Freedom - Oh yeah, I'm all over that!

When I think of Freedom as an individual - much of the concept revolves around Financial vs. Self and the conflict between the two.  Having been raised by children of the sixties, my parents wanted nothing more for me than to be happy.

Well parents - Mission accomplished! 

Now I'm not saying I don't have problems like the rest of the world.  I have illness, bills and some debt.  I hate when simple decisions are made by financial need.  Things like going to a movie, taking a trip, or even picking up a good book.  :(

Considering these items, I'm overall happy with my life. Why? I have the freedom of writing - an opportunity to escape, to a world I love, and make some money along my journey.

These days I tend to be more of a Hobbie Writer - doing it in my spare time when I'm not working the M-F gig to pay the bills.  However, I have big dreams - I plan to gain my financial freedom with my writing.  I don't need millions of dollars, though that would be nice. :)   Thanks to said hippie parents, I've never been one to live much beyond my means. 

My husband, finally achieve his freedom to do and be what he loves.  He went back to school, and now is an instructor to student pilots.

This brings me to the second part of my Freedom concept -self.  When you have to pay bills and meet financial obligations, this requires you to have money.  For most authors this means you have to either, make enough money writing, or keep a job. For most, this tears us between writing and work.  A rock and hard place.  We need to work to make money, but sometimes a job inteferes with our creative process by consuming our time, energy and resources.

What's a writer to do?  There is a school of thought that in order to "make it", you need to focus only on your writing.  Quit your day (or night) job and treat writing as a business.  This might work for some people, but it would not work for me.   I think if I treated my creative process as work, I might not enjoy it as much.  

In order for me to achieve results as a writer, I need to achieve a sense of self.  Who am I?  How do I want people to remember me? If you're not sure, imagine introducing yourself at a community cocktail party (not a conference, not the company Christmas party, and maybe not necessarily your own community).

"Hi my name is Tina."
"Hi Tina.  What do you do?"

There it is- what do you do?  How do you answer this question?  Are you an author?  Do you get into specific genres or only when prodded?  Do you identify more with a title you have at work?  Do you identify with being a parent, spouse or some other connection? 

To say,  "I'm a parent putting two kids through college," does not make me less of a writer.  It's simply my sense of self - right now, at this time, in my life.  As I go on, I will talk about the books I write, and the fortune 500 company I work for.  Identifying my sense of self, helps give way to my goals (where I want to be), and give me a sense of achievable Freedom in my future.  

"You have freedom when you're easy in your harness."  ~Robert Frost

Life's too short to wear boring socks...

When I was a teenager, I longed to be one of those girls who seamlessly pulled off the 'preppy' look. They always looked neat... chic... right down to their socks that invariably matched the rest of their outfit.

Alas, I've never been a trend setter. I'm more the girl who catches on a day late and a dollar short. And I can never keep track of matching socks. :\ I'll spend ten or fifteen minutes some days looking for two clean ones that go together -- an exact match, if I'm lucky.

My daughters have gotten me to loosen up a bit over the years. They love those funky little patterned/colored socks you find at most stores. You know -- green and red for Christmas; black and orange for Halloween; pink, red, and more pink for Valentine's Day; etc. All with various designs that are NOT in the preppy category.

They like them because they're cute. It's a small way to express their individuality in a world where we're expected to conform to social norms, or abnormalities, as the case may be. ;) I like them because they're comfy.

Okay, I admit, knowing I'm wearing orange stripes with black bats taking wing up and down my calves is fun. Besides, few people can see them except for a glimpse now and then. Those that do might wonder at my quirkiness, but that's okay. I have five children; we home school; I've been married once and to the same man for over twenty years. Only marriage for each of us. I think I've earned my 'quirk'. (GGG)

It's one way to express my personality without being in-your-face. I'm quiet...shy...reserved. I love watching people. I love music and furry animals. I love my kids and my dh. And I do love funky socks.

~~Meg Allison

http://www.megallisonauthor.com