My Idea Book

I keep a composition notebook handy. It's titled "Mandy's Idea Book." I started it about a year ago after corralling the bits of paper littered with book ideas, quotes I like, and baby names. Now they are all safely in one place. Two if you count all of the ideas I have that never make it to the paper. Sometimes, especially while I am driving, or other times when I'm lying in bed but can't sleep, dozens of ideas rattle through my brain. I've composes lovely letters, entire paragraphs, pages even...but they never make it to the page. What a waste.

One phrase I wrote down was something I actually told my 8th graders this past year. I specifically remember a sweet redhead saying, "That sounds really good," so I wrote it down.

                               "Don't let your dreams die in the nightstand"


I like that phrase so much I plan to write a children's book about it. I think it is a good idea. One that is sad, yet true and resonates with folks from all walks of life. Because honestly, it doesn't matter if I write my ideas down if I never pursue some of them. If I don't work to bring those ideas to life I may as well give up writing them down. I remember one of my English teachers saying that some of the best poetry, fiction, etc. dies alongside the author because it goes undiscovered. I think we were studying Dickinson then.

All this to say, I am trying to make some of my ideas happen. I am stumbling through the self publishing process with "Born to Be a Bulldog," a children's book about Louisiana Tech. It's slow going through new territory for me. I'm not sure what to do "next" as I get to each step. It's taking a while but is a good lesson in patience.

I did write a short story about my grandmother and had it in her hands for Mother's Day. That idea haunted my pages but is now a reality. I've written a few songs, outlined a book for teens, outlined another book about teaching, and created a summer check list. I had 18 to-do's and most of them are checked off. The most recent check happened yesterday...create a writing space. I'm proud to say that this morning I am officially writing from my new, lovely writing space. I worked hard to create this space! It required work and a decision....a decision to move Josie to a room downstairs. I knew the time was coming. I had both other girls in their own rooms long before 6 months. Thus began the "If you give a mouse a cookie" episode that occurred throughout my home yesterday afternoon:

pick up Baylor's room...move Baylor's bed....sort through the clothes and shoes in Baylor's closet....organize what remains in the closet....transfer Josie's clothes to Baylor's closet....dismantle the crib....haul the crib downstairs...reassemble the crib....put linens on the crib....set up room with baby monitors....haul writing desk out of my car....vacuum the spot where the crib used to be....set up desk....situate computer and printer...make room for baby monitors on my nightstand....test baby monitors....

Yeah, you get the idea. All of this happened with three little girls at my heels while Nick was at work and then napping, AFTER my Insanity work out at 9:30am.  I guess I am gaining energy by working out.

It feels good to check items off of my list. I know that so many bloggers and non-blogging gals made summer bucket lists. How are they coming? Did you live they way you planned? Were you intentional about making moments and memories?  So far my favorite item, or memory, from my list is crab hunting on the beach with the girls. It was a short but sweet adventure. Scan your list. Live intentionally! Summer is almost over... did you do it all?