Spidey’s Serene Sunday | But I Smile Anyway...

Spidey’s Serene Sunday – Part 253 – New Beginnings

05 Jan 2020 41 Comments

by Ritu in Spidey's Serene Sundays Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, new beginnings, Spiderman, Spidey, Spidey's Serene Sunday

Failure is the opportunity to begin again more intelligently.
Henry Ford

Firstly, welcome back to Spidey and his wisdom on this first Sunday of 2020!

Today he brings with him a quote full of insight.

Often, we complete a task, then find out we didn’t quite get there. The first feeling is failure. time to lament how rubbish we are, and wallow in self pity.

What if i told you that was poppycock?

Fail is not negative.

Fail is this:

F - First
A - Attempt
I - In 
L - Learning

You see, this is where you have to embrace the power of YET.

Just because you didn’t get it now, doesn’t mean you’ll never get it. It just means you need a little (or lot) more practice, and you can get there.

It’s all in the power of the mind, and your perseverence.

I nearly succumbed to the whole “I am cr@p” thing this week, after being elated at getting the proof copy of my book, Marriage Unarranged. I have read, reread, tweaked, edited, submitted for feedback, changed and reread this manuscript so many times, I was sure there would be no errors…

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Then a dear friend who is reading for review purposes came back to me with a note to say she was enjoying it, but there were a couple of niggles, with silly punctuation errors (only a few) and a couple of spelling slip ups, and that she knew how hard I had been working on this, so to make it better, to check it one more time, with a fine tooth comb.

I was, initially, devastated. How could there be any more errors? I have worked my backside off to get this baby perfect!

But she gave me a couple of examples, and when I checked, lo and behold, she was right.

Drat!

Now I really did have to go through it again, not reading the story, but looking at the mechanics. That is one of the toughest things to do. I can’t even read aloud in a monotone voice, because I am one of life’s storytellers, and as I read words, the emotions and accents come out naturally. (Ask my class and colleagues… they love me reading Rastamouse – Irie, man!)

After posting in one of the extremely supportive groups I am a member of, on Facebook, I got lots of ideas, and started looking through the book with a ruler, pen and my Post-its. Then, I pulled up the word document, and the formatted Vellum version, and corrected the errors I had been told about. And went on from there, finding a few missing full stops, or speech marks, and a couple of spelling errors that I wouldn’t have picked up easily via spell check, or grammer check, as they were real words, but not the right ones.

And one of the members offered to proof read the document again for free, in exchange for a testimonial for her business website.

Note to all wannabe writers out there: publishing a book is an expensive business at the best of times. You can get sucked in by vanity publishers, or stuck in a vicious circle of finding the best editors/cover designers/formatters etc. and find that money can leak through your pockets so fast, if you aren’t savvy. I have had to spend some, but I have to say, compared to what I have seen others mention about their spend for a book, I haven’t done badly at all. I have relied upon word of mouth, and recommendation for many services, and by being open to helping others, I have found many people willing to help me with a lot of the services that you would usually pay for. Looking it up, the average self published author will spend between $2-4000 for a book. I think my spend, once I order my author copies, including editing, cover design and some promotion, will be $1200. So, if you find anyone offering, genuinely, to help, from beta readers to covers, consider the offer carefully. It can help you cut your costs, but make sure you trust them, and are confident of their recommendations and work too.

So, now I await the feedback from my proofreader friend, then I can resubmit the files, (hoping page count doesn’t change – that affects the cover size, and my designer is on holiday, and of there are any alterations, it might mean that the paperback is delayed) and hope my version of perfection is acheived, finally!

Here’s hoping the next time Spidey visits, there will be a much improved version of my book available! It’s just not quite there, yet!

So… tell me, is there anything you can’t do, quite, YET, but are persevering over?

And, if you did want to preorder the Kindle version of my soon-to-be released book, just click on the following link – getbook.at/Marriage.Unarranged

Spidey’s Serene Sunday – Part 252 – Year End

29 Dec 2019 50 Comments

by Ritu in Spidey's Serene Sundays, Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: 2020, Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Calm, New Year, Quotes, Serene, Spiderman, Spidey's Serene Sunday, Spideys Serene Sundays

“We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year’s Day.”
Edith Lovejoy Pierce

Thank you for finding another inspirational set of words, Spidey!

You know, I often wonder what the big deal is about New Year.

It’s just marking the passing of time, yet so many of us put great store into the New Year, and what it will bring us.

But then, is not every morning a new start? A new chapter in your life? Another chance to right wrongs, or begin a new regime?

I do try to start each day with that positivity, but I know, it’s not always easy to wipe the slate of yesterday truly clean, and emerge in the morning, unscathed by the happenings of the day before. There may be deadlines at work, issues with colleagues, family, or even friends. Someone might be unwell.

On this note, I do like to think of each year as another chapter in my life book. I have plenty of chapters to look back upon, to learn from, to reminisce, and laugh at.

But this new year, it brings with it possibilities.

Who knows what will happen in the future? No one.

But, if you want to do something, it is in your hands to start the wheels of fortune turning, and make something of your dreams and ideas.

And what better time to make those plans than at the beginning of the New Year?

I don’t know it, but I have a feeling in my bones… 2020 might just be the start of something big. I have hopes and dreams, and I have had them for a while. But I decided I wouldn’t leave them as thoughts, but make them happen!

Publish that novel! And I am already on plan for that, with a release date of 9th February, 2020! (If you want to preorder the Kindle Edition, click here, getbook.at/MarriageUnarranged , and the paperback should (cover pending) be available to order from Amazon on the same day!
Make some real headway on book two (and even three!), whenever I get the time to sit and write.
Do something with my children’s stories. I have 2 picture book style texts ready, and a third that is half done, but alas, I am not an illustrator! But research time… Who knows, I might end the year as a published poet, novelist and children’s writer! (DREAM BIG!)
Do something with our house – we either need a MAJOR refurb, to give more space for the kids, and repair a whole host of issues, or look for a new forever home… the plans are there… hope this one is also achieved this year too!
Finish my first full teaching year with my own class on a HIGH! It has been tough, the last few years, having to share a class, and split myself between two (and sometimes, three) classes. This time, I was given my own space, my own class, and with it comes a new set of responsibilities. I want to show my Headteacher, I can smash it. I’m hopeful! (even with my special Beauts!)

So, Peeps, what have you got in your 2020 plans, so far?

Have a peaceful last Sunday of the year, and decade, Peeps And enjoy your New Year celebrations! ❤

Spidey’s Serene Sunday – Part 251 – Festive Cheer

22 Dec 2019 46 Comments

by Ritu in Spidey's Serene Sundays Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Charles Dickens, Christmas, Quote, Spidey, Spidey's Serene Sunday

Image result for christmas spidey serene sunday

“I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year.”
Charles Dickens

What a lovely thought, Spidey, that you found there!

Christmas, and all the feelings of ‘peace on earth, and goodwill to all men’, it’s all well and good, but why do we save it for Christmas?

Would this world not be a better place, if we had those feelings in our hearts all year round, as good old Dickens said, above?

Personally, I try to live my life with these thoughts all the time, but I am always amazed at some people I have encountered, who truly Scrooge it up the whole year round, and then flip a switch, and become this all giving, all cheery individual, just around the festive period.

Then come January, yup, you guessed it, Scrooge is back.

Bah Humbug again!

The world truly is a nicer place around this time of year. There are smiles, and so much generosity.

Seriously? Why can’t we share this giving nature around, spread it over the whole year?

So… tell me, are you more of a Scrooge, during the rest of the year, or like Will Ferrel’s Elf?

Spidey’s Serene Sunday – Part 250 – Tis The Season To Be Sneezing

15 Dec 2019 59 Comments

by Ritu in Spidey's Serene Sundays Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Cold, Ill, Spiderman, Spidey, Spidey's Serene Sunday, unwell

“Tis healthy to be sick sometimes.”
David Henry Thoreaux

“Say what, Spidey?” I hear you all cry, but, you know what? He’s right with this one he’s found today!

Seriously, as I sit here today, typing away, with the first sniffles of the season (for me, anyway), I get it.

No one wants to be ill. No one wants to feel incapacitated in any way, least of all at Christmas, when there is so much to do, at work as well as home. Colds and flu? They can do one.

But they won’t.

When they decide to come visiting, you have to make a decision. To battle through it, and possibly infect a whole host of other people, or to sit back and allow your body to take over.

Because, a lot of the time, you get a cold because you are run down. Sure, getting caught in that downpour may not help, or going out, not wrapped up properly, can make a situation worse, but I do believe that getting a cold os really your body’s way of saying “STOP! You need to rest and refuel!”

I really should take my own advice. Yesterday, I awoke to the sniffles, but had a busy day planned, takinbg Lil Princess to visit some friends, and the idea was that they chilled out whilst I found a comfy sofa in a coffee shop, and read or wrotte, peacefully.

Nope. That didn’t happen. We still had to go, but Lil Man was with me, so I ended up dropping her off, then traipsing around a few sports shops with him after a meal together, (mother/son date – don’t have as many of those as I’d like!), before my knees said “Sit down!” and my head willed Lil Princess to want to go home.

We managed a couple of hours, where I did convince him to go and sit with me in a Costa Coffee shop for a short while, then once home, I slipped into bed with a good book, and did what I should have been doing all day – Read and snoozed!

Today, I hope to feel a bit better – got a hair appointment – but the rest of the day will be more resting up, and relaxing, ready for the last week of term! I only have to last 3 days, then officially we break up… I can do it.

Just need to shake this stupid cold! (And try and ignore Hubby Dearest who seems to have contracted Man Flu AGAIN! I just think he’s jealous that I really need the tissue box this time!)

So… tell me, what do you do to get rid of colds?

Spidey’s Serene Sunday – Part 249 – Wise Man vs. Fool

08 Dec 2019 48 Comments

by Ritu in Spidey's Serene Sundays Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Calm, Proverb, Quote, Serene, Spiderman, Spidey, Spidey's Serene Sunday

“A wise man never knows all. A fool knows everything.”
African Proverb

I do love ths proverb that Spidey, dear Spidey, managed to fish out of his collection this week.

It’s another take on last week’s entry, about never being too old to learn new things, really.

We are never at an age where we know it all, though I am sure we all know a Mr or Mrs Know-It-All!

And you are guaranteed to think that person a bit of a fool. I bet when that person starts spouting off about all they know, there is eye rolling going on around them too.

It is so important to realise that one individual really can’t know EVERYTHING.

Sure, age brings with it experience, and the wisdom to guide others through certain situations. But even as adults, we are still learning, or should be willing to admit that there will always be plenty that we don’t know how to navigate.

And with that realisation, should come that knowledge that it isn’t weakness to ask for assistance. In fact it is the wise man who will ask for help, not the fool, because, of course, the fool knows it all!

So… tell me, do you know any fools?