You guys, I am so depressed. Seriously, the last three days I have barely gotten out of bed. The winter is kicking my ass. And yet, everyday, I write. What are the mantras you say to get you thru the resistance? Do tell!

*8 Mantras for Writers

1) hello resistance. hope you’ll be going along soon.
2) you can show up at the page.
3) breathe the next breath, write the next word.
4) you don’t have to be first or best, just creating is worth it.
5) your story matters, sing it from the rooftops.
6) shitty first drafts are writing.
7) everything counts: outlining, drafting, editing.
8) any writing is enough for today.

What are your mantras for fighting resistance? Organize your mind and give us a little preview in the comments, or grab a buttonand play along. If you post on your list on your blog, please give us the permalink in the Mr. Linky below so we can come say hi! Thanks for being here.

My mind is so very busy right now that I wake up in the middle of the night strategizing. So here’s a list to store some of it — *8Things I’ve Got Cookin’. What’s on your burners?

1. ESeries Art Lessons : art history + soulcare + blessings from moi, delivered to your inbox for a low weekly price.
2. ESeries Do Less Revolution: how to do less and live more, one weekly step at a time.
3. ESeries Withmate Stories – The Religious Recovery Series:  support as you walk through the stages of (possibly)  leaving church and finding a spirituality that fits. (I don’t know if I have the audience or passion for this one. I’m chewing on it. It would be this kind of topic, but in podcast + worksheet form. Would it appeal to Y.O.U.?)
4. Magpie Girl Re-Launch: circus-y tattooish goodness focused on care for creative souls.
5. Flock: new offerings include advice from a Money Coach, SoulFood (recipes), and an interview with Carrie McCarthy, author of our Read Along book, Style Statement.
6. SoulRetreats: We’re FINALLY going to sell our Magpie Girl’s Guide to hosting your own SoulRetreat. It will go out to mailing list people only at first, for an introductory price. So sign up!
7. 30 Days to Pavlov – The Exercise Version: I’m half way thru and exercising daily! (“the ritual has begun”)
8. 30 Days to Pavlov – The Sugar Free Version: I’m three days in and super headachey! :-(

What is your list for *8Things: Project’s I’ve Got Cookin’? Organize your mind and give us a little preview in the comments, or grab a button and play along. If you post on your list on your blog, please give us the permalink in the Mr. Linky below so we can come say hi! Thanks for being here.

There are five days of snow and grey in the forecast. So this week I’m trying to cheer myself up by dreaming of the *8 People I Would Love to Play With. I’ll show you mine if you’ll show me yours!

*8Things: People I want to Play with

1. Royal deLuxe: giant puppets!

2. hulu hoopers

3. bollywood dancers

5. Polyphonic spree

6. Improv Everywhere

7. The Moth: stories told live, without a net

8. TAL

9. Most Broadway Choruses. This one would be good.

What is your list of *8People to Play With? Share in the comments below grab a button and play along. If you post on your list on your blog, please give us the permalink in the Mr. Linky below so we can come say hi!  Maybe you will inspire someone to live with less stress and more space today. Thanks for being here.

When I got sick with debilitating chronic pain, everything had to change. My once busy calendar had to be cleared. The defacto commune had to move out of my house. I had to Do Less. A lot less.

Thankfully, due in no small part to the book The Power of Less: The Fine Art of Limiting Yourself to the Essential by Zen Habitswriter Leo Babatua, I learned that doing less made me more powerful. The once spread-thin me became a master of what I call “concentrated living” where doing less, means accomplishing more.

In the middle of learning this Do Less lifestyle, I moved out of a 6 bedroom house and into a 3 bedroom apartment. This meant drastically scaling back everything we owned. Two years later I’m happy to announce that I love my modernist apartment and my scaled-back stuff. So much so that I’ve already begun worrying about how we will be tempted to spill back into all 6 rooms (plus basement storage!) in our old house once we return to the States.

In an effort to study-up, glean ideas, and set some intentions for the move home, I recently read Everett Bogue’s new ebook The Art of Being Minimalist.  I’m not an affiliate for this book, because I’m not sure there’s enough “meat” in it for me to recommend the purchase. Plus, I have a hard time taking minimalist living advice from someone who is under 30 with no kids. But the book is beautifully laid out and can be read in about 90 minutes, which I like. Check it out and if you think it suites you, give it ago. After all, $9.95 is not a huge price and maybe it will inspire you to a whole new way of living.

In the Art of Being Minimalist Bogue points out that he only owns 100 things. If he doesn’t use something in 1 month, he gets rid of it. It made me think about all the things I haven’t used in a month’s time, or even in 6 months time. And it inspired me to clear out some of those things.

So, for today’s *8Things, I suggest we make a list of stuff of which we could have less. Here is my list of *8Things to Minimize. (Thanks Everett. That was totally worth $9.95.)

1. Books: We regularly give away books, but our shelves are still over full to over flowing. The fact is, there are few of these we will ever re-read. If I can strong-arm my husband into it, I’m going to try to get us down to one shelf of books. (We have bookshelf in every room. Even the kitchen.) We live 6 blocks from the library. We’ll be fine.

2. DVDs:When we moved to Denmark we loaded up on DVDs. I have to stay, in these long dark Winters they have been a lifesaver. But when we are back in the land of Hulu and Netflix, we won’t need them. I’m hoping to leave most of them behind.

3. Dishes: I’m kind of torn on this one. On the one hand, we like to entertain. It’s a huge part of our ethos. On the other hand, how many teacups does one really need when one is no longer hosting a group of 12-20 for dinner every week, or living with extra adults? And do I really need an additional plastic set for outdoor eating now that the children are older? Methinks not.

4. Twitter Follows:Immediately after reading “Minimalist” I cut my list down to 249. (From 1,300) Everyone has to be on a sub-list (personal, artists, or coaches.) Much more manageable, and hopefully more productive work-wise.

5. Songs:I love Zune because you can download all the music you want for about $15 a month. But do I really need the definitive collection of every musician I like? I’m thinning this out on the weekend.

6. Cookbooks. I have this neat organization system for my recipes and I really only use this, my GF baking cookbook, and online resources. As long as I leave Paul his Joy of Cooking, I can get rid of the rest.

7. RSS Feeds: Also right after reading the book I narrowed my list down to 7 feeds — just the people I want to read but can never find easily on Google. I used to worry all the time that I was “behind” on reading my feeds. Not any more.

8. Cleaning Products: I mean seriously, we all know I rarely clean. Why do I have stuff under every sink plus a bucketful of potions in the hall closet? As soon as I can figure out how to dispose of these “greenly” in CPH, they are out of here!

What is your list of *8Things to Minimize? Share in the comments below grab a button and play along. If you post on your list on your blog, please give us the permalink in the Mr. Linky below so we can come say hi!  Maybe you will inspire someone to live with less stress and more space today. Thanks for being here.

*8Things I’ve Learned in the Past Little Bit

1. You Can Cook It Fast.  I’ve always been a decent cook. Not  fancy, but good. Homeskillet style, I call it. Since moving to CPH I’ve had to learn to do it every night. Not just for special occasions or when I have time. Now I can cook from scratch, healthy, fast.  Plus, I make gluten free baked goods three times a week, including bread. (Yeah. I kinda rock.)

2. Nothing is Ever Wasted. I’ve had a lot of jobs in my life, switch fields, I fall in love frequently with new things, I start and stop projects. On bad days it looks like one big meandering mess. On good days I can see a pattern in the chaos. Being distracted by sparkly things has got me here. And here is good.

3. It’s okay to Nap. In the Winter it makes perfect evolutionary sense to go back to bed for an hour after you get the kids off to school. It’s called hibernation. All the beasts are doing it. Why not you?

4. Wake to the Light. Make your Bed. Usually Karen Maezen Miller makes me want to throw Zen books at her. She’s so nice, but my not-Zeny self likes to rebel against her calm. This article really worked for me tho. (Except the go to sleep with the sun part. In the North you’d go to bed at 3pm!)

5.  Human Contact is a Must. I work at home. I live abroad. If I don’t see a real, live human grown up (who is not family) at least once a weak I go bat-shit crazy. This is a lesson I have to re-learn on a regular basis.

6. People Over 40 Need Tune Ups. My reading glasses are not strong enough. My distance vision is getting iffy. There’s now a history of skin cancer in my family and I’ve never seen a dermatologist. (Says the girl who sunburned to blistered ever Summer of her life.) And don’t even get me started on what 7 years of chronic migraines has done to my endocrine system. When I get back into the land where they actually run tests and prescribe you things, I am SO getting a full-on tune up.

7. Embrace the Crazy. I’m never going to be even-keeled. I’m not a certified Freak, but I’d fly the flag. Yet in spite of this friends say “Rachelle is the solid at the center.” (Thanks, Josh.) Some of the best art in the world is made by the mad.  The key is to learn how to harness the crazy. I’m getting the hang of it. (I even wrote a tiny bit about it here.)

8. Your Kids Grow Up. A year ago my son-adopted-by affection was making me grind my teeth at night. My eldest by birth was on my nerves. And my little one was – okay well she was peachy. Now the manchild in college; the eldest daughter is a delight and a friend; and the little one – okay now she’s crying at the drop of a hat. My point is “This Too Shall Pass.” (Put it on a sticky note on your fridge. It helps the Merlot not disappear quite as fast.) 

What *8Lessons has life been dealing you these past few months?  Contribute to the Giant Pool of Wisdom by puting your *8Things in the list together. Grab a button and play along, or put your list in the comments below.  If you post on your list on your blog, please give us the permalink in the Mr. Linky below so we can come say hi! Thanks for being here.

The things you keep close at hand are usually the most reliable, handy, treasured items in your stash. So I ask you, what do you keep on your bedside table? I’ll show you mine if you show me yours…

*8Things: On My Bedside Table

1. The Body Shops’ Hemp Hand Protector – smell suspiciously like a teenager’s bedroom after the parentals have been away, but it works wonders

2. Burt’s Bees – Almond Milk Beeswax Hand Creme -  my feet love this stuff.

3. Vintage red and gold reading glasses case from Tonya. (Occasionally, my glasses are actually in it.)

4. Divine Dreaming mp3 – a sleep/dream enhancing meditation from the beloved Leonie Allen.

5. Your Nine Year Old and Your Ten- to Fourteen-Year-Old - invaluable child development guidebooks. (All of them are great.)

6. Music & Silence by Rose Tremaine – an excellent piece of historic fiction about Denmark’s King Christian IV.

7. Sublingual Melatonin and 5-HTP - – because melatonin by itself increases depression. (Wish the sleep doc had told me that when she FIRST suggested meltaonin!)

8. A spiral note book and pen, usually with a collaged cover. The one I’m using right now I collaged with my travel art kit while in Paris.

What  *8Things are on your bedside table? Grab a button and play along, or put your list in the comments below.  If you post on your list on your blog, please give us the permalink in the Mr. Linky below so we can come say hi! Thanks for being here.

This week for *8Things I’ve been thinking about the go-to websites that I keep at the top of my favorites. List. These aren’t blogs, mind you. Rather, a list of non-blog websites that really help a person out. I’ll show you mine if you show me yours…

*8Things: Highly Handy Websites

1. Bing Translate- an expat’s best friends. Good for translating hotel vacancy inquires too! Better than Google’s.
2. PhotoJoj0 — cheers me up with their twice-a-month time capsule.
3. Gluten Free Baking – terrible design but lots of good recipes.
4. Epicurious – I prop the laptop up in the kitchen out of the spill zone and cook with site.
5. Rejseplanen – Copenhagen’s excellent public transport trip planner. All cities should be so lucky.
6. Ravelry – search for free knitting patterns based on what kind of yarn you have.
7. Hulu- TV on demand. Gets me through the days I have to do book keeping. Also, laundry.
8. Digital Photography School and Pioneer Woman- teaching me how to use that fancy schmancy camera.
8.5 (I get one extra b/c one of those was in Danish) Free Will Astrology – cheeky and insightful. I love it!

What are are your *8Things: Highly Handy Websites? Grab a button and play along, or put your list in the comments below.  If you post on your list on your blog, please give us the permalink in the Mr. Linky below so we can come say hi! Thanks for being here.

This past week I’ve been deeply nurtured by a handful of artists and performers. They’ve inspired me to think in new ways, to explore new options, and perhaps most importantly, to laugh at life a little. (Why so serious?) So for this week’s *8Things, here are *8Artists Who Inspire Me Everyday.

1. Orien Lavie: Jen Lemen introduced me to this beautiful musician through the Her Morning Elegance video. If you like poetry set to music, this man is for you. And if you like cheeky, clever commentary, read the diary of  The Opposite Side of the Sea here. (Also, he is very pretty.)

 
2. Peter Callesen: I love the thought that this much beauty can come out of one piece of paper. Also, he inspires my 11 year old, which makes me happy.

3. Simon Evans: Margeretha and I stumbled upon Simon Evans in a group show at the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art outside of Copenhagen. His tendency to collect and categorize items — often with random-seeming documentation — appeals to the naturalist in me. Order from chaos. Meaning in the everyday. It’s ever so do-able. He makes me believe I can be an artist — it’s all in the way you learn to see.

4. Phillp “Pacman” Chbeeb (you tube :  myspace): I’ve been on a bit of a Phillip Chbeeb tear since the girls and I watched Season 5 of So You Think You Can Dance. I’m not sure 40-year-old mothers are big popping and tutting fans, in general. Nonetheless, I was immediately captured Phillip’s otherworldly style. Since then I’ve been learning-up and discovering a whole new dance vocabulary. I’m impressed at how this particular flowing/popping style is a new evolution of street/hip-hop/bboy dance. This piece  in particular makes me think about boundaries and limits — especially our physical limits — in new and wider ways.
Okay Dear Readers, with all those links and pics, 4 is all I have time for today. Plus, that’s already a full plate of artistic goodness. If you eat any more you’ll get a belly ache. (Hmmm….no women artists tho. Maybe y’all can help me make up for that.)

THIS JUST IN: Phillip just emailed me and agreed to do a One Q Interview for Magpie Girl readers! How great is he? (Answer: So great.)

What are are your *8Things: Artists Who Inspire? Grab a button and play along, or put your list in the comments below.  If you post on your list on your blog, please give us the permalink in the Mr. Linky below so we can come say hi! Thanks for being here.

Since reading Style Statement: Live by your own design, I’ve begun following author Danielle LaPorte’s kick-butt blog White Hot Truth. For the start of the new year Danielle had a couple of great posts in which she asked “What are you going to STOP doing in 2010?”

 Being a big proponent of the Do Less Revolution, I thought Danielle’s idea was fan-damn-tastic. So for this week’s *8Things let’s list *8Things To STOP Doing in 2010. I’ll show you mine, if you show me yours….

STOP:

1. Talking Myself Out of Exercise. It’s not longer a conversation. It happens every day. Period.
2. Trying to Get to Know Danes/New Expats. We’re used to big circle, but our tiny circle is lovely.
3. Reducing My Prices/Waiving My Fees. I charge a fair fee. Full stop.
4. Taking Sleep Meds. They don’t work. Why do I keep trying?
5. Feeling Guilty. Chronic pain is chronic pain. Sometimes you have to lie down.
6. Watching Hulu:I just found out I can access it again from abroad. Yipes! Lalalala. I can’t hear you Hulu.
7. Leaving Facebook Open: Time to just check it once and shut it down.
8. Deflecting Compliments. Send ‘em my way — this year I’ll accept them graciously. Try me!

What are are your *8Things to Stop Doing in 2010? Grab a button and play along, or put your list in the comments below.  If you post on your list on your blog, please give us the permalinkin the Mr. Linky below so we can come say hi! Thanks for being here.

To hang out a little more with Danielle LaPorte’s way of thinking, join us in the Flock in February when we’ll be doing Style Statement: Live by your own design as our first ever Read-a-Long.

What *8Things did you fall in love with in 2009? Let us know in the comments below, or grab a button and play along.
Happy New Year from Magpie Girl!

1. A much younger man.
2. A much older man.
3. A clever artist.
4. A rebel.
5. A bird or two.
6. An entire graduating class.
7. A body of water.
8. A joyful noise.