After my plan to keep up with my blog better this year, we had the winter storms show up. Who knew that I wouldn’t be able to get back to my computer after that last blog for almost a week? Not that I really want to complain, since we only lost cable and many around our town, including our neighbors across the street, lost their electricity. Families were huddled together in whichever house did have electricity, community buildings and churches opened up for people to wait out the storm, and some bought a generator to convert at least part of the house into liveable space. We’ve just started to get things back on track and another snowstorm has hit our town. Not as much ice this time but driving home this afternoon, I passed five fender-benders from slippery roads.
I did write, while the cable/Internet connection was down. I finished my new proposal and had it ready to go to the PO as soon as the roads were clear enough. I started revising pages for another idea and went to a neighboring town to meet with a critique partner. The weather may have slowed us down, shut down some businesses, but our brains and relationships with others continued.
That’s why I write. To share that enormous spirit of life that is within each person. I love discovering what draws two people together. . . and what keeps them together. Are there certain odds or circumstances that are too much for them? How do they handle adversity? The last snowstorm was an adventure for us. We didn’t have outside family to connect with so we stayed inside, built a fire, played cards, read, reconnected with each other. We did have some friends show up to use our showers once the roads were passable and we enjoyed visiting over dinner.
What draws you to a book? Do you like to root for the characters or are you more interested in the plot? Whatever you choose, I hope you stay safe with whatever weather you experience!
It’s raining sleet and freezing drizzle around our area right now. The town is shut down and even the churches have cancelled services for Sunday. Too treacherous to be out on the ice. A few people have slid down our street, probably coming home from work or getting last-minute supplies. My husband had to go to the corner convenience store for milk, just to make it through another couple days with our thirsty teenager.
If you don’t have to be out in the storm, the days are somewhat pleasant. That is, nowhere to go, might as well relax and take it easy. We built a fire in the fireplace and lit some candles, just in case the power went out. We then played cards, watched a movie, some football, chatted with friends on the phone who were also frozen in (no snow at this point so not sure what to call the day).
I ran a Blizzard Special game with my customers for my other job and we all enjoyed the fun of visiting for a few minutes over the phone. I also took advantage of the quiet hours to write several pages and finish a chapter of my proposal that had been dangling over me. I plan to finish the rest of the proposal tomorrow, read over the entire thing on Monday (a postal holiday) and have it ready to go out on Tuesday.
Perspective. . .the dictionary defines this as: “a view of things in their true relationship or relative importance.” Being forced to stay home, take it easy, relax, reconnect with friends. . . that’s the true importance of life. And I always think that if it hadn’t been for a blizzard and two small children, would we have the wonderful stories of Nora Roberts? Makes you stop and think, doesn’t it? If you’re in the cold, stay warm and curl up with a good book!
I am not going to make any resolutions. Or ask you about yours. I have no luck with the New Year listing of changes that will be made during the coming year.
Now, goals. Those I will do. I like the concept of a big goal. Then I can make a list of the things that need to be done to accomplish that goal.  I’m a master listmaker. I always have a list on my desk of things to accomplish by the end of the day or the end of the week. I love crossing something off: mail revisions to editor and feel a major sense of accomplishment at the end of the day when a list is complete.
I also know that my life won’t be blighted if I have to move something to the next day on the list. Life gets in the way sometimes or an item on the list may take longer than I expected. My goal is to complete the list during the time period I’ve allotted; my reality is that it’s okay if sometimes, I don’t.
So, my goal for this year is to be a stronger and more productive writer. I want to see more of my materials submitted and published. For the first quarter, my list of activities includes: Write at least 3 blogs a week; complete two proposals for Everlasting Love; submit a dozen children stories to appropriate markets; write a minimum of one hour each day, five days a week.
Where are you going this year?
