30/30 Challenge: Completed

Who did it?
Yours truly - I did it!

What did I do?
I wrote 30 poems in 30 days.

When & where did I do it?
I wrote throughout the month of April 2013, through a mixture of writing in my notebook, personal laptop and any location that provided additional motivation.

How did I do it?
Through a lot of self-determination mixed with my competitive spirit by nature (plus an undeniable and irreplaceable amount of support from my family and friends).

Why did I do it?
 That right there is the million dollar question - that may be answered best in stages.

When first deciding to take on such a challenge, my greatest obstacle was finding my way over my own doubts - Can I even write 30 poems? However, thanks to an optimistic upbringing that revealed the possibility of what said to be impossibilities, I was quickly able to overcome this obstacle.  With that choice, I began my 30/30 journey.

Energized with the excitements of exploring new territories, I started my poetic goal off with a bang - literally, with a first piece about a track race.  I used this adrenaline rush to the fullest extent as I began to jot out poem after poem (some prompted and some not) for my first week and half.  While at the time I really loved the learning experiences of new poetic formats and resources that I was quickly obtaining, I also began to feel the weight of my extremely high-demand workload and equally attention-starved home.  I was soon stretching myself between these many responsibilities and left feeling quite fatigued with a new lingering doubt - Will I have enough time/energy to write 30 poems? Finding a healthy balance of my different roles was quickly achieved through a few schedule adjustments and once more silencing my doubts. Soon my 30/30 journey was back on track.

Progression came and went as the days passed, and before I knew it I had made it to my third week and a once invisible finish line started to take shape. It was here on my journey that I began to examine my writing with a much different set of standards than how I started.  By this time, my exposure to new poetic styles and formats also included many new poets and poems.  As hard as I wanted to keep myself from comparing these to my own, it still happened, and I once more hit a discouraging obstacle - Why would anyone want to read my poems?  Whether it is true or not, I don't believe I would have had the same outcome today if it had not been for the support and encouragement that I received at these times.  Tired, focused & humbled, I pushed myself forward onto the last leg of my journey.

Here I am today, completely elated in conquering such a feat; hungry to continue to feed my reawakened learning spirit; and inspired to continue to work and transform my dreams into my realities as a writer.

This experienced has given me unimaginable memories, priceless teachings and limitless expectations for the next level my writing and I will soar.


In the meantime, I will post some of the jewels that I discovered over the past month.

Happy writing!

♥Reesie

My 30/30: Day 2

Mourning Devastation

A solemn sunrise greets her to the dawn of her mourning
Her, the lone survivor
A single shadow creeping out bed to the table
Upon which sits the box of her beloved’s remains

A ring only tarnished by the broken promises it now represents
Memories sewn together with past conversations
Locked in the threads of the over-sized cotton tee
Smiling photo albums now mocking her despair and grief

Less than a 24-hour had lapsed since his departure
Yet his presence still just as present as ever
Muted lips still whispering his name
Forgetful fingertips still reaching to caress him
Unforgiving eye still replaying his final exit scene on repeat
Closed ears now hearing only the warnings to prevent such demise

He asked her, “Tell me the truth”
Deafened by the sound of his request
Her hesitation became her paralysis
Delayed seconds bending the laws of time
Searching at light-year speeds for a response
Through the crevices of her mind
A sudden awareness that sliced through logic & reason
Finding this atom-splitting realization
Because the truth is
She told him, “I’d rather lie to you”

A dresser mirror’s reflection the sole witness to the next events
Reconstructing the images immediately proceeding this verbal bomb’s descent
Mushroom-clouded emotions exploding through out the room
Heated tempers radiating at hazardous levels
Causing furniture to tremble in the immediate vicinity
Until finally he could take more and prepared to leave
Accepting his defeat from her deceit
Future damage to both was stopped by his choice to concede

Now left with only a box of his remains
Living within the same 4 walls that will never be the same
And her sanity left in the balance of one rhetorical question:
She asked herself, “Truthfully speaking, was it worth it?”

♥ Reesie

Taking on my first 30/30

Discipline...Perseverance...Dedication

All attributes I would often attribute to myself in my thoughts and rarely take the initiative to demonstrate through my actions. After many years of successfully getting by with mediocre efforts and socially-acceptable feigned expressions/commitments, the ease of justifying why it is best to avoid any opportunities to do otherwise became mere child's play.

So of course the rumor of the near approaching 30/30 for the month of April seemed only the perfect thing that could easily be entertained in conversations a flash of a smile and the response, "sure, why not give it a shot - it should be fun." Then entered the 30/30 a towering challenge that stood with the words, "Discipline," "Perseverance," and "Dedication" scribed into it's foundation.  30 poems in 30 days - a simple task, no big deal, anyone could do that...or not.  My excited anticipations soon changed keys to a more somber sound as doubtful thoughts began to sing throughout my mind.


"Who would care if you did complete this challenge"
"What makes you qualified for this challenge?"
"When are you going to give-up on this idea already?"
 "Where do you get the confidence to take on this challenge"
 "Why bother giving an effort?"

Maybe I may have bitten off more than I can chew with this specific goal - however I rather choke on overindulging as I work to achieve this goal rather than starve on the underdeveloped habits of wishing for the outcomes I want. So I guess the proof will be in the next 30-days pudding.

Summary:
This April 2013, I have decided to take on the 30/30 challenge of writing 30 poems in 30 days. Snapshots of my progress on this journey will be added through some of my daily pieces to this blog.

Well, wish me luck and enjoy!

♥ Reesie