I realize I have been remiss about posting anything here in a few weeks. Life has been a little crazy with sick children, work, Christmas shopping and the crazy ideas that keep popping into my head for a novel I've been working on for a long time. Not that I don't have other projects that should take priority, but this one is part of my Wild Blue Series and is special. It takes place over Christmas, the 12 Days of Christmas to be exact.
I don't know about the rest of you, but this year is a difficult one for me to find even an iota of Christmas spirit. Partly, the weather is to blame. We have had skiffs of snow that are gone before I get the camera out. Partly, the flu that has hit our house and left us all nauseous and achy, but not flat out sick. How annoying is that?
It's interesting to note now that my kids are teenagers (and one on the brink!) how little excitement there is for anything other than cookies and gifts. We did get to take in a great concert Wednesday night. This is my oldest son's last year in Concert Band. He and half the band will graduate in June. I know already that I'm going to cry at their final concert when they ask all the graduates to stand.
My middle son celebrates his first year in Jazz Band. He was shocked on his first day in September to learn he knew nothing about playing guitar. Nothing. He planned to quit. Then he talked to one of the teachers, quite by accident, who told him not to worry. They would teach him the six chords he knew so he could get by for a while. Fast forward two and a half months. He played his first public guitar solo!! Of course I recorded it. Of course I was so proud I could burst.
One of my favourite quotes is "feel the fear and do it anyway." My son has certainly faced his fear even with all the uncertainties ahead.
Writers to that as well. We write on spec. We don't know if our work will sell. We don't know if anyone will ever read it or if we'll have to lay it on the floor for a puppy to pee on. We write because we love to write. We face the fear and submit our work to agents, to publishers and, with any luck, eventually to our readers.
I have one goal for 2013: to face my fears. To do the things I have held back from doing lately. Painting, writing, putting a nice backsplash in my kitchen (which I wasn't going to do until I get new cupboards), grading for my orange belt in karate (and maybe even my green belt by the end of the year!), going for walks in the woods...you get the idea.
Merry Christmas to you all.
May the spirit find you and nip your heels enough for you to make those changes in your life that you always thought you could.
Diane
I don't know about the rest of you, but this year is a difficult one for me to find even an iota of Christmas spirit. Partly, the weather is to blame. We have had skiffs of snow that are gone before I get the camera out. Partly, the flu that has hit our house and left us all nauseous and achy, but not flat out sick. How annoying is that?
It's interesting to note now that my kids are teenagers (and one on the brink!) how little excitement there is for anything other than cookies and gifts. We did get to take in a great concert Wednesday night. This is my oldest son's last year in Concert Band. He and half the band will graduate in June. I know already that I'm going to cry at their final concert when they ask all the graduates to stand.
My middle son celebrates his first year in Jazz Band. He was shocked on his first day in September to learn he knew nothing about playing guitar. Nothing. He planned to quit. Then he talked to one of the teachers, quite by accident, who told him not to worry. They would teach him the six chords he knew so he could get by for a while. Fast forward two and a half months. He played his first public guitar solo!! Of course I recorded it. Of course I was so proud I could burst.
One of my favourite quotes is "feel the fear and do it anyway." My son has certainly faced his fear even with all the uncertainties ahead.
Writers to that as well. We write on spec. We don't know if our work will sell. We don't know if anyone will ever read it or if we'll have to lay it on the floor for a puppy to pee on. We write because we love to write. We face the fear and submit our work to agents, to publishers and, with any luck, eventually to our readers.
I have one goal for 2013: to face my fears. To do the things I have held back from doing lately. Painting, writing, putting a nice backsplash in my kitchen (which I wasn't going to do until I get new cupboards), grading for my orange belt in karate (and maybe even my green belt by the end of the year!), going for walks in the woods...you get the idea.
Merry Christmas to you all.
May the spirit find you and nip your heels enough for you to make those changes in your life that you always thought you could.
Diane
