Wednesday, October 7, 2015

IWSG: October 7, 2015 ~





It's the first Wednesday 
of the month ~ 
the day when members of the
Insecure Writer's Support Group
share their writing struggles
and offer their encouragement
and support to other members.




To visit the IWSG website, click here.

To become a member of the IWSG, click here.

Our wonderful co-hosts who are stepping up to help 
IWSG founder Alex J. Cavanaugh are:  TB Markinson, Tamara Narayan, Shannon Lawrence, Stephanie Farisand Eva A. Solar.

Visit them and thank them for co-hosting.
I'm sure they would appreciate an encouraging comment!

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I'm leaving on a plane again.
Literally!

What are the chances that I'd be flying
on two IWSG Wednesdays in a row?



Victoria International Airport
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada



After a wonderful month in Victoria,
we are headed home to Aurora, Colorado, USA!

And much as I loved Victoria,
the thought of home is very good.







Last IWSG day I wrote:
I will figure out how to make this writing-while-traveling work!

I'm still working on it.

It's really challenging because when I travel
there are so many amazing things to experience.

The good news is that I've spent time 
in Victoria's wonderful bookstores
poring through stacks and stacks of books
on Canada's First Nation Peoples,
and I've found some books with excellent information
on the time and place in which my memoir is set.






And on this trip, I've managed to keep up
with new material on my northern blog posts
connected with my manuscript.

I've even managed to read some of those 
reference materials I've found.

But I've failed to write regularly on a schedule.

It was supposed to rain in temperate-rain-forest Victoria.
But day after day has been lovely,
and the beautiful harbor city called.



Victoria's Undeveloped Waterfront


I was supposed to have more down time
in which I could write,
but how can you have down time
with the amazing Royal BC Museum
only 98 paces from your door?




Royal BC Museum
Victoria, British Columbia


And everywhere you look 
there are interesting things to learn about,
like a Bascule bridge which uses a counterweight
to balance a moveable span
as it swings up and down to allow boats to pass.



 The Johnson Street Bridge
with Its Drawbridge Up




And did I mention giant spindle whorls,
dancing water taxis, and pubs of every ilk?



         





Bard & Banker


Victoria is highly distractible 
to someone who is easily distracted!



My MacBeath Tartan on Display
~ Not Sure if I Should Laugh or Cry!





And Sisters Are No Help!  LOL!
Barb (right) and Me


But I'm also an optimist,
and I'll get there!

I just hope I live a long time!
I'm going to need every minute!

  

34 comments:

  1. The taxi photo is the best!

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    1. Those dancing water taxis were something to see, Susie! Have a good day!

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  2. haha well if you can't enjoy the distractions then what can you enjoy? Wait until there is tons of snow, then you can write with no place to go

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    1. And I'm burrowing in, Pat!
      Writing is going to be where it's at!
      Have a good day
      at your bay!

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  3. "The Inconvenient Indian" is on my "to read" list too. It has received a lot of accolades here in Canada.

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    1. It's hilarious, Debra; but also very serious in the points it makes. I only bought a few of the books, because I don't have room in my suitcase; but I have photos and a bibliography of books to get when I am back in Denver. Victoria is a book lover's dream, lots of bookstores and people reading everywhere! Happy Wednesday!

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  4. Traveling always spurs my imagination.

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  5. Daisy would really like that polar bear statue. Is he wearing a Scottish military uniform? The shirt part reminds me of seeing British formal ones from the early 20th century

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    1. If it's not military, Adam, it's definitely formal Scottish dress. And that bear looks quite dignified! Happy Wednesday!

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  6. You've been gathering information and that's just as important. Now you will be armed and ready to write when you return.
    Awesome photos as always.
    Now, what are the odds you'll be traveling three IWSG post days in a row?

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    1. I've found some great historic material, Alex; built a great bibliography and have a list to start tracking down when I get home!!! Zero odds! I plan to be home next IWSG Wednesday! I hope to visit IWSG sites during our layover in Seattle! If I can get a free link. Have a great day!

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  7. Louise, that museum would draw me in as well! Lovely photos, I always enjoy the tours and letters you share! :)

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    1. Thanks, Linda! I commented on your blog last night about the awesome packing tips I got from one of your packing videos. I have since discovered that if you have to dig into your suitcase for something you unexpectedly needed, it's so to find and replace things when everything is tightly rolled and bound with elastics. I didn't have to sit on my suitcase to close it! Yay! Have a great day, Linda!

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  8. I spent a lot of time there growing up, I'd love to have a month in Victoria now.

    Hopefully, the time away from actually writing recharged you. I find that breaks from writing are not only necessary given what happens in our lives but also give me new energy when I sit down to write again.

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    1. Lucky you, David! Victoria and Vancouver Island are wonderful! The blogging world seems to be as small as the real world! Thanks for the encouraging comment. I'll be recharged once I get a little sleep! Have a good one!

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  9. It's awesome that you get to travel and it looks like you had a marvelous time. Hopefully you'll be able to find a better work/fun balance on the next trip.

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    1. Thanks, ABK! My husband joined me in retirement at the end of February, and we're trying to figure out a rhythm for it. The work/fun balance will get resolved, I'm sure! Have a great day!

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  10. What a wonderful time you've had! I can only imagine the creativity you'll bring home :-) Sometimes coming home is just as exciting as going away when you can't wait to write about the experiences, not to mention those highly intriguing books you picked out! Happy reading and writing!

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    1. Thanks, Diedre! Once the wheels of my plane lifted off the runway in Victoria yesterday, my sadness at leaving dropped away, and it was all about the excitement of getting home! Home is wonderful! I've been dancing around since our taxi pulled into the driveway about midnight last night. And I'm home for a good chunk of time, so now I can knuckle down! Have a happy day!

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  11. Looks like you had a great time! I was in Vancouver in August, and I dutifully brought my laptop and only opened it once. As you say, when traveling there is just too much to do and absorb. Great fodder for future writing, though.

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    1. I did, M! Lots of fodder for future writing, for sure! Have a good one!

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  12. The picture of that bridge makes me queasy! This looked like an amazing trip! Can't blame you for not being able to consistently write ;)

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    1. Thanks for the understanding, Madilyn! The bridge didn't bother me at all! It was so cool! But lots of other things make me queasy! Happy writing!

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  13. looooooooooove the pictures..want to visit Canada so bad.

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    1. Thank you!!! I hope you get to visit Canada soon, JS! Have a great evening!

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  14. You are a travelin' gal. It's always good to be back home though. I know you and your sister just had a grand old time together. And how lucky you are to have found those books. I also have a tartan...the Todd family (my mother's) was from Scotland. Glad you are back from your journeys.

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    1. Hi Peggy! Looks like I'm going to be home for a couple of months. Can you see the happy dance I'm doing right now??? I have a lead on lots of other books! I would have dragged them home too if I could have squeezed them in my suitcase. I guess Amazon will be dropping packages on my doorstep! Barb and I (or substitute Donnie or Bertie) always add up to a whole lot more than two! But then you and your sisters do too! Have a good one, my friend!

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  15. This was a very fun and lighthearted post! Thank you much for visiting Secondhand Shoes, A Novel blog.

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    1. Thanks, Shelly! I enjoyed visiting your blog on IWSG day! It's fun to meet new writers while visiting around the IWSG membership!

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  16. Travelling and making memories is an inspiration for writing I'm sure. It looks and sounds like a fantastic trip.

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    1. It was, Suzanne! I love traveling more than just about anything! I've just got to get better at traveling and writing!

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  17. Who can blame you for not getting writing done on a magical trip like this? Sometimes you just need a vacation. From everything. Good luck getting back into the swing. And, hey, I'm down in Colorado Springs. ~waves north~

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    1. Waves back at you, Shannon! Thanks for your kind encouragement!

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Thank you for your comments! I appreciate them very much.