Carly's Ramblings Blog - Style

Losses, Writing Alone or With Others, & Decluttering

Today's blogs....

True by Spandua Ballet


A song from my youth. I love this song.

Welcome To My Reality – Week Sixty – Six

1. Share with us a time you lost something irreplaceable.

My mind first went to virginity... then I thought about relatives. My Gramzie, my father. Both were very special to me. Both were irreplaceable. I could also put my pets into this category - Kerry Lee and Kelsey Sue - the cats that graced my life and were company when the rest of the world was not going so well. There presence was calming. They both made me laugh with their clownish ways. I could add my dog Teddy as well. She and Kelsey were a funny little pair.

3. Do you think that writing should be a solitary occupation/hobby, or does the idea of working within a group or club appeal to you? What sort of person would make an ideal writing companion for you?

I enjoy writing on my own, I enjoy writing in a crowded coffee shop - alone, but in the presence of other, and I enjoy writing with others.
Many years ago I was part of a women's writing group. We met Thursday nights in a cozy room of an old house turned into a community therapy center. The facilitator led us through a series of writing sessions using music or other prompts to stimulate our creative juices and then we could share of pass later when we went around the circle and shared our writing. I gained confidence in my writing voice and told my stories. I listened to women tell their stories. There were tears and laughter. Each group bonded. Members changed as sessions were only 12 weeks in length. The facilitator, Melinda was the only constant and her calm, approachable vibe drew us in and held me. I stopped going when I moved from Guelph to Kitchener and found my husband would usually pick arguments when I came home. He seemed to save up his frustrations to download them when I would get home on a high from the evening. The high was quickly lost.

6. Are you a hoarder? Is there some part of your life that needs decluttering but you are loathe to do so? Are there things you keep that others don't (or wouldn't) see as valuable?

I have tendencies... my spare bedroom is a room that holds my teaching paraphernalia - everything from books and school supplies to an ice cream maker that you shake (it has been used to make ice cream with my ECO class of four students - they had a blast shaking and eating the treat). I have tried many times to clean it up and organize things but I find it does not take long to get messy again. I used to be able to find things I was looking for but not so much any more. My husband wants the room cleared out and my junk put away... I may need to look into renting a storage place to house some of it.... although having a class of my own would help.

I also have many books. Some I have read and need to sell to a used book store, some I want to keep and some I have yet to read. They are all piled up by my bed - on nightstands and on the floor. I also have them stacked on a table under my bedroom window. I also have them stacked on the coffee table in the living room. I also have them on the side table by the couch. A pile that I need to write reviews for and a pile I need to finish. There are also my book bags full of books and a book is in my purse.