Perspective and Inspiration

I’ve been sick this week, with the sort of chesty, sinus-y, feverish bug that knocks you flat and makes simply breathing enough of a challenge that working is out of the question. By yesterday, five days into this thing, I was feeling pretty sorry for myself, sick of being housebound and of not being able to write as much as a coherent email. Woe is me. *cue tiny violins* We all have those moments, I know when whatever is holding us back gets us down. But if we’re lucky, before those blues can burrow too deeply into our souls, the universe hands us a little perspective. It did that for me yesterday. First, I read my good friend Laura Bradbury’s excellent blog. It speaks for itself, so go read it. And then, if that wasn’t enough to make me grateful to be able to feel sorry for myself about a bad cold, the point was hammered home by one of Eileen Cook’s tweets: Needed shot with javelin sized needle. Felt sorry for myself then remembered kids at the camp where I will volunteer have cancer #wussy — Eileen Cook (@Eileenwriter) May 29, 2014 Perspective, eh? I’m going to take mine and go put some stuffy-headed, incoherent words on paper. I can always edit them later. Share...

Ballads and Love Songs

My current favourite playlist on my iPod is one I’ve labelled “mellow”. It’s a wide-ranging list in terms of styles and genres of music, but all the songs have in common that they are neither loud nor quick-tempoed. Many of them are love songs of one sort and another, though not all. It’s got pop and jazz and folk and standards and ballads by rockers and more. It’s pretty much the antithesis of my “workout” playlist. Because it is my favourite playlist, everything on it is getting a little too familiar and overplayed. I know there are lots of songs out there I’ve forgotten about and many, many more I’ve never heard. So I thought I’d ask about your favourite mellow music to see if I can discover something new or be reminded of something old I should add. I’ve done some exploring, but I imagine you know of things I’d never find on my own. I don’t care what decade it comes from – my current mellow list includes everything from Ella Fitzgerald to the Eagles to Ed Sheeran – or whether it’s obscure or so mainstream you’re embarrassed to admit to liking it. I grew up in the 70s and 80s, so there are more than a few potentially embarrassing names in my own collection, and I’m not the least bit averse to things that are/were popular just because they’re popular. Please share if you’re willing. I’d love to read about your favourite song titles/artists to the comments. Thank you! Share...

Taking Time Out

Last week, a rare opportunity arose for me to get away by myself for a few days. It was perfect timing for a change of scene, so I grabbed it, leaving the city behind for the lovely Gulf Islands, leaving the pile of work on my desk behind with the intention of spending a few days focusing exclusively on writing. I didn’t expect to spend it offline. The place I stayed has wifi, and I assumed I’d be connected as usual. But on the first day, I realized that if I stayed online on email and social media, I may as well have stayed home, because I wouldn’t get the change of mindset I needed to go with the change of location. So I turned it off. Almost. I checked email once and I looked up a couple of research items when I was working. The social media break was an unexpected facet of the time away, but one of the ones I liked best. The lack of internet noise combined with the quiet of the island itself made space, as my friend Mary once said to me, “for the muses to speak.”It was a good feeling, being alone with my own thoughts for awhile. In the mornings, my dog and I would head out for some sort of adventure and a little exercise. One day, we climbed a mountain for the view. Another, we walked on the beach and sat on a log, watching the local residents – a seal, an otter, seagulls, birds, a deer, and even a visiting sea lion – go about their business. We wandered streets and trails, beaches and forests. And then we’d return to the cabin, and I’d spend the rest of the day working. It even warmed up enough for me to spend a little time writing outside on the deck. It was the first time I’ve had in a very long time to immerse myself in story to the exclusion of all else, and it was wonderful. Freed of the usual pressures and time constraints of workdays, not attempting to juggle anything but the stories clamouring for attention in my thoughts, my mind was free to explore and mull and plan and plot and write. It was rejuvenating and satisfying and absolutely worth the overwhelming inbox and long list of regular life stuff I have to catch up on now that I’m home. I can’t wait to do it again. Share...