Monthly Archives: April 2012
A Never Ending Magic Carpet Ride.
(A bit of a re-blog from Aug, 2011 while I chill with Beau at hospital, trusting all will be well.)
Writing is a passion for me, one of my top five.
Writing a book and getting it published is a thrilling journey of discovery. Throughout this process I’ve learned more about myself than I had ever expected. I’ve gained new and greater understanding of who I am and who I want to be. Some of it has been new revelations, and some of it has been scary. Some of it has confirmed previously held beliefs while providing a peek in to my brain’s boudoir, (isn’t that fun?) and some of it has become new landscape where my soul can play. But always, the journey has been grand and thrilling.
When it comes to writing, romance, life or love; we can not avoid the challenges life presents us. We may try, but have you ever noticed how life’s challenges always wins that game of hide and seek. Sometimes it may end badly or not go the way we planned, but that’s the thing about reality, it rarely goes the way we imagine it. And often, that’s a good thing, because what shows up is so much more rich and challenging and interesting than our little selves could have ever imagined.
One novel published and another soon to be released – and I’m still very much an apprentice to this craft. Much like the sorcerer’s apprentice. And much like a little wand wielding woman, I’m trying to create magic from everyday life. It certainly has been a magic carpet ride, but that’s another fairy tale.
Believe it or not, my life is based on a true story. How about yours?
Enjoy always, T
The Blessing of Experience.
Experience is a grand teacher, perhaps the best.
It’s all well and good to sit in a class room and listen to a speaker or read through a text book for all the important bits of interesting information, but in the long run, (and trust me, I’ve had a very long run) experience is the best teacher.
Before experience all you have is a concept. (Like the Big Bang Theory – I LEA that show.) I may think I’ll react a certain way in a certain circumstance, but until I experience said circumstance, I really don’t know. I only have a concept, an idea, or a theory. It’s only when the ‘circumstance’ actually happens that I really get to test my concept, idea or theory. Only then do I really know what I would really do, because I did it. Understand?? I certainly hope so. If not, then that’s okay, because that’s the experience you’re having regarding understanding this post…. but I digress.
I may think I’m a good swimmer, but what will I really experience if I fall off a raft while shooting the rapids? Or heaven forbid, off my yacht while in the middle of the ocean. I won’t know for sure until it happens. (No, I don’t really have a yacht, remember, this is still a concept.)
Once upon a time, I had a concept of what it would be like to be a published author. In particular, a published indie author. I read and read and read all about authors and the publishing industry and I was sure I knew what I was doing and what to expect. But NO, I was wrong. Not completely wrong, but fairly wrong. It’s been much better and much worse than I expected. That’s the thing about reality, it’s rarely the way we imagine it to be. It was only when I had the experience that I was able to really know how it felt – for me. And only for me. For everyone else, the experience is different.
And that’s another blessing. No matter how many times we hear about how it is for someone else, no matter how many times we image how it will be for ourselves, only the experience will provide the proof.
So I say, God Bless the Experience. It’s the only way to live. And may I suggest that you go out and have a few of your own, experiences that is.
Have fun and Enjoy Always, T
The Romance of Travel, close to home.
A couple of weeks ago, my beau and I took a trip to Southern California to attend a big family party for his aunt’s 75th birthday. Yeah auntie Barbara and Happy Birthday. While there I got to have lunch with my very fine son, which was a fabulous bonus to the trip. It was a warm sunny day and we went down to Second Street in Long Beach. Lovely day near the beach, good food, great company, who could ask for anything more? I even had a short time to visit with my lovely older sister. (You’re looking good, sis.)
For various work related reasons we were in Southern California for less than 24 hours. It takes about six hours to drive there from the San Francisco Bay Area where I live, so it’s reasonable to ask; why go so far for such a short visit. Answer; Because it was worth it.
It’s not about quantity, it’s about quality.
On the way home we stopped at Harris Ranch along I5. I’ve always wanted to go there but have always passed it by in favor of trying to get home as fast as possible on that long, straight stretch of interstate highway, but this time we stopped, and I’m glad we did.
We left early Sunday morning and we stopped at Harris Ranch for a late breakfast. The place is all about good ole cowboy charm and big steaks. Since it was breakfast, I passed on the steaks. Instead, I had something else that is a specialty on their menu, almond pancakes. Yummers, they were good. I only had the short stack and it was still too much to eat, but every mouth full was delightful.
My beau and I decided we would ‘pretend’ that our short turn-around trip was actually an exciting get-away to a far away land. We had fun going to a place I have not been to before and eating the ‘local’ food. It was very much like when we really do travel to far away places, like Europe, only in our own backyard (so to speak). The trip felt special, and it was – because Perception is reality and Attitude is everything.
It’s all about what’s in your heart that counts. When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change. Instead of looking at this trip as too short, draining, a lot of driving time for a little fun time we choose to look at the trip as a great way to spend time together before beau went away on a business trip for a long week. We choose to see the trip as an opportunity to see friends and family and to try new things. We used the trip to try something new as if we were visitors from some far off place, new to this area, and experiencing it for the first time.
And you know what happened? We laughed, we played, and we had fun.
May you find ways to bring fun and romance into everyday (or almost everyday) of your life. May you enjoy NOW, because if you can enjoy now, you can Enjoy Always. …. T
And have fun.
Mystery Writer, Guess again.
Last week we took a peek at a diary from a well-known fictional character. This week I found another diary entry from those ancient and dusty leather bound tomes that piqued my interest and I’d like to share it with you. Here’s another fairly easy, but hopefully fun game of Guess Who, Mystery Writer.
Times are tough, dangit. I’ve been feeling down right mean and hungry lately and now those godawful village folks have it out for me. In a way, I guess I don’t blame them, but on the other hand, they seem to have no compassion for ME. No understanding for what it’s like being ME. All they see is the big, bad hairy guy with big teeth who went after their precious little girl. My stars, could she have been any more obvious. Maybe she should have just painted a target on her back instead of wearing that bright red hoodie. They don’t see the crap I have to live with day after day, enduring long cold winters and trying to avoid those blasted wood cutters. Food’s been scarce lately, so maybe she should have known better than to go tramping through the woods with a basketful of food for good old granny. What was she thinking? A forest full of wild animals and she goes around carrying fresh baked goodies. Like that’s not going to get my attention. Not too bright if you ask me. Bitch, she had it coming.
Now your turn. Tell me who the mystery writer is and win real brownie points. (Not the girl scout kind of brownie points, but actual brownies, like chocolate fudge brownies. Mmmm, yummy. Not sure what good they’ll do, other than make you think of fudge brownies, but always a nice win to have anyway!)
Enjoy always, T
Romance with the letter P.
Today’s romance blog is brought to you by the letter P.
The following are some P words that may (or may not) invoke Romance. You decide.
Pajamas: a loose fitting garment worn for sleeping or lounging. Lounging is good, lounging can be romantic. Hey big guy, come on over here and lounge with me for a while.
Pleasure and Pain: Sometimes it’s hard to tell one from the other. One man’s pleasure is another man’s pain – or vice versa. Just saying.
Paradise: a place of ideal beauty or loveliness – one would think this would be way romantic. Not so much for Adam and Eve. Unfortunately, it lost its seduction and well you know what happened then… see pleasure and pain above.
Paradox: a seemingly contradictory statement that may nonetheless be true. Kind of like; “I’d love you if you didn’t make me so mad.” OR “Love me or leave me, but make up your mind.” OR of course the all-time favorite: “It’s not you, it’s me.” No one ever says things like that, now do they??
Parallel: As in, the universe we often live in when we’re in LOVE, the big Love, if you know what I mean.
Paranormal: One of my favorite, since I write about it. Love and romance is definitely a paranormal experience. And let’s not leave out…
Paramour: A lover or one in an adulterous relationship. I’m just quoting the dictionary here. If it was up to me, I’d leave out the adulterous part. Oh wait, it is up to me. I’m leaving that part out.
Passion: Another one of my favorites. Maybe I should have started with this one. What’s a lover and romance without at least a little Passion? Yeah baby.
Play: as in play-date, playful, playmate, playground, my bed is a playground, his body is a wonderland. Gets one thinking?
So tell me, what are some of your favor romantic P words? Inquiring minds want to know.
Someday we’ll talk about the letters S or C. That should be interesting.
Keep a smile in your heart and -
Enjoy always, T
