Tag: a page a day

A Page A Day : Stranger In A Strange Land

A Page A Day : Stranger In A Strange Land

by kwakyewathestoryteller ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

It’s been a good long minute from my ‘page a day’ writing resolution but I’m back in the saddle.

And what a great topic to kick start my intentions: “What’s your favorite part about visiting a new place — the food? The architecture? The people watching?”

My favourite part? ALL OF IT.

Honestly, I’m waiting for the first day I go to New York – I will look up at the skyscrapers all the damn time.

I would smile at every weird and goofy thing, I will dance with the street musicians and take pictures of everything. And I’ll be sure to try to hit the top of a yellow cab and yell “Hey! I’m walking over here!” in my loudest, proudest fake New York Italian accent ever.

Every day at a new place has the potential to stir up my inner Dora the Explorer. Take the first time I went to Kumasi. Yes, the circumstances were sad, but I was like a kid in a candy store : from the moment I sat in the bus to the time I sat and chatting with my Aunty…I was in heaven. Kumasi is cosmopolitan but under all the gloss is a strong veneer of Ashanti traditions. There is history behind every name and a story behind every monument.

I schooled for years in Takoradi but whenever I visit, I take a deep breath because the air is so fresh and the tang of sea salt is lingers in the breeze. The city is large but small enough for everyone to be in each other’s business.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

When I was a teenager, I spent a year as an exchange student in a small Norwegian city called Tromsoe. Believe me when I say, I spent those twelve months on sensory overload.

New food.

New routines.

Scenic routes.

Buildings from centuries ago.

A fascinating language.

Friendly people.

Snowy mornings.

24 hour days.

Northern Lights or Nordlys.

It was one of the best years of my life.

And that’s what travelling is for me: a minute away from the familiar, a chance to explore, food to tantalise my palate, and bumping into other intrepid travelers.

It’s a breath of fresh air.

Then I come back home, ready to tackle the next adventure adulting has for me.

Until my finances and wanderlust align like the stars and I’m on the road again.

A Page A Day : Tagline

A Page A Day : Tagline

by kwakyewathestoryteller ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Often, our blogs have taglines. But what if humans did, too?

What would your tagline be?

Hmmm.

Probably, “a second cup of coffee never hurt anyone”

Or “you’ve always got a friend in me”

Or “it’s the strong ones that cry the hardest”

Or “I serve an intentional God”

Or “rainy days, chocolate cake and a book”

Or “you can find me at the nearest café”

Or “the feminist, pro-life, pro-LGBQT+ Catholic who can walk and chew gum”

Or “if you’re going through hell, keep going”

Or “bitch better have my money”

Or “I’ve got your back; through hell and high water, I’ve got your back.”

If I had to have a tagline, it would definitely be a mix of all of these nine options. Why choose one option, when my personality embodies all these things?

A Page A Day

A Page A Day

by kwakyewathestoryteller ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

In a minute I’ll write, but first a word from our sponsors.

Okay there aren’t any sponsors; it was a quirky slogan in my head and I wanted to use and now I have.

So there.

Ahem, anyway. Yes; I’m a writer and when I put my mind to it I’m actually a damn good one. But what I make up in passion I lack in discipline. Which is why the WordPress booklet of writing prompts is great for me. To help me shape my thoughts, to help me sharpen my train of conversation and most importantly, to do as Chimamanda Adichie Ngozie advises : write a page a day.

Today’s topic : Shape up or ship out

Write a letter to the personality trait you like least, convincing

it to shape up or ship out. Be as threatening, theatrical,

or thoroughly charming as is necessary to get the job done.

The personality trait I hate the most is procrastination. This trait has taken away years from my life; it has made mincemeat of my dreams, made me miserable, fed my low self-esteem issues and given me a false sense of security – I always felt like I had tomorrow. My anthem was: “I can do it tomorrow, I don’t have to do it today, I did enough today.”

Meanwhile I did exactly fuck-all all day. *eye roll and face palm*

So self, here’s the deal; you’re 35 years old and the way your mindset is, you’re not cut out for working 8-5 after 50. Which means you have less than 20 years to make the type of money that will allow you to do all the retirement traveling you want to do.

Which means, you can’t do this lazy shit anymore. You can’t keep saying that tomorrow you’ll get it done. Cos tomorrow literally never comes.

And stop telling folks of your plans and your timelines; for normal people this means you are shamed into following your deadlines. You’re not a normal person; your excuses have excuses and your threshold for shamelessness is remarkable. So stop sharing your plans and just sit down (or get up) and DO IT.

That’s right; DO IT.

DO IT AFRAID.

DO IT BOLDLY.

DO IT WITH SHAKY KNEES.

DO IT WHEN YOU WANT TO VOMIT

DO IT AGAIN AFTER VOMITTING

Ignore the voices in your head (you can’t shut them up; you tried, you failed) but you can ignore them.

And baby, be patient with yourself. You’re at a very good place now, your faith is growing, your trust in God is blooming and you are sure that the Potter knows what to do with His clay.

So work at it every day, a little bit at a time:

Do the aerobics 30 minutes every day six days a week

Learn a language for 15 minutes a day

Write a page a day – you want to win awards as a writer, you better work it like you mean it!

Don’t look at how everyone is doing well around you, DO YOU

And at the end of every day, write and count your blessings; you day is always full of them. You need to be reminded of the little things that make the big things that give you a sense of accomplishment.

And remember, you’ve come a long way baby and your journey isn’t over yet:

Pray

Plan

Breathe

Then get it done

One step, one day, one deliberate action at a time.