Chris I am a mood again. I want to scrap everything and start fresh, including this website, in favor of just writing into my own OS.
Upon looking at other platforms to host this site on, everything seems so bare bones, and yet pricey at the same time that requires a lot of backend coding and maintenance I do not want.
Then I realize it is just a mood, one that waxes on and waxes off which leaves me wanting what I have already.
…stagnant, stifled, static. Send snacks.
“Inspiration does exist but it must find you working.”
– Pablo Picasso
Ah, the elusive muse! Sometimes it feels like she has a mind of her own, appearing only when she pleases. Maybe she’s lurking somewhere unexpected—in a new environment, a favorite book, or even a conversation. Sometimes shifting my perspective or doing something entirely unrelated to writing can coax it back out. Taking the pressure off can often help inspiration flow again when she feels distant.
I read a few inspired quotes and articles earlier, rode the bicycle a bit, and even made guacamole from a huge avocado off the tree.
Inspiration often finds its way back when it feels like you’re not chasing it.
As I reflect on DĂa de los Muertos, the Day of the Dead today, I find myself admiring how this vibrant tradition jives with the Stoic principle of memento mori, the reminder of our mortality.
Memento mori, Latin for “remember you must die,” is a concept that encourages us to contemplate the inevitability of death—not as a source of fear, but as a guide to living a more meaningful life.
DĂa de los Muertos—a Mexican celebration in remembrance and love for those who have passed—brings this idea to life, honoring the present by acknowledging the brief nature of existence. When the Spanish Catholics conquered Mexico, they moved this day to align with All Saints Day 11/1 and All Souls Day 11/2.
For the Stoics, death is natural and inevitable. Memento mori teaches us to hold each moment closer, knowing that nothing lasts forever. Similarly, DĂa de los Muertos offers a unique perspective on mortality by encouraging us to see death as a continuation of love, a bond that endures in the memories we cherish and the offerings we make.
I respect DĂa de los Muertos for its reminder that the lives we remember today were once lived with joy, sorrow, resilience, and dreams—just like ours. It’s a celebration that draws us closer to the essence of our humanity. In the Stoic view, contemplating mortality is a call to live fully. DĂa de los Muertos mirrors this by inspiring us to embrace life in all its beauty, brief as it is.
This holiday reminds me that there’s a purpose in reflection and honor in remembering, a sentiment that resonates deeply with memento mori. It’s a beautiful, enduring tribute to life and to love that transcends time, and I am grateful for it.
Right. It is the first day of the eleventh month and it is time to put ass to chair and write a novel in thirty days.
I am procrastinating. Not my fault really, just dealing with some life issues here such as legal issues, potential new career and a family member flying down here for the week.
30,000 words in thirty days to develop a rough draft for this new novel. No fussing over function, grammar or missteaks. That is what the writing software, Ulysses, lives for. He just looooves to remind me about those punctuation marks being in the wrong place, or being completely ignored altogether. He red-flagged that “missteaks” mistake too. Damn, nothing gets by him.
Did I tell myself I was going to wean off of the soda this month? Did I tell myself that I had not and will continue to suck those down frequently? At least until December 1st anyway.
The sun is almost up, the body has been cleansed, the soda is on the desk so I am out of excuses.
Let’s write this thing.
P.S. Ulysses missed a comma that I intentionally left out. I win.
The tools used to create my photography has been minimized, cropped. Since Adobe is no longer a part of my workflow, I am all-in for the Apple products. Before, Apple Photos was just a catch-all and now it is organized. The tools inside have come a long way to industry standard and I wonder what took them so long. I wonder what took me so long to realize that Photos and Adobe Lightroom are very similar. Of course, the monthly subscription to Adobe had to go in favor of software built right into my devices.
This isn’t a big deal to most people, but coming from a guy who loved photo gear and software this is a revelation. In fact, I have reduced my main camera to the very capable iPhone. Paired with Photos, and my minimalistic goals have been met.
In an effort to maintain and preserve decades worth of text and images to the Archives, I have set up a checklist for monthly backup procedures.
Text
Images
In the past, I was negligent with my works but have slowly and painstakingly managed to create an effective backup system. It’s not flawless, but it’s better than having data scattered all over the place.
I make negative dollars for my writing, the collection is mostly on the internet, which costs money. It also costs me time, which is money. I’m the least profitable writer that I know.
I write to empty my brain, not to fill a page or a post on this site.
And I will keep doing it.
(maybe some day I will be an author)
About a month ago, I was reminded that November is approaching and to sign up again for NANOWRIMO (National Novel Writing Month.) Do I really want to dedicate an entire month to cranking out the minimum requirement of 50,000 words for that month? Having bouts of inspiration for the past year seemed to encourage me to go ahead and register again
Two days out from the start of the event and all is quiet on their website, almost a ghost town. After researching this, I discovered the organization has a few scandalous issues coming from it, so I decided I was done with NANOWRIMO forever. Well, still encouraged by those inspirational bouts, I have decided to press on next month, but go my own way.
I have christened this challenge as “Novembook.” A thirty-day challenge to myself to write a 30,000 word draft for the new novel. That is 1,000 words a day, and more realistic than that organization’s 50,000 standard.
I know the title is cheesy, but it was better than “Novelmber”. Reminds me of my 31-day blog posting for the month of “Blaugust.” That was a fun, successful challenge!
Why do I do this to myself? Because I lack discipline and require prompts to keep it going. Not to mention, time and opportunity is running out, and this book won’t write itself.
I just signed up to publish a newsletter via the Substack platform. I wanted and needed an outlet away from this personal space for more… external writings. Most of this platform will be dedicated to the Explore More book as a companion to it.
Will it amount to something? I hope so. I do not want a social media presence again so maybe this is the happy medium I was looking for.
You can find the link on the Newsletter page here.
In the past, I used to be a popular writer. Now, I’m certain that my closest friends or family do not read my work, even here in my home. I cheer and actively support them, so one would hope there would be some interest. Even feigned.
How do I expect to grow an audience for my future writing endeavors? Sad, but it could also bring freedom. I write for myself here, creating what ever strikes my fancy, knowing most of it will vanish into the void. That’s fine—writing is an introspective art that doesn’t need validation from others.
The struggle has been finding a clear direction. Spending years on a project no longer excites me. To balance this, I need to pursue what I’m passionate about and allow myself to finish things without committing to the epic novels in my head, or even a series. At this point, what am I passionate about? This struggle was mentioned earlier this week.
Since I am writing for myself currently, the goal for now is to make it as rewarding as possible.
