I've struggled with focus this week. I know my updates have been as thin as corn silk, but no matter how hard I tried or how hard I focused, the words would not come.
That is the ebb and flow of writing. My column was due yesterday afternoon and at lunch, I still hadn't written the column.
After lunch, I sat still on the couch and meditated. Each time one of my mental voices chided me, I pulled it like a weed in my garden and tossed it in my virtual compost bin.
When I sat back down at laptop sitting patiently on the table on the screen porch, I managed to pull a column together.
When I addressed the column to all the newspapers awaiting it, I breathed a sigh of relief, and vowed to do something about the drought.
This morning, I fired up the laptop and did some research while sipping coffee as thick as pine tar. I came across several resources with column ideas. I also came across a link to a Life column that runs in the New York Times. After a few clicks, I found how to submit my work for consideration.
Maybe I'm a dreamer, but I'd love to be published in The New York Times.
Before I shut down my laptop, I'd document 10 killer ideas for columns. This afternoon, I took one of them and wrote it within an hour. This gives me one in my hip pocket in the event I hit a dry spell again.
I know it's not Friday yet, but I'd like to be the first to say, Have a great weekend. And while I'm at it, since it's almost the first of September, I will also wish you a Merry Christmas.
That is the ebb and flow of writing. My column was due yesterday afternoon and at lunch, I still hadn't written the column.
After lunch, I sat still on the couch and meditated. Each time one of my mental voices chided me, I pulled it like a weed in my garden and tossed it in my virtual compost bin.
When I sat back down at laptop sitting patiently on the table on the screen porch, I managed to pull a column together.
When I addressed the column to all the newspapers awaiting it, I breathed a sigh of relief, and vowed to do something about the drought.
This morning, I fired up the laptop and did some research while sipping coffee as thick as pine tar. I came across several resources with column ideas. I also came across a link to a Life column that runs in the New York Times. After a few clicks, I found how to submit my work for consideration.
Maybe I'm a dreamer, but I'd love to be published in The New York Times.
Before I shut down my laptop, I'd document 10 killer ideas for columns. This afternoon, I took one of them and wrote it within an hour. This gives me one in my hip pocket in the event I hit a dry spell again.
I know it's not Friday yet, but I'd like to be the first to say, Have a great weekend. And while I'm at it, since it's almost the first of September, I will also wish you a Merry Christmas.
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| In honor of National Dog Week, here's a photo of my faithful companion Caillou |
And a Happy New Year to you, Rick!!
ReplyDelete:)
DeleteDADGUMMIT, FISHDUCKY BEAT ME TO IT. But then you knew that was coming, huh? I would love to hear you got a hitch with the NY Times. Glad you will shoot for it. Good for you. Also I think it would be a good move for them...
ReplyDeleteThat Fishducky is sneaky. You have to keep your best eye on her.
DeleteDear Rick, oh, I so hope you do get published in the New York Times. What a coup that would be. I read the paper on line and I'd so delight in finding your name there. I'm glad you've got some ideas for those dry spells and they do come. Peace.
ReplyDeleteThank you Dee. You can't win the lottery if you don't buy a ticket :)
DeleteI would love to see you published in the Times. Do you still have the dog that "belonged" to your neighbors, but he moved in with you because no one cared about him in his so-called home?
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie
No, that would be Taz. But Caillou is a runaway dog that left another neighbor and came to live with us :)
Delete;...thin as cornsilk..." I understand that so well. Sometimes, the water faucet is turned off to let us appreciate the cold water when the faucet is on.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I am so enjoying the blue book recently published. Your writing and observations go right to the heart of farm life for me.
Thanks Susan. I'm so glad you're enjoying the book. I'm working on a book of fiction now. More to follow.
DeleteSounds like you've been energized...that's great! I love your posts and your writing is always a welcomed time of relaxation for me. Your way with words and descriptions of things are full of imagery that I love. You have a gift, my friend...enjoy it!
ReplyDeleteI can't think of a damn thing to say in way of a comment how rotten is that
ReplyDeleteI'm glad I didn't end up with a tobacco habit either. I certainly was exposed to it growing up. My summers were spent working in the tobacco fields and at the barn. Then I almost married a tobacco farmer, not really, he was my first love though! My dad and many others around me smoked. It was just what everyone did. This post really resonated with me. Think you might have inspired me to post about this!
ReplyDeleteVery nice post. I simply stumbled upon your blog and wanted to mention
ReplyDeletethat I have really enjoyed surfing around your weblog posts.
In any case I’ll be subscribing for your rss feed and I am hoping
you write once more very soon!
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