Day 9 – Seventeen – Part 1

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If you have stumbled across my blog and are thinking ‘Day 10’ of what? Have a quick read about my challenge.

I have just looked at my phone and it’s 17:17. A wave of frustration washes over me. I haven’t done my writing yet. I hate having things hanging over me. I like to do all my chosen daily routines in the morning. It calms my mind and I feel free. I am now agitated as we are about to sit down and relax as the sun sets on the horizon. Well the others are. I am begrudgingly sat in the office to do my writing. This is not the plan, i enjoy writing, it shouldn’t be a chore. I could of course not do it today. I mean, it’s not as though someone is forcing me to do this. No one has a gun at my head saying, “Write or I’ll shoot.” Should I just forget it and say. “It doesn’t matter if I miss a day.” To me it does. As with all things I decide to do, if I don’t do it, I feel I have let myself down. Even more so, I feel I am unlikely to achieve my goals if I give in. So here goes.

Seventeen is one of my favourite numbers, I was born on the seventeenth, maybe that’s why. My birth date is a palindrome, reads the same forwards and backwards – 17.8.71 (if you have the same date format as the English that is). I have always thought that was pretty cool.

I have a tattoo on my back, in between the scars from my spinal fusion. It says ‘Carpe Diem’, for anyone who doesn’t know, that is Latin for ‘Seize the Day’. Beneath it is a tally chart adding up to seventeen. The number of surgeries I had undergone at that time. I was hoping it would stay that way. Sadly not, number eighteen reared its ugly head in November. I am undecided as to whether I will add it to my tattoo.

I had been planning to have the tattoo for several years, I liked the idea of the tally chart. A memorandum of what I have been through, well some of it. Confirmation that no matter what is thrown at me, I keep going. I had the ‘Carpe Diem’ done with my children, we all had the same tattoo in different places. The reason why? I’ll tell you tomorrow, the sun has almost set, I am out of here!


If you would like to join me on this journey, please like, subscribe and comment.

Thanks, Liz

For anyone reading my posts who has a story in them, they are struggling to tell. I would recommend getting Anne Lamott’s book ‘Bird by Bird’. It has inspired me to create this challenge and is full of great knowledge and insight. She also has a wonderful sense of humour and writing style.

If you would like to buy ‘Bird by Bird’, please use my Amazon associate link: https://amzn.to/47Pdkx7

6 thoughts on “Day 9 – Seventeen – Part 1”

  1. i love your blog its amazing . please think about visiting mine
    Wow, this blog post is absolutely amazing! I can’t wait to read Part 2 of Seventeen. The way you write is so captivating, I’m hooked! Keep up the fantastic work, I’m eagerly looking forward to more!
    I will follow and give a like! My Blog is about Lake Garda in Italy Check it here http://www.lakegardatourist.com

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  2. I’m already crying from reading tomorrow’s blog you have yet to write. I am reminded of the part of your book when you say “be bothered” You are the most determined person I know. Sometimes to your own detriment.However I think sticking to your plan to write is a good thing. I have actually missed a couple of days reading but I’ll catch up. Because if you are bothered to write then I’m reading everything.   Since you started writing I hear the untold stories of my life getting louder and louder. They roll around my mind testing words like I’m surfing a thesaurus on my brain waves. Maybe it’s a brain storm because I can’t keep hold of the slippery words for long. The adhd distraction tornado steals them away.  Here’s an exampleI just thought about a tornado A twister Line from the movie twister (gotta love Bill Paxton [shut up and get to the quote] and what’s the name of the awesome blonde lead)Cow….Another cow….No, I think it’s the same one!!Mum loves that lineShe also loves”Don’t go that way, never go that way” from Labyrinth Wasn’t David Bowie awesome? OK I’ll stop, but you see what happens.Started off talking about ideas getting whipped away and ended up thinking about David Bowie.  I am thinking maybe my first exercise isn’t writing,  it’s learning to focus? Answers on a postcard pleaseDamn what was the name of that show?

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    • I was shaking this morning knowing what I was going to write! Thank you and I agree it isn’t always the right choice. Life is for learning. I read a book last year called Master your Focus by Thibaut Meurisse, it is a work book that has exercises to make you focus. Very helpful. Take a look with my Amazon Associate Link: https://amzn.to/48JHL9f

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