Crazy Time

I have been busy falling behind writing toward my National Novel Writing Month project, and thus have been a bit absent here. I’m experimenting with this Comic Sans font that some writers swear boosts their output. Not sure it’s working because I’m almost two full days’ word count behind, but real life issues have been dragging me down this November.

Meanwhile, I wanted to share something that a local friend posted on our NaNoWriMo FB page. Truer words could not be spoken (though I thought the last word was ‘bat’, which I find even funnier… Heh…).

Doesn’t the best comedy have a ring of truth? And what do you think of this font for blogging? Be well! 

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Recovering the L – Teamwork & How I Fixed My Keyboard

Concerned over the improper seated L key on my laptop, my husband consulted Laptopkey.com. Uncertain replacement would fix the issue, I nonetheless helped make sure he selected the correct kit. Even identical makes and models with the precise same layout use different hinge configurations.

If you’re in need I recommend this website, not for personal gain, but because their service is consummate. Videos provide instruction, prices are reasonable, and the warehouse ships within twenty-four business hours. My key remained in the envelope for several days, in fact, as I feared attempting to repair a working keyboard would backfire. This morning I decided to take the plunge and remove my rocking L key.

DH offered to hold a flashlight for me but anyone standing over my shoulder wrecks my concentration. So I tackled this detailed handiwork without telling him. My composure held even during the intimidating task of ripping off the tiny rubber cup and scraping away all adhered remnants. I worried the new one, a literal key component, wouldn’t stay put.

It did!

A minute piece must have broken from my original hinge pieces, preventing the key from snapping into place. Anyway, I’m delighted with this minor success.

What do you hope to achieve today?

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Where Am I? Happy News, &, What’s That You Say?

During this month’s Camp NaNo writing challenge, I decided to count hours instead of fresh words. That flexibility offers a chance to work on edits and new story as I see fit.

Yesterday and today I made minute changes to a short story. Finished reading those words, I moved back to a WIP with different characters. In one amusing moment this afternoon, I recognized a mistake. Switching between Nickolas and Alex in Cincinnati, I set Arick and Lita in that same region instead of their native US state of Idaho.

I rectified that with a chuckle. Meanwhile, I am enjoying this ongoing dedication as a writer sans the stress of attempts to publish. We shall see what the future holds in that department.

In other happy news, lunch with someone considered the little brother I never had and a lady who has been making him very happy rounded out another successful and rewarding day. Now I’m about to join my husband for some YouTube video content. On a less pleasant front, a few days ago his hearing seemed to take an abrupt and sever downturn.

Deaf in one ear for several years, attributed to otherwise asymptomatic mumps (shocking considering he received inoculations in the Air Force decades ago), my spouse has been turning broadcasts up to the point it makes me flinch on occasion. To combat this, I put cotton in my ears.

Even that proved inadequate the other evening and I located Styrofoam ear plugs. When spotted, that did not go over well. He stormed out of the room and got on his computer. Today I implored him to get a hearing test. He met that with stoic dissatisfaction. I guess we all are in denial over something.

Any suggestions for what I should do next? How far should I push, and how fast before things deteriorate further?

Anything exciting happening in your neck of the woods?

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Accountability – Who Knew?

Years ago a friend of mine wanted to communicate early every morning, via whatever form of instant messaging existed in the day, to motivate one another for the day’s goals. I declined, saying my husband didn’t trust the Internet security of such a thing. While true, and he still refuses to use any sort of typical social media, that was also an excuse.

I knew who would benefit from her request, and she would have been the only one. To me, the thought of needing someone to hold me accountable seemed ludicrous. If I am not going to get up and do something on my own, nobody else will make it happen.

Leave me alone and I get things done.

And I might reward myself with images of cute boys...

Fast forward to today. Perhaps due to the fact I’m so much older, and my body sometimes resists what I know needs done, my good intentions don’t always see fruition.

Then, as it happens, over the summer I made a close friend who has become like the little brother I never had.

We communicate almost every single day, most often via Facebook messenger. In an ironic twist, that’s turned out to be an insecure way to converse. But I’m rather addicted to our chats. And telephone calls are something I tend to dread. I’m much better at communicating with the written word.

But I learned something interesting the last few days.

Not out of any conscious intent, I tend to inform him of the day’s plans. That usually entails writing and exercise goals in response to what he has shared. And when I tell my friend Robert that I intend to, say, go for a swim, it disappoints me if I fail to do so.

I am simply more likely to follow through. If you’ll excuse me, now, I have to get off the Internet and get on my NordicTrack.

Do you have an accountability partner?

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A Change of Perspective, Getting My Freaq On, & Solution to a Tree/Knee Problem

Now that November has ended, and along with it the National Novel Writing Month challenge, I have over fifty thousand words of new beginnings on a story. Well, there is more to it than that, and some good scenes, but nowhere near an ending.

That’s okay.

I’m having fun changing the point of view from first person to third. I decided better storytelling would result from more than just Lita’s viewpoint and had fun writing some experiences of her young love interest, introducing his friends and family. I’ll be getting back to that tale soon, later today or tomorrow morning.

Now, about my early Christmas present, my portable Soundfreaq bluetooth speaker is tremendous. I’m listening to the “Hardware” movie soundtrack on it as I type, charging the battery at the same time since my playtime over the last three plus days finally drained the initial charge. My husband is amused and happy, stating that this will keep me entertained for a good long while.

About my right knee, we took a poorly planned trip to Florida before my mother passed away. I didn’t consider the fact my chosen dates butted up close to Independence Day and how many more cars that would put on the road. Slamming the brakes over and over in my stints through bumper to bumper traffic, I damaged the cartilage.

Somehow, my husband got clear sailing every time he took the wheel. ~grumble~ I’m blessed the joint isn’t more painful, but our steep cellar stairs are not doing it any good.

That’s where my Christmas tree comes in. The artificial beauty reaches my seven foot tall ceiling and, with ornaments, takes up four giant totes which are (of course) stored in our basement. I can’t ask for help as my husband couldn’t care less about my holiday decorating. And, anyway, he doesn’t help with Halloween despite my repeated requests and his love of that décor. But for the first time since 2015, I feel like having my tree up.

~sigh~

So, it took some thought, but I came up with a better solution involving our nice new back deck. Unlike the indoor stairs, that new deck staircase is wide and well measured, not steep and narrow. Yesterday proved to have perfect weather, ideal timing since that’s when the idea occurred to me.

Now I just need to get going on the decorating. ~grin~ On another bright note, I found my giant stuffed ‘Santa’ Christmas bear a whole lot easier to lift after the past few years of resistance training.

Yes, those are skull lights above these festive creatures...
Talk of removing them earned me adorable pouts.

Have you been watching SpaceX satellite launches (The Geek Embracing portion of this post; minutes ago we enjoyed another live webcast)?

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November Again

Hope You Had a Happy Halloween!

Hard to believe the year is coming to a close. Time moves so fast since I left the workforce. I’m blessed to have so much time to write for my enjoyment.

On that note, November means it’s time for National Novel Writing Month. I believe this is my eighth year of participation. The goal is to write fifty thousand words before December rolls around.

To be honest, I almost didn’t sign up this year. I wanted to work on unfinished tales from my series. There are so many project ideas resulting from prior writing challenges (I also wrote fifty thousand words for ‘Camp NaNo’ in both April and July).

A friend changed my mind. It will be his first attempt, and he told me he looked forward to my encouragement.

~gulp~

How could I back down after that? So, I am setting aside my beloved series and plan to rewrite something else started many years ago. Back then inspiration came from another writer’s original characters shared, of all places, on a fanfiction website (now defunct). I wanted to finish his or her story, in fact.

But this talented person (whose interesting pen name was DonkeyJaws19) was nowhere to be found to ask permission.

Thus, a very different original tale came into being. Today I’m going to start fresh on ‘Awakening Arick’, a tale of magic and love, adversity and discovery. Arick is a very special young man with no clue as to his potential.

First, I need to clean my two fresh water aquariums. It should have been done a week ago. If I start writing now there is a good chance the chore will be postponed yet another day.

I can’t have that. Guilt is weighing my mind as it is. But once I get moving the whole process only takes about an hour.

Wish me luck on the challenge. Should be fun.

Do you keep fish tanks?

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A Near Miss, Back in the Saddle, & a Revelation – Adventures of a Dirty Minded Matron

It’s official. My body feels better when I consistently lift weights and swim laps. Today I returned to the YMCA fitness room for the first time in weeks. My morning started with rattling lungs and use of my rescue inhaler, a creeping, increasing occurrence.

Photo Courtesy of Barricuaeddie

Then it dawned on me while resistance training – I think the regular deep breathing improved my asthmatic old lungs. Needless to say there are definitely more gym trips in this able body’s near future, God willing.

On the way there, though, I almost caused an accident. And it was all the fault of my libidinous brain. There was a trio of power line workers standing on the sidewalk on my way to the Y, one of them rather attractive.

I grinned at the oblivious male before returning my eyes to the road. Right in front of me another car had slowed to a near stop for a right hand turn.

Thank heaven quick reflexes saved us a rear end collision! To celebrate avoiding that mishap, I’m going to write another naughty tale.

Don’t you agree I should just enjoy my dirty mind?

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Happy July First!

Today I started yet another writing challenge such as back in April. Unlike November’s National Novel Writing Month, these so-called ‘camps’ encourage participants to set a goal that can be very different from fifty thousand words. I no doubt mentioned that this past spring. And once again, I decided to stick with 50k.

To hit that goal by the thirtieth of the month, that means writing 1,667 words every day. As a local friend noted, I tend to reach that like proverbial clockwork. Today’s beginning was no exception.

But I just realized today that July has 31 days (I’m not very observant ~grin~ or reliant upon the calendar). Rather than readjust my well ingrained thinking, I’ve decided to stick with the usual desired daily count. That way, a win is in the bag!

Final Photo of the Lost Cat We Rescued - Miss You, Styx (aka Dillon)

Are you doing anything that has you excited this month?

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