That said, my current process involves:

• starting my life over (yet again)
• redoing all of my websites (yet again) specifically thru my eyes by taochild and PAX Nation at the moment (standard blatant plugs – yet again)
• getting fit (yet again)
• finishing my (now 3) manuscripts (yet again)
• attempting to publish said manuscripts (yet again)

Considering the above, this week’s 100 Word Challenge for Grown Ups is eerily appropriate (yet again). Let’s see if I can do it some justice![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”9164″ alignment=”center” onclick=”custom_link” link=”http://juliasplace.org.uk/100-word-challenge-for-grown-ups/”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_message]This week’s prompt:

…a blank page but what to write?…[/vc_message][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_empty_space][vc_btn title=”Prompt home” align=”center” link=”url:http%3A%2F%2Fjuliasplace.org.uk%2F100wcgu%2Fdread-new-beginnings%2F||target:%20_blank|”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

The author woke up, ready to get started immediately. He found the page before him empty. Had he not written much yesterday? How could he continue the story if he did not recall what had already been written? He had room to work, a blank page, but what to write? No matter, he would just create something. He worked hard, well into the night … a story emerged. Tired from his effort, a whole lifetime in a day, he went to bed.

The next morning, the author woke up, ready to get started immediately. He found the page before him empty …

The post Re-re-re-re-rebirth first appeared on thrumyeyes.

This is no great revelation … a simple statement of observable fact. So why do I start my post with a statement of the obvious? Ultimately, because I need to start SOMEWHERE, and that is what worked for me. Yep, folks, I am once again on a ramble. Hope others enjoy the ride, because I am not sure where it is going myself.

I started this particular post with the intent of updating (for any interested), what is going on with my pretending to be a writer. But as often happens when I sit at the keyboard, my fingers decided they had other intentions. Before I let them go too far astray, I will slip in a writing update.

I have now officially started THREE (yep, that is 3, III, tres) projects that may someday end up with the dubious title of “Book”. The two that I have been talking about here for a long while got shelved when I started my great hiking adventure. The great hiking adventure turned into a great wandering adventure, but whatever it was (is?) labeled, it too decided it needed to be a book. So that manuscript has also been started … and shelved. Fortunately, my shelves are not all that hard to access, especially now that I am back in my cave of choice for the moment. So the current “to be book” list, complete with supposed story lines is as follows:

• Rayson’s Tale (title pending) in which a boy with an unstained soul becomes adept at magic, thus getting sucked into an ongoing battle between “good” and “evil” … or is he just a dream of another “ordinary” boy? (roughly 70,000 words written)
• Gusty’s Story (title also pending) in which a man searching for what is important in life who, after eating an oddly pulsing snack cake, finds himself not only on another world, but its foreordained savior. To complicate matters a little more, the prophecy is a lie. (roughly 30,000 words written)
• “The Tao of Picnic” in which a disillusioned man wanders the world in search of  … well that is part of what he is trying to find out. Basically an exploration of philosophy and humanity through the many eyes of one wandering soul … except this one is a true story. (uncountable words written … the question is how many will make the final cut?)

This thought train was momentarily derailed by my other half. Brown Dog is completely addicted to playing with her new favorite toy … but I too must play.

As I look at what I have already written here, so I can re-rail the train, I realize that on the surface, all three stories sound very similar. Yet they are very different both in writing style and content when read. They DO hold one thing in common, which is ultimately the life view of their creator … which makes sense.

Maybe the reason that I have not completed any of them is that I have not completed my life view yet.

Yep, life is ultimately about change. When I started this exploration of the writer’s world (hard to believe it has been five and a half years ago), I had no idea where it would lead me. Now, I am involved in 3 book projects, 12 blogs, world and self exploration … all while having no income and calling my mom’s attic (the cave) Home Base.

Funny thing is, I am no closer to knowing where I am going then when I started this journey.

I don’t know if anyone actually follows my blogs. And I find it really does not matter. I write to express ideas. Sometimes I just need to express them for my own better understanding. If others actually read the words, and take something from them … well that is just a bonus.

It seems that I am at the end of this particular finger wandering. I don’t think it ended up where I was aiming (it bears no relationship to the title, which came first), but I rarely know where I am aiming anyways. That is the joy (and frustration) of being me. Until the next time folks!![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

The post Time to try this organization thang again … first appeared on thrumyeyes.

This is not news to some, an interesting fact to others, a meaningless mess of images to some others … and many other things to still many other people.

Actually, I am writing several books, but THIS book … this book is special. It is going to be a best seller; nobody is going to read it; both; neither; everything in-between. it may well go down as the hardest book one ever wrote. Or maybe instead it will be nothing more than a children’s learner … a book of letters that imparts a little joy and maybe also a little learning. Or both … neither … everything in-between.

Writing this book is a learning experience like no other. The first thing I have learned … an epiphany that was reminiscent of the sun shining though clouds after days of stormy weather … was that I, me, THIS ONE … KNOWS …

… absolutely nothing.

Possibly the most limiting concept humankind ever came up with is the concept of KNOWING something. Just think how much in the realm of possibility never gets a chance to exist simply because we KNOW it can’t.

Fortunately we who create, we who choose to weave the magics of the cosmos into random bits of coherence, we all KNOW one thing. We KNOW how limiting it is to KNOW. Am I a god? Yes. No. Or both … neither … everything in-between.

The biggest challenge of this book is I won’t know how it ends until … it ends. How is one to write a book that’s ending depends on how it ends? Every chapter has the same issue … sometimes even paragraphs and sentences. There are moments that are re-written before the moment is even over. How does one WRITE such a book?

Yet THAT is the book I am writing. Doesn’t that make me SPECIAL?

Yes. No. Or both … neither … everything in-between.

It seems I am not the only one writing this book. And every author has their own unique vision on how this book will turn out. I am very curious how this book … this SPECIAL book that I/WE am/are writing will turn out.  I/we simply don’t KNOW. But I/we certainly can …

IMAGINE CREATE IMAGINE CREATE IMAGINE CREATE IMAGINE CREATE IMAGINE

So what shall I/we call this book? That too may be a challenge.

I was positive that a path changing moment was imminent. Kind of scared me until I realized that EVERY moment can be described that way.

-Picnic

The post Both … neither … everything in-between first appeared on thrumyeyes.

Somehow, despite my occasional bouts of ennui, my immersion in the Blogshphere seems to continue to grow. I went from 1 blog with a small following to now being involved with 8 blogs, with equally small followings. That is not quite true. Some of them are in conjunction with (or for) other people. Those seem to do better in general. For anyone actually interested, here is the complete list (in alphabetical order … I think):

• The odd ramblings of a mind that does not quite fit – my first blog which is about anything and everything (and THIS blog)
• A tale of a trail – the tale of my attempt to hike the Appalachian Trail, from the original idea to completion
• Grandma’s Imagination House – the newest project … an attempt at a family craft business (I am just the web guy)
• HeArtful Theatre Company – my SISTER’S new theatre business (again I am just the web guy)
• It all starts with the body – an attempt at MY OWN health and fitness related business
• The Ninja Cat Journals – an attempt at a humor blog
• thru my eyes – my attempts at photography
• Welcome to a New World – an attempt to create a world saving community

Why am I mentioning these? Beyond the blatant self promotion (AGAIN), I am basically listing the many projects I seem to be involved in. There are also to the two fiction novels I am attempting to write. Yep for someone who has nothing to do, I sure seem to have a lot to do. The issue is that there is one key word for most of these projects … ATTEMPTS.

Lately I seem to be getting exactly nowhere fast. Maybe it is because I am trying to many things at once. But I think that is a symptom rather than the problem. Ultimately every single one of these projects has the same goal … to improve myself, to help others … to make my life a meaningful one … at least to me.

I guess the real question is, what is the meaning I am seeking? We are all ultimately writing the story of our own lives. But like with the novels I am working on, I am not quite clear where that story is going. I am making it up as I go along. So I guess it comes down to this. My why is really just because. I can sit here and stare at a blank page, and wonder why my story is not continuing, or just keep writing it and see where it goes. Maybe the story will surprise me. Maybe eventually I will know the ending I am heading for. But either way, it will really go nowhere if I stop writing it.

Kind of like this rather random post. :)[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

The post What was I writing again? first appeared on thrumyeyes.

There is one slight drawback though. Since I am now sitting at a bar, for several hours, the temptation to spend money that I really can’t afford to spend on snacks and maybe even the occasional drink is pretty strong. So I also need to beef up the discipline, which is my true weak spot. The challenge is on!

Updated stats:

• RAYSON’S story
• Previous word count:    71375
• Chapter:     21 finished
• Current word count:      74505
• Chapter:      22 

• GUSTY’S story
• Previous word count:     25658
• Chapter:      18 Finished  
• Current word count:      26569
• Chapter:      19 Finished

The post Doing it again … Finally! first appeared on thrumyeyes.

• RAYSON’S story
• Previous word count:    69547
• Chapter:     20 finished
• Current word count:      71375
• Chapter:      21 

• GUSTY’S story
• Previous word count:     25658
• Chapter:      18 Finished     
• Current word count:      26569
• Chapter:      19 Finished

The post Words and more words first appeared on thrumyeyes.

Anyway he started with gusto, and actually managed to get out a few thousand words before his nature took over. After some time he began to find every excuse in the book … well … to avoid writing a book. My computer crashed. I have writer’s block. My chair is uncomfortable. I am clinically depressed. My dad died. Waaa waaa. Now after a few months of being the starving writer who eats too much and  is not actually writing, our hero has taken on a new challenge, namely to compete in the loss of all those pounds he has gained from ineffectively starving.

Ironically, and true to his nature, since he started this challenge two days ago he has found every healthy excuse … well … to not actually be healthy. I mean exercise takes a lot of work. So in an effort to do anything except do the exercises he is supposed to be doing, he has gone and started writing in his novels again.

For those who have been keeping track (if in fact anyone has been), the current stats:

• RAYSON’S story
• Previous word count:    66586
• Chapter:     19 finished
• Current word count:      69547
• Chapter:      20 Finished 

• GUSTY’S story
• Previous word count:     25658
• Chapter:      18 Finished     
• Current word count:      26569
• Chapter:      19 Finished

The post At long last … first appeared on thrumyeyes.

Now due to several factors (not least shame that my sister who started HER book well after me has now flown past me haha) has renewed the need to continue. My muse is still in hiding, my creativity is at the very least a tease, my sense of purpose is still laughing at me, and my will power needs some strong coffee, but my stubbornness has shouted “ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!”

So for the last couple of days I reread what I have already written in an attempt to remember if I actually know where my stories are going, and today I whipped out (or more accurately ripped out), about 3100 words … a chapter and actually know where I might be going with the next chapter. I even enjoyed what I wrote … enough to share a little excerpt here. I hope it tantalizes nicely!

There is something refreshing about a new coat of snow. It covers over all the flaws and dirtiness of yesterday, almost wiping away the past as if it had never been. Or so it seemed to Kyle as he woke up that morning and looked out his window. It had apparently snowed all night, and as of yet the pristine coating of snow was not marred by footsteps or the collected grunge of modern life. It was quite pretty out there, as if a new sheet of paper had been placed for the new day to paint its mark. Kyle found that his view of the world had subtly shifted since that last intense dream. Everything took on an added dimension; as if his eyes had grown some new filter. He seemed to find an overlay of otherness to everything he viewed, altering not only how he saw things, but how he interpreted them as well.
Something had changed within him. Something indefinable yet it was definitely there. What he had experienced in that dream had directly done something to him, even if he could not really explain what. He just knew it to be true. It filled Kyle with both a sense of awe and … disquiet. The worse part is he could not discuss it with anyone without them thinking he was crazy, or just overly imaginative. It mostly seemed to stem from the last part of the dream. The point when the creatures had shifted in his gaze, becoming other than what his eyes saw. Somehow the power of the moment had altered him, enhancing his senses in someway. Kyle’s instincts told him that it was in some way related to that charm that he had drawn a picture of, though he again could not explain why. All he new is that the world was different now.
Everything Kyle looked at had almost an aura … though it was not quite that. He had seen infrared images before, and this new vision had that aspect about it. It was not like he suddenly saw everything in shades of orange and yellow, more like a ghost image over the top of what was “really” there. He could tune it out if he wanted to, but the overlay was always there. Again he knew what he was seeing was not a measure of heat, but of something else. He was tempted to describe it as a measure of good and evil, but that was not quite it. Because this subtle sheen was over anything he beheld, though it was definitely strongest in humans. If Kyle did not know the idea was from movies, he would swear he was seeing the Force in things … both the light side and the dark side. It was both cool, and very distracting.

The post Brace yourself … I am back (sort of) first appeared on thrumyeyes.

• RAYSON’S story
• Previous word count:    60387
• Chapter:     18
• Current word count:      63475
• Chapter:      18 Finished 

• GUSTY’S story
• Previous word count:     25658
• Chapter:      18 Finished     
• Current word count:      26569
• Chapter:      19 Finished

The post Book update … another chapter finished first appeared on thrumyeyes.

• RAYSON’S story
• Previous word count:    57240
• Chapter:     17
• Current word count:      59456
• Chapter:      17 Finished

• GUSTY’S story
• Previous word count:     25658
• Chapter:      18 Finished     
• Current word count:      26569
• Chapter:      19 Finished

Hopefully, with my new determination to start DOING again, reestablishing my Vow, and with some inspiration from some new founts of joy in my life, these numbers will start growing quickly again. I look forward to seeing the stories fully revealed!

The post Is he still writing those damn books? first appeared on thrumyeyes.