Nik Nicholson's Blog, page 20

Writing Session #1

First, I want to start this post by thanking all of the writers who showed up to my first online writing session.  I want to thank them for all the positive energy. I want to thank them for being and for accepting that initial invitation.  If it weren’t for them agreeing to come and being excited about an online writing session I would have slept this Sunday evening until it was time for me to get up at 4am for work tomorrow.  I am so grateful for each one of your smiling faces on Google chat.

I am also grateful the confident woman writing her dissertation, who initially gave me the encouragement to just set the date.  She said she planned to finish her dissertation in a year.  She said people thought she was crazy.  She also said that she writes for three hours a day religiously.  As soon as she shared that I remembered Bell Hooks saying that she also writes for a set period of time daily.  Then I wondered if I just sat down daily to write, would I write?

Anyway, before anyone agreed to meet me for an online writing session this PhD student asked when did I want to do it.  She also wanted to know what time zone was I operating in.  Things that seem like they would naturally occur to me, but didn’t.  It was her questioning that helped me finally nail down a day.  It was her saying that she would meet me to write whenever just post the time, that made me set a date and show up.

She had an assignment due by midnight Sunday, and couldn’t do the writing session, but the group existed in that space and time because of her.  I appreciated her taking the time to email me about when it was happening again, something else I hadn’t considered, mostly because I wasn’t sure if anyone other than me was up for JUST WRITING.

Just about writing:

For a moment a few weeks ago, I couldn’t write enough.  My hands couldn’t keep up with the pace of my mind weaving this story.  I didn’t question why it started to flow.  I am a new “productive” writer and I haven’t figured out my rhythm. I don’t know if I’ll eventually write a book a year or a book every other year.  From reading my favorite writers, I learn not to judge my process or try to force creativity.

What does that mean, “not to try and force my creativity?”  I mean, books don’t write themselves.  You do have to give yourself some goals.  I hardly ever meet my goals in writing, but I show up most of the time and I write… So right now, I’m thinking the point is not to meet the goal but to have a goal to strive towards.  I enjoy writing, all the phases of it and there are many phases.

Still I want to complete books, regularly.  On the other hand, I don’t know when my next book will be done.  I tried forcing myself to have one done by September but I learned in that uphill battle that’s not how I write.  Going forward I won’t give a date in the project being released.  I will simply note what projects I’m working on.  A lot of people were disappointed this September.

What I do know is, I won’t ever release anything until I know in my spirit it’s time.  Even in that I’m worried, I have questions.  Does that mean I will be done with the first draft in two months or two years?  Then there is a long editing process.  Does that mean there will be a few years between books?

If I wrote formulaic books I could write a book a year.  I want to be prolific.  I want to be relative.  I want to write classics that will be studied in college. I want to leave my books behind when I transition.  I don’t mind taking my time to reach my goals, but how much time?

For some reason I haven’t really sat down to write in Daughter of Zion for a couple of weeks.  Yesterday I worked on a script for a video I’m putting together with friends.  About a week ago I laid out all the chapters I’ve written so far to see where to go next.  Life has been happening, but you have to make time for writing.  So I decided I would be proactive and write with others.

I invited all the writers in every writing group I’m in on Facebook to do a writing session. It was kind of scary.  Some of the groups for whatever reason only wanted certain kinds of posts.  Even though I was promoting my books and doing what I thought was helpful, Admins told me I wasn’t allowed to invite people to write.  In on of the groups, I received a notification that said someone responded to the post, but when I went back and said I couldn’t find the post the Admin told me it was deleted then read me.  It’s weird, writers want to talk about writing, critique writing, reading, promoting, editing, book covers or share open submissions but no one wants to just meet and write.  I found it interesting that I was met with so much hostility for asking to meet to do what made us all who we are. I ended up deleted at least one of the invites.

After days of responses, I was able to re-evaluate all the groups I’ve joined.  I removed myself from several, just because they were dormant or didn’t serve a real purpose in my life.  I turned on notifications for some I realized were great resources I’d been missing out on because I was overwhelmed by all the groups I’d joined or was added to.

Anyway, of those groups I only had three people actually say they wanted to join me writing.  Mostly people wanted to talk about other things writing groups should do outside of writing.  I specifically called it “WRITING SESSION” but people wanted to know if we would be reading each other’s work.  Another person wanted to know if we would be doing critiques.  Another person wanted to know if we would be networking.  Some of them added they already belonged to writer groups where they met to have dinner and network.  I spent hours answering questions, but mostly saying, “we are just going to write.”  Or, “I’m not looking for more work, so I’m not critiquing.”

I’ve never been someone who likes to say no, so it was difficult saying this is not the group for you, we are not addressing those needs.  Some writers wanted to know if we would be posting prompts or teaching writing.  All the questions actually helped me figure out what the guidelines are, and I didn’t want it to have rules or guidelines.  Maybe for anything to work you need boundaries…

At some point during the session seven of them showed up.  Four showed up in the first few minutes of me signing into Google chat.  None of them came from the groups, they were friends.  None of them needed guidelines.  In fact, I thought I would have to apologize for leading the group but wanting to write with headphones on… But all but one of them came on screen with headphones in.  We did introductions, talked about our projects and learned how to get in contact with each other through Google.  About twenty minutes in we went to our respective projects and started to work.

I did check FB to see if I’d missed anyone.  One writer/friend hadn’t set up Google chat, so she said she would still observe the window as a writing time.  One guy from the group came in late and I didn’t realize it until after the two hour window.  For me it was a huge success.  The goal was to commit to writing today, which I did.

Today was a long day and if it were not for the writing group I would have slept after I got off from work.  Then I would have eaten and prepared for work tomorrow.  I wrote almost two thousand words today, which is amazing for one two hour period.

I didn’t know when we would meet again, initially.  I was thinking a couple times a month. I was excited when the other writers said it was not only helpful but they’d be interested in meeting every Sunday evening.  So we’re meeting again same time, next Sunday evening.

 

*Productive- creating products for sale to readers and building a career in writing.

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Mindful Listening

I love music. I use music to insulate myself so I can complete tasks.  I use music to alter my moods.  I use music to help me recall things or feel new things.  Like, I wrote Descendants of Hagar to a soundtrack of mostly Nina Simone and some other jazz artist from the early 1900’s.  Whenever that didn’t help me arrive in the fictional town, Zion, I was creating I would play N’dambi’s “Ode 2 Nina.”

I thoughtfully chose and organized uptempo music for working out and then a cool down mix.  I made the list long so I had options and wouldn’t get burned out.  Over the years I’ve added and deleted songs.  Over the years I’ve grown, which has expanded my views on music and made me more adventurist.  I listen to songs of artists whose name I can’t remember. I love songs that I must explain by singing a bit of the hook, because I’m aware I don’t know the actual title.

I love so much music and feel loved by so much music, you have to know how devastated I was when my Ipod of seven years refused to come on.  I would have happily paid to repair it, but there is no way to change the battery.  I finally got it to respond to my new laptop, but it was so outdated there were other adventures for actually getting to the music.  Once I finally got my pc to play the library, I bought a new Ipod to transfer all of my playlists.  Then I learned that Ipods don’t share libraries if you didn’t actually buy the music from Itunes. I’ve bought a few singles from Itunes because there are artist I don’t trust to make entire great projects. So I only get what’s popular that I like.  Those few singles showed up on the new Ipod, but thousands of other songs, entire projects were lost for good.

I’ve moved so much, dated, shared, left and lost music.  It was heart breaking to find I didn’t have access to all that music.

Now, I’m building my Ipod up again.  I’m seeking out songs I believe I can’t live without.  In the process I’m learning more about my favorite artists, going to more live concerts and hearing lyrics clearer. I’m also cultivating a different vibe in my life.  I also think that on some level we are programing ourselves by whatever we listen to repeatedly. So I’m asking myself, what am I playing on repeat for my subliminal. Some music I use to love, today I can’t figure out why I was even open to it.

I’m letting go and not allowing myself to be anchored by my own expectations. Like, there are songs I went looking for thinking, “this is my song.” Then once I played them, the beat or the words rubbed me the wrong way. I tried rationalizing, went against my spirit arguing “this is a classic” or “this got 4 mics.”  “Every song is not for every mood,” I told myself. Turns out it wasn’t any of that, I am different and what I need and want has changed. I following an internal knowing more than an industry nod.

Maybe I should be purging music every so many years.

Anyway, now, I’m sampling a lot of things and finding new things to love.  I’m also finding that if you really love something it never leaves you even when you some how lose touch with it.  So, I’m going through Alice Coltrane CDs finding new music of hers to love, in addition to the few songs I’d had before.  I’m also finding new music from artist who, because I was in a different space I hadn’t even cared to put certain songs in Itunes.  Old music is sounding brand new and every once in a while I come across a song I’d forgotten and it’s like recognizing an old friend in the face of a stranger, and them reaching out to hug you… inviting you to catch up with them. It’s a good warm conversation, nostalgia and laughter.

I’m finding new spaces in my soul and new meditations. I was initially very upset about the lost. Now I’m grateful for the opportunity to question whether something feeds my spirit or weighs it down. I’m feeling a lot lighter these days and anchored at the same time.

I’m in a beautiful space of observation, of finding or better yet acknowledging.

Love Love Love

Whoever Angers You Controls You

We Wear the Mask – Paul Laurence Dunbar

Paul Laurence Dunbar

I’ve always appreciated Paul Laurence Dunbar. He is the first poet to have written in both standard English and black vernacular. From his poem “Sympathy” Maya Angelou found the title of the first book I read of hers, “I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings.” Dunbar died in 1906 before the Harlem Renaissance, but was the most celebrated black poet as America entered the early 1900’s. He died young, at age 33. Still his work has influenced so many writers and is still influencing us.

I’m sharing a poem by him, one to honor him and in remembrance. Two, I think this piece is timeless in how it addresses a recent phenomenon. About two years ago, in class we were asked to write papers on research exploring how people create alternate personas and realities for online social networks. The study was called “Facebook Envy.” Today, I recalled that assignment while reading about Dunbar and some of his poems.

We Wear the Mask

BY PAUL LAURENCE DUNBAR

We wear the mask that grins and lies,

It hides our cheeks and shades our eyes,—

This debt we pay to human guile;

With torn and bleeding hearts we smile,

And mouth with myriad subtleties.

Why should the world be over-wise,

In counting all our tears and sighs?

Nay, let them only see us, while

We wear the mask.

We smile, but, O great Christ, our cries

To thee from tortured souls arise.

We sing, but oh the clay is vile

Beneath our feet, and long the mile;

But let the world dream otherwise,

We wear the mask!

Google Street View Now Rides Camel-Back Into the Arabian Desert

Nik Nicholson:

I heart Google maps. I remember when Google Earth became available. It was so interesting to look anywhere you wanted. I’m glad they are expanding the experience.

Originally posted on TIME:

For adventurous types who are short on sunscreen, Google Maps has just extended its street view deep into the Arabian Desert.

The trek cuts a narrow path through the Liwa desert, 150 kilometers southwest of Abu Dhabi, winding through an endless stretch of sand dunes measuring upwards of 40 meters in height. But the coolest feature is possibly the view straight down to the ground, where a silhouette of Google’s streetview camera can be seen mounted atop a camel’s back.

“We hope this collection gives you a glimpse of what it may be like to travel the desert as caravan merchants have for the past 3000 years,” Google wrote in a statement. Well, provided you can ignore the state-of-the-art 3D camera casting its shadow across the sand.

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Researchers Just Discovered The Brightest Dead Star Ever Found

Nik Nicholson:

How did scientists reach conclusions or make an assumption about a star they couldn’t see?

Originally posted on TIME:

Astronomers using NASA’s NuSTAR telescope array have found something beautiful about 12 million light-years from our planet Earth: The brightest dead star, or pulsar, ever found. It’s only called a dead star because it’s the leftovers from a supernova — this thing is still very much alive, pumping out around 10 million suns’ worth of energy, according to NASA. Scientists originally thought the pulsar, located in the Messier 82 galaxy, was a black hole, but it turns out that isn’t the case at all.

“You might think of this pulsar as the ‘Mighty Mouse’ of stellar remnants,” said Fiona Harrison, the NuSTAR principal investigator at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, California, in a NASA release about the pulsar. “It has all the power of a black hole, but with much less mass.”

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Threats

I threatened myself today. I gave myself an entire lecture about responsibilities, showing up with a “can do outlook” and went over the long term positive results.

I need to write on the correct project.  After keeping track of my days I realized I don’t actually go days without writing something.  It’s what I’m writing that is a challenge.

I’m considering going back to painting so I can do something not book related and sometimes that brings me back.

Today, driving home from work I turned the music off.  I rode in silence to the house going over what my expectations and goals were of myself.  I explained to myself, lol, that books don’t write themselves.

I also reminded myself if I wanted to be a full time writer I would have to stop using being exhausted from the job that actually financially supports me.  I’ve also told myself I need to look into grants that will give me an opportunity to work less hours outside of writing.  I tell myself, every word I pen puts me one step closer to being able to sustain with my art.

There is a little voice who knows the names of all the writers who died broke and who were discovered after they passed.  That voice also notes all the other self published books.  “Everyone is a writer,” it says.  This makes it even harder to show up to the page, but I figured I’d exorcise it by writing about how I need to finish this book and focus solely on that project.

I don’t know how well it’s working, but here I am writing a blog and not in my manuscript.  Afterwards, I’m going to take a nap.

How to Spot a Trafficking Victim at an Airport

Nik Nicholson:

Don’t expect trafficking victims to be foreign: 83% of people forced into prostitution in the U.S. are from the U.S. They’re often runaways and sometimes have been at the mercy of their traffickers for so long they see themselves not as women being pimped out for sex but as girlfriends helping their boyfriend pay the bills. “We’ve had women testify on behalf of their abuser, that they loved them and were not there against their will,” even though they had been severely abused, said Manhattan D.A. Cyrus Vance at the event. He’s seen at least one woman tattooed with a barcode by her trafficker, as a mark of ownership.

Originally posted on TIME:

Every time a new horror story about sex trafficking pops up on our radars, about women held for years against their will, or forced to be child brides, or ensnared in a prostitution ring, the same question also surfaces: why didn’t anyone notice anything?

One of the reasons sex trafficking is frequently overlooked is that it’s hiding in plain sight. Victims are not always bundled across borders in cars vans with blacked out windows or transported in shipping containers. Sometimes they’re simply brought in with thousands of other international travelers on an airplane, and forced to service johns at a local hotel.

Law enforcement authorities are beginning to work together with businesses—particularly hotels and airlines—to spot people who are being moved around against their will. While many of their techniques are proprietary, and the companies don’t want to say too much about them, there are a few…

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5 Top Secrets to Getting More Done

Nik Nicholson:

Getting off line reading blogs about being productive should be added. LOL!

Originally posted on TIME:

1) Be a Machine

The secret to getting more done is to make things automatic. Decisions exhaust you:

The counterintuitive secret to getting things done is to make them more automatic, so they require less energy.

It turns out we each have one reservoir of will and discipline, and it gets progressively depleted by any act of conscious self-regulation. In other words, if you spend energy trying to resist a fragrant chocolate chip cookie, you’ll have less energy left over to solve a difficult problem. Will and discipline decline inexorably as the day wears on.

Build routines and habits so that you’re not deciding, you’re just doing. When you first learn to drive it’s 1000 activities like steering, shifting, checking mirrors, braking — but with practice you turned it into autopilot and it’s no stress at all.

2) Sleep is king

Get enough sleep:

All told, by the…

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PayPal to Separate From eBay in 2015

Originally posted on TIME:

(SAN JOSE, Calif.) — PayPal is splitting from EBay Inc. and will become a separate and publicly traded company next year.

The separation is expected to occur in the second half of 2015.

EBay said Tuesday that its board decided that the separation was the best path for growth and shareholder value creation for each business.

Dan Schulman, the president of the enterprise growth group at American Express, will be the new president at PayPal, effective immediately. The 56-year-old will become PayPal’s CEO once the separation takes place.

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