NaBloPoMo

Beguiled By Color & Clarity

/ Ally Bean / 20 Comments

Last night as I was preparing dinner I glanced across the kitchen and saw this prism of light on the cabinet drawer handle.  Isn’t it pretty?  I was mesmerized by it, so I took a photo of it.

~ • ~

~ • ~

Then a few minutes later I looked outside and saw the clear autumn sky.  So naturally I stopped what I was doing again to take a photo of it.  I always adore photos of the sky taken through trees.

~ • ~

~ • ~

Looking at these photos all I can think is that life is in the details.  Simple moments remembered.  Beautiful colors created by the play of light in the early evening that charmed me into taking photos… just because.

Hello NaBloPoMo: A Considered Approach To Participation In Said

/ Ally Bean / 18 Comments

“Good news of long-awaited event will soon arrive.”

~ first Chinese fortune cookie that I opened at lunch

“Relax and enjoy yourself.”

~ second Chinese fortune cookie that I opened at lunch

– • –

It’s that time of year again.  The time of year when bloggers everywhere around the world decided whether or not to participate in NaBloPoMo.

This year, thanks to a change in my November travel plans, I’ll be doing NaBloPoMo again.  But this year, unlike last year, I’m going to participate in a lighter way.  A more “just throw something out there” sort of way.

Because while I enjoyed the amazing sense of accomplishment that came from posting every fricking day for one month, I did not enjoy the stress of focusing on the details of my life every fricking day for one month.

So, I’m going to use some quotes + photos + flapdoodle as filler.  Kind of like those shiny glass gems that you put in the bottom of a hurricane lamp so that the candle inside it will stay in place & continue to burn, while not falling over & catching the house on fire.

That’s how I’m going to do NaBloPoMo this year.  And you?

– • –

NaBloPoMo November 2012

– • –

Know Thyself– And Continue On Anyway

/ Ally Bean / 15 Comments

~ ~ ~

[Source]

~ ~ ~

I remember taking an online quiz about narcissism.  It was a serious one, not one of those silly quizzes with results that tell you nothing about yourself.

The quiz that I took involved lots of question, none of which I remember– and then a nifty summation about your personality at the end.  The scale of the results of the quiz went from 1 to 30.  One was someone like a cloistered nun, and thirty was someone like a movie star or national politician.  Most people in the USA scored around 20.

I got a 6.  That was about as low as a person who was not part of a conservative religious community could get.

At the time I was concerned that I scored so low, but had to admit that I’m just kind of who I am— which would not be the mind-set of a person who is suffering from extreme narcissism.

~ ~ ~

I’d forgotten all about that quiz until last night when I was thinking about what I’ve learned from this NaBloPoMo project.  I agree that I am a bit more disciplined in my writing now.  But I’ve earned a B.A. in English Lit & a M.A. in Communication so I’ve already proved to myself and to the world that I can do that when need be.  And I agree that I’ve found new ways to discover other bloggers.  But searching for other people online is not really a calling for me.

In reality, I think what I’ve learned is that for me the stress of this project has been trying to convince myself that I want to focus on me every day.  And considering my innate personality type, this is no surprise.

~ ~ ~

I’ve continued through to the end of the month and I’ve done my best.  It’s good to challenge yourself once in a while.  But I can say that I now completely understand why Deb on the Rocks referred to this as “glorious madness.”  Because it is.

Thanks for keeping up with me, gentle readers.  I appreciate your attention & your comments & your suggestions about what I should write about next.  It has helped me more than you can imagine.

But as of today I shall return to being the casual blogger who posts when I have something to say— whenever I feel like it– when I’m in the mood.

You know, like the free spirit that I am.

Later, kids!

It Takes All Kinds To Make The Holidays Go Round

/ Ally Bean / 15 Comments

Every so often I cross paths with a certain woman who I respect professionally but wonder about personally. Frequently I find that her thoughts on various matters challenge my preconceived ideas.  I like talking with her because she always gets me thinking.  Which I like to do.

So, when I saw her this last time she was opining about Christmas.  Specifically she was talking about presents (give gift cards only) and alcoholic drinks (a must for all festive meals) and holiday greeting cards.  It was this last point that caught me by surprise.

This woman hates holiday cards.  Thinks that they’re a complete waste of time, money and resources.  In fact, she shared with me, that when a friend sends her one, she doesn’t even open it and just throws it away.

That’s how much she dislikes holiday cards.

I’m fascinated and appalled by this woman’s cavalier approach to holiday cards– and by extension, I believe, to friendship.  I like receiving cards of all sorts, so it has never occurred to me to not at least open a card addressed to me.

Yet here was someone I’ve known for years telling me quite casually that a card from a friend is of no consequence to her.  That the effort involved in sending it means nothing to her.  And that her friends should really know better and not bother her with holiday cards.

I don’t know that her point of view is going to change my card sending behavior;  I’ll continue doing what I do.  But she did remind me to not make any assumptions about anything.  No matter how innocuous it may seem to me, I now realize that there is a possibility that someone somewhere is tossing aside my gift of friendship holiday card… unopened.

Duly noted.