NEWSLETTER #8 - January 13, 2009

Dear Friends and Diving Deeper members,

I’ve been meaning to send this “New Year” Newsletter off for days, but January seems to be a month where I find it hard to get round to doing anything much. I am looking forward to spring!

When I think back on Diving Deeper and 2008, I smile. It really was a wonderful year, in all sorts of ways. I think the highlight for me was National Novel Writing Month, and the wonderful sharings between those of us who signed up. If you missed it, and want to read a little more, have a look at my blog about it, ”The End of November”. And it has been a year of changes and events for many people, not always comfortable ones. But we are here, together, and if Diving Deeper has shown one thing it is that we are a communty and are always ready to be there for others if needs be. Jenni, for example, posted a note about her son, Harry who is going in for an operation on Wednesday the 14th January. Most of you know about this, but if not, have a look at the thread and spend a little time sending energy his way please (and Jenni’s way, I sometimes think this kind of experience is actually worse on those who are close).

Read on for some words from our moderators.. and for this newsletters Truly Bad Writing Award… (if you haven’t contributed a piece to this wonderful assignment,  Go Here for details ! )

What’s to look forward to? 365 writing days, for one. And of course, much, much more.

Last year was amazing in spite of its many challenges. And the best part was spent right here. Writing, writing, writing. Diving. coming up for air. Interacting with other divers. Writing NaNoWriMo! Writing some more, more freely. Diving with greater abandon.

Part of what I *wished* for 2008 was to establish myself as a writer, which I’ve gone long strides toward. Perhaps more in my own mind than anywhere else, but in a big sense, that’s where it counts the most.

2009? A year of writing dangerously. Taking greater risks. In a 9 personal year, what have I got to lose? And everything to gain.

Love,

Ruth

Sparrow:

I have been subscribing to Yoga Journal for three years and have several yoga dvd’s at home.  I  have yoga pants.  I have a yoga mat.  I have yoga thoughts.  I practise yoga very infrequently, but it is very important to me, and even if I only roll out the mat a couple of times a week, it always brings me back to myself and makes me feel more peaceful.  Maybe one day I will feel confident enough to call myself a yogini.

I have been a DD member for over a year and was very deeply involved for the first six months when at first I had the fervour of the Born Again, and then later when there was so much devastation happening in my personal life, it became part of my spiritual survival.  I have drifted away since then, but I still greatly value my participation here and after reading and commenting or sharing some diving of my own, it feels like coming home.  It is a loving and supportive place to visit, where I feel encouraged to write or not write.  Perhaps one day, with enough “dives” here and in my own world, I will be able to call myself a writer……

xo
Sparrow


Ayla

What a year!  Diving Deeper has lost beloved members, gained new members, and sometimes felt the joy of resurrection as those lost members returned.   I love watching everyone’s writing take new turns as they find the courage to really dive to new depths.  It thrills me.  I love it when my own writing does the same. This is my second home, a joyful place. I can never thank Sandra enough for creating this space for all of us.  She is my hero. 

I am looking forward to the new year, to all of the new friends I will make, to reading the words that pour out of each of you, and to sustaining the friendships I have already made.  Diving Deeper is about writing but it is also about community and love.  It just doesn’t get any better than this!

Cheers to chatty Muse’s in 2009! 

Love, Ayla


Andrea (drechanteuse)

2008 was one of the most tumultuous years of my life, and I honestly don’t know how I would have made it through all of the many ordeals without Diving Deeper. It was a true blessing to have a place where I could take my feelings and my love of writing and put them together to come up with something that made me feel I was growing not only as a person but as a writer as well. I really began to dive into the assignments towards the latter half of the year, and I found them to be very helpful in breaking me out of my comfortable style and taking me to risky new places where my words weren’t necessarily in any order that my 8th grade English teacher would have liked. I feel as though I am evolving through the assignments.

The other thing about Diving Deeper in 2008 that just rocked was the comraderie shared by the people who write and comment frequently. It was just great, and made my hospital stay much less lonely, even though I have never met them in person. They are just great.

xo
Andrea


NEW ASSIGNMENTS:

Assignments are an integral part of the Diving Deeper workshop. Here are few of the latest ones – if you haven’t done an assignment recently, see if one of the following catches your eye. Remember that most of them are designed to take no longer than 20 minutes or so.

Re: NEWSLETTER #8 - YAY DD T-shirts, mugs

Re: NEWSLETTER #8 - images of the Ts and Mugs...

I was just going through the site for the ts etc - such a great variety I hadn't realised (wow, Leigh-Anne, thanks!) and even in organic cotton etc.
Here are some pics I quickly grabbed…but go see for yourself, ok? Click on 'view all products'.

There are also mousepads, key rings…. :-)

xo

Re: NEWSLETTER #8 - images of the Ts and Mugs...

Am I missing something?  I can't find that tank that Sandra posted when I go to the link.  I like the tank!

how to get camisole?

I still  can't figure out how to get the camisole?

Re: how to get camisole?

I was able to figure it out.  Not that I want a camisole….or do it.  It might accentuate all the right muscles on me while I'm performing my feats of strength this summer.

I've laid out the steps below as it's not listed in the immediate front of the site.

Click into the Swag Mart > On the Righg side where it says Products hit the (View All) option > Head to the Diving Deeper Tee - Womens [bottom corner of the 1st page] > When it opens you'll have a box on the right side with the title Ladies Long Sleeve, you should see an options for 'select a different style' hit that > click the right arrow 4 times and you should see an option for a 2 color camisole, if you hit that option it will change the pic in the main box to the camisole

Hope that helps, it took me some time and some playing to get to the 'ahem' camisole.

Feats of Strength…don't judge me.

ClX

Re: how to get camisole?

Thank you Cleveland!!!!!!

Re: T's On Sale This Weekend!

$4.40 discount on all T's.

I ordered a camisole & a mug.  My camisole has the D.D. logo on front and the back says

                      For A Great Font
                     Call A Writer

he he  ….I need to go see who came up with that one, probably Tom!  Where is that man anyway?

Re: T's On Sale This Weekend!

can you send us a pic of the camisole with you in it??? pleeeez????

Re: NEWSLETTER #8 - January 13, 2009

i am giggling like a kid on Christmas

i have my DD gear in the mail today!

the mouse pad is awesome cause i need a white background to work that infrared mouse. and it is perfect, replacing the paper i had there all written over and mangled from sweat…

the tee shirt fits so good and its is soft and my mug looks so cool too!

love love love it

thank you!!

Re: NEWSLETTER #8 - January 13, 2009

you too Azyh. PICTURES please!!!

Re: NEWSLETTER #8 - January 13, 2009

ok it’s  Feb and at last I’m responding.  i wanted to say that DD was a real writer’s paradise for me at the end of 08.  I’m struggling to insert myself again.  Get back in the DD groove, cause you guys are amazing and life renewing.  and besides.. I must have a tie shirt.  MUsT…Love them sooo much. Leigh-Ann is a Goddess and Sandra.. welll.. you are the High Priest of Goddesses… Thanks 
x breath