Category: Travel

Posted on

Out of Shape!

Carol and I had been in California for several months while I was helping a church through a major change. During that time, although I did walk an average of 2 miles per day, I did very little other exercise. Arriving home, I had the satisfaction of helping a church and many folks who were associated with it, but I was not satisfied with myself.

I was physically out of shape.

What was worse, I found that I didn’t want to put out the effort to get back into my pre-trip routine. But willpower and diligence are winning the battle. I can now play a couple of games of racquetball with our 42-year-old son without suffering exhaustion.

The same kind of problem develops when we get out of our writing routine. We lose our edge, our creativity diminishes, and we may become emotionally exhausted as we attempt to get back into shape. But willpower and diligence can help us. And YES! It takes both.

If you’re trying to get back into your writing routine, start with a couple of short stories. Don’t plan on publishing them, just write for the practice. Who knows … they might turn out to be more than you imagined and could be your next books.

So be sure to …

Write Creatively.

By the way, I should tell you: Michael still beats me in racquetball, but we have a grand time! One time he hit the ball so hard that it blew out like an exploding tire!

Posted on

A Blowout!

Have you ever had a blowout? Everything seemed to be going smoothly until … oh, wait a minute. What I’m talking about is a flat tire – not an interpersonal eruption. Both can be heart-wrenching, but the tire blowout is easier to fix. Usually.

We were in the Columbus, Ohio metroplex when one of the four tires on our trailer blew out. This trailer is Carol’s and my “home-away-from-home,” and we were returning to Arkansas after one of our grandsons was married in Ohio.

There’s no need to get upset about getting a flat tire because having an emotional blowout only causes confusion and hurts relationships. But I was tired and needed a rest, so my daughters advised me to drive to the next freeway exit and into the parking lot of a Shell gas station.

After making two phone calls, they discovered that an automobile tire dealership was only a block away, and they happened to have the trailer tire we needed. Wonderful! The owner managed to squeeze us into their crowded schedule, and we were back on the road in less than three hours. I didn’t get upset, I had a good rest, and we were almost on time as we reached the Cracker Barrel restaurant where we celebrated our younger daughter’s birthday.

It’s much easier to ask for assistance in the middle of a problem than to ask to be forgiven after an emotional blowout. So, if you find yourself in what could be an emotional crisis, try to relax and ask for help. And later, you will be able to remember the situation more clearly, be able to talk about it with a clear conscience with family, and be able to write about it.

And as you write …

Write Creatively.

Posted on

Where Have I Been?

I was stunned when I realized I hadn’t written a blog for almost 2 months! Yes, I was busy, but … well, instead of making excuses, here are some events that took up my time.

In early April, I received a call from a pastor who needed my help. The church leadership was considering transferring from one denomination to another, and asked me to oversee the project. That took two very busy months in California, but we got it done.

Before leaving Southern California, we attended an air show in Central California … before the fires broke out. Our older son and two of his sons are pilots, and we had a great time.

We then headed east to attend the wedding of one of our grandsons; it was a long drive from California to Ohio.

Returning home in early July, our 9-year-old grandson, Joshua, came to spend two weeks with us. Although his school was out for the summer, he volunteered to use my 24-year-old DELL computer to begin writing a short story about his family trip. Doing quite a bit of internet research, he did very well and it might become a 65-page booklet. I’m proud of him.

And I taught him the basics of playing racquetball! After he and I played very slowly for 45 minutes to teach him and give him experience in the game, he watched a dynamic, hard-hitting game between Michael (our 42-year-old son) and me. Michael normally beats me, but it sure is fun.

I spent the next three weeks getting caught up on my business of formatting books. It was then that I realized I had neglected my blog. So, friends, please forgive me, and I’ll get back on track. And I’ll endeavor to …

Write Creatively.

Posted on

Here We Are in California ……

It’s raining and hailing in Arkansas where I call home; it’s sunny in north-central California where my wife is visiting our son and his family; and it is sunny where I am filling in as pastor for 2 months near San Diego.

And, yes, I continue formatting books and publishing them for folks. I get calls and emails from clients – as I did within the past half hour – telling how happy they are with the work we at P&L Publishing and Literary Services did for them.

If you are ready with your manuscript and want it transformed into a book, or if you have questions about how to proceed, contact us, and we’ll be glad to help.

Have a great day, and don’t forget to …

Write Creatively.

Posted on

Why do you like to write?

What compels you to write? Is it fun? An obsession? An adventure? An escape? I asked a group of people why they wrote, and here are just a few of their responses.

Writing helps me cope with stress.

Writing allows me to go to anywhere I want to go with no restrictions.

Writing allows me to create other worlds, and kind of live in them.

Writing allows me to safely express my thoughts, worries, and anxieties.

I enjoy writing because I find fiction more interesting than the real world.

I write poetry because it helps me connect to my artistic side.

I write to give people a good story to read.

When one of the men asked me why I liked to write, I told him I write to teach about life. Among other things, that includes topics related to history, science, the Bible, humor, and philosophy.

There are hundreds of reasons people write. Why don’t you interview yourself and find out why you like to write. The answers might help you learn to improve your skill. And as you improve, always …

Write Creatively