The Embarking Journey Here I sit reflecting on #life ... Again- 'Again!' I hear you say. But yes, it is the most reflected upon subject we all face. #life: an entity entwined with love, loss, joy, sadness, emptiness, fulfilment, uncertainty, clarification, and yet, even more perplexing thought. We all embark on a journey of discovery that is #life; a fundamental developing time in the #life of the individual, different for all, yet all the same: meaning we all have a different #life journey, yet we all go through a journey. So what's yours? What is the journey you find yourself on, or that you have endured to be where you are? And, if you have finished journeying for now, what is the next #life journey you endeavour embarking on? S.J.Whitney Writer

Hunger For More Well, after taking the day off blogging yesterday, I am back at it. So today I decided to talk about hunger. Hunger-I have found- is an amusing feeling or state, at times; we hunger for more, or for something different. We also hunger for change, for a new leaf to be turned and start afresh. We hunger at times to slow down, when in essence, our busyness is what we thirst for: what originally began our hunger. Let me ask you this: if we hunger for so much, (often everything) will we get all we desire? Will you? And what do we do if we are denied that which we pine over and hunger for: our very heart desire? We hunger even more. Hunger is an interesting concept: we never stop hungering. Over time our hunger-if not fed- pails off into the nothingness that is, and we for a time leave that hunger. But when that dies down, a new, invigorating hunger ignites, building our passion for 'the fight' that is ... Hunger. As I leave you with those thoughts, let me pose this question to you, yes you! (and please share in the comments), what is your hunger, your fire, your passion, your desire? S.J.Witney Writer

A New Beginning A new beginning: what is the thought behind this concept, this idea-and ultimately, this genre of #life? When I speak of a new beginning, I speak of a concept not often-or rather never-associated with 'A new beginning.' The new beginning of which I speak, is that of beginning a new book, delving deep into a new world: fascinated and wrapped with endeavours yet uncharted and sometimes foreign to the mind. Getting to know new 'people' and having them accept you to read their story; their #life; their unfolding futures. Reading is a chance to learn, to grow, to discover something you may have not known before; but if you did, then a new slant; a broadened appreciation for something that may have even been once mundane, now shows promise in becoming an interest. I have come to really appreciate the gift of reading (not being much-if at all-a reader when I was young.) Only wanting to write, yet never getting the burning passion to read what others wrote, let alone books. I have never been an avid reader until recently. Undertaking my studies I discovered something burning deep within that I always believed was there, yet I was blind to previously. I only occasionally tinkered with the idea of reading, but as I studied, it became apparent to me that I needed to read, and a lot. My days often consist of: work (my every day job-which I am sad to say is not writing ... yet), writing and reading. This fairly new endeavour has turned out to be something other then what I envisaged it to be-a weighty, mundane, burdensome task, un-enjoyable and dull. But much to the contrary, it is very enjoyable, opening my mind to a whole new world of imaginative ideas and writings. So having learnt that and now putting it into regular practise, I hope that my work will begin to reflect what I always envisaged it would be: a pleasurable greatness of expression. S.J.Witney Writer

Emotions Of Character Emotions of character: an idea, an even greater expression. Although the emotions of character I talk about, I do not refer to those dwelling in us all who make us the very people we are, but rather those in which we create, or rather procreate. What I mean when I use the word 'procreate' is this: we begin to write, and as time passes, we develop those skills till we have refined them to a fine art. The characters we create start out, and we often (if not always) get help from others. We watch others, we observe, we create from what we watch-or rather who we watch- and so from there, we begin to create. Emotions of character are no different. In creating a character, we often start off with the very basics- gender and name- but as we continue to write our character becomes fleshier, much to our surprise as well as others: discovering who our character wants to be, rather then who we want them to be. As time goes on, we begin to ad such things as features: eye colour, eye shape. If they are a female character, definition in bust, whether they have curves or are straight up or down. If we are creating a male character, we take into consideration whether they have muscles or are 'plain' in their build. Then later we may move on to discover their tonal changes in their speech and patterns of talking. Are they staggered in speech? Are they fluent? Are they of English origin or some other origin? What sets them off? What calms them down? How tall are they? Are they slim built, short, tall, fat ...? And the list goes on. Emotions of character are those traits of one's self, or the traits of a created character that bring it to #life and make it real to the reader- as though they are living the #life of that particular person. I was once alerted to- more importantly then probably anything else I could have learnt about character- that when we write, we want our readers to become involved in a story, and in the character. When they are frustrated, the reader needs to feel his/her frustration. When they are falling in love, it is like the person reading it is also falling in love. We must be engaging with our audience and bring them in, so they also will feel (once they put the book down) as though they are still living the #life of the character, or, if the book has drawn to an end, then they need to feel some sort of loss for no longer being able to engage in the characters #life. In all of this, we must remember that characters are 'humans too' and so, we must treat them so: with respect, care and love. S.J.Witney Writer

The Inevitable Sting Well here I sit in a coffee house, nearing the end of a very exhaustive week. What is this inevitable sting I refer to? It is what stings us all: death. So why am I reflecting on death today? No it's not because of the Boston bombings, nor the rest of the horrid hatred that exists in our sin fallen world. No! But rather, I reflect on it today of all days because it is indeed something that hits us all at some time or other. The thought-or even concept-of death often doesn't rattle me. It doesn't fill me with fear or trepidation, but quite the opposite. See, death: leaving this world, having #life slowly slip on by and eventually end, doesn't bother me. So why the reflection on death? It is very simplistic really: for today it did mean something to me, it did cause me to feel a little saddened. A colleague of mine has lost a loved one, and so it has affected not just her, but all, those who know her. Something so cruel, with no rules or boundaries; something that has no concern, nor sympathy for the young or old, woman or girl, man nor boy. A 'disease' so devastating, it can be (if not properly handled) contagious. A disease that can be easily passed on in weakness, but ought to be handled with gentle, loving care. So, this is my tribute to a friend who is in my thoughts and prayers. May you find peace, comfort and the love of others who care about you. May they be there for you, to listen and help where they can. My deepest gratitude to you, hoping that you come through this knowing there are others who care and desire to be there. S.J.Whitney Writer