January was hard. February has been harder. I plan to use my voice and my writing to help, to hold the line, and to make a difference however possible. But I am also (trying to) give myself the grace to acknowledge that I can’t do everything, all at once. We weren’t meant to be all fight and energy and strength all day long. Our bodies and minds need a chance to rest and recover so we can rejoin the fight with refreshed energy and more perspective and ideas.
Here are some of the things and
activities that bring me comfort.
Being outdoors (as long as the
weather is above 60 degrees because I don’t like the cold) lifts my spirits
There are a lot of state and county
parks within driving distance of my home so I try to visit them whenever I can.
I like to hike the trails, canoe, and basically just watch the river or ocean
do its thing. I take a lot of pictures of the animals and scenery so that when
the weather is cold, I can revisit the memories of being outside. This past year,
I got some watercolor pencils and started drawing some of the pictures I took
of the James River and of my garden. The completed drawings are not phenomenal,
by any means, but seeing them framed and hung in various rooms of my house
makes me happy.
Reading and listening to music
helps me to either focus or to not focus, whichever need is greater at the time
Here’s a few of the books I’ve
read lately or am reading:
The Leopard Behind the Moon by
Mayonn Paasewe-Valchev
The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner
The Spell Shop by Sarah Beth Durst
Windmaster’s Bane by Tom Deitz (I originally
read most of his books as a teenager, so now I’m re-reading)
Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree
Mexicans on the Moon by Pedro
Uniguez
Last Mom Standing by Mary Jane Owen
A Bargain with the Shadow Prince by
Genevieve Jack
The Crow Folk by Mark Stay
Butcher and Blackbird by Brynne Weaver
The Change by Kirsten Miller
Some of my favorite bands:
Rush, R.E.M, Bloodhound Gang, Elton
John, Credence Clearwater Revival (CCR), Jaxomy, Greta Van Fleet, and the Grateful
Dead
A few songs that I tend to play
on repeat:
Say Hello 2 Heaven by Temple of the
Dog, Midnight Blue by Lou Gramm, You’ll Accompany Me by Bob Seger and the
Silver Bullet Band, Rub a Dub by 311, Shambala by Three Dog Night, Sad Songs by
Elton John, Broken Bells by Greta Van Fleet, Sun After Heartbreak by Paul Van
Dyk, and Electric Blue by Icehouse
Snacks:
Apples and blueberries are some of
my favorite healthier snacks as of late. I especially like to make them into
smoothies with a little bit of yogurt, ice, and wheat germ. Chocolate is my all-time
favorite food. I’ve recently discovered that Moser Roth has a mint version of
their dark chocolate bars. Also, the little squares of Schogetten dark chocolate
are pretty amazing. Pumpkin or sweet potato pie is perfect any time of the year,
especially for breakfast. I also love French fries and hash browns. Waffle
House hash browns were my favorite late-night snack during my college years.
Writing:
I tend to write angry essays, rants,
and dystopian poetry when I need to get some feelings down on paper, then, as I
reflect, those original words often become ideas for stories.
What I’m working on now:
I’ve been busy writing a steamy,
paranormal romance, Hawk’s Heart. This will be Jordan and Luke’s story, and the
very last book in my Stranger Creatures series. Each book in the series
features a different couple in their fight for a happily-ever-after. I’ve also
been working on a couple of romantasy novellas featuring women in their forties
navigating unexpected new paths in life, as well as writing poetry and learning
how to write flash fiction.
If you’d like to follow me on
social media for my latest book information and excerpts, poems, contest info,
book recommendations, and other fun stuff, you can find me at:
Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/Christina-Lynn-Lambert/e/B01MCYK0K7
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/christina-lynn-lambert
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/christinalynnlambert
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15900423.Christina_Lynn_Lambert
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christinalynnlambert
Wordpress: https://christinalynnlambertwordpress.com
2 comments:
I hear you about these being trying times, Christina. Each day since January has been a new horror show. Writing is the way I relax (such as it is). I do know I'll never go back. I can't exist in a world where there are no rights.
I'm trying to maintain some type of hope and to do some writing regularly. At least spring weather is coming soon? Gotta be thankful for the little things, I guess.
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