CONTENT-WRITER-IN-TRAINING—OR WHAT?

Lately, I’ve been working on re-igniting my writing career… I’m trying to decide where I’d like to be with that career. I’m working daily at a freelance writing and would like to get into internet content writing. I’ve done so many, varied things during my ½ century. Writing seems to always be where I gravitate.

Someone told me recently, that I should write what I know. Okay, I’ll start with that. I know food and cooking…. Doesn’t seem there could be a writing career there. It appears foodie writers might already flood the market. Let’s get more basic. I know where I live. No, I’m not a blithering idiot!! Yes, I know I live in a nice, small “white house” (as my friend Ethelyn once called her own house outside Annapolis Royal).   You know, it’s odd, but some people don’t know where they physically live. I learned that as a Returning Officer – blew me away!  I live just outside the “historic, scenic, fun” town of Annapolis Royal… I dare someone to criticize those adjectives, as Judy G. AND Durline M. will remember folks did many years ago.  I live in and love my province of Nova Scotia . I also know I live in Canada. 

But, if we delve a bit deeper, I live in a 52-year-old body that I’m trying to treat like a temple (though it was once treated, as the song says, “like an old honky-tonk”!). I know, too, about heartache and heartbreak. I’ve been to Hell and back with this body, surviving and conquering a severe stroke that left me completely left-side paralyzed and seeming for a sort time to lose this body and part of my mind with it (I never really lost my mind, just kinda thought I did, when body parts refused to obey direct orders). I struggled through 8 weeks of re-hab, trying desperately to bring back body (and mind). I succeeded! Got ‘em both back, but not until after tremendous mental struggle, trying to remember the person I was, and figuring out the person I’d become. I’d retained enough intestinal fortitude to fight like crazy to get me back.  Yep, the latter, a few years older and what seemed like decades wiser, even though these days I still feel 25. 

I sometimes still mourn for that person former person, who still remains somewhere in my heart She makes brief appearances here and there, moving forward from the blackness of backstage. Those who knew her, see her still in certain conversations, certain movements of my hands, and certain expressions on my face. When they mention it, it makes me smile. She is the one who fought back against the demon stroke. She is the one who laughs at funny things in life. She is the one who loves with all her might, as if her life depended on it. She is the one who loves those people in her past as she does those in her present, because those in her past helped shape the person who knew to fight so hard to get back. But, I think this latter version has the benefit that comes only from the heartache of tapping on the bottom of the barrel and somehow getting your head back above water, gasping a couple of times before brain tells mouth to cooperate in taking a couple of deep breaths. So, here I am trying to carve out another career, but maybe not another me. This me may be a bit different than the former me, but the more I get to know her, I like this me.  I am proud of the successes of the earlier me, but the more I get to know this me, the more I’m proud of her; she may be just as indecisive as before, but I do like her!  But, I am still trying to find another career. The trouble is, I like doing so many things and I’ve been exposed to so many possibilities, What to do?!

Maybe here we’ll start talking whole foods for a bit. I’ve said it before. I’m a staunch whole foods advocate. I’ll take the real thing, thank you!  I credit meeting Judy Maher and her sisters, Connie d’Entremont and George-Ann Delaney many years ago with my full on appreciation of “the real thing”. Real foods, the “whole enchilada”, you might say, real homemade yogurt not packaged… real whole eggs, not the kind that come in milk-type containers. Or maybe worse, those vac-paced in 5 kg packages, yes, they really do come that way!!

I’m not sure Judy and Connie and Georgie are even aware today how much they influenced my thinking. I’m not really in touch with them anymore (which is an unfortunate thing, at least for me), Save for Facebook, and it just goes to show we never really know the true impact we have on those we meet and share brief friendships. Those ladies and their families struck me to the core!! Those of you who know my good friend “Anna”, who helps me with this blog teaches us everyday just why we should hold onto those friendships. She’s one we never want to lose. Not that I wanted to lose Judy, Connie and Georgie as close friends, but circumstances beyond all our control forced the issue … so, we all lost out!  So many special things are happening that we should all be sharing and rejoicing in them.

So, I think I’ll dedicate this, my initial post on whole foods and all of those to follow to Judy, Connie and Georgie. Three unbelievably special ladies in my life.  Hopefully their healthful living philosophies can impact others through this blog. (I might just have found my content writing Niche! Whadayaknow??)

Although I do have another couple of ideas! I’m sure at least one will work out.

Recent studies are proving this philosophy true and much more healthy, considering the GMO’s on so much of our packaged foods, and that’s not to mention the antibiotics, food dyes and preservatives added. As well, it would take a PhD in chemistry to try to figure out what we really do put in our mouths

For those who don’t know what I’ve done in the past: I’ve worked with mentally-challenged adults, helping develop self-sufficiency-type programs to take participants out of training and out on their own. I’ve studied piano and voice, taught piano.  Received a degree in Economics (but still can't keep Europe out of debt).  Sewed well enough, at one point to make all my own clothes.  Worked at a Natural Foods Store (something I really loved).  Was an editor, reporter and photographer for two local community newspapers. Learned newspaper composition (the old-school manual way). Sold advertising and written ad copy, for many clients and promotions.  Curled at provincial and national levels, coached junior curling.  Co-owned and operated a large seasonal family-style restaurant and three franchise-style operations, and did all sundry tasks associated with such enterprises.  Was Returning Officer, hired by the NS Legislative Committee to administer provincial elections in the Annapolis district and, for a time was Justice of the Peace. Well, That’s me in a rather large nutshell!! And writing is what I want to do., Specifically, content writing…. To that end, I’ve been studying everything I can find online I think, too, I’ve learned something valuable trough the stroke experience with which I could help others… so there it is, wonder where I take it from there?  But, back to knowing where I live, I could write loads of copy about Nova Scotia. Stuff that would make anyone want to visit or live here, and have photos to back it up!! 

What did I learn today in my internet searches for content writing? I learned there are more decisions than just that to be made thanks to

Matthew Woodward http://www.matthewwoodward.co.uk/

And even more info at

http://braunandcompany.com/becoming-a-content-strategist-do-i-have-the-personality-for-it/

I’ve got lots of studying ahead of me! That’s what I think I’ll do - study and continue working on magazine freelancing and other “homier" projects. I want my grandsons to have the same appreciation of whole foods that I learned from Connie, Judy and Georgie. They’re already starting to “get it”!

Stay healthy and safe!

Sandra