The Sandbox Writing Challenge – Loosening Up Exercises #1

Remember when I said I would eventually go back and do Calen’s The Sandbox Writing Challenges 1-23? Well, I am going to begin them now by starting with this first loosening up exercise from Roberta Allen’s book The Playful Way to Knowing Yourself which consists of Four Lists:

If you were asked to choose seven words to describe yourself, what would they be?

1. quirky
2. nerdy
3. geeky
4. solemn
5. unique
6. curious
7. otherworldly

If you were asked to choose seven objects that have meaning for you, what objects would you choose?

1. a citrine crystal
2. an Orson Scott Card science fiction book
3. a black cherry candle
4. an autumn leaf
5. a seashell
6. a raven’s feather
7. a beaded bracelet

If you were asked to choose seven colors that have meaning for you, what colors would you choose?

1. Black
2. Burgundy
3. Royal Purple
4. Indigo
5. Crimson
6. Copper
7. Forest Green

If you were asked to choose seven places that have meaning for you, what places would you choose?

1. The Outer Banks NC
2. Maine
3. Front porch
4. Blue Ridge Mountains
5. Roanoke VA
6. Asheville NC
7. Anywhere my laptop is

 

Creative Question 22 – Writing

CQ 22 – Why do you write?

Writing is the only thing I’ve ever wanted to do. It’s in my blood. Hell, it may be my blood. (checks) yes, there does seem to be some inky tar coursing through my veins. As a child, I would write my own fairy tales or stories based on mythology. In my early teens, I wanted to be a journalist. By high school, I was into writing poetry. In college, I learned the art of flash and short fiction. Now I even dabble with drabbles and novellas, and yes, still poetry.

I’ve rarely ever written for an audience. I usually write because I have all these characters running around in my head begging to have their stories told. I figure if I write something that I would enjoy reading, someone else might enjoy it too. What I don’t write for is publication. I could and probably should, but I am not that great a writer and I am just happy with the small audience I have here on WP. Truthfully, I am still in the learning process for writing longer fiction. The fact that I now have three completed novellas still surprises me. It also encourages me that perhaps some day, I will write an entire novel.

I also do a bit of journal writing. This is something I have done on paper since I was a teenager. If I’d kept all of my notebooks from those years until now, I’d probably have about 100 of them. Sadly, I burnt all my childhood journals, and I’ve lost other journals during moves throughout my life. These days, I do most of my journal writing online. Journal writing helps me to work through issues that are bothering me or to reflect on life in general. I love prompted questions and often seek them out, like this one from Kate.

The Daily Me (Journal) Perceptions – 12/12/2016

Today’s prompt comes from 100 Inspirational Journal Prompts by Melissa Bolton @ The Mogul Mom

How do you feel you are perceived by others?

Initially, not very well. I don’t usually make good first impressions. I am quiet and people usually take that as shyness. It isn’t. I am also observant, so I don’t generally make first contact. In a crowded room, I am the one sitting off to myself with a drink watching those around me and, if at someone’s house, playing with their cat or dog. For those who do take the time to make first contact with me, they will find a warm and caring person, but also a very quirky person. I don’t like small chat and I don’t care much for silliness or stupidity. I am far too serious a person for those things. That’s not to say I don’t have a sense of humor. I do. I just don’t do stupid. I also won’t be trying to chat up the popular people in the crowd because they are generally posers. I look for those like myself who are quiet and alone, but I still probably wouldn’t approach them first. I prefer the company of intellectuals because I love to hear how they perceive the world, but I often feel inadequate around them. I fear if they get to know me, they will think that I am an impostor since I am not well-versed in philosophy, psychology, technology and the like. I just enjoy hearing smart people talk about smart things. I am most comfortable around computer geeks, science fiction freaks and nerdy people, since I consider myself all of those things too.

There is also the dark side of me that makes it hard for people to get an accurate read on me. When people hear that I love horror and am a serial killer buff, that tends to make people weary. If they find out that I enjoy all things witchy and paranormal, love vampires and werewolves and generally prefer the night, then they really get concerned. I must be a total freak, right? Yep, indeed I am. If they’d met me in my 20s and early 30s during my goth years, they would have crossed the street rather than share the same walkway with me. And when they find out that at 50, my preferred music is still heavy metal, including death metal, they tend to really freak out.

I guess what I am trying to say here is that people generally perceive me as an odd duck. I don’t follow trends. I do my own thing, always. I am not superficial and I don’t like superficial people. I will try to get along with everyone around me, but if I find something offensive, I will call it out. If someone’s behavior becomes overbearing, I will leave and not care who’s feelings are hurt about it. You will not find me joining in on ‘the joke’ if it is at someone else’s expense, especially if it is cruel or rude. I am not a ‘go along to get along’ type of person.

Apparently my behaviors put me on the fringe of society. And you know what? I am okay with that. If it means less friends, then so be it. If it means less social interaction, so be it. Unlike a lot of people in the world, I am okay with my own company and all of my odd, quirky and strange behaviors.

My Daily Tarot – Eight of Wands

12/12/16 – Eight of Wands

You are waiting for an outcome. You will not wait long. Events set in motion are moving speedily to their inexorable conclusion.

This is a curious card. I cannot think of anything I am waiting for at the moment. I finished my writing projects for the year. I’ve heard back from the Dept of Education about my student loans (blessed that they will be written off if my disability status doesn’t change in  the next three years). There are no pressing family issues, not even with the estranged one.

The only thing that is left unfinished is the possibility of moving to Roanoke VA some time early next year. I am still unsure if I can financially handle it, so it has been sitting on the back burner for a while now. My friend hasn’t even asked me for a couple of weeks if I’ve made up my mind. I do want back in Roanoke, and she said she would cut money off the rent if I will do all of the housekeeping. I wouldn’t have to pay any extra utility bills because they are include in the rent, even wifi. The only thing I would need is a phone which in some ways, I could do without. I just hate having to switch my address everywhere… SS, Dept of Ed, driver’s licence, voter registration, maybe even switching banks. Just thinking about it all is exhausting and it’s only been two years since I had to do all of that because I moved from OK back to VA.

If this is the speedy outcome, then perhaps I will hear from my friend today. For now, I will just sit back and see if something else pops up today.

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In case you are curious, I am using the Gilded Tarot. You can find it here.