Gone to happy place... be back soon!

This post-it used to be one of my profile picture options on Facebook and MySpace.  Everytime I was leaving the computer behind for the weekend I would replace my picture with this graphic.  I felt as if it was some kind of courtesy to my friends to let them know I wasn't available to comment on their various forms of distress at the moment, but I would be back to commisurate with them in a few days.  I soon realized that no one cared.  Everyone continuted to live their lives and comment freely in cyberspace whether I posted humorous, sarcastic, insightful and sometimes silly responses or not.  At that point in time I wasn't online a lot, but I was really happiest offline and away from the glaring lights of the computer screen.  I don't think that has changed much, although I find myself in front of the screen much more often now. 

I haven't posted the happy place note in a while, but I am resurrecting it to use on this blog for just a little while.  You see, as much as I am enjoying expanding my writing skills through the exercises in the two books, I have decided to take on a much larger writing goal and complete a book.  Originally I was planning on finishing the assignments before taking on this very scary task, but I realized that I need to strike now... while the iron is hot.  I have come to terms with the fact that my book will not compare with Shakespere or Tolkien and am finally ok with that.  I don't expect to be a brilliant writer at first, but I have good ideas that need to make their way out of my head and hopefully into the heads of others.  I think getting the informaton out there is a better use of my time at this moment than striving for perfection.  If Microsoft can sell a functional but imperfect product and offer subsequent upgrades, why can't I?

This is a huge struggle for me because I am a closet perfectionist.  It keeps me from getting things done quite a bit, but I'm working really hard on just getting over it and getting moving.  I will occasionally compelte an assignment here during my book writing process.  I imagine it will be a very useful way to overcome writer's block, but the posts will be a bit more infrequent for a while.  Writing is a happy place for me.  I never really realized how much before.  I love the process of formulating an idea in my head, molding it and tinkering with it until I know exactly how I want it to come out and then spewing it out into the blank computer screen.  I don't want to stop the blog, but I no longer want to delay the book.  If I could write 24-hours a day and give you both the book and the blog I would probably do it... but a girl has to sleep sometime and the laundry fairies have not visited my house for a very long time.

So, this is not farewell.  I am simply going to my happy place and I will be back to share with all of you soon.