I never learned to drive, so I take transit

I am running a tad late this morning. It happens once in a while. There were train issues. I rely on public transit and unfortunately these things happen.

I never learned to drive. My older brother took me around the court once, but that was the extent of it. I could have taken lessons, but at the time, you didn’t have the money. When I finally had the means to take lessons, my eye sight became an issue. So with my Cerebral Palsy and the eye sight issue, I decided not to learn to drive. I lived in a big city, so I could manage with public transit.

When I relocated to Vancouver, I took transit; however, I was confined to the Metro Vancouver area. Except for a few outing with friends, it wasn’t until I met my partner that I got to see some of the surrounding area. I don’t regret anything mind you.

Some people dislike public transit, but I don’t. I kill time productively by either reading, or writing. I write more often on transit and I often joke that if I wish to write, then I should take transit. For some reason, ideas come to me while taking transit and the writing flows easier.

It is quite strange, but it works.
—Robert Confiant 15 April 2019

My time

It’s been too long since I have written here. I am afraid I let my “fitness blog” get the better of me.

About the fore mentioned blog, I haven’t written much of anything else which of one truly knows me makes sense as I am ” an all, or take it kind of guy.” I have always been this way. I have many interests, but only so much time. Plus, I can get easily distracted and get absorbed into one thing, which is why YouTube wastes so much of my time; such that, I have forsaken watching television, or anything else for that matter.

I am changing my physical well-being, so I might as well use the same method to help me be more productive and actually do stuff instead of wasting time with YouTube, or other internet stuff. As of right now, I am making a commitment to myself to do more “stuff.” As a result, I can be more productive. I need to start showing physical results with how I spend my time.

Learn stuff, read stuff, write stuff, clean stuff, I need to show anything for all the extra time I have away from work. After all, work allocates a lot of free time. I rarely, if ever work overtime. I have all this free time, but I have was it. I don’t have anything to show for it.

So, a new course is warranted. I have started a new healthier lifestyle; albeit slow and steady. But, it’s working. I can do the same about my spare time. I can plan to be more productive without burning myself out mind you. I can take it slow and steady like I am doing for my health lifestyle change. I can strive to write more, read more, or to learn that which I wish to learn. I can be more productive.

It’s time for me to do this.
—Robert Confiant 10 April 2019

It’s the first day of Spring

It’s the first day of Spring; the weather here in the Lower Mainland has already sprung into the season. The leaves on the tree are bidding, the flowers have begun to bloom, and the days are getting longer with each passing day.

I love this time of year. It’s the time of rebirth and renewal. The abundance of sunlight picks me up and fills me with joy.

In Vancouver area, we don’t get a lot of snow, nurse do have an abundance of rain. It can rain, off and on, for months at a time. Some years this gloom can be very trying while other years are not so difficult for me to muster through. This past winter wasn’t too bad to endure. Although, I am glad that the snow and the cold are over (It’s been a strange year, and they say, “There is no global warming.”

Spring has sprung. I am glad.
—Robert Confiant 20 March 2019

My writing fulfills a need

I am reading over stuff on social media. One just has to shake one’s head over some of the stuff that gets posted. Life can be stranger than fiction sometimes.

I have the opposite issue. Most of the time, my life is hum drum, boring and not of interest. A lot of the time, it’s get up, go to work, come home, eat and later go to bed. Even most weekends, I hang out, surf the net, clean my messy condominium, and write on my blog. Lately, I have managed to squeeze some workout time at the gym.

You will notice my life is boring which is why I read and write. I read on the bus to and from work; at least when I am not writing for this blog. Writing, now there is my saving grace. My writing helps alleviate this feeling of mediocrity. It helps fulfills a need, or an urging that would otherwise leave me wanting more from life.

Lately, my writings consist of writing for the two blog sites which I maintain. I haven’t done much in the way of poetry, verse, short stories, or the book. Still, I am pleased with what I am doing when it comes to my writing. Could I be doing more? For sure, without a doubt l could, and I should be doing more.

Overall though life is good. I met up with friends over the weekend that I haven’t seen for quite some time. It was a terrific time, and until then, I never really knew how much I missed, and need them in my life.

I am a social butterfly. I hate to drink alone, so if I do go to a pub alone, I always sit at the bar. It doesn’t take me long before I am chatting with the person sitting beside me. One time, this strategy back fired on me. The guy snapped at me when I tried to start up a conversation. I told him, “Go sit in a corner table somewhere next time. The reason most people sit at a bar is to not feel like they are drinking alone.” I asked him, “Why he bothered sitting here if he didn’t wish to socialize?” He finished quickly finished his drink and left. Not that I go to bars much anymore, but I made my point.

Anyway, here I am taking transit to work and writing this to post to this blog. All is good.
—Robert Confiant 18 March 2019

It’s been a while

It’s been a while that I have posted here. I’ve been busy with my other blog. This is no excuse; however, because I didn’t do much writhing on the book which I had planned to do while I was off.

I offer no excuse really. I just didn’t feel like it. I guess I was burnt out from all the work I have been doing since returning to work after my Christmas break. I don’t see this improving much in the near future. We are still short-handed at work and I will need to prepare for the Summer Night Market coming up in the next month, or so.

I am doing well in every other parts of my life. I feel good, and I seem to have more energy. I just find it difficult to sit down and to work on the book, but work on the book I must, if I am to complete it. I promise here and now to work on it a bit every night (I have to state it here in order to motivate me, and to keep me going. There is nothing like “putting something out there” to help one get and stay motivated).

I need to send write on transit more. I find it easier to do and I have a good hour in the morning and in the evening in which to write. It is just tricky to write on my phone. Well, except for these little blog posts entries. But, write I must. So, I will. I bought a tablet which I hope will spur me to write. Only time will tell if this is the case, but that’s the game plan.

Well, at least I have a plan and a goal. I will keep you up-to-date.
—Robert Confiant 12 March 2019

Plan for the week – writing

I was only going to take Thursday and Friday off this week, but then I decided to take the whole week off as I had the time, and quite frankly, I could use the time off. It has been crazy busy at work and it really hasn’t slowed much, and I don’t see things slowing down in the foreseeable future.

I am not doing to much. I am going to write and to rest. I have an eye appointment early in the week, but that’s it. I am going to write and rest. I afraid, other than the two blogs I maintain, I haven’t done much writing. It’s about time that changed. I am not “stuck” per se, but I have procrastinated long enough. I do not have writer’s block or anything similar. It just feels like a task lately. I am not sure why. I find doing these two blogs to be more of an interest.

Why do writers tend to procrastinate? I am sure I am not the only one. I find this writing craft to be very strange. Some days, the task of writing is very difficult; while other days, it flows very easily. I am finding it easier to write on the blog than it is my next book. Perhaps this is because of the reaction that writing on the blog provides. The number of views and/or likes is like a stimulant. It keeps me writing. The novel writing; however, does not provide me with this immediate recognition. Perhaps the reason I find it difficult to stay with the book is because this acknowledgement is missing. Either way, I know I must get back to writing the book, if I wish to complete it.

The trials of writing.
—Robert Confiant 3 March 2019

Writing ideas

Some of my best writing ideas come either when I am in bed, or riding on transit. When I am in bed, I don’t always get up and not them down (I think I will change this as I miss out on some juicy titbits). A few of these ideas might lead to nowhere in the long term, but a few might lead to some gems.

I woke up last night a few times with the same idea in my head. I never jotted it down while I was in bed, but because I woke up numerous times, and because it was the same idea, I never forgot it (This is unusual; I almost always forget). I noted it after I awoke. I am taking this as a sign that I need to follow this through as far as it will go. It will mean a lot of research and a lot of note taking and story and character development, but I think it will be worth it. If successful, it will be a novel of epic proportions, and my biggest work to date. I still have other works I wish to complete, so I am talking years here (My very long term project).

This writing for a living is an odd venture to take up. I do it because I love to write. I may never be famous, but I enjoy the craft. It took me a long time to find my vocation, but I truly found what I love to do. Everyone should find their passion which make this 9 to 5 existence bearable (One needs to exist, but one doesn’t necessarily have to stick with one aspect of living).

The issue with writing is one never knows when they’ll get an idea, or urge to write which is why I keep a writing app on my phone. If I am in the middle of something and I get the urge to write, then I can note it down, and edited later. As I said, “I do a lot of writings while taking the bus as I have a solid hour to write without any interruptions.” The truth be told, “I get a lot of work for my blog done while taking transit.”

So that’s what is up with me, what are you working on, if anything? It really doesn’t matter as long as you find your passion. If you can find your passion and make it a career, then it’s all the better.
— Robert Confiant 22 February 2019