Tag Archives: Inspiration

What I Really Cannot Do Is Write

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TheMuffinHeaderUm…it’s August. AUGUST, y’all.

When last we met, it was June and I was walking my way to better. Which I’m still doing. What I’m not doing is writing.

I think my feelings about writing can best be summed up in the song, Sing! from the musical, A Chorus Line. Except where the character says “sing” please insert “write.” (Because ironically, I can sing.)

Lest you surmise that I’ve become a complete slug, I have been doing things.

I’ve done lots and lots of thinking. Mostly on the back deck, whilst taking in some vitamin D and slurping on a frozen concoction. You can read what I’ve been thinking about in “New Thinking About Old Goals”over at the Muffin.

I’ve been reading lots and lots, too. I’ve read the complete series of the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith and I’ve learned SO much about Botswana! But I’ve learned other interesting stuff, too, reading sites like Bored Panda. And of course, I’ve read my email, at least the personal ones. And that’s been interesting and informative, too. (You can see for yourself in “What a Writer Wants from a Professional Critique,” also over at the Muffin.)

And painting! Holy Bright White, so much painting! It’s been kind of inspirational, actually, and you can see what I mean at “Writing Tips, Compliments of the Kitchen Painting Project.” Yep, it’s at the Muffin, too.

Last but not least, I’ve been getting ready for Oldest Junior Hall’s wedding. Which has been challenging in the middle of a pandemic but there you have it; one must make the best of things, so we had a Zoom Bridal Shower. And I don’t mean to gloat, but I sort of outdid myself, making a slideshow for the happy couple. So fine, I guess that is gloating, and you can read all about the splendiferous slideshow in “Storybook Story” over at the Muffin.

Um…I suppose you could say technically, I have been writing.

Never mind.

 

All Kinds of Thanks

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IMG_20191016_113809085Monday night, I spoke to the Women’s Guild at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church and thank goodness I did because inspiration has been in short supply lately.

See, the friend who contacted me (way back in the summer) mentioned again how much she loved my blog and how she laughed at my social media shenanigans (at least, I think she said that. I may just be adding that part to make the story better). The point is, she wanted to liven up her meetings and she thought of little old, lively me. And then Eureka (and just in the nick of time, I might add)! An idea popped into my hitherto empty head!

Most of my blog posts are promoting whatever I’ve got out there in the world and I totally forget sometimes that my blog posts are actually promoting…well…me.

Which is crazy, I know, because right up there at the top of the page is Cathy C. Hall in really big letters. Anyway, inspiration struck as I realized that as a writer, I’m always selling me. So I’m always working, no matter what I’m doing. Of course, I went into a lot more writerly detail over at the Muffin today in “It May Not Look Like Work…” But bottom line, I’m very grateful to my friend and the Women’s Guild for the idea.

And did you see that delightfully cute fish they gave me? It’s on my bookcase where all my books are shelved–and it’s pointing in my direction. Because I need to remember that point about me and working.

But also because I’m grateful for the warm welcome from the Women’s Guild, not to mention their generosity. They’re involved in all kinds of service over there at St. Patrick’s so I know how giving these women are. But honestly, even if they hadn’t bought a ton of my Chicken Soup for the Soul books, I would still have been overwhelmed by their kind words and generous spirit, plus their laughter (in all the right places).

See, a writer may be working all the time, but it takes a joyful reader to make her glad that she does.

Thanks, January

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So at long last, we say goodbye to January. It really is like the longest month ever, with its 31 days and its bitter cold and the starkness that follows the festive color and coziness of the holidays. I mean, that right there is January in a nutshell: January is the serious month of the year,right?

Or maybe that’s what it was for me and other folks were out there swinging from the New Year rafters and jumping feet first into their veggies and tofu diets–for the first couple of weeks at least. Then, I’m pretty sure they were right there with me in the January trenches, thinking ah, well. Here we go again.

clouds-hd-wallpaper-landscape-67832Except by the end of the month, I quit. And I’m not gonna lie, just typing “I quit” right now still makes my palms sweat a little and I get a sick clunk in the pit of my stomach. But I’m also–and you can imagine me singing along with Michael Buble here because that’s exactly what I’m doing–feeling good. 

 

There’s lots more to the story so you’ll want to read Just Quit over at The Muffin.

BUT. I’d just like to add that timing is everything when it comes to quitting, just in case there’s anyone thinking of making changes right now. The timing for me came when I’d had years of preparation and the means available, yes, but it was more–and mostly– about the changes in me and in my life now. 2019 Cathy has something to say that’s different from 2017 or 2015 and especially 2010 Cathy when the writing world was new.

So I guess I should thank that interminably long month of January for the time to process all that. And I hope that you have a January–whenever it may come–when you’re ready to do some thinking about your new dawn, your new day, your new life. (Yeah, you knew I’d work in a way to sing again, right?)