I have a guest post up at Family Fun Calgary.  Please head on over and check it out!

10 years prior to my first child being born, I knew what I would name him or her.  My husband and I discussed child naming before we got married and discovered that we both liked the same names.  It was written in stone.  Even if our friends, most of whom were already starting families, decided to use the same names, they would still be our names.  That didn't happen, at least not for Maximillian.  (We don't have a daughter and it remains to be seen if her name will be 'taken' by the time we have her, if ever.)

Anyway, we tried to think of everything regarding the names to make sure we really wanted them.  Nicknames, rhymes, middle names.  Did the initials stand for anything?  Did the initials look good for monograms?  If they wanted to be an author, politician, actor or chef, would the name serve them well?  I thought all bases were covered.   Then I started working as a nanny and was introduced to the most annoying TV show EVER!

Max and Ruby.

I hate Max and Ruby.  I hate that Max is always doing bad things.  I hate that Ruby has the most annoying voice in the world.  I hate the way she constantly says "Max" in her sing-songy annoying voice all through the show.  

What I hate the most is that now, even though I haven't seen an episode in well over a year, I can hear Ruby in my head when I get an annoying sing-song to my voice.  

Like this morning as Max descended into his pre-nap whining stage.  He was starting to get on my nerves and I said, "Ma-ax, why are you whining?" and  "No, Ma-ax!"  It was like nails on a chalkboard.  Not him.  Me.  Ruby's voice coming out of my lips!  

Darn you Max and Ruby!

 I still love the name we chose for our baby boy.  Maximillian Edward Hamel is a strong name.   But man I wish I had never seen that show!

Did you agonize over choosing a name for your baby?  Any regrets or funny stories about the name now?

It has been almost a month since my last post.  The business of Thanksgiving and visiting family along with the sudden void of constant performing has left me quite unproductive.  I have meant to write a final post about Anne of Green Gable, a post about Browned Butter Pumpkin Roll, a post about...oh I could go on but it just makes  me look pathetic.

I have recently joined a forum of bloggers called Eclectic Six and today they started a weekly prompt for bloggers called Monday Mojo.  The big question today is :

What do you do to get your mojo back when it seems to be missing?  What are your suggestions for renewing creativity within yourself and how do you keep your writing fresh?

Well, obviously this is perfectly timed for me, mojoless Misty!  To be perfectly honest, I am very often motivated to write out of frustration.  I jokingly told Heather from Home To Heather that she should pick a fight with her husband if she wanted to get inspiration for her blog.  I was only half joking though.  

If you have read a few of my posts it won't take you long to know that even though I love life, good food, family and friends, my life is not perfect and I don't try to portray a perfect picture.  Sometimes life is crap.  Sometimes the husband that is my best friend infuriates me.  Sometimes I am not a good mom to my baby boy.  

Writing a post, a tweet, a facebook update that throws my frustration out into a world where others like me can read, relate and maybe comment back that I am not alone is one way to process that not-so-good parts of life.  

Frustration is not the only emotion that motivates me to blog.  And blogging doesn't just help with the hard times.  Sorry this has been so depressing up till now!  Sheesh!  

I am also inspired by the good times.  You know when you look at your kid and think 'no one could love their kid more than I love this one'?  Or you make a delicious cake that you wish everyone in the world could taste? Those times when you see a spectacular double-rainbow but no else is there to witness it?  These things have to be shared!  It brings validity and permanence to these fleeting moments of perfection!  

Sharing joy and happiness feeds the soul.  On the flip side, sharing tears and frustrations feed the soul as well.  I tend to share it in what I think is a humorous way.  (But I know I think I am way more funny than others do.)  In the end, I write for me.  Those who choose to read may relate, may choose to never read again and then there may be a few who laugh with me or at me.  As long as it helps me or any one reader, I will continue to find my mojo in the emotions of life.

Did I answer the question?  Not really.  I talked around it.  I tend to do that.  How about this for an answer: 

I get my mojo back when I allow myself to live in the moment and by being honest with myself.  When I find myself pushing down emotions because I am busy or because I don't want to deal with a situation, I am only going through the motions of living.  My writing is probably the most fresh when I am living authentically on purpose.  Hard to do everyday but worth trying for and not just for the mojo of writing but for the mojo of living.