Now I almost committed a grievous crime here, ReaderFriends.
I almost entitled this Happy Festivus.
Which would have been horrible, thoughtless and wrong.
But today is plentiful with festivity, you know!
In my own home country, we celebrate "Hallowe'en." Pumpkins, jack-o-lanterns and children on raging sugar highs.
But also recognized around the world today are these exciting holidays:
* Samhain, the Gaelic festival of the end of the harvest and turn of the year towards the winter
* Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), the Mexican celebration and remembrance of loved ones passed
* Carve a Pumpkin Day, where the harvest season's most plentiful gourd is hollowed out, decorated and set on the front porch with a candle inside**1
But when you ask most people around what today is all about... they talk about the candy.
Trick-or-treating, special festive delicasies and more are all a part of this fabulous day.
Which led me to wonder:
What Does My Halloween Candy Choice Say About Me?
"Everybody likes you, even if they don't enjoy everything about you."
Yup, that'll do just fine.
Happy Holiday, ReaderFriend!
**1 Because that's what sane people do.
Thursday, October 31, 2013
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
Po-NoWriMo
Brace yourselves, I've made a decision.
(Yeah. Big deal alert, right here!)
My first dance class being ended, I'm looking forward to a holiday season focusing on other activities I enjoy:
* Baking
* Decorating
* Spending time with family
* Reading
* Napping
* Sniffy pleasantly-smelly things**1
* Snuggling
* Watching cherished children's movies
But specifically, I will have a few moments to focus on something that tends to fall to the wayside in Real Life...
My writing.
(As noted by the fact that I haven't posted in fifteen days. Inexcusable is what that is.)
Friday, as you know, will be November the First.**2 That marks the first day of National Novel Writers' Month, also known as NaNoWriMo.
I've tried NaNoWriMo before, my friends.
It ended with 23,000 words and a feeling of defeat because, in the end, I couldn't meet the 50,000 word mark or even get a cohesive first draft pulled together.
So I set it aside, and now two years have passed.
And over those two years, something remarkable has happened...
I'm no longer the angsty, trapped-in-a-hell-hole admin that had so much snark to share before.
Which means that the fodder upon which my novel so delicately snacked has dried up, withered away, and died off.
So what, then, shall I call upon in times of creative surplus?
A challenge I am imposing upon myself, that's what.
This year, I am inventing for myself this challenge:
Po-NoWriMo.
That's right - I will be spending the month of November writing a Poetry-Novel.
How, then, does one do that?
Well...
Good question. I'm not quite sure.
What I've figured is this:
November lasts for thirty days.
NaNoWriMo calls for writers to write 50,000 words during those thirty days. No structure, just words to paper.
NaPoWriMo (National Poetry Writers' Month) - in April - calls for poets to write a poem every day for thirty days. No word count, just completed poetic pieces.
So to meld these, I will be pushing myself to write at least thirty poems in the thirty days, and the word count should total 50,000 words.
I will be focusing on free-form poetry, although I'm certain there will be days that even cobbling a haiku into order will be a momentus undertaking.
But, no matter what I write, there are certain word counts that I'll have to hit:
I could write one poem per day, each with 1,667 words. The total word count would be 50,010.
I could write two poems per day, each with 834 words. The total word count would be 50,040.
I could write one poem per week day and two each week-end, each with 1,283 words. The total word count would be 50,037.
Or I could make myself write any combination of these, allowing shorter poems some days and longer poems other days, and offering myself opportunities to bank poems just in case I get to Thanksgiving and find myself so stuffed with food that I cannot bring pen to paper for the writing part of my day. Opportunities will abound, and I look forward to this creative adventure.
No matter how it goes, and no matter where it takes me, I'll do my best to keep you involved and up to date on the excitement. Sounds like fun, doesn't it?
**1 Is there any better-smelling season than the holiday season? Between the cookies and pies, evergreens and spices, fresh-fallen snow and crisp cool air... I think not.
**2 Rabbit Rabbit. I've said it. I've banked it. Come Friday, consider yourself bested.
(Yeah. Big deal alert, right here!)
My first dance class being ended, I'm looking forward to a holiday season focusing on other activities I enjoy:
* Baking
* Decorating
* Spending time with family
* Reading
* Napping
* Sniffy pleasantly-smelly things**1
* Snuggling
* Watching cherished children's movies
But specifically, I will have a few moments to focus on something that tends to fall to the wayside in Real Life...
My writing.
(As noted by the fact that I haven't posted in fifteen days. Inexcusable is what that is.)
Friday, as you know, will be November the First.**2 That marks the first day of National Novel Writers' Month, also known as NaNoWriMo.
I've tried NaNoWriMo before, my friends.
It ended with 23,000 words and a feeling of defeat because, in the end, I couldn't meet the 50,000 word mark or even get a cohesive first draft pulled together.
So I set it aside, and now two years have passed.
And over those two years, something remarkable has happened...
I'm no longer the angsty, trapped-in-a-hell-hole admin that had so much snark to share before.
Which means that the fodder upon which my novel so delicately snacked has dried up, withered away, and died off.
So what, then, shall I call upon in times of creative surplus?
A challenge I am imposing upon myself, that's what.
This year, I am inventing for myself this challenge:
Po-NoWriMo.
That's right - I will be spending the month of November writing a Poetry-Novel.
How, then, does one do that?
Well...
Good question. I'm not quite sure.
What I've figured is this:
November lasts for thirty days.
NaNoWriMo calls for writers to write 50,000 words during those thirty days. No structure, just words to paper.
NaPoWriMo (National Poetry Writers' Month) - in April - calls for poets to write a poem every day for thirty days. No word count, just completed poetic pieces.
So to meld these, I will be pushing myself to write at least thirty poems in the thirty days, and the word count should total 50,000 words.
I will be focusing on free-form poetry, although I'm certain there will be days that even cobbling a haiku into order will be a momentus undertaking.
But, no matter what I write, there are certain word counts that I'll have to hit:
I could write one poem per day, each with 1,667 words. The total word count would be 50,010.
I could write two poems per day, each with 834 words. The total word count would be 50,040.
I could write one poem per week day and two each week-end, each with 1,283 words. The total word count would be 50,037.
Or I could make myself write any combination of these, allowing shorter poems some days and longer poems other days, and offering myself opportunities to bank poems just in case I get to Thanksgiving and find myself so stuffed with food that I cannot bring pen to paper for the writing part of my day. Opportunities will abound, and I look forward to this creative adventure.
No matter how it goes, and no matter where it takes me, I'll do my best to keep you involved and up to date on the excitement. Sounds like fun, doesn't it?
**1 Is there any better-smelling season than the holiday season? Between the cookies and pies, evergreens and spices, fresh-fallen snow and crisp cool air... I think not.
**2 Rabbit Rabbit. I've said it. I've banked it. Come Friday, consider yourself bested.
Monday, October 14, 2013
Genius
I've had a busy morning.
Here are the Strokes of Genius that have hit me in just the past hour:
But for now, I must away... I feel a gear turning, and who knows what I'll scheme up next!
Here are the Strokes of Genius that have hit me in just the past hour:
- YEAH! I just drafted the perfect schedule for the rest of my day, so I can surely get done everything that needs doing with the minimal application of craziness! I'll get through this in no time.
- AH! I just brained out the perfect solution for a dog gate! I'll build that when I get home.
- OH! I just dreamed up the perfect solution for a guest book! I'll ask Boyfriend of Amazingness his thoughts when I get home this evening.
- AIE! I could make an example on my computer, and send him a picture right now! Then I can get to work on it post-haste, his approval notwithstanding.
- VOILA! I know exactly what I want to make for dinner tonight, and it's not even lunchtime yet! I'm going to nom that chowder's face off.
But for now, I must away... I feel a gear turning, and who knows what I'll scheme up next!
Friday, October 11, 2013
Accomplishments
This past Monday I posted about all the accomplishments I accomplished on half a tank of gas over the previous weekend.
Today, I post about all the things I need to accomplish this weekend, no matter how much gas it takes me:
Today, I post about all the things I need to accomplish this weekend, no matter how much gas it takes me:
- Yard Work
- Mow the lawn
- Rake the lawn
- Clean the gardens
- Weed-Whack the edges
- House Cleaning
- Completely clean the inside of the house
- No, really - clean all the things.
- Dog Training
- Meet with dog trainer to begin "clicker" training with the Young Master
- Perform on Saturday evening at a local restaurant
- Baking
- Make cookies, muffins and other miscellany for next weekend's party
- Crafting
- Make guest book for next weekend's party
- Socialization
- Meet up with besticle for birthday dinner
- Take Young Master for "Blessing of the Pets" ceremony with Mom
- Spend time remembering how amazing Boyfriend of Amazingness is, and remind him that I appreciate his Amazingness
Thursday, October 10, 2013
Grin and Bear It
In class last evening, one of my students asked me "How are you always so energetic?"
I hear that question often, with different twists on the adjective, but all with the same general idea:
* Positive
* Upbeat
* Happy
The list goes on, with the same underlying question: How is it that, in this dark world, you remember and continue to shine your light?
Well...
That's a good question.
And a difficult one to answer, because typically the honest response is "Because I try."
Which makes me sound conceited, detatched and oblivious to the bad in the world.
Which can lead a Sunny to feel grey and down indeed.
That's why I was so pleased last evening to stumble across this gem from the Huffington Post:
The Habits of Supremely Happy People.
The article discusses what conscious or subconscious efforts Happy People make to maintain their outlook through their day. It's based on the work of Martin Seligman, "the father of positive psychology."**1
They phrase it beautifully, so the article is definitely worth the read. But, if you're strapped for time... the high points are:
1.) Happy people surround themselves with other happy people.
2.) Happy people smile when there's something to smile about, even if it's just in their minds. They don't "fake it."
3.) Happy people are resilient, and don't allow themselves to be beaten down or defeated.
4.) Happy people notice positive moments and simple pleasures in their day, and celebrate them.
5.) Happy people spend time and money on others, giving back to the world around them.
6.) Happy people get lost in the moment.
7.) Happy people express their emotions and talk deeply.
8.) Happy people listen.
9.) Happy people understand the importance of face-to-face time.
10.) Happy people find something positive to focus on, instead of something negative.
11.) Happy people understand the power of music.
12.) Happy people can put down the technology and walk away.
13.) Happy people have a sense of spirituality.
14.) Happy people exercize, spend time outdoors and get enough sleep.
15.) Happy people laugh, and they laugh loudly.
16.) Happy people are happy, and they know it. So their faces surely show it.
**1 Brace yourself, world. I think I just found my post-graduate area of study.
I hear that question often, with different twists on the adjective, but all with the same general idea:
* Positive
* Upbeat
* Happy
The list goes on, with the same underlying question: How is it that, in this dark world, you remember and continue to shine your light?
Well...
That's a good question.
And a difficult one to answer, because typically the honest response is "Because I try."
Which makes me sound conceited, detatched and oblivious to the bad in the world.
Which can lead a Sunny to feel grey and down indeed.
That's why I was so pleased last evening to stumble across this gem from the Huffington Post:
The Habits of Supremely Happy People.
The article discusses what conscious or subconscious efforts Happy People make to maintain their outlook through their day. It's based on the work of Martin Seligman, "the father of positive psychology."**1
They phrase it beautifully, so the article is definitely worth the read. But, if you're strapped for time... the high points are:
1.) Happy people surround themselves with other happy people.
2.) Happy people smile when there's something to smile about, even if it's just in their minds. They don't "fake it."
3.) Happy people are resilient, and don't allow themselves to be beaten down or defeated.
4.) Happy people notice positive moments and simple pleasures in their day, and celebrate them.
5.) Happy people spend time and money on others, giving back to the world around them.
6.) Happy people get lost in the moment.
7.) Happy people express their emotions and talk deeply.
8.) Happy people listen.
9.) Happy people understand the importance of face-to-face time.
10.) Happy people find something positive to focus on, instead of something negative.
11.) Happy people understand the power of music.
12.) Happy people can put down the technology and walk away.
13.) Happy people have a sense of spirituality.
14.) Happy people exercize, spend time outdoors and get enough sleep.
15.) Happy people laugh, and they laugh loudly.
16.) Happy people are happy, and they know it. So their faces surely show it.
**1 Brace yourself, world. I think I just found my post-graduate area of study.
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