Quotables...

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...

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...

“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...

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

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...

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...

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?