Monthly Archives: January 2014

SUNDAY OUTING IN THE WEST OF IRELAND

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IMG_7581They come, pilgrims of another sort,
Croagh Patrick, a hulking monolith shrouded in mist at their backs,
Bent into the gusting wind and salty squalls driving in off the Atlantic,
To gawk at the storm ravaged beach.
The car park and road obliterated by huddles of sea-rounded rocks—
Grey, cream, purple—
Tossed merrily over the breakwaters by a tidal surge
The like not seen in a quarter century.
The dunes too, took an awful beating.
Clumps of Marram grass strewn across the beach
Like strange seabird nests woven through with blue and green fishermen’s string.
These Sunday trippers come in droves
Despite the rain and wind and devastation,
Their bellies full of roast and pudding
And maybe a pint or two,
Their dogs and children scampering wet circles into the sand,
Eager for a bit of mid-winter drama.

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IMG_7575Bertra Strand, Co. Mayo, Ireland, January 2014

 

 

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TOP TEN THINGS I’VE LEARED ABOUT BLOGGING

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Blogging is not for sissies. It takes time, focus, and hard work if you want to put out blogs that won’t make you cringe down the road. But the rewards are big. As the Write Eejit comes to the end of its first year, I thought it a good time to look back at what it’s taught me so far.

  1. Nobody just pops out a post worth its salt. Even the folks that seem to effortlessly come up with witty and informative things to say on a daily basis have more than likely been mulling them over for a while.   WHITE DEER
  2. It’s an excellent way to get a load off my chest. Feeling aggravated or ecstatic about something? Why not post a mini rant. So what if I’ll forever be known as that miserable woman who hates her cat. I HATE MY CAT
  3. Blogging has a way of bringing things into focus. Coming up with topics not only allows me to live in the moment, but also reflect on past events in a new light. GOLDEN MOMENTS
  4. I get to experiment without having to commit to a specific idea or format. PAGAN MOON
  5. I’ve rediscovered things about my past that had dropped off my radar. HIPPIE ADVENTURE
  6. On good days when I post without a hitch, blogging makes me feel like 21st century Warrior Woman. On bad days when I can’t figure out why my password has reset itself, I’m an FTD (frustrated tech dummy). OLD WRITERS NEW MEDIA
  7. Blogging forces me to set goals and shoot for a deadline, and is a constant reminder to adhere to good writing habits—check spelling and punctuation before hitting “Post”. COTTER PIN
  8. Blogging helps me take that breath and reevaluate where I am, both in life, and as a writer. MUD SEASON
  9. There are many talented and inspiring fellow bloggers out there. HIGH JINKS IN THE HAREM
  10. And when those “Likes” and comments pop up, boy is it instant gratification for someone who spends a lot of time tapping away in no-woman’s land. BLIND SQUIRREL PARENTING

Be More Zen

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Photo by Wendy Idele, '93

Photo by Wendy Idele, ’93

If there’s a surface in my house
That doesn’t have a heap of things piled on it
I can’t find it.
Most of the time I can turn a blind eye—
90% of the time, I don’t give a crap.
But that other 10% is a doozy.
Suddenly all my lack of caring
Is condensed into one hard hairball of bothering.
I’m so bothered, in fact, by the chaos
That I dig out clippings from the local classifieds
Of people eager to dispatch my mess.
I’m on the verge of picking up the phone
When something stops me.
I read somewhere that creative types
Need chaos to thrive.
Well that’s my excuse.
My other argument goes something like this:
When I let go of my perception of chaos
I’m being very Zen,
And let’s face it, we all need to be more Zen.