I write mostly on my laptop in my living area. I live alone, so no one bothers me unless you include my cat, Finn. I also keep various journals for different things. I use one for doodling even if I can’t draw well. If I am out and something hits and I realize I want to write, I use my iPhone. I’d love to be a writer but right now I lack the discipline of a real writer. Why I think writing is a waste of time, but watching TV is not, I have no idea. Maybe doing this daily WordPress writing exercise, will help me develop the discipline I need. The assignment also said we were to include a poll, so I hope I did it correctly.
Author: Dede
I am always learning something new about life. My life is made richer by friends, family, travel, experiences, books and hobbies.
Tweet Response
I have no idea if I added the twitter link correctly, so I copied and pasted the actual tweet into my blog. I went to a meetup group tonight. If you don’t know what a meetup group is you can find out by going to http://www.meetup.com It is a place where you can find people in your area with similar interests. There is a wide variety of choices, so there is something for everyone. I went to a writing prompt group. There were just 3 of us which made it much less intimidating for a first time visitor.
The group leader gave us our first prompt. He used story dice. I got an eyeball and a man thinking. The tweet above was definitely true for me tonight. How do you begin a story based on an eyeball and a man thinking? Each of us got different things. I definitely had the worst roll. From where would the words come? Should I even be there? Could I really write something someone would want to read?
As I watched the other people write when we began our second prompt, lines from a song, I was amazed at how quickly they could put their words to paper. And then when they read them, they were so good, so creative. My story sounded like something an 8th grader would turn in for a creative writing project. Would my writing every mature?
Our last prompt was a collage of photos. We could write something in general about all of the photos in our collage or we could select just one photo. I wrote about one photo and when the young woman next to me read her story, I was blown away. She had chosen to focus on the fact almost all of her photos had blue in them. Where do people get such creative ideas?
So I agree with the tweet. It seems that writing comes so easily for other authors. Their stories, their blogs, their books all seem effortless. My stuff reads heavy, like a bag of trash someone has to drag behind them. When will the words mature and the story come?
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New Theme
I tried several themes, all free. I have paid for a theme in the past and then abandoned my blog. I don’t mind paying but want to make sure that I am not going to abandon my blog this time. The most difficult thing for me is to get my own photos sized correctly so they look right in the header. I have another photo I’d prefer to use but can’t see to get it just right.
Only One Way?
Maps. Directions. Roads. Lost. GPS, yes, GPS. Living in a new city my GPS has become my new best friend. I have never had a good sense of direction. When I was 14 years old, my family was driving from our home in Las Vegas to Disneyland. With my map reading skills, we ended up outside of San Diego. That is NOT close to Disneyland.
One of the first things I did when I moved to Austin was to buy a map. It is large and I stand and look at it, trying to get an idea of where I am located in reference to where I am going. Studying the map, I determine there are endless ways to reach my destination. When I plug-in the address to my GPS, it even gives me options. It is up to me to decide which route to take.
Of course our route can be interrupted by road work, an accident, one way streets etc. So we are forced to find another way to our final destination. GPS of course makes it simple. But when there were only maps ,no GPS, and I would get lost, I had to pull over to the side of the road and study the map to find a new route.
That is my life right now. I am pulled over to the side of the road studying it and trying to find a new path, a new direction to reach my destination. What is my destination? A life with purpose and lived with passion. Prior to my divorce, I was on a one way road and believed the life I was living was the only way to experience happiness. Since my divorce, I have slowly discovered that there are endless paths to living a new purposeful life. Just like when the GPS gives me a choice of routes, it is up to me to select which road I will take now because joy, purpose and passion lie just around the bend.
Exploring Life 101
Blogging 101 assignment: Identify my audience. Hmm, even though I’ve had blogs before, I have never considered the possibility I would actually have an audience. So this is an intriguing assignment. We were told to add media, try new styles etc to keep the reader interested. So I thought maybe learning a little more about me and where I am going with my life might help me connect with similar bloggers and people.
Me now and me a million years ago.
There are several things I typically tell people about myself when asked for the most unique or unusual thing about my life. I was on a national pageant representing Nevada. I was on a national TV game show. I was interviewed for the CBS evening news with Dan Rather. Those facts typically create quite a few questions. If you are interested in any of it, leave a question in the comment section of my blog.
At the age of 40, I spent a week trying to improve my French in Roanne, France. It was beautiful and fun, but my language skills were still poor. Then at age 54, nine months after my divorce, I went to Tours, France. I spent 3 months doing my best to improve my French. Again it was a lovely time, but I have come to the conclusion my French speaking skills aren’t going to progress past advance beginner. Below are photos from my time in Tours. Yes that is a photo of a snake. I found it in my bathroom. Again if you want more information, leave a question in the comments.
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I have lived in several states, but have spent the past 30.5 years living in Texas with 30 of those being in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. I moved to Austin in June to try to find a new life path. Austin is completely 180 degrees different than Dallas. It is down to earth, eco-friendly, creative and hilly with lots of trees. Dallas is flat, superficial, (who has the biggest house, diamond, boobs etc), not eco-friendly and has just recently become friendlier to the creative arts.
I have no idea what the future holds. I have been unemployed for over 2 years now and just learned I didn’t get the job I wanted. So I am still seeking a new purpose. I am no longer someone’s wife. And while I am still the mother of 2 incredible young women, they have successfully gone on to live their own lives. Purpose. I think that is what most of us want. We just want to have a purpose and be loved. It doesn’t matter whether it’s here or halfway around the world in some remote village, we all seek those things.
I have no idea who my audience might be. I am hoping people who are want to explore life either on a new path or an old path will be my blog followers.
Uncertainty -writing 101
One word prompt: Uncertainty
Plans made. Plans lost. Plans revised. Plans denied. Dreams made. Dreams lost. Dreams revised. Dreams denied. Love made. Love lost. Love revised. Love denied. Trust made. Trust lost. Trust revised. Trust denied.
Fear slowly creeps across my path like poison ivy. It is entangling me and choking me and killing me. Uncertainty is an unwelcomed guest.
In response to The Daily Post’s writing prompt: “The Young and the Rested.”
I have sat here pondering the daily prompt and I am ashamed to say I can’t remember the last time I felt rejuvenated. It is not for lack of trying. After a heartbreaking divorce, I spent three months in France at a language school. It is something I had wanted to do since college. (I am 55). And as much as I loved being there, it didn’t give me the new outlook for which I have been searching. I moved to a new city with a completely different vibe three months ago thinking new place would mean new energy. Again nothing. Maybe It’s just not in the cards for me to find a rejuvenated life.
Shame on Me
Write a List
Writing Assignment #2: Write a list: Things I’ve learned in 55 years
- Life always brings the unexpected
- Sometimes those unexpected things are great
- Sometimes those unexpected things come close to destroying your life
- If you eat too much and move too little, you will get fat
- Every place has something offer, no city, state or country has a corner on the best place
- Not every person has something to offer.
- Psychopaths do exist and they will comfortably and happily without remorse destroy you if you don’t recognize them. http://www.psychopathfree.com
- It’s never too late to learn new things but if it’s a language, begin as young as possible
- Daughters will continually surprise and amaze you
- Just because someone has been your friend for over 25 years doesn’t mean she will be there when you need her
- Books are the greatest invention because they allow you to go anywhere with anyone
- People today want the same things that people throughout history have wanted: love, happy and healthy children, financial security, friendship, community, happiness, good health, peace
- Driving through west Texas is a long and boring trip
- You only get out of life what you put in
- Nothing changes if you don’t change anything
- Words change meaning when spoken according to tone and intonation of the speaker.
- It’s always good to have an alternative life plan
- Pets always love you and never judge you
- Day go by slowly but the years fly by
- The only constant in life is change
My other blogs
I forgot to add links to my other blogs. I tend to start a blog and forget to write. Check them out and let me know what you think. The first is based on the character Demelza from the Poldark book series and the second in a book review site.
Writing 101
Prompt 1: I write because
I write because I feel compelled to do so. I don’t remember a time in my life that I didn’t write. I’ve always loved to read and as a young girl I would lose myself in books. Then I would try my hand at writing my own stories. I remember pretending to be a radio DJ reporting the news. I wrote my own newspaper as a girl. This was all done at a time when it was all done freehand. I didn’t have a typewriter and I had no idea computers even existed.
I write because I believe there is a story waiting to be told, but I haven’t figured out quite yet what that story is. The ideas always seem to come when I am drowsy and too tired to write. I am positive I allow the distractions of the day to act as interference. I love to write but I am afraid to write. I am afraid to let the words flow, for the story to come. I hope writing 101 helps me breakthrough that fence, those fears and actually pursue writing.
Blogging 101
Prompt 1: Who I am and why I’m here
I am an ordinary woman who has been through some experiences that are anything but ordinary. Some of them have been great and others have been challenging to the point that I didn’t think I would survive. I have chosen to blog publicly because I hope that my experiences might help others get through times that are anything but easy. I also hope to connect to others who have ideas and encouragement which will help me to continue to move forward from a life unexpected. I have had blogs before and ended up deleting them because I found myself just venting which I decided was best left to a private journal. I currently have two other blogs. One is a book review blog, because I love to read and the other is based on life lessons I am learning from one specific character from a book series.
A few more specifics concerning who I am. I am about to celebrate my 56th birthday. My life looks nothing like I expected. I am divorced and currently unemployed. It seems 30 years of stay-at-home wife and mom work doesn’t make for an easily employed future. I was determined though not to live my married life in expectation of divorce. Had I done so, I would have been much more prepared for the life I currently live. I love to travel and learn new things. In my alternate universe I am a successful writer.
In response to The Daily Post’s writing prompt: “Mouth Drop.”
I wish I was responding with a grand story of college acceptance, a marriage proposal, a lottery win or something wonderful. My jaw dropping moment came when I received a phone call from a man identifying himself as Detective Stewart. He was searching for my husband (now ex-husband) but refused to tell me why. He simply stated your husband is not the man you think he is. Once Doug came home, I gave him the message and pressured for an answer to why this police detective called. When he finally confessed you could have knocked me over with a feather. Doug confessed to having spent the last 5 years being a peeping Tom. He had been spying on college girls at apartment pools and masturbating!! And now a girl had caught him, identified him and taken his truck tag number.Talk about a jaw dropping, tears falling moment. I can attest that a broken heart really does create physical pain. I hope and pray no one else responding to this prompt has to suffer the heartache and humiliation of this type of discovery.
Peeping Tom really?
In response to The Daily Post’s writing prompt: “Forever Young.”
I wouldn’t want to drink from the Fountain of Youth. I like that every stage of life offers new and different challenges. However if I could have a rewind button so I could make better and wiser choices then I would do it in a heartbeat. Billy Crystal talks about having a do over in his movie City Slickers. His friend is caught having an affair and Billy’s character tells him he’s got a do over. He said he could do over his life. Well that is a more likely possibility for a man. A man can get a new younger wife and have more children and be a better father and husband. How many times have you heard a man say he’s a better father this time around. Well women don’t get that option for a lifetime. We have a specific window of time, which is rather short that we can do that. If we have the misfortune to marry a man who replaces us during a mid-life crisis, we can’t do over those years. So while I wouldn’t like to be young forever, I would like to rewind to some specific points in my life and do them over, so the life I have now would be different.
My life on an unexpected path 
