Remember the parable about the talents? I have never understood why people let some of their greatest gifts go. A few years ago I came across a sketch pad from a college art class my mother had taken when she was a young woman. Some of the portraits were astounding; I could not believe someone I knew could draw like that. My mom had always been the artistic one we went to went we needed something drawn up or painted, but the magnificence of the figures in her old college workbook are beyond compare.
When I asked her about it, she looked fondly at her old work but shrugged it off. She had gotten too distracted with her life; working, raising children--just living. What a shame, most people would say, but I say, what a darn, crying, ridiculous shame. Like the old man on the guitar who just plays for himself or the closet poet who keeps his notebook under the mattress, people who are afraid to step out into the light don’t realize how much of life they aren’t living.
Yes, criticism is hard, and life is never-endingly busy, but we were created to create, to use our imaginations, to invent.
As a writer, I have had peaks and valleys throughout my life when it comes to my own work. My first teachers recognized my talent, and later on other instructors and my family encouraged it. Looking back, I can see that every time I gave up or burned out, I lost momentum. There was a learning curve I had to re-adjust to when I began again. Those absences may have taught me lessons but they were painful ones, and who knows what stories or poems (and progress!) were lost during those times I laid down my pencil.
I have been back in the saddle for 3 years now. My product and my passion are better than they have ever been. I still have a lot to learn but I have moved forward in my career by leaps and bounds. Thank goodness, for second chances, and thirds, and fourths…
Use your talents wisely. You know what you can do and do well. Don’t let them go to waste.
Friday, March 27, 2009
Friday, March 20, 2009
Writers' Recipe for March
Talk about quick, easy, and something the family will love. This fun dish will leave you plenty of time to read and write. I love it served with honey mustard, and pinto beans on the side.
Corn Dog Casserole
1 tablespoon of butter
1/2 cup of chopped celery
1/4 cup of chopped onion (green onion recommended)
1 pack of light or turkey hot dogs, split and cut into thirds
1 box of Jiffy Mix Cornbread Mix
1 beaten egg
3/4 cup of milk
1/2 teaspoon of sage
1/8 teaspoon of pepper
1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
Saute onions,celery, and hotdogs in butter until onions are clear. Mix all other ingredients in a large bowl with 1/2 cup of the shredded cheddar. Add the sauteed hotdogs and vegetables to the cornbread mix and blend gently. Pour into a greased 9X13 pan. Top with the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese. Bake 15 to 20 minutes at 350 or until lightly brown.
Corn Dog Casserole
1 tablespoon of butter
1/2 cup of chopped celery
1/4 cup of chopped onion (green onion recommended)
1 pack of light or turkey hot dogs, split and cut into thirds
1 box of Jiffy Mix Cornbread Mix
1 beaten egg
3/4 cup of milk
1/2 teaspoon of sage
1/8 teaspoon of pepper
1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
Saute onions,celery, and hotdogs in butter until onions are clear. Mix all other ingredients in a large bowl with 1/2 cup of the shredded cheddar. Add the sauteed hotdogs and vegetables to the cornbread mix and blend gently. Pour into a greased 9X13 pan. Top with the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese. Bake 15 to 20 minutes at 350 or until lightly brown.
Friday, March 13, 2009
Bully Bully
Yes, they’re everywhere. Bullies even find their way onto authors’ blogs and writing lists. It’s a part of life no one wants to deal with, but sometimes we don’t have a choice. Eleanor Roosevelt said,
“Great minds discuss ideas.
Average minds discuss events.
Small minds discuss people.”
The longer I work online, the more opportunities I have to come across those caustic personalities that seem to revel in controversy, negativity, or just plain madness. Nothing can bring you down like a bad review, but those are just blips on our career radars. Sometimes we can learn from them, sometimes we just need to laugh (and dust off our shoulders). Bullies, however, invading our online communities are another matter entirely.
One of the things I have learned about dealing with bullies on the internet is it’s not about winning. You can’t “beat” someone at stirring a pot of trouble. Walking away from, or in the case of being online, just ignoring, seems to be the best method for dealing with troublemakers. Eventually they do get bored and go away. Sometimes we are lucky enough to have them booted from the group. But what if you have a point to make?
One of my favorite comments came from an authors’ list many moons ago. This fabulous, brave woman declared,
"You can't chase me away, because I'm not running. And if
you don't want a lemon pie in your face, maybe you should make apple
instead. Because you're gonna eat your words, one way or another."
Wow. That being said, she got her point across to the person giving her a hard time. It doesn’t seem fair to always have to bite your tongue and look the other way. Bullies shouldn’t be able to get away with it. But before you confront a bully directly on their bad behavior, consider this:
Recently, an acquaintance in one of my writing groups has had to deal with online interference from a woman who had worked in her office! This bully had given her a hard time at work, and then once my acquaintance changed jobs, continued to pursue throwing rocks at her from online. Almost stalking--but I digress…
Writing is art. It is a creative experience that releases, relaxes, encourages, enlivens, and gives so many of us purpose. The ability to write is a gift, and no one has a right to take that away. People who bring contention into our daily lives aren’t welcome, so don’t allow the same sort to influence to ruin your experience working on the web. This includes confronting and wasting your energy arguing or trying to “one up” a bully. Folks like that thrive on any attention--and sometimes the worst the better. So protective your self from those sorts, but at the same time, don’t let yourself get sucked in. Defend yourself, walk away, and then forget about it. Remember Thumper’s Rule: If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all. Then get back to doing what you do best--writing.
“Great minds discuss ideas.
Average minds discuss events.
Small minds discuss people.”
The longer I work online, the more opportunities I have to come across those caustic personalities that seem to revel in controversy, negativity, or just plain madness. Nothing can bring you down like a bad review, but those are just blips on our career radars. Sometimes we can learn from them, sometimes we just need to laugh (and dust off our shoulders). Bullies, however, invading our online communities are another matter entirely.
One of the things I have learned about dealing with bullies on the internet is it’s not about winning. You can’t “beat” someone at stirring a pot of trouble. Walking away from, or in the case of being online, just ignoring, seems to be the best method for dealing with troublemakers. Eventually they do get bored and go away. Sometimes we are lucky enough to have them booted from the group. But what if you have a point to make?
One of my favorite comments came from an authors’ list many moons ago. This fabulous, brave woman declared,
"You can't chase me away, because I'm not running. And if
you don't want a lemon pie in your face, maybe you should make apple
instead. Because you're gonna eat your words, one way or another."
Wow. That being said, she got her point across to the person giving her a hard time. It doesn’t seem fair to always have to bite your tongue and look the other way. Bullies shouldn’t be able to get away with it. But before you confront a bully directly on their bad behavior, consider this:
Recently, an acquaintance in one of my writing groups has had to deal with online interference from a woman who had worked in her office! This bully had given her a hard time at work, and then once my acquaintance changed jobs, continued to pursue throwing rocks at her from online. Almost stalking--but I digress…
Writing is art. It is a creative experience that releases, relaxes, encourages, enlivens, and gives so many of us purpose. The ability to write is a gift, and no one has a right to take that away. People who bring contention into our daily lives aren’t welcome, so don’t allow the same sort to influence to ruin your experience working on the web. This includes confronting and wasting your energy arguing or trying to “one up” a bully. Folks like that thrive on any attention--and sometimes the worst the better. So protective your self from those sorts, but at the same time, don’t let yourself get sucked in. Defend yourself, walk away, and then forget about it. Remember Thumper’s Rule: If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all. Then get back to doing what you do best--writing.
Monday, March 09, 2009
Epicon 2009
Last weekend’s blog skipped because I was attending a writing conference on electronic publishing in Las Vegas. It was a great trip and I learned a lot. For those of you not members with Epic Authors, I highly recommend you join.
Congratulations to all of the 2009 Eppie winners!
Ten Things I Learned at the 2009 Epicon Conference, Las Vegas:
1. The desert is cold.
2. Writers are not early risers.
3. Stretchy pants are okay.
4. I am not alone in the universe.
5. Writers care.
6. Creative minds are open minds.
7. It’s not ADD (so it must be a writer thing).
8. Gamble? Submit a manuscript.
9. Someone always knows more.
10. I need a convertible.
Congratulations to all of the 2009 Eppie winners!
Ten Things I Learned at the 2009 Epicon Conference, Las Vegas:
1. The desert is cold.
2. Writers are not early risers.
3. Stretchy pants are okay.
4. I am not alone in the universe.
5. Writers care.
6. Creative minds are open minds.
7. It’s not ADD (so it must be a writer thing).
8. Gamble? Submit a manuscript.
9. Someone always knows more.
10. I need a convertible.
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