Travels with Charlie: An IWSG Post
I don't know if you've noticed, but I haven't been a very good writer lately. No follow through. Minimal dedication. I'd open my WiP periodically and tweak a chapter here and there, but no real butt-in-chair commitment to finishing.
I'm typically unorthodox in my work style, but rarely am I a complete and total slacker. I love writing. I love blogging. Why was I avoiding all of it?
I've been thinking about that and I think I have some insight.
Last summer, Boy #2 was accepted to UCLA's graduate film school. My husband and I drove him out to California across the historic Route 66. This was a trip I've always wanted to take, so I was excited. During our travels, I was texting pics of our fun to friends. One of them cautioned me not to share anything to Facebook. She'd learned the hard way. She'd posted a picture of her family at the beach and was tut-tutted in comments about taking a vacation during a pandemic, even though it was a family vacation not a co-ed beer-bong blast on the beach.
I'm a weigh-your-risks and live your life-your-way kinda thinker. As my son always says- You do you, dog and I'll do me. Honestly, I didn't have the energy to deal with one more ounce of negativity from the world, so I had zero energy for online anything.
And poor blogging got thrown under that same hateful bus. Earlier this week, I read C. Lee McKenzie's email newsletter where she said she was pulling back from social media and spending more time on blogs. She reminded me- blogs are different. A light went on in my head. There's more thought put into blogging. There's less drive-by hostility and rudeness. It's more of a community, especially in the network of writers.
I don't know why I was feeling so insecure about being online, especially here among friends. I have seen the blogging community step up in times of death and hardship in ways I have never seen on other social media platforms. Maybe it's because putting together posts takes some thought and some planning. Or maybe it's because bloggers care enough about their craft to join a medium that requires more thought and planning than a quick half-baked post or comment.
So, here is where I will be. And here are the pics of our trip...a trip I christened "Travels with Charlie" and dubbed my hubs Charlie. Even after I told him Charlie was a dog, he was still okay with it. He's my dog...a really, really good one.
It was a great trip. It was good for the soul to get offline and spend time with people IRL. Face time restores my faith in humanity when online chatter makes me think humanity won't survive another week. Across the country, from one state to another, people were still people.
| The Seckmans in St. Louis |
| Texas! I realized how big Texas was when I messaged Texan writer friend Melissa. We were travelling through her state but were still over six hours apart! |
| New Mexico. Quaint little restaurant, El Rancho. This place deserves its own post! |
| The Grand Canyon. Not a fan. It was too big. And all those folks standing along the edge? I wanted to make them all step back a few feet. |
| Vegas, baby. Also, not a fan. We'd already checked the Covid, been there, had that box, but Vegas made my fears of hepatitis push front and center. |
| Arrived in California in time for a Pacific coast sunset on the Santa Monica Pier |
| Sign of the times! |
| Hollywood. We have arrived. Now, time to head back home. |
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What's the purpose of the IWSG? To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!
October 6 question - In your writing, where do you draw the line, with either topics or language? I am filtering myself less and less in all things as I age. Pretty soon I'll be as sassy as my dear, departed grandma.
The awesome co-hosts for the October 6 posting of the IWSG are Jemima Pett, J Lenni Dorner, Cathrina Constantine, Ronel Janse van Vuuren, and Mary Aalgaard!
Already Home by Heather M. Gardner is available on Amazon for 2.99Dragon of the Stars by Alex J. Cavanaugh is available on Amazon for 2.99
#IWSGPit is set for January 26, 2022. It’s an all-day event where you pitch your manuscript in a line or two and using the appropriate hashtags. Visit the site for info.
Do these Twitter pitch parties work? YES. Dancing Lemur Press has signed FIVE authors from Twitter pitch parties. (And I believe all of them came from #IWSGpit.)
Hi Elizabeth, looks like you had a wonderful trip. Loved the photos. You all look so happy.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Rachna. We are a very blessed family.
DeleteI wish I could be sassy as I age! I have a feeling I'm just going to be grumpy. :o
ReplyDeleteI want to be sassy too. Then I wouldn't worry about posting anything. LOL
DeleteWhat a great trip!
ReplyDeleteThat's why I prefer blogging. It's more of a community and a supportive one. Never been on Facebook and never will.
The blogging community is an awesome community. I've gotten the most support here.
DeleteThat's really unfortunate you were unable to share photos to Facebook. I don't understand the mindset of people who act like anyone not happily staying locked up at home for the next 100 years is a terrible, selfish person, and even proudly saying they'll publicly snitch on anyone who shares such photos, or photos with people who don't already live with them. One friend even said she was enraged to see wedding photos, since God forbid normal life continue.
ReplyDeleteYour vacation looks like it was really fun. I wish I could go on a vacation like that in the near future.
As I think on it, I realize those people are probably a tiny fraction of the population, but they suck the oxygen out of the room with all their hot air.
DeleteMy son's wife was on pins and needles worrying that someone would get Covid from the wedding. I figured if they were compromised and worried about crowds, they'd decline the invite. She did hole the wedding outside because she's a very thoughtful young lady.
Great pictures and I'm glad you're having a good time! My only caution with posting trip information on facebook the same reason Patricia mentioned above. My brother and his wife went to Costa Rica last year... and while they were gone, my nieces were terrified, locking themselves in their bedrooms and calling the police, because someone took that opportunity to break into their house. That being said, I do love seeing other people enjoying themselves and I hope your trip is AMAZING.
ReplyDeleteYour poor nieces! Them being home was worse than no one being home. I'd have been terrified.
DeleteI was just chatting with someone here in the RL world. They said that was happening quite frequently in our little town. I'll be sure to always hold vacation photos for the after-trip memory.
I enjoyed your photos. I feel much safer with blogging than with Facebook. The majority of my FB activity is posting links to my blog posts. I hope you'll start to blog more often. I've missed you.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie
Aww, thank you. It always feels good to be missed.
DeleteThe blogging community is much better. Some of my very best writer friends were blog buddies. A few I met from Facebook, the rest from blogging.
It sounds like a wonderful trip! I particularly like the photo of the dino in a mask. But yeah, news, social media, it all can add pressure we don't need right now. And yeah, blogging is so different. :)
ReplyDeleteThe dino cracked me up. It's good to know even during hard times, some people keep their sense of fun.
DeleteRoute 66! Went right through NM. Where in NM did you stop?
ReplyDeleteI don't post vacation shots on FB until after we are back. Too many people know where I live or could find out and I don't want to advertise an empty house.
Gallup, New Mexico is where we spent the night. Cute little town. It still had that art deco look from the 1950s. You could just imagine the stars from the glory days of Hollywood hanging out in the town during filming.
DeleteGlad you had a fun trip. I just got back from an awesome long-weekend visiting family in Dallas with my daughter and boyfriend. I don't post pictures on Facebook when I'm gone because it feels like I'm advertising for someone to break in my house.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad that you and Lee will be blogging more. I have such deeper relationships with people who are my blogger friends than most on Facebook and Twitter.
Waiting to post until after you get home is a great idea. I do have the added benefit of having the very best neighbors. When we go out of town, we alert each other and keep an eye on each other's houses. One of the perks of small town living.
DeleteYou're so right about blogging being a more personal connection.
What a great trip! "Grand canyon . . . it was too big." 🤣🤣🤣
ReplyDeleteI do agree that blogs are less susceptible to drive-by blow ups. I've also considered blogging more often. I left Twitter, and am seriously considering dumping Instagram, which has become a continuous sales feed. And FB requires caution.
I wouldn't even go to the top of the Rockefeller Center, I don't know why I ever thought I'd enjoy a huge hole in the world.
DeleteI do still love the cat videos on Facebook. LOL. I never did get twitter. It was always my least favorite place to be. I thought I'd like the ease of Instagram, but I'm horrible at picture taking.
Traveling across country with your family is super special, thanks for sharing here! Looks like you got to see lots of great things!
ReplyDeleteI love your answer to the question! I think I'm getting sassier as I age as well.
Slowly, ever so slowly, my sass is developing.
DeleteI can totally see why you've become disillusioned with social media, Elizabeth. Me too. I just had a look at my Instagram and saw that I haven't posted in a month. It annoys me that everything these days is moving into video. I don't want video. I want images and if I can't have images, I want text. If I want video, I'll watch Netflix! So annoying!
ReplyDeleteyour trip looked absolutely wonderful and blissful. I'd love to do Route 66 some day. I have been to the Grand Canyon (I wasn't overkeen either, to be honest), however we did fall in love with Vegas because each hotel was like a mini city in itself! Such a unique place. We didn't stay out at night though...I've watched far too many CSI's for that!!
I'm glad you're sticking to your blog, Elizabeth, because I always enjoy reading your posts!
Hugs
Suzy xx
I always tell my kids--imagine you're in a room full of people--would you walk up to someone and say to their face what some of these people say in their comments? It's like people forget their are real humans behind those profiles. Or at least, mostly there are humans. LOL
DeleteI love your posts too, Suzy! I got one of my favorite pair of jeans from a post on your blog!
Looks like you had a great trip! That's too bad you didn't like Vegas...I liked it so much, I got married there! XD
ReplyDeleteThe social worker in me was having intervention twitches while we walked around Vegas. I kept seeing deeds to houses being dropped in slot machines. Prostitutes wandering the streets who might be having daddy issues. Drug abuse...
DeleteYeah, I probably shouldn't have gone out at night!!!
I forgot to add- my niece got married in Vegas. It was a beautiful, much more affordable option than the average wedding. So, smart move!
DeleteThat's a very good point. Note to thieves...this trip was over a year ago. My over-protective dog and I are at home!!
ReplyDeleteHi Elizabeth,
ReplyDeleteThis trip was SO GOOD for you! Yes, in blogging you are among your extended family. Like you, many of us writers have been blogging for over a decade. Remember when we blogged every day? OMG, I still can't believe how many hours I day I had spend doing it. But it was an AMAZING time to be a writer blogger and the friends and advice I have received over the years is priceless! Come back home to blogging. I know I am only a once a month blogger, but I think I am going to start blogging once a week and reconnect with our wonderful community! Hugs!
You are a very special part of my extended writer family. We have been through so much together. Extended family. You hit the nail on the head. I've missed my family. Lesson learned, never follow trends. Stick with what you love.
Delete"drive by negativity" Perfect description!
ReplyDeleteReal hit and run meanness going on out there.
DeleteThat looks like it was great trip. Love the photos. Happy IWSG!
ReplyDeleteThanks Juneta! Same to you!
DeleteI think blogs are a better way to connect and RL face time is always best.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you had a great trip! Did you go up in the arch in St. Louis, or was it even open?
We found that to be a terrifying family adventure, but we were all glad we did it.
And Grand Canyon - yes, beautiful, but way too big and too deep.
And yes, someday, I may be as unfiltered as my Great-Aunt Grace. My grandma wasn't super sassy, but her sister-in-law and brother were. :)
We didn't even try. Most of the museum areas were closed, so we stuck with the outdoor stuff.
DeleteHi Elizabeth! Your blog is only the 2nd one I've stopped at this evening, and I'm so glad I did. It was meant for me to read, because I've been feeling a lot like you concerning blogging. I keep saying I'm going to start blogging again, like I used to. Well, good thoughts, but no follow through on my part. I'm REALLY going to try! Wish me luck. And I love all your travel photos!
ReplyDeleteI do wish you luck! I'm headed to your blog now to see how you're doing!!
Delete