Every time I revisit this post by Colleen my soul and all within is moved. Enjoy!
I will find death. Because it’s there to be found. It is not elusive. And I, here, am not eternal. But when I find it I’ll have a few things to …
I Will Find Death
Tag Archives: bikecolleenbrown.wordpress.com
FITFS ..and Chattering About It
Our Following in the Footsteps today is known as The Chatter Blog.
First I must take a moment to say thanks to my supporters and cheering voices. I am empowered and probably a little bit cheeky at this point. We all need to get a little cheeky now and then!
Colleen Brown – even her name has a poetry to it which is a good thing because every thing she creates has flow and rhythm and humour and wit and passion. Her very first post was on Sept. 13, 2009. And her very first statement was, “I don’t have any wisdom to share.”
Well, she certainly proves herself wrong on a daily business. Don’t you love it when people prove themselves wrong especially when it is about themselves?
Colleen is prolific and hilarious and when she is not killing us with laughter she touches our hearts with sentiment.
She bikes. Hence the bikecolleenbrown of her addy.
She loves her Irish heritage. Oh and just a bit of a warning to the enemies of planet earth – you won’t get far with this black belt defending us. Can you imagine – a black belt? How long it took and all the hard work, focus and strength it took to reach it. Wow!
Colleen is part of my core group – from the beginning – and if she has not heard from me for a bit she will fire off an email or FB message making sure I am still in the land of the living. My favourite though it is hard to choose is from May 20, 2011
She writes great fiction – though I tried to find it on her site and could not — so Colleen if you would like to direct us to that wonderful woman seeking out her past and finding much more I would sure reread it.
So what can I learn from Colleen? Get it down, get out, write write write! The choicest morsels come from the heart ( that in no way means I eat organ meat ingestion – ugh!)
Have a wonderful day and please do catch up with this writer!
This Writer: Facing the Fear of Excellence
Some of you have noticed my sporadic attendance in posting these last few months, and I thank you for your encouraging words. I have been occupied by an annoyance of sorts: no not defending the universe from hoards of bad guys, not working out twenty-five hours a day to qualify for the London 2012 Olympics, and certainly not sitting in my vault at Gringots counting my wizard gold.
I have been facing an impenetrable wall called The Fear of Excellence and trying to figure out a way over, under or through.
When I first started posting on WordPress.com I had no idea what I was doing and frankly the first couple of months were nothing. Aimless actually. Then in February 2011 I started getting comments. Well first it was ‘comment’ and that came from Tricia at the domestic fringe on February 25, 2011. Then Joss popped in, then Pat Cegan and then Colleen. That original group is still with me along with a few others. That’s when I started writing to an audience. So for the rest of 2011 I started posting whatever popped into my cranium. I cheered on my blogging friends who achieved the sacred Freshly Pressed status and began to toy with the idea that I too might make The List. Then the persistent thought became rather annoying and I decided not to focus on it at all.
I kept reading successful bloggers trying to determine exactly what ‘successful’ meant.
The IT happened. The Wall. The Wall of Excellence. Well I was thrilled! I spent days reading every post, my heart pounding with excellence as I viewed HER body of work.
First emotion – Joy – – Inspiration, excitement.
Second emotion – Laughter –Yes! That is the standard I seek!
Third emotion – thread of caution – um….maybe
Fourth emotion – Fear – I can’t do that! (this one lasted quite a long time)
Convinced I wanted to raise the bar, but gripped by The Fear of Failure or The Fear of Success I stopped regular posts. And even worse I stopped working on my novel, ‘Propagation’.
Have you ever lost your footing? Your grip? Your mind? Due to fear?
That Fear, that Excellence has a name and it is Cecilia at thekitchensgarden.
After wrestling with the demons of the dark side I finally found inspiration again. I discovered I wasn’t afraid of Celi or her talent. I was afraid of myself but succeeded in calmly thinking things out. Now it might seem that calmly thinking took but a few minutes but it took ages. Simply ages.
Finally going full circle I decided I could raise the bar by working at getting better.
First I needed a theme and to find it started a series of FITFS – following in the footsteps – writing about bloggers I admire and discovering what makes them successful.
Second for the ‘Oh The Plots We Weave’ series I looked at news stories and considered the possibilities for fiction.
Third I discovered a desire to do a ‘This Writer Series’ for all other subject matter.
Next I needed to commit to a schedule. Three Themes – Three days. It will look something like this:
Monday Mayhem – Oh The Plots We Weave
Wednesday – This Writer
Friday – FITFS
With a number of changes, challenges and events I have not been able to think about Propagation for months. Characters and story lines sit patiently waiting to be given a voice. Now that I am doing all this bar raising I have a sense of purpose and direction.
So what bars are you raising?
*I know this is Tuesday not Wednesday but ‘This Writer” just could not wait one more day. When a plan comes together, one simply must act.
Awards For a Job Well Done Beginning with Colleen’s Chatter Blog
What do awards count for? What is their value?
I have been very fortunate at WordPress.com to meet an incredible group of people who each day takes to the keyboard to share parts of their lives, parts of themselves. We have a delightful award system to recognize each other and to say thank you.
The idea is to accept the award, link back to the giver (me), post seven things about you, and to pass it on to 15 others. The fifteen is time consuming but I want to do it justice.
Some folk find it difficult to take the time because of busy schedules. In the past I have selected fifteen and perhaps only heard from two or three. What is important is that you have the award and may post it on your site (something I still cannot figure out how to do). Even if you are unable to pass it on, you have still earned it.
I have three awards given me by Elizabeth at Mirth and Motivation eof737.wordpress.com
Elizabeth, is one of those who is my daily inspiration whose site provides common sense doable strategies for living.
My goal is to pass on these awards to one person daily. There are people who have already won some of these and while I will be looking for new people I must still recognize others who regardless of previous awards cannot be left out.
The first of these is Colleen’s Chatter Blog found at bikecolleenbrown.wordpress.com
You will have to visit her site to see how this hardworking, hard running Irish woman who believes she is not witty but loves humour views every day life in Ohio.
Congratulations Colleen! Enjoy!
Oh and my seven secrets? I will post separately!
Versatile Blogger Award..Thanks Kieran!
The Versatile Blogger Award! Thanks to Kieran!
The VBA is an opportunity to recognize fellow bloggers who we admire and enjoy.
Kieran Hamilton has included me on his list of fifteen to pass it on. Kieran is a very talented photographer in Edinburgh Scotland, my fav city in the world.
If I had to choose one blog of his to recommend it would be: http://sumpix.wordpress.com/#!/entry/607
Now the idea in spreading the good word to others is:
Link back to the blogger that gave me the award (check!).
Tell you 7 things about myself.
Choose 15 other blogs to pass the award to.
Inform the other bloggers that I’m passing the award to them.
So
7 Things about me:
1) I started blogging to find my voice. What I found instead is a wealth of talent, humor and education which has created a tremendous hunger within me to learn more.
2) Since joining postaday2011 I cannot sleep until I post.
3) I am still trying to figure out how to use all of WordPress doojibbies to make my site more attractive..functional..fun. It comes under techie stuff, one of my many Achilles Heels.
4) I am the world’s coolest Grandma and my two wee boys are still young enough to buy that when I tell them.
5) I have two budgies I rescued from an evil witch..no she is okay, but she was sending them to certain death. Dead Birds Walking. Max and Ruby.
6) I have good friends who are family, and family who are good friends and it never ceases to amaze me that they love me in-spite of it all.
7) I love my iPad even though it is the antiquated version of the one just released.
And the Award goes to: *Note to recipients: I hope you continue to participate, but if you are unable to for any reason please send me funds in the six digit range and remember you are still special. I have tried to list a fav blog but it is difficult!
1. The Good Greatsby. He’s is so addictive you may need an intervention. http://thegoodgreatsby.com/2011/04/18/how-to-outflank-a-firing-tips-for-preventing-your-impending-dismissal/
2. Colleen’s Chatter Blog I can’t get through my day without a dose of her any more than she can without coffee. http://bikecolleenbrown.wordpress.com/2011/03/22/wobbly/
3. Merrilymarylee who takes me back to my roots in the south..well if I had any she would take me back there. http://merrilymarylee.wordpress.com/2011/04/23/sweet-nothing/
4. Mature Landscaping is a newer subscribed site and I am just getting to know her and her site but am loving it. http://www.maturelandscaping.com/2011/04/weathering-denial.html
5. Officeoddities is also a newer site for me and I am learning she has weird friends and TMI on shoe size.
http://officeoddities.wordpress.com/2011/04/24/sandwich-texts/
6. Ihaveabackbone is cool and funny and forgetful..or so she says. http://ihaveabackbone.wordpress.com/#!/entry/3251
7. Bended Spoon who has won this before I think but is too good to pass up.
http://bendedspoon.wordpress.com/2011/04/07/f-is-for-floccinaucinihilipilification/
8. Jackie Paulson with facts and wisdom. http://postadaychallenge2011.com/2011/04/21/amazing-facts-2/
9. Accidentalstepmom whose crew entertain me as much as they do her. http://accidentalstepmom.wordpress.com/#!/entry/1140
10. Joss Crowingcrone who is humor, poetry and photography and priceless.http://crowingcrone.wordpress.com/2011/04/18/ranting/
11. Penny at LifesaBeachjournal is another new find I am enjoying. http://lifesabeachjournal.com/2011/04/20/grumpy/
12). Val at Absurd Old Bird whose talents I am still discovering. http://absurdoldbird.wordpress.com/2011/04/27/writing-for-wombats-of-a-challenged-intelligence/
13) Judith at growingyoungereachday who shares her life experiences with us..and an interesting life it is.
http://growingyoungereachday.wordpress.com/
14). Elizabeth who truly is Mirth and Motivation. http://eof737.wordpress.com/
15). Fribnitsworld who challenges my beliefs and may inspire you to argument but I cannot miss a post.
http://fribnitsworld.wordpress.com/2011/04/08/wish-to-wander/
I can’t believe I have run out of numbers. My fifteen minutes is up. Nuts. So many more are worthy. Nuts.
bridgesburning 