Tag: life

therapeutic writing

Writing About Painful Things

carolyncordon

Life happens, sometimes it’s good sometimes it’s bad, and sometimes it just is. On Saturday, it was definitely bad, the thing that happened. I stupidly incurred the wrath of the Slipper Fairy, by wearing my inside slippers outside, instead of using my outside slippers, or some other appropriate footwear.

So I was tripped up by the Fairy, and as I landed, I fractured two bones in my right ankle, and damaged my ligaments, and painfully. It hurt when I tried to get up, because a fractured ankle is a painful thing, I definitely know that now, if you try to put weight on it.

But after three ambulance rides, and three hospitals, an operation, and lots of drugs to assist with pain and things, I’m finally home, seated on my own sofa, looking at my own TV, with my dog, and my husband, finally!

I’ve had lots of lying time, lots of sleeping time, and have written a few new bits and pieces, which I felt comforted by, so they were definitely therapeutic to me. Writers write a variety of things for a variety of reasons, and for me, in this recovery time, therapy is definitely up there high on my list.

So, broken ankles hurt, the Slipper Fairy is a mean bitch, and I have definitely learned my lesson well! I had lots of books with me while I was in hospital, but only really read one of the, and that was Massimo Pigliucci’s book “How to be a Stoic”, which certainly helped me in this less than lovely ‘interlude’.

I have no complaints at all about any of the things that happeded to me, the ambulance rides were as good as you could hope for, the people in the various hospitals were all nice to me, and helpful. I feel privileged to have been looked after so well.

I’m lucky because I am financially able to pay for private health insurance, so can afford to pay for all of these things, without going broke. I certainly feel for those who are not so fortunate.

In my rehabilitation times, from now on (for six or so weeks, I’m told), I will be thinking more, being a good Stoic, and I hope writing lots more. This interlude may put a halt to my thoughts of becoming a ‘Cozy Mystery’ writer, who knows.

I certainly had the thought that my little town of Talloola, which the proposed Cozy Mystery series is set in, must have a hospital, because I can write about this, now that I’ve spent time living in three different hospitals!

Perhaps my main Character, Meredith will also enrage the Slipper Fairy, and pay the price for it!

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My First Ever ‘Stand Up Comic’ gig

carolyncordon

It wasn’t an actual gig, with advertising, posters, lots of money spent on putting it together, and getting the word out to others. It was more a simple case of me taking advantage of an opportunity and going for it.

I wrote a piece, looked at it a couple of times, thought about it, then edited it, printed it out, then went along to that opportunity and went for it! There were a variety of reasons why it was not the best ever Stand Up Comic event, and they were not all my fault.

The event was not set up for what I was doing, the audience had no idea beforehand what I would be doing, the sound quality was terrible. But even with all of that, I’m glad I had a go, and was at least OK, if not great. I am a work in progress in so many different ways!

A stand up comic act will be best if you have an audience set up ready to laugh, if they can easily hear what you’re saying, and if you’re really, really funny. That was not the way it was today, but I’ve learnt things, about the best kind of venue, a target audience, things to do next time, in other words.

Or maybe I’ll just go on being a poet and writer, who is an amusing and lovely friend, and there is no need for me to be that kind of performer. I am going to look further into this though, there is a stand up comic who is aware that I’m interested in learning more about the whole things, and I’m hoping to work with him toward the end of the year.

I am involved in a writing group, which puts on a monthly writing workshop, on a variety of different ‘word’ related things. Stand Up comedy is certainly word related, and I’m looking forward to learning more about how to put together a script, and presenting it to make people laugh.

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I can smile, I want to make other people smile too!

Writing

Finding Meaning through Writing

carolyncordon

Life, it can be a trial at times, but of course it can also be a wonderful thing too. When the bad times are there though, it can seem like there will never, ever be those good times again.

Some of us have worse things come into our lives, than other people have.There should be no blame laid, without knowing all of the details in a person’s life, you can’t know how or why every bad thing happened.IMAG0576 (1).jpg

Sure, some of our decisions can be wrong ones, but sometimes it can be hard to see any other way or ways to go. Options aren’t considered because there needed to be an immediate decision, with no time to look around, just act right then, no time for thought.

If we do get the chance to look at life, and decisions, the important things, the things that matter the most, that’s when we can begin to make better decisions, ones that speak to the issues we actually care the most about, instead of making a rushed decision that may serve us ill in regards to what we truly want to happen.

Knowing what we want most, what we believe in, what makes our heart sing, what we most do not want to happen. These are things that will come out if we give ourselves time to think on them, write them down, explore them, and look at the consequences of what you do or don’t do. close-up-court-courthouse-534204

Through writing about our lives, we can get a better understanding about these important issues we have, what our beliefs are, what are the most important things to us, why we do what we do, what could we do differently, for a better result?

analog binder blank book
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Answering these simple questions, could have profound results, give it a try, surprise yourself …

writing exercise

Finding Inspiration Right Where You Are

carolyncordon

Whether you are sitting at home, at work, or out at a cafe or library, you will find inspiration and things to write about right there, where you are, no matter what. You have to hold on to attitude of wanting to write though, and have pen and paper (or electronic equivalent), so you will be ready when the words start coming.

I find coffee aids in my finding of inspiration, but it isn’t actually necessary, just nice. Having a comfortable place to sit is important, and as mentioned, something to write on and with. Whether you want to write a poem, a short story, an article, or something longer, you have to set your mind free, and just let the words come.

Getting some words written is the most important thing, when you are in the initial early stages of writing. You wake up your creativity, and you play with words! Getting it all neat and finished is the job of your internal editor, but we are a long way away from that stage.

Exercise One

  • Pick up a book, and turn to page 28. On that page, locate a noun, a verb, and write them down, then remember the first dog you ever knew in your life. Whether a pet, or some other dog, one on TV perhaps, write the name of that dog down too. We are going to write a flash fiction story in less than 150 words, using the three things you have written down.
  • In your story, that dog’s name is your character’s name. A story has a beginning, a middle and an end, but in flash fiction, the elements are stripped right back, and you get into the story Bang! straight away.
  • In my story, my character’s name is Lucky, the noun I’m using is forest, and the noun is sing. One, two, three, go:
  • Lucky trotted along for a few minutes, looking around, wondering, what would he find in the forest today? Then there was a sound, a high pitched Ahhhwoooo! Lucky couldn’t believe it, another dog, a howling dog, that sounded like it wanted a friend. Ahwooo? he called, and the other dog called Ahhhwwoooooooo! sounding like it was getting closer and closer as it howled.
    The dogs sang their howls at each other, to each other and then there they were, together. The howling stopped, and happy little yips of pleasure came from them both.
    Lonely dogs no more, both explored each other, sniffing, licking, reaching out paws, then they ran, and ran, and ran, leaping and running, running and leaping, yipping with pleasure.
    Lucky was finally not the only, lonely dog in the forest, he was the one of the two dogs in the forest, and they both had a friend now …

the end

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Wow, I had no idea what I was going to end up with there, but I quite like this little story,, a children’s story perhaps, maybe even a picture book! How did you go, did a story come out for you?

Exercise Two

  • For this second exercise, I expect a poem will arrive. It may be a fine poem, it may be the best ever written, it may be a load of not much at all,  but it will be a poem!
    So if you always say, I’m not a poet, but wish you could actually be able to call yourself one, read on!
  • Remember your childhood years, and write down the things you used to do that were fun. only a couple of things, will be enough, if you can remember lots of aspects of those things.
  • Use a new verse for every single ‘thing’ and put down as many emotions and senses in that you can remember, using a new line for each separate thought.
  • This is my list of ‘things’ I remembered when I did this exercise myself a few years ago:
    I remember riding my bike, with my best friend Wendy. One particular day, we rode from our homes in Klemzig all of the way to the Adelaide Zoo. We got in for free, using the zoo tickets my dad had, and spent ages sitting with the two dingoes that lived at the zoo. These dingoes, and male and a female, were very tame and loved being scratched behind their ears, just like any other dog likes. I was such a fun time, and we both felt almost blessed to have these dingoes feel so secure with us.
    Going to the Torrens River as a kid, with my brothers and their friends was always fun too, catching creatures and either keeping them or setting them free again. Yabbies were the main creature we didn’t release back to the wild, they came home with us, for dad to cook and eat.
  • Almost Dogs, and Yabbies for Dad
    Riding my bike with Wendy –
    best friend and I, off to the Zoo
    with Dad’s medallions, in for free,
    to see our zoo-time favourites
    the dingoes, a lovely tame pair
    blessing Wendy and me, they way
    those almost dogs loved ear scratches
    just like all dogs did!Down to the Torrens, our river
    almost every Christmas time day –
    my brothers and I, with their mates.
    Me, an almost accepted almost boy,
    & all having fun, in the water, and out –
    catching things, letting them go,
    but always bringing home for Dad
    the yabby “Catch of the Day”!
  • Can you see the way I stripped back lots of the initial words, cutting out what wasn’t needed to make the points I wanted to make about it all. I am happy with this new poem, and I’d love to know how you went with making a poem out of your own words.
  • Note also the casual way I bring the two stanzas of this poem together, through the mention of my Dad in them both.
  • This is a free verse poem, but with careful line endings, so that the important words gain prominence, by being first and last words in most lines.
  • Notice too that I don’t need to put in every single detail from the initial words written, only using what I felt I needed to make each stanza, and the poems as the whole, work.
poetry

Theme for Today is Change

carolyncordon

My first thought, when I read this theme earlier today, was a memory of the cover of the David Bowie album, Changes One Bowie, you know it, this one:

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Then I thought about other bands I was listening to way back when I was young, then I thought about other changes from back then, to now, and that brought out a little poem, a ‘true to my life’ kind of poem that covers a range of things and changes.

I hope readers might get a smile out of this poem, remembering similar (or different) things from their own lives.

It may be relevant to know that my chronic illness is MS (Multiple Sclerosis). I talk about that sometimes on another of my blogs, the one named after the memoir I wrote soon after being diagnosed with this illness, nine years ago.

So here is today’s poem, let me know what you think about it, all thoughts welcome!

 

Fine Changes

I was a Bay City Rollers fan when I was twelve

then I liked The Sweet, and other, hipper bands

than the Bay City Rollers, were ever going to be

 

I used to ride horses, & was stablehand for Dad

now I drive a car, and help care for our dog

same job, more horsepower and stinkier shit

 

I’ve been a victim, then a survivor, and now,

well now, I am thriving, as much as one can

when struck by an incurable chronic illness …

 

That incurable illness, well, there’s no cure yet

but those clever folk are out there looking, so

one day, incurable may well change to curable

 

And that would be another fine change indeed!