Holes, Loopholes and Questions

I felt it coming on yesterday - the winter cold.  I prayed it wasn't some type of crazy flu.  The scratchy throat, fatigue, and the dull headache began in the morning and I immediately started a round of Airborne, sprayed Zicam on my tongue and began popping probiotics.  Could I nip this upper respiratory illness or flu bug in the bud?  I was hopeful and determined, but I usually have one nasty cold per winter.  Ugh, was this the one?

I made a pot of tea, put on thick ski socks and wrapped myself in the dark pink chenille robe that my daughter left at my house one Spring break and got cozy on the couch with the television remote.  I curled up with one romantic comedy after another.  I did.  For about ten hours.  That's a lot of love, romance and break-ups for anyone!  An overload, really.  A movie marathon of meet-ups, hook-ups, break-ups and happily ever after. All that did was remind me that I was a single woman in my 50's who is more likely to be hit by lightning than find love...great.

Food.  Food would make me feel better.  Since I had nothing but three eggs, no butter and no cheese for the omelet I was craving, I called China King and waited patiently as the woman finished screaming at someone in Chinese before giving her my order. I held the phone away from my ear as she barked my order and then, I waited 50 minutes for a quart of Won Ton Soup and a pint of Garlic Shrimp that promised to be hot enough to kill this cold and clear my sinuses.

As I waited for the delivery man, I flipped through the stations and decided that a pay-for-view was in order.  Nothing caught my eye and then, I saw the title of a movie I'd wondered about, The Word.  I'm a person who buys books by the title and reading a tiny bit of the back cover.  I don't like to know what a movie or book is about before watching or reading, and God love you, if you tell me the ending!  Since I hadn't had the energy to tackle the edits on my novel yesterday, I thought I might be entertained and inspired by watching a movie about a writer.

The Word was well-acted, but to me it was a limp film about a struggling writer whose manuscripts are rejected time and time again (not great for my morale or headache) and who discovers an old manuscript inside a leather briefcase he finds in a Parisian antique store.  After reading the masterpiece and agonizing a bit, the writer decides to copy the exact manuscript, word for word, and give it to an agent who immediately wants to represent him and his book.  Said writer becomes rich and famous...and of course, the real author of the manuscript comes forward.  I thought it would have made a better murder mystery which it would have been if I'd discovered that someone else had stolen my lost manuscript and called it his/her own!

I never connected with the characters of this film and it was a good lesson in writing.  They seemed one dimensional to me and the film felt rushed.  We must connect with our readers at a deep, emotional level.  It just wasn't there for me.  Although the film was entertaining, I was left with questions and there were holes that were never filled.  It was the kind of movie that left me shrugging my shoulders at the end.  Eh.

Before falling asleep, I thought about my own manuscript, A Decent Woman.  I vowed to make sure that I didn't leave holes and/or create unrealistic loopholes in my story.  Will readers love my characters and will they relate to them, especially since my heroines live in Puerto Rico in the 1900's?  Will I receive many rejections along the way to publication?  Do I have enough thick skin to withstand negative reviews?  Will I find love before I turn 60?!  Yes, all these questions before bed!  Ha ha!

I woke up several times last night, grinding my teeth and blowing my nose, but slept relatively well.  This morning, I woke up feeling a little blah and decided that my three friends, Airborne, Zicam and probiotics, will keep me company today along with my heroines.  I love my heroines and I still believe in my story.

I do and so, on we go.  Cold or no cold!  I've got work to do.

Peace and love,
Ellie









  

Living Your Creative Life

Hello!

I snapped this photo of my place on the Potomac River in West Virginia last summer on a sunny August day.  From April to October, this is my favorite place to write and paint.  I love it out there.  I usually set up my painting studio in April and I find much inspiration for nature photography, as well.  If I choose to write in the morning and paint in the afternoon and edit photographs in the evening, I can do that.

I never intended to move to West Virginia permanently, however.  The piece of land I was searching for was supposed to be a weekend retreat and a sanctuary away from the DC area rat race, traffic, smog and a rewarding job that included so much paperwork and red tape, that I was constantly stressed out. And, this property had to be within a two hour drive from Northern Virginia where I was living (renting) and working.  I had to make my money work for me after divorce and Scarlet O'Hara's father's words echoed in my head:

"It will come to you, this love of the land. There's no gettin' away from it if you're Irish."

Well, I'm not Irish, but I did want a permament home for my kids to come home to during holidays and a place where we could make new memories after my bitter divorce.  For a year, I searched the Web, combed through realty magazines, and perused countless realty websites for a plot of land that would fuel, encourage and sustain my creativity and dreams.  I stumbled on the ad on a Friday night, called the realtor and drove out Saturday morning, making an offer on the property that night! When I stood on the riverfront patio of the property, looking out onto the frozen Potomac River, I knew I was home.  This was the place.  I realized right then and there that this was a pivotal moment in my life.  I was at a crossroad in my life and I knew it.  This felt momentous and huge and I didn't know why.  I only knew that I loved that property and felt it would become more than a weekend escape and it was.  The property had a one bedroom Park model camper on it and a pontoon boat with no motor :)  This was no villa by any stretch of the imagination, but that view is amazing.

We closed on the property in late February and by May, I'd also closed on my house - in West Virginia.  I didn't see that coming!  Neither did my kids, friends and family who thought I'd lost my marbles.  I heard everything from "what are running from?" and "how will you live?", I heard it all :) But, in my heart of hearts, I knew this was a new beginning for me and a real opportunity to live the creative life I'd always dreamed of.

I paint and write at the river from April to October.  We have no Internet nor cable at the river and no plans to install them.  I'm never bored out there and I find much inspiration in nature, so it's perfect for me.  There are few distractions at the river and it's a quiet place during the week which is when I usually write and paint.  On the weekends, there are boats, jet skis, and pontoon boats on the river, plenty of action and at night, it's loud with parties, BBQs, family reunions, and pimped-out golf carts, complete with boom boxes and speakers!  I love entertaining at the river and my friends from the DC area love to visit, leaving the city behind for a more simple life.  The river never disappoints unless you must have TV and the Internet at your disposal.

From November to March, I write at home.  There is no water or electricity at the river in the winter months  (unless we purchase a generator), so that's when I go home.  Home is a 106 year old house in West Virginia, about twenty minutes from the Potomac River which is great.  I set up my writing shop on my dining room table that faces a window that gives me a great view of the front flower garden that I worked so hard creating last year.

It was a great move for me in many ways.  I live in a large town with a small town feel with few traffic issues and I love the slower pace of life.  No rush, rush.  No high cost of living and since I live in the downtown area, most everything I need is within a block or two.  These days, I rarely drive my car unless the river is calling to me or I decide to take an impromptu road trip. If I need a DC "fix" and plan on seeing my kids and family in Northern Virginia and Maryland, I walk a block to the train station and voila!  In two hours, I'm at Union Station in Washington, DC.

I don't have to travel far for a writing retreat or for a solitary spiritual experience.  I'm blessed to have these two places that afford me what I need to live a creative life, but they didn't come without considerable sacrifices and concessions on my part. I also had to make many internal changes in myself to create the life I envisioned for myself as a full-time artist and writer.  Gave myself a good talking to :)

What do you want?
What do you want to be when you grow up?
If you could not fail, what would you do?
How badly do you want it?
What are you willing to do and/or give up to achieve that goal?

Living in a large West Virginia town might be everyone's cup of tea, but for me?  It's great.  If my home had a wood-burning fireplace and if we had a hot tub at the river, it would be perfect!  Let's see what I can do about those two wishes :)

Believe. Create your life.  Visualize what you want and work toward that goal.  Make decisions and choices, small and large, that will move you closer to your dream.  Dare to dream and live large!

Your dream may not end up looking like your original dream, at all.  It might better than you ever dreamed.

Peace and love,
Ellie

The New Year's Eve Conga Line

Happy New Year to you!

I rang in the New Year with my friends and neighbors, Miss Ellie and her husband, at the local VFW which is a club for US veterans of foreign wars.  I had every intention of watching the ball drop at home at home in my jammies with Ozzy and Pierre, my Pug and Maine Coon, and ended up doing the conga line in a LONG line of New Year's Eve conga dancers!  Don't you just love when stuff like that happens?!

Around 3 that afternoon, I remembered that Miss Ellie (I'm known as the Other Ellie on the street since I moved in) had told me about this event a few weeks back.  Why not?  They'd kindly invited me and I'd forgotten!  My father was a vet and so was my ex-husband of 25 years, his father and brother, as well.  I had connections!  Not to mention, plenty of potential conversation starters with vets and their wives as a former Army brat and an ex Army wife.  This could be a fun night and Miss Ellie and her husband are a fun couple!  He's a former Marine and one of the youngest Vietnam vets at the VFW.  A quiet, unassuming guy whose body tells his Vietnam experience with dozens of amazingly amazing tattoos. Why sit alone on New Year's Eve when I could dance the night away with friends, right?

Around 4 pm, I texted Miss Ellie who immediately texted back, "Don't eat dinner and get your butt down here!  LOL!!"  Done!  I jumped in the shower and pondered about what to wear.  What do you wear to a VFW shindig in West Virginia, I wondered.  Sequins, a cocktail dress or jeans?  Since I don't own a single sequin anything, I decided on a shiny black top, my tailored black blazer, black heels and jeans.  Kinda festive, but not New Year's Eve attire to me, so I added great pair of faux diamond hoop earrings.  Done!

The VFW is literally behind my house, so I walked over in my heels, wishing I'd worn flat boots as I gingerly sidestepped the icy patches on the sidewalk. At least I knew I'd be walked home and no one would have to drive!

I pressed the buzzer at the imposing front door and was buzzed in. A private club?  Exclusive to be sure!  The huge bar was decorated with streamers and Christmas lights and several men and a few couples sat on bar stools, nursing drinks.  Mostly men over 60 who smiled when I walked up to the bar, asking for Miss Ellie.  Potential dance partners?!  The friendly bartender (turns out she was a Navy brat) informed me that Miss Ellie was in the kitchen, helping out and that if I decided to stay on to dance, there would be a five dollar cover charge.  Done!  

I wasn't surprised to see Miss Ellie behind the grill as she is a superb chef. As our steaks sizzled on the grill, her husband joined us.  Our evening began with a fantastic New York strip steak, a baked potato with everything on it and a salad in the VFW "diner".  Super dinner!  I'm a red wine devotee and when I was informed that they didn't carry red wine, I opted for scotch and water.  Hadn't had one in over 20 years and the good scotch went down easy :)  With the huge dinner, I knew I wasn't in danger of getting overly tipsy that evening, but I did need to dance off those calories!

And, dance we did!  The DJ was awesome and my hips can you the story of how I danced for about...five hours!  In heels!  I danced with Miss E and her hubby, with two vets and Miss E's hubby, with other women in circles and lines, and in a conga line that went through the VFW, out the door, spilled onto the sidewalk and back into the VFW!  I conga'd with new neighbors in my new town and made new friends.  

It was after the conga line that I remembered my traditional Puerto Rican custom - the glass of water!  I got a glass of water from the bartender and sat it at my table.  At 11:30, we donned shiny cardboard hats and tiaras, got lei'd, and were each given a cardboard horn to blow.  We danced to a couple more songs and at midnight, I ran to throw out my water.  All the negative of 2012 was thrown out the door of my local VFW onto the sidewalk!  Gone!

When I got back to my table, my daughter was calling :)  I could barely hear her over the music, horns and laughter, but we managed by yelling!  I was really glad to hear her voice and she, of course, had thrown out her water!  Good girl!  I texted my son, my sister and friends who began to text back.  It was so much fun!

We left the VFW at 12:20 and I was home in my jammies at 12:30!  The following morning, the first of 2013, I got a call to come over in my jammies and share a huge country breakfast at Miss Ellie's :)  I ran over with an empty coffee cup as I'd forgotten to buy half and half!  

I rested all day yesterday and wondered how many calories I'd burned only to consume much more at breakfast!  Who cares?!  I had a great NYE and a wonderful New Year's Day.  I hope you did, too :)

Oh, and my January 2013 horoscope by Susan Miller predicts that I'll be busy this month with a new creative project that will keep me busy all year!  Yay!  My novel!  And, that I'll find love.  Who knows, right?  Apparently, my stars and planets have been in retrograde for years in the love department and this January, I have five important planets around my sun sign.  Girl, I could have told Susan that!

Peace and love to you,

Ellie

Puerto Rican New Year's Eve Tradition

IIITo my The Writing Life friends who have joined my writing journey this year

and

to my family and friends whom I love with all my heart -

I wish you a most wonderful and blessed 2013!

Here's to peace, love, good health, safety and prosperity

for you, for me and our loved ones!

My Puerto Rican family's custom is to individually fill a glass of water sometime during New Year's Eve

 and

 at exactly midnight, throw the water out!
Refill that glass with coquito or champagne!

All the negative, gone!

My family and I have followed this tradition since I was young and I have introduced this family custom to friends from all over the world. 
I have thrown out a glass of water in the many countries I've lived and in many states of the US,

always remembering

my departed loved ones who I've shared many a New Year's Eve with over the years

and

I also remember those friends and family far away from me.

Happy New Year!

Feliz Ano Nuevo!

Cheers from West Virginia!!

Ellie

Like a Virgin...

Good morning from snowy West Virginia!

I emptied my purse this morning and found the two little pieces of paper I'd saved from Christmas Day - an IOU to me from my son who stuck it inside my gift and the little name tag that my daughter made out of wrapping paper to put on my beautiful gift.  I'm very sentimental. I save things like that.  Actually, who am I kidding?  I've saved everything my children have ever given me.

In the attic sits a huge Rubbermaid container with everything from my children's first scribbles, their drawings, first attempts at letters, hand-made greeting cards to their high school and college essays.  They are my treasures - my children and their writing and drawings.  My daughter is in a Master's program at the same university my sister and I graduated from and I'm saving her papers, as well.  Why stop now, right?!

In that same container, I've saved Mother's Day cards for my mother  that I made when I was young, a racy, poster-size drawing from high school that I copied from an issue of Cosmo magazine I wasn't supposed to have, and dozens of fashion illustrations I drew from Women's Wear Daily magazines from my 20's.  I kept it all!  Everything tells a story and when I look at them, I am transported back in time, to more innocent, beautiful times.

There are a couple of things I know about myself for certain.  One is that I've always been a storyteller.  Whether with words, crayons, pastels or watercolor, we all tell our stories.  My family knows me to return from a trip, a trip to the supermarket or just a Metro ride and come home with a funny or interesting story or two about someone I met or someone or something I'd observed.  In high school and in college, I was the go-to friend that my friends went to about writing a kick ass "Dear John" letter to a soon-to-be ex, and yes, I will confess to helping my friends whose first language wasn't English with essays and papers in college.  I edited them, I didn't write them, so don't get the wrong idea :)

I don't know if it's a Virgo thing or not, but the second thing is that I have a hard time with bad grammar and misspelled words in any form...and, I find them all the time.  Be it on a friend's website, a cereal box (yes, I found one!), a menu or a sign - I'll find it.  The only place I seemed to have missed bad grammar and misspelled words is in my own novel-length manuscript!  I've read and read these pages for years now and thank God for Microsoft Office is all I have to say.  The program catches my misuse of grammar and misspelled words which is great.  What this program doesn't do, however (unless no one has informed me) is help with clarity.

I am a person who speaks clearly and always attempts to make myself understood and crystal clear.  I can actually admit that I also edit my texts and instant messages. I know.  I know!  It's a Virgo thing and only two fellow Virgo girlfriends and I will admit to that!  And, don't even get me started on auto-correct.  The thought of being misunderstood or worse, that my words would unintentionally hurt someone really bothers me.  I want to be understood and I want people to enjoy my novel.  

What about with a novel?  Art and writing are subjective!  I've exhibited art pieces and photography that  visitors didn't "get".  What I intend to show you through my words, descriptions, locales and by the use of our senses might resonate with you OR they just might go right over your head or by the wayside.  Too much description can bore us, too little can confuse us and/or make us go back a page or two.  Too much dialogue might take us away from the scene and too little might seem sterile and dry.  The flow of a story is important!  I love a page-turner and it is a true art.  One that I'm trying and determined to master...and master and master.  

Note: Two page-turners that immediately come to mind are Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code and The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver.  I read those books in less than two days; couldn't put them down!

I am in awe of a great page-turner that keeps my interest, teaches me new things and shows me new places.  I am a believer in editing to the best of our ability and then, reading our work from start to finish, without editing.  I just put the pencil and the pad of paper down and I read.

I have 25 pages left to edit today.  Later today or tomorrow as I watch the snow fall, I'm curling up on the couch with a pot of tea, my kitten on my lap, and my manuscript, A Decent Woman.  Just me and my beloved story as if I were looking at it with fresh, new eyes for the very first time. 

Like a virgin :)

Peace and love,

Ellie

2013 New Year's Resolutions

Hi all!

If my family had joined me for Christmas in my home in West Virginia, we'd have woken up to a white Christmas!  I'd heard that we had gotten snow on the day and when I stepped off Amtrak last night, there were four inches and gale-force winds!

Picture this - you step off the train with your weekend-size suitcase with wheels and trudge a block to your house through slush and snow (uphill) with the wind whipping right through your puffy brown coat!  That was me last night at 6 pm :)  I chose to walk in the nearly snowless paths that cars had forged which, of course, meant I was walking in the road.  Drivers were patient with me and one young woman stopped and rolled her window down, offering me a ride home.  So sweet!  I thanked her and told her that I was half a block from home; I could do this.  What a work out!  A much-needed workout to begin to burn all those nasty and oh, so good Holiday calories and pounds that I've most definitely put on.  Ugh...

Months ago, I bought the entire Zumba series of exercise DVDs and gave two to my daughter yesterday.  I am determined to lose 30 pounds.  Yes, I am and I will!  I love to dance and I'm Puerto Rican - what better way to lose weight dancing to merengue, salsa, cumbia, and a bit of belly dancing.  It's on!  I lost 30 pounds last spring and looked my best (for my age), but winter came again and so did the weight.

20 New Year's Resolutions and daily schedule - subject to change or change importance whenever I want them to!

1.   Walk Ozzy shortly after waking up, drink 8 ounches of water first
2.   Eat a yoghurt and drink a glass of water before coffee
3.   Stretch and do not fire up the laptop just yet!
4.   Warm up and do the 60 minute Zumba routine
5.   Cool down with meditation and prayer and water
6.   Fire up laptop, check emails, Facebook and like something or write a status update so that my kids know I'm alive :) At this time, make coffee with low fat half and half
7.   Throw out all the old food in fridge and go grocery shopping for healthy foods! No more fast food until never!
8.   Take Ozzy for his noon walk and eat a salad for lunch
9.   Write my blog and DO NOT watch The View or CNN!
10. Do not turn on television, at all and finish that editing.
11. Write query letters and send out!
12.  Delete phone numbers for Anthony's Pizza and China King!
13.  Throw out all size 14 and 12 jeans and clothing!
14.  Continue walking instead of starting the car and driving; do NOT stop at Habanero's for a steak burrito!
15.  Continue reading and learn to review books that my friends have written!
16.  Continue to keep up with other author's blogs and their book updates
17.  No more painting (wall or canvas) or Pinterest projects this winter and spring!
18.  Order new bathing suit instead of waiting until summer when the pickings are slim to none in my size!
19.  Start wearing my size 10 shorts in the house, tight waist and all!
20.  Be happy, healthy and productive this 2013!  Be published and more focused next year!

Peace and love,
Ellie

Christmas Memories

My sister and I on Christmas morning,1965

Happy Boxing Day to you! 

The day after Christmas is called Boxing Day in the UK because of all the people who go back into stores today with boxes of gifts to return!  I'm not going near a store today, I can tell you that!  I'm headed to the train station around two to catch my four o'clock train to West Virginia - home.

I will board that train with a huge smile on my face, new memories and a warm heart.  I was so blessed to have spent Christmas with my children, friends and family.  We had a wonderful Holiday and I hope you did, too.  We cooked way too much, ate way too much and shared in the cooking and clean up!  Cleaning up after dinner was just as much fun as cooking and eating with my family.  

Interesting to note that the women were cleaning up and putting food away and the men sat on the couch watching TV...what's wrong with this picture??  We kept them busy with three bags of trash that needed to go out and anything else we could think of to include them in the whole Christmas experience :)

I hate to leave my children in Northern Virginia and head home to West Virginia, but I will leave with beautiful memories, tons of pictures to edit and share.  And...I can't say I'm not glad the Holidays are over :)  I also get to see my furry babies tonight and that's great, too.  I've missed them and hope we have snow on the ground.  We had an inch in Virginia this morning, but it's now raining and slowly melting.  Glad I took photos early this morning!

We now head toward New Year's Eve and I don't have any plans.  I've already thought of an outfit if I get asked out, though :) You never know and must be prepared!  If I don't receive an invitation, I just might have a little cocktail party to ring in the New Year with my friends in town.  No reason to ring in the new year alone :)

Then, the editing begins BIG time.  It's time to prepare for the birth of this novel.  I have query letters to write and it's time to push forward in finding an agent and/or getting published out right...I know, I dream BIG!  Hey, I can visualize it, so it will happen, right?!  Right!

2013.  Bring it on :)

Have a beautiful day!

Peace and love,

Ellie