Meandering Saturday

Yes, it has been a while. I am sitting in my living room with a turban on my head and telling myself I need to get up and get moving. I've had coffee and a breakfast of sorts. I had a hard time waking up this morning. I mean I simply could not get roused. I kept hitting the snooze button for about half an hour. I finally decided I needed a shower to get me going. So, I showered and washed my hair and . . . well, here I am. I still feel tired but I'm vertical... sort of.

It has been a busy few months. Work, I think I mentioned, has been a killer of all things fun. I did get a new sidewalk, thanks to help from my children. We had a lot of fun doing it. There was a vacation and holiday in there somewhere. I vaguely remember them. I need another one but I'm waiting until my finances recover from all this spending.

I've been writing a bit on a couple of things but nothing earth shaking and certainly not on my Primary Project as I am supposed to do under the terms of my WRoE challenge to myself. Nuts. Must rethink my rules, I think. If they are too hard for me to follow (they aren't really I'm just making the usual excuses) then I may need to reevaluate them.

Today my house is clean and there is no yard work that I must do, although there is some I'd like to do. I've found I like it better if someone is here doing it with me. It seems more fun. Jerry and I used to work outside together and we liked it. He got to the place he could barely cut the grass and we just gave up on the yard. He'd be thrilled at how things look now. He wanted it to look like this.

I really have been absent from here, at least posting stuff. I do come an read up and I posted things I was watching and reading. Just none of my original content that I know is thrilling. I'm sure you all were bereft by my absence.

Not.

I plan on getting the accounts in order this morning but I think I want the afternoon to myself. I need some decompression time I think.

This is rather short and pointless, I'm afraid. I don't know what is wrong with me. I have no profound wisdom or rant to share. I've made blogging a daily habit for years now and suddenly, I am without anything to say.

Surely I can't have said it all!

A Day of Clouds

Saturday has begun swathed in clouds. I'm hoping it doesn't rain. I'm going to get Mike in a bit and try to finish the last four rows of sidewalk. Then, flower beds I hope. My potted flowers never to be in deeper soil soon. I want to plant more once I get them sorted out.

I woke with a very sore neck and shoulder. I thought I wouldn't be able to hold my head up it hurt so badly. I truly do not know what causes that. I sleep better when I can sleep on my sides but I feel worse because the pain builds to excruciating levels. Sleep study really should be done, I think. Once they see how bad it is maybe they can offer some constructive advice.

I have done precious little writing anywhere, as you probably know if you've been checking. I wouldn't blame you a bit if you'd moved on and forgotten me all together. I've been over on FB and G+. I really like G+ because the items posted tend to be more educational and not so much silly chat like you find on FB. Still lots of family is on FB so I'll stay there to keep in touch.

The week seemed rather long even though I only worked for three days! Maybe because I worked so hard over the long weekend. But the walk is looking very good. I'm pleased with it. Just want it done now. Must get some mulch I think to line the edges. I've got ground cover that will help keep weeds out. I'm going to do that and then add new lights. No reason for stupid people to break them now.

I am hoping for a quiet day today, aside from the time Mike comes over to help with the sidewalk.

Although I have not been posting much lately I have been reading the blogs posted on my list. I read the comments, too. As I think I mentioned before I get emails of your blogs and comments. So I don't miss a thing. I can't view photos but I can read it all. I almost shut that off but I found the blogs backed up on me so this helps. I also post by email at times but since my work load in the office has doubled, that has tapered off.

Oh, my co-worker and friend, Carolyn, fell and broke her shoulder. She had to have surgery on it last Wednesday to put pins and screws in it as the bone had separated. She will be off at least six weeks, maybe more with physical therapy. So work is doubly bad right now.

The YMCA here sponsors a "fall Half-Marathon" every year and she walks in that. Walkers walk together for a couple of months to build up to the required 13 miles. She was walking home from her regular meeting and tripped on the sidewalk. She was just blocks from her house at the ball field up the road. She lives around the block from me. The sidewalk is right on a very busy street, the ball field was full of people of all ages. She fell on a very public sidewalk. No one came to see about her. No one stopped to help her up. No one even came over and ask if she was all right. She had to get up with one arm not working and walk home. She said she had a lot of trouble getting up because of that. I was so shocked I could not believe it. What kind of people do that?

I've told her it is not meant for her to walk in this thing anymore. Last year she had to have back surgery and couldn't do it. She really enjoys it but serious injury two years in a row is a bit much. I know, it was an accident but what if she'd been farther from home or knocked unconscious? She said she managed to walk to the corner bus stop and sit down to pull herself together.

I will try and post more photos of my vacation. I didn't take many. I spent my time just enjoying my family. It was so nice to see them all.

I'm away now. I need to dress and see about doing something constructive. Like pay my bills. Oh yeah, fun awaits. At least I can pay them. That's a blessing.

WRoE: May Accountability Day ---Late

It occurred to me today that I did not do Accountability Day this
month! It probably isn't important since I didn't write in April more
than an hour. I'd like to get back on track but it isn't looking good.

I'm like a yo-yo with the stress, depression and pain. I have days
when things go well and then I hit bottom. I've done no writing this
month either. It is a bit stressful.

On top of that, I'm having laptop problems. I'm going to probaby have
to reformat this weekend and check to see if I need a new battery. I
am having unexpected crashes and restarts. Since I'm plugged in at the
time, I don't know what that is about. The screen that tells me stays
up only long enough to tell me there was a problem but not read what
it was!

So, I'm far behind on my own WRoE. No, it is not acceptable. Not for
me. I'll start over and try again. Eventually, I'll figure out I'm
only extending my work. I spend an inordinate amount of time doing
stupid, wasteful things so it isn't impossible to write something
every day that contributes to the development of the novel. The only
excuse is that I'm not doing it. That's the truth.

Early Morning Start

I woke up, spontaneously, at 7:03. I didn't know what day it was and I hobbled to the kitchen. On my way, I stopped and remembered that I came home last night thankful it was Friday. So, it was Saturday and why in blazes was I up at 7 a.m. Still, I continued on my hobble to the kitchen and made a cup of coffee. I hobble most mornings so it isn't noteworthy. I only say to to make this a bit more visual.

I went back to my bedroom and sat the cup on the night stand and thought about it for ten seconds. Yes, I lay down, got comfortable and went to sleep. I woke again at 8:30. The day had officially started.

I'm about to go and pay bills and then, I'll get dressed. Isn't this exciting?

I have plans to write a bit today but not sure how much. I'm three months into WRoE and already flagging. I have had so many aches and pains in the last few weeks and it has been physically draining. I'm exhausted by the time I get home. It isn't an excuse, well it sort of is, but it is a fact. I can't write under that kind of tired.

But that is the plan today.

I finished the little bolero for Sarah but I need to see if it fits and to weave in the tails (lengths of yarn where a row was started). Once that is done, she can wear it. If it fits all right, I can make more and they are pretty quick to make. Yes, I'll post photos once it is done.

The weather? Cold and sunny. 'Nuff said.

Pain level? Really unpleasant.

Maybe I should devise a little barometer for my site. You know one that gives the time, date, and weather but also a place for those little smiley faces they use in your doctor's office to guage your pain. I hate those little buggers. Totally inadequate.

I realize that I haven't been blogging much. I've had virtually nothing to say. I don't see anyone but co-workers and Mike. I haven't had Sarah much. She doesn't want to come over. She doesn't want to spend the night anymore. Once in awhile I have her for a few hours and may get her today but not sure. It is her decision. I hear from Becca every day and my aunt Phillis about the same. That's pretty much the only people I hear from unless someone wants something.

I'm o.k. with it. Story of my life. I can remember living in far away places before there were computers and writing letter but never hearing from anyone. Not much has changed except communications have improved. People just haven't. I'm so thankful for the friends I have on Multiply! And I have writing friends on Facebook so that's helpful. And it makes it easier to choose where I go when I take vacations.

The Writer's Asylum group is pretty much defunct. I've realized it was time to dissolve it. I'll be sending out emails probably this week. My group is a great bunch of people but the truth is writing is not the purpose of the group anymore. I'd still like to see them now and then but I need a writing group, too.

And that's it.

WRoE: Accountability Day for February

I would ask if you know what day it is but the title sort of gives it away. Yes, it is my self-imposed Writer's Rules of Engagement Accountability Day. This is my day to give an account of my time for the previous month.

I didn't get off to a roaring start in February. It was several days before I got any writing in. And the last couple of weeks were a wash. I had pain problems and stamina problems. I did do a lot of crochet in the evenings. It doesn't require that I do much but sit and well... crochet. I'm making slow but steady progress. I began a second crochet project that is now on hold. I need Sarah's measurements and until I get them, the second project lies unfinished.

So, how did I do in the shortest month of the year? 13 hours total in editing The Dream Sealer. I don't think it is as much as last month but I think this month I've had more physical problems than in January. I'm hoping that improves this month.

In the midst of all that I had two Writer's Hangouts in G+. They lasted about two hours each. I was able to talk writing with and meet "face to face" four of my online writing and blog friends. There are actually six of  us but two members were unable to join us. We've already planned our next online writer's hangout. We intend talking about various writing related topics and doing some critiques. The plan is to hold hangouts on two Mondays a month. It is so easy to just turn on the webcam and all of us are able to see each other and talk. This was really a very cool experience. My hat's off to Google... again.

And that is how the month of February rolled. I have to lock down some time wasters and get my focus back on nightly writing sessions. Or else spend more time on Saturdays. Of course, crochet is going to be a regularly task. Once it warms up a bit more, sewing will also be on my to-do list.

So, how was your WRoE this month? If you're not doing WRoE, did you write at all? I'd love to hear how you're doing.

Solitary Saturday

I've paid the bills and balanced the checkbook. It is such a chore and I wish with all my heart I didn't have to do it. For decades Jerry and I had issues with this. When I managed it we did well. When he managed it, we didn't. Eventually, it became my job. And I learned to despise it. And now, there is no one I can hand it off too, even were I of a mind to do so. But I don't want other people managing my money.

Now that it is done, I have to think about food. I feel Mexican I think. Ariba!

I'm trying something new. I'm posting FROM Blogger to Multiply. I haven't done it that way before but if it works, I may continue. You see, from work I can't access Multiply but I can Blogger. And sometimes, I want to post something and I have to go to my email and sent one to Multiply and one to Blogger. So much easier if I can just send one! And... if by chance I can send one email to Blogger and have it post to Multiply... all the better. Means I'll only be going to Multiply to read the blogs.

I've not been posting much anyway. Lately, I just don't have anything to say. Very sad to think I only blog when live is in a turmoil. Must be the only time things are interesting. I'm truly frustrated about all this money I've had to spend this week with the gas line but it must be done. I also told them to just fix my microwave. It is going to cost $100 total. They had a bench charge of $25 to see what was wrong with it and that will be applied to the bill, so I'll only owe $75. Yes, I know I could have bought a new one for that but probably as nice as mine. I like my microwave and if I get another three years out of it, well, it will be a bargain.

The plumber told me not to buy a new water heater until this one just stops. I told him it was here when I move here and was only a year or so old then. He asked me when I bought the house and when I told him he looked at me and said, "Don't change that out. If you've got 22 years out of a water heater it's a good one." So, thank goodness for that.

I have been crocheting a bit, trying to make Sarah a little shrug for the spring. She has some nice summer dresses but she gets cold some times when she goes to church or other places. So, this should help. We'll see how it goes.

Not much writing done. I've had a lot of really bad pain in my leg and hip and I've had to be in positions that were not conducive to writing. Monday night my Writer's Rules of Engagement writing group will do another Hangout on G+. This is such an awesome feature and I really love it. You can have 10 friends online, on webcams all at one time! Amazing! We had four of us last Monday and we had a blast. I got to "meet" two recent friends from NaNo and of course, my long time friend, Kat was there, too. I think we all enjoyed it and everyone was so excited. We hope that Grammy and Chris can join in this coming Monday. We've got a tentative topic to talk about and some plans on how we'll do this. So, I'm really looking forward to it.

All right. I'm off now to get some things done. Hope you are all having a lovely weekend.

Odds & Ends

Thursday at last! My cleaning genie will be at my house tomorrow and it is amazing how exciting that is. I won't have to spend Saturday cleaning. Yay!

It is a gloomy day and I'm am having trouble walking. Right leg is giving me fits. My right foot and hip hurt. My left shoulder is still painful and my neck, too. I think the neck is worse because I've spent the last two nights working on my sister's laptop. 

She had a mess going on with that thing. Several viruses, PUPs, trojans. One thing had 91 entries. I did all my magic and thought I had it all good to go. The problems were so bad that it forced me to run the scans outside of windows on a restart.. that's rare for me to have to do that... like once or twice that I even remember. Still, I thought it was getting the stuff out. Nope. Once the scan finished, every thing simply stopped working. No sound, impossible to adjust any settings, and NO system restore ability. I had to shut down and start up in "safe mode with networking" so I could actually fix it. 

Bottom line, I had to restore to factory settings. It reformatted and re-installed her OS and I spent the rest of the evening re-installing the software she had on it. I think I'm done now except for all the updates. I left that going when I went to bed and finished up some before work this morning. I'll check one more time but then she can come get it. 

I am hoping I can go home tonight and relax. I like working on computers but my neck is very unhappy with it. There is simply no work around the neck issue. Straight ahead is all I can do for any length of time. Looking in any other direction for more than a few minutes is not good.

Not much writing to speak of this week. I did try a bit last night but I'm in a place that simply is not meshing for me. I think I need to move some stuff around, rewrite a few sections to make it flow and to move some important information farther into the story. I've got it too near the beginning. I have been thinking that for a while but the more I do the more I realize it. So, that will take some doing.

It is late afternoon now and the sky is still overcast but it is nearly 50F. Not warm but certainly not cold. Very odd weather for February. I remember the year Jerry died it was so horribly cold. The ice storm that January 28th put down so much ice and snow and it lasted for a couple of months because it was bitter cold. 

The afternoon is moving along so I'm going to stop now. I have several things to get done before 5 p.m. 

Monday WRoE Update

Things progress. I have Chapter 1-3 roughly structured. I'm not 100% pleased but it's ok. I am a bit excited about it. I  like it. {sigh} Will other people? {sigh} 

I don't know how this is going to come out. It makes sense to me but I know the story. I'm hoping it will make sense to everyone else. There seems to be the idea that you shouldn't tell the reader too much. I don't feel like I'm doing that. In fact, I get uncomfortable because I am withholding too much and don't think they will get it. Still, I'm not playing that game. It is what usually stymies me. 

So, as of tonight, I have one and a half hours of editing. I'm tired and stopping for the night. 

The Days WRoE

I have spent the last two days working on The Dream Stealer. Last night I manged to work from 8:30 p.m. until 11 p.m. with a short break in between. Today, I came home from church and worked from 2 p.m. until 5 p.m. with a baking break. I made cookies from a prepackaged mix. Took about 30 minutes total but I didn't have to stand around and watch them rise. I just mixed, put them in the oven, and let them bake. I worked in between. 

I actually moved my work area into the spare room on my make do desk. It is warmer here and more comfortable. Had a time finding a chair that would work and then remembered a foam pad I had left over from doing Mike's chair... at least 6 yrs ago! It was stored in the closet. A nice four inch thick pad. I put one of those store bought chair cushions on top of it and that gave me a bit of height in the chair. It isn't perfect but managable. 

I've got two chapters fairly organized. I like the structure of them and I'm not sure what to add to them. I'm impressed with myself, perhaps unjustifiably so. They feel like they have what they need. I'm not worrying about that at this point. I know that later sections are sadly not this "put together". The current items are actually from when I first started writing it, those early scenes. But a bit of it came out of NaNo... filling in some gaps. I let three friends read what I had last night but since then, I've done a bit of rearranging and deleting and adding so it is different already!

Anyway, I'm tired now and I am supposed to go to church in about an hour so have to stop here. I've got a total of about 4.5 hrs work in for the weekend. Under WRoE rules... that is 4 days work! Simon would say, "Well done, love! Let's take a break, shall we."

Saturday Breakdown

I got a hot shower which helped quite a bit and I took some acetaminophen. I did laundry. While the laundry washed and dried I made myself useful. I paid bills. I read blogs. I had brunch. I cleaned the kitchen.

Mike walked over and we went to the store around noon. I suddenly wanted some new place mats for the table. I'd cleaned out my kitchen towel drawers and found that I suddenly hated the old tatty things I had had for years. So, we went shopping.

We got done and I dropped off a couple of things I'd bought for Sarah's room. Some big girl wall art. Really pretty and will go wonderfully with her rainbow color theme. Oh, I bought two raspberry red mats and four dark blue ones.

Then we went to see Sherlock Holmes. I was so thrilled. I've wanted to see it for weeks but I got sick and was afraid I wasn't going to make it before it closed out. So we went to the 4:05 show. It was sooooo good! I love Robert Downey, Jr. in virtually anything. He is truly a great Holmes. I've seen probably every Sherlock Holmes move and television show ever made. Jeremy Brett was awesome as Holmes and I thought probably the most like the literary character. But I have to say that Downey has made me fall in love with the Holmes stories all over again. His Holmes is a bit more active than the previous Holmes but I just love it. It was fun. I came out feeling like I'd had a good time.

We went to supper and I dropped Mike off at his place and came home. I just got another hot shower and have started working on the edit. Oh... every time I read some of this story, I just love it. I'm about to ask some of you to read the first Chapter and give me an honest opinion of the opening. I don't care about anything but whether or not it is good....

I stopped only long enough to post this as I doubt I'll get back again tonight. Hope you all had a good day.

WRoE Accountability Day

It was actually yesterday but I was not able to get to it last night. I'm still dealing with some health issues. The cold is better but I am having some problems with my hip, legs, and shoulder. The pain started on Saturday and has steadily built to nearly unbearable levels, particularly in the shoulders. I have a hard time using the computer by evening. 

So, I'm a day late but here is my breakdown.

I began working on my WRoE novel, The Dream Stealer  (DS) the New Year's weekend. I worked steadily until January 10. During that time I completed the merge of the NaNo 2011 novel and the work in progress (WIP) DS. I worked several hours a night and weekend I put in nearly 10 hours straight, with short breaks. I found that once I got started, I simply wanted it done. 

I finished the merge on the 10th and took several days off as a breather because my mind was reeling from reading a 50,000 word novel and the amazing work involved in cutting and pasting in the right place. I dont' recommend this method of writing at all. From the beginning of January thru the tenth I estimate that I spent nearly 20 hours on it. 

My plan was to pick back up on my four day weekend beginning on the 13th and really work on it. Of course, the Friday the 13th I came down with a rabid cold that is still with me. I was very sick from the 14th until 27th. I've still have a cough, lots of rattling in my chest, hoarseness, and ear problems. But I am much better than I was a week ago.

There were several nights during the last two weeks of January that I actually sat down with the story and reviewed some issues and to really assess if this was even worth the bother. I maybe added another two hours to my previous efforts in the first two weeks of the month.

What Now:

I have to get to it. I've been forced to let it go but if I don't pick it back up soon, I know I won't at all. NaNo 2012 is coming at a very fast clip. I can't do this and NaNo.

So, the goal for February is to get my schedule back in order. I have volunteered to teach some crochet classes and there is the Asylum meetings, although this month there is only one. 

Another issue is that I don't actually know how to edit. I've never really done editing on such a large work and one that is so unfinished in many ways. This is going to slow me down. I don't have time to research it. I have to just do it.

February has started so I'm already a day behind in my goals. If the crochet doesn't happen to night, I want to try and get into the WIP. 

I said it wasn't easy. It isn't. But I'm doing more than I was before. It counts.

Sunlight

And there was light.... lots of sunlight in a cloudless blue sky at 38F. I still feel pretty bad but the level of crap has receded. Maybe three kinds now.

I've been sick for over a week and it really stinks.Noooo it isn't the crap I smell!   I am getting nothing, and I mean NOTHING, done. Sue, my cleaning genie, is still out of town. I don't know when she'll be back. The house is a mess, at least to me. I've done some minor cleaning and kept the dishes washed but it needs more. It has been three weeks since Sue cleaned it. I did laundry over the weekend and I did Mike's last night. I stopped by his place and picked it up. He's really sick, too and not able to come over with it. Twice he said he would but called to say he just couldn't. He's been washing out a pair of under shorts every night to wear. Well, he'll have some clean tonight.

I did manage to dabble in my story last night but only briefly. I don't actually remember what else I did last night. I think I watched something. I think I read something for a bit but mostly, I just don't remember. While I ate I watched something... I do remember that. Then I messed with the story... nothing constructive... just read a scene and thought... "That's really really good." Read another and thought about how to improve it. All I can say is "it is what I like". I don't know if anyone else will. 

So January will be a washout for WRoE. But I'm fine with it. I have been sick for half a month. I worked on it the first week, rested from it the second, got sick the third and am still fairly sick. I really need a good sleep and a good sleep is what I'm not getting at the moment. On a positive note, joint pain while I have been ill.... really. Silliest thing I've heard. But I have been so sick and felt so bad.... IT DIDN'T MATTER! My ribs hurt, my chest hurt, my neck hurt, and my head hurt...every time I cough -- which is constantly.

Last night my neck bothered me.. Guess what... positional pain. I'm nearly positive that a lot of the neck pain is posture when at my computer and the weight on my chest. I get pulled out of a good posture or I sit incorrectly when working on the computer. No more laptop in bed or on the sofa unless I have a really proper support for it and a way to keep my spine aligned. I watch a good little video on youtube about proper position and it really helped. Just have to keep at it. 

I'm hungry and it is lunch time now. So, I'm off. May your day be filled with sunlight. 

Long Weekend

I'm off today for MLK Day and I took tomorrow off as well. So, my weekend is only half over. The kicker is that I have a cold. I've been coughing for several days before the weekend started. Since Friday night, I've done very little but cough and crochet. I felt fairly lousy Saturday and Sunday, never leaving the house for anything. Yep, stayed in both days, lying around in my chair watching t.v. shows and working on the crochet.

 Must remember to get photos up today. It is really kind of nice. This square is very difficult to do, not because I don't know how to do it but the instructions are just lousy and they change with each row. So it isn't as if I can learn the pattern quickly. I have eight rows and each one is different. And I use three different colors on each square. Lot to keep up with. Using one color helps when you're doing crochet, so if you're learning it is one less thing. I liked working with the verigated yarns on the last two projects. Also, a constantly changing row is not good while you're learning. The easiest thing to make is a granny square and you can modify it in so many ways after you learn that basic pattern. 

I haven't been writing, although last night I backed up my story and made a duplicate in Scrivener. I have no idea how to start editing. LOL, I've never reached this stage before so it is totally new territory. I'm terrified to take anything out or move anything for fear I'll want it back. Also noticed that for me, intellectually, the story is done but it isn't. I realize that is a hindrance. 

Still, today, I'm going to try and work on it. This is much harder than writing it. 

The neck has been gradually feeling better, not well, just not hurting as much. I have no idea if it is due to the change in position I'm using to work on the computer or if it is a temporary remission. I have those from time to time. Most  pain, at the moment, is under control, meaning that it is bearable at this time. Is it gone? No. On a scale of 1-10 (which in my world is way too low a scale) it is probably a 2 or 3 at this moment. Knees are not hurting. Hands - not hurting. Feet - don't like being walked on. Back - meh, a 2. Shoulder - a 2. Neck - depends on what I'm doing but sitting here, very still a 2. I still need a lower table to type on if I'm sitting in a living room chair or on the sofa. 

I spent the afternoon running some errands - ink for the printer & lunch for Mike and I, meds for me -- and later taking Sarah for a chocolate shake and a short trip to Big Lots. I am at home alone now and I'm feeling rather lousy. My chest is tight and I am coughing. I bought some stuff to break up the congestion and still keep me from hacking up a lung. We'll see.

It is safe to say I've accomplished nothing of merit today unless it was informational via the blogs. And some won't appreciate that. Ah well, the perils of finding many things interesting and a need to insist others do the same. It was all interesting to me.

I am gone now. I need to find a comfy spot and lie down. I'll be around tomorrow for sure but not sure how much. I must find a way to get the writing begun. I an only sort things so much. Even crochet is not appealing at the moment.

Killing Time

The internet is fascinating today! I've run across so much stuff! This one I found interesting, particularly in light of the novel I'm working on.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/donato-carrisi/whisperers-murderers_b_1187765.html?ref=weird-news

For Purposes of Occupy Clarity

Just to clarify, for me, if no one else, here are the demands of the Occupy movement as posted on THEIR website. If you can't find more than five things wrong with this there is something wrong with your thinking.

My comments are in parentheses. They are not meant to please or entertain you. Until you can ban my free speech... my house, my rules. You can say what you like in the comment section and I reserve the right to delete anything I think is inappropriate. Cause I know there are some who will just find I need to be corrected.

• Repeal the Taft-Hartley Act. Unionize ALL workers immediately. ( Taft Hartley was enacted because of Union abuses! I don't WANT to pay Union Dues. READ THE @#$% SCHOOL BOOKS! Unions collect huge fees for membership.)
• Raise the minimum wage immediately to $18/hr. Create a maximum wage of $90/hr to eliminate inequality. (Bumps me to low income immediately, and um. . . just raised the cost of every item in the nation to triple it's current cost to cover said wages and following benefits. )
• Institute a 6 hour workday, and 6 weeks of paid vacation. (LOL, shuts down any business operating 24 hrs a day and increase cost of merchandise. Go for it. I hate Walmart anyway.)
• Institute a moratorium on all foreclosures and layoffs immediately. (No cost housing? Who's going to invest in and build that kind of housing? Besides, if you eliminate private ownership of property (see below) you won't be worrying about foreclosures.)
• Repeal racist and xenophobic English-only laws.
• Open the borders to all immigrants, legal or illegal. Offer immediate, unconditional amnesty, to all undocumented residents of the US. (Let's just go right now to a ONE World system... yeah! Excuse me, I don't think requiring anyone to speak the language of the country they reside in is racist or xenophobic. If I go to Germany, Spain, France,or Russia I have to know the language to survive. So, who is going to pay for interpreters for millions of people.. cause you violate my civil rights if you don't have someone with me for every school day, every business transaction, every legal issue... yeah, ever single one I want a personal translator.)
• Create a single-payer, universal health care system. (Um.. who pays? Cause it ain't free.)
• Pass stricter campaign finance reform laws. Ban all private donations. All campaigns will receive equal funding, provided by the taxpayers. (I don't want to fund your kind of politician.)
• Institute a negative income tax, and tax the very rich at rates up to 90%. (I'm for a fair tax rate but I doubt this is fair. I say same rate for everyone regardless of income. That way, the more you make the more you pay. But be aware, as I am, that a fair tax rate such as you suggest will absolutely stifle investments and growth in building. If I have less money, I'm hanging on to it and not giving you a dime. You're already getting my profits.)
• Pass far stricter environmental protection and animal rights laws. (Um.. as long as you keep the excess population of animals at your house, go ahead. But I'm not paying for medical for animals and I'm not paying for housing animals)
• Allow workers to elect their supervisors. (LOLOL! OMG, don't hire because they can do the job! Hire cause majority likes them. WE ALREADY HAVE THIS. It is called affirmative action! This is highly amusing to me. You'd have to work where I have. ALL my supervisors were hired cause they were liked OR a minority! And they have been horrible people. And oh... you want to see racism and xenophobia?)
• Lower the retirement age to 55. Increase Social Security benefits. (I can retire NOW. While it is ultimately stupid since there isn't enough money to pay all those now ready to retire, even non-citizens by the way, I'm totally for this as long as I get MY SHARE! Well, that is the mentality here isn't it? But if you have 20 yrs to go.. lol you won't get a dime! Cause it will be all gone. Oh oh oh.. I know.. if you didn't work you can't draw! Oh wait.. darn, that's already in force.)
• Create a 5% annual wealth tax for the very rich. (Ah, here we go! So, if I make an earth shattering discovery that results in my getting wealthy, even it my discovery helps people, I'm penalized for all my hard work. And I can't leave it to my children without giving half to you? I am supposed to PAY YOU for what I obtain by work or inheritance? How is that different from the current inheritance taxes, which are terrible for everyone! Go ahead, stifle creativity, investments, and growth in every arena. Why would I bother to invest my money to get richer when you're going to take more of it?)
• Ban the private ownership of land. (Excuse me? So you're taking the property that I've improved and worked for 20 years? I don't think so. I'll burn it down and salt the ground. This particular demand is totally a socialist/communist design. This will immediately result in substandard housing. If you don't believe it, look at the Soviet Unions former plan. They did this. ONLY the rich party members and those favored by them, lived well. READ THE SCHOOL BOOKS! WATCH THE OLD DOCUMENTARIES! And look around at those who live currently live in subsidized homes owned by other people. They trash them. I could show you horrific photos every single day! I work in subsidized housing! Why worry about taking care of something that you don't have to repair. You can just move somewhere else. They do it right now every day on American subsidized housing.)
• Make homeschooling illegal. Religious fanatics use it to feed their children propaganda. (And you're not feeding them the propaganda in schools? LOL, what a crock! Suppression of religious freedom. Hmmm, so we ARE abolishing the constitution and religions rights in this country! Why don't these people just call it what it is.. Socialism and Communism! )
• Reduce the age of majority to 16. (LOL actually in some states it already is and has been for decades. So what is this actually about then? UM. . . they are easily led, immature, and make unsound judgments for the most part. And we want them to vote! I KNOW yours are smarter! But they all aren't Einstines. I have my doubts about YOU! The other thing is as minors they have certain limits on taxation if they are working... and many do, hmmmm, so you want more of their money too? Uh huh )
• Abolish the death penalty and life in prison. We call for the immediate release of all death row inmates from death row and transferred to regular prisons. (Oh come on, just let them all go! And who will pay for this kinder, gentler prisons? NOT YOU! And do you really think you will reform them? Now who's the fanatic?)
• Release all political prisoners immediately. (Why? OH... sorry, this also includes terrorist.. um yes, their incarceration is politically based. They aren't terrorist in THEIR country... just in ours. Of course you could put them to death because of their religious beliefs... propaganda you know.)
• Immediate withdrawal from Iraq and Afghanistan. (I'm ALL for this one. Let them just kill one another and be done with it.)
• Abolish the debt limit. (LOL... I think they already have and you just didn't get the memo.)
• Ban private gun ownership. (Why? So only military and police can carry them and do what every country has always done in these cases. Establish Martial Law. They do that a lot in S. America and Africa. Um that was in the books too.)
• Strengthen the separation of church and state. (Just say it here. Abolish religion and prohibit religious people from participating government. This has always been the Socialist and Communist mantra. Limit religious expression. Burn the books that tell about it.... rewrite the books so it paints this doctrine in a better light.)
• Immediate debt forgiveness for all. (LOL, this from people who can't get loans because they defaulted on their credit cards after having run up huge debts paying for all their toys. Let's get real here. If you get rid of your cell phone, cable tv, internet, and video consoles and games, you probably could pay for your housing, food, utilities and send you kids to Ivy League school, assuming they can pass the entrance exam.. or are you proposing abolishing entrance exams? Oh, why am I not surprised.. they're biased!)
• End the 'War on Drugs'. (Brilliant. Drugs are costing you too much, right?)

To Clarify where I stand:

As you can see, I have strong feelings, virtually all negative, about the Occupy movement. I'll save the everyone an ongoing political rant and do it in one. The we can move on to more entertaining and fun stuff.

I got what I have by hard work and persistence and frankly, I'm not willing to share it with those who do not do as I have done. I grew up on hand-me-downs, commodities (before food stamps), and lived in Public Housing ( the Projects). My grandparents were low income. But he worked as a carpenter so he always had a job in the South. He worked 5 days a week, up at dawn and in bed just after sunset. Yes, he drank on wee-ends. So, I know what poor means and I know what "want" means. We raised chickens to have eggs. We raised a couple of pigs to give us meat, we had a garden to get vegetables. Mama canned so we had food all winter. I fed chickens, pigs and canned. I learned to sew to make my own clothes cause Mama made everything I wore. No store bought clothes except for a undergarments and holidays dresses. I was TAUGHT to educate myself and GO TO WORK. I had no health insurance EVER until 1977, when my husband joined the Army. Prior to that we had no social welfare ever.. just ONE minimum wage job. He couldn't find a job after a layoff... so he joined up. We lived adequately, but with no frills for 15 years and raised two children. After he had to leave the service in 1993 I was still enrolled in college and we survived without food stamps, government housing, and medical insurance. We worked. Temp jobs, both of us. His $800 medical pension kept a roof over our head but not much else. No one helped us. We made it. I finished college and he got sicker. I've worked at my job 13 years, despite increasing, chronic, often debilitating pain. I will have to do this until I either die or can afford to retire or they decide I'm a liability and fire me.

I do not expect you folks who have jobs and money to support me. I don't want what you worked hard to get. I do not know what I will do if I lose my job but you know what? It is not anyone else's responsibility but mine. I don't expect society to take care of me. I expect to do what we were all intended to do. Work in some fashion. I don't need frills, fancy cars, cell phones, internet, computers, and uptown clothes. Those things are luxuries obtained through financial means an unless you steal the money to buy them.... you work for money. If I can't pay for it, I get rid of it. That is the logical and sane way of living. I am not at all offended by the fact that there are some really rich folks around. I don't feel that they should have to lessen their finances to appease me and make me "as good at they are". Cause I'm not driven by that kind of thinking. I'm as good as anyone, just not as well off as others. But because of my choices, I'm not as bad off as I could have been.

One source I read says the Occupy movement wants "banks to take responsibility for the growing gap between the rich and the poor." Well, if you weren't lazy.... don't tell me that doesn't apply here. I SEE it every stinking day! People don't want to work . I have employers tell me, "I can't find people who want to work. They come in here and expect me to pay them to stand around on the cell phone or talking all day." I've heard this several time just in the last month. So there are jobs, just not the ones they want. Or they want to be paid to do their own thing. People have become so addicted to texting they can't even keep a job! That's why droves of illegals can come into this country and go to work. Because Americans are now too good to do what they deem "dirty work".

Everything I've heard and read gives me the impression that the occupy movement is about "I have a right to have what you have and if I can't get it by working you need to give it to me because it is my right. And if you don't, I'll just eliminate you and yours". That is socialism at its basest form and I am totally and irrevocably against socialism. I lived through the era that saw it bloom and die in the Soviet Union and various other places. It's a weed that brings no beauty to society.People die under repressive regimes. No thank you. America did not become great by socialism. It was a nation of people who came with nothing and CREATED something. It is now a nation of people who want to do nothing and to have everything HANDED to them and paid for by other people they believe have kept them down. And it is a lie.

I dare anyone to track the social, economic and moral decay of American society. What year did it begin? Not 200 years ago. It began in MY lifetime. I'm 55. You do the math. I've watched a nation of statesmen, inventors, and brilliant minds give way to lazy, greedy, selfish, self-centered, ignorant, and yes, ungodly creatures interested only in their own creature comforts. They are not for equality. They are suggesting that the rights of millions be stripped so they can have what they want. So how is that different from what they accuse others of doing right now?

Not a single one of these demands benefits the nation as a whole. They benefit those who will be in charge of enforcing it, who will rule with iron fist. It will be enforced by a military or police state. The reason this generation is all for it is because they never saw it in action. They never saw people running out of Eastern Europe to find a better life. They didn't see them shot in the back as they attempted to jump fences and walls. They never lived behind the Berlin Wall and they never lived in Soviet Russia as one of those at the bottom of that regime.

This phase of history is well documented, not just in history books but in diaries, home movies, newspapers. But we live in a supremely, and happily ignorant society. One that lives in realities created in a small box and flashed on a screen. They have not lived in such a society....Historically, there have been many social experiments of utopia. They all, every single one, failed for the same reasons. They do not long term. What was the life span of Soviet Russia?

We are in the process of restructuring American society... something that worked for 200 years, by the way, into something totally unrecognizable by the creators of that society. Washington would have been stunned by the kind of citizens that now reside in this country... and not favorably stunned.

I believe it will happen, despite my objections. They are going to get what they desire. We religious fanatics have always believed that this was coming. Thousands of ministers have preached if for hundreds of years and they are proving us right.

God help us all.

Now, I'm done. Y'all don't have to agree.

Read more:

http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2011/11/what_does_occupy_wall_street_want.html#ixzz1je3fiye5

http://occupywallst.org/forum/proposed-list-of-ows-demands/

OWS Occupies an already Occupied home - NYPOST.com

Link

I don't do politics often. They bore me. As far as I'm concerned, everyone has an agenda and it is usually selfish. And all I've read about the "movement" up to this point has done nothing to change my mind. This is a nice example of politics in action, socialist politics (aka Robin Hood Politics).

One Day Down...Three to Go!

Felt like I'd stepped off a curb just as the proverbial bus happened by. My right leg did no want to work this morning. I'm not doctor but this just isn't right. And they keep ignoring it. I shuffled down the hall until I could get it moving but I nearly fell. And on the way here I had sharp pain in the lower right quadrant of my back... (sigh) And my left shoulder and neck hurts. I just took two acetaminophen.

I go over this sort of stuff because it is the easiest way to keep a record of it. LOL, so you can skip that part if you like.

Regarding WRoE, I finished merging last night. I didn't get started till late but it took about an hour to finish it up. I ended up with roughly 66,000 words all together according to Scrivener. About 8,000 of those I have no idea where they go in the story. All of them won't for certain. Remember this is a work I started as a lark and it has changed considerably over time. And there is more writing to do. 

I'm dreading the rest of it. The opening is still not clearly defined. But... the tedium of merging the two stories is done and for that I am truly thankful.

I started my work morning watching Celtic Thunder. I love this group. You either smile or you cry but either way it is a pleasure. I posted videos, as most of you probably know by now. I have to get some CD's! I'm a sap for Celtic music anyway. 

O.k. who knew Celtic men could sing like that and look so good. Must plan a trip to Ireland or Scotland. Problem is the language barrier.... I love the sound of their speech but can't understand them sometimes. Of course, I could just sit and listen and not worry about understanding if a fella looked like these guys! 

All right. Now I have to go clean the keyboard ... drool everywhere. Hope you all have a good day.

A Gilded Monday

We don't, of late, get them very often. The sun is shinning in a blue heaven covered with sheer, gauzy clouds. It is still cold at 43F but when you can look out on such a day from a warm room it is bearable.

I feel o.k. Which, when you think about it, is a slight improvement. I didn't feel o.k. last week. The neck is a bit better. I've stopped sitting on the sofa for several days now. Saturday night I used the kitchen table again but moved to one of the living room chairs. I put a cushion on the coffee table and put my feet up and got my portable computer table. I spent the afternoon there yesterday watching t.v. and crocheting. 

I also took acetaminophen for pain and I think it helped a bit. I slept better the last several nights but that never last. One takes what one gets. 

I am still working on the novel merge. It is a laborious process. I have about 12,000 words to go. I will be so glad to get done with it. I still need to decide on how to open this story. I have the beginning of the story but the opening scene has to be a very big hook and that's where I'm having problems. I have to convey this is a psychic spy in that first scene and it is harder than you think. I can't say  he's a psychic spy. I have to show it. So, challenge but one to be dealt with later, thank goodness.

I went to church yesterday morning and last night. I'm so out of practice doing that and I now get so sleepy by 9 p.m. that it was very difficult. I thought about doing that Saturday service instead of the Sunday night one before and I may revisit that. I may try it and see how it works first. 

Tonight I will go home and make every attempt to finish the novel merge and be ready to start on the real work after that. My idea is to work on some sort of outline first. I really need to get the full story arc in my mind and then take each section. 

Now I must get back to work.

WRoE Progress Report: A Page of Kat's Book

I took Kat's advice this morning and made a back up of my NaNo 2011 The Dream Stealer. I probably have one and it is still in Google Docs but just to be safe I made another. I took a word count in Open Office and it came to 53,220 words. Then, per Kat's advice. I deleted the text I've already pasted to Scrivener and the main work in progress (WIP) - The Dream Stealer. The NaNo version is now down to 40,834!

I've only copied 1/5th of the thing! In the Scrivener version there are 25,738 wds! Allowing for differences in word counting methods between programs, I had around 15,000 words to start with.

I also have to allow for the fact that some of what I have is totally useless. Some of it is not actually going to be used because it is meaningless for this story or is just bad writing. So, let's be conservative and say another 10,000 words won't appear in the next version. In Scrivener I can actually put them in my slush folder, a folder for stuff I don't know what to do with, that stinks, or doesn't belong for other reasons.

I've been up since 7:30. I went to bed at 9:30 last night. I was just exhausted. It is happening a lot of late. I didn't write at all because I could barely stay upright. I've been off my diet now for several weeks and I think it is telling on me. Must get back to low carbs. Got to say it appears to be the best thing for me. I felt better.

So, now I get back to copy/paste and hope I can get this done in a few more days. I've lost time this week but I'm learning something about how I procrastinate, what gets me off track. I think I'm moving ahead two steps and back one but that's still progress. Being aware, keeping track and a having to follow a performance system seems to be something I do better with...at least at the moment.

It's 43 degrees here today. I want to go get a peppermint mocha but will wait until I've done my work. I have a really bad back ache this morning, from my neck to my lower back. I'd give anything for a really good back rub today. I can't get comfortable in any position at the moment. I was on the sofa trying to work but it became unbearable. I'm in the kitchen now, sitting on a cushioned chair. It is only moderately better. I can see the day ending badly if I can't get some relief.

I'll catch up later with everyone. Have a good day.

WRoE Day Three Progress Report

Actually yesterday was day three. I didn't get to a post last night but I suspect the day after is more appropriate of a progress report for the day before. 

I was so tired when I got home. I had stopped at the grocery store, going a couple miles out of the way because I went to the wrong store first. So it was nearly 6 p.m. when I got home.

I immediately made some cream of chicken soup. I ate and watch something. I read blogs. Then, I got a hot shower and sat down. Worked on another square, which I kept messing up , miscounting stitches and doing the wrong row. I finally got it going but did not finish the square. I watched another show and then made myself get up and work on my novel for an hour. Unlike Monday night, it was so overwhelming. There are just pages and pages of new stuff I have to sort and put into place. I still don't have the story order well structured in my head so it makes it hard. Does this go here? Or is this later? That doesn't seem to be usable in the story at all! Will I need this or should I make a slush folder for it? 

That's what I spent most of the hour doing last night. And going through it to be sure I had marked all those already moved. I found early on that everything I move to the main work I have to change the font color in the NaNo work to let me know I've already moved it. That way I don't waste time re-reading scads of stuff I already dealt with. I have at least 45000 words to go! I don't need or want to keep continually going over finished sections.

I finally gave up. I was too tired to be effective and found myself confused by the disorder. So, I shut down and went to bed. I was even too tired for bed and tried to read a bit but exhaustion won after about 15 minutes. I don't remember falling asleep. 

Now, I'm getting ready to head for work. For the record, I'm still in the early stages of WRoE and working out my schedule and my determination. It is a difficult plan. But honestly it is the only thing that will work for me. I learned that not doing the writing first, before everything else, is probably bad. I have to have an hour at least to work and waiting until I'm blind with tiredness won't do it. I knew my job drained me but I think this holiday showed me just how much. I put a lot of energy in getting through the day. The days of being able to go 18 hours at capacity are over. I did it for NaNo but I felt terrific for most of October and all of November. I am having pain issues at the moment so a deterrent.

Tonight is writer's meeting and I won't get a lot done before that but there is nearly an hour before the meeting so I will probably work on it instead of crochet. 

I do not know if I'll update daily. May just keep a record for myself somehow and post on the Accountability day. 

All I can say is it is working all right, if not smoothly.