Current Project: MYSTIC TAXI
Status: Chapter Sixteen
I lay in bed this morning, wide awake but foggy-brained from getting up before the butt-crack of dawn to let the puppy out, wondering what to blog about today. There've been a lot of changes in the world lately, in the U.S. in particular, and that got me to thinking how change affects us as writers.
It's been said change is a good thing. I get a daily email from a psychic friend called "New Perspectives." Every day, it seems her message has to do with change and our response to it. Some people take change well, and others resist kicking and screaming. Today's New Perspective is: Unexpected changes ask you to be flexible and open minded. Smile when the plans change and welcome the new experiences. This is so appropriate for writers.
What's interesting about change is that you can either make it happen, or let it happen, but the one thing you really can't do is prevent it from happening. Change is inevitable, and sometimes it's good, and sometimes not so much. But it's like writing a scene in a book. Create change for your characters and see how they react, because they always will. They have to. It's human nature.
I like change. I like variety. I like to experience different things. It creates a chain of events that can only be interesting. Sameness is boring, but if my husband had his way, nothing would ever change, and then he could complain about whatever's bothering him at the moment forever. Because if he changes it, then he'll have to complain about the outcome and regret making the change in the first place. He's funny that way. I think that's why we're so good together. I adapt to anything, he adapts to almost nothing.
Gee, this was a rambling post, wasn't it? Sorry. I'm struggling through a new change in my life: the addition of a baby animal to the family. It changes everything: schedules, habits, sleep... Sigh.
So what changes have you experienced in your life recently? Have they been beneficial? Detrimental? What changes would you like to make happen for you now?
11 comments:
What a cutie! What breed is he/she? Name?
I took on more responsibilities with my teaching job and am doing a bit more sideline stuff---this has been good (yay $$$!), but it's also been really hard juggling everything and time for myself (and writing) is really suffering.
Something new happens with Tavy everyday--those changes are really fun to watch. Except when they compromise my sleep. :)
The one change I'd like to make is somehow squeezing out more writing time, but I'm not really sure how I can do that right now. Sigh.
Wavy, she's a border collie mix and her name is Kinsey! She's just 5 weeks old now, so is in need of extra cuddles and TLC, according to the vet.
Baby changes are a big deal when it comes to the parents lifestyle and routine. And congrats on the extra sideline work for more $$$!
I just bought a new computer for my business that's top of line, but now I have to deal with the change in my bank account. Oy.
Change- I've always been and advocate of change. Life get's stale if it stays the same all the time.
Let's see changes in my life lately... We may be adding two new family members as our son is bringing home a woman and her son for Christmas, We just about have another bedroom finished and I'm itching to decorate it. I plan to make some changes in duties at the local writing group, and I am going to change my passive approach to queries.
Interesting post, Karen. Kinsey looks like a border collie on steroids! LOL The wide shoulders and stocky legs.
Paty, how fun to be extending your family. My son's girlfriend has 2 children from a previous relationship so I know how it is. The entire troop wasn't here for Thanksgiving, just son and grandson. My house isn't big enough to host such an army.
Kinsey is part pit bull so that could be why she looks stocky. Then again, she's still very young. But I almost have her house trained already! She's crate-trained for sure. Smart little bugger. 8^)
The biggest change I made in Novembeer to carve out enough writing time for NaNoWriMo was to limit my online time to answering personal emails. My inbox piled up with unread e-news, e-newsletters, and ads, and I didn't visit any of my feeds all month. Now I need to descide if I want to unsubscribe from all the sites I can't read when I'm writing.
Our son has moved into a home in south Salem with a woman and her two children, 12 and 14. We are getting to know them all and are experiencing some of what it's like to be grandparents. This weekend we will be hosting the 12-year old girl at our home for the first time overnight. She's a good kid but a hyper, athletic, tomboy, chatterbox. I hope to learn something about what it's like to be 12 and in school today. Maybe my next novel/novella will have kids in it.
Ack! Change! Run!
Not a big fan of the change thing. That said, not a big fan of repeating things, either. Makes for a contrary personality.
Right now I am facing the change in my mother and her life possibilities. The responsibility for her welfare rests pretty much on my sister and me with me being the local one, so you know how that goes. Thank heavens for my dh.
The puppy is adorable. Please remind me what her name is. I want to kiss her little ears! Fun blog.
Karen,
Your puppy is adorable! The muscular stockiness of a pitbull is a nice combination with a collie's sleeker build.
Funny that you should blog about change. I like to think I'm pretty flexible, but that's not always the case. Sometimes when I least expect it, I dig in my heels and try every trick I can think of to avoid change.
I've confronted this recently. My son and I are remodeling the house. This is a good thing. This is what I want. This will be the key to buying property. The next step is clearing out old papers and "stuff" so I can move my office into another room to work on the room where the office now is. (The computer won't actually be moved until my Twelve Days of Christmas contest is over. I'm not quite that crazy. :)
So am I clearing away "stuff"? No, I'm stalling. And last night I came face to face with that fact. It took me awhile to figure out why I was fighting this good change.
I've accumulated "stuff" for the almost 23 years I've been in this house, as well as some "stuff" I've carted around for years before that. Decades of "stuff" and habits and shoulds--not all of it good, not all of it what I want. But it's familiar, and change is free-falling into the unknown. I'm still not completely comfortable that.
However, now that I know why I was resisting and know what emotional baggage I needed to release, I can move forward again.
"Talk" to you all later. I have "stuff" to clear away!
Fun blog and comments everyone. I hope you all are blessed as you go through your changes and challenges and that all things work out for your best benefit in the long run.
Karen-- That baby Kinsey is toooo cute!! I want a puppy too!!! *SMACK!* Ouch! Okay, I don't want one now. ;)
Changes? CheezeWhiz! What hasn't changed with me this year?!! It would be easier to list the things that haven't changed. I wish I could say that I lost weight or at least stayed the same but I can't even do that because of the donut shop and me learning to love donuts.
Changes...
1. Bought donut shop and worked it all summer and fall.
2. Sold said donut shop because it was insanity to buy the damn thing in the first place.
3. Put house on market.
4. Moved into new house in a new town and LOVE IT!!
5. Mom moved in with us during the summer and moved out again after we sold donut shop this month.
6. Gained weight because of stupid, fattening, yummy, huge, FREEEE donuts.
7. Joined MWVRWA (again). Best decision ever! :)
8. Got roped into being sexytary for MWVRWA. (I agreed to do it only if I can be the sexytary, not the secretary. I'm hoping this will be incentive to lose donut weight. I have the pressure of the whole needing to be sexy now thing with this new official position. LOLOLOL)
9. Pulled my kindergartener out of school until next year so he can have time to mature. Great little learner, but gets bored fast. So am full time mom again instead of getting that 2 1/2 hour break everyday. Oh well. Next year. :)
10. On the way to being financially free by early 2009. That's a great change!
So there you have my partial list. I'm looking forward to more changes for next year too! Used to hate and be sooo afraid of change, but my DH is ALL about change ALL the time. So, like Karen and her hubby, my DH and I balance each other out. It's nice.
Hello everyone,
Christie Kraemer, aka C.L. Kraemer and Celia Cooper here [waving madly to Paty, Chris Y. and Genene]. Just trying to catch up on doings at MWVRWA as I'm hoping to move back to town in the spring, at the latest.
Have to admit I stopped for a moment and swallowed very hard. Wonderful to see Mom's "umbrella" still getting good use. Coming up on the 3rd anniversary of her death and still catches me off guard sometimes.
Hope you don't mind if I drop in to see what the chapter is up to.
I'm getting very excited to move back to the land where people actually encourage each other's writing but will truly miss 360 days a year of sunshine. ::sigh:: Can't have everything.
Thanks for letting me stop by and babble.
Christie K.
Christie, You can stop in here any time you want and leave a comment. Looking forward to seeing you again!
Hey, Chris K.! So glad you stopped by! There are definitely some changes coming in your life.
It will be sooo good to have you closer again!
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