she’s in hospice care
in the card what can I say
but ‘thinking of you’?
-on hearing of a tea teacher’s decline
Category: writing Page 6 of 11
USPS <sigh>
why do you make it so hard
to send mail abroad?
-trying to “Click N Ship” packages to Japan, with no instructions at all of what to attach to the packages of the three (3!) separate receipt/customs declarations
mama never said
working with stupid asshats
could be so so hard
-sitting at a work meeting
chilly winter night
thinking of autumn journeys
ah, warm memories
-on looking at photos from a trip to Japan
stars shiver above
in a cold sapphire sky
winter wonderland
-on looking at the stars in clear, dry Oregon weather
is it frost or snow?
white patches on the roadside
solstice is coming
-on driving Highway 30
shared sighs as we wait
the checkout line doesn’t move
it’s only 12/8!
-from a veeeery slow line at Costco
man on a skateboard
holding a chuckit and leash-
delighted puppy
-from a lovely afternoon walk in gorgeous Oregon winter sunshine (seriously!)
Photo source: Les Chatfield
Sasquatch robot arm?
The Six Million Dollar Man
raises an eyebrow
-from the couch with season 3 of “The Six Million Dollar Man” playing
instant sekihan,
green tea, rag zori—
package from Japan
-in the kitchen with a package just received from a good friend in Japan
empty sky above
lone bird darts among cedars
winter solitude
-from the comfort of the couch,
with a plate of pumpkin pie
coughing and sneezing
a mound of dirty tissues
ah, winter is here
–from the comfort of the couch,
with a steaming mug of Lemon-Ginger tea and a full box of Kleenex
Exposing the wall under the plaster – hits a little too close to home
I didn’t think it would happen to me. After all, I’ve been writing for around fifteen years, I’ve “won” Nanowrimo eight times, I led/taught a writing group for two years, and I regularly give talks on “How to Write a Novel in 30 Days”. Heck, I published a book! I’ve got this writing thing down.
Um, yeah, no.
Not entirely sure what happened. I started some flash fiction stories back in July thinking that would be a simple, quick kick in the butt for getting some stories written. Come on— five stories running 500 words each. Piece of cake!
Um, yeah, no.
Each of those stories went longer than 500 words. Some a little longer (1400 and 1800 words), a couple longer than that (3000 and 3200 words), and then the Big Kahuna at 8200 words.
And I don’t think I was longwinded.
Then I went to Japan and that took me way off course between the planning, packing, and coordinating with friends over there. Had a great time (despite catching a monster head cold), and was looking forward to getting back into the swing of writing things. After all, November is National Novel Writing Month, or as I was thinking, “National Short Story Writing Month”. I’ve completed the Nanowrimo challenge enough to know that I can do it, so I set a goal of writing 30 stories in 30 days. It would be a stretch for me, but I read about other people who had done it and had amazing experiences. I wanted those experiences, too!
Well, I certainly got an experience. Just not the one I was expecting.
See, I hit a wall. A very big wall. The wall writers (usually the inexperienced or not-completely-dedicated) will bemoan. The dreaded Writer’s Block.
I thought it couldn’t happen to me. I was smarter than that, more dedicated than that. From everything I had seen, “Writer’s Block” was just an excuse people give for not being able to sit their ass down and write.
That’s true, but I think there may be something more behind it.
And that would be Fear.
Ah, yes. Hello, dear friend Fear. It has been awhile.
So I am working my way through this, and will share that process as I figure it out.*
Photo source: Gabriele Diwald
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*Really. If I can help others who are struggling with this, then it will have been worth it. Painful, but worth it.