January 2019 the next five

Be Yourself, everyone else is taken

Oscar Wilde

A new week, another journal entry mashup. It is possible that in February, I will do something different with these prompts. I don’t know yet. The week is getting busy and I almost forgot about this goal. Here’s to keeping up resolutions.

1. A trip you want to take this year
In October a colleague and I will be going to Miami, Florida for the West Indian Carnival. We will most likely all play mas because that was the plan. The trip I am looking forward to is all in my hometown. My plan to is to visit the New York City Museums. One or two from every borough. I have been inspired by the Art Assignment on YouTube.

2. Your top three priorities
1. Complete then edit the short story Punch. Develop the short story Idle Hands. Continue to work on another story with the working title called the Returner.
2. Podcast – work on the Red Mushroom Podcast; it is a dream and near creative goal to have a podcast. The episodes will be about writing and the writing business.
3. Maintain this blog with at least a weekly post.

3. A list of places you have visited Places I have been to London, England; New Amsterdam, Guyana South America, and Mount Pleasant, Trinidad and Tobago.
All these visits occurred years ago. The England trip is over 10 years old. The Trinidad and Tobago trip, happed when I was a small kid. The most recent was New Amsterdam Guyana but at least 4 years ago. I went down to Guyana with my mom. It is her birth country. The last time I visited Guyana, I was a small kid. It was interesting because it was December and there were all kinds of Christmas decorations in 80-degree weather. It is probably normal for people who live in warmer climates in the United States. Since I am from the Northeast, when there used to be snow in December, it felt a little strange. Like a Christmas in July advertisement. The trip was a special one of the last things I did with my mom. I didn’t stay longer than 7 days and I always regretted that I didn’t call my job and tell them I was stuck in a foreign country.

4. Do your actions match your words?
I am making an effort with these journal entry mashups. There is so much going on in the world. Answers to these questions seem like the most trivial. I’m doing them because I need to write. Sometimes writing is difficult. A journal prompt can help the mind focus.

The podcast is still in the developing stages. It always feels like two steps forward five steps back with the Red Mushroom. I want to blame the outside world but I know the buck stops with me. I have yet to control my creative life and everything else, because of this imbalance, I either get too much done – burst of creativity or too little done – blocked days or hours. It can be frustrating. If my day is pie, where are the slices going? I might have an answer in a future entry

In the previous entry, I wrote that I have an exercise routine, I should perform at 6 days a week for 30 minutes. I have only been able to do that twice. Becoming healthy is important for me. I don’t work hard on it enough. I think if I write it here. I might feel a little guilty and produce positive results.

5. One thing you learned about yourself last year.
Last year I realized I don’t value my time enough. I am always willing to give my time to others for their purposes. However when I want to use my time for my own tasks. They are not given any regard. One of my many goals for this year is to value my time. It is the reason I am taking the time to write this entry. I know that I am the one who will have to put my foot down for my projects. Some people are going to have to get used to hearing the word no. For the sake of my precious time, I am going to have to limit by binge time. I will have to do an essay on that as well in the future.

In conclusion, I encourage anyone who reads this to take one of these or all of the prompts, think about your life and what is going on and answer them. The results are always surprising.

End.

January 2019 – The first five days

I believe that the greatest gift you can give your family and the world is a healthy you. – Joyce Meyer

A year ago, I came across some journal prompts called the Life of Lovely created by Elizabeth McNair. At first, I thought I would go through them daily however circumstances of my life had me combining five prompts per blog entry. To continue with the practice here are the first five days.

1. What are you most looking forward to
I’m looking forward to finishing the short story I’ve been struggling with for about two or more years. It has been a journey working through this story. It has been put aside more times that should be counted but always finds its way into my backpack. It is the roughest draft, that might be a blog essay in the future.

There is also the reinstitution of my health and wellness plans. It has always been my concern but circumstances have diverted my attention in the past. I have committed myself to an exercise routine, a moderate meal plan and time for reflection.

2. Three goals for the month
Maintain exercise routine 6 days a week for 30 minutes. It will vary because of my work schedule, the day job.

Write at least two blog essays a week. Each essay should be 750 words. One for the JC Henry Universe blog and the other for the Jo Experiment Blog. This will be difficult since I am out of practice. Often I lose motivation with essay writing. The one thing I learned from NaNoWriMo 2018, is that progress only comes from making the time.

Start spring cleaning early. I admire people who can live a minimalist lifestyle or are expert organizers. Full disclosure, I am none of those things. I do see why these methods are important for life. I am not a hoarder but I will admit that there are items in my home that need to be let go. Wish me Luck.

3. Describe your day in ten words
I would prefer my days to be more creative instead I have a job.

It is impossible for me to describe my day in ten words. I’m not sure if what I wrote can be called a description. It will be something I will work on how to describe my day in a logline.

4. Something that you’re looking forward to
I don’t understand how this prompt is different from the first of this entry. Not sure why this prompt is part of this month’s list. I look forward to completing my goals.

5. A time you don’t want to forget
On December 31, 2018 – New Year Eve’s Party. A relative acquired a karaoke machine. We sang all kinds of songs, from the ’70s to the present. The most fun was when the group sang Bohemian Rhapsody and I did my rendition of Someone to Love by Queen. It was great laughing and singing together. Most of the previous week, I was battling a cold. I had a cough, itchy throat, my voice was hoarse. I had no voice for Christmas. My voice had gotten better I was able to sing the high note in Somebody to Love, to the applause and adoration of my friends and family. It was a wonderful way to welcome the oncoming New Year.

The plan is to continue with journal prompts in groups. If one requires an in-depth exploration that could be done. This New Year is full of possibilities. A writer working on the business aspect of her writing. There should be specific plans and goals. There is some and posting on this blog is just one part of it.

#8

In life, what you really want will never come easy-Anonymous

As every year comes to an end. I always tell myself and write in one of these blogs that I will treat this blog JC Henry Universe and the Jo Experiment Blog Review better. I apologize for not being consistent with reviews or interesting fact and entertaining anecdotes in my essays. I promise in the new year things will be different. Sometimes for a week or two, they are. I create. I post. I feel accomplished. Sometimes the next day everything – which means the motivation to create, post and feel accomplished goes. Some might call it the muse leaving, some might say the inspiration has left and the fear of failure won. I call it my life in vicious cycles.

The majority of my family does not understand why I write. Their logic is that I am not making money from it. If can’t take care of my personal needs from it. It is a useless hobby. A published writer is a once in a lifetime career, like dancing, music, acting and sports etc. My logic is that I am always making stories up in my head, I feel better when I write them out. I have no desire or intention of explaining to who won’t understand what I am doing. I write because I believe writing it is creative and it is my skill. Believe it or not, I forget that sometimes myself. I have given up on it a couple of times in the past. I come back to writing because it the best way for me to express myself. Apologies if this sounds redundant.

As a writer, I get caught in the craft and art of the words. Sometimes I run across a published story that is similar to my developing idea and the ideas leave me. I forget that writing is also a business. The business of writing is as important as the art of it. In the near future, I will be producing a podcast about writing and the writing business. I almost have everything I need. Then while doing a random search on writing podcast, I come across so many. It can make a person think why bother? The thoughts that save me, for my story idea and podcast is that I am an individual. No one has lived my life, and no one can tell stories or create a podcast like I can. These thoughts keep me positive. Yes, there is fear but there is also the unique characters and interesting plots that only I can come up with. It is difficult all the time, but like the saying “nothing good comes easy”, I continue to write.

The plans for the week are as follows post a review on the Jo Experiment blog, there has not been a review posted since July. There are several books and animes, I have made note of and believe are worth discussion. Write a podcast script and record it. My recording set up is not great, but I have decided not to be intimidated by sound, after listening to some great podcasts with bad sound quality in time, these podcasts have improved, and I plan to as well. I have a few more experiments to try out for the podcast and then the launch, which will be determined at a later date. The podcast is called the Red Mushroom Podcast. I have reasons for calling the podcast that name, even though it is about the writing craft and the writing business, not mushroom or gardening. I will write more about the podcast at a later date. There is also the completion of a short story I have been struggling to finish for a time I don’t want to admit here. But when I have completed this essay, I will continue with that short story. It is an urban fantasy, that has a triad of witches, a djinn and a werewolf. Another topic for a blog essay is the genres. I have my favorites and I have no clue what is popular these days. This essay may include research before it is posted.

A writing goal that will continue into the new year, is the word count of 750+. Many years ago, a word count goal of 500+ was implemented and my writing had improved. Whenever I feel myself slipping, I give myself this challenge. Starting out is always difficult however it is not even noticed when the word goal is reached or passed.

There are some intriguing ideas that are developing for the last days of December and the beginning of 2019. I look forward to what I have planned. Any comments to improve this blog will be appreciated.

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