Chris Denbow Posts
Well, my ass was in the seat and my fingers are callused, but I did manage to go over the goal line and complete 30,000 words in 30 days. My self-imposed writing goal was a personal challenge to inspire myself to write another novel.
Disclaimer: It is in now way ready for anything other than a lot of edits in the near future!
Last month I chose not to renew my annual subscription to Hipstamatic camera app but then they made me a Black Friday offer I couldn’t refuse, so I am hip again. I suppose a new 365-photo-a-day project is back on as well!
This is my last day of freedom after a 9 month hiatus from working. I am flying out December 1st, tomorrow to Houston to begin training. SWFL-CHT-HOU and back to SWFL on December 6th, one day before my birthday.
It was a long, frustrated break but I am happy to get back into it. I thought I was done with this industry but it has pulled me back into it out of necessity.
My mind has been drifting lately and I am all over the place. Reading a book hasn’t been interesting, I am consuming an unhealthy amount of movies and shows, I’ve limited my time at the gym or on the bike. I’m mindful enough to notice the inner workings of my mind going to crap but not mindful enough to do what’s needed to change the situation.
I know that there’s a way out of this and it only requires some dedication, some patience, some slack and the knowledge that I will start to focus on what I enjoy again.
Back in the saddle again, even though it was for only ten minutes and 1 mile. I spied a little burrow owl along the way too.
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.
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 Día 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.
Día 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, Día 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 Día 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. Día 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.