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Deadlines, To-Do Lists and Other Obligations

A few weeks ago I signed up for NaNoWriMo- National Novel Writing Month. I thought if I pledged on-line to write 50,000 words in the month of November it might actually spur my creative juices. Awaken my muse, as it were.

So far, as the start day approaches, my muse has remained in a comatose state. I think she’s begun the hibernation process, fearing the coming winter.

In addition to my slacker muse, my life has suddenly become incredibly busy. My job, which had been down to one afternoon a week, now needs me for several days a week. My daughter, an ice skater, has a competition coming up, which means extra practices. Early practices…waaaaaay before the sun rises ice times. I’ll also be out of town for several days at a conference. And then of course, there’s the realization that Thanksgiving is only three weeks away.

And so I ask this question, will this full calendar make or break me? I will actually have to schedule time to write and force myself to sit down at my lap top at those times if I even hope to reach the 50,000 word goal. It will mean not vegging out on FaceBook when I have an hour off, but being vigilant to piece thoughts together into a story. I’ll have to wake up earlier or stay up a little later than normal if I even hope to meet the goal.

It’s been a long time since I’ve put myself in this kind of situation. I’m hoping that by stating my goal “in public” as it were, I’ll have even more incentive to keep it. It used to be, when I was younger and more foolish, that I thrived on deadlines. They inspired me greatness. Now they give me heartburn. But I vow to persevere!

How about y’all? Do you work best under the pressure of deadlines and goals or does your creativity flow when you have time to let it percalate? Drop me a line and let me know!

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Lessons from an Egyptian

This past Saturday I went to the Denver Art Museum to see an exhibit of artifacts from King Tutankhamen’s tomb. Plexiglass boxes housed priceless necklaces and statues; model boats and even a latrine! Narratives along the walls gave background information regarding the life and times of the kings who reigned some three thousand years ago.

One panel made an interesting point. The pharoahs built the pyramids and filled them with treasures to insure their immortality. But the contemporaries of King Tutankhamen, or Tut as we call him now, wanted to erase his name from history. They opposed the changes his father, Ahknaten, had made in their religion; forcing them to abandon their pantheon of gods in favor of worshipping just one god.

Once they died, new kings erased Ahknaten’s and Tut’s names from historical records and wall carvings. Their statues were inscribed with the names of the new pharoahs. The Egyptians hoped to make the world forget these kings existed.

But history had another idea. Although the pyramids have survived and those with an interest in Egyptology know the names of pharoahs like Khufu and Ramses; it is the boy king, the pharoah Egypt wanted us to forget, Tutankhamen, that ALL the world knows.

It got me thinking about what kind of legacy I want to leave behind. Of course, I hope my children will be filled with the love and confidence I’ve tried to give them as well as a foundation of faith that will see them through the trials of life. But what about the world at large? What kind of legacy do I want to leave it? I hope to be known for kindness and generosity-not selfish ambition or pride. But how do I do this? How do I use my time on earth to make it a better place?

I think my problem is I’ve been looking at “the big picture.” Waiting for a calling of some kind that says “this is what you need to do!” But the truth is, we can make a difference each day with how we treat other people and use our time. Maybe if I concentrate on the little things each day, the friendly smile, the encouraging word, maybe then the harder things will get easier. It certainly couldn’t hurt, could it?

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Seasons and Memories

Out here in Nebraska we’ve been experiencing a week of perfect fall weather. Mornings are crisp. Afternoons are filled with sparkling blue skies, sunshine and the hint of color in the trees as the leaves change. Pumpkins are popping up on front porches and I can practically taste the apple cider as I drive through the neighborhood.

A few weeks back I wrote about how certain sounds can evoke a response from us and this week I wondered about how particular days can do the same. I used to absolutely love the fall, but I’ve realized that now the first hints of autumn always carry with them a sense of melancholy. It’s been over twenty years since my dad died one September night, but I remember it clearly. Fall had just made an appearance in Connecticut that year and so now I can’t help feeling that twinge of loss whenever the leaves start turning yellow and the air gets cooler.

There’s a particular smell of spring rain on asphalt that immediately sends me back to my days as a freshman in college. I can see steam from manhole covers and the soft glow of street lamps on the rain soaked sidewalks as I make my way across campus after a late night visiting a friend.

The first snow of winter brings with it the craving for hot chocolate and cuddles by a roaring fire as that’s what I recall from endless days sledding in my childhood.

What are the days that trigger memories for you?  Is it a gentle spring rain or a violent summer storm? Drop me a line and let me know!