Habits creep in
Like stalkers at night
We awake and find them amongst us
So goes the way of the news
Read for interest to be informed
Look for more complete details
Shock value captivates attention
Research
Then repeat
And repeat
Peace disrupted
Habit revealed
I long to return to consuming news
On a “need to know” basis
Question
How to be informed yet not addicted?
(I’d love to hear your thoughts and suggestions on this topic)
In the midst of the current pandemic, we’ve found ourselves with more time at home. There has been a task at my house I’ve been saying “if I just had some uninterrupted time at home, I would get that done.”
So, due to the pandemic, I have time at home. I’ve found tackling the task difficult to do. Not because the task is so hard, I just lacked enthusiasm to start and stick with the project to completion.
It took me over a week to complete the project once I began. What’s interesting to me, is that I realize it was not a question time. The question proved to be motivation.
For whatever reason, I made cleaning my office/art room into something so daunting that I was avoiding even beginning.
I can say it is complete. I’ve been waiting to start a project in the room until I completed the clean-up. Now I’m able to begin creating something I want to do. Why am I not filled with a sense of satisfaction for cleaning up my work space?
Do you have a project or task that you’ve been putting off and can’t seem to do it?
And why?
I have questions today.
Please leave a comment in response to any of the questions. Happy New Year!
Do you read my blog because you too are a writer, or just interested in what I write about?
Either is good; I’m just curious.
If you write, do you have writing goals?
How to you track your goals and evaluate your progress?
Does this motivate you?
I use writing goals. It’s a process I’ve refined over the years. It started with generic lists for big projects that I seldom looked at and by the year’s end; I found I accomplished little. Not very satisfying!
My process evolved and suspect will continue to evolve.
It’s important for me to break down a project into tasks; this level of detail ensures things don’t fall through the cracks and provides a more accurate view of the work and time involved to accomplish the project. Making that simple change to my goals has allowed me to be more realistic in what I can accomplish.
As I contemplated 2019’s goals in creating my goals for 2020, I realized how frequently you, my followers have been part of the process. Thank you for taking time to read my posts, for choosing to “like them” or make comments. Those efforts encourage me, as a writer.
My hope for you is that as you reflect on 2019, you enjoy good memories.
I look forward to 2020 and hope my writing will bring a smile to your face,
or provide something for you to contemplate.
I’ve been back in Colorado about a month now. After a few days, I adjusted to the time differences, the altitude, the night stars and different lifestyles. Remaining were the routine things around the house that needed attention, civic responsibilities and reconnecting with friends on this side of the Atlantic. It looks like it might take us the rest of the year to connect with family and friends we haven’t seen in a while.
While in Ireland, I established a “more” regular writing routine than I had previously practiced. For me, that meant at least three or four dedicated times of writing, or writing related activities per week. It seems like I fell out of step with those practices quickly after landing back in the states. My first goal is to return my Irish writing routine.
I’m okay with you checking in to see my progress. That’s accountability.
I reviewed my 2016 writing goals and set goals for 2017. I enjoyed some victories and accomplishments last year. My first novella – Dream Glasses is available as a Kindle Book. I’m still working on the print version.
I met three other woman dedicated to their writing. Their friendship and support as we met together has blessed me. It is my hope we will continue to meet together.
This last year’s writing experiences taught me some things.
I recognize I had too many divergent goals, which caused me to loose focus and sometimes I did nothing. This translated to tasks not accomplished.
2017 goals are not so broad and open-ended. I have specific goals related to specific writing projects.
I found my ‘writing location’ within the house where I can sit and write. Later in the year, I wrote more regularly.
I analyzed what worked with writing Dream Glasses and what things slowed me down. I’ve learned much about formatting, styles, sections and images.
I transitioned my writing to Scrivener to allow me to keep all related writing, research, and character lists related to a piece in one place, while fully expecting the final work may still take place in MS WORD.
I’m excited about what 2017 brings.
I expect the print version of Dream Glasses to be available soon. (For those of you following this blog site, last year I thought the name of my book would be The Madeleine. That changed to Dream Glasses.)
I’ve started working on the sequel. No name yet.
I’ve got more research ahead of me to make the story locations as real as Paris has been to my readers.
I’m working on a collection of short stories and still working on a children’s book.
Have you set your writing goals for the new year? …and are you willing to share them?
The Sunday I felt God calling me to go on this Haiti trip with Poured-Out left me filled with many fears. Previously, I would have used all those ‘fears’ as the reason to just stuff the thoughts and go on with life. I was just finishing up a Bible study with an amazing group of women on discerning the voice of God. We were on the lesson about God’s expectations when you hear from Him. Simply OBEY. Yikes! Knowing the truth and not complying is sin.
I asked a friend if she would go with me. She said yes. So with much fear, I signed up for the trip and started praying about the adventure and what God would have.
Without going into tons of details, it is safe to say my list of fears was long. Some of the issues were:
What I found was one at a time, as I turned to God in prayer I was able to see my fears listed on a sheet of paper and each one was slowly being erased from the list.
In Haiti, I realized as I had turned my thoughts to Jesus and what He was asking me to prepare for and focusing on those aspects of the upcoming trip – He was working to take care of each of those issues.
When Jesus is the focus and you are worshipping Him and focusing on what He wants you to do, there is no room for fear.
1 John 4:18
There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
It is my prayer, that God our Father will continue to work His love in my life. May He do so for you also!
I arrived home about 4 am today.
It was an amazing week! I’m still sorting through all the different thoughts and emotions involved in experiencing something so totally different from my life routines.
There were 14 team members, 3 team leaders, and 3 translators working together in the Torbeck area, Okay Region of Haiti.
We installed 50 filters.
Yes! 50 filters.
What does that mean?
Each filter can process approximately 20 gallons of water a day.
That creates a potential of 1,000 additional gallons of safe drinking water available each day to improve the quality of life for the people of this area.
More info and photos to follow…
Could we make the world a little better if we thought of others and spoke of them in the following way?
Today someone asked me if I liked you. I laughed, and I said, “Ha! That’s funny!! I absolutely LOVE that woman!! She’s funny, caring, crazy as heck, sweet, beautiful, she’s reading this right now & I love her!!”
Be the kind of woman that when your feet hit the floor each morning the devil says, “Oh Crap, She’s up!”
“You don’t have a soul. You are a soul. You have a body.” -C.S. Lewis
This is another message I have received from several sources. It made me feel good and smile. I share it, hoping the ideas might motivate you to think about how you speak of others.
Note: I have recently turned to some writing prompts to get back to the practice of writing regularly. You may or may not find this humorous. Please feel free to share your comments. A recent prompt was
It’s time for you and Writer’s Block to part ways. Write a letter breaking up with Writer’s Block, starting out with,
Dear Writer’s Block, it’s not you, it’s me …
It is time for me to be honest with you. I don’t like myself when we are hanging around together. Liking ones self is essential to personal satisfaction and happiness. When I’m around you, I don’t accomplish anything. There are so many things in my head I want to get down on paper, or things I’ve started knowing I need to revisit and refine. I find myself thinking, “I can’t!” instead of thinking “I can!” You make it too easy for me to settle for thinking “someday I’ll get back to my writing”. I’m a happier and more fulfilled person when I think, “I can!” We just aren’t compatible. I have taken the liberty of packing your stuff and have even booked a hotel for you in town. With your personality and way with people, I’m sure you won’t have a problem finding someone else to hang around with. If you find yourself bored in town or with no companionship, hop on the train. Enjoy the scenery and the ride. I’m sure things will work out for you. Best of luck to you. I’ve got things to do.
Bye…..
Journey to the Heights 