Writer's Block

For once in my life I have time to write a post. Like I actually have time to sit down and think up and produce a well thought out post that might actually be longer than four paragraphs.

But here's the irony. I have nothing to write. I'm still waiting on some big epiphany that usually precedes a majority of my posts. I never have to sit and come up with an idea, they come to me. Like what is this madness?

I actually have pictures on my phone that have already been edited too. I just need a post that can join them. I have the perfect combination of things going on that should result in a good post. The stars have aligned. Everything should be falling into place. 

But no. 

I don't even believe in writer's block. Everybody can write something. If I really had writer's block, I wouldn't have been able to come up with the sentences above. It's just an excuse. An element that writer's use to explain their lack of good material. I feel if you can get past the thought that your inability to write a good piece is coming from some made up shit called "writer's block" then you can actually come up with a pretty decent story. Like don't chalk up your moment of unsureness to some fictional principle. 

Just start writing.

See what I did there? Even rambling is a good way to get a post going. I just started talking and I already had a post started, which in my opinion is always the hardest thing to do. I never know where to begin. I can know exactly what I want to talk about, I can know exactly the things I want to cover, and I can know exactly the things that need to be addressed, but for crying out loud I can't get the damn thing started.

 So like the name of my blog is Sunsets and Sundays for God's sake, but how long has it been since I've had a picture of a Sunset on here? Like for-freaking-ever. So soak up this beauty.

Anyways. Get over your little "writer's block" and start writing. Get outside and live a little. Read a book. Watch some TV. Check your twitter. Get inspired.

Have a fabulous day.

The Best 20 Minutes of My Life

Things are happening in our world. Lives are being changed. People are being influenced. Families are being helped. 

The world is also seeing suffering. Lives are enduring great affliction. People are pushing their way through tragedies. Families are rebuilding after destruction. 

I viewed this video last week. I hadn't planned to watch the whole thing. I had intended to watch the first five minutes and assumed I would eventually stop after a loss of interest. 

But no such thing happened.

This is an inspiring video of a young boy named Zach Sobiech. He has so much wisdom and a love for life that we can only hope to experience. He's truly a beautiful young man.

I can honestly say this is the best video on YouTube that I've ever watched. The best young man that I can hope to know. The best twenty minutes of my life. Enjoy it all.

Have a fabulous day.

Wordless Wednesdays {Looking Up}

Poetry Mondays: Thanks

I'd like to express

my thankfulness

to those who bless

me with my freedom. 

To those who served,
to those who fought,
to those who are training,

to those we have lost.

To those who have died

on the inside in war.

To those who cry

because their heart is torn. 

In the midst of death

in the midst of power

in the midst of evil

but yet never cower. 

You are my hero

but yet go unnoticed. 

You've been through so much

but can still stay focused. 

Words can't explain

this poem can't portray 

my feelings can't be contained 

I'd just like to say

Thanks. 

The Cat of the Hour

For those of you who are long time readers, you know about my neighbor's cat. She'd often creep up on me during a shoot and I'd always snap a couple shots of her. She's scattered about in my blog, a couple of pictures of her here, a couple more there, she's a regular customer. I believe she hasn't made an appearance in a while, but this will most definitely make up for it.

I saw her wandering around my backyard after a couple of weeks of hiding last night. I hadn't seen her in almost a month and I saw an opening of opportunity. The sun was in the beginning stages of a sunset and the lighting was just beautiful.

It was a fabulous two minutes. Literally. Two minutes was all I spent with her before she sauntered off onto her next destination. She's a mysterious creature, I'll tell ya.

I hate to turn this post into some cliche metaphor about a cat's life, but I just can't help it. She fascinates me, her day to day life, her go wherever she pleases nature. I kinda like it. I wish I could just drop everything and travel, move from city to city, country to country, seeing landmarks and new people and enjoying interesting dishes.

But in all honesty the reality is that it's quite impossible to live like her unless you have some remarkable financial circumstance. But a girl can dream.

And I sure will.

So start your week off right. Eat what you love. Go to the pool. Enjoy the sun. Pet your favorite feline a few more times. Tell people you love them.

Have a fabulous final two hours of a Sunday. 

A Beautiful Mess

My life is a paradox. Or an oxymoron. Or whatever the hell should be the correct term. (Why is public education failing me?!) I'm one "I'm almost ready" moment after another. I can be awfully nice. My room is a fine mess. I'm cautiously optimistic. My future is as clear as mud. I believe in free will. My life is one big beautiful mess.

I kinda like that. A beautiful mess. I break down. I freak out. I cry because there's no way in hell that I can finish that book report and study for my pre-calculus test and make A's on both of them. My rooms a mess. I'm not the best at the things I wish I was. But I make good grades. And I love what I do. I constantly try to find joy in everything. I find happiness in the little things. For every shitty thing that happens, I have something better that totally out does it.

My life is a mess, but it sure is beautiful.

I guess that's the secret. The key to the door of life. Who cares if your life isn't great and it's not how you planned as long as you can find the beauty that I guarantee is somewhere in there. Nobody likes a mess, but a beautiful mess is totally different.

And what makes it even better is that we define what beauty is. We write it ourselves, the definition set by our own personal standards, which can make finding beauty so much more easy. I find beauty in other people's happiness. In a good sunset. In drinking Coke from glass bottles. In birthdays. In a perfect picture. It's all simple things that easily turn my cluttered life into something better.

I'm sure most of you readers have a mess of a life. Now go find the beauty in it. And there you have it.

A beautiful mess.

Have a fabulous Saturday.

Poetry Mondays: The Game of Life

I always loved
The Game of Life
the board game that is
where you had kids and found a wife.

I played it all through
my elementary days
the stiff, hard board
with colors array. 

But now I've grown so much
that the game is real
real people real challenges
the genuine deal.

Setbacks are more
than a few red spaces back
money isn't just
some bright papers in a stack.

You can't make up new rules
you can't cheat your way through
you can't end the game when things aren't going great
you just have to make do.

But wouldn't that be something-
if you could just restart
throw the board up in a fit
when things start to fall apart.

Or your luck could be changed

by a simple flick or a spin. 

If your mishaps were forgotten

by the time the next person wins.

But in The Game of life
there really is something to learn
sometimes you make the decisions
and then sometimes life takes a turn.


Have a fabulous Monday.