The worst enemy to creativity is self doubt.
Sylvia Plath

I saw this quote somewhere recently and it made me reconsider my struggle to finish my novel. Indeed, there is a cold truth in Plath’s assertion. I write best when I move beyond myself. When I get into the zone, so to speak. This zone involves putting words down without any negative energy interrupting the almost magical flow of creativity.

A tall order on most days. Moving beyond the thought that what I have to say is unimportant and forgettable is usually quite difficult. The thoughts that my characters won’t matter to anyone, that the struggles within the book aren’t relevant, that the plot is boring or weak all too often paralyze me. I become incapable of writing anything when I listen to this internal doubt. My self-concept is surrounded by feelings of incapability, of ineptitude. Renders me incapable of…

At the end of August, I decided I needed to lose some weight. I had progressively let myself go, and for the first time in my life wanted to see if I could commit to losing a few pounds.

I am very proud to say that I DID IT!!!!

I attempted to lose 10 pounds over a 9 week period, and on my last weigh in I had lost 12 pounds!

Here are the top five lessons learned over the 9 weeks:

• It is NOT an easy thing to do!
• I still needed a TREAT day once per week to enjoy my favourite foods
• Eating healthy 95% of the time takes a lot of work but is worth it
• Eating smaller meals more often did surpress my appetite
• A  normal portion size is much smaller than I ever thought

Bonus lesson

• I have a new mindset that if I deeply…

My little girl turns 5 years old today.  Where has the time gone?  My beautiful Athena blossoms every day.

I’ve said from the start that I hope my blog one day serves as her road map to learn about me.  My push to achieve is always with her in mind.

Happy birthday, sunshine.  This is for you:

Tender is a Cupcake

She is so much more

 than everything

Simplistic

this love

yet beyond my words

She is so much more

 than anything

Teeny

her stature

yet bigger than my dreams

I protect

I guide

While somehow she teaches

and I learn

Holding hands

A smile

A giggle

A delicate kiss that lingers

within me

Always

She is

my everything

She is

my anything

She is

my always

Tender is a cupcake

And she is sweet as can be.

© Copyright 2013 Joseph A. Pinto. All Rights Reserved.

Having been married only a year and a half, I’ve recently come to the conclusion that marriage isn’t for me.

Now before you start making assumptions, keep reading.

I met my wife in high school when we were 15 years old. We were friends for ten years until…until we decided no longer wanted to be just friends. 🙂 I strongly recommend that best friends fall in love. Good times will be had by all.

Nevertheless, falling in love with my best friend did not prevent me from having certain fears and anxieties about getting married. The nearer Kim and I approached the decision to marry, the more I was filled with a paralyzing fear. Was I ready? Was I making the right choice? Was Kim the right person to marry? Would she make me happy?

Then, one fateful night, I shared these thoughts and concerns with my dad.

Perhaps each…

The layers and layers of generations of our ancestors

Whose feet rested upon the Earth

Whose heads lay cradled upon their arms

Singing their merry songs of the time around the fire

Star gazing

Pondering life’s mysteries