Everyday Writing Every Day

 

"Dear Diary" by Christine Graves via NightCafe Studio

I'm working on a personal mission. I'm trying to write a post a day on at least one of my sites or publications across the line. I missed posting something on the first, but I did do a freewrite on my Penzu account, so I'm counting that one. 

I posted three posts on Medium between the 2nd and 4th. And here it is the 5th, and I'm doing a post here. It's not about writing something amazing, it's simply about doing some everyday writing every day.

I didn't write much between the middle of March and the first part of May. I had so much going on in my personal life that I just had to step away. The problem is that I'm having a hard time getting back into the swing of things. But I am trying.

One of the reasons I'm doing this is because I'm trying to keep the art of blogging--true blogging as it used to be--from fading into obscurity. I know I'm only one person, but it could happen. I miss those days. I've always loved blogging and still do today. 

I've heard it said a hundred times. In order to be a great writer, you must write something every day. I get it and can see how this could be true. But that's not what this is about. It's simply about writing for the sake of writing. Finding joy in the written word once again.

I'm having a particularly hard time tonight as I'm wiped out from my new job. I've always been one of those people who feel they need to throw themselves into a project, mind, body, and soul. And did that and more today. I might be the boss of my department, but I'm using muscles I forgot I had. (If you ever stay in a hotel, please thank your housekeeping staff. They work their butts off)

My brain is mush at the moment. I have the desire to write, but it's hard to focus. I'm exhausted. But it's a good exhaustion, if there is such a thing. Yes, my mind is numb and my body hurts, but I love knowing that I put 100% of myself into my job.

This post is going to be short, but at least I got one done. It's not a post for the masses; it's just a grouping of words that form an idea. It won't gain me a fan base or any paying leads, but that's okay. This is just me getting a few things off my mind and onto the page. It's off my mind, off my chest, and put to the side. Time to move on to the next.

This won't be the last post for this month, I'm sure. If I want this experiment to be successful, I need to make sure to post something every day. 

Until next time,
Miss Chris!!!

~~~*~~~*~~~

Christine Graves has been writing online for nearly 30 years. She has written everything from fiction and poetry to reviews and ad campaigns. She runs three other blogs. Graves Publications, Library of the Mystic Realms, and Collected Keepsakes. She also writes for a platform called Medium.com  where she runs several publications. 

Focus on the Miracles

 

"Tiny Miracles" by Christine Graves via NightCafe Studio

Hello, my darlings. I apologize for missing the entire month of April with my posts, but life has been going a hundred miles an hour lately and I'm still trying to get caught up.

In my last post, I talked about the craft fair I was making all those refrigerator magnets and other things for. Well, it was a gigantic FLOP. I made a whole $7. But, at least I tried.

Also, my granddaughter (who lives with me) turned 13. I am now officially raising a teenager. Somebody send help. She went from being my feisty little missy, to a full-blown hormonal bundle of disgust. Yay!!!

I started a new job this past month as well. After 11 years in the direct care service, I changed direction and went back to my roots. I am once again cleaning rooms in one of our nicer hotels. Okay, I'm not just cleaning rooms, I'm the Executive Housekeeping Manager. Yep, I'm the boss. Who'da thunk it???

Finally, my daughter and now son-in-law finally made it official and got married. It was a beautiful affair and my daughter and granddaughters looked gorgeous in their dresses. However, if anyone ever asks me about weddings again, I'm totally going to advocate for eloping. 

I've spent nearly two full months preparing for and going through some unbelievable changes. I could look at all the stress I've been through in the process, but I've actually been focusing on all the little miracles that I've been blessed to have witnessed. 

I believe that focusing on all the good things that have happened, rather than the bad, I'm making things easier on myself. Yes, there were some extremely stressful moments, but that's all they were--moments. The good moments far outweighed the bad.

Though I only made $7 on my first craft fair, I did make some money, and I got that first fair out of the way. My granddaughter turned 13 and turned into a typical moody teenager, but I'm getting to watch my grandbaby transform into a beautiful young woman right before my eyes. I started a new job later in life that comes with a lot more stress, but it's also a chance to set myself up for a more stable future. 

I spent an entire weekend living through the mood-swings and stresses of my daughter's wedding, but I also got to witness my little girl live out her dream of having the fairytale wedding. Even with everything that went wrong, it had a happy ending.

No matter what we go through in life, it's important to enjoy the brighter points. It's the little miracles that make life worth living. 

Until next time,
Miss Chris

Christine Graves has been writing online for nearly 30 years. She has written everything from fiction and poetry to reviews and ad campaigns. She runs three other blogs. Graves Publications, Library of the Mystic Realms, and Collected Keepsakes. She also writes for a platform called Medium.com  where she runs several publications. 

I Unplugged for the Whole First-Half of the Month

 

"Handmade Beauty" by Christine Graves via NightCafe Studio

~~~~~~~~~~

Hello, my darlings. I can't believe it's almost the middle of March already. I took the entire first half of this month off from any writing. Not because I'm done writing but because I've been on a creative energy burst that has completely swallowed me alive.

In a few weeks, I'll be doing my first craft fair. To say I'm nervous is an understatement. I'm in the process of making as much stuff as I can to try and sell. I'm afraid that I won't have enough to get me through the day, but at the same time, I'm afraid I won't sell anything and will end up bringing all this crap back home.

I do a lot of crafting, but my current crafty love is paper crafting. I make a lot of handmade gift tags and bookmarks. I've also made a bunch of refrigerator magnets that are all different and just gorgeous. 

My handmade bookmarks

My handmade refrigerator magnets

I've had a blast putting these together and have spent half of this month unplugged. Yes, I checked my email and stuff like that, but for the most part, I stepped away from the Internet and just let my brain run rampant. It's been so amazing.

I still have a lot of stuff I want to make. My biggest problem is that I have too many ideas and not enough hours in the day. I'm trying to focus on just a few products (the magnets, bookmarks, some gift tags, and a few greeting cards). If I try to make too many things, I'll burn myself out and won't get anything done.

I find it very relaxing to just sit and create little works of art while allowing my brain to wander off on its own. My hands and my brain seems to disconnect somehow and each one does its own thing. Sometimes it's a good thing, sometimes not. 

We spend every day of our lives tied into our digital lives. Doing something that requires only the human aspect allows me to reconnect with a time long ago. And I highly recommend it to anyone who needs to...unplug.

Until next time,
Miss Chris

~~~~~~~~~

Christine Graves has been writing online for nearly 30 years. She has written everything from fiction and poetry to reviews and ad campaigns. She runs three other blogs. Graves Publications, Library of the Mystic Realms, and Collected Keepsakes. She also writes for a platform called Medium.com  where she runs several publications. 

Christine is an avid collector of vintage anything and an arts-and-crafts kinda gal. She is a sucker for a garage/yard sale, secondhand stores, and auctions. Because of this, she's opened her first real online shop called Prairied Treasures and another that showcases her AI artwork called Pathways through the Past. 

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