times they are a-changin'

Come gather 'round people
Wherever you roam
And admit that the waters
Around you have grown
And accept it that soon
You'll be drenched to the bone
If your time to you
Is worth savin'
Then you better start swimmin'
Or you'll sink like a stone
For the times they are a-changin'.

~Bob Dylan

Bob Dylan sang this song, this poem, to me when I was far too young to comprehend any of the complexities of life, of dreams, and of how to weave them into my own reality.   I was in a state of constant flux, throwing care to the wind and not realizing how careless changes could impact my life.  I lived for the day.  And I actually laughed at Dylan--his ragged, nasal, and gravelly vocals launched me into a vicious fit of  giggles. I was lost in the folly of youth, blind of the wraiths of time. 

But the times they are a-changin'.

I just watched my baby bravely march up the school bus steps. He was cool, calm, and ready to take 2nd grade on by storm...at least on the outside.  Somehow I miss him already.  He accepts change with the grace of a young man far wiser than his few years. 

His recent fortune cookie find promises everything  a parent could ever wish for her child: a life of happiness and peace...to have this one must realize that change is the only constant in life.

 My fortune.  If only it will be true.  I know I cannot wait for fortune to find me, I must work to find it.  Time to get back to the grind.  Time to shift focus.

Yes, the times they are a-changin'.

Time to go back to the gym.  It has been a tumultuous summer with far to many doctors visits, minor surgeries, recovery periods, illnesses, and dental drama.  I feel about five pounds heavier.  My clothes feel too snug.  It's time to step away from the snack foods and step back into a healthy routine.

At the start of 2011 I decided to focus on my blog for a while.  I had no idea how all-encompassing a task this would become.  When I'm not writing an actual post I'm researching or taking and editing photos.  I've taught myself some new programs, learned how to create html codes and dabbled in several aspects of design. Then there's the whole social media enigma.  Facebook, twitter, keeping up with the constant commenting and finding new blogs to comment on--it eats up as many hours as  a full-time job.  And yet it pays zilch.  Need to make some changes.  I'm going to cut back on my blog time.

A new opportunity presented itself when I was invited to join the Bookshelf Bombshells book review site. (If you haven't checked it out yet, you should.)  Books. Beauty. Brains.  A brilliant group of women. Time for me to step into my new role of responsibility.

And it is time to get back to my book.  I need to finish the damn thing.  Then I need to start at the beginning and rip it to shreds so I can carefully craft it back together with twice as much love and skill.  It is once again time to treat my novel as my job.  Finishing it and selling it would be the best damn "promotion" I could wish for.  But it won't just happen. I need to make some changes, regain my focus, jump back into the muddy puddle of my writing and dirty myself with words.

discipline. strength. creativity. balance. 

For the times they are a-changin'.