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"Beware the barrenness of a busy life." - Socrates
When I was a child, Sundays were a day of rest, for everyone except my mother. She'd get up early to prepare Sunday dinner, because by the time we got home from church, there was very little time to pull everything together. Sunday dinners were feasts.
These days, I still honor the concept of the Sabbath. I may still spend some time writing, but it is usually writing for my soul. Or, in this case, blogging for my soul. In 2010, time off has a different meaning. The question is, should it? Between email, cell phones, surfing the Web, the news, blogs, Twitter, and Facebook, I feel entirely too connected.
There is a fantastic article by Anne Lamott in the April 2010 Sunset. She writes, "Multitasking can argue a wasted life." She urges readers to, "Fight tooth and nail to find time, to make it. It is our true wealth, this moment, this hour, this day."
One of the Ten Commandments is, remember the Sabbath and keep it holy. For me, checking my email is not holy. Blogging is. We get to decide what is holy. We also get to decide when and how we are going to care for ourselves. The most important part is that it restores us so we can face the rest of the week. I also think that time off makes me a better writer.
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Polishing Our Craft
"To write something, you have to risk making a fool of yourself." - Anne Rice
This month our writer's group held an open read for the public. This is an opportunity for writers to bring in their work. It is submitted anonymously and critiqued by everyone. For new writers, it takes more courage than one can imagine. The work was of very high caliber, so we were treated to excellent writing.
The critique process is a vital part of being a writer. Without it, my work would look like an unpolished stone. The feedback can turn a rock into a sparkling gem. At first, I felt tumbled about, like a rock in a washing machine. Now it feels more like a vigorous massage. I am grateful it doesn't cause my stomach to churn - just my mind.
This month our writer's group held an open read for the public. This is an opportunity for writers to bring in their work. It is submitted anonymously and critiqued by everyone. For new writers, it takes more courage than one can imagine. The work was of very high caliber, so we were treated to excellent writing.
The critique process is a vital part of being a writer. Without it, my work would look like an unpolished stone. The feedback can turn a rock into a sparkling gem. At first, I felt tumbled about, like a rock in a washing machine. Now it feels more like a vigorous massage. I am grateful it doesn't cause my stomach to churn - just my mind.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Making Origami out of the Paperwork
"I love being a writer, what I can't stand is the paperwork." - Peter De Vries
Some days, writing feels like 90% paperwork and 10% creativity. Then there are days like today when it is all paperwork. My editor and friend at the Hepatitis C Support Project mentioned something about annually updating the patient pamphlets I’ve written. Innocently, I offered to make a log of these to remind me of the anniversary dates. What was I thinking!!! I’ve written about 100 of these. Just doing an Excel spreadsheet took me an hour.
I had a little talk with my protesting self. “There, there,” I said. “There are worse things you could be doing with your time. I’ll make you a hot cup of chai, put on some jazz, and after you are done, you can turn this all into a blog.” As it rained down on my beautiful Grass Valley view, I hummed away, content and honored to be a writer.
Some days, writing feels like 90% paperwork and 10% creativity. Then there are days like today when it is all paperwork. My editor and friend at the Hepatitis C Support Project mentioned something about annually updating the patient pamphlets I’ve written. Innocently, I offered to make a log of these to remind me of the anniversary dates. What was I thinking!!! I’ve written about 100 of these. Just doing an Excel spreadsheet took me an hour.
I had a little talk with my protesting self. “There, there,” I said. “There are worse things you could be doing with your time. I’ll make you a hot cup of chai, put on some jazz, and after you are done, you can turn this all into a blog.” As it rained down on my beautiful Grass Valley view, I hummed away, content and honored to be a writer.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Happy April Fool’s Day
"To write something, you have to risk making a fool of yourself." - Anne Rice
April Fool’s Day is the perfect day for writers, since we frequently make fools of ourselves every time we pick up the pen. In fact, April 1st is a perfect day to remind myself not to take myself too seriously—especially my writing. On my desk is the following quote by Bertrand Russell, “One of the symptoms of an approaching nervous breakdown is the belief that one’s work is terribly important.” On this day of laughter and pranks, let’s make fools of ourselves. It’s a delightful way to avoid a nervous breakdown.
April Fool’s Day is the perfect day for writers, since we frequently make fools of ourselves every time we pick up the pen. In fact, April 1st is a perfect day to remind myself not to take myself too seriously—especially my writing. On my desk is the following quote by Bertrand Russell, “One of the symptoms of an approaching nervous breakdown is the belief that one’s work is terribly important.” On this day of laughter and pranks, let’s make fools of ourselves. It’s a delightful way to avoid a nervous breakdown.
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