My Weekly Checkup (#27)

Last Thursday, I had decided to restore an old blog habit. With Sunday's post, I had made a promise to commit myself to this task. So, here I am, attempting to follow through with it.

Unfortunately, last night was rough, as in, I think I managed three full hours of sleep. Today was busy, as in lots of house cleaning and running of errands. This evening was long, as in an hour-and-a-half of driving, and two hours of reading and walking while waiting for my daughter to finish her dance classes.

Yet, somehow I found an hour to draft a long blog post. It began as a Weekly Checkup, but evolved into something more complex. I am keeping it for Sunday. Since I am running out of energy, but I still want to produce something, I came up with the link below.

So, here we go, another Weekly Checkup (future ones will be more extensive, I promise).

(I drew that!)

Revelations (Part 4)

Sigh. My apologies. Ignore the second sentence below. This ended up being a longer post than I intended. About half way through I decided I needed to wrap it up. However, my mind kept going, and my fingers kept typing. 

In the end, I accomplished three things. First, I made up for last Sunday. Second, I reinforced my writing habit. Third, I laid out my future goals for this blog. That last one is a good way to keep me accountable. It is like a public promise.

Let us see if I can keep it.

(This is NOT how I want my blog to develop. At this point, I might be the child crying on the floor. I have used this image before. Damn, I had forgotten I had written those words.  Rather apropos to tonight's post.)

   

My Weekly Checkup (#26)

When I began this series shortly after starting my blog, I was being ambitious. But I was exploring new directions for my writing, too.  My hope was to build my confidence, and eventually express my opinions on controversial topics. I thought I would start small, and list links to stuff I found interesting, intriguing, and inspiring. Eventually I gave up on both. The last time I posted a weekly checkup was just over two years ago. 

Last Sunday, after skipping my blog post, I decided to bring the weekly checkups back.

My writing has stalled. I have not written a page of fiction since last November. The quality of my blogging is inconsistent. Occasionally I skip it. In addition, the content has been provincial. My life is plain and ordinary, and I lack the writing to render it otherwise. Only twice have I shared my thoughts on contemporary events and infamous people. However, I am still not brave enough to provide it regularly. Describing my own failures comes easy for me; explaining my political views is nearly impossible.

By resurrecting my weekly checkups, I hope to improve my writing and build up my courage. They will contain links to articles I have found, books I have read, and topics I have discovered. And I will attach a short synopsis to each. Nothing elaborate or profound, just initial thoughts and emotions. A lot of questions, too. But they will consist of opinions.

Small, doable, but uncomfortable steps.

That is an effective way to improve.  

A Deep Breath (#12)

This year's garden has been a bit disappointing. My cucumber and summer squashes died off under the brutal heat waves. My Brussels sprouts, while tall and leafy, and pole beans, long and winding, will not produce anything before the first frost takes them. Poor planning and care caused these losses.

Yet, the tomatoes have survived, with the cherry ones even thriving. Below is a small sample of what I harvest. They were picked today. I think they might be the third or fourth round. And even more remain unripened on the vines. For now.

It demonstrates how unplanned and half-assed efforts can still bear fruit.

Of course, it is also a reminder that applying time and energy in an organized, deliberate way can produce better results. 

There is always next year. 

     

A Deep Breath (#11)

Yeah, another post about procrastination and writing. Some day I will get off this topic. Just not today. At least there is a post. That counts for something. I guess.

Sigh.

(In early summer, I planted these sunflowers. Right after sprouting, something ate them all. Then more flowers appeared. They, too, were consumed. Now, third time around, this one has not given up. Let's see if it lasts until the first frost. I would use this as an inspiring metaphor, except, my luck, this one ends up being devoured soon after I publish this post.)