I’m grateful for children who don’t know the difference between a weekday and the weekend and wake up at the crack of dawn either way, it means they are alive, healthy and happy to see a new day. I’m also grateful for Saturday morning cartoons and cereal that keep them occupied while I steal a few more minutes of sleep.
According to some of my friends on Facebook, November is the month of gratitude and each day you’re supposed to post one thing for which you are grateful. While I’m on a self-imposed FB detox of sorts (another post for another day), I’m not one to turn down any opportunity to give thanks so I thought I’d blog my daily gratitudes.
Day 1
I’m grateful for clarity of mind especially since I’ve only averaged about 12 hours total sleep over the past 3 nights with a cranky but clingy 21 month old.
Day 2
I’m grateful for heat and electricity. Our furnace is out and while waiting for the part (that had to be specially ordered-then delayed due to Superstorm Sandy) we’ve been using space heaters. I know that I can”make do” but in light of all that the storm victims are enduring, my heart and prayers truly go out to them.
Some may ask, “So you have this blog and this dream of being published but what are you actually working on?” Good question! Well first I’d have to say, the fact I’m regularly blogging here is major progress. Five years ago I would have gawked at the idea of transferring the dialogue in my head to the world wide web. I was too concerned about people’s opinions and insecure in my own ability-not exactly useful traits for an aspiring author. But I’m here and I’m doing it one step at a time and my challenge now is to focus. I have notebooks and computer files of ideas, starts and first drafts but lately I’ve been channeling my energy into a collection of short stories and a collabo effort with my hubby. He is mega talented in illustration and voice acting so coupled with my writing we’re trying to create a little magic…Stay tuned…
Today’s Prompt:
You’re invited to a friend’s house for an important holiday dinner. You find a roach in your food. What do you do and/or say?
“Everyone dig in!”
I could sense Kayla’s excitement. She was hosting her first Thanksgiving as Mrs. Redman. I scanned the impressive spread, proud of my friend for taking on such a monumental task. Three kinds of meat and every side dish imaginable-she was determined to win over her in-laws. The table was abuzz with polite conversation as pans and plates were passed. I scooped a large helping of mashed potatoes onto my plate as I waited for the turkey to be carved. Tastebuds watering, I had just stuck my fork into the creamy mound when I noticed it. “Raisins in mashed potatoes?” I thought to myself, an odd choice but I wasn’t much of a cook and Kayla loved gourmet recipes. When I pushed the raisin aside and realized it had six legs, I covered my mouth to suppress a gasp. Quickly hiding my discovery, I looked around the table satisfied that no one had noticed a thing…
Happy Friday!! Hope this new year is off to a great start. It’s back to routine this week, school is in and vacations are over. I’m pretty excited about the writing workshop tomorrow. Do you have your tickets? If not, go to the Creative Alliance. I believe walk-ins are welcome. Also pretty excited about some “me” time tomorrow. I looove my hubby & kids but I also love alone time; not the hermit, shut myself off from the world kind of alone but the no one calling my name or knocking on the door kind of alone. I think my parents would agree, I was always pretty content being by myself and loved living alone in my single lady days. I just love the solitude and add a good read or writing…perfection.
Today’s writing prompt:
Create a story, poem or any piece based on this metaphor “a chapter of loathing.”
Her mirror reflects a distorted truth
Skin too dark
Hair too coarse
Nose too big
Distortion born of comparisons
Fed by erroneous standards
Created by inferior minds
Her beautiful book of Life
Interrupted by a chapter of loathing
I’m impressed and inspired by the work of many authors. I’ve listed a few to the left of my posts but that list could go on indefinitely. I recently began following the blog and FB page of one of those authors Mary DeMuth. I was first introduced to her through her novel Daisy Chain. I was gripped by the raw emotion of the characters and the richness of the plot. I’ve since read a number of her books but I’ve yet to lay eyes on her latest offering The Muir House. I can’t wait to read it but in the meantime I have subscribed to a blog tour she is doing for the book. Every day a different blogger shares their thoughts and reactions to the book. This is such a great idea and what a cool way to build buzz. Somewhere along the journey it seems every writer must put on their marketing hat.
Get to know Mary at http://www.marydemuth.com/
and a few hours since my last post and well, a lot has happened. Let’s see… I rekindled a love for poetry, penned a few pieces and gave a few as gifts -to see and hear someone moved by the words I’ve written is amazing. I now have a “sister in writing,” a friend who shares the same passion for the written word. One thing I’ve learned so far on this journey is that the solitary work of a writer has to be balanced with the critique, motivation, encouragement ie. the reality check of another person. It’s such a hard thing to expose the inner workings of our brains, to subject our written musings to the logic of another but it’s necessary for growth and sometimes sanity;-) I’m thankful for my sister writer as we hold each other accountable for our writing dreams and goals. Lastly I resigned from my job!! Resigned to be a full time writer you ask? Not really, more of a God is trying to tell you something, my family needs me leap of faith (see my Barnabas Blessings post about Letting Go). Soooo it’s been three weeks and five days since I gave up my desk with a cityscape view and it has been….exciting, tiring, frustrating, peaceful, stressful, prayerful, surprising and probably a few other descriptors I can’t think of right now. I looove my children and I stayed at home with my son his first two years so I’m no stranger to the stay at home mom (SAHM) thing but coming back to it after three years has been something. So as I continue to blog about my journey as a writer, my journey as a SAHM the second time around will be inevitably intertwined. Let’s just say Barnabas Blessings posts will continue to be those nuggets of encouragement I receive during my devotional time and Published Journey will be the sometimes not so encouraging real deal details of the day to day i.e.. my venting:-)
Barnabas Blessings 