Of Nano and other Things by Bonnie Le Hamilton

  

What can I say this week?

Life is pretty hectic right now. Work, my sciatica is acting up, trying to get back into writing in preparation for Nano. That sort of stuff.

And the Pocatello Temple is open for viewing!

I managed to get a ticket for the first Saturday it was open.

The Temple is very beautiful.

I can’t wait for the dedication!

Until then I have so many other things to worry about, think about, and accomplish.

As it is, I haven’t done much writing the last several weeks, but I’ve done quite a bit of editing. Just haven’t come up with anything to add to any of my incomplete manuscripts.

Though for the first time in a very long while I opened up my Moose Creek files. Funny thing is, it's been so long, that it felt like I was reading someone else’s work, that it was the first time! 

I even found myself laughing in a few places, and in others, I was on the verge of tears. The last time I reread these stories I got bored stiff. 

This only goes to show, sometimes you need to set your work on the back burner for a while. However, I don’t think three or more years are needed.

The only problem with all this is that I know I should either be working on my sci-fi or working on an outline for my Nano project.

It is not like I don’t know what I want to do for Nano, or what I need to add to my sci-fi, its just that when I reread what I have on my sci-fi, I find myself getting so lost in what I’m reading, I forget I have to make some changes and when I set my mind to my Nano project, I end up writing a scene or two instead of an outline.

Yeah, my muse isn’t cooperating. But then when has a muse ever cooperated?

I’ve had ideas come to me while I’ll driving, or in my sleep, but when I sit down to my computer – total blank.

I believe that is called the blank screen or blank page effect. The thing is, I get this same problem when I start with editing! My mind is full of ideas when I am unable to do anything about it and a total blank when I can or need to do some writing.

I have even opened my laptop with ideas swirling around in my head, but by the time the file is open and I can get to work – nothing. 

Maybe I need to work on doing streams of thought again.

Streams of thought are a very useful tool, because it requires no thinking, just writing down everything on your mind.

Just set a timer (I am used to ten minutes) and start writing everything and anything that comes to mind.

My old creative writing teacher, who taught me this method, said it didn’t matter if it was nonsense or if it was a simple “To-Do” list, as long as you remained writing for the entire time.

And no, it isn’t easy.

I remember the first one I ever did, in fact, I still have it, I spent the first few minutes writing that I had nothing to write, but after that, I wrote out a scene! I thought that was great, but it goes with a famous writing quote, “You can’t fix a blank page.”

You can’t, so just get writing. Write every single thing that comes to your mind, no matter how mundane, no matter how irrelevant, just write. Eventually, you won’t have a blank page anymore, and you’ll probably have something you can work with.

Give it a shot.

I know I need to get into the habit of doing it more often.

But then again, Nano is a sort of a stream of thought, it's just the time limit is an entire month, not just a few minutes. It's still the same precept. Just write everything in your head, get it all down on paper, fill up that blank page; you can edit it to your heart's content later. Or not.

It may be so mundane; editing won’t fix it.

Doesn’t matter.

The first step to writing is to simply write.

The second step is editing, and you shouldn’t mix the two.

For one thing, they require different sides of the brain.

Writing is creative; editing is logistics – making it work.

They are two different things and require different mindsets.

Creative free-thinking and logical intelligent thinking.

Those two rarely work together.

Anyway, happy writing everyone.

Of Catastrophes and Muses by Konnie Enos

 I was on my computer, not doing much of anything other than avoiding the one thing I know I need to be doing. Writing my blog post for this week.

I finally, and reluctantly, open Word and stare at the blank page. Nothing is coming.

One way to stimulate the Muse is to do a stream of thought so I put my hands on the keys to start typing, something, anything.

I press the keys but nothing happens.

Where is the cursor?

I don’t know but the mouse should be able to get it in the correct place.

I move my finger over the mouse pad. No response. Usually, this means it’s somewhere off-screen and it takes a minute or so for it to track on screen.

I do crazy-eights on the mouse pad. Nothing.

I decide to close Word and see if that helps.

Do you know how to close, well any open app in Windows without clicking the X in the upper corner? Because I sure don’t.

Alright. The escape button should help. Still no response.

Okay, then Ctrl+Alt+Delete.

That did something.

It went to the screen with options to open the task manager. Now I have temporarily lost my mouse before and getting this screen up usually does the trick. I navigate that screen and go back to where I was only now I have the mouse back.

Normally.

This time. I get the screen. Where is my mouse!?

I still don’t know how to click on something without a mouse?

After several attempts on my part, and without even being sure what worked, I get it back to my screen. This time I tried the Window’s button.

I pulled the start screen right up. However, still no mouse.

I still don’t know how to navigate without a mouse? Oh, I also have a complete lack of knowledge of command codes.

Ah! Arrow keys.

Okay, those work but how do you get the mouse to go one column to the left to get the shutdown button.

At this point, I’m getting rather frustrated. Then I remembered Royce, my resident tech guru, often uses Google to find out how to fix problems.

One suggestion was Ctrl+Alt+Delete. We already knew that wouldn’t work. So I tried the other suggestion. There was no response.

Okay. Call in the big guns.

I text Royce, hoping he’s awake.

While waiting for a response, I decided to try everything again, including closing my laptop for a few minutes. Not that it was helping any.

I still could not shut it down or reset it.

Lightbulb moment. Disconnect the power source and it’ll shut off.

I close the lid, unplug it, and flip it over to release the battery.

Problem.

There is no visible way to take the battery out.

Okay, fine! Be that way!

I pick up the phone again and this time call Royce.

He answers with a groggy, “What?”

I explain the issue to him twice. I think the first time he just wasn’t awake enough to understand what I was saying. He eventually arrives in my room, takes my computer from me, taps on the keys for a moment or two then turns it back to me.

My computer was already shutting down.

“How did you do that?”

“Arrow and Tab keys.”

I had known to use the arrow keys in the start menu, but it never occurred to me that the Tab key could get over to the shutdown key.

Okay, it shut down, but did it fix the problem?

Royce wants to go back to bed but I convince him to stay long enough to see if the shutdown was enough to reset it.

He agrees and I turn my computer back on.

It boots back up the log-in screen and at first, it looked no different, including no visible mouse. I’m about ready to tell Royce it didn’t work when my mouse finally showed back up.

Whew! That worked.

It’s working again but it’s already late enough I should be in bed, especially since I haven’t written my post yet and will have to get up early to get it done. There wasn’t much point in trying tonight since I’m, as usual, fresh out of ideas.

I start to close things.

Oh! Oh! Oh!

I open Word and start furiously typing.

Apparently, a minor catastrophe works great to stimulate your Muse.

Maybe now I’ll be able to put some concentration into my school work. I have roughly a couple hundred pages to read before Saturday.

Smile. Make the day a brighter day.

Procrastination and Me

The vocabulary word for today is PROCRASTINATION. Meaning putting off something you know you have to do until the very last minute.

Yeah, that’s me.

I have known for a week I needed to write my post, but I kept telling myself I had plenty of time and I could do it later.

At first, I said I’d write it on Friday. I have that day off, save for working at the visitor’s center and I can take my laptop there and work when no visitors are there. I’ve done it before, but this time I ended up trying to help my sister-in-law and didn’t get my laptop packed for the trip to the visitor’s center.

So, I vowed to do it on Monday, also my day off, but Monday got away from me with everything else I had to get done, including still trying to help my sister-in-law. I’ll give you a hint: I didn’t get through my to-do list, let alone write my post.

I convinced myself I’d have time Tuesday after work.

Yeah right.

I decided to forgo my usual weeknight TV viewing and get to work, but again, I had plenty of time, so I decided to edit just one chapter. Three chapters later it dawned on me that my ankles were swollen to the point I had to put them above my heart, not only that I was yawning so much I reset my alarm and went to bed.

Now, I have no choice; I have to write my post, but my hand is asleep. Try typing when you can’t feel the keys on one side isn’t easy.

Yes, I can touch type though it is difficult when one hand is numb.

However, not as difficult as when Patches tried to get between me and the computer. Try typing when you can’t even see the screen doesn’t work very well. Especially since my cursor likes to jump around on me. Fun.

Anyway, I have been trying to get back into the writing before November, but so far most of what I’ve done is edit mistakes (mostly adding in missing words) to manuscripts I have started and not finished. Very little new writing unless you count this post and a few scenes for a new story.

On top of that, I don’t know which one I should edit since I have so many.

Most likely I really should work on my massive sci-fi, on the other hand, I keep wanting to work on some of my unfinished romances. And there’s my new one, which I keep telling myself to save for NANO. Even though I already started it.

Anyway, life goes on.

Patches is now on my footstool, I have my carpal tunnel brace on, and I’m running out of time to get this post up.

I think procrastination is the bane of any writer’s existence – or maybe just everyone’s.

So, from now on I’m going to try to get things done while I have time to do them instead of putting them off until later. After all, we really don’t know what tomorrow will bring. Health issues, accidents, people stopping by. We can’t plan for those things, but they do happen.

People stopping by may not happen very often, but this last week it happened quite a bit for me.

Unusual week.

Anyway, happy writing everyone!

Of Colds and Brain Fogs by Konnie Enos

 I’ve had one of those weeks.

About last Tuesday I started experiencing a headache and a bit of a stuffy nose. By Thursday I realized it was a sinus infection and I was starting to drag. I somehow got through Sunday but by the end of the day, it was clear I wasn’t well because I didn’t have enough energy to walk from my bedroom to the front of the house.

This has resulted in me not having the wherewithal to concentrate on writing. Well, at least not on writing my post. I’ve been able to focus for brief periods on my fantasy. Although, I haven’t been able to get very far in my efforts to edit it.  I think it took me two days to get through one page. A page that didn’t need much editing.

Between plenty of rest and fluids, plus some medicine the doctor prescribed, I’m beginning to feel more energetic but still not functioning at full brainpower.

I went to bed last night without even starting on my post and knowing I’d have to get up early to get it done.

What happened this morning?

I got up before the sun for yet one more nightly trip to the bathroom. Jerry was already up to the day and he commented, “You’re up!”

“No. Just going to the bathroom. I’m still asleep.”

“But it’s nearly six. You’re always up by six.”

I didn’t even answer as I curled back up in bed thinking, “No. I generally get up by seven. I’m only up by six when I have to be. I have no place to go today, so I’m sleeping.”

Several minutes later my alarm went off.

Fortunately, I had enough presence of mind to remember I only have two alarms set for six in the morning. One for Sunday so I can make church on time, and one for Wednesdays.

I’m sure you can guess why. It’s the only thing I have scheduled on Wednesday mornings.

Unfortunately, I still can’t concentrate on what I need to be writing.

Instead, I’m focusing on what is going on in my house.

Jerry is now in the shower.

Melinda is clearly in the kitchen doing dishes. I know it’s Melinda even though she hasn’t said a word to me or even come into my bedroom because she’s the only other family member who would reasonably get up this early. That and I know the boys were in asleep by ten and therefore aren’t still up and yet to go to bed for the day. Which is kind of amazing since Tony does work a night shift and he does have to go to work tonight.

Tina was still up, or at least her light was still on at ten, so I imagine she’s still asleep too.

So anyway, my brain is still not at full function and I can’t come up with any more stream of thought. I mean other than the dogs barking at random noises, which is probably the garbage trucks considering it’s Wednesday morning, nothing is going on around here.

The only other thing I can come up with is to wish my brother, Dan, a happy birthday which will be this Friday. It’s not like I could ever forget it. His date of birth is one of the most memorable in my life. Of course, his is the only birth experience I do remember from my younger siblings. I was only a year old when Bryon was born and though I was 13 when Ben was born, I didn’t live with Dad and Margo (Ben and Dan’s mother) at the time. We were told after the fact that Ben had arrived.

Monday is Labor Day and the Monday after that I’ll be starting fall semester classes. I had thought about writing my next two posts early since homework could easily interfere with me having time to write and due to the number of Wednesdays this month, I have two more for September, but clearly, my brain isn’t up to the challenge yet.

And now I need to take my blood sugar, get some breakfast and take my meds. So I’m going to end this ramble since I need to get it posted anyway.

Smile. Make the day a brighter day.

Oops! by Bonnie Le Hamilton

 

Nothing like crawling into bed at the end of an exhausting day only to remember you forgot something as your head hits the pillow! And I mean something very important, like say, a blog post?

Yeah, that big of a something.

But then yesterday, at the end of my workday, I also forgot something equally important which I didn’t notice until I was relaxing on my couch with my shoes off.

To begin with, I normally carry my phone and my stylus in my right pants pocket along with my handkerchief, but at work, I’m less likely to dump my phone and stylus on the floor reaching for the handkerchief if I put the phone and stylus in the right front pocket of the apron I wear at work.

And yes, I do have a locker at work where I could store my phone, except I use it to track my steps and keep track of the time during work. It isn’t as if I leave my ringer on while I’m on the clock; I don’t.

At any rate, I forgot to switch my phone and stylus back to my pants pocket when I left my apron in my locker, and aside from tracking steps and keeping track of the time, my only alarm clock is my phone. Let alone that I have no landline and life alone.

So, I had to get my shoes back on and rush back to the store to get it.

All good, I now have my alarm for in the morning.

Then I actually went to bed, and – I forgot my post!

Great.

By that time, I was too tired to think, meaning I couldn’t sleep in. I had to get up early!

Isn’t life grand?

On another note, I am working on writing just important scenes of my current WIP instead of my usual habit of writing a blow-by-blow. So far so good. And I have needed to try this for quite some time because, well, a blow by blow isn’t exactly the best writing form. In most ways, it gives far too much detail and not enough substance, and quite often is mostly telling.

Though I didn’t work on it yesterday because first, my mind is used to blow by blows, and second, it would rather run a scenario for later in the story rather than for the spot I am at. Ergo, I am not sure what to write next.

Yeah, writing is more about working out the story in the mind before you put it down on paper, or type it into a computer.

But I do have what amounts to the first chapter of this new story, and it’s a pretty good beginning if I do say so myself.

Stretching my brain to write in a different manner than I’m used to is a good thing though. It is always good to learn and grow.

Anyway, I’m going to keep this short this week because I am running so late.

Remember to try something new in your writing!

And happy writing everyone! 

Of Busy Days and Laughs by Konnie Enos

 I normally wake up somewhere between six and seven in the morning, though most mornings I tend to lounge in bed for a while after I wake up, usually doing something on my tablet or Kindle. Yesterday I got right up. Still a bit sleepy, I was in the shower within 15 minutes.

When I entered the bathroom, I, of course, shut the door. But this did not stop my husband from entering the bathroom. For whatever reason when he left, he didn’t close the door while I was still in the tub and just barely starting to dry off.

Melinda came in ranting about a problem we had not once batting an eye about my current condition. The only acknowledgment of my being in the tub was asking if I had an appointment, which was obvious because I was getting out of the tub.

“Yes, one this morning and one this afternoon.”

She then asked, “And why is the door open when you’re still getting out of the shower?”

“I don’t know. Ask your dad. I shut it.” She promptly left, shutting the door, and I don’t think she ever asked Jerry about it.

I get back to my bedroom and bed where I immediately set to work finding out where it was that I had to go so I knew about how much travel time I had to plan on.

While I’m still trying to find the location Melinda comes back and asks when I’m leaving.

“I’m still trying to figure out where it is.”

I eventually found the information I needed and had barely managed to calculate the necessary travel time when she returned. “Well, are you going to help?”

“I have to leave within the hour.” I’m not dressed to go yet.

She was not happy but left the room. Then, not long before I left she came back and asked me what chores I could do.

“I don’t know. I have two appointments and don’t know how long either of them will be, so probably not until after I get back from the second one.”

She’s still not happy but says, “So dinner then.” Then storms back out of my room though I assume that means I’m making dinner.

I left for my appointment. I made it with a bit of spare time but it took long enough that when we got home I had just enough time to set up my work computer and check my emails for work. Then I had to go to my second appointment. This one was to renew my military ID so Jerry had to be there because he’s the veteran.

At one point the lady helping me asked Jerry to name his dependents. He said just me.

She asked for clarification.

Jerry and I then discussed which of our kids were still getting VA benefits, which is just Tony. In the processes we named most of them, which satisfied her. I think she was only verifying she had the correct account and that Jerry was who he said he was.

Well after the fact, after dinner, I realized she wouldn’t know who had VA benefits because she was with the military. She wanted to know who had military ID, which currently only Tony and Royce do. So now I’m slightly obsessing over the fact that neither one of us caught on to the fact she was asking about military dependents. Not VA dependents. Or even kids living at home.

Oh, well. We were still able to confirm his identity and I renewed my ID.

While we were driving to this appointment, I got two text messages about my job that I needed to respond to. One of which stated I had two emails requiring my immediate attention. So the minute I got home, the first thing I did was check my email where I find not two, but three work-related emails to respond to.

While I’m still doing that Royce comes in and asks if we can have pizza for dinner. As luck would have it, I had purchased some frozen pizzas so we could do just that without requiring Melinda to make pizzas from scratch. I said we could do that. So apparently I didn’t have to make supper after all.

While we are eating, Melinda turned to Royce and asked him to replace the fly strip in the kitchen before morning.

He looked up at the ceiling, sighed then said, “Okay.”

“You get all the high jobs because you’re the tallest one.”

Folks he stuck his tongue out at me!                      

Gave me a laugh at the end of a pretty busy day.

Smile. Make the day a brighter day.

Waiting and Machines by Bonnie Le Hamitlon

I don’t know how many of you know this, but I have had to use the electric carts provided at stores for years. I just can’t manage to do my shopping without them.

One time I went to WinCo for a quick trip. I wasn’t getting that much. Well, I do live alone unless you count Patches. At any rate, it was at the first of the month, and as I headed for a checkout line, the first few I passed already had four or five families with very full carts waiting.

Then I spotted a line with only one gentleman and he was unloading his cart.

I pulled in behind him.

He took one look at what few items I had and asked the cashier to not ring up his purchases yet, so I could go first.

This is about the time I realized he had not one, but two overly full carts, but also already had part of his selections already on the conveyor belt.

I told him not to bother. He got there first, and, “I don’t mind waiting if I don’t have to stand.”

And I don’t.

As long as I don’t have to stand on my flat feet while in line, I don’t mind waiting.

Of course, I could have also pointed out that the other lines at that time had longer waits, I suspect because everyone was avoiding getting in line behind him.

At any rate, I waited.

When it came time for him to pay, he paid in cash. Which was something considering how much he had, but he also handed the cashier more than needed and pointed to my items as well.

I tried to protest, but he insisted I deserved it for waiting so patiently. The thing is, none of the other people I could have gotten in line behind were even to the conveyor belt yet.

I honestly had a shorter wait getting behind him with his two full carts than getting behind several families all with a full cart each.

He still paid for me. I did thank him, but I really didn’t mind waiting. 

I admit, had I been in a hurry, I might have, but as I rarely go to the store when I have somewhere I have to be by a certain time, I didn’t need to be watching the clock right then, and I noticed a few dad’s checking their watches as they stood in line.

I honestly try to do my shopping when it doesn’t matter how long it takes because you never know what will happen, or how long the lines are going to be.

Like the other day when I was at Walmart.

When I went to leave, I soon discovered that other than their self-checkout lines, they had a grand total of two lanes open, and neither line was going very fast.

At one point, someone got in line behind me and mentioned something about how they needed to open another line. I pointed out they were probably avoiding that to encourage the customers to use the self-checkout kiosks. And I may have been right, but it turned out the lady I was talking to couldn’t use the self-checkout because she was shopping for a nonprofit, her purchases were tax-exempt.

I personally, refuse to use the self-checkout mostly because I find them confusing, but well, every time I see them, I think back to the time when self-serve gas stations started being a thing.

Have you ever noticed that they don’t have self-serve in Oregon? And have you ever realized how nice it is that you don’t have to get out of your car to fill up in Oregon?

I love Idaho. I was born and raised here, but I sometimes miss being able to just sit in my car and someone else fill her up. It’s the only thing I really liked about Oregon.

And now I hear some fast-food places now have automated ordering kiosks. Yeah, I realize that using a machine instead of a person saves money for the company, but at what cost?

Then again, around here there are an abundance of sales clerk and waitressing jobs and very few people wanting to take them.

Too many people want higher-paying jobs and won’t accept what is available. And then there are all the benefits Biden is giving the unemployed. They have no incentive to take those low-paying jobs, not when they are getting more to stay home.

Does anybody see a problem with that?

I sure do.

When too many people won’t take on the menial jobs, soon those jobs won' exist anymore, they are slowly being replaced by machines. Think about that for a minute.

Anyway, happy writing everyone.