Sometimes Life Gets In the Way

Today I sat down to write. Put my butt down in the chair. “Write,” I commanded! Not a blog entry. Not catching up on emails. Not playful dialogue for a future chapter of a someday novel.

I wrote part of the book I’m working on. It is the work I should be doing. It is the work I love. But somehow I get sidetracked and feel guilty for pursuing this passion when so much “other stuff” must get done.

My next book release, Simple Miracles, is in the final writing stages. Then it’ll go into early editing, layout and so on. In other words, I have a ton to do.

I believe in keeping at it – whatever “it” is.

Break it down

Take a bite at a time.

Do a little each day.

Carve out the time. If the time isn’t there then make the time.

Put the other things on the list on hold.

Lately the list feels endless. You know “the list” because you have one too.

The list:  
finalizing the legal contracts from a painful divorce process, meeting with a mediator, final “push” of the semester, creating exams, grading projects, just moved into a new place a few days ago, no phone service, updating my professional resume, making another list of repairs, attending kids school events, soccer stuff, new work projects, planning a trip, organizing plans with friends (healthy friendships take work too), carving out some personal time, looking for a new babysitter, summer camp forms, embracing wellness (on day 118 of no refined sugar), working on a new budget, groceries (ugh) figuring out insurance plans, finishing paperwork for new car, and so it goes….no different from your life I’m guessing.

Oh yeah, and WRITING.

Now, sometimes life does get in the way, but it will keep getting in the way if we let it. There will always be "the list."

Where is my writing in this? Keep what we love at the top of the list. My daughters and writing and wellness.

A move and a divorce are two biggies, but I won’t allow them to be excuses. Sometimes we procrastinate. Sometimes we feel fear. Sometimes we are simply tired or feel overwhelmed with meeting life on life’s terms. Worst of all, we don’t always get paid well for doing the work we love.

I need to be mindful to keep what I love most, my daughters and writing and self-care, at the top of the list. Writing my book shouldn’t come “after” everything else gets done. Neither should friends or family. Funny how “working out” tends to go last on the list for many of us too.

Meet the resistance. Pour another cup of coffee.

Face the fear.

Stay up an extra hour after the kids go to bed. Leave the dishes in the sink.

Show up.

Yes, even when life gets in the way, write!

Google Knows What You're Thinking

When I'm not thinking about grace or living a simple life, I am thinking about random bits of trivia. I know a lot of things. Critics may refer to this knowledge as random information about nothing.

Friends tease me for knowing a little about a lot. There is a joke about reporters. I can make fun of myself. It is said that reporters know a little bit about everything but a lot about nothing.

Ouch.

I never liked that. Truth is I'd rather know a little about a lot. Everything interests me. I'm always searching. I have the disease of more. I want to know more, more, more, more MORE.....

Today, when no graceful thoughts came to mind, I thought about Google.

I challenge you to find a topic, search for it on Google, and come up with zero. It is the most popular search engine. It is impossible to search and come up with nothing.

What isn't on there? If you find out, let me know.

This made me wonder what other people are thinking about - right now. So I googled it. Well, here's what the world is wondering about....today....

1. ernie sims
2. boston marathon 2010
3. oklahoma city bombing
4. boston marathon live coverage
5. chicago park district
6. okc bombing
7. cma awards 2010 winners
8. boston athletic association
9. patriots day
10. shuttle landing
11. april 19th in history
12. wbz tv
13. boston marathon qualifying times
14. jennifer viera
15. timothy mcveigh
16. columbine school shooting
17. boston marathon course map
18. administrative professionals day 2010
19. edwin valero wife
20. universal sports

I'm not sure I can find grace in this other than to say we are all searching.

Social Media Revolution: Is Journalism Dead?

People keep asking me what I predict for the future of journalism. Is journalism dead? They want to know how I see the popular social medias fitting into the next decade. They want me to tell them this is a fad. They want to feel comfortable. They want to go back to the old way of doing things.

There is no going back. It is a social media revolution. You've gotta' watch this clip. This is not a new world coming in some distant future. This is our world, today, here and now.

Why ask me? What do I know? If it is true what studies report, that it takes approximately ten years to become an "expert" about "something," then I'm considered an expert at communication, media and journalism. I have 15+ years experience in the writing world. I've seen the good, the bad and the ugly. But I've yet to see anything as exciting as the communication transition we are in.

The other day a colleague compared the iPad to the invention of the printing press. Will we see a fundamental shift in the way we communicate? The answer is, yes. At least, I think so.

When I earned my masters degree in 1994, broadcast journalism and print journalism were worlds apart. I was just at the legal drinking age when I got my feet wet at CNN's investigative reporting unit. It was there that I caught the bug.

My passion for anything media has gone from being a news junkie to an inspirational writer. Now I'm teaching college students again after a decade. Throw in a little writing and consulting and editing and blogging and business journalism and no day is the same.I can't imagine sitting still.  I fit right into our ADD world.

When I taught at American University ten years ago, my students didn't have email accounts. It was rare to have a computer in the classroom. In class this week at George Mason I showed communication students the social media revolution clip you watched above that highlights how Boston College no longer gives new students an email address because email is considered passe'.

Where will my students write? Is journalism dead? How will they make money? Good questions. We'll know the answers soon. One thing I know for sure is the world of print and broadcast are no longer separate. In fact, these students will do print (maybe, although newspapers are folding here, there and everywhere), they will do broadcast, they will blog and vlog and Facebook and post and tweet and chat and im. Oh wait, they already do.

Anyone can report. One of my students filed his own story on CNN's iReports this week. He is watching to see if it will be vetted by CNN. Similar sites encourage want-to-be-reporters (unpaid of course) to file stories not getting much coverage in the mainstream press.

What this tells me is there is no complex future coming. It is already here. This is the future. We are creating it right now. It is a social media revolution. No longer are terms such as "new media" valid. It is simply "media."

The media dinosaurs from the three blind mice of yesterday really lost their way. They need to ride the revolution wave and start doing it all. If not, they will become extinct. We are no longer watching your father's six o'clock news with dinner.

Depressed? Don't be. Tina Brown gives hope to Katie Couric. She says the internet will be able to financially support journalists in the future. Right now the worlds are exploding and there is sort of this "volcanic cultural shift" but soon enough we will see a golden age of journalism.

Until then, work cheap!

The change is here. It is now. It is not scary or intimidating. It is powerful and exciting and I'm fired up.

Aren't you?

What will the world look like tomorrow? Open your eyes and look around. Scroll. Search. Click. Stream. Tomorrow is happening today.

The social media clip I shared with you asks: "Are you ready?"

Well, are you?

Blogs: Show Me the Money

Are blogs making money? Here is one view. It's from a blog I love to hate. Or, should I say, I hate to love! She has no filter. I like that. She makes money from her blog - I like that too.

We are in the midst of a crazy transitional period - what is happening to journalism, to writing, to the world as we knew it (I'm a J-School grad school grad)? It's crazy good or crazy bad. I'll opt for crazy good.

Now, show me the money.

Here is how one woman is doing it.
http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/