Introduced By Amber Hall

This month, our theme is still ‘Difference’ and I wanted my page to be a celebration of doing things differently.

It’s easy to get caught up in comparing ourselves to others, especially when we’re constantly exposed to everyone else’s best bits on social media. But each one of us is unique, so it figures that our paths will be unique too. Life doesn’t have to be prescriptive, and there are numerous ways to get things done.

Someone once told me that life is like a buffet table, full of possibility. I know it sounds clichéd, but I think it’s a useful analogy. My life was very limited for years in various ways, and I’ve only just begun to think about what it is that I really want. I spent a long time putting my energy into things I thought I ‘should’ be doing, and never considered what I might like to do. For the most part, I was just trying to survive.

In recent years, the buffet table – once so sparse – has started to appear more abundant. There are obstacles, of course, but I have more faith in myself these days. It’s taken me a long time to get here and part of it has been accepting that my journey is mine and mine alone. I’ve realised that there’s no point in lamenting lost time, because I wouldn’t be the person I am if I hadn’t experienced what I did. The ups and downs are what make us, so we might as well embrace them.

This month’s featured pieces highlight the value of doing things our own way and marching to the beat of our own drum.

First, we have a piece by Cee Cee (Celestine), who writes about the archival process of writing, and how a new computer – symbolic of a new chapter in her writing journey – inspires a fresh approach to her creative practice.

Reassessing And Updating

Months and months of digital frustration, crammed into one of the best inventions of modern-day history. My spontaneous creativity and writer’s journey were being hindered and stifled because several main keys on my keyboard are no longer reliably responsive to touch, especially the B letter. One of my writing rules is to write first and edit later. Annoyingly, I was spending more time making sure to strike malfunctioning squares until they worked. Misspellings are still a big no-no. Trying to figure out mystery words that even my spell check cannot identify was and is a time waster. Finally, I forced myself to buy a new laptop. My writing life was about to be thrown into free fall.

Free fall, freeware, free write, freedom to create…

Creating a list for my current and future needs in real time became the focus. Choosing which products and brands to eliminate was how I started. At the top of the list was more operating power in order to multitask. Deciding what files and software to move over to the new computer had to be decided in short order, because all of my previous writing is important to me and needed to be transferred to the new computer. My next consideration was having the largest possible memory. My carefully organised writing files give me a great sense of pleasure and pride. Each saved document is glorious proof of my ideas that were turned into original content. I owe them all to a good computer device, dedication to my craft, personalised writing habits and artistic aspirations.

Aspiring, accessing, acclimating to applications, apps…

Apps to the left of me and apps to the right of me were programmed to jump onto my screen for instalment considerations. So, as I scan through the software, I keep an eye out for ones that will not help me accomplish my desired writing practice goals. A simple solitaire game for a short break keeps me sane. Elaborate gaming options drains my battery quicker and is always recycle bin-bound. I am suddenly grateful to know that this thinking might explain my love for flash fiction and short story bundles.

Bundles, better broadband, beautiful browsers, bigger memory bytes and backups…

Backups on external drives are never far away from the USB port, even though I am still in love with all of my old computers. Knowing that my professional and personal life stories are on each computer I have ever owned feels like having my own private historian. Yes, I do miss the energy rush of pushing all the power buttons on a regular basis. However, embracing my drive to develop as a person and a storyteller in this fast-changing world compels me every day to continue moving forward. Education, updating and adapting are very essential for this writer.

Writer’s Brain…updating, updating, updating…

© Cee Cee (Celestine), 2024

Connect with Cee Cee on Instagram: @AlwaysCleverContent.

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Next, Tavinder Kaur New writes about the power of going against the grain.

Why Be Like Everyone Else?

Why be like everyone else? Isn’t that the easy way to be – to go and flow and slot into the world like a jigsaw piece, to be part of the social norm?

Just to be liked, followed, and praised by others. The pressure of how to look, to act, to follow a certain path and fulfil a certain way of success, and to go the typical path.

To be picture-perfect and portray to people who have gone a certain way that this is the only way to be. That if you are not meeting the standard, you are a failure, not achieving life’s way of being.

Therefore, post, praise, and receive the acclaim of others. Otherwise, feel fear and worry that criticism will follow.

But did all the true greats follow this way?

Martin Luther King, Boudica and Rosa Parks did not follow the path; they chose to rebel, to fight, to go against the grain. To stand apart from society, and to go a different path.

They made their mark in society, history, and in our hearts and souls by not being frightened to stand alone from the norm.

So why be like everyone else?

Paint your picture, go your way, dance the night away – who cares?

Be different. Dare to be different; dare to make that mark, to not go that straight path and what society sees as meeting the way to be. Be your own person, be who you want to be, and follow your dream. After all, life is rather dull to be like everyone else.

Choose your path, don’t go that typical way society demands.

© Tavinder Kaur New, 2024

Connect with Tavinder on X: @NewTavinder and read her other work at: tavindernew.wordpress.com.

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In this fictional prose piece, Afsana Elanko writes about how the smaller decisions we make in life can reflect something larger, reminding us change can happen at any time.

The Glowing Colours Of Annabel

Annabel was making a life-changing decision: she was changing her lipstick colour!

Annabel’s choices in life could be linked to the colour of her lipstick. Did her choice define what had happened in her life, or had events defined which lipstick she would wear? Either way, there was a correlation. Her first job as a sales assistant was defined by a lush pink, giving her an essence of innocence, which encouraged customers to be kind when asking for help.

When she changed careers to work as a cocktail waitress in an upmarket wine bar, her lipstick was Moulin Rouge. It made her stand out and showed a level of confidence (which I’m not sure she actually possessed, but the illusion was important to her and certainly helped with the tips!).

When Annabel’s uncle became ill, her lipstick changed to a mild tone that was almost the natural colour of her lips. This seemed quite fitting, as she accompanied him to regular medical appointments and it showed a sense of responsibility. Over the next ten years she worked part-time in the care home, looking after her uncle who had unfortunately passed away a year ago.

The last 12 months had been taken up with self-reflection and deciding  on her next path. For Annabel, this life decision was important, as her time with her uncle had made her realise it’s not the order you do things in life, but doing the things that make you happy. She’d decided to go back to university to study, first a bachelor’s and then a master’s degree. She was about to embark on something completely out of her comfort zone. So, which colour of lipstick did she need?

She wasn’t an academic, so knew there would be hours of hard work. As it wasn’t the traditional path, she’d be classed a mature student, with everyone wanting to know her story.  She’d squirrelled away a healthy sum and knew that, at least, the fees wouldn’t be a problem. So, having come to terms with who she was and feeling happy with her life choices, she’d ditch the lipstick; just wearing the colour she fancied when going out.

Going through the different colours of lipstick and life stages had shown her the important thing was to be happy with one’s own choices. She was no longer going to worry about what others thought; instead focussing on her own happiness. We’re all responsible for our own destiny!

© Dr Afsana Elanko, October 2024

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Issue 22 is available to read online here, you can also find it in libraries and other outlets. Read previous editions of our magazines here. 

You can hear great new ideas, creative work and writing tips on Write On! Audio. Find us on all major podcast platforms, including Apple and Google Podcasts and Spotify. Type Pen to Print into your browser and look for our logo, or find us on Podcasters.Spotify.com.

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