Today is the Insecure Writer’s Support Group hosted by the incredible Alex J. Cavanaugh.

Quote of the Day:  Do what you feel in your heart to be right, for you’ll be criticized anyway. You’ll be damned if you do and damned if you don’t.–Eleanor Roosevelt

Don’t compromise yourself. You are all you’ve got.–Janis Joplin

Don’t listen to those who say, “It’s not done that way.” Maybe it’s not, but maybe you will. Don’t listen to those who say, “You’re taking too big a chance.” Michelangelo would have painted the Sistine floor, and it would surely be rubbed out by today. Most importantly, don’t listen when the little voice of fear inside of you rears its ugly head and says, “They’re all smarter than you out there. They’re more talented, they’re taller, blonder, prettier, luckier and have connections…” I firmly believe that if you follow a path that interests you, not to the exclusion of love, sensitivity, and cooperation with others, but with the strength of conviction that you can move others by your own efforts, and do not make success or failure the criteria by which you live, the chances are you’ll be a person worthy of your own respect.–Neil Simon  Find more wonderful quotes like these and Quote Lady.

April has been a wild and wonderful month, possibly the best month of my life. We had five sold out performances of Coffee Shop Confessions. Add that to the two in March, and we had a great run and raised $400 for the Mid-Minnesota Women’s Center. I viewed and reviewd plays at the Guthrie and The Children’s Theatre Company, and I’ve been quoted and promoted by these theaters. Not to mention, completing the epic A to Z Challenge. I was on top of the world. I thought I’d stay there forever.

I started to tumble down the hill. Dang. Here’s what happened. I sent my script off to a theatre in Seattle that produces plays by women with strong female characters. I figured, my place fits the bill, but I was scared. In fact, I waited until the last minute to push send. Deadline was May 1. I sent it the eve of May 1. Okay. Good for me. Then, my publicist sent me the link to this amazing place in Minneapolis called The Playwright’s Center. I spent some time reading about all the awards, productions, connections, and accomplishments of the playwrights who have been in their program, and I thought, Who am I to send a play out to a company in Seattle. They’re going to laugh at me, some no name, nobody, never heard of show from small town Minnesota.

Good grief. I’ve been reading and rereading those quotes up above. I’m giving me a talking to about all the things I did here in my community, the relationships I’ve formed, the START of something good. I’d go soak in the tub, but my water heater seems to have died during the day. We all had hot showers this morning, but I washed dishes with cold water tonight.

Here’s a boot full of flowers. I’m just trying to change the subject.

You know, the designer of this arrangement is showing us that you can do something any way you want. A boot can be a vase, or art, or footwear. It’s all on how you look at it.

Go. Create. Inspire!

Journaling Prompt:  Why do we artist go through extreme highs and lows? Where are you right now? Top of the mountain, or down in the valley?