Category: Challenge

Is it Time to Start Spring Cleaning?

2/20/2018

Recently, something happened quite by accident, sort of, at least it started out that way . . .

It was a busy week. Appointments, a pop-up book signing event, office duties, travel, accounting (ugh), and a wonderful overnight stay at our favourite B & B.

Each morning, something that is part of my daily schedule is to peruse my emails. I know, what’s so unusual about that, we all do it, right? But, what I found myself doing was scanning for notifications from people I knew and glossing over, without opening, newsletters and other bits of information I have signed up to receive. I didn’t even delete them or file them for later. I just left them there accumulating to almost a point of no return, almost!

A decision had to be made. Leave well enough alone and let all of this mail arrive without opening it and ultimately hitting the read later (which I don’t seem to get around to doing), or just delete (which seems to be the norm). The other option is to do some serious house cleaning by unsubscribing to a bunch this mail. The latter is the most realistic because let’s face it, if I keep getting them and not bother opening them, they are considered of no use to me, so why bother wasting the time of having them arrive?

Perhaps, at one time, the writer of these daily, weekly and monthly notices was of interest to me because of projects I was working on or general data they provided. What seems normal in all of this, is if I have moved on, so should they.

Today must be the day to start spring cleaning. The sun is shining, it’s too cold to be wandering around outside and since I can now see about 60% of my desk after purging and filing stuff away, it must be the day to clear out the emails.

How do you keep on top of the emails, subscriptions or otherwise, in your inbox?

Here are a few more inbox thoughts.

Ann Edall-Robson
Author, Photographer, Lover of Life
"Capturing moments others may never get to experience."

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Voice and Vision Artisan Anthology

10/31/2017

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Potters, Painters, Writers, Jewelry Makers all brought together to celebrate the arts and create the second Voice and Vision artisan anthology.

At the beginning of the project, we are anonymously paired. The original artist's work is on display and it is the artists who are given the opportunity to choose a blank, sealed envelope with the writer's original written piece. Thus determining which writer will be partnered with which artist.

In May of 2017, the wordsmiths and the visual artists met for the first time. There were fourteen pieces of art on display and fourteen sealed envelopes containing the writer's submissions. Provoke by the talented Alesha Brown had my attention from the onset of entering the room. Luck was definitely on my side when Alesha chose my envelope and I was ecstatic, to say the least!

With only a few short months to complete the response pieces to each of our original submissions, it was time to get to work.

The Voice and Vision 2017 project ended at the Airdrie Public Library with an evening of the artist's work on display and the writers reading their artist-inspired work.

My original written work is called Paint the Pictures. From this story, Alesha created her response piece calleds Heart of a Fisherman.

Paint the Pictures
by Ann Edall-Robson

When it wasn't raining, the vantage point near the picture window let the sun warm his face. It overlooked the bay, where boats of all sizes jostled around orange buoys to their mooring spots.

0700, time for the coast guard to leave the harbour. They’d go east, along the craggy shore. Stirring the seagulls into a white frenzied cloud.

Saturday is the busiest day in the bay. The locals waving hello to neighbours as they maneuver sport boats and dinghies in between cabin cruisers and fishing vessels.

Clang, clang, clang. The harbour bell announces 0800 hours.

He liked to think and talk in nautical terms. It came from years of listening to the old timers down at the coffee shop overlooking the pier. Men who were mostly gone now. Age, the sea, or both had taken them. Memories of their crusty voices, laughingly telling stories linger in his mind.

These days, a new breed of fishermen came to the coffee shop. No one had time to sit, tell stories, or visit. His Dad made him laugh when he said the young crowd weren’t old enough to have any stories of their own, but, if they kept fishing, maybe one day they would.

On Sunday afternoons, the young man still makes the trek down the steep stairs to the coffee shop. Here, he sits at the counter with his Dad, reminiscing while they drink coffee. The stories, the memories and the smell of the sea, all belong to the palette he uses to paint the scenes in his darkening world.

Heart of a Fisherman
By Alesha Brown
Mixed media on canvas.

Provoke is Alesha's original submitted work. My response story to multi-medium work of art is a story called, The Woman You Are.

Provoke
By Alesha Brown
Copper wire, thread, yarn, acrylic on canvas.

The Woman You Are
by Ann Edall-Robson

I have watched over you, my child. Growing from a mere seed of existence to a wobbly toddler playing on the earthy carpeted floor. I have stood guard over you, encouraging your emergence into the world.

A flourish of golden strands flounces in the wind and across your tresses tumbling down your body. Specks of warmth, teasing you awake.

Acceptance and maturity bask in this openness given by all who stand around you. No longer is there a need to keep you ensconced on your journey towards the sun. You have been set free to grow your own path.

This is your day. Lift your face. Feel the warmth. Tiny wooden fingers thaw, wiggling beneath the blue expanse overhead. This is your season to dance in the rays of the sun and under the glow of the moon. Cast your shadow over those who come too near in their quest for shelter. With diligence as your friend, welcome only those into your heart and soul, who are worthy.

Your existence is guided by the deep roots of your inheritance. Generations of strong, healthy life gifted to you. Feel my strength in your core. Let your life explode from the stays that bind your body to become the woman you are meant to be. The woman you are.

This is the second year for this project, and also the second year an artisan anthology has been published. The pages are filled with pictures of original art and writing inspired by these pieces. We have limited copies of the Voice and Vision artisan anthologies are available for sale.

Ann Edall-Robson
Author, Photographer, Lover of Life
"Capturing moments others may never get to experience."

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Word Count 1666.66666...

10/30/2017

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1666.66666666… Words to write every day. What??? Why would anyone choose such a silly number? Well, here’s the reason . . .

In the beginning, which would be several +/- years ago, I heard about this thing called NaNoWriMo. More alphabet soup for sure, and back then, I was too shy to ask what it was. Fast forward, waaaay forward and National Novel Writing Month has become the much talked about month of November for writers around the globe.

Over the past few years, I had always been in the middle of a project, just finishing one, and of course, the ever-present I don’t have time to get into it always loomed out at me at the end of October when everyone else was priming themselves for NaNoWriMo.

This year, well, I had those same thoughts. I am working on another novel, but that is ongoing. I am waiting (not patiently) for the publishers to complete their part of The Quiet Spirits bargain. I’m busy doing stuff. Isn’t everyone? The tiny light that is deep within the gray matter kept flickering. Each time it came on, I could see myself participating in this event. The final push came from words I received from my editor when she finished reviewing The Quiet Spirits,

“What?!? Nooooo!!!! You can't end it there!”

Since I don’t normally do a formal outline and tend to write by the seat of my pants, I wasn’t sure how I would handle getting involved with NaNoWriMo. After all, the whole idea is to write 50,000 (or more) words during the month of November so you would think there has to be some preliminary planning, right?

In truth, The Quiet Spirits had set almost everything up for me. Characters, location, intrigue, a jump in point, and of course, the thought that I have a good idea how the story might end (or not). Why not start the sequel to The Quiet Spirits? Why not indeed!

So, starting November 1 through to November 30, 2017, I am going to be putting a lot of effort into my goal of writing the next Brandi Westeron story. If I make the 50,000 words over the thirty days, bonus. Will I write 1666.666666…. every day? Maybe. Will I meet the 50,000-word goal? Maybe. Will I enjoy the challenge? Damn straight!

Follow my progress on Facebook for weekly updates to see how I am doing.

Ann Edall-Robson
Author, Photographer, Lover of Life
"Capturing moments others may never get to experience."

Image courtesy of National Novel Writing Month.

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Is it Time to Start Spring Cleaning?

Voice and Vision Artisan Anthology

Word Count 1666.66666...

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