Return of The Friday Five (Grats)

Return of The Friday Five (Grats)

Some of you have been keeping better track of how long it’s been since I’ve written anything of substance.  I know you have because I haven’t been ignoring the Facebook and text messages asking me when my next novel will be out. They just make me feel some kind of way that I haven’t been perfectly able to express yet.  In case you’re wondering, I’m approaching the 3-year milestone of writer’s block.  There’s been chaos and cross-country moves but the reality is I just haven’t felt inspired for quite some time.

After almost three years of listening to my lamentations on this subject, a friend suggested that I bring back my weekly Friday Five Grats (a weekly Facebook post I used to make listing out the things for which I was grateful) but that I use the blog to expand on them and perhaps get the creative juices flowing again.  So, we’ll see.  It’s Friday.  Let’s give it a shot.

  1. New Acquaintances/Future Friends/The Oldies & Goodies – By mid-morning Monday, I was calling for a do over on the week. It started off like a full diaper and just…got…worse.  The point is, I couldn’t have gotten through it without everyone who helped me out.  D always has the best recommendations.  A is a great sounding board.  J connected me with someone to save me a ton of time. E reminds me of home; I hear the sounds of Brooklyn muffled in the background of every conversation and it makes me smile.
  2. Sunshine – Before we packed it up and moved across the country to Colorado a month and a half ago (Gah, it feels so much longer than that!), I read that Colorado has over 300 days of sunshine but the first few weeks must’ve been  their requisite days of clouds and rain.  Since that broke, my Vitamin D levels have soared.
  3. My Career – I took a big risk with this move, but the truth is, I get multiple calls, texts and emails from former coworkers who  remind me how grateful I am to have made the choice to leave that environment when I did.   If anything, it’s a reminder that things can always get worse and to trust my gut.
  4. House Guests – We’re having our first visitors arriving from back East and I am so grateful because I – for one- have felt a bit homesick lately as I’ve missed family gatherings, birthdays and the crises of my closest compadres.
  5. My new hometown – This place is just so…alien to me and I still love 99.99% of it.  But with that said, I continue to find inspiration with the panoramic views and endless opportunities to be surrounded by beauty. Tube to Work Day, Brewhop Trolleys, Art Walks and food trucks galore.  Colorado, you’re deliciously and fabulously strange.
Rocky Mountain Sunset, 2017

3 Comments on “Return of The Friday Five (Grats)

  1. All in all it sounds like a good week (except for the egg disaster). Enjoy your time with visitors from the East when they get there. Have a great week end.

  2. Long time reader, first time commenter — so, thought I’d drop a
    comment.. — and at the same time ask for a favor.

    Your wordpress site is very simplistic – hope you don’t mind me asking what theme
    you’re using? (and don’t mind if I steal it? :P)

    I just launched my small businesses site –also built in wordpress like yours– but the theme slows (!) the site down quite a bit.

    In case you have a minute, you can find it by searching for “royal cbd” on Google (would appreciate any feedback)

    Keep up the good work– and take care of yourself during the coronavirus scare!

    ~Justin

    • Hi Justin,

      Thanks for reaching out! I prefer simplistic given the content I provide. I use the Responsive theme which is included in WordPress. I’ve made some customizations but not many. I find it easier to leave it straightforward. I looked at your site and it looks great. I understand what you mean about it running slow but I think it is because yours is naturally very photography/media driven. I’m not a programmer by any stretch but happy to help out another small business however I can.

      All the best!
      Lisa