The Party

Today’s challenge was one of observation, of interaction. But I chose to write about a lack of interaction, and I hope you enjoy it.

It was supposed to have been a party. All the usual trappings were present: food, friends, music, gifts. But no one was dancing; no one was eating. The gifts sat unopened on a table, ignored by their recipient and forgotten by the guests.

The music was too loud for the room and it hurt my ears. It didn’t need to be so loud; no one was talking. I found it odd that amid a sea of people I could feel so completely and utterly alone, like a star in the sky, one of many, yet completely solitary.

Every hand, every eye in the room, was glued to a screen, transfixed by the glow, and it would take an act of God to separate them.

Have you ever been in a similar situation? How did you react?

(c) 2015. All rights reserved.

If I had more time…

…I would actually get some writing done. 🙂

…I would even get those bookmarks designed that I need for next week.

…I would probably get my office completely organised.

…I would train myself to stop spelling things the British way.

…I would perfect my photography skills.

…I would brush up on the flute.

…I would learn to speak Spanish fluently (cuz I’ve forgotten most of what I knew).

…I would read all the books I own from cover to cover at least once (but probably more).

…I would travel.

…I would finish that degree I started thirteen years ago.

…I would take up piano.

And if I sat here thinking for long enough, I’m sure I could double the length of this list. 🙂  How about you – what would you do, if only you had the time?

(c) 2015.  All rights reserved.

A letter to my son

Today’s Writing 101 challenge was to reinvent the letter.  The last letter I wrote was to my husband when he was away for work, so today I decided to write a letter to my son in the future.  He may not be a man yet, but he will be one day, and I hope that, on that day, he’ll read this and smile.

leiabowsDearest Bubbles,

My goodness, how quickly you’ve grown!  It can’t be possible that you’re a man now, instead of the tiny little baby I brought home from the hospital.  Surely that was only yesterday?

Oh, who am I kidding?  It was last month.  I knew I should have tied that brick to your head sooner. 🙂

When I look at you, I still see the happy little boy you used to be.  I suppose I probably always will, no matter how much taller than me you are.  I hope that someday, you’ll have a house full of happy little boys (and girls?) of your own, but first, some advice:

Writing is hard, yo

So I saw this on Twitter, thanks to today’s Writing 101 assignment post:

And I have to say that it’s like Mr. Grossman was reading my mind when he wrote it.  Sometimes it’s really nice to know that you’re not as alone as you feel, especially when your favorite pastime is a solitary one. I’m terrible about comparing myself to other writers – for the most part, I come away from books feeling that other authors are much better/faster/more talented than I am and that I’ll never reach the heights I aspire to.

Then I read something like this, or I listen to songs like “Keep On Movin’,” and I feel a little bit better.  I just hope the feeling will fade as time goes by (and hopefully, as contracts come my way).

What about you – do you have a passion that this tweet could describe?  Tell me what you’re passionate about in the comments!

(c) 2015.  All rights reserved.

A lovely little space

2015-05-13 11.41.03

Lunch breaks are best when spent writing. 😉

Much about the way I write has changed considerably over the years.  When I was a teenager, I often wrote with my friends (several of whom also enjoyed writing), and we wrote anytime, anywhere.  I wrote stories during free time in class, at lunch, during pickleball tournaments, and at home after school.  Often in the summers, I’d stay up half the night working on a story.  Whether with music and conversation or without, in the living room or my bedroom, my ideas flowed freely.

riss

Hot tea makes great writing fuel, especially in the winter.

In my twenties, it was much the same.  I had a small office space, but it shared room with my washer, dryer, deep freeze, and litterboxes.  With four cats and one litterbox, you can bet it wasn’t long before I needed to take a little writing break, so back to the living room I went.

My twenties actually saw the greatest upheaval

Cricket’s a fan

Yesterday we had a little Panther (or “Pamfer,” as Cricket says). Today? Today we have a little Packer:

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Cricket was so excited to watch the football game with Daddy in his new jersey. There’s just one problem – he’s not watching the game. He’s upstairs in his room, playing with Thumper. Maybe all the football yesterday was enough for him.

Or maybe he just wanted the new jersey. Either way, he’s awfully darn cute. 🙂

(c) 2015. All rights reserved.

More things I like

IMG_20130828_121254And now, because I thought of a bunch more things I like after my post the other day, here are some more things I like:

  1. A clear sky full of stars.
  2. Sunny days.
  3. Singing (badly) ’90s boy band songs in the car at the top of my lungs.
  4. Learning everything.
  5. Watching my children sleep.
  6. Pickle wraps.
  7. Lazy weekends.
  8. Listening to Cricket and Thumper “read” stories to me.
  9. The smell of old books.
  10. Bad jokes.

What about you? Share some things you like below!

(c) 2015. All rights reserved.

Things I Like

2015-07-08 13.18.58It’s another list today. Why? Well, because I’ve been reading Things We Like I think it’s pretty cool. Also? I’m in the midst of revising not one, but two WIPs, and my brain is a little fried. Also also? Life is crazy right now, and a list of things I like seems like something I can manage.

Short, sweet, and to the point. At least that’s the theory.

So, without further ado, here are some things I like:

  1. Writing. I love to write stories. I love to write poems. I love to write anything and everything under the sun.
  2. Reading. I love books. I loved reading them as a kid, I love reading them now, and I love writing my own.
  3. Music. I used to spend hours playing my flute, but I haven’t practiced regularly in a very long time. I should get back to that.
  4. Photography. I come from a family of shutterbugs. When I was growing up, Grandpa didn’t look quite right unless he had a camera up to his face. My childhood was very well documented, and my children are growing up the same way.
  5. Video editing. I like making home movies out of the many video clips on my phone. It’s a fun way to spend an afternoon, and a great way to look back on things I’ve forgotten.

How about you? What things do you like?

(c) 2015. All rights reserved.