- I’ve always felt like I HAVE TO write to be happy, to be whole, to be who I am...I have at times throughout my life abandoned my writing and looking back I realize that those are also times that I abandoned my true self. I am writing this blog because I LOVE to write...AND...
- I am finally to a place where I have the courage, confidence and clarity about who I am to share what I write. I have throughout my life shared my writing with others (sometimes in personal letters, sometimes in assignments, sometimes in glorious rants, and sometimes even in my facebook status.) Most recently, I shared my random thoughts and musings by creating a travel blog as I ventured out on the first leg of the Queen’s Travel Tour. I loved sharing my journey and I loved knowing that other people had a sense of where I was going and how travel changes and impacts people even when they weren’t able to actually physically travel along with me. I’ve been urged by friends to write a book (And yes, I do have some friends who are crazy...Have you met me??? What other kind of friends would I have? ;) By the way, I also have friends who are fabulous!!!) However, as much as the idea of writing a book appeals to me, I don’t have an editor, a publisher, or the funds and time to spend pursuing those things right now...BUT...I do have a laptop and access to the World Wide Web...SO, I decided that now that I know that I am secure with who I am and how I am AND that being liked or disliked doesn’t change me, I feel really ready to share.
- AND NO, I don’t think that everything I have to say is too important to be missed (although I do like to imagine that the vast majority of it is ;) Truthfully, much of what I say probably isn’t incredibly important or tremendously ingenious ...BUT...I also think that if by sharing openly and honestly what I think, feel, and believe, I can have a positive impact on even one person’s life then it’s worth doing. AND I’ve come to the point where ‘positive impact’ may just mean that I made you laugh -- even if you’re just laughing at me!
- So...Why 10 Things...Well, those of you who know me, have ever had a lengthy conversation with me, and/or tried to follow along with my ‘tangential free-form writing’ (that’s the fancy term for random rambling that I learned when browsing one day at B&N) know that focus is not exactly my strong suit... On a scale of 1-10 of randomness, I rank somewhere up around 33,567...AND (I am going to give credit here to what probably inspired the idea of 10 things the most because although I am not stealing this idea OR plagiarizing in any way -- plagiarism is cheating and lying and WRONG -- I was inspired by a list in an author’s book which helped me find a way to focus my writing energies.) I was reading one of Jen Lancaster’s books (-- She has 4. They are all fabulous! I highly recommend them!!! --) and she had a list called the Jen Commandments (super clever, huh? -- damn, just this once I wish my name was Jennifer) in which she outlines 10 things about herself. I decided I’d try to do the same thing (and obviously not call them any kind of commandments because it simply wouldn’t work with my name.) It was a fun way for me to write and sort of stay on topic (Of course the first topic was ME...SO, needless to say I had lots to say...And the ramblings aren’t completely void of randomness -- I’ll post them eventually, you’ll see)...AND so, the idea of TEN THINGS was born...
AND then...
5. I started realizing that if I could use the idea of 10 things to keep me focused (somewhat) I could surely come up with 10 Things I know/believe/think about lots of different things...life, honesty, friendship, grief, teaching, travel, things that should be common sense - but aren’t, ME (and/or anything else that someone suggests that I can figure out 10 things about)...BUT the main reason that I am writing 10 Things is that they are 10 gazillion things I don’t know (however, the fact that gazillion is NOT a real world is NOT one of those things -- I’m using it for effect...I make lots of errors and sometimes invent words...If you’re going to read and enjoy my blogs -- get over it!) There are lots and lots and lots of things I do NOT know. Some of them are things I do not care to know (this is also a list I will probably publish at some time -- 10 things I now know and wish I didn’t) and some are things that I hope to learn. And I hope that through writing I learn a lot of these things. I know that throughout my life I have learned a lot of things. I have been taught by many great “teachers” both outside and inside of classrooms, but I’ve also learned that I really learn and really know when I really share what I’ve learned and what I know. AND, learning and loving and growing and laughing and knowing are the things that matter to me...AND are the things I want to share!!!
SO...I hope you enjoy 10 Things...
The plan is to start posting soon and to do so as erratically and unpredictably as possible ;) ...
P.S... If there are 10 random things you want my thoughts about or even 1 thing you want to know my 10 random thoughts about or if there is 1 or 10 questions you’d like me to answer, PLEASE send these things my way. If you’re going to read this, I figure at least occasionally it could be about things you actually want to know/read about. AND, I think having the opportunity to communicate doesn’t mean just my writing on and on about all I think, BUT also about listening...And responding...And listening...And responding...And together learning from the exchange!
