“Focal Shift”

 

April  2024 Blog

Focal Shift: A Haiku

Much better, I find,

To concentrate on the “do’s”

Than on the “don’t do’s”.

by Ann Wilmer-Lasky

(3/29/24)

 

I’d rather be “doing” than “don’ting” or focusing on the “didn’t do’s”. I can’t help thinking of the old lyrics: “Accentuate the positive! Eliminate the negative! And don’t mess with...” Still great advice.

So I’m shifting my focus. I will concentrate on “getting ‘er done” rather than doing only what I absolutely have to and absolutely only when I have to do it.

What a concept – get ahead of the game rather than try to catch up all the time. (That trick hardly ever works.)

Yet here I am trying to meet my 1^st of the month blog-posting commitment to myself. It’s been a rough few days: the 1^st anniversary of my son’s demise, Easter weekend and April Fool’s Day. Also Mercury is now retrograde until the 25^th.Guess I better squeak this in befor communications go whacko.

And then there’s the solar eclipse on the 8^th. Please, if you’re going to view it, do so carefully and make sure your glasses aren’t fake. Should be awesome for sure, but I’m going to pass on it. My vision is already compromised with AMD.

I’ve gotten some work done on the Sam Rock sequel this last month, as well as some work on the tribute chapbook for my son. Next I need to get Steve Hamm’s audio version of my “Black Oak: Town of Joy” up and running.

Also working on eliminating 80 years of accumulations. I don’t need all this stuff I’ve been hauling around all these years. I think I still have my old Atari computer from the 1980’s somewhere in storage.

It will be harder with my husband’s VHS & DVD collection. He has literally several hundred. I don’t think there’s enough time to watch them all left in our lives.

On the other hand, I need to catalog and preserve all my hand written manuscripts and poetry, as well as make sure I get everything transferred to the computer for future reference. Might be worth something to somebody some day.

Still have high hopes for this year even though it’s now one-quarter gone. There’s still three-quarters left.(I’m trying to be more optimistic.

As always, I welcome your reactions and responses to any of my blogs. I love to hear from my readers. Also, here are links to my Twitter and Facebook accounts, if you care to share your thoughts with me there or look for any publication announcements.

amazon.com/author/annwilmerlasky      

https://twitter.com/awlasky

https://www.facebook.com/ann.wilmerlasky

It’s now April and the weather is cooler than it was in March. Go figure. We’ll see what the rest of Spring brings.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“One Life – Unlived”

 

March  2024 Blog

Stagnation: A Haiku

The months fly by and

Soon a year has nearly passed

And it is not done.

by Ann Wilmer-Lasky

(3/1/24)

 

March 26^th will be a year since my son died. The poetry chapbook I need to write in memory of him lies heavy on my mind and a long way from completion. I could say I have procrastinated, but the truth is – I have stagnated. I am yet bereft and finding it difficult to put my thought and feelings to print.

I believe I’m ready to get started on it now. The feelings are still fresh, but I can now be reasonably objective enough to do it justice, I believe.

Also, it’s a year later and a year less that I have left to get it all done.

Just what is “All”? You may ask. “All” is the other half of my own life that I have never lived. All the novels I have not written. All the poetry I have yet to compose. All the joy I was promised in my senior years by those who had no idea what life would be like now.

I hope I have time for one more restart, one more chance to “get ‘er done”.

I saw Carl Reiner on a 1981 Johnny Carson rerun the other night talking about getting old. He quoted Samuel Beckett: “We are born astride the grave”.

That stuck with me. It reminds me of the idea that we start to die the moment we are born. Morbid maybe, definitely heavy thoughts and undeniably true. But before I slip into that grave I was born astride, I have many things yet to do. It’s long past time I got started – or restarted as the case may be. It is fortunate that I am in reasonably good health, of reasonably sound mind and able to meet my obligations. Thus, I can concentrate on writing if I can just shake the sadness off. I really need to smile more. It’s going to be difficult writing what’s in my heart and finding odd moments to smile. But that is what we do – we laugh and we cry our whole lives through. Those of us who write are sometimes lucky enough to share those laughs and those tears with our readers. I definitely have more to share.

As always, I welcome your reactions and responses to any of my blogs. I love to hear from my readers. Also, here are links to my Twitter and Facebook accounts, if you care to share your thoughts with me there or look for any publication announcements.

amazon.com/author/annwilmerlasky      

https://twitter.com/awlasky

https://www.facebook.com/ann.wilmerlasky

It’s now March and we are already starting to warm up. Not looking forward to the blistering hot summer I fear is coming.

Beware the Ides of March!

 

 

 

 

 

“Happy Lunar New Year 2024”

 

February  2024 Blog

Dragon Breath A Haiku

The Dragon wakes and

Breathes his fire to celebrate

The dawn of his year.

by Ann Wilmer-Lasky

(2/10/23)

 

...and I celebrate with him – breathing fire and all.

I’m late! I’m late for a very important date. About ten days late, but I am in posting my monthly blog. Sorry about that. I was under the weather for the first few days, and then overwhelmed with catching up on life and everything.

Today is the Chinese Lunar New Year, so I decided to start my year over and celebrate The Year of the Dragon as a new beginning. “Happy Lunar New Year 2024”

This year is going to be different (barring any more unforeseen illnesses or emergencies). I’m breathing fire along with the dragon (or at least I’m trying to).

Maybe I better settle for working up a storm. Maybe not. I understand there’s one headed this way (wind, rain, and snow). Guess I better cut this real short and post it before the power goes out.

I need to double down on my efforts to publish more this year. Too bad I can’t spend as much time writing, editing, and publishing as I do trying to catch up on other things I haven’t done.

I guess I can blame most of my problems on age.

Eighty is no spring chicken, and I’m guessing it’s the main reason I feel the need to take a nap during the day. But I will soldier on, and Sam Rock will be the better for it. I’m feeling it in my blood now. There will be blood (and gore)!

As always, I welcome your reactions and responses to any of my blogs. I love to hear from my readers. Also, here are links to my Twitter and Facebook accounts, if you care to share your thoughts with me there or look for any publication announcements.

amazon.com/author/annwilmerlasky      

https://twitter.com/awlasky

https://www.facebook.com/ann.wilmerlasky

It’s now February and the start of the Chinese Lunar New Year, and I’m claiming a do-over and another new beginning.

Happy, Happy New Year!

 

 

 

“Happy New Year 2024”

 

January  2024 Blog

2024: A Haiku

Bring on the Year of

The Dragon; I will rejoice,

And I will be one!

by Ann Wilmer-Lasky

(12/28/23)

 

Breathing fire even! I am absolutely looking for a better new year starting right now, although the Chinese Year of the Dragon 2024 won’t start until early February. This is the year I resolve to resolve my resolutions. I’m declaring it a Resolution Revolution:

Resolution Revolution: A Haiku

I highly resolve

I will actually resolve

My resolutions!

by Ann Wilmer-Lasky

(1/1/24)

This year for sure! Every spare moment will be spent writing, editing, and publishing along with promoting, of course. There will be sequels, prequels, poetry chapbooks, Haiku, blogs and short stories even. I’m also taking the January NaJoWriMo journaling challenge, since I missed NaNoWriMo last November for the first time in over 10 years.

I’m going to make this a really short blog post this month, but I promise more fulfilling and revealing blogs in the future.

Right now, I need to get this typed and posted to finish ringing in the new year properly.

Wishing you all a happy, prosperous and productive New Year!

As always, I welcome your reactions and responses to any of my blogs. I love to hear from my readers. Also, here are links to my Twitter and Facebook accounts, if you care to share your thoughts with me there or look for any publication announcements.

amazon.com/author/annwilmerlasky      

https://twitter.com/awlasky

https://www.facebook.com/ann.wilmerlasky

It’s now January and the new year has literally just started. I am so ready for it. I need a new beginning.