Writing Exercise 147

Hey everyone!

Today is a special occasion so I waited until today to do my weekly writing exercise. Celebrating the National Day of my country I wrote a poem for you. Here it is:

2018/10/03 – German National Day (Poem)

Let me praise you

My beautiful country, my nation, my home

Your landscape is so diverse and rich

From the mountains to the sea

Never have I felt so free

Have my constitutional rights, of which

I make use, my life to hone

Let me applaud you

By xenophobia let's not be blinded

Embrace cultural diversity now

Black, red and gold

Remember what history told

Be proud of what democracy can allow

Break free from being narrow-minded

And let me love you

Writing Exercise 129

Hi!
Originally I wanted to post this writing exercise yesterday, but due to the thunderstorm I had no internet connection. :(
But better one day late than never, right? This drabble was prompted by a buddy from my art group. Here it is:

2018/05/31 – heretic (drabble)

Do you celebrate Corpus Christi? Is it a national holiday where you live? Or do you ask yourself what this is all about and why the fuss? A lot of occidental countries are still rooted in Christianised traditions, and thanks to them we are able to have a lot of holidays – such as Corpus Christi – we wouldn't have if our nations were truly secularised or tinged in the colours of a 'heretic' credo. You may or may not believe in Jesus, but you benefit from a Christianised society as their demands are represented in for instance national holidays. Happy Cadaver!

Writing Exercises 064 and 065

While I was in Japan, I still found the time to do my weekly writing exercises. Number 064 is a drabble about my holiday impressions whereas number 065 is a Tanka (Japanese poem with 5-7-5-7-7 syllables) about Tokyo.
Here is my drabble:

2017/03/03 – holidays in Japan (Drabble)

Up, up into the sky we went eight hours into the future. Time seems to run a little faster over here – so much to do, so much to see, so much to experience, yet so little time. Almost a week has gone by, and I am overflowing with impressions. The old and the new, the bustling cities full of stately palaces and shrines and skyscrapers, people in suits rushing by and people in kimonos sauntering across the streets, lots of strange yet delicious food, and the blaring of commercials everywhere – everything is so fascinating and new. And I continue wondering.

 And this is my poem:

2017/03/08 – Tokyo (Tanka)

The vast capital:

Horizons full of buildings

Yet amidst it all

Islands of green and silence.

See the first cherry blossoms!

I'm back! :D

Finally I returned from my holidays in Japan.
It was just amazing and I have so much to tell and show you.

We stayed mostly in Osaka and did day trips from there to Kyoto, Nara and Kobe, then rode the Shinkansen to Hiroshima and spent the last three days in Tokyo.
Here are a few impressions:

This is Osaka castle, which we visited on February 27th. It was rebuilt after WW2, as it was destroyed back then. Now, inside there is a museum, and from the top you have very pretty views over Osaka.

Here you can see the beautiful view over Osaka from the Sky Building. I'm afraid, the photo doesn't show the extent of how breathtaking the sundown was, as the sun slowly disappeared behind the mountains.

In Kyoto we saw a lot of shrines and temples. The city is really beautiful with its old wooden houses and people actually wearing kimonos. Here you can see the Senbon Dorii (10,000 gates) route starting at the Fujimi Inari Shrine, which goes up to the mountain top and back. And yes, we went all the way! @.@

This is the harbour of Kobe, where we went on March 2nd. In Kobe we visited the Desaster Reduction and Human Renovation Institute, where they research earthquakes and tsunamis and what can be done when one of them strikes. We did not eat Kobe beef, but had very delicious curry. :D

In Nara there are deer everywhere, at the temples and shrines, at the bus stop, in the park, on the streets... As they are very tame, you can feed and pet them. Isn't that amazing? Though I kept thinking how delicious venison is. XD

Hiroshima was both sad and impresive to visit. This is the only building that somewhat survived the a-bomb. We have been to the peace museum, where they exhibited everything related to the incident from torn and tattered clothes to pictures of severely burnt and mutilated people. But there are brighter sides to Hiroshima, too...

This is Miyajima island, which is close to Hiroshima. In the centre of the photo you can see the famous Torii and parts of the temple to which it belongs. When it's high tide the temple is awash. There are also a few tame deer there. I wonder how they got on that island? o.O

Finally, we arrived in Tokyo on March 6th. Here we are in Akihabara, which is loud and colourful and bustling with people. This is pretty much how you'd imagine the capital, right? But this is but a part of it.

Even in Tokyo there are temples, shrines and pagodas like this one everywhere. And deep in the surprisingly green heart of Ueno park, we found this:

The first cherry blossoms!

Now what?

As the new year has started you might either be exhausted from all these holidays or energized with good intentions.

Either way, after completing NaNoWriMo in November your work isn't done yet. You may have a first draft but don't make the mistake to publish it as is. Please, don't! A draft is a draft, and it needs serious polishing to become the shining gem it is supposed to be.

January is the perfect time to do this polishing as it's often ugly outside and you usually feel both drained of creativity and motivated to start the year fresh.
You probably haven't touched your work in about a month. So when you open the document again you likely will be surprised what you have achieved to write in November. You will see your story with a fresh set of eyes.
Now read, and read carefully.
As you go, catch all those typos and puctuation errors, reword where necessary, cut too long paragraphs or add to them where they are lacking. You will see, there is much to do.

Be critical, but don't butcher your story.

Get help when you're stuck or story blind. You will want to introduce your draft to your betas soon. Let their comments help you edit. Don't take their criticism too much to heart, but learn from them, accept and adapt. Remember: they want to help you, not harm you.
And by the end of it you will have an improved new draft.

In Between

I hope you had a lovely Christmas holiday with your loved ones.
Did you get a lot of nice presents? Was the feast delicious and your company enjoyable?

As New Year's comes next, I ponder. A lot of things have happened this year ever since I started this blog. Good things, exciting things mostly; but also sad and crazy things that I wouldn't have thought ever to happen. In retrospective the good things almost always weigh out the bad things.
I made new friends and reconciled with old ones. I published two books and a translation of one and wrote another, which is now in beta stage -- both the English and the German edition. I made a promise to marry the one I love! I joined a literature project and found my enrepreneurial spirit.
So I'm taking all these positive things with me and look forward to 2017.
I'm not going to dewll on what might be or should be or could be next year; what's more important is to acknowledge the things I've accomplished and draw strength from that to accept whatever the future has in store for me. All I know is, that it's going to be another exciting year, and I'm looking forward to sharing this with you.

Stay focussed!

Hopefully you had a nice fourth Sunday in Advent.

As the days rush by, tension and pressure usually rise during this time of the year.
Have you bought and packed all the presents yet? Is the Christmas tree set up? Have you shopped and prepared everything for the feast? Are you ready to meet the whole family? Is the house decorated properly?
Constantly you are reminded of what needs to be done. Often the spirit of Christmas is lost in the stress of preparation... or in a traffic jam of equally stressed Christmas shoppers, who are forced to listen to the same old Christmas songs every few hours, again and again.

So why don't you grab a cup of your favourite tea or coffee or cocoa, sit down on your sofa or armchair and just revel in the moment. Take that time and take a breather, calm down and think about what's really important. The spirit of Christmas; a message of love and hope, a light in the darkness. Draw strength from that, refocus and find the same love and hope inside you.

The next time you stand in a long line at the register or wait in a traffic jam by the nearest super market you might find more patience in you -- and the forgiveness which comes with the knowledge that the others blocking your path are just as eager to be done preparing and go home to be with their loved ones.

And maybe in between gifts and baubles and fairy lights there will be a flash of inspiration even? :o
So don't miss the next writing exercise. ;)

The things to do in November

Aside from NaNoWriMo there are still a lot of things to do. I've just looked at my calendar and I noticed next week is the first Sunday in Advent already!
Time sure runs by fast when you're absorbed by writing. :o

So have you prepared for Advent yet? Are your places decorated with fairy lights and baubles and candles and fir twigs yet? Have you tasted the first gingerbread and speculoos yet?

I'm just getting started. And while I cudgel my brains about Christmas presents for my loved ones I realize it's already this time of the year again...

Certainly you'll feel cozier and more comfortable when the room is dipped in the warmth of candle light, when the baubles gleam and the fir twigs spread their soothing fragrance. You may snuggle on your sofa or armchair with a cup of hot cocoa or tea and be pleased as punch that you don't have to be outside where the first snow of this winter thaws and cold rain patters against your windows.

So get yourselves in the mood for Advent; take your time and find some inspiration how to prepare your home for the coldest but coziest season. Because winter is coming! ;)

NaNoWriMo is here!

NaNoWriMo has begun.
Three days in, I'm at over 33k words already. :o

On Tuesday I went to a kick off write in in Essen. There I met a bunch of other authors from the region. At some point we were about twenty people even! Everyone was so motivated, and with the exception of two breaks we wrote and wrote and wrote. It was awesome and amazing. I was totally in the zone, and the people I met were really fascinating and nice. Someone even brought muffins. :D

The location was great, too. You had to pay a low entrance fee, but all the drinks were free and there was a brunch buffet, which was tasty. We had a fireplace chamber all to ourselves and the atmosphere was really cozy and productive. There were even activities like yoga or art exhibitions in this building.

I'd like to go again and write together, but as the other write ins are scheduled for Saturday-Monday, I probably won't make it. Weekends are reserved for my beloved fiancé. <3

Anyway, the members of the Dead Pete Society are equally excited about NaNoWriMo. We're writing and cheering each other on, inciting and motivating. And it feels so good to be in the flow.
It's so much crazy fun, and November has just begun! :D

Oktoberfest

It's already October.
NaNoWriMo is approaching, and I'm really looking forward to it. I updated my NaNo site, then set out to get a bit of a headstart... which means, I actually couldn't wait for November to arrive. By now I've translated 6 of 47 chapters. I feel like I'm on a roll, and that's just great. :D

In the meantime, October is a month full of events also. As you know 3rd of October was the national holiday in my country, but there are also All Saints and Halloween...and Oktoberfest. XD

While I'm not a huge fan of this event, my fiancé and I once had a funny conversation about misheard lyrics. I don't remember the song, but we both heard 'beer woman'. So we joked about how Beer Woman was a new superheroine of some sort, who saves the Oktoberfest when they'd run out of beer. Here is the quick sketch I drew with SAI:

Writing Exercise 043

I'm a day late for the topic of this week. I should've posted this yesterday, I'm sorry. :/
Yesterday was the national holiday over here; so this is what this week's drabble is about.

2016/10/04 – 3^rd of October (drabble)

Leaves are rustling in the wind; already turned black, red and gold. Summer's last sun rays fade into the mist as it rises from a lonely lake, gone forever. Autumn's hymn heralds a day to remember – a day of unison, a day of commitment, a day of a past overcome. Let us build a memorial in our name, to remind us of who we are, what lies behind us and what we can achieve as one people. Let's celebrate, let's mourn and honour this day. A flag is rustling in the wind; proudly dancing in black, red and gold.

Home, Sweet Home...

As much as I was enthused about the beauty of the Loreley and the landscape surrounding it, I also enjoy the place I call home.
Situated at a beautiful lake and surrounded by nature reserve my village is a place where others go on holidays. The beautiful views never cease to amaze me despite being surrounded by them every day.

As I watch the seasons come and go, nature itself paints the most amazing pictures. I just need to open my eyes and witness these moments of mesmerizing beauty. Be it the falling snow in winter that swallows everything and gently lays the world to sleep...

... a glimpse of the lake from the lush woods on the hills encompassing the lake during summer -- a place where silence reigns and you almost feel the earth breathing...

... the mysterious stillness of the lake in autumn, that makes you feel frozen in time...

...or a sunrise in the wee early hours of spring, that reflects on the surface of the lake and sets the sky ablaze.

These are things that inspire me; these are things that keep me thriving to become better at art and capture moments on canvas; these are things that make me want to write and conserve these moments in my memories. So I can share what I experience and enjoy day-to-day with you.

I know not if there is a reason...

The past weekend has been very eventful for me.
My fiancé and I went to St. Goarshausen, which is situated at the river Rhine.

As I do Tai Chi the "Tai Chi Forum International" led by Volker Jung was the place to be and learn about the five elements (water, earth, wood/wind, fire and metal) and their influence in the hand form.


On Saturday we went to St. Goar, which is situated on the other bank of the Rhine, and visited the castle ruins of Burg Rheinfels, where there was a medieval fair this particular weekend.

At Burg Rheinfels there were a castle museum, lots of booths, knights' games, bards playing minnelieds and really splendid views over the Rhine.

Isn't it beautiful? This really was a fun day (although I sprained my ankle). :D

On Sunday, before heading home, we also visited the Loreley rocks. Which is a MUST SEE when you are there!
The rocks create a seven times echo which caused lots of ships to crash. According to legend the Loreley was a maiden who sang like a siren to lure sailors against the rocks.

Maybe you have heard about the poem by Heinrich Heine about the Loreley, which was turned into a beautifully melancholic song? Here it is, as translated by A.Z. Foreman:

I know not if there is a reason
Why I am so sad at heart.
A legend of bygone ages
Haunts me and will not depart.

The air is cool under nightfall.
The calm Rhine courses its way.
The peak of the mountain is sparkling
With evening's final ray.

The fairest of maidens is sitting
So marvelous up there,
Her golden jewels are shining,
She's combing her golden hair.

She combs with a comb also golden,
And sings a song as well
Whose melody binds a wondrous
And overpowering spell.

In his little boat, the boatman
Is seized with a savage woe,
He'd rather look up at the mountain
Than down at the rocks below.

I think that the waves will devour
The boatman and boat as one;
And this by her song's sheer power
Fair Lorelei has done.

As you can see, my fiancé and I had a great trip. I wish I could have shared more impressions with you because the landscape is really breathtaking and beautiful. If you ever get the chance to go there, do so! I can highly recommend it. :D

Welcome on board!

Today I have another drawing for you which I drew during my holidays. It shows a cutter at the harbour entrance of Bensersiel.

I used Chinese ink for this one, and today I coloured it with Copic markers. Here is the coloured version:

Head to the Sea!

I'm back from holiday, and it was so great. I just regret that it's already over.
We went to Bensersiel, which is locaded at the Wadden Sea. The weather was changeable, but we were quite lucky when we did day trips.
Instead of souvenirs I have a little something for you I drew at the shore of Langeoog:

For this picture I used Chinese ink. Today -- after the trip -- I coloured it with Copic markers. Big difference as you can see here:

Cards....And Announcement

So I will say it right from the start: next week I am on holidays. Yay. :D

But does that mean I will neglect my blog?
The answer is simple: no, of course not.

I intend to continue my weekly writing exercises; you'll problably get to read the next one on Monday, right before my leaving.
AND, my dear writing buddies Sam and Frankie invited me to guest vlog on their blog 'Kalopsiad' on Wordpress on Wednesday. Isn't that awesome?  :D
I'll talk a bit about my works, so I hope you drop by then.

Last but not least, here are some of the remaining cards. Again I used Chinese ink and Copic markers to colour them.