Phase Two Done, Book Keeps on Moving & the Rowers Keep on Rowing ~ Willy Wonka Rocks My Life

Phase two complete! Yay! Late this morning I finished the next leg of my book aligning with Spring Equinox’s window opening wide. Writing a book is quite the process and one of solitude where you really turn within and journey through the depths of yourself. It can be lonely for some, but for those of us who live and breathe what we write, everything and everyone within the pages are real and draw you into a world of imagination come alive. Sometimes it’s much more exciting and real than the world we find ourselves in when we aren’t writing…and for some of us, the writing takes on a world of its own and our lives are never the same because of it. Not to mention, what we write becomes our reality.

I’ve written a lot of things over my life, including many stories in notebooks I wrote in my twenties that may one day also come to life, but this is only my second actual book to date – although is VERY different from the last.

Everyone has their own way of writing, but for me phase two has involved four rounds of my own editing before hitting the next phase. Phase one was completing the story from beginning to end. And the next phase will involve it being read for the very first time by someone other than myself. Eek! LOL! That can be both exciting and scary, right?! Where our sensitivities will be tested and we learn not to take anything personally…or at least we hope so. 😉

There are still more processes and phases to go through, as this is my baby being nurtured, cultivated, and prepared for the world, but every phase deserves an acknowledgment, as the energy keeps on moving.

That reminds me of another favorite from Willy Wonka – btw, for those of you not on my Instagram or Facebook, you may not have seen that Mr. Wonka was alive and well on our Vegas adventure, as well as was alive in my heart on the trails.

We found that every casino we went in had Wonka slot machines! Oh those Oompa Loompas!

I used “Oompa Loompas” as my hangman phrase for our beach campsite game in the Grand Canyon, in fact, which stumped everyone despite Happy and Bean being on the same Wonka ride of life with me. And like many other things, instant manifestation of what we spoke out loud kept happening.

I also kept singing to myself, “the rowers keep on rowing….and they’re certainly not showing….any signs that they are slowing” when I kept moving forward up and out of the Canyon, to keep my momentum going. Reiterating that the energy must keep moving, to face your fears, and enjoy the wild ride, as the only control you have is how you react or respond to it.

And moving, the energy certainly has, since we returned, as I moved quite quickly through this last round of editing, finishing it within the last two and a half days following the Equinox.

It’s important to honor ourselves for what we’ve accomplished without waiting until some ultimate conclusion comes to fruition. Each day we say “yes” to taking action on something we feel called to do, is quite an achievement. So remember to give yourself a hug and pat on the back, because you deserve it for the courage you have shown. I plan to buy myself a very special gift for this special occasion. Something I fell in love with in Vegas and Bean found me online much cheaper….it is SO perfect I can hardly stand it!

Anyway, that’s where I am with my book. Forward and onward I go. I’ll likely begin the next phase come Monday, giving myself a little break this weekend and the rest of today. I have some house painting to do right now and then am going to bake a new T recipe of cupcakes for our Tahoe Herbivores’ Potluck and Game Night Meetup tomorrow evening at our house. Then tonight we’re going to an Irish group’s concert called Flogging Molly. I also plan to make lasagna for the Meetup, tomorrow, as well as plan to finish my closet cleaning, plant 52 new succulents, and get outside for some nature fun in the snow the rest of the weekend.

Anyway, here are the lyrics to the Willy Wonka shamanic boat ride:

Round the world and home again
That’s the sailor’s way
Faster faster, faster faster

There’s no earthly way of knowing
Which direction we are going
There’s no knowing where we’re rowing
Or which way the river’s flowing

Is it raining, is it snowing
Is a hurricane a-blowing

Not a speck of light is showing
So the danger must be growing
Are the fires of Hell a-glowing
Is the grisly reaper mowing

Yes, the danger must be growing
For the rowers keep on rowing
And they’re certainly not showing
Any signs that they are slowing

– ‘Wondrous Boat Ride’, from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971)

And here’s the video clip! Enjoy!

My Ghostwriter & Update

It seems appropriate on today’s National Love Your Pet Day to give thanks to my ever-magickal partner, Astrid for choosing me to be her guardian and co-creator. Not only does she bring so much joy and love into my life, but she’s also the bestest companion for this leg of my journey. She’s my ghostwriter and biggest cheerleader and fan, helping me to bring my book to life, speed up the process, and keep me on point. She helps me with editing everyday, sitting by my feet and even taking over mom’s editing chair if I abandon it. She has her own way of telling me to “hop to it!” and follows in the footsteps of Nestor and Joy in how they used to do a quick nibble to the right bottom corner of my paintings to infuse their signature and energy. Here you can see her nibbling in some of her own energy infusions into the story’s creation, encouraging me not to stop the momentum.

And a big momentum is what I’m in the flow of right now, as my book has come back into main focus, with the completion of all house renovations finally. Yesterday, was a huge day finalizing the third round of edits. I’m feeling one more “hop” through to really tie everything up, feel out the flow now with all the edits, and tighten it up one last go around, including final formatting.

I’ve found that editing the tough parts is so much easier when I can tangibly hold the pages and mark them up with pencil, rather than using the computer – hence the pages Astrid is able to help out with. Seems she prefers that too. 😉

I’m a very hands-on person, which is why I also prefer actual books to ebooks. There’s something that triggers my brain more and all parts of my senses to have things physical. That’s why I also keep hand written lists, a daily calendar on my desk, write notes on my hand when I’m out, and never use technology to keep me organized. Anyone else like that?

Anyway, Astrid is excited and I’m excited too. She is anxious about getting the book done and our Wonderland writing room is perfect nurturing for that. I love having her by my side, as she’s perfect inspiration for this faery. I can’t tell you how much she’s supported its manifestation and its content.

She seems to be mirroring the shifting phases of the book too, with her own shifting fur.

I don’t call her the magick rabbit for nothing!

Could this be why I heard the nickname “Bubbles” whispered in my ear recently?

Or is it that Astrid is reflecting her joy in this name, or simply the joy bubbling through in exuberance for her new life, feeling safe and loved, and for being recognized for the gifts and path she has come to experience and share?

My bunnies always get nicknames, that shift as their energy shifts. They’re not names I make up, but that just come through. Astrid expresses her joy running, jumping, hopping, and twisting that feels like a bubble of passion rising to the surface and exploding. People call this a “binky” and here it earned her the nickname “Bubbles,” which I love because it expresses her silly side in compliment to her serious one.

In any case, her shape-shifting fur continues to change and produce beautiful symbols and markings. Here you see her incredible fur gifting us circles, or bubbles, and that gold at the back of her neck is aglow. Not visible is her silver toes, feet and tummy.

Her exuberance keeps “bubbling” through and she ceases to amaze. 

Nestor is the only other rabbit of mine that has done this with her fur. Always producing uncanny symbols I would call either hieroglyphics or crop circles.

Astrid has a lot of Nestor qualities, so it’s not surprising. In many ways, it’s like a piece of Nestie is in her, which makes our connection even more special.

Thank you Astrid for your way of keeping me on point, just as Nestor used to. I definitely needed your solid presence, commitment, sense of personal responsibility, wisdom, and joyous inspiration for this book and the rest of what’s to come after that!

Celebrating you with some extra love and recognition today. Hope you love the curly meadow twist chewy treat you’ll find in your romper room bunny play land.

An extra gift of gratitude for being my ghostwriter, teacher, and best friend.