Monday, December 05, 2011

to : Me from: Me

by C.L. Phillips

We have this silly tradition in our home.  "To me from me" Christmas presents.  Takes the pressure out of trying to find that perfect gift for someone.  Just buy it yourself.  No questions asked.  No explanation required.  No gloating. We buy them the first week in December.  Don't ask why.  We don't tell.

This year my to me from me present is The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron.  What a great antidote to a crazy finish of Nanowrimo.  I'm loving the process of writing morning pages.  I'm lost in the nirvana of the first week, the excitement of a new journey. 

I know I'm not supposed to reread the morning pages, but I'm tempted.  Each day the words flow faster, as if they've been arranging themselves while I sleep, waiting for daylight.  While writing, I read the words slowly, etching them into my consciousness before they are lost.  I hope some of the images find their way into my fiction.

I'm not an introspective person.  My idea of therapy is watching Mrs. Doubtfire three times in a row.  Cures anything that ails a soul, I swear.  But this book, the Artist's Way gives me an opportunity to look at my writing in a new way.  It's giving me a jump start on my end of year planning.

So this post is a shameless, independent, uncompensated plug for The Artist's Way.  Whatever your way, your path, may you find it sprinkled with fairy dust and chocolate chip cookie crumbs, like my book.  May your December be filled with moments of ease, grace, fantastic parking karma at the mall, and give yourself a little to me from me present.  You deserve it.

So what's on your "to me from me" shopping list?

Keep writing!

7 comments:

Joyce Tremel said...

I don't have anything on my list!

I'm in desperate need of a haircut, so maybe I'll pamper myself and do that.

C.L. Phillips said...

Oooh. Haircut. Maybe a blow dry? One of my favorite treats. I'm loving this idea.

And now, back to day three of continuous slow rain. Heaven on Earth!

Ramona said...

That is not a silly tradition, that's a great tradition.

I always buy myself a gift: To Mom from Mom. Usually, it's a clothing item. I don't trust the people who share my house (all male) to buy me clothes.

After Jennie's blog last Friday, I'm thinking this year I'll go with more Neil Young music.

Jennie said...

I bought myself a "from me, to me" present yesterday, with the proceeds from last month's indie book sales: a plane ticket to Norway to see my dad!

Gotta get this first science fiction romance written and handed in February 1, and then I'm off!

Patg said...

Hair cuts are always good, but eyebrow wax is better. They always give me a temple and brow massage with it. Mmmmmmm.
OTOH, my cruise final was this week, so I consider that a gift to me.
Patg

C.L. Phillips said...

Jennie,

Ticket to Norway! :)) You go!! What a great idea.

Ramona,

Love the idea of clothes. Nobody can dress me except me. How else could I get the mismatched nerd-meets-baking-chef look? Must be clothes on my list

Patg,

Brow work? Hummm, a new concept for the furry browed like me. Massage good. Removing tiny hair attached to major nerves, ah, thank you no. :)

Glad we had some fun with this one today.

I'm in a holiday frame of mind. :)

Anonymous said...

What a great idea! Maybe I'll go out and buy The Artist's Way!