Literary Diaries

Was your 2014 as successful as you thought it would be? Did you complete your resolutions? Do you have ideas for resolutions for the New Year? 2015 is just around the corner, but most of us have no idea what our resolutions should be, and if they should benefit our lives in the new year to come. What if we have our goals set for things that would not help us in a positive (or even necessary) way? Are the resolutions you’re coming up with necessary for your success? Check out the list below to find out!

1) Evaluate

The first thing you should do is evaluate your resolutions from last year. Did you fulfill them? Were they successful? Did they help your income? Some of the best resolutions are those that move you forward every year and still offer you success along the way.

Some questions to think about:

A) Do I need to change my sleep pattern?
B) What can I do differently to motivate me to work?
C) What can I do differently in my goal to lose/gain weight?
D) What was my goal for last year? What is my goal this year?

The answers to these questions should sprout some interesting resolution ideas.

2) Eliminate

Add some new ideas to spice up your new year. There’s a quote by Steve Olson that says that “Satisfaction is the death of desire,” and we need to expect change in our lives in order to have a more positive and productive year. If one of your ideas offers you little to no success, change it!
If you’re a blogger or a vlogger, you come up with new ideas every week, so why not have a goal for your website that speaks to the readers in a new and improved way?

These are some questions to think about when coming up with resolutions in relation to your blog:

A) Was my blog successful last year?
B) What do my viewers expect to see this year?
C) What’s a new, innovative idea for my blog?
D) Do I have existing ideas that can be flipped?

3) List

Make a list of the goals you would like to accomplish in all aspects of your life; goals that help your career, your friendships, and your lifestyle.

Some questions to think about:

A) What can I do to promote myself in my career?
B) Do I know people who bring negativity into my life?
C) Am I happy? What can I do to make my life positive?

There may be things in your life that are holding you back from accomplishing your goals. You need to make a list of these positive and negative aspects and eliminate the ones that are harmful to your lifestyle. Our energy comes from the people we surround ourselves with. If we have negativity in our lives, it will affect our career, our friendships, and our day-to-day living.

For some fun and exciting ideas, see the list below:

1) Write a blog

Blogging can be a fun way to release stress, take a break, or make money! If you haven’t already, consider starting a blog.

2) Meet new people

Out with the old, in with the new! Are there people in your life that are not contributing to your success? Do they bring negativity into your life? Maybe it’s time to meet people in your desired circles that help you grow spiritually, emotionally, physically, and mentally. Go out and meet them!

3) Learn a skill

It’s never too late to learn a new skill! In fact, the more you know, the better.

4) Learn a language

If you want to be a leader, you have to be multilingual. But why not be multilingual anyway? The best way to keep your brain active and healthy is to feed it with knowledge. Keep it busy!

5) Learn to dance

Everybody should know how to dance, even if it’s just for small-town clubs. Dancing is good for your health, it keeps you in shape, it’s proven to make you happier, and who does not love a person who can dance?

6) Write a book

For those writers out there, there’s never any harm in working on more than one novel, movie script, or short story. Keep your creativity alive and write, write, write!

7) Create how-to videos

People love knowledge, they constantly strive to learn more, why not help them out? Create how-to videos on something you feel you are good at and can show the world.

8) Eat healthy

This is one of those resolutions that takes a lot of time and devotion to stick to. If you want to have a healthier, happier lifestyle, start with managing the way you eat.

9) Exercise

It never hurts to exercise regularly. Consider this as a resolution, even if it’s just 20 sit-ups a day.

10) Watch less television

Are you someone who hits at home and watches television more than you should? Consider getting out of the house and doing something more productive, like volunteering to clean trash off the streets.

11) Early to bed, early to rise

One of the best ways to stay motivated throughout the day is to get plenty of rest and get up early! It is said that we get more done in the mornings than we do if we get up around 10 AM. Time is money, so if we get up early, we have more time to get more done!

12) Keep a clean house

A clean environment is a better work environment. Take 15-20 minutes out of your day to clean up a mess, do the dishes, vacuum the couch, or what-not.

13) Explore your spiritual side

Looking for greater meaning and purpose in your life? Maybe it is time to expand and explore your spiritual side. Find out what you’ve been missing.

14) Stop smoking

This is another timely resolution that is hard to stick to. Consider it for your own health benefits.

15) Make your own soap

Forget those name-brand soap names that slowly damage your skin; learn how to make soap and make any scent you want!

16) Cook your own meal

Instead of going out to eat a lot, consider staying in and cooking. Maybe a nice romantic dinner at home is just what you’ve been needing.

17) Travel

Have you ever thought about traveling but did not have the time? There’s so many places to travel in or around your area that don’t require a lot of gas money or plane rides. Go to a new restaurant or coffee shop!

Deprivation

by MYRYN VILLAFLOR

[they slither, and they hiss
like talking serpents , as they pass
through those discarded streets]

his head’s a sanctuary of sounds,
where he would hear his father 
sing him to sleep

[they drift, and they hover
like cigarette smoke would
inside that shady space]

his heart’s an ocean, and 
women are like waves; reflecting, 
and refracting along the shoreline of his life

[if only I could stop the sky
from raining,

the sky,
from raining]

then, no night would be too long, 
but, well, he’s drunk and stoned 
and he’s traveling solo

[will someone sadder, 
please, tell him,
please]

his skin’s a collage of 
despondency; a patchwork of 
a midday muse.

Copyright (C) 2013 by EvanescentMoon. 
12.10.13

Lady Annabelle

by TOKONI O. UTI

 She has a will, she has a choice.

 Now too loud to hear the noise.

 All those who never wanted to be.

 And all the voices that we see.

 Today she drowns in her regrets.

 Tomorrow she is silent but will not forget.

 There is nothing else to give.

 She loses her will to live.

 Victim of fear, slave to her plight.

 Find your ray of light.

 Sound off chanting, ring the liberty bell.

 Tears will fall for lady Annabelle.

Passenger Seat

by MYRYN VILLAFLOR

There’s a rush
between the many folds
of my flesh;
like a fast,
upbeat love song
in an afternoon ride.

-Never ending-
a lithe man inside,
clad in opportunities
and monotony of purpose,

yet, still I am
but a passerby.

Contented and consumed
by the passing world-
of flickering, fading
hints of its flight,
as father time
sits on my palm.

I am learning to exist:
half alive, half asleep
without a sweat in my stride
for someday-somehow
I will dwell like a sun,
dreaming under

headstone spires.

Trials of Light

by BRIANNA ROSE BURTON

Sometimes I sleep at night
empty of myself, inebriated
by dreams that deceive me.
Bathing beauty that speaks
only of my weakness,
besetting sin only I can find
in the paradox of self-contradiction.

I pave the way inside myself
for all that’s good of me,
of all I save from discernment.
My daylight vision, I traveled not
to touch solely for the very nearness
of comprehending.

I have journeyed beyond the
peripheral to see your vision,
yet my thoughts will conceal
quite delightfully, fleetingly,
of your unbreakable beauty;
for I have one weakness.

I sing of light that speaks to me
of all my sin, calmly unfolding,
becoming of all my graces,
for pain is only a memory,
and I have gathered arm-fulls
of tenacity only to fully grip
heart of all myself, of all that
you have made me.

And tonight my heart sings
of deathless joy, for beyond
death, my love will flutter
evermore. Ever and anon
for all my good precedes,
blazing the trail with love,
of all that you have given me.

Love And Other Rhythms

by BRIANNA ROSE BURTON

I have loved thee centuries
before thy birth, ages waned
from melodies of love-sick songs.
I loved thee not because I loved
thee solely for the purpose of loving,
but for such pleasantness that strung
love songs in me.
For thine own self, the song plays true,
a rhythm for the tangent of thy smile,
I know not love so purest of thy song,
but stronger still, the rhythm shines.
Love folly no more, all sweetness ’til
the end, no heartbeat thuds unless
so musically, much steadily, in time;
for thine own love prepares not with
the moment, but moments love
with rhythm of thy prime.

(C) Copyright 2011 Brianna Rose Burton

Three

by MELISSA COOK

I can’t find you anymore
and there’s a landslide in there.
Our feet don’t touch the runway and
I never thought I’d say this but I miss
the three-hour plane rides between you
and home. I was a coffee drinker back
then, addicted to caffeine and your
fingertips. An amateur artist on flights
drawing compasses with hearts and
poems. I was the first blind mouse of
three, and I knew your culture loved
threes, three graces, three gorgons,
three furies. Signs of unity and trinity
but we lost these. You’ve been
consuming my metaphors lately and
I’m not sure when it happened but I
can see the Greek alphabet hand-drawn
on my bones. You are a skeleton
without a resting place and
I can’t find you anymore.

Unanderra

by MELISSA COOK

When death took you, you refused
to go quietly. Sirens echoed in the pit
of your stomach and poetry written
about you crumbled like your history
and architecture. We don’t see much of
your sunshine anymore;
we dig your grave and attend
your funeral but those around you
rarely mourn you. We have swallowed
everything you once were, the paradise
of our Grandfathers and now we
like no man who ever stood before you,
find solace in your decay.

There’s no peace here anymore, only
shopping trolleys in creeks, but to you
I give a bouquet of everything you
once were, the rainforest will
nip at your corners and shells
and bones will no longer hold you.
You will be filled with nature and
all it’s splendour. I will colour your skin
like your founders and with
flora and fauna I will no longer
grieve but rather
celebrate your life.

Unanderra = My hometown