Write Drunk: Edit Sober

Write Drunk: Edit Sober ~ Ernest Hemingway

This is one of my favorite quotes. The writer in me agrees wholeheartedly. The realist in me says, get real...you can't be drunk all the time! True, but that doesn't mean I don't want a glass of wine every now and then to help me get started!

In just a short few days, I will be participating in a writing challenge called NanoWrimo. For those of you too lazy to click on the link, it's a novel-writing challenge where you write 50,000 words in 30 days. You choose a genre and get cracking. They have smaller support communities in different cities, all striving to simply write. They even have these 15-minute challenges where you write to see how many words you can in the short time frame. Sounds like fun, right (write!)?

Well, here's my problem. I've been sober for too long. As an editor, I have honed a special craft of rewriting and rewording almost everything that comes across my inbox and into my magazine. So when I sit down to write, I'm stuck. I keep rewriting sentences and searching for words that don't materialize. I have lost the ability to tap into my creative mind and just write. So when my cousin suggested I try this, I thought "what do I have to lose?"

I'm still not sure what I'm going to write about. I've decided to write in the romance genre because, well, why not? And since deciding this, the phrase "engorged member" has become a running joke around the dinner table at my Aunt's house. But I don't care, the point is to just write, relax your mind and write. Thank goodness I use a computer instead of a pen and paper...I can destroy the evidence afterwards! But at the end I hope I can say I've started drinking the proverbial wine and leave the editing until later.

Working It All Out

Well, it’s been 6 weeks and life here has been, well, fast. I am really surprised by the lack of down time and the number of things to do. I had grand plans of taking some time off, traveling and generally being lazy. Well, that will have to wait until I retire! After 6 weeks, here’s what I love about living in Edmonton:

1. D, of course! I love being near him, seeing him, kissing him…well, you get the point. I am more and more impressed by the person he is and I am so glad I moved. Any nagging doubts about whether or not this was the right decision are long gone.
2. Family. I am so glad to be near family. I am feeling so loved and blessed, it’s contagious. I have a blast with my aunts, uncles and cousins! Even though I don’t have many new friends yet, I don’t feel like I’m missing out.
3. Radio stations. I do a lot more driving here, and the radio is infinitely better b y a long shot. More stations + more variety = a lot of car karaoke!
4. Food. The quality of food is so much better here. It’s less processed, more organic and servings are much smaller, which is great for my waistline.

But should you think I am looking at all this through rose-colored (or coloured) glasses, I am not. Here is what I am learning to live with, grudgingly:

1. Cold. Yes, it’s cold here. Hovering around 60 during the day. And they consider that warm! It actually snowed in Calgary over the weekend. And while that city is 2 hours away, it does not bode well for me. I have already purchased a warm winter coat and am shopping for boots.
2. Expenses. Things here are really expensive. Gas is more, food is more, clothes are more, shampoo is more! The sticker shock is getting old. All my budgeting is kind of out the window because I am always underestimating what I need to spend. It’s like starting over from scratch!
3. Dirt. There is dirt and dust everywhere! My car gets really dirty and I have to wash it almost every week.

Compared to the love list, I can live with the hate list. I am looking forward to the holidays and experiencing the sights and sounds associated with that time of year. And while I do miss things about the states, I am glad I’m here and this chapter in my life is turning into an exciting one!