January 19, 2014

Where's my red pen?

Something I've learned over the past few years? 

Life is a lot like writing. 

I mean you can't go back and tighten up the squirrely bits with an edit or two, but its full of twists and turns. It has its ups and downs, humorous moments framed by heartbreaking sorrow and amazing triumphs. I could go on for sometime, but I think you get the picture. 

Life is unpredictable, but wow....what a ride. As a writer, artist, wife, mother, sister, daughter.....friend, I've had this brought to my attention so much in the few couple years. Oh how I wish I could go back with a red pen and scratch out the unsightly bits, the painful and embarrassing, the moments of doubt and bull headed stubbornness where trust and an open mind were needed. I've learned a lot about myself and most of who I am is here to stay, for better or worse.

 Like a book thats been written, peeled apart, edited, and thrown back together a time or six before getting that last smoothing polish, I've been torn down and rebuilt in so many ways. Was it painful? Oh yes, very much so. Would I change anything? Well, I'd be lying if I said no...the passing of my son wrought some much needed changes for the better, but it was so hard to see that thru the pain of lossing my contrary little boy. I see it now and am a better person for it, a better everything.

Like the threads of my life, the threads of my book are finally starting to weave themselves into something a less chaotic. While my new writing pace will likely be slower then molasses in January, it too is better off. Losing such a precious gift as a child puts many things in perspective, from the large to the small. 

I've found new eyes with which to see my story and I'm almost appalled at the stuff I somehow missed trimming on the last go-around. It makes my fingers itch to set it right, but I have to finish this round of edits before I can let myself tackle those wayward bits and trim the excess from my pages. 

Of course, first I need to actually get a move on with said edits. These past couple weeks were busy with my husband's birthday and several other important things, so my writing is being neglected for the moment. That'll probably change today, but for now its all looking a little dusty. And that note, I better go. I can hear my laptop calling my name and there's no time like the present.

 I'll catch you later, guys.




~Sun and Moon  

January 5, 2014

Maybe I spoke too soon

Remember how I said I'd survived the holiday season and implied I would no longer be squished on a daily basis?

Yeah, well....I take that back.

You see, we have had incredibly crappy weather this week. As in snow and freezing temperatures. Lots of snow. And there's supposed to be even more on its way. Awesome, right?

This has had the happy and predictable effect of sending most of my area into a panic, and then driving those same folks to buy food as if the apocalypse is about to occure.

Seriously, it's that bad.

Indeed, on average its been taking me almost an hour to escape my register(I'm a cashier in retail) and go clock out for the day. If there is anything edible stocked on our shelves come monday, it won't be for lack of customers, that's for sure.

So instead of curling up with my husband and working on edits for chapter sixteen this week, I've been trying my level best to survive the chaos. Which means getting home, scarfing down some food, relaxing for about an hour, and then passing out as the day hits home like a baseball bat to the back of the head.

Oh well, at least I'm sleeping really well. 

In the meantime, I'm also trying to clean up my apartment of the results of  post-holiday neglect(happens every year no matter what I try), so editing is going to be sluggish at best. On the other hand, my art is at a complete standstill, so at least edits are going somewhere instead of gathering dust.

Anyway, I better wrap this up. There's snow falling outside my window and a huge mug of tea waiting for me in the kitchen. After such a long work week, I'm determined to relax. It's time to enjoy good food and even better company while the world outside my window gets a fresh coat of white.

Care to join me?      


 
~Sun and Moon