Hump Day Wednesday: The Good Thing about Routines

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Getting up at the same time every morning, doing what we do to get prepare for the day ahead –there is something comforting and productive about following a familiar routine. For me, my morning routine signals my brain that it soon will be time to get down to business. I firmly believe that this plays a huge part in achieving my daily goals. And yes, setting measurable goals for the day ahead is part of my routine.

Still, a break from the routine can be just as beneficial, a way to replenish the creative well (I talked about this last Wednesday) or solve a plot problem, or anything else that might be slowing down progress on a work-in-process. A break from the routine doesn’t have to be anything big. It can be as simple as stepping away from the computer to write longhand, pulling weeds from the garden, or cooking.

At the moment, my usual routine is serving me well, so I’ll save the break for another time.

To share your thoughts about this, click on leave a reply.

Until Friday, and wishing you a routine and productive day,

Ann

Fantastic Friday: Voracious Tasting

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Yep, you read right. Voracious. Tasting. I attended this event last night–Seattle’s fifth annual– and what a treat! So much good food and drink, and so many new things to sample and enjoy.

I had such a terrific time. I just might incorporate the experience, or pieces of it, into a future story. Food, drink and romance? They do seem to go together. 🙂 But what if something goes drastically wrong, and what’s supposed to be an enjoyable evening turns into a total fiasco? Ooh… My creative juices are definitely stirring. I’ll let you know if anything comes of this, although it could be awhile.

Until Monday and wishing you a Fantastic Friday filled with good food and drink and friends and family,

Ann

Hump Day Wednesday: Refilling the Well

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Two Miró works

Yesterday, I took the afternoon off to visit the Miró exhibit at the Seattle Art Museum, which is about an thirty-minute drive south of my neighborhood. Miró’s art doesn’t exactly thrill me (I don’t get  his sculptures at all!), although I do like his humorous pieces and his use of bright colors.

Besides an afternoon out, the museum trip served another purpose: it helped refill my creative well. A change in my usual writing routine, even for an occasional few hours, always energizes me, and I come back excited and ready to work.

What do you do to refill your creative well?

To share your thoughts about this, click on leave a reply.

Until Friday, and wishing you a recharged creative well,

Ann

Motivational Monday: Do It Anyway

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What a great quote to kick off your Monday morning!

How many times have I resisted trying something new because of the possible objections I think I should overcome first? (Note the use of I think, which is different from I know.) Too many, I’m afraid. That’s why this quote is so powerful. None of us will achieve those dreams we hold dear unless we forge past those possible objections and just do it.

Care to join me?

To share your thoughts about this, click on leave a reply.

Until Wednesday, and wishing you a can-do-week,

Ann

Fantastic Friday: When Life Intervenes

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Due to family stuff (nothing serious!) I’m taking today off. I’ll be back Monday.

 

Until Monday, and enjoy the weekend,

Ann 

Hump Day Wednesday: How I Burned the Rice

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It’s Wednesday and we’re halfway through the work week. Yay!

Although for me, the work week often extends to Saturday and an occasional Sunday. But I really don’t mind, because I love what I do. When I’m in the middle of writing a novel, I write every day to get the story on paper and maintain the momentum.

So how does writing relate to burning the rice? I’m glad you asked. 🙂  I happen to eat a fair amount of rice. Yesterday morning I put some on to cook. While it simmered, I headed into my office to work on my current book-in-progress. I told myself, “In 45 minutes, you need to turn off the rice. Don’t forget!”

You see, in the past, I have forgotten a few times–always a Very Bad thing. You should’ve seen the hard-boiled eggs that cooked so long, the water all boiled away. So sad.

Back to yesterday’s fiasco. You can guess what happened. Yep, I was so immersed in my story that I completely forgot about the rice. The instant that awful burnt smell wafted toward me, I raced into the kitchen, scolding myself for another memory lapse. Will I never learn? Ugh, what a stinky mess. I’m still soaking the poor pan.

Darn it–I know better!

Never again, I swear. From now on, if I dare to risk cooking anything while I write, I will set a timer to remind myself to check on it.

There, I’ve posted my pledge for all to see. To share your thoughts about this, click on leave a reply.

Until Friday, and wishing you a middle of the week doesn’t include burned rice,

Ann

Motivational Monday: Let’s Kick Some Problems in the Butt!

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It’s Monday, and what a great to way to kick off the week!

This quote is brought to you by Albert Montapert. This guy wrote book that came out in 1970, called The Supreme Philosophy of Man: The Laws of Life. I haven’t read it, but I hear that it embraces basically the same philosophy of The Secret, and does it even better.

We all grapple with problems. I certainly encounter my share–every day, often multiple times. Some are small, like my current problem of the week: What colors should I paint the bedroom? (Trust me, figuring out an entirely new and different color scheme is a problem.) I’m narrowing that down now, but it’s taking way more time than I ever imagined. Other problems are bigger, such as, I have no idea what  kind of book project I should focus on next, or, I can’t get this stupid plot to come together! Then there are the truly ginormous problems, for example when a family member needs help and suddenly I need to be in two places at once, or someone I care about or want very much to please asks me to tackle some task that seems impossible.

That’s why this particular picture and motivational saying speaks to me. It puts problems in a can-do perspective, and reminds me that if I put my mind to it, I have the power to solve/conquer/see any problem in a different way than I might think, and that I can solve it, or at least cut it down to size, and thrive from the challenge.

What a terrific angle in which to look at and tackle life’s problems!

I’m ready to give this attitude adjustment a try. How about you? Join me in giving this “eat any problem for breakfast” attitude a try, and let’s kick some serious butt this week and boot some of those problems right out of our life.

To share your thoughts about this, click on leave a reply.

Until Wednesday,

Ann

Fantastic Friday: Take the Weekend Off!

TGIF CAT DANCE

  • It’s Friday. Yipee! (And I don’t know where that little dot came from or how to get rid of it…) 

    Experts say that we Americans work too hard, rarely taking a full day off. I’m one of them. Speaking strictly for myself, I love what I do and for me work is fun. I usually work for at least a few hours Saturday and Sunday.

     

    Now and then, though, I take the entire weekend off. That’s what I’m doing that this weekend. I’ll be taking walks, enjoying the flowers and sweet scent of spring and hanging out with family and friends. I’ll might spend time in the garden and I know I’ll go out for dinner. No matter what I do, I plan to thoroughly enjoy myself without a speck of guilt for not sitting at the computer. I know that on Monday, I’ll come back to my desk refreshed and ready to work hard.

     

    Are you working this weekend? If so, take some time away, even and an hour or two. You deserve it.

     

    Whatever you do, enjoy!

     

    Until Monday,

    Ann

     

Hump Day Wednesday: It Pays to Laugh!

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Happy middle of the week! I thought I’d jump-start your day with a bit of humor… on myself. 🙂

I’ve been hard at work on a book. As always, when I’m immersed in a story, I tend to be distracted and a little absent-minded. (Make that a lot.) Yesterday afternoon I needed a break. We’re getting ready to paint our bedroom and I decided to stop at the paint store.

Traffic was pretty bad, but I had the radio on and my head in the clouds, thinking about my story, so I didn’t mind. (All the same, I managed to be a careful driver, I swear.) Now here comes the absent-minded part: Instead of heading for the paint store I wanted to visit, I drove to a different store. A store I really don’t like.

I didn’t realize my mistake until I saw the paint store sign.  What was I doing there? Shaking my head, I turned around and headed in the opposite direction. Back through more traffic, more red lights, to another part of town. Time spent going to the wrong place and getting to the right one: 35 minutes!

What a ridiculous waste of the afternoon! I certainly had good reason to get mad at myself. Instead, I shook my head and laughed. And I felt a heck of a lot better than I would have if I’d gone the other route.

Have you done something that caused you to laugh at yourself? If so, I would love to know about it. Click on leave a reply and  post here.

Until Friday,

 Ann