Taking a Break

The dog days of summer are upon us with temperatures soaring into the high 90's and the heat index going into triple digits. A cool front moving in is supposed to bring those high temps down over the next few days. I'm really looking forward to fall!

Seems like blogging has become more like bogging (as in bogging down) lately for myself and a few of my favorite blogs. I'm thinking that in part it's a seasonal thing. There's a lot more to do outside in the summer, especially if you have kids. Since I've been working a day job, I've found myself running out of steam by supper time. And then the weekend comes and I find myself trying to take care of things that could have been done during the week. Am I making excuses? Probably so. Another of my excuses is that I'm on a different creative streak. Having a lot of different interests can get frustrating, but over the years I've learned to go with the flow. It's all about finding the rhythm in one's creative cycle. At this point, I'm getting back into woodcraft. It's been several years since I've had a place where I can work comfortably with wood, so it really feels good. And I have so many ideas swirling around in my head. So far, I've designed (but not yet built) a table for the back porch, and re-worked the plans for a new coffee table. Currently, I've built a small storage unit (now ready to be painted) for the tiny hall bathroom.

Am I excited? Yes, I am, and you can begin reading about this new wave of creative energy on my new blog: Creative Rampage. Check it out.

Meanwhile, I'll be taking a little break from rambling and writing to stay home and work on various projects. But I'm not dropping this blog completely. Keep writing!

Wishing you all the best!
Stella D

Armchair Vacation

Summer has totally arrived. We've had daytime temperatures in the 90's, refreshing evening thundershowers, and warm...often muggy...nights. Summer in the South is a time of backyard barbecues, ice-cold watermelon slices, home-made ice cream, and tall glasses of iced-tea, Co-Cola, or Mint Juleps if you prefer. It's a time for lazing around on the porch and reading a good book. But sometimes the best books for summer reading are books with no words. Or few words, as is the case of "The Beach - a Celebration of Life" from Sweetwater Press. A recent jaunt to the mall bookstore netted this jewel.

Along the lines of a coffee table book, its smaller size belies the treasure found between its covers...over two hundred pages of photos of the best beaches from all over the world. From Belize to Big Sur, photos of wide expanses of turquoise water and pounding surf are interspersed with crisp close-ups of shells, gulls, and a few choice words reflecting the beauty and serenity of being at the beach. Truly a delight for armchair travelers or anyone dreaming of that perfect vacation. Lay down the romance novels and thrillers, delight your eyes and let your imagination soar with "The Beach".

Note: As I continue to move along on my journey and explore new directions for myself and Rambling and Writing, the blog, it's content and layout are subject to change. Please bear with me as we go through this process. I value my readers and appreciate your visits and comments. Every blog has its fans...I'm truly grateful for mine. So, thanks, guys...a bunch!

Enjoy the weekend,
StellaD

Momentum

May is certainly flying by, and it's been an interesting one. Weather-wise it's been alternately hot and cold, rainy, sunny, stormy. As we round the corner into June, the heat is on in more ways that one. I feel like I'm on a racehorse coming down the home stretch and I'm banking on momentum to carry me across the finish line. Like any good jockey, I'm keeping one eye on the prize and the other on my surroundings. Of course, I'm not in competition with anyone, but sometimes I feel like I'm competing against myself and often against Time. You know that feeling, I'm sure!

Lately I've been on a wildly creative streak which has sparked the forward motion. In my last post, I mentioned that I would take any action necessary to achieve my goals. One of the action plans I made was to make better use of spare time. This is not the easiest plan to stick to, but I've been working at it with satisfying results. For instance, I have an hour for lunch. As I usually brown-bag my lunch, I go outside to sit and enjoy the fresh air and sunshine. It's very relaxing and keeps me from feeling 'shut in.' With so much extra time after I munch out, I decided to start working on my book during this time. So, after a leisurely meal, I take out pen and paper and write a few paragraphs for the book. Not to say this is easy...so many times I'm sitting there with pen in hand, waiting for the words to come. That old blank sheet of paper just stares back at me, unblinking, and totally unhelpful. But the point is that I make the attempt and succeed more often than fail at getting something written. This gives me a big boost of confidence, and a sense of having accomplished something. It keeps the momentum going, keeps moving me forward.

This feeling of movement, of being caught up in the current and going with the flow, spills over into other areas of my life. With this creativity streak going, I've started working on my living space to make it more conducive to both relaxing and creating, signed up to take lessons from a local artist whose gallery I've been visiting, and bought some wood to build a much needed coffee table for inside, and a table for the back porch. When you get this kind of momentum going, it's easy to take on too much, and the creativity feeds upon itself. The more you create, the more ideas you have for other projects. Like a rain-swollen river, the creative momentum just keeps pushing you along. And like the racehorse, the exhilaration of running ahead of the pack, heading down that home stretch, keeps you focused on your goals.

Summer is a great time to turn up creativity and start a new project (or tackle and old one). It's time to get out and about. It's time to....

Catch the Momentum! Get Creative!
StellaD

Spring Reflecting

Since my last post, I've found a job. I'm working for a small operation that creates old antique finishes on antique replica furniture. Very interesting and totally different from the usual run of manufacturing jobs. No wrench-twiddling here. Now I'm swinging a paint brush instead. The downside...it's a day job and I am not a morning person. My new boss is determined to change my night-owl status. Hmmm...wish him luck. I love working evenings, especially in the warmer months. There is nothing like sitting outside late at night, gazing at the moon and listening to the night sounds. The heat and noise of the day disappear in the inky darkness; the air is softer and the stars twinkle brightly. This I miss, plus having my mornings to do as I please. But I can't complain, and shouldn't. That I'm still not making a living doing what I love is my own fault. When one doesn't apply oneself, one shouldn't expect extraordinary results. Am I right?

It's not that I haven't set goals, because I have. It's not that I don't know what I really want to do, because I do. It's the fact that I haven't aptly applied myself toward reaching my goals. And that is the most important part of achieving any kind of success in your life, from relationships to job promotions, to freeing yourself from the job-world altogether. No matter what you want to do, be a published writer, fine artist, or company CEO, you must apply yourself to find success. Changing your thinking is only a small step. Write down your goals, then break them down into steps you can take daily, weekly, or monthly...and do them, one by one. Study the habits of successful people in your chosen field, learn whatever you need to know, and apply this knowledge to your own path. Contact someone you admire who is doing what you want to do. I'm shy when talking to people, but I've found that those whom I've had the courage to contact have been extremely gracious about answering my questions, whether by email or face-to-face.

I've learned quite a bit in the last few months, having been laid off and now back to the grind. I've learned that I like freedom, especially the freedom to structure my day however I choose. And I like to take my days slow and easy...this is the South, you know. Why do we need to rush? And that is what I want for myself. While I'm sending positive feelings about these things into the universe, setting up my vision board so that I can stay focused on my goals, I'll also be doing whatever I need to do to move myself in the direction of those goals. One step at a time.

End of lecture! Wishing everyone a wonderful week! Spring is here!

Get Creative!
StellaD

Don't Quit Your Day Job...Hah!

Spring has come to west Georgia. At least, the spring flowers are in full bloom. This weekend the dogwoods blossomed in the woods along the highway. And I'm happy to see warmer weather after such a cold winter. We even had snow this year! I love snow, and it was a double treat for me as it snowed on my birthday. Doesn't get any better than that! Needless to say, I spent as much time out in it with my camera as I could. But my usual exuberance over spring time is muted this year, as I am faced with a challenge that I'm not too sure I can handle...at least not well.

One of the many pieces of advice often given to aspiring writers, artists, and entrepreneurs is to keep your job and build your business on the side. In this way you can build up your clips, portfolio, or clientele while still paying the bills and/or paying down your debt. Hopefully, you'll also be able, during this time, to save up an emergency fund to help you through the transition when you're ready to give up the j-o-b to run your business full time. But...what if your job quits you first? What if you get laid off before you've paid off your bills or saved at least 6-8 months of living funds?

Today's working environment is highly volatile. Corporations are downsizing; production work is being sent overseas; the bottom can drop out of your work-life without warning. That's what happened to my co-workers and me in February. We went in to work on a Monday evening only to find that second shift was being shut down. That very day! Wham-bam, just like that, with no prior warning. Even the boss didn't know it until he showed up for work that evening. At the meeting, I was o-kay with the lay-off until one of the HR people started taking our badges. I think I went into shock then. I simply couldn't (and still can't) believe it. Talk about bad timing!

I've always said that Life is an adventure...well, I think this is going to be mine. Wish me well on this journey. I have no idea where I'm going, nor how I'm going to get there, but staying put is no longer an option. If I'm going to soon be broke and homeless, this gal's headed for the beach. Until I can finagle a laptop to keep me company, I can't say how often I'll get back online, as sadly, the cable will be the first thing to get axed.

My advice to you, whether you're considering going into business for yourself or not, is to start saving...no matter how little...now. Even small change adds up over time. Pennies make dollars the adults always told me when I was a kid. Yes, they do.

Blessings to you all!
StellaD

A Sobering Question

The dilemma of one of our Fast Track members prompted me to write this post. The statement she made to us haunted me long after I had posted a reply. I hope she will forgive me, but I realized that her concern was one that plagues many new writers. I remember having the same thought when I was younger.

A most exciting time for a writer is that moment of pure inspiration. You get an idea for a book that grips you and just won't let go. All of your thoughts center on this idea. Scenarios, angles, even dialogue swirl around in your mind. You know without a doubt that you have to write this book. Then you think, what if this book has already been written? It's a sobering question that can quickly douse the flame of inspiration. But is it valid? My answer is no, but I wanted the opinion of another writer.

I posed this question to Funds for Writers founder C. Hope Clark. Hope constantly encourages and inspires me...and patiently answers my questions. She has graciously permitted me to quote her answer in this post.

What if the book I want to write has already been written?

What an intriguing question. First of all, your book has never been written. The topic may have been discussed, researched and presented, but never in the manner in which you can write it. How many biographies have been written about George Washington, John F. Kennedy, or Princess Diana? How many Civil War books have covered each skirmish, battle by battle, date by date, general by general? There was even a law-suit about the DaVinci Code, if you will recall, and the authors of the first book lost against Dan Brown, the author of the second book.

You cannot copyright an idea. Ideas belong to the world. The manner in which they are explained belongs to the author. Regardless of what you write, nonfiction or fiction, the manner of story-telling is yours. Even the driest history can come alive in the words of the right author. Your job is to write to make a reader want to read. And if you write it well, with a style all your own, no matter how many times a reader has read about the Industrial Revolution, the greening of America or the lifestyle of the early pioneers in relation to Native Americans, he'll enjoy your book. He'll also tell his friends who will tell their friends, something he's never done with the other versions of the book you think have already been written.

As you can see, it doesn't matter how much has been written on a subject, it's all about your own voice and what you feel you can add to the mix. Don't let anything steal your dreams. If you have questions about writing, ask another writer. Most will be happy to help you. No matter how trivial you may think your questions are, if they keep you from moving forward they are important enough to be answered.

Happy Writing!
StellaD
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C. Hope Clark is the founder of FundsforWriters.com and author of The Shy Writer. She has also been published in Writer's Digest, The Writer, Byline Magazine and others.

Imagine Your Life

The holidays are behind us now and most of you have reluctantly returned to work. Your bodies might be sitting behind a desk or working on the manufacturing floor, but your minds are somewhere else. Somewhere far, far away...lost in imagination.

Imagination is a writer's greatest asset. Novel writers use imagination to create characters, shape plot, and write dialogue. Poets make imaginative thoughts and visions come alive on the page. Copywriters and other non-fiction writers use imagination to create advertising or write articles. A writer's imagination is undoubtedly the most used tool in her/his repertoire, but how many writers use this tool in their 'real' lives?

Now, I'm sure you've often thought about what your life would be like if you were free to write. Most of us have from time to time. You've imagined what it would feel like to have your first article accepted, or your first novel published. There's your book on the New York Times Best Seller list. There you are on Oprah! Great feeling, right? But have you thought about your day to day life? How would you structure your daily writing activities? What would a day in your writing life be like?

Here is an exercise often used by Lifestyle/Creative Career Coaches to help their clients get a feel for living the life they dream of. This exercise can be used by anyone, but we are going to model it here for a writer:

Imagine you no longer have to work an outside job. You can now stay home and write to your heart's content. Drawing on the things you know about yourself, what would your perfect day be like? What time would you like to get up? Would you take some time to relax over coffee or breakfast before starting your day, or would you go straight to your home office? Where is your office? Is it in a room in the house, or outside (such as in a detached garage)? Do you work at a computer or writing desk, or do you take your laptop or a notebook and wander outside to write in good weather? How long will you write? You might have a set schedule, or you might write so many words/pages before stopping. Or you might not even write first thing in the morning. You might use that time to research, or run errands, and write in the evening.

The key is to use your imagination to create what you'd like your life to be like. Write it all down. Describe a daily work routine that makes you happy. This is about you and your unique personality. It's a new year. Start today. Imagine your life. Make it extraordinary.

Happy Writing!
StellaD

Winds of Change Blowing

In like a Lion, out like a Lamb? That's what they say about March, but this is January! I'm watching the Weather Channel as I write and there are a few snow flurries in Atlanta right now, but not expecting any accumulation. Not likely to get any this far down the I-85 corridor, though. The only snow I get to see any more is on the tv. Bummer. The North Wind ushered in the New Year and has been blowing steadily all day with gusts that sound like thunder rolling over the roof. The gusts remind me of the song "Winds of Change" by Starship (formerly Jefferson Starship) in the 1980's. As this is the beginning of a new year, and an election year to boot, I think it's quite fitting.

This is a good time to take stock of where you are, look back at where you've been, and think about where you want to go this year. Take some time to sit down and think about the past year. What were the goals you set to accomplish? Did you manage to accomplish them? What were the obstacles or challenges you faced along the way? If you were able to overcome them, how did you do so? If not, is there any way you can avoid them this year? Are you where you wanted to be, or at least very close?

Now think about what you would like to accomplish this year. Put your goals in writing and place them somewhere where you will see them often, preferably every day. Keep in mind, though, that nothing is etched in stone. You can change your mind, your goals, and your direction at any time. For now, just think about things that you would like to do, any place you would like to visit, anything you would like to accomplish and write them down. Take a break, then come back and review your list and try to determine what you would need to do to achieve those goals. Write those things down, too. This is probably the hardest part, at least it is for me, so don't stress. This is where researching and networking can help immensely. But for now, you just want to get an idea of what you want for your life in this new year.

The winds of change are blowing. This is a year of high energy. Tap into it. Make it productive, make it fun!

Happy New Year to all of you!
StellaD