Way back in June, I set out to have a Summer of George, three months of fun and joy and remembering what it was like to be a kid in the summer. I hoped to find my mojo – creative and otherwise – again, to find my way back to myself.
And you know what? It worked.
But not the way I expected.
Instead of turning outward to activities and people, I ended up turning inward. Some of this was due to the heat – oh, how I love air conditioning! – and some of it was due to conversations that showed me some unfortunate truths. I retreated into my shell, into books and TV and movies, and . . . into my writing.
Slowly but surely, I'm discovering my stories again. This is giving me the spine I need, the strength, to say enough to some of the negative in my life and to embrace more of the positive. Like brainstorming ideas in prep for NaNo! Subbing stories! Taking care of my mental and physical health! I'm ready to rock this fall!
*****
How was your summer? Have lots of fun and/or any serious revelations? What are you looking forward to this fall?
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A/C is the best. Practically a requirement for living in Florida. It's nice to have you back :)
ReplyDeleteMany years ago, when I first moved here, I didn't have a/c in my car. Not. Fun.
DeleteThanks! :)
Hi,
ReplyDeleteThat's good news to hear. You're finding yourself again. Then it was indeed a great summer. Over here in Germany we actually had temperatures in the upper 90s and even reached 100 Fahrenheit but we don't usually have air conditioning because there is no need. The fans sold out immediately. Our summers are changing.
All the best.
Shalom aleichem,
Pat G @ EverythingMustChange
Thank you, Pat.
DeleteI hope you were able to get yourself one of those fans!
Awesome! You found you again. Now write, woman, write.
ReplyDeleteI will! :)
DeleteMadeline, welcome back. Been a great summer that being said I'm ready for the fall season to begin.
ReplyDeleteI hear you about the fall. Even though our weather will still be hot for a time yet, it's more about the "fall" attitude for me.
DeleteSummer of George for the win!!! Welcome back, baby. Welcome back.
ReplyDeleteYes! And thanks. :)
DeleteI sort of had the same experience while I was healing from surgery. I was forced not to do any work, so I read, researched, did art, and created crafts. I really did go inward, and it was what I needed.
ReplyDeleteSometimes turning inward is the best medicine. :)
DeleteI think Toby from the first Spider-man movie trilogy also shouted something like that. "I'm back! I'm back! Oh god, my back. My back." *snicker*
ReplyDeleteGlad you're feeling better. I'm just an email away if you ever need me.
Anna from elements of emaginette
Ha! :)
DeleteAnd thank you, Anna.
Hi Madeline, my summer was fun, I did loads of writing, took care of my health and read a lot. Glad that you have discovered your stories again.
ReplyDeleteSo glad to hear you had a fun summer, Rachna! Reading was definitely one of my favorite activities. :)
DeleteHow awesome that you're feeling rejuvenated. Sometimes bouncing off an unexpected wall reaps positive results.
ReplyDeleteYou just never know!
DeleteYaaay on getting your mojo back! My summer was very productive wrting-wise. Stayed inside with the a/c cranked. OMG - cars without a/c. I remember those days - and shudder.
ReplyDeleteGood for you for all the writing you did! I need to remember that for next summer - hunker down in the a/c and get things done, don't try to recreate childhood summers in the Northeast. :)
DeleteThat's great to hear!
ReplyDeleteThanks!
DeleteHey, you sound like my kind of finder, all right! Finding yourself - get outta here! Actually, you can get yourself over to my sofa and find all the quarters that are lost in it!
ReplyDeleteOnly if I get to keep all that change. :)
DeleteI'm so glad you're back! I was at a crossroads this summer and I still kind of am, but I made some choices that I think are healthy ones for life and writing. I am "almost" back. :)
ReplyDeleteHappy Writing in September and throughout the fall!
Yeh for being "almost" back! It sounds like you had a similar summer to mine in terms of re-evaluating things. Let's keep our fingers crossed all these good choices stick.... :)
DeleteI'm looking forward to cooler weather, fall colors, the holidays, and if I'm really lucky, lots and lots of snow.
ReplyDeleteI so don't miss snow. :)
DeleteGlad you're back and that the summer was a good month for writing.
ReplyDeleteIt was more a season of creative brainstorming than anything else but it felt good. :)
DeleteWoot! I'm so glad to hear that the summer had a positive impact toward finding yourself! That's awesome!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Loni! I'm glad, too. :)
DeleteHmmm... someone sounds pumped! Glad the creative juices are flowing through you again. Now go out and make the most of them.
ReplyDeleteI'll do my best! :)
DeleteGlad your mojo has returned! I don't usually want to leave the air conditioning, either.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad, too, and I hope it stays around a good long time!
DeleteWelcome back. You are such a marvelous writer. I'm so glad you are discovering yourself again.
ReplyDeleteAw, Liza, thanks! What a nice thing to say. :)
DeleteThat is fantastic news! I'm so happy for you. Getting rejuvenated (as opposed to melting) in the heat of summer is quite a feat. It hit 100 degrees here today, and trust me, I don't feel terribly rejuvenated at the moment. Thank God for air conditioning!!!
ReplyDeleteBelieve me, the rejuvenation is more internal. Externally, it's not so pretty. :)
DeleteYour summer sounds perfect. I've had a decent one, but I've been so darned busy that I barely noticed I was doing summer, and now it's fall. That is not a Zen approach to life at all.
ReplyDeleteSometimes summer really does fly by!
DeleteWahoo, welcome back, so glad it went so well. Happy IWSG. Summer was hotter than normal. Glad to say bye to the heat.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Juneta! Happy IWSG to you, too. :)
DeleteHappy you're BACK! I love the cooler nights of fall and football season though now my son is a coach instead of a player.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Susan! Sometimes I miss the fall weather, but then when I think of what follows - winter! snow! ice! - not so much. :)
DeleteWelcome back! Because of the heat, I retreated inward. Vegged out on movies, old tv programs, and books. But not writing. I'm hoping to put that behind me and get with it. Hurray for your finding yourself and getting back to writing.
ReplyDeleteYou probably needed a season of not writing, a season of vegging out and re-filling that creative well. Now you're back, too! :)
DeleteSaying enough to the negatives in life will almost always guarantee change for the better.
ReplyDeleteWelcome back :)
Now if only I can just stick to doing that.... :)
DeleteAir conditioning AND George Costanza are the bomb! Glad you're feeling more in the writerly mood.
ReplyDeleteEvery time I think of George, I laugh. :)
DeleteGlad to hear the summer worked, even it not quite like you expected. My summer has been a bit fuller of (to borrow a word from another friend) lifey stuff that I'd have liked. But I'll definitely join you in celebrating air conditioning! First summer of my life when I needed it :o
ReplyDeleteThanks, Rebecca! That "lifey stuff" seems to come at us when we least expect it AND when we're not at our best to handle it. Sigh.
DeleteThat sounds like a fabulous summer even with some hard truths thrown in. Glad to hear you're back to writing. Happy IWSG
ReplyDeleteIt turned out better than I thought, in a different way than I thought. But I'll take it. :)
DeleteHow encouraging to read your uplifting post, Madeline! There's noting like getting into a story. It definitely makes me feel more positive! Wishing you strength and success in your writing!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much! And I wish you the same for your writing. :)
DeleteI enjoyed my summer so much, especially because of a rare gardening success with my tomato plants. Of course, I'm suffering now as I make batches of spaghetti sauce and tomato sauce for the freezer.
ReplyDeleteAlso came to accept the fact my other knee can't wait any longer for replacement. I'm scheduled to do that early in November. Really wanted to enjoy the whole summer and early fall first.
You'll be enjoying that sauce this winter - yum!
DeleteYou'll be able to recuperate from your surgery while it's cold and yucky outside. Not a bad plan. :)
Hooray!!! It's funny how often things end up working out how we wanted but in a totally different way than we expected.
ReplyDeleteAlso, AC is one of the greatest inventions in the history of the world haha. I don't know who invented it but I am forever grateful to them.
Isn't that the truth? It wasn't the summer I wanted, but I guess it was the summer I needed. :)
DeleteSounds like you found what you searched for, whichever way you arrived at it. All the best in all your future journeys too!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Olga! All the best to you, too. :)
DeleteOh, how nice to take the summer to rediscover yourself. Sometimes we just go along and get buried with all the "stuff" before we realize it. Welcome back! I'm Gwen, your co-hosting this month for the IWSG!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Gwen, for your comment and for co-hosting this month!
DeleteHi Madeliine,
ReplyDeleteWelcome back to you, too and hear, hear! Wishing you a successful autumn - and beyond!
Thanks, Mark! And thanks for Following us here at TSR! :)
DeleteI love your attitude. So happy you came back inspired. Wishing you all the best, and many succesful writing sessions.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Murees!
DeleteGreat to hear the Summer of George worked out for you! And now you're in a good place and ready to take on autumn. I find it a really inspiring time to write so I hope it's good for you.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Nick! I hope the fall season works out well for you, too.
DeleteI had a Summer of George but with kids, not the same. I love Seinfeld references. We can be good friends.
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty sure there's a Seinfeld reference for most situations. :)
DeleteWelcome back! So wonderful that you had such an introspective summer, and finding the joy in the writing again. I only wrote a little non-fiction over the summer, so I'm diving back in too.
ReplyDeleteFinding the joy again has been amazing. Wishing you the best as you dive back in, too. :)
DeleteI hope that what made you retreat has been resolved. That doesn't sound like fun at all. If someone hurt you, I'd be happy to roundhouse them for you.
ReplyDeleteI tried to enjoy every second of the summer too, and for the most part, I succeeded. It was absolutely gorgeous here this year. I didn't get as much writing done as I'd hoped, and tanked on the marketing, but had lots of quality time with the people I love.
I have a feeling that you'd have been the kid in the schoolyard I would've hired as my bodyguard against bullies. :)
DeleteIt's been resolved enough. Since I can't change other people, I'm working on how I deal with and respond to those people.
It sounds like you had a lovely summer, JH, and I'm happy for you. :)