Saturday, September 02, 2017

The first day of the rest of my life

Today is the first day of the rest of my life. And I am grateful for it. 


I will share with you all something I wrote a couple of weeks ago as part of a writing exercise in my writing group which I hope you will all be able to enjoy:

Gratitude is something that comes with age and wisdom.

How can you be grateful for what you have until you have known its loss? Abundance and joy can only be appreciated once loss and sadness are known. So I am grateful for my health because I have been so ill I thought I would die. I am grateful for my closest and most trusted friendships because I have known their opposites.  I am grateful for love because I have experienced its loss. I am grateful for all that is beautiful in mankind because I have seen its polar opposite: ugliness at its very core.

I am grateful for my freedom because I have escaped captivity. I am grateful for my education because of the opportunities it has afforded me when so many do not have these. I am grateful that I can have a fulfilling life, with enough food, water and shelter to never question where my next meal will come from or where I will lay my head.

Life is a gift which I unwrap each day grateful that my eyes still open, my legs still move, my heart still beats and my mind still works.


Friday, January 13, 2017

Existentialist inspired writing

Here is the writing piece which I wrote earlier in the week, inspired by the discussions I had about existentialist literature at my writing group and as part of a writing exercise there, linked to a song. I chose Earthquake by Labyrinth as the song which formed the basis of the piece:

'Labyrinth, come in.'

Flashlights blind him as he surges past the stop sign, red traffic light. Horns honk and brakes screech near misses with tyre on tarmac rubbery smoke filtering through the dusk night air, hanging like deathly emptiness. Neon flickers. On off. On off. 

Nothing enters his mind. Only noise. Crazed beat after crazed beat. 

'A ground breaker.'

'I predict an earthquake.'

Solitary emptiness rips through the silence of his thoughts. 

'We throw bombs on it. Just smash something.'

He plunges his car into the hollow ravine below. 

A distant shudder resounds. Unheard.

'Riot...chaos...people.' 

 No one notices. 

'Labyrinth come in.' 

The stop sign turns green. 

Thursday, January 12, 2017

Weekend workings

The weekend is near and I am really looking forward to a hard earned rest.

Work is busy but I am keeping my commitment to make 2017 great by continuing my juicing and reigniting the writing.

I attended my writing group yesterday when we discussed existentialist literature in a restaurant called the French Olive and considered Kafka' s Metamorphosis.  I have not read this work but it certainly sounds like an interesting and important novella. Having read some of his short stories and visited a museum dedicated to his works in Prague many years ago, I am now encouraged to read this book.

We also carried out a writing exercise which was enjoyable. I may type it up and post it tomorrow.

With two whole days to myself, I hope to dedicate some time to my WIP ...and I plan to try out pilates as well as meet a friend for brunch. 

Monday, January 02, 2017

Welcome to 2017

The holiday is nearing an end and having spent the past week or so in the UK, I can safely say that it is absolutely freezing here!


Looking like Minnie Mouse with ear muffs

I must have become unused to the temperatures because I have had to buy ear muffs as you can see!!

Whilst I have been here,  I have had the opportunity to catch up with a number of friends and visited a few new places in London and elsewhere...  places like a Salsa lounge, a Tapas place, a good old fashioned public house or two and one or two coffee houses along the way. I have also continued with my juicing extravaganza which has become my new modus operendum for staying healthy.

I have bought a wonderful slow juicer which is ab fab and done my best to resist ye old chocolates and all the unhealthy consumables one finds at this time of year.

The slow juicer in action!

I have also been considering how best to proceed with my writing which has been on hold for some time. In fact I have made a number of mental commitments to myself....Why you may ask?

Well, after a horrible 2016 full of enormous challenges, many of which were beyond my control, I welcome 2017. This is a new year and I intend to make it an amazing one.