It’s easy to feel small when you’re young, old, alone, overworked and overwhelmed, tired or broke. That doesn’t mean you are.
* * *
Posts Tagged ‘#365Ways2022’
Shine Bright
Posted in Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2022, inspiration, Thoughts, Writers, writing on November 11, 2022| Leave a Comment »
A Better Way
Posted in Other, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2022, coding, creativity, problem solving, Thoughts, yay on November 10, 2022| Leave a Comment »
There is one part of my day job that is repetitive and annoying. It’s the kind of task that would be much easier if automated, and for a while now every time I have had to do this thing I think, “There has to be a better way.”
Well, this week I found it.
It was a small thing, fixed with a hacky bit of code (my speciality), but figuring it out feels pretty great. Now every time I do the thing that used to annoy me so much, I instead feel a minor but deep-seated sense of satisfaction.
Perhaps you know the feeling? Something was broken and now it is fixed.
When I’m up against a problem like this I always think that there has to be a better way. While I’m not always right I like that approach much better than rolling over and giving up.
So whatever it is you’re working on, keep pushing. If there’s a way to make it better, eventually you’ll find it.
* * *
Making It Happen
Posted in Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2022, #CharactersGettingIdeas, creativity, Fiction, genre fiction, Thoughts, Wordle, Writers, writing on November 9, 2022| Leave a Comment »
My Wordle story has run into a minor hiccup: After a couple of weeks, I realized that the main characters should probably be gender swapped. That means going back and reworking what I have so far, and rethinking how the story should move forward. I’ve run a test version past the source of the Wordle story seeds and she approves, so yay.
Now I just need to make it happen.
* * *
Voting Day!
Posted in Likes, Other, Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2022, democracy, future, history, inspiration, past, Thoughts, vote!, yay on November 8, 2022| Leave a Comment »
One realization I had after studying a bit of history is how little say most people have in it. Traditionally, a limited number of people have been in charge of most things, usually to the detriment of the rest. (We remember the pyramids, for example, but what about those conscripted to build them?)
There’s a reason democracies attract people.
“Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all the others.”
― Winston S. Churchill (often quoted, still true)
* * *
Today is voting day in the United States. Not sure where you need to go or what to bring with you? These sites can help.
* * *
Yes, there are a lot of forces trying to pull us apart, and there are many aspects of our economic and social lives that could be improved.
There are also many elements we agree on. Consider health, safety, education, holding doors for the elderly, giving up a seat for the pregnant, and of course, life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
The devil’s in the details, of course, and as anyone with even a passing acquaintance with the news or social media can tell you, we are flooded with examples of what’s broken on a daily basis. But that’s not all that’s happening, or all that is possible.*
There are a lot of ways to live and I happen to think that democracy is one of the best. (Just ask those pyramid builders.) That doesn’t mean the system can’t improve.
How can we make our voices heard? Vote.
How do we build a world that works? Together.
* For a break from doom and gloom, I recommend a visit to David Byrne’s Reasons to be Cheerful.
* * *
Total Eclipse of My Heart
Posted in Likes, Science!, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2022, #srslythonothingimprovesatuesday, lunar eclipse, science, Thoughts on November 7, 2022| Leave a Comment »
Do you love Tuesdays? Want to get a head start on tomorrow? (Or hate Tuesdays and want something to make tomorrow better? Yeah, that’s more me, I’m afraid.) Or perhaps you’re just looking for an excuse to stay up late, you know, For Science? You are in luck!
A total eclipse happens this week, and it will be the last one for 3 years : NPR
The initial phase of the eclipse begins at 3:02 a.m. ET, according to NASA. The partial eclipse then begins at 4:09 a.m. ET, when to the naked eye, it looks like a bite is being taken out of the moon. The lunar disk enters totality at 5:17 a.m. ET and will last for about an hour and a half.
Want more science? Check out NASA’s page on this eclipse: What You Need to Know About the Lunar Eclipse – Moon: NASA Science.
One of my relatives is very much a night owl, so she will have no trouble catching this. The rest of us might have to set our alarms (or, let’s be honest, check out the video tomorrow; no shame either way!).
Enjoy!
* * *
That Someone Is Us
Posted in Other, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2022, adultitude, community, responsibility, Thoughts on November 6, 2022| Leave a Comment »
I went for a walk yesterday with Mr Man. The weather is beautiful, and while unseasonable warmth is disturbing in an “oh crap, climate change” kind of way, it was really nice out. We headed west, basking in the warm sun, gazing up at the blue sky, enjoying the birds and the breeze and the… Ouch, what was that?
A giant hole in the pavement, that’s what. All that looking up at the sky made me trip over what was right in front of me, a foot-sized hole in the tarmac next to a storm drain. Cracks radiated out from the hole. Retreating and reassessing, I peered into the darkness and realized that the hole was more than a trip hazard, it was a portal to the underworld.
Runoff had eaten its way through the pavement, then undermined the street around the drain cover.
That looks dangerous, we said. Someone should do something about that, we said.
In my mind, one important measure of adulthood is the acceptance of responsibility, for self, family, community, country and planet.
We took a photo of the hole and sent it to the city with a location and a repair request.
Because that “someone” was us.
* * *
Morning Sun
Posted in Likes, Other, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2022, abstract, creativity, inspiration, visual art on November 5, 2022| Leave a Comment »
I woke to light dancing through the curtains. This is my attempt to replicate that feeling.
* * *
Time Travel. It’s a Thing.
Posted in Likes, Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2022, creativity, genre fiction, inspiration, Motivation, Thoughts, time travel, writing on November 4, 2022| Leave a Comment »
Exactly one year ago today I decided to do a little time travel. You may remember I mentioned a site called FutureMe, an easy and fun (and free) way to write yourself a letter to be delivered at some time in the future.
My letter arrived this morning, delivering a boost from NaNoWriMos past.
Thanks, Past Me, I will.
* * *
What’s Next?
Posted in Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2022, creativity, inspiration, Thoughts, Writers, writing on November 3, 2022| Leave a Comment »
One thing I like about being a writer is the rejection. That sounds weird, I know.
As I’ve mentioned before,* I used to hate the cycle, write, submit, be rejected, write submit, be rejected. Then one day you wake up and realize that rejection is no longer as painful as it once was. And some time after that, it occurs to you that rejection is really just another part of the cycle, winter to acceptance’s spring. Or whatever.
Don’t get me wrong, acceptances are definitely more fun. But they aren’t the only way to mark writing progress.
All I know is that my email tonight contained an editor’s, “Sorry, it was great and all but it’s just not great for me” email and it was Not A Big Deal. More like another hole in my writer’s punch card.
Rejection, and the possibility of it, used to dictate a lot of what I did or did not do with my writing. No longer.
Tonight, my first thought after skimming the rejection was, “Cool cool cool, glad they finally got back to me.” My second thought was, “What’s next?”
* A few examples: Making the Most of Rejection; Keep Writing; Exposure Therapy 101.
* * *
More Than I Know
Posted in Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2022, family, genre fiction, inspiration, music, Thoughts, writing on November 2, 2022| Leave a Comment »
It’s funny how much you can absorb without intending to. The other night I put on a classical channel in the background. An elegant but weighty piece came on and I looked up to see that it was by Brahms. Makes sense, I thought.
The next tune was lighter, a sparkling Baroque presence. Telemann. Ah yes, I thought.
Finally, a dramatic, Romantic sound that spoke of strength with warmth. Dvořák, of course.
Of course? What do I know about classical music? Nothing, that’s what. But my father played it all through my childhood and apparently some of it sank in.
It’s the same with writing, I find. I’m not great at picking apart a story into pieces like sixth-grade sentence deconstruction. (That may have something to do with my memories of actual sixth-grade sentence deconstruction. Ugh.)
Whatever genre I’m exploring, I prefer to swim in it, absorb it, dive deep until I am close enough to understand why some readers love it, even if I don’t.
That way, I absorb more than I know.
* * *
-
Recent Posts
She Said, He Said
-
-
Favorite Posts
Archives
Categories
It’s All So Random
What I’m Reading
You must be logged in to post a comment.