Cut, Reword, Edit

Editing is fun. I've been going through my novel with a wide toothed comb verifying that the story line is in tact and cutting out the wandering story lines that lead the reader to yawn. It's exciting to see where this story started and how it has evolved. I was a different person without the knowledge of today.

A good sign is that as I read, I don't want to set the book down. Well, thought I'd drop a quick line to let you know how the first of many novels was coming along.

There Is More Than One Path To Wander

“Once you realize that there's no single path, it will be easier to accept the one you have chosen.”

Simple statement, rich in possibilities. If you stop and think about it, we are taught that we are to follow our destiny (singular), a life path (again singular) and not to go darting off in six different directions. What happens to the people who believe we have multiple purposes/roles? For a creative person who gets bored quickly with routine this is a difficult way to live. It is frustrating and unnatural for creative minds to focus on only one project. “Pick one thing and really, really focus on it. One thing at a time,” they say. Hogwash!

“Once you realize that there's no single path, it will be easier to accept the one you have chosen,” is so freeing. My mind is dancing with excitement, my heart is singing with joy. I remind you ~ there is no right way, there is no wrong way... it is what it is. If you follow the concept for the highest good for all with harm to none then you are sure to find happiness, joy, love, peace, balance, harmony... and the list goes on!

The only thing that limits us is our beliefs. Rephrase "I am meant to be __." to say, "I am ___."

Share with me how you have overcome your personal road blocks. I would love to hear from you.

Revive Dreams With CPR (Countless Possibilites Revitalized)

The day before my trip to California, I printed the first sixty-one chapters of the novel I've been working on for over four years. During the flights to and fro, and during several resting periods, I proceeded to cross off blocks of words, rearrange, rework several areas of the story. Suppose it wouldn't be too far fetched to say I have already eliminated approximately two 'drag the reader's eye balls through icky nasty pooh pooh crap that'll make them slam the book shut' chapters. The intent of the story is to create a storyline that will urge the reader to keep turning the pages, stay up all night because they can't put it down... not to be used as a sleep-aid.


It's been quite a while since my last posting on the novel. Lot's of things have changed so far this year and it's only March 23rd. Lord knows what else I will be rearranging. Life is better today than yesterday and am manifesting each moment to become more magical. Dreams do come true, even when you've given up on them. If there's a tingle of light in your dream, embrace and see how you can breath life back into it.

Initial Reaction

It seems I'm back in this blankity-blank spot again. I am bound and determined to climb out of this rut successfully without any bumps, bruises or muddy knees. We all go through periods of time when we wonder what did I do wrong this time?

“Be authentic without apologies. Allow yourself to feel the emotions you are feeling at this moment. Re-act to the situation without concern for another's criticism. There is no right way, there is no wrong way ~ embrace being YourTrueSelf.”

The quote above is the edited version of the stewing and percolating thought I woke up with yesterday. It's not that I am unemotional, sometimes I don't feel the need to be emotional. There's a lesson is this; a take-a-look-at-yourself kind of observation needing reviewing. Thoughts of: “Did I offend someone again because I didn't respond to the situation the way they wanted me too?” “Does it really matter if I hurt someone's feelings because they expected me to do it differently?” “Am I allowing me to be, well, me?”

It is such a common dilemma ~ worrying about what other people think of me. “Do I look okay?” “Am I doing the right thing?” “Do these pants make my butt look fat?” Truly, does it really matter? I enjoy being comfortable in my own shoes, walking my own path, but damn I'm getting tired of people (okay, the blame comes back to me) digging ruts and putting up barriers in the way of my journey. Truly, we do attract things into our lives to help us learn more about Self and Self-love, Self-appreciation, Self-awareness...

So ask yourself, Am I being authentic without apologies?

Begin with "I Miss You."

During a two year period we had ten funerals on my mother’s side of the family alone, not including my father-in-law’s, family on my dad’s side of the family, nor any of my friend’s or their children. My grandfather’s death was the first in the series, with my Uncle Bernie's the last. I need to mention here my uncle, during the period, had already lived with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma for around four years. If you know anything about this form of cancer, it’s a death sentence. I was (and still am) very close to my Uncle Bernie on many levels. We still have a special bond. As we would get ready to leave the luncheon after services, we’d say to each other, “See ya at the next family reunion.” It was our inside joke and eased the twist of pain from the heart as we said good-bye to another family member.

I found my shower to be my sacred space. With the noise from the radio and pouring water, this little 30” x 30” cubical was the only place I felt I could cry and let go and not be disturbed. I could let down my guard, be vulnerable. For Pete’s sake, how can you not be vulnerable when you’re naked? Standing in my shower with the hot water pounding on my back, forehead pressed against the shower wall supporting me as my arms dangled with streams of water cascading off my fingertips. This was when the emotions flowed. I’d cry, beg God for help and occassionally dance to the song on the radio. I was safe there. Soon I found myself talking to my Uncle Bernie when I was in my sacred space; asking why, how, what the hell? Sometimes I would hear the answers or solutions in my mind. It wasn’t until years later that I realized I was actually channeling him, and he was helping me from the other side.

If you are missing someone that has pasted on, relax your mind, set a focused intent on the loved one and speak from your heart. What I mean by ‘speak from your heart’ is to communicate through unconditional love. Feel the love you have for the person and begin to talk to them, they’re there listening. If you would like a sign, ask for a loving one that you'll understand easily. It might take five minutes, a day, a week or even a month for you to notice it. Trust it will happen and it will. Show your gratitude by simply saying, "thank you." I ask my deceased ex-husband often to show me signs he's taking care of our sons from his vantage point and I always receive them.
Do you have story you would like to share?

Friends

Ambition, a good friend of mine, has not been happy with me. I’ve brushed her off for my new friend LazyAss. He’s kinda cute, likes to cuddle on the couch and watch television and eat popcorn with me. We’ll roast the occasional marshmallow in the woodstove. He doesn’t seem to mind that I’ve been reading a lot instead of washing the dishes and dusting the furniture. I’m sure you’ve met LazyAss. He comes to my house, oh, every so often. But let me tell ya, Ambition isn’t taken his crap no more. She’s been relentlessly trying to motivate me to do some pretty, shall I say, gruesome work. For example, she convinced me it would be a good idea to clean my office a week or so ago.

My paper shredded has had more of a work out than me. There were times I swear I heard it say, “Are ya done yet?” The file cabinets looks way too slender, almost anorexic, to this paperwork collector – the person who creates lists of articles to write, prints creative ideas from the internet with the intend to follow through on another fun project and so forth. I kept copies of everything. Inspirational tidbits I hoped would motivate me in some creative ways that would earn me millions. Oh heck, if I’m gonna daydream, let’s go for the gusto and say it would earn me zillions of billions.

The daunting task of cleaning my home office had been put off for far too long. With Ambition helping me, I parked my butt in my office chair and began going through old files, old notebooks and boxes of paper and stuff. Together, Ambition and I took six grocery bags of paper to recycling, burned at least two to three bags worth in the bonfire pit and a bag took the fateful trip to the landfill. LazyAss gave me permission to wait a week or a month to take the pile of stuff to Goodwill that’s good enough to donate. Ambition wasn’t happy with the idea, but agreed when I promised to clean out the closets.

Well, at least now I can finally see the top of my desk and floor in my office.