MyOneWord 2017

As has happened in the past, I have had my one word for 2017 picked out since about October: COMFORT. I was happy, comfortable even 🙂 , with my choice. Thinking ahead, I could see all sorts of ways that I could be welcoming my new word into my life. Comfy clothes! Comfy shoes! Comfort foods! Warm in front of the wood stove in the winter! Only putting myself in comfortable situations!

And then a different word snuck into the periphery of my psyche. Actually, snuck isn’t really the right word…slammed is more like it. I was just sitting there, minding my own business, when it hit: CHANNEL.

Channel.

channel

I don’t know. It’s kind of growing on me.

I think that comfort, although a very nice idea, wouldn’t push me to grow in ways that channel, like 2015’s brave, might.

I just have a feeling.

Because this year’s word, grace, although lovely, didn’t push me like brave did. As a matter of fact, there have been reverberations of brave all throughout 2016, even though it was the prior  year’s word.

Maybe you’ll choose one word to focus on for the entire year this year. There is a word finder to help you choose on myoneword.org.

Disclaimer: Nothing is set in stone. I reserve the right to change my mind at the last minute. I work best under pressure. 🙂

Tranquilize your (winter) writing

IMG_9996We need to take care of ourselves while we are spending endless hours writing at our computers. Just because the NaNoWriMo has officially ended, if you’re like me, you have much writing still to do to get your project ready to see the light of day. We need to do things to keep our thoughts tranquil (OMG! My shoulder is killing me! I don’t have enough time! I’m frikkin’ starving!!) and our anxieties (OMG! I’ll never finish! This is garbage! I have to start over again!!)  at bay.

Here are some ideas for tranquilizing winter writing:

  1. 1. Get an swesome flannel sweater vest at Old Navy  that is as comforting as a BLANKIE.  🙂
  2. 2. Have you seen those microwaveable body blankets? Grampa’s Garden sells them. They are pricey but worth it. Zap for 7 minutes in the microwave and cover your desk chair with it (or slip it under you or over you if you are writing on the couch). You will LOVE it.
  3. 3. Get a Himalayan Salt Lamp. They create a nice atmosphere and ambiance when you are writing, reportedly purify the air around you (to counteract all the curse words you may be saying or writing!) and make a handy little night light if you need nap. 🙂

Every bit of heat and comfort helps, don’t you think? Does anyone have something to add to my list?