing this blog, watching an Avonlea, and leafing through "The Art of War for Writers." Aaah, I live for weekends!
Don't forget the fuzzy monkey. **winky**
Saturday, February 26, 2011
What if...
... there was no such thing as gravity?
What if day didn't follow night? or vice versa? What if we only had a sort of shadowy daytime that was neither light or dark, but somewhere in between?
What if there were no such thing as stars? or seasons? Can you imagine if we lived in only one continuous season forever and ever amen?
What if we didn't have imagination?
Now, imagination. What is it about the imagination that makes us try to create something more than what we have? Why do we imagine? Why can't we just live in this world and go through life day after day in the same mundane way?
Have you ever wondered that? I have. I am right now. What is it that makes us-- writers, singers, actors, artists, everybody really-- try to co-create life? It's like we reach out and try to define life, define living. We try to extend something of ourselves, to transform the dull and mundane into something shining, brilliant, and new.
Sometimes it's because we want to show the world the hidden secret inside us, the "who I really am" part that we rarely let people see. Sometimes it's because we want to show the world a sudden brilliant ray of hope in a life that may not be hopeful at all. Sometimes it's because we want to change the world.
I wonder if that's why people are constantly asking "what if?" What if the world ended tomorrow? What if there was no such thing as heat? What if the Flood in the time of Noah never happened? What if there was no technology? What if God didn't know what He was doing?
What if you're reading this post, and the electricity goes out? What would you do?
I imagine you'd find out.
What if day didn't follow night? or vice versa? What if we only had a sort of shadowy daytime that was neither light or dark, but somewhere in between?
What if there were no such thing as stars? or seasons? Can you imagine if we lived in only one continuous season forever and ever amen?
What if we didn't have imagination?
Now, imagination. What is it about the imagination that makes us try to create something more than what we have? Why do we imagine? Why can't we just live in this world and go through life day after day in the same mundane way?
Have you ever wondered that? I have. I am right now. What is it that makes us-- writers, singers, actors, artists, everybody really-- try to co-create life? It's like we reach out and try to define life, define living. We try to extend something of ourselves, to transform the dull and mundane into something shining, brilliant, and new.
Sometimes it's because we want to show the world the hidden secret inside us, the "who I really am" part that we rarely let people see. Sometimes it's because we want to show the world a sudden brilliant ray of hope in a life that may not be hopeful at all. Sometimes it's because we want to change the world.
I wonder if that's why people are constantly asking "what if?" What if the world ended tomorrow? What if there was no such thing as heat? What if the Flood in the time of Noah never happened? What if there was no technology? What if God didn't know what He was doing?
What if you're reading this post, and the electricity goes out? What would you do?
I imagine you'd find out.
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Today is Saturday: On Everything Else
All rights, peeps, I'm setting myself a blog schedule. That's right, you heard me! From now on, come h--- or high water, I'm going to post on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays. (Did you like my discreet edit of that actual word there? I try to keep it clean. :-)
Monday will be my "On Writing" day, where I talk about all things writing, whether it be my writing, a friend's writing, or a learned author's recommendations on writing.
Wednesday will be my "On Reading" day, where I talk about all things reading, whether it be my stuff I've read and what I've learned, a friend's writing and what I learned from them, or just a book I'm reading and what I've learned or come away with.
Saturdays will simply be about everything else under the sun, such as the snow that fell last week, the way the sun is shining, the new book I found at the bookstore. I may possibly insert such anecdotes into my other posts, and I may occasionally add a bonus post or two (or three or four, depending on how motivated I am during a week) that are simply about life, but the above schedule is my intended resolution.
So today is Saturday: On Everything Else. On to the fun stuff.
Well, I have to tell you, I'm a real music lover. I've decided that the best way to get someone into a happy spot (after food, the all time happy spot finder) is through music. Today, I bought one of those nature sounds CD's that usually play piano or instrumental melodies set to the background sound of ocean waves, wind, or rain. I love those CD's... I don't know why. Actually, yes I do. Those nature sounds CD's put me in a happy place, in a place of relaxation and rest, where I can actually let go of my mind and think.
When I sit on a couch (or at my desk, or on my bed, or curled up on the floor in a blanket) and write, I love to have some sort of instrumental music playing. It blocks the noise from the world, and lets me settle into my zone. Usually I have soundtracks, but nature CD's seem to work even better. There's something about the nature sounds, I think, that can let my easily deluded mind visualize an outside place, some sort of primeval landscape, a forest stream, maybe, where my thoughts go straying.
While we're at it, I like to have a cup of tea, too. With honey. And some lovely whipping cream. Mmmm. Maybe I should add a cupcake. Chocolate. After all, chocolate is a natural anti-depressant, and after I re-read a chapter of my story, whichever I'm working on (I know, I oughtn't to re-read. Bad, bad Cat!), I can be depressed. Hence, the chocolate.
I'm set, I think. Let me just plug in...
Aaaaah. Listen to that thunder roll. I'm in my happy place. Let the ideas flow!
Whoops. That's okay. I can make more tea later. I can clean that spill later, too. Right now, the words are all that matter.
Monday will be my "On Writing" day, where I talk about all things writing, whether it be my writing, a friend's writing, or a learned author's recommendations on writing.
Wednesday will be my "On Reading" day, where I talk about all things reading, whether it be my stuff I've read and what I've learned, a friend's writing and what I learned from them, or just a book I'm reading and what I've learned or come away with.
Saturdays will simply be about everything else under the sun, such as the snow that fell last week, the way the sun is shining, the new book I found at the bookstore. I may possibly insert such anecdotes into my other posts, and I may occasionally add a bonus post or two (or three or four, depending on how motivated I am during a week) that are simply about life, but the above schedule is my intended resolution.
So today is Saturday: On Everything Else. On to the fun stuff.
Well, I have to tell you, I'm a real music lover. I've decided that the best way to get someone into a happy spot (after food, the all time happy spot finder) is through music. Today, I bought one of those nature sounds CD's that usually play piano or instrumental melodies set to the background sound of ocean waves, wind, or rain. I love those CD's... I don't know why. Actually, yes I do. Those nature sounds CD's put me in a happy place, in a place of relaxation and rest, where I can actually let go of my mind and think.
When I sit on a couch (or at my desk, or on my bed, or curled up on the floor in a blanket) and write, I love to have some sort of instrumental music playing. It blocks the noise from the world, and lets me settle into my zone. Usually I have soundtracks, but nature CD's seem to work even better. There's something about the nature sounds, I think, that can let my easily deluded mind visualize an outside place, some sort of primeval landscape, a forest stream, maybe, where my thoughts go straying.
While we're at it, I like to have a cup of tea, too. With honey. And some lovely whipping cream. Mmmm. Maybe I should add a cupcake. Chocolate. After all, chocolate is a natural anti-depressant, and after I re-read a chapter of my story, whichever I'm working on (I know, I oughtn't to re-read. Bad, bad Cat!), I can be depressed. Hence, the chocolate.
I'm set, I think. Let me just plug in...
Aaaaah. Listen to that thunder roll. I'm in my happy place. Let the ideas flow!
Whoops. That's okay. I can make more tea later. I can clean that spill later, too. Right now, the words are all that matter.
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