The Wabi-Sabi Writer

So I find myself here, on the eve of the National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo as we like to call it) still pondering which story I want to go with.  Nothing like the last minute, right?  Truth be told, I have been thinking about this for a while.  I dedicated many a feverish night while I lay awake flu ridden on the subject.

During the day however, I was only able to sit sideways in my large marshmallow chair and mindlessly watch hours of Dexter, Special Victims Unit and the occasionally cooking show with tissues stuffed up my nose to stave off the relenteless nasal drip.  Research, reading or writing was out of the question - my  throbbing head would have none of it.

A week later I am able to breathe (most of the time, though still battling the phlegm and bronchitis demons) and take tenuous steps towards the Rubicon that calls me.

My two novel ideas in essence are either one that follows a young man into adulthood and psychosis or one that finds a young woman in an arranged relationship that completely tests her boundaries.

Basically, I have to decide if I want to spend the month in madness or in bed (though I suspect both will have a touch of the other).

Any intriguing prospect...
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My check in (I missed Sunday's check in)

My daily morning pages continues tirelessly - thankfully writing in a notebook did not affect my headache so was able to stick with this.

Fences - remained only a desire for completion.  I am not going to make the goal of getting to a first edit state by the end of October.  I am planning on adjusting the ROW80 goals to include spending some of my time this upcoming month on it so long as I do not lose traction on the "Louche" (NaNoWriMo)

"Louche" - fed two birds with one seed by reading a novel (4 to go) for research purposes.  Also watched a couple of movies that provided some character and context.  If I go with this story line will be changing the title.

Wabi-Sabi - handwote some poetry and prose that will need to be entered into the blog.

Read November Writer's Digest.

This past weekend I attended a creative art retreat as part of a coaching certification program.  Three days filled with many different processes - writing, meditation, jungian sand play, labrynth walking, mandalas, dance, claywork, and lastly creating a joy altar.  All of this shared with a small cohort of fellow travelers who were exploring their inner terrain and outer possibilities.  

The first night we were passed a basket of stones from which we were to select one that called to us, that we would use to set our intention for the retreat on.  I spied an orange one as others were making their choice but soon that was claimed.  I glanced into the basket to see a slight heart shaped rock beneath a smooth flat ivory quartz.  I picked up the flat stone wanting it to be the one for me - it was bright, and perfectly oval.  But the beat of the one beneath it could not be denied.  I picked up the charcoal heart to find it more a smooth seed with a notch in it.  I knew it was my heart-seed that would hold my intentions.  

We were then guided through a meditation to set our intentions - the word that pulsed through me was trust.  Trust myself, the process, the growth - the teacher, the fellow students - everything..

I found myself struggling caught up in old patterns, in comparisons and judgement.  My art was not flowing.  Just before noon, the instructor took us outside to the labrynth where we would walk at our own pace, observing.  A heart stone marked the entrance where we were to call into rememberance - our intentions, our struggles.  Release, resolve and renew as we walked the spiral paths.  Along the way, I took note of the plants, the statues or hanging feeders with hummingbirds flitting about.  And then I turned the corner and before me a stone along the border which read radical trust.  I stopped in my tracks, to breathe and to absorb the message.  

(I plan to write more of the retreat experience in a few days.  I need to sit with it for a while but wanted to share small bit as part of my Sunday check in)

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I officially signed up for the NaNoMo coming up (soon!!) and started on plot research.  I did come up with a working title of Louche but after this weekend I am feeling that may need to change.

Wabi Sabi - the retreat was rich in writing opportunities.  I have used the freewrite, poetry soup and distilled poem for this. (*please tell me your thoughts)

Freewrite - Walking in the Dark
Poetry Soup - Dark Hours
Final Poem - My Darkest Hour

My Morning Pages the past three days have been spotty - the retreat taking over for this.  I am returning to them first thing in the morning

Fences has been neglected. I am going to spend time tomorrow mending, painting and weeding - so that I can reach the goal of 1st edit before NaNoMo.