i am writing graffiti on your body, i am drawing the story of how hard we tried...

I love how the universe works. I wanted to get back into blogging, and I stumble upon reverb10. I write about how I want to make room in my life for writing, and today's reverb10 prompt is all about writing. Ask and you shall receive. (A powerful reminder that the universe gives you what you need, when you need it. You just have to be willing to listen. And do the work when the answers find you...)

On to today's prompt.

December 2 – Writing. What do you do each day that doesn’t contribute to your writing — and can you eliminate it? (Author: Leo Babauta)

Work. It's a glib answer, but it's true. I spend so much time in front of a screen at work, writing or editing political communications, that by the time I get home, the last thing I really want to do is sit in front of a screen. Or write. And then there's the things I do when I do sit in front of the screen at home, like play on Facebook. Or Twitter. Or mindlessly surf the web while the TV is on in the background. I try to do too many things at once. Or check out, turn off the brain for a while. And inevitably, a half-hour turns into an hour. An hour turns into two, and before I know it, my evening is shot, and I haven't put pen to paper or fingers to keys and written anything of meaning to me.

I can't eliminate work, clearly. (Without winning the lottery, that is, which would require me to actually purchase a ticket or two, and even then the odds would only be improved minutely...) But I can chose to use my downtime more productively. I can limit my at home screen time. I can chose to focus on one thing at a time, and devote myself to it. I can chose to make writing a priority. I've found a way to include meditation every day, I can also find a way to make writing a regular part of my life. And I will...

hope there's someone who'll set my heart free, nice to hold when I'm tired...

I miss writing, but my muse has been errant. My 'me' time lately has not included the computer and while I've enjoyed the meditation, the movement and the music that has been filling my time, I don't want to neglect the writer side of myself. The part who likes to play with words. So like every other thing in my life that is good for me, and that I do enjoy, I have to make time for it. So I will make an effort to take some time to put words to screen (or page, if I feel so inclined) more often.

To help me with that endeavour (and some of the other goals that coincide) I've decided to participate in Reverb 10. I'd not heard of this until today, when in a few brief moments of downtime from my work that has become so very busy as of late, I followed a link on Twitter. I love how when you need something, but when you're not looking for it, the universe sends you exactly what you'd given up looking for.

Today's prompt: December 1 One Word.
Encapsulate the year 2010 in one word. Explain why you’re choosing that word. Now, imagine it’s one year from today, what would you like the word to be that captures 2011 for you? (Author: Gwen Bell)

My one word for 2010: HOPE.

I was going to pick another word. The first word that popped into my head was "Loss" followed closely by "Sucked". 2010 was not a good year. 2010 was in fact one of my more painful years. The miscarriage at the end of June made my heart ache in a way I'd never experienced before. And while it was a huge part of this year (trying to get pregnant, seeing that second line for the first time, and then 5 weeks later seeing the dream and my world crash down around me, my tiny, little bean in my hand 31 weeks too soon...) - it was not the whole of it. And part of what I've been focusing on this year is less of the negative, more of the positive and I don't want the one word that sums up my year to be negative.

Hope is a far better fit for this year. Despite everything - how hard it's been for us to conceive, how hard it was losing Bean - we both are willing to keep trying. We both have hope. Every time we try something new to try to make our lives better, that's hope. ANd 2010 has been an exercise in my trying to make my life better. To do more for me and my needs. To love myself unconditionally. To believe that things will all work out in the end. That is hope. And that has been my year.

My word for 2011: JOY.

I think, really, the reasons go without saying.