The Piano Guys - I missed this one!

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.

Here We Be

Already at the 4th of January, 2012. I'm getting ready for work, actually am ready but about to brush my teeth and head out. As predicted, the gate that let me log on at here and FB at work has be closed and locked. I knew when Jay returned from the holiday it would happen. LOL, probably for the best.

I didn't do any writing last night. I came in, cooked a small meal, sat down and caught up on blog reading and then got a hot shower after I cleaned the kitchen. Shower done, I watched a couple of t.v. shows while while crocheting another square for Sarah's spread. It is the second one I've done. I will have to work this in to my schedule. At the moment, it takes probably an hour to do a square. I'm still learning the pattern and am making a lot of mistakes. Once I have the pattern down it will go fast but until then it is tedious, particular last night for some reason. If I can do one a night I'll have 30 squares in a month. I doubt I'll be able to do that rate.

I sat up too late as well. My intention was to write an hour but I was really tired after the first day back. People were simply crazy last night. One caller chewed me out and insulted a case manager because she wasn't answering her phone at 8 a.m. O.k. it is first of the month after a four day weekend and pay day for landlords. And we have 300 other people we we deal with. This guy was a jerk of the first order. He's also new on the program. He now has Dixie's red flag on his forehead. We don't forget the jerks and it isn't wise to tic off a case manager whose help you may need in a real emergency. I informed his case manager and told her to be prepared.

Two days to the weekend. Can I make it? I hope so. Have a good, warm day. It is 31 here!

How to Install a Kitchen Sink

WRoE Begins

This is my first post regarding my Writer's Rules of Engagement challenge to myself. I officially started today and I'm feeling pretty good about it. Although, after three hours of work, I'm wanting a good t.v. show! But I can't. 

I've spent several hours now working on consolidating my 2011 NaNo novel into The Dream Stealer (my WIP). It is tedious and time consuming. I have to search the NaNo work and find pieces to copy and paste into the WIP in the supposed place it goes. Remember, my NaNo was written missing pieces of the WIP, or rather, things I felt were missing. Now it is actually like putting together a puzzle. 

I'm tired and I have taken a couple of breaks between tasks. One was to take a hot shower. The other was to read that stupid new bill... that took a few hours. However, when I was done I was more than ready to get back to Simon. 

I have to say, truly once again, I love this story. Every time I read over parts of it, I'm enthralled. I can't believe I wrote any of it. Of course, I may find it suck when sent out for readers. 

Speaking of which, if I ever get to readers, I will need volunteers. My plan will be to send hard copies to the readers to mark it up. Yes, hard copies. No way am I wading through a dozen computer file copies to try and make sense of reader notes and suggestions. My first draft is going to be a nightmare as it is. I really want to get this order down tight before I do anything else. So, keep it in mind. Once I get to reader stage, I need readers.

Now, it is ice cream break and then I get back to work.

Chirstmas Eve

Decorating the Tree

I'm getting this a bit late and it is 20 minutes long! But I have watched it over and over.

Happy New Year, 2012

The Last Day of 2011

Easy New Year's Resolutions

You all know, if you have read my favorite blog posts, what I think about resolutions. I don't make them. This list a good example of why. It is amusing and yet... profoundly truthful. (I'm being highly sarcastic here.)

Just for today, I will not sit in my living room all day in my nightdress. Instead, I will move my computer into the bedroom.

I will not bore my boss by with the same excuse for taking leaves. I will think of some more excuses.

I will do less laundry and use more deodorant.

I will avoid taking a bath whenever possible and conserve more water.

I will give up chocolates totally. 100%. Completely. Honestly....

I will try to figure out why I *really* need nine e-mail addresses.

I will stop sending e-mails to my wife (husband).

I resolve to work with neglected children -- my own.

I will stop sending e-mail, ICQ, and Instant Messages while on the phone at the same time with the same person.

I will spend less than one hour a day on the Internet. This, of course, will be hard to estimate since I'm not a clock watcher.

I will read the manual ... just as soon as I can find it.

I will think of a password other than "password."

I will not tell the same story at every get together.

I won't worry so much.

I will cut my hair.

I will grow my hair.

I will be more imaginative.

I will not ring the steward button on airplanes just to get her/his phone number.

FROM GCFL.com

Wonder Where It Went

My morning has flown by. I've been busy getting the detritus cleaned out of my box and preparing to start hitting the February files. I have to have all of them done by end of month or I'm going to be in a pickle with late folders. Much of March is sitting waiting as well.

My neck is just miserable and making the rest of me miserable. Not sure what I can do about it. I am dreading having to get that shot but I'm not sure there is an alternative. It has been three years since the last one and I've had some very bad days with it in that time. 

I over slept this morning because I forgot to set the clock. It was needed extra sleep. I really need to go to bed early tonight, too. November always kind of knocks me off kilter. I was doing really well with a routine of sorts and I need to get back to that.

Only three days to go this week and then three days next and four after that, so short work weeks for the next three. That is going to be very nice. 

I don't have any profound wisdom to offer today. No shocking statements to take exception to, unless you get all bent some of the above, in which case, get a helmet. In all honest, I am so. . . I don't like the word depressed for everything. I've been depressed and I can tell the difference. This isn't depression. It is . . . something else. If I think of the work I'll post it but at the moment . . . oh, wait, yes I do! Abject. I am abject. It is an old word and I doubt many people use it now-a-days. I can't seem to get above it. Oh, feels better just having a word to describe it. 

I'm out now to lunch. Don't know where I'm going.

Sunday That Wasn't

Cloudy and cold all day. I didn't go to church this morning but I'm on my way out in just a few minutes for the evening service. I'm rather tired, even took a nap this afternoon for about an hour. I got to bed late, after 1 a.m., and I don't know if I slept well or not. I woke up around 8 a.m. and tried to stay in bed but couldn't bring myself to do so. It is hard for me to find a comfortable position lying down. So I got up, made breakfast and found my neck is very uncomfortable. the only position that doesn't cause pain is straight up, straight ahead. But that puts stress on my whole body after a time.

I've done nothing but lie on the sofa and watch t.v. shows. I did read a bit but not much. Life is simply passing by my windows. 

Thankfully, I only have to work four days this week. 

Forgot to mention that I went to the cemetery yesterday to leave flowers. Someone, probably one of the Veterans organizations here, had placed evergreen wreaths on all the graves. They were so beautiful. I couldn't believe it. If you don't know what something like that means to the families of these men and women it is unfortunate for you. I sat there and cried. This was not a cheap gesture. These were live wreaths with red bows on them and there are at least three dozen graves in the Vet's area. I couldn't believe they'd done that. I am going to call this week and see if I can find out which group did it. I'd like to call and say thank you.

My trip to the cemetery was probably why most of the weekend was a bust. 

I'm leaving now. Not sure when I'll be back on but I usually try to get on a few minutes ever evening. Hope you all have a wonderful Christmas. Make it the best that you possibly can. You do not know when it will be the last one for someone around your table.

The Lost Videos -NaNoWriMo 2011

Thanksgiving Day, 2011

Around the Block

And back again. I did just that. You know, I never thought about how very much I did things with someone else. Really. In the last years of his life Jerry had jobs whose hours conflicted with mine terribly. Even Saturday was a bust. We had only one day a week for a long time. But we always spent the time we had together either doing stuff around the house or at church or going to the store. He got to where he was doing all the shopping. I just made the list.

So, again I am reminded strongly how very much I hate shopping and I despise it alone. There is no reason to go to a store if I can help it. 

What did I do? Nothing I intended. I went to CVS to pick up some gifts for Sarah. She loves playing Old Maid and Go Fish with me. Got her gifts. I went to Lowe's looking for lights. Didn't have them. But I did get house numbers to put outside. Randy covered mine up when he built the porch. Fortunately, they were the stick on kind so it didn't matter. These are metal and I'll attach them to the step railing facing the street. I also got two packages of pretty baubles for the tree. Left Lowe's and went to get a gift card. Came home. No, it wasn't enjoyable.

My next big event, after working four days will be get ready to cook Christmas dinner. I'm going for fast and simple and less. Only complication will be homemade dressing. Not the box stuff. The real cornbread dressing. I'll buy couple of rotisserie chickens from Sam's and my desserts. I'll make a small ham. Everyone will be happy. I might, just might make Jerry's favorite Lemon pie but not sure. I only made it because he liked it, even though everyone else does, too but I'm leaning to ready made desserts.  No, I won't make it. 

I really am going to find something else to do for Christmas next year. Maybe a trip to some place warm and sunny. I'm done with this stuff. I absolutely hate it. I no longer find any pleasure in any of it and that's sad in a way. But it is true. I don't want to do anything at all.  

So why am I? Because I'd like to give Sarah a few memories of something that was and when it was, there was joy. With me, the traditions will die out. I'd like her to know what they were. I am alone here and with no close family and no siblings it will be gone. When you have sons it is different. Unless there are wives who want to continue family traditions, they disappear. 

I know people make their own traditions, each generation doing new things. My sisters and I have tried to keep ours going but for me, it ends here. I think I'm done. Maybe that's for the best.

I suspect the next 44 days are going to be a little slice of hell on earth. At least for me.

Finding The Meaning

I'm heading out now to find some meaning in the madness. I suppose I have to buy gifts at some point. It has, oddly enough, become something so meaningless that I'm stunned at how little it means. I can buy that gift anytime. Why did I waste years stressing over it? Running all over to find the perfect gift? I'm a bit ashamed. I need to remember what this particular holiday means. Not what it has become.

No, stop. I don't want to hear your opinion about the pagan roots of Christmas.... or any other holiday for that matter. I don't care. The reason the ancient world turned from those things is hope. They reinvented them to encompass something beyond the superficial. They saw hope and reached for it. The problem isn't that the reason changed. People changed, and only in the last 50-60 years!

The hope remained. It was the light, there before us, suspended in the heavens. At His birth. And at His death. Get rid of all the trappings you want. Burn the tree. Trash the decorations. Ban the images and call them archaic. Suppress all Christian religious speech and thought. (Not any other religions stuff cause that would be repressive and a violation of someones rights). You can do all of that. It won't matter to me.

Because the hope is still there, right in front of us. You can't take the stars from the sky. You can't suppress the Light that shines through time and space and pierces to the darkest heart. You can talk all the visual and audible images of Christmas and burn them in the deepest pit. And you still won't touch what it means to us. You won't be able to suppress the reality because it is beyond your ability to do so. You won't be able to stop the hope. There is no power, political or personal, that can change what it really means. We are what makes it what it is because He was who he was. You can't change that, no matter how many X's you put in it.

Merry Christmas. Yeah, I think so.

My New Favorite Christmas Carole

Re-Reading My NaNo

Since I can't be bothered to work today, I decided to do some work on my NaNo novel. I ran across one of those places where the writer just knows it's good. Well, we think it's good. Anyway, I'll share it and you can judge. I love the dialogue here. Simon has called Quinn to arrange a meeting. Here is how it opens.

"Quinn here."

Simon smiled. "Hello, old chum. How've you been?"

"Simon?"

The shock in his voice would have been offensive if it hadn't been amusing. "In the flesh."

"What in hell do you want?" The line crackled from the force of his voice.

"Actually, I'm not in hell.."

"Sorry to hear that. Where are you?"

I love these characters and their relationship. I love this tale and I'm annoyed it is so disorganized. {sigh} Yes... yes... I'm working on it.

Report: Half Of American Schools Failed Federal Standards | Fox News

Link

I don't know how our American education system every operated before this No Child Left Behind thing. I mean, we had some of the brightest minds in the world come out of American schools before this act. Wonder what would have happened has we never had the NCLB pass? Could out children get any dumber without it?

Wednesday Wind Up

HRH arrived in full force. Princess Sarah entertained me for about three hours tonight while Mommie went to the ER. Mom is sick with asthma, bronchitis and a slight case of pneumonia. She got drugs and they've gone home. 

I've spent the evening playing cards - Old Maid & Go Fish, listing to Scooby Doo movies, and watching Terra Nova while she played with Playdoh. And chatted with friends online. All together a relatively tame evening.

Dave worked on my shoulder and right at this very second there is NO PAIN in that shoulder! Boy is gifted, I'm telling you. Seriously, NO pain in my shoulder. As soon as he starts whatever he does, it stops. I'm getting ready to go to bed so I can try an sleep. I forgot to take one of my meds and will probably have trouble sleeping but we'll see. Once that pain is under control life is a bit more bearable. 

Becca informed me there were Apostolic dating services. {shakes head} I don't know what to do with such information. Filed under research. I have discovered I'm not really ready for the 21st century. I don't know if I ever will be. Also need to research when the next parade is happening. Hey, you meet some nice people at parades.

Now that I have you all laughing hysterically, I'm going to bed. Have a good night.