Archive of ‘Life Without A Manual’ category

Four Random Thoughts

I’ve had a long day, so I will make tonight’s post short and sweet. Based on that age-old question Facebook asks daily, here is what’s on my mind.

And Just Like That

(Disclaimer: Spoilers ahead, so if you haven’t watched the show, you can skip this part)

I was looking forward to the Sex and the City reboot. I had hoped it would be a nice escape from real life. But honestly, I’m finding it rather annoying. And yet, I can’t stop watching it. Big and Carrie are no more. Carrie’s grief is somewhat short-lived, and that funeral left a lot to be desired. Charlotte is super annoying. I don’t know how Harry puts up with her. I loved when Stanford put her in her place in episode 3. Miranda’s storyline makes total sense, given her views on love in the original series. She was so picky and then basically settled for Steve. Without Samantha, Stanford was an adorable fourth musketeer – until he “moved to Tokyo.” Speaking of Samantha, I think the writers found a creative and respectful way to work her absence into the show effectively. Sometimes friendships don’t last, and life goes on. As for the rest of the show, the new characters are interesting, which I guess is why I keep watching – it’s better than doing the dishes.

Competitive Reading

The only reading goal I have in 2022 is to read more books. I’m not going to worry about what Oprah, Reese, or other celebrity book clubs recommend. Instead, I will dive into my shelves, overflowing with books on my TBR list, and enjoy.

Sounds simple, right? There is only one problem. I am hopelessly attracted to the shiny new titles that everyone is talking about, and most of the time, they are the latest releases. Once I read the rave reviews or hear about them on a podcast, I can’t help but add them to my collection. Otherwise, I suffer from severe FOMO that everyone is reading but me.

Stitch Fix

I just received my first Stitch Fix in the mail today. I’ve always wanted to try it. My sister uses it to pad her wardrobe, and I must say that everything she has received so far looks great on her. So, I took the quiz and paid the $20 styling fee. My personal stylist selects clothes based on what I’m looking for. I described my style as “Zoom friendly” on the top for work and super comfy on the bottom.

Boy, did they deliver! I kept three of them out of the five pieces – a pair of super comfy jeans that fit me perfectly. A red top and a cozy sweater that will look fabulous on camera. The price was right, and the rest gets shipped back to the warehouse for free. I’ve already scheduled my next “fix” for right before my birthday. I can’t wait to see what they pick for me.

A COVID-19 /Work From Home Haiku

Zoom meetings all day
Time to shut the computer
And see the sunset

I missed the sunset
Email is so distracting
Maybe tomorrow

My 300th Blog Post

This morning, I woke up to check my blog stats and realized that I am hitting a blog milestone today. This is my 300th post. I thought this would be an excellent opportunity to take you behind the scenes of my writing life.

Who First Inspired Me?

In the fourth grade, my teacher assigned the class a writing project – tell a story about an inanimate object and give it human qualities, characteristics, and behaviors. This writing style is called personification or anthropomorphism. I composed an end-of-life story of a pair of sneakers sitting on top of a trash can, reflecting on the past and awaiting their fate. In my teacher’s opinion, the best line of the story was “I saw my life flash before my shoelaces.”

I got an A, and a writer was born.

Who Nearly Killed My Writing Dreams?

For the longest time, I let my 12th-grade journalism teacher live inside my head and feed a severe case of imposter syndrome. For years, I thought she was right when she told me I didn’t have what it takes to be a writer. Not too long ago, I wrote her a letter that evicted her from my mind. Obviously, I still think about her, but instead of letting her words sink in, I laugh at them because I proved her wrong.

What is My Book About?

If you have been following my blog for a while, you know I’ve been working on a book about Parkinson’s Disease (PD). I know way too much about this disease. While PD is not a death sentence, it is a progressive neurological disorder. My maternal grandmother was diagnosed in the 1980s and passed away from complications. Thirty years later, my father was diagnosed. He is doing well now and will continue to live life to the fullest and fight until there is a cure.

With close relatives on both sides of my family affected by PD, I am uniquely positioned to raise awareness and share my story. I also wonder if I have a predisposition to PD later in life. I’m planning on consulting a genetic counselor to find out more. But, to be honest, I’m not sure I want to know too much about my future. What would I do with that information? Would I live differently? Exercise more? Participate in research studies?

Do I really want to know? My curiosity says yes, but the hypochondriac in me says, “HELL NO!”  Regardless, through their stories and mine, I hope I can make a difference.

What Does My Writing Community Look Like?

I am fortunate to have found several ways to be a good literary citizen. Years ago, I walked into the Philadelphia Writers Workshop, which convened once a week near my home. I met my writing coach and workshop facilitator, Rachel, who has been a huge part of my writing life ever since. I was also introduced to other local writers with big dreams like my own. A lot of us have stayed in touch over the years supporting each other and celebrating our work.

Before COVID-19 hit, I attended writing workshops and conferences, book fairs, and author signings whenever I had the chance. Last summer, I masked up and attended HippoCamp for nonfiction writers like me, which gave me another huge boost – and more literary citizens to commiserate – I mean bond – with.

This year, I want to submit more articles for publication. First, I need to develop a daily writing habit – this is where the Ultimate Blog Challenge community and you – my readers – come in. I already feel the love from my fellow writers, family, and friends. And with every comment and like that you are generous enough to offer me, I get that extra dose of confidence. So, thank you. It means a lot to me.

What Writing Advice Can I Give You?

Never give up on your writing dreams – whether it is to write a fantastic blog that goes virtual and feeds into your business or creative passions, or you want to be a published author, you belong in the writing community just as I do. You do. You belong. Don’t give up.

In the words of Toni Morrison, “If there’s a book you really want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.”

XO,

Elisa

Life Without A Manual: The Reboot?

When I’m asked about the name of my blog and its origin story, I immediately think back to a lousy parenting moment I had with my teenage daughter in the high school parking lot. You can read the whole story here, but in a nutshell, it was then that I truly wished I was handed over a parenting manual in the delivery room along with my baby.

And thus, a blog was born.

But now that my daughter is in college and my son is graduating high school this year, I feel like I need a new origin story or perhaps a reboot. Sure, there are still plenty of opportunities for me to embarrass my kids and feel bad about it, but maybe the focus should be more about my life than theirs.

Here’s the problem. I don’t know what that looks like or where I fit into the blogosphere. I continue to insist that I am way too young for AARP. I resent the fact that once I turned 50 last year, I automatically became a member of their target audience. I considered their invitation for a minute – complete with a membership card, magazine subscription, and all the retirement swag you can imagine. But, once I saw articles like “Putting Your Digital Assets in Your Will,” and “How Pets Influence Older Homeowners Real-Estate Choices,” I politely declined.

AARP must want me to join real bad. They won’t stop trying to win me over. For instance, the editors put Michael J. Fox on the cover of their magazine last month. Talk about a cheap shot! Sorry, but you can’t win me over with 80’s celebrities who were once pinned to my bedroom wall and are now pushing 60. Oy, the humanity!!

(Full disclosure: I still didn’t join, but I did read the article).

Back to my original thought, I hope this blog challenge will help me cultivate two things – a daily writing habit and, potentially, a new focus for my blog that allows me the space to write as my authentic self.

If any fellow writers have been through this kind of transition before, I’d love to hear from you and any advice you may have for me. And if you are just reading this now, what topics would you like to see me write about in the future? I look forward to your comments. I read and respond to them all. 🙂

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