End of a Perfect Yesterday

 Oh such words were written,
laughs laughed, discussions discussed.
And after a warm watery relaxing ending
I rode home in a satisfied sunset.

home and hearth

I did not write as much on my journey as I had hoped but I did relax-
and after the year that we have had I think that was job #1.

It was a trip filled with toasting and hugging and browsing and eating and twinkling and art-ing and sitting and thinking. Could not ask for much more. And still home in time to do some last days of December writing.

I am still considering 2012- Where do I want to go and what do I want to accomplish. But 2011 certainly is ending better than it was throughout.

Looking at things differently

 

It is important from time to time to look at things differently. I am always interested in techniques to change your perspective, think in new ways, and see what comes up from that kind of experimentation. One of my favorite things in my writer's group is the exercises that really push writers in new directions. 

Last night we had a good session and I really enjoyed the work that was done. I wasn't as happy with some of my work last night, but I did end up with one character I am interested in using in the future. We created characters using a 20 questions kind of model delving down into the minutia of what makes someone uniquely themselves. Do they drink tea or coffee? morning person? night owl? favorite vegetables, hated foods? outgoing? introverted? hardheaded? flexible? Even if those things do not appear in your stories or writing it is important to really know your characters and what they are like. It is important to really know ourselves in those was too for that matter. 

I am taking a writing class now with my former teacher Angela Jeffs, we've had 3 classes so far though I had to miss the first one. These classes are always a big push for me in looking at things differently. And I am happy to be in the group though I don't have too much time to spend on the work in between classes. Still it is something, and this week I dug out the time-line and plot lines for my novel. Good to re-read and rethink. I hope this time I can push forward. I am again considering Nanowrimo for Nov?! crazy I know... but...

September Blur

I feel a bit laid low. I was looking forward to september but it ended up kind of hitting me like a ton of bricks. It is the 17th already and this is the first time I have been to the blog. The reasons are varied. Busy, and stressed. Too much, too little, too difficult, too too too...

About a week ago calamity struck. Of my own doing sadly. For years I have had a bad habit of carrying around impt stuff in my hands and putting it down in bad places and forgetting it. You may see where this is going. Last wed. we had a big typhoon here in Tokyo and the rain was something to be seen! In the midst of the storm I was headed from the bank to my gig recording for the Tokyo Metpod. I hopped in a cab carrying a plastic zipper bag which held my bank books, ID, a credit card and my beloved iphone. I got out of the cab 6 blocks later and did not get a receipt (which is unlike me) leaving the bag of all my important stuff behind. There was also cash inside. So far one week later no good samaritan has turned it in and I spent a week scrambling to replace and cancel stuff and feeling dumb and depressed. BUT hopefully a lesson was learned. Cause if I do this again (sadly this is NOT the first time) then I just give up!

The company struggle goes on. On the upside, the food is good, the customers are happy and we are getting some new business. On the Down Side, we are not getting ENOUGH new business yet. And I am trying to focus on sales sales sales. Some good nibbles in the last week. Our biggest struggle is labor cost. When I set up salaries etc I based it on a sales projection that has not materialized in the sluggish economy. So we can't really afford to pay the amazing people we have. This is a major heartbreak for me. So I am focusing on trying to see if we can get viable by end of year- and at that point look at options in terms of restructuring and moving forward. This small biz owner stuff is hard.

So the first 17 days of Sept. have passed in a blur of thinking and planning and recovering.

The weather has finally gotten nice no longer scorchingly humidly disgustingly hot. And I am feeling positive inspite of the struggle. If you have a chance, send some good karmic thoughts our way. And hopefully I can get back to enjoying my blog again.

Making Wishes Part 2

So I wrote that this week was tanabata (see below) it was a short post from my iphone but the longer version is this...

I am busy cleaning, organizing and throwing out stuff. Making space for my mind, my poor clutter belegured husband and my puppy. In the search through keepable and throwable stuff I found a notebook I started writing in 5 years ago! I had decided that this book would be a book of lists. Things I want to do, things I want to learn, you get the idea.

Well, the first entry was titled 25 things I wish for

It was fun to see what I was wishing for 5 years ago, happily some has come true, sadly many things have not yet materialized- But this is a call to action to start working on these wishes. Especially before I start my new 44 by 44 list. (more about that later)

Some wishes I have done well with

#4 I wish for a lifestyle that could include getting a puppy! *check*

#7 I wish for a new laptop *check*

#14 more bike riding *check*

#16 more time to cook and eat together *check*

#21 wish I could clean out my email inbox and keep in more under control. *in process*

5 wishes pretty well underway. Lots more wishes to come true. the nice thing in reviewing them is that I can do something about each and every one of them to make them more possible, more likely to become reality. WISHING WISHING WISHING.

So this summer season, I hope you can dust off your wishes too, check them, add to them, and make them real.