October writing challenge

"How's your writing going?"

We who wish to be writers ask each other that question. But we don't always know how to answer - especially if we don't know what our writing goals are.

Goals used to feel uncomfortable and daunting to me - probably because I so rarely fulfilled them. But I haven’t completely given up.  Instead I’ve been noticing what works and what doesn’t work for me.  

For example, yearly goals might be inspirational and lofty, but they may end up being too ambitious and not very sustainable.  

Monthly goals work better for me.  A month is long enough to build some momentum, but short enough to not fizzle.  

When it comes to measuring my progress and assessing how I’m doing, weekly works best for me.  A week is short enough to experiment a bit with lists or charts.  If it feels clunky after the first week, I can tweak my system and change things up a bit for the next week.

I'm not sure it matters so much what my plan is, but it seems to matter a lot that I have one.  The very first step toward reaching a goal is to HAVE one. 

Therefore I have set some goals for this month - mostly small ones that are possible - but maybe also one that will stretch me a bit.

And now I will begin to notice my progress.

Happy October!!!

September New Year

Historically September has marked a new year for me.  After college Bob and I became teachers thereby establishing the fact that we would live by the rhythm of the school calendar for most of our lives.  

During the years when I was a SAHM, I noticed that September became an almost sacred time for me.  As Dad and the kids (and foster kids and foreign-exchange students) headed back to school for the fall, my schedule once again contained a bit of routine.  I had the luxury of deciding what to do with at least some of my time.  Don’t get me wrong.  I love, love, LOVED summer vacation and the privilege and freedom to hang with the family, but the introvert in me became aware how precious and valuable it was to have a bit of solitary discretionary time. 

After Bob retired from teaching and began a second career, we found ourselves still celebrating that rhythm - particularly after-school snack time!  Seriously.  

All these years later, September still feels like a shift. Turning a corner.  A new beginning. A fresh start.  A time for new projects.  Interestingly we have actually re-engaged with the school year calendar during our recent work with incoming International students - a schedule that feels very familiar to us.

Turns out we are not the only ones who thinks in terms of the September new year.  Writer Jon Acuff hosts a September challenge each year.  This year's focus was a five-day "Back to..." challenge and was very helpful. 

I chose to get "back to" reading - specifically real books.  In order to make this more likely to happen, I decided to create space for it by starting my evening routine earlier so that I could get up earlier - to read.  (Why didn't I just read in the evening?  Tried that.  Too fidgety. Lack of focus.)  But this time I was a bit more intentional with a cozy reading spot... and it worked!  

I read an entire book in these last ten days.  And I learned a bunch of new stuff from our trusty leader as well as from others in the online group.  I am at this very moment strategizing and setting realistic goals for my own personal 90-day challenge during the next three months!  And I met a new writing friend who lives in France.  Bonus!

Yay for new beginnings and fresh starts.

Yay for second (and third) chances.

Yay for friends and strangers who can encourage and offer wisdom and perspective.

Anniversary of an epiphany

 It was on this date 11 years ago, the middle-of-the-night conversation.

“Are you awake?”

“What if we sell the tree farm?”

“Maybe buy an old RV and travel a bit?”

“Maybe live on the road for a few years?”

“Explore a bit.”

“Try stuff out; see what works.”

An unexpected conversation, but we were both intrigued.

We bounced ideas back and forth.

We decided to take steps in that direction.

Start downsizing - because we had WAY too much stuff to move.

We knew it would be quite the process and could take awhile.

We began sorting and pitching and letting go of stuff.

It was hard and it took a long time, but we did it.  

Piece by piece.

Step by step.

Box by box.

One pile at a time.

Sure enough, we did sell the tree farm.

We did buy an old RV and we travelled a bit.

We lived on the road for a few years.

We explored and we tried stuff out.

We discovered what works for us.

And we lived to tell about it.

Wrote a book even - which is now available on Amazon.

Blurbing...

 blurb | blərb |

noun

a short description of a book, movie, or other product written for promotional purposes and appearing on the cover of a book or in an advertisement.

verb [with object] informal, chiefly North American

write or contribute a blurb for (a book, movie, or other product).

ORIGIN

early 20th century: coined by Gelett Burgess (died 1951), American humorist.

...

I have always been intrigued by that word, blurb, and wondered if it really was a word.  So of course I looked it up.  Sure enough.  AND it can be used as a verb.  I definitely did not know that.  

So anyway, that’s what I’ve been doing.

I’ve been writing blurbs and a bio for my book that is now live on Amazon.  Eeek!

I’m kinda’ blown away…  and am still trying to get it all figured out.

Golden

Fifty years!

How could it be?

…

Guests could start arriving soon so we all headed inside to get cleaned up and dressed up.  When I came downstairs and noticed Riley’s gold shoes I told her that this is our Golden Anniversary.  “That’s what Grandpa said!” she laughed.

…

Golden Anniversary  

1971 to 2021

Not sure I ever thought much about the chances of making it to 50 years.  

People who celebrate Golden Anniversaries are old; right?  

Maybe I didn’t often imagine myself getting old.  

And suddenly here we are.  I don’t feel old.  Well, except for those stiff joints.  

But how did we get here so quickly?    

And why are we the lucky ones who get to be together this long?  

Some people call it an accomplishment.

Others ask what’s the secret.

I don’t think there’s any secret.  

No magic formula. 

Maybe we’re just lucky.

Blessed.

I don’t know why we get to celebrate this milestone.  

But I guess that’s the way with privilege.  No rhyme or reason to it.

…

Eugene, one of our foreign exchange students, texted greetings from Russia.  He said that they call the 50th a golden anniversary there.  We told him we do here as well.

Bob’s mom gifted us with a gold plate.  Well, a plate with gold trim.  A family heirloom.  It was given to her parents on their 50th wedding anniversary in 1962.  Grandma Grody left the plate to Mom & Dad Sims who then celebrated the golden milestone in 1995. ... How cool that Mom is still alive to pass it on to us and celebrate with us.  Wow.  Such a thing gives one pause. We feel honored. Privileged. Blessed.

I still don’t know why we are so fortunate. So blessed.

Why us?

Why did we both survive cancer when so many friends and family members didn’t?

Maybe there is no answer.

But one thing we know.

We know that it is a gift - one that we definitely appreciate. 

Cherish.

Celebrate.

We are grateful. 

Because gratitude is pretty much always a good idea.

Gratitude is golden.