Tag: writing

At this moment…

On By Naty MatosIn Inspirational Thoughts1 Comment

With the day to day of life, sometimes we don’t see the forest from the trees. I try to make a stop at least twice a year to evaluate my course. I see where I’ve been, what I’ve done and where I’m headed. I usually do those things on my birthday and at the end of the year. Fortunately for me they are six months apart giving me exactly a review within the same time frames

The last few months have been kind of slow in every sense. I’ve had low energy to do much, no major events have happened and I sit here grateful for that. My life has had enough rollercoaster episodes for what a quiet sense of peace, as strange as it feels, it’s been very welcome.

This time has allowed me to finally slow down and look at my projects in a different light. I needed to give some first steps but now it has been time to build the foundation, physically, emotionally and spiritually and without even noticing that’s what these last six months have been about. It has been about the journey of finding me and being newly defined in Christ instead of the world. It has been about being comfortable in my own skin and around others.

It has also been a push to come out of my shell. With fear and trembling I placed my name on this blog, it was about time you guys knew who was behind all the rambling. I even placed my picture for all to see. That’s Kristen Lamb’s fault, but I love her for it. I’ve joined a crazy world of writers in twitter called #myWANA, which stands for “We Are Not Alone”. It’s been an amazing experience to share the struggles and the victories of the journey.

I joined a grammar class that I didn’t finish. I plan to enroll in it again. I’m reading books in writing craft. I even found out there’s a manual for Christian writers. I want to be better, for God, for you and for me.

So as the candles dwindle in my cake, I don’t think I have a wish this year, because I’m happy with where I am, with who I am and with the things God is making happen in my life.

Blessings

Kindness

On By Naty MatosIn Inspirational Thoughts1 Comment

I couldn’t find in the dictionary a satisfying definition of kindness. The synonyms I found were a little bit more relatable to an understanding of what this is. I found that generosity, charity sympathy, compassion and tenderness are some of those things that are compared to kindness.

 The word of God calls us to be kind to one another and to love one another, including our enemies. I think this is where it gets tricky. Loving our families and friends is almost normal, even on our bad days. Loving someone who is not particularly nice to us or that has hurt us can be a very challenging thing. However I learned first hand the power of how a kind heart can change your relationship with someone who right now you wish you didn’t even have to see.

Years ago, I worked with this lady. To my recollection I had not done anything to her and she had not done anything to me; but it was obvious to me that my presence was a thorn in her life. She would try to avoid any kind of interaction with me. If she had to talk to me, her tone would show her frustration in our interaction. I’m the type of person who tries to be liked, so the situation didn’t sit well with me. For months I prayed that whatever was bothering her life would be lifted, that she would be blessed, that she would find the love of God; I didn’t know if she was a believer or not.

One day, I was having a personal trial. She came to my desk and said “ I know I’m not your friend, but if you need someone to talk to, know that I’m here for you”. It totally blew my mind. Before she left my desk she left a small box. Inside the box there was a little plaque that to this day stays with me wherever I go. The plaque read, “there’ nothing that God and I can’t resolve together”.  It was double amazing for me and totally spirit lifting. The message in the plaque had given me hope and it came from the person I least expected. I will say that after that day our relationship changed. I’m not saying that she became my best friend, but we were able to talk amicably and if memory serves we went to dinner once within a group of friends.

 What act of kindness can you do today for someone whose personality or actions rub you the wrong way? Are you willing to make an impact in someone’s life, just by providing a smile? Take the challenge, it’s always rewarding.

Blessings

Naty

The hair clip from hell!

On By Naty MatosIn Inspirational ThoughtsLeave a comment

Have you ever heard that we are affected by things, people and places? The results can be both negative and positive and sometimes without our conscious acknowledgement. We live our life day by day and our life gets transformed for good or bad and it’s not until we make a pause that we realize how far we’ve gone; either towards our purpose or away from it.

There’s a particular thing that was a symbol in my life for a long time without my conscious knowledge, it was a hair clip. Apparently when I was very angry I would pulled my hair up, others will say that it was very high, and that I placed the hair clip on the top of my head. It was an unconscious thing.

I use to be a manager, and I heard some of my employees pass by my cubicle and announce, “oh oh hair clip is on”. I never paid attention, I thought it was a joke, until one day someone who I was in a relationship with and I were having a phone conversation. It was more an argument. He got quiet and said. “I bet your hair is up” and when I touched my hair, he was right. This same individual had a fist fight with his brother. I was called by a neighbor who couldn’t pulled them apart. I asked to be placed on the phone with my boyfriend and announced that I was on my way. When I made it to his place the guys were in separate rooms, I talked to “my guy” and started asking questions about the fight, he kept staring at me in silence. Finally he said,” I’m not talking to you until your hair comes down” I started laughing and pulled the clip off. This was over five years ago.

Why a hair clip story? During the last five to six years God has been working on me. I’m not sure if I had an anger issue, it was more a legalistic spirit. Everything needed to be in a way (usually my way) and I was miserable. If things were not inside the mold I would not only be upset but angry.  As things started changing in me I started enjoying my life. I laugh more, I have less concerns and I’m way less affected by sudden changes in life.

When I stopped managing my life and surrendering it to the one that could actually do something about it I had less reasons to worry and less need to control. That gave me more time to enjoy life and do more of what I like: writing! I’m not going to say that I never get upset or angry anymore, but the clip went away from my life as I am not nearly as uptight as I used to be.

I laugh when people say how funny or laid back I am. If they only knew me then. But what about the hair clip you may ask? I have not used it in years. I realized this week how long God has brought me when I found it buried in a box.

Would you like to share things that God has changed in your life? Have you identified things, people or places that affect you positively or negatively? I would love to hear them!

Be blessed!!

Behind the name

On By Naty MatosIn Writing Happenings3 Comments

WordPress gave us a  prompt some time this weekend, Where did your name come from? (or something to that effect). My full name is Natividad. People tend to think that I was born around Christmas as it sounds very close to the word Navidad, which is Christmas in Spanish. Ironically my birthday is in July. I’ve been sang “Feliz Navidad” many times at the sound of my name.

I can’t deny that I didn’t like much of my name growing up. It has so many letters that it usually didn’t fit in any form with squares provided to enter your name. Since I moved to the continental US it has been funnier because people struggle to pronounce it and some make it a personal challenge to say it well. At this point I’m used to it and when I’m in a public place and hear someone with their tongue tied trying to say out a name, I know they were calling my turn. I have not been mistaken once.

The fact is I received my name after my paternal grandmother. My father who had six daughters told my mother that he had always wanted to give one of his daughters his mother’s name and had never had the chance, so my mom agreed. I never met my grandmother as she had passed away when I was born. I think I’ve seen some old pictures of her.

Now as a writer working on branding my name I’m actually grateful for the name I have. I like the meaning of my name. It means being born and I’ve been in life situations when I’ve been given the opportunity of being born again and start life all over.  Also I’m glad that I have a different name that way people will recognize my name when they are looking for my books.

The shortest story

On By Naty MatosIn Fun3 Comments

I’ve been reading a few blogs from other writers in the past couple of weeks and I’ve met a lot of interesting people. My fellow blogger Sonia posted this on her blog, about a story in 50 words.

Fifty words I said! It takes me more than that to say hello to somebody. Anyone who knows me has noticed that I’m a talker and my writing goes pretty much with who I am. However, I always like a challenge, so here’s my first attempt at a 50 words story. I admit that Sonia’s is a lot better, but here we go.

The morning from my dog’s point of view

She was curled up under the bed. Suddenly she heard it, that horrible sound from every morning. She jumped on the bed thinking, “If I could only find that thing!”

Her owner was still asleep.

“Please get up” She thought.

” The sooner you leave the house will be mine!”

tv
I thought this picture would compliment the story, LOL!!

Never give up your dream: Madea’s Big Happy Family

On By Naty MatosIn Inspirational Thoughts1 Comment
Tyler Perry
Image by rocor via Flickr

I just finished watching Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Big Happy Family. I’m a big fan of Tyler Perry. I like his style in the sense that he recognizes who gave him his talent and has used it to show for it. Also the fact that through his gift he tells it like it is.

It is late at night when I’m writing this and I should be in bed by now, but I just couldn’t go to bed. God has been trying to get something across to me, and slow poke here had not caught on with the program. As some of my readers remember this post complaining about my writing.

Three years ago when I decided it was time to return to my writing roots, I didn’t think that I would pursue the dream of publishing. Now with the blessing of two short stories out there, I see the possibility of doing something I’ve always wanted to do…becoming an author! Just like when I returned, I feel alive when I do, but then I face the world and see “little me” against the world and I start doubting myself. The more research I do on how to get it done, the farther I see it coming to pass.

The whole movie was awesome. I laughed, I cried, I even had to pause the movie to call my mom just to hear her voice. At the end of the movie, Tyler addressed the audience and said that God told him how he was going to close all doors to make sure that he knew that his success came from HIM. That’s the best success any believer would want. He also talked about moving out of yourself and doing for others while God does for you. Knowing a little about Tyler’s personal journey inspired me a lot.

In different scenes and regarding different subjects the message was God knows you want to go from point A to point B and he will answer that prayer,”How bad do you want it?” Ironically, tonight at church, although the message was about finances. The pastor talked about reproducing from your talents (meaning money) but I kept hearing in my heart about my talent. He talked about how God gave us our talents for us to be stewards of those talents and produce for his kingdom.

It all came full circle. I have a plaque on my desk at work that says, “ Today there’s nothing that God and I can’t do together” Therefore, there can’t be any fear and doubt, what he gave me to produce will produce in his time and as I obediently submit my efforts to do my part. Never stop dreaming and working towards your dream. Breakthrough is around the corner.

Can you relate? Care to share?

Blessings!!!

A life without internet

On By Naty MatosIn Articles1 Comment

As some of you know, I’m participating in a WordPress challenge to increase my blog postings this year. To assist us in the challenge, WordPress sends us daily prompts to help with topic ideas. If they are appropriate for my blog I use them or a modified version of it, or I don’t. Sometime in the last few weeks the prompt was: Can you live without the internet? I said no, end of discussion, not much to write about it.

 

God has a way to show you things. I was watching stand up comedian Billy Gardell (the guy from Mike and Molly) and he was saying that he wanted for people under twenty five years old to put their phones away for two hours a day and have a real conversation. Then after the whole Super bowl facebook news read spitting car I had to give that subject a little bit more thought.

 Can I live without the internet? Yes. The reason why my knee jerk reaction was to say no, it’s because we have come to a point where the internet is so accessible that I can’t see how that would happen. I have internet at work, home and on my phone, so I guess the response was more geared to the accessibility of it.

 Like I said in a previous post, society is slowly drawing us to a dependency. You can’t find a job by knocking door by door and being met as a person. Your information precedes you electronically. My poor elderly mother couldn’t get some information from her doctor’s office because she doesn’t have internet access (of course I pulled it out for her) Technology is a good thing and I think if all of the sudden we lived without internet some of those in my generation and older would be able to adjust. I’m not so sure about the newer folks.

 We’re not teaching handwriting in schools anymore, or mathematical thinking in paper. We are relying on the unreliable. Why do I say that? Give or take 75% of us work with a computerized system (that’s to be way conservative) and how often does the system crash and loses information? We hear in the news all the time how digitalized personal information is stolen by identity robbers. Is that where our trust is?

 So in perspective, I can’t live without God, water, food, clothes and shelter; everything else is truly a luxury and a blessing given. We should appreciate what we have been entrusted and be good stewards of those extras. As a nation we are filthy rich even when we don’t think so. If we look at other countries, some people live without clean water, something that we take for granted.

Blessings

Psalm 25:1
in you, LORD my God, I put my trust.

Books and Wedding Cakes

On By Naty MatosIn Writing Happenings1 Comment
 
Here you can see grandma's pearls.

Every bride has a dream about a fabulous wedding cake when they are planning their perfect day. At a time when I was a bride I had my dreams too. I had envisioned every part of that cake, from the flavor, the shape, the colors, the little pearls that I fell in love with because it was the only job that the baker’s grandma did for her. They were not even offered to me and were not part of my original design, but once I saw the sweet old lady sitting in a corner doing those sugar pearls and the excitement with which she sat me down to show me what she was doing, if nothing else my cake was going to have some grandma’s pearls.

When I arrived at the place where the wedding was going to be held, the baker had just arrived. You know how there are things that you see in your head that can’t be translated in real life? She did. The image of my cake was exactly what was delivered and I jumped to hug her.

As happy as I was that day, I didn’t appreciate all her hard work until a year later when yours truly decided to take cake decorating classes and made a few wedding cakes herself. The planning, the designing, the roses that broke, the cakes that fell, the late nights and a whole memorial weekend doing fondant flowers to make them as real as possible. I then felt bad for grandma and how many hours of work I had gotten out of the poor woman wanting my precious pearls.

This is the cover I remember from that first book

The same has happened with me and writing. My first book was “Mary Poppins”; I must have been around five years old. It was the first from a bookclub that my late sister had enrolled me in. She loved to read and left that legacy with me. I’ve always loved writing and reading, but I guess it wasn’t until now that I’ve written a few drafts with the dream of publishing that I’ve moved to a different level in their appreciation.

I was roaming through a bookstore today while my glasses were being repaired next door. That’s a good thing; otherwise I would have ended buying half of the store. Getting very close to the books (remember no glasses) I was able to recognize some of the renown names in fiction, literature, romance…and the few people who have written a book after their fifteen minutes of fame on television.

I saw some people leaving the bookstore empty handed and my heart sunk. I wanted to say, “Can’t you just take one? Some are really inexpensive and they are running a sale. Do you have the slightest idea of how much work goes into one of these? Sure you read it in two days and throw it in a corner.  Their authors sweated blood and tears for it. They were rejected ten times until someone decided to give it a second look. While you’re here at the mall, this author is in his or her dungeon trying to birth another creation. So just take one home”

Of course I didn’t say any of this; otherwise instead of writing this post, I would be in the padded room with the white coat. As a writer and a reader, I have a new appreciation for books than ever before. So to all writers out there…Thank You for your sacrifice to teach, inspire, entertain and motivate us. Readers thanks for supporting your favorite authors. Well and thanks to good bakers too!

So far on writing goals

On By Naty MatosIn Writing Happenings2 Comments
Writing samples: Parker 75
Image by churl via Flickr

Starting the third month into the year I was prompted to evaluate how my writing goals have worked so far. Kind of assessing if I actually kept my new year’s resolutions or if they were already been postponed.  I feel closer to my writing than I have ever felt. Writing has slowly snuck up on me and it’s a need like eating and I love to eat! Every day I feel the need to write, but not every day I think I have something relevant to say.

I’m pushing myself to be a better writer and what are some of those things that I have put in place to accomplish that in 2011…?

  • I’ve returned to my reading roots. Last year I dedicated a lot of time to writing, but not enough to reading. I believe that a healthy balance is important for any writer.
  • I’m actually following my calendar. In December I created a calendar of contests I wanted to participate (if you’re interested in peaking at that calendar it’s on the publication and achievements page). Last year I created the calendar but actually did only a few of those. So far I have submitted to each and every one of those competitions that I committed to participate in. It doesn’t matter the outcome, it’s about the exercise of meeting deadlines and writing more.
  • Joined wordpress post-a-week challenge where I’m committing to at least post on my blog once a week.  I’ve been trying to post more than that. At my current rate I could have joined post-a-day, but at least once a week still gives me the necessary breather for days when things get complicated.
  • Accountability- I hired a proofreader who is aware of my deadlines, so the expectation of the workload I have to provide for her it’s a constant reminder that I have to come through with my committed contests. Also, I have some readers who have decided to contact me when I go without posting for more than two days to ask when the next post will come. I’m flattered that they enjoy this blog, but also the feedback gives me the sense of responsibility to keep it up.
  • Class- I have committed to be part of at least one writing workshop before the end of the year to improve my skills. I have invited a teenager aspiring writer to take the workshop with me. Have you been able to promise something to a teenager that they will forget? Trust me we will go to the workshop!
  • Social Media- I’ve subscribe to the Kristen Lamb’s Blog. She not only gives great advice for writers but also advises about how to utilize social media more efficiently. I just found this blog last week and I’ve learned a lot.

So these are some of the things that I’m doing to take my writing to another level and so far so good… Have some tips of your own? Share them!!!

Stay tuned.

Having a bad writing day, week, season… you get the idea!

On By Naty MatosIn Writing Happenings10 Comments

Some women experience bad hair days, I think I’m having a bad writing day (or season) not all days are inspired in a writer’s mind. Some days words flow and some days it’s really hard work. Even I’ve had great revelations when I’ve been tired or sick, but lately it’s like my brain has ran out of steam and finding the ways to express myself has been nothing less than challenging.

I guess it’s because I’m trying to force myself to write in a certain way, my head is not going in the direction that I’m trying to steer it. So it basically has come to a halt. I’ve been having somewhat of what I have called writer’s ADD. Multiple ideas, stories and sentences are all popping into my head not enough to do anything with them or that would make any sense and by the time I sit down to write, they are gone. Having lost the routine of walking around with my netbook, which has been in ICU for a while, giving me only glimpses of available usage every now and again; I have missed plenty of opportunities of random usable muses that have crossed this brain of mine. (My netbook has been crashing and freezing and now that finally I can get a new one, I’m emotionally attached to the dysfunctional one and can’t part from it. You don’t have to say it, I know!!)

I went to the website of writer Lisa Scottoline. I recently read one of her latest non-fiction books; she’s funny and real and I wanted to gain some perspective from a professional writer. On her website,  She was talking about the everyday of a writer. She has a word count goal everyday. I started thinking that I write most days, but not everyday. Not because I don’t want to, I just don’t do it. Ironically, the day I don’t write I spend the day agonizing about the fact that I have not written a thing.

 Then I started feeling insecure about my writing. I think most writers would agree that there are days when you write exceptional things and some days you just write junk. I think that’s part of why there are some days where I don’t do the commanded “butt and chair” exercise of writing is because I already know in my head that whatever is coming out is junk and I don’t like to write junk. So I get discourage before even sitting to write trying to achieve perfectionism, where do you even find such thing?

I had read about writing everyday before, I want to come up with a reasonable word count goal, as I’m not yet (calling it in faith) a full time writer and I hold a normal 8-5 job and a life, (well something like a life…hahaha!) I don’t consider writing a hobby. Writing is a part of me; it’s my way of expression, so even when today I think that my writing sucks, I don’t think I could stop doing it. The times that I did, I felt dead and I’m not going backwards. Writing like anything in life takes practice, so the more I write, the better it would get.

I decide today to start writing everyday, (not necessarily a blog post). I’ll think of my reasonable word count after a few more hours of sleep, right now I couldn’t decide between chocolate or vanilla ice cream. I promise to start browsing for a new laptop, and pray that I fall in love again with one that will follow me for a few more years in this journey.  I chose to just abandon myself in the words and allow them to flow instead of trying to control them…that’s why they don’t want to come out…LOL! …and look, who knew? I had tons to say from someone who didn’t know what to write about! (All 650 words and all :) )