I’m sorry; I seemed to have missed it. Did anyone see my day go by? It’s nearly 5pm and I’m finally starting my primary task for the day, writing my inaugural post. I assume you have been there before. Over morning coffee, you mentally preview your day giving priority to that one project that can’t roll over into tomorrow? Then suddenly, the day is over and you’re finally ready to begin. How did that happen?
Okay. 5pm and I’m ready to start. My work space is clear. As I reach for my outline, I glance out the windows, but it’s January, so darkness blocks my view. I gaze at my reflection in the black glass and grimace. I know I’ve accomplished something today. I’ve finished category research on Amazon for my newly republished books. I would have had this initial post written by noon, except two of my Bogota’ Blackberry sculptured nails popped off last night. Emergency!!! Round trip to the salon today? Two hours, poof!
Then I printed and reviewed four blogging topics I had outlined during the past few months while creating pages on my website. Oh, and a piece of advice: if you know nothing about website development and design, fuggedaboutit! I have spent four months on the rack. For all the pain, frustration and exposed inadequacies, there is one huge payoff: I can make all my additions, deletions and edits myself; forever. One web development expert estimates a personal website starts at $1,500 with no upper limit. Yikes! All that suffering was worth it. Now, I need to get those outlines fleshed out into finished documents and attach my initial post to Cheekin Squawks.
I know this inaugural post should be momentous and thought-provoking. It should trigger curiosity and wonder at what will follow. This debut post should be a beacon lighting a path to scintillating sapience. It should comply with all the demands of structure, content and SEO. (Doesn’t SEO sound like a wounded word?) Mandates. Mandates. In truth, I just want to heave a deep sigh and say how glad I am to start a conversation, share my new website, and launch a new phase of my life with words.
So, I am thrilled that after four grueling months I am ready to spread my wings and flutter out into cyberspace. My new website is launched. Black Raspberries, Maggie’s Mirage and Unworthy, dressed up in their new covers, are available on Amazon; other outlets to follow. I am capturing my last two decades in a second memoir that contrasts greatly with my first. Instead of a story of poverty and deprivation, I will reveal facts and figures of my investment strategy for a comfortable retirement. The first draft of my third novel is written, set right here in New England. Hello, Wellesley.
Who we are and how we came to be “us” – Ontogeny
Money and personal investment – Mammon
The good, the bad, and the ugly of – Technology
Sharing my passion for travel and history, together – Travistory
I know, a few of those words may not be familiar. (In the interest of transparency, I found sapience in the thesaurus today. I needed an alliteration in that sentence.) But, like adding new friends, it’s nice to learn novel ways of communication. Language is key to thinking. We cannot express our deepest thoughts and feelings with inadequate words. By the way, my favorite author quote is from The Wit and Wisdom of Mark Twain. “The difference between the almost right word and the right word is really a large matter; ’tis the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning.”
Twain’s advice put the fear of God in me and I thank him for it. I shall always be in search of the lightning, though I’ll often find the bug on my page. As a counterpoint to that challenge, I try to adhere to Stephen King’s advice from his book, On Writing. “Remember that the basic rule of vocabulary is use the first word that comes to your mind, if it is appropriate and colorful.” Adherence to this guidance reveals a writer’s style, lending insight into how he thinks and feels, his education, his attitudes, where he came from, the essence of his becoming who he is today, if I may, his ontogeny. Yup. Fun with words.
And while we are chatting about fun things, in my household, we love chickens. We have a chicken calendar in the kitchen. A multi-colored metal rooster watches over us at breakfast from his perch above our library of cookbooks. We cluck each evening over aperitifs, and when our cell phones ring, heads turn looking for a clique of noisy hens.
So, welcome to the flock. Though it’s winter, the coop is welcoming and cozy. I hope to blog twice a month. When I do, I’ll squawk like a chicken laying an egg and send off an email.
Cluck! Cluck!
Next month I’ll reminisce about six days sailing on the oldest three-masted schooner afloat. The SCHOONER VICTORY CHIMES ‘tis a beauty and is the Grand Dame of the Maine coast windjammers. ‘Neath her billowed sails I met some fine sailors, from all walks of life. I hope they join the flock and share their personal memories and sing a sea shanty or two.
SEE POST – SCHOONER VICTORY CHIMES