Sunday Selfie: Headhopping, Turning off the Brain and Wandering

So after several weeks of what felt like non-stop motion, I decided that once I had finished the key chores for the day I was going to relax on the front porch and read. At five o’clock, I poured myself a glass of wine and turned on my Kindle.

When I first started developing my writing and editing skills, it was excruciating. Not that it is a snap now. But it felt then as if every word was peeled from the skin on my fingertips leaving nerve endings exposed and raw. But like actual wounds the scar over and toughen up … a bit.

I have now reached the unfortunate place where I can NOT easily turn off the editor brain and just ENJOY a book. I am a headhopper’s worst nightmare. Even the “smallest” hop, sometimes one sentence in a

paragraph can be like fingernails on a blackboard (for those who know what I mean) to me.

My son, a filmmaker has said he has the same issue with movies.

Do musicians have the same issue?

How do you silence the inner editor voice, the inner and sometimes outer cringe.

So now I have a new task for myself that relates to stress management and long run success, turning off that part of the brain so I can just relax and enjoy and create.

Creating is different from editing… obvious right? When the brain locks into editing I think it stifles the ability to wander through the forest of imagination, leaving the path behind until you find the story that becomes a new path.

But then there arrived the wonderful distraction of messages from Sean. They definitely take me off the path and into the forest. Thank you Sean.

So that’s all the Selfie for this week. I’m going to go read for a while and watch Outlander...again.  Dinna Fash.  

 Where was I again?

Oh yeah... forest of imagination.

Sunday Selfie: Mountains, Chemistry and Publishing

No I do not take selfies! I generally don’t like pictures of myself that others take so why would I take one of myself. But I have begun sharing on Sundays a piece of my life and thoughts, so instead of Jumping Back In (if you’ve followed those posts) I am re-titling these musings as Selfie Sunday.

I just finished watching Neil Gaiman’s 2012 Commencement Address at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. If you have never watched it… do it right after you finish reading this blog (link at the end). If you’ve watched it before..watch it again.   His advice about when life gets complicated at the end it funny and priceless.

He says in the beginning that he never had a career, just a ride. People with careers have a plan know the rules and therefore what is possible and impossible. If you are along for the ride, improvising you are less likely to be held back because some rule says it’s impossible. You have your mountain and you're going to climb it and do things that take you one step closer to the mountaintop. 

That resonates with me, I have had jobs but never a career in the sense that my parents’ generation and others since then have viewed it. But it is a ride. I have been on Wall Street, banking, a teacher, owned a gourmet shop, and unemployed. I have been a deal maker, an administrative assistant, and now a CEO (shhh secret project underway). Not a career but a journey, each step along the way has brought me to where I am now.

A journey like this is not understood by everyone, but it’s not supposed to be. They have their own journey or career, however they choose to view it.

Journeys are exciting and scary. They often take on the attributes of chemical or nuclear reactions. In some chemical reactions, titration is required because after 99 drops of a reagent the 100^th drop, a mere drop, will trigger the ultimate reaction creating the end products. (For geeks like me, watch this video. You can fast forward to about the 2 minute mark). Chloride Titration

The difference between this chemical reaction and life is that the dramatic moment in the reaction is called an endpoint. In life I call that a beginning. In nuclear reactions there is critical mass, where once the right amount of a material is it goes from nothing to KABOOM and massive amounts of energy are created.

My dating journey is still early days. The last two week have been busy ones for Sean at work and more importantly with the final journey and passing of one of his sisters after a long battle. During these events, we have maintained contact even if it has been smiley faces and quick notes and hellos throughout the day and evening. Like titration, we are looking adding drop by drop to the process.

The momentum is building on the writing and publishing side, things are moving even faster than I could have imagined. One of my dreams from three years ago, is on the verge of exploding into reality. Watch for more news on this in the coming months. However if you are an editor, formatter, cover artist, copy editor or author get in touch and stay in touch.

Gaiman talks about the mountain. Publishing is that mountain for me. Not only to publish my own work, but that of others. If you know me, you know that I am a mentor and supporter at heart, particularly of the arts. I derive pleasure from the success of others especially if I think I played some small part in it.

And as he so wisely says enjoy the ride and make good art.

Oh and here's that link... Neil Gaiman Address 2012 

Jumping Back In: Pictures Worth a Thousand Words Even Selfies

So this is a day late and NO it's not because I scored a big date on the dating site. Although I have been introduced to one or two who look good on paper. And hey, GREAT for them for getting that far. It's not that I'm fussy. Sure you say, laughing and shaking your head.

I was at an amazing Jazz and Blues festival on the Jersey Shore all day. A terrific day of music, food, fun and friends!

Lots of pictures were taken, which brings me back to my original topic.

PICTURES!

First, gentleman post one. Not being superficial here, but no picture makes me wonder what you are hiding or more importantly, WHO you are hiding from. Is that status of divorced, separated, or widowed to be trusted? Come one, none of us were born yesterday. Now posting a picture doesn't automatically get you a free pass on status, but not posting….RED FLAG.

Second, post a good RECENT picture of yourself. Yes we all may have gained a few pounds over the winter and we all wish we looked like we did when we were 30. But, truth in advertising saves you issues later. Again, if you meet that person in 3D at some point and their first thought is WOW, not what I expected. That will make them wonder, what else is not what they are expecting?

When you post a picture, make it a good one. Everyone has had a picture taken by a family member or friend that they liked, right? I know, I don't like most of the pictures taken of me EVER. But even I could find one or two that I thought weren't horrible.

Okay...maybe not that one.

No selfies in a mirror, or behind the wheel of your vehicle, or any other location.

Also, if you're opening lines say you are a happy fun-loving sort. For goodness sake, be sure you are smiling in your picture.

Again as an author and editor,  a good cover gets someone to pick up the book and open it to see if it's a keeper.

A good picture with a nice smile will make a person want to go to the next step and read that awesome and revealing profile you posted. You are revising it or even writing one now, I hope.

Jumping Back In #1                               Jumping Back In #2

Next week: The hierarchy of contact…the new first base!