January 7. Day 7 of the Ultimate Blog Challenge. I think I have to stop counting the days. It makes everything feel more difficult than they actually are. And I have to stop thinking of this as a challenge. I write for the pleasure of it. It is not a job. I am not selling or promoting anything. I am not good at explaining how anything works. There’s much written or am being written about how things work and what is good for us. There is no need for me to do the same. I shall take a big deep breath, relax and just let the words flow. No need to worry if it is a good topic or if anybody will read it. If the words won’t cooperate, I might have to work and coax them out.
My partner like to build things. He built our passive solar greenhouse. Then a shed with a living roof. Right now he’s building a boat. He’s built two before. I like to build, too. Building is a man thing but it is also a woman thing. We use different tools. Oh, some of us use hammers and saws, too, but I like to use my keyboard and Bernini. I build with words that turn into sentences, paragraphs and hopefully into a post and a story. I haven’t aim toward a book – yet. It’s not an impossibility but I like things short and snappy. It’s like my quilt squares or little paintings. Each can stand on its own or I can put them together to form a quilt, an album and if I have enough posts, I could build a book.
It’s a pretty good idea, no? Right now I’m very disorganized and helter skelter but not so much that I can’t make a start on it. It is never too late and there is no perfect time to start. Starting is the operative word. I’ve written 3 posts on my travel to Ghana in 2011. I could use my photos to jog my memory to write more this month. It would be useful to have a theme for each month’s posts. The trick is getting started. Once started, I am often surprised how easy it is. One thing leads to another and I find myself on something different than I had intended. But I take it. I like the pleasure of being surprised by myself. I like the pleasure of starting. It gives me a sense of direction, a sense of purpose.
onethousandandtwo 
“It is never too late, and there is no perfect time to start.” – I always keep this in mind when I feel like I’m too old to do something – like write my book. Starting is the fun part. Finishing is the hard part. Don’t you think? Here’s to finishing something and starting fresh again.
Thank you, Eliza. You’re not too old to do anything. Good luck to both of us. We’ve started the challenge. Now we have to finish.
It’s so inspiring to read about your journey as a writer and your approach to building stories with words. Your perspective on starting projects and allowing yourself to be surprised by where the creative process takes you is a great reminder to embrace the journey and not get too caught up in the end result. I also love the idea of using a theme for each month’s posts as a way to stay organized and focused. Good luck with your writing and building endeavors!
Thank you, Paul!
Did you know that the most prevalent challenge is task initiation? Yes, it is. For children and adults alike. I keep telling myself, “The best time to start is NOW!” Get your book started… one sentence at a time. You’ll make it to the end. Btw, I love your quilts.
Thank you, Florence. I wonder why starting is so hard for all of us. It’s good not to think too much and just plow in.
Nice