Jennie S. Bev

Archive

For readers who want to read my published articles and download the anthology book in PDF, click here. Bookmark it. Subscribe to its feed or by e-mail. I usually post at least one new article per month.

Still working on that column syndication goal.

I'm on leave from my columns at JG and TP to focus on a new post and finishing up several books and a lengthy narrative paper on human rights activism.

Room for writing

(Image source: NY Society Library)

We all need a room to work. And by "room" it refers to a four-walled room, a place to stay, and some cash to pay for basic necessities.

A writer needs her room badly because she needs to sit, focus, and bleed words from her forehead. For this, many writers need to moonlight as anything they can get.

I "moonlight" as an entrepreneur and a small business investor, just to keep up with the skyrocketing prices and to take care of my family.

In this early retirement, I'd like to focus on my craft and my craft only. Perhaps a little bit of investing doesn't hurt, just do it conservatively this time. A girl has got to eat, doesn't she?

Interesting links:

AgentQuery.com
Fundsforwriters.com
A Room of Her Own
Guggenheim
Lannan

Well said and future of American kids

Yesterday a good friend who is also my neighbor came to visit. We chatted a bit about the housing situation. He also lost a big chunk in the housing downturn.

He impressed me when he said, "It's time to return to the basics and things that matter. We still have our health and education. These two can't be replaced and will stay with us forever."

Well said.

The thing is, parents of teenagers who are sending their kids to college are the most depressed. They can no longer take out equity credit line from their house. With -70% (negative) equity like in my property,  for instance, unless those parents have other savings or college savings account in their kids' names, they won't be able to finance their education.

Blog readers who aren't Americans are likely to be quite confused of what I'm talking about here due to the misconception that education is free in USA. Not free for college education (both public and private schools) and not for K-12 (kindergarten to high school) private schools.

I'm very concerned of the future of American kids now.

(Please no laughing at "spoiled" American kids. They are good kids just like other children in other parts of the world. Just because they are "Americans," it doesn't mean they are spoiled brats. Thanks.)

Proposals

Finishing two book proposals. One of 30 pages and the other is of 50 pages. I might not be the best or the smartest, but I'm the hardest working person I know.

Writer's block? What block? Goals must be met. The key is simplifying and eliminating excesses.

Calm and focused

Calm and focused should be our mental state at all times. In this state, we can be productive and mindful at the same time. Eliminating excess, thus, shouldn't be hard.

New feed address

Changed feed address of this blog to:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/jenniesbevtypepad

The Power of Less

Finally Leo Babauta's The Power of Less has arrived. This guy has simplified his life, which I've just started doing. It's time to focus on quality, rather than quantity. It is time to focus on internal achievements, rather than materialistic achievements. I used to believe that both can come together, but today's economic downturn is a wake up call. 

Two principles:

1. Identify the essential.
2. Eliminate the rest.

I'm a planner and goal-setter, but I used to focus on bigger and more. Now my plans and goals are aimed to simplify, so they should be better but might not be more.

I need to start by changing small habits, like checking emails and other messages only twice daily. Yes, I'm gonna start from that.

Don't spread too thin. Smell the roses and inhale the sea breeze. Feel the sand on my toes. And hug people I love.

The power of less is more. And I love self-help inspirational books. They are books that change lives immediately.

Grateful for so many inspiring people in the world. Yes, you too. :)

Dream

Last night's dream was unlike others. I dreamed sailing a boat in a cramped waterway along with hundreds of whales. Surreal.

Setting: Sydney marina.

Admiration

I admire many writers, scholars, journalists, and artists. I usually keep a distance with them, however, as I don't want us to trample or step on anybody's toes.

Sometimes I keep a few good friends from such circles, only to drift apart after a while. Sometimes because the "mystery" has evaporated or simply because there are unfulfilled expectations, which occur in close friendships.

I choose to drift away with admiration.

Wind

As free as the wind. So free. So light.
As free as the wind. So free. So light.

What a difference being light and being simple makes.

Break

Everybody needs a break from time to time. I'm taking mine now.

Gift of time

I admire David Shields' works. I even mentioned him in one of my articles. His writings are clear and simple. A good role model for an aspiring writer like me.

I've been considering to write with full concentration without any family, household, and business interruptions. Yeah, people say retirement is the busiest phase of one's life and I can't agree more. And the only difference between "retired" and "unretired" is a very thin line. In retirement, we don't work for a living anymore. We work on our living, to make it better and more meaningful without having to worry about survival.

I'll give a try applying for Millay Colony residency, as David has inspired me. The greatest gift is time, solitude, and tranquility, many writers believe. Being in a place where nothing else matters is key to give birth to a great work.

I have never applied for a residency, so I'll be approaching this application with a lot of care and attention. The book proposal is the key. It is a great opportunity for me to learn conquering a part of myself that I have never explored before.

If I don't get it, well, it's just one failure among thousands I have encountered previously. No biggie. Just another learning experience.

Accidental retiree and less is the new more

I have been contemplating to write a book based on personal experiences, housing activism, and current economy downturn. It is something about being an accidental retiree and less is the new more. It will be part memoir, part activism, part analytical, and part self-help motivational.

It seems that I already have the book drafted in my head, but I'd need time to work on it. At least one month without interruption is needed.

Can I find time in the midst of this endless move to a new permanent place and preparation of temporary move to Southern California to write a narrative paper (or a short book) on an indigenous activist's story? 

I'd love to write this book in a condo by the beach, perhaps somewhere in Monterey Bay or La Jolla. Or perhaps I should accept that offer to stay with my very good Italian-Mexican girlfriend at Point Loma, where the view from the top is so breathtaking?

It is energizing just to think about writing something I'm truly passionate about: living and living to the fullest.

My first love is still writing about life. Other types of writing come second.

Mediocre business

Some of my friends have 100% retired from the business world. They are now enjoying themselves to the fullest. One of my best friends named G is a very happy woman raising a 10-year old and living with her beloved husband in my hometown.

She no longer works for she has sold two companies and is keeping the third one. Her sold businesses sounded "mediocre." A building maintenance company and a nursing home.

I found it very interesting. Multiple mediocre business = great combined assets.

It may only take a few geniuses to be as successful as this and this. But it takes only a hardworking person to be like G or even J to retire young.

Geniusness is not required. Just hardworkingness. And it is easier to develop several mediocre businesses than one super corporation.

I also know a college student who sold his Web site containing links and information on game cheats for $11 million. He has dropped out from school now to concentrate on creating a few more "mediocre" Web sites to sell.

That's the power of multiple mediocre businesses combined.

Free

Freeconomics is the way of the future. All kinds of stuff are offered free.
Even education. And I'm not talking about free university-level education in Germany.

University of the People is not yet accredited (like most new schools are) and it's completely online. It uses open sources and the business and "no" revenue models are very creative and interesting.

While it's probably not the business and revenue models I'd like to consider for the forthcoming online university currently being prepared, the philanthropic mission is highly admirable. Prices can be lowered to minimal, bordering marginal. For once, Bertrand Competition is possible, selectively.

The world is really borderless now.