Happy Holidays!

Apparently, I'm taking some time off blogging.  I didn't really plan on it -- just seem to need some down time ... But I'll be back before long.  Don't worry!

My very best wishes for a joyous and peaceful Holiday season! 

                                                 (¯`v´¯)
                                                  `*.¸.*´
                                                 ¸.•´ ¸.•*¨)¸.•*¨)
                                                (¸.•´(¸.• (¸.•´¸¸.•¨¯`•.¸¸.♥

Love, Lexa

IWSG: Are You Bored?

Are you between projects?  Has the exciting new NaNo project you adored when you thought it up lost its new-idea shine?  Are you stuck and not sure what to do next?  Having a case of writer's block or just generally uninspired?

You can experiment with a new genre -- something you never tried before or something you've always wanted to do.  (Dianne Salerni decided to write in an unfamiliar genre and sold it to HarperCollins!) Try a different tense or a different POV.  Try writing for a different age group than you're used to.  Instead of tying yourself down to a novel, write a short story or a novella.

The same way your tastes and interests changed between childhood, teenage years and adulthood, you can't expect to write about the same things or in the same style forever.  You've experienced more.  You've learned.  You've grown. 

You're a new and improved you!

Don't be afraid to shake things up.  Put away what's safe and secure and challenge yourself!  Maybe you'll be the one to post awesome news about a huge success next!

The Insecure Writer's Support Group exists so the community of blogging writers can share and support each other.  I love the encouragement the members give, and I especially enjoy blog-hopping to cheerlead and commiserate.To find out more, visit: Insecure Writer's Support Group.

Egypt: Sand or Dust?

Contrary to popular belief, Egypt doesn't have "sand" dunes or any type of the granular sand we usually see on seashores.  Egypt's deserts are made of a very fine dirt, resembling dust.  Like the 1930s Dust Bowl in America when the dirt was so light it could be carried on the wind across hundreds of miles, Egypt's duststorms can reach across the Red Sea and into neighboring Middle Eastern nations.

Egyptian duststorm blowing east across the Red Sea into Saudi Arabia.

When there's an actual duststorm (which happens about once a year), the dust is so thick outside that you can barely breathe and visibility is cut to about thirty yards.  Everyone stays inside, but the dust sneaks under doors and coats the nearby floor within hours.

Cairo as a duststorm begins to move in.

Even when there isn't a duststorm, the constant wind blows the fine dust through every crack and crevice in an apartment.  It's a housekeeping nightmare. 

• In one day, the dust isn't visible but if you run your finger on a floor or table, the beige dust will coat your fingertip.
• After two days, you can see the dull coating on furniture and floors.
• After five days, the dust is so thick you can write your name in it.

• Within two weeks, the dust covers floors, counters, furniture, mirrors, everything so thickly it looks like an attic where no one's been, much less cleaned, in years. 

  

I'm not a great housekeeper to begin with, and the dust is a very determined foe, so it usually wins!