--I THINK YOU'RE A GREAT LISTENER

…My favorite weather forecast is when it says “Abundant Sunshine.”

On the other hand, I also like “Heavy Snow.”

…When I read about writers who’ve had their manuscript rejected dozens and dozens of times, (sometimes up to a hundred times)--only to have it eventually published, then going on to become a best-seller or classic, well, I’m both inspired and amazed.

And I wonder: is it just about perseverance, or is also about subjectivity, timing, and meeting the right match?  Or maybe it’s all of those things.

The truth is, rejection sucks.  It hurts.  It’s like being told you’re hideous.

Or dumb.

Or anything unflattering.

But each time I feel this way, get a rejection, I remember what Anne Lamott wrote in her fabulous book, “Bird By Bird,” when she advises, “Try not to feel sorry for yourself.  After all, you’re the one who decided you wanted to become a writer.”

…It’s Wednesday and I very much need to be productive.

…Here are some pithy things I like:

“One cries because one is sad. For example, I cry because others are stupid, and that makes me sad.” - Sheldon

"A man is already halfway in love with any woman who listens to him." Brendan Francis

"He who finds diamonds must grapple in mud and mire because diamonds are not found in polished stones.  They are made." Henry B. Wilson

"When you find yourself overpowered, as it were, by melancholy, the best way is to go out and do something kind for somebody." John Keble

"It's amazing how different my day is when I verbally express what I'm thankful for." Michelle Meeks

“The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen.”
― Elisabeth Kübler-Ross

"What matters is how quickly you do what your soul wants." Rumi

"My mother drew a distinction between achievement and success. She said that achievement is the knowledge that you have studied and worked hard and done the best that is within you.  Success is being praised by others. That is nice but not as important or satisfying. Always aim for achievement and forget about success." Helen Hayes