Tiny Markers

 I am a visual thinker. I like to have all the markers and giant paper to map out ideas, plots, or organizing strategies. My adult go to system has been 11x17 paper and three sizes of every color of Sharpie. This is satisfactory, but not portable. I’m used to having lots of appointments and such where I try to capture time before it is lost, but planning wasn’t a good function for that nomadic work life because three big mugs of markers and the unwieldy paper didn’t travel well.

Yesterday, I was sitting in the living room when the muse struck with fury and I wanted to get to work right then. I had bought a set of Papermate flair markers for a child who rejected them. I tried to interest another of my children, same result. I decided if they didn’t want them they would suit my purpose and I took them up. Did they suit my purpose? Did they ever! They have tiny little nibs which allowed me to fit about the same amount of information on an 8 1/2x11 sheet of paper which was handy next to the printer as compared to the giant 11x17 paper in my office. I am no longer chained to my desk. I can plan efficiently anywhere.

It’s the little things that make work lighter. Papermate Flair Felt Tip Markers for sale in a good size set at Costco.

Best App for Task Management

 While I will always love my paper bujo I try to only pack my bag with essentials and as compactly as possible, so I have tried a few Task Management Apps. Most of them were just fine but had to be supplemented with other apps or simply left up to the paper bujo. RecentlyI discovered the AnyPlan app. It functions much like a bujo, but it’s in my iPad which is always with me. It is based on a calendar with the power to add appointments, tasks and notes. I find it entirely satisfying.  

Give it a look.

https://appsuke.com/en/anyplan-time-schedule-planner/

BUJO

For those not in the know a BUJO is a bullet journal, a system for organizing your time, tasks, and useful information. Information about it is all over the internet, so I won’t go over the details here. I have found it exceptionally good at motivating new behavior. This is my second year and it just gets better. In fact I am writing this piece in order to fill in two small squares. The pressure of completing my tasks is helping me get back to composing. Technically this blog is a cheater, but really any practice is helpful when you are this rusty.
Whenever I do something that is helpful I try to honor it as much as possible. Last year I toted all my supplies and journal in a cheap project bag. It did the job but inconveniently. This year I invested in a special case, normally used for Bibles. I also added a separate journal for notes about my work and/or discoveries. It is so much nicer to have my markers and pens and such all tidy in what I’ve started calling my magic bag.  

Big Girl Voice

​I picked my novel back up, and in an effort to procrastinate fixing the problem I am working on defining the problem. My first draft was a sketch caring only about the things I found important and ignoring things like settings and such. I am satisfied with that draft, but now it is time to imbue the sketch with color and life. I find myself fighting my inner writer for permission to take up my reader’s time with all that—seems to me—extraneous detail. I want to apologize for describing the interior of a car when everyone has ridden in a car. If a character is going to fade  out quickly why do you need all of her backstory? 

I know myself well enough that sooner, hopefully, rather than later I will fall into world writing mode, after all I see it all in my mind’s eye while I write. I know all about my characters as if I lived in their hometown. I just need permission to waste your time with what are to me non-essentials.

Healing

​I suppose I should start with a poem, but I’m not feeling it right now. I came to understand myself differently and that insight is leading to a lot of healing and forgiveness. When you are waiting for someone to appreciate you, you don’t fully value what you are, what you’ve done. When you finally realize that people don’t get it or don’t want to acknowledge you, you can reevaluate what you’ve done for yourself. You can value yourself. At first you resent the people who weren’t grateful or kind or patient, but after a while it doesn’t matter because looking at what you’ve done as a stranger would, you see its worth in intention if not quality. You give yourself a gold star and move on. When you don’t need someone else’s approval you can forgive them and move on.

Worse than ever

 I’ve been thinking about blogging again. A new blog seems like the right idea, start fresh, but I love this blog. I’ve been busy launching people into adulthood. It takes more energy than you’d think, but I’m almost halfway done and I’d like to come back here, letting all the shaggy, ragged thoughts find home.

1.2 Billion

My first Lent had a very personal feeling to it. I was very concerned with my responsibilities and Lenten offerings. I was a little terrified of doing it wrong. Each year I've grown to treasure Lent more, and to look forward to it's coming. This discipline has done much to move me from "I do this in fear" to "I do this for love"--love for God and now love for my fellow churchmen. 

I was not born a Catholic, but came late to the party, as a full grown adult and mother. Things my cradle Catholic friends take for granted still leave me speechless. I am always learning something new and magnificent, but what I love the most is the unified diversity. Growing up in a spiritual world that had a hard time drawing black and white Christians under the same roof, I delight in the knowledge that everywhere in the world the same mass is being celebrated as we all worship together, not just here on Earth, also in Heaven.

Lent is one more way to enjoy our global unity. It's the good-natured complaining, the sharing of tips and tricks, and the cringe when you realize you blew it and let the team down. We are all seeking his glory and to let go of the worldly attachments that mislead us and weigh us down. It's the best way I've found to discover all those things you'd never believe you can do without. I have yet to emerge from Lent the same person, and I know that among my 1.2 billion brethren and sisteren I am far from alone.