Writing Motivation Monday: Birthday Inspires Writing

On Thursday, December 24, I will be 69 years old. My upcoming birthday has inspired me to review my writing and my life. I looked back over the entries in this blog and realized that I have gotten away from the theme. Writing was the original theme, but in the past couple of years I have gotten away from that focus. Therefore, I have decided to refocus on the theme and compose blog entries on the aspect of writing. I will continue to attempt to make an entry every other day. I will continue to post ads because I think composing ads is an aspect of writing.

Daily Blog Themes
for this blog

Sunday: Sunday Writing Speculations
Monday: Writing Motivation Monday
Tuesday: Tuesday's Writing List
Wednesday: Writing Website Wednesday
Thursday: Thursday's Writing Research Topic
Friday: Poetry Form Friday
Saturday: Writing Success Saturday

Success Saturday: The Week of December 13-19

It has been a good week. I wrote five or six poem, two or three stories, and an essay. I purchased a black ink cartridge for my printer and I saw a specialist. All right, I am 68 years old so seeing a doctor or a specialist is not a big deal. I have an appointment with another specialist on Monday and then, I think I stop seeing doctors this year.

I am not sure what else I have to do this coming week. I know I have a flash fiction story to write. However, since I have not received the picture prompt for that I cannot start it. I will receive the prompt on Sunday, December 20. After that I will begin to write the story. Since December 24 is my birthday, I might write birthday story.

Six More Days Until My Birthday

In six days I will turn 69 years old. I would like to do something special or, at least different, for my birthday. That said, whatever I do special or different, I have to do at home. I am not driving anywhere on December 24. I do not like to drive on Christmas Eve because of the last minute Christmas shoppers. I do not like to go to the malls on Christmas Eve either. That day they are packed wall to wall with procrastinators. I do not like to deal with other procrastinators. Therefore, I will remain home and take a walk or write a horror story about a mall on Christmas Eve.

I went to the Mall one Christmas Eve and that was enough to satisfy my curiosity about Christmas Eve shoppers. I will remain home and watch television, take a walk in front of my apartment, and work on the computer. I might also call my brothers and sister, since I do not expect to see them before sometime in 2016 (I hope).

Four Days Until My Birthday

In four days, on December 24 at eleven minutes before midnight, I will turn 68 years young. This is my third birthday without my mother. I plan to remain home on December 24 because I do not like to drive in holiday traffic and deal with last minute Christmas shoppers. However, if my sister is still in Sunrise hospital on that  day I will change my plans and go to visit her.

This is the saddest time of the year,
With everyone wishing Christmas cheer,
By cussing you out because you took
The last parking place in the mall parking lot.

All right, that poem needs a little work. I am not in the mood to write parodies tonight. I am feeling sad. I am feeling lonely. I am in the Bah Humbug mood because it is December and the New Year of 2015 is approaching. I have not accomplished all the goals I set for 2014 and I am not looking forward to reevaluating my goals for a New Year.

winter wind blowing

scattering sadness and cold

I'm looking forward to spring

Sunday Review: Two 19 cent postcards and a Bunch of 3 cent stamps.

Two nineteen cent postcards and a bunch of three cent stamps sounds like the title of a book of poetry, but it's not. Those are some of the things I found when I went through the box where I keep my envelops and stamps. I didn't find the size of envelop I wanted, which was business sized. I will have to look in my filing cabinet or purchase a box next time I go to the store.

The three cent stamps will come in handy when I mail the postcards. It cost about thirty-four cents to mail a postcard, so if I add five three cent stamps to one of the postcards I can mail it. I may as well send the postcards before the post office raised the rate again. I can just fit five of the three cent stamps on the postcards now. I think I'll send one postcard to my sister to wish her a happy birthday.

This is just to say

Happy Birthday!

Written on my 67 bithday December 24, 2013

It's been a truly awesome 67th birthday. I received birthday greetings on Facebook and writing.com. My sister came over today and she bought me a small ham, some bananas, and bread for my birthday. I found my mother's pink prayer beads when we were getting some stuff ready for her to take to storage.

The best thing that happened today was finding the prayer beads. I've been looking for those beads ever since my mother's death on November 29, 2012. Now that I've found them, I'll put them in the leather medicine bag a friend made me several years ago. I keep my prayer beads in that bag because I can find them easily. I can also find the bag when I put it in my purse.

Finding those prayer beads is the best birthday present anyone could have given me. I remember Mom using them before the Alzheimer's disease took her memory away. Every time I look at them or use them from now on, I will remember Mama.

2013 is winding down

There are nine days left in 2013 and I'm getting tired of all the crap and negativity. I'm seriously considering unfriending several people on Facebook in 2014 because of the negativity. I'm also going to git rid of the negative element in my personal life. I'm looking for positive things that I can add to my life and positive people I can add to my list of friends.

I'll be 67 years old on December 24 and dealing with negativity and crap is becoming more difficult all the time. I dislike my own negative thoughts and am working on becoming more positive. I have decided that if I want to be positive then I have to deal with positive people most of the time. I can handle a little negative without it effecting me, but after a while it becomes too much and I start reacting negatively. I don't like reacting negatively to negative people or situations because it just make matters worse.

I've been thinking about this subject for several days; however, for some reason today was the day the negativity became too much. Perhaps it's a reaction to my upcoming birthday and the realization that I'm not getting any younger. I also suspect that negativity has a detrimental effect on my health. Since I'm going to attempt to take charge of improving my health in 2014, I also think I should take charge of getting rid of the negativity in my life.

I'm also going to try making my writing a little more positive. I may have to make an exception if one of my characters is negative, but otherwise I can work toward making some of my work positive. I know that the world is full of bad and negative events, so I do have to put some of that in my writing. However, I don't have to focus on everything that negative.

Eight days and counting down

On December 24 at eleven minutes before midnight I will turn 67 years old or perhaps I should say 67 years young. I'm not sure whether I'm dreading or looking forward to this birthday. My life hasn't changed much in the past twelve months. I'm still living in the house I shared with my mother. I'm still worried about paying the power bill, the water bill, etc. I'm still a Baha'i and I'm still writing, which are the only two things that keep me sane.

I finished and won NaNoWriMo in November by writing 54,658 word novel called Midnight in Suburbia. This year, despite the fact that I don't celebrate Christmas, I've written several Christmas themed poems and put them in my writing.com portfolio. I think those are the only two things  that are different, but I could be wrong because I'm a bit depressed this afternoon.

I'm not sure why I'm depressed. It could be my upcoming birthday. It could be the outrageous power bill. It could be that I feel stuck, as if I'm in a rut that I can't get out of. It could be my health, which is somewhat worse then last year. I'll know more about my health after I've seen the specialist next year. My depression could be caused by almost anything.

Eight days
and counting down
to another birthday:
Do I need a night
on the town?

Sunday Review: November and National Novel Writing Month is past

November over
National Novel Writing Month
2013 past

I survived November and National Novel Writing Month. I surpassed the goal of 50,000 words and I survived the one year anniversary of my mother's death. December has begun, I will be 67 years young on December 24 at 11 minutes before midnight.

The countdown begun
with twenty-three days to go
I ask God for strength

This is my first birthday without my mother and I am  unsure to celebrate. I know my birthday is something to celebrate because, despite my health problems, I am still alive and writing. I have worries, which I have placed in God's hands and I know the solutions to my problems are available if I can only see them.

Plan to write entries
at least every other day
depends on God's will.

The Fog is Lifting

fog dissipating
from thoughts after Mama’s death
it’s a new normal

Mom died in the hospice on November 29, 2012. On November 30, we planned her funeral. I am still in shock; I do not think shock is the right word because of her health we expected this event. Perhaps numb is a better word because when I composed the December 1, 2012 entry for my writing.com blog last night I realize that I could not remember the date she died.

This morning, after putting a load of towels in the washer, I looked up the date on the papers we received from the mortuary. When my life finally gets back to normal, it will be a new normal. I will have to live the rest of my life without my mother. I will have to celebrate every birthday without her. I will be 66 years old on December 24 and this is the first birthday I will celebrate without my mother.

This is year, on December 24; my mother will not kiss me on the cheek and wish me a “Happy Birthday”. This year, I will have to eat my birthday dinner by myself. This year,... I am not sure I can go on with the list of things I will have to do by myself on my birthday.

Happy Birthday writing.com

In September, writing.com is twelve years old. In 2000, writing.com went online offering an encouraging creative environment for writers and authors of all skill levels. If you are looking for something to read or want to offer feedback, you can find something to read on writing.com. I am a member of writing.com. I login, at least once a day to review other writers, participate in a contest, or place a something in my portfolio.

Saturday Evening a week before my birthday

A silent sunset
Brings to mind my next birthday
Christmas Eve baby

My birthday is next Saturday, December 24. Tonight I am remembering the birthdays of my childhood and growing nostalgic. At the time, I did not enjoy being a Christmas Eve baby. I wanted a birthday that did not fall on a holiday. Now I miss those birthday celebrations, I suppose age brings wisdom and nostalgia.

Happy Birthday Writing.com

Writing.com is eleven years old this month. This is a wonderful place for writers because you can post your stories, poems, essays, etc. in feedback concerning ways to improve. Go to writing.com and check out all the benefits of joining this creative community.

How do you know when you are about to turn 65?

I will turn 65 on December 24; I will be old enough to go on Medicare. Yesterday, the Medicare supplement offers began arriving in my mailbox. If I had any doubt I was turning 65 this has erased it. I have to admit my age, I am looking forward to investigating the offers and see which plan I want to get.

A Christmas Eve Birthday

I was born on December 24, 1946 about 11 minutes before midnight. I missed being a Christmas baby by 11 minutes I am not disappointed. When I was growing up, I wanted my birthday to be any day except Christmas Eve. I have changed my mind; I now enjoy being a Christmas Eve baby. I enjoy being my mother’s Christmas present (never mind that technically I am her Christmas Eve present.

My perception of my birthday changed when I sixty years old. Age and maturity had a great deal to do with this change of perception. Every birthday has become precious and a new chapter in the adventure of my life. This year, I decided to go out to eat on Christmas Eve, now this may not sound like an important decision, but it is.

I do not like to drive on Christmas Eve. I do not like to shop on Christmas Eve. The reason for this is that people are doing their last minute Christmas shopping and every mall in Las Vegas is packed. Traffic is terrible and most people are in a “Bah Hum Bug” mood, with drivers honking because the car ahead is obeying the speed limit. I am going to ignore the chaos and the bad moods; I am going to a nice restaurant and enjoy myself.

19 Days Until my 64th birthday

On December 24, 2010, I will turn 64 years old. I was born on December 24, 1946 about eleven minutes before midnight. I’m not sure what I’m going to do on my birthday this year. I think I’ll stay home because I don’t like to drive in Christmas Eve traffic. I don’t think I’m going to drive in Christmas Eve traffic this year.

I’ll stay home and celebrate my birthday. I think I’ll get some chocolate ice cream and chocolate cake, so that I can celebrate at home. I hope it isn’t cloudy on my birthday, but considering we’ve had clouds almost everyday since December 1 I’ll expect clouds on my birthday.

Wind in the Pine trees

Morning caresses
Chills the boughs of stone pine trees
Christmas is coming

The temperature in the house is about 68 degrees, which is cooler then an hour ago when it was 69. The wind is blowing and moving the limbs of the pine trees in my front yard. It is not even Thanksgiving yet, but the wind in the pine trees reminded me that Christmas and my birthday (Christmas Eve) is a little over a month away.

Happy Birthday Writing.com

Writing.com is 10 years old this year. Writing.com is a good place to share your work. It is free to join, so join us and celebrate writing.com's 10th birthday.

Reading reviewing
A writing portfolio
Reviewing writing

I got a promotion today

Today is my birthday and I got a promotion from 62 to 63, another year of wisdom to pass along to the next generation or anyone that will listen.

A chilly birthday
the air feels like snow and sleet
no clouds can I see.

When I went out for the paper this morning the air felt like snow. There is no wind or clouds today.

Happy 9th Birthday writing.com

Happy Birthday writing.com!
Nine years of helping writers write;
Nine years of assisting authors to find their muse;
Nine years of encouraging helpful reviews;
Happy Birthday writing.com!

Writing.com is celebrating its ninth birthday from September 1 to September 14, 2009. Drop by and log in as a guest to celebrate. Drop by and register for a writing.com free account. I begin with the free account myself and have upgraded twice since I joined writing.com. My writing and my confidence has increased since becoming a member of writing.com.