Every October I try to do something to raise awareness while also acknowledging the amazing women in my life. Perhaps it's that my grandmother was a breast cancer survivor, or maybe it's that- at 24- I was faced with a terrifying illness which scared me into caring.

This October I wanted to find away to reach out into the blogging community as well because there are so many of you whom I've grown to consider friends as you've blessed or touched my life in many different ways...

So, the brain wracking began, and let me tell you- the result was not always a pretty thing...

The end result though, is that in multiple parts:

1.} I plan on donating all of the ad revenue I earn in the month of October to the Breast Cancer Research foundation. So, click away... Read, send people to read because every click earns more money- and really- how hard is it?

2.} The pink swap. :) Yes, it's true... my first swap... So, put it on your blogs because the more people to swap with- the better... (details at the end of this post.)

3.} 31 days of pink. I plan on somehow, highlighting pink in an effort to raise awareness, every day. What I need from you though- are stories. If you, or anyone you know has a story to tell about how Breast Cancer has touched your life, I would love for you to share it. It could be a happy ending or a sad one, told in haiku, interview or story form... Up to you, it could even be posted anonymously if you'd rather...

4.} Pink Prizes... I'm going to be doing random giveaways all month long. Probably one a week, all pink, in honor of women everywhere...

Now- the guidelines to the swap are as follows:

• each participant will be given their swap partners name. Their job is to find a minimum one pink item to send to them, which in someway supports Breast cancer. HOWEVER- the secondary goal to this swap is to bring something beautiful into the life of your swap partner so creativity and effort is required.

You have until October 1st to email me, answering the following questions... By the 5th I will have your partners name to you and packages must be shipped by the 20th to assure arrival by the end of the month...

1.) Name
2.) Mailing Address
3.) Willing to ship internationally yes/no
4.) email address
5.) blog (if you have one)
6.) has Breast Cancer ever touched your life, or the life of a loved one?
7.) Tell about yourself in 100 words or less.
8.) allergies

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Last month I was able to take an outline I'd written for a novel, and begin it. Though it's currently titled, publicly I'm going to refer to it as OTR. :)

So far, I'm at a measly 11,000 words, but from this place it only grows... right?

I'm really excited about it. Really optimistic.

we are at our most beautiful and genuine when we are breathing and writing our souls...

Anyone who truly writes can easily identify with the struggles of being, well, a writer...
There are those days when you are constantly jotting notes and thoughts in any journal or notebook around. (this does not exclude the backs of envelopes or napkins either.) These are the times when you feel yourself struggling for a moment to organize your scribbles. When you finally gain the opportunity, you feel your soul seizing with relief- almost as if you are breathing for the first time in a decade.
Oh that artistic oxygen is such a relief...

There is such an unexplainable beauty, in that time of creating and reconnect...

So, why is it that more often then not I reside on the other, more suffocating end of the spectrum?
I haven't even written a letter, in weeks. A LETTER!

It's the balance I can't achieve. Apparently I am an all or nothing writer. If I can't devote myself soulely to writing, then that part of my brain tends to shut down.
Granted, I still have the "work" writing, happening... But even it falls less under the "true writing" category than I'd like.

I had mentioned, some days ago, that I would use this blog to maintain my writing goals.
How pathetic it is that my only goal, at this point, is to write...
Not write for work.
To write for me.
Of me...

Primarily I blog at my Blogspot blog.
I blog about home school progress via my MySpace.

I think I will use this blog to keep track of writing goals. It seems fair...

Do you know what I've learned over the past 10 months of no writing Goals?
No writing... (aside from blogging)

It's official! I SUCK!

If you are reading this, (thank you) and it isn't quite the 26th- head to my blog and enter my give-a-way... :)

M