I have the same notebook from Mark, and I must confess, I haven’t used it yet. I’ve been waiting, not writing, but I’ve also identified the reason I’ve been blocked (unhappy from planning a conference) and there is a very imminent light at the end of that tunnel.
That’s been a heavy weight - so many little details that continue to swim through your brain long after planning meetings conclude. Ugh. But I have no doubt you’ll get back at it! Good weather, frosty drinks and space to breathe are the ticket.
I love hearing about your journey, Bryn, and those photos are stunning. Also, what greater inspiration is there than a writing group in a funeral home! Life and death are so close at hand, and reminds us there is only so much time to write. I have no idea what Nu-Metal is, but in my case it was 80s New Wave.
Thank you, Brian! What a great observation re: the funeral home, I never considered that before. And maybe I’m categorizing it wrong, but I’m thinking early 00s and stuff like whatever Nickleback is (but not that, ew). I might need to hear about the writing birthed from New Wave though!
I can't say it's birthed anything just yet. It's more of an emotional primer I suppose. I've heard a number of writers talk about writing while listening to music. That's not possible for me. I need near dead silence or white noise.
Depends on the flow state I’m in for me, but if I do have music on, it’s usually stuff I know so well I’m not paying attention to lyrics, or ambiant/lo-fi/downtempo tunes. (Eg Bondi FM, Groove Salad).
Amazing what the discipline of weekly posts can teach, isn't it! I like your resolve ... and your decision "not to make it too precious." Mines are filled with good ore, but there's a lot of dirt hanging around it, too. Notebooks are the same. (And Lord knows, I've dug a lot of dirt before finding a bit of a gem!)
Keep going, Bryn. We're all rooting for you, and we know what talent lurks and might be prodded into the light.
It is amazing, and unexpected if I think back over the past almost-year, Mark. I appreciate your kind encouragement, as always ☺️ Let’s see where this takes us.
Stunning photos! You are absolutely right about Spring - it's the time for waking up from hibernation, the time for courting and the season of birth!! What could be more bold or beautiful!
Such great words, Bryn. Yay to bold beauty. You've got this! And I'm (AGAIN!) very envious of the colourful birdlife in New Brunswick!
Hard relate to the 'not to make it too precious' concept! I too am the lucky recipient of a notebook in the same prize draw - yay to Mark! - and it's soooooooo special that it's still in its cellophane while I make plans for doing it justice! Such a lovely treat, isn't it, a new notebook? Any stationery, in fact. This morning I found myself in town on a particular shopping errand - we haven't been to town to do ACTUAL shopping since early TWENTY TWENTY (the vast majority of anything we buy is ordered online, and delivered - and being surprised when Jim started laughing. 'What?' I asked. 'You're veering towards that stationery shop - you just can't help yourself, can you?'
Thank you Rebecca! I love stationary shops, too, and need to have a serious self-talk when I enter one: “No, Bryn, you don’t need that handmade marble paper and the quill pen and the set of markers and...” 😅
You don’t have colourful birds but you do have hedgehogs and that’s one for the win column in my books! 🦔
Noooooooooo! 👀 Gosh, I can't imagine a less appropriate creature to sell in a pet store! 🦔 They're nocturnal, they live on slugs and worms, and they're martyrs to parasites like ticks and fleas! And although they're very, very cute, they're not in the slightest bit cuddly! 🤣
Mind you, there's always someone out there looking for a different kind of pet, I suppose. It's reminded me of Christian the lion - remember him? Two young men bought him from the Exotic Animals department at Harrods in the 1960s. He grew up to be, well, a lion, and was eventually returned to the wild by George Adamson of the Born Free Foundation. One day he had a couple of visitors - here's what happened (it's beautiful): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqhJuwUukX8
Gorgeous photos. Great-looking journal, too!
Thank you, Bryan ☺️
Love it! Go for it!
Thanks Mark! It will happen!!
Keep it coming!
Thank you, Tom!! ☺️
I have the same notebook from Mark, and I must confess, I haven’t used it yet. I’ve been waiting, not writing, but I’ve also identified the reason I’ve been blocked (unhappy from planning a conference) and there is a very imminent light at the end of that tunnel.
That’s been a heavy weight - so many little details that continue to swim through your brain long after planning meetings conclude. Ugh. But I have no doubt you’ll get back at it! Good weather, frosty drinks and space to breathe are the ticket.
I love hearing about your journey, Bryn, and those photos are stunning. Also, what greater inspiration is there than a writing group in a funeral home! Life and death are so close at hand, and reminds us there is only so much time to write. I have no idea what Nu-Metal is, but in my case it was 80s New Wave.
Thank you, Brian! What a great observation re: the funeral home, I never considered that before. And maybe I’m categorizing it wrong, but I’m thinking early 00s and stuff like whatever Nickleback is (but not that, ew). I might need to hear about the writing birthed from New Wave though!
I can't say it's birthed anything just yet. It's more of an emotional primer I suppose. I've heard a number of writers talk about writing while listening to music. That's not possible for me. I need near dead silence or white noise.
Depends on the flow state I’m in for me, but if I do have music on, it’s usually stuff I know so well I’m not paying attention to lyrics, or ambiant/lo-fi/downtempo tunes. (Eg Bondi FM, Groove Salad).
Amazing what the discipline of weekly posts can teach, isn't it! I like your resolve ... and your decision "not to make it too precious." Mines are filled with good ore, but there's a lot of dirt hanging around it, too. Notebooks are the same. (And Lord knows, I've dug a lot of dirt before finding a bit of a gem!)
Keep going, Bryn. We're all rooting for you, and we know what talent lurks and might be prodded into the light.
It is amazing, and unexpected if I think back over the past almost-year, Mark. I appreciate your kind encouragement, as always ☺️ Let’s see where this takes us.
Beautiful! And I'm jealous you won Mark's notebook draw!
Thank you Jillian! (and I’m sorry 😂)
Stunning photos! You are absolutely right about Spring - it's the time for waking up from hibernation, the time for courting and the season of birth!! What could be more bold or beautiful!
Looking forward to reading more!
Thank you, Pamela! I was always more a fan of autumn as a kid, but spring might be my favourite now - it’s such an explosion of colour 🥰
Well, Autumn is stunning too. Hard to choose a favourite!
Such great words, Bryn. Yay to bold beauty. You've got this! And I'm (AGAIN!) very envious of the colourful birdlife in New Brunswick!
Hard relate to the 'not to make it too precious' concept! I too am the lucky recipient of a notebook in the same prize draw - yay to Mark! - and it's soooooooo special that it's still in its cellophane while I make plans for doing it justice! Such a lovely treat, isn't it, a new notebook? Any stationery, in fact. This morning I found myself in town on a particular shopping errand - we haven't been to town to do ACTUAL shopping since early TWENTY TWENTY (the vast majority of anything we buy is ordered online, and delivered - and being surprised when Jim started laughing. 'What?' I asked. 'You're veering towards that stationery shop - you just can't help yourself, can you?'
(He is SO right.....) 🤣
Thank you Rebecca! I love stationary shops, too, and need to have a serious self-talk when I enter one: “No, Bryn, you don’t need that handmade marble paper and the quill pen and the set of markers and...” 😅
You don’t have colourful birds but you do have hedgehogs and that’s one for the win column in my books! 🦔
Sooooo funny! That's ME in a stationery shop right there beside you! 🤣
Don't you have hedgehogs over there? They're adorable, aren't they?! 🦔
We don’t! (At least not wild ones; there’s a pet store that sells them I think?)
Noooooooooo! 👀 Gosh, I can't imagine a less appropriate creature to sell in a pet store! 🦔 They're nocturnal, they live on slugs and worms, and they're martyrs to parasites like ticks and fleas! And although they're very, very cute, they're not in the slightest bit cuddly! 🤣
Mind you, there's always someone out there looking for a different kind of pet, I suppose. It's reminded me of Christian the lion - remember him? Two young men bought him from the Exotic Animals department at Harrods in the 1960s. He grew up to be, well, a lion, and was eventually returned to the wild by George Adamson of the Born Free Foundation. One day he had a couple of visitors - here's what happened (it's beautiful): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqhJuwUukX8
I know!!! The poor things 🦔🩷 And I love that video. Animals are so intuitive (I say as I look at my cranky cat trying to snooze but glaring at me 😂)
😹
From what I've seen here on Substack, you can write, no doubt about that. I've never journaled so I applaud those who can. Have you ever read Brian Bartlett's "Daystart Songflight"? A fine example of nature-awaredness and journaling. https://miramichireader.ca/2022/02/daystart-songflight-a-morning-journal-by-brian-bartlett/
Thank you, James, for both the kind words and the recommendation! Enjoyed the review and have added it to my “To Read” list. ☺️
Writing more; with you Bryn!