nothing.
fine. not true. i'll write more. the WIP will get attention during the day and i'll start my new novel at night. more important is what i won't be doing.
i won't be having that heavy, i-am-stagnating-hate-my-life feeling four times a week when i start work. (only 3 times a week now haHA). i won't be heaping tons of pressure on my writing career because i'm not happy at my job. oh, and i won't be having any spending money, but i've been poor before, so this is nothin'.
i've wanted to do this for months, but i've been afraid to. that's kind of my thing. my gut tells me one thing, but my head another, and since the head is always more logical it wins. did you ever notice it's hard to allow yourself to be happy? especially when it means following -- even less -- the normal patterns of society. i'm supposed to be making moves to earn more money, not less, right?
well, no. not at the moment. now it's time to go with the gut. what am i giving up, really? one shift? a little extra money in the savings account? meh. the gains are overwhelming worth it. happiness. focus. advancement. i didn't come here to wait tables. i came to freakin' write!
so while i continue to convince myself this is a good decision, in the spirit of letting things go, today i'm doing my first EVER book giveaway.
the book? THE FUTURE OF US by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler
how do you win? get to know me a little. i've been blogging for awhile, but i haven't been very social about it. so check out an old post or two. watch one of my should's videos off to the right of the screen. for every comment you leave, i'll throw a slip of paper with your name on it into this hat (which looks less giant in real life):
cute, right? start following the blog or me on twitter (@corriewachob)? i'll throw two slips of paper into the hat. so leave your email addy with any comments.
the contest will run until my next blog post on friday.
how fun! i've never done this before. it feels so illegal. but see? already i feel lighter and happier, just by letting something go.
now tell me. if you could go with your gut and let something in your life go, what would it be? and why aren't you?
Okay, put that slip in the hat for me, but let's make this a real competition! Extend that deadline for entries! C'mon y'all, take me on! I want that book. Still thinking about the bigger issue of what I'd let go of for personal happiness. Maybe I'll have to write another comment. haHA
ReplyDeleteI'd totally enter, but I already have this one! sadness. oh well, will just have to force other people to go enter instead :D
ReplyDeleteHey lady! I've been following your blog for a bit after you starting following me on Twitter (I follow you, too!). I'm one of those creepy quiet lurkers who reads but doesn't ever comment. Um, gonna have to remedy that ... because I would do some crazy ridiculous things to get a copy of The Future of Us. AAAHAHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteps- so that's two I guess, for Twitter and this comment!
*and I guess a third for following the blog! :P
ReplyDeleteLauren, you are definitely in the lead! (am i allowed to say that?) and you get an extra point for being the first person to play the game! and such good comments too. i'm chatty in person and then always feel like a board of wood when i comment on other people's blogs. "haha, author, i agree." sigh. thanks for coming out of the creepy stalker closet and showing me how it's done. i'm rootin' for ya! (i'm probably not allowed to say that either)
ReplyDeleteThanks to @egoodlet I have found you! So now I'm gunna be following you here & on Twitter! Woo hoo! Does that mean that I get two entries?? hee hee
ReplyDeleteHey, hey, hey, author! Look at the time postings! I think I deserve the extra point for being the first one to play. Sorry, Lauren.:(
ReplyDeleteThought about your question. Letting go of fear would be my answer. Not an easy thing to do though.
ReplyDeleteokay, sorry Linda, you're right. you get the extra point for being first;) And welcome Monica-Marie! That definitely means that you get two entries! The race is tightening up ladies, between... all three off you. Not bad odds though, right?
ReplyDeleteQ. Go with your gut and let something in your life go, what would it be?
ReplyDeleteA. Doing anything but what I really feel like and want to do.
Note: I've work already for 40 years, am "retiring," so am at a point in life where this may be easier for me than it would have been for many years, and for others who have not saved to be self supporting, living simply.
Note2: I'm related to Corrie so will make myself ineligible for the book (the standard phrase being something like ". . . employees, etc., of the blogger are not eligible to enter this contest . . ."). Anyhow, my prize is already the best, having Corrie as a daughter! (Is this embarrasing to write on your blog, Corrie?)
yes, dad, yes it is:)
ReplyDeleteOk, that comment from your dad might just be the cutest thing I've ever seen on the Internet.
ReplyDeleteNo worries. I quit my career in higher ed and took a part time job so I could write my book. So far, best decision I've ever made! (and my dad definitely said the same thing to me!)
ahh Lauren, that is just what i needed to hear. they're day jobs for a reason right? they're convenient and they support what we do at night. so the theory is, if they get in the way of that, they're no longer convenient. sigh. almost to feeling great about this. and haha, look at the further, emailed response from my dad:
ReplyDeleteCorrie, gasp. I failed my blog writing! I meant to say "A. Doing only what I feel like and want to do in any given moment." What I wrote seems to be the opposite of that: "A. Doing anything but what I feel like and really want to do." Can you or I revise or edit that? Can you or I delete it and I'll re-write? Guess I need an editor.
Love,
Dad
haha, i'll e a typical teen girl and honestly, I'd get rid of the grudges I've been holding against... people. But I don't because I'm ridiculously stubborn. But i know i should-- does that count for something? :P
ReplyDeleteI'm following you on twitter (@pinkcreamsoda)!
holesinmybrain@hotmail.com
Hmmm, I think I need to let my weight issues go.
ReplyDeleteI'm following you on Twitter (@jillscribbles) and just subscribed to your blog feed! Dying for this book!
jillehathaway at gmail
welcome to the game Jill, Audrey and also Monica-Marie. The competition is heightening! The hat is filling up!
ReplyDeleteI'm dying to read this book. Thanks for the great giveaway! I've subscribed to your blog, and I'm looking forward to exploring. Thanks again!
ReplyDeletekaty.upperman@live.com
Hmm...if I could give up something, I think it would be the drama. But that's hard to get rid of. I did make a decision to not spend as much time with a particular friend though...b/c she can bring you down easily. and I don't need or want that.
ReplyDelete-Lauren
lauren51990 AT aol DOT com
Hi Lauren,
ReplyDeleteI think it takes a lot of courage to let go of friends that you realize are only adding negative aspects to your life. It's something i didn't even realize i was allowed to do until a few years ago. So well done to you! Also welcome to the game!