Scribbles and Scrambles ~ Peace Out or Actually In - Part 3

I think Kim's comment on yesterday's post concisely sums up my thoughts. But since I'm currently in ramble mode...I will continue to do so.

I blog because I can connect with others on a different level than in my day-to-day, face-to-face connections. I've discovered that I have had some pretty honest heart-to-heart conversations with folks I've never met and maybe never will on this earth.
Deeper conversations, at times, than with those friends I could drop in on right now if I felt like it. I met one of my best friends through an online critique group. And as we shredded each others' work, we discovered that what we had in common was greater than writing fiction. Others have become intimate strangers. I've had strangers contact me and ask me to pray for them. That is kind of an awesome and humbling blessing. Still others have lashed out at me. One man wrote a hate-filled e-mail that horrified me and then made me stop and remember that words have power. He was reacting to what my words stirred up in him.

I blog because I have peace and I want others to find it, too. (See, that's how the topic of peace turned into three days of rambling with barely a mention of peace.) I have peace because I have God's mercy, grace and love. And frankly, life can STINK like an outdoor garbage can full of plastic bags full of dog poo on a freakishly hot August afternoon. If I can post something that makes anybody laugh through the stink, or rethink the stink, or move beyond the stink, then that's what I want to do. Sometimes we just need to know we aren't alone on this hurtling orb. Sometimes we need to see the truth through a different lens. Sometimes we need to escape from the stink and recharge. That is what blogging has become to me. A chance to share something, anything that may make a little bit of a difference in someone's life.

Maybe that's not so far from where I started. And that takes the pressure off. I'm not pretending to be what I'm not in an attempt to impress someone who might send me a contract.

Okay. I feel better.

Serenity now. Have a wonderful weekend. The weather in Iowa is amazing. Blue skies, sunshine and in the 60's. The dogs and I walked already. I've posted my blog post for the day. I have my Bible sitting next to me waiting for me to spend a little time with it. I'm selling some jewelry tonight. Dinner is done. And the things that are sad and twisted in my little world are things I can give to my Jesus. And that is something I'm planning to do right now.

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ Peace Out or Actually In - Part 2

But somewhere along the way. This drive to be published has dwindled into a vague sense of acceptance of the fact that I probably won't be birthing a book. Right now, though I have the starts of a dozen books and stories on my hard drive, a few of which are a mere 20K words from being finished first drafts, I have no desire to write those stories.

Maybe it's because my personal journey isn't where I thought it was. I have the title and an outline for an awesome book on step-parenting but that story has taken a road I hoped didn't exist. My story would not be the encouragement that I'd hoped it might be. Not at this point. At this point I'm just surviving and am hoping that the road that I hoped didn't exist is a short road.

So why did a suggested blog post about peace open a vein here? About blogging? Good question. Maybe if I circle around a bit and ramble, the thoughts will jell into something tangible.

Why do I review books? And movies?

I get free books. Offers come daily and sometimes people just send them to me. But here's the deal. Most of them don't change my life or complete me. Most of them are okay or even good. Some have valuable information for me to take and ponder. But it is a rare book that takes my breath away. I'm not in love with just the ability to write beautiful phrases or an exquisite scene that I can smell, taste and feel. Characters don't usually jump off the pages and grab me by the throat or heart. Most of what I read leaves me as it found me. Maybe with a tear in my eye or a chuckle still vibrating in my throat but the written thoughts and words don't pierce my heart. The same with a movie except that I don't get many free movies. Speaking of free. After I invest hours of my time into a free book, reading it, then write a review, well, lets just say this is not about the perks.

So why do I blog? Is it narcissistic? I love to see my words in "print?" Or am in love with my own opinions? Hmmm. I don't think it's narcissism. I can go weeks without updating my status on Twitter or Facebook. My life just isn't that interesting and I don't think others are waiting for something rich and fulfilling from my fingertips.

Not done yet....

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ Peace Out or Actually In - Part 1

A blog I subscribe to throws out challenges every once in awhile. They come up with a seasonal or creative topic to write about and we are invited to post our thoughts on their blog and then they pick a handful to highlight the following week.

I guess the benefit is that if I write something really terrific and people subjectively love it, I might get more readers or receive some sort of kudo. (Probably not the chocolate covered kind.)

So this concept got me thinking. I know you love it when I do that. Why do I blog?

If I decided to be brutally honest I'd tell you that I don't really know.

At all.

I did when I started. When I started blogging I was a wannabe writer with book ideas dancing in my head and some hope that if I worked really hard and put in loads of spit and polish and elbow grease and old-fashioned nitty gritty I'd eventually be published in hardcover. And when I was published I'd have an awesome platform from which to promote my book. After all, I'd have blogged about fascinating things and given out teasers and whetted appetites with witty, juicy and deep comments that left readers begging for more.

That's one of the reasons I began to do book reviews, too. To make my name recognizable in the tiny Christian publishing industry. My secondary reason was because all the authors I admired mentioned that a writer reads and learns from what she/he reads. And how better to learn than to sort information into some sort of logical format that spells out what makes a story good, believable and moving and what makes a character come to life? So there you go, writing a review does that.

That idealistic chick described in the preceding paragraphs has grown up a bit. I've attended writer's conferences, poured over articles, how-to books and had my stuff shredded and rewritten by the best critiquers around. I've entered far more contests than I'd like to admit. And I've stared at blank computer screens hoping for inspiration and the words with which to describe it.

To be continued.

Scribble and Scrambles ~ Words of Wisdom

I have nothing profound, amusing, droll, random or clever to post. So, therefore, I will leave you with this quote.



Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.

Helen Keller

Scribbles and Scrambles - Leash Lessons ~ Entanglements

A few weeks ago I shared a spiritual and/or common sense life lesson I learned while walking Lily and Lola.

Guess what, there's more.

As you can see by the enclosed picture, Lily and Lola don't just have problems with distractions and wandering. They also have issues with entanglements.

Most of the time they are simultaneously doing their own things which is why my arms have grown longer over their lifetime.

Lola is obsessed with birds and bugs but will ignore most of them however she occasionally encounters a magical flying/hopping object that requires her immediate and enthusiastic attention which ends up looking like a sudden leap to the right. Lily favors the left where her nose is to the pavement and she is living life vicariously through other dogs, humans, wildlife and litterers.

But when they get together in double single-minded focus they are capable of moving me, and I mean literally. Just try to pull 140 pounds of unbridled yet focused enthusiasm aware from a truly odoriferous object on the path or carelessly tossed waffles or biscuits. (Yes, we've encountered both.)

So that brings me to my thoughts about entangling myself with others. I do it entirely too much. Especially when drama whispers in a loud offstage one-liner. If I had a dollar for every time my emotions whirled out of control over someone else's issues or problems I'd be a rich woman. Oh, I can ignore some drama...most of it actually. But every once in awhile a situation so needy of my time crops up and I stop, turn, tangle myself in it and leap right. Or I spend sometimes too much time with my senses focused on others' stuff that I miss the whole point of a walk on a perfect sunshiney day and get caught up in garbage that wasn't my mess to clean up.

Scribble and Scrambles ~ So Random You Might Not Even Want to Go There.

In keeping with the non-traditional random dictionary game EER has inspired at the Dregs I introduce the word...

drum roll (This is a low-budget site, kids, you expected the real deal?)

Pictact - noun/adjective - origin old norse. definition a) Viking tool resembling the modern pick axe. The difference in modern and predecessor tools was the two tusk-like appendages on either side of the axe head that were used to carve decorative "tattoos" on the side of the long boats and to easily disembowel those who got in their way during raids. b) enthusiastic slang used to encourage Viking boat hewers during the annual boat building/village destruction/ looting seminars know as the Pic and Kicks.

Okay. Lame? Blame it on the totally deteriorated condition of my gray matter.

If the definition is not enough to entertain you. Let me share a few random and bizarre sights around Iowa this week.

#1 Horrific sight. A semi turning left in one of two parallel left turning lanes. This is not in itself a concern. The fact that the driver was on his cell phone during the turn is though. SERIOUSLY. Put the stupid phone down. Could any conversation be THAT important?
#2 Strangest sight. In the bathroom stall next to me a bare foot. Completely bare. The other foot was fully clothed. In the public restroom. In November. ?
#3 Most annoying drama. All of it. Me no like drama.
#4 Most annoying behavior in someone close to me. Mine. This Martha Stewart thing is out of control. After making/baking ten items for 16 women for a 24 hour retreat I wonder why I am compelled to tweak, change and remake a recipe until it is all mine. And this is while I'm reading self-help and spiritual maturity books for review ("Oh, was I supposed to actually absorb the truth in that chapter?"). On the bright side of the little Martha ordeal is that everything tastes fabulous. Really. And the recipes that have been stretched, tweaked and rewritten are usable. I think I can leave those particular ones alone now. YAY.

That's all. If I don't stop now I'm going to fall asleep on my keyboard and either accidentally type something offensive with my bobbing and weaving face or I'm going to drool on the keyboard and electrocute myself.

Happy weekend. I'm going to enjoy it and relax if it kills me. And it might.

Serials and Scenarios ~ The Rest of Health

Seven Skills to Achieve the Life You Desire

New wellness book explores the rest of health

Dallas/ Ft. Worth, TX—Mike staggers into the emergency room, presenting what he believes are the classic signs of a heart attack. Soon his condition stabilizes, and the E. R. doctor sweeps into the room to assess Mike’s problem. Mike is not having a heart attack, but the symptoms that brought him to the hospital have been caused by something…

Mike is the main character in The Rest of Health, a new work of creative non-fiction by authors David and Sonya Cameron. As readers follow Mike’s story, it soon becomes clear that there is more to his E.R. visit than meets the eye. The Rest of Health brings readers along as Mike confronts both the areas of conflict and the neglected facets of his life. Along the way, he discovers that true health is not something that can be achieved by simply producing the right numbers (i.e., blood pressure, weight, cholesterol). Mike’s journey to total health and wellness incorporates seven steps:

1. Looking to learn

2. Transforming your thinking

3. Establishing healthy boundaries

4. Caring for your body

5. Raising your emotional I.Q.

6. Cultivating your spiritual life

7. Fine-tuning relationships

The Camerons have been working in the healthcare/mental health field for over a decade, and both have chosen career paths that involve a cross-section of the general public. David has served as a family practice physician in a community health clinic for 10 years. Sonya has over 12 years of experience in community mental health and private practice doing marriage and family counseling.

“In both of our practices, we constantly see people who view health too narrowly. Many people think of health as dropping pounds, lowering blood pressure, etc. These are all good, healthy things, but when the underlying motive is simply to look better physically, that is evidence that a patient doesn’t really understand the meaning of ‘health.’ After working with so many patients, we have seen that before a patient can make lasting changes in any area of life—and this includes physical health—they must take a step back and look at the bigger picture of their life.”


My Review:

Part story, part self-help, part therapy, The Rest of Health, is a complete prescription for rethinking your life.

Written by a married couple, a medical doctor and a licensed therapist, the book is a compilation of their experience, wisdom and faith.

The fictional account of a marriage made up of individuals with issues that collide teaches coping techniques and stress killing better choices. The integrated recipe or prescription would be enough to help the average struggler to get beyond some of the pitfalls that make for an unfulfilled life. Though those with serious issues probably won't find enough help within the pages to fix major life trauma this book can offer the answers to questions that unhappy folks may not even know to ask.

The fiction gets a bit preachy at times, and the point of view is omniscient, so as fiction goes the story is not compelling escapism. But the idea to put dry facts within a story to get points and examples across to an audience is a great idea. This book would be a great small group study.