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Just Weird!

14 Feb

Have you every sat down to do something and the next thing you know a whole day has gone by? It’s been eleven days since my last post and for the life of me, I have no idea where the time went. It’s not like when I was unemployed for five months and would play Harpoon on my IBM Model 50z from 9:00 PM until 3:00 AM. I knew what I was doing then. I was a conscious choice. I was trying to escape the fact that 250 resumes were sent out to 250 companies and only two interviews were generated. If you have to take off your shoes to figure out the numbers, that’s 248 reject letters!!! But I digress.

I got a flash update on MAVEN ans the next thing I know it’s Friday morning a week later and I don’t know where the time went. There is some good news. Wherever the time went, at least some of it went towards the WIP. Progress is being made and the writing habit I set out to create this year seems to be working. As you’ll see later even that had huge amounts of weirdness. Now that I know I lost time, I’ve been trying to find it. It’s strange there are just blank spots that I can’t account for. All of the important stuff got done like paying bills loving on the cats, and going to work. So, I was at least functioning physically. Quite strange.

Have you ever gone back to review your writing progress and determined that your word count for the last week has been EXACTLY the same everyday? I kid you, not! Every day since the 3rd the number of words spilling out of my head and into the laptop as been EXACTLY the same!!! The time spent writing varies from day-to-day by anywhere from five to twenty minutes.

So, what gives? Any ideas? Today is the full moon so that can’t be it. The waxing moon is my high energy period of the month. Maybe that plays into it? But, why do I write the same number of words? The scenes have been different in nature and feel. The one constant, which has been so for well beyond the period in question, has been writing have been fun. I like what’s coming out and it seems to be working. The muse is not fussing and the internal editor has gone south to get out of the extreme cold we’ve been dealing with.

Maybe this weirdness is a good thing? Oh, oh. i got an idea for the beaded moccasin scene, gotta go. See you later.

 
14 Comments

Posted by on February 14, 2014 in Other Strangeness

 

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Concentration

30 Jan
The Dot is one of the most basic forms of concentration exercise.

The Dot is one of the most basic forms of concentration exercise.

I’m going to take a departure from my usual fare and talk about one of my other passions. No, not fishing. The water is to ‘stiff’ right now for that. Unless you’re one of those people who think sitting on a bucket in -50 degree wind chills looking down at an eight inch hole in the ice waiting for a really stupid fish is fishing, I do not!

Nor, am I going to discuss the nuances of crafting a fine hunting knife from a piece of steel and a few scraps of wood and brass. Though that might be a good topic for a post some other time. Today I want to talk about archery and why I love it so.

I am a traditional archer, which means I shoot a longbows, recurve bows, or primitive (self) bows. I have owned and shot the modern compound bows with wheels and cams and sights and such. But, I found that I like the simple “Stick and String”.

One of my recurve bows.

One of my recurve bows.

It started at a young age. My father would come home from work and even before dinner, the family would go into the back yard and shoot at a paper plate target pinned onto several straw bales stacked upon each other to form a backstop. We would spend hours in the evenings and weekends as a family shooting for fun. I the fall we would go to our vacation property in Wisconsin and bow hunt for the elusive White-tailed deer. Before I was old enough to go out on my own, I would tag along with Mom. Yes, my mother was an avid bowhunter long before it was fashionable for women to do so. She would find a place to stand along a likely deer run and sit me down at the base of a nearby tree to wait. usually, I would fall asleep. In high school, I gave up archery in favor of football and I didn’t take up the bow again until after I was married.

So, why does the ‘mystic flight of the arrow’ compete with my writing and fishing? They actually have a lot in common. The most important commonality is, for me at least, they take concentration. Different forms of concentration to be sure. But still the mind is exercised and stretched. During the ten to fifteen seconds of my archery shot sequence, I can not allow anything other than the shot to enter my mind. During the last few seconds before I release the arrow, there is only the small dot on the target. there is nothing else. only the dot. Where the arrow will ultimately strike. If I allow outside thoughts to enter in, the shot will be off. Once the arrow hits the target, my mind can relax until I am preparing the for next shot.This process of concentrate, relax, concentrate, relax, does a wonderful job of removing stresses of the day, calming the spirit, relaxing the body, and focusing the mind.

Look at the eyes, even after the shot. Concentration!

Look at the eyes, even after the shot. Concentration!

Then there is the satisfaction of watching the flight of a perfectly shot arrow. The unerring, arching path as the colorful feathered fletching rotates the shaft. Smooth arching flight. Over again and again. Each arrow carries with it negativity and stress. The perfectly shot arrow will always make you smile.

 
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Posted by on January 30, 2014 in Traditional Archery

 

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The Last Tap Out

27 Jan

9835640-campfire-by-a-calm-forrest-lake-in-the-swedish-wilderness

Those who follow this blog know that a few months ago a friend of mine passed away. He was a strong proponent of the Boy Scouts of America. It is also where we met. Within the Boy Scouts is an honor society with a dramatic selection process. Shortly after hearing of my friend’s passing, The following Short came to me and I thought I would share it.

The bonfire blazed before us, 1,000 strong. We stood in long lines and stared out across the still water of the lake. At the edge of the firelight, a war canoe slid silently toward shore. Four great warriors paddled in perfect rhythm. Their strong shoulders and backs propelled the canoe across the dark water. Another warrior, wearing a headdress made from eagle wing feathers, rode in the center. He stared forward, rigid as an oak tree.

When the canoe came into view, many among the 1,000 shifted on their feet and began to fidget as if the chief was staring directly at them. Some murmured to each other in low voices. I stood still with my Brother, proud and erect. We gave our highest respect and attention to the coming visitor. Together we awaited the arrival of the Great Chief.

The great canoe landed with a soft crunch. The four Warriors jumped from the canoe and pulled it up onto the shore. Then, as smoothly as a fish moves through the current, the Great Chief stood and stepped onto the land. Together, the five visitors moved to the bonfire. Dew claw rattles on their ankles signaled each step. Paint on their faces and arms created stern visages in the firelight. The Great Chief’s arms were folded before him as he took position opposite us on the far side of the fire.

The Warrior to the right of the Great Chief stepped forward.

“SILENCE!”

All movement and sound stopped.

“RESPECT!”

All eyes were on the Warrior as his eyes swept across the 1,000. I dared to look him in the eye as his gaze fell on me and passed on. I reminded myself to breathe.

The Warrior looked at the Great Chief. Though nothing was said and the Great Chief did not move, The Warrior nodded.

The four Warriors broke off. One stood to the side at the far edge of the firelight. The other three moved to the end of the first row. They began to move slowly along the row. The Warriors looked straight ahead and seemed to pay no attention to the 1,000 who stood straight as Lodgepole Pine trees.

Suddenly, two Warriors fell upon one of the 1,000. They grabbed him and quickly pulled him out of line. Their steps were so rapid that the Chosen one was dragged, unable to keep up. The Warriors took the Chosen one to stand before the Great Chief.

The Great Chief unfolded his arms and placed his hands on the Chosen’s shoulders. Their eyes met and a moment past. Then the Great Chief’s right hand raised up and came down hard on the Chosen’s shoulder. The sound of flesh meeting flesh cracked across the firelight. Three times the Great Chief’s hand struck the Chosen. After the third blow, the Great Chief crossed his arms. The two Warriors again, grabbed the Chosen and took him to stand beside the single Warrior at the edge of the firelight. The Warriors returned to the line and continued along until another of the 1,000 was chosen and dragged before the Great Chief. The ritual was repeated as the Warriors worked their way along the lines of the 1,000.

My heart pounded in my ears as the Warriors approached. They stepped in front of me and seemed to hesitate. They turned as one and grabbed my Brother. By reflex I stepped forward to protect him. A glare from one of the Warriors froze me in place. I was knocked aside as they dragged my Brother to stand before the Great Chief. After he was taken to stand with the other Chosen, I waited, expecting the warriors to return and take me.

When they did not, shock and self-doubt swept over me. Was I not worthy? Had I not proven myself throughout my life? Had I broken the code that all humans must live by. I again stood as before and silently called to the Warriors to return and take me to my Brother. Tears formed and rolled down my face. But the Warriors continued to walk along the lines of the 1,000, taking few to be tapped out.

When the Warriors had reached the end of the long lines created by the 1,000, Two returned to stand with the Great Chief. Two stood with the Chosen, now a score strong. The chosen were led off beyond the firelight where they disappeared into the darkness.

Those of us who remained looked to the Great Chief.

A voice, deep and powerful yet gentle sounded in my head.

“It is not your time my son. It will come soon enough. You have much yet to do. Go now and live well, love one another, and be strong.”

My tears stopped and I stood straighter. “Be strong,” I repeated to myself.

The Great Chief and his two Warriors returned to the canoe and paddled into the mists of the lake.

I whispered to the darkness beyond the firelight, “I will see you at the great council fire, Brother. But, not yet.”

By Dennis Langley

 
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Posted by on January 27, 2014 in Musings and Odd Thoughts

 

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Lost – Writing partner

20 Jan
Nabu, Where are you?

Nabu, Where are you?

I walked into my writing room and suddenly realized there was a void in the dust on the dust atop the book-case. The space where my writing partner sat was bare. (You remember him from an earlier post. He took over my blog to get a new name. The name he chose was, Nabu, the Babylonian god of wisdom and writing which was suggested by Eagle-eyed Editor.)

What seemed most odd was that there was a trace of dust in the void. My uncanny powers of deduction indicated that my partner had been missing for some time. Now guilt struck me because I had not noticed his absence sooner. The excuse I have settled on is that I was so engrossed in writing that I simply overlooked his absence. I know, weak but passable.

I searched high and low, starting in the obvious places. As the god of wisdom and writing, it would make sense Nabu would go somewhere like my office or the other bookshelves in the house. However, I could not find him. I restrained from calling out to him for fear of what my two cats and the domestic CEO might say. My having a skull as a writing partner is still new to them. For several days I scoured the homestead. I even traveled to the cabin in search of my cohort.

One evening, the domestic CEO entered my office to find me desperately digging through a file cabinet. She calmly closed the file drawer, gently reached up and took a hold of my face, and screamed at me, “What the hell are you doing?”

I explained my plight, that I searched for my writing partner and that I felt guilty for not noticing his departure. The domestic CEO patted my cheek and smiled at me.

“Oh, that,” she said. “I put it in the garage with the other Halloween decorations.”

She turned and walked away leaving me staring aghast after her.

Relief washed over me as I realized Nabu was safe. However, the task of finding him among the myriad of decoration boxes would not be easy. Uh oh! He had been missing for months. My feeble excuse would not fly. Ah, a new idea came to me. The domestic CEO had aged another year, taking her into the realm of geezerhood. She had placed him in the decoration boxes. I would tell Nabu that her mind is going and she had forgotten what she did and where she had placed him. Yes, yes, that just might work.

I will head to the garage this weekend to release my partner. I hope he buys my story.

 
6 Comments

Posted by on January 20, 2014 in Other Strangeness

 

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A Renewal Accord

16 Jan
Courtesy of Free-picture.net

Courtesy of Free-picture.net

Two years ago, today, I posted the inaugural Welcome Post on this blog. Within minutes, Teschoeborn was the first to Like and comment. Truthfully, I about fell out of my chair when I saw the comment notification light come on. She was also a newbie and we said we would support each other as neither one of us knew what to expect. Little did I know just how much support I could expect from the world at large.

In the beginning, I thought this blog would be about writing and the journey of becoming a published author. As usual the best laid plans… I have virtually met some fascinating people from around the world, many I consider my friends. That is not trivial for me to say.

The blog has covered topics ranging from writing craft, to real space adventures involving the MAVEN project, to creating longer arrows for a traditional bow, to poetry, to eagles, and even a fish story. Not quite what I had in mind when I started.

As I look back, it occurs to me that the blog has done exactly what it was supposed to. It shows the journey. The only constant in life is change.One of my favorite sayings supports this constant. “This too shall pass.”

My approach to reading other blogs has changed as well. At first it was mostly new writers and a few legitimate profession writers. These days I spend time on poetry blogs, photography, editors, Olympic athletes, and blogs by classical musicians. I recently read my first romance novel. notice how I buried this information deep in the post. 😉 I’ve written reviews and critiques of published works. All in all a very interesting journey.

In the midst of one of the coldest winters in recent Minnesota history, I reflect on the purposes of winter, rest and renewal. I have learned to cherish time off. I guard it like Ft. Knox. I no longer take rest or afternoon naps (when I can take them) for granted. You will too as age sneaks up on you.

And so, I am renewing my blog for another year. WordPress offered me two years for the price of one but I’m not sure I can commit to two years. Seriously, I am looking forward to sending out my posts and reading yours. As Mr. Miaggi would say, “You and I will make sacred pact. I promise to write blogs that are at least somewhat interesting. That’s my part. Your promise to read them and comment. That’s your part.” Good. We have an accord.

Now it’s nap time. See you in two hours!

 
14 Comments

Posted by on January 16, 2014 in Musings and Odd Thoughts

 

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Work In Progress

07 Jan

WIPI’ve been reading a lot of blog posts about resolutions and goals for 2014. There are a lot of very ambitious goals out there. I hope everyone accomplishes what they set out to do. For me, I created an action plan. Because, that’s what I do. I’m a contingency planner. My goal(s) are simple.

Goal Number 1: Complete the SFD of current WIP.

Goal Number 2: Refer to Goal Number 1

Goal Number 3: When Goal Number 1 tasks are completed, Catch up on other writing.

There are a variety of tasks that go with these goals which I will not go into here. However, if for some reason, you don’t see a post from me for a while, it’s probably because I’m working on Goal Number 1. If you don’t see steady progress on my WIP meter (See right widget), you have my permission to give me a swift kick in the behind.

Speaking of WIP. How do you feel about writers posting excerpts of their WIPs on their blogs? I can see posting snippets from a published work to entice readers to purchase the whole story. However, WIP by definition is unfinished. What is the purpose of posting part of a ‘shitty first draft’ or even a revised piece?

Now some of you that follow this blog will remember that about this time last year I posted a handful of flash fiction pieces. They have since been revised to form the beginning of my current WIP. However, at the time, they were simply an experiment. My decision to turn them into a larger work has made me reconsider whether or not posting any of the story was a good idea.Would doing so jeopardize any chance of having the piece published traditionally? I don’t know.

Personally, I do read some excerpts, if they are short. I’m always looking for new reads and it gives me a barometer as to what other writers are doing. It has also exposed me to other genres that I might not otherwise have given a second look. For example: My blogging friend Jade, from Jade’s Jungle, has been pestering me to read some romance novels. Even though I read an excerpt from one of her books, I have been somewhat resistant. However, a while back, I won a copy of a romance novel “High” by Corey MP that has finally made its way to the top of my reading rotation.

But, getting back to the question at hand. Is it a good practice to post part of your WIP? There have been books written as a series of blogs and even as a series of tweets! There are books out there that explain the correct way to ‘blog your book’.  Perhaps the issues around doing this are a figment of my imagination. Weigh in on this please. I’d like to know how you feel about it.

Very Important NOTE!  My friend, Jade has started a new blog, Autism’s Child, relating to her family coping with a severely disabled child. Jade writes from her heart so, I believe it will be a very interesting, informational, spiritual, moving and emotional ride. I’m sure those of you who have developmentally disabled children will find it cathartic. I urge all of you who follow me to take a look at it whether you have children or not.

 
20 Comments

Posted by on January 7, 2014 in Thoughts on Writing

 

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Winding Down and Gearing Up

26 Dec

plan-cycle

The year is winding down and I find myself contemplating the upcoming year. I think 2014 is looking like a ‘rebuilding year’ as the sports teams like to call it. Getting back to basics fits a little better. By back to basics i mean things like: Proper nutrition, write more, remove stress wherever possible, and spend more quality time with the domestic CEO. I don’t call these resolutions.. They are instead, fundamental changes that will be made to my lifestyle.

Unless we are truly diligent, we tend to drift as life bumps us around with trials and obstacles. Like a ship in a storm we move a little off course without realizing it. The next thing we know we are miles off course. So, it’s time for a course correction. Nothing drastic is needed. just a few tweaks to get back on track.

So, the next couple weeks will be spent assessing where I am at, resetting goals, and gearing up to achieve as many of them as I can. I already know of a challenge or two looming for 2014 on the personal front. I’m hoping that forewarned is forearmed. At the very least I shouldn’t get blind-sided. I can only prepare as best I can and hope for the best.

Some areas I intend to post on in 2014 are tough questions and moral dilemmas, whether posting excerpts of WIP’s is a good idea, a few gardening topics, and maybe an archery post or two.

 
8 Comments

Posted by on December 26, 2013 in Other Strangeness

 

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