A continuation of the journey that began on January 1, 2010, recorded in "a year of getting up to meet the day." After 365 consecutive sunrise outings in that year, I couldn't bear to give up the dawn. This blog (no longer daily) will be informed and inspired by the rising light of the morning sun.

IN ADDITION TO PUBLISHING MY OWN POSTS, I INVITE READERS TO SEND SUNRISE PHOTOS AND REFLECTIONS FROM AROUND THE GLOBE.

Thursday, October 6, 2011

writer's guide by nike

sunrise:  6:39


Just do it.

Nike's famous advertising slogan works for almost any challenge in life (the rest would probably fit in the "just don't do it" category).  In the world of writing, those three words have become my mantra.  I find myself saying them over and over again in my mind when I am in a procrastinatory spiral.

Getting up for sunrise is a start - first battle won.  Many other clamoring phrases try to drown out "just do it," like, "I'm tired." "My head hurts." "I think I'm getting a cold." "I'll do it tomorrow."  "Ugh."  But on this morning, the motivator won out.  I'm thinking of the story about the writer who tied himself to his chair.  I'm not the only one contending with a wayward, wandering drive.

"Just do it" can be kind of irritating... like it's close cousin, "don't worry, be happy."  It sounds flippantly simplistic, and is so difficult to apply.  But - there's the truth of it.  That is, in the end, the only way we can ever make anything happen - just do it.

Good luck.



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 Yesterday the air took a dramatic downturn in temperature.  I drove home from the grocery store in a deluge of hail that carpeted the back steps when I got home.

Frost covers the morning grass, and that lovely October light reigns.






And this is just a weird picture I took while driving through Bangor the other day.  Even before I saw "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" this week, this scene reminded me of a bunch of primates climbing around the inside of a cage.  It is actually just a sign of the end of summer in Bangor.  A work crew is disassembling the staging for the music productions that took place on the waterfront all summer, through September.  But it is strangely chilling, somehow.  You should go see that movie.



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