If you're a newly turned werewolf, change is tantamount, if you suddenly have the urge. And it can cause LOTS of stress.
Change makes most uncomfortable. Moving to a new home, changing jobs, even taking a vacation. The worry about what to take, and what not to take. The concern that what we take gets there. That we get there.
Even the simplest of changes can throw us into a tizzy. Ever go to the grocery store and the bread aisle is no longer where it's supposed to be? Or your favorite department store, and lingerie has replaced the section you always bought your casual wear? Or someone is sitting in YOUR seat at church or at school or in the lunch room at work??? This reminds me of Goldilocks & the Three Bears. :)
When we're writing, change can be good. It helps to increase the conflict. See? Change, any kind, can make for conflict.
Day to night brings change. We relax, or get busier, or go to work, or go to sleep.
Weather brings change. From sunny and hot to cold and rainy. From snowy to sleet to the perfect day.
Change is inevitable. From birth to maturity to death.
Change can be good. Better jobs, better living conditions, more book sales! But with all change--even with better jobs and such, change creates new conflict. Learning the new job, higher taxes with better living conditions, more writing with more book sales!
Have you ever planned out your whole day, your whole week, months in advance to have all of your terrific plans changed at the last minute? I think of Nationals at Nashville, and all the work everyone had to do to change their plans to go to Orlando instead. Some couldn't attend Nationals then. Some could.
I was thrown for a loop when I was told I had jury duty, and no one to do my job. Then I was told I wasn't needed, and we're back to the normal schedule. But in that short time, I had to make arrangements for my absence in the event I was absent. Since so many were on vacation, it was a major deal.
Change can be an inspiration. In writing, changing where we write, what we listen to, whose point of view we're telling the story in, the time of day, the weather conditions, any of these things can help us to break through our self-imposed writer's block.
Here is a little known fact about me: I used to be the world's pickiest eater. I'm still really bad about trying new foods. My mother used to call me a stick-in-the-mud. But sometimes I surprise even myself and try something new and voila! I have a new favorite food to eat. Change can be getting out of the rut we place ourselves in.
Normally, the idea of eating a blackberry would not appeal. But in Oregon, we picked wild blackberries and made them into the most delicious blackberry jam. Hmmm-hmm. My wolves love them too. :)
Change can be conflictive, but it can be good too. :)
What about you? Have you made any changes lately that ended up turning out well?
Also, I'm here today at Star-Crossed Romance with Lynda Scott. Thanks, Lynda, for having me!
And I'm talking about Making the PARANormal seem Normal. :)
http://star-crossedromance.blogspot.com/2010/08/guest-terry-spear.html
And thanks to Robin for getting my post up that I forgot to Publish Post with a time and instead it's sitting there in draft mode this morning! :) Have a safe trip!
Terry
"Giving new meaning to the term alpha male."
www.terryspear.com
Change makes most uncomfortable. Moving to a new home, changing jobs, even taking a vacation. The worry about what to take, and what not to take. The concern that what we take gets there. That we get there.
Even the simplest of changes can throw us into a tizzy. Ever go to the grocery store and the bread aisle is no longer where it's supposed to be? Or your favorite department store, and lingerie has replaced the section you always bought your casual wear? Or someone is sitting in YOUR seat at church or at school or in the lunch room at work??? This reminds me of Goldilocks & the Three Bears. :)
When we're writing, change can be good. It helps to increase the conflict. See? Change, any kind, can make for conflict.
Day to night brings change. We relax, or get busier, or go to work, or go to sleep.
Weather brings change. From sunny and hot to cold and rainy. From snowy to sleet to the perfect day.
Change is inevitable. From birth to maturity to death.
Change can be good. Better jobs, better living conditions, more book sales! But with all change--even with better jobs and such, change creates new conflict. Learning the new job, higher taxes with better living conditions, more writing with more book sales!
Have you ever planned out your whole day, your whole week, months in advance to have all of your terrific plans changed at the last minute? I think of Nationals at Nashville, and all the work everyone had to do to change their plans to go to Orlando instead. Some couldn't attend Nationals then. Some could.
I was thrown for a loop when I was told I had jury duty, and no one to do my job. Then I was told I wasn't needed, and we're back to the normal schedule. But in that short time, I had to make arrangements for my absence in the event I was absent. Since so many were on vacation, it was a major deal.
Change can be an inspiration. In writing, changing where we write, what we listen to, whose point of view we're telling the story in, the time of day, the weather conditions, any of these things can help us to break through our self-imposed writer's block.
Here is a little known fact about me: I used to be the world's pickiest eater. I'm still really bad about trying new foods. My mother used to call me a stick-in-the-mud. But sometimes I surprise even myself and try something new and voila! I have a new favorite food to eat. Change can be getting out of the rut we place ourselves in.
Normally, the idea of eating a blackberry would not appeal. But in Oregon, we picked wild blackberries and made them into the most delicious blackberry jam. Hmmm-hmm. My wolves love them too. :)Change can be conflictive, but it can be good too. :)
What about you? Have you made any changes lately that ended up turning out well?
Also, I'm here today at Star-Crossed Romance with Lynda Scott. Thanks, Lynda, for having me!
And I'm talking about Making the PARANormal seem Normal. :)
http://star-crossedromance.blogspot.com/2010/08/guest-terry-spear.html
And thanks to Robin for getting my post up that I forgot to Publish Post with a time and instead it's sitting there in draft mode this morning! :) Have a safe trip!
Terry
"Giving new meaning to the term alpha male."
www.terryspear.com
Good morning, Terry. What a great post, and so timely as my youngest and I are heading to Chicago to see if they are going to schedule her arm lengthening surgery for this year. That will be quite a change for all of us, especially her.
ReplyDeleteChange is a constant in my life. It seems to have always been. From moving around a lot as a kid (every nine months or so) to having kids with special needs and gifts, running from dance school, new doctors, new hospitals (some very far away) and waiting for change, both good and bad.
I used to feel almost paralyzed by it, now, to tell you the truth, I hardly notice. I just move forward because panic doesn't help any situation and some times the changes you fear the most turn into great opportunities. You just never know.
As I tell my daughter who hates any kind of change, it's all in the attitude. You can look at it as a good thing (and it just might be) or you can look at it as a bad thing and it will definitely be bad. The choice is yours.
My prayers go out to you that this will all go the way you need it to, Robin! Safe trip, and yes, quite a change, but it sounds like it's all for the good.
ReplyDeleteWith having a father in the military, then in the space program, then me being in the military, I moved all the time also. And truthfully, I was always ready for it. Loved to move, to explore new areas. :) When my folks said we were moving, I'd be ready to pack my bags. :)
I love the idea of looking at change as a new opportunity. I have to tell myself that as we get ready to move our library branch next week. :)
I made the change to an iMac about a year ago, and to tell you the truth I'm still adjusting, and still waiting for the day I will love it.
ReplyDeleteThat said, learning to accept change gracefully, and as much as possible to embrace it, is a piece of great wisdom.
Change takes energy, and resisting it takes even more energy. Fighting change is the ultimate no-win position. And blackberries are one of life's great blessings!
That's like my main computer is down still, MM, and working off my laptop is not the same. So I'm dealing with it the best I can until I get the other fixed, but argh... :) But I'm extremely grateful I have a laptop!!!
ReplyDeleteLOL, on blackberries. It's amazing how good they are when they're freshly picked!!! :)
I'm trying to embrace change, but sometimes it's just too big around the middle!
ReplyDeleteLOL, Cheryl! I love it!
ReplyDeleteI'm kind of a picky eater, too, Terry, and I'm getting my payback with my daughter. She has a gag reflex and throws up whenever I give her anything not pureed. Ugh! Talk about wanting a change!
ReplyDeleteI agree with Robin - change is inevitable, but if you look at it in a positive way, it's bound to go better.
ReplyDeleteThe changes in my life seem big to me, but when I look at what other people go through I realize my life is pretty stable.
Robin, I hope your journey goes well. We'll all be thinking of you.
Terry,
ReplyDeleteGreat job on the post. I've been trying to think what was the last big change in my life and as I think of things, I say to myself yes that was change but not a big change! :-)So I think time turns big changes into little changes that don't seem so important or so big now.
Amelia
Oh, yikes, Shana, I hope she outgrows that!!! I'm still picky, unfortunately. But getting a little better. LOL
ReplyDeleteAgreed, Joanne.
LOL, Amelia. I've had a LOT of upheaval in my life for years, but you're right. With a long time passing, it does make it seem not quite as traumatic. Kind of. LOL I still remember the U-Haul move where we had to unload one of the biggest trucks there was at a gas station when the engine conked out. :) We had a lot more incidents like that, but probably more that were successfully managed without a lot of trauma. LOL
Change - I went back to a part time office job today. I was called by a former co-worker and offered the job; you can't really tell Karma "no" when she hands you something. It's not what I want to do, but what I have to do. At least I know the guy I'm working with and like the woman he's hired me to help out.
ReplyDeleteBut I miss my pj-writing...
Well, for me changing from working full time to being retired. I got used to it fast. I find lots of things to do. And I'm changing my diet and exercise levels. I sat in a chair all day at work. The rear has the chair cushion still attached. And getting that middle to change is still a challenge. so I do Curves everyday. Which gives me some social outlet too.
ReplyDeleteNormally I pretty much go with the flow.
The biggest change for me over the past year has been going from "aspiring writer" to "debut author". My book isn't even out yet, but there's a lot more to this getting published gig than I ever imagined. That's a totally awesome change, though!
ReplyDeleteI actually like change. I much prefer it over being in a rut. That's one great thing about being a college professor. I might teach pretty much the same thing, year after year, but I get a whole new group of students to get to know! I love that. The fact that I had to go back to work today after 5 weeks off. Now, I didn't love that.
Judi,
ReplyDeleteSometimes I get in some pj writing on my two days off. Sometimes I still have to get dressed. LOL
OOOh, retirement, Donna, sounds so good!
LOL, Olivia! Just think as you have books in progress, books coming out, and books in edits, and promotional tours all at once, how much change you can enjoy!!! :) It can be fun though if you let yourself enjoy it! I love the blog tours and interacting with fans. Today I'm at Star-Crossed Romance and having a ball!
My local department store changed their layout and I was surprised how frustrated I got when I couldn't find anything. Change can be annoying. However, I would not have started writing if it hadn't been for a big change (my husband's deployment) which I did hate at the time but also led to me becoming a published author. So yeah, I whine and complain, but change can be a really cool thing!
ReplyDeleteI'm always in a rush to do shopping since I barely have time, so it really bugs me when stores change their layout, Amanda! :)
ReplyDeleteI so love the wolf pics that accompany your posts, Terri. And like wolves, we are creatures of habit, so yes, change can be difficult. I have to agree that attitude can help. Great post!
ReplyDelete