Not giving up, not giving in

The last time I "failed" at write31days, I did not write again for six whole months! I will not let this happen again. I figure if I can write 10 times a month that is better than nothing, so I will keep writing and hopefully even keep blogging. So here I am jumping back in with Day 9.

Yesterday, I had a flashback to junior high. Okay, maybe not junior high, more like Junior Speech class. In my continuing education effort, I had a group presentation. Ya know where you actually have to be up in front of a classroom and talking and sounding intelligent. Public speaking is NOT my gift. I am 1000% positive that God has not called me to public speaking (I will take this moment to say that I am not saying this will never change, but for now in this season of my life, in the living out of my personality, there is no room for public speaking).

Anyway, back to my flashback predicament. I woke up that morning with some crazy dreams in my mind, ya know the ones where you have experienced the day's events over and over and they DO NOT go according to plan.  Like when you dream that a piano has suddenly appeared in the classroom and is blocking your view from the fellow students. Or the secret service show up and pull out the ONE person you can count on to help with the interaction time. It was crazy

So I wake up and my stomach is in knots and part two of my flashback is settling my stomach with cinnamon toast because it's the only thing I can get down and I wasn't even sure that was going to be enough. Seriously, the nerves I had were causing a little bit of dry heaves as I was getting ready.

To top it off I was having a bad hair day and it was raining. Like I said, JUNIOR HIGH all over again!

It is so frustrating to me that even though I am almost old, and I have some life experience under my belt, that getting up in front of a classroom and attempting to speak about a topic or a poet or a literary critic (Matthew Arnold if you must know) still terrifies me.

Also, little tidbit about Arnold. He has some good quotes... Like this one that makes me think maybe I should pursue writing poetry instead of prose and essays.

In a way, it does remind me that I don't have it all together (don't worry, that really wasn't something I thought to begin with). And it reminds me that God gives us things to stretch us and grow us, and make us depend on Him and His strength.

Also, the presentation went by without a hitch. I don’t know what kind of grade we got and there was no raving that it was the best one, but we got it done and nobody choked or completely lost their place. It is a good reminder to me that I don’t have to be perfect. I don’t have to present like someone else. And I don’t have to love it. I just have to be willing and do my best.

My thoughts today: Stretching myself is good, although I would much rather stretch myself with writing exercises then public speaking. What stretches you?

Join me as I remember what it means to be a writer again. Writing for 31 days in an attempt to find where nature and art collide in the work of writing. Click the graphic to find all my #write31days posts.

Nicely Handled

It's a short one today... Just getting in by the skin of my teeth before I head to bed. Today is one of those days when I'm getting down even if it's bad as I search for the good.

Some days it just doesn’t seem possible, this commitment to writing. There are days when I just want to give up. Quit writing, quit school, quit blogging. But just about the time that I am ready to give up, I get a little encouragement or a little reminder that I am a writer and writing is possible…

Writing is possible.

Today the encouragement came in a graded paper. It’s a funny story, ya know. How my high school English teacher is now my University literature professor, twenty years later. I have always loved her, I am always thankful for the opportunities I’ve had to learn from her. But I’ve also been a little (okay, a lot) intimidated by her. I always want to get the best grades possible.

So when my paper is returned with a B+ and the words, “Nicely handled. You write well.” You kinda wanna do a little dance and get off the couch and type another blogpost.

Just when I think that writing is not possible, I’m reminded that it is, I just have to work on it. And maybe next time the paper will be an “A.” 

Join me as I remember what it means to be a writer again. Writing for 31 days in an attempt to find where nature and art collide in the work of writing. Click the graphic to find all my #write31days posts.

Handmade Cards: Learn

I'm learning...

Did you know that today is World Card Making Day... and usually on this day, I "lock myself" in my card room and spend the whole day making cards. Do you want to know what I actually did today? Wrote a paper... just a three-page paper on The Poem of El Cid... ever hear of it? Yeah, me neither until last week when I had to read it for World Literature which I am taking with the intention of finishing my bachelor's degree... maybe before I'm 40, but probably not... it's not that far away!

Anyway, the point is, I am pushing myself to keep learning even if it is not all the stuff I would choose. See, the thing with getting a degree is that sometimes you have to take required courses that don't really fit your passion.

I just lost my train of thought... that happens sometimes with five minute free writes. My mind just went blank.

Did you know that you can learn to make handmade cards? It's super fun and can be very easy. There is no reason to make it complicated. A handmade card is going the extra mile in a thankyou note, a birthday card, or a just because letter.

Today I am sharing some cards that I used for a workshop to teach others how to make handmade cards. I have so much fun doing these (on a small scale) and am hoping to do another one sometimes soon (but maybe not until this busy semester is over).  I loved showing the ladies these sample cards and watching them take the supplies and make the design their own with simple changes here and there.

And if you don't want to make your own, you can always order a few from my shop!

The question is this: How do you keep learning, even if it's not formal education? If you are local, would you be interested in a little workshop for making cards?

My word prompt came from Kate Motaung who is doing 31 days of 5 minute free writes this month!  Five minutes of writing is about all I can squeeze in these days, but it's better than no writing!!

Thanks for taking the time to read and comment as I get moving again in writing and creating... (it might just benefit you at the end of our time this month)