Peeves

I wonder if the person who wrote the directions for using shampoo gets royalties? If I think about all the times I have read someone refer to the step one, step two, repeat directions, I have to wish the original author got some type of kick back. I mean he came up with it and now everyone uses that for everything. I understand it's a simple way to explain how to get started on something. Most things are a process of repetition before you get a feel for it or get better at it.

So in that case, if you don't want to be original, that's a good way to describe a process. But it isn't a very good way and it isn't a great way. It doesn't inspire you to do any more than say, washing your hair. Don't you just feel terrific after reading an article you think will help you along and all they've got is step one, step two, repeat? You don't think I might already have gotten to that point and beyond and I was looking for more than directions on how to wash my hair?

But that's me, and maybe it's my responsibility to find articles with more depth. Believe me, my hair is clean.

Which brings me to another comment that can be irritating.  When you mention a run to some people and they take on a body language to actually puff up and look bigger as they say it.
"I don't run unless someone is chasing me."
Right. Of course you do. Happen to you often? Am I supposed to hold myself back instead of playing along and saying, "You are so original. Do you pay royalties for that?"

Then I go for a run, because if that kind of stuff is getting to me, I know I need one.
TT

Distracted

If you stare at a blank page long enough it can get awkward. You can see the blinking curser ready at the far left hand side of the top of the page. You avert your eyes, take a sip of coffee, look at the clutter on the far side of your desk, and then glance back to that blinking curser. It's at the top of the page, left hand side, of a completely white document.

If there were two people sitting across from each other it would be that time in the conversation that lulled. You look away in the silence and your mind starts to wander. You're distracted by the things you see but can't catch hold of anything that is really passing through your mind. The thoughts are just drifting until you glance back and realize the silence is pulsing while you've been distracted. And it's a little awkward. So you check the clock for something to do.

Time's up.
TT

Action over analysis

I spent two hours yesterday afternoon writing. Well, okay, maybe it was editing and not actually adding new words but it's an entire first chapter. I can only remember thinking about writing for that long and longer but not actually sitting down and doing it. I don't have any recollections of when the last time I actually sat down and worked on writing before yesterday.

It started when I got a review request from someone on the writing.com site. Someone wanted me to take a look at their first chapter/intro. I took a look. I gathered my thoughts and I sent back a review. Since it was a public review (most are visible in an specific area of the site) someone else read my review and gave me good feedback on it. I had to thank them on the acknowledgement but then I got a thumbs up on a review I had given a book I read on a different site (goodreads.com). I had to take a moment to tap down the excitement of getting a nod for anything, especially reviews. Somebody, somewhere, took the time to read them and actually thought they had some value. I'm talking two in one day which was reason enough to try to tap down anything.

I couldn't help thinking how I'm able to give out others meaningful feedback and yet not able to find the errors of my own ways in my writing. That isn't entirely true but I pretend. I found myself in my upstairs office and opening the document I have of the story about the young woman with the imagination. It's the one I just started writing without any idea of what the story was about or where it was going. The working title so far is Imaginary Lines and I started by giving it the same type of review I gave to the others. It was merely a piece of work that I was going over as if it belong to someone else and by the time I was feeling like I needed to get up from my desk, two hours had blown by and I had the entire first chapter drafted.

I woke up extra early this morning and knew I had some notes on this same story. I got to looking and sure enough I found some really organized ideas about this story. Somewhere, at some point in time, I put some thought into where this random bit of writing was supposed to go.

So, I am working to assemble these notes to have a clearer picture of how I am going to approach the progress on this story. I already have some clear cut ideas worked out and even have a frame of where I might proceed through chapter three.

This was a throw-away piece. I started putting down words that I had no idea where they might lead. I've even avoided working on this because I have the first draft of a completed novella I have stopped and started revising and thought I should work on that. Let's not even mention the entire novel that needs serious rework - no serious, serious rework - we won't mention that right now and how I keep thinking these other completed works should be the priority.

But maybe because this is a throw-away piece I can approach it from the place of the outside reviewer. Maybe it's because I've gotten past having any sentimentality about all these words that spill out and I can try to organize what I want for this particular piece. Maybe I just got past all the trappings of having to tap down the feelings that something is more than it is and just go for the things I'd rather spend time on doing. Does it matter if I work on this piece over the others or is it still a matter of what would I rather be working on instead of thinking about what I should be working on.

Because, who cares? Why try to figure out if I should work on this or that. I'm going to work on this and then maybe that and not waste the brainpower on trying to figure it out. I'm simply glad I got that boost of motivation and now I can take it wherever I want to go.
TT

Rain, rain

The chances of rain were so close. It was closing into evening and the skies were darkening prematurely. You could hear the growling of thunder in the distance and the air had a stillness filled with promise. Wait and it will let loose it's downpour at any time. Let it rain. Heavy and hard was the growing expectations. With more grumblings from the skies, it was sure to spill down at any time. Wait.

It didn't happen. It lightened up to it's normal for that time of day. Any traces of a growing storm vanished just as the hope for even the slightest of mists. It was a story without a plot, a play without a curtain call. The rain passed us by as if it couldn't perform for such an undeserving crowd. It didn't know how much we wanted it to happen. It didn't know the standing ovations its would have received. The idea of breaking through the dark clouds and pouring down with all the force it could muster was all we wanted to hear and see. But it wasn't destined to happen and all the pretend dark growling played out to nothing in the end.

I like the rain. We came so close yesterday. Please come again another day.
TT

Better

Better. Whatever physical distresses I had seems to be moving along. There is no more sore throat, no more constantly runny nose. I crashed out early yesterday and slept a little later this morning. It seems to have worked because I am feeling much better today than yesterday.  Thank goodness! Small things, when they are of this nature, can sure take the wind out of you. I'm lucky to have shaken it so quickly.
TT

Drip

I have to say I'm dragging a little today. I came down with a drip that might be an allergy that is more irritating than anything else. It's only a sore throat and that drip but it's gotten me worn out and who needs that! I'm not up to quality standards but I do feel as if it's starting to go away. At least I hope that is case because I don't have the patience to wait around for this right now. I'll take it easier today and let it ride out it's course. I'll hold off on anything strenuous and will try to sit still a little longer than usual. I should be good to go, back to normal, by tomorrow.
Hopefully.
TT

Do it

It's time to get back to the routine! After a long weekend it can be a bit of a let down but I have it squarely under control. I've put in a couple of hours already to get a head start on this four-day work week and it should be a breeze.

Routines are those things that can be good or bad. There is a comfort in some and a dread in others. I guess the best way to tackle it is to take them as they come and don't give the bad any more thought than they deserve. If it's something you can't change for now, go with it and get it done. You can always think of ways to change it up later. Getting myself going goes a long way to getting past thinking about the stuff I don't especially enjoy.  By the time I realize it, it's done, and I'm doing something I'd rather be doing.
TT

Chopped

We pulled off our first attempt at 'Chopped'! One basket with four mystery ingredients and 20 minutes on the clock. You need to use all four ingredients in some form and will be judged for taste, creativity, and presentation. It's a tough job but someone has to do it.

I pulled a surprise attack and didn't tell anyone I had the 'Chopped' idea planned until they all showed up and I didn't really get any resistance. All in! Jay, Sonny, and Dante would be taking on the challenge, so we fired up the grill and that was their only cooking source. The basket contained chicken breast, trisket crackers, baby carrots, and grape jelly. I had set up a variety of pantry items and had their cutting boards, knives, bowls and other items ready to use. They didn't waste any time to get moving and did they every have their heads down, working hard. We worked out a couple of kinks quickly, like we forgot a garbage can, but it went fairly smoothly throughout the competition. It was something to experience. The timer ticked down the minutes, food was cooked, and plates were served up.

I know they were all judged and a winner was declared but I think all three were winners! AND the overall response was how much fun it was! Hey. That sounds like a win-win to me. So all in all, the 'Chopped' session turned out to put the *Fun* into this holiday weekend I've been calling my stay-cation. And then we went on to grill some fresh corn and steaks for dinner. And that eggplant I picked up at the grocery store became some babaganoush. It was good!

In fact, that could be the way to describe the entire day!

TT

Day Two-Stayca

Day Two of Stay-Vacation is in progress.

Everyone is coming over this afternoon and I've managed to get the inside of the house fairly well cleaned up and ready. The backyard patio will take the smallest amount of time to reconfigure.I'm stumbling over the menu just slightly and will need to make some decisions on a few additional items. I've done the grocery shopping but artichokes fell off the list and somehow eggplant was purchased. I'm not sure I can work it into the menu today but these are the things I'll need to take care of before everyone starts to get here.

It would seem as if this is work and isn't the reason for a vacation is to relax? Well, first I enjoy this type of work and I am doing my share of relaxing, too. I finished that novel I started and have another waiting. I got my run done and this is really easier to organize than getting everyone situated away from home. There is the added bonus that I have everything I need right here and can sleep in my own bed at night. When you've gotten everything around you the way you like it, why pay to be somewhere else? Maybe I need to pick up a water feature?
TT

Three ingredients

My three-day stay-cation has arrived!

I spent last night with at least 100 pages of the novel I'm reading. It's a relaxing way to kick off the eve of the holiday but now it's Saturday morning and I need to get my thoughts in gear. How am I going to pull this off? I figured some festive atmosphere needed to be created. We need food, and what about some fun! Those were my three ingredients to kicked it off.

• Atmosphere - There needs to be some clean up on the home front. I'll need to do a once over inside the house. Basic things like floors, bathroom, kitchen need to be put in order. Then, let's tackle the backyard patio. How about moving those potted plants, sprucing up the table and chairs, and making sure there is space to enjoy the outdoors.

• Food - Everyone is set to come over on Sunday afternoon. Let's think about outdoor cooking and since it's Labor Day the traditional steak might be a good option. What about some fresh summer corn on the grill and maybe some grilled artichoke? I'll have time to think over the menu and see what is available at the grocery store.

• Fun - I'm not sure I can pull this off but I have an idea of doing a 'Chopped' session when everyone is here on Sunday. Only one round of appetizer basket items. I can have Sonny and Dante compete. I want to have Jay in there, too, but I'm not sure I have enough room to cook for all three. I can have the ladies be judges. It would be 20 minutes of hilarity and I get to come up with the basket ingredients. Sounds like fun to me if I can figure out the logistics.

So, let's get this stay-ca started. I have a run waiting to happen and then I have a list of things I need to check off.
Can't wait.
TT

Stall tactics

My back is starting to ache and my foot went to sleep. I can feel those pins and needles sticking furiously into the mid portions at my arch. I shouldn't be sitting that way. I unravel the leg I tucked under me and the jabbing becomes more acute. Dang. How can blood trying to circulate to its proper spots hurt so much. You would think the pain would happen when the blood was cut off not when it's flowing back to the parts it should be in the first place.

It's my own fault. If I wasn't sitting in front of this laptop wasting time, I wouldn't be experiencing these mild annoyances. I deserved them for procrastinating. Yes. That's what I get for sitting in front of the laptop, perusing sites and articles that I knew were redundant to information I've already gathered. Sitting while the sound of the washer whirred and bounced the load of laundry. I allowed myself to believe I was waiting for it to finish. Why else would I have a reason to sit and waste time instead of actually doing the work I intended and should have been doing?

But that explains the physical pain. Nothing hurt while I sat wasting away the time. The moment I adjusted myself correctly the pain started. I was oblivious to my time wasting endeavor, thinking there was no harm done until the realization of the consequences after the fact. I used up my allotted time not focusing on my intended subject. Ouch. That hurts like an aching back.

So it was another mission accomplished if I was going for one more procrastination session.
TT

Don't act a child

I am bounding around this curve in the week heading toward a three day weekend. I didn't think I was anticipating it as much as I really am. It's as if I can see a vision of the time off in my head and it's starting to give me those anxious, nervous, giddy feelings in my core. I'm feeling a little like a kid looking forward to being off from dreaded school where all the subjects are boring. All hail the time off!

And I am acting a bit of a child even if it isn't visible on the outside. I'm very much looking forward to the extra day. I'm planning and thinking about an entire stay-cation in my silly head. The things I can do and things I can think about doing. It's all part of those anxious, giddy feelings feeding into all the simple and elaborate ideas of all the things I might do when I don't have to show up.

Now let's get around that curve of the rest of the week. Almost there!
TT

Quiet morning

It's an especially quiet morning. Everything is hushed and seemly darker than it should be at this hour. It sounds sinister but it is more a feeling of calmness. The world hasn't woken up yet and I'm able to take the few minutes before it does to appreciate the lack of movement. A soothing few moments to pause before the bustle of the everyday sweeps us up and carries us away.

I am able to stay here a few more minutes before the lights all come on, the traffic begins to pass, and the day prepares for its routine. I'm making a holiday of a few more minutes. And I will still be here to see the day take its shape.
TT

Got to be good

It's September.

The mornings have been a few degrees cooler. It has only been by one or two degrees but enough to make a difference. At least I think that is the case. I know when I go out to run I am hitting paces faster than I have in the past year. Yes. They are shorter runs but the same routes as a year ago. I didn't come close to that before. There is more ease in my step and it seems to be coming around. I think the consistency and will to keep at it this time has made the difference with the added benefit of a few milder degrees.

So keep on moving. Keep up the consistency. Where will I be at the end of another week or two? I can't predict the future but if things keep going down this same path it's got to be good.
TT