An excellent, insightful, helpful article. A Must share. — For the Love of Books
Today’s guest post is a Q&A by Andrea A. Firth (@AndreaAFirth), a writer, editor, and teacher and cofounder of Diablo Writers’ Workshop. Getting published in literary journals is hard—still. Editors routinely say that they often have to turn down good writing. The submission cycle takes months, and months. But some things have changed. No more…
Sometimes the goal we’ve set for ourselves does not materialize but something better does.
It’s easy to feel discouraged when the hoped for outcome does not happen. Watching something unfold I’m hearing this sentiment express.
As a uninvolved observer I’m seeing community happening where there was little to none. Individuals are being reminded of what can happen when they work together as a team.
I almost forgot! My daily post to keep the numbers rising for days in a row. Story of my life. Forgetting.
The reason I wasn’t paying attention is from wanting to know what is going on in the world. Podcasts. Some encouraging and some not so much. My favorites are the live streamers who film what is going on without adding commentary or opinion.
I think You Tube and their rules on content actually do us a favor. Actions speak louder than words. Simply watching is enlightening.
Peaceful, in the truest sense of the word, has more effect than any of us realized. We have been able to watch it happen.
Is it OK if I don’t have anything momentous to say this morning?
These days, my thoughts are consumed with several heavy duty subjects but it doesn’t seem appropriate, for many reasons, to talk about any of them. The trouble with immersing myself in these off-limits but important topics is a shortage of time spent pondering things I would be comfortable talking about.
At the moment, it is quiet in here, deadly quiet. All of the normal voices have been turned off.
The temptation to turn some of them back on will be high, I’m sure, but I want to spend time listening to discover what my mind is telling me on acceptable subjects. Sometimes, most times actually, our mind needs input, to help prime-the-pump so to speak.
This is a “why study math when you need to study literature” sort of moment.
I have several non fiction books I should be reading, I’m sure inspiration would be found in that activity.
I was toying with that idea but decided it might be good to start the day a little lighter. So I picked another book instead.
This choice sounds like it will be a fluff book but it’s likely not. This author writes books with meat on the bones. I think this one will be a positive influence on my thought life and who knows, maybe I will be inspired to write something momentous. Maybe not momentous but a smaller scale seems doable. I’ll keep you posted about my progress toward inspiration, later.
Catch of a Lifetime – Low Country Love (Finding Love in the Low Country Book 3)
From an early age, Adella believed that love brings only pain. First her mother dies, and Adella struggles to deal with her grief and care for her younger sisters. When the young girls decide they don’t need Adella anymore, she concludes she can’t trust anyone but herself. With few options, she determines she will use her good looks and intelligence to catch a handsome, wealthy man who can give her the security she craves. Derek Goodson appears to be the man of her dreams, and at first their marriage is wonderful. After a few years, however, Adella discovers a restlessness that nothing seems to satisfy. She is bored with exclusive parties, clothing, and vacations. When introduced to a handsome stranger, she wonders if he is the answer to her secret longings. Adele must face some tough choices, along with a tender tug on her soul. She married Derek for his money. Why can’t she love him for it?
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I’m looking forward to seeing what this day had to offer by the time it’s over.
I’m wishing a good day for you too. Whatever your day may look like.
This is one of those days when I have nothing on my mind to say so I’ll just start talking and see what happens.
I know I mentioned this yesterday but I can’t get over how quickly the snow melts when the temperature rises to zero and the hot sun shines brightly. The sun really is hot here. It’s crazy. It can be freezing and short sleeves still work when you are standing in the sun.
With these bright days the furnace has hardly been on and at one point today the inside temp was 74 F. At the moment (9:45) it is still 71.
Another thing that is crazy? I measure inside temps and fever temps in Fahrenheit and outside temps in Celsius. I measure mileage in kilometers and fuel in litres, fabric and everything else in inches and yards, and food in pounds and ounces – sort of. It seems like I have an identity crisis. I probably do but I’m not planning on resolving it anytime soon. I’m happy just the way I am. Probably because I wasn’t thrilled with the whole change to metric in the first place. This mixed up system is my mini rebellion.
On to another favorite topic – books. I haven’t been doing well with my book a day goal. Two reasons, mainly. I’ve been busier at work as my workload has increased. I’ve very happy about this for multiple reasons. On top of that, I’ve once again been spending time watching live streams of the people’s convoy, this time in Maryland USA.
I’ve been following ZOT You Tube channel, Charlotte is the host and she does an amazing job. Everyone LOVES her. She loves people, and she is fearless. This causes a great deal of anxiety among her viewers, as well as the people she hangs out with on the ground. Everyone is looking out for her and they let her know. They pay attention to where she is, who she’s with, and what she does or doesn’t eat. This probably makes her even safer. Today she streamed for over twelve hours. From the time she left her hotel until she closed her car door to go back.
This beautiful girl is amazing and, she has publicly shared – she is nineteen.
I tune in, leave it on in the back ground all day, and stop by to watch when ever I have a few moments, or hours. They have been doing a peaceful protest for about three weeks. Everyday they drive what is called the beltway, around the capital. That’s it. Drive the route and then back to the speedway in Hagerstown MD. The authorities know the plan every day and they stick to it, no surprises. There are a few counter protesters who try to provoke a fight but it hasn’t worked. Today there were people in a field throwing large bricks of some sort on the road, One of the trucks was hit and suffered radiator damage. The big trucks with him all stopped for support. Live streamers caught it all on video and they were able to identify the perpetrators. These guys couldn’t have gone far (which doesn’t seem all that smart) because the police were able to arrest them easily. Charlotte was in one of the lead trucks so we got to see this happening.
It was a long day.
They arrived back to a noisy speedway. There were time trials going on for the big race coming up next weekend. The guys in her chat were urging her to go see the cars, her welfare in mind-caregivers were saying go eat first. She opted for food first but it was challenging because there are always people at every turn waiting to talk to her. It’s a bad thing and a good thing. She is very gracious to everyone.
Charlotte was a newbie at live streaming when she started taking daily shifts with the convoy in Ottawa Her progress has been amazing. She has a gift for relating to people and drawing out their stories. I can see a future for her in journalism if she ever decides to go that route.
The protests have been peaceful in both places and the amazing thing out of it is – love wins. A soft answer turns away wrath is really true. Hatred is confused by love. We watched this happen in both places and it was encouraging.
The other awesome thing coming out of this is the changing relationship between the US and Canada. On a grass roots level.
On a personal/individual level we’ve had good relationships across the border. As a body/country, in general, we were neighbors with a passing acquaintance. With all of the events over the last four months we are becoming neighbors with a strong friendship. It’s amazing to watch it unfold. To hear people expressing such love and appreciation is a very emotional experience. Watching ZOT for hours we get to see these expressions over and over.
How can you tell I am just a little bit wound up by all of this.
I watched the goings-on in Ottawa til the end (hoping there will be more) and I will watch Hagerstown to the end too. It gives me, and others, hope in this crazy time.
Well, it seems I could go on and on but…
I’ll save some for next time.
There are many live streamers out there, start with ZOT and you will see others pop up too. Check them all out.
What a shock! Time change happened and I wasn’t paying attention. With so much snow in the yard it just seems wrong.
Maybe I am the only one out of sync with the season, my house plants are all starting to grow and bloom again.
I don’t think it’s me. -16C and two feet of snow?
I had things on my mind to chat about, honest, but all this talk about time and weather has derailed all rational thought. I’ll go for coffee and a bite to eat, maybe that will help.
This is hours later and it didn’t really help. I wanted to have something upbeat and light to talk about but it’s not happening. For a number of reasons
I was reading and liking a book but it didn’t qualify as positive because of the ongoing distressing events facing the characters. It turned out well in the end but since I feel other’s emotions …
And then…
A You Tube podcast was impactful this week. But it too deals with a serious subject.
At one point in the video the conversation was centered around brokenness and a new idea (at least to me) was put forth. I don’t remember the conversation enough to quote it, and that can be a good thing. The question was: in regard to story, are we living and defining ourselves by our old story or by our present story? Most of us are living with our old story.
That’s true for me, when I stop to think about it. The abusive story of origin is the first place my thoughts go when asked about my life. In many ways the old story does define me because of the depth of emotional damage. Like a crippling spinal injury, in some areas it will color the way I do life for as long as I live. On the other hand though, my life as a whole took a 180 once we were removed from the situation. The idea put forth in the video was that we need to write and live by our new story. I can see the positive difference it would make to my view, and the world’s view, of me if I did this.
Replacing the old with the new will take some getting used to. It sounds easy but to do it successfully the insecure view of myself will have to change drastically. That will be the hard part. I think I like the idea enough to give it an honest try though.
Here is the video with the helpful conversation. The part referring to writing our new story happens in the last 10 minutes. Everything else is worth listening to as well. This is a leadership podcast but they cover so much more and it all applies to everyday people like you and me. Although who is to say we aren’t leaders? They say we should look behind us and if someone is following we are a leader, never mind that it isn’t a recognized leadership. The opposite is also sometimes true; there are a few in recognized leadership positions who, if they looked behind, would find no one following.
But leadership is not the focus here, the need for writing our new story is.
Ian Morgan Cron is talking about his latest book and in it he spends time on the idea of writing our new story, explaining why it is a worthwhile and life changing exercise.
The Story of You: An Enneagram Journey to Becoming Your True Self
Drawing on his training as a psychotherapist and his own personal experience, Ian Cron explains how you can:
rewrite the self-sabotaging stories you tell yourself about who you are,
free yourself from the tyranny of unconscious childhood messages, and
overcome the self-defeating patterns of behavior that prevent you from becoming your authentic self.
With this powerful tool, Cron shows us how each type can shed their broken stories and harness their unique power within to become who we are truly meant to be, shedding the unhappiness we accumulate by trying to live out of the wrong story. Filled with examples from people whose lives have been transformed for the better, Cron maps out a guide for using Enneagram wisdom to reauthor your life and experience deep inner transformation, healing, and happiness.
Rewrite the story of you and find the freedom in becoming your true self!
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His first book in this series is also helpful.
The Road Back to You: An Enneagram Journey to Self-Discovery
Ignorance is bliss―except in self-awareness. What you don’t know about yourself can hurt you and your relationships―and even keep you in the shallows with God. Do you want help figuring out who you are and why you’re stuck in the same ruts? The Enneagram is an ancient personality typing system with an uncanny accuracy in describing how human beings are wired, both positively and negatively. In The Road Back to You Ian Morgan Cron and Suzanne Stabile forge a unique approach―a practical, comprehensive way of accessing Enneagram wisdom and exploring its connections with Christian spirituality for a deeper knowledge of ourselves, compassion for others, and love for God. Witty and filled with stories, this book allows you to peek inside each of the nine Enneagram types, keeping you turning the pages long after you have read the chapter about your own number. Not only will you learn more about yourself, but you will also start to see the world through other people’s eyes, understanding how and why people think, feel, and act the way they do. Beginning with changes you can start making today, the wisdom of the Enneagram can help take you further along into who you really are―leading you into places of spiritual discovery you would never have found on your own, and paving the way to the wiser, more compassionate person you want to become.
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There are varied opinions on the value of Enneagram. I’ve gone into it with an open but discerning mind and have found much that resonates and is helpful to me.
I have a tendency, like many others along with me, to beat myself up. Brutally sometimes. Learning more about who I am and how I tick has made a world of difference in the way I view myself. More tolerance, less critical, kindness.
I’m looking forward to growing with the latest book.
I hope you will find this as helpful in your journey as I do in mine.
Just one book today. 1531 Entertainment‘s suggestion is one I’ve read and think I’ve enjoyed. My memory on this is a little hazy.
One Thursday Morning: Inspirational Romance (Romance At An Inn) (Diamond Lake Series Book 1)
How Do You Start Over?
Running not only for her own life, but that of her unborn baby, Serenah moves across the country to a little town outside of Spokane Washington called Newport. It’s here she’ll begin to build a new life and go by a different name in the hopes of staying hidden from her abusive husband John.
Can Serenah find happiness in her new life? Or will the past eventually catch up to her?
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Nothing much is showing up in the suggestion strip and it is not easy to care very much tonight.
Life all around us is going a little crazy. Just like in this book suggestion, where the abuser is leveling accusations loudly and convincingly with both words and fists, and his abuse has escalated. She is afraid for her life and rightfully so.
In real life the one yelling the loudest is the bully. Actually, if we look closely, he is the only one yelling. The abused has been emotionally beaten down over an extended period of time to the point she is incapable of standing up to protect herself. At rock bottom she will either choose to stay in abject defeat or in desperation plan and follow through on an escape.
It looks like we are at that point. Rock bottom lowest point.
Low point shows up in the amount and kind of damage being done. The bully has ceased to care about keeping injuries hidden from public view and rage is out of control. The last blow wasn’t fatal but the next one could be.
It’s funny how the world around the couple can often see the truth of a relationship when those living in it day-to-day can’t. Until it’s almost too late.
My heart hurts that we have come to this place. I’ve lived long enough to have experienced much of the history they reference and truth is being shared.
We have to remember. Things are bleak but this is not over. Things can change, we can make a difference.
“Do you wanna be well, really wanna be well?” The Gaither Vocal Band has a song asking this question.
I’m just now realizing it’s a question I have to ask myself, again.
I’ve loved this song since it first came out and I honestly thought my answer to this question was a resounding YES!
I’m having to rethink this position, based on my actions, or rather, lack of them.
My conversation with the dermatologist on Tuesday is the catalyst.
His question “how long have you had this rash on your legs?” started this train of thought. Looking at my answer “12 years,” from his perspective was upsetting. Added to that, my comment regarding much scratching “pain is addictive,” tipped me over the edge. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it.
I’ve never sought help in regard to this current, and worst, version of the rash. Why is that?
I can get into the weeds pretty quickly if I follow this train of thought too intensely so I won’t go there.
It is true that for many years I have been working on healing from my childhood trauma and the damage it caused. Honestly though, it’s not as simple as I thought.
I think it’s more like a mirrored disco ball. There are many facets and I’ve been honest about some but not others. My behavior shows the truth. No doctor visits in a decade. Never (rarely) leaving my house. Avoiding any gatherings with certain types of people in attendance. (it’s probably more honest to say avoiding gatherings with people in attendance, never mind types.)
Where do I go from here?
I don’t know. For now I think my acknowledgement of the truth is enough. My behavior often changes when my perspective changes.
Baby steps.
The song is based on a bible story found in the New Testament, the book of John, chapter 5, verses 1 – 15
I do want to be well, I’m just not so sure about making changes in some areas.
I like interacting with people in this arena. Maybe, along with honesty, interaction here is all that’s needed. I could live with that.
So helpful. Wanting something interesting to watch tonight I went through Carey Nieuwhof’s list of videos. His podcasts are consistently informative, engaging, and challenging. I may think, at first, that I would find this subject irrelevant. 99% of the time I’m wrong. There is always something significant in there somewhere, speaking directly to me.
This interview was of even more interest, given where I am in my thinking at the moment. So many excellent tips on how to make our ideas work.
If you have a blog, which most of you reading this do have, I’m positive you will find this discussion relatable.
Phil Cooke has been in television for decades, He’s written books, speaks at conferences, and does consulting in smaller settings. He has a wealth of experience to share.
Check this out, I’m sure you will find it helpful.
For the Love of Books 