Sera

I did this painting without ever having experienced Italy. It was only a few weeks after finishing it that I got the chance to see Italy for real.
I called the painting Sera, which means evening in Italian. 
What I wouldn't give right now to sit on a porch somewhere in Italy, with a drink in my hand and the evening sun peering over the horizon. 
Strange how a country I hadn't yet been to could feel so much like home, even before I got the privileged to experience it.
Thanks to all those who experienced it with me.
The time we spent together will forever be a golden time in my life <3

"Italy is a dream that keeps returning for the rest of your life." 

~Anna Akhmatova

 

 

Rainy Mornings

I know it's going to be a good day when it rains in the morning. 

I love writing when it rains. There's something about the rain that inspires me. 

Today however I had to get away from my laptop and breathe for a moment. So I took my friends for a walk through the yard.

 Raffael didn't want to get his paws wet.

Kiki didn't mind so much:P

"Some people feel the rain, others just get wet."

~Bob Marley 

Staying Focused

"Don't dig up in doubt what you planted in Faith."

~Elisabeth Elliot 

My doubt has been distracting me.
Constantly it's nagging me, trying to steal away my focus. 
I remember those nights when the words find me. I remember how the words flow through my hands. I remind myself how alive it makes me feel. 
When I'm no longer sure of myself... I remember a time when I was, and that is all it takes to regain my focus.
One word will lead to another, one chapter will follow the next. 
The doubt no longer bothers me. It's not like it's stopping me. 
You can't get to me. I know who I am. 
I'm all in. I'm fully dedicated.
It's no longer the words I'm after, it's the life. It's the emotion. 
I have to do this, because if I don't write, I'm never gonna live again. If the words don't come, I'm never gonna feel again.
Doubt is just waste of time. And time is ever wasting. 

Paris 2016 Pictures

"Paris is not a city, it's a World."

~King Francois the I 

 

 

 

Special thanks to my Dad for always having his camera ready. The pictures turned out great!

You can check out more of his pictures at Heinrich Nikel Photography

Paris 2016

I am finally getting around to posting about my trip.

We arrived in Paris on July 7th. It was the night of the big Soccer game.
I, of course, was not there to see the game, but somehow this was still the highlight of the short time I spent there.
I grew up in a very small town. Where I live everyone knows everyone and the community is very tight.
Growing up I could only dream of big cities like Paris. I could only imagine the stories that took place in these major cities and the tales that were inspired by them. 
Now, thinking back to Paris, there is one memory that is forever going to make my heart sigh. 
It is the lively sound of Paris rising through the open balcony door. It is the shouting and the laughing and the singing, keeping me awake till early in the morning. I hear the car horns blasting, I hear the cheering, I see the lights through the breezy hotel curtains. 
I hear the entire city of Paris coming together to celebrate their victory. 
Who said big cities could not have community spirit when there's so much more spirit to be had?
 

 "A walk through Paris will provide lessons in history, beauty,and in the point of life." ~Thomas Jefferson 

Summer

Well, I'm back.
Although I haven't posted in almost a month, I've done more writing than I have in a long time. I haven't felt this dedicated for quite a while. My book is well on its way.
I have never felt so much a Writer as in these last few weeks. My sleeping pattern has been thrown off completely (I'm nocturnal now.) I eat mostly in front of my laptop (Eat... Sorry, I meant Coffee.) I have to put "take shower" on my to do list and I haven't spoken to anyone outside those very special people who are brave enough to show up at my house... (Thanks for insisting to spend time with me. I really do appreciate it ;)
I am living the life.
Unfortunately, now that Summer has ended, it's time for me to get back to real life. I'll have to put "the life" on a pause and come back to it late at night, when the busy days have ended and no one is left awake. 
I'm done with sleep. I'm done with dreaming. I'm ready to start living (and by living I mean Writing.)

"If You want to write, if you want to create,you must be the most sublime fool that God ever turned out and sent Rambling. 
You must write every single day of your life.
You must read dreadful dumb books and glorious books,and let them wrestle in beautiful fights inside your head, vulgar one moment, brilliant the next.
You must lurk in libraries and climb the stacks like ladders to sniff books like perfumes and wear books like hats upon your crazy heads."
~Ray Bradbury

 Special Thanks to my Lil' Bro for being the lazy boy for these pictures and helping out behind the scenes of many others!

Photo credit goes to  www.heinrichnikel.com/