Day #1 : 30 Day Writing Challenge

Hello, 2017! 

2016 was a disastrous blogging year for me - Bohemian Muses was unfairly neglected and to be honest, I think I'm going to have a pretty hard time starting her back up... but to help me along I've decided to do a 30 day writing challenge. Each day I will be given a prompt and need to write about whatever is handed to me. I am also journaling in a 2017 diary and have filled each page for the year thus far - that's exactly a 2 week run! So far, so good. 

Today's writing challenge is quite simple, really.

List 10 things that make you really happy:

1. Reading, anywhere, any time. 
2. Booktube. Watching other booktubers videos, filming my own, editing my own, interacting with other book lovers. It is the best community and changed my life. Here's the link to my booktube channel: Boho Bookworm
3. Writing... yeah, I can't really validate this one right now. Since November I have been in yet another dark place of serious writers block for personal reasons.
4. Travel. Oh if only you knew the latest travel fantasies swimming around in my head.. I'll give you a not so subtle clue... a beach bungalow in bali, all mine... yoga, meditation, temples, spirituality, surf, culture, food, finish the first draft of my novel, read books, start up a new blog called Jetsetter-Jade.com and write about my time in Bali to heal my heart. Like I said, just a fantasy...
5. Hiking. Particularly in forests, they seem to be my happy place.
6. Yoga. I procrastinate against it a lot and must admit I'm lazy to do it most of the time but whenever I DO dedicate myself to some freaking sun salutations, I am left feeling zen. 
7. Running. Not away from my problems, but physical actual running. Getting those endorphins flowing. It always calms me down.
8. Cooking. It gives me such a sense of accomplishment to create something delicious. Get creative, use new ingredients, use basic ingredients and make something incredible, throw dinner parties. I find cooking so therapeutic. Insert 'cooking classes' into my Bali fantasy... that would be pretty amazing.
9. Romance. I've had rose petals scattered into the shape of a heart in my driveway, 'I love you' written in shaving foam on the bathroom mirror, I've been picked up from the airport by a guy in a tux holding a flipfile and pretending to propose to me on Valentines Day... I've had some beautifully romantic things happen in my life, things worthy to be put into romance novels... and they make me feel good. Special. Loved. Wanted. Needed.... and at the end of the day, that's what everyone wants right? A bit of romance goes an extremely long way for me. 
10. Tea. I spelt wine wrong... I know. 

Bonus:

My cat. India. But she also makes me miserable because a) she only comes to me when she wants love... and b) she's all the way in South Africa and I live in Mallorca, Spain now. The heartbreak is quite literally palpable.

*

A lot of what makes me happy seems to be things I could do on a daily basis, especially right now while I am unemployed. I need to start implementing things like this into my day to day life. Maybe then I'll be happier. I'm not going to lie, for the the best 3 months I have been depressed for personal reasons. Who I was this time last year got broken. But I'm on the mend.

So I will try and read every day. The last few days I wasn't able to focus on a book... my world was spinning too fast. There was too much filling my head to be able to deal with Caroline Kepnes's main character, Joe, being obsessed with Beck and murdering people. But I'm almost finished the book and I'm also listening to The Great Gatsby on Audible which I think I need to restart because I wasn't really paying attention. 

I usually read at night, curled up in bed just before sleep. Sometimes in the morning too with coffee in bed but that's also my time to watch booktube videos and now write on Bohemian Muses too. One day I'll start writing my novel, The Eulogy, again too. I'm just not ready for that yet. I am scared to start writing my novel again and ruining it.

Travel is a harder one to implement into my daily life - but I am going to be traveling to South Africa in a months time and having a month on holiday before coming back to Mallorca for another season on the boats. After the next season on boats I will have more savings and will be able to travel more... Ireland being the place I absolutely MUST get to this year.

Hiking I can do when possible. I have no transport here so I can't get to many of the hiking spots very easily - but when possible, I need to start walking up mountains and wondering through forests. Connect with nature.

Yoga = Procrastination with me... but this year I need to try harder. I say that every year.. but if I know it makes me feel so good afterwards, I need to suck it up. 

Running... I wanted to do this every day for the year, every day possible that is... so far I've gone running twice in two weeks. 2/14.... CONGRATULATIONS! Haha.... BUT in my defence I had pneumonia for the first while and yesterday when I was going to go running it was so windy I could quite literally have been blown off my feet. I'm going running today. I am. I swear..... once I get out of bed... whenever that might be........

Cooking, I need to do it more. I know. It's pretty hard living with a chef who doesn't want my help when he cooks and when I do get the chance to cook, if he's around he just takes over. Tres annoying. But I'll try harder. I will. Pinterest is a gem filled with exciting new recipes to try out. #chefjade

Romance isn't really up to me, is it? What makes me so happy is when a guy WANTS to be romantic. So aforementioned cheffy needs to help with this one. Pah :)

Tea... ahem... wine... that's definitely an every day thing, the tea, not the wine. I didn't drink for the first 5 days of 2017 and I didn't drink wine yesterday either. #winning.

This was quite a fun writing exercise and I wrote more than I thought I would. It just flowed out of me and I played. I love playing with my keyboard.. that is NOT supposed to sound sexual...... 

I recommend everyone writing down a list of 10 things that truly make you happy. It's refreshing to think about the positive things in life, especially when times are tough. 

New Years Resolutions

New Years Resolutions... is it way too early to make those?? I can't believe 2017 is around the corner.

This year.... well, what can I say. It wasn't easy. Far from it. I went through some major lifestyle changes. Here's a list of things I'd like to focus on to make 2017 an easier, smoother year for myself.

• Find a Palma based yacht to work on (easier said than done... God, I hope something comes up. I am still unemployed, snatching up any day work I can. With no money coming in I am honestly freaking the fuck out).
• Sell wedding Dress
• Forgive Sam.
• Learn to trust again.
• Edit my 2nd novel, The Other Woman. Send it to literary agents. Get published???
• Work on my 2 other book ideas, The Eulogy and Take Me Anywhere.
• Do NanoWriMo 2017
• Finally attend a yoga class...... regularly
• Meditate often
• Visit Ireland and India
• Reach 1500 youtube subscribers. If you want to help.. please go and subscribe to my channel right now: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQo68n6UoLu23EFsJKLEguQ
• Cook more.
• Surf more.
• Read 50 books.
• Write a journal every day... I've never been able to do this one!
• Start blogging PROPERLY again... will that ever actually happen???
• Make friends.
• Remember that I'm not perfect. No one is perfect. Nothing is perfect. Just accept.... and smile.

Writing Prompts: Day 20

This is purely a work of fiction - a small piece of writing I am doing to prepare me for NaNoWriMo next month. It was written in about 30 minutes with no prior planning ... but I just had to get some sort of writing out of me again!! 

Writing Prompts: Day Twenty

Include these three things: The sound of rain against glass, darkness, a recording.

*

I am holding the coffee mug firmly, the palms of my hands pressed against either side of the warm ceramic. I'm desperate to try and keep warm. It's grey outside, the clouds coating over the town in one thick blanket of darkness. Pattering rain drops fall against the windowpanes. 

I sit on my stool, foot twitching as I watch a stray cat, drenched from the downpour,  scurry past my front door. I am restless. I can't seem to get him out of my mind. Him. I wonder what his name is. I'd seen him again today, on the train, as always. He was wrapped up in black trench-coat and scarf. Battered leather boots, scuffed as the toes - I stared down at them, using all of my concentration to restrain myself from glancing up at him. He always caught me. 

Biting my plump bottom lip with the struggle, my hazel eyes darted to the shoes of every other passenger on board the train. Tattered jeans had slopped mud and water through the passageway, if we weren't careful one of us could easily slip. I turned beet red just thinking of it. Of course it would be me that would slip, right in front of him most likely. Everyone would laugh at me, splayed out in a catastrophic, painful splits across the floor. I'm always embarrassing myself like that somehow. 

Shaking the thought from my brutal imagination, I clutched onto the neck of my acoustic guitar for support. It was like my safety blanket. My eyes trailed up his legs now, uncontrollably. They found his belt buckle, his hands and finally his bearded neck. I stopped there, staring at the unruly mess of facial hair. The word rugged came to mind. I have no idea how long I had stayed there, staring at that hair - but I was suddenly forced from my daydream by the lurch of the train at it made to move forward again after another stop. Some of the passengers who had been standing, fell forward and grabbed quickly for something to steady themselves on. They laughed nervously to each other, sharing a joke I just didn't get. In the process of the lurch, he had been jolted forward in his seat and his face, his eyes, now lay perfectly in my line of vision. It took me a second to realize he was staring back at me, his mouth parted in a wicked smile - as though he was trying to share one of those jokes between the other passengers, just with me. I frowned at him, turning to my left and then my right to make sure he wasn't smiling at someone else. No. It was me. He'd smiled at me. 

The recording of the train announcing the next stop, his stop, whistled through my ears. He raised from his seat, winked at me slyly and departed the train. He always did. I wondered where he was going, who he was seeing. A girlfriend, a mother, a father? Work? 

As always, I drifted away with my imagination which always made him come and plonk himself down in the open seat beside me. He'd introduce himself and we'd fall into easy conversation. Flirtatious conversation. We'd exchange numbers, arrange a date. A real date. One which required me to chuck on a little black dress and do my hair nicely - and he'd see me from across that cloth covered table holding onto a glass of wine and he'd smile at me, thinking, 'wow, she's beautiful.'

Maybe one day... but for now, we were just strangers on a train. 

September Reading Wrap-Up

Tell Me What To Do

It's one of those days where I just want to pull the beige knitted shawl from Zara over my head, cradle a cup of green tea and try to forget the world. Nothing is going right. I'm beyond the point of sadness now. Moving to Europe and giving up everything in my old life was a tough decision - and now I'm not even sure if it was the right one.
I've always been a good worker. I'm motivated, driven and like to be proud of what I do... but I just can't seem to find a boat or a crew that stick. I have aways had long term jobs, my colleagues become my family. It's different in this industry. There's so much booze, sex and drugs and that's just not me. Don't get me wrong... I'm not a complete bore. I would just rather be outdoors, fishing, surfing, hiking or throwing a dinner party for my friends than getting wankered in a dingy old bar with people that scream over God-awful music so loud its a wonder half the yachties aren't deaf.
I had some day work on some boats over September and it felt so good to work again. Without work I get irritable. I like to know that I've done something with my day - feel useful, you know? But now it's back to the drawing board and the scary thing is that the season is almost over. There's little to no work here now unless you want to do a crossing to the Caribbean - which I don't. I never thought I'd hear myself say that... travel is my everything... but I've set up a new life here in Mallorca. I've got a cozy little home, friends, a guy that I've had a really wonderful couple of months with. But even that is getting strained now. Maybe it's me. Maybe I mess everything up intentionally when things get serious. Or maybe not... I told him I loved him on the dance floor, my arms wrapped around his neck as he was swaying with me to Sail Away by David Gray. It felt so right... and he'd said it once before over text (I hadn't known he'd been so drunk when he'd said it...). But when I said those three words... the words that scare seven types of hell out of me after Sam pretty much destroyed my heart, causing me so much hurt and stress that I broke out in Psoriasis and shut myself away for months becoming a complete heartbroken recluse... he took a step back and looked at me. Not the good kind of look. He stared at me for a moment and sort of sniggered.... I stood staring back at him, feeling my face flood with redness and regret. Why had I said it?? Up until this point I had been pretty sure I would never let love interfere with my life again. Fuck it, right? All it does it kill you in the end. Eventually he opened his mouth and the words that came out of his mouth brought me to instant tears. "Don't expect me to say it back. Don't expect anything from me."
Wow.
The first time I decide to chance it again - to let love in... to let my guard down. Shot down instantly. I was so confused. Why had he said it when he'd been drunk??? Things have been really sour between us ever since and I have no idea what to do. We've created some gorgeous memories and have been really happy for a while now - but is that all over?? Everything comes to an end eventually. I know that. I'm not naive. But it always hurts when things end.
To top it all off, my mothers trips to the AA meetings seemed to be going well - but it was all a lie. She's still drinking. Somehow the doctors think her liver is A-OK. God knows how with the amount she's slicked back over the past few years from 10am till 2am. Every day.
My brother smacked my car into the gate too. I miss having my independence and transport so bloody much. I hate being this useless version of myself with no job, no money, no car... no nothing. What am I supposed to be doing in my life???? Should I even be in Mallorca? Before moving here I was in such a stable, good job in the gallery. I had my car, my flat, my life. But I gave it all up for this bright new world but it's just been one massive thunderstorm.
I just want to know that someone out there loves me. That sounds so ridiculous.... I know. But is it really that hard to find someone willing to love me and hell, bring my a bloody flower????
Yes, I know I say I hate flowers as gifts but it is the thought that counts. Granted I'd rather have a bonsai.... something I could nurture and watch grow rather than a flower that no matter how many times I water it will just wither and die in the end anyway. And what about this stupid Facebook lark? I just can't find someone willing to publicly say they are in a relationship with me. That sounds stupid too.... but I see other couples putting on their relationship status' every single day... but me??? No one ever wants to. Am I being stupid??? Them wanting to hide me online so they can chat to all these other women etc.... it's been my life story for as long as I can remember. I'm over it. I just want commitment. Love. Happiness.
I just don't know what to do with myself anymore. I have options. Endless options.

1. Stay in Mallorca, try to find work on the yachts, forget about love because it's becoming infinitely clear that I am in fact unlovable... plod along sporting a very nice tan.

2. Go to Manchester and invade my poor cousins life... look for work there. Lose aforementioned tan. Probably spend my measly savings getting drunk on beer in a dark and dingy pub (minus the yachties... thank God).

3. Crack open my savings account and go to India. Call an ashram home for a while.. try to find peace of mind, peace in my soul. Yoga. Meditation. Silence retreats. Art. Really fucking hot curry. Yum.

4. Buy a one-way ticket to Ireland, the place I have always wanted to go. Sign up for Wwoofing so I can get free accomodation, shovel some cow shit around for a few hours a day in exchange for a bed and a meal... Probably spend my measly savings getting drunk on beer in a dark and dingy pub (minus the yachties but plus the sexy Irish accent that makes me swoon...)

5. Why didn't I say this before? Go back to South Africa. See my cats that I am really starting to miss... my dogs. My family??? Get my car back. Probably try move to Cape Town or somewhere out of the shitty little town of Knysna. Find a job doing something... anything. Why didn't I say that??? Because I've left South Africa behind me already. That was a big move... I can't just go back. That would be like life winning and me failing....

Any other suggestions??? Please tell me. I need to know what the hell to do.