Inspired by Chris Hemsworth’s newest portrayal of Thor in Avengers: Endgame and the wonderful problem of being flush with opportunities. Time to decide which are worth inviting to stay.
Opportunity on the Sofa
Tag Archives: motivation
Day 111: Rise
Happy Easter.
Day 107: Invisible Garden
I got caught off guard by somethings that turned my head around. It’s taken me a little bit to get it back on straight. I missed two days of poetry, picked myself up, and have continued writing, if not posting as I should.
The purpose of this blog is accountability for creativity. Thank you and Wild respect to my wonderful bride for reminding me of that. The backlog is to follow shortly.
All that said, time is such a tricky thing. It is so easy both to do and to miss so much in the span of a single day. Blink and you’ll miss it.
Invisible Garden
Day 100: Snowball
Didn’t post it yesterday but I did write it! Today’s poem will be published later.
I originally thought I might do something significant for the hundredth day of poetry, but then I realized, it’s just another day. A benchmark to be sure, but the journey of a creative is one that doesn’t end just because a milestone is reached or a single project finished. We keep on.
Yesterday I found myself grateful for the blessing of new opportunities, of regaining my momentum, and of having reached a major benchmark in another project. It got me thinking about how much effort it is to create something and how easy it is to destroy. It all boils down to keeping on and working within a system that is designed to challenge us and to be unfair. Life is a perpetual battle against entropy.
Snowball
Day 98: Which Calm?
My bride and I went to An Evening with Margaret Atwood the other night, which began with her reading some of her poetry. After listening, I took away permission to ask more blatant questions in my own poetry. I’ve made an effort to steer away from that sort of thing overtly, but Atwood reminded me of one critical rule of creative writing: if it works then it works. Sometimes you don’t know if it does or not until you’ve done it. So, which type of calm do you pursue in your life?
Which Calm?
Day 97: Chase the Shine
Wait, Day 97? What happened to 96?
I missed it.
No excuse, I had an opportunity to do it during my break at work and I passed on. After that, when I got home I crashed. Hard. Been trying to do so much lately. Not the point.
I am proud that it took me 96 days before is missed a poem. New goal: try to go the rest of the year without missing another one. If I am to miss another, try to beat my 96 day streak.
Today’s poem is inspired by missing yesterday’s. I couldn’t tell you why Neverland and Peter Pan popped into my head, exactly, though in this context it certainly makes sense. Those stories are really depressing and downright frightening at their heart. Missed and stolen opportunities.
A piece of me mourns the loss of yesterday’s poem. It will never be written, never grow up, or go on adventures. It won’t even get to die because it was never born. Simply missed. An adventure not taken, an opportunity not explored. On the other hand, I am taking to heart why this is so valuable to me. The pursuit of dreams, seeing beauty realized and brought to fruition. Here is a rededication to never stop chasing the shine.
Chase the Shine
Day 94: Should Have Foreseen
An unfortunate incident with my computer set me back by over a month and a half of work. It’s not just the accumulated backlog, but the new stuff I’m supposed to be pushing forward on as well. One of the poor projects fallen victim to circumstances is The Everyday Poet Podcast. Fortunately my cohost is amazing and hasn’t lit any of his enthusiasm for the project.
All that said, I’ve been thinking a lot about preventable mistakes. Hindsight is twenty-twenty, but if I’d just done things a little bit differently, prepared just a bit better, adjusted my mindset…it’s never a good feeling when you find yourself mired in the state of “this could have been prevented if only…” which I found myself in today after driving in to work.
Should Have Foreseen
Day 90: The Rebel’s New Cause
I was talking to my bride this morning and she told me about how a nutritionist blogger’s post stirred up a powerful emotional reaction in people. One of the most common responses to her post, apparently, was some variation of “don’t tell us what to do.”
That’s the battle cry for every US citizen, isn’t it? We are a nation of rebels and independent spirits–this is the cornerstone of our cultural identity. It’s why the American Revolution is such an all encompassing focus in our history classrooms.
The newest generations born into this tradition have an absolutely wonderful problem: “What do we rebel against?”
For all of its many problems and our nostalgia, the world has never been a better place and it’s getting better. It’s not perfect, but it IS improving. American citizens born into this world have less to struggle against and with no clear opposition or enemy, many turn upon each other and the previous generations, with whom there is a growing technological and cultural gap.
It is not my intention to villainize the younger generations–far from it. I sympathize. Ours is a nation of rebels, we bring our children up to be rebels, and there’s no clear enemy to rebel against or cause to fight for. The quest now is finding our cause, and it’s not an easy one because finding a cause to truly believes means finding yourself.
The Rebel’s New Cause
Day 88: Paradise Found
Had a special moment with my bride where we experienced a concrete visualization of our goals. Less beautiful was the place than the moment with my favorite person in the world.
Paradise Found
Day 86: Anticipation
Another examination of visceral sensation accompanying an emotion. Inspired by my own anticipation–I had my first meeting with my new editor last night and am meeting a new acquaintance later today. I’ve never considered myself particularly good with people and meeting new people is always difficult for me. So, I’m throwing myself into it. Wish me luck!
Anticipation
The Everyday Poet 