The Absinthe Road

Lyrical Inspiration...

2012-03-12T22:10:00.000-04:00

Think of some of your favourite songs.

pick 5.

take the first three or four words of each of those 5 songs and use them as a writing prompt. finish the sentence. write a story. poem. song.

or you can use mine.

Prompt #98: 1) Give me a second... 2) There's some kind of... 3) We were born before... 4) You look like... 5) And so it is...

Unfinished...

2012-03-05T20:05:00.000-05:00

I have a "problem" people. I tend to have a million ideas.

I act on many. but so many are unfinished projects.

and really, that's not a bad thing. some things need to simmer a bit before we come back to them and bring them full circle. that's totally okay.

but sometimes, we need to leaf through those thousands of started projects, and pick one to work on and finish. so that we can pick the next one to work on and finish. and so one. and so on.

Prompt #97: Do you have a project you've started but haven't finished yet? is today the day? do it.

Monday/Tuesday...can't trust that day

2012-02-28T19:21:00.000-05:00

So...around 2:00 this afternoon, I realised I'd missed a day. sigh. I've been doing this Monday blog for nearly two years now. and I've been consistent. writing every single Monday.

and somehow I lost a day.

I feel terrible.

not that it's the most terrible thing I've ever done, but it sure made me feel guilty like it was one of the most terrible things I've ever done.

Prompt #96: Write about the most terrible thing you've ever done.

We are family...

2012-02-20T16:20:00.000-05:00

I'm sitting at my friend Sarah's computer, because I still don't have internet at my new apartment. It's coming this week.

lack of internet certainly has presented a few posting challenges, but I think I've managed to conquer them pretty well.

so...I'm sitting here in Sarah's precious little house, which is currently full of toys and children and noise and television, and adult conversation, and baby cooing. and it is the most blissful cacophony of beautiful noise.

because it is love. surrounding, encompassing, down-to-earth, unconditional. love. her house is always filled with love.

I met Sarah when I went back to college at age 28. she was 18. we hit it off almost immediately. actually, we hit it off when I chose her for my interview partner in our journalism class.

she had super short, hot pink hair, gauges in her ears, tattoos...and I knew she was the one person in the class I really wanted to know.

after that we were pretty much inseparable. Long-lost sisters. so much so that people think we actually share familial blood.

sometimes, we're lucky enough to find those people who are "family" without being blood. and that makes us pretty lucky.

Prompt #95: Write about family. chosen or born to.

a quote is a quote is a quote...but if it inspires...it is bliss

2012-02-13T21:00:00.000-05:00

Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great. ~ Mark Twain

Find your greatness. embrace your greatness. never let anyone squash your dream.

go. go. go!

Prompt #94: What did you write this past week? what are you going to write this week? Find a publication for it...submit your work. be brave. be unafraid. Go!

Bravery

2012-02-06T20:22:00.000-05:00

Lately, several of the bloggers I follow have opened up to the webiverse. Deep, dark secrets and pains that have received amazing response and encouragement...solidarity.

It's been incredible to be a part of it...even just as a reader. Because the bravery it takes to show the world what lies beneath your skin...is massive.

I've been learning, over these past couple years, to be a bit braver.

It's a daily process for someone like me. I grew up solving my own problems. harbouring my secrets. running through my own scenarios in my mind until I'd resolved my issues. I internalise. Keep it close to the vest.

But the thing is, we all have pain. something hurt us. someone hurt us. we hurt ourselves.

so, taking the blogiverse...this personal, world-wide diary, and using it to reach out...to blast through our boundaries...that's beautiful. Because in telling, we heal. in sharing, we find kindred spirits. and in saying "I hurt" we can start finding the tools to heal.

I'm getting there slowly. I still push the bullshit into the shadows. but I'm getting there.

I hurt. step one.

Prompt #93: Write about that thing you've been afraid to write about.

Red Dresses

2012-01-30T19:28:00.000-05:00

I'm totally and completely head over heels for The Bloggess.

so much so, that it's not enough to write about her on my other blog, I feel I also need to share her here.

This woman is so...awesome! she is inspiring. uplifting. brave. witty. crazy. passionate. and wicked cool.

She gets an idea...blogs about it, and these ideas take off! fly into the upper atmosphere and clear out into space.

you must go read all about the Traveling Red Dress. if you're not totally amazed and at least a wee bit inspired, I'm sorry, but you are a dullard and you have no soul.

I'm kidding, you're not soulless.

but truly, this is one of those reminders that there is GOOD in the world. and after scrolling through the news headlines day after day, headlines that are full of tragedy and bad news, it's nice to have a ray of sunshine.

Prompt #92: What is your red dress?

It's a popcorn prompt...

2012-01-23T19:52:00.000-05:00

I'm a fan of the popcorn prompt.

take 5 or 6 random words and create a poem from them. I've done several works this way before...it's a good way to stoke those creative fires when you're a wee bit stumped.

so today...

Prompt #91: write a poem (story, essay, or whatever suits your fancy, using the following words: Pragmatic. Flock. Doorway. Spice. Simple. Lonely.

A quick prompt...

2012-01-16T17:43:00.001-05:00

My step-father is headed into emergency surgery. My mind is a little bit elsewhere.

**update 1.17.12: They chose to delay surgery - but have not totally ruled it out. They kept him overnight for observation and are running more tests today. pokes, prods, swallow this pill, dye injections. fun stuff. (not)

Prompt #90: Use the following as the first line of a poem, essay, short story, etc...
"The last time the sky was this shade of grey..."

Ode to Wine

2012-01-09T17:47:00.000-05:00

So I love wine. and today I stumbled upon this lovely little Ode in praise of wine - which then compares wine to love, and I thought "perfect! this is my prompt today!" But first, I have to share the Ode with you.

Ode To Wine
by Pablo Neruda

Day-colored wine,
night-colored wine,
wine with purple feet
or wine with topaz blood,
wine,
starry child
of earth,
wine, smooth
as a golden sword,
soft
as lascivious velvet,
wine, spiral-seashelled
and full of wonder,
amorous,
marine;
never has one goblet contained you,
one song, one man,
you are choral, gregarious,
at the least, you must be shared.
At times
you feed on mortal
memories;
your wave carries us
from tomb to tomb,
stonecutter of icy sepulchers,
and we weep
transitory tears;
your
glorious
spring dress
is different,
blood rises through the shoots,
wind incites the day,
nothing is left
of your immutable soul.
Wine
stirs the spring, happiness
bursts through the earth like a plant,
walls crumble,
and rocky cliffs,
chasms close,
as song is born.
A jug of wine, and thou beside me
in the wilderness,
sang the ancient poet.
Let the wine pitcher
add to the kiss of love its own.

My darling, suddenly
the line of your hip
becomes the brimming curve
of the wine goblet,
your breast is the grape cluster,
your nipples are the grapes,
the gleam of spirits lights your hair,
and your navel is a chaste seal
stamped on the vessel of your belly,
your love an inexhaustible
cascade of wine,
light that illuminates my senses,
the earthly splendor of life.

But you are more than love,
the fiery kiss,
the heat of fire,
more than the wine of life;
you are
the community of man,
translucency,
chorus of discipline,
abundance of flowers.
I like on the table,
when we're speaking,
the light of a bottle
of intelligent wine.
Drink it,
and remember in every
drop of gold,
in every topaz glass,
in every purple ladle,
that autumn labored
to fill the vessel with wine;
and in the ritual of his office,
let the simple man remember
to think of the soil and of his duty,
to propagate the canticle of the wine.

Prompt #89: Write an ode to one of your favourite things

365 days...

2012-01-02T19:56:00.000-05:00

So wow! I'm doing it.

I started my new project.

Things I Love - 365 days

check it out. if you will.

Prompt #88: Be doing what you love. If you're not...make some changes. We should all do what we love.

almost there...

2011-12-26T19:08:00.000-05:00

I know I promised an announcement today in regard to the new blog project, but instead, I have had a low-grade cold for a week that has my head all fuzzy and un-thinky and I can barely even enjoy my wine.

so, instead...I'm going to post the new bloggy infos sometime before Sunday (because that is when the new project starts) and today I am going to ask you the old cheesy stand-by...(because I really can't come up with anything creative this evening. I'm sorry.)

Oh! and I'm also going to suggest you listen to this version of Auld Lang Syne - because I think it's the loveliest version I've ever heard.

Prompt #87: What's your New Year's Resolution?

a new project...

2011-12-19T18:27:00.000-05:00

No worries...I'm not dropping this one...I'm just beginning a new one on January 1st, in addition to this blog.

The new project is yet unnamed, but it is my own personal take on Stephan Cox's Thing A Day Project. He challenged me a few months back to do TAD in 2012, and I've been moiling and mooshing over how I want to attack that little (BIG) challenge.

And I think I've figured it out.

So look for an announcement next week - I'll direct you to the new site, and I will begin on January 1.

Kind of excited. Kind of freaked out. But...just like Stephan's project "Shit that scares me" I think it's a good idea to go ahead and face the fear and take on new challenges. Stephan...pass me that torch!

Prompt #86: Pick a challenge for yourself. do something uber creative in 2012.

Things (people, places) I love in 400 words...

2011-12-12T20:10:00.000-05:00

Thank you, Tanya Geisler for the inspiration...

My sweet (15 year old) baby boy. The perfect silence that follows a fresh snow. Long talks with best friends. Bottles of wine shared with Kaci & Shannon. Dark dark chocolate. The perfect Italian dinner. Incredible breathtaking sunsets. The smell of the ocean. Anna’s laugh. A really great day spent with the camera and my sweetheart. Dance. Texts that say “I love you Mom”. Cheese. Bread. Dancing Matt on youtube. Music that makes me cry. Music that makes me smile. Music that makes me laugh. Road trips with Kaci. Morning text time with my Mom. Surprise gifties “just because”. Highland Coffee Company. Crème Brulee with surprise raspberries. Hugs. Kisses. Wearing the perfect outfit. Having an “I’m amazing!” kind of day. Feeling beautiful. Hugging a tree. Knowing I’m loved. Writing a great poem. Walking barefoot on super soft damp grass. Getting back in touch with long lost friends. Elephants. Cream Cheese and Wheat Thins. Smiles from people I love. Smiles from strangers. Laughing until my belly hurts and tears stream down my face. Super soft comfy blankets. Kitties purring. Wind in my hair. The first hint of Spring. The vibrant colours of fall. The perfect sweater. Phone calls that leave me smiling. My jobs. Bath & Body Works lip gloss. Maddie singing her abc’s to me. Muffin’s smiley face when I plant a thousand kisses on her forehead. Bri screaming “Auntie Karen! I missed you so much!”. My Polar Bear. The friends I can say anything to. Warm rain New Orleans style. Blue cheese stuffed green olives. Hopptini’s. Eastwick. Swingsets. Being back in Louisville and feeling completely happy every time I see the skyline. Driving across the country. Christmas lights. Walking along the Puget Sound. Port Townsend and Better Living Through Coffee’s Chai Latte. The fact that “I’m Henry the 8^th I am Henry the 8^th I am I am” can make me smile every time I think about it. Being told I’m the “awesomest”. Watching my favourite movies. Leaves crunching under my feet. Caterpillars and ladybugs. Singing and laughing with Kathi. Finding something I thought I’d lost. Baking something from scratch that makes someone happy. Getting a new tattoo. Taking a long bath with a great book and a glass of wine. Waking up with music in my head. The unconditional love of life-long friends. My family – those I was lucky enough to pick and those linked by blood. This.

Prompt #85: Your turn. write your own "things I love in 400 words." It's not as easy as it seems, but it is oh so worth it!

real life...

2011-12-05T19:51:00.001-05:00

I've mentioned this a couple times already, but I'm going to say it again...it's been a rough year...or so.

This blog has helped me to express some of the emotions wrapped up tightly in the little fortress of me, but I still proceed with caution. I admit that I'm slightly jealous of those who can just put it all out there. Mind you, I like to see it written succinctly and straight forward as opposed to a 20 paragraph whiny diatribe, but there is something beautiful about bleeding without concern.

I've always been a smile-on-the-outside-bleed-on-the-inside kinda gal. I choose very carefully when it comes to my sounding boards, and how much I decide to share at a particular moment. It doesn't mean I don't trust my friends - my friends are truly among the great loves of my life - but I've often chosen to just work through my struggles on my own.

That said...It's been a melancholy year. One full of change, and heartbreak - moving, finding a new job, working my ass off, missing my kid, and often feeling a bit lost in this maze, trying to figure out who the hell I am. It's that empty nest thing...I've been a mom for so many years, completely wrapped up in my kid, and when he moved out...I was left with...what?

so, I've been sifting through my emotions, and "checking the horizon," and re-learning my role as a mother in this new format.

One of my touchstones shared this song with me a while back...and it's been in my head all day...so I figured it was a good time to share it with you.
Colin Hay "Waiting for my real life to begin"

Prompt #84: "I have an existential map. It has 'You are here' written all over it." ~ Steven Wright. right? write!

sometimes you just gotta DIY...

2011-11-28T19:12:00.000-05:00

I see nothing wrong with tooting your own horn once in awhile. pat yourself on the back. high-five yourself. give yourself kudos.

Because we all need a cheerleader now and then, and we shouldn't always have to rely on others to BE that cheerleader - though I will admit that there is a rather giddy feeling that explodes out of my skin when someone I love tells me I'm awesome!

So, why am I feeling particularly awesome today?

Because, dear friends and readers, I have almost COMPLETELY completed the November PAD (Poem a Day) challenge with Robert Lee Brewer!

I have participated in this challenge (and the April PAD challenge) for the past several years, and though I usually come out at the end of the month with about 15-20 new poems, I've never completed a challenge where I've written a piece for every prompt.

and I am VERY close to doing just that!

I currently have 26 new poems written - plus a few non-prompt poems I've written this month - and let me tell you, this feels great!

So, I'm going to start compiling a second collection and start looking to publish. I mean, why not? Three Thousand Doors needs a follow-up, right? (my Mama likes to joke and tell me my next collection should carry the title "Three Thousand MORE doors." ~shakes head~)

Prompt #83: I'm going to work on compiling another poetry collection. What are you gonna do?

Reading, Writing and...

2011-11-21T19:58:00.000-05:00

...not 'rithmetic.

I don't math. not if I can help it.

But I have been reading a lot lately. Fall is a cuddle up with a soft blanket, a fluffy pillow and a fantastic book kind of time for me.

I've also been writing a bunch. Following Robert Lee Brewer's prompts over at Poetic Asides. I'm a couple days behind at the moment, but I currently have 20 new poems to work with, and a writing contest I'm planning to enter in the next two weeks before the deadline.

So I'm feeling pretty artistic, which totally beats that "ugh! I've got nothing creative in me!" feeling that we all get when we hit that brick wall called writer's block.

Prompt #82: Today...head on over to Poetic Asides and pick on of the 21 prompts and write. No matter if it's a poem, a story, a song, a play...just pick a prompt and write on it!

Impossible vs. possible

2011-11-14T18:23:00.000-05:00

That thing you think you can't do because it's impossible? Maybe it isn't. ~ unknown

I saw this quote on a friend's facebook page a few months back. It's totally managed to stick with me. I printed it up and taped it to my wall. I read it several times a day, think on it...it's pretty much become my mantra; my chant.

Because...how true! There are so many things that we want...to do, to say, to be...and how many of us just don't do them, say them, be them, because we think they're impossible? for one reason or another - no money, no time, fear.

The thing is...people have proven, over and over again, that they can accomplish amazing things...and so many have great odds to contend with.

So, really, what is it that's holding you back? what holds me back? If nothing is impossible, then it really just comes down to that final decision...

Prompt #81: What do you REALLY want to do...that you just haven't done?

National every kind of writing month...

2011-11-07T19:33:00.001-05:00

So it's November.

That means there is A LOT of writing going on!

NaNoWriMo - National Novel Writing Month

Robert Lee Brewer's PAD (Poem A Day) Challenge

and...a new one I just learned of a few days ago...NaBloPoMo - National Blog Posting Month (My friend Lori is doing this one - check out her blog: Funny Strange)

So what are you writing this month? I'm working diligently on the PAD challenge, and I have to say, I'm pretty happy with the pieces I've written thus far!

So hop to it, kids! Get to writing! and if you haven't started...

Prompt #80: start now!

The art of writing letters...

2011-10-31T18:39:00.000-04:00

What a lot we lost when we stopped writing letters. You can't reread a phone call.
~ Liz Carpenter

I've been writing a letter to the Universe.

In it, I have written how thankful I am for everything I've ever encountered. All the things, all the people, all the gifts, all the tough times, all the trials.

And I am writing about the things I want. The things I haven't done. The things I've not yet accomplished. The places I've not yet been.

It is an affirmation of love for the wonders of this world, and a petition for guidance toward my unrealised goals and ambitions.

and I expect a prompt answer to my letter. Because the Universe is like that.

Prompt #79: Write YOUR letter to the Universe.

Dusting off...

2011-10-24T20:12:00.000-04:00

I pick myself up. dust myself off. and start all over again. ~ Frank Sinatra

As one quite accustomed to doing just that, I will say that at times, starting all over again has been incredibly easy. and other times...there's a bit more challenge to it.

But, I love the rush! I'm addicted to it. It's why I move so often. something new. something fresh.

I don't mind starting over. It's terrifying to some folks, I know, but to me, it is refreshing. What frightens me, is staying in one place too long. overstaying my welcome. becoming hollow. becoming too comfortable. being confined.

It's that whole caged bird thing.

I'd rather fly.

Prompt #78: What do you do when your wings feel too wet to fly?

Waiting to be...

2011-10-17T20:27:00.000-04:00

"I know you're a good piano and your song will always play...you're waiting to be what you already are, you're the only one left in your way..."

Josh Clayton-Felt

We do what we can...to get by...to make ends meet

but if we all had our druthers...what would we do?

Prompt #77: What would you do? if nothing held you back?

much muchness...

2011-10-10T21:39:00.000-04:00

"One can never consent to creep when one feels an impulse to soar"~ Helen Keller

Sometimes...I push my "muchness" down and ignore it. forget who I am for a time; forget that I am a shining star in the cosmos of eternity.

and then, luckily, I am reminded. by someone, or something...

at that point...everything I worry over seems ridiculously small and petty...and all that matters is that I pursue the things I want; the things that make me happy; the things that make me shine.

I am glowing again...after a time of too much darkness...and I am tired of stifling and censoring the MUCHNESS that is ME!

Prompt #76: Do you need a reminder at times? Do you forget your muchness?

Gifts...

2011-10-03T20:57:00.002-04:00

Several years ago, when I was working as a barista in an Abilene coffee & tobacco shop, one of my regulars surprised me.

On my birthday, Alexis, this girl I'd only known for maybe a couple of months, brought me a present.

A set of three gnomes. You know, the garden variety. I was so giddy over this gift! It was the perfect gift, and somehow, she just knew it was perfect.

They became my kitchen gnomes.

They had been guarding my kitchen for about four years, when one day, one tipped over...and his hat and the top of his head broke off.

I cried.

over my gnome.

and I emailed my friend (now living in Australia) to tell her about the gnome tragedy.

Surgery was successful and he was glued back together to guard over my kitchen for many more years. But I always remember that he is wounded. And I lift him with extra care now.

There's something about certain gifts. Finding the perfect gift. Giving the perfect gift. Receiving the perfect gift. Using it. Cherishing it. Smiling at the memory it evokes.

Perhaps the greater gift is that Alexis is still my friend. And perhaps THAT is why those gnomes mean so damn much to me.

Prompt #75: What is your perfect gift memory? Given or received.

The great flood...

2011-09-26T19:12:00.000-04:00

So I woke this morning, at 2:30 am, to a partially flooded house.

Apparently the storm rolling through last night dropped 3-5 inches of rain in just an hour. This morning, several roads were closed due to flooding, so yah...it's not like I got the worst of it. (thank you!)

So let me tell you how much fun that was at 2:30 in the morning.

I lie. It was not much fun at all. I spent several hours mopping up water and basically just hoping that was the last of it. sigh. and being grateful that we have concrete floors and not carpeting. because omeyegawd...what kind of disaster would that have been!

In the morning light...after only a few hours of sleep...I...well, I was cranky. But this afternoon, I just kind of started feeling very "meh" about the whole thing. I mean, really, what do you do? We live in a basement apartment. weather happens.

Deep breath. sigh.

It made me evaluate though.

Had to get the computers and the cameras up to slightly higher ground. Make sure all the electrical cords are up so they don't get waterlogged and become useless. Books. Shoes.

There is a part of me that sometimes craves simplicity. How I would love to be a minimalist...but my book collection alone makes that nearly impossible. How do people do it? I am in awe.

Phone. Books. Computer. Camera. External hard drive. Photos. Shoes. and my Honey Bear (teddy bear) a gift from my sister when I was 3.

It's all material...but it means so much!

Prompt #74: What would you save?

Metal & Steel

2011-09-19T19:17:00.000-04:00

I have a new love. His name is Bob Schneider.

This singer/songwriter is swiftly shooting up in the ranks of my music loves and coming in a close second to my fave Band, Blue October.

He is a poet. with an incredible voice. I often wake up singing one of his songs in my head.

Bob and Blue October - both Texas talent...coincidence? nah...

I almost fell out of my chair when I found this live version today...because there is a cello! (you know how much I love the cello, right?) Have a listen:

METAL & STEEL

Prompt #73: Now, I want to hear (read) your interpretation of this song. if you need the lyrics you can read them HERE.

Hurl words into the darkness...

2011-09-12T21:06:00.000-04:00

I would hurl words into this darkness and wait for an echo, and if an echo sounded, no matter how faintly, I would send other words to tell, to march, to fight, to create a sense of hunger for life that gnaws in us all. ~Richard Wright, American Hunger, 1977

There's nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and open a vein. ~Walter Wellesley "Red" Smith

As writers, we have all hurled those words, we have all opened that vein...it is part of living, breathing, swimming in, our art. We are compelled to put our words to paper, in the hope of sharing it with the world; in the hope of feeding that frenzy; in the hope of reaching out to even one other soul who might take comfort, find solace or recognition in those words.

We bleed onto the page, slice open our souls, pin emotion to the walls and wait...wait for an agent, an editor, a publisher, a friend, a stranger, anyone...to tell us we've done it. it's good. it's wonderful. it's ready. it's perfect.

and then...then, we do it all again. because we are never done writing; creating.

It takes bravery, persistence, a ridiculously thick skin, and a hell of a lot of gumption...but do it! Because you'll not regret trying, but you will mourn giving up.

Prompt #72: Are you holding back or are you going for it?

Bad habits are like rotten meat...

2011-09-05T17:05:00.000-04:00

they stink.

I have several bad habits.

I chew on the inside of my mouth.
I smoke (bleh.)
I procrastinate.
I sometimes try to divine deeper meaning from things that are simply...simple.
I analyze certain things too much, and sometimes, I don't pay proper attention to things that perhaps needed a bit more tending.
I crack my knuckles.
I snap my gum.
I don't always maintain eye contact when I'm speaking to someone (which doesn't mean I'm bored, it usually just means that I've got too many thoughts vying for first place in my brain...but the person I'm talking to doesn't know this.)

and...I have a terrible habit of letting myself fall into patterns of mediocrity. which is a terrible thing. because I fear being ordinary more than I fear spiders.

Being stuck is a position few of us like. We want something new but cannot let go of the old - old ideas, beliefs, habits, even thoughts. We are out of contact with our own genius. Sometimes we know we are stuck; sometimes we don't. In both cases we have to DO something. ~ Rush Limbaugh

Prompt #71: What bad habits do you need to break? How do you fight off the monsters of mediocrity and ordinariness?

The difference between falling and flying...

2011-08-29T22:39:00.000-04:00

Wings.

Sometimes...we all need to be reminded that we are something more.

When the day to day bogs us down, and we feel like we are doing little more than muddling through, we just need someone to tell us that we Shine! That we are something greater, something better, something incredible.

I've got a mountain to climb before i get over this hill

I've got a world to unwind before i ever sit still
I've got a hard row to hoe before my seed is sown
I've got a long way to get before i get back home
~ Bob Schneider

Prompt #70: Write about that person or thing that reminds you that you are amazing.

change your mind...

2011-08-22T09:18:00.000-04:00

"I am an excitable person who only understands life lyrically, musically, in whom feelings are much stronger as reason. I am so thirsty for the marvelous that only the marvelous has power over me. Anything I can not transform into something marvelous, I let go. Reality doesn't impress me. I only believe in intoxication, in ecstasy, and when ordinary life shackles me, I escape, one way or another. No more walls."

~ Anaïs Nin

I'm a big fan of change.

If something isn't moving right it my life, a job, a town, a relationship, I make a change...exit quietly stage left and move on to the next role.

A year ago, when my son was 13, he decided to make a change in his life, thereby altering mine, and moved to Seattle to live with his father.

It wasn't entirely unexpected, it was just sooner than I would have chosen. I knew one day my child would grow up, move on and make a life of his own, but I thought I had a few more years before having to deal with it. I wanted more time.

It's been rough. ups and downs. lots of tears. I miss him every day that he's not with me. but I've had to adjust to it.

I made some changes of my own, in order to try to make my life "right" again. I moved (several times, trying to find what felt right to me) and landed, happily, back in Louisville, Kentucky - it's the first place that ever really felt like "home" to me...coming back was like stepping into an old photograph, a happy memory.

So, here I am. Getting my feet back under my weight. Discovering how hollow that empty nest can sometimes feel, and cherishing the moments I get to spend with my son during those not-quite-long-enough visits.

I'm adapting, simply because that is what I do. I'm pliable, but tough. stubborn. strong-willed. determined.

but man! I miss my kid when he's not here.

Prompt #69: How pliable are you? do you embrace change or resist it? do you adapt easily, or fight tooth and nail when change invites itself in?

living on the air in Cincinnati...

2011-08-15T10:04:00.000-04:00

Heading out to Cincinnati for the day. Zoo and Aquarium, so today is a quick post.

Today's blog and prompt are one in the same...borrowed from my friend, June.

Prompt #68: It's Monday. Do you know who you are, where you're going, what's important? It's never too late to find out.

diamonds on the sea...

2011-08-08T10:14:00.000-04:00

What will it take for you to dare to live the way your soul craves… ~ Big Sparkly Life

We all have big dreams and aspirations. Sometimes, we follow through, and sometimes we let things slide.

For me, there are certain dreams that keep coming back, and I wonder, "huh. why haven't I done that yet?"

I don't want to miss out on the things I've always wanted. It's time for me to really dare...really do...really go after my goals.

I mean, really, why wait?

That's not to say I haven't done a lot of the things I've wanted to do, just that there is still so much more I want! and I want to do it all! does that make me greedy?

I'm the gold in the sunset and diamonds on the sea... ~ Bob Schneider

Prompt #67: So, what will it take? for you?

Moments of kindness...

2011-08-01T21:30:00.004-04:00

Because that's what kindness is. It's not doing something for someone else because they can't, but because you can.
~ Andrew Iskander

There are precious little moments that bring tears to my eyes, a lump to my throat, and a great big smile to my heart.

I have quietly witnessed the kindness of others. And it is something that never ceases to floor me.

Several years ago, I was working at a coffee bar & smoke shop in Texas, two of my regulars, (lets call them the baker and the butterfly) who had never met before, were having a conversation. Over many shots of espresso and a few cigars, they talked. for hours. somewhere in this conversation, I saw a piece of paper pass from one to the other, and the recipient began to cry. Later I learned that the butterfly had given the baker a check so that he could go put four new tires on his car, which was so desperately in need of new tires he couldn't drive safely anymore without them. The butterfly didn't do it for applause, she simply wrote a check, and quietly slipped it to the baker.

Because she could. and he couldn't.

Several weeks ago, I walked past a homeless man (we'll call him Albert) who told me he could tell me the secret to quitting smoking. I smiled and said thanks. he continued talking, to no one in particular, kind of rambling and mumbling. as I stood there finishing my cigarette, a girl I know (we'll call her Samantha) drove by, stopped her car, spoke with the man for a moment, handed him a folded bill, and drove away. Later, I mentioned to Sam what I had seen, and told her it was the sweetest moment of kindness I had witnessed in a long time. She said: Albert has never asked me for money. I just felt like he could use a blessing today."

This past Saturday, I was working at the bar, and had stepped outside for a ciggie. The door to the salon next door opened and a stylist gently pushed a woman in a wheelchair to her waiting ride. It struck me as one of those above-and-beyond moments that people sometimes do for others.

Simple. Kind. Human. Love.

#66: what are some of the beautiful moments you've been lucky enough to witness?

So many places I'd like to see...

2011-07-25T20:45:00.000-04:00

I have a wish list...

...well, I suppose everyone does.

but right now I'm talking about a very specific list in my list of wishes, wants, dreams, determinations...my travel wish list.

There are places I've wanted to go since I was a little girl, and places I've learned about over the years. Places I've never seen, but I ache for in my soul, like a vaguely remembered dream.

and truly, I've managed a few of them so far, but there is so much more I want to see!

I must see England, and Ireland, The Isle of Man, The Outer Hebrides, Patagonia, Australia, Montserrat, Africa, India, Russia, Germany! Savannah, GA, New Hampshire, Maine, The Carolinas, New York City, Boston, Nova Scotia. I want to see the Louvre and go to Southern Spain. I want to walk The Camino de Santiago de Compostela.

Google Earth has been my best friend for virtual "travels" until I am able to make the trips for real. I can "fly" to any city of my choosing. Browse coastlines and cities at my leisure.

Prompt #65: What is on your wish list? or, what places have you've been?

in a nutshell...

2011-07-18T21:27:00.001-04:00

My mother used to write a column for several small-town newspapers, it was called "County Roads." (which she compiled a small smattering of for her collection Song of County Roads - published by Silver Boomer Books in September of 2009)

so...long story short, I remember one of her columns ended with a line like "that's me, in a nutshell...which is where I belong." I always loved that line. makes me giggle right out loud, even now, when I can't remember the rest of the article.

so (segue) I present you with my last 10 months...in a nutshell.

at the tail end of October 2010, I left Texas... (all photo credits: keg)

...went to Seattle until just after Christmas...

...off to Minot, North Dakota until mid-February...

...and made a permanent move to Louisville February 13, 2011...

so there you go...a brief little photo montage of my (almost) past year. I'm settled in, with two jobs, I'm writing some poetry again after a few long months of not quite enough motivation or inspiration, I'm moved in to a groovy apartment and things feel like they are calming down a bit, falling into place and adapting to a wonderful stride.

Prompt #64: describe or depict your life in a nutshell.

that's what friends are for...

2011-07-11T22:35:00.000-04:00

I've probably mentioned this once or twice, but I just have to say it again, I have a lot of REALLY fantastic friends.

I consider myself incredibly lucky that I have a veritable plethora of friends I've known for decades. People who I can pick up with right where we left off, whether just a few days ago, or a few years ago.

I realise this is a rare thing. I realise that some people have only one friend. or maybe two. but I have handfuls! handfuls! I'd hate to be without a single one of them.

It's not to say I've not lost precious people along the way. Life moves in patterns, but not all patterns are compatible.

so I've learned to let go when I have to, and appreciate the people who stick around.

Every person in my life is unique and amazing, talented...and so very precious. and I am so incredibly lucky to know these beings I call friend: these individuals who nourish my soul, laugh with me, let me cry on their shoulder, feed me when I forget to eat, cradle me in their hearts and show me undying, unending, unconditional love.

Yep. I'm the luckiest girl in the world.

Prompt #63: Describe your best friend(s) in five words. then write a piece using those five words.

Independently Happy...

2011-07-04T23:20:00.000-04:00

It's been a long day...

of bugs, and dust and cleaning cleaning cleaning. frankly, it's been a long few days of moving and cleaning. I've just moved into an apartment after 6 long months of extended-stay motel living.

I had a mini-freak out over the bugs. I realise bugs have their place in this world...I just don't feel like bugs have their place in my home...ya know? but! said bug problem is being addressed, so I'm hoping to relax on that soon.

Today is July fourth. Independence Day. it's a big day for America. there are flags on every lawn, fireworks blasting and booming, and patriotism is abundant. Facebookers have posted many patriotic lyrics, tributes and praises.

it got me thinking about independence...personal independence, how each individual asserts their own, and what it means to each of us...

Prompt #62: ... so today, write about independence. whether it is a tribute to America, United States soldiers, or your own rights of passage.

Happy Fourth of July!

in my next life...

2011-06-27T21:01:00.000-04:00

I used to be a dancer.

I loved dancing. I still love dance. I ache a little when I see a performance; desire deeply to be on that stage.

If I had to state a regret, it would be this...that I gave up dancing.

There is a little part of me who would love to be seventeen again, thinking about going off to college...I would have taken that opportunity I shrugged off...applied to Cornish College of the Arts...danced my heart out...and maybe, just maybe, I would have landed it!

but.

I didn't do it. I didn't apply. I didn't try out. I didn't keep dancing.

and, oh...how I miss it!

Prompt #61: Write about the thing you've always wanted to do, but didn't.

be a painter...be a genius...

2011-06-20T21:13:00.001-04:00

Words create sentences; sentences create paragraphs; sometimes paragraphs quicken and begin to breathe. ~ Stephen King (On Writing)

How I love this quote. It stirs something deep within my soul; awakens a sleeping dragon of creativity.

It churns the same cauldron music does - amazing to me, how just a quote can bring such a sparkle to my psyche.

But maybe that's because he's Stephen King...genius of lyrical writing. He is a talented spider, weaving gruesome webs to entrap his readers. Even though the Horror genre is not my favourite thing, I appreciate his ability to wrap the reader in the soft silk of his writing (and not all he writes is creepy, screepy horror.)

Writing is a chance to paint a picture with words.

Prompt# 60: find something to paint. use words to create a Monet, Van Gogh, Pollock. choose your subject and paint it.

roller coaster, yo-yo, angry vortex...release...

2011-06-13T21:48:00.000-04:00

I don't tend to share a lot. my emotions are mine to swaddle and smother and keep locked away.

except when writing poetry (which is probably why I had a huge panic attack when Three Thousand Doors was sent off to the printer last year.)

Oh gawd! I'm going to throw up...
it's like...opening up my journal (if I kept one) for all the world to read...f$@#.....

yep. those are pretty much the thoughts that went racing through my head, one after the other, repeatedly.

panic. vomit. journal. swear.

rinse. repeat.

that said, it's been a rough year. stumbling through changes, jumping off emotional cliffs, building wings while falling, tearing my wings to shreds on twisted branches, tumbling through frantic waves of emotion.

tears. panic. uncertainty. frustration. anger.

it took awhile, but I finally found myself brave enough to admit (slowly...to myself at first...and then out loud to a few precious friends) that I was broken, lost, upside down...and I needed to find my own way back. build new platforms. recharge. reconstruct.

it reminds me of a line from an article I read years ago..."I don't care who you are, at some point, life will bring you to your knees." (I wish I could remember who or what the article was about, but it was more than a decade ago)

the thing is, when you're on your knees, you have to take a deep breath, and somehow...find your footing again.

Prompt #59: how do YOU fix broken?

in the words of the poet....

2011-06-06T20:26:00.000-04:00

Fill your paper with the breathings of your heart. ~ William Wordsworth

Thank you William, that's exactly what I aspire to do every time I scratch out a poem. The breathings of my heart...yes exactly...did you read my mind?

little bits of my soul go into my writing, take wing on my words, and soar out into the ether...

some things take a while to surrenderr; work up the courage to give them to the world. some things may never be shared. that's okay. some writing is just for the writer.

Prompt #58: Are you filling your paper with the breathings of your heart? write something that you've kept locked within, something that you've put off writing.

Dancing Matt...

2011-05-30T17:09:00.001-04:00

When I get really stressed out, I need to do one of three things...

I need to laugh hysterically for at least 15 minutes until my face hurts.

I need to cry. big fat tears that make my eyes puff up.

or I need to scream. or throw things.

that's four. sometimes I don't like to count properly. 2+2 sometimes equals 5. if I say it does.

there is a video on youtube that allows me to do two of these things...laugh and cry...it really just makes me insanely happy. If I'm feeling a little bit blue, it cheers me up like little else can.

Where the Hell is Matt?

I don't feel like I can even describe in proper words much glee this video brings me...the dancing, the music, the locations, the people...it's just...incredible to me.

The music touches my soul in that place where language doesn't matter...it's the voice, sound, tone...the symphony...

The dancing makes me giggle. laugh out loud even. but there is a deep beauty in this universal language...and to me, watching all these people, from various locales, joining him and dancing with him...just...makes me smile. It's a celebration!

and the video ends at Gas Works Park. Seattle. where I spent time playing and running around and probably dancing with my longest best friend.

Today...there is no prompt...#57

I just want to share my favourite video with you.

Start Now...

2011-05-23T21:24:00.000-04:00

you can, you should, and if you’re brave enough to start, you will.

~ Stephen King (On Writing)

Prompt #56: What are you waiting for? What have you always wanted to do? Stop waiting, start doing. Do it now.

shine on...

2011-05-16T21:25:00.000-04:00

some people just shine.

they glow...an inner shimmer...it draws you to them...makes you curious...makes you...have. to. know. what. makes. them. radiate.

the thing is...we all shine. sometimes, one just has to find what it is...that makes you glimmer.

Prompt #55: what illuminates your soul?

a wee homage to American Beauty...

2011-05-09T21:26:00.000-04:00


photo credit: keg

and...a hint. to a project in the works.

prompt #54: What is your first thought when you look at this photograph? (if you click on the photo, you should be able to view the larger image)

Happy Anniversary!

2011-05-02T19:28:00.000-04:00

It's officially the one year anniversary of The Absinthe Road. I had intended to announce the winners of the giveaway today and give away two copies of Three Thousand Doors...but no one entered. so...

instead, I'm saying Happy Birthday to The Absinthe Road. my toddler...if you will.

Prompt #53: This week, I'd like to hear from you. Tell me what you like about this blog, or what you don't like. Tell me what changes you'd like to see in the next year, what you'd like to see more of.

"dislike"...

2011-04-25T21:41:00.000-04:00

A couple of weeks ago I scratched myself in my sleep.

let me rephrase...I clawed myself in my sleep. clawed my face.

awesome.

I was having a weird dream, which I don't remember at all, the only thing I can think of is that I must have been battling spiders in my sleep and went to fling one off my face and...voila! face clawed.

I had a lovely one inch gash from my left temple down to my cheek bone. I still have a decent-looking mark...hoping that scar will eventually fade...but what ever...it's a scar. scars are groovy. I love scars.

I hate spiders.

Prompt #52: This week, write about the thing you most loathe.

The Road...

2011-04-18T22:54:00.000-04:00

Ever hear a song and think to yourself, that is SO me!

I do it all the time.

One of "my songs" is The Road by Frank Turner...with lines like, "only being shackled to the road could ever I be free" and "You won't find your precious answers now by staying in one place" and "I face the horizon everywhere I go, I face the horizon, the horizon is my home" this song jumped up, slapped me in the face, and tagged me the moment I first heard Frank singing at the House of Blues, where he opened for Flogging Molly. I bought two of his Cd's that night, Poetry of the Deed and Love Ire and Song. I'm in love with so many songs on these albums. Ah...mazing. go have a listen folks.

Prompt #51: What is your song? or songs? why?

A is for...

2011-04-11T08:23:00.000-04:00

So it's almost the one year anniversary of The Absinthe Road.

I gotta say, folks, I'm pretty proud of myself. (pats self on the back. Good job, self!) A full year of weekly prompts. I've posted every Monday. This is a big deal! I've been sticking to a schedule!

May 3 is the official one year mark. I'm going to do another giveaway. Here's how this one will work...

My current followers, I have an "assignment" for you:

Prompt #50: I'd like you to introduce your friends to The Absinthe Road. Each new follower needs to leave a comment and tell me who sent them. On May 2, I will draw the name of one new follower. New follower and their sendee will each receive a copy of my poetry collection, Three Thousand Doors. Pretty easy prompt this week, yes?

ideas, ideas, ideas...

2011-04-04T07:38:00.000-04:00

Spring is in full bloom, which means my creative energies are blooming as well!

I love a good brainstorm.

They are filled with windy idea gusts, rain droplets full of excitement, and thunderclaps bursting with possibility.

I'm anxious to move an idea/brainstorm into the next phase...a collaborative work between a few artists I know...super excited to see what they think of the idea and climb to the next level of this project.

and yes...I'm being obscure...because I keep things close to the vest until I'm ready to announce my intentions. but!

I won't keep it a secret forever.

Prompt #49: When do you brainstorm? What things, seasons, situations, make your creative brain fly into action?

Because I have to...

2011-03-28T07:16:00.000-04:00

Writing is a form of personal freedom. It frees us from the mass identity we see in the making all around us. In the end, writers will write not to be outlaw heroes of some underculture but mainly to save themselves, to survive as individuals. ~ Don Delillo

several years ago, the editor for the Abilene Writers Guild asked the question, "Why do you write?"

that question prompted me to write a piece, which she printed in the newsletter, and later, that same piece became the introduction to my book Three Thousand Doors

an excerpt from that piece:

...I write because if I do not
I feel I am no more than a leaf
trapped in the brush at the waters’ edge.
Aimless, worthless;
stagnant and decaying waste... ~ me

Prompt #48: Why do YOU write?

Spring has sprung...

2011-03-21T07:49:00.003-04:00

and it gave me larynigitis.

but lucky for me, I don't do a voice blog. and my fingers still work...

I love Spring. I love witnessing the budding and blooming of the trees, the blossoms of pink and white, purple and red; spring's garments are beautiful, cheering; it's the time to show off the colours they've been saving up all winter...

Spring reminds me that it's time to renew, refresh, refocus, re-balance. Spring is when my creativity, (sometimes elusive during winter,) jumps back out of my soul and says: HEY! I'm still here! Let's makes something stunning!

So...Happy Spring. Happy creative time. The trees are happy, (they'd make Bob Ross proud,) flowers are blissful, even squirrels and birds are bouncing around in the excitement of things blooming.

enjoy your day.

Prompt #47: Paint a picture, take some photos, write an ode or sonnet...Celebrate Spring!

thing a day...

2011-03-14T00:59:00.000-04:00

This week is a shout-out to my friend Lori - funny strange - and her husband Stephan who has been keeping a new blog project - Thing a Day Project - a creativity marathon - since January 1, 2011.

Stephan is a multi-talented phenom.

He sings, he writes, he paints, and he's a voice-over wiz - and a plethora of other talents.

Prompt #46: For your prompt this week, head on over to Stephan's page and get inspired by his project. 74 days in, there is plenty to choose from. and while you're at it, check out Lori's blog...she packs some serious funny!

Light at the end of the tunnel...

2011-03-07T14:01:00.000-05:00

...it's not always a train.

sometimes it is actual sunshine.

Things are looking up. after several months of changing circumstances, new locations and job searches...

...I am starting a new job this evening! hurrah! things are looking up. and I am breathing a bit easier.

and I am thankful.

prompt #45: What are you thankful for?

Weather...or not

2011-02-28T19:11:00.000-05:00

So...yesterday we were all set up for a "dynamic" weather system to churn through the Ohio River Valley.

By late evening/early morning the wind was roaring fierce and ferocious-like, and we were pretty sure we were in for a real "walloping."

Then...the storm was past us. in like, a matter of moments. ummm...where did it go? Where was all the rain? Where was the thunder and severe weather? and it's not like it didn't exist...there were several funnel clouds nearby and 65+ mile an hour winds, warnings and watches...it just...it was the storm that wasn't.

Not that I'm sad about it. I'm not a big fan of tornadoes. I mean, I appreciate their awesome power, and I'm totally wowed by the dynamics which must be in place in order to create this awesome, turbulent force of nature, I just don't particularly want to be in the path of that power.

Prompt #44: Write about the power of the weather. Write about storms. real storms, life storms, emotional storms.

Lean on me...

2011-02-21T20:07:00.000-05:00

I'm a lucky girl.

I am blessed with some of the most amazing women in my life, women I am more than proud to call "friend."

A few weeks ago I was transitioning through a rough patch, and I tend to be the type of person who walks through those woods alone. I don't ask for help, I don't like to cry, and I don't want the people I love to know when I've had a bad day. I usually wait until after the fact and then share my dismay.

so a few days ago, when my touchstone girl called and asked how I've been, I told her I'm good now, but a few weeks ago I felt like a disaster. She wondered why I didn't call her. I told her what I just said above. I didn't want her to know how bad off I'd been.

She said:

as the song goes, "lean on me when you’re not strong and I’ll be your friend. I’ll help you carry on."

Oh yah. That's what friends are for. I guess sometimes we all need a reminder, and we all need to know there are those who love us endlessly, even when we are at our weakest.

Prompt #43: Who do you lean on? Do you sometimes need a reminder that you're not alone - that there are people willing to help carry that load when it gets too heavy?

Change your life...

2011-02-14T21:49:00.000-05:00

Archaic Torso of Apollo

We cannot know his legendary head
with eyes like ripening fruit. And yet his torso
is still suffused with brilliance from inside,
like a lamp, in which his gaze, now turned to low,

gleams in all its power. Otherwise
the curved breast could not dazzle you so, nor could
a smile run through the placid hips and thighs
to that dark center where procreation flared.

Otherwise this stone would seem defaced
beneath the translucent cascade of the shoulders
and would not glisten like a wild beast’s fur:

would not, from all the borders of itself,
burst like a star: for here there is no place
that does not see you. You must change your life.

~ Rainer Maria Rilke

I love this poem. I love the last line. It's what echoes in my head when I feel disconnected...I remind myself that my happiness, my glee, my light, is all in my hands.

Prompt #42: Write a piece about changing your life.

Head in the Clouds...

2011-02-07T21:12:00.000-05:00

...it's better to find
your center of gravity
and have it be the place
you radiate out from. ~ Ron Padgett

This past year has been a veritable roller coaster. monumental highs and lows.
and so I have this to say...what I said to a friend earlier:

Life changes. and it demands that we change with it or remain still. I've never been one to remain still. so I change too. some changes are just tougher to swallow than others.
but this is when we find out what we are really made of...

I am finding my center of gravity again...that place I radiate from.

Prompt #41: Where to you radiate from?

Sing a Song...Sing out loud...sing out strong...

2011-01-31T18:12:00.000-05:00

After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music. ~ Aldous Huxley

You are the music while the music lasts. ~ T.S. Eliot

I have a million favourite songs.

Growing up, I could often be found lying across my bed, ears pressed close to my radio, listening...

The first notes of a special tune would start playing and I would exclaim, "Oh my god! This is my FAVOURITE song!" My mother would always laugh and say, "Karen, EVERY song is your favourite song."

While not entirely true...I DO have a lot of faves.

Music makes me smile. it makes me cry. it takes me back in time. brings up loved ones, old friends, memories, places. Music moves me in ways that little else can...it re-charges my soul, lifts me out of dark places, allows me to wallow in a moment, and wraps me in a soft blanket of song.

Prompt #40: What is your "favourite" song. what feelings does it evoke in you?

Heat Wave...

2011-01-24T19:34:00.000-05:00

33 degrees is warm!

Never thought those words would ever come out of my mouth, but after several weeks of low teens, single digits and negative temperatures, I've discovered the beauty of a 30+ heat wave.

Now, really, 33 is still cold...but I'm handling this winter briskness with more verve than I would have believed possible. I've ventured out into the elements a few times to shoot the lovely snow-covered landscape and I'm planning to head to the ice skating rink (it's an indoor rink) on Wednesday for my first step on the ice in roughly 15 years.

I've learned that there is a HUGE difference between a wet cold and a dry cold, and I've discovered the true meaning of WIND CHILL FACTOR.

For the girl who grew up in the Southern California desert (it was usually a DRY heat) moving to the Midwest at the end of December was probably a bit on the crazy side. but here I am. powering through. layering. wearing hats and scarves and boots. and actually...surprisingly...embracing winter.

Prompt #39: In what ways have you surprised yourself?

Visually Speaking...So to Speak...

2011-01-17T20:19:00.000-05:00

Prompt #38 - This week is visual prompt week. pick a photo and write. You can write from the perspective of the viewer...you can be the object in the photo...you can write about what the photo makes you think of, or how it makes you feel. enjoy.

photo copyright Scornphoto

photo copyright keg

The Silence of Snow...

2011-01-10T22:00:00.000-05:00

The first fall of snow is not only an event, it is a magical event. You go to bed in one kind of a world and wake up in another quite different, and if this is not enchantment then where is it to be found? ~ J.B. Priestly

I am not a big fan of cold weather; I get goosebumps when the temperature drops below 72 degrees.

but.

I love the way the land looks when swathed in fresh comforters of snow. I love the sparkly twinkle of the sun bouncing off mounds of white, like tiny bits of glittery sugar sprinkled over a perfectly iced cake.

and.

I marvel at the stark white silence that seems to envelope each falling flake.

There is a moment, when the snow is falling, when everything is pure...perfect...silence...

I love that moment. I crave that moment. I breathe in the silence, gather my thoughts, relax in the absolute quiet and purity of stark, perfect, snow.

and then I realise I'm freezing my bum off and run inside to take a hot bath and relax with a steaming cup of coffee.

Prompt #37: Snow! write about the snow.

January Greys...

2011-01-03T12:43:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year.

It's Monday, January 3rd, and January ugh is threatening...taunting me from its tight, dark, little corner.

If it knows what's good for it, it will just stay there, and shut its trap!

After the fast-paced frenzy of Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Celebrations, I often find myself in the first week of January feeling...I don't know...subdued.

It's like there's a big holiday go.go.go. and then suddenly...halt!

It hits me every year.

If I allowed it, I could easily slump into the mucky, cold, icy ball of January sludge and simply wait to thaw out some time in March.

When I was younger, that's exactly what I would have done, but over the years, I've learned to combat that foggy, grey feeling through various creative outlets.
I write. I paint. I work on tedious or silly craft projects. I shoot photos. I concoct new cookie, cake and pie recipes and try them out on my "tasters" (friends and family who are more than happy to sample from my personal bakery.)

I've learned to wade through the greys with big fat boots of happy painted on my soles; the days are getting longer, we're moving closer to the sun and green days of spring are just around the corner!

Prompt #36: Write. Paint. Draw. Bake. Create. What is your outlet when the greys hit you?

Quotables...

2010-12-27T12:22:00.000-05:00

If there's a book you really want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it. ~Toni Morrison

It seems to me that those songs that have been any good, I have nothing much to do with the writing of them. The words have just crawled down my sleeve and come out on the page. ~Joan Baez

Write without pay until somebody offers to pay. ~ Mark Twain

What a lot we lost when we stopped writing letters. You can't reread a phone call. ~ Liz Carpenter

I'm traveling today...again. So I thought I would share the words of others who help to inspire me and light me up.

Prompt #35: Write a letter. to an old friend. to your mother. your grandfather. a lover. your puppy.

My Favourite Christmas Gift...

2010-12-20T20:35:00.000-05:00

When I was seven...

Money was tight that year.

My mother asked me what I would like for Christmas. She said she could afford either a few small gifts, or...she could get tickets to the Seattle performance of The Nutcracker.

I chose the ballet.

It remains one of my fondest memories. ever.

Music and dance have a strong place in my soul. I began dancing at the age of three, continued to dance through my high school years, and still occasionally bust a little ballet move now and then...

Music can bring me to tears simply because of the sheer magic of it...the right combination of tune and lyrics...and if you dare to add violin and cello...my my! I may just fall to my knees and weep!

and so, in fond recollection of that perfect Christmas gift, I share with you my favourite piece from The Nutcracker. Orchestra or (if you prefer) Ballet

Prompt #34: What is your favourite Christmas memory?

Hallo, Piglet...

2010-12-13T20:50:00.000-05:00

“Hallo, Piglet,” said Pooh.

“Hallo, Pooh,” said Piglet, giving a jump of surprise. “I knew it was you.”

“So did I.” said Pooh.

~ the House at Pooh Corner

Maybe the holidays have me feeling nostalgic (and perhaps a bit sappy) but I’m thinking about the people who love me.

The friends and family who have loved me through my good and bad days – the people who have stood beside me while I made tough decisions - who have supported me through words and hugs - who have been my personal cheerleaders and my occasional therapists – the people who have forgiven me…

You all know who you are. You are the loves of my life.

And so, with words too small to truly express it…

Thank you.

Prompt #33: How do you say thanks for the things that really have no words?

Great Expectations...

2010-12-06T16:40:00.000-05:00

I've been looking at the road ahead of me through very critical eyes.

Today I woke and found the eye drops to help me see things a bit more clearly.

I've moved a lot...usually with little or no warning...a week. a month. Most of my friends are planners and have a hard time reconciling my "fly by the seat of my pants" way of making decisions.

The thing is, I've often lucked out...sometimes a job is waiting for me when I get to my next destination...sometimes a great one falls into my lap. The point is...I usually land on my feet pretty quickly.

This move has been a bit more difficult. I'm finding the job market a little bit rough...which is VERY frustrating...I've been a bit disheartened...

but today I made a shift in my thinking...and I am determined!

so with great expectations I am moving forward and making this my best move yet. I don't know where this path will lead me (that's part of the excitement in walking down new trails) but I am aiming my feet to plant firmly and soundly...and whatever direction this wind takes me...I am going!

Prompt #32: How do you reawaken your fire? your determination? When circumstances shift your life, how do you find your way back?

Unmotivated...and blank

2010-11-29T20:01:00.000-05:00

So I'm having a day.

How do I write an inspiring, motivating, writing-prompting blog when my mind is feeling blank blank blank.

This has been my day:

~ I wrote two poems this morning while waiting for new back tires to be mounted on my car.

~ I went around and shot several photos of gorgeous moss on trees.

~ I grabbed a fabulous latte at one of my favourite local spots with every intention of writing

~ I tried to take a nap

~ couldn't nap...so I got up and looked through my photos and cleaned out my email inbox (84 emails down to 11)

~ I attempt to start the blog...stare at the screen...finally start writing and it's about not being able to write. really?

Did I use up all my creative reserves?

Prompt #31: What do you write about when you feel you have nothing to write about? How do you bust through a rut?

Surprises...

2010-11-22T17:48:00.000-05:00

My son hates surprises.

Any time I've attempted to surprise him I've been met by a blank stare, followed with the inevitable and oft repeated statement: "Mom, I don't really do surprises."

I surprised him when he turned six by blowing up several dozen balloons and covering his bedroom floor with them. When he woke in the morning to his room full of balloons he looked at me vacantly and said "Mom, why are there balloons all over my floor?"

We've had more conversations than I can count which go something like this:

me: I have a surprise for you
son: what is it?
me: I can't tell you...it's a surprise...if I tell you, that kind of goes against the whole nature of a surprise.
son: mom...just TELL me
me: you'll just have to wait
son: mooooooooommmmmm. pleeeeeeeeease just tell meeeeeeeee.
me: nope. (smile)
son: Mom, you do know I'm not really a surprise guy, right?

Yah. I know.
but I keep trying.

I happen to love surprises.

Like the one I received this week when my best friend's husband got a wild notion at one o'clock in the morning Saturday and decided to book me on a train that afternoon to come see them for Thanksgiving. (of course, when I got in last night it was NEGATIVE SEVEN!...SurPRISE!)

But I happily and hurriedly packed up my little suitcase and hopped on the train for a 27 hour ride (delays in the mountains for eighty-four thousand freight trains to move through bumped the trip to 29 hours.)

(eighty-four thousand might be a slight exaggeration.)

Let me tell you, nearly 30 hours in coach is not the most fun you will ever have on a train...but the destination was oh so worth it!

Prompt #30: Write about your favourite surprise. or write about why you love/hate surprises.

Dreaming...

2010-11-15T20:09:00.000-05:00

When I was six I wanted to be a prima ballerina. at eight I wanted to be an Olympic figure skater. age twelve produced dreams of becoming a famous poet. and thirteen was full of aspirations of becoming an astronaut or astronomer. at fifteen I wanted to be a photographer for National Geographic. I wanted to be an architect, furniture maker, psychologist, journalist.

I am bits of all these things.

I danced from the time I was three until I graduated high school - hula, ballet, jazz, modern, interpretive. When I was eight I began ice skating - I performed in ice shows and several competitions - and the last time I stepped on the ice was when I was twenty two. I am a poet - my first collection of poetry, Three Thousand Doors, was released this summer by Laughing Cactus Press. I am a stargazer who knows a handful of the constellations and the names of a few stars. I am an amateur photographer who loves the look of a perfectly shot black and white photo. I am a counselor to my friends, a writer of my stories, a creative mind full of ideas that may or may not make it into the world through my hands.

and I keep dreaming.

dreams, aspirations, ideas...these are the things that motivate me to do more. to keep growing, keep exploring, keep creating. because when I'm not being creative I feel dull and lackluster...but when I write, paint, photograph, build...I feel like I glow.

Prompt# 29: What are your dreams? What do you want most for yourself? What makes you glow?

Balance Beam...

2010-11-08T21:15:00.000-05:00

"Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving." ~ Albert Einstein

I'm a big fan of balance.
finding balance.
remaining balanced.

balance is key.

especially when dealing with changes.
there have been a lot of big changes this year.
some have come from outside my bubble, some I've thrust upon myself.
I made a tough decision and said farewell to people who are precious to me.

I believe great new adventures are ahead. new experiences. new opportunities.

I love change. I hate goodbyes.
but I can't have one without the other.

balance.

prompt #28: How do you maintain balance?

Sweet November...

2010-11-01T10:08:00.002-04:00

November 1, 2010. Do you know what today is?

It is the start of National Novel Writing Month! NaNoWriMo!

It is also the starting day of Robert Lee Brewer's Poem a Day Challenge! Poetic Asides November PAD!

Prompt #27: Head over to these sites and write write write for the month of November! good luck! Happy Writing!

survey says...

2010-10-25T22:17:00.001-04:00

~ ding ding ding ding ding ~

I had a pretty great signing today for my poetry collection Three Thousand Doors.

My best friend sent flowers...from North Dakota. Honestly, if no one had shown their face at my signing today, I would have been happy because I had flowers from Kaci. because she loves me.
Lucky for me though, I also sold what I think is a decent number of copies.

Now here's the thing...I've been to several signings in the past three years. My publishing firm has 13 titles available, we've had local signings for about 10 of those titles. Signings are weird creatures. Sometimes we sell a lot...sometimes we sell a few.

The thing all four partners agree upon is this: every signing gets our name out there (as individuals AND as a business.)

Positive thinking? Yes, I believe so.

Prompt #26: What are your expectations? Are you disappointed if events don't meet those expectations? Or do you have the capacity to think positively, and be proud of the efforts made?

Aspire to great things...

2010-10-18T20:25:00.000-04:00

If you hear a voice within you say "you cannot paint," then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced. ~Vincent Van Gogh

I have a stubborn streak.

Anyone who knows me will attest to this, and most likely follow it with "Uh, yah, that's an understatement!"

I'm not ashamed of my stubbornness, it has carried me far.
The best way to get me to do something is to imply that it cannot be done,
or rather, that I cannot do it...

WATCH ME!

I like a challenge.

People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in their true beauty is revealed only if there is light from within. ~Elisabeth Kübler-Ross

I loathe muddling.
I detest those brief moments of darkness when I feel like I may not be shining at my brightest...

and I will change like the seasons if things are not moving in a direction I desire.

I don't fear change, nor the uncertainty that moves in like a slow fog...the thing I fear is mediocrity.

I prefer to dream big. I prefer to be extraordinary.

prompt #25 - What is your greatest motivator? How do you face challenges? Do you shy away from the unknown?

Life's Like a Jump rope...

2010-10-11T18:48:00.000-04:00

Blue October - Jump Rope

This song has the ability to put me in a great mood. It's just so (as my friend Kelsey would say) "ding-dang" cheery! How can you not smile when you hear a bunch of kids singing along with Blue October...yaaaaaaahhhhhh!

This year has been a big year for change and challenge. Me, my friends, loved ones...we've all had a multitude of things to absorb, adjust to, deal with.

BIG changes.
life-altering changes.
permanent changes.
tear-inducing changes.
and some happy-making changes.

Some people fight change.
Some people roll with it.
Some people ignore it; deny that it's happening.
Some people just sit back and wait for the clouds to roll away.

There is no right or wrong in it. we do what we do. we ride the roller coaster, jump through life's hoops, and wait for our chance to stop and take a breath now and then.

Life is...
tragic and beautiful,
incredible and heartbreaking,
balanced and topsy-turvy,
up and down...
like a jump rope.

prompt #24 - How do you react to change? Are you a go-with-the-flow-er or a fight-it-all-the-way-er?
Or pick a big change that you've dealt with and write about how you powered through it.

Picking through the past...

2010-10-04T21:16:00.000-04:00

For some reason, even though I desperately want to, I cannot get rid of my old writing.

Old, BAD, writing! Old, bad writing that I thought was fantastic when I was 12, and 16, and 18. sigh. Oh boy, was I delusional.

The thing is, someone long ago told me never to get rid of anything I write.

So here I am, some 20+ years later, with stacks of writing I'm pretty much embarrassed by. Piles of junk that make me laugh out loud and cringe at the absurdity and childishness of what I wrote. ugh!

The good thing about that bad writing, is that it allows me to see how far I've come and how my writing has progressed. I don't write in circles as I used to. My lines and words are much cleaner - more precise - more thought out and controlled. Without the ridiculous, juvenile writing to look back on, perhaps I would never know how far I've come.

And really, isn't life about growing, rather than being stagnant?

Prompt# 23 - Do you have old writing you've saved, but you're almost ashamed to pull it out and read it again? Do it anyway, find an old piece of junk and shine it up! One thing I've found is this: sometimes, in those piles of rubbish, there is a gem to be found - just a line or a few words that can be refashioned - like piecing a quilt together from old scraps. Why not write a "quilt" today...

5 song shuffle

2010-09-27T16:31:00.000-04:00

I'm borrowing the idea for this prompt from a site I ran across last year...(I'm a terrible person - I can't remember the site and I didn't save it in my favourites, so I cannot properly credit it - boo hiss on me!)

It's the 5 song shuffle. It goes something like this:(everybody clap your hands! just kidding)

pick 5 CD's. pop each one in the CD player and hit "shuffle" write down the first song that plays on each.

or...grab your ipod - hit shuffle - write down the first five songs it plays.

my list looks like this:

1. Long Ride Home (Patti Griffin)
2. The Story So Far (Flogging Molly)
3. A Case of You (Joni Mitchell)
4. Wicked (Switchblade Symphony)
5. Let it Be (The Beatles)

prompt # 22 - Now take those 5 songs (you can use my list if you like - or compile your own list, because it's just kind of fun and cool to see what you'll get!) and write! You can use the actual titles, or the feelings the music stirs in you, what it makes you think about, remember, look forward to.

Winding down...and giggling

2010-09-20T22:35:00.001-04:00

Arrived back in Texas today from my nearly month-long Seattle trip.

My dear friend made the drive back with me. we always laugh a lot together. my abs hurt today.

We first met about seven years ago while working for the same company. We used to laugh together so much that our boss would walk down the hall and carefully shut our door, because our laughter would echo down the hallway and disturb our co-workers. They always wondered what kind of fun they were having while they toiled away. (side note: we always got our work done)

So one night, about two weeks ago, she handed me a few gifts she'd collected for me. The first thing she gave me was a little block of wood, about six inches long, one word painted across it: Giggle.

We giggled for 30 minutes.

Prompt #21 - What or who makes you happy? Who do you giggle with? What makes you laugh?

Quotable...

2010-09-13T21:17:00.001-04:00

Your life is an occasion. Rise to it! ~ Mr Magorium

I watched Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium for the first time last week. Fell in love with it. I think it was one of the sweetest, most magical movies I've seen in a long time...like Willy Wonka (Gene Wilder's W.W.) but toys instead of candies. If you haven't seen it, I would assign it to you now.

Decide what to be and go be it. ~ The Avett Brothers

I heard this song a few weeks ago - loved the above line. jotted it down so I wouldn't forget.

prompt #20 - pick one of the quotes (or both) and WRITE!

Sand and Sea...

2010-09-06T15:47:00.000-04:00

well...rocks and Puget Sound.

photo copyright keg. Edmonds. Marina Park.

I'm in Seattle. This means I go down to the water as often as I can.

Saturday and Sunday we went to several beaches and shot hundreds of photos. Water, rocks, driftwood, seagulls (sorry Kaci,) ferry boats, clouds and sky. We sifted our fingers through rocks and sand looking for perfect stones, shells, sea glass.

photo copyright keg. Downtown Seattle.

We're adventuring again today. North. Oak Harbor.

Prompt #19 - write about the rocks and the water, the seas and the sands, the first time you saw the ocean. or, if you've never been to the ocean, think of your favourite place and write about it.

~ Announcing the Winners of the Three Thousand Doors drawing~

Tammy over at Message in a Bloggle: The Art of being broken

and

Scott Horn of Scornphoto

Tammy and Scott -

drop a note (with your mailing address) in a bottle and toss it in the sea.

I'll collect it from the Puget Sound!

(or - send me a message on Facebook)

travelling again...

2010-08-30T07:35:00.001-04:00

because I am happiest when on the road.

so because I'm travelling, I'm posting light this week.

Upon arriving at my hotel Sunday evening (terribly over-priced...sigh...such is the luck when one travels without an itinerary) it appears only one channel is available on the silly TV - one channel which happens to play only REALLY bad 80's movies. ummmm...REALLY bad. Bad acting, bad script, bad backdrops. at one point I could actually see the seams on the beach scene backdrop. wow.

so your prompt this week...prompt #18...is to write something tacky, terrible, awful.

~ today and tomorrow are technically the last two days to comment

and have your name entered in the drawing for my poetry collection

Three Thousand Doors

I think I'll go ahead and extend that to include the whole week.

Drawing is next Monday, Sept. 6 ~

a little patience...like, NOW!

2010-08-23T18:44:00.000-04:00

So I'm waiting on my book. waiting waiting waiting...

My book! The one I've spent the last 20 or so years working toward. I've compiled a collection of my poetry, Three Thousand Doors, and my copies are not here yet! The universe is testing my patience.

Oh sweet patience, I do not know you very well. I do not care much for you, you usually interfere with what I want and I can't have that kind of interference. but. you do like to pretend sometimes that you are the boss.

so. I'm trying. to be patient. (psst...it's not working very well) I've yelled at the UPS tracking screen at least three times today because the STUPID website will NOT give me any information. Nothing. Nada. Zilch. Zip.

Bupkis.

sigh.

writing prompt #17 - Patience. what are the things that challenge your patience?

~ don't forget to leave a comment to win a copy of

Three Thousand Doors

(if UPS ever delivers my stock.)

The drawing will be held and winners announced on September 6, 2010 ~

it's all about the Story...

2010-08-16T08:26:00.001-04:00

I am on the road again today.

Travelling to Oklahoma City to see my darling soulmate best friend. The passing of her grandmother necessitated an impromptu trip - which I'm happy about because it means I get to see her before Thanksgiving - but it is of course, bittersweet.

So...for today I'm writing less. But also...thinking about the many facets of life. Where are we going? what are we doing? what do you want, need, desire from your life and your choices? one of my favourite bands to listen to and to watch live Flogging Molly. Have a listen.

Prompt #16 - What is your story so far?

~ Remember: leave a comment any time in August

have your name entered in the drawing for a copy of my poetry collection

Three Thousand Doors

two winners will be announced September 6, 2010 ~

Simplify...

2010-08-09T18:23:00.000-04:00

Not so easy for a pack rat.

I save everything! old letters and cards. old computers that don't work. childhood memorabilia. I have too much stuff.

I have at least eight different lotions to choose from on my vanity - and five different brands of shampoo and conditioner in the shower.

I will say it again - I have too much stuff.

but efforts to simplify, to weed out the unnecessary; the superfluous, often fail.
I mean, really, they're just things, why shouldn't I just get rid of them?

because...there are memories tied to them.

I can't throw away the box of old letters in the garage - it doesn't matter that I haven't opened it once in five years - there are letters from my father in that box. I couldn't possible bear to part with the box of clothes Mrs. Bayer lovingly stitched with her own hands when I was 7 simply because she adored me. My elephant collection carefully wrapped and packed in boxes for the last seven years because I've had no place to put them.

This "stuff" is tied to my past, and the memories make me smile, laugh out loud, cry. I wouldn't want to let go of that.

besides, when I do get a chance to open those boxes, lifting out treasure after treasure, it's like having the best Christmas ever!

prompt #15 - what do you struggle to simplify? what is the hardest thing to let go?

~ don't forget to leave a comment to be entered to win of two copies of

Three Thousand Doors

winners will be announced on September 6, 2010 ~

Fear can make a donkey attack a lion...(Arab Proverb)

2010-08-02T20:12:00.001-04:00

Fear is an ugly word. an ugly four-letter word.

A few months ago I had an email conversation with a dear friend of mine (we've known each other since high school.) We were discussing the upcoming release of my poetry collection (which is causing some mild anxiety - because of course, I want it to be PERFECT!)

I used a variety of words to describe my state of mind, and wrote:

it's not fear. it's just slight antsy-ness. a mixture of anxious and something else. not worry or concern - but jitters. like going on stage. excited, but mildly nauseated.

and she repeated the word...FEAR.

I said:

but they (my words) don't sound as bad as FEAR! ...and it's not something that would keep me from doing it. there's simply a YIKES about being so close

Then, my long-time friend, my confidant, touchstone...the woman who calls bullshit on me, said:

You can’t escape fear, it’s an autonomic response. A good one, as it’s what makes you haul ass so the saber-toothed tiger doesn’t eat you. Or in this case motivates Karen’s DELUXE gene – the Yikes factor – to avoid perceived failure.

Fear by itself is simply a motivator. Fear is being on the verge, fear is the unknown, fear is the state right before a revelation, breakthrough etc. It’s what happens on the other side of fear that can be good or “ugly.” Fear is a vehicle to harness.

to which I replied:

it sounds so pretty when you say it that way.

I've always associated fear with those who are too afraid to try anything! too afraid to change. too afraid to MOVE. too afraid to do anything but lock up inside themselves and let the world go on around them.

Fear, by my definition, and what I've witnessed in life and people around me, has not been a motivator, but the thing that causes one to completely stall out.

That's why I detest the word. Fear, in my vocabulary, has a very different definition than what you've just given.

I like yours better.

prompt #14 Do you allow your fears to motivate you or stop you? What do you fear most?

~ Blog Giveaway ~

I will be selecting two people to receive a copy of my poetry collection Three Thousand Doors. In order to get your name in the hat all you have to do is leave a comment anytime during August. I will announce the winners on Monday September 6th.

I am completely exhausted...

2010-07-26T22:57:00.000-04:00

I spent the weekend in Dallas-Ft Worth.

Friday - Drove in to the metro-plex...construction traffic made my drive take almost 4 hours! ugh. Dinner at the Angry Dog - best hamburger EVER. Fantastic server, Vincent. Noise and bustle. Great Beer on tap. Incredible companions for the evening. Then to the House of Blues for one of my favourite bands, Blue October.

Oh. my. gawd!

I've been to several Blue October concerts. This! was the. best. show. I've seen them play! It was an acoustic show - they had big loung-y chairs, a rug and a huge comfy sofa on stage. they just kind of sat there, all relaxed-like, and...played for us. wow!

Saturday - Einstein bagel and coffee for breakfast, then drove to the Ft Worth side to visit with one of my longest friends. We had decided we'd go see "Inception." ummm...I loved it! It's one of those movies I wouldn't mind seeing in the theatres more than once!

After the movie...dinner, wine, and hours of conversation with one of the people I am most fond of.

Sunday - woke to amazing coffee. cheese danish from the Central Market bakery. a few hours of HGTV (LOVE it!) and an introduction to "True Blood."

Monday - I'm exhausted. lots of fun...very little sleep. tried to attack my piles of work today with only slight success. But! I did manage to get the remainder of my photo shoot for a project I will announce soon!

Today's prompts are as follows: write about exhaustion, friendship, food or music.
If you choose music, and would like a little help, I offer this: Peter Gabriel Here Comes the Flood because for some reason, it's the song running through my head this evening.

Raindrops on Roses...

2010-07-19T20:28:00.000-04:00

Favourite things. Favourite people. Favourite places.

I have my lists. of people, places and things I am most fond of.
The people? well, they know who they are, I have no problem informing people of their importance in my realms.
Things? things like: perfect photographs in vibrantly lit and shadowed black & white...trees, god how I love trees - especially the baobab...wine...green olives...really good crunchy-on-the-outside-soft-and-warm-on-the-inside bread - ciabatta, focaccia...dark beer...chocolate eclairs...tiramisu...cheese - camembert, chevre, gorgonzola...used books...antiques...tattoos...music...
coffee!
Places? New Orleans - ah NOLA...what can be said. Seattle - hometown. Louisville, Kentucky - I love Louisville so much it breaks my heart. Nashville. Cincinnati. Monterey and Carmel. Santa Barbara. Coronado. Montana. The amazing rolling hills and rivers of Western Nebraska. New Mexico. Arizona.

This week, write about your favourites. pick one fave or multiple.

Lost and Found

2010-07-12T21:34:00.000-04:00

Losing things pretty much just bites.

Lose your keys? can't drive your car or get in your house.

Lose your marbles? well...I would comment but the voices told me not to.

Lose your lunch? never want to eat pears again.

Lose a friend? Loved one?

Letting go and saying goodbye...usually not the happiest of times. and it doesn't seem to matter if it's a short goodbye, long goodbye, permanent goodbye... goodbyes tug at our hearts, bring tears to our eyes and turn us about to reflect on when we smiled last with that person.

Think about the people that make you smile the most. What is it about them that makes you happiest. Tell them how much they mean to you, how much you love what they do for your soul. How they brighten your heart, lift your spirits, ease your worries. Then, send that letter, poem, story to them. Because it never sucks to hear that someone loves you.

Minot Monday

2010-07-05T23:32:00.000-04:00

I'm in Minot, North Dakota. I drove up to visit my best friend, because today is her birthday. Her 30th Birthday. it's kind of a big deal.

We drove up to the International Peace Gardens, so we could stand on the border with a foot in Canada and a foot in The United States. The Peace Gardens are full of flowers, trees, lush grass (I walked barefoot for a bit...and I gave a tree a big hug) and beautiful monuments.

The newest addition to the Gardens is a memorial made of steel girders from the World Trade Center. It was moving and tragic, a painful memory of 9/11. There was a memorial plaque, and a design sketch for how they plan to finish the monument, which read: Reflect, Recall, Remember, Forgive.

I overheard someone say, "Forgive? I don't think so."

Forgiveness? wow. that's a tough one. Forgiving is hard even on a small scale.

But one of the things I've learned in the past few years, while working through my own feelings of anger and learning to forgive, is that Freedom is in Forgiving. We all work through our pain and begin to forgive in our own time, but wow! How free and light we feel when we finally do let go.

This week, use any (or all) of the following words in your writing and art: Reflect, Recall, Remember, Forgive, Freedom.

Spare Change...

2010-06-28T16:23:00.000-04:00

I know people who walk through life terrified of change...I happen to be a big fan of change. I welcome it, relish in it, thrive on the new and different...

Sometimes change just happens. It can be sad, certainly, but it can also open unexpected doors. Change occurs due to choices we make, or it can simply be brought about by force of will. There are small changes like painting a room or redecorating; big changes like a move across country or switching careers. And of course, there are the changes we bring about in ourselves and the way we look at the world, how we deal with certain circumstances, and how we move forward.

This week write about change. Whether you embrace it or fear it. How you deal with change. Do you fear leaving your comfort zone and stepping outside your boundaries? Or do you think that the unexpected is part of the great adventure?

playing with shadow and light

2010-06-21T20:11:00.003-04:00

** Photo copyright KEG

So I think you already know I love to write. and create. and make people laugh. smile. and I love to inspire. motivate. and praise those I find uber talented.

I also love photography. Black and white has always been my favourite, but I'm learning to love taking colour shots as well. I adore light and shadow, though sometimes what I see and what translates through the lens are two totally different things. Take, for instance, this past weekend...

I was visiting a dear friend of mine who lives near Houston. We woke early-ish and ventured out in the "cooler hours" of the morning, parked at the edge of the road, and dragged two red velvet chairs and several children into the middle of a large field. (universal haha on us - 9:00am in Houston is NOT cooler - I actually got a bit of a sunburn in the hour we were outside - WHAT!?)

At one point the children were all off chasing bubbles, and the chairs were empty...I thought, hey, that's a great shot! The shadows and sunlight were playing beautifully off the velvet and wood and so I took a few photos of the empty chairs. Well, let me just say, the shadows were much deeper once I saw the photos on my computer screen. Not at all the vibrant contrast I was looking for. Sigh.

The point is: sometimes, what we envision for our artistry, and what actually comes through, are completely different. For me, learning to accept that my muse sometimes has a different vision than I do can be a bit of a power struggle. I'm fairly stubborn, which means the body of art sometimes needs to be stubborn-er.
Art, aching to be born, will find a way! Sometimes we just have to sit back and let the muse flow through us and see what is created - rather than forcing the creation of something that may not be ready.

This week - write about your own struggles with shadow and light, composition, structure, arguing with your muse. Or simply write about shadows, light or both.
Happy Creating!

Partly Stormy...(Monday - 6/14/10)

2010-06-14T21:02:00.002-04:00

I am not afraid of storms for I am learning how to sail my ship. ~ Louisa May Alcott

Storms.

Emotional storms; literal storms. We all have to drive through them at times. They can be so big and blinding you quite literally have to pull of the road until it passes.

storms are frightening; calming, cleansing; downpour, destructive, renewing. We brave through those dark hours, white-knuckled, and move on to the next challenge. Hopefully, we are changed for the better...made stronger, valiant, unafraid; electrified.

This week, write about something that changed you. An event, big or little. An upheaval, a decision - something that altered your path and took you down a new road. The challenges encountered - the storms weathered.

**all linked images found through the Bing search engine

drive me crazy

2010-06-07T19:01:00.000-04:00

Actually, it's kind of the opposite - I love a road trip.

Whether by myself or with a friend, long drives are therapeutic and relaxing - hours to think, compose (I have an old mini recorder, given to me by a man I was interviewing for my journalism course,) or stop roadside for the perfect photo opportunity.

I'm a pretty devoted nomad, which makes staying in one place REALLY really tough...lucky for me, my sweetheart is very understanding when it comes to my wanderlust, and he's happy to stay put while I traipse all over the U.S.

This summer, travels include: Dallas, Houston, Austin, my annual Seattle visit (with a nifty detour through North Dakota so I can see my midget) and an Autumn trip to Louisville to take photos of my friend and her family. Somewhere in between all of that I want to figure out how to include a visit to New Orleans, Savannah and Germany. I'm thinking something is going to have to take a back seat and be rescheduled. ugh! really? I can't do it all?

This week, write about your favourite drive. What made it memorable? Or perhaps it wasn't the drive that you found wonderful, maybe it was the destination, the people you met, a perfect sunset, fabulous meal...

Happy Writing! (Happy Driving!)

Beautiful Scorn

2010-05-31T19:08:00.001-04:00

Last weekend, at my best friend's going away party, I met her photographer friend, Scott Horn. Scott is not only a fabulous, interesting and incredible human being, but an amazing photographer as well. His work is inspiring, beautiful, thought provoking and stunning. Here is a man who has been photographing bands for years, and only just realising the true, raw talent he possesses! I feel privileged and honored to be a part of his creative circle of friends, and would like to encourage everyone to get to know this man, for his artistry, if nothing else.

For your prompt this week, I would like you to go to Scornphoto and browse through his galleries, find something in his work that inspires you to write - his Wichita Falls Photo Outing and Dallas Outing are among my favourites, and I know my musician friends (Sir Eric! et al) will love his Guitar shots and various band sessions. I also encourage you to go over to his Facebook page and "like" it.

Bittersweet and Melancholy

2010-05-24T18:55:00.001-04:00

So, I've just returned from a going away party/going away weekend for my best friend and her husband. Bittersweet, you know? The weekend was full of laughter, jokes, late late late hours; lots of food and beer, good friends - new friends, old friends, friends I'd not seen in four years - and today I am just a wee bit sad because the whole thing was fabulous! Now it's Monday, I'm back home, and the next time I drive to Eastwick I won't get to see my midget. Makes for a sad girl.

So today's prompt is bittersweet. You can write about chocolate, moods, feelings, bittersweet moments, The Verve's Bittersweet Symphony...time to write.

sing a song of sixpence...(Monday 5/17/10)

2010-05-17T20:59:00.001-04:00

When I was seven I began taking piano lessons.

My first piano teacher was fabulous. She was young, hip, and enjoyed playing duets with me. I loved heading to her house on Tuesday afternoons. I loved playing the piano.

When I was nine, we moved from Seattle to Southern California, and my mother found a new piano teacher for me. She was ancient, strict, and she would slap my wrists if they fell while practicing scales. I didn't love playing piano anymore.

I had a "bad" habit of playing by ear. At the time, I couldn't figure out how she knew I wasn't reading the notes anymore, but she always knew! She would slap my hands and yell "Stop playing by ear! READ the music!"

Within a couple of years I stopped taking lessons. The soul had gone out of my music, I didn't feel like playing, and mom wasn't really into forcing me to practice.

When I was in high school I began to play again - for myself - picking out the tunes I knew by memory...a bit choppy at first, but soon those old, familiar, haunting sounds came back and I played with verve and gusto and passion! BY EAR! Soon I started composing my own pieces or playing songs I'd heard on the radio. I loved piano again. I was never a virtuoso, by any stretch, but playing was magical to me.

When I was in my early 20's my mother called...she was in the process of packing up the house for the move to Texas. She asked me if it was okay to give my piano to a local church or if I wanted her to move it again and keep it for me. I was living in California, or New Orleans, or Kentucky; lugging a piano around on the back of my car probably wasn't going to work out very well, so I told her to give it to the church.

Music has always had the power to move me - it can bring me out of an angry mood, make me sing along, dance, laugh, even cry. I have a very eclectic collection which spans the decades: from Harry Belafonte to Queens of the Stone Age; Johnny Cash to Marilyn Manson; Van Morrison to Rob Zombie. Berlioz and Tchaikovsky, Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald, Peter Paul and Mary, John Denver...it goes on and on. I have collections on vinyl, cassette, cd and mp3. I am constantly adding to my own infinite playlist.

For your prompt today, I'd like you to think about your favourite songs or musical compositions, even an instrument or sound that inspires you. Write about it; how it moves you; what inspiration or feelings it can unearth in you.

and p.s. I'm looking for a piano again...

Challenge. Dare. (Monday - 5/10/10)

2010-05-10T13:24:00.002-04:00

~ Welcome back folks.Thank you for all your comments and feedback on week one. Thanks to Tiffany, Cathy and Sir Eric for the blog shout-outs, (I apologize if I've missed someone) and everyone who posted their writing in the comment section. I encourage sharing in the form of comments, links to personal blogs, etc. I do moderate all comments and will not post anything that I consider detrimental to another writer. I believe in the strength of creativity and voice, and while we all need editors at times, I do not wish for this venue to be the place for it. In addition, I respect the desire of some to post anonymously, but would ask them to reconsider so we can know who our fellow authors are. I am honored to be among you all, to witness your art and share in your process. Thank you! ~

Wisdom. Challenge. Discovery. Change. Journey. Intuition. Inspiration. Illumination. Passion. Independence. Balance. Creativity. Sovereignty. Grace. Divinity.

This is my personal mantra, of sorts; something that gets me going when I'm lagging; it reminds me who I am and who I want to be; it is something that reaffirms my ambitions. I read it often; recite it aloud. Just words. Single, stand-alone words, but each one, for me, carries enormous punch. Favorite words which mean as much to me on their own as they do when mooshed together. (mooshed - that's one of my mom's words - mooshing and moiling. nice!)

For today's prompt, I would like you to choose any one of the above words. Or. you can choose all of them and incorporate them into a piece. Happy Writing!

Where do you find your inspiration to write?

2010-05-03T18:57:00.004-04:00

As artists, we are always observing - viewing life from various angles. We run whispered dialogue across our lips; frame the perfect shot when watching friends, family, strangers, babies, animals, clouds, sunsets…

I have found inspiration in nature – in the heaving of the ocean, the dust of a spinning vortex, and the blades of grass blown sideways by the wind…

I have found it in music – in the sway of melody, the rhythm of percussion, the beauty of lyrics…

I find inspiration in art and sculpture, architecture, photographs, paintings and in the words of other authors.

It is my desire for this blog to fuel the fires of momentum and encourage creativity in others. (It is also a means of keeping my own imagination stoked, because we all know, the worst thing any artist can encounter, is that big-fat-brick-wall of UNINSPIRED!)

I will post a prompt each Monday. It might be a quote or a link to a song. It could be a painting, a photograph, a single word, or just a phrase. All you need to do…is simply write. Write a song, or a story, or a poem. You don’t have to share it with anyone unless you want to. Let’s compel CREATIVE to get off the ground!

Day 1 – May 3, 2010 – Your prompt is the title of a movie from 1996:

Unhook the Stars.