Don't Look at the Scoreboard When You're Behind

As long as there's time on the clock, you're still in the game, no matter how far behind you are.  Don't worry about the scoreboard.  Focus on your comeback.  I've been writing daily for nearly four and a half years without missing a day.  There have been days when I just stared at my laptop, waiting for inspiration.  There are writers I know who crank out books like they're on an assembly line while I trudge along in slow motion.  At last, my creativity is spewing like a fire hydrant.  I stopped worrying about how fast the time clock was ticking and stayed in the game.  Give it a try.

Writer's Brain No Longer Frozen in February

I've been treading on thin ice ever since I decided to write my first novel.  I wanted it to be unique.  The idea of creating a Cyber-bistro and preparing fresh chapters in front of my readers seemed appealing.  Then my brain froze.  I started the book with the beginning and the end in my mind but nothing in the middle.  "Just write," I told myself, "and it will all come together, one chapter at a time."  Perhaps the real story was what was happening in my own kitchen.  Here are some things that contributed to my writer's block:

• My wife and I decided to sell our California home and relocate to Iowa.  The process of short selling a home when the mortgage company is both overwhelmed and overburdened is just about impossible, especially when there are few buyers willing to go through the painful process.  My creative juices stopped flowing.  We leaned heavily on our awesome realtors, Mark and Lori, to deal with the banks and close the deal.  Without their help, we would have ended up in foreclosure.
• We sold most of our possessions and cashed out our retirement accounts.  I felt like a trapeze artist flying through the air with no safety net.
• I discovered I was at the bottom of Maslow's hierarchy of needs.  Food, water and shelter overpowered my desire to pen a novel.
• A junk debt buyer began harassing my family while we were still homeless.  I cannot comment any more on this because the case is pending.

Here's the good news:  my writer's brain finally thawed out.  I had an epiphany.  While driving home from my day job on Interstate 80,  I got a flash of light.  In an instant I saw how to complete the plot line.  Let's just say that when you visit Caveman Reflections Cyber-bistro on the first Friday in March you will see a writer who put the fire out in his own kitchen and overcame all the obstacles that put the freeze on his story.  My life is thawing out, both personally and professionally.   Thanks for hanging in there with me.  The high today is expected to reach 5º.  It doesn't matter how cold it is outside.  Things are heating up.  I'm ready for some March Madness.  Stay tuned for the rest of the story.

Twitter Testing New Profile Pages

Twitter sent me a gift this morning, an updated Twitter version that is bigger and better.  I really like it.  The expanded profile pages are similar to FaceBook and Google+.  The new header photo helps users to attract more followers.  I uploaded one of my favorite pictures I shot on the way home from my day job at sunset.  The sun in the picture reminds me of the One I follow.  What do you think of the new look?  Click here to see my new Twitter page (@socalmulligan).

My daily writing routine includes posting a tweet about my latest blog story.  This has been a huge asset for finding new readers.  Thank you, Twitter peeps, for all you do to help us connect to one another.  If you have a Twitter account, please take a moment and add me to your list of people you follow.  I promise to do the same for you.  Just click the Twitter button on the right margin of my blog to follow my tweets.

Contentment

It's not on a road map.  You can't find it in some future place or event.  Contentment is a choice.  It's a state of mind.  Take a moment right now and decide that no matter what's going on in your life, you are choosing to be content.  Got it?  Now, hit the play button and go out into the world and savor every precious moment.  Be happy.

Are You on the Same Page With Your Spouse?

The number one question I get asked from people in my new community is, "Are you happy in your new surroundings?"  The answer is yes.  I think it has more to do with being on the same page as my wife than anything else.  The follow-up question is, "How are you dealing with the cold winters?"  The truth is there are challenges in any area you call home.  I believe my challenges help me to grow into a more complete person.  I believe I thrive better when I'm dealing with "opponents."  I see Mother Nature as an adversary who pushes me outside my comfort zone.  It's easy to get soft when the year-round weather is similar to living on an island in Hawaii.  When Mother Nature serves up temperatures approaching negative 50º with the windchill factor, that's your opportunity to grow.  Besides, I never would have seen the Iowa sunset I photographed above had I not left my California comfort zone.

I made a commitment to love and honor my wife all the days of my life.  As long as I'm on the same page she is on, there is nothing in this world that can get me down.  We have some bold goals for this New Year.  I find myself content.  How about you?  Are you on the same page with your spouse or loved one?  If not, what can you do to get yourself on the same page?

Sorry, Mother Nature, You Will Not Defeat Me

The other day, Mother Nature dropped two inches of sleet on my driveway for her opening act of the morning.  Next, she added about five inches of snow to top it off.  When the storm passed, I grabbed my youngest son and a couple of snow shovels.  We chiseled away at the frozen sheets of ice and managed to clear most of the driveway by twilight.  Strange thoughts were going through my head, like:  Wouldn't it be fun to make an igloo out of these frozen blocks of ice?  And: Hey, this is an awesome workout.  Take that, Mother Nature... is this the best you've got!

That's right.  I'm not going to let Mother Nature get me down just because she's spewing her frigid air all over the United States these days.  As soon as the weather gets back up into the thirties, I'm firing up my Weber barbecue and I'm sending my smoke signals up into the sky announcing that Spring is in the air.  There is always a way to adapt when the weather is not cooperating.  I would like to thank my daughter for inviting me to play tennis with her on the indoor courts at her school.  After our workout, we ate lunch at Cheddars.   She was the one wearing shorts.  She seemed oblivious to the below freezing temperatures.  I guess beating Mother Nature at her own game runs in the family.

Yesterday Doesn't Matter

Yesterday is over.  You can't change it.  It doesn't matter.  Dwelling on it only takes away from what today has to offer you.  Concentrate on today.  This is the day to make your adjustments.  The best way to avoid making the same mistakes from your past is to try new ideas.  Plot a new course.  Put all your energy into this day.  Are you ready?