In a Nutshell: What I've been Doing Lately

I lead an often --let's call it -- challenging life. I'm quite sure I'm not the only one. This is what comes of living in an age as we do. With every convenience, there is a cost. With every advance, there is another hurdle. But I'm stubborn and I carry on.

In this digital age, we are not alone in our struggles or bereft in potential resources for getting through our challenges. Because of this, even at the (still young) age of forty I continue to push myself to learn and become better. I am my own worst critic, so this is often one of those challenges I face among others. I also truly believe that we make a mistake in thinking that at some mystical age, we know all we ever need to know and should stop learning. I have news for you all, while "life is short" we lead far longer lives today than our forebears. Learning shouldn't ever stop.

To that end, I have been pushing myself to take advantage of the resources available to me on the internet and via books I'm able to find and read. While I still read a lot of fantasy (in fact I'm currently finishing book three of the Mistborn Trilogy (Mistborn, The Hero of Ages, &; The Well of Ascension). I'm enjoying it, but the more I read what others have written, the more I just want to work on my own novel/s that I've had percolating in my own brain pan.

So, what does it all mean? What am I doing anyway?

Learning: Making New Brain Ripples

I am fortunate that my employer offers internal means of learning and a library by which we can freely borrow. I admit, I don't always take full advantage of this. Balancing a work life and a family life along with personal ambitions isn't easy. (It's hard. It's probably the hardest thing I've done in my life. But the payoff? Hopefully worth it.) So, to supplement my opportunities to learn, I've turned to a few different places.

Coursera- Free online courses from top level universities. It's not going to get you a degree, but it will help you learn about some great topics. Many courses also include a certificate when you complete them, which may help bolster your resume.

Code Academy- Another free way to learn, they teach a variety of coding skills. Again, this may not make you into an expert or get you a degree, but it will allow you a means to start learning if you're interested in doing so. Even if you're "just" a blogger, there are courses on Web Fundamentals that will help you learn more about basic html and CSS.

Vocabulary.com - Test your vocabulary and push yourself to learn more.

Reading- I'm reading a lot more reference books than I am for pleasure books. I blame my mother for always answering our questions of "What does "x" word mean" or various other curiosities with the simple words, "Look it up." This was more difficult back then since there was no internet to go to or downloadable books. We instead had sets of encyclopedias (real ones with pages and everything) and dictionaries or even headed off to the library. If we didn't know what something was, we looked it up.

Here are just some of the books I've been reading through (If you have Amazon Prime, you can often borrow these for free):

APE: Author, Publisher, Entrepreneur-How to Publish a Book - Since I haven't done this yet, I figured this was worth checking out and Amazon had it as a daily deal on Kindle. I have friends I can talk to about the process as well, but they have their own lives and I don't want to soak up too much of their own extra time if I can help it.

The War of Art- How to break through your creative blocks. It's a short book and doesn't have any big ground breaking information, but at the same time, it's encouraging and practical.

The Artful Edit: On the Practice of Editing Yourself - I love my editors. Even when I get irritated at what they want to edit. Without a second pair of eyes specifically trained to edit, what I write wouldn't be nearly as good. (Perhaps as evidenced by this blog? ;) ) That said, I also think it's worth the effort to make editing slightly less painful for them if I can. This book helps you take a step back, and learn some self-editing techniques that can only help you make your end product better.

Write Great Fiction - Revision And Self-Editing - Another of the books I've been reading to learn more.

The Chicago Manual of Style, 15th Edition - There's a newer version out now (I think we're at 16) but this is a great resource for understanding the ins and outs of grammar and punctuation.

Health: I Think I'll Go For a Walk

Aside from those, I've been trying to improve my health. I own a FitBit to track my daily activity and take walks when I can.

I also signed up with eMeals to make it easier on myself with meal planning. We're using the Paleo Plan and so far, I've noticed a difference: less headaches, no migraines, no joint pain, losing some much needed weight/fat, feeling more energetic. My other half no longer has horrible heartburn at night either. I'm not suggesting others do likewise, I'm just pointing out what a difference taking a look at your own activity and diet can make. (These are my experiences alone and should not be taken as medical advice. Please see your doctor and/or your own nutritionist when considering health options.)

I'm still learning and adjusting what we can eat and what we shouldn't eat, but it's going well for us. I've been checking out Mark's Daily Apple among other sources to learn more about how others are approaching this type of lifestyle. I'm cooking nearly every day (save maybe one day a week) something new each day and frankly, carryout doesn't taste nearly as good as it used to.

Cleaning: My Lack of Domestic Goddesshood

I'm horrible at organizing cleaning. It can be so overwhelming at times. Especially since I'd much rather be doing myriad other things, but I turn to Flylady.net. It's helped me put things in perspective. I'm not a domestic goddess or Martha Stewart. I want things perfect and clean, but I get overwhelmed by what all needs to be done. Flylady just helps break things into pieces and remember not to go "too far" on any one thing.

Writing: There's a Whole World in There!

I'm also spending more time working on my own book. I'm finally breaking through the barriers I had set up for myself in the past and have a better idea of how I want my chapters to be set up, the pacing of the book, and the story I want to tell. It hasn't been easy because there is an entire world of characters in my head who all want to have a turn in the spotlight. I'm sure I'll get to many of them in time.

Bonus:

Also, for those who may not be aware and may be interested, there's a new adventure gaming magazine in town: Gygax Magazine as covered by Boing Boing.

That's it for me for now. Back to work I go.

Signal to Noise - Poem

This seemed apropos if nothing given that the world is more connected than ever with so many possibilities and so many competing to be the one to take on those possibilities. There's a lot of 'noise' to contend with in so many wanting to be heard, seen, and recognized.

Vignette #2- Inside Voice

vignette  (vɪˈnjɛt)
— n
1.	a small illustration placed at the beginning or end of a book or chapter
2.	a short graceful literary essay or sketch
3.	a photograph, drawing, etc, with edges that are shaded off
4.	architect  a carved ornamentation that has a design based upon tendrils, leaves, etc
5.	any small endearing scene, view, picture, etc

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“Do you see anything?” said the voice out of the darkness.

“What should I see?”

“Anything, I guess. Something. Maybe nothing. I’m not sure. It’s why I’m asking you. Do you see anything?”

“Darkness I guess- lots of staticky darkness. Like dancing flecks of faded light before my eyes every now and again. Is that what I should be seeing?”

“Perhaps,” said the deep baritone voice rumbling in her ears.  “Concentrate on the place you want to be most.”

“I’ll try,” said the soft feminine voice. “I’m afraid though.”

“Afraid of what?”

“Ending up somewhere I don’t want to be.”

“Where would that be?”

“I don’t know, but I know I don’t want to think about it. I thought you said I should think of a place I want to be?”

“Yes. You should.”

“Now you’ve done it.”

“What have I done?”

“I’m on the edge of a cliff.”

“Is that where you want to be?” rumbled the voice again.

“No,” came the tremulous response. “I’m afraid I’ll fall.”

“What would happen if you fell?”

“I don’t know. It’s so dark. I don’t know how far it goes down.”

“So, take control. It’s your dream.”

“Am I dreaming?”

“What else could it be?”

“A nightmare then,” the soft voice whispered as a breeze slipped through her hair and carried the sound with it.

“You can change it,” said the reassuring voice.

“How?”

“Imagine. Imagine an out. Imagine the stars above lighting your way. Imagine a bridge from the cliff leading across it to a safer place. Imagine there is no cliff. It’s your mind. Your thought. Imagine it, and it can be real in this place.”

“Where is this?”

“We’re in the crenelated battlements of your mind. Where else? Are you ready to wage war with yourself?”

“This is war?” she said weakly. “I’m not equipped for war.”

“You are.”

“I see something in the distance. Dark shapes oozing and viscous. I’m standing on the parapet of a castle’s walls now,” her voice shudders where her body is unable to. “They’re frightening.”

“Doubt.”

“Excuse me?”

“They’re your doubts.”

“That’s what doubt looks like?”

“To you it does. Others’ doubts may look different. To you, they’re dark shapes. The question is,  will you fight them?”

“What will happen if I don’t?”

“They’ll destroy you.”

“I see. I can’t negotiate?”

The sound of deep rich laughter drifts to her.

“So that’s a no,” she says a bit of humor seeping into her own voice as she realizes the inanity of such a question.

“Alright then,” she says as steel seeps into her voice. “I’ll fight. Will you help?”

“I already am.”

“Who are you?”

“I’m you.”

“I’m no baritone.”

“And so you’re not,” came the rich contralto.

“I'm not a contralto either, but I like it, I just don’t understand.”

“I am your strength—your will. I can sound however you imagine. I can be whatever you imagine. You imagined me as a baritone and now as this. I’m you, whatever you imagine you to be.”

“I’m odd.”

“I won’t argue with you. They’re getting closer. Shall we begin?”

“Yes. Let’s.”