Wednesday 22 July 2015

Before I Die

Wednesday July 22, 2015

At the end of June, things kept popping up on my social media about an Art Exhibit in the city by the river. I had yet to see it, but thought it sounded intriguing. 


Today, I was walking to the Farmer's Market along the river, and as I walked underneath one of the bridges in my City of Bridges, I finally saw where it was.

They've painted the wall of the bridge black, and left chalk for people to write what they want Before They Die. 

The responses are a mix of inspirational, thoughtless, motivated, rude, humorous and full of hope. It really depends which ones you read. 



On the way back from my lunch time Farmer's Market trip, I wrote mine. It took me a while to decide what to say. The slots were almost full. 

There are so many things I want to do before I die. The truth is: I don't know when I'm going to die. I have TONS of plans and goals, and things I want, but will I get them?

The only thing I can say for sure is I want to be grateful for it all. Grateful to myself for living the fullest and happiest life I can. I may not get everything accomplished, but I want to die proud of myself for trying.

It's a unique idea. (I think). And if you ignore the ones about stealing souls and such, it's actually pretty beautiful. It's an anonymous way to share your dreams. Mine isn't anonymous because I'm writing it here, but it's just one of the many under the bridge. 

I simply wrote: Be Grateful. I'm already grateful. I want it to continue.

It did get me thinking. I have a lot I want to do. I have a lot more I want to be grateful for. Here are some things I want to do before I die:


  • Laugh Everyday
  • Have a kid... or not - but be happy with my decision.
  • Love with all my heart.
  • Publish my book
  • Maybe write and publish more books.
  • Write a blog I can be proud of.
  • Visit friends and family, and stay in touch.
  • Travel.
  • Don't stress.
  • Be happy with what I've got. 
  • Get married - or don't.  I'm already living with the love of my life. I'm already the luckiest girl in the world.
  • Read everything I can.
  • Be kind.

That's it. I think I can do most of those without a problem. However, things may happen. Or it might not. I can't mark my success because of that.


Side note: the walk to the Farmer's Market is already full of beauty. Here are some other pictures I took while walking. Grateful comes easily when I see this everyday. 



That's my post for today.

Have a great Wednesday.

As always,


"Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year."
Ralph Waldo Emerson

©ErinLeahMcCrea All photos I share on my blogs are my own, please Ask Me For Permission Before Using Them.

Also, check out my ongoing book blog:  Proud Bookworm at: http://bookserinread.blogspot.ca/ 

Blogs I used to write on but not being updated:
and

Monday 20 July 2015

My Job

July 20, 2015

Somebody who once worked in the same field as me, told me that they couldn't wait to get out of it because they felt like it took away their creative writing ideas. They felt like it took away the 'spark' for writing.

I'm talking day job. Not night time writing/blogging job. (It's not a job yet, just something I love and should do more.)

I am ridiculously lucky that I am the opposite. I know what this person means. I completely understand those feelings, but luckily, in the last few years, it's had the opposite effect on me.

I'm sure I've mentioned my job before, but before I go on with this post, I'll describe it again. I write commercials. I write scripts for 15, 30 or 60 second spots to air on the radio. I deal a lot with sales people, other Creative writers and radio people, and the clients I write for. 

I've been in this business for a few years. It's what I went into right out of Broadcasting school. I had a short break while I tried out being a radio sales person - but I preferred the Creative Writing. It was possibly the stint as an Account Executive (sales) that made me truly appreciate the Creative Writing job.

I don't see myself changing jobs or companies in the foreseeable future. I have fun writing the commercials (for the most part), and it makes me appreciate the fact that I can go home and write WHAT I WANT. Yes, I spend a lot of time putting a lot of information into a 30 second script, but it doesn't steal my creativity.

Being able to go home and write (or write on my lunch break) helps me enjoy my job. I sometimes feel bad that I didn't choose a career that helps people, and hopefully that's what my evening writing can someday be. 

(Or else I could volunteer).

Now that I think about it, I've never really felt like my Creativity was getting smushed, it really was the lack of helping others. I see my friends doing amazing things for others, and I wish I had more of that. I don't get a lot of that in my job, and that's not an insult to what I do for a living, it's just the truth. It's a fact. I don't get to help people, and I'd like to use my writing to do that. (That being said, the company I work for do a lot of volunteering, and sponsoring of events, and I have been lucky enough to be included in them).




I would not go so far as to say that my current writing is inspiring. I try my hardest, but I'd say most of my posts are just me rambling. I think my book is good (someday, it will be great), and it is emotional, but I don't know if it will help people, and I don't think I'd call it inspiring. 

That's not to say I won't get there. I just have to live more life. Experience more. Learn more. Write more. 

I have a lot of work to do to complete my writing goals, and writing this post makes me realise I'm not even close to where I want to be. (I HAVE TO WRITE!)

However, I am grateful I have a job full of great co-workers, that allows me to use my creativity in ads. I'm grateful that I don't leave this job sick of writing. If anything, I feel like my writing truly started after I started working with this company. I wouldn't give all the credit (or even most of it) to my job because a lot in my life had changed as well, but I'm incredibly lucky to still love writing. I'm glad that after a day of writing scripts, I can still use personal writing for stress relief, or to get my thoughts out, or to write or edit a book.

This wasn't one of the posts I've had started. However, it is a writing blog, and this is specifically about my love for writing. No matter what kind it is. I have been thinking about it for a while, and am finally getting around to putting words on 'paper'. 

Now, I need to get back at my novel editing, or none of what I just wrote will matter.

Thanks for reading. 


Some inspiration from one of my best friends about 17 years ago. She inspires me, and others, every day. I still have this around.


As always,


"Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year."
Ralph Waldo Emerson

©ErinLeahMcCrea All photos I share on my blogs are my own, please Ask Me For Permission Before Using Them.

Also, check out my ongoing book blog:  Proud Bookworm at: http://bookserinread.blogspot.ca/ 

Blogs I used to write on but not being updated:
and

Wednesday 15 July 2015

New promises and new goals.

July 15, 2015

I have so many blog posts started that I have to finish, it's getting absolutely ridiculous. SO, instead of working on one of them, I'm starting a whole new one.

I have a lot of things I want to do that are rolling around in my brain. I need to get some of them on paper/blog so I can figure out a goal plan.

If I don't write it down, I'll never know exactly which ones are most important (because I have so many things I want to accomplish.)  I will write some goals/plans in this post, and hopefully it will help me to see what I need to work on the most. Some of these things, I've already started on.

I spend a lot of time dreaming and thinking about what I want for my future. I learned a long time ago, that dreams won't come true without help from me. Without work from me. I've never been an 'everything happens for a reason' kind of girl. I'm more of a 'things happen because you made them happen' kind of girl.

I get distracted occasionally. I am sometimes quite comfortable being lazy. That probably sounds bad, but it's the truth. I enjoy binge watching shows. I enjoy sleeping in. I enjoy sitting in the sun. I enjoy doing absolutely nothing with Clint and Drogo the Rottie. More about him here. 

However, I am hoping to enjoy my lazy times, and still do a lot with my life. 

I recently bought a shirt, that is basically perfect for me. It will be my shirt to wear when I need inspiration (or to write). 




 I need to revisit my goals, revise my goals, and add new ones constantly to keep myself on task.

I want to get my book published. I want to get in shape. I want to live my life and love my life. I need goals to do these.





New/Old Goals to work on:

Exercise Daily:

I used to walk to work. That was a half hour walk, and although it wasn't a lot of exercise, it helped. Unfortunately, I've moved farther way, and it isn't possible to walk anymore. I still walk about ten minutes from where I park to get to work, but it really isn't a lot. I'm feeling VERY out of shape lately, and it's starting to show. So exercise and watching what I eat is first on my list of goals. 

I just purchased an elliptical so I am VERY motivated to use it. I'd love to get in better shape, and work on my 'trouble' areas, but also, I HATE wasting money, so that in itself is motivation. I bought it new and on sale, but it was still more money than I'd usually spend.

Either way, this is going to help me get back into shape. I've got it facing our television, so I can binge watch Netflix AND exercise. I'm starting out pretty slow, but I'll get better. 



Pay off debts:

I've actually already started this one. It's very exciting! I've paid off my biggest student loan. It's a huge relief, and saves me quite a bit in my monthly repayment - which hopefully means more money for savings. I usually find summer to be more of a spending season, so I probably need to be a bit better about that part of it as well. Either way, I have one more tiny student loan to pay off, my credit card (that one is easy, I don't ever go over a certain amount), and my Lasik eye surgery to pay off. Now that I have the big loan off my monthly payments, I feel a lot more confident that I'll get the rest paid off. (PS, I graduated from university in 2004, so this has been a long time coming.)


  

READ READ READ READ READ READ

I love reading, and sometimes it breaks my heart when I realise I've been doing anything but reading. I have SO MANY books on my list to read, and I've been slacking a lot. I'm also reading a book a friend wrote (unpublished), and that one is first on my list. It's really good, but because I'm reading it on my phone, I sometimes forget about using it. (I haven't gone to the e-readers yet!).  I've been reading it everyday for the past few days though, so I'm going to be done that one soon. I need to read everyday. I also have to read the one by a friend a second time so I can make comments as I read. 

I have a lot of other books on my list as well, but I can start on those later. (By start, I also mean finish a few. I have three books going right now). 

Reading is the easiest thing in life for me. It's also the thing that motivates me the most to do what I love. Just like anything else, I can't lose that. Being a book worm is one of my favourite things.

WRITE WRITE WRITE WRITE WRITE WRITE WRITE

You HAD to have known this one was coming. I have to write in so many different ways.


  • I need to blog weekly, if not twice to three times a week. I have to finish all those posts I started with good intentions. This includes my book blog, but I can't blog about books until I read them.
  • I need to edit my novel for the 5th time. I think the 5th time. This will include going through the actual hard copy of it with the notes provided by the author who evaluated it. Once I'm done the hard copy, I'll revise as much as I need for the next edit. Then I have to do the overall grammar editing. (Or find somebody to do it for me.)
  • I need to work on Jenna's story. That's the next one. I've ignored her for too long. Her story has gone in many different directions in my head, but I haven't written it much on paper. There's only one way to see what actually happens next - write. 
  • I need to write in my journal. Poor thing. I always forget about it.

I need to do all of these (except for the paying off of debts) every day. It will make the evening go by a little to quickly, but it will be worth it. It will also mean less lazy Netflix watching. That's never a bad thing.  I do need to save time for my Drogo. I miss him all day, and enjoy spending time with Clint and Drogo when I get home.

That's it. Next post will be one of the many I've had waiting to finish.

Happy Wednesday. 




As always,


"Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year."
Ralph Waldo Emerson

©ErinLeahMcCrea All photos I share on my blogs are my own, please Ask Me For Permission Before Using Them.

Also, check out my ongoing book blog:  Proud Bookworm at: http://bookserinread.blogspot.ca/ 

Blogs I used to write on but not being updated:
and