This I know for sure...

My sister is a big believer in the power of positive thinking and positive affirmations. She writes out one or two that pertain to whatever's going on in her life at the time and hangs them on her bedroom wall where they are the last thing she sees at night and the first thing she sees in the morning. She finds at least one positive thing will happen or that has happened each day. 

Still feeling a bit down 5 weeks after Isabella's sudden death, I decided to take a page out of my sister's book and do the same thing. (I refuse to acknowledge I may be depressed even though it is one of the stages of grief.) I called my sister and asked her for help in getting started. She sent me a bunch of different affirmations she's used in the past as examples. I haven't written any affirmations out yet, but I plan to this weekend. 

I have started trying to find something good in each day, even if it's something as minor as "Hurray, it's Wednesday - only 2 more days before the weekend." I do try to find something more meaningful than that, but for those days when all I want to do is pull the covers over my head and pretend the world doesn't exist, that's as positive as I can be at that time.

I'm told being positive is an ongoing process, but soon it'll become as natural as breathing. I've only been practicing positive thinking for a little over a week. So far, I've found it's become easier to let go of or ignore those things that irritate me. Some days are harder than others, but I have noticed that in general I'm feeling a bit happier than I was. And I'm finding I'm looking forward to see what other changes being positive will bring.

What's Up Wednesday

This week...

My current WIP (work in progress): Unfortunately not a good writing week last week. Worked extra hours at the day job which cut into the writing time so I only managed 10 pages of new material. I have this some extra time off for the Labor Day holiday so I hope to get some good writing time in.

News from the publishing world: Barnes & Noble is partnering with Google for same day delivery as a way to compete with Amazon. For those of us who hate waiting, this might be great news if it's successful. Link: Barnes & Noble - Google: Same Day Delivery 

Quote of the week: "The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity." ~ Amelia Earhart. To be a successful writer, tenacity is a must. If you let the first rejection you receive keep you from trying again, then you'll never reach your dreams.

Health news: According to research conducted at Loma Linda University, humor produces brain wave frequencies similar to meditation, which has been linked to better focusing abilities and less stress. One researcher stated laughter can act as a natural antidepressant. (Personally, I think it's a bit hard to find humor in things when you've suffered a loss or are going through a hard time, but even if you can't find anything to laugh about, there's always meditation to help release stress.)

Random things: This Friday, my family is going to our state fair. I've lived in the same state my entire life and have never been to this particular fair. I'm looking forward to spending some quality time away from the distractions of work, the internet, and the like. Of course, I'm also looking forward to sharing that last funnel cake of the summer season. 

Random photo of the week:

    
I was feeling a little down last week so I indulged in a favorite childhood treat -- Vanilla ice cream with Fruit Loop cereal poured over it. 

The Roses of Prose

Today I'm visiting the wonderful Roses of Prose and talking about getting lost. With my terrible sense of direction it happens a lot. :o)  Please stop by and tell me about your adventures when you've been lost. Link: The Roses of Prose

This I know for sure...

The calendar may say summer officially ends on September 22nd, but I always feel like the start of a new school year signals the end of the summer.

As the season draws to a close, I'm trying to squeeze every drop out of the good weather. We have a couple of day trips planned before school starts. Next Friday, we're going to our state fair. I've lived in the same state my entire life and have never been to this particular fair. I've been working in the garden, trying to get it ready for the coming winter. The tree in our front yard is already losing leaves so the raking has begun. It's one of the few fall chores I hate. 

I've also been trying to just enjoy the sun. Once winter sets in the days will become gray and gloomy on a regular basis where I'll be going to work in the dark and coming home in the dark. This happens much too quickly as far as I'm concerned. It seems fall passes by in a flash and winter drags on endlessly.

Do you feel that summer ends when school starts? Do you do anything to enjoy the end of the season?

What's Up Wednesday

This week...

My current WIP (work in progress): Another good writing week - 25 new pages of material. The end is in sight. I'm hoping to have the first draft finished by the end of the month or by the 2nd week of September at the latest.

News from the publishing world: While this article isn't technically about the publishing world, I thought it was interesting and worth sharing. Link: Who's Stealing eBooks?

Quote of the week: "The secret of getting ahead is getting started." ~ Mark Twain. I need to print this quote out and put it somewhere so that I see it every day. There are days when I get home from the day job that the very last thing I want to do is sit in front of the computer and write, but once I get started, the words usually flow. After I'm done, I'm really glad I made myself start.

Health news: According to researchers from Ohio State University and the University of Kentucky being "hangry" (angry because you're hungry) is a real feeling. When you're hungry, your glucose levels drop making it harder to rein in hostility. I now have an excuse to eat cookies. :o)

Random things: I've been trying to grow daisies all summer in a long trough-like pot. It's the middle of August and the plants are just now really beginning to grow. Before they were there, but not really doing anything. Because the squirrels seemed to like to dig in it at night, I put the planter out every morning before I leave for work and bring it in every evening. The last two days I've come home from work to find the squirrels have dug in the planter during the day! They've been digging up the plants and throwing them on the porch. I started out with 4 plants. I'm now down to 1, maybe 2 if I can get one of them to survive. It's so frustrating to have nursed them along all summer only to have the wildlife destroy them.

Random photo of the week:

 This is a photo from my nephew's last boxing match. He's pretty good. He won 2nd place in his weight class when he entered the Golden Gloves competition a couple of years ago. 

Character Names - Vanilla or Something More Exotic

Naming a character can be difficult. It has to fit the time period if the story has a historical setting. It has to fit the world if the story takes place in the distant future or on a planet other than Earth. It has to fit the character. You don't want a strong alpha male named Leslie or Terry. Just as you don't want a geeky character named Lance unless there's a specific reason for it. In my opinion the most important thing about a character name is that it has to be pronounceable.

More than once I've picked up a book only to set it down and either give it away unread or take it back to the library because one of the main characters has a name that I have no idea how to pronounce. One name I came across looked like a bunch of consonants were jumbled together with a vowel mixed in. 

I don't mind unusual names if the writer finds a way to let me know how to pronounce it. One book I enjoyed had a strong secondary character named Naomi. I was reading it as Ni-O-Me which is how a childhood friend with this name pronounced it. The writer let the reader know the correct way to say the name by having the Naomi character correct another character's pronunciation of her name as Nay-O-My. Okay, now I knew how to say her name. Although I have to admit I still read it as Ni-O-Me. 

How do you feel about unusual character names?