Just as this cute snowman’s scarf is askew, so are the days of our lives. Life takes us to unexplained and sometimes uncomfortable places. Places that throw our goals, dreams, and aspirations askew, leaving loose ends. I’m sure we have all been there: an unexpected move, a job change, a death in the family, a chronic illness, a scary diagnosis, etc. Projects that we were confident we would finish by the first of the new year are far from tied up in pretty bows. We can either beat ourselves up and call ourselves imposters or pull ourselves together and work on our presents for the world. Several of the aforementioned have been my lot this year, but I will finish what I started, or at least endeavor to do so.
Chronic illness has kept me writhing in pain instead of writing as planned. But a Creative must create, so I will. What about you? Have your plans been thrown askew this year? What will you do about your loose ends? Press on, my friend.
Beautifully illustrated poetry eBooks half-off Christmas sale. Just $2.99 each. A great deal for a lovely present.
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Kaci Rigney 
Happy New Year Kaci 🎉🎇☺️🤗🙌
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Happy New Year!
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Thank you so much 👍😆😆
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Hi, I hope today for you will go beautifully Kaci 💌😇💕
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Thank you, my new friend! I hope the same for you! ☺️
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Awww thanks, I really appreciate that Kaci; I am happy we are new friends 🙏😇💙💙
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Me too!
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🥰🥰
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“Several of the aforementioned have been my lot this year, but I will finish what I started, or at least endeavor to do so”
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It’s inspiring to see your determination 💪☺️😌. If there is anything you can finish, it’s surely something that you had the desire or passion to start in the first place. I hope that ultimately you do accomplish your goals 🤞💙
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“Chronic illness has kept me writhing in pain instead of writing as planned. But a Creative must create, so I will. What about you? Have your plans been thrown askew this year? What will you do about your loose ends? Press on, my friend.”
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I am sorry to hear how your plans have been halted by chronic illness and the pain that you have experienced 💔💔.
I am definitely one to tie up loose ends — I don’t lose interest in things easily and I am extremely ambitious 😃. If I don’t finish something the way I originally planned, it’s usually because of factors beyond my control lol. But I rarely do things half-way; I have the propensity to be very thorough when it comes to things I am really interested in or I see as my responsibility, so tightening the loose ends for me I always must 👍👍😄
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I started a reply and something happened to it. Haha! Not sure where it went. Anyway, thank you for your kind words.
In the last six years, I’ve been much afflicted, but since I’ve been stuck at home for a goodly portion of that time, I have started several projects. My creativity takes me to lots of places. I joke that I have several plates full and they’re all spinning atop of poles like jugglers do. I know, one thing at a time.
Writing endeavors: Poems, I try to write at least one a day. What do I do with them? I want to share them with the world, so they must become thematic books. That takes time a load of time. There are eight finished and in my store. Then, I thought, wouldn’t it be nice to have all these poetry forms in a book series of how-to-write poetry? So the series is underway with ten books so far (unpublished and a few not quite finished). The first year of the pandemic, I started a novel. It’s nearly finished. And thirty years ago, I started a novel. But with small children, I just didn’t have the extra time of energy to work on it. So it’s on the proverbial shelf. Then there’s my newsletters, and fleshing out what to write about on Substack and WordPress, keeping up with approximately 200 emails a day, social media posts and hopefully “not in your face” marketing.
Music Endeavors: I was a singer by trade for 30 years. In early 2020, one of my medications targeted my vocal chords so bad that I lost my singing voice for nearly two years. I had a few good days, here and there, but I was scared I might lose it permanently. It is slowly but surely coming back. Writing music falls in two categories here; penning lyrics, and then of course, composing the melody and chord chart, which I do at the piano. I was just asked to do a Valentine’s Day concert. Got to work diligently on that. A concert requires choosing the music, properly arranging the songs in a theme, about thirty hours of practice time, as well as at least a half hour a day warming up my voice. Not to mention how much time I will need to practice piano for it. Several instruments call to me, so I am slowly working them into my schedule. Some I am picking up for the first time, others I’m playing an old friend. Should I continue with my other pursuits? Haha! Like I said, full plates spinning! My head is spinning, just thinking about it.
Thanks again for commenting. I appreciate you.
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“I started a reply and something happened to it. Haha! Not sure where it went. Anyway, thank you for your kind words.”
[ME]: Hahaha yeah it happens, I can relate, it looks like it’s even more common than I thought — sometimes due to technical error, mistake or because the anti-spam system is in over-drive.
“In the last six years, I’ve been much afflicted, but since I’ve been stuck at home for a goodly portion of that time, I have started several projects. My creativity takes me to lots of places. I joke that I have several plates full and they’re all spinning atop of poles like jugglers do. I know, one thing at a time.”
[ME]: It’s interesting to hear one of the reasons why you have written so prolifically in the last 6 years, apart form the fact that you are naturally inclined to be creative of course. I see where you are coming from and how you had taken on many projects just to make things interesting since you were stuck at home with not many options. I love your joke, it’s amusing yet true at the same time lol
“Writing endeavors: Poems, I try to write at least one a day. What do I do with them? I want to share them with the world, so they must become thematic books. That takes time a load of time. There are eight finished and in my store. Then, I thought, wouldn’t it be nice to have all these poetry forms in a book series of how-to-write poetry? So the series is underway with ten books so far (unpublished and a few not quite finished). The first year of the pandemic, I started a novel. It’s nearly finished. And thirty years ago, I started a novel. But with small children, I just didn’t have the extra time of energy to work on it. So it’s on the proverbial shelf. Then there’s my newsletters, and fleshing out what to write about on Substack and WordPress, keeping up with approximately 200 emails a day, social media posts and hopefully “not in your face” marketing.”
[ME]: You are extremely talented 👏👏🤯. I am glad to see how your love for writing poems has blossomed into such an great and impressive catalogue of thematic books. I can understand for sure how regular writing such as what you have been doing can take up alot of time; all the planning, production and preparation for your book series not to mention all the time, attention, energy, love, care and support necessary to raise children, means that you are often very preoccupied and you are sacrificing so much since you not only have your own aspirations to work towards and things you want to conclude/finalize/accomplish, but you also have a family to manage, which all combined, is a huge energy burner resulting in the fact that there are just some things that you have no choice but to prioritize and other things you will have to get back to. I totally feel what you are saying Kaci and I admire to see how you are staying focused throughout it all 💯👍.
“Music Endeavors: I was a singer by trade for 30 years. In early 2020, one of my medications targeted my vocal chords so bad that I lost my singing voice for nearly two years. I had a few good days, here and there, but I was scared I might lose it permanently. It is slowly but surely coming back. Writing music falls in two categories here; penning lyrics, and then of course, composing the melody and chord chart, which I do at the piano. I was just asked to do a Valentine’s Day concert. Got to work diligently on that. A concert requires choosing the music, properly arranging the songs in a theme, about thirty hours of practice time, as well as at least a half hour a day warming up my voice. Not to mention how much time I will need to practice piano for it. Several instruments call to me, so I am slowly working them into my schedule. Some I am picking up for the first time, others I’m playing an old friend. Should I continue with my other pursuits? Haha! Like I said, full plates spinning! My head is spinning, just thinking about it.
Thanks again for commenting. I appreciate you.”
[ME]: The effects of the medication messing up your vocal chords must have been one of the worst things you have ever experienced. To be a singer by trade and singing for so many years, then facing the possibility that you may have to stop, and worst yet your voice may not ever be the same again, is a heartbreaking thing to have to think about and to have lingering over your life, I am happy that after all of that, your vocal abilities are returning and you are not looking at a situation where they will be permanently incapable of the terrific musical gifts that you are use too creating 🎼👩🎤🎤. I cherished that you have taken the time to share with me your perspective about what it takes to create music as far as your style and approach goes — it is so cool that you are both a song writer and an instrumentalist, basically a musician to the bone, and I like how things for you went from serious concerns about a future not being able to sing, to now being tapped do a valentine’s day concert and your graceful enthusiasm to commit to this lovely opportunity with the diligence and preparations needed to pull an event of such magnitude off. I applaud you for taking all of those key things into consideration such as the practice you will need for the instruments as well as warming up your vocals. There is surely no shortage of options for you to pursue but whatever you choose to do I hope you have fun doing it and I wish you all the best in them 🙌😆🤗.
You are welcome Kaci 🫶🤗🤩, I loved what you had to say and commenting was a pleasure. I appreciate dearly you too 😇🙏💌
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Your lyrics are a reflection on resilience and the ability to adapt and overcome life’s unexpected challenges while maintaining focus on personal goals and contributions. 🤗👏🎄
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Thank you! I appreciate the encouragement. 😊
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I too battle with chronic pain issues and I am always sad to hear of another that deals with this too. 2024 has been a tough year financially. Cost of living increased yet my fixed income stayed the same. I have said “NO”99 times out of 100 when an activity or event cost money. Some creative aspirations are truly “free”, and others cost too much and have been set aside. Sometimes just up on a high shelf, still visible and other times put at the far back of a shelf hidden. I have been in lots of prayer concerning my gift of creativity and all of the “Loose ends”. Will see what God has in mind for 2025.
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I understand and emphasize with you, my friend. God knows our plight. He loves us. He has good plans for us. We just need to “press on toward the mark of the high calling…”
Sending hugs and great hopes for both of us this next year.
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My strength to endure only comes from my deep love and relationship with Jesus. Jesus has been faithful despite my times of grumbling. Merry Christmas to you and your family!
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Merry Christmas!
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