Author: Lisa

Lisa A. Listwa is a self-employed writer with experience in education, publishing, and the martial arts. Believing there was more to life than punching someone else’s time clock and inspired by the words of Henry David Thoreau, she traded her life as a high school educator for a life as a writer and hasn’t looked back. She is mother to one glorious handful of a daughter, wife to the nicest guy on the planet, and reluctant but devoted owner of three Rotten Cats. You can find her adventures and thoughts on living life deliberately here on the blog.

OctPoWriMo Day 22 – Sacred Store

So OctPoWriMo completely got away from me… First, a blog malfunction set me back a couple of days. Then I spent a few days trying to recover from the blog malfunction. Then I got a cold. Then we went away for a couple of days. Then… You know…the stuff of life. I’ve given up on the…

By Lisa October 22, 2015 Off

Self-Love is Hard; Self-Reproach is Easier – A #1000Speak Post

Let me tell you something about self-love: Self-love is very difficult to practice when you’re feeling down on yourself.     It should come as no surprise that I’ve opted for the self-compassion route again this #1000Speak link-up – that’s been my focus all along. Of course, it’s been a couple of months since I’ve actually…

By Lisa October 22, 2015 Off

Finding Time for Words

Lately, I find that words fail me. The desire to write exists, but when I sit down and attempt to get to it…nothing happens. Blog posts, my personal works-in-progress, letters, e-mails, even something as simple as the weekly to-do list or an errand reminder – all seem too hard. And it’s so easy to blame…

By Lisa October 11, 2015 Off

TToT – My People

There’s a lot going on around here right now. The in-real world is pretty stressful and demanding right now and I’d be lying if I said I’m handling with anything close to finesse. I’m not. I’m exhausted. I’m not sleeping. My eczema is springing up like crazy. I’m getting pimples – and that’s ridiculous. I…

By Lisa October 11, 2015 Off

TToT – Transitions and Getting Back on Track

Fall has always been a time of transition and fresh starts for me. This year is no different. The change of seasons itself is a beautiful time of change – for me, the move from hot and humid to cool and comfortable is glorious. And I love the color changes, too. Although the fresh, bright…

By Lisa October 4, 2015 Off

OctPoWriMo Day Three – The Blank Page

Life exhausts us. We move and go and think and feel until we can no longer stand. Forces pull us. We move this way, that way, every direction until there is nowhere to turn. All inspires us. We breathe, consume, absorb, devour all that is until sweet muses demand release. But words fail us. We sit, we stare, we doubt, and delay until the…

By Lisa October 3, 2015 Off

OctPoWriMo Day 2 – White

So I’m back for day two. So far, so good. Today’s OctPoWriMo prompt encourages us to “write cinematically,” to convey a visual scene. I don’t know if I’ve done that, but here’s today’s offering…

By Lisa October 2, 2015 Off

OctPoWriMo – Day 1 (What Was I Thinking???)

Well, here it is…October first. When did that happen? At some point during the last few weeks, I think I decided to give the OctPoWriMo challenge a try. But seriously…thirty-one poems in thirty-one days? I don’t know… But I do know that it’s been far too long since I flexed my poetry muscles, so now is as…

By Lisa October 1, 2015 Off

Burying the Hatchet

He patted the key stored safely in his pocket and a look of smug satisfaction settled on his face as he walked down the street, away from the shuttered book store and away from her forever. His pulse quickened for just a moment before he brushed an anxious thought away, regaining his composure by reminding himself that this…

By Lisa September 28, 2015 Off

TToT – Fall is Here, Baby!

And that could be my entire post…truly. I am beyond happy that the weather is starting to cool and the fall season is officially – and visibly – upon us. I think my soul’s natural season is autumn or something…I am never more at peace than during autumn.

By Lisa September 27, 2015 Off