DAY THIRTEEN - 2009

Lucky day thirteen…nearly half way there, wow.

And for today:

Ten of Wands: Wealth

Mercury in Virgo, inner and outer riches, ability to make the inner wealth visible and share it with others.

Mercury in Virgo means brilliant powers of communication. The origins of wealth of any type lie in human consciousness. If this boundless inner treasure is brought forth into the world, it manifests and is reflected on the material plane.

The ten coins are arranged in the form of the Tree of Life. This indicates that true wealth must touch all levels of your life. And, these riches must be shared (communicated) to remain valuable. When hoarded, their energy stagnates and becomes foul.

Affirmation: I am internally and externally rich, and free, and enjoy everything, thankfully and in surrender.

–

Such a perfect card for writers.

I think it really is about getting the stories out. If we hoard them, what good do they do? But if we write and share them, they are powerful and beautiful, healing - for the writer and the reader; shared stories connect us, show us that we are not alone, they help us to understand each other, help us to 'see' and re-see the world. They make us laugh, they make us cry. They make us who we are: deeply human, on a journey of discovery.

I think this is why the dictum: do not hold anything back. Be available to write *whatever* comes up. If there are things you don't or won't write about, it blocks the energy. I think there is a kind of arrogance in holding back our stories - the ones from our lives, and the ones from our imaginations -  thinking they are not 'good enough', that they are boring, that they cannot be understood, that they are too hurtful. I believe stories have a life, a soul, if you will, of their own. We are just there to guide them gently out into the world. They are our children, they are our true wealth.

Re: DAY THIRTEEN - 2009

And this, our life, exempt from public haunt, finds tongues in trees, books in the running brooks, sermons in stones, and good in everything.

~ William Shakespeare

Re: DAY THIRTEEN - 2009

Sandra, are you sure you're not cheating? This is too good to be true!  ;)  But I feel it baby, I feel it. Change is upon us, energy has shifted once again. Off to a minimum of sun salutes and hand exercise (for real, Ayla! ;) and into the writing realm. Intend to translate a bit and post it later. Or maybe write in English right away? We'll see.

Ach, tongues in trees… sermons in stones… that's wonderful. Poetic.

Tom, you said something on yesterdays thread, about not wanting to write about your life, that stuck with me. I like stories about heroes and heroism, not ones about losers, fools, and quitters. Guess I'm not modern enough to enjoy loser stories.

Made me think about all the 'loser' stories I love, and why I love them. Stories about people failing over and over, making the same mistakes all the time, being ridiculed, humiliated… people who don't fit in, are outsiders, can't keep up… people who crave love and find nothing but more loneliness… until. And I'm not talking Hollywood here. I mean those stories where seemingly little things have a huge impact on a 'loser's' life and shifts reality. Makes them learn something, connect to someone, go to rehab, care for someone who's off worse, find love in the unlikeliest of all places… whatever. It doesn't matter.

Seriously. What would we need stories for if they were exclusively about beautiful, happy, successful, self confident people? Wouldn't we all be bored to death? I would.

Just a thought. Thanks so much for the inspiration. My new heroine definitely is a loser, or that's how she sees herself. Gotta be, now that I've vowed to write about what I know.  :)

Re: DAY THIRTEEN - 2009

That's very true, Gabriele. I so love those too, the stories of losers who unlose. A shift in reality, sweet. They are all tales of those who don't give up. Underdog tales. What I don't like are stories about the ones who do give up.

“All our heroes, all our great stories are about failure.”

Peter Carey

Re: DAY THIRTEEN - 2009

Hm. I'm not sure, Tom. Depends on the story, I'd say. Sometimes I love it when the end of a story just breaks your heart because the hero doesn't do the one thing that would make reality shift, would make love last, would  save a life…The truth of failure that cannot be beaten, making visible the strings that keep a life in paralyzation and misery, the psychological hopelessness of the track one's life is on, an inescapable fate, consequences.. can make a story worth telling. And reading.

I've said it often, I adore writers like Cormac McCarthy because they go where it hurts, and then further. 'No Country For Old Men' is a story like that, the book even more so then the movie, because in the book the sheriff is a completely desillusioned man who finally gives up. But what he shares along the way, as devastating as his observations of the changing world around him are, is incredibly beautifully written in all of it's hopelessness. I think it must be wonderful to be able to write words like that.

Just sayin'.  :)

Re: DAY THIRTEEN - 2009

Yeah, I'm a sucker for a happy ending. If a movie or story doesn't have some redemption at the end, I'd just as soon not hear it. Real life is plenty sad enough for me. Kind of like horror flicks. No thanks, I'm scared enough already.

But you are right about one thing, if something is excellent enough, no matter how sad it is, it's still uplifting. Few things buoy my spirits as much as a Shakespearean tragedy with all the bodies piled on the stage at the end like cords of wood. Weird.

Re: DAY THIRTEEN - 2009

gosh sandra after reading you i just want to cry

a cleansing kind of cry that clears the world inside

xx thank you

happy thirteen all, its my lucky number

goldilocks is in the village and about to start working for the baker

Re: DAY THIRTEEN - 2009

oh yes friday the thirteenth. how bad can it be. some hotels don't have a thirteenth story. maybe none do. how silly is that not to want to stay on the thirteenth floor. not that it has anything to do with anything.
I find I am drawn to books about failure and loss as well just like I like sad songs. I think in a way all of our lives have an element of failure. that must be why supposedly we have to keep coming back. Your words reminded me of the author Tennessee Williams, Gabriele. I love his books.
I love that quote Tom. sermons in songs. How do people come up with these amazing words. I think it must just come from a place inside of that we really have no control of. We just have to let it be and let come forth.
I was thinking. I should stop thinking so much, about really popular songs. the song writer must listen to it years later and think who was the person who wrote that song. How the heck did I do that? 
well, good morning to you all.
I feel a good energy today. thanks for the great card Sandra and I enjoyed the pep talk about Australia.
That was very funny.
I am off to work so won't be back to this computer probably till much
later and I will miss all of the fun here. wish me luck
for no crazies today.

Re: DAY THIRTEEN - 2009

jenni, this is true. No hotels have thirteenth floors. That means, logically, don't stay on the 14th floor, because really it is the 13th floor. They also shouldn't have room 13s, but some do.

Re: DAY THIRTEEN - 2009

I forked over 20 large in three months to a yoga cult *Dahn Yoga* when I got all impressed with how it was going to fix me. I tend to be a serial cult joiner, fyi.)

In Yesterday's Day 12 thread, I was talking about words jumping off the page re; the inspiration thing….this sentence that Tom wrote jumped…I thought it was a great sentence and all sorts of ideas started zooming through my head. It sounds like such a great first line of a story or a novel - it truly amazes me where inspiration comes from!
I love stories that have characters hitting a wall and then climbing over it or blasting through in surprising, twisty ways and it leaves the reader sitting there and thinking, “Wow, didn't see that coming!”
Writing 'l' today so will go and write a list of l' words - lemon, lie,lost, love - I'll see which word jumps off the page and smacks me upside the head and says “Pick me - it's my turn!”
Happy writing, fellow excavators,
poetjo

Re: DAY THIRTEEN - 2009

Poetjo..lascivious, lurid, lanky, longing, lusty, laughter, livid, languishing, lame, levitate, lackadaisical, lisping, lizard loathsome, lithe, lyrical, lunatic, lottery…

just avoiding starting my writing day… get to it Sandra, get to it!

but before I do.. I like loser stories too. I'm a sucker for broken people.
Tom, I still think you should write that story. Sorry. Maybe I'll have to remind you in 10 years time. Just write it for us? Not for NaNo? But don't truncate. Tell it all. Like a story. Please? Pretty please??

I loved Maureen Johnson's pep talk too, Jenni. Made me laugh. I KNOW those washing machine sized spiders. They hide next to lightswitches in the night. Just waiting for someone to get up for a midnight pee….

Azyh.. smoooch.

Ok, the whip is cracking, gotta go before I use all my words up before I start.

Re: DAY THIRTEEN - 2009

Sandra, loved the Day13 card.  I always have the superstitious dread of Friday The 13th -dun da dun - and your opening words and the card, the re-cap, helped me shed that feeling a bit.  poetjo - lookes like “loser” would be a good choice for the L-word today, huh? Tom, I'm sending you for shock treatments if you don't stop it.  You're luxuriating lasciviously in lewd loserdom. If only you could see yourself the way we do.  No one as giving and freaking funny as you could possibly be a loser.  It's just not possible.  Even when you're down on yourself you make the rest of the world laugh.  That's a gift to the world, the laughter you bring.  As long as you can still love (and I know you love us, I know it) you're still hanging in there doing just what you were put on this earth to do.  <Ayla shakes Tom>  ((((Ayla hugs Tom)))  <3 Ayla loves Tom<3  (Look Tom.  See Spot run)  Ever read “The House of Fog” ?  It's devastating.  And who doesn't love it?  Not much of a happy ending, either. Okay, I'm done with my lecture, a lecture of love, but you're off the hook for now, Tommy Brilliant Master of Words.
GG - I know it's hard to keep up with the Prose posts.  Don't put any pressure on yourself.  I leave really short comments, nothing too in depth when I'm there just to let others know I'm reading.  Too much going on, for me at least, to get wordy or to give much of the DD guideline feedback.  Thanks for reading, Doll.  It was good to hear you sound excited this morning & maybe I'll get out a yoga tape and do a little stretching.  Then there is that Pilates DVD and the treadmill but…lazy me.
Jens - wishing you sane people  Azy - Hi Lady!  Nice to see you! Where the heck is Nono this morning?
I have this great Friday the 13th true tale, involving Mandi who had her birthday party on that day a couple of years back, lots of scary movies, tween girls and her request that we scare everyone late at night.  Too long to write here but we had a houseful of hysterical crying girls.  Maybe went overboard with the whole “scare everyone” thing.  Mandi even ended up screaming and crying.  So remember - careful what you ask for!  ;0) 
xo

Re: DAY THIRTEEN - 2009

Sorry Sandra, writing is too unpleasant and distressing for me to write something I don't want to read. Of course when you're inspired it's better than sex, but shame is not inspiring to me.

That Maureen Johnson bit was great. She's so right about that desert of the middle. It's lonesome in there. Where heroes are made, those writers who have the gumption to make that long solitary trek. One reason the only fiction I've written in the last year was last November, when there were people around to write with. Otherwise it's too darn lonely and fearsome.

Re: DAY THIRTEEN - 2009

Yeah, here I am!

Finally. This is the first time I log in today. What a hellish day! Friday the 13th, right? Meeting… steching that to a longer meeting, co-worker getting ballistic over a shit little matter, yelling, headache, grumpy faces, grumpy face even here at home (pierced teenage version) and NO WRITING DONE, not a word. I feel just exhausted and I have no lust what so ever to write a single word in that story of mine - zip.
And my consiousenss is feeling guilty as charged… just want to play hide and not seek.
I have a rythmfailure in my heart and I have felt it today, it goes nuts, my hear says: bum-ba-dibummm-bubububummmm-bu-bumm. It feels like it turns up side down at times. Very unpleasant and they say not dangerous. I get it when I'm stressed. Uh.

I ditto to you Tom what everyone else have said already. Do you understand how freeing it is to read about a character who can't seemingly to get one thing right, who is a sucker (which you are not sir, you just happen to have a golden heart)? But I just remember when you described your bad yoga weekend and how terrible the experience was for you, I kid you not, you described it so humorously… I can vividly see it with bending this and bending that and all that just cretes a total chaos for the “carecter”. My god!!! And I understand that you don't see the funny about it but I'm certain that you can make it to a masterpiece. You have that marvellous dry self distanced humor that I just love to read about and combined with some fabulous joggling with unexpected words, ah, can it be better?
You know I love Woodehouse? You remind me of him, same striking ability to describe an everyday moment in hillarious way. I would love you to take this on.

But enough of that now… I got to try to cool down after my day at work. Maybe we sees laters…

hug to you all

Re: DAY THIRTEEN - 2009

My son was born on the thirteenth and it's such a gift to sit across from him in a coffee shop with all these cool-looking folks coming in and we both have our laptops and the coffee is hot and good and the bagels with cream cheese filling us up for our writing-time.  He is sending out something to his students (he's a TA) before starting his reading/research. He's in his third year of grad school in sociology.  He has a tiny studio apartment and the traffic drones outside and his fan drones and I dreamed of my dead grandmother and a dead elder who passed out Hershey's candies with Advice to Writers on them. Probably the first advice said:  Just start writing!  Onward then…  Good luck to all today on this lucky thirteenth.

Re: DAY THIRTEEN - 2009

Oh, Nono, Bunny!  What a bad day for you.  I get heart palpitations when I'm stressed and anxious too.  It feels terrible, doesn't it?  Close your eyes and take some big huge deep breaths, then blow out even longer than you inhale (you're probably breathing too fast, slow, slow, slow it down) when that happens.  Think belly breathing.
Kathy, your morning with you son sounds marvelous! Are you going to send some of those Hershey Kisses with writing advice out?  ….hmmmm, why doesn't Hershey put “fortunes” on those little papers?  Maybe they'd pay you for the idea.
xo all, I need to stop chatting and start writing.

Re: DAY THIRTEEN - 2009

Ayla! to Tom. funny funny!  If that doesn't shake some sense into him I don't know what will. God girl, you can lecture me anytime!

Kathy.. I love hearing from you. Wish I had a cafe I could go to…

Nono, I'm soo sorry. My heart also does that. It's scary and I hate it.
Im gonna draw a special card just for you.

Oh. hahhah. (?). it's 2 of swords: peace.inner peace. power to make decisions. Decisions regarding relationships or situations.
Suggestion: Take the time for deep relaxation. Affirmation: Deep peace fills my heart.

I swear I didn't deliberately choose this card. Sounds like those Basturds at work got some 'splaining to do. Or you to decide something concerning them/your work? Or something. Anyway, I'm hugging you. And everyone having trouble today.

I had to stop myself writing today. Nearly 4000 words. Christ. Will it stop?

I have two days next week - Tuesday and Wednesday, when my David gets back and I'll probably not be able to write. Part of me feels terrified about that. Two whole days off? but maybe I'l have run out of steam by then. Today I seem to have enough to spare. Hoping it goes out to all of you.

xo

Re: DAY THIRTEEN - 2009

Huh, no deliberate selection? Lady, you spook me out. You are too good with tarot cards Sandra.

A bit more headache, coughing and a slight feeling of comming fever plus the heart race still going on here. I read this article about all the countries that has started the massvaccinations against the swine flu has got also a massive outbreakage of the flu itself. Other countries that do not vaccine do not have the same amount of sick people.

Yesterday one of my co-workers then got his shot, he's in risk group and got it earlier, so he had the virus in him (dead allright, but who knows how these things work) when he came to work today. I have decided not to take the vaccine, course I am really suspicious to it. They have mercury & cemo coctail in that shot just to trigger the immunesystem to kick start huge action.

So… is there no people to question the alignment of mass vaccination and mass illness coming along at the same time?

Well, I hope I don't have it. Since I have only one working kidney, heart trouble and some bronchitis in my lungs. Swine flu could be pretty serious for me.
I am sitting here by my computer now and visualizing an army of good iny tiny workers and fighters marching to beat the thing, whatever it is. Body is a battlefield.

xo

Re: DAY THIRTEEN - 2009

 Hi all;
I thought I'd take a break and pop in and see how everybody's day is going. Ayla; lovely words for Tom, I hope they shake the words loose for him; Tom; I don't know you at all well but just wanted to say I think you're a helluva writer, I know the quote you posted to me yesterday about the architecture of letters was par t of the inspiration for today's 'l' story - thanks for that! Sandra;  4000 words today - that's fantastic!!  I hope you don't mind, but your word 'broken' from this morning's post jumped off the screen and smacked me upside the head so I used it for inspiration as well and ayla; your right - the 'l' word of the day is 'loser'….today's story is about a broken person - she's afraid of letters themselves…can you imagine? 
poetjo

Re: DAY THIRTEEN - 2009

What the font is coming out of me today?  It ain't from real life but the feelings, the dread it is evoking …ack, who has that durn puke bucket?

Re: DAY THIRTEEN - 2009

Eeh, it must be Azyh.

Re: DAY THIRTEEN - 2009

Ok, I've read you all so far and loved and laughed and… and definitely not ignoring anyone or anything that's been said, but just wanted to say this about Friday the 13th and leaving out the 13th floor and sometimes but not always the room number too. And I want to put this out to you: What if there is a 13th floor but it's one of those betwixt and between things that sometimes you see out of the corner of your eye, and sometimes your elevator hesitates between floors 12 and 14 and what if it's secretly letting invisible folk into the elevator. And… oh never mind, it was just a silly thought.

I think I'll get a jet black cat and name her Thirteen.

Ok, what I really wanted to say is this: I have this new coffee mug and it sings. Honest to god. It sings a mostly a-tonal non-melody, and don't ask me about any lyrics because I promise you I don't speak Mandarin or even understand a word of it, and that goes for all those mountain dialects too. I do have this vague memory though of shouting Happy New Year to a bunch of people in bad Cantonese…

What does all this have to do with NaNo, you ask? Or with any kind of writing? (And don't deny you were thinking it either, 'cause I have a 13th sense, ya know.)

And what it has to do with writing is just this: Umm… you know, that a___ word; ok, I'll give you a hint, lots of hints: _v__d_nc_

So just to make you feel you're not totally wasting your time reading this, I'll tell you this: my novel, I discover, has a cat in it, a female cat named Charles… named by the ex who suffers under the delusion that all beings of note are male, and who believes that when a man declares something it is so, and yes, occasionally miracles do happen where a male cat gives birth to a litter of kittens.

Re: DAY THIRTEEN - 2009

And by the way, sending love and hugs to everybody, especially Nono right now. Not a nice feeling, those palpitations.

As for the above post of mine, not sure what got into me other than a huge let-go thing happening last night out of the blue, reams and reams of letting go's, about family, about so many things I've been hanging on to for dear life. I half thought I was going to wake up like Tolle, all enlightened, but sigh, it's still me in here. (Or should I say, thank god it's still me…?)

Deconstruction happening all over the place, as per the Shamanic forecast. And I discover letting go my family situation doesn't mean l don't talk to them anymore.

Is this even the appropriate place to drivel about this? And me a mod—shame, shame!

Re: DAY THIRTEEN - 2009

Don't you worry Ruth, if not here then where?
I feel like I have been whinning all week. Thinking that people are soon seriously annoyed by my whinning. I try to shape up and stop taking all this selfish space. Thinking… we all have plenty, right.

Deconstruction, hmm, that can be really painful. Let us just send a little prayer and a grouphug. Love this place and all of you!

Re: DAY THIRTEEN - 2009

Oh LMAO, Ruth!  Thank God you didn't wake up like Tolle or you wouldn't be able to finish your novel for years and years …you would be sitting out on a park bench somewhere staring at the leaves and amazing little ants on the sidewalk. With your permission, may I change our black little kitty's name to Thirteen?  We named her Wednesday (after Wednesday Adams, of course) but it just never stuck and we continue to call her “kitty”.  What say you?  We already fear that's she's possessed (is that too many s's - why oh why did they take the spell check away) because she leaps about and jumps out and attacks us from darkened doorways.  Also part meercat because she stands on two legs with her front legs hanging down at her side.  A very weird little critter.

Re: DAY THIRTEEN - 2009

Ayla you snuck in here while I was trying to get Gaia to behave. I called all my cats 'Kitty' even though they had perfectly fine names (Hannibal, and Cally, and Marmalade, Hannibal II)

Re: DAY THIRTEEN - 2009

Grrrr! The death post eaters are at it again!

Anyway, what I was trying to say, Ayla, is go for it. I think your kitty has Thirteen written all over her…

Re: DAY THIRTEEN - 2009

Ruth!! Whatever you've been taking I want some!!

Actually I've been in a similar mood – kinda whacky and silly. And a bit rollercoasterish. I was all happy with myself for my big write today and then I thiought over my past few days writing.. nearly 7000 words on ONE scene???? Who the f**** do I think I'm kidding? Tolstoy?????

And now I feel all at odds, like, heck, I'm just dreaming here, too much coffee not one useful word in todays lot. Well, maybe one. (if there is one, you are welcome to use it, poetjo).

I dunno. I let it go. (said in fake Russian accent). Speaking of Russians. What is it with them? I re-remembered ol' Vlad. Vladimir Visotsky. I'll post a vid of vlad on the Magical November blues thingy. I love him. I'm mad.

AND. THEN.

I realised it was FRIDAY. NOT THURSDAY. I'd been carrying on all yesterday and all today thinking it was thursday. What's going on? Was I deliberately blanking on it being Friday the 13th? Or just having yet another colossal seniors moment?

And where the heck is everyone? Isn't it rather quiet in here today? I can hear my voice echo. No one is around. For miles and miles. I'm all alone…. it's daaaaark…

slap me someone will ya

Re: DAY THIRTEEN - 2009

Sandra, I refuse to slap you on the grounds that… on the grounds that I might never be allowed to read another word you wrote. :)

Re: DAY THIRTEEN - 2009

speaking of Friday the 13th (sorry for the verbal diarrhoea, no one slapped me, what can I do?), something very weird happened. I don't know when. Today, yesterday? A picture that was well propped up on a window. Not a big picture. Perfectly, utterly stable. In a room I never go into when hubby's away because it's his room. Except for today, I went in there. On the floor was the picture. Along with a beautiful (and valuable) carved stone bear that had been sitting in front of it. His poor foot broken off. Hubby will be heartbroken. It can be fixed, but… (well, the foot, maybe not his heart)

Ok. off to pick a card for tomorrow. That's it from me. I promise.

Re: DAY THIRTEEN - 2009

Promise?? sheesh. I'm such a liar. this one's for Nono. You can all ignore: There is actually a lot of public and even main(ish) stream investigation and concern about the swine flu vaccine. I can send you links if you like. The main thing, I think, (hmm or is that tomorrow's card thinking?) is to follow your intuition on what you need. I'll be sending you healing thoughts and vibes, ok? Take good care of yourself.

night night.
double promise that's over and out.

Re: DAY THIRTEEN - 2009

Oooh, Sandra, that is spooky, about the picture and stone bear. And on Friday 13th too. Do you think it could have been winds gusting against the window? (I can see that happening here is why I ask.) Too bad about the bear… :(

Re: DAY THIRTEEN - 2009

Hi everyone –

Re: the love of “loser” stories … Probably my favorite “loser” story is Tim Burton's biopic, Ed Wood, based on the life of the creator of the “worst movie of all time.” It's a delectable tragicomedy, one in which audiences are able to simultaneously poke fun at and sympathize with the characters. Thus both a laughing at and a laughing (and crying) with. Ed Wood (played by Johnny Depp) somehow never loses his yearning, his chutzpah, and his compassion, despite writing and directing some truly bad stuff, and you end up loving him. I highly recommend it for anyone doing any “bad writing,” intentionally or perhaps unintentionally …..  :-)  (It actually helped me through some really rough times as a teacher, when I had the sense of being mediocre and uninspired).

love and laughter to all,
Mary

Re: DAY THIRTEEN - 2009

Oh, God, somehow I missed Nono's post on her feeling ill.  Yes, sending you and Leigh-Anne (who is suspiciously absent today, I hope you're okay!) love and healing.  The vaccine - I've never, ever (too chicken) had a flu vaccine but we're going to have a newborn in the house soon so I think about it.  Thing is, I think the swine flu may have run it's course before mainstream Americans will even be able to get their hands on one.  Only high risk people are getting it as of yet.  Pregnant Jessica was pressured into taking both a flu shot and a swine flu shot (will this give the baby immunity or will it be in her breast milk?)  I don't know because she didn't ask! Lucky for her they make special ones for preggy girls so maybe hers didn't have mercury and chemo cocktail?  Let's hope so. I think that last cold I had was the swine flu, to tell the truth, I've never had such a nasty cold in my life.
Okay, so I have the runs in the mouth department today too but at least it isn't just me.  (Sandra)  ;0)   Weird about the picture …sorry about the bear and hubby's possible broken heart.  
Hi Mary.   And Tom went silent on us.  Oh, Tommy Darling, where are you?

Re: DAY THIRTEEN - 2009

hey everyone…

it's nice to read everyone today - Nono I'm sorry it was such a stressful day for you… Sandra, Ruth, you crack me up.. love the silliness. Sandra, I am sorry about the bear. I had a weird bear moment today - first have to explain that every year at this time, the seniors center (that runs out of the same building I work in) has their Christmas Bazaar. Tables and tables of stuff and people and the money raised all goes to the center (and in turn to the kids). I wandered around for a little while in the morning, but not long because I was not feeling well at all (feverish etc - but had to go to work to finish a publication for this aft) … anyway, I found myself at a table with dozens of trinkets, mesmerized by a carving of a black bear - I've no idea why, it was just lovely. One of the interns in my office suddenly appeared beside me and called my name. I jumped, and the woman behind the table was reaching for the bear, knocked it over and cracked it. I didn't see if anything broke off, she wisked it away too quickly. The only thing I did buy was an antique ink well for $3. I thought it was cool.

anyway, having a low and quiet day for a Friday the 13th. Strangely enough, my birth mother and nephew were both born on a Friday the 13th and I was supposed to have been born on that day too but was late to arrive to the party by 6 days…(according to my birth mother, but who knows). Cough is better, headache is back and am super congested but I think this is just a head cold. Nothing some organic chicken soup and tea won't cure (and a good long sleep). In my skimming I saw something about dreams - I've been having some pretty vivid detailed ones myself this past couple of days about steamships and books made of steel.

blahblah gee I can't shut up tonight. I posted another excerpt here - this one I wrote this afternoon once I was home from work. I am going to write a little more tonight. I am over 25K now. Passed the halfway mark… damned if I know what comes next, because this afternoon's episode took a wicked twist. Going to be a bumpy ride… to say the least! I just remembered the card for today, wasn't it about not holding back… well no shit.

anyway - back to the slap and tickle and to people feeling better very soon. If I weren't so full of cough syrup right now I'd have a glass of wine…

xo hugs
la

Re: DAY THIRTEEN - 2009

La.. this is too spooky: I found myself at a table with dozens of trinkets, mesmerized by a carving of a black bear - I've no idea why, it was just lovely. One of the interns in my office suddenly appeared beside me and called my name. I jumped, and the woman behind the table was reaching for the bear, knocked it over and cracked it.

Hubby's bear is black. I wonder what time this actually happened, sounds like it could have been the same time I found hubby's lying on the floor…

Re: DAY THIRTEEN - 2009

spooky indeed - it was around 10/ 10:30 am my time when it happened…

Re: DAY THIRTEEN - 2009

Another grand day thread. Will be sorry to say goodbye to 13 after today. Love the kitty named Thirteen (will it have a nickname…Thirt?).

Thanks so much, Ayla and Nono for the love and stuff. Really sweet of you, wish I could follow your advice. Take care of yourself Nono, and I agree with you on the flu shot. Never had one myself and never got the flu, either, at least since I was a kid, not the bad flu anyway, though I've had a severe cold now and again.

I've been thinking a lot lately about what is my best attribute or greatest strength, which folks have been mentioning down through the threads. I finally got it. I'm a great watcher. If you want an audience member or a reader or someone to eat your new stew, I'm great at that. Observation and ingestion is my forte. Anything that doesn't involve doing something. A reactor par excellence. If I was a floating eyeball I'd be set.

Mary, I haven't seen Ed Wood but always wanted to. It's got a special place in my heart but only from rumor. One of those kinds of artwork where you know it's there but you've never seen it but you love it anyway.

Still nothing on the Nano front. Think this may not be my year. Have learned that waiting til you're old to figger out a reason to live may not be the best plan. Writing didn't do it for me, which I was hoping it would. May try toothpick sculpture or mud pies.

Sorry about the bear, Sandra.

xoxo!

P.S. I like it when people post a lot, whether they are whinning or not. (and that means you especially, Ruth, thank you for sharing)

Re: DAY THIRTEEN - 2009

okee dokeeeeeeee my last line of the night. I am too tired to write more…

“Tears streamed down his face and turned to ice as they fell to the earth.”

*sigh* tonight's piece was tough. not tough to write, just tough. I am writing what 'comes up' and what is coming up is hard. this Friday the 13th has been pretty significant for me. I was starting to doubt I could get past even the halfway mark. …

the angels are crying in my story. but I am hopeful.
xo

Re: DAY THIRTEEN - 2009

Leigh-Anne, what a great last line, not only the one of your novel, but also the one in your post! the angels are crying… but I am hopeful. Might need to borrow that one!  ;)  Forgot to post my last line last night, forgot all about it once again. Damn. So here they are, last words:

“He has gone. It's over for good.”

Re: DAY THIRTEEN - 2009

!  forgot about the last line thing too, was in bed when I remembered, thought heck they don't want my last line after all THAT. Love both of yours, la, gg.

Here's mine, a day late:

I just shrugged, grinned back, said, Goodnight then, and made my way out, up the stairs, to my cold lavender room.

Re: DAY THIRTEEN - 2009

All day, I thought I would have time to write and it kept eking away.  Then, a little bit written, a very little.  Later a little bit more and a nice chunk of time before bed and now I've caught up again, just a bit shy of 22,000 words.

I wanted to pick up on something Gabriele said on Day Twelve “Deb, … you have become such a natural part of this group to me!”  I do feel that now.  I think it was destined but I needed a “reason”.  Much as I love to write, just writing for the love of it was a luxury in my mind and I had not the “spare” time for it. 

Yet, in my 20s, I was a writer.  A serious writer, it was my only occupation for a time.  I would get up in the morning and write and edit all day.  I tried to sell some children's stories without luck and lost the unfinished novel I had spent so much time on.  I joined this group on its inception and even submitted a story here that I had written before joining Zaadz, now Gaia.

Now, going on 3 years later, I have a reason.  This summer, I discovered my “calling”, in that I found that what I want to do is conference workshops or speaking about my passion - which is a spiritual interpretation of the flow of life.  I felt like a contemporary of the presenters, at that first conference I attended this summer, the only one in the 55 years of my life. 

Then, it came to me, to do that work, I would need to write a book.  Then, the title of the book came.  I got a coach, my first ever, and she has been talking to me about a workshop in January, that culminates in a publisher's fair.  And now NaNoWriMo. 

I know I have a long way to go and long odds I will fulfill this vision of where I am headed but I just keep taking the baby steps in that direction anyway.  I tell myself, it is a part of me to leave for my kids, that they will not know otherwise.   At least that, if I fall short of the vision.

I had a breakthrough today.  I see now the value of being in this group.  I am serious about the book and so, see myself staying in this incubator of support for as long as it takes.  It is likely I won't stop writing again, now that I've started again.  I look forward to questions from other writers here, helping me to refine and edit and organize and give shape to this work.

My breakthrough was already “there” a year ago but I wasn't here.  It was a little post in my Living Metaphysics group's Daily Guides put there a year ago for me to discover today about Spiritual Stories.  It isn't that I didn't know this already at some level of my understanding but I needed the reminding or the putting of it into words, for me to grasp at this moment.  It has to do with meaning in stories and purpose for and whether something really happened.

So, now I see these little stories from my life, not at all an autobiography but certainly “real”, they happened and I was there.  These, fleshed out with literary license; however they need that, as illustrations of the deeper meanings and contemplative insights I want to capture. 

I didn't see this for my work before today.  I didn't see how it all fit together.  It is probably obvious to most but for me, it seemed magic and I think it is because of the serious effort of really getting started on this book, by being part of NaNoWriMo and of being here at Diving Deeper.

Today, the little hunting dog that was shot is the story illustrating a concept.  So, I get the story down a bit and then, later I will be able to take these little stories and fit them in, by contemplating “what is the meaning this is trying to illustrate”?  What is this here to tell me?  What does it want to say?

Ok, I'm excited about this; but it may just be “my” thing, still it was something I needed to pull together for this work.  I'm also terribly tired and so, am headed off to sleep as soon as I can get myself there.

Happily wording
~ Deb

Re: DAY THIRTEEN - 2009

Deb! Then, it came to me, to do that work, I would need to write a book.  Then, the title of the book came.  I got a coach, my first ever, and she has been talking to me about a workshop in January, that culminates in a publisher's fair.  And now NaNoWriMo

Such a great story. Seems like everything is flowing exactly how it needs to, that the 'universe' is definitely supporting you to do this work.

Re: DAY THIRTEEN - 2009

Deb - I so enjoyed your share.  Not only very interesting but also a way for all of us to get to know you on a much deeper level.  Great story and so uplifting to hear about someone's epiphany!
I forgot my lastline too …I think I may have snoozed off while writing lastnight.  That was a first. (and I like everyone else's and yes, la, the angel line is a good one even if it is a DD last line!)  -
“Yeah, oh my god is right,” James answered,  “Do you have any money saved up for a good lawyer?  Somehow I doubt it.”

Re: DAY THIRTEEN - 2009

Me too, forgot to drop off my last line:

Well, he said huffily, if this is a bad time… It is, I said, but I doubt he heard it, he had already slammed the receiver in my ear.

Re: DAY THIRTEEN - 2009

oh, Ruth, I needed that! you made me laugh.

Just read yours Ayla. heheh, sounds like you two are writing the same character!