Laughter is the Best Medicine. Also Percocet.

You're all well aware of my philosophy on drama, right? Suck it up, laugh it off, only deal with what you have to? That's me. 

So when this summer's health problems hit, I was taken by surprise. (I didn't freak out horribly.) Honestly, the one million allergies diagnosis was a relief because it meant I wasn't sick all the time and with some treatment, I would feel better. I didn't panic about carpal tunnel surgery until I was on the gurney under the huge, bright surgery room lights and the anesthetic hadn't kicked in.

Before that point, I'd been making jokes. My mom said, “You're silly. And all they've given you is sugar water!” I was trying to ignore the large needle they'd shoved in my arm and the fact that we'd already waited a good two hours for the doctor to get started. A girl has gotta do something instead of just sit and stew, right? And it kept us both amused.

Later on when my friend sent me a selfie in a truly goofy pair of glasses, I remembered something else in my arsenal. My own crazy glasses. That first day we got some funny comments:
Hoe-lee-crap.
Are you surprised? She was completely drugged!
Well, you're having a goooood time!
I promise it wasn't the meds, but hey, a good dose of pain meds never hurt a gal, either! 

So, this is me. Saying thank you for all the laughter, support, prayers, kind thoughts, flowers, treats, and everything else that came my way. Every day I'd post updates and receive so much love in return. If my recovery is going well, it's because of you. Thank you, friends, family, and wonderful far off friends who support from the other side of the globe. I certainly needed it, because Percocet or not, we all need the to feel the love from time to time.

If, like me, you're going through a rough time, please remember that you're never alone. There are many who will uplift and tease until you feel like yourself again. Thank you, my friends.

Here's a bit more inspiration for you! What Doesn't Kill You, Cringe Worthy, Panic City, Population: 1, and Plot Twist!

Expect the Unexpected

Because that makes sense. It's about as enlightening as What goes up must come down. Oh yeah, Sherlock, are you sure about that? How about Until you learn to master your rage, your rage will become your master. 

The problem is that the unexpected isn't something you can anticipate. Because, after all, it's unexpected. (Can you tell I spend most of my life with five-year-olds?) What you can do is keep the freak-outs to a minimum, keep your support group on call, and keep a stash of homey comforts on hand (chocolates, softy blankies, burly firemen, and the like).

Awesome things are coming my way. And yours. I don't know about you, but I can't wait! And I really can't wait to share them with you...but in the meantime, this is my game plan:

Stay involved in amazing projects: I have several back burner projects I can whip out at any time. Focusing on them, even just for an evening, gets my creative juices flowing. (And some of them have nothing to do with writing!)

Stick with amazing people: I will forever be grateful to my friends and family. When anything goes sideways, or hey, even when it's awesome, they're there for me. We celebrate. We commiserate. We go bowling. We watch chick flicks. It's all good.

Participate in something inspiring: If it's church and gospel study or inspirational memes on Facebook, Pinterest, or Instagram, I try to find something inspiring and uplifting every day. And share it with someone else. Nothing recharges the batteries like pondering something good and sharing it with someone else.

Get plenty of rest: Mental health and acuity are more tied to physical health than we realize. So, why am I still awake writing this? I have no idea. But the plan is to rest. (Sometimes my body has a plan of it's own...but there's always Tylenol PM.)

Read/watch something fabulous: We call this research, but as often as not, taking a stroll down a different path freshens our minds and gets the creativity percolating. And plus, we just really like 5 hours of Downton at a time. (Not even kidding. And not even sorry.)

Do something you love (even if it's only for 5 minutes): Getting stuck in a loop where worry and nerves affect your emotional well being isn't fun. Even if it's five minutes of breathing and out and resisting the urge to hide under the table and/or throw things, it can help you move on instead of having a massive freak out. (Dancing in the kitchen while making brownies is a personal favorite.)

What do you do to keep yourself from crossing over into the bad place? (Or getting out of the bad place instead of taking up residence there?) Leave me a comment! I'd love to hear what you have about your coping strategies. And stay tuned, news is forthcoming (the next couple of weeks will be fun).

Like to read more? Here's are a few more posts about my crazy life and how I cope with everything life throws at me. (Man, it's been a tough year!) Ready or Not, Author Envy, Panic City, Population 1.

Truth-Telling Fiction

Many people question the value of fiction.  After all, how in the world can characters who never lived or breathed teach someone how to navigate the paths of life successfully?

Being a dreamer, I get it.  Here's my explanation:

Good fiction nestles nuggets of truth between action, romance, and heartbreak.  Driven to finish a story, we devour page after page, discovering hidden gems along the way that shine out all the brighter for being unexpected.

Fiction opens the mind to the possibility of miracles, magic, & true love.  Magic, true love, and miracles have their counterparts in real life.  If we have eyes trained to search out and recognize them, we will.

Through the eyes of fictional characters, we see the world more clearly. The reality overlaying the fiction reveals the truth of the one and the beauty in the other.  Author's paint their own beliefs into their works, spreading a vision of faith, strength, humor, and hope as easily as they can spread pessimism, hopelessness, and fear.

Gifted authors have the ability to lift souls from the depths of sorrow, ignorance, loneliness, and pain. Through the power of words, which according to Dumbledore are our most inexhaustible source of magic, we teach others about  strength, beauty, and wisdom.  Even in fiction. 

For a wonderful example of truth-telling fiction, pick up Defy by Sara B. Larson. The story of Alexa, a gifted fighter who must disguise herself as a soldier, Defy is a fantastic blend of girl power, romance, and the true meaning of beauty.

The Underdog

Why do we root for the underdog?  Time and time again our hearts become tied up in his battle for a better world. But why?

Essentially, we are all flawed characters acting out our own stories, none of which would be classed as fairytales. I know, because my story is something like this:  Since youth I've battled a negative self-image which still causes me to doubt myself in social situations (especially where men are concerned). Day after day, I refuse to let that keep me from stepping to the front of the classroom or sitting down at my laptop, because I believe I can change the world one naughty kindergartner or handcrafted romance at a time.  

It comes down to this: 

We are all the underdog and we all have a story to tell.

Captain America's is one of the best underdog stories ever created. Steve Rogers begins as nothing more than a boy who detests bullies. Battling his own demons--a lack of stature and a myriad of health problems--he's denied the chance to fight for what he believes is right.  But, when opportunity calls, like a true hero, he jumps to the front line without a moment's hesitation.

No wonder we love him.

(Okay, it doesn't hurt that Chris Evans is smokin' hot either, but my point is, hot or not, everyone has a story.)

A speaker I heard recently had some valuable points to make on the subject:
Storytellers shape history:  He who picks up his pen determines what future generations will know about the past.
The telling of the story reveals the people: Our perceptions and opinions about individuals, be they heroes or villains, are flavored by what storytellers have put in ink.

It's the same with each of us.  Real or fanciful, stories uplift, inspire, and comfort. They needn't be epic or grandiose. Like Steve Rogers, they may simply be the tale of one person standing for what they believe in and refusing to back down.

Someday when the world is crashing down, perhaps it will be our story--the one we have taken the time to share--that will strengthen others in their time of need.

Hope Grows In A...

Book Club: the place where people force you to spend precious reading time with books they're interested in (and you couldn't care less about).

Generally, I'm not a huge fan.  After reading something from book club, I typically shelve it and never pick it up again. But sometimes--when I swallow my pride and/or inner whiny monologue--I have a genuinely positive experience with authors and genres outside of my comfort zone.

This months selection, The Rent Collector by Camron Wright, was just such a read.  Though the story is ficticous, it's based on the lives of individuals who lived in and made their living in a city municipal waste dump in Cambodia.


I'm the first to admit this is a rather grim setting, but as I hit the last page today, a quote from The Office came to mind:

Granted, when Michael Scott and Dwight Shrute, who are conversing at the city dump, drop this one-liner, it's meant to be funny.  Or at least ironic. (Seriously, it's The Office, if your funny bone's not tickled, you're due some sort of refund.)  However, in terms of The Rent Collector, this quote rings true. No matter what the family's circumstances, parents want the best for their children and will sacrifice what is necessary to make it a reality.

…the desire to believe, to look forward to better days, to want them, to expect them—it seems to be engrained in our being.  Whether we like it or not, hope is written so deeply into our hearts that we just can’t help ourselves, no matter how hard we try otherwise.  We love the story because we are Sarann or Tattercoats or Cinderella.  We all struggle with the same problem and doubts.  We all long for the day when we’ll get our own reward. (The Rent Collector)

Stories of good versus evil, of characters struggling through their journey to reach their happily ever after, are universal.  No matter the culture, these sorts of tales are passed from generation to generation to encourage hope. So, yes. Hope Grows in a Dump.  And anywhere else it can find ground fertile enough to take root, all it needs is a little encouragement.

To learn more about The Rent Collector, Camron Wright's other projects, or The River of Victory video that inspired Camron's story, please follow the imbedded links.