Just a note to say that learning to use widgets and plugins has been a challenge for me today!
Every time I think I have a handle on what I need to do to produce a blog post, I learn there is more, more, more…UGH…
Where is Calgon when you need it?
I’ve spent the better part of the morning trying to upload my blogroll links only to learn I need to do a plugin. Now, my work calls me to finish a project before I can get back to my darling post. Alas…time is rushing away…
This post is in response to The Daily Post’s writing prompt: “Object Lesson.”, which starts out with the following:
Sherlock Holmes had his pipe. Dorothy had her red shoes. Batman had his Batmobile. If we asked your friends what object they most immediately associate with you, what would they answer?
Which then prompted me to immediately go and ask my husband, “Okay, what object do you think of when you think of me?”
His reply, “A computer. No, a keyboard.”
“You don’t think it should be a pen?”
Laughter. “No.”
Photo from wikimedia creative commons
Object Dilemma
There, in a nutshell, is my dilemma. I like having a computer (keyboard) in my life, but now it seems it is stuck to me.
Is that a bad thing? I’m not sure.
I do still write using pen and paper. I send notes out to friends of all sorts. I mail cards at the proper seasonal time. I do an occasional journal entry. I hand write letters.
Yet, when I’m honest with myself. I spend a lot of time using a key board. Not just with my laptops (yes, did you notice I have more than one), I also use the keyboards on my Kindle and cell phone. You’ll find me blogging and writing my next great novel and connecting with friends through Facebook, Pinterest, Goodreads, Linkedin, and Goggle Plus.
Image from my website showing the social media I frequent
Writing, blogging, and journaling are important aspects of my life, since I’m a writer. I guess it is a given I’d have a keyboard attached to my fingers.
As I pondered my hubby’s reply, I began to argue with myself that the keyboard is not the central object of my life. I’d have to say that I also use many tools for gardening, cooking, and honey bee keeping, which are lifestyle hobbies I enjoy along with knitting and crocheting. But, based on his feedback, I must not do them as often as I should for them to be an automatic icon associated with me as Sherlock’s, Dorothy’s, or Batman’s.
Yeah. There are only so many hours in the day. Sometimes, something’s got to give. Learning to juggle all the things I want to do in my short time left on this planet is a full-time job.
What about your object?
What object would your friends say is most associated with you?
And friends, is there another object you’d associate with me?
Leave your thoughts, comments, and suggestions for juggling life for all to read!
After eleven days, I’m finally at a point where I can put into words my thoughts regarding music, death, and magical moments.
These words may seem strange put together, but they popped into my mind ten days ago when I read Missing Pieces, a very touching blog post on the Letters to Ian blog written by Ian’s mother, Blair.
At the time of finding Blair’s blog, I was responding to an assignment given by the Blogging University 101 — assignment two to be exact. We were asked to visit other participants in the Blogging 101 class and to comment on the titles and tag lines of new blogs that were starting or to comment on those revised titles and tag lines of established blogs. Blair had updated her title to I Am Still Your Mother with a subtitle of Don’t you give me that look…
The second I read her title and tagline, I wanted to read her blog. I could so hear those words being said to me when I was growing up. I also knew I had said them myself to our daughter. I had even said them years ago to my little brothers when we were growing up in an orphanage (more about that in another post sometime). Of course, when I said those words to my brothers, it was more like screaming, and I said, “I’m your sister. And, you better not give me that look again!”
Reading Blair’s letter to Ian, Missing Pieces, took me back to feeling the grief and pain I had not felt for a while. Her letter reminded me of the magnitude of the loss of my youngest brother, Ralph, at the age of twenty-five in 1982, due to a motorcycle accident. He loved to listen to Queen, which was the artist Blair shared as she recounted the memory of listening to several of Queen’s songs with her son, Ian in a letter she writes him.
And, I felt the surge of grief and pain increase when I read the words from We are the Champions, which was a huge favorite of Ralph’s. Life being what it is, I began to think about music and how it affects our lives in so many ways.
Just as quickly, my mind took me to the memory, pain and loss of two nephews, Josh and Justin. Both were killed in a car accident in 2007. This time Creed’sWith Arms Wide Open and Lynyrd Skynyrd’sFree Bird were the center pieces as our family managed somehow to maneuver through the labyrinth of a two-day funeral process. One for Justin (eighteen and two weeks away from high school graduation) followed by one for Josh (twenty-four with a free spirit).
Creed’s With Arms Wide Open youtube video:
For years after their passing, listening to music by Queen, Creed, or Lynyrd Skynyrd would cause my heart to slow a little, pain a little, and then I’d shake it off, followed with anguish over the loss. Time, as many say, has a way of helping the healing process to begin. This I know. When I hear music by Queen, Creed, or Lynyrd Skynyrd, it is as though by magic, I no longer anguish over my brother’s or my two nephews’ loss. I celebrate in the memories. I cherish the time we had. I, do, still long for more. I pray that one day we will be reunited. Until that time, I’m going to play the music, dance when it moves me, and cherish the magic it brings to my soul.
How about you? How has music, death, or magical moments touched your life?
Let me introduce myself so that you can get to know me and I want to get to know you, too! I’ve blogged for a while now. I
Social Networking
took a course under the tutelage of Dan Blank and setup my first blog, Miss Beehaven with Hobbit Queen. It was my beginning beekeeper’s step into the world of blogging. This blog is still active, I’m just not very active at writing on it.
Then, I branched out and began blogging here and on another site, J. K. Brooks Publishing. The problem is, I still wasn’t all that good at being active.
So, I decided to try my hand at Blogging University Blogging 101 course. I first signed up last fall. But, you guessed it. Life got in the way. So, I’m trying again. This time, I’ll do as best I can in hopes I’m able to complete as many of the assignments as possible.
But, what I want most is to connect with others. To find people and make friends. I want to know from these friends if my writing efforts are worthy. If my blog is helpful. I want to know if my words are being read–what any blogger wants.
Michelle and team have “…encourage [me] to do a version of this assignment: use it to revisit what [I’ve] said when [I] first started blogging, to take stock of what [I’ve] accomplished and what more [I’d] like to do, or to lay out some goals for [my] next six months.”
I think I’ll do the last one — lay out some goals for the next six months — it is easier. Though, I must confess, I did complete an update on my “About Me” that I retitled as “Connect with Me!” So, please check it out and leave a comment or two–good or bad.
Goals for the Next Six Months
To kick this section off, I’m going to use the questions that were provided by this first assignment:
Why are you blogging publicly, rather than keeping a personal journal?
Pam’s Answer: That’s a good question. I’ve journaled (is that a word?) for most of my life. Now, I’m suddenly wanting to put my thoughts out for the world to read. Hmm. What am I thinking? Oh, yeah. It is what everyone says you should do if you want to be successful in this new digital age of information. You need to connect. So, I’m working at connecting with people. We’ll see.
What topics do you think you’ll write about?
Pam’s Answer: Gees, Michelle. These are tough. Was I supposed to think about this? I’ve got characters buzzing around in my head that want to get put on paper. Let’s see. I got it. I don’t have a clue. I thought I’d wing it. I think I see Michelle looking at me over her glasses. Okay. I’ll think about it. Oh, I know. That’s what I hope this class will teach me how to learn to come up with a list. How’s that? Not so good. Yeah. You’re right. Well, okay. Here’s a short list:
My life
My life writing
My life as a beekeeper
My life as a novice stained glass maker
My life as a cook
My life as a gardener
How’s that for a start?
Who would you love to connect with via your blog?
Pam’s Answer: Oh, now I have thought about this question. A lot. Readers. People who like to read other people’s words and provide support. People who are looking for new authors. People who like to connect with other people. People.
Writing is a very lonely world. Oh, sure, an author has the characters in his or her head. But, have you talked with yourself a lot. It ain’t too much fun, bub. So, to avoid loosing a total grip, I thought it would be good to connect with people who have something to say. That are willing to engage in a conversation. To learn together.
If you blog successfully throughout the next year, what would you hope to have accomplished?
Pam’s Answer: Another tough question. And, here I thought answering these questions would be fun and a piece of cake. Hahahaha. Well, let me think. (Picture Clarence in It’s a Wonderful Life). Clarence taps his finger to his chin, and he says, “Yes. Yes, I believe that will do it.” And poof, magic happens.
I’d like to know that
I’ve connected with at least one hundred new souls
I’ve established an active interaction with at least 50 of them
I will be encouraged to build my connections, friendships, and to continue with my writing.
Whew! Am I glad those questions are over. Thanks, Michelle and team for pushing me forward. I have one blog post down (actually two, if you count my updated Connect with me…)!!! Whoopee!
Write on dear friends to be…
Pam
Like Photo by Nutdanai Apikhomboonwaroot from FreeDigitalPhotos.net and photo of mouse and pencil from wikimedia creative commons
