November 19 2018

One (Five Minute Friday)

If there is one thing I know about myself, it is that my mouth starts babbling before my brain engages and this doesn’t give me time to edit or censor myself. I’m sure I’m not the only one who feels this way. I used to think it was something that happened when you got old.

In my experience, once old people reach a certain age, they say whatever they think without stopping to think about what it might mean or do to those who hear it. I witnessed this in my mother and while it was annoying and embarrassing to witness sometimes, it was also kind of enviable to think that someday I might get to the point where I could just say what I wanted to say and not give a care what others thought of me for saying it.

I never imagined myself getting to that point but maybe I am closer than I think. Over the last few years, it has been brought to my attention that I have said things to my own children that they only long after the fact let me know was hurtful to them. When they bring it up, it really doesn’t sound like something I would say or do and I rarely can remember the particular instance they are talking about, but I realize that doesn’t mean it never happened.

The one thing, about all of this, that really scares me, is that it might mean I really am getting, or perhaps have already gotten, OLD! YIKES! Say it ain’t so!

This post is part of the weekly Five Minute Friday link-up!
The prompt this week is: One
The assignment: Write for five minutes on the word of the week. This is meant to be a free write, which means: no editing, no over-thinking, no worrying about perfect grammar or punctuation. Just write.

Category: Five Minute Friday, The Joys of Aging | 1 Comment on One (Five Minute Friday)
November 9 2018

Burden (Five Minute Friday)

I know many feel the weight of a burden when this time of year comes along because they dread the idea of getting together with their entire family for the holidays. I’ve never understood this because to me gathering with my family is not a burden. It is a joy. I look forward to family reunions every year because this is often the one time I get to see some of these folks. If I get to see them some other time throughout the year then that is just a bonus.

Maybe the sense of burden tied to family gatherings is really because you feel like you need to buy gifts for every member of your entire family and whoever they are involved with at the time. I feel that pain and it can indeed feel like a burden. This year if you are feeling like avoiding all contact with your family over the holidays because of gift giving “obligations” I want you to rethink your idea of what the holidays are all about. You have all heard Jesus is the reason for the season, and while I am not here to preach to you, consider the fact that His presence is and was enough.

Consider the idea of giving the gift of your presence without the stress of giving gifts. If you feel the need to give, donate to your favorite charity and do it in your family’s name if it makes you feel better. Of plan a fun holiday experience for all of you to do together and give the gift of a lasting memory. Family gatherings don’t have to be a burden, just free yourself of the ways you thought of them in the past and make this year’s holiday season one you can remember and enjoy with your family.

If none of those ideas works for you, then perhaps you should go back and read Saving for the Holidays to get a handle on it before this time next year rolls around. It’s NOT about the gifts, it’s about the people!

This post is part of the weekly Five Minute Friday link-up!
The prompt this week is: Burden
The assignment: Write for five minutes on the word of the week. This is meant to be a free write, which means: no editing, no over-thinking, no worrying about perfect grammar or punctuation. Just write.

Category: Family, Five Minute Friday | 3 Comments on Burden (Five Minute Friday)
November 5 2018

Repeat (Five Minute Friday)

If there is only one thing on my mind these days that I think of when I see the word repeat, it is winning my sixth NaNoWriMo. If you’ve followed my posts for very long you’ve heard it a time or two, or twenty. I wouldn’t even be here writing this post if not for finding this wonderful and difficult challenge. Every year in November, since 2013, all of my free time has been focused on writing.

Finally this year Hubby gets it. He made plans to take an intense training class this weekend and he knew it would be fine because it was November and of course I would be busy writing. Winning the first year gave me the confidence to believe I really was a writer. It also gave me the knowledge in each of the years that followed to tell myself that I’ve done it before and I can certainly do it again.

Every time I find something in my life that seems too hard and I think it can’t be done, I tell myself you’ll never know if you don’t at least try and if you can win NaNoWriMo, you can do ANYTHING!

If you can win NaNoWriMo, you can do ANYTHING! Click To Tweet

Every year has been a little different. Some years I get off to a really late or slow start, some years I lose confidence in my story mid-month and have trouble picking up the pace again, some years I get sick and struggle with keeping up and recovering at the same time. I hate it when I hear other writers give up before the month is half over with excuses that they don’t have time, but I have worked full time every year and still squeezed in the time to write at least 50,000 words. You have to want to win enough to give up watching tv, NetFlix, social media, hanging out with friends and family, cleaning the house, cooking fancy meals or whatever it is that takes up your time the rest of the year. If you want to write a novel, you will make time. I didn’t say it would be easy, far from it. Some days, the words just flow and other days you have to really dig deep to find them and struggle to pull them out and get them written at all.

But, my friends, you will never know if you don’t try. If you try and fail at least you tried. If you don’t bother trying at all, you have already failed, now haven’t you. Write on!

Some days, the words just flow and other days you have to really dig deep to find them and struggle to pull them out and get them written at all. This is the life of a writer. Click To Tweet

This post is part of the weekly Five Minute Friday link-up!
The prompt this week is: Repeat
The assignment: Write for five minutes on the word of the week. This is meant to be a free write, which means: no editing, no over-thinking, no worrying about perfect grammar or punctuation. Just write.

Category: Five Minute Friday, NaNoWriMo, Writing | Comments Off on Repeat (Five Minute Friday)
October 27 2018

Moment (Five Minute Friday)

This week, the FiveMinuteFriday word prompt is moment. Let’s take a moment out of our busy lives to listen to these two songs below with moment in their titles and really consider the messages they share. Please also consider stopping by my 31 Days of 5 Minute Free Writes Challenge post which should be completed after I post this. Thanks for stopping by, enjoy your musical moment by listening to the songs below.

This post is part of the weekly Five Minute Friday link-up!
The prompt this week is: Moment
The assignment: Write for five minutes on the word of the week. This is meant to be a free write, which means: no editing, no over-thinking, no worrying about perfect grammar or punctuation. Just write.

Category: Five Minute Friday | 1 Comment on Moment (Five Minute Friday)
October 18 2018

Who (Five Minute Friday)

Kate says “who” this week. So timer set and here goes.

Who do you think you are to write and put it out there for the world to see? What makes you think anyone wants to read what you have to say? Sure the teachers told you that your writing was decent when they wrote the high marks on your essays in school. Then there are those older relatives, many of whom are no longer of this earth, that wrote in their Christmas cards how much they looked forward to your annual holiday newsletter because they liked getting to hear about the things we were doing throughout the year and that the photos were nice too. But that doesn’t mean the whole internet-viewing world needs to see what you write does it?

Well, why not? I have a lot of life experience to share, fifty-two years of experience and still gaining more every day. Why shouldn’t I write about the things I have seen and learned in my lifetime if I could help some younger person avoid the mistakes I’ve made? Maybe I DO have something worthwhile to say and share. Just because I put it out there doesn’t mean they have to read it, right?

Stop. That is where five minutes and my fast two-finger typing will get me. Until next time…

This post is part of the weekly Five Minute Friday link-up!
The prompt this week is: Who
The assignment: Write for five minutes on the word of the week. This is meant to be a free write, which means: no editing, no over-thinking, no worrying about perfect grammar or punctuation. Just write.

Category: Blogging, Confidence, Five Minute Friday, Writing | 2 Comments on Who (Five Minute Friday)