Eighty Percent

I've always been aware that statistics are not to be trusted; they can be read in so many different ways; interpreted to 'fit' the situation.

My daughter told me she'd seen a stat that said that 80% of people have bad thoughts. Hmmm, I thought to myself, that is strange. (not sure if that can be considered a bad thought *g*)

So I googled it and found two threads by two different people saying the same thing. Now, I'm not going to get into whether or not I agree or disagree - what I'd like to offer is my horror at the fact that these two people (I could have looked further but I didn't) offered the same opinion and never qualified where they got that 80% stat. Also, neither identified the other as commissioning the study; they both owned it. 

Plagiarism or some such, I'm telling you. How could someone write that stat and claim it as their own when it is obviously not there own. I remember some wild plagiarisms by well-known authors a few years ago and am concerned that plagiarism might be rearing its ugly head again.

It gives me pause to remember to put notes at the end of my book with where I found some of the information I use in 'The Other Side'. (I still don't like that poor period sitting outside the quote mark. Doesn't it look sad?)

Now that we've looked at that dismal 80% stat - there's another one: 80% of people are optimistic, whether they believe they are or not. I like that stat! I'm always working on optimism myself, though I find it difficult to maintain when the Muse hides under the kitchen sink. Dratted Muse.

I like Oscar Wilde's quote: "The basis of optimism is sheer terror." I certainly feel that when the Muse won't cooperate. And Voltaire's quote: "Optimism is the madness of insisting that all is well when we are miserable". I SO relate to that. It's my mantra and I didn't even know it! 
(fromhttp://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/optimism.html)

One thing I found interesting and disconcerting at the same time. Many of the quotes at the above website intimate that optimism is for the young. I truly don't agree (except when it comes to health). My friends are optimists and we are not of the current generation. Perhaps I, without conscious thought, surround myself with optimists?'

Besides all that, I think writers have to be the most optimistic of all people. We start to write and believe that we will finish. Is anything more insane!?! Love writers to pieces!

Whatever. Give yourself a pat on the back today and remind yourself that life is good, that you are loved by somebody somewhere (how about that Higher Power!), and that being optimistic is not only fun, but fulfilling.

Life is optimism. 

PS - And take care of yourself. It's cold and flu season and being sick sucks.

I'm Back

I think I'm healthy and I'm chafing at the bit. I'll write a longer post tomorrow, I promise you AND myself, but for now, I've finished Chapter 12 and a good bit of Chapter 13 of 'The Other Side." I'd hoped to get out today and visit the library, but thankfully, Google answered a lot of research questions.

One thing I want to tell you - I got Chromecast for Christmas and I am in heaven. I can watch anything on my TV that's on YouTube. I've found some neat exercise classes and nutrition posts that I know will help with my rehab.

I've got things to do. I can't sit here forever. I am starting to see a light at the end of this hideous 'illness' tunnel. Hooray.

I hope you're writing is coming along. I hope the holidays didn't put a crimp in your schedule so that you've got to uncrimp it and get going. I'm uncrimping lots but have high hopes.

Oh my - I love that old song 'High Hopes.' Here it is for your enjoyment. And I can watch it on my flatscreen, too.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EaPTweZ2_fI

I do so love Frank Sinatra.

I'm also committing myself - not to a funny farm - to optimism and joy and fun.

Life is awesome!

Storms

Good grief. I can't get away from them. I've got TWO going on in 'The Other Side' and one going on in this crazy place I call home. 

Three foot snow drifts in front of my front door. My poor little doggie, Pippin, got lost in the snow. He went under to try to do his business and I lost sight of him. Thankfully, he was leashed and I pulled and Voila! out of the snow he came. Now my dearest Pip is mostly pepper black but his muzzle, his little feet, and his back were all white. I spent much of the day giggling.

Well, much of the day once I returned home. I had a follow-up doc's visit today that taxed my very endurance. The wind chills here are around 3F. Tonight it's supposed to get down to -10F. Not a fun time. As I turned the corner to get to the doctor's office, the wind took me and my breath. Thankfully, my daughter had my arm and we made it into the office, but the pneumonia drains all strength and breath from me. It took many minutes of gasping to get enough air to finally sit down. Insane! The visit went well and solidified my confidence in my new doctor. Most of the blood work was back and we will meet again next week, once the antibiotics kick in, to discuss my treatment plan. I'm still on the nebulizer and meds along with the antibiotic. I can't understand why it takes three visits to get an antibiotic. Such is life. Better to have a cautious doc than one that dispenses will he nil he (old English fro willly nilly).

I'm still working on the storms with 'Other.' Both storms hit at the same time, but one is a sandstorm and one is a tornado-like storm. Researched both and kept copious notes. Now it's time to pull everything together and see if it works. What am I saying? I know it will work. I'm excited about these storms. They have a pivotal place in the story. Fun.

As soon as these storms are over, and the temps climb out of the cellar, and my health improves, I'm going to the library. I've decided it's time to spend some quality time reading more on my craft. There are lots of magazines out there, expensive ones, but I can get the same free from the library. Along with the little herb stuff that I talked about yesterday.

Saturday is Writer's Ink. I do so hope I have the strength (and the weather cooperates) to go. I am signed up for a writer's workshop Saturday morning, but there's no way I'll have the stamina to do that one. I hope they'll let me do the rest of the series.

Life is storms.

An Auspicious Start - Not

I had a wonderful quote that I wanted to share with you this first day of 2014. I lost it. Yup. In the midst of picking of the detritus of my pneumonia, I threw out the quote. It was a lovely quote about being courageous enough to delve deep. Not Saruman's deep-delving!

Bother. I had hoped to start off this new year freely running. Not happening. I'm still on breathing treatments and bed rest. Don't tell the doc. The bed is very close to the computer. 

I watched the Kennedy Center award program the other night. It was incredibly uplifting. I love the diversity of talent. I made my little one sit and watch with me for she is a bit of a music 'snob'. Got to nip that in the bud. I loved every moment of the show. 
http://www.kennedy-center.org/programs/specialevents/honors/

It was there that I heard the quote. It was a recurring theme throughout the evening. Courage. Perseverance. Faith in yourself. Faith in the future. Any artist has got to have these qualities. I'm a writer. AND I'm an artist. 

Perhaps I'll plant a little garden this winter on the kitchen table. Plant some herbs and learn from them. I found this awesome little book on the internet but it doesn't seem to be available. I'll try my local library and see what they can find for me.  "According to ancient wisdom, herbs were essential to magic potions and love charms, for calling up faeries and elves, for cooling down and keeping warm, for ensuring immortality, for soothing a baby, and making wine. In addition, each herb told a story or held a meaning...." Doesn't that sound perfect!
The Meaning of Herbs, Myth, Language and Lore...

I will use them in my daily cooking and in my daily writing.

Happy New Year!

Life is good.