Does anyone else dream in novels? After I'm done fretting about everything else in my day I set about going to sleep by imagining a plot for a book. But I always forget most of it when I wake up. I just dont wake up enough to keep one of those bedside notepads. And sometimes as Im writing in my sleep, I think sort of loudly...man that was great... they might even publish this....if only I could remember it when I wake!
I know my heroine's name last night was Bryn Allison. And the chapter starts like this....
Bryn Allsion was average. Average brown hair. Average funny. Average job. Until she stepped out the door of the coffee house on her way to work and got hit by a plane. Not your average bus. An airplane. Now that wasnt average.
Ok. So plot one the pilot has actually made this skilled and careful emergency landing avoiding everyone but Bryn. Of course he's handsome and etc etc...romance et al.
Or as she awakens on an alien planet. Turns out humans who die arent in heaven they get transported....sci fi plot.
I didnt say they were good novels! Sheez! Sometimes they are fantastic. But those usually involve murder and blood and get way to complicated and I wake myself up all scared and have to think of milkshakes or something to get back to sleep.
I keep going back to the premise you are supposed to write about what you know. Which is a whole lot a nuttin. Medical novels are passe'. Killing off your patients isnt very good PR either. And working out your family issues in public never appealed to me. So, romance/sci-fi it is.
I kind of like the heaven plot. Most of us stop at the you get to go to heaven part. What then? Hang out on clouds? Ho Hum. I suppose you could spend a good while meeting the ancesters. That would be fun for awhile. Unless they were cranky.Or none of your people made it "up there". What would you do with unlimited energy and time.Everones fine so you cant go be heroic. Heaven seems kind of hedonistic from that view. Hmmm. Too literal I guess.
Well, off to bed to dream up a new plot.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Holy Forcast Frosty!
It looks like we are really going to have winter this year. Our local forcast is for snow, cold, snow, snow and some more cold snow.Brrrr. Just hope our trusty little house keeps working. At work, our Aide's pipes burst...and there is so little hope of a thaw. I cant imagine the diffficulty.
Rod and I once spent a chilly night under the sleeping bags in our old home when the power went out. The cats crawed in. But my nose was cold. What the heck did those pioneers do anyway. The dreariest book I ever read was about a pioneer woman in the Olympic Mtns during winter. All that cold and damp just came out of those pages and was deeeee pressing.
So Ive had these dreams lately. Im writing. You know, the great American Novel thing. But I cant work it through the concept. I have the idea but cant work past the beginning. I fall too deeply asleep! Rats.
Well, hope all your packages and cards are mailed ( mine arent!) but I just cant worry about it this year!
Rod and I once spent a chilly night under the sleeping bags in our old home when the power went out. The cats crawed in. But my nose was cold. What the heck did those pioneers do anyway. The dreariest book I ever read was about a pioneer woman in the Olympic Mtns during winter. All that cold and damp just came out of those pages and was deeeee pressing.
So Ive had these dreams lately. Im writing. You know, the great American Novel thing. But I cant work it through the concept. I have the idea but cant work past the beginning. I fall too deeply asleep! Rats.
Well, hope all your packages and cards are mailed ( mine arent!) but I just cant worry about it this year!
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
What a layover in writing! Im like many who think we have nothing to say but all day every day my head is crammed with stuff and ideas and random thoughts. So guess what! My fellow one or two folks who pull stuff off the ethereal net...you get the benefit of my "stuff" today.
Christmas is a funny time especially if you're not the church type. I love all the Santa trimmings and the unparralled depth of music especially some of the high ranging triumphant religious works. I love the tree lightings and small town Christmas parades and the expectation lighting up the eyes of kids. I love the pretty wrapping paper and the food. HHmmmm, the food! I hate not being able to find just the right gift and thinking I should put more effort into it. I vaguley dislike wrapping. I can never get the bows just so. I sure do like opening though!
Why is it that I can think of 20 things I wouldnt mind opening on Christmas morning but Im danged if I can come up with even one spectacular item for my husband. He is a computer geek. A techno guy. A lover of all thats microchipped and multifunctional. None of which I understand, or can stand or want to do anything but stand on. What's wrong with on and off or up and down, I say. I digress.
What to get the love of your life who has every gadget already. Who has enough socks, and robes and CDs and tools? Mind you this is a man whose favorite jacket is this accidently shrunken red plaid farmers fake lambs wool piece. He never met a ball cap with a logo on it he didnt like. A fellow with 200 T shirts.Who after wearing slacks and tie in the office for 30 years now refuses to even wear socks. What to do??Even a lump of coal however undeserved aint original.
So Im left present challenged. Defeated by scads of ads with no hope of the coolest deal on earth...just the right gift.I wish there was a real Santa to whom I could appeal!
Christmas is a funny time especially if you're not the church type. I love all the Santa trimmings and the unparralled depth of music especially some of the high ranging triumphant religious works. I love the tree lightings and small town Christmas parades and the expectation lighting up the eyes of kids. I love the pretty wrapping paper and the food. HHmmmm, the food! I hate not being able to find just the right gift and thinking I should put more effort into it. I vaguley dislike wrapping. I can never get the bows just so. I sure do like opening though!
Why is it that I can think of 20 things I wouldnt mind opening on Christmas morning but Im danged if I can come up with even one spectacular item for my husband. He is a computer geek. A techno guy. A lover of all thats microchipped and multifunctional. None of which I understand, or can stand or want to do anything but stand on. What's wrong with on and off or up and down, I say. I digress.
What to get the love of your life who has every gadget already. Who has enough socks, and robes and CDs and tools? Mind you this is a man whose favorite jacket is this accidently shrunken red plaid farmers fake lambs wool piece. He never met a ball cap with a logo on it he didnt like. A fellow with 200 T shirts.Who after wearing slacks and tie in the office for 30 years now refuses to even wear socks. What to do??Even a lump of coal however undeserved aint original.
So Im left present challenged. Defeated by scads of ads with no hope of the coolest deal on earth...just the right gift.I wish there was a real Santa to whom I could appeal!
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Enthusiasm
I was thinking of what life should be about. Why we bother. How to get through the days. At first I thought of the word Inspiration. The always thought provoking Faith. But I finally settled on Enthusiasm. The original meaning took me by surprise. Something about inspired by God. There was even an ancient Syrian sect called "Enthusiasts". But what I was after was the root of making things better. We can slog or drag through our days whining along the road. Or we can use enthusiasm.
It started because I read a bulletin from a group of which I am a member. Normally, I delete the National bulletins before ever getting around to reading them like all good group members.But this time I read it. It was inspiring. There are folks out there even from my home state and local groups taking the extra step to participate. And what happens when you participate can generate enthusiasm for mundane meetings and tasks in others.
So, a glow of enthusiasm lit upon me. And I got to thinking how much energy just being enthused can bring.
Yesterday we made a little trip out of town with friends to look at some fancy motorcycles.My hubby hasn't been feeling well with his cold/flu. He has been a bit depressed in general. But by the end of the day with all of us projecting enthusiasm..he liked it!! He said thanks for making him go. And I thought, if we could start our days with projecting a bit of positive enthusiasm for our tasks....we could inspire a few people along the way. Sometimes that ripple might reach someone unexpected. Make a real difference. So different than projecting doom and gloom and negativity. Hmmmm.
It started because I read a bulletin from a group of which I am a member. Normally, I delete the National bulletins before ever getting around to reading them like all good group members.But this time I read it. It was inspiring. There are folks out there even from my home state and local groups taking the extra step to participate. And what happens when you participate can generate enthusiasm for mundane meetings and tasks in others.
So, a glow of enthusiasm lit upon me. And I got to thinking how much energy just being enthused can bring.
Yesterday we made a little trip out of town with friends to look at some fancy motorcycles.My hubby hasn't been feeling well with his cold/flu. He has been a bit depressed in general. But by the end of the day with all of us projecting enthusiasm..he liked it!! He said thanks for making him go. And I thought, if we could start our days with projecting a bit of positive enthusiasm for our tasks....we could inspire a few people along the way. Sometimes that ripple might reach someone unexpected. Make a real difference. So different than projecting doom and gloom and negativity. Hmmmm.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Wishing
I decided I would wish today. What do I wish for? I wish I had a personality that would convey calm and peace into the lives of those I know and love. Because I wish that for them. Calm, steadiness, peaceful nights.
I wish I could say to their faces instead of in a blog how much I care about my families. My father is a cynical and cool man. Its all he can do to get a shoulder hug in. But I know he loves me. I try to tell him. He doesn't like presents so its hard to give him anything that makes him smile. So, I call . We have a glass of wine together and I let him tell me his version of the earth and whats going on.
And my nieces, nephews, in laws, step-daughter. I married into this very interesting family and my husband gave me these people to know. Its been one of my greatest gifts. They don't understand how much I love them. They are different from each other. Each has enormous talents. They all give great joy to me as I observe how they travel through burdens, through daily tasks.
My sister in law is a mother and a teacher. She has more creativity in her little finger than I will ever have . She thinks deeply and cares deeply about her beliefs. She finds ways to teach her middle schooler's so social thought and history come alive. Ive often wanted to be her student so I could learn and do the assignments. Save me from middle school life though!
And her children. They are adults now, even the youngest. They turned in to people who are interested in life, engaged in other people, want to make the world a better place. None of them are cynical, or jaded, or selfish. Each of them have smiles, and ways of doing things that make me laugh, get excited, follow eagerly for the next installment in their lives.
And my step-daughter. What a pot of unbosomed talent. She is smart, beautiful, caring and hasn't even begun to find the depth of her own talents. I hope big things for her. I hope she sees her own worth reflected in her children's eyes. She fought so hard to bring them up as decent people with a sense of family and responsibility. She brought them up to love one another and care for each other, to give the little guy a break.They will never be alone for life's trials because of how she taught them to care for each other.
And I wish for my husband great peace and restfulness, and many years of uninterrupted Green Bay Packer football games.
And I wish for world peace. And uninterrupted days of creativity for fabric designers . And lots of food for people in Somalia. And I wish for a year long power outage in DC so they would all go home and get new perspectives on life.
I wish I could say to their faces instead of in a blog how much I care about my families. My father is a cynical and cool man. Its all he can do to get a shoulder hug in. But I know he loves me. I try to tell him. He doesn't like presents so its hard to give him anything that makes him smile. So, I call . We have a glass of wine together and I let him tell me his version of the earth and whats going on.
And my nieces, nephews, in laws, step-daughter. I married into this very interesting family and my husband gave me these people to know. Its been one of my greatest gifts. They don't understand how much I love them. They are different from each other. Each has enormous talents. They all give great joy to me as I observe how they travel through burdens, through daily tasks.
My sister in law is a mother and a teacher. She has more creativity in her little finger than I will ever have . She thinks deeply and cares deeply about her beliefs. She finds ways to teach her middle schooler's so social thought and history come alive. Ive often wanted to be her student so I could learn and do the assignments. Save me from middle school life though!
And her children. They are adults now, even the youngest. They turned in to people who are interested in life, engaged in other people, want to make the world a better place. None of them are cynical, or jaded, or selfish. Each of them have smiles, and ways of doing things that make me laugh, get excited, follow eagerly for the next installment in their lives.
And my step-daughter. What a pot of unbosomed talent. She is smart, beautiful, caring and hasn't even begun to find the depth of her own talents. I hope big things for her. I hope she sees her own worth reflected in her children's eyes. She fought so hard to bring them up as decent people with a sense of family and responsibility. She brought them up to love one another and care for each other, to give the little guy a break.They will never be alone for life's trials because of how she taught them to care for each other.
And I wish for my husband great peace and restfulness, and many years of uninterrupted Green Bay Packer football games.
And I wish for world peace. And uninterrupted days of creativity for fabric designers . And lots of food for people in Somalia. And I wish for a year long power outage in DC so they would all go home and get new perspectives on life.
There is so much of interest going on in life. I find it hard to write about any of it as I cant pick one topic. Maybe that's just the thing. Life, despite the economic crisis is incredible.
The sun is just easing its way above the horizon, turning the gray clouds and surrounding mountain ridges a soft yellow,with a dusky deep blue arising and a hint of ballerina skirt pink. The air is cool and crisp. The pumpkins in all their orangeness are waiting to be turned into stunning Halloween spectacles. And the new kitten is really making our older cat mad!
I'm eagerly awaiting conversation over coffee with our friends. My husband declined the chance to "spend a little time talking with your wife". For some reason, he thought his toasty bed was more appealing than a chat. And even the challenge of belt tightening for a few years doesn't scare me. I think of of as a challenge. OK, its like dieting. You cant continue to cheat and loose weight. So we pay off debt, avoid buying any big new stuff for awhile. Get creative with dinner and spend time with family and friends. Make sure our indulgences are paid for and well thought out. And sort out our national priorities. Pay attention to local government policies. Walk the neighborhood and participate in our neighbors lives. Be a community again. Maybe Ill find some unexpected nuggets of gold right in front of me, on this very path...like seeing the sunset, like seeing the smile on a child's face, like examining the stitches on a quilt that was made by an acquaintances long passed away mother and realizing the threads and fabric are still here...life is real..and ongoing...and now.
The sun is just easing its way above the horizon, turning the gray clouds and surrounding mountain ridges a soft yellow,with a dusky deep blue arising and a hint of ballerina skirt pink. The air is cool and crisp. The pumpkins in all their orangeness are waiting to be turned into stunning Halloween spectacles. And the new kitten is really making our older cat mad!
I'm eagerly awaiting conversation over coffee with our friends. My husband declined the chance to "spend a little time talking with your wife". For some reason, he thought his toasty bed was more appealing than a chat. And even the challenge of belt tightening for a few years doesn't scare me. I think of of as a challenge. OK, its like dieting. You cant continue to cheat and loose weight. So we pay off debt, avoid buying any big new stuff for awhile. Get creative with dinner and spend time with family and friends. Make sure our indulgences are paid for and well thought out. And sort out our national priorities. Pay attention to local government policies. Walk the neighborhood and participate in our neighbors lives. Be a community again. Maybe Ill find some unexpected nuggets of gold right in front of me, on this very path...like seeing the sunset, like seeing the smile on a child's face, like examining the stitches on a quilt that was made by an acquaintances long passed away mother and realizing the threads and fabric are still here...life is real..and ongoing...and now.
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Family Ties
In my mothers family, we lost a wonderful member this week. My 61yr old Uncle Ron died of a sudden heart attack last Sunday. His wife and 4 adult children have never been without him. No one ever thought of Uncle Rod without a smile on their face. He chuckled, he laughed, he joked, he was a funny man. He also was a minister for many small churches after he found his religious calling many years ago. He was the greatest of men.
Which brings me to muse about families. We have our difference. Some of them "wide" if you will. Faith, politics, beliefs and ideals separate us if we let them. Modern living is not always conducive to "staying close" to your family. Its so easy to be too busy. And then someday too busy becomes too late. If your family has differences in immediate goals, has busy lives,has miles of distance...try not to let that separate the foundation of your love for them. Make that call, send pictures, stay in touch even if its a bother, push past those incidents of disagreement. Find a way to make contact.
I think about what it would feel like if I really were alone. Who would I miss and why? Quite a scary exercise. But it sharpens your focus. What am I depending on that person for in my life? Why do I need them so much? And what do I need to say to them TODAY?
Which brings me to muse about families. We have our difference. Some of them "wide" if you will. Faith, politics, beliefs and ideals separate us if we let them. Modern living is not always conducive to "staying close" to your family. Its so easy to be too busy. And then someday too busy becomes too late. If your family has differences in immediate goals, has busy lives,has miles of distance...try not to let that separate the foundation of your love for them. Make that call, send pictures, stay in touch even if its a bother, push past those incidents of disagreement. Find a way to make contact.
I think about what it would feel like if I really were alone. Who would I miss and why? Quite a scary exercise. But it sharpens your focus. What am I depending on that person for in my life? Why do I need them so much? And what do I need to say to them TODAY?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)