You just never know who they’ll let into this place.
Yes, I am back.
For those of you who missed it, I took the month of September off. It was the first time I did such a thing since I started this blog in 2010.
I still haven’t made up my mind whether or not I will continue writing this thing. But for now, I am back and I hope you will join me in exploring new thoughts and ideas every day.
The blog takes a great deal of time to produce every day. And it seems to take longer the older I get.
But.
Here’s what I did instead.
I took several different classes at once.
I tried to learn Spanish at Babbel. I gave up after 20 days. I’m thick. I wasn’t getting it. Hola! I mostly decided that the amount of effort I was putting into trying to learn this language far outweighed any practical use of such language. So. Adios.
I took three different drawing classes at Udemy. A couple of them were somewhat disappointing. They mostly wanted the students to look up their own examples and just copy what we found. Basically. The third class had some actual drawing techniques and applications to use. I’m still learning from all three classes in some degree.
On a different note. I enrolled in a general reading class where a visual microlearning app turns complex topics and bestselling books into bite-sized, illustrated story cards. I love this class. I’ve learned a lot about everything from mass extinctions on Earth, to amino acid numbers in our bodies. Interesting.
And finally, I volunteered for an organization called Cardz for Kids.
Basically, I make cards for kids who are sick and hospitalized. The Cardz for Kids people distributes them worldwide.
Of course, a lot more went on during the month of September, but these were the things I did in replacement of my “blogging time.”
So for today, I give you this.
It must be a good day for writing.
Because on October 1, 1868 the good book, Little Women, appeared in this world.
Yes. The first volume of Little Women was published on this day. I didn’t know this, but it was originally published in two parts, with the second appearing in 1869.
But here is the thing about this classic story. Alcott wasn’t particularly interested in writing it.
Her publisher, a guy namedThomas Niles, wanted her to write what he called a “girl’s book.” Alcott was reluctant to say the least. She had grown up with three sisters, but she didn’t think a story about girls would be particularly interesting.
And. Even after she’d written twelve chapters, both she and Niles thought the manuscript was rather dull. Well, in my opinion they were spectacularly wrong.
The first printing consisted of 2,000 copies and sold out in about two weeks. Demand for the book was incredibly strong. Needless to say, the publisher quickly wanted a second volume.
And Alcott was a smart cookie, I’ll tell you. Perhaps the best business decision she ever made was keeping the copyright. The book’s enormous success consequently made Alcott substantial money. Years later, she referred to Little Women as the first “golden egg” of her career.
Happy Writing Day, this First of October.
Good women and good men.
And welcome back to those of you who are here reading.
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“Home is the nicest word there is.” — Laura Ingalls Wilder
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“The ornament of a house is the friends who frequent it.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson
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“The beginning is always today.” — Mary Shelley
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“Begin at once to live, and count each separate day as a separate life.” — Seneca
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“Sometimes you have to go away to come back.” — Karl Platt
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