Today's title deals with neither writing nor an insecurity per se, but I thought I'd take a moment to ask those of you who pray to shoot a quick prayer up for me and my family.
As some of you might know, I live quite close to Cape Town, which is currently facing something of a dystopian-level event in July, namely where the water levels in our dams will be so low that the city will be turning off the water supply to homes, and people will be required to queue for water at a few hundred water points.
Well... what you guys don't know is that my family business (and me) have basically been quietly but slavishly working on offering the City a possible band-aid to help stave off Day Zero. I can't give you guys precise details just yet, but to tell you guys it's been a Hurculean effort on the part of our small business is a bit of an understatement.
But people said we wouldn't be able to approach the City... But we did. They said that we wouldn't be able to get the resources together to make the business work, not even on paper. But through God's grace, that's done too.
Today, we submitted our pitch to the City government at their request, and now we have to wait to hear whether or not they give us the Okay Go.
At the moment, my fingers are shaking as I type this, as we have literally done every single thing we could do to make this happen. It all depends on a yes or no from the City of Cape Town. But I can definitely say that if we get a yes, this will by far be the biggest thing I've ever been part of in my life.
So if you pray, please ask God that His will is done, and that if it is His will, that He would continue to supernaturally intervene in this business in order to help us pull it through.
Okay... Bringing it back to the point of IWSG...
Given that this business thing has basically consumed my thoughts lately, I'm a bit low on writing right now to even think about being insecure over it. So... Today I'm going to answer this month's question:
How do you celebrate when you achieve a writing goal/ finish a story?
Usually, I just dance around a bit and brag about it on social media. Overall, though, I don't see this as a major achievement yet. The big celebration is for when I actually publish something.
What about you? How do you celebrate finishing a story?
Life happens, and sometimes writing has to take a back seat. So sorry you are going through those water shortages. Good luck with your business project.
ReplyDeleteThank you.
DeleteI have to admit, though, after my writing took a back seat last year, I'm really getting frustrated that it's doing so again now.
Hopefully soon I'll be able to really focus again.
Wow, Misha! The drought there must be really terrible. The weather is just so crazy everywhere. I'm sending you and your family lots of prayers and good vibes that your proposal is accepted. At this point water is far more important than words.
ReplyDeleteYeah it's scary to think that water is so scarce that it's being rationed.
DeleteHi Misha, read about your water shortage, can you believe it Bangalore is second on the list of cities which will be facing acute water shortage in future. Cape Town was number 1.
ReplyDeleteEven I dance sometimes when I finish a big writing goal :)
Good grief! That's terrifying!
DeleteBut thanks for letting me know. If we make our band-aid work for Cape Town, maybe we can end up pitching Bangalore.
I've been reading about the water shortage. So crazy and scary. Crossing my fingers that all works out with the proposal you submitted to the government.
ReplyDeleteThanks! I'm starting to feel carefully optimistic.
DeleteOn the other hand, I'm also feeling the way I did whenever I pitched my book to an agent. It's out of my hands, but until I know, I'm on a pendulum between hope and defeat. :-D
I hope everything works out! That water crisis is so scary to think about.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations! And Good luck!
ReplyDeleteUnbelievable that there's such a shortage. I hope your plan sees fruition!
Thank you!
DeleteWow, definitely will pray about this water shortage. Up here in the north, we have never experienced that. Thinking of you...
ReplyDeleteThanks. Yeah it's sometimes so difficult to explain the situation to people, especially when the thought of taps running dry is still so inconceivable to many of us.
DeleteI will be praying! Be really dumb of them to say no.
ReplyDeleteIt's not really a thing of being dumb as much as one of "can they afford it?"
DeleteBecause having to invest in alternatives basically means they have to take away spending from things like education, health, employment creation, and so on.
Hi Misha - I'm not surprised you've totally occupied with the family project - good luck ... because Cape Town sure needs a reprieve ... preferably some really good gentle rains. All the very best - cheers Hilary
ReplyDeleteDefinitely. Thing is that we're going to sit with a shortage for up to five years if we don't get above average rains. Which, I think, is the real headache no one's talking about. Because it's all good and well to avoid Day Zero until the winter season, when it rains here. It's another thing entirely to be disciplined enough to allow the rains to replenish our reserves for years on end.
DeleteHi Misha,
ReplyDeleteYou bet! Sending prayer and positive vibes your way. How amazing to come up with even a temporary solution to something that can be so catastrophic to your home...
Thanks! Yeah I think the thing is that we're seeing the desperation coming our way, and that's making us creative. :-D
DeleteI sent up a prayer! Good luck with this project, I hope it works. We have water shortages in Southern California too. Here's hoping! God Bless your endeavors, Misha!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much!
DeletePrayers your idea works for you and the people of Cape Town!
ReplyDeleteThe water shortage sounds scary and crazy! Hope everything works out for you.
ReplyDeleteYeah it is. Hopefully we can end up helping.
DeletePraying. I agree water shortage is scary. Sending positive thoughts and energy. Happy IWSG Day. I like the dance around bit. Made me smile. Put your hands in the air and shake your booty.
ReplyDeleteHehehe yep, something like that.
DeleteI saw a headline recently about the water situation and I thought of you then. I hope things work out.
ReplyDeleteI'm fortunate to be out of the worst of the drought zone, but the issue will come our way if we continue to get under-average rains like we have for the past year or two.
DeleteAlso pray that you don't get--shall we say--a lack of appreciation for your work. Some people like to take credit for the ideas of others. Or, some get used to a good thing and think they have a right to more.
ReplyDeleteYeah that's a good thing to pray for. In our case, we're noticing that we're increasingly being pulled out into the open by our efforts, and so if this does work, we might end up having to deal with a lot of opinions on how or why or when or whatever something like this should be done.
DeleteBut for now, I just want to see this to fruition, if possible. :-D
It's an incredible thing you and your family are doing. I hope it works out.
ReplyDeleteThanks!
DeleteOh...wow. Not surprised at all that something like this has been consuming your thoughts. Will definitely think positive thoughts for you and hope the universe allows this to happen!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much! :-)
DeleteGood luck Misha - for your project and your city. How devastating.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much.
DeleteHaving come from an agricultural background, I'm finding the true devastation to be outside city limits, since about 20,000 pack house workers and pickers weren't given work this year because there wasn't enough fruit.
Not to mention that not producing enough produce to make payments means the farmers stand to lose their farms.
Honestly, I celebrate by eating a pint of ice cream...
ReplyDeleteI used to do that, but I'm trying to cut back on my sugar. :-D
DeleteAll the best Misha!
ReplyDeleteSending prayers and good thoughts your way! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks so much!
Delete