Pampering Your Muse--Staying Inspired

Pampering our inner muse allows us to live in the creative moment. When we do not indulge our inner diva, the creativity is hard to come by, we are stressed, out of sorts and having a hard time with a blank page, an empty canvas, a block of clay or a box of crafty materials.

 Many artists will discuss how to unblock the creative "block" if you will, and one of the sure fire ways, is to indulge your muse. What makes you tic, what helps you to chilax, what allows you to be in the moment? Often times, it is just a matter of deciding what you need to do for yourself that you have not done for a while to release your inner diva.


It could be a walk alone in the woods, at the mall, at the beach, or around the block. It could be a quiet romantic dinner to reconnect with your loved one, it could be making time for your creative friends…and just going for a cup of culture at your fav pub, coffee house, bar, or mom and pop tortilla shop.


For some of us, it is making time to get lost in a good book, cry with a chic flic, or take out the coloring book and just color to our hearts content…inside and outside the lines.



Pampering our muse is the way we take care of ourselves so that we may bask in those creative moments that make life worth living.



How do you pamper your muse? When was the last time you pampered your muse? What does your muse need from you today…to release that inner energy tomorrow?

Con un pan y cafecito--seguimos adelante!!!

Zulmara

The Nuts and Bolts of Getting Organized for NaNoWrMo

The Nuts and Bolts of Getting Organized for NaNoWrMo

 
In order to get inspired to write and be ready for NaNoWriMo, I realized I had to get very organized and get my act together, otherwise, with my job and with my schedule, I would always be wishing I was ready for November, but I would never be ready.

So I have started "Laying the Foundation" with the following baby steps:

Joined the NaNoWriMo web pages so that I could become familiar with how it works and the get used to posting on the forums and spend time creating my page.

I started a Facebook page in order to connect with my writerly friends there and to join the group "Walking in this World" and do the 12 week program among like minded friends.

I have updated my Goodreads page so that it reflects the Chica Lit genre that I am writing in gives me a place to organize the books that have inspired me to write

I have updated my Art By Latina Artists page to reflect my NaNoWriMo Journey. And, I am starting an ABLA group to encourage all of us to honor and love our creative muses.

I started a Blogspot page so I would have a chance to blog about my adventures and organize everything in one place. At my blogspot page, you can find links to all my other pages.

I have begun to learn how to use One Note to organize my ideas, thoughts, and materials.
It has truly been an exciting beginning of the month…and I am feeling very energized!!!

The Chai Lattes and vino con chocolate treats…really make a difference. Have to keep the Muse --MUSING!!!


What do you do to prep for NaNoWriMo??


ADELANTE!!!


Zulmara

NaNoWriMO Rocks

Yesterday, I officially donated to the NaNoWriMo site and uploaded one of my possible covers...I am getting ready to write my novel synoposis and post that as well.

As I am gearing up for the greatest writing month of my life, I came across this poem and wrote my own tribute to NaNoWriMO...
Enjoy!!!

From the Georgia Heard website--

This amazing poem from the Glenridge Poetry Club was sent to me by Nancy Rapp --a wonderful teacher who read Falling Down the Page: A Book of List Poems and invited her students to write list poems:


Things To Do If You're a Dog


by Mia


Jump off the doggy bed
Bolt down the stairs
Stick your nose in the food bowl
Lap up water
Go out and play
Lay on the rug
Chew on a bone
Go to sleep
Love your family when they come home
Flap your pink tongue
Look adorable
Go for a walk
Be petted
Be a good dog
Be a bad dog
Be silly, playful, tired dog
Be a loved dog.
Pasted from




My List Poem for NaNoWriMo


Have fun
Read, Read, and Read some more
Drinks lots of coffee
Find a supportive writing group
Get inspired/Stay inspired
Go to sleep
Get a journal
Plug in your computer
Buy a nice pen
Get a Moleskin Notebook
Enjoy green tea
Take a walk on the beach
Hike in the mountains
Chilax
Enjoy Enjoy Enjoy
Remember it's the journey
Stay awake
Indulge your muse
Write, write, and write some more
and don't forget the chocolate...

Zulmara

Broken Voices by Winona Rasheed

Broken Voices

By Winona Rasheed

 

http://winonarasheed.com/

  

Reviewed by:
Zulmara Cline

 

In Broken Voices by Winona Rasheed, the author recounts the story of Ella, a deaf girl, going to high school for the first time. The story covers the first day of school and how Ella has chosen to handle her deafness. For the beginning part of the day, Ella has decided to not tell anyone she is deaf and see what happens. When that does not work very well, she makes a decision to just let her classmates know she is deaf.

Throughout the story, the reader is very aware of Ella’s internal struggle as she tries to decide the best course of action. She is torn between wanting to appear normal in her new school and knowing that she is different. However, she is also keenly aware of not wanting to be seen as “deficient” or “lesser than” because she is deaf. She finds that keeping deafness a secret is almost impossible in high school, where she is called on to answer questions and interact in small groups. When her secret gets out, the reactions from the other students are, at times, predictable, and at other times, it is not.

 

Rasheed handles the issues of being deaf or different and in a new school with grace and sensitivity. The issues and concerns faced by students are many and students have to make decisions that are not always easy. The internal conflict that arises is real and oftentimes not discussed. The story offers a nice entre for teachers to have a discussion about how to handle those who are different, have a handicap, and what that means. Rasheed offers a number of ways for the teachers and adults to help students with these types of transitions. Overall, this is a great read handling a universal issue.

Questions:

1. In the story, the main character is deaf and feels she has to keep her “handicap” a secret. Should those who are deaf keep their deafness a “secret?”
2. How would you handle the first day of school if you were “different” in some way? Would you tell everyone right away? Or let the other students discover it?
3. In the story, Ella has some good teachers and some not so good teachers, what are the characteristics of a good teacher for the deaf?
4. One of the characters in the book knows sign language because her brother is deaf, but she keeps it a secret. Do you think she is ashamed of her brother?
5. Do you know someone with a handicap? How does it impact their ability to get along with others?

Quote

 

Ella read his lips and mouthed the words, “thank-you” in silence. He was the only familiar face in English class and seeing Marcus, the Good Samaritan, made her feel a little more at ease as she turned to face the teacher.

 

Opening Line

 

Ella looked at herself in the full-length mirror hanging on the back of her closet door.

 

The Pampering Continues!!!

Transformation Soup: Healing for the Splendidly Imperfect

“I am indelibly connected to everyone else.” Sark…what a perfect statement for the healing heart, soul, spirit, and body. We are all connected and we are all in this “transformation soup” together, as imperfect as it may be.


This book is a wonderful book no matter where you are in your life. Healing from a broken relationship, stuck in your art, drifting to no where, having a mid-life crisis, dealing with someone else’s mid-life crisis or enjoying a wonderful love filled relationship, thriving in your art, and getting along with mom. It is filled with truisms, ideas, and ways to pamper your muse, take care of yourself and love yourself, while helping others to love themselves and focus on all that is good/bad in your life. It helps us to hold onto the ambiguities and embrace our paradoxes as being our unique way of living and loving in this world.

We all need to heal and that healing is imperfect, will always be and needs to be. However, in the healing process comes the realization that we are all we need to be, we are all we ever have to be, we are enough as we are…and there is no guilt, no remorse, no unlived experience…there just is who we are. The ideas in the book for healing help to pamper your muse and take care of yourself as well. Be it a night out with the girls, a good book, a box of chocolate and some good wine, a massage, a Pilates class, or a wonderful yoga teacher, we need to care for ourselves, love ourselves, and be ourselves first and foremost…so we can be there for the other loves in our life.



As SARK so aptly puts it, "we are all swirling in the soup together" and that "whatever healing work we each do contributes to the healing of all of us."

Sark Recommendation #1

Juicy Pens, Thirsty Paper
Starting with a Writer’s Manifesto that welcomes us to write our truth, from the heart, with no expectations or comparisons…just pure, unequivocal joy, Sark’s book, Juicy Pens, Thirsty Paper invites the writer to come in and partake of a writerly journey that is joyous, reflective, abundant, and nourishing. As you enter this world of writing to honor the essence of your soul and spirit, you give voice to the inner you in a way the world has never experienced you before.

With eight delightful chapters, you can start anywhere and follow it to anywhere. As with all Sark’s books, there is no right or wrong, left or right, here or now. There is just joy in discovering something about yourself, your muse, your creative energy, and your way of knowing the world.

Julia Cameron, author of The Artist’s Way said, “SARK is a sparkler who jump-starts the creative process. Her ideas are user-friendly, innovative, and pragmatic.” What a beautiful description of a friend that you can take with you anywhere and who will always be there. The wonderfully colorful pictures, drawings, designs, and layout welcome you to just open the book and let your mind go with whatever is on the page.

If you believe the universe will conspire to get you what you need when you need it, then Sark is for you, because you will find within the pages of all her books, just what you need to nurture your muse, get reinspired as a an artist, break through a block, and honor the artist within…with love, care, and kindness.

Inspiring Books and Book Contest

Books: for Pampering your Muse!!!


Books can be very inspirational and the writers who we love can be very inspiring to allow our muse the time, place, and luxury to be in the moment and to discover who we are as artists.

Starting in the month of April, I will go over books that inspire me by author and I will be sending one of these books to a randomly selected group member who posts during the month. I will start with Sark. Her whimsical musings, advice, inspirations, and style are truly inspiring. She reminds us not to take ourselves too seriously…not to limit ourselves with the past, and not to forget to truly pamper our muse and take care of our creative spirit…be it through sleep, writing, playing, reading, or having FUN!!!!

SARK's website, Planet SARK is a wonderful cacophony of love, laughter, and being in the moment. Her books are AWESOMALLY inspiring and each and every one of her e-programs are a winner for young artists just starting off and seasoned professionals who just need to feed .

Keep tuning in for specifics on each of Sark's books and her online courses. One lucky poster will win one of Sark's treasures by the end of the month. And if you have never read a SARK book, go to a used bookstore and pick one up…you will be hooked on first read.

Y otra vez, gracias for joining me on this journey…