Tag Archives: how-to

WANTING TOO MUCH OF TOO LITTLE

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Sometimes I sound like a stuck record. I mostly talk about getting things done, about getting the house in order. I’ve been talking about it for years now. I wonder if that’s what you talk about, too. Have we been brainwashed by Martians and aliens from outer space? We certainly have created a niche for many entrepreneurs like Marie Kondo, closet organizers, declutters and minimalists of kinds. Have these people made us into thinking we have too much stuff? Do we really need to streamline, get rid and fold everything into thirds and tuck into tiny little boxes?

Life is such an irony. We have people telling us we need more. More is success. Bigger is better. New and shiny is wonderful so they make things that breaks easily and you can’t fix. And there are no more little repair shops. You have to buy warranties. What you have is more stuff that doesn’t work and less money in the bank. Then the other people come and sell you stuff to organize what you are trying to rid.

I feel like a victim, falling for all the pitches. I’m easily swayed by the ads, free promos and flattering. Here I am today, owner of much stuff and how to do, how to help yourself, how to…books. I’ve waken up though. I’m seeing the extremes of both sides. I’m trying to think for myself. I’m figuring and tapping out my own how to’s. Then I’m going to DO it. I haven’t read a book yet where they tell you have to stop researching and accumulating information. That the want of a Marie Kondo drawer/closet is very addictive. It is but you have to stop, think and DO your own stuff, your own way.

NO WORDS TODAY

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IMG_5703Everyone needs a day off.  Today was one of those days for me.  My desk was as messy as ever.  The how-to manual close by.  My writing jacket was on the back of my chair.   I had no words.  They would not come.

I have to honor and respect them.  I will wait till they are ready to come back.  In the meantime, I am researching and studying plots, characters, timelines, conflict, etc.  There are so many parts that goes into writing a book besides the writing.  I have just discovered this in the process.

Things happen in mysterious ways.  It is wonderful but strange that I am writing a book at this time.  How opportune that I picked up a how-to book by Janet Evanovich.  She is one of my favorite mystery writers.  I love her character Stephanie Plum. Her how-to is very helpful and as much fun to read as her novels!

At the same time I came across a novel by a Chinese writer.  The novel is based in Shanghai, a city I have visited and where the author was born.  The main character lost his ability to speak Chinese due to a head injury.  But he is able to speak English.

The first page of the book is very riveting.  It grabbed me right away.  I thought:  Wow, what a good translation!   I was wrong.  It was written in English.  The author left Shanghai at age 10 and graduated from Brown University.  She has lost her written and spoken Chinese – much like myself.

I am learning much about the written word to bring events, pictures, emotions and actions alive in the mind.  The way someone uses words tells much about the culture we come from.  It is interesting how and what we identify with different writers.  The book is called The Lost and Forgotten Languages of Shanghai by Ruiyan Xu.

As you can see, my words are not coming easily.  But I am still having fun.