Author C. B. Dixon
Books. Life. Wonder.
First Ever No Buy Year 2022
I am a mindless spender and yet an over-thinker spender. It really comes down to two problems; I like to shop and I love to be frugal. It’s been a huge problem for me for many years. I get this thought in my head that I have to have something. This thought becomes over powering to the point where it almost hurts. Then I get this grandiose excuse that leads me to buy whatever it is I want.
As I was scouring YouTube one day I came across these No Buy Year videos. In short the person cuts the nonessential and keeps all the fixed expenses such as rent and hydro bills. Things like food and gas get limited to a comfortable living. A budget is created to be followed religiously.
This seemed to be the perfect kick in the ass I needed to finally get a handle on my mindless spending. I know that mistakes are going to happen. I also might have to readjust my budget to fit my ever changing life. I want to do this as a habit breaker. When Covid hit in March 2020 I didn’t spend a cent on things that were nonessential. I know that it is possible. I can still have a wonderful productive life without all the extra random shit that I only use a few times. I get this thought in my head that this magical item will fix all my problems. It will help me be more productive and I will finally get all the things done that I needed too! And yet I find that item years later wondering how it came to be in my home.
Here are my rule for my first ever No Buy Year:
1. Buy essentials; food, gas, bills, needed items for son as he grows.
2. Medical trips; housing, food, and other essentials that correspond with the trip.
3. Medical; physical, vitamins, and medication can be bought within reason.
4. Use what I have first before getting a refill.
5. Repairs on the house or car will come; Keeping things up to date and healthy.
6. Budget. Budget. Budget! Track everything.
7. Manage subscriptions. Get rid of the ones that I no longer use. Don’t get anymore.
8. Give monthly allowance for clothing and outings.
9. Money from things sold will be put into the allowance for the month.
10. Reflect every month about the month. Learn from mistakes and celebrate successes.
It is a simple list of rules that I can work my first year around. If I do decide to do this another year I will use this list as a blueprint. I will also have my reflections to help guide me into my next month, next quarter, and even my next year. I am hoping with fewer things added to my life I will be able to focus more on what I already have. I have so much stuff. There is no reason for me to need or want anything extra.
I go more into this in my YouTube video; First No Buy Rules.
Have you ever attempted or heard of a No Buy Year?
What are your thoughts about only spending on the essentials?
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Taught to Save By a Cat
Over the past two years, I have been writing things that didn’t feed the masses. I wrote silent notes in my journal as I tried to find a place in my heart to write without my Taz. She was always at my side when I worked on any type of craft. It not a page would not be written without the sound of her purr or the screen being pushed down by her teeth as she gnawed the corner of the screen. Her actions would be heart-wrenching adorable and other times painfully irritating. I loved that fuzzy furball. She was the best writing partner a girl could ever ask for. In photos on my Instagram, she could be seen being a great distraction with her solid personality and spirit. Her markings were ever-changing with the seasons; in the fall she would even get more orange as Halloween rolled near.
A story that caused me extreme pain. A small action by Taz almost killed Wicked Soul Ascension.
The manuscript was near its complete. The editor sat in wait as I did one last read-through before the story would be read for the first time by a professional. Taz rounded the computer being her mischievous self. She pur-meowed at me twice before pouncing all over the computer hitting the ctrl-A sequence… along with an extreme number of letters following before I scooped her heavy butt off the keys. I wondered if I could hit ctrl – Z enough times to get it back. The page was half-filled with the letter D along with a random assortment of other characters. My heart stopped. Beads formed on the lids of my eyes and were smudged into my glasses as a huge furry head bashed into them. Taz rubbed her head down my face as somersaulted down my chest, her tail smacked me in my face as she pur-meowed again.
See that human? Do you see all the help I helped? I did a good job. I know I helped. Look you stopped moving I did such a good job. Here has a head hug. Thwap! You’re such a good human.
Let me tell you. The simple way did not bring back the book. I had to go from my last save point and reread everything that I had put together. She taught me the importance of a great save. I also now have three backup files to one finished book that I rotate through just in case a mistake like that happens.
Thank you, Taz, for such a wonderful lesson.
You are forever missed.
Taz passed away at the age of 18 in 2020.
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Life Hidden Here
In the journey of modern life, I have come relaxed and unmotivated. I used to wake up with the drive to move through the days wanting the enjoyment of accomplishment. I have fallen into the ever-so begging trap of the scroll. The mental drive that I once had needed to be sent to the mechanic. When I got the quote the person on the other end told me to get off my lazy ass. It was up to me to keep the engine running. The habits I had created all those years ago had become rusted, broken, and forgotten. I have taken to minimizing my life; feel the item… “does it bring me joy crap!” As I was doing this, I recognized that at the same time I stopped writing… I also started collecting junk. I am a huge advocate for mental health. Lately, I have needed to go out and seek professional help and I suggest everyone does a check-in with a mind doctor every so often. It feels great to get everything out in the open. Back on track now, I had always known that writing was what I needed. It was the oil to my engine. The gas in my tank that had once helped me get out of bed in the morning. My family is a special gift that I hold dear in my heart but writing is the power behind my wheel. It gives me something other than being a wife and mother. It gives me a sense of being that is more than what I am in our home. A purpose.
I have stumbled and tripped over this over the past few years. This is not the first time I have come to this conclusion. It happens every time I am ready to get off the floor and do something with my life. I have tried to break from what I am and who I truly want to be. It is hard for me to do what I do. I do not understand the rules of grammar. I struggle with the placement of letters in a word. And yet here I am again. Here I am letting it flow out of me like saddened happy tears streaming from my eyes. A depressed and excited feeling that is thawing my soul. Each word has its own ray of warm sunshine that heated my core. I am alive. This is what I am meant to be. This is where I need to be.
How do you always walk away just to come back to say you’re sorry?
I don’t know. My mind gets so overwhelmed that I physically run. Here I am, writing the same thing over once again. I Should have never left. I should have never tried to be something else. Distractions called to me, and I let them take over my mind. I let my hands get busy on some other project that I couldn’t give my all to.
Where have you been all this time?
With my health aside, I have become a mommy. My son, almost two, and his toddler-ttitude. He is witty and clever, and he knows what he likes. His two years of life have astounded me. I can’t believe that this little character is my baby. He has filled my every moment with joy. Now that he is getting older, I have realized that he does what he likes. His passion for each of his projects has opened my eyes. It was my turn to become enthusiastic about my projects again. His love of stories got me reading again. Books. Oh, how he loves his books. Half of his room is a bookshelf filled with books. He will sit in his room with stacks all around him as he turns the one in his hand page by page. Who knows if maybe he will want to be a writer one day? He already tells the most fascinating of tales. It will be up to him when the time comes right now we enjoy the play and excitement of toddlerhood.
Plans for the future?
Finally, get book two out, and book three of the Soul Ascension series done. The second book is already written and book three already has its blueprint all drawn/written up. It’s time to get cracking. It’s time to get motivated. I plan to get back into posting on the blog while kicking my Instagram back into motion. I need to revamp my social media. That was one of the things that overwhelmed me the most. I branched out too far with my social media profiles and I lost track of what I was supposed to be doing… writing! So, just as I am doing in my house, I am going to minimize my social media accounts, so I don’t get overloaded with posting here and there. That is until I get my groove. Then I might reassess. First, I need to get back to the basics. Get my foundation formed and sturdy so I can build my castle on something that won’t crumble.
Take one thing at a time. Build from the basics. Move forward from there.
Let me know in the comments. Have you ever experienced slips in your life where you found yourself far from the passions?
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Reading List?
We’re halfway through the year in one more week… have you hit that stack of books that’s sitting over there begging to be read?
My reading list hit the back burner. I added so many more books over the lat few months that it’s become a daunting mountain of monsters. I’m hope to dig in without adding to the heap. My birthday is coming up…that means a bookstore gift card might make it’s way over to me. If that happens then I will have no choice but to add more. Oh the life!
I have found a new fascination in books about organization. I can’t recall when it happened this year but I have taken a break from the fantasy world and dove in to the nonfiction side of the bookstore. The shift was strange. I did have a challenging time trying to rad the first book because it wasn’t an epic battle or solving a mystery. The books were factual with a bit of dry humour thrown in to spice up the words, like taking a bite out of a day old biscuit that sat out on the counter. It’s good in a hard stale way…
The second book was dry… better, but still stale. It took me back to the days of school where my teacher would tell us to read the textbook ahead twenty page. The information was educating but lacked that exciting thrill of adventure.
Cue the amazing audiobooks. I truly believe that this is the future on nonfiction books for me. I will be able to soak in the information as well as get my chores done. I find keeping my hands busy helps me take in the knowledge of the author. My focus is heightened to the words that flow from the page into my ears, enlightening my mind.
What are your preferences in books, learning new tasks, and ways of reading?
Let me know in the comments.
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5 Year WordPress Anniversary
That is incredible. It’s been a crazy five years. I know deep in my heart that my writing has flourished since I have started. I still have to work on my timely manner and get blog posts out on time. Maybe that will be my five year goal. I will make a plan and stick to it. A goal that I might have to try out very soon.
In the past five years, I have gone through many mini projects. I had tried to start a youtube channel about our adoption and found that it wasn’t for me. I didn’t want to make my child’s story public. I attempted many different writing styles that lead me to start a new blog so I could slap down thoughts about life things. This blog doesn’t really correlate with my writing life. In short, I had spread myself thin trying to find my voice. My presence online became a scattered mess over the five years I’ve been on this blog.
Time for the cleanup crew. I am still in the growth of my voice. I know now that I should be me and only me. Through doing that I will find people that are like me. I will always learn from the greats but I will never be exactly like them because they are not me and I am not them. I can still be one of the greats. I will do it my way. It’s terrifying that it took me five years to crack out of my shell.
I am here. Here is now.
Let us begin.
Youtube is a great resource for me to grow as an author. I love watching other authors give their opinion on how to develop a book. The same goes for podcasts. I don’t think those are in my cards at the moment. As much as I want to keep my dive in personality. I have to think realistically…can I continue to produce great content and deliver in a timely manner. The answer is… not right now.
I’m okay with that. These past five years have taught me one important thing. I can’t be everywhere at once. If I had a million arms and cloning abilities, then… maybe. Unfortunately, I’m not in one of my books. I can’t snap my fingers to complete a task.
It takes time. It takes effort. It takes drive.
On this anniversary of my five years of this blog, I want to say thank you for popping in and being here with me.
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Discover the New
Dear Journal,
There comes a time in a writers life where the story ends. That amazing feeling that follows. The phrase, “I just finished a book!” It’s bliss. The power that pumps through the veins after creating a world is addicting.
And then…
The next phase of writing begins. The oh-so-loved revisions. I have talked about revisions before. For those of you that read it know that I don’t like them. The self-edits can be a touch dry. Extremely frustrating. And, downright horrible!
There is something neat about them that I discovered last night. I can tell if I wrote the story late at night. I can tell if I was hungry. There was also a point where I was sure the writer in me was sleeping. I typically have music playing while I write out the stories. This is also shown in my writing. The layers of emotion that’s laced into a story is mindblowing. When I read I try to pick these things out in other peoples works with no avail. I wonder if I can pick these parts out because I wrote it. This is something I will study a bit more.
I finished the second last set of revisions this morning at two AM. A few cups of tea, one bowl of popcorn, and a drive to finish! That’s all I needed to complete that round. I’m going to do one more quick read through before it goes to the beta readers. It was a neat feeling to finish Mortal Soul Ascension. This book challenged me as it pushed me to try new tricks in my writing.
It’s time to do my last read over. The beta readers are waiting.
Take care,
C. B. Dixon
Wicked Soul Ascension
Want a read that will get your heart pumping?
Available in paperback.
Link: Chapters
Link: Barns & Noble
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5 Things to do When You’ve Lost Your Groove
Ever feel like a snail going uphill on a hot day?
I’m sure every person that’s ever had to get something done has felt this way. I’ve been editing Mortal Soal Ascension all week. It was going great until today happened. I’m sure I’ve filled my coffee cup up everytime I’ve had a sip. I’ll stare at the page to edit out all those annoying mistakes… And, all I see is black and white. I can no longer see the words. I’m sure I fried my brain.
I know I’m not the only one to hit a brick wall. It comes to us all in an unexpected slap in the face. I wanted to share a few things I do to get my brain back into the groove.
- Take a Walk.
The fresh air seems to stimulate my mind with new ideas. The exercise gets the blood pumping that wakes me up. Sometimes it’s that break from the house that gets things rolling again. If I’ve locked myself up in the studio/office day after day my mind goes stale. With a nice refreshing walk away I don’t feel so cooped up. - Work on Something Else.
For me right now I am working on this blog post. I have been doing the same thing over and over. Correcting grammar and rewording sentences. I have to admit it’s not my favourite part about writing. I love creating. Like I’m doing with this post. A fresh screen that gets manipulated by my voice. It’s hard to beat that feeling. Sometimes all it takes is a fresh start of another project that makes the more undesirable parts worth it. If your an artist or halfway through an assignment for school or work then take a break, work on another project you’ve put to the side. You might just find the inspiration to continue, plus you’re getting something else done. - Read.
I read. The mental break is a blessing. Plus, it helps me with creating my sentence structure, grammar, and gives me new words. It’s like studying without the textbook. I set a limit to how many chapters, or a time that I will finish by. I know working at home can sometimes get carried away. When you go to a job breaks are scheduled. There you get a coffee, a snack, and maybe a conversation or two. At home, these fifteen-minute breaks are forgotten. We need to remember that these are important to keep our mind from becoming overworked. - Shower.
I know. This one is a touch weird. Give me a moment to explain. In the morning I make my coffee, grab an apple, and sit at the computer… before I know it, it’s 3 o’clock. By this time I’m hungry and mostly brain dead. I’ll have a quick shower. The fresh feeling of water perks me right up. I’ll make lunch to move around, getting that blood pumping. Fed and fresh, the project has become something more alive. - Stare at the Project.
This is the least favourite. This is the one I do when I know I’ve made up one to many excuses to walk away. You’d be surprised how well it works. We have to admit to ourselves that we are not inspired every hour of every day. Life doesn’t work like that. We need to schedule in time for our craft. It’s one of those things we need to do or it will never get done. Push through the lack of inspiration. Quit the negative thoughts and work through it. Remind yourself that it’s part of the job. We are stronger in our craft when we find the strength to overcome these moments. Stare if that’s all you can do. You’ve given the project that time of your day and you must see it through. Even if you get nothing done.
I hope this list of odd things help you when your groove has left the building. I find that these little actions help me when I feel drained and unmotivated. These things happen to us all, you’re not alone. It doesn’t matter if your a songwriter, a potter, architect, business person, glass blower, digital artist, or YouTuber. We all have days where the ideas just don’t come. And that’s okay. Let that day become the day you look back and say, “if I could do it then, I can do it now!”
Your work is a gift.
Keep doing what makes you happy.
It will all be okay.
Cheers!
Wicked Soul Ascension
Want a read that will get your heart pumping?
Available in paperback.
Link: Chapters
Link: Barns & Noble
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Bookstore Change-Up
I had to change where my books were sold last month. It was a heart-wrenching decision but I’m hoping that the outcome will be much better. I’ve been on the fence about Amazon lately. It’s nice to have whatever I want available at my fingertips. I’m a local shopper. I like to buy local first, then provincial, Canadian, and then worldly. It’s part of my plan to help out my neighbours first. I know lots of local artists, farmers, and weavers. I want to lend them a hand because I know how hard it is to become noticed.
While I was remodelling my blog and website, combining them into one, I got thinking about how I was contributing to the local stores here with my book. I have Wicked Soul Ascension in all the local bookstores in town. It’s great walking in there and seeing that one sold. I was working on the Book section of the site when I noticed that I’m contributing to the Amazon take over.
Don’t get me wrong, I think Amazon is amazing and useful. I love Chapters/Indigo/Coles. This is the Canadian bookstore that is widely known across the country. I then found that Barns and Noble is the equivalent in the USA. I have now put more attention into brick-and-mortar stores. Maybe you can call me old fashioned or Millennial. I’m just wanting to do my part in helping these companies with their businesses because I love walking into their stories. I love how lost I become in the worlds they shelve.
What is your favourite bookstore?
What country is that store in?
Wicked Soul Ascension
Want a read that will get your heart pumping?
Available in paperback.
Link: Chapters
Link: Barns & Noble
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Books
Wicked Soul Ascension: The Ascension Trilogy Book One
by C.B. Dixon
For Blaze Nemasa there is no escape from the nightmares that hunt her. Hope maybe the only one who can save Blaze’s human soul.
Demons lurking in the shadows are only myths, or that’s what Blaze’s parents told their adopted child before she fell asleep. That all changes when Blaze finds out the truth about her family which burned alive in a house fire on her third birthday. A book of Sin drags her deep into the underworld where Blaze learns the truth about her wicked nature.
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About C. B. Dixon
Wicked Soul Ascension is C.B. Dixon’s first book published. She grew up with her husband in the small town of Leduc, Alberta Canada. C.B. Dixon is currently working on Book Two of The Ascension Trilogy, Mortal Soul Ascension. C.B. plunges into nightmares to bring out heart pumping adventures.
Email:
cbdixonsbooks@gmail.com
Wicked Soul Ascension
Want a read that will get your heart pumping?
Available in paperback and eBook.
Link: Amazon.com
Link: Chapters
Link: Barns & Noble
Author C. B. Dixon 