Month: November 2020

Sometimes, I’m tempted to go back and edit my past work to make them better. It’s as if I’m not satisfied with my work, that it can be improved or fixed. If that’s the case, what’s to say that that won’t be the case every year? When will I ever be satisfied with my work?

Our work reflects a moment in time when we created something having a particular mindset and skills. Overtime, we grow and evolve, changing our beliefs, learning and developing new skills, and having more resources at our disposal (i.e. new software or better computers, etc.).

As a writer, I find that my editing skills improve with each story I write. I learn from my past experiences, my mistakes, and apply them to each new work. Being an author is a continual process of growth.

If I look back at my earlier work, I can probably find things I’d like to change–things I can reword, sentences I can revise, etc. But once the work is out there (i.e. published), I don’t think there is a need to do so unless there is an anniversary edition of the book. Overall, it doesn’t make sense to go back and change the work because in ten, twenty, or thirty years, I can always find things I’d like to change because my perspective isn’t the same as when I first created the work.

For a painter, it would be like going back to a painting that was made, let’s say, ten years ago, and fixing it up. Rather than letting the painting be what it is, let’s say they fixed the colors or the details of the objects within it.

But what if they changed more than that? What if they changed the painting such that it doesn’t reflect what they made prior? Wouldn’t it be a different painting–a different version of it at least?

It makes sense to touch up the work if it is falling apart, which is the case with antique paintings, but to repaint it or change it dramatically changes the context of the work itself. It doesn’t fully reflect the skill set and ideas that were applied in the original work. The same goes with past novels and stories. The context is lost when they are altered or changed.

Who really made the work then? As in my case, the me one year ago, or the me one year later? Is the work supposed to be in flux–always changing and never certain of what it’s supposed to be, or is it supposed to represent who we are and what we believed at the time we made it? And if not the latter, will we ever be satisfied with it?

It’s that time when we spend time with our friends, family, and loved ones. When we enjoy a home cooked meal and converse at the table–catching up with the time that has passed, all that has changed.

Afterward, we might play boardgames or watch a movie while munching on popcorn or snacks.

It’s a time to appreciate what we have, the company we have, and to eat lots of food as well.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

There are times when we’re not in the mood to work on something. Even if we’ve allotted ourselves a window of time to be creative, our mind simply isn’t there. It’s as if there is a dichotomy between our mind and body–a separation of wills.

There are many reasons why we might not be in the mood. It could be that something is on our mind, or we might be tired or hungry, etc. Our mood could be the result of biochemical reasons, as well as circumstantial ones. We might be upset or stressed about something, or another idea has taken ahold of our mind.

If I’m not in the mood to write, I won’t even fight it. I’ll give myself a break and come back to my computer when I’m ready and decompressed. I know if I’m trying to work on something when I’m not in the mood, it’s an uphill battle. It’ll get a lot less done than if I had waited to work on it later.

To turn my mood around, I might eat something or grab a cup of coffee. I might even take a walk to allow whatever I’m feeling or is on my mind to ride out so that I can focus again. Sometimes that is all it takes.

But when there is something pressing to address, I usually attend to that first before I start writing. It’s important to keep our priorities straight, to address the things on the top of the list first before we start being creative. It’s always a good thing to have a clear mind so that we can give our full attention to the creative process.

One frustrating thing about writing is not being able to focus. When this happens, we’re stuck on a page, not getting any words out. When our minds jump from one thing to the next, it’s hard to stay focused, to delve into an idea that we want to explore and write about.

Staying focused is hard thing to do when so many things are going on. Whether we’re distracted by our worries and thoughts, or things that are happening on the news or in our life, it hinders creativity, keeps us from creating.

I think there are only two solutions for overcoming not focusing. One is discipline–to build our endurance to stay focused on a topic/idea. This means having a schedule to write, designating a few minutes or an hour to keep the distractions out and focus on one thing. The other solution is to find an idea to be passionate about–one that we don’t want to leave or abandon, one that requires our full attention and thinking. When we’re passionate about something, we naturally gravitate toward it–give our time and energy to it.

But let’s say we are disciplined and we’re passionate about an idea, but we still can stay focused. In this case, perhaps it’s just a matter of having a workspace that is conducive to staying focused. Having a space (a workspace) that is dedicated to writing and productivity, a room or a space where it is quiet. I

Of course, other factors can be at play as to why we can’t focus. One can be tiredness, boredom, or the idea itself might not grab our attention to begin with. When we lose focus, it’s as if that idea has evaded us, and we no longer want anything to do with it. And when this happens, it might stretch out, hindering us from creating. And if it happens long enough, we don’t create at all. This is my worst fear about not staying focused.

So often we hear this phrase, “wasting time.” But what does that really mean? How do we waste time?

Wasting time can mean time that is loss by not doing something productive. Time that could be spent creating rather than being idle or lounging around. It could be used to describe someone who is wasting time by not completing a task or a job. They could be “wasting time” on their cellphone or on social media. Or they might be distracted and doing other things instead of what they’re supposed to be working on.

But we must ask why that time is being wasted? Is it because that person isn’t interested in the task/job, or do they just prefer working on something else?

Regardless of how we use our time, that time can never be replaced. Yesterday cannot be relived. The months and years that have elapsed cannot be re-experienced or revisited. That time is gone. The years we spent in our twenties, thirties, etc., are chapters in our lives that we can only discuss in hindsight. They are inalterable.

Wasting time only has meaning in the present tense or in the future. To say “I wasted time yesterday” has no meaning, really. That time that transpired yesterday is just a reality now. Perhaps it makes more sense to say “don’t waste time” rather than saying “I’m wasting time.”

But why even say the phrase “wasting time” to begin with? We know that time is short–it’s something that is lost forever once it passes. For example, the time I took to write this post will be lost forever. But with the hours and days or years we have left to live, the question is how to make the most of it–to appreciate every moment we have.

With everything that’s been going on in the past few months, it has made me realize how much stuff I have that I don’t need. Not only that, it made me acutely aware that I barely use a large portion of the stuff that I have.

One example is clothes. Suits, dress shirts, ties, sweaters, polos, etc. For months, I’ve hardly used any of them–just a handful. For the most part, they sit inside drawers or rest on hangers–waiting to be used. And if I do use them, I only wear the ones I really like.

Over the years, I’ve noticed that the stuff I’ve accumulated have rarely been used more than once. Books, movies, CDs, video games, etc. They sit on shelves or in boxes waiting to be opened and used. Last year, I did a purge of my belongings–getting rid of boxes of books, movies, video games, and clothes. It was a great feeling, especially since it cleared up space–made me realize that I could do without them.

Besides, why do I need to keep textbooks from college that I had purchased over ten years ago? Why would I reread a chapter or complete practice problems or questions from those books when they were solely used back then? And regarding technology books, they’re obsolete compared to the technology that exists today. Why would I reread chapters about dated forums and websites when newer ones have taken their place?

Anyway, I donated over a hundred books, especially since I never felt the need to reread them after so many years. It’s as if those books had a purpose at a particular time and place in my life, but no longer had a purpose today. The knowledge and ideas in them have been processed and absorbed. Now it’s time to move onto the next one.

Decluttering and reorganizing helps to free up space for newer things. Overtime, my preference and style changes, so there’s no need to hold onto the things of the past. The clothes I wore five or ten years ago no longer appeal to me. The same goes for the movies I used to like. They don’t have the same impact on me as when I first watched them. Since I already know what will happen, it doesn’t have the same element of surprise or suspense.

Of course, nothing is wrong with holding on to things that are important to us, or the things that we’ll use again. Whether they are records, games, movies, books, they have value so long as we invest our time into them.

The most important take away from decluttering and reorganizing is that we prioritize what’s important to us. Things that we hold onto that we don’t like or use is wasteful and takes up space. If we have other things going on like work, family, or if we primarily spend our time outdoors, the things we own should reflect what we’re in the habit of accessing or will use. Thus, there is a utilitarian value to the things we own, as well as a sentimental value.

Reorganizing and decluttering can be a hard, since we can be resistant to let go of things, but it is a necessary process to have more space and freedom.

It’s said that we must be persistent, but what does it take to be persistent?

It takes a courage and determination–an unwillingness to accept failure. To succeed and accomplish our goals, we have to be persistent. But what does that mean?

In a word, it means that we must not quit. Of course, failure and losing is a part of life–an unpleasant reality of pursuing anything worthwhile. Whether our goal is to create something, to finish a race, to win a game, or even pass a test that’s required for admittance, we won’t always win or succeed.

In the face of failure, it’s easier to give up–to call it quits. It’s as if the evidence of loss/failure is pointing toward quitting, yet, we refuse to do so. We must train ourselves to adapt–to improve and learn and grow to overcome the obstacle.

Persistence is really an attitude–a way of looking at something where it can be surmounted, where the end result can change if we don’t give up.

What does it take to succeed–to overcome an obstacle? Many books have been written on this subject. It’s said that it takes hard work, practice, learning new skills, improving our knowledge, etc. But even the best athletes make mistakes, even lose a game. But there are many more games to play, right? Just don’t quit. Be persistent.