Month: September 2014

Saying Goodbye To September…

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September always sneaks up on me unpleasantly, kind of like the holiday season (If I see one more Christmas decoration, I’ll flip my lid!). I’m never fully prepared for it and I am always happy to see it go.

October is my favorite month of the year. It reminds me of very happy times in my life, and is always the lead-in to my birthday towards the end of the month. Unfortunately, my last few birthdays have completely and utterly sucked. I have decided to have absolutely no expectations whatsoever this year, other than the firm knowledge that I have to make some important decisions within the next two years and should probably invest in prolonging what’s left of my youth.

I am still recovering from my marathon editing session. We will not discuss how badly I ended up injuring myself by not getting up a few times each hour to stretch, or taking a moment to check and correct my posture when I got stressed. I’m halfway done, so I’m feeling good about that. I wish sitting wasn’t quite so painful though. I’ve learned my lesson. Sometimes, less truly is more. Also, all those naps I didn’t want to take as a child…

As adults one thing we all want desperately is a good night’s sleep (and to win the lottery), but as children, we think sleeping means we’re missing out on something. I always felt that way as a child, but now, I’m wishing I’d napped more, so I wouldn’t be so unbelievably exhausted now. And so, I have decided that in my next life, I’m coming back as a cat.

copyright © 2014 by Lisa Marino & Blackbird Serenity LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

SAM_0212

Leaves me be Mommy, I’m snuggly and warm. 

I’m Fried!

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After editing for ten hours yesterday, I am completely fried to a crisp. It’s going to take a while before my back, neck, and shoulder feel normal again. I did yoga stretches to loosen all of my muscles when I was done for the day yesterday, and then I covered all the affected problem spots I could reach with Icy/Hot. Once it kicked in, I passed out. That’s what I get for waking up super early and going straight to work. The only bonus, I got to do that work in my PJ’s.

Note to self: You don’t need to keep saying “Five more pages.” That’s like saying you’re going to read “just one chapter” of a book before bed, and after a while, you notice it’s light outside. These are ridiculous lies we tell ourselves. The fact that I managed to do so much work this weekend AND finish reading a book is a testament to my own stupidity. As I edit this week, and prep for the arrival of someone very special, I have another book to finish reading. Yes, that is pure overkill, but the truth nonetheless.

As a side note for all my fellow writers out there: Do NOT argue with the person that knows where the apostrophes and commas go. Chances are, that person knows their shit.

youcantstart

copyright © 2014 by Lisa Marino & Blackbird Serenity LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

True Compassion

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“True compassion is not just an emotional response, but a firm commitment founded on reason. Therefore, our compassion for others does not change even if they behave negatively. Our feelings of responsibility for others gives rise to a wish to help them actively overcome their problems.” -Dalai Lama

Are You Working Hard, Or Hardly Working?

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Do you ever find yourself utterly dizzy reading what you’ve written, or even the work of a fellow writer? If so, welcome to the club!

I have been editing for a client for three days now. At the rate I’m going, I will be done next week. All I will say about it is that the story is very good and I’d buy it. It’s nice to work on something I’d never write, but that I’m highly knowledgeable about. (Special thanks to the New York City Public Education system for always telling me, year after year, that I should be a police detective. Higher honors and thanks to the NYPD for all my forensics knowledge.) I never know how my brain works, until someone presents me with a question or ideas and suddenly, out of nowhere, the answers come flying out of my mouth. It’s a little scary. The fact that I know some of this stuff is probably the reason I DVR’d “How To Get Away With Murder” last night. Did anyone else see it?

Here’s something that bothers me: You take all kinds of shit as a writer. Criticism and stupid comments are the least of my concerns. Over time, you realize that a lot of the catty comments that get sent in your direction are actually jealousy manifesting itself. You start seeing people distance themselves from you, and it all comes down to one thing: No one likes knowing that someone else is better than they are at something. I have no idea why people cannot be supportive, why they can’t just be happy for you, or why they have to be so competitive. There is room in this world, both physically and literally, for all of us. IKEA, Target, and Walmart can always make more bookshelves, so please don’t compete with every writer you know, just “do you”. That means, write what you know and write it well, and then take it out into the universe and sell that motherfucker for all it is worth.

In turn, you’ll be able to answer the age old question: Are you working hard, or hardly working?

copyright © 2014 by Lisa Marino & Blackbird Serenity LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

annpatchett