Posing challenges for myself has been a life-long tendency, maybe because I had two older sisters to keep up with. While writing a memoir is one of my biggest undertakings yet, it’s far from complete and the first six months of this year I’m excited to spend in Vancouver Manuscript Intensive under the mentor-ship of Mark Winston, fine tuning it to completion.
But lately I’ve felt remiss in some key aspects of my identity. So, I began 2022 placing a few tasks on my calendar.
One being the reactivation of my website/blog joanneebetzler.ca. After a dormancy of at least three years, my lack of activity can’t be blamed only on COVID inertia. The bigger fault falls on the frustration fed by my inexperience, impatience, fears and life distractions that let me wander off. Those impediments still dog me, but I am determined keep-on keeping-on and overcome what I can. Step-By-Step.
Challenge number two involves a couple of activities I love but am inclined to put at the bottom of my to-do list: taking one photograph and drawing one sketch per month, to post. Just to say I’m here, active and real.
Because I’m so close to the wire for this month, both photo and sketch are rushed and not as well executed as I’d like but they do meet the basic criteria of my mission. And because I’m learning my way around this world of WordPress, I ask forgiveness for my fumbles.
WEEKEND COFFEE CUP PHOTO
Our weekday mugs are much larger than this fine china treasure and not at all delicate. The beverage just as delicious, I promise.
Lame, I know.
SMITTEN KITTEN SKETCH
My plan was to sketch my sister’s cat Lezley, who passed away suddenly last week but found all my efforts unacceptable. With kitty-on-my-brain, I hurriedly chose a random kitty with no emotional attachment to anyone I know.
Not my best work but here it is.
Number three of my self-imposed challenges is to track my reading in 2022. Years ago I counted the books I read, each year trying to outdo myself, a habit long broken. Now, I find myself with numerous books on the go at all times and no idea how many I’ve managed to complete in any given week, month or year. So, with the sole intent of knowing which books I have completed, that by default involves counting, I plan to record them as I finish.
Books in order of completion this year, as of January 31st:
- Livingston, Becky. (2018). The Suitcase and the Jar
- Bronte, Charlotte. (1847). Jane Eyre
- Ranada, Leah. (2021). Cine Star Salon