OKAY, NOW LET'S GET BACK UP ON THE HORSE...

I offered the challenge in my Sunday School class today that we can set new resolutions, or attempts to improve old or bad habits, anytime, not just at a New Years.

And so I issued a November Resolution (to try to get more of them involved in our class discussions).

But I realized that I have been ignoring a little alarm that I have on my iPhone that prompts me each and every evening TO WRITE IN HERE.

So here is MY new resolution.

To write. 

I do have things on my mind - I do have thoughts that need more exploration - and I would like to become better at this.

Let the Challenge BEGIN!

AUTHOR AUTHOR

I have a couple of email subscriptions to writers' forums and techniques, one in particular from South Africa.

And I currently have an alarm set daily to remind me to do some writing.



It isn't the great American novel, it's a piece of fan fiction (easier to write because you already know the characters), and is just following a plot I concocted in my head when I can't sleep at night.






Yes, I'd like to have it published, but right now I am simply trying to finish writing it.

WRITING FICTION

I need reminders.

I surround myself with sticky notes, framed affirmations, bumper stickers, and not-quite-but-close-to tattoos to keep myself on track with self-improvements, motivations, and a close eye on my leaky memory.

And one of the areas I have recommitted myself to is writing fiction.

I am allowing my BBC Sherlock-addiction to bleed slowly out of my system into a bit of Sherlock fanfiction (what else do we Cumber-babes have to do until Season 3 finally comes out? I mean, besides seeing Star Trek Into Darkness time and time again).

It's easy writing since the majority of all the character development is already done through the show - the scenes, room setup, main line of persona's come directly from the television show.

It's actually more fun than writing a blog - except that I actually check and re-check my spelling, grammar, and sweat over plot development with my fanfiction, and I simply let my fingers dance over the keyboard and thoughts wander in and out of reality with this blog.

Some day I may actually get brave and post some of it here.

As long as no one expects that level of writing to continue.

LAPSES IN COMMUNICATION (I.E. OUTER SPACE)

Some people I speak with a couple times a day - my disabled daughter in particular.

Others I chat with every day or so - my other daughter, my horses, my dogs, my older brother.

And then there are the people you see only on Sunday, or at the pharmacy, or when you go up to Tucson.

But I have two sisters whom I speak with, oh, about once a decade.


I've always been envious of families that are close.

Well, let me clarify.

I'm envious of families that are HAPPY and close. There are some that are weld very firmly, but only while in small claims court.

My oldest sister and I have 22 years age between us - neither of my sisters' husbands like me (to put it mildly) - we've just never been close.

My brother and I are only five years apart... and he's been living with us the past year, so....

Anyway, tonight I wrote my closest sister a fairly long letter, bringing her up to date on events in my life lately, especially concerning the aforementioned brother.

And wished that somehow a sheet of paper could do more to join us.

IT'S ALL IN MY HEAD

I can't be the only person to dream of writing a best-selling novel.

 Although I would like to write only one copy, and keep it to simply read to myself.



So I actually have begun writing it.




And, as every author has discovered, it's a bit of work to get it from the images in your head onto the page.



I'm trying to set reasonable goals rather than my normal haphazard-when-the-mood-strikes-me.




So some days I write a page - some days just a couple of words.




But I am writing.

"THOSE WHO CANNOT DO . . . "

I had a fourth grade teacher who encouraged my creative writing, so (imagine the Groucho Marx tone and cigar), "I got more and more creative as time went on (wag cigar and huge eyebrows)."

Once the concept of a diary registered completely on my pre-adolescent brain, I immediately began to commandeer every possible journal, old calendar log and spiral notebook that came anywhere near me and began to stockpile.

That may have been where my (bordering on criminal) obsessive relationship with office supplies.

Some people dream of being locked up overnight in the Louvre - winning a million dollars in the lottery - having 3 minutes to grab all the diamonds they can at Tiffany's.

I fantasy about being let loose in an Office Depot - Staples - Office Max.

Even aisles B-4 through B-7 in Target.

But I digress (which is why I have a blog - I can digress as much as I want - so there).

Proportionately to my fixation on office supplies, my writing steadily increased over the years to the point where the Bic Corporation petitioned me to at least allow ink production to catch up to my use.

When I joined the LDS church in 1976, and was introduced to the church counsel of keeping a journal, I already had nine years of recording completely random events, observations, mood elevations (this was before antidepressants were commonly prescribed), and catty remarks about people I didn't like.

Oh, wait, a journal is supposed to be uplifting, spiritual records of your mortal progress?

Hell, NO.

My journal/diary/scribbles are where I gripe, complain, whine and belly-ache.

However, tomorrow I am responsible to teaching a class of twelve-year olds about record keeping... which I can loosely translate into journal keeping... and hopefully turn into an actual journal -entry session.

Let's see how this goes.