Lessons From Dean The Handmaiden

So. This post is about SUPERNATURAL. And writing. But mostly about SUPERNATURAL. 

You've been warned. O_O

Last week, there was a special episode of SUPERNATURAL. It involved Sam, Dean, and LARPing. For those of you who don't know, LARPing is short for Live Action Role Playing. Picture a bunch of people playing an elaborate (and awesome) game featuring characters from their favorite video games, movies, TV shows, graphic novels, historical periods, etc. The point is to play not as yourself, but as a character. 

Well, if you watch SUPERNATURAL, you know Sam and Dean don't scream LARPing fans to anyone. Until they get their chance to prove everyone wrong. Dean is named handmaiden to the queen (yes, you read that right. DEAN THE HANDMAIDEN). Sam... well... Sam stayed Sam, but he enjoyed himself. Both brothers did.

Case in point:

 

That's Dean in a faux BRAVEHEART moment. It is also the very last seconds of the episode. After recovering from a horrendous fit of giggles, it hit me--Dean the handmaiden looked happier than he had in ages. He can't do what he's doing in that GIF on a daily basis. His real life sucks the fun out of living most of the time, and in this brief moment, he lets go of that suckage. 

So here's my advice to you, blogging buddies: remember to work hard, remember to sacrifice things, but please remember to have fun. I don't care what your idea of fun is. Knitting. Baking. Rock climbing. Koala watching. I DON'T CARE. Just have fun. You need it. Your work needs it.

Now go out there and find your faux BRAVEHEART moment. :)

You Are Not A Failure

So. 2013 is finally here. You may or may not have resolutions. I sort of have a few, but yeah. It's only sort of. I'm bound to break them if I try to accomplish them too hard. *is lazy* 

Last year, I learned many things about myself, both as writer and person. I also learned many things about life. Of all those things, I struggled with one truth the most: I don't have to understand why things don't go my way immediately. I got to thinking about this particular truth after a few days of reminiscing about high school. Lots of things didn't go my way back then. Lots of things did. I have moments where those that didn't tend to outshine those that did. Sucks, but that's how it is for me. 

One part of the frustration caused by Things That Didn't Go My Way is simple: I had no idea why they happened. I was at a total loss. The moment something goes wrong is the moment I start to pick that thing apart in the attempt to find out where and why I failed. 

The problem? Sometimes the moment something goes wrong isn't the moment you figure out why.

Case in point: my high school reminiscing. I remembered someone in particular. A guy (please stop staring at me like that...). I thought this guy was magic, folks. The kind that inspires you to find your own brand of awesome. I thought he was going to rule the world and shape it into the best version of itself. And I thought I was going to be right there, witnessing it all in his proximity.

He hasn't changed the world, but the world has changed him.

Sometimes he likes his life. Most of the time, he doesn't. He has more regrets than laugh lines. Which is why I'm here today to tell you what I wish I could tell him: you are not a failure. 

Didn't meet all your goals for the year? You are not a failure.

Haven't been able to write in months? You are not a failure.

Don't know how to fix that plot problem? You are not a failure.

Agents and editors rejecting your manuscript? You are not a failure.

Not selling as many copies of your book/ebook as you wanted? You are not a failure.

Why are you not a failure? Because there will come a day when you look back at one moment, or several moments, and you will understand why Things Didn't Go Your Way. I certainly understand why Magical Boy and I aren't living the daydream I had back in high school. He didn't lose his magic--I simply found mine in a reality far stronger than that daydream. You'll find your answers, too.  Spoiler alert: better things are waiting for you. The trick is to recognize them when they cross your path, and seize them before they leave without a trace.

You've been warned. Now go live your life in 2013, not the past.

And have a happy Monday :)