To Emerge or Not

As I'm more settled in The Change,  I have been thinking about blogging.

For months, I hesitate to enter blogland, because:

Where - (The gut feeling is to start afresh) ... so do I continue with blogger or migrate to other hosting source?

When - Blog now while I'm still in the mist of The Change or wait til when I'm more of MYSELF?

Why - Why do I want to blog?

How - How to blog so it matches up to where I am now?

What - What do I want to blog about?

Back to Blogland ...

Hi to all my wonderful Creatives and Bloggers,

Been away from blogland for too long.

Reason(s): Well it is very easy to blame it on work place drama, health matter or anything. But I'd rather be honest and upfront. Simple reason for absence - I haven't been in the blogging mode lately. Sometimes, I just want to be quiet, feeling the pace of my life and be rid of things which became a bit of pressure to me!

I hope you won't find me being selfish, negligence or even being ignorant of all your support. I didn't! Just need some time off. :)

During the time off, I went back to the first love of my life. Don't get too excited, I'm not talking about a person here! I'm talking about my love of reading.

Out of the 6 books I read, I was greatly moved by the biography of Steve Jobs. Before the book, I knew nothing of Jobs and only viewed Apple computers and devices as just another piece of ... well computer gadgets. Since I finished the book, it has heightened my appreciation of the Apple products, the Apple Philosophy after the products and my admiration to Jobs as a visionary.

It is such a shame that I haven't enjoyed any Apple products while Jobs was still with us. :(

Anyway here is a short update of what I've been up to and also my own way of re-introducing myself back to blogging again.

Til then, take care (while I ease back to my weekly sketching / painting routine ...)

Cheers!

Paper Flower Grows!

Did anyone know that paper flower grow? Mine did.

A while ago, through the Creative Every Day, I stumbled upon a wonderful blog - Paint Myself Pretty by Cameron. I was impressed by some of Cam's mixed media artworks which give "words" in old book pages new meaning (like this one here.)

Then later on, she posted about her hand made "Paperback Page Flower". I found them lovely and told Cam that I could see myself wearing it. I had no idea that Cam took this to her heart and offered to make one in my favourite color.

It wasn't long before I got an email from Cam that she was sending me the paper flower clip. I was thrilled to receive such clever and beautiful hand made gift. Since then, I've been expecting a small package to arrive at my post box. And lo behold, the paper flower grew into goodies which filled up a BIG BOX! (Cam called it the pick-me-up care box with my name hand drawn on it!) :D

Here are some photos of the goodies.



The Paper Flower Clip which grows.



(I clip it on my black suede shopper bag which I use to carry my sketch pad, pens and pencils everywhere. I'll also be wearing the clip on my jacket as soon as the weather is cool enough.)



Goodies in gift wrap



Goodies unwrapped

The goodies include a hand written letter from Cam, Cam's original art cards, Cam's original notebook (with one of her artworks as cover), sticker sheets and a paint it yourself mushroom, which is the cutest thing in the world! It is now sitting on my desk next to my mushroom stamp.

I love all the goodies not only of their loveliness. I appreciate and enjoy greatly the care and thoughts which Cam put into each one of them.

This entire experience reminds me that there is genuine kindness in the world and that we're never alone.

This is also an example of what blogging could bring to one's life - connection and friendship.

Thank you Cam for being such a wonderful and loving person!

Absence from Blogging

As much as I'd like to post regularly, I'm just not up to it at present.

Things in my creative life are all up in the air and I'm waiting for them to land ... if they ever would.

So my dear fellow bloggers and creatives, I'll be sitting quietly over at that far corner til I got this all sort out and know where I stand.

Til then, you all take care! ;)

Awards

I'm so thrilled to add below to my award list.

Watermelon # 10 Award as bestowed by Leone



And also thanks to Leone, this is my first "writing" award. Seriously, no kidding! (I mean at least that's how I interpreted it, hahaha!)

Leone passed this award to me as a token of my diligent in pursuing my writing as well as knowing when to slow down for recharge. I was very moved by her generosity and her sensitive understanding that we all needed encouragement along our creative journey. And what more encouraging than an award for trying hard!

I'd like to pass the award onto below fellow creatives for their perseverance in their pursuit of their art and blogging.

Angie
Lisa
Tabitha
Laughing Wolf
Peggy

Friends Award as bestowed by Laughing Wolf



I love the simplicity and straight forwardness of the award - that is just by being a friend.

So I'm going to pass this award to all of my blog land friends. Feel free to come and grab it. All I ask is that you also pass it on to your blogging friends.

Slow Down

When I started this blog on Jan, I required myself to write an average of 4 posts a week. Up til May, it was do-able. Since June, I found I had pushed myself to a corner. I tried and tired and tried to keep up, but to no avail.

Major reasons are that I got busy at work, which means I’m totally exhaust afterwards. Honestly, I could barely cook myself a decent dinner. Then I’m working on 2 writing projects which need my undivided attention. Plus the other usual writing related businesses, like reading all sorts of material for learning and research purposes. Oh, almost forgot, some down time to recharge…

Hence with a heavy heart, I have decided to cut-down on my posting. At this stage, I’m thinking of 2 or max. 3 posts a week. But of course, if I’m up for it, I’ll post as many as I can.

I hope that you’ll understand and continue to visit this place. And I sure will continue to drop by your place.

Thank You!

Low Level Irritants

I try to avoid writing post which is all about negative things. And if I’m to write about negative things, I always try to provide a positive solution at the end. But sorry, not this post!

Lately, I found myself going through the motion on lots of occasions. I don’t like these feelings and have been wrecking my brain trying to understand the whys. So far all I could gather is various irritants. I’m listing them below hoping that either it will make some senses to myself and / or fellow creatives are able to pick up some threads here.

Honestly, I’m very lost, very stressed and beating up myself big time!

The Low Level Irritants

- STOS # 3 (draft) ongoing – no satisfaction after finishing the daily writing task

- STOS # 1 (re-write) – only managed to make some notes for rewriting. No actual re-writing done yet.

- Internet Explorer muck up blogging

- Limit access of internet facility due to new workplace internet usage policy.

- As winter sets in, my chronic neck pain is playing up, which means that I'm having low grade pain 24/7.

Can I blame the dark gloomy winter messing up both my body and mind?

All in all, I feel like the equilibrium I used to have is out of wack. I’m off centre. I’m off balance.

I’m sorry if this post is full of nonsense. Anyway, if you don’t see me in the next couple of days, don’t be alarm. I’m trying to get, if not all then at least half or even just 1/3 of my mojo back!

Til then, take care my fellow creatives …

Blogging Frustration

I’m writing this because I’m frustrated and thinking if I’m the only one who’s experiencing blog problem or more importantly, if I have done something wrong!

Lately, I mean for the last 2 weeks of more, there were few blogs which I was no longer able to get connection or “operation aborted” message will pop up as soon as I try to leave comments. This happened both at home and at work.

I’m asking fellow bloggers:

- If you have the same problems?

- Are there any ways to fix this?

I’m sorry to bother you with this as my computer knowledge is fairly limit and with problems like this, I don’t really know to whom I should ask.

Any advice is much appreciated.

Time for Regroup

I’m taking a break from blogging over the Easter holiday. I need some down time:

• To clear the residue of STOS # 1 so that I could start # 2


• To review my blogging progress and goals


• To regroup my creative life

Happy Easter and stay safe!

Blogging & Story Writing

Something rather unexpected and interesting is going on … well at least from my point of view.

It stemmed from several things: a 4-page email I wrote to an overseas friend the other day, my fetish about writers’ writing process and particularly, the advice I got from Girija Tropp’s article (November 2007 Victorian Writer) about her short story writing.

From my reading of various writers’ talk on their processes, it was pretty much “anything goes”. Whereas Tropp emphasizes on “find(ing) out what brings out the best in you and your writing and do it.” That brings back to the email I wrote to my friend.

I was telling my friend that I’m still testing / experiencing what blogging is all about. But I’ve observed that I’ve been working on my stories more regularly and the word count kept rising. I felt like I got some kind of creative kick or energy from blogging which I used it for my creative work. And it might also be the case that since I’ve been talking so often about writing in my blog that I need to make sure I walk my talk. I’m not complaining but this is not what I expected.

Anyhow, if this is the way to keep me working, I’ll keep blogging.