Journaling

"The man who does not read good
books has no advantage over the
man who cannot read them."
- Mark Twain

I am in the throes of a book entitled Creative Journal Writing by Stephanie Dowrick.  A very good read so far, easy to comprehend and follow, and everything seems to be like an echo in my spirit, as I read the pages that describe my journaling life. Since I have been journaling on and off for more than 20 years I feel equally accomplished at the task of putting what is in my heart right down on the page.  Sometimes it's just a few words, and sometimes it's many, but however many words, it's a release from my spirit to the world around me.  I feel very accomplished, very happy, and totally satisfied with myself, despite my circumstances. 
The other day I had to run out to the store and pick up some vegetables and fruit; and on my way out, as I was pulling away from the store, I saw a Sister and her sister or friend walking to their vehicle, and as I watched them as they crossed in front of my vehicle, just for a moment, I felt a sadness come over me.  Of course, the moment that happens, I begin praying, but I found myself feeling sad for me.  Maybe because I don't have any money to dress that nicely, maybe because I never had a sister, or even a good friend that I could go to the store with.  I have been living away from my family for more than 12 years, and have yet to find that kind of friend.  So, as I watched them pass,  I began to pray, and feel the circumstances of being unemployed.  Not that being unemployed is bad, but let's face it, working for money is where I have come up short for more years than I care to remember.  Being unemployed means watching the means you have very closely, and getting away from the creditors that try to suck and drain your hard earned money for their benefit.  
But I digress, as I was grateful for them, sister to sister, having someone to share a trip to the store with is truly a gift.  And by the time I pulled up to the curb side with no oncoming traffic, pulling into the turning lane, I looked at the car in front of me, with only 1 (one) passenger, the car on the side of me, (1) one person, and the car across the street waiting for the traffic light, another single person in the car, I didn't feel so alone, and I felt grateful to have seen the sisters together.  And by that time, was able to pray to God through Christ for the privilege of having seen them, sharing.
Good thing for journaling, because now that I have written that moment down, it makes it even more edifying, and I know that I am OK. 

Writing to Live, Living to Write

The Workings of Puzzling

Well, Several months have gone by now, and I have been putting puzzles together, and having a great deal of peace doing it, but I think I must be one of a few.  I look up puzzling, and I see Soduko puzzles, or crossword puzzles, and even jigsaw puzzles, but corresponding with others who sit and put a jigsaw puzzle together... well, You must be out there!
When I was a young girl, probably back in the 60's, when I'd visit my grandmother, I noticed she always had a puzzle going.  It must have had a subliminal effect on me, because, I didn't really start my puzzling until my kids were old enough to leave the pieces alone.  I mean, who gets to the end of a puzzle to find that all the pieces aren't there?
So, for a long period of time, I didn't think about it.  My kids were too young for me to explore the puzzling arena.  And life was far to busy with the aerobic field just hitting the state with full force in the 70's and 80's.  I gave it my all.  I was thin and svelte, I was at peace, healthy, and very much encouraged raising my young children.  Now I am telling my age, but the movement to eat healthy and exercise hit like a tidal wave, and I was first to be in that movement.  The way it made me feel made me want more and more until I became too ill to walk.  The doctors called it Fibromyalgia.  This was in the 80's, and from that time to date... I have used walking as a tool to keep me from feeling poorly.
But I digress, Puzzling was a tool I used in my life when all the kids left home to explore their own futures.  I have been taking care of my granddaughter most of her life, so I didn't puzzle again, until she became old enough to go to grade school.  And since that time, I have put puzzles together.  Now, it's great as a form of therapy, since I cannot get out like I did when I was younger.  And I know that there must be others out there that puzzle.  Whether it's crossword, forward thinking puzzles or puzzle boxes, I am sure that people are using puzzles to exercise their gray matter, and remain sharp in our technologically advanced society.  I intend to bring puzzles back, because you don't get courage watching the Television and finding other people do odd things on those reality shows.  But you do get courage by starting a project and completing it.

Writing to Live, Living to Write

SUCCESS!

What does success mean to you?  A lot of money?  a Job that You Love? Happiness with your familial relationships?  To me, success is being at peace with myself and the world around me.  I cannot control the cost of groceries or gas, but I find there's a sense of peace at having the foods that I need to keep myself and my family nourished.  There's a peace when the grandchildren laugh.  There's always a peace at accomplishing something better.  And I try everyday, to accomplish something better.
This past weekend the garage sale, it was successful, i managed to unclutter the house, i managed to put a little change in my pocket, and I managed to be at peace with myself. after the work that's involved in cleaning out some of the cabinets and closets.  As I continue the road of finding out who and what I want to be and do from home, I know now that it's actually possible to work from home without having to pay my money out for another scam.  I hate being scammed.  And trust me, I have paid out more money that the law allows, with no retribution to get my money back, because online, people find ways to separate you from your dollars.  But I am finally on the right path to actually working from home.

Living to Write, Writing to Love.

Rain

Finally, after a long hot spring/summer, we have been listening to the sound of rain for over 24hours.  It's amazing how peaceful you can feel, while sitting and listening to the rain.  Of course, I don't believe this is anything new, people have known it for years, but in our current state of the nation, it helps to be provided with peace, where the calm of the earth glistens and allows you to escape the stress of smog, consumption, and discontent.  It's a gravity that happens in the winter when the snow falls for the first time.  You look out your window and can actually feel alive.  What is our life without these moments?

Writing to Live, Living to Write

Puzzling

Working a puzzle lends itself, as a form of meditation, and peace of mind.  All of the important things that are going on in the world disappear, and the only important thing becomes putting in the next piece, and along with that next piece are the prayers sent forth to God through Christ Jesus, who shows me the way, and as i pray, I pray for my children, for my family and friends, and for an answer to the most burning question I've had for more than 50 years; why do I live?
My son is going to be incarcerated for the next 4 years or so, I don't even know the charges... I told my kids when they were young, if you get caught up and end up in jail, don't expect me to come visit you, because all my youth I explained to them the difficulty in the world, and how to avoid it, and if they went against that, then what can I do?  You do a crime, You do the time... rule of the streets.  Who's going to serve that time, well my son is for sure, but there are tears on my face that just never dry, because as he suffers that time, i most certainly do also, praying continually that God will keep him, and that he'll remain healthy and spiritually uplifted.
The other day, Amanda Knox was released from an Italian jail system, and it bought tears to my eyes as I watched her heartfelt words for those who supported her, but today on the internet, it's not the front page news any longer.  The stories just keep coming, and the internet, just keeps spinning around the world, with millions, like myself, putting words out there to be read by who ever happens in.  It's my life, and the commonness we share is that we love writing.
So, puzzling is how I continue my love.  I would love to write my stories down, like a narrative, but day by day, journaling is more my style.  Until I can find gainful employment, it's most constant.
Yesterday I watched a movie called, "Everything Must Go" with Will Farrell... a different role for him, but a good story.
After having a garage sale just last weekend, I guess you could say I relate.  I've been unemployed now for nearly 2 years, and I was never the CEO of anything except this house, and unemployment doesn't help. 
Last weekend my granddaughters flushed something down the toilet and caused the system to back up, and so the money that I made from selling old things went right back into getting the plumbing fixed.  And why didn't I think to become a plumber?  They get paid very well.  Roto Rooter coundn't have been her for more than 15 minutes, and it cost a bill.  $100!!!
That's just crazy right?  But that the way it is.  I must accept it and move on.  Back to puzzling...
The colors run together so much I don't even make areas, I am building this puzzle from the ground up and it's coming out find, as you can see from the previous puzzle, "Time Well Spent" by Henry Lee Battle, it' deserves a frame, and a place on a wall.
I think it's the least expensive way to get wall art right?

Living to Write, Writing to Live

The Garage Sale... Success

Sweet Success, OK, it's been a long time, and I didn't have any SMC items to sell... but all in all, I found out that, you can make a few dollars to help with the cost of food and gas from your home doing a garage sale.  But get this, the city only allows 2 (two) a year.  Are you kidding me?
I have spent a lot more time than that at the god of the mall, and the god of other garage sales, trying to find those cute little things that will make me happy.  And selling some cute things was impossible.  I think I priced them too high, and I also noticed that my home is decorated with African American Art.  So, I didn't sell any of my African American figurines, and i also didn't sell any of my stemware, but what the heck, I bought it all back in the house and placed it all back into the china cabinet.  Which also didn't sell... but it gives me a place to put those things that my granddaughters and grandson can't touch.
So, thank you Donna Partow, I have found your book to be very enlightening, and like a road map to make a home business.
Making my something better is taking on a whole new light.  And I am not mad about that.

Living to Write, Writing to Live