Hi. I'm Dariel Raye, and this is something I've wanted to do for a while. Mostly, I'll talk about my writing and other projects, but occasionally I muse at random. The past few weeks have been particularly hectic and stressful, and I guess that's why I've been thinking a lot about time - how valuable it is, and how I might use it more wisely...

I once read that the best way to know what you value is by looking at your checkbook and figuring out what you spend most of your money on. Since time is even more valuable than money (you can't recapture time - once it's gone, it's gone), I figure that same method will work by noticing how you allocate your time. What do you spend most of your free time doing? If you have almost no free time, why is that? How do you spend your time - even if it's earmarked for someone else? I'll go first.

Probably the most significant thing about me is that I've always got several "projects" going at once. Sounds nice, but it's a double-edged sword because I'm always running here and there either trying to keep up or catch up. It's amazing I ever get anything done, but somehow I manage - slowly, but creatively. Somewhat.

I'm a mom, writer, musician, counselor, and student. I tend to dream big, so I'm never really satisfied for long :) Right now, I'm actively working on 4 novels ("Aidan's Will," "Jordan's Wings," "Raven's Shelter," and "Vashti's Star"). Obviously, I like two-word titles. I have 3 more novels in note form just waiting in the wings, I write a newspaper column, and I write for a magazine. Because I'm working on a dissertation, I have very little free time, but what I have is spent writing my novels, reading other people's novels, playing the piano and singing, and playing with my 3 dogs. When I'm tied up with other people's demands (not to mention the demands of paying for housing, utilities, transportation, food, etc.), those are the things I long to get back to.

Comments

Christa Maurice said…
You mean, um, lately? Sadly, it's been a lot about goofing off. All the time in the world to write and what am I doing? Playing games on Pogo.

I'm getting back to work now. I swear.
Dariel Raye said…
LOL. Charlotte,it must be something about "work." As long as it's not considered work, I can't wait to get to it. Once it becomes a necessity and I have to start scheduling it and making a certain amount of progress, following instructions, yada yada yada, I don't want to do it as much anymore. I wonder if that's just human nature. Happy writing, anyway.