In prepping for the July 4th party I've been thinking about what's happened in the last year and getting used to things not being in crisis. Everything's slower past 50, phsically and mentally. It's a marked difference... and what can I expect of an organic machine that's lived thru all I threw at it for so long? I worked 2 jobs or more from 1986 til 2000 and kept working til I physically couldn't anymore. And that's just working. I can't believe all I've put this body thru- and it's still alive. 16 short years ago I ran up a dirt road hill, barefoot, for a mile. Drunk and exhausted after working a double. Now walking is breathtaking pain. And it was a "slow fade" as my boss said. It was a process over years. But looking back it seems not so long ago I was building a stone patio and a 100-foot long. 5 foot high cement block wall.
And I've been writing, just not here. Man, can writing eat up time. You start at 8 a.m. and look up and it's 1 p.m. You haven't gotten a fresh coffee, been to the bathroom, fed the cat, nada. Like when I'm painting or drawing, I go somewhere that time doesn't measure linearly.Then there are minor distractions, like finding the Star Trek Captains summit, surprisingly upbeat and insightful, especially this part:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0RO0mul3CM
We've lost Nora Ephron
http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2012/jun/27/nora-ephron-dies?intcmp=239
Meditation is a little vacation
http://www.psmag.com/health/just-breathe-42763/
How stress may be good for you
http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-06-stress-boost-immune.html
The UN bullies
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jun/27/un-tribunal-whistleblower-james-wasserstrom
Writing without expectations
http://bigthink.com/summer-school-for-the-real-world/want-to-be-successful-you-must-first-learn-to-fail?
This cracked me up
http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2012/jun/27/game-of-thrones-musical-plea-author
What is and what else?
http://news.discovery.com/space/the-universe-no-god-required-120626.html
Could've seen this coming
http://www.space.com/16300-mars-one-reality-show-colony.html
Okay, the tomato plants and cat litter are calling. Then another mindmeld in an hour. It's always something but I wanted to stop in and catch up a little. Hope everyone's at least as happy and busy as I am, even if the busy is too busy.
Posts
17 comments:
Busy is a good thing. If you aren't back here before July 4 I hope you have a terrific party.
I just realized I fly the day of your party! It's all gone crazy.
I started with the one on writing... great advice from Mosley. And just watched the Game of Thrones video... that is hilarious! I have yet to read the book, now I think I should just wait and see if the author ever finishes the next two. :D
That's good news on brief stress and the immune system. Lord knows I've done enough long term stress damage.
And I wish I could get into breathing/meditation. I get so bored I can never keep things like that up, but it sounds great in theory.
16 years ago I had a whole heart, no pacemaker and I rode cyclones and cut entire forests with Babe, my giant blue ox, but these are good times too. Your posts are part of the good and I'm glad to see them back!
oh how tempting to say why you were running up a dirt road with no shoes on. i'll never forget the look on your face. yay for batshit crazy!! and yay for it being an old story!! hahahaha.
Hey Laura,
Busy as a positive distraction, can be most rewarding for our personal well being.
And busy, you certainly are. And life does have a tendency to get in the way of blogging. Still, I always maintain that one should write when they feel the urge and relax :)
I know what you mean about losing track of time when writing. I have been commenting on each comment on my site and then I go on a commenting tour of blogland. Oh good grief, it's past three in the morning in lil' ol' England! :)
Have fun with your July 4th party. I'm getting ready to celebrate Canada Day on July 1st. I will probably get some strange looks. No change, there then :)
Happy writing to you, Laura,
Gary
x
Thanks Lawless! I prolly will be. Not tomorrow; that's the GoT Marathon Day!
Carrie- I think meditation is one of those things that you have to do and keep doing to find your way in it. Kinda like writing.
Geo.- you've been mighty prolific lately! (which makes me very happy cuz you're one of my favourite bloggers) A lifetime has lots of shades and flavors. Good doesn't often magically appear, either. You have to hunt for it, and sometimes find it in unexpected places...
I am so bummed on the loss of Norah Ephron.. She was one of the funniest, most creative, intelligent writers we had. I enjoyed all of her books. She was the feminist Erma Bombeck in so many ways. Both were great, although different, and I loved them both. People who can make you laugh at the absurdities in life are precious, and their passing makes life a little less fun. We lost a good one.!
My eyes could not read all of your blog due to the change in color. I hope your party is fun and you have a great time.
Strider- I'll never forget the look on your face. Or Pete's. It's a damn funny memory, though! And will forever remain a secret. ;)
Gary,
It's almost amazing to find joy in the writing again. It had become a chore doing Gimp's Guide, going around and around in circles and driving myself to despair. A break was necessary but that wasn't apparent to me. Soon as I took up with fiction the world went bright again. Go figure.
Happy Canada Day. I hope you celebrate glaringly!
Laura
x
Arleen! She was a treasure, and it's a real shame to lose her wit in this world.
I don't know why the color change, that part was a saved draft of a post I'd started a couple of days ago and went back to finish today. Who knows with these things.
Yup, the old bod sure ain't what she used to be. I am with you on everything you wrote.
On the happy side, I hope you have a FABULOUS party! Here, pass the dip, will ya?
Jeez, fifteen years ago. Fifteen years ago, I wore a size two, and still had the energy of a teenager. Now, I'm finally given up hope of ever getting my fat arse into those old clothes again, and am considering giving them away. Oh well. On the other hand, fifteen years ago, I hadn't met all my totally cool blogger pals, either. Good trade-off. I don't mind a little more meat on my bones, and nothing beats the friendliness in the blogosphere.
Cathy- You have a standing invitation, so get your butt down here.
Susan- Isn't it amazing to get old? Just when you think the body changes are stable, they go all to hell (I gave away my skinny clothes before I moved to the Shire. I got tired of tormenting myself).
Bloggers really are terrific, aren't they? Writers are always the nicest people I've known.
Post a Comment