The Hocus-Pocus of Focus - Bruce Atchison

 I can't help but notice that my story-telling desire has been focused on the things I loved. That makes sense as we all love to talk, or write, about what we love.

I was unpopular in school. To gain some favour from my peers, I often told jokes or funny stories. The boys were busy playing sports so it was the girls whom I entertained.

Once I had a computer with a synthetic voice to read what I wrote, I began writing about my long-time love: electronic music. Two fan magazine published my reviews of CDs and cassettes of musicians who weren't popular except with my friends. I also had a few articles published in underground "zines" before I decided to go professional.

Since my freelance writing teacher said to write what I know, I tried querying magazines about what I knew. But most publications weren't interested in electronic music, radio listening, or house rabbits.

Undaunted, I quit freelance writing and wrote 3 memoirs. The one about my house rabbits sold moderately well but the books about my time at a school for the blind and how a cult-like house church messed me up didn't sell at all.

While all that happened, I blogged on the topics I was writing in my articles and books. My hope was that people would read my posts and decide to buy my books. That only helped me sell a few copies.

So I retired from writing in November of 2021. Because Canada Pension Plan kept a watchful eye on me, presuming me guilty until proven innocent, I felt compelled to promote my books and blogs. Now I'm free of the pressure and enjoying life. I do plan on writing and perhaps publishing two books I was working on but I'm in no hurry

When Work Will Become Play - Bruce Atchison

For those who don't know me, I've lived on a disability pension since 1995. In July of that year, I went to a work counselor to find out which line of employment I was suited for. After showing the man my tear sheets from amateur electronic music fan magazines, he recommended I become a freelance writer.

What takes the fun out of writing for me is having to be under threat of scrutiny by Canada Pension Plan. According to their regulations, I had to find employment in the kind of work I previously did for the federal government. After two years, I was supposed to find any sort of employment.

Doing what's needed is nowhere as enjoyable as doing what one loves. That's why I sympathize with one epistle writer in particular. Jude 1:3 (Bible in Basic English) shows his dilemma. "My loved ones, while my thoughts were full of a letter which I was going to send you about our common salvation, it was necessary for me to send you one requesting you with all my heart to go on fighting strongly for the faith which has been given to the saints once and for ever."

There's absolutely nothing wrong with contending for the faith. Poor Jude would rather have rejoiced in the great privilege of salvation but the Holy Spirit reassigned his writing work to defend the truth.

Furthermore, Paul wanted to be with the Lord but he knew the churches needed him more. Philippians 1:23 and 24 (BBE) says, "I am in a hard position between the two, having a desire to go away and be with Christ, which is very much better: Still, to go on in the flesh is more necessary because of you."

Furthermore, Jesus let out a cry of triumph in John 19:30 (BBE). "So when Jesus had taken the wine he said, 'All is done.' And with his head bent he gave up his spirit."

I know I'll feel so happy when I retire next year. Canada Pension Plan won't be on my back bumper anymore. I earned my pension and, God willing, my retirement pension will await me. And if I feel inspired to write, I will do so without fear that I'll be tossed off my hard-earned pension.

... But Deliver Me From Bureaucrats by Bruce Atchison

In spite of my being almost blind, I consider myself wondrously blessed. Thanks to the heavenly Father, I have a beautiful house in a tiny hamlet. It's so peaceful here that I feel like I'm on a permanent writing retreat. Furthermore, I get up when I feel like it, eat when I want to, and I have no physical boss breathing down my neck.

So what's wrong with all that? When I was laid off from the federal government in 1995, the personnel worker placed me on unpaid leave for two years. I received disability pension cheques each month from Sun Life and the government. The reason for the unpaid leave was so that I could have two extra years of pensionable income.

Since I'm still permanently disabled, having lost my left eye to a hemorrhage in 1988, Sun Life sends me a letter each year to confirm that I'm still disabled. Canada Pension Plan, on the other hand, audited me in 2003. My case worker wasn't happy with my doctor's note and the tax forms I had to send in. I never did find out why that was. After ten months, my case worker said in a letter that I was approved to remain on CPP disability BUT warned that I could be audited again at any time without prior notice.

The sword of being investigated hangs over me, even though I haven't received that dreaded telephone call again in more than eleven years. As a result, I worry that I could be cut off from half my pension money at the whim of a distant, dispassionate bureaucrat.

I'd love to be free of that worry but it's the price I pay for being on disability. When I was laid off, a job skills counselor suggested that I should take up freelance writing after I showed him tear sheets of fan magazines which published my music reviews. I also showed him the government newsletters in which my articles about recycling appeared. This seemed to me a golden opportunity. I could write at home while doing what I loved.

Freelance writing and being an author hasn't paid well. Nevertheless, I'm glad I have the freedom to create without the pressure of making a living. Even so, I still live with the haunting suspicion that the next phone call will be my case worker in Ottawa with bad news about my pension.

While I can, I'll spend the next seven years and two months searching for writing work, writing short stories, and promoting my books. I shouldn't worry but I do. Even so, I know intellectually that the heavenly Father will work something out for me. Now that knowledge needs to work its way into my heart.

... But Deliver Me From Bureaucrats by Bruce Atchison

In spite of my being almost blind, I consider myself wondrously blessed. Thanks to the heavenly Father, I have a beautiful house in a tiny hamlet. It's so peaceful here that I feel like I'm on a permanent writing retreat. Furthermore, I get up when I feel like it, eat when I want to, and I have no physical boss breathing down my neck.

So what's wrong with all that? When I was laid off from the federal government in 1995, the personnel worker placed me on unpaid leave for two years. I received disability pension cheques each month from Sun Life and the government. The reason for the unpaid leave was so that I could have two extra years of pensionable income.

Since I'm still permanently disabled, having lost my left eye to a hemorrhage in 1988, Sun Life sends me a letter each year to confirm that I'm still disabled. Canada Pension Plan, on the other hand, audited me in 2003. My case worker wasn't happy with my doctor's note and the tax forms I had to send in. I never did find out why that was. After ten months, my case worker said in a letter that I was approved to remain on CPP disability BUT warned that I could be audited again at any time without prior notice.

The sword of being investigated hangs over me, even though I haven't received that dreaded telephone call again in more than eleven years. As a result, I worry that I could be cut off from half my pension money at the whim of a distant, dispassionate bureaucrat.

I'd love to be free of that worry but it's the price I pay for being on disability. When I was laid off, a job skills counselor suggested that I should take up freelance writing after I showed him tear sheets of fan magazines which published my music reviews. I also showed him the government newsletters in which my articles about recycling appeared. This seemed to me a golden opportunity. I could write at home while doing what I loved.

Freelance writing and being an author hasn't paid well. Nevertheless, I'm glad I have the freedom to create without the pressure of making a living. Even so, I still live with the haunting suspicion that the next phone call will be my case worker in Ottawa with bad news about my pension.

While I can, I'll spend the next seven years and two months searching for writing work, writing short stories, and promoting my books. I shouldn't worry but I do. Even so, I know intellectually that the heavenly Father will work something out for me. Now that knowledge needs to work its way into my heart.

Why Work Logs Are Now A Part Of My Daily Routine - Bruce Atchison

Until fifteen years ago, I never saw much use in writing diaries. Though I kept one when I vacationed in Trinidad during Christmas of 1982, journaling each day's events never appealed to me. Any attempts I did make to fill in a diary became so tedious that I quickly abandoned each one.

My attitude toward recording my daily activities changed in 1996. A year previously, the Government of Canada placed me on disability due to my vision problem. A work counselor suggested I try freelance writing after I showed him tear sheets of articles from electronic music fan magazines which I had written on an amateur basis. Since Canada Pension Plan insisted that I find some sort of gainful employment, and since my ophthalmologist warned me not to strain my vision, writing via my screen-reader-equipped computer seemed like the best career choice.

In order to prove to CPP that I was actively looking for work, I began recording every writing-related task that I completed each day. I found a small wooden clip board that I had scrounged from the garbage at work and wrote what I did on scrap paper. When I had time, I transcribed my notes onto a floppy disk.

I still do this today.

Not only does keeping a work log provide evidence of my diligence but it yields several side benefits. One of these is that seeing the blank page each morning encourages me to fill it with writing-related activities. Another is that I'm reminded of publications I've sent work to, what I've submitted, and book purchasers when I transcribe my jottings to the PC. Since I have address macros for my customers and I record them in my electronic entries, I have additional proof of where these buyers live and when they bought my books. If I am challenged by my case worker, I can show her the dates on which I searched for work as well as what I did on each.

Creating a work log has given me incentive to continue writing on days when I've felt like quitting. The more than four and a half megabytes of log entries alone reminds me of the work I've accomplished. It also is a ready reference that I can use to remind myself of when I worked on various articles or manuscripts.

I highly recommend work logs for anybody who needs to focus on accomplishing tasks. After a while, these daily entries will show definite patterns in work habits. They'll also give a writer's descendants a window into his or her daily routine. Likewise, they help dispel the myth that we merely dash off articles or books and then relax the rest of the time.