Days of Drifting

 Going Mental  No Responses »
Nov 172020
 

You know those days when it seems that no matter what you do, or how perfectly set up you are, you are just not going to get any work done? Today was one of those days.

Nothing has gone wrong, but two trips to the car rental agency to try to trade to an automatic and a husband who thrives on chaos which is highly strung today, seems to be just the way things are aligned for the day.

Luckily, my required work got done early, so if I don’t get my other work done it will not be the end of the world; and I can find solace in the fact that I am inspired to write instead. There’s always a silver lining if we just leave ourselves open to being shown it.

Another version of myself would be sitting in frustration looking for somewhere to place blame while fretting about best laid plans and waylaid courses. However, this version of me just smiles and shakes her head at the naivety of still believing I have any control or say over how my day is to go – even with my continued love (and dependence) on routine and schedules.

So, I’m going with my inspiration and the mood fighting a rather strong desire to plop down on the couch, turn on some crime TV and let my mind drift into oblivion.

A friend of mine encouragingly reminded me to not write for others or work in creative spaces for anyone other than myself. Much truth lies in these words. Yet, there is also a part of me that struggles with that idea as I have, to be honest, spent most of my life for myself.

But, as I was doing some studying/learning today, I came across a question to ask writers: Why do you want to tell THIS story?

The heart of any writing I do is buried in a desire to help others. When I was eight, I felt alone and strange in the world I had ended up in. It was just being adopted or having a unique international then domestic experience. It was that I became aware of a consciousness that was not the same as those around me whether my own age or older.

So, somehow I knew that my view of the world needed to be shared because surely I could not be alone in the way that I see it. It’s taken me years to find my voice or to have the confidence (thank god for aging) to speak out and to let myself be heard. It’s still a process, but my voice is becoming stronger and louder.

Thus, on days like today when I thought my usual routine would be what makes me feel satisfied at the end of it yet takes me a different direction, I am happy to follow where it goes into a zone – twilight or dawn. 😉

~T 😀

Day 31: #whyshewrites

 Going Mental  No Responses »
May 312019
 

Share one line of your own writing

Seems like one line is not enough….

Today is the end of the #whyshewriteschallenge and I must say that I’ve enjoyed it overall. It also served to push me into writing and sharing more.

So, really for the last 31 days I have been sharing my writing as this is the general way I write for general consumption.

Readers are welcome to read through the blog for the time being. I’ll be working on sharing more writing in general now that the habit is formed. 😉

~T 😀

Day 30: #whyshewrites

 Going Mental  No Responses »
May 302019
 

How do you support other women writers?

Initially, my answer to this was that I really don’t. 🤭

However, after a bit more thought, 🤔I realized that the best way that I can support any writer is by reading her writing. 🤓

I enjoy reading a variety of books from Danielle Steel, Nora Roberts to Laura Ingalls Wilder to Ayn Rand, Margaret Atwood, Elizabeth Gilbert to, of course, the classics with Jane Austen, Bronte sisters, and so many more. 👩🏽‍🏫

To me, the best way to support any writer ✍🏽is to read their words. After all, that is the main purpose of any writer – I imagine….

So, there it is! 🤩

~T 😀

Day 29: #whyshewrites

 Going Mental  No Responses »
May 292019
 

What is your writing goal this year?

At the beginning of the year, I avoided publicly sharing any goals for this year so that I did not feel disappointed by the end of it. 😅

Also, that way no one could point out if I missed something – not that anyone keeps track of my life, or wants to, as much as I do. 😜

Still, I do make them. And, I did set them in writing too. However, I have to accept that ‘real life’ gets in the way of my dream one. 🙄

On the bright side, the year is only half over so there is still time to reach my goals or adjust them accordingly. 😉

So, I have decided that I can achieve the following:

*☝🏽Draft volume 1 of The Universal Asian and/or update the blog

*✌🏽Aim to participate in November’s NaNoWriMo as a way of helping get the above 👆🏽done. 😉

*🤟🏽Continue staying up with posting here now that I’ve redeveloped a habit for it.

These seem manageable. Feel free to keep me accountable! 💪🏽

~T 😀

Day 28: #whyshewrites

 Going Mental  No Responses »
May 282019
 

If you had one writer wish, what would it be?

I’m not quite sure how to answer this, but I suppose I can interpret it however I like.

My wish for my writing is to touch people. Whether it is to make them laugh 😂, ponder 🤔 the world 🌎, feel angry 😡 at a different opinion, or just open their eyes 👀 to something new, I am happy.

Sure, like any writer who calls themselves such, I would like to be published more and sell well a novel. However, it doesn’t need to be a bestseller – though if I could be on Ellen or Oprah for it I wouldn’t complain. 😜

Mostly, I write for myself and hope that in doing so at least one other person out there connects with my words enough to know they are not alone in their experiences and walk on this planet we all share. 💞

Is that a wish? Hm….

~T 😀

Day 26: #whyshewrites

 Going Mental  No Responses »
May 262019
 

The look on your face when you’re editing

This picture connects to Day 25 and the reality of my editing. Actually, I don’t edit that much, but to be fair I haven’t completed a full manuscript that I have had to edit. 😂

My published pieces were edited by the publication editors, so I was able to pass the responsibility on to them. 😜

When I do need to edit my own work, I do not really feel it a cumbersome task because I tend to write once I have outlined what I want to say. This is why I can be slow in getting something out.

Of course, this is not always the case and there are plenty of times when I write something that is complete gibberish. In those cases, rather than edit, I tend to just start over and rework the parts that can be used into the new piece. Perhaps one would just simply call that editing, though? 🤷🏽‍♀️

In any case, with the help of furry friends, I generally avoid it altogether. 😂🤣

~T 😀

Day 25: #whyshewrites

 Going Mental  No Responses »
May 252019
 

Do you have a pet who shares your writing space?

Cats 🐈 are my spirit animal even though I identify with eagles 🦅 .

For as long as I can remember I have had cats despite never really staying in one place long enough to see them grow old. My parents kept my childhood kitty and throughout my life kitties have come and gone in my home as I’ve moved country to country.

Recently, my husband was starting to feel the empty nest and suggested we take on some cats with the promise that this time we keep them forever. 😻

Since I have never paid for cats, with so many out there in need of homes – maybe it’s my adoption issue -, we waited until the timing was right. Well, the universe provided us with some new kits.

This is one of the three. He is actually only staying with this until he can go overseas to join his original family. However, he’s also the friendliest after just a couple of weeks.

The other two are ours and they are sweet though more camera shy. 😉

So, at the moment they kindly leave me alone when I want to do some writing, but they also bring me joy when I need a bit of a distraction. 😻😻😻

~T :Dm

Day 24: #whyshewrites

 Going Mental  No Responses »
May 242019
 

Post a picture of your favorite notebook

Rather than the notebook itself, I’ve shown my leather cover, which was a bit of a splurge from one of my favorite stationery stores in Tokyo. However, the red makes me happy 😃 to write in each day.

Recently, I’ve been migrating to a bullet journal style of journaling as I also like to collect ticket stubs and note about my experiences, etc. Also, it suits my listing and organizing inclinations. 😅

I haven’t quite moved to the bullet style 📓notebook yet as I have many blank books on my shelf that are waiting to be filled.

So, when those are used up, then I’ll likely be on the search for the best notebook 📒 with the eternal question of lines, bullets, or blank pages… 🤷🏽‍♀️

~T 😀

Day 23: #whyshewrites

 Going Mental  No Responses »
May 232019
 

Share a story you wish you had written

I’m not actually sure what this prompt is asking. Is it asking for a story that is mine which I have not yet written, but wish I had? Is it asking for a story that is published that I wish I had written and published myself?

If it is the latter, that seems rather strange as it’s not my story, so why would I wish to have written it myself?

If it is the former, by sharing the story then does that mean I’ve made my wish come true? Hm…

In any case, the safer and more optimistic choice is the former. However, I don’t have enough time at this moment to share a full story. Rather, I shall do as I more often do – commentary on my thoughts around this. 😛

There are many stories that I wish I had written, but there are none that I can not yet write. Thus, my wish can always come true. For example, I still plan to share the stories of my final years in the desert. Or, I am working on how to share the story of my birth family search. Plus, I’ve got stories of my travels around the world.

In the future, I hope to tell other stories. The stories of my grandmothers are worth sharing as they fascinated me when they told them to me or I later heard about them. Very different women who still made a mark on their worlds.

So, there is no story that I wish to have written as I still can and will. There is no story that I wish to steal to say that it was mine because, well, it’d be a different story.

Hope that doesn’t ruin the prompt in any way… a cynic’s mind can never just make one clear-cut decision. 😉

~T 😀

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