Calligraphy

Little by Little

/ dianathormoto

How’s everyone’s new year going? Still excited? Still refreshed? Or are you a bit frazzled and tired? Or perhaps you are somewhere in between the two extremes. Because a new year brings with it both excitement and anxiety, especially in regards to resolutions or goals for the new year, this quote seemed particularly apt to share.

little by little does the trick by Aesop

It is good to remember that little steps and small changes do lead to big things. Little by little really does the trick. When we feel like we aren’t making progress or a project seems to big to ever finish, we must remember that nothing happens without starting. And sometimes starting is slow and we don’t see much change or feel like we are doing anything at all. Then we get discouraged and giving up can appear to be like the better option.

When that does, remember that little by little does the trick and we have Aesop to thank for remembering that. I hope that your year is full of fun projects that excite you and determination to see them through even when progress is slow. I hope you have a wonderful year. 🙂

Revision

/ dianathormoto

Happy (almost) New Year! This is a quote I wrote out late this year and it seems appropriate to share it as we are coming to the end of another year.

"It is never too late, in fiction or in life to revise." Nancy Thayer

This is such a wonderful quote and such an important lesson to remember that it is never too late to revise. I think of this often as I work on different projects and epiphanies strike late in the process. As much as revision is sometimes painful and always hard work, it is never to late to do on our work no matter what our work is.

And, as we ring out 2015 in whatever manner we see fit, it is good to remember that it isn’t too late to revise our lives either. It isn’t too late to jettison that flotsam that drags us down and drains us from energy. It isn’t too late to make a difference in someone’s life with our actions and our words. It isn’t too late to be creative and make something wonderful through our hard work and our talent.

I hope you ring out the new year with joy and have a wonderful start to 2016. I’m looking forward to another year in which to learn, grow, and create. I hope you are, too. 🙂

Doing Instead of Talking

/ dianathormoto

As this will be most likely be the last quote in calligraphy that I share this year, I wanted to share the one that I thought came out the best this year and also has a lovely reminder on how to go through life.

"Speak little, do much." ~ Benjamin Franklin

“Speak little, do much.” ~ Benjamin Franklin

As we move from one year to the next, it is good to remember that we can do much and don’t need to talk a lot about it as actions really do speak louder than words. This reminds me that if I want to do a lot of writing and reading and calligraphy on top of my full-time job, then I need to do a lot and stay away from talking a lot about it.

These blog posts help me be accountable for practicing my calligraphy and for imagining at least a scene of a new story every week. They are great and I enjoy sharing and charting my progress, but they aren’t substitutes for the actual practice and work.

Also Franklin, even though years before social media, reminds me that if I want to get things done, probably not spending a bunch of time on Twitter, etc. is best for my work (as we all know, but can easily fall down the social media time sinkhole anyway).

So as we move into a new year, and wrap up the current year, let’s remember that we need to do what we say we will do and get on with it. Talking about it can happen later.  🙂

(Self) Peace

/ dianathormoto / 2 Comments

The month is halfway over and it is time to panic about how much we haven’t gotten done this year, right? Or, at least, how much we haven’t managed to get done in time for the holidays, or the end of the year reports, or that project that we swore we would get done this last month, right? Or should we perhaps instead be focusing on peace within our own lives? Since it is a stressful time of year for so many (in addition to being a merry time for so many), today I share with you this quote from Emerson.

"Nothing can bring you peace but yourself." Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Nothing can bring you peace but yourself.” Ralph Waldo Emerson

It is good to remember that we are the only ones who can bring peace to ourselves. And, if we have peace within ourselves, we can often bring this peace to bear in our interactions with others and hopefully create a bit of calm in the world of hurry, stress, worry, and anxiety. That is good to remember this time of year, and really any time of year.

So my wish for you is that you can find some peace within yourself and remember that you are enough no matter what you’ve accomplished or not this year and always. And, if you can, use your gifts and talents and time to bring a little peace into the lives of those whose paths you cross. The world will be a better, brighter place for it.

Rules for Novels

/ dianathormoto

As we move into the homestretch of NaNoWriMo, it seemed only appropriate to practice my calligraphy on a quote about writing novels.

"There are 3 rules for writing a novel. Unfortunately, no one knows what they are." ~W. Somerset Maughan

“There are 3 rules for writing a novel. Unfortunately, no one knows what they are.” ~W. Somerset Maughan

I love the precise number of rules, that no one knows, for writing a novel. It can feel that way sometimes, especially in the middle of writing a first draft, as if everyone is acting like they know what they are doing when they really have as little a clue as you do. What I think is really great about this quote, though, is that it is freeing. If no one knows the three rules are, then we don’t have to worry about following or breaking them. Then we can just get on with the business of writing.

I hope you have having a lovely November. And, if you are participating in NaNoWriMo, I wish you amazing writing days and nights filled with dreams that answer all your noveling questions.

Take a Shot

/ dianathormoto

I love watching hockey and one of the greatest players (aka The Great One) was Wayne Gretzky. So because it is finally getting colder where I live, I thought a quote by The Great One would be appropriate.

"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take." ~Wayne Gretzky

“You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” ~Wayne Gretzky

I love this quote because you don’t have to be a hockey player to appreciate the advice. Whether you are an athlete, a writer, an artist, a student, or whatever identity you happen to be inhabiting at the time, it is important to remember that you have to show up and take a chance for anything to happen. Otherwise, you don’t do anything and have already failed. Starting is hard, trying and missing is hard, but it isn’t as hard as the regret of not trying. And, oh my goodness, when you make the goal or reach whatever milestone you have for yourself, you’ll be glad you risked the shot.

I hope you have a fantastic day and remember to be brave and take the shot. 🙂

Ability to Choose

/ dianathormoto

Happy Friday! Can you believe that it is almost the end of October? I can’t believe that the month has flown by so quickly. You know that that means, right? November is coming along with the chaotic days of writing for National Novel Writing Month.  I thought this quote was relevant in light of it almost being November, which means many things, most of which include more work for the month.

"It is our ability to choose which makes us human" ~Madeleine L'Engle

“It is our ability to choose which makes us human” ~Madeleine L’Engle

First, how could I resist quoting a wonderful writer when it is almost time for Wrimos to come out and furiously type together at write-ins? I couldn’t resist. Also, I love the quote because it reminds us that we have the ability to choose what to do with our lives and that makes us human.

So for November, I choose to throw caution to the wind (along with my inner editor) and write until I simply can write no more. I choose to pour words onto the page in the reckless, fun pursuit of creating for no other reason than I want to create worlds with my words. I choose to spend time with fellow writers who understand that sometimes you just need to write and other times you just need to eat some more chocolate.

So whether our choices are big or small, whether we choose something for the day or for the long haul, we have to remember that our choices matter and that they matter in our core. We are our choices and we are all humans fumbling through this messy world together. I think that’s a good thing to remember as we finish up a month and stride forth into another.

Hope you have a wonderful day, no matter how you choose to spend it. 🙂

Let’s have Dessert!

/ dianathormoto

Oh, it has been a week, hasn’t it? Some weeks are easy and some kind of hit you on the side of the nose, like a cat trying to wake you up in the morning. Since it has kind of been one of the latter kinds of weeks around here, I thought this quote was fitting.

"Life is uncertain, have dessert first." ~Will Rogers

“Life is uncertain, have dessert first.” ~Will Rogers

Sometimes it is nice to skip right to dessert and dive into a warm, fudge brownie or big bowl of frozen yogurt. We know we can’t do that all the time, but sometimes it is just what we needed. Life is crazy uncertain no matter what you’re doing, but dessert can always be certain.

So give yourself permission to have dessert first. Remember, Will Rogers said it was okay. 🙂

p.s. And if you want to make your dessert, why not try some extra nutty dark chocolate brownies? They look delicious and Joy the Baker’s recipes have never let me down.

Trust and Books

/ dianathormoto

Our local, independent bookshop gives out bookmarks with quotes whenever you make a purchase at the shop. It really is a lovely treat to see what quote is on the bookmark as we walk back home with our books. This quote was on one of the bookmarks we got from the shop and I think it is just wonderful advice.

"Never trust anyone who has not brought a book with them." Lemony Snicket

“Never trust anyone who has not brought a book with them.” Lemony Snicket

Books say a lot about our tastes and interests, especially if we end up discussing them with someone we meet in a bookshop, on the train, or in the waiting room. I love talking about books with people and hearing about what they’re reading. I also like the advice to always bring a book with you. My bag is usually full of books (a hazard of working in a library) and I always have one or two that I’m studying, or devouring, depending on the subject and genre. And I do wonder what people do when they’ve not brought a book with them. Spend more time staring at their phone, I suppose. (I always hope they’re reading a book on their phone, too, but again that is probably my library work talking.)

So as you go about your day and week, take a moment to ask someone about the book they’re currently reading. We put our trust in books to teach us, to entertain us, to enlighten us, and to amaze us. Why wouldn’t we also trust or not depending on if someone has a book?  Remember, never trust them if they’ve not brought a book. Would Lemony Snicket ever steer you wrong? 😉

Hope you have a lovely day. 🙂

Flying and Falling

/ dianathormoto

Autumn is definitely in the air around the Bay Area, which always makes it feel like a good time for change. I think it is something about school season being in full swing combined with the days getting shorter that makes me feel like both a new year is beginning (I feel my life will always revolve around the school calendar in some way) and that the year is wrapping up (and there is so much left to do!). I felt like this quote from Karen Goldman was particularly good for this time of year. (I even saw at least one person take a photo of it while it was posted on my door.)

"Risk the fall in order to fly" ~Karen Goldman

“Risk the fall in order to fly” ~Karen Goldman

It is a good reminder, especially when we are trying new things, that we have to risk falling if we are stretching ourselves and trying new things. We have to risk the scrapped knees, the rejection letters, the bruised egos, and the pain of failing and falling. It isn’t any fun, but it is a necessary risk. And it is only with that risk that we might be able to fly and doesn’t that feel good when we do? 🙂

So I’m going to continue to brave the fall so that I can fly and I hope you do, too.