tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-117100942024-03-13T17:18:01.167-04:00A Day in the Life of a PaperclipIt all started with a book... and the adventures continue with this blog.
Read on and discover the adventures of "The Yellow Paperclip with Bright Purple Spots" and all the paperclips I encounter each day.
Email me your thoughts and stories at yellowpaperclip@gmail.comCloudWomanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07057296470339026427noreply@blogger.comBlogger265125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11710094.post-69634750057217859372013-02-18T13:34:00.001-05:002013-02-18T14:10:59.129-05:00Showing Up<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: white; font-style: italic; text-align: left;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">'Ole!’ to you, just for having the sheer human love </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-style: italic; text-align: left;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and stubbornness to keep showing up. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-style: italic; text-align: left;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- Elizabeth Gilbert</span></span><br />
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That's one of my favorite quotes from one of my favorite TED talks on the creative process. Sadly, I've not been very good at showing up. That was one of my biggest realizations at last year's Asian Festival for Children's Content. It was like stepping back into a wonderful world I once knew so well, yet had lost touch with because I didn't keep working at it. I felt a little out-of-place, much like my Yellow Paperclip... which is not an unfamiliar (though not exactly the most welcome) feeling. I felt like a new kid on the block when I really shouldn't, right? </div>
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But "Ole!" to that realization and more so to the resolve of changing things this year. Not only will I show up at the AFCC again but also at more gatherings of our local SCBWI (Society for Children's Books Writers and Illustrators) group as much as my crazy work travel schedule allows me. I will also show up on this simple writer's table in the little nook I've created for myself in my humble home-for-now apartment. I will stop ignoring my poor journal which has been running on empty since December 21. I will start blogging again because the adventure never stops and there is still so much back(b)log to catch up on. I will show up and write a little bit more than I did yesterday.</div>
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And if not on this writer's desk, then I can also write in bed propped up with pillows, as I learned last Saturday night when I finally wrote out my story for Sofia (after letting it simmer for two months and leaving my first draft on a worn brown envelope that made its way to San Francisco and back to Singapore - but that's for another blogpost!). I have shared my draft for our SCBWI meet-up and critique session this week and I am excited and anxious to get constructive feedback from the group. </div>
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The more I show up, perhaps the more willing my elusive genius will be to "let some wonderment be glimpsed, for just one moment, through [my] efforts". If not, I still need to show up anyhow.</div>
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Thank you, Elizabeth Gilbert. Ole!</div>
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<br />CloudWomanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07057296470339026427noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11710094.post-74560642834076842132013-02-08T10:25:00.000-05:002013-02-18T13:35:49.432-05:00Paperclips. More Fun in the Philippines.I saw not one but TWO paperclips... and both were not silver. Just like our catchy <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADNgEHFDYzo" target="_blank">Department of Tourism campaign</a>, I'll argue that paperclips are definitely more fun in the Philippines.<br />
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CloudWomanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07057296470339026427noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11710094.post-35959600888273658712013-01-31T10:58:00.000-05:002013-02-18T14:09:37.555-05:00Courage = Coeur = Heart = Love<i><span style="color: purple;">Note: A friend reminded me of Brene Brown's definition of <b>courage</b>, my One Word for 2013. "To tell the story of who you are with your whole heart." This post took a lot of courage to write and more so to share. <span style="text-align: left;">Perhaps it is through many more acts of courage, of sharing my truest stories, that I will find my <b>coeur</b> ("<b>heart</b>" in French) again, and eventually, <b>love</b>.</span></span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The romantic idealist in me continues to dream of my Mr. Right-for-Me. He must be somewhere on this earth as I type... possibly dreaming of me as well. I hope beyond hope (and beyond anyone who tells me otherwise) and strive to regain the faith in this deep desire in my heart... and in my aching, empty hand waiting for his. Surely a truly, madly, deeply blissful kind of love must exist beyond the movies, right? Surely my prayer will be answered at the perfect time - as it always is - though it has been easy to forget and easier to feel jaded, and be in a constant state of <i>blah.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Until we meet and my hand fits snugly in his, I am on a different kind of Cloud 9 tonight after a man said he was amazed not by me, but by my story. A young man, most likely in his tweens, sent me this message on Facebook yesterday:</span><br />
<i style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 17px; text-align: left;"><br /></span></i>
<i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 17px; text-align: left;">Warm greetings, ma'am! I love your book "The Yellow Paperclip With Bright Purple </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; line-height: 17px; text-align: left;">Spots". It's got vivid colors and drawings. The story really amazes me of [sic]... the story goes back and forth. I was really amazed when the paperclip asks by the end of the story: "The next time you need a paperclip, I hope you choose me -- the strange, out-of-place, yellow paperclip with bright purple spots. I'm excited to start my next great adventure. Where will you take me?" If I found him, I would keep him for my important documents. I was already reading the story you wrote since I was grade 4 and got the book before grade 5. Your story is a great masterpiece!</span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 17px; text-align: left;">Wow. I'm still blushing and happy and humbled. And amused that my Paperclip is a "him"! :-) I immediately sent him a reply to thank him for inspiring me to write again. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 17px; text-align: left;">His message could not have come at a better time, ie. NOW. A few weeks ago, I asked my inner critic to stand in the corner (I may soon have to show her the way to the door). Sometime last week, I started a diet in an attempt to eat healthier and lose my extra flab and bulges. Three nights ago, I shared tears with a friend and it helped to lighten a somewhat heavy heart. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; line-height: 17px; text-align: left;">Tonight, I chose to show up at my writer's table instead of packing for a trip (I still have tomorrow evening before my 6 a.m. flight!). Tomorrow, I welcome a new month and continue counting down to when I can place big fat check marks on my Life's Wish List: visit India, take a creative writing course, and experience Paris like a local. Now is the perfect time because I feel the veil of blah-ness has finally lifted and I am re-energized by a spirit of trust and hope and yes, of courage.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; line-height: 17px; text-align: left;">This unexpected Facebook message also reminds me that yes, I do have good (even amazing to some people!) stories to write and share with others - we all do. I am as unique as The Yellow Paperclip, with my own bright purple (or red) spots, with my own experiences of being lost and getting found - as we all do - so I should create and put it out there, if not for them, then definitely for me. "Don't write about what you know; write about who you are," shared children's author Candy Gourlay at last year's Asian Festival for Children's Content.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 17px;">In a deeper way, his message is a reminder for me to listen and trust in my heart's desires because "o</span></span>ur deepest desires, those desires that lead us to become who we are, are God's desires for us," writes Fr. James Martin, SJ in his article <i><a href="http://abcnews.go.com/print?id=10042548" target="_blank">What Do You Want?</a></i> "[Desires] are ways that God speaks to you directly." So whether it's the desire to write more children's stories, or to find Mr. Right-for-Me, I need to trust that those desires were placed in my heart by the God of Love who knows what I need to be fully myself, and exactly <i>when</i> I need them best. (Of course, this all comes with the gift of hindsight.)</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 17px;">I only have twelve major items on my Wish List for Life, and I have </span>six items checked off. They were all answered prayers at God's perfect time. The answer is not <i>no</i>, just <i>not now</i>, or <i>not yet</i>. Why did I allow myself to forget this and doubt and get bitter? Six out of twelve is halfway there. That's pretty amazing and a powerful wake-up call: I have absolutely no right to feel jaded or frustrated after all the blessings and graces so willingly provided. I'm sorry for being so childish and ungrateful. Call it the Law of Attraction or an exercise in visualization or the stars aligning across the Universe, but I need to refocus on my favorite Psalm 37:4 or on <span style="font-family: inherit;">Matthew 7:7. <span style="background-color: #fffefd; color: #001320; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify;"><i>Delight in the Lord and He will grant you all your heart's desires. Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. </i></span></span></div>
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Here was one more recent wake-up call: A friend challenged me and suggested that I stop dreaming of Mr. Right because it wasn't doing me any good. When I stop thinking about him, only then will he find me. I couldn't quite articulate what I was feeling then, but I felt misunderstood, and I felt my heart squirm in confusion, completely rejecting the idea. It felt like she was asking me to drop one of my deepest desires and focus instead on living a "well-storied" life just for me. I attempted to explain myself but could not find the words so instead I clammed up and shut her out (which was a bad idea and I have since apologized). I know that she meant well and that she would have understood if I had opened up. Here's what I should have said as we sat by the beach and watched a meteor shower: <i>You can stop me from feeling jaded, but please don't stop me from being my romantic idealist self. I need to trust my heart's desires, and I know that my God of Surprises knows what's best for me - He always has. Last I checked, my life is pretty well-storied as it is, but I believe life can be far richer with a hand to hold and a heart and life to share. Please don't tell me otherwise; please d</i><i>on't ask me to stop dreaming. And yes, I'd rather be with an Other than alone on this beach. </i>It has been weeks since my silence and the words have only come spilling out now. It's only tonight that I'm finding the courage to tell the story of who I really am with my whole heart. (For a risk-averse, approval-dependent, typically overachieving-but-insecure middle kid like me, that's pretty amazing, don't you think?)<br />
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But what is more amazing is how much of a jolt-me-up wake-up call this has all been; actually, it was more like a whack on the head that I so badly needed. Realizing that I was feeling the way I did (and seeing how I responded to my friend the way that I did) confirmed that I had indeed stopped dreaming and praying the way I used to, and my bliss had slowly, gradually turned into blah. It felt like one of those crazy alarm clocks or ice-cold water being dumped over your head: you just have to jump out of bed and get going with the day. In this case, I just have to get back on track and get going with living and dreaming, with a lot of love to share and with a heck of a lot more courage than what I've shown in recent years.<br />
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Bon courage to me!</div>
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PS. You know what else is amazing? I spotted a lost paperclip today. It's always my sign from the Universe to keep it together when things sort of feels like they're falling apart. Better yet, I think it's God's way of reminding me that He holds it all together, even when I fall apart. Thank You.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIk6uaDhLXyWJTg8bP81oyKZlCm0RKk0vI_K68E1WoHS3fkOlnNk3iRTbtb5dV0Zfm5gtNGzSgqRHFFA5JK2Udjs0a9QoTTNq2O3KaMsiDc5tcVcWBcPeo4Fb0YfnafsEC9Ew3iA/s1600/Paperclip_31Jan2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIk6uaDhLXyWJTg8bP81oyKZlCm0RKk0vI_K68E1WoHS3fkOlnNk3iRTbtb5dV0Zfm5gtNGzSgqRHFFA5JK2Udjs0a9QoTTNq2O3KaMsiDc5tcVcWBcPeo4Fb0YfnafsEC9Ew3iA/s320/Paperclip_31Jan2013.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In the office elevator</td></tr>
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CloudWomanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07057296470339026427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11710094.post-59555346810783717702013-01-09T12:22:00.001-05:002013-01-11T10:25:41.375-05:00A New Year, A New WordIt's my first post for the new year and I feel terrible that I didn't quite finish the <a href="http://isawyoudancing.blogspot.sg/p/reverb12.html" target="_blank">#reverb12</a> project last month. I was off to a good start but then I let the momentum slip. Should I even try to catch up? Kat did say we didn't need to beat ourselves up if we don't complete it.<br />
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But I'm glad I tried - because it gave me a a breath of fresh air again, however little. After a long dry spell, I was writing again and I saw words on a page and letters on the screen. I was no longer afraid of my voice and what might come out. I had forgotten how much fun it is to scribble and blog, so I'm glad I had the opportunity to get back to it, however brief.<br />
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A new year heralds a lot of new beginnings. "But only say the Word and my soul shall be healed," we always say at Mass. For me, it's my favorite line, and it's about finding that elusive word for the year; the one word that will keep me focused, growing, and thankful for yet another year. I had amazing years for <i>Hawak</i> (2008) and <i>Bulaga! </i>(2009)... and somewhat of a slow start with <i>Halikayo</i> (2012)... and some years just seemed quiet and wordless, which was worrying.<br />
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I was exchanging messages with a dear friend over Facebook and she said the word, and it just felt right for 2013. <i>Courage.</i><br />
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<span style="color: #999999;">cour·age</span></span></h2>
<span style="color: #999999;"><span class="pronset" style="font-size: x-small;"><span audio="http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/dictionary/audio/luna/C09/C0919100.mp3" default="http://dictionary.reference.com/audio.html/lunaWAV/C09/C0919100"><embed align="texttop" allowscriptaccess="sameDomain" flashvars="soundUrl=http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/dictionary/audio/luna/C09/C0919100.mp3" height="15" id="speaker" loop="false" menu="false" quality="high" salign="t" src="http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/d/g/speaker.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="17" wmode="transparent"></embed></span> <span class="show_spellpr" style="display: inline;"><span class="prondelim" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">[</span><span class="pron" style="display: inline; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="boldface" style="font-weight: 700;">kur</span>-ij, <span class="boldface" style="font-weight: 700;">kuhr</span>-</span><span class="prondelim" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">]</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="pg" style="display: inline; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; padding-right: 3px;"><span id="hotword"><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="cursor: default;"><span style="color: #999999; font-size: x-small;">noun</span></span></span></span><br />
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<span class="dnindex" style="display: block; float: left; font-weight: bold; width: 28px;"><span id="hotword"><span style="color: #999999; font-size: x-small;">1.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #999999; font-size: x-small;"><span id="hotword"><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="cursor: default;">the</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">quality</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">of</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">mind</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">or</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">spirit</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">that</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">enables</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">a</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">person</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">to</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">face</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">difficulty,</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">danger,</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">pain,</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">etc.,</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">without</span> </span><a href="http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/fear">fear</a><span id="hotword">;<span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="cursor: default;">bravery.</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="dnindex" style="display: block; float: left; font-weight: bold; width: 28px;"><span id="hotword"><span style="color: #999999; font-size: x-small;">2.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #999999; font-size: x-small;"><span class="labset" style="display: inline;"><span class="ital-inline" style="display: inline; font-family: Georgia, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: italic;"><span id="hotword"><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="cursor: default;">Obsolete</span></span></span><span id="hotword">. </span></span><span id="hotword"><span id="hotword" name="hotword">the</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">heart</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">as</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">the</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">source</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">of</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">emotion.</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="sectionLabel" style="display: inline; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #999999; font-size: x-small;">Idioms</span></span><br />
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<span class="dnindex" style="display: block; float: left; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: bold; width: 28px;"><span id="hotword"><span style="color: #999999; font-size: x-small;">3.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #999999; font-size: x-small;"><span class="secondary-bf" style="display: inline; font-weight: bold;"><span id="hotword" name="hotword">have</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="cursor: default;">the</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="cursor: default;">courage</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">of</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">one's</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">convictions,</span> </span><span id="hotword"><span id="hotword" name="hotword">to</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">act</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">in</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">accordance</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">with</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">one's</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">beliefs,</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">especially</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">in</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">spite </span><span id="hotword" name="hotword">of</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="cursor: default;">criticism.</span></span></span></div>
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I need the courage to write again.<br />
<span style="background-color: white;">I need to have the courage to let go of fears.</span></div>
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I need the courage to go after my dreams.</div>
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I need courage to lead me to who and where I want to be.</div>
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<i>Bon courage!</i></div>
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CloudWomanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07057296470339026427noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11710094.post-55160560218322611022012-12-07T10:38:00.001-05:002013-01-09T11:53:06.123-05:00Blank Pages<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; line-height: 18px;">Day 7: </span><a href="http://isawyoudancing.blogspot.com.au/2012/12/reverb12-day-7-what-will-you-take-with.html" style="background-color: white; color: #888888; line-height: 18px; text-decoration: none;">What will you take with you?</a></i></b></span><br />
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I will take my bright red Moleskine journal with me into 2013. I bought it back in 2008 as a welcome-to-Singapore gift for myself; more than four years later, it's still not full and it's starting to get frustrating... and embarrassing. There's a lot that needs to be written, more stories waiting to be told in the new year.CloudWomanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07057296470339026427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11710094.post-68523568372600228662012-12-06T10:54:00.001-05:002013-01-09T12:03:32.630-05:00Lessons<b><i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; line-height: 18px;">Day 6: </span><a href="http://isawyoudancing.blogspot.com.au/2012/12/reverb12-day-6-what-did-you-learn.html" style="background-color: white; color: #888888; line-height: 18px; text-decoration: none;">What did you learn?</a></span></i></b><br />
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Random lessons learned this year...<br />
<ul>
<li>how to make fresh pasta</li>
<li>loving a new CRM system at work</li>
<li>too much collaboration can be a bad thing</li>
<li>talking to my seatmates on the plane</li>
<li>procrastination can eat away pieces of you</li>
<li>I should have joined <a href="http://www.scbwi.org/" target="_blank">SCBWI</a> much sooner</li>
</ul>
CloudWomanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07057296470339026427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11710094.post-76448055808637576442012-12-05T10:50:00.001-05:002013-01-09T11:45:23.634-05:00Palawan Paradise<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; line-height: 18px;">Day 5: </span><a href="http://isawyoudancing.blogspot.com.au/2012/12/reverb12-day-5-what-was-your-dream.html" style="background-color: white; color: #888888; line-height: 18px; text-decoration: none;">What was your dream destination?</a></i></b></span><br />
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One of the places I had on my Travel Wish List is Palawan - and specifically to see the limestone cliffs of Coron that I kept seeing on postcards and Facebook posts. So I love that I got to take my own touristy shot of beautiful Kayangan Lake.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUIxPdwb1deHQod9JFHJNCCSti_W3cyNZFOLzxF4jgiVDKg9uAxzQaRVystnDP6_hI-nNToLAz3vbo9EwumTIN__5Fr9d5TTZe6KrB0U65H7rnErwarB-SJJvbSR0ZGzvgsWl9Ow/s640/blogger-image-1199508876.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUIxPdwb1deHQod9JFHJNCCSti_W3cyNZFOLzxF4jgiVDKg9uAxzQaRVystnDP6_hI-nNToLAz3vbo9EwumTIN__5Fr9d5TTZe6KrB0U65H7rnErwarB-SJJvbSR0ZGzvgsWl9Ow/s400/blogger-image-1199508876.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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What I love more is the fact that I saw a lot more than what I was expecting. The entire <i>length</i> of Coron island is practically made up of limestone cliffs and a good half-hour of the 2-hour boat ride to Culion was sailing past the rocky facade. It was amazing!<br />
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As if that wasn't enough, I woke up every day of my week on Culion to the sunrise. My corner room had an awesome view: Coron island was standing guard over the horizon.<br />
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Pure bliss.<br />
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CloudWomanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07057296470339026427noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11710094.post-57253621997260960442012-12-04T09:18:00.001-05:002013-01-09T11:44:49.781-05:00Reverberate and Celebrate<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; line-height: 18px;">Day 4: </span><a href="http://isawyoudancing.blogspot.com.au/2012/12/reverb12-day-4-how-will-you-celebrate.html" style="background-color: white; color: #888888; line-height: 18px; text-decoration: none;">How will you celebrate YOU?</a></i></b></span><br />
<br />
I've often been accused of not thinking about myself enough... and now I need to celebrate myself? Hmmm. Before I can bring out the bubbly, I feel the need to resuscitate the writer in me first - and taking part in #reverb12 is a great way to start. I will definitely celebrate once I have 31 posts this December! (4 out of 4... Woohoo!)CloudWomanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07057296470339026427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11710094.post-15723904528986027642012-12-03T10:42:00.001-05:002013-01-09T11:44:13.293-05:00My Heart's Desires<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; line-height: 18px;">Day 3: </span><a href="http://isawyoudancing.blogspot.com.au/2012/12/reverb12-day-3-what-do-you-really-wish.html" style="background-color: white; color: #888888; line-height: 18px; text-decoration: none;">What do you really wish for?</a></i></b></span><br />
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In 2008, I wrote an unedited wish list for my life as part of my silent retreat after reflecting on Psalm 37: 4. I was surprised that I only had 12 major life goals, ranging from living on my own, to traveling, to retiring on royalties. Some have big happy check marks next to them, some are still a work-in-progress, while some still feel quite out of reach. But as I re-read them (and this prompt led me to dig up my list), I am reminded of what I value most and what shapes who I am: deep relationships and meaningful experiences. <br />
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Four years later, the items on the list are still my heart's deepest desires. I will continue to allow my dreams and prayers (and hard work, of course) to pave the way to more check marks on my list. Five down, seven to go!CloudWomanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07057296470339026427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11710094.post-15272967564253936752012-12-02T10:25:00.001-05:002013-01-09T11:42:43.160-05:00When Spending is Gaining<i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">Day 2: </span><a href="http://isawyoudancing.blogspot.com.au/2012/12/reverb12-day-2-your-most-significant.html" style="line-height: 18px;">Your most significant spend?</a></b></span></i><br />
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When I first moved to Singapore more than four years ago, I tracked all of my expenses on an Excel spreadsheet. The days were on the rows and I had columns for different categories: rent, utilities, food, transportation, groceries, and a generic column for all other things like books, movies, tickets to plays and concerts, museum passes, trips to the spa, etc. It wasn't too long until I realized that the "others" column was the quickest to grow. I changed the label to "self-growth" to help justify the expenses. Soon, my friends and I were organizing regular Self-Growth Saturdays or Sundays, and it helped me feel much more settled in this home-away-from-home - while still keeping my expenses in check.<br />
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My Self-Growth column in 2012 is made up mostly of traveling expenses and the most significant (but not the most expensive!) was an eight-day Ignatian silent retreat to Isla Culion in Palawan, the westernmost part of the Philippines. It was a 3.5-hour flight from Singapore to Manila, a 45-minute domestic flight to Coron, a 30-minute drive to the ferry, a 2-hour scenic boat ride, and a 5-minute tricycle ride before I got to Culion's Hotel Maya. Perched on top of a hill and overlooking the ocean, the former dormitory now humble hostel is training ground to students of the Loyola College of Culion, the sister school of my Jesuit alma mater. The spartan accommodations combined with 5-star hospitality and the non-stop ocean breeze was all I needed to retreat and reflect.<br />
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The week I spent in silence, reflection, and prayer was the best way to prepare and celebrate Easter. I came with an open heart and a blank journal; I left with a happy heart and not enough pages or words to contain what happened there. It has been more than seven months since and I still can't seem to capture my experience on paper. I have hundreds of photos to help tell my stories, but I have not had time to organize all of my JPEGs. For now, here's a glimpse: a short post I shared with an Ignatian spirituality site called <em><a href="http://picturinggod.ignatianspirituality.com/2314/isla-culion/" target="_blank">Picturing God</a>.</em><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394;"><em><span style="font-family: inherit;">Marami ang nagsabi sa akin: "Mabuti at napadaan kayo dito sa Culion." Ang aking sagot: "Napabuti ako sa pagdaan ko sa Culion." </span></em><span style="font-family: inherit;">(Roughly translated from Filipino to: Many people there told me: "It's good you got to drop by Isla Culion." My response was: "I was made good, or a better person, because I did.") I believe </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">God is in Isla Culion in the Philippines, a beautiful home-away-from-home where I spent an entire week on a silent retreat leading up to Easter. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">More than 100 years ago, Isla Culion was the world's largest leper colony. Today, it is a healed, historical, grace-filled island aspiring to be a top eco-tourism destination. It's a simple and laidback coastal town, with only 12 hours of electricity a day, but in close proximity to amazing coral reefs, dive spots, and white beaches, and blessed with the most amazing sunrises. I believe I caught but a glimpse of God in all of that--but most especially in the warm and gracious people who, with their bedimpled smiles, earnest eyes, and open hearts, welcomed me to their home and changed me for the better.</span></span></div>
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<img height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5SLIE0B1PjVRBA-4b9pqzG_T0aSz1Xtf2kuUOhz96C-b11J63Sm4gop0NdCm6QWJf9bf_c59BDeQjfEwVSTfvsmdm8edFTJ-y2w-u8s9fIxUp4hBshyjoM-pF0jGMlPUqv3I3PA/s400/Rays+of+Hope-707924.JPG" width="400" /><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">It may not have been my biggest expenditure in 2012 in terms of dollars spent, but it was a huge investment of time and spirit spent in one place - and I gained it all back a thousandfold. My Self-Growth column is full to the brim.</span>CloudWomanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07057296470339026427noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11710094.post-29072507765883296402012-12-01T10:59:00.000-05:002013-01-09T11:43:42.630-05:00Starting with Goodbyes<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; line-height: 18px;">Day 1: </span><a href="http://isawyoudancing.blogspot.com.au/2012/12/reverb12-day-1-how-are-you-starting_1.html" style="background-color: white; color: #888888; line-height: 18px; text-decoration: none;">How are you starting?</a></i></b></span><br />
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I have three minutes left on this first day of December and I will try my best to complete #reverb12. So how am I starting?<br />
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I am starting with goodbyes. I had a farewell dinner with a dear friend who I have known since I first moved to this home-away-from-home. Though we only get to see each other twice or thrice a year, he is a dear friend and a fellow pilgrim, and we can spend hours talking about any and all things. Spending time with him always reminds me to hope and focus on the essential things in life. I'm sad to see him go back to Indonesia yet excited for this next chapter in his journey. <br />
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So with tonight's farewell, I also say goodbye to this year's feelings of BLAH. Goodbye to other people's expectations. Goodbye to thinking-too-much. Goodbye to procrastination. Goodbye to mindless online surfing. Goodbye to worrying what other people think. Goodbye to my sedentary lifestyle. Goodbye to what-if fears. Goodbye to writer's block. Goodbye to excuses.<br />
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All goodbyes lead to hellos. See you soon, 2013.CloudWomanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07057296470339026427noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11710094.post-63628628949729710202012-10-08T11:35:00.001-04:002012-12-01T10:47:45.529-05:00Silver and Sunbathing<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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CloudWomanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07057296470339026427noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11710094.post-9892068831530481242012-09-04T12:17:00.000-04:002012-09-04T12:41:02.033-04:00Of Spots and MarksIf I could play <a href="http://mypaperclip.blogspot.sg/2012/02/connecting-dots.html#links" target="_blank">connect-the-dots</a> with my life, what picture would I end up with? I guess it doesn't really matter now so long as I look out for and embrace the bright spots that come my way.<br />
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This week was no exception and I find myself humbled with gratitude for little nudges from the Universe to write, to share my small voice, and to put myself out there. Actually, I think they've been more than nudges... more like whacks in the head. :-)<br />
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This week's bright (purple) spots:<br />
<ul>
<li>I submitted a 2-page proposal to present a personal project at a conference. My heart did a little somersault when I saw the call for papers in my inbox and a backflip when I realized I had less than a week before the deadline. But thanks to input and comments from amazing people, I managed to draft, revise, and submit something just in time. It could be the spark that I need to quit procrastinating and get back into my writing. More details coming soon... if my proposal is accepted!</li>
<li>Mama called me this afternoon to tell me she ran into my summer school teacher who still remembers me after more than 25 years! She taught me and Ate Kim speed reading and creative writing (yes, we were nerdy kids) which helped plant creative seeds and dreams in a 7- or 8-year-old Nikki. Papa said she probably remembered me as the class clown, haha! I'd like to send her a note of thanks.</li>
<li>Thanks to my parish, a friendly priest came to visit tonight who not only blessed my new apartment, but also prayed for my hopes and dreams. We had a nice chat about cartoons, work-life balance, and stories. I gave him a copy of my book and he said it reminded him of a wonderful storybook he read years ago: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/James-Excellence-Childrens-Literature-Awards/dp/0763619612" target="_blank">The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds</a>. I quickly Googled it and got a lump in my throat. It was exactly what I needed to hear: "Just make a mark and see where it takes you."</li>
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And the week's not over yet! :-) I could seriously feel myself shushing my inner critic and asking her to stand in the corner. It's about time I did!<br />
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What "dot" or mark will I make? Where will it take me? Stay tuned.</div>
CloudWomanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07057296470339026427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11710094.post-69926448413220752052012-08-01T11:59:00.000-04:002012-08-01T12:01:31.955-04:00A Bright Blue Spot in Hong Kong<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb0eZky_ekec-Co6uIm426T7-R9vpONRYOZ1ydGZIfzUs2DiY_LDD4rHi0EEsTO4SZPO6oidClcuURcogaoDrC2uuty3vWY_s4rFS0gIfL5iJzb4t9CyyQ9rFVuCDv23jdO9tMoA/s1600/photo-732200.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb0eZky_ekec-Co6uIm426T7-R9vpONRYOZ1ydGZIfzUs2DiY_LDD4rHi0EEsTO4SZPO6oidClcuURcogaoDrC2uuty3vWY_s4rFS0gIfL5iJzb4t9CyyQ9rFVuCDv23jdO9tMoA/s320/photo-732200.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5771735247413821010" /></a></p>It was my first time in Hong Kong last week for a business trip and I extended my stay over the weekend so I could explore Asia's World City. Often compared to Singapore, my colleague shared that Hong Kong is much more "authentic". What did she mean?<br />
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A map helped me navigate through the streets around the Sheung Wan and Central area (well, most of the time! I still enjoyed getting lost...) and after a few hours, I think I sort of understand what she meant. The busy and uneven sidewalks; the narrow alleys packed with stalls of trinkets; the rundown buildings next to contemporary galleries, artsy cafés, and antique shops; the hole-in-the-wall noodle shops with long queues. It was gritty and rushed and bustling with crowds. The city had a unique pulse worth experiencing - but I didn't stay long enough to embrace it or to call it a home-away-from-home.<br />
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I definitely played tourist for the weekend yet took comfort in seeing a paperclip in a strange place. Unlike Singapore where I've seen mostly silver ones, my paperclip in Hong Kong was bright blue. That sure adds another point for Authenticity!CloudWomanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07057296470339026427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11710094.post-76554479395805921062012-06-15T22:44:00.001-04:002012-06-17T02:13:27.964-04:00Two Weeks Late But Still OverwhelmedI'm so glad I made it back for the 2-day Asian Writers' and Illustrators' Conference of the Asian Festival of Children's Content (AFCC). And yes, this post is two weeks late. No excuses but that crazy back-to-work period.<br />
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It was an overwhelming three days - overwhelming in a good way though! There are so many thoughts and ideas swimming in my head but for now, here are some photos and highlights:<br />
<b><br /></b><br />
<b>Day 1: </b>It was really awesome reconnecting with <a href="http://www.studioroxas.com/" target="_blank">Isabel "Pepper" Roxas</a>, my teacher for a Writing and Illustrating for Kids elective in Ateneo more than 10 years ago. I told her how she and that class really helped inspire me to get into this wonderful world of children's books. Seeing her now as a successful illustrator and artist based in Brooklyn continues to be an inspiration. I also got to meet the super-animated and friendly Candy Gourlay, award-winning Filipina writer based in London. I really enjoyed the stories she shared on her journey to be a best-selling author of <a href="http://www.tallstory.net/" target="_blank">Tall Story</a> - and I can't wait to read her book!<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwvBZt6QOxtrd95qk9EtzCdnJSuzmXDdr3Em1ez2iA-PmJUYwO4fDeq6cz64o6DLeOcXIXELUA9foOBh0pU-IqwxMNhN2J7ssm0sAFI_eb-pCuP0TB3kkRpDWZMGdnt_zxHcEj3A/s1600/AFCC1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwvBZt6QOxtrd95qk9EtzCdnJSuzmXDdr3Em1ez2iA-PmJUYwO4fDeq6cz64o6DLeOcXIXELUA9foOBh0pU-IqwxMNhN2J7ssm0sAFI_eb-pCuP0TB3kkRpDWZMGdnt_zxHcEj3A/s400/AFCC1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">With Award-Winning Author Candy Gourlay</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">The Amazing Noel Cabangon</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">With Festival Manager Kenneth</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Awesome Skyline from The National Library's 16th Floor Pod</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><br /></b><br />
<b>Day 2: </b>Thanks to Pepper and Franny Ong of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TahananBooks" target="_blank">Tahanan Books</a>, I got to meet <a href="http://www.leonardmarcus.com/" target="_blank">Leonard Marcus</a>, our keynote speaker, and THE children's book historian, critic and author who flew in from New York City just for the AFCC. I sat across him as we hung out by the Singapore River for drinks and we had a nice chat about Pittsburgh. So yes, I rediscovered my inner fangirl, and yes, I shared a copy of my book with him. [Sheepish smile.] I'm thrilled just thinking that <i>The Yellow Paperclip</i> is somewhere in NYC with him... though probably buried under a mountain of other books. :-)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9Dx8aPsG6cgj_KL8IIGHDDVwXoWFCPVRx1ZvPhLv9GDX-hfMdrwZXQPNNehKS5LxPpuqBrfCdsoKQbinsIiilUp6P9cFSSuAHQ6kBpYtpzdJlvGpBVHNA3Ri6-Ls6UbookDuHQw/s1600/AFCC2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9Dx8aPsG6cgj_KL8IIGHDDVwXoWFCPVRx1ZvPhLv9GDX-hfMdrwZXQPNNehKS5LxPpuqBrfCdsoKQbinsIiilUp6P9cFSSuAHQ6kBpYtpzdJlvGpBVHNA3Ri6-Ls6UbookDuHQw/s400/AFCC2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">With Teacher Pepper | With Leonard Marcus </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Noel performing in The Arts House</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Hanging out with Franny and Pepper </span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><br /></b><br />
<b>Day 3: </b>I decided last-minute to sign up for a Masterclass on <i>Editing Children's Books: Turning Your Manuscript into a Bestseller</i> with Alvina Ling of Little, Brown and Sarah Odedina of Hot Key Books. And I'm so glad I did! They gave a lot of great practical advice and tips, and having several short writing exercises really pushed me beyond my comfortable world of writing copy for work. Of course, the approval-dependent writer in me (in all of us?) was thrilled to hear their positive comments on my pieces. Now comes the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity: I have three months to prepare and send a manuscript to them. Oh, by the way... Sarah just happened to publish all of Harry Potter and she's on a first-name basis with "Jo" Rowling and Neil Gaiman. Wow! Eeeep! [Gushes.] </div>
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Yes, it was overwhelming but in an awesome way. Though it has only been a few years since my last project, I had felt so displaced from the world of children's books. Being at the Conference felt like some sort of homecoming: reassuring in how familiar it was, but scary-exciting in the new and not knowing what to expect next. </div>
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My little journal from the three days has all these random notes from the different talks I went to and I'll share some of them in a separate post. But for now, I'll leave you with one of my favorites (that struck right at the heart of this perfectionist!) from Australian illustrator <a href="http://www.jamesfoley.com.au/" target="_blank">James Foley</a>: </div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Your words or pictures don't have to be perfect but they should be truthful and playful.</span></i></span></span></b></div>CloudWomanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07057296470339026427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11710094.post-34983949759794687752012-05-26T13:28:00.001-04:002012-05-26T13:28:48.651-04:00Come and See the FestivalAs I sit here at O'Hare waiting for my flight, I am really looking forward to the <a href="http://www.afcc.com.sg/" target="_blank">Asian Festival of Children's Content 2012</a>... that starts 9 hours after I land at Changi Airport from my 5-week U.S. trip!<br />
I've seen and read about the Festival for the last few years but have not been able to attend because of work commitments. This year, I really feel the need to be there. It would have been so easy to extend my stay in Pittsburgh (I was starting to get used to my routine!) but I knew I would feel bad if I missed the Festival yet again. I'm glad my managers and colleagues are supportive of my decision. This is a great example of work-life balance at play!<br />
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"Come and you will see," is and will be my theme for the rest of the year. Let's see what the Festival has in store!CloudWomanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07057296470339026427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11710094.post-66834153510435141262012-03-20T10:51:00.004-04:002012-03-20T10:53:37.161-04:00Today is World Storytelling DayIn celebration of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Storytelling_Day" target="_blank">World Storytelling Day</a> today, here's a song about <i>Why We Tell the Story</i>, from one of my favorite stories.<br />
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<i>Life is why </i></div>
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<i>We tell the story </i></div>
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<i>Pain is why </i></div>
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<i>We tell the story </i></div>
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<i>Love is why </i></div>
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<i>We tell the story </i></div>
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<i>Grief is why </i></div>
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<i>We tell the story </i></div>
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<i>Hope is why </i></div>
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<i>We tell the story </i></div>
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<i>Faith is why </i></div>
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<i>We tell the story </i></div>
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<i>You are why </i></div>
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<i>We tell the story</i></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/aiaSWquhUUg" width="420"></iframe>CloudWomanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07057296470339026427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11710094.post-30145324695686946712012-03-16T11:43:00.000-04:002012-05-26T13:31:48.195-04:00Connecting the Bright Purple SpotsI recently wrote about <a href="http://mypaperclip.blogspot.com/2012/02/connecting-dots.html" target="_blank">Connecting the Dots</a> and given how my life has been one happy conspiracy, it sometimes feels like I'm connecting a lot of Bright Purple Spots instead.<br />
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I'm glad I went to the critique group of the Singapore chapter of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (<a href="http://www.scbwi.org/Default.aspx" target="_blank">SCBWI</a>). I was introduced to the group back in Manila where we had regular meet-ups to review books and stories. I never signed up as a member (I probably couldn't afford it back then!) and it gradually fell away and off my radar. Until I met Kenneth, the Festival Manager for the Asian Festival for Children's Content at the recent talk on the <a href="http://mypaperclip.blogspot.com/2012/03/wondrous-world-indeed.html#links" target="_blank">Wondrous World of Errol le Cain</a>. It was great to meet fellow writers and storytellers, and I look forward to getting to know the group better, learning from them, and exchanging stories. If I can't take up my MFA in Creative Writing just yet, at least being in the company of creative writers is a really good start!<br />
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The bright spots continue: <i><a href="http://adarna.com.ph/authors/nikki-dy-liacco/the-yellow-paperclip-with-bright-purple-spots.html" target="_blank">The Yellow Paperclip with Bright Purple Spots</a></i> traveled to the <a href="http://www.bookfair.bolognafiere.it/en/info/" target="_blank">Bologna Children's Book Fair</a> today with Kenneth, who offered to bring my books with him as I recently signed up as a SCWBI member (finally!) and he will showcase members' works at the Fair. Wow! Of course it was unfortunate that I didn't have copies in Singapore of <i>Khan: A Teacher of Everything</i> and <i>The Lucky Doctor</i> from the <a href="http://mypaperclip.blogspot.com/2007/08/great-men-and-women-of-asia.html#links" target="_blank">Great Men and Women of Asia Children's Series</a>. As I worked on my member profile on the SCWBI site, I felt giddy yet happy knowing I was in the company of so many amazing and accomplished writers and illustrators. Wow again!<br />
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Though I know my book is but one of thousands (if not hundreds of thousands) of books in that fair, just the thought of <i>my</i> book being out there, with the possibility of being read and rediscovered at THE children's book fair in the whole wide world (and space), is enough for me to feel happy and giddy again, and yes, oh-so-grateful. For a few moments tonight, soon after I said goodbye to Ken on the train, I had that wonderful, unmistakable feeling that things were falling into place, that the dots were connecting, and that I was exactly where I was meant to be. Of course until my inner critic brought me back to reality. (Why are we writers so hard on ourselves? Then again, I'd rather be hard on myself than full of myself. Hee-hee.)<br />
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Whatever happens, I think SCBWI definitely gets a bright purple spot in the story of my life... and hopefully it connects to yet another one someday.CloudWomanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07057296470339026427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11710094.post-61094509054028410972012-03-11T11:07:00.000-04:002012-03-20T11:30:05.470-04:00A Wondrous World IndeedClick <a href="http://www.google.com/search?q=errol+le+cain&hl=en&client=safari&rls=en&prmd=imvnso&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=HptoT9PBK8fLrQe0-Jn_Bw&ved=0CEoQsAQ&biw=1325&bih=592" target="_blank">here</a> to browse through the wondrous world of Errol le Cain. (Yes, at least 60,000 gorgeous images on Google!) It's a dreamy world I would happily get lost in.<br />
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I received an invitation from the Singapore Book Council for an afternoon talk at the National Library on <i>The Wondrous Art World of Errol le Cain</i>. Since I've been meaning to visit the library for many months (er, years!) and had nothing scheduled on a Saturday afternoon, I figured: I know nothing about Errol le Cain, but why not?<br />
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My friend Cam and I were amazed with his artwork. A wondrous world of color, swirls, and patterns. All that detail. An amazing take on classic fairy tales like Sleeping Beauty, King Arthur's Sword, and our all-time favorite, The Twelve Dancing Princesses. What a wondrous world indeed created by this prolific illustrator, but unfortunately, many people don't know him and his artwork, or that he was born in Singapore and established himself as an artist in the United Kingdom. Even more unfortunate for most of us is the fact that all of his books are out of print... though some are available online for a few thousand dollars! Visit www.errollecain.com for more about his life and works.<br />
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On another note, I think I got another major nudge from the Universe. I met the Festival Manager for the upcoming <a href="http://singaporebookcouncil.wordpress.com/afcc/" target="_blank">Asian Festival of Children's Content</a> that will be hosted here in Singapore this May (which I am hoping to be able to attend!) and he also heads up the Society for Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. He invited me to their upcoming meet-up. Yaaay! Eeeeeep! (Yes, thrilled and anxious and everything in between.)CloudWomanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07057296470339026427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11710094.post-6242189430852180802012-02-21T10:36:00.001-05:002012-02-21T11:14:30.823-05:00Getting My Voice BackA few weeks ago, I read this beautiful blog post on <a href="http://www.taramohr.com/2011/01/getting-your-voice-back/" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"><i>How I Got My Voice Back</i></span></a><i> </i>and it definitely hit a soft spot. I had asked myself: How can I get my voice back? How do I start writing again?<br />
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Last week, I ran into Jo who I met in a class I signed up for in 2009 called Finding God in Your Writing. I shared this blog with her and she sent me a message: <i>Just visited your blog. Well done. A pity not to use your gift. </i>(Thank you, Jo!)<br />
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Last night, I joined her and other writers for a couple of hours to write and rediscover how God works in our lives through the gift of writing and sharing. We had five prompts to respond to and we were given five minutes to write, preferably without any rude interruption from our inner editor or critic.<br />
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It was a joy to see my messy handwriting again and a few pages of my well-ignored Moleskine coming to life. I initially felt shy sharing what I wrote but their smiles and nods were encouraging (how approval dependent we writers are!). By the third round, I had to have a heart-to-heart talk with my inner critic: <i>So what if I sound shallow or like I'm just rambling? I know I can't write poems but that's okay. Just write what comes naturally to you, you're not here to impress or seek approval. You have a story to tell so just write and stop thinking, stop over-analyzing. So what if others don't like it or get it. Just write for yourself. Write because you love it.</i><br />
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My inner critic shrugged it off then walked away. I continued to write.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">***</div><br />
<b>Prompt: Nothing that you write is wasted because it all contributes to your growth as a writer.</b><br />
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And when a writer writes nothing, then a gift is wasted. It took me a while, and I sometimes still hesitate, to say that I'm a writer. I have been writing since I was a young child: love letters to my parents, projects for my creative writing summer class, mini novels with my best friend in grade school. Newsletters. Yearbook write-ups. Ten-page essays. My journals. Children's stories. This blog and other blogs I started and abandoned. Research reports. Copy for marketing collateral. A chapter on leadership. So much has been written, so much has been said, a few have even been published.<br />
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And when I stopped writing for myself as I did last year, I felt like a part of me stopped. I stopped sharing. I stopped giving. I stopped growing.<br />
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Writers write for themselves but writers also write to share, to give, to grow.<br />
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Writers write.<br />
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And tonight, I write.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">***</div><br />
It's not much and there's a long way to go, but I think it was a good first step to getting my voice back.<br />
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Thank You for the gift of words.CloudWomanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07057296470339026427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11710094.post-85613185207314311862012-02-17T14:26:00.007-05:002012-02-22T11:17:37.563-05:00Connecting the Dots<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"></span></i></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I have not written much in the last year, and I think it made a huge difference. I tried to start a </span><a href="http://my365words.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">365-word-a-day blog</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> project. I said I'd find a publisher for a new piece of work. I said I would write in my journal more. But </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I procrastinated. I stalled.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> I thought I could catch up. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I shelved it. I spent too much time at work. I ran away from it. I failed. Boo. Blah. Writers write, I told myself; and since I stopped, I really let myself down. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">And the days of blah-ness stretched to weeks... and months... and... no, I don't want to feel like this anymore. So I will start writing again. Even if it's just a few words here, and a few more words in my journal. A few lines today, an article tomorrow; who knows, maybe another picture book by the end of the year.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you achieve it. - Paulo Coelho</span></span></i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I believe that God allows the Universe to conspire with the dreamer. He provides signs that lead us (back) to our deepest desires, especially when we're teetering over the edge or veering away from where we need to go. He sends little nudges that remind us to dream again and to trust with a childlike heart, even if we can't quite make out the road in front of us. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">In the last two weeks...</span></span></div>
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<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I got an email asking if I would be agreeable to convert one of my books into an e-book</span></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I found out that one of my books sold more than 2,000 copies in the last four years</span></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I met a fellow TCK who chanced upon this blog some time ago and remarked, "But you stopped writing!"</span></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I went to a dear friend's photo exhibit where I ran into a nice lady who used to host these writing sessions; she scheduled a meet-up on Monday so we could all start writing again</span></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I was invited to be featured in a magazine for tweens as part of International Book Day in April</span></span></li>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Wow. You think Someone is telling me something?</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><div style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">You can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something - your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life. - Steve Jobs</span></span></span></i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">My life has been one big happy conspiracy so far and I don't think the Universe will let up just yet. I just have to once again trust in the goodness of signs and have faith that my God always knows what's best for me even if, or especially when, I can't seem to connect the dots.</span></span></div>
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</span></i></span>CloudWomanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07057296470339026427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11710094.post-9924736402757531222011-11-05T17:37:00.000-04:002011-11-06T01:23:40.154-04:00Lost and Found in Los Angeles<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp4CzZzlFzWuLrfHok4p-8PeC_t1lCt9cO5ZYkXbJy3uK9lAhe4dmHfsUjgzswnoKBf68EWiYX-4IXjvQ7970FflhKiRqDvVck3uCKVn6gqAKWnFLOzxEXOEJ9FsxOnWUuIr3h_g/s1600/photo-720154.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp4CzZzlFzWuLrfHok4p-8PeC_t1lCt9cO5ZYkXbJy3uK9lAhe4dmHfsUjgzswnoKBf68EWiYX-4IXjvQ7970FflhKiRqDvVck3uCKVn6gqAKWnFLOzxEXOEJ9FsxOnWUuIr3h_g/s320/photo-720154.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5671749217497001410" /></a></p>CloudWomanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07057296470339026427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11710094.post-61203909928817483452010-12-21T21:46:00.000-05:002010-12-31T10:49:23.619-05:00A Pink Paperclip in Bangkok<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz7HAMlyK-wsbN3r49yvt3gFgwk9u3kb7jp1lLKS8FYWigWAtOoKsLk1xjScoFOERDYcZmk5s71bVvPc4LJ1EdYldWHsHA90JKjkoImBQ0GTQB1Uf2LGdMo5suTV_wKdhLPH4d6g/s1600/photo-700035.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz7HAMlyK-wsbN3r49yvt3gFgwk9u3kb7jp1lLKS8FYWigWAtOoKsLk1xjScoFOERDYcZmk5s71bVvPc4LJ1EdYldWHsHA90JKjkoImBQ0GTQB1Uf2LGdMo5suTV_wKdhLPH4d6g/s320/photo-700035.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556873786162829362" border="0" /></a></p>CloudWomanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07057296470339026427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11710094.post-88919206868060073102010-12-14T13:12:00.002-05:002010-12-14T13:19:31.522-05:00Lost and FoundWhen I first saw the site, I promised to myself that I will share my story for the <a href="http://tckbookproject.com">TCK Book Project</a>. Today is the deadline and I just sent in 993 words of 100% Nikki. Whether or not they choose my story, it was a joy to find myself lost in the art of writing again and in articulating my TCK story for the first time.<br /><br />My quote for the day, borrowed from the comedian Steve Martin: "I think I did pretty well, considering I started out with nothing but a bunch of blank paper."CloudWomanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07057296470339026427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11710094.post-25840573660361979942010-12-10T12:58:00.000-05:002010-12-14T13:12:28.050-05:00Rediscovery and ResolutionsI rediscovered my blog the other evening and enjoyed traveling through time re-reading my past entries. What a wonderful six years it has been. (I still can't believe it has been six years!)<br /><br />I realized how much I miss blogging and told myself that I'll start again... especially since I should be able to post stuff via my iPhone. The last few months have been amazing and once again, I have so much back(b)log. Where do I start? Or is it better that I begin a new 365-day project in 2011?CloudWomanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07057296470339026427noreply@blogger.com0