What Can You Steal from the Best?
New Year Ninja Apprentice, aka Smillew, answers his master
I’m the new year ninja apprentice.
I hide in the dark corners of Medium’s app, waiting for an article to tickle my ninja senses. And then, I steal it.
I was sipping on my green tea earlier this morning when I saw an article from my master, New Year Ninja Marilyn.
I shouted, waking up my cat and spilling the green tea on its tail; he was now the New Year Ninja Green Tail Cat.
I yelled shuriken because I realized Ninja Marilyn had published her essay already a few hours back. I was LATE. Someone had already highlighted the holy words. It was Ninja David, of whom I’m very jealous because many ninjas wrote about him recently.
My master appeared by my side, “do not worry, Ninja Apprentice Smillew, remember your guiding question for 2022.”
“Yes, New Year Ninja Master Marilyn, you’re wise beyond the Medium App.”
When discussing with Ninja Marilyn, it’s important to use formal titles and responses. Each time I forget, she unclaps two of my stories. But her reminder made sense. In the grand scheme of 2022, did being late for the “primary highlighting ceremony” matter?
As Ninja Green Tail Cat was running around, scratching stuff, I flipped through my notes to find my guiding question for 2022.
Where was it?
Was it possible I didn’t remember my guiding question for 2022? Had someone stolen it? Then what was I going to do with my life if I didn’t have a guiding question? I’d just waste my time going in all the directions without focus nor vision and end up a year later without accomplishments to brag about and show my Grandma Kristen?
That could not be!
Ninja Green Tail Cat was kind enough to end my worries and brought me the page I was looking for. Technically he had been using it to clean his litter, but it didn’t matter; the words were still visible.
“Will this bring new followers?”
Yes. That’s a good guiding question when someone is side-hustling online.
The original articles are here:
Would you like to know more about Marilyn, the New Year Ninja?
She writes humor to laugh the changes she wants to see and make. She’s the author of Creative Blogging: Ninja Writers Guide to Character Development and Bucket Listers, Get Your Brave On. Clowning and improvisation strengthen her resolve during these crazy times. Follow her Sacred Foolishness and Stay in touch!
Bonus track
New Year Ninja, aka Marilyn, has a sword made of sharp words. New Year Ninja Apprentice, aka Smillew, steals the s and puts the words on the page. He has no shame. His guiding thought for 2022 is, “what can I steal from the best?”
His motto? There’s no shame in stealing and making it your own.
His word? Steal.
Steal, steal, steal all that you can as fast as you can, and then publish, repurpose, and enjoy the fame, dollars, and parties! OH YEAH! the parties worldwide with all the writer friends you made along the way. Tulsa, Oklahoma! Here I come!