The Daily Me (Journal) Pride – 12/09/2016

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

Something about yourself that you’re most proud of.

This is a difficult self-exploration moment for me. Years ago, long before the deep depression, suicide attempts and turbulent 13-year marriage, I would have said my determination. I had goals then. Definitive paths I wanted to take. That determination got side-lined by the college money issue, which lead to the deep depression and the downward spiral that has killed those plans completely. Needless to say, I no longer have that burning determination.

I am most definitely not proud of my health. Some of it is my own fault, like the diabetes and not taking care of myself when I was first diagnosed. Some of it was happenstance, like the cancer and the chemo which left me with neuropathy in my feet. And the other is well, I suppose part genetic and part environmental, like the mental illnesses that have plagued me for the duration of my life.

These days, I find it difficult to be proud of almost anything about myself. I am 50, estranged from my spouse, living on disability, and sharing a home with my elderly father and brother. My life is nothing like I’d hoped all those years ago when I had a vision of where my life would be by the age of 50. I wanted to be a college professor, writing novels and books of poetry, and living somewhere in New England, preferably Maine. I wanted a small house, tons of cats and maybe a lover or two. That is not the life I have now.

The only thing I am still proud of myself about is my creativity. Although I still have periods of inactivity due to my health and mental illnesses, I have not given up my love of writing, nor my love of art. I am less interested these days in publication. Now I just write because I love it and I enjoy the small audience I have here on WordPress. I still dabble with watercolor painting and charcoal sketches now and again. I am relatively content with what I am able to do these days creatively, even if I am discontent by the life I am living.

03.16.16 – End of Day Notes

What I did today: not sleep.. my feet kept burning all night and all day. I did still get a few writing projects completed. Did some shopping for salad makings – yum! It’s late, I am tired, and I am off to bed.

What I learned today: I am using the scheduler more often on here. Sometimes I just don’t feel like being on WP but I want to get some writing done. So I write, schedule, wander off again.

What I am most proud of today:  I made it through another day even though I am extremely tired from the allergy meds.

What did you do today, dear readers? Learn any lessons? Have a reason to be proud? Share your thoughts with me in the comments!

10 Daily Currents – 03.16.16

It is Wednesday at 12:22 pm and I am currently…

1. listening: the birds singing outside, my dad and brother discussing politics *shock* and voices in my head

2. eating: fried eggs, bacon, an avocado

3. drinking: coffee with cream and stevia

4. wearing: black sweats, purple sweater, purple socks

5. feeling: sleepy, so very sleepy

6. weather: cool, partly cloudy, around 65 degrees

7. wanting: my feet to stop burning

8. needing: sleep… been up since 3 am

9. thinking: about how to be more efficient with my time, how to get more writing in each day, and what all I need to change to accomplish these things

10. enjoying: I’m not… I am sleepy, grouchy and my feet are burning.. not much there to enjoy. I hate when physical issues still my joy.

Celebrate the Small Things – 02.19.16

Today I am celebrating…

I’ve already begun scheduling some of my posts for the A2Z Challenge in April. I am doing two blogs this year. Here at As the Fates Would Have It and over at Promptly Written. The ones here, I am able to schedule ahead of time. The ones over at Promptly Written will be spontaneous and written on the day of each challenge day. I am excited. The challenge is only 40 days away! Hard to believe it is that close to April already.

I’ve also begun writing new poems for a chapbook of poetry that I hope to publish or enter into a contest next year. This is something that I had hoped to have finished by this year, but it never happened. This year I am determined that it will be finished!

And finally, I am celebrating my returned health. Shortly after I posted last week’s Celebrate the Small Things , I went out shopping and brought back a nasty little bugger of a cold. It lingered almost all week, but since yesterday, I have been feeling back to my old self again.

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Each Friday, I join Lexa Cain and friends for a weekly blog-hop called Celebrate the Small Things, where we celebrate all of those small moments from the week before.

The wonderful co-hosts of Celebrate the Small Things are:
L.G. Keltner @ Writing Off The Edge
Tonja Drecker @ Kidbits Blog

Celebrate The Small Things Linky:

1.	Lexa Cain	2.	Fiction and Film
3.	Writing Off the Edge	4.	Kidbits
5.	TheCyborgMom	6.	Thoughts and Ideas from Deanie Humphrys-Dunne
7.	My Inner Geek	8.	Eclectic Alli
9.	Intentional Insights with S. Kelley Harrell	10.	Constantine
11.	My Miracle Life	12.	Writing, Reading, and the Pursuit of Dreams
13.	My Creatively Random Life	14.	Shells Tales and Sails
15.	Lara Lacombe	16.	TF Walsh
17.	Caring for my Veteran	18.	Life, Yoga and Other Adventures
19.	About myself, by myself	20.	Suzanne Furness
21.	Elizabeth Seckman	22.	Avalon
23.	Cherdo on the Flipside	24.	My Baffling Brain
25.	Planet Kimberly	26.	Shah Wharton
27.	Mere Joyce	28.	Victorian Scribbles
29.	Tanya Miranda	30.	God, Entertainment, & Annoying Things
31.	Ann – A Friend of Jesus 2013	32.	Special Teaching At Pempi’s Palace
33.	Square Pegs	34.	Patricia’s Place
35.	Yvonne Van Dalen	36.	Anne Higa
37.	My Antimatter Life	38.	Into the Imagination Vortex
39.	Bouquet of Books	40.	Lightravellerkate
41.	Curious As A Cathy	42.	Thoughts for the Day
43.	Julie Flanders	44.	As the Fates Would Have It

02.16.16 – End of Day Notes

What I did today: I woke up this morning after only four-ish hours of sleep last night. It’s been nearly a week since I’ve done that and it felt good to be back in my routine. I was able to do most of my writing projects early before the household stirred and it got noisy. I tackled my to-read list from the numerous challenges and bloghops that I belong to. I didn’t complete the list, but I did whittle away a huge chunk of it. I’ve yet to tackle the growing emails though. I am feeling tons better, not yet 100% but definitely better. My energy has returned.

What I learned today: If I am ever to complete the new poems I want to get written this year for a chapbook, then I must schedule the time for them. Yes, it has come down to that, because otherwise, I will just continue to procrastinate, dream, and do anything and everything besides write these poems. So I have scheduled two days a week for the remainder of the year to write them. Now I just need a theme.

What I am most proud of today: I am proud that I have taken the initiative to conquer my dream of a chapbook by the year’s end. No more excuses.

What did you do today? Learn any lessons? Have a reason to be proud? Share your thoughts with me in the comments!

02.14.16 – End of Day Notes

What I did today: Had many Nyquil-induced sleep sessions. Somehow managed to complete my writing projects, including my special Bloody Valentine’s Day story. And forgot to post this at an adequate hour. Oh well….

What I learned today: When WW2 was over, they estimated Hitler’s wealth to be around 60,000 marks using a new Will and a few discovered documents. After decades of studying documents and tracking down resources, they have now estimated his wealth to have been in the Billions in Euros. Learned from the documentary called Hitler’s Riches (watched it on Netflix).

What I am most proud of today: I can still somewhat accomplish goals even while sick.

What did you do today? Learn any lessons? Have a reason to be proud? Share your thoughts with me in the comments!

Celebrate the Small Things – 02.12.16

This week I am celebrating:

My continued success writing Horror Tales over at Promptly Written. So far I have 11 tales written and these are really stretching my imagination and pushing me way beyond my comfort zone. I can honestly say though that they have been fun to write.

My continued health and energy levels. Winters are usually very hard on me. I have arthritis and the cold weather only exacerbates the pain I feel on warmer days. So far this Winter, the pain has been minimal. I also haven’t had a cold yet, which is unusual for me as well. I am also still maintaining my “diet” which I’ve been following now for nearing 6 months. I don’t really like calling it a diet because it is now a way of eating/living as I will never be able to go back to my old eating habits. I do have more energy on this way of eating/living and I attribute this to all of the good fats and protein I’ve added. I also attribute this “diet” to the lessened arthritic pain and no colds.

What are you celebrating this week? Any major or minor accomplishments? Let me know in the comments!

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Each Friday, I join Lexa Cain and friends for a weekly blog-hop called Celebrate the Small Things, where we celebrate all of those small moments from the week before.

The wonderful co-hosts of Celebrate the Small Things are:
L.G. Keltner @ Writing Off The Edge
Tonja Drecker @ Kidbits Blog

Celebrate The Small Things Linky:

1.	Lexa Cain	2.	Fiction and Film
3.	Writing Off the Edge	4.	Kidbits
5.	TheCyborgMom	6.	Thoughts and Ideas from Deanie Humphrys-Dunne
7.	My Inner Geek	8.	Eclectic Alli
9.	Intentional Insights with S. Kelley Harrell	10.	Constantine
11.	My Miracle Life	12.	Writing, Reading, and the Pursuit of Dreams
13.	My Creatively Random Life	14.	Shells Tales and Sails
15.	Lara Lacombe	16.	TF Walsh
17.	Caring for my Veteran	18.	Life, Yoga and Other Adventures
19.	About myself, by myself	20.	Suzanne Furness
21.	Elizabeth Seckman	22.	Avalon
23.	Cherdo on the Flipside	24.	Writing By Marilyn
25.	My Baffling Brain	26.	Planet Kimberly
27.	Shah Wharton	28.	Mere Joyce
29.	Victorian Scribbles	30.	Dandilyonfluff
31.	Tanya Miranda	32.	God, Entertainment, & Annoying Things
33.	Ann – A Friend of Jesus 2013	34.	Special Teaching At Pempi’s Palace
35.	Square Pegs	36.	The Beveled Edge
37.	Patricia’s Place	38.	Desiree Yearning
39.	Yvonne Van Dalen	40.	Anne Higa
41.	My Antimatter Life	42.	Into the Imagination Vortex
43.	Peace, Love & Books	44.	Bouquet of Books
45.	Entertaining Interests	46.	Lightravellerkate
47.	Curious As A Cathy	48.	Thoughts for the Day
49.	Julie Flanders	50.	As the Fates Would Have It

 

 

02.10.16 – End of Day Notes

What I did today: Today wasn’t as productive as I would have preferred, but I am still having tension headaches that will lead to migraines if I don’t take care of myself. So no long hours in front of the computer today. Just did my writing projects and read some blogs.

What I learned today: I am sleeping better since leaving the coffee alone. Just mainly drinking tea. It is a lesson for today, but that doesn’t mean I will repeat it tomorrow.

What I am most proud of today: I am backing away from the laptop. Something I wouldn’t have done years ago.

What did you do today? Learn any lessons? Have a reason to be proud? Share your thoughts with me in the comments!

02.08.16 – End of Day Notes

What I did today: More of the usual – writing projects, read emails… I’ve been having a series of migraines lately so that is putting a damper on getting more done that I’d like to.

What I learned today: My biggest lesson today is not to push myself too hard or too far. I know I have a lot of writing goals, as well as side projects that I am working on, but if my health goes south on me, I won’t get anything accomplished.

What I am most proud of today: Even with these blasted migraines I am accomplishing parts of my goals. The main and important ones. The writing. Some side projects will just have to wait. Mainly the 700+ emails I need to read through.

#joyfuljan – Day Eight

For today’s #joyfuljan, I find joy in a steaming cup of herbal tea.

photo credit via teaddicts.com

It’s a chilly, rainy day here in Virginia and what could be more joyous than a simple cup of steaming hot herbal tea? Nothing, I tell you… absolutely nothing! I love an herbal tea when it’s cold and especially now that I am trying to give up caffeine.

Bit it’s not just because of the cold or for health… there is a spiritual nature to sipping herbal tea. You can just feel all of nature’s goodness seeping into you. I like to be mindful while drinking tea. Pausing and reflecting. Savoring the flavor.

What brings you joy today? Let me know in the comments!

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Throughout the month of January, I will be celebrating Joyful January with Satya and Kaspa over at Writing Our Way Home