Post #10 (for 2017)

With the last post I put up, it was all about the doodles, and the numbers.  This go round, we recognize the numbers, as this is post #10 (that’s a old school number sign, not a hashtag), and we recognize something else...someone else.  

I am a writer, and reader, and supporter of people who do things independently, who write independently.  So in honor of all those things….

THIS ONE’S FOR YOU INDIE AUTHOR!!!

This is for you, because you are magnificent with your metaphors; you paint pictures with your pen.  You still tell stunning stories in a time when they are like missing children on milk cartons.  You are a force mightier than Mother Nature’s most horrible hurricane, and brighter than her best August shine.  As indie authors you, me, all of us, have this passion, this need to make words and works come to life.  However we, like many others don’t compliment each other enough.  We doubt ourselves, we don’t always recognize our power.  So this is for you, indie author, creator of power and magic.

Writing a book, or article, or blog post, is hard work.  It is creativity and word connections; putting feelings and emotions in a pot, then cooking it like gumbo.  There is something fascinating and captivating about formulating a character.  You come up with these impossible situations, then create this character with these qualities, and makes the impossible possible.  And you do it with flare and a style like no other.  I am fascinated by your short stories, and flash fiction--how do you write a whole story in a 1000 words or less--magic, that’s how!  

The world is a strange, and sometimes horrible place to live.  There are doubters, haters who hold your efforts in low esteem.  And while you are strong and powerful, indie author, you are not invincible.  There are times when

procrastination hits, or writer block, or you get another rejection letter from some small time publisher who thinks your work could be improved (just not at their publication). They call us crazy for even attempting, they call us stupid for investing money in writer conferences, and belittle us for believing in our own creativity.  And some of our readers can be cruel, pointing out mistake after mistake, while not giving credit for the magnificent story we just blessed them with.  It hurts, it's cruel, but we just write it down, ball it up, and add it as fuel for the fire.

You inspire me, and I aspire to be like you

You are a coffee connoisseur of the highest level

You are not weird because you're an introvert, we know the value of having time to think, reflect, & write

We are writers!  You are the celebrated creator of jokes, jotted down on t.p. rolls, having crowds laugh so hard, tears stream better than Netflix.  But we are fragile and delicate; we love reading reviews of enjoyment, for it can cement the unsure and give credit to that 'I told you so' little voice that is always around.  

The best gifts we receive are comments of how a story, or post, or poem helped or touched a person in a positive way.  If you're a reader, and you're reading this, hey, leave a comment, or better yet, go post on your favorite indie author's Facebook page or shout them out in a tweet.  

You are the definition of being a hero, with your sometimes secret identity of being a writer. 

You are both Mother, and writer, Father and writer, Waitress, Walmart cashier, Teacher, Dog walker, Sign spinner, Game tester, Landscaper, and writer.  You wear the hats of editor at times, or promoter, graphic designer, social media manager, and researcher of all things publishing.  

You rein in your dual role of worker and wordsmith getting bacon by day, and creatively cooking it on the page by night. You are the light and dark that few understand; they want to in-prison your at risk personality, placing your pen in straight jackets, because your thinking can sometimes be on the fringe of sanity--to hell with that!  

Be Free, Write On!

You may never get the credit you deserve indie writer, but I implore you to never stop. Quitting is an option only if you lose your heart, only if the love of words somehow sour your spirit, only if the cold of death takes over your hands.  You will, I will, we will find our niche, our crowd, our people, and together we will forge on! To the street, to that next chapter, to that sunset.  

You are my hero Indie Author/Indie Writer, and I give thanks for your words!

Celebrations, Honorations (know that's not a word) & Back to Basics

Today, we celebrate the "Coco Horse!!"  ...eh, not really, but I wanted something to celebrate.  In any case, I did want something to celebrate, so of course I Googled national celebration days, and guess what came up.  Today is "National Coco Day" and "National Day of the Horse".  I put two and two together and came up with "National Day of the Coco Horse!!" A little wacky, but whatev's, it's Wednesday, and I'm at work, with my wonderful students in Credit Recovery.

So the other day I was looking at some numbers regarding my blog, this blog, the doodle with your poodle writings, and I realized I've been doing this since 2013, but haven't even reached 100 post.  This is a very sad fact.  The other sad fact that was realized is that I haven't reached 10 post for the year.  So in honor of that, or to rectify that (whichever you feel more comfortable using) I have decided to make a post this week!! Also to make sure I reach at least 10 post, I will continue to write (even random ish that may not make much sense) till at least December 31st and put it on the blog, this blog, the Doodle With My Poodle blog.

So with that decision, I thought it might be nice to get back to basics, and basics being DOODLES!!  I started this blog all those wonderful years ago because I was doodling while I was working with emotionally overwhelmed youth at a middle school.  It was called an Affective Needs classroom, and we had less than 12 students most of the day, and year. I was pretty bored at times, and had time on my hand so I started doing doodles.  But now (like 4 years later) I still find myself blogging, just less about the kids and their issues, but more about other stuff because I'm no longer working there.

However, I am working with kids still, just not AN kids, and I am still working in the mental health field, just not with kids.  During the day (as you could tell from my Instagram, if you followed me there, hint hint) I work at NCAS (its an art school) with high school students who need to recover their credit.  And in the evening I work at a mental health hospital for the state of Colorado.  (I like to stay pretty busy)  In any case, I was working at the hospital, and found myself with a little bit of down-time and was able to come up with this amazing DOODLE!!  It's part poem and part doodle.  Some of the patients at the hospital, have impulse issues as well as entitlement issues.  So a big part of my day is telling them   No, and things they cannot do.  It become annoying, but in life, there must be some type of structure.  So just above this sentence, and to the right you will find the amazing doodle. I just realized you can't really read the poem, so below I'll write it out for you, in all it's colorful splendor.  I hope you have a great and wonderful day.  And be on the lookout for more blog-post from me for the end of the year!!

I Cope, You Cope 

(You May Not)

Not on a bus
Not if you fuss
Not if you cry
Not if you lie
Not if you stomp
Not if you stare
Not if you cut off,
all your hair
You may not
with a sheep
You may not
when you sleep
You may not
when you're born
You may not
with an ear of corn
You may not
if you rap
You may not
while riding a cat
You may not
with a hat
You may not
Not if you yell
Not if you scream
you can only do it
when you dream...
You may not