Welcome! I look forward to sharing some ups and downs along my writing journey as I wander through the publishing process and wonder about beauty, art and creativity.
All photos by Patty Mayeux, unless otherwise indicated.
Exploring Up Close…
I recently went exploring with two of our granddaughters. We donned safari hats, carried tote bags with snacks and a magnifying glass tucked into one pocket. I love that our new home came with a green space across the street, something I missed in our townhome that we moved from last year. You forget how…
Keep reading
“Don’t bend; don’t water it down; don’t try to make it logical; don’t edit your own soul according to the fashion. Rather, follow your most intense obsessions mercilessly.”
–Franz Kafka
About Me
When I’m not revising novel #1 or writing novel #2, I’m blogging about the process. Along the way, I share inspirational posts based on the 10 ELAN Principles that I strive to live by as well as a few book reviews and personal or found writings.
In addition to journalism experience, I’ve written and co-published, with photographer Linda Lapointe, a non-fiction book on inner beauty: “Beautiful Women: Like You and Me.” I am active in local and online writers’ groups and participate in conferences, classes and workshops.
Creative and fun time is spent playing piano, reading, traveling and playing djembe in the Joy of Djembe Drumming Ensemble.
Quote of the Week…
“Gratitude is the healthiest of all human emotions. The more you express gratitude for what you have, the more likely you will have even more to express gratitude for.” Zig Ziglar, 1926- 2012
My Easter Basket…
Happy Easter Monday, the second day of Easter Week which is sometimes called the Octave of Easter; eight days spanning from Easter Sunday to “Bright” Sunday. In the Christian tradition, the miracle of Christ’s resurrection is the most holy of celebrations. Easter stands for rebirth and renewal, perfectly coinciding with the bright green promise of…
Quote of the Week…
“You can’t depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus.” Mark Twain, 1835 – 1910
Join my Tribe to Write, Wander and Wonder with me
Subscribe for weekly reminders of the PattyMayeux Blog posts.
Chasing Dreams…
I’ve been hanging out in Limbo Land lately as I grapple with redefining goals. I wonder if I’ve been chasing a one-dimensional, even tainted dream. Who decided that the only success for a life dedicated to writing includes a big publishing deal? More importantly, why did I buy into it? The creative act, in and…
Quote of the Week…
“The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched – they must be felt with the heart.” Helen Keller, 1880 – 1968
The Everlasting Mani-Pedi…
A funny thing happened on the way to the salon. While on a recent trip, I had set aside some money to treat myself to a much-needed mani-pedi. I never made it that far. A member of our travel group shared her experience of visiting the biggest slum in Kenya called Kibera. She stepped beyond…
Quote of the Week…
“Making the simple complicated is commonplace; making the complicated simple, awesomely simple, that’s creativity.” Charles Mingus, 1922 – 1979
Borrowing Trouble…
I do this thing where I cast worry upon a future event. Can you relate? We worry about what might happen. Might. Probably not. Why borrow trouble and waste mental energy on a non-event? Such thoughts return me to The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle. He tells of his intense spiritual awakening after which he felt…
Quote of the Week…
“If you wish to travel far and fast, travel light. Take off all your envies, jealousies, unforgiveness, selfishness and fears.” Cesare Pavese, Italian poet, 1908 – 1950
Beyond My Reach…
Fun fact: the span of your outstretched arms is approximately equal to your height. It’s a beautiful fact of Devine design, as illustrated by DaVinci in his Vitruvian Man. Your reach far exceeds your span. “We think in secret and it comes to pass – Our world is but our looking glass.” James Allen, 1864 –…
Quote of the Week…
“Think twice before you speak, because your words and influence will plant the seed of either success or failure in the mind of another.” Napoleon Hill, 1883 – 1970
May I Have a Word?…
Imagine if words only had one meaning. No confusing homophones or double entendres. No word-play, puns, or knock-knock jokes. Where’s the fun in a simpler language? I recently overheard someone describe an experience as “terribly rewarding,” which confused me. Was it terrible? Was it rewarding? Pick one. It can’t be both. Synonyms for terrible are…
Quote of the Week…
“My heart is beating, and I’m breathing, and nothing anybody has ever done has changed that.” Rupi Kaur, 1992 –
Breathe…
We all do it. If we are lucky, it is automatic and pain-free. We don’t even think about it. Paying attention to breath is meditation 101, the most basic mindful awareness practice. I’ve used box breathing (four counts inhale, four counts hold, four counts exhale and four counts hold) during dentist visits. Six breaths per…
Quote of the Week…
“I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it.” Pablo Picasso, 1881 – 1973
Look It Up…
Raise your hand if you remember going to the library and shuffling through the card catalog to access not-so-secret codes leading to research information. Keep your hand up if you miss that. The worst was when one card led to another, and another. Then there was the toppling book stack from which you jotted not…
Quote of the Week…
“Compassion is the desire that moves the individual self to widen the scope of its self-concern to embrace the whole of the universal self.” Arnold J. Toynbee, 1889-1975
Welcome, Stranger…
It is easy to dismiss or avoid contact with strangers; those who express their culture, love, gender, nationality and religious beliefs differently. I believe all people are deserving of equal treatment and acceptance, but living that truth is a different matter. While I work to fill social gaps created by a recent move, I encounter…
Patty Mayeux Blog 