The challenge — Staying Focused and working with distractions.
A writer’s Journey Publication
Lots can happen in one year — and it did for me.
2020 is now in the Rearview Mirror
Now that 2020 is behind me in the rearview mirror, I can fully focus 2021 on being that full-time writer I want to be for years.
On Wednesday, January 1, 2020 6:16 AM, I wrote the following in OneNote.
“Real writers do not have another job. The job of a writer is to write and only write. I have for the past several years wanted to buckle down and write.”
I found this note today: January 31, 2021. On this day exactly one year ago, we signed a 1-year lease on a rental home in Northern California.
We were moving from Northern Nevada to Northern California. Because we wanted several things. Less rural living, more California weather, a change of peace. We got all three.
I am in a better place to focus on writing, and most of the major things I considered distractions are now behind me.
Maybe distractions, or just part of moving through life.
One year ago, I had just completed two moving trips of our personal belongs into storage in Northern California. Our Northern Nevada home was in escrow, soon to be closed. I would soon start moving the third load into the rental, for which I considered temporary campsite. I would complete the move with two more loads.
The next stage of the move was to locate a home. There were those times we thought a forever home. Others maybe 10 years, as that was our history. Ten years in the Bay Area. About 10 years in the Seattle area. And another 10 Years in Northern Nevada. We celebrated 30 years of marriage in August 2020.
Months after completing the move in February, we started shopping for a home. After shopping the different areas and viewing many homes, we found one that we both liked. Since our former home had been closed for months, the new purchase glided through quickly, the sellers had already purchased another home and were excited to get moving.
We closed the end of June 2020. Next there was the remodel, which started early July 2020. The remodel was extensive. The outside of the home needed little work, but the inside was dated and need updating.
Four tradesperson story.
https://medium.com/seniorcitizenwriters/the-four-tradesman-and-there-sons-a5f6224f618a
We moved into the new home early October; with the last of the major work completed Dec 3, 2020.
Our fur kid Misty passed in early November 2020.
https://medium.com/seniorcitizenwriters/the-four-tradesman-and-there-sons-a5f6224f618a
Thinking about writing, and my newfound focus.
January 1, 2021, I started my first set of focused writings. This was the day I longed for and it had arrived. I completed and published eighteen articles this month, 19 counting this one. I received more views and reads of those articles this month.
A lot has happened around the world in the last one year. To me it is the little things in life, this one accomplishment does it for me.
I am excited about the eleven months ahead in 2021.
Thinking about age, I will be 69 later this year.
My dad passed away at 72. He retired at age 62 and literally did nothing between 62 and 72. I have never been in the position of doing nothing and I will never be in that position. My Mom live to 87. My Mom’s parents lived to 85. My Dad’s mother lived to be 93.
I have always believed that I would life to 100, maybe more, I believe and am reaching for the 100 years mark, give or take a few months.
That gives me just under 31 years, after my birthday, to complete my writing career. During this time, I plan to have a Complete Digital Story left behind on the internet.
As Steve Miller Band says, “Time keeps on slippin’, slippin’, slippin’ into the future.”
Onward and forward I roll.
How is your journey moving in 2021?
