On Working

Reblogged from The Greenery:

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Does anyone truly love to work?

I mean, the actual act of working, not the side-effects: satisfaction, sense of purpose, feelings of accomplishment. I mean, let's be honest: wouldn't you rather be having a glass of wine with friends in a nice, sunny garden instead of surveilling a parking garage, polishing your story draft, or pulling weeds? I know I would.

Read more… 536 more words

I don't think anyone does "love" to work!

Interactive Writing Project

After contemplating several topics and styles of writing for this blog, I have decided on some fun.

First, I have selected the following possible writing prompts:

1. paltry, improve, amused, cream, and baseball

2. Write about an ancient gypsy curse.

3. a hole in a tree, a singing grape, cracked walnuts, and vanilla

4. ungrateful, kinetic absorption, and Morgan’s Point

Now,PLEASE CHOOSE ONE of the writing prompts, and I will post a story based on the favored one in a few days.

At the end of the next post, I will list possible outcomes or more writing prompts for followers. This is will be an interactive writing project, a sort of “Choose Your Own Adventures” type. I need some motivation for creativity, and who better to help than you.

I look forward to any and all suggestions.

Why The Delay?

Everyday I think about writing on this blog, but life interrupts. Right? I think that is what I am telling myself.

So, why the delay? Why am I not consistent with this blog? Life? Could be, but I think what is it is FEAR.

I remember how much I loved art in middle school, and how I would spend hours drawing in my room and on vacation trips with my family. So, why didn’t I become an artist? FEAR. I realized that I wasn’t the only one with artist talent, and there were a few students better than I. I guess in my little mind, I was not good enough; so, why bother pushing for a career in art.

In law school, there is a moment in which all law students take notice that they are no longer the smartest student in the class. I am not saying that I am Einstein or anything, but I had an inclination that I was very intelligent in high school and undergrad; so, when it hit me that I was in law courses with people on equal and higher intellectual level, it was a moment of awe. Fear was my friend during those years; however, with the amount of money I was paying for this college experience, I couldn’t afford fearful obstacles. The bar exam is a whole other topic.

This brings me back to writing. I know I write well, and I know that people enjoy reading my words; so, why am I letting fear control me? STUPIDITY.

So, here is a letter for myself to FEAR,

Dear Fear,

I will not let you win this time. I will write regardless of the possibility of ridicule and lack of followers. I will write without fear that I will miss an embarrassing grammatical error, and thoroughly suggest to my readers that I am an idiot (although, I know my mother the English teacher will point it out on Facebook for the world to see). I will write, because I will not grow as a writer without putting words down somewhere.

You might be strong and sneak up on me at times, but I will ignore you and WRITE ON!

Take That!,

Amy G.

10 Things I Would Buy With My Last $20

Writing Prompt for today?

10 Things I Would Buy with My Last $20

Now, these are 10 things I would buy for pure enjoyment with no realistic responsibilities. It’s the day before payday, and I just need a day for myself with my last $20.

1. Pint of Rocky Road Ice Cream (Oh yeah . . . )

2. Bubble Bath (Mmmm, think I will take one after I finish this post.)

3. In Touch Magazine (Guilty pleasure, DON’T JUDGE ME!)

4. Classic DVD (One of those on sale for $5 or less, i.e. Goonies, Pretty in Pink, West Side Story!)

5. Fuzzy Socks (OMG, I love those!)

6. Deck of Cards (My grandmother taught me that winning game of solitaire can be very self rewarding.)

7. Yummy Smelling Candle (Candle hoarder? Who me?)

8. Bottle of Water (Boring? I know; but, I would.)

9. Brightly-Colored Fingernail Polish (Blue! I love painting my toes blue. Don’t ask me why.)

10. Ear plugs (Silence is golden.)

What would you spend your last $20 on? Try considering a different scenario too.

50 Things I’ll Never Do

While looking for a writing prompt, I ran across this one. I was curious if I could even come up with that many things, because there isn’t much I wouldn’t do.

So, here it goes (in no particular order). I’ll never . . . .

1. cheat on someone I love (too loyal).
2. dye my hair blonde (no offense to blondes, but I can’t pull that off).
3. swim with sharks (yeah . . . ).
4. eat dog or horse (don’t even understand why people would).
5. not stand up for myself or my family (bring it!).
6. shave my head (no Britney !)
7. disrespect the deceased (isn’t that a given for everyone?).
8. give up on my dreams (might get frustrated and unmotivated at times, but never give up).
9. stop loving my children (love my boys).
10. make a sex tape (if I have to explain why . . . ).
11. flip off a cop or other authority figure (not tempting those in power).
12. kill someone (never, ever).
13. kill an animal (see above).
14. eat glass (answer inspired by one of the crazy shows my best friend loves, My Strange Addiction on TLC).
15. own another bird (smelly and didn’t go well . . . cat).
16. get liposuction (going old school-workout).
17. gamble my savings (I love Texas Hold’em, but not a big risk taker with cash).
18. marry and become a vampire (sorry Bella, but you go girl!).
19. rap (don’t think my white girl rap would go over well with anyone, even close friends).
20. sky dive (I don’t even like that feeling in your stomach when going down a hill; plus the “what if” factor).
21. wear colored mascara (umm . . 80′s flashback).
22. stay with an abuser (oh, hell no!)
23. not punch someone in the face (put this one for my best friend, because she knows I am tempted on a daily basis).
24. give up pasta (true Italian, baby!).
25. roll down a grassy hill again (enjoyed as a kid, before I realized the pain of allergy attacks).
26. date a werewolf (again, you go Bella!).
27. dance naked in the woods (private joke with my family, lol).
28. interfere with someone’s marriage (that is a big no-n0 in my book).
29. stress or prepare for a doomsday prediction (if it’s going to happen, it’s going to happen; and, I doubt we will really know when).
30. vote for an independent candidate in a presidential vote again (Ross Perot. Yes, yes I did; wasted vote).
31. eat raw eggs (ewww).
32. judge someone before I get to know them (learned that lesson many times over).
33. throw eggs at someone’s car (this good girl never did that, and now I am old enough to understand the seriousness of property damage).
34. stop reading (love it!).
35. wear shoes in the grass (wonderful feeling).
36. drink Tequila again (had a bad experience. I said, I had a bad experience).
37. think I know it all (used to believe that, now know better).
38. not ask for advice from those more knowledgable or wiser (your stupid if you don’t).
39. wear leggings (too old for that now).
40. underestimate the intelligence of our youth (my kids prove that to me everyday).
41. watch a play without thinking of my first performance in the acting class I took in college (. . . not good, props to actors).
42. loose my faith in God (no way!)
43. ride a bike without a helmet (have the scars to prove the importance of a helmet).
44. remove or surgically cover my scars (they are there to remind me of who I am, and that I am not invincible).
45. understand those who cause others pain on purpose (nor do I want to).
46. be able to eat lemon meringue pie without thinking of my grandmother (miss her).
47. walk around the house investigating a noise in the dark (turn on all the lights! Don’t be a horror movie statistic).
48. order the Shake Weight (couldn’t do that without laughing).
49. forget to forgive others (it might take me awhile, but it is necessary).
50. cook macaroni past al dente (my sister and brother-in-law should be ashamed).

Whew! I did it! Share some of yours!

Post a Day 2011

My goal is to post a day for publication inspiration, even if most of my writings end up in the “wastebasket.” I welcome all comments and encouragement with this endeavor.

The wastebasket is a writer’s best friend. ~Isaac Bashevis Singer