Carly's Ramblings Blog - Style

Writers. Shops, To Do, Impressions & Truly Madly Deeply

Today's blogs...

Blog City – Day 349

Prompt: What makes a writer a writer in your view? And accordingly, do you agree with this quote by Junot Diaz?

“You see, in my view a writer is a writer not because she writes well and easily, because she has amazing talent, because everything she does is golden. In my view a writer is a writer because even when there is no hope, even when nothing you do shows any sign of promise, you keep writing anyway.”
From http://www.oprah.com/spirit/Junot-Diaz-Talks-About-What-Made-Him-Become-a-Writer...


I would have to agree with this quote. A writer writes. Not for fame and wealth and any accolades, but for the inner need to press words down onto paper and tell the stories that bubble within the surface and hold them captive. There is a need to tell the tales to get them down and out onto paper... or the screen. Whether they get published is not a fore most thought.

Some days the process is flowing and exhilarating... something to reach for, but some days the writing is slow and possibly, a struggle. Either way, we write to meet that exhilaration and flow. We hope our muse meets us with excitement and creative power. We press on and press through the rough moments because we must know what happens. The words must play and paint the images that spark us. The words must tell the story that binds us.

30 Day Blogging Challenge – Day 16

I saw a local newspaper ad today for a shop named: The Broom Closet, it's described as a witchcraft supply store. I've never heard of such a shop before, and I'm intrigued.
Would you go visit such a shop? Why or why not. - Bonus Question: Do you know of, or have an idea for a unique, or trendy shop?

I am intrigued by interesting shops. I'd walk in and explore. See what delights could be had and I would think the store keeper must be as interesting as their shop. I would value a conversation with such a person even if I bought nothing. I want to be open to the experience.
Closing yourself off to these experiences is just not something I would do. I have my own beliefs and values. I am confident in them. I find it interesting to see how different views have similarities one would never consider.

As for my own shop. I would run a bookshop with a resident cat or two. It would have shelves that are old, yet solid. They would stretch up high into the space and ladders would be required to get to the higher shelves. The scent of books would hang in the air, like a siren song to writers and readers alike. I would have areas to sit and read in corners of the shop. A area for people to gather for book readings and workshops. A children's area that is welcoming and cozy where parents can spread their love of reading and pass it on to their children.

I will direct my judging assistant to award one blogger a Merit Badge, and eliminate one blogger by whichever means or measure they choose.

Welcome To My Reality – Week Sixty – One

3. What's on your 'real life' To-Do list this week?

I need to return my need kettle that leaks... tomorrow as today is the Family Day holiday here in Ontario.
I have one supply day already scheduled for Tuesday - hopefully I will get a couple of others.
I have my client on Wednesday night.
I need to get my time cards in to my one job so that I can be paid.
I need to finish my Romantica final exam - which is due on February 22.
I have 2 more poems to create for the Poetic Exploration workshop I am taking. One is Free Verse, the other is an Epitaph.
I need to keep on de-cluttering my home - my spare bedroom and master bedroom have areas that need to be attended to.
I have books that need to be taken to the used book store and sold.

4. Tell us about a time you met someone after interacting with them by internet, phone or email. How did your mental picture/impressions of them compare to how they were in person?

For the 30 Day Blogging Challenge one of our prompts last year was to write about how we pictured our other blog mates. It was interesting to see how our impression and the actualities differed. It was fun.

We are all so different yet have this shared love of writing.

I find I am prone to the view of seeing others I have never seen through the lens of my own aspects. I know I am not accurate but I am also not locked into that view. There was definitely some surprise but all it did was cause me to laugh at myself and those 'stereotypical' portraits I had painted.

These people are my friends, there looks are secondary to their thoughts and ideas which they share in honest and humourous ways.

5. The weather has a bad reputation as being the most boring conversation topic in existence. Tell us about the weather in your region at the moment, but make it interesting, exciting and/or creative.

I looked on my Facebook account and noticed a friend had described his area (the Canadian Maritimes) as
"It actually happened. Hell did freeze over! And it's encased in ice." His mother says she loves her little house but is feeling like she is living in an igloo.

Here, in Southern Ontario, we are in a polar ice area. Today we are getting a break... it is only - 14 Celsius but I am sure the wind chill is closer to -20. Yesterday was -23 with a wind chill of -33, I heard. My husband and I still went out and braved the cold. It was not too bad so long as you were walking away from the wind.

I long for the sweetness of spring when the world comes back to life. When I can take my client on hikes along the nature trails that are currently too icy for him... and me. With his Cerebral Palsy, he is nervous and will shuffle along like an old man. In the past we have gone for walks at this time of year, but I have to jog on the spot behind him if I want to get any kind of exercise. These days we walk the malls and spend our time in the library.

How many days until Spring?

Soundtrack of my Life - Day 16

Love Songs – Theme for music blog.

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Truly, Madly, Deeply – Savage Garden


I love this song and the video is wonderful. I love the song wrapped around the history of place - I am guessing Paris but any European city would give the vibe of time, history and eternal existence just like the love that is sung about.

1997 is the year, I believe. I was not yet married but had already been with my husband for three years. I believe we bought our house that year and had it built. We were making our own history and building a life together.