“Summer, it turns me upside down…” Magic – The Cars
I love summer! I can’t even begin to tell you how much. I love everything about it, even the oppressive heat. After all, we do have these fancy inventions called air conditioners. It is always a bit sad at this time when it comes to an end. I never accomplish every item that I set out to finish, but I have learned to stop beating myself up. I have done quite a few things this summer, except for write. I only wrote one short story and two poems the entire time. Everything else I posted was pulled from my writing notebooks. It seems so extremely difficult to find the time to write anymore. Many of you know that if publish anything on your blog that you cannot submit the work anywhere else as it is considered “published.” I think it is very unfair that the literary magazines make these rules, but they are what they are.
One of my goals is to submit more of my work, sadly that may mean I have less for my blog; however, as luck would have it, I have a huge notebook of really bad poems that I wrote in the 1980s! Can you even believe it? They even….get ready to cringe….rhyme! Oh, I know you guys are excited now, I can just feel it in the air. It may be fun to pull these out and post them. You will certainly be able to tell because at the top I’ll probably put something like: From the 1980s Notebooks, plus as I mentioned, they RHYME. We might even be able to play a game with it called, Can This Poem Be Saved? I borrowed that name from an old column Good Housekeeping magazine used to have entitled, Can This Marriage Be Saved? So as you can see, it is an open-ended question that just begs for input.
In the 1980s notebooks you will get such lyrical treats as this:
And whether they be friends or foes
Who knows what lurks in dark shadows?
I know, right? It is almost too amazing for words, this poetic brilliance. What, you may ask, will I be doing other than writing for my blog? Well, referencing said literary magazines above, I will attempt to submit more, so that I can be rejected more, so that I can continue to feel so good about myself. I also will have to do book promotion activities for the upcoming tome, and right this minute, I’m not sure what activities those might be. I am also reading some of my work on YouTube where I say the word, “ummm” a lot and look very uncomfortable on camera because I want to be BEHIND a screen typing somewhere. Don’t they know that most writers are asocial? If you have a publisher though, I do feel like you owe them such publicity in whatever way that you can generate it.
August is such a bittersweet month for me. So much I love about it, but also so sad as I lost a very good friend two years ago. It is also the birthday month for both my mother, whom also recently passed and for me. Actually, today is my birthday. I spent part of it visiting Sephora, where, by the way, they give you cool freebies, nice-size samples on your birthday. But only if you are not lurking in the dark shadows. If you have not been in such a cosmetics store lately, you should go. I think they have some writers locked up in a room somewhere to come up with product names for brands such as Nars. I kid you not, you can get luscious lip colors in Swinger (a lovely purple), Stroke of Lust, East End Snob, and Naked Lunch. You can try some blush in Barely Legal or Indecent Proposal. How about some eyeshadow in Nice Ash or nail polish in Kitty Glitter? These are the tame names, I could embarrass all of you here, but as you know, I write children’s books so I can’t be talking like that!
Come to think of it, there actually might be a place for my 80s poetry in the cosmetics industry. Happy writing everyone. Happy back to school for those of you that are going!
Happy Birthday sweetie!!! that’ a nice pic of you. 🙂
Thanks Jim! Happy weekend to you 😀
Love those cosmetic names! I totally get it about not being able to submit material if you’ve already posted it on your blog. A bummer, indeed. Better get, umm, promoting that book! So share those 80’s rhymes here, you know I’ve got nothing against rhyme. Great Cars song as well, uh-oh it’s magic. Video brought Jesus to mind, the adoring looks of the crowd, walking on water, etc. 🙂
Oh yes, Joan, you can’t have the 1980s with the Cars! It is really not fair that they make us write double. I mean, after all, many of us don’t have that many blog followers and even fewer readers! I think you need to do a humor poem on those cosmetic names, I’m thinking about it, lol! 😀
You should make a poem out of those, Lana. And be a rebel, make it RHYME!
I’m all Rebel-ish. I got a Pink Floyd shirt for my birthday! Rock on! 😀
So it’s August 19 here, is this your birthday or am I – as I so often am 😀 running behind? Either way Happy Birthday for today or tomorrow or yesterday….. <3
Thanks for the heads up, I am way too polite to ask if you had been perhaps drinking too much had your 80's poems turned up unannounced. But I would have been concerned. Though, having said that, I do think the use of that particular double syllable at the end of the second line is – um – notable.
I didn't know that putting something on your blog means you are considered published. Does that apply to excerpts as well? What happens if you go Indie?
Finally, taking a summer mainly off writing may indicate that you are just brewing a few good thoughts and come the cooler weather the fingers will be flying over the keyboard! Good luck with it all. I wonder what happens to all the unpublished books and unseen paintings we churn out in our life times? There must be a story there 🙂
Hey, Pauline, my birthday was the 18th. I usually never mention it online but since I’ve lost my mom and it is her birthday month too, I guess I’ve been thinking about it more. I’ve just had such a busy, exhausting summer getting many, many things in order. I do; however, look around and feel very good about what I have done (except for having no writing to show for it). Almost all literary markets consider anything “published” that has appeared on that person’s blog. It is so ridiculous because many of us do not have that many followers and even fewer readers. If you publish a book with a publisher, they put a limit on how many lines of text can appear on your blog. I will be publishing some excerpts when it is closer for my Sandman book to go out into the wild, but I have to watch the word count. I can understand their rationale because the publisher pays for all the art work, the editing and typesetting, and of course they want to sell in order to regain that money. Indie creative folks, on the other hand, can do whatever they want with their work, and I’m sure many of them publish long excerpts on their blogs in order to entice readers to buy. Many published books, unfortunately, fall into the “unseen” category because it takes an act of divine intervention to stand out in the constant stream of authors writing books. There are definitely stories behind all of our unseen paintings and writings! 😀
Happy Birthday Lana! I didn’t see anything on Facebook so I didn’t get a chance to publicly embarrass you there. Sephora sounds like a great way to sodnf your birthday. As for those poems that rhyme…
Thanks, Marissa! Yeah, I rarely put anything about my birthday out in public, ha ha. You need to visit Sephora, I’ll bet you could generate a song based on those names! The rhyming poem rule doesn’t apply to humor poems or children’s stuff, those things are perfectly acceptable to rhyme. And yours are outstanding! It is only when you are trying to be reflective and serious that you can’t rhyme, there’s apparently a law against it, lol!
Yes, I always think that rhyming poems should be humorous. Heard about the Sephora birthday club but somehow don’t think I’m signed up for it. I’ll have to see about that. Mine’s coming up soon. I could definitely make a poem from those odd makeup names. I’ll have to give it a try!
Many many happy returns of the day! 🙂
Thank you so much, Ayesha!
Happy birthday, Lana
Thanks Derrick!
Happy Birthday! You kept that underwraps until almost the end of the post! Good luck with your submissions and the publicity trail! You should set up a poll for your 80’s poems and get readers to vote on whst I don’t know…alternative rhyming words maybe? 😂
Thanks! I’m definitely going to do something with the readers if I resort to having to post them to keep my blog alive, lol! Submitting is such a nightmare and it is so, so, so subjective. It also really adds to my insecurities, I’m always thinking, “my writing sucks!” “Why am I doing this!” “What a waste of time” on and on and on. Oh well…. 😀
Ugh those insecurities…we all have them- be brave and go for it, your writing is great! 😊
Thank you so much! I really appreciate the encouragement. You know how tough this business is, lol!
You’re welcome 🙂 Yes, it is tough- I have not submitted anything but 2 poems (one to an onliine poetry site and another to a blog)- one accepted, the other I never heard back haha, so far so I admire your courage in taking the plunge!
Well, I’m sure I will get beaten down pretty fast, lol!
Noooo!!!!
Happy birthday! Thanks for sharing what is going on with you at the end of August. The Texas summer will continue into September. A little make-up fun never hurts. I call it “Tammy Faye therapy.” May you make time for your writing projects and revive those poems!
Thank you, Jo! Oh yes, the heat must go on, lol. I had never heard “Tammy Fay Therapy” before, ha ha! Time does fly, but it is funny, looking back now, I don’t know how I had time to write poetry in the 80s as I had two little girls, a full time job, and I was going to school part-time. I probably have more time to write now than then, lol!
Happy Birthday, Lana! 🎂🎈🎁 The cosmetic shop sounds like fun, the inventiveness of the names alone had me smiling and wanting to try some.😀😀 Good luck with entering more articles for publication and it is annoying how some will rule out work published on your own blog – not all do however, so it’s a matter of reading that small print! Oh, I do look forward to your 80s poetry!! Virtual birthday hugs and comforting for ones for this difficult month for you. Xx
Thank you so much, Annika. I was having a blast in the shop, I may go back and do research for a humor poem, lol! Yes, these literary magazines are so frustrating. Most bloggers do not have several thousand followers, and even less readers, so I don’t know what they are worried about. Causes us all to have to produce a double amount of writing if you still want to maintain a blog, just very unfair! I appreciate the virtual hug. This month is truly bittersweet. Much love to you, Annika, xoxo
Happy Happy B-day, Lana! I can totally relate to NOT having enough time to write. There are so many things competing for my attention, and we all know real writing requires time and concentration. You’re fortunate to have an ’80s notebook, even if the poems rhyme. Might be easier to swap a word here and there, rather than pen something entirely new, you know. Enjoy cake and ice cream!
Thanks, Debbie! I have indulged a bit too much this weekend, I’ve got to get a lid on it now, ha ha. I have always had a sweet tooth courtesy of two grandmothers who loved to bake. Oh yes, these days fly by at a rapid pace. Looking back, I don’t know how I had time to write in the 80s as I had two little girls, a job, and went to school part-time, all this beginning about 1985. I probably have more time to write now than then, lol!
Happy Birthday, Lana. I hope the day brings great cheer and creates wonderful new memories. I totally understand the need to take a chunk of blogging time and apply it to “publishable” writing. I’ll be doing the same shortly. And your writing deserves the acclaim. <3
Now, I am definitely looking forward to your rhyming backlog. 😀 "Can this poem be saved?" is a great idea, and if you do something like that, I hope you get participation. Funny. Enjoy the last weeks of summer, my friend, and eat lots of ice cream. 🙂
Thank you, Diana! I am going to try to submit more. I do actually have a nice supply of “blog unpublished” stories and a few poems in a folder marked as Non-Blog that are ready to go. Of course, another detriment to submitting work is that blasted leg work involved. Having to read guidelines, reading their journals to see if your stuff might fit, spending all that time, getting it typed up like that want it with bio, etc., then having it rejected. I realize that many, many good writers are constantly rejected, but lets face it, after awhile it takes a toll and I get to where I don’t even care anymore. I did get a few items published last year but it was like pulling my own teeth. I guess we will see if I can keep at it that way. I think I want to do the 80s poetry either way. I think I’m going to make a rule that anyone who comments has to change something. Then I will try to rewrite it based on suggestions, it might be a new fun blogging game (if I can get comments, that is….) I took you up on the ice cream, ha ha. Have a super weekend my friend! 😀
Sounds like fun, Lana. I’ll play 😀
Poetry Wolf
Many happy returns… have a wonderful birthday, Lana! Hugs Lovely photo of you. ⚘ All the best in publishing your works.
Thank you so much, Iris. I had a good day, and have been indulging my sweet tooth. Birthday is now over, so I really need to stop that, lol! 😀
Belated Happy Birthday, Lana!!! 🙂 ❤️🍰🌹🌺🤗🍾
I´m also in love with summer and am sad to see it slowly part… It always seems to be much shorter than winter around here. And it´s goof that you´ve learned not to beat yourself up when you haven´t achieved everything you aimed for – I´m currently learning the same (more or less successful 😉 )!
I do look forward to your 1980´s poems – “Can this poem be saved?” sounds like fun already! 😀 Also I think not everything that rhymes is bad – just think of Shakespeare 😉
You look gorgeous in that picture by the way, and what a great idea to turn it upside down to match your post´s title 😉
As to those cosmetic names? They sound just awesome! I would totally go for Barely Legal and Kitty Glitter although I don´t have the slightest clue what they actually look like! 😀 In Germany the names are really extremely lame and boring and don´t come anywhere near yours.
Oh, and I just contacted you on Facebook – just in case you wonder who that is 😉
Have a lovely late summer day! Much love! 🙂 xoxo
Thank you, Sarah! I had a great day, and indulged my love of pancakes, for one thing, lol! Ice cream too. I may have hit on an idea with my 80s poems as several of my friends seem to like that idea. Thanks for the compliment! Those cosmetic names, lol! I saw you on Facebook, so glad we connected! Have a super Sunday, and much love back to you. xo xo 😀
You´re very welcome, Lana and I really look forward to those 80´s poems! Must be because I´m a child of the eighties 😉
So glad we connected on FB too!
Have a fabulous day! Much love! 🙂 xoxo <3
That must be it, Sarah, ha ha. I so loved the 80s, the music, the outrageous fashions and makeup, just all of it! I am thrilled to connect on Facebook. Hope you had a great day and a fabulous rest-of-the-week! Much love, xo xo 😀
And don’t forget the movies!! Breakfast Club, Indiana Jones… And many more 😄It’s been a great decade! Glad it’s having a comeback 😉 xoxo
Great post Lana. First, I love Sephora! Second, I think it would be fun to look back on earlier works from the 80s and 90s, so wished I’d kept mine! And last of all, yes, them there is the rules with publishers, so I’d say for a few months keep those good stories for publishing and remember, you can always put them up after they’re published and the first rights run out. 🙂 xx
Thanks Debby! Sephora is a lot of fun, those cosmetics names, tho… 😀 Awe, I wished you had kept your old stuff too. For some reason, I hung on to all of mine, lol. xoxo
Good for you Lana. It must be a great trip looking back at our writing over 30 years ago! 🙂 xx
So sorry I am late, but Happy Belated Birthday Lana! Wishing you many happy days, keep writing. You know you always come up with something funny, like that advertisement in the cosmetic store. They do that everywhere these day. We never miss them in all corners of the street these days, telling us oh how this powder will keep you looking good for over 24 hours, the lipstick will make you shine, or this or that. But hey, “I am sorry I am late for my appointment, next time, ” I say to them. you did make me laugh with this one. And the music was great, they do try to “twist” us with that make up, don’t they? hahaha! And yes I can believe School is back open this coming Monday in Europe. And summer is closing its days on us. Well Autumn with its yellow, orange and red colours, will soon bloom. Every blog will be filled with topics of Autumn. Well I did have a good laugh reading from you. It was fun and fantastic! Have a lovely weekend! Cheers!
Thank you, Juli. It seems summer gets shorter every year and I’m always back to work sooner than I wish I was. It is hard to work, blog and keep up with everything. Of course, I say that every year. Makeup these days cracks me up, ha ha. They try to sell it anyway they can. Here’s to a colorful and cool Autumn! Have a lovely weekend also!
Thank you Lana, yes Summer does leave us alone before we know it, very true! Makeup – oh tell me about it. I love more on being natural these days, but at times rarely I nicked in to my daughter’s bedroom and get myself glowing from her makeups – when I feel like it hahaha!