Friday Felicitations

I know it's Saturday but better late than never, so they say.

It's hard to come up with felicitations for myself, to list those good things that have happened to me over the week, compliments I've gotten or accomplishments. Maybe with practice it will get easier.

1. I found an old poem I'd written called "Satisfy" and I sent it to my pastor, who told me he liked it.

2. I kept my three writing dates for the week. Two are while waiting for my daughter to get out of dance class and the other during the week with no other excuse to have to go out, only writing. All three were productive, relaxing and worth the effort.

Passing it on:

1. To my sister-in-law for bravely traveling with her two children from Germany to Ohio and back again. A true adventure on military flights, especially the return which took many days more than she expected.

2. To Lara in my writing group for perservering through a tough place in her novel. She's an example for all of us!


For more felicitaions and to find out what Friday Felicitations is all about click the link in the side bar at the right.

One Deep Breath - Subtle Changes

Sun warms their faces
Healthy glow of rosy cheeks
Sprinkle of freckles

~~~

New stylish hair-do
Condfident, looking pretty
He doesn't notice

~~~

Ivory bishop
Diagonal move to check
Long-standing bet lost

~~~
For more Subtle Changes

Sunday Scribblings - Kissing

“Kiss her again! Kiss her again!” These were the cries of my two youngest children a few weeks ago when they caught my husband kissing me in the living room. Our kisses mingled with laughter as we kept kissing, egged on by the encouragement of our kids.

I’m not sure why they decided to enjoy our moment with us, but it was funny to hear them. A snapshot memory to treasure.

For more Kissing click here.

Friday Felicitations

Megan, from my writing group explains Friday Felicitations on her blog, Flaming Renaissance. Here's an excerpt from what she wrote:

Why is it we are so ready to remember those negative things we hear about ourselves and so quick to dismiss the compliments and offers of a step up in this world? Who, may I ask, taught us that being proud of something we’ve done well or accomplished is the same as being arrogant?
Let’s give up that thinking once and for all! Stop hiding the gifts of positive words behind your back and start thrusting them out in the open - join our Friday Felicitations Movement!

This goes well with the more positive outlook I'm striving for in myself, so here are my felicitations.

1) Two people recently have told me that I look good and wondered if I've had my hair done or something (I haven't, but I did realize that I was wearing the same outfit both times. It must be the color.)

2) I got several compliments on my cooking and baking over the holidays, especially for my peppermint patties.

3) A friend saw my kichen for the first time and complimented me on the color. I painted it red this summer.

Now for passing on felicitations. We talked about this at dinner and my husband and oldest daughter also tried to think of some for themselves. We all agreed that it's hard!

1) My daughter got complimented on the jewelry that she was wearing, which she made herself. She also was told that she is pretty.

2) My husband was told he is humble. (We laughed about this, because can you give yourself felicitations over being humble?) He has also recently been nominated to serve on the Federal Home Loan Bank board. What this means is over my head, but it is an honor.

Poetry Thursday

Here's an old poem that I wrote several years ago.

Library computer systems can’t
Satisfy sentimental longings for
Old card catalogues.
Heavy, wooden cabinets
Laden with small drawers,
Filled with paper and ink symbols
Of each book

Printed receipts are no substitute for
Due-date cards slid into
Envelopes inside front covers of books.

Plastic cards like so many other plastic cards
In my purse make me long for
My old heavy paper library card
Worn soft with use,
Embedded with a small metal plate to
Stamp the card of each book checked out.
Slipped into the stamping machine with a satisfying
Ka-thunk.


Click here for more Poetry Thursday

One Deep Breath - New Year

In our family we make fun predictions for the New Year. We read what we wrote down from the year before and then make up new ideas of what the next year will bring. We always keep it fun - things like a child losing their first tooth, the number of soccer goals kicked in the season, what the new cousin will be named etc. It's a fun way to think about the year the is past and the year that is coming.

New Year’s predictions
Pondering past and future
Of our family life

For more New Year haiku click here

Sunday Scribblings - Destination

The prompt this week for Sunday Scribblings makes me think of the writing plan I've been working on. I've been pondering it for a few weeks, since it was brought up in a writing group that I'm part of.

The plan will be my map to get me to two destinations: 1) establishing a regular writing habit 2) concentrate on my novel.

I spent Nov. doing National Novel Writing Month and won for the third consecutive year. December was dedicated to poetry. I started this blog and have participated in Sunday Scribblings, Poetry Thursday, and One Deep Breath. I also renewed my quiet time/morning pages habit each day.

With that ground work laid, here's how the plan is shaping up for the first three months of 2007

January - March
1) Continue with quiet time/morning pages
2) Start the Gotham Writers' Workshop class that was a Christmas gift from my generous and loving husband. I chose Novel Writing and I'm excited and nervous. Over a year ago I took Fiction Writing and it was wonderful.
3) Continue with this blog. I may blog about the class and what I'm learning.
4) By the end of March I'll come up with a new plan that will help me reach the two destinations I'm working toward. The Novel Writing class will be over and I'll have a better idea of the work that will need done on my story.

Last year when I finished nanowrimo, I nearly stopped writing. This year will be different. I have destinations in mind and a map to get me there.