Showing posts with label write. Show all posts
Showing posts with label write. Show all posts

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Laugh A Little


Does this cat make my butt look big? 



Avoiding. I have been avoiding lately. Avoiding a very important writing project that requires time, patience, heart, soul and me. I know it is going to consume me and challenge me and change me. I   know I need to write it for me. 

I tend to put myself last. It's easy to focus on other people when your house is full of them. When they all head out the door for the day I am left with a house that needs attention so I put the house first. 

When the house sits silent and undemanding, I can hear the paper calling. I saddle up with pen in hand. The ink hits the page and the truth spills out. Sometimes it feels overwhelming. Scary. So I humor myself.

Friday, May 24, 2013

Lately



I haven't been writing in this space lately. For a long time I couldn't figure out the reason why. A million lot of different thoughts came to mind. I'm too busy. I'm not feeling inspired. I don't have anything to say. I have too much to say. Nobody wants to hear what I have to say. My studio flooded, my camera broke and my computer died. That leaves me with no artwork, no pictures, and no computer to work from, as well as a head full of cluttered words

Today, I am feeling inspired. I'm busy, but making time. I have a lot to say and if you want to read it you can, if not, that's okay too. My studio is still in shambles, and my computer needs fixing but I have this little iPad and it does have a lot of capabilities including a camera (albeit not the greatest).

Today I dive back into my page. Into my purge. I have stifled myself for long enough. It's time to dump the load that sits in my brain. Unclog the mess that's been blocking my flow. I miss this space!

Blogging from a mobile device is new to me. I'm not sure how it works. I might make mistakes. Look like a fool. No matter. No more excuses. No more waiting around for perfection. I will live my life as it is and be thankful for what I have.

The flowers pictured here (which I cannot figure out how to center on the page... I digress...) are very special to me. My husband and I were entering the parking-lot of Farm & Fleet (a farm store with so much more!) when I spotted this little daisy plant growing between the curb and the blacktop lot. I knew it was destined for instant death from traffic or weed killer. The nature lover that I am, I  had to save it! 

"Honey! Look at that beautiful flower! It's going to DIE THERE!!!"

For those of you that don't know me in person, yes, I am THAT dramatic.

"We have to do something! We have to save it! It is a survivor! Living out of that tiny crack in that barren parking-lot. How did it get there? How did it make it this far without proper care and a healthy, safe, nurturing environment?"

Oh Mother Nature, you are Good!!!!! You teach me about myself all the time with your wild and beautiful ways. (As I type this I am relating to the flower. Never realized that before.)

At any rate, my husband knows my passion for the natural world, knows my heart is ten times too big for my own good, knows I cannot help my desperation to save as helping to save others helps save me.

He parked the car, pulled the plant and handed it to me with a smile. 

I took it home, planted it next to my front door and watched. She was a tiny little thing, about six inches high with a few little flowers. She struggled to accept her sudden change. She appeared to wither but hung on, small, still, willing. I watered her, talked to her, loved her. She overwintered without a trace. This spring? She showed up huge, beautiful and full of grace! Just look at her now!










Thursday, March 14, 2013

Look Up



I rarely put myself first and am realizing how unhealthy that can be. My conditioning taught me to be a people pleasing caretaker. I have always put everyone else first and it has hurt me severely. It's not that I wanted to be last, I just couldn't figure out how to put myself first without hurting someone else. Someone wins, someone loses. Me? Or them? Conditioning taught me to self-sacrifice.

What a terrible dilemma! Either I put myself first and feel selfish for hurting others, or I put everyone else first and I suffer. That is a no win situation. 

I'm learning. 

Being able to put yourself first is important in life. You are the most important person in your life. Without you, you have no life. Putting yourself first can be empowering and liberating. It is also how you get ahead. Putting yourself first is good, unless done at the cost of others. Then you are acting out of ego. You are saying "I am better than, more important than." You are creating hurt.

If done correctly, everyone benefits.
So...
what is the correct way?

I think I may have figured it out!

Each one of us must put ourselves first in order to thrive and survive.

Putting yourself first means you must cast off others. Use them as stepping stones. Use them to build a wall so you can find your rightful place at the top. Right?

Wrong.

Try looking at it as a race. Place yoursef first. 
Then...
grab the hands of those around you. Walk shoulder to shoulder, together, in the lead. If you get to a point where you feel the energy or need to surge ahead? Don't drop hands, pull them along! Set an example. Lead the way. Share the empowered feeling of being first. It will pay off if you stumble or tire. By that time, the bond between hands will be strong and it will be you who will be carried along until you have regained strength.

We all must work together in order to win the race.
The Human Race.

Look up. What do you see? Vastness. Eternity.
Does it make you feel small?
I'm sure it does if you stand alone.




Stand together.
Walk together.
Run if you have to.
Just don't let go.
If you feel yourself slipping?
I got you babe.


I am taking this moment in time to recognize that I have never put myself first. I am also realizing that I need to start. In doing so, I vow to hang on to the hands of all those I love, leaving no one behind and adding the hands that reach out to me. In putting myself first I will grow in self-esteem, in empowerment and in self. I will set an example and pass the feeling on through all the hands I hold.



Wednesday, January 30, 2013

The Write to Survive


I want to write.
There.
I said it.
I really, really want to write.

I want to write something brilliant.
Something moving.
Something important and inspiring and...

The same advice is given over and over.
Write what you know.

What if people don't want to know what I know?
What if I don't want people to know what I know?
What if I don't even want to know what I know?
What if what I know doesn't matter?
What if I know too much? too little?

I want my words to matter.
I don't want them to be judged.
Good luck with that, right?



This piece of wood represents how I feel lately.
Weathered and worn yet beautiful to the right eye.
So much lost yet so much left.
Fragile yet strong.
Lying silently still, full of untold stories.

I often feel lost.
Perhaps more hidden.
Like the decomposing log in the woods.
Quietly blending in, trying to survive,
yet in spite of all efforts, slowly weathering away.
Waiting to be found, to be seen, to have its beauty and story noticed, captured, appreciated.

Weathered and worn after many a storm.
My eyes bore deeper into the decomposing layers.
The answer emerges gently.
Life. Inside.

Much of my story is that of survival.
I still have so much life inside.
Screw survival.
It's time to live!


Friday, November 30, 2012

NaNoWriMo 2012 - Day 30


NaNoWriMo Day 30 - 

     Do you see that my peeps? Over there on the right? Yesssss!!!! The badge of honor. I did it! I really, really did it! It took me five years, but I won NaNoWriMo! I now have over 50,000 words under my belt in one month toward a completed novel. The story is not done and the editing will be a challenge, but with a 50,000 word start, I'm good to go! It's a sweet mess right now but it's my mess and it feels sooooo good!




I love writing.  I love the swirl and swing of words as they tangle with human emotions.  
~James Michener

There are thousands of thoughts lying within a man that he does not know till he takes up the pen and writes.  ~William Makepeace Thackeray




Novel writing is serious business!



Monday, November 26, 2012

NaNoWriMo 2012 - Day 26


NaNoWriMo Day 26 - 

     Twenty-Six!!! I cannot believe I have made it this far! I am at 40,767 words with 9233 words to go with five days to write them in. That's 1847 words per day to win this thing! Woot Woot!
     After five years of trying, I am beyond thrilled to be so close to the finish line. I see light at the end of the tunnel and it is be-yoo-tee-ful!
     Having tackled 4325 words today in order to catch up from Thanksgiving slacking, I am pretty much typed out. I saved enough words to share this bit of silly with you.
     Horse hide protection. Folks gotta do what folks gotta do to protect their furry friends from overzealous sharp shooters! Deer hunting in the midwest. Boo yah!




"The writer writes in order to teach himself, to understand himself, to satisfy himself; the publishing of his ideas, though it brings gratification, is a curious anticlimax." 
 ~Alfred Kazin, Think, February 1963


"You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you."  ~Ray Bradbury


"Writing is a socially acceptable form of schizophrenia."  ~E.L. Doctorow





Tuesday, November 20, 2012

NaNoWriMo 2012 - Day 20





NaNoWriMo Day 20 - 

     Three days of rest, massage and chiropractic seem to be doing the trick. Fibromyalgia is a fickle disorder that I must learn to play nicely with. When I push it around, it always wins.
     Yesterday I jumped back into the game getting in slightly over 1300 words. Rather than fretting over a five day weekend with four kids at home, I see five days of kids sleeping in while I wake before dawn to gently caress the keyboard in hopes it responds in kind.
     I chose today's quote because it's fitting and feels good. Smile with me.




"There are few things, apparently, more helpful to a writer than having once been a weird little kid." ~Katherine Paterson



Found in a friend's garden still hanging on.  -  November 2012



Thursday, November 15, 2012

NaNoWriMo 2012 - Day 15




NaNoWriMo Day 15 - 

     Wow! I made it to the halfway point! I am halfway through this crazy writing challenge! This is also the first day I am actually slightly ahead of the curve punching in with 25,350 words! Not to toot my own horn, but... ah what the heck! Toot Toot!
     Actually, I can't take all the credit. I have a strong support group and I have believing mirrors. 
     This past week has been really hard. My body is retaliating and my mood hit the dumper but I persevered and here I am. Halfway.

     Today I visited my son's school. They have this great program called "Superstars". Every month there is a superstar theme. This month's theme was "making good decisions". My son was chosen by one of the teachers to receive recognition for his excellent decision making. The school holds a mini monthly awards show for the chosen superstars. The room fills with superstars and their parents (parents bring lunch for their child from their favorite restaurant) and while everyone eats, they call the student's names one at a time, have them stand at the front of the room while they read who chose them as a superstar and why. The student then receives an award and a small gift. They have their picture taken with their award. The pictures are then displayed for the rest of the month on a wall next to the office for all to see.
     It is such a cool program. It not only promotes student success, but it recognizes and rewards those students in a positive way. I was so proud of my son and all of this months superstars.
After returning home I sat back down to work on my novel. I couldn't help but correlate between the parents at school and those of you who have been cheering me on. It has been a hard few weeks and I still have a few more to go, but right now I just feel so proud and I want to thank all of you who are cheering me on. You make me feel like a superstar and I am grateful for that. With my word count as my reward, I...
Thank You!




"Show up. Get to work even when you don't feel like writingespecially when you don't feel like writing."  ~Daniel H. Pink




Ever feel stuck? Ask yourself "& then..." 
Representative of the spoonfuls of love, support and encouragement I have been receiving for which I am grateful.



Monday, November 12, 2012

NaNoWriMo 2012 - Day 12



NaNoWriMo Day 12 - I fell way behind on my writing this weekend and accepted this will be the trend. Full house = less words. Today was catch up day and I wrote like the wind! Word dumping is becoming rather addicting as I am finding myself waking with the urge to hit the page as if it calls me from my sleep. The blank page is no longer blank. Words are dancing, mingling, playing amongst themselves. Some of it may be drivel, but I assure you, with enough time and attention the words will come to order and work themselves into something grand.

I am posting two quotes today. The first in honor of the weekend struggle to the page, the second in honor of a record day of writing.





"Ink and paper are sometimes passionate lovers, oftentimes brother and sister, and occasionally mortal enemies."  ~Terri Guillemets



"Write. Start writing today. Start writing right now. Don’t write it right, just write it – and then make it right later. Give yourself the mental freedom to enjoy the process, because the process of writing is a long one. Be wary of ‘writing rules’ and advice. Do it your way." ~Tara Moss




playing with my word magnets







Friday, November 9, 2012

NaNoWriMo 2012 - Day 9



NaNoWriMo Day 9 - Yesterday was a doozy. Had trouble making it through, but I did. Oh yes, I did! The more pain I felt, the more I wanted to give up. The more the fibro fog wrapped itself around my brain, the worse my writing sounded resulting in a full on fight with my inner editor. No correcting, no deleting, no judging is allowed or I will never hit the word count goal of the day. NaNoWriMo is all about dumping. Getting words onto the page.
Today, something magical happened. I woke, I typed, I was reaching a point in the plot where I had to introduce an altering event and I wasn't sure how. Suddenly, the main character created the event all on her own! She guided me right through! Bravo Amelia! Thank you for showing me the way!




"Writing became such a process of discovery that I couldn't wait to get to work in the morning: I wanted to know what I was going to say."  ~ Sharon O'Brien





This...


is the "no-no" key!











Wednesday, November 7, 2012

NaNoWriMo 2012 - Day 7



NaNoWriMo Day 7 - Fibromyalgia is kicking my butt. I am in some serious pain. I also have a fire in my belly for this writing challenge that I have not experienced in the past. It is built big and burning strong. I wrote in spite of my condition. I pushed myself and hit my goal for the day in spite of my pain and brain fog. I hurt like hell right now but my mind is happy, my heart is soaring, my soul found freedom in the words in spite of my body trying to hold me back. In spite of. Pretty powerful words when you use them for good. Words I am in love with today. The writing life. At times it literally hurts so good. Off to a hot bath and even hotter tea (to wash down a much needed pain pill). Hey! I'm not Superwoman you know!

Now it's your turn. I challenge you to go do something wonderful in spite of that which holds you back. Let me know how it goes, won't you? I do love a good share.


"Writing is easy: All you do is sit staring at a blank sheet of paper until drops of blood form on your forehead."  ~ Gene Fowler


Letters I purchased after a tour at Hamilton Wood Type & Printing Museum


Tuesday, November 6, 2012

NaNoWriMo 2012 - Day 6




NaNoWriMo Day 6 - I voted, I wrote, I hurt, I ate chocolate. What more do you want?



"Write your first draft with your heart. Re-write with your head."  ~ From the movie Finding Forrester


* bonus quote from yours truly *


"I'm learning the only kind of chocolate that is guilt free is the kind you don't admit to yourself you ate." ~Lynn Retzlaff






Monday, November 5, 2012

NaNoWriMo 2012 - Day 5



NaNoWriMo Day 5 - What a fabulous and wonderful weekend! I was invited to spend an evening at a bed and breakfast in the western hills of Wisconsin with a couple of other ladies. I enjoyed beautiful scenery, lack of cell service (which meant no interruptions), wonderful conversation, sisterly love and great food. It was relaxing and recharging beyond belief. Upon arrival home I grabbed the family and headed off to visit a family friend who invited us over for dinner and a movie. It was a second late night of friends and fun. Yesterday was all about food and football. I managed to eek in writing all weekend but still fell behind my daily goal. This morning I logged onto my regional NaNoWriMo group on FB and found a gentleman looking for a word war! We set the clock for one hour and we were off! I won the word war and nearly caught up with my word count. I am feeling so happy today!
My past experiences with NaNoWriMo left me feeling down in the dumps as I quit on myself. This year, all the stars have aligned. I'm in a good place of personal growth for the challenge, my believing mirrors and cheerleaders are out in full swing, serendipity and inspiration are blowing under my wings and I am soaring!
Today I chose a giggle quote.  :)


"I love being a writer. What I can't stand is the paperwork."  ~ Peter De Vries


Thank you to all who are cheering me on and those joining me on this writing journey. I grabbed this image off an old sign hanging on a fence at the B&B this weekend. I couldn't help but think of  all of you. You are my net of support there to catch me if I fall. Thank you!



Friday, November 2, 2012

NaNoWriMo 2012 - Day 2



NaNoWriMo Day 2 - I made goal. Made the ticker on the right happy today. The words are flowing freely but the story is somewhat of a catastrophe compared to the perfect scenario I imagined. My inner critic is getting really pissed off that my inner child is running around messing up the place!
I must continue to remind myself that this is dumping grounds. First draft. Free style. No editing. No re-writes. No judgment.


"If I waited for perfection, I would never write a word."  ~ Margaret Atwood





I am l♡ving the new Kleenex box!!!! 

Thursday, November 1, 2012

NaNoWriMo 2012 - Day 1



NaNoWriMo Day 1 - Fell asleep on the couch last night which ended up being convenient as the first thought that popped into my brain this morning was, "Shit! Day One!"
I set up shop in the living room hoping for inspiration from my awesome book coffee table. I'm planning on writing on my son's discarded laptop as it's pretty bare bones basic and shouldn't allow for too many distractions. It also allows me to become a mobile writer! Look out local libraries! Here I come!
Plenty of Joe and my Dove Dark and I was set! I started writing when... oh yeah. Have to get the kids off to school. Two hours later...
I was off!

It is shortly after noon and I have reached my first day's goal! Boo Yah! Baby!

First day excitement, plenty of coffee, the novel has been churning in my brain for a month, first day dump was no problem. Let's hope it keeps up!

I'm off to shower and vote!

xxx-Smooches!-xxx 




"There's an old folk saying that goes: whenever you delete a sentence from your NaNoWriMo novel, a NaNoWriMo angel loses its wings and plummets screaming to the ground. Where it will likely require medical attention."  ~ Chris Baty


Laptop - check                coffee - check               book table inspiration - check 



animal blankie & prowler outfit and I'm good to go


I always love me some Dove!






Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Accountable



I have added a button to the top of the right hand column of my blog. Do you see it? It's a word counter. A NaNoWriMo word counter.

NaNoWriMo - (from their website) is a fun, seat-of-your-pants approach to novel writing. Participants begin writing on November 1. The goal is to write a 50,000-word (approximately 175-page) novel by 11:59:59 PM on November 30.

I have attempted this competition for three years now, always throwing in the towel fairly early. I felt guilty for taking the time, my inner critic talked me out of it, it was too hard. A few of the reasons for my past failures. This year, I am determined to win! I am telling family. I am telling friends. Now I am telling you. The more people that know, the more real it will be, the more I will feel held accountable.


This is Lennon. He loves our printer. He waits patiently for pages to print and is beyond thrilled when they arrive. I am going to tape this picture above my printer so he can hold me accountable (as much as a cat can).






A friend sent me this picture. She cannot be here to breathe down my neck. She wants this for me. Bad. She knows how important it is to me. I will hang this picture by my computer. It is to remind me she's watching, holding me accountable. 







If you pop in throughout the month of November, keep an eye on the word counter. See how I'm progressing. Feel free to cheer me on! If I slip, give me a little poke, but please be gentle!




Have you struggled with a self-challenge in the past?
What tricks and/or tools did you use to overcome?

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

A Bit Lost




If you know my blog, you know I have been MIA finding myself on hiatus for personal reasons.



While I was gone...
~ my heart broke but is now on the mend
~ I feared for my life then found hope that all will be well
~ I almost drown in a river of tears until I finally landed ashore
~ I realized I was blind to much and have since opened my eyes
~ I nearly lost faith only to land deeper in than I ever imagined


I have grown in self and in spirituality.It has been a very personal journey and it has changed me. I have been back for a few weeks now and am eager to jump back into blog mode, yet every time I sit down to the blank page, it feels different. I'm not sure how to approach the page anymore. 


I've sat and pondered, created and deleted, ignored the page, attempted a don't-think-just-do post, all with the end result being trashed instead of published. Today I decided the best route back is the route of honesty. This post might not be my best, it might not even make sense, but it is honest.


Things I have been working on...
affirmations
gratitude
attitude
intention
self-love




I thought the following quote would make a wonderful affirmation. It is supercharged by the addition of one of my children's hands holding a piece of childhood magic gifted by Mother Nature. We call them "blow flowers" in our house.


Photo of my son's hand holding a "blow flower" as we call them.   © Lynn Retzlaff 

Thank you to all who have read my blog in the past and for those of you who are still hanging in there. Your love and support means a lot. Please bare with me while I find my footing. I am hoping to settle back into a comfortable posting routine again real soon.


Love to all.



Wednesday, November 2, 2011

One of THOSE days



(NaNoWriMo Day 2)

spirit's low
money non-existent
word count lacking
body aching
chaos surrounds
covet others' brilliance addictively
lack action with self
 muse calls
pop pill
must
write

representation of my current state of mind

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Do You NaNo?



It's that time of year again.
Not holiday shopping.
Not turkey time.
NaNo time!!!


Every year I join.
Every year I get a bit further.
This year I will fight to reach the end!

Due to the mass volume of words required per day
plus the other commitments I find myself in
plus the busy life I lead
in addition to not being 100% yet...

I am going to challenge myself to keep up with my blog
(as I truly love it here)
by following the motto
K.I.S.S.
(keep it simple sweetheart)



Today's message brought to you by
Count Cat-ula!

Do you NaNo?


Friday, October 14, 2011

Tattoos



This post is a piece of fiction I created from a writing prompt over at Write On Edge. The prompt: "This week, we’d like you to write a piece in which a tattoo figures prominently. Fiction or creative non-fiction. There is a lot to think about: why someone would get one, what they chose, when they got it, what message does the tattoo(s) send? You will have 300 words with which to play."


  
Tattoos
 by Lynn Retzlaff

Hank was big, burly and rough looking. Mandy knew her mother didn’t approve of their relationship but she was in love with him and desperately wanted her mother’s approval. To better acquaint them, Mandy planned a special dinner. Beatrice was punctual as always and was not shy to show her disgust that Mandy’s boyfriend had not yet arrived.
“Please, Mother. He’ll be here. Let me pour you a glass of chardonnay to calm your nerves.”  Mandy suggested.
“I’ll take the chardonnay, but if it’s nerves you think are bothering me, you’re dead wrong young lady. It’s bad enough your boyfriend has those God-awful tattoos, but to be late to a dinner that was planned weeks ago? That’s just unacceptable!”
“He probably had to work late.” Mandy went about her business pulling the roast from the oven and covering the potatoes to keep them warm. Hank may be hard on the outside, but inside he was made of teddy bear stuffing. Her mom simply needed to get to know him better.
            Half past the hour Hank came barreling through the front door. “Sorry I’m late ladies!” he practically sang as he flopped into the head chair at the table.
            Beatrice had downed two glasses of wine while waiting and could no longer bite her tongue. “You should be sorry! You should be downright ashamed! Look at you showing up late when Mandy has put so much work into this dinner, and WHAT is with those tattoos!! One is bad enough but you look like a road-map gone dreadfully wrong!” She focused in on one particular tattoo on Hank’s upper right arm that had bothered her since their first encounter. “And who in the world is Desiree!!”
            “Desiree was my kitten when I was a boy. She died in a house fire...”
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