Sleep-deprived Mama

My obvious sabbatical from blog posting reveals that other aspects of my life have held my pretty much undivided attention for a while now. While I wish that I could say I have been off on a carribean cruise or a family vacation, that is not the case. Instead, parenting has demanded my time...day and night. So keep in mind as you continue reading that this is a sleep-deprived mother rambling about her sweet life...and try to cut me some slack, since my children haven't.

Okay, with that being said, I already feel a little better. Things have been pretty trying, though.
For example, within a span of two days my hubby's car broke down and our refrigerator ceased to work. There goes the tax return money that we were hoping to use to cushion our savings accounts. Oh well...life goes on.

Did I mention that my 7-month old daughter is teething so bad that she is absolutely miserable...and can't relax enough to fall asleep? No naptime. No bedtime. Just me and hubby taking turns rocking my completely uncomfortable little princess.

Baby Girl isn't the only one having trouble sleeping though. Her 23-month old Big Brother has begun waking up about 4 or 5 times a night now. Unsure of what was causing these night-time wake-ups, I immediately scheduled a doctor's appointment. That's when the car died. Now, I have a car that does not run and a child that can't sleep.

I realize that I sound like a totally self-involved person that is just ranting about her problems. I guess that is exactly what I am doing. But in my defense, everything seems a lot harder to deal with when you are sleep-deprived.

Now is the time to say, though, that just as there are downs, there are also ups. Those sweet, wonderful ups. Baby Girl's two front teeth finally broke through. Not only is she back to her congenial, well-rested self, but she now has the most adorable toothy grin. My son has started sleeping much more like his normal routine again. Not completely back to normal, but it's getting there. (FYI, I'm still going to ask his pediatrician about his nighttime wake-ups, as a precaution). When I told my brother that our refrigerator no longer worked, he knew exactly how to fix it. Finally, when my friend heard about the car, he showed up the next day to "take a look at it." It works fine now. I will eventually have to buy a new starter, but it could've been much worse.

This just goes to show you that Life might throw some challenges in your path, but it also sends you just what you need to deal with them. My brother, my friend, my baby girl, and my little boy all helped me to realize that my problems really are quite small, and the wonderful people that I am so blessed to have in my life make the journey worthwhile.

Stepping Back

Now that I have completed my first writing class, Writing and Publishing the Short Stuff, I had intended to write a post about it...but that's going to have to wait. At the moment, I probably couldn't do it justice because I just have so many other things on my mind. For now, I'll just say that it was a really great experience, and I highly recommend taking that class. But more on that later.

I have had A LOT going on in my personal life recently...and today it reached a climax. It all got to a point where things just seemed like they could not get any harder than they already were. So what did I do? I packed a diaper bag, grabbed some coats, and headed to Disneyland for the day with my hubby and kids. (We already have annual passes, so it didn't cost us anything to go today).

And you know something? It really helped! My mom always said that when things got rough, sometimes the best solution is just to take a step away from it all for a moment. I think that obviously this advice does not apply to every situation, but in some, it really does help you gain some clarity.

Just for the sake of doing so, I have to mention that I truly, truly love my family! And you know, when it comes down to it, I really don't have all that much to complain about. Because I have my incredibly wonderful family - the most incredible gifts that anyone could ever ask for!

I realize that this all sounds pretty random, but it's just stuff that I really need to get off my chest. I promise that tomorrow I will pick up my pen again and get back to "being a writer"...but for tonight, I just need to be a woman expressing herself through writing. Lately, I have been so focused on meeting deadlines and following a schedule, that I have kind of forgotten about writing just for the sake of doing it. In my case, this is a big mistake because writing has been an outlet for me since I was a little kid. Since I forgot about "just writing," so much has gotten bottled up inside, which is really a shame...because it could have provided inspiration, and I could have focused all that energy on more writing.


Anyway, taking a step back today did give me some insight...

There are things that I truly love in my life, and I cannot take them for granted. It's important to take the time to find enjoyment in daily life, whether it be family or work-related (a.k.a. writing).
Really living your life is the greatest inspiration for writing. So if I want to be a good writer, then I shouldn't always be at my desk. By the way, these are just a few things that I learned. Try taking a step back sometime...you'll be surprised at what you see!

SO much to do!

Like always, life keeps going and I am running to catch up with it. For some reason, I just can't seem to get everything done the last few days. Laundry gets washed, but not folded. If I finally get around to folding it, there's not much likelihood of its making its way into the dresser drawers. This is just one small example. 

It just seems like so much is going on, there is no way to keep up! My husband is in the middle of possibly switching jobs, and that's a little nerve-wracking, especially with the way the economy is right now. Also, my baby sister just announced her engagement a few days ago! This one totally blew my mind - my little sister is getting married...in October. Well, I think it's going to take a little while for that one to sink in. Don't get me wrong, both of these big, life-changing things could be very positive things, but they're still big. Sometimes I just need a little while to adjust, I think. Oh well, we're keeping our fingers crossed about the job switch and we're excited about the upcoming wedding. 

With all of this going on, you would think that I would have more than enough material to write about...but for some reason, writing has been particularly hard for me this week. Maybe it's just all the rain. When it pours down here in SoCal like this, I always just want to curl up with a good book and a cup of tea. Maybe I'll get better about substituting my book for a notebook, and start enjoying my writing a little more. Who knows...it could happen. Actually, some days I really love writing...I think I've just been in a lazy mood, lately. 

With this being said, though, I still have been meeting my deadlines with my WPSS writing class. I have been learning so much from it, and am still really enjoying it! This week I have been working on my first How-To article. I will post more on that later, though. Well, it's back to the laundry for me.

Getting in the Way

Hectic as things have been around here, I am proud to say that I have actually continued working ahead with my writing! In fact, I have written my first list article, and if I do say so myself, I think it's not bad at all. 

Although, I have to admit that I have noticed a way of thinking and acting that has been holding me back: I start something, realize that it's not as good as it could/should be, and decide that I can't move on until I perfect it. When that happens, I usually end up frustrated because it never seems to reach the level of perfection that I am aiming for. I realize that I just have to keep on writing and cannot stay working on that one piece forever...after all, practice makes perfect. I know that the more I continue to write, the better I will get at it...but it sure is frustrating sometimes. Anyway, it was good that I noticed this recurring pattern because now I have at least acknowledged the fact that I am holding myself back by doing that, and I now have the opportunity to get over it, and keep moving forward. 

In addition to my enlightening moment of self-realization, this past week has been extremely draining...in every way. Both of my babies are sick...the worst they've ever been. On top of that, my husband and I have also been sick, which means that when I'm up all night with uncomfortable, coughing, sneezing, crying munchkins, I am also coughing, sneezing, and sometimes feel like crying. But I am relieved that they are finally starting to look a little better (a week later!) Hopefully, the end is in sight! 

All in all, I think this has been a good week for me. It's kind of funny, but it seems like the more I do, the more I can do. Sounds ridiculous, I know. But what I mean is that some days go by where I feel as though simply playing with the kids and getting meals on the table is all that I am capable of. But then there's days where I am determined to do that and get the laundry done, pay the bills, and finish some writing projects...once I make that decision, suddenly I get everything done and more! Not always - believe me, there are days when I definitely fall short. But sometimes...and those days are really great!

Start Writing Tips

So I am now in my second week of the Writer Mama's WPSS class.  Everything is going well. I think that Christina Katz is a great writing teacher and am just so excited that I am able to take one of her classes. She makes everything so do-able, providing practical steps to success as a freelance writer...and in my case, as a work-from-home mom. 

Last week, I learned about writing tips. They're quick, short, and really quite easy to write. So I can proudly state that I have now written and submitted my first tip to Parents magazine. Whether or not they accept it is a different story, but I am nonetheless quite proud of my small success. 

Also, I have to mention that while some magazines pay for tips, some do not. I know that Parents has previously paid $25 for tips, but in the most recent issue, it does not mention the $25 payment. So...if and when I find out whether they are still paying for tips, I will let you know. 

If you want to learn more about tip writing, just study a recent issue (and a few back issues, if possible) of some of your favorite magazines (or any magazines that you are interested in writing for). Study the style, tone, length, and subject matter of the tips, and then try drafting some of your own. Make sure to write the tip to fit the magazine. After writing your tip, try submitting. You just might get a call or email from an editor. I'm keeping my fingers crossed, at least. 

One great source for learning more about tip writing is Christina's book, Writer Mama.  

Good luck with tip writing! 

Still Here

Hiya Writer Mamas!

I just wanted to let you know that I'm still here...I've been working away and will soon post an update on my progress. I think that taking this writing class was exactly the motivation that I needed to finally start submitting! I can now say that I highly recommend taking a writing class to any aspiring writers.  Well, back to my homework.  I'll be in touch!

Taking A Writing Class

Things have been so hectic around here that I haven't actually taken the time to just stop and think about my progress from last year, let alone set goals for this new year. I will do that soon, though. Just not yet.

I have decided, though, to take a writing class - something that I think will be extremely beneficial for my writing career. I have been wanting to take the class for a while now, but have only hesitated because of the cost and because I wanted to make sure that I took it at the most opportune time. 

I have begun to realize that the perfect time will never come because life just seems to get busier by the day. And as for the cost, I did have to budget and save for a while, but I'm sure that it will be well worth it. 

My first class begins tomorrow and I am SO excited to begin! Christina Katz, the author of Writer Mama and Get Known Before the Book Deal, teaches the class via email. I have learned so much just from reading her book, Writer Mama, that I can't wait to see how much more I can learn from taking her class. 

The class is called Writing and Publishing the Short Stuff (for Moms). From what I gather, Christina focuses on teaching the basics of writing "short and sweet." This sets a good basis for any type of writing that I may want to pursue in the future.  The way I see it, if I can start small then maybe I can finish big.  So for now, I am beginning this new year with anticipation, looking forward to seeing how this step will help me advance on my journey as a writer mama. Wish me luck! I'll post updates on my progress in the class. :)