Drama: January 15, 2020 Issue [#9967]
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 This week: The Bubble
  Edited by: NaNoKit Author IconMail Icon
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Table of Contents

1. About this Newsletter
2. A Word from our Sponsor
3. Letter from the Editor
4. Editor's Picks
5. A Word from Writing.Com
6. Ask & Answer
7. Removal instructions

About This Newsletter

It is tempting to hide in one's bubble. But what to do when that bubble pops?

This week's Drama Newsletter is all about the positives and negatives of bubbles, and about finding a healthy balance between one's inner world and the wider world around us.

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Letter from the editor

Do you ever retreat into your own bubble? Your own reality, own space – whatever you want to call it – where you can (to a certain extent) control what goes on and limit your interactions with what takes place outside? If so, you are not alone. I have a bubble. Others have bubbles. Creating a bubble is, I believe, a natural response to a world that can feel like too much. Too often, things take place that make us feel vulnerable, and powerless. Floating off in our own bubbles, then, is a way of protecting oneself and one's mental well-being.

We live in an age of constant information. In some ways, that is great! We have at our fingertips an amount of knowledge that our ancestors could only have dreamed of. From the works of the great philosophers to how to change a lightbulb, the Internet has it all. Unfortunately, intertwined with this information is misinformation and disinformation, making it difficult at times to know what is true or not true, real or not real. And the sheer amount of new information produced every day can be overwhelming. For most of humanity's existence there has not been a flow of 24-hour news. And the thing with news is that it's mainly bad news rather than good, as even though good events happen, too, apparently it's the bad that people tend to tune in for. This, then, can make it feel like we live in a very dark place indeed.

It is a reason why some days I don't even switch on the news. I'll feel myself slipping into a mood of doom and gloom when I think of humanity and I'll know that I need a break and just watch nice, light-hearted things or look at cute cat pictures and videos. Some people think that it's strange that I do not constantly keep up with current events. They're even more baffled when they learn that I do not have a television. In this age of streaming services, however, I am perfectly happy watching what I want when I want and it's not as though I tend to miss out on anything big. Anything big's usually talked about on various websites, even ones not dedicated to news.

I have days when I do not go online. I know. Perhaps I'm showing my age here, but I survived the days before everyone had a computer, which means that I know that it truly is not the end of the world. It's lovely going for a stroll, spending time with my partner and my cats, curling up with a book... I don't have a smartphone, which is possibly even more shocking than my not having a television. I don't enjoy the pressure of always being connected, always being available. I need peace and quiet in my life.

I do know as well, though, that there are limits to the time one should spend in one's bubble. It has happened that I retreated so much that friends and family began to wonder if I'd fallen off the face of the Earth. From those occasions I know that the longer one spends bubbled up, the more difficult it can be to resurface, and that's not what a bubble should be like. It's supposed to be beneficial rather than yet another obstacle, let alone a source of stress.

Another issue is when your bubble pops. There you are, safe and happy and peaceful, and something horrible happens that you were completely unprepared for. We cannot eliminate all unpleasant surprises, bubble or not, but if we become overly reliant on bubbles we can be left even more vulnerable than before. Which, clearly, is counterproductive.

As always, then, it's about balance. Pretty much everything is. Use your bubble when needed, as needed, but do not let the bubble take over. Keep your retreats at a healthy level. Of course, maintaining that perfect balance is easier said than done. If we could navigate life as easily as that, we wouldn't need our bubbles in the first place. Using one's bubble wisely takes practice. That goes for spending time in there as well as deciding what gets to be in the bubble and what gets to definitely stay outside. Only you can make those decisions. It's your bubble. Remember, though, that sometimes it can help to reach out to those you love and trust. You'd help them if they needed it; it is good to keep in mind that that goes both ways. Perhaps you can even merge bubbles. That way, you can enjoy the time spent there together, and help the other find their way back when needed. After all, there's no rule that states you have to face the world on your own. *Smile*

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Editor's Picks

Some contests to inspire you:

Daily Flash Fiction Challenge Open in new Window. (13+)
Enter your story of 300 words or less.
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The Random Poetry Contest Open in new Window. (E)
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The Writer's Cramp Open in new Window. (13+)
Write the best poem or story in 24 hours or less and win 10K GPS!
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Out of The Fog Contest-Opens Dec. '24! Open in new Window. (E)
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The Dialogue 500 Open in new Window. (18+)
Dialogues of 500 words or less.
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Kit's Higher Ratings Contest Open in new Window. (18+)
A contest for items with a higher content rating.
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Shadows and Light Poetry Contest Open in new Window. (E)
Do you love the challenge and creativity of free verse poetry? This contest is for you.
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Rebel Poetry Contest Open in new Window. (18+)
Open for March 2024
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No Dialogue Contest-CLOSED Open in new Window. (E)
Write a story containing no dialogue, in 700 words or less.
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And don't forget:

 
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Dear Me: Official WDC Contest Open in new Window. (E)
What are *your* goals for the new year? Think it over, write a letter and win big prizes!
#597313 by Writing.Com Support Author IconMail Icon




 
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Ask & Answer

The Drama Newsletter Team welcomes any and all questions, suggestions, thoughts and feedback, so please don't hesitate to write in! *Smile*

We are entering the final two weeks of the nomination period for the 2019 Quill Awards. Most authors are over the moon when they receive a nomination, so you could truly make someone's day by taking a moment and nominating excellent stories and poems that were written in 2019, contests and activities that you enjoyed over the last year, helpful reviewers, and so on. You can have a look at the categories here: "Quill Nomination Form 2024Open in new Window. [E]

You can use the form more than once if you would like to nominate more than one item or person.

To see who and what has already been nominated: "Invalid ItemOpen in new Window. .

Good luck! I hope that nominations come your way! *Smile*

Wishing you a week filled with inspiration,

The Drama Newsletter Team



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