Monday Dreary or Dreaming?

MONDAY MUSINGS

 From a collection of photos of origami boats by Victor Eredel.

Spring.  Rain.  And in my little corner of the world, that can also mean storms and possible tornadoes.  We're keeping an eye on the middle of the week for those.

Somehow we escaped the original forecast of a rainy Easter.  I spent the day inside anyway and found the top of my desk.  I now have a box of papers to sort and file.  The truth is, I need a system to make finding things easier.  With three of my four daughters and their offspring and hubby/SO off to share the day with their dad and his wife, the house was silent.  I don't mind the quiet.  In fact, I invite it.

In fact, the entire weekend proved semi-productive.  I started work on a new website design (for myself!), but shelved it.  The ideas weren't coming as easily as I'd hoped.  Much of both days tended toward learning and introspection.  No deadline is looming--except for the need to dive farther into a new book proposal--and family demands were at a low.  It was a Me Weekend, for the most part, and although I didn't do anything earth-shattering, I'd rank it at an 8 of 10.  There aren't a lot of those.

Having a day or two without demands and requests from others is a gift.  It doesn't happen often, so when it does, I start out not knowing how I should spend the time.  While I didn't get everything done that I should have, I also didn't scold myself for the things left undone.

I caught up on the TV show Cosmos and watched last night's episode of Game of Thrones.  The two are on at the same time, but where there's a will, there's a way, and I watch Cosmos later online, when time allows.  Yesterday allowed it.  Another gift to be thankful for.

I finished the weekend with a short list of "me" things to do this morning, the first being this blog.  The other two are personal things I've begun working on, such as making time for myself, making life more positive, learning how to become a more positive person, and simply enjoying a small part of each day.  A phone call from a friend completed the evening.

All in all, the weekend was enjoyable, and I look forward to the next one.  Plans for that one include the possibility of rearranging my office, which will eventually lead to painting my desk and purging the myriad of boxes of who knows what that fill much of the space in the room.  My mother's habit of hoarding got its hook in me at an early age, but that story is for another time.

The sun is peeking through the clouds, so maybe the chance of the rain sticking around is over, at least for a while.  The day is new and bright.  Let's make it a special one.

As you walk down the fairway of life you must smell the roses, for you only get to play one round. ~ Ben Hogan

It's Not What You Think

No, I was not on vacation last week, although I truly wish I had been.  Sometimes work and deadlines and family completely take over life, and other things must take a backseat.  In fact, I shouldn't even be here writing a blog.  I should be working, but my conscience is bothering me, so, well, here I am.

It's a good thing February is a short month.  By the weekend, we'll have run the four weeks of the second month of this new year and be on our way to what will hopefully be spring.

Does anyone remember Spring?

We've been on a long run of cold and ultra-cold this winter.  Polar Vortexes, included.  I'm yearning for warm.  Not hot, mind you, but a nice 75-80 degrees to thaw my feet, hands, nose...  On the other hand, as I complain about the cold, and the snow, and the sub-zero temps, I realize that it could have been worse.  I could live in the Northeast. ;)  Blessings to all of you who have had a rough winter.  May you thaw quickly and soon!

I'm impatiently waiting to see the first green buds on trees.  They will come, as they always do each year, but sometimes the wait seems eternal.  Spring, it's been said, is eternal, but this year I'd have to say that Winter has been.  This week is supposed to be another cold one.  Not frigid, as some of them in the past couple of months have been, but still cold enough to wish for a few more days of 60 degrees, when a jacket is all that's needed.  I'm more than ready to put away the long, down coat, gloves, three pairs of socks and the rest of the layering.  I yearn to sit barefoot at my computer.  If I tried that now, I'd have a severe case of frostbite.  I'll even try to be grateful when my 6" fan, buzzing away on my desk, is needed to keep me cool.  And I know it won't be long until I'm complaining about unstable weather and threats of tornadoes, along with power outages.  Although I hope this year those outages don't cause another computer monitor to die.  Which reminds me, I need to find a chimney for my oil lamp.  One more thing to add to an ever-growing list of needs, thanks to the weather.

As I sit here, I gaze longingly at the photo above.  How I would love to have a hammock, where I could rest and dream!  I've been so busy, even dreaming has crowded into that backseat with work and deadlines and family.  But I have given myself permission to watch college basketball.  Our beloved WSU Shockers are now the only undefeated team in the nation.  I'm convinced that's the only thing that has kept me from complete insanity.

Oh, have no fear.  By May I'll be whining about storms and tornadoes.  By mid July it will be the heat.  By August it will be the need for school to start again.  If only I could learn how to accept and enjoy each season, each turn in life as it speeds by, faster and faster.  Maybe I'll work on that...when  spring arrives.  And maybe, if I'm really, really lucky, I'll get a vacation, even if it's a working vacation.

Now back to trying to dream about that hammock and the beautiful beach with a gentle, cooling, tropical breeze...  Dream on!

I'd like to dial it back 5% or 10% and try to have a vacation that's not just e-mail with a view. ~ Elon Musk

How to Survive Blah Season

Yes, the photo on the left is a black hole.  That's how I feel about this time of year.  You know, the holidays are over, the weather is, well, unspeakable in some parts of the country right now.  We're looking at at least another month and a half of dreary and probably closer to two months.  Around these parts, our worst winter storms tend to happen in March.  So if January is shutting down the South, I'm really not looking forward to what we'll get in the middle of the country before spring arrives.

Weather is changing.  Yes, January is supposed to be cold, at least in my neck of the woods.  Cold weather means staying in more than usual and bundling up when going out.  It means going out less, if possible.  While I'm not a big outdoor person--I spend most days at my computer, working on projects, no matter what season or weather--I still like breathing fresh air.  But I don't like going out in the cold.  Let's face it.  Most of us aren't kids anymore.  And just why can the younger ones deal with cold weather so much better than adults?

Aside from the weather, I consider this Blah Season.  Yes, Valentine's Day is coming up soon, but other than that, we're on a slow boat to spring.  Punxsutawney Phil will or will not see his shadow on February 2, issuing another 6 weeks of winter, either way.

Seasonal Affective Disorder
Yes, SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) is real.  Let's face it, we need SUNLIGHT!  The Winter Blues affect millions of people.  But there are ways to effectively deal with them and get through Blah Season.
(Found on SmartPeople:  10 Cool Ways to Beat the Winter Blues)

1. Exercise  Okay, I'm not a big exercise fan.  I enjoy a nice walk, but this isn't the season for it.  Numb  and sometimes throbbing fingers don't make me smile.  I'm also not a fan of gyms.  So what to do?  I have a treadmill that doubles as extra "closet space."  By that I mean that I have a tendency to hang my clothes on it. ;)  I'd get some exercise by reducing that particular closet space, then I could actually use that treadmill for exercise.  And let's not discount the small collection of exercise videos that collect dust on the shelf.  I guess that means I really can use #1 after all.
2. Eat a Healthy Diet  I'm allergic to the word "diet."  Each time I hear, read or type the word, I want to rush out and get a shake at Sonic.  Or eat a container of ice cream.  Or a bag of candy bars.  Yeah, you get the picture.  Still, it couldn't hurt to eat more veggies and cut down on the sweets.  Couple that with #1, and it might be a win-win situation.
3. Get Some Sun  There are two windows to my right with sunshine coming through.  I make four trips a day to two different schools, so it's not like I never leave my house.  And I leave early on those trips, so I have a good parking place, then I sit for 20 minutes, waiting for the school bells to ring and the students to come rushing out.  (I spend that time working, reading, or even listening to music.)  For now, I have this one covered.
4. Act on Your Resolutions  Remember those New Year's Resolutions we made four weeks ago?  Or have they been forgotten.  I did work on one of them this morning, although I don't call it a resolution.  If I do that, I set myself up to fail.  What one did I work on?  Being grateful.  After Max the Dog woke me this morning, I realized it's Wednesday.  Hump Day.  Hump Day in Blah Season.  Is that an oxymoron?  My first thought, after saving my fingers from Max's playful bites, was that I'm grateful it's Wednesday.  Get through this day, and there are only two more days to make those school runs.  Now that's something I look forward to.  Yes, I'm acting on my resolution to start the day on a positive note.
5. Avoid Binge Drinking  Really?  And I was thinking this might help.  Shucky darn.  Bummer.  My binge drinking amounts to nearly nothing anyway, so where's the fun in that?  Okay, this one is taken care of. :)
6. Treat Yourself  Hmm, this one is tough.  Then again, I do manage to do this, now and then.  Last night I watched my two favorite college basketball teams on TV.  Because they played at the same time, although not each other, we flipped back and forth between channels.  Both teams won!  One of those teams, Wichita State University aka WSU, is ranked #4 in the nation.  Yes, watching them win 22 straight games has been a treat.  I also downloaded a book to my Kindle that I've been wanting to get for some time, found it discounted and am reading it.  I'm reading!!  Now that's a real treat!
7. Relax!  Yeah, sure.  I recently finished revisions on my August book, jumped into writing the next book which is due in less than a month, and received line edits on that first one on Monday.  Relax?  You've got to be kidding!  By the time I make it to bed at night, my brain has quit functioning.  Meditation hasn't been happening for several days, so that's off the list for now.  Still, I've been reading that book in #6, so I do get some relaxation.  Another winner.
8. Embrace the Season  This one is hard, but since I'm determined to be more positive, I'll try to stop complaining about the cold, terrible roads when it ice and storms, and enjoy the beauty of snowfall at midnight.  Okay, I admit that I enjoy nature, even during Blah Season.
9. Get Social Support  Isn't that what Facebook, Twitter, and email is for?  Not to mention the telephone.  And because my youngest daughter lives with me, I'm rarely alone.  No, being lonely isn't something that comes with Blah Season.
10. Catch Some Zzzz's  Okay, now I'm really rolling on the floor laughing.  Writers on deadline sleep?  But I have been sleeping in later on weekends and not getting up nearly as early on weekday mornings, gaining me a half hour.  If Max doesn't decide it's playtime at 7 a.m.  On rare days--and I do mean rare--I'll sneak in a nap.

If the above list didn't help point in the wrong direction, try Buzzfeed's 13 Simple Tips and Tricks for Beating the Winter Blues.  If nothing else, the photos are fun and at least chase the blues away for a few minutes.  Sometimes that's all we need.

Before we know it, the snow and cold will be gone, garden season will be in full swing, trees will be budding, and we'll all be getting out more.  Until then, if Blah Season or the Winter Blues are getting you down, try the tips above for some strong offense.  And remember, March Madness is just around the corner!  Go Shox!

I like these cold, gray winter days. Days like these let you savor a bad mood. ~ Bill Watterson

The Seasons of our Minds

I started to write this about my favorite season, Autumn, but when I sat down at my keyboard this morning and read the 110 words I'd written, I decided to start over.  We do a lot of that, don't we?  Starting over.

There's nothing wrong with starting over.  It doesn't necessarily mean we give up on something else.  What it really means is that we want to do something better than we did before.

Seasons of nature are always a special time, especially for new beginnings.  Starting over is a part of that.

Last week, I worked on my current WIP, a full proposal for the last book in my Desperation, Oklahoma series for Harlequin American Romance.  It's rough draft stage, so I try not to go back and make big changes.  Well into the second chapter, I had to leave my desk several times to do my daily chauffeuring.  Autumn means school days, as will winter and spring, and I spend a third of my daytime sitting in my car and driving to and fro.  That time sitting is often spent writing or editing.  So with the extra time that day, I started writing a scene in longhand.  After I got home and had some quiet time, I keyed it into a Word document and continued, thinking I'd done a good job.  By the next day, I realized the scene didn't work.  I'd gone off course from my basic idea.  I ended up scrapping it and starting over with the original idea.  Time wasted?  Not at all.

Sometimes our minds instinctively know what's right and what's wrong.  At other times, our minds may take off on a new road or go back and choose a different one.  It may be a smooth road, and it may be a rough one.  The only way to know is to take it.  I drove down what I thought was a smooth road, but it started getting bumpy.  Nearly to the end, I realized I had to start over.  When I did that, everything fell into place on a much smoother road.  There's nothing wrong with starting over.  Tell yourself that and you'll find new freedom.

Autumn is my favorite season.  I think that's because I remember the excitement of school starting after a long summer of too much freedom.  It meant seeing all my friends (and not-so-much-friends) on a regular basis.  I love the colors of autumn.  They invigorate me and make me want to make changes and start new beginnings.  Whether it's the colors of the leaves changing and the grass hibernating, or the new, crisp, colder air that inspires me to make changes, I'm smiling.  This is nature at its best.

This year is especially special.  I'm re-discovering the beauty of autumn.  For the past few years, we've experienced a drought, and the changing of the leaves had been a bit disappointing.  But this year, we've had rain.  The drought is over and nature is in full bloom.  As I drive along the riverbank to drop off or take the kidlets at their grade school or drive through neighborhoods with Maple and Oak trees among the usual Elms, I'm blown away by the vibrant shades of red, orange, yellow leaves that were green, not so long ago.  I need to remember to take my camera, but even taking pictures can't catch the breathtaking beauty of nature this autumn.

Life, too, has cycles, just as our days and seasons do.  At times we're forced into change, but even when it feels uncomfortable or is caused by something we believe isn't good, we eventually adjust and make things better.  We start over, we find a new beginning, and we enter a new season of life.  Make this new season the very best.

Every corny thing that's said about living with nature - being in harmony with the earth, feeling the cycle of the seasons - happens to be true. ~ Susan Orlean

Life's Little Adjustments & Changes

Roll With the Changes.  Or so says REO Speedwagon.

Changes are hard, and the older we get, the harder it is to make changes.  But let's face it.  Trying to fight change is an effort in futility.  It's much better to roll with the changes and make the adjustments needed.

That's where I am.  Rolling.  Making adjustments.

We're finishing up our second week of school today, so life is getting a little smoother.  I have four trips each day to two different schools, so I'm on the road for short periods of time.  When I head out on the two afternoon trips, I leave early and take something with me to read, edit, or sometimes I even play games on my Kindle, if I feel I need a real break.  It's quiet time for me, something that's in short supply in the summer.  I like quiet time. ☺

We're even having to adjust to weather changes.  We started the summer with hot and dry.  In July, we finally had rain to ease the drought of the last few years.  That rain picked up and ran into August.  At the halfway mark of this month, we'd had two days when it didn't rain.  It got a bit soggy.  Now that we're nearly done with August, it's hot and dry again.  I have no doubt that will change.

While we don't always like changes, we'd get bored without them.  Beginning something new, finishing something old, and looking forward to more new things keep us going.  And isn't that what we want?  To keep on going?

Have a blessed end-of-summer, and roll with the changes it brings.

The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance. - Alan Watts 

'Tis the Season to Listen to Our Inner Silence

MOTIVATION MONDAYS

I'm one of those rare people who finds beauty in the starkness of winter.  While I love the brisk air and the scents and colors of autumn, it doesn't last long, and I'm left with something close to the picture on the left.  There are only a few remnants of the leaves that are still barely hanging on.  The year is doing much the same thing.  It's speeding right along to the end, ready to begin again on January 1.

It's a hectic time of year, these days between Halloween and New Year's Day.  Women, especially, are faced with the dilemma of finding enough time to do it all. As I mentioned in a previous blog post, that can be eased by using KISS and delegating.  This year, I discovered that there seemed to be only a blink of an eye between Halloween and Thanksgiving, when in reality it was a full two weeks.  I suspect I'll feel the same when looking back to Thanksgiving from Christmas.  As it is, life seems to move fast, and age makes it seem to go even faster.

Between now and the first of the year, we'll be running at top speed, hampering any thoughts other than those connected to menus, recipes gifts, decorations, cards, and all the rest of the trimmings of the holidays.  There are so many things on our lists of things to do that we forget to take a moment for ourselves or even to breathe.  But we can do something about that.  In fact, we need to do something.

• Turn off the TV that blares Buy This! every fifteen minutes.  Try it for 10 minutes.  Try it for 30.  
• Take a walk and let your mind wander to anything but the have to do's.
• Daydream.  And if you don't remember how, it's time to relearn.
• Put on some music, either soothing or upbeat, whichever makes you smile.
• Start a journal...or morning pages à la The Artist's Way.
• Start a Blessing Box or Thankful Jar.
• Meditate or learn how to meditate (There are free guided meditations online, just do a search for them.)
• Breathe  and breathe again.

We have a new dog, something I said I'd never do again, but this one desperately needed a new home.  So Max, the Pekingnese, has become part of our family.  Either my daughter or I take him outside several times a day.  One of the things I've noticed as I stand in the backyard is that I can hear the leaves falling.  Yes, really hear them drop from the trees and hit the ground beneath.  And yet I know that in the spring they'll be replaced by a new growth of buds that will begin the cycle of life, once again.  It's humbling.

Take some time to breathe and enjoy a few quiet moments of this special time of year.  Stop and listen to your inner silence.  Doing so will not only help you find peace in chaos, but possibly a moment of joyous illumination in your life.

We need quiet time to examine our lives openly and honestly - spending quiet time alone gives your mind an opportunity to renew itself and create order. ~ Susan Taylor

Stop, Take a Breath, and Plan

WRITING WEDNESDAYS

Please remember those in the eastern states who are dealing with the destruction from Hurricane Sandy.  

Halloween ushers in the beginning of our biggest holiday season.  From October 31 through January 1, most of us hit the ground running for the race to the end of the year.  For writers, this time can be even more difficult, especially if deadlines are involved.  There's nothing like looking at a bare Christmas tree for days, waiting to be decorated, while trying to reach a word count goal.  Or planning Thanksgiving dinner for twenty, while a story is begging to be written.

So what's a writer to do?  First, don't panic.  It's still early.  Thanksgiving is still three weeks away.  *YIKES!*

Let's take it one step at a time. 

• Stop worrying.  Nobody is perfect and the best memories of holidays are the ones that at the time were on the embarrassing side.  We managed to make it through those intact and hopefully with a giggle or laugh, even if years later.
• Take a deep breath.  The last thing you want to do is hyperventilate over a schedule.  Tell yourself you can do this.  Stay positive.
• Gather some simple supplies.  This includes a pad of paper, something to write with and a calendar.  A comfy place to sit is a great addition.  (I like to use MS Word's Calendar template and make my own blank calendar, but any calendar will do.)
• Make a list of important non-writing dates and goals.  These are things that can't be ignored. (hint: November 22 and December 24/25 should be on there, or any other pertinent holiday or celebration.)  If those aren't marked on your calendar, put them on.  In bold.
• Make a list of your deadlines and goals.  Anything in early January should be listed, too, because what we do in those weeks before is going to affect them.  If you don't have a deadline that must be met or a goal you're in the middle of reaching, be gentle with any of those splendid dreams you've been having of writing the Great American Novel between now and New Year's Day.  For those participating in NaNoWriMo, be sure it's on the list.  
• Mark those holiday things that can be done in advance.  Some baking projects can be done early and put in the freezer.
• Remove any unnecessary items from your lists.  Yeah, it's easy to think it can be done, but does it really need to be?
• Get the family to help.  If possible, let the kids, hubby, or any other able-bodied person in the household pitch in.  Simple things that won't require your total attention are best.  If deadlines are tight, loosen your expectations on the meals, holiday cards, gift wrapping, or decorating.  Why do we believe everything must be perfect?  There is no such thing.  And think how great it will be to see the pride shining in the eyes of those who did the work?  And how proud you'll be that they did!
• Make gift shopping easier.  This is a great time for gift cards.  Are you thinking they're too impersonal?  Forget that.  My daughters usually give gift cards for shopping and for meals.  It often means I can get something I want when I might not have had the extra to buy at the time, and it also means I'll get a nice dinner without paying anything more than the tip.  (I love Cracker Barrel.)  Neither pass up online shopping.  With so many companies doing this now, you'll quickly know if an item is available or not.  You also may get free shipping at some.
• Check that list again.  We're about to move into the actual scheduling and then the doing, so any whittling down of things-to-do gets one more chance.  Look at each item and ask yourself what will happen if you don't do it.  If the outcome isn't pure disaster, remove it from the list.
• Put those non-writing dates on the calendar.  If you're using a pen, change to a pencil.  You may be doing some moving around of times at some point.
• Add your deadline or final goal to the calendar.  Simple enough, right?
• Add any other personal or professional appointments to the calendar.

Now you have the basics of your calendar.  To proceed, break down your goals.  For instance, for holidays do the absolutely-musts first, along with dates of parties and gatherings you need to attend, then add the rest as time allows.  For writing deadlines and goals, break those down by chapters, scenes, pages, or words to write.  You'll want to divide whatever you choose by the time you have free.  Look at those absolute have-to-dos to know when you won't have the time to devote to writing, then don't count them as writing/revising/editing/whatever days.  Knowing how much you'll have to do on a regular basis to reach those deadlines and goals makes it easier to plan around those unexpected things that pop up.

Some things to keep in mind:

1. Someone or something will always come along and interrupt your schedule.  Instead of getting upset, tell yourself you can take care of it without it affecting everything.
2. Plan one day a week, if possible, to rest or enjoy the day.  When #1 happens, you can always use those resting days to catch up.
3. Try not to get off schedule unless absolutely necessary.  Catching up isn't always easy and 
4. Holidays should be happy times, not times when we wear ourselves out to the point of exhaustion.  Beat yourself up too many times, and you'll stop looking forward to some of the best times of your life.
5. Take a few minutes to smell the roses...or the cinnamon and peppermint, and have a wonderful holiday season!

“When it is obvious that the goals cannot be reached, don't adjust the goals, adjust the action steps.”  ~ Confucius