Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Swimming lessons

A and F started their swimming lessons. A did well, she wasn't too shy. She did keep a uncomfortable smile on her face the whole time, one that shows her teeth. I am telling this, because she didn't stop smiling even when they went underwater. So she wasn't very pleased with the little dive!

F had a private lesson, there are no other kids in her group for the moment. Her teacher is a girl with long beautiful hair. So F is very happy. They were in the water and her teacher made her go back and forth in the pool, from one side to the other. I watched her with amaze, she just didn't stop swimming. Backstroke, front, whatever they are all called. At the end of the lesson, I had no words except that I was extremely proud of my little big girl.

At the end of the lesson, the teacher came up to me and said she couldn't believe F's endurance. She said F should go to swim soon. So I wasn't imagining. Of course as usual, the sensitive dork that I am, I had tears in my eyes. (no worries, no crying at all.) Tomorrow is the next lesson. We'll see how that goes.

Life/(write) saver

On October sixth, I met Franny Billingsley. She is an author. She has two published young adult novels and a picture book. She is a friend of a friend, so Noyna, my friend introduced us.

It is always weird to go to meet someone new. Am I gonna like the person, will she like me? What are we going to talk about? Will there be uncomfortable silences? I did go very willingly, though. No misunderstanding. Very excited for the opportunity, I went to the library to get her books, read one novel (liked it) and the picture book, started the other novel.

Why am I telling all these? Since I met her, I have this urge to write. I don't know what she said or did, but it was just what I needed to get me out of the lazy comfort I was sucked in, in the last couple of weeks. We talked about writing, her books, what I write, how she works, how other people that she knows work... Two things I remember very well. First, this one other writer she knows who has to get her house in order before sitting and writing. Second, she used to get up at 5 am to write, because that was the moment she had time to write, and she hated waking up at 5am. I don't have to get the house clean head to toe to write, and oh, 5 am is out of question, but there are always reasons not to write. I realized I had my own and I also realized that I will get nowhere if I go on like this. And so I landed back on my midlife crisis, that "getting old" story. Yes, I am and we are and if I don't hurry up, I will never get all those words in my head on the paper. Whenever the midlife truck hits me, I get inspiration, I get energy, I just do it! I hope to keep this up for a while and get some good progress. Now time to stop blogging and start writing!