Nathalie's Notes

Get up, Stand up

Just real quick - a little reminder from a newsletter I get "Funds for Writers" by Hope Clark.

WORDS OF SUCCESS

"I am only one - but still I am one.
I cannot do everything, but still I can do something.
I will not refuse to do the something I can do."

-Helen Keller

Courage is ...

I love it when I get little messages from unexpected places - like tea bags and labels for instance. This quote was on the inside label of my "Honest Tea" Pomegranate white tea with something I can't pronounce - acai?

"Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear." - Ambrose Redmoon

the truth is never wrong

Word Count: 52,283 Pages: 178 Chapters: 13

"As an artist, being nice is not nearly as important as being authentic." - Julia Cameron

Remember Izzy? I've been super stuck, and also perhaps lazy, and haven't worked on that book in awhile, save a few editing sessions. It was a good break, I'm itchy to get going on it again and frankly, looking forward to the satisfaction of completing it and getting it sent off to agents. I am on my third draft, having finally gotten it in relatively the right order and organized into chapters with temporary, stupid sounding titles. Matt wondered what I have left to do to finish it. I responded with a big sigh and tears of frustration.

I am intimidated by this process. First of all, this is the longest book I've written and I simply don't know what the hell to do with all these pages. Editing for newspapers, magazines and PR work is a totally different gig. I keep looking for answers on different writing sites but that smacks of procrastination. I flipped through this last draft and narrowed down some of the problems that need fixing. I don't swim to be productive, yet after a few laps, things on my mind have a way of working out. I wish they made waterproof Moleskines or index cards so I could keep a little notebook under my kick board at the edge of my lane. I figured out how to resolve a few key scenes that have troubled me for months. And I am finally certain about this being an adult book despite much of the narration coming from a young person's voice.

I love this quote from Julia Cameron because so often the need to be nice hold me back from saying what I believe needs to be said, or written. It's a nice reminder that as long as you are sincere, the truth is never wrong.

Quoted

"Everyone has talent. What is rare is the courage to follow the talent to the dark place where it leads."

- Erica Jong

live with intention

Back to School

Back to School ... my daily word counts this week can be summed up in emails and to- do lists. Maybe I'm just kidding myself but I really, really think this will be a much better year. Awesome, even.

I've been instructed to "post something for the love of God" so here's something ... Does anyone ever feel balanced? Or is maintaining the best we can hope for? I got a day's work in, finished half a project at work and handled a zillion details, went for a walk, hugged Matt, paid one bill, made dinner, cleaned up half way, cursed myself for not being a neater [read that: better] person and that pretty much sums up my evening.

... But you are the only person alive who has sole custody of your life. Your particular life. Your entire life. Not just your life at a desk, or your life on the bus, or in the car, or at the computer. Not just the life of your mind, but the life of your heart. Not just your bank account, but your soul.

Life is made of moments, small pieces of glittering mica in a long stretch of gray cement. It would be wonderful if they came to us unsummoned, but particularly in lives as busy as the ones most of us lead now, that won't happen. We have to teach ourselves how to live, really live ... to love the journey, not the destination.

- Anna Quindlen, A Short Guide to  Happy Life

Moxie

As I'm working on setting up my office - I want to be surrounded by things that inspire me - things that are purposefully placed, not haphazardly piled peeking out from under stacks.

I found this cool little book with my favorite word on the cover: Moxie and I love the orange color - it's made by Compendium Publishing a very cool company out of Washington - my home state.

Right off the bat I opened it to one of my favorite quotes:

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us most. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous? Actually who are you not to be? You are a child of the universe. You were born to manifest the glory of the universe that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone.

- Marianne Williamson

Walking to wellness

Above all, do not lose your desire to walk.  Every day I walk myself into a state of well-being and walk away from every illness.  I have walked myself into my best thoughts, and I know of no thought so burdensome that one cannot walk away from it.  ~Soren Kierkegaard

I'm starting to see that I can't accomplish all of my goals at the same time. I know this was obvious from the beginning but that didn't stop me from trying. Sunday afternoon Matt encouraged me to walk to the store with him, to get out of the house and get some fresh air ... we ran into a friend walking her dog and I ended up taking a nice, long walk with her. I haven't felt this good in a long time. I am going to make walking as often as possible part of my daily routine. I think it'll help on lots of levels.

Just Thankful

Overheard:

My friend went to pick his son up from an afterschool program. Each child had written up a list of things they were thankful for. The kids' lists ran the gamut from "my parents" to "my toys." My friend noticed that Cameron, who happens to be one of my favorite kids on the planet, had only written: "I am thankful." His dad asked him about it.

"Did you run out time buddy?"

"Nope."

"Well, how come yours just says 'I am thankful'? What are you thankful for?"

"I'm just thankful."

The kid just gets it. He always has.