So, it’s been a while since I posted on my goals for living dangerously. I’m busy working on editing a couple manuscripts that I’ve had requests for and trying to keep up with real life.
Since we’ve chatted here on the blog, I’ve visited NYC for a writer’s convention where I ate, breathed, and talked books. Staying off site from the hotel, I got a taste of what living in the city really feels like. We ate at small neighborhood restaurants, walked
For a week, I was someone else. And I loved that person.
But a strange thing happened on the road to NYC. Actually, a friend and I were walking down
Illusions was a follow up book to Jonathon Livingstone Seagull by Richard Bach. And people LOVED JLS. I thought it was alright. But Illusions? My hardback copy was torn, stained, and all the worse for wear. I must have read that book twenty times. Maybe more. Then I moved and the book stayed behind.
One of the quotes from the Messiah’s Handbook in Illusions tells about how your friends will know you better the minute you meet than your acquaintances will know you in a life time. And that was the passage I found immediately upon slapping my three bucks down and opening the book to a random page.
Reading the quote out loud, I realized that the woman walking next to me was that kind of friend. Someone who knew me.
And I bless the all knowing IS for bringing her into my life.
(**If you don’t know what the ‘IS’ is, you need to read the book.)
And the other best thing about finding the book? Inside the front cover is an inscription from a man to his lover. Beautiful, haunting words that made me wonder, why did she let the book go? Did the relationship disintegrate causing the book to become a painful reminder of a feeling no long there?
That’s why I’m a writer. Because there’s always a story, you just have to find it.
As a high school senior, I had two conflicting goals. One, I was going to get my degree in marketing and go work in NYC as a buyer in the fashion industry. The other, I was going to meet my Mr. Right and have twelve kids, being the perfect stay at home mom.
Neither plan came true. And for that, I bless the fates.
Why was I thinking about this? I’m a planner. I always have been. I planned my high school class schedule with a tight contingency plan. I had my fun classes – even then I knew I wasn’t going to be a musical prodigy, but I did work my way up to first chair – third position clarinet. But it was a small school.
When I wasn’t in Band class, I took college prep courses like Algebra – Geometry –and Algebra II – at which time I exceeded my math skills and finished my requirements. I took office occupation classes and found typing a chore – 55 words is my max before deducting for mistakes. Accounting however was a breeze and oddly, comforting in its rules and lines. I won first place in my district competition. An award that allowed me to go on to state, but I was already committed.
I was an officer in Future Homemakers of America organization. If you live in a rural area, you’re probably familiar with the brother organization, Future Farmers of America. At our school, the mainly boy group got all the cool stuff. But we were determined.
As an officer, I attended their district, state and national conventions. Funny thing is the conventions I attended as a youth; bear a striking resemblance to the business conventions I’ve attended as an adult.
I took at least one home-economics course each semester, cooking, baking, canning, sewing, and crafts. I learned how to sew, knit, crochet, can foods, and bake. I learned how to run a fund raiser – and in the club, I earn my service awards, setting goals and meeting them – to progress through the ranks. But instead of preparing me to be a homemaker, the time I spent in Mrs. Higgins’ classes prepared me for life.
I still have the small apron I made out of shared fabric with my best friend and her sister. I love seeing a row of canned peaches, sitting on my kitchen cupboard, cooling, their lids popping sealed. And I have made several baby blankets this spring, crocheting the pink or blue yarn into something that feels warm and heavy in my hand.
Learning to complete the task at hand. Learning to plan for the future. Learning to set goals. Learning how to fit into a world where I was different. All these were lessons I didn’t realize I was learning until years later.
Thank you Mrs. Higgins. And I swear, I’m going to try to make popovers, one more time.
Honestly, the last two weeks have totally gotten away from me. Too many to do's on my list and my brain shuts down... It's a documented fact. (Lynn Law #435) 
**I've sent one and started a second. This is going to be an ongoing goal to send one a month.
Commit to attending RWA nationals. Still working out the money bugs on this one. But as Kevin Costner’s character learned in Field of Dreams, if you plan it, it will come. (Paraphrasing just a bit.)
**Off Topic - I watched Field of Dreams last night. I love the part where Holly Hunter is taking on Censorship. Still working out money, but commited to go! NYC, here I come.
Volunteer to give a coffee talk presentation for our local chapter. Generational Characters. This one is harder. I’ve got a topic, some of the research material, and the date. Now to just write the darn training. You would think since I used to do this for a living I wouldn’t be so nervous.
**I presented on this during my day job so I've got a better idea where the session will go, but no training package yet. Soon. This is a continual goal - challenge for February.
So with the two ongoing goals, I'll add the following:
Send off my Idaho cowboy story to the targeted line. I LOVE this story. I hope the editor loves it as well.
Enter Fire and Ice Contest as well as Chocolate Rose. Look at mystery contest and Great American Novel contests. Contests are a double edge sword for me. I love entering, but not finaling is a downer. So maybe I'll just final in all the contests I enter this year... Yay!
I'm attending a work potluck/party next week. In the Living Dangerously style, I'm going to talk to all level three managers in attendance about something besides work. I'm scared already. (grin)
So there you go. February challenges to keep me busy.
What's going on with your challenges? Did you keep your new years resolutions?
