Tag Archives: vacation

The lake sunrise experience

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Rugby Point, Lake Metigoshe, North Dakota

The water is like glass, reflecting the sky. The horizon – mauve to pink to orange to pale yellow to blue.IMG_1849

I think I’m the only one up, except for a few mosquitos. One annoys me, buzzing my ear.

No traffic, no machines, and no birds, not yet. And then a water bird, sounding out a stuttering moan. Across the lake I can see a set of creeping headlights through dense trees. It sounds like a heavy vehicle.IMG_1851

A twittering bird and a “scree scree.” A solitary bird flies over. A dove in the distance – coo coo coo. Then a small group of birds takes flight, from inland and out over the lake. A line of clouds hovers, southeast.

IMG_1857Ripples start on the lake. And the surface has turned pink, welcoming the coming of the sun. More birds join in – twittering and tweeting.

I hear a pop as (I think) a fish surfaces nearby. A few ducks quack. It is still cool – sweatshirt needy.IMG_1859

The clouds on the horizon are showing salmon-colored underbellies. The sun is still behind the tree line…I watch it creeping up, closer and closer, along the tops of the trees.

The sun breaks the horizon, a huge golden ball, reflected on the water, a golden flame.

   ~~~~~

 

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Filed under Personal Articles

Avoiding blog burn-out

burnEven if you love blogging, there will come a day when you are near burn-out. Or maybe you have already crashed and burned.

Try to notice the signs of an imminent burn out. Intervention time!

I see it in myself. I sometimes agonize over what to write for my next blog.

***

Same ole, same ole

Are you blogging only about writing? Or editing? Or social networking woes?

Try something different!

Do a blog of inspirational quotes (make your own with
background and script at Quozio).A-poet-can-survive

Post inspirational artwork.

Take pictures and then post your photos.

Invite guest bloggers.

Tell a funny story about your childhood.

Genre rut

You write sci fi so you follow sci fi blogs exclusively. No, nada, niet!

Go look for poetry, women’s lit, romance, horror, or western blogs! Yes, western!

Try something different, pilgrim.john_wayne

SSDD

“Same shit, different day.”

Have you been following the same blogs for months and months?

A good way to find new blogs is to connect with other commenters on the great blogs you follow or via guest writers on these blogs.

Go outside writing

If you are following a poo-pile of writing blogs, go look for blogs that are non-writing.

Try art blogs or yoga blogs or hiking blogs.

How about photography or watercolor or pottery?

What about cooking or dance?

Or better yet, take a class in art, yoga, photography, cooking, or dance.

danceAsk a question

On your Facebook page, ask a question like, “What do you do when you have writer’s block?” or “What one thing must I remember for a book signing?” or “What do you do when you have no idea for your next blog?”

You will probably get enough comments to create your next blog post (save the FB comments!).

Fun, fun, fun

Stop worrying about your blog and go out and have some fun!

See Susannah Friis’s blog post about having Fun Fun Fun.

Take a vacationst thomas

I’m not talking to Maui or St. Thomas (though those would be nice).

I’m talking a vacation from blogging. Just decide to take a month off and then stick to it.

Have you ever experienced blog burn out? What do you do to avoid burn out or get over burn out?

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Filed under Blogging, Social Networking