Have you ever thought about the people from your high school graduating class?
Miss Congeniality? The Nerd? The Jock?
The guy most likely to serve time in a maximum security cage?
Is there that "special" someone [read teacher's pet] who deserves a bit of revenge?
Join us at The Wild Rose Press for the reunion of The Class of 85.
We took the real Corn Hill, picked it up and dropped it next to the real Summerville on the shores of Lake Ontario and took it from there. There are so many possibilities and we can have so much fun.
Isn't that the idea of writing? Having some fun?
Kat
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Monday, March 29, 2010
Goals
What are my goals? Where do I begin, I have so many? That is my problem - too many goals. For the past two months, I haven't met the goals I set at the LCRW meetings. So, this time, I changed my thinking.
From now on, I'm going to make my goals a bit ambiguous, with no set deadline. The first goal was to finish reorganizing my office space. Since I'm halfway there, I thought this would be an attainable goal. Every day I've done a little purging (I haven't used this space for about 9 years), a little cleaning and now I'm ready to set up my filing system.
Another thing about having my office organized is having storage space to put the basket supplies, so my husband won't complain about me bringing in more STUFF! I think I'll tackle putting all that away this week.
My second goal is to blog regularly on my personal blog, Patti Mann, Author on Blogspot. Please come follow me at http://ladybuggy50.blogspot.com. I have found that having a schedule for blogging has helped me tremendously in staying focused on writing. Now, once all this organization is complete, I'll be able to schedule actual manuscript writing time. Can't wait!
One absolutely fantastic thing about going through all my old files is I have found past critiques of my current manuscript. I plan to take some with me to work today and go through them on my lunch. It's going to be interesting to see where my story has gone and how my writing has changed (if it has at all). I'll also be able to weed out all the repetitive copies and purge the hundreds of sheets of paper (there has to be at least a full ream or two - 500/ream) filling up my drawers.
From now on, I'm going to make my goals a bit ambiguous, with no set deadline. The first goal was to finish reorganizing my office space. Since I'm halfway there, I thought this would be an attainable goal. Every day I've done a little purging (I haven't used this space for about 9 years), a little cleaning and now I'm ready to set up my filing system.
Another thing about having my office organized is having storage space to put the basket supplies, so my husband won't complain about me bringing in more STUFF! I think I'll tackle putting all that away this week.
My second goal is to blog regularly on my personal blog, Patti Mann, Author on Blogspot. Please come follow me at http://ladybuggy50.blogspot.com. I have found that having a schedule for blogging has helped me tremendously in staying focused on writing. Now, once all this organization is complete, I'll be able to schedule actual manuscript writing time. Can't wait!
One absolutely fantastic thing about going through all my old files is I have found past critiques of my current manuscript. I plan to take some with me to work today and go through them on my lunch. It's going to be interesting to see where my story has gone and how my writing has changed (if it has at all). I'll also be able to weed out all the repetitive copies and purge the hundreds of sheets of paper (there has to be at least a full ream or two - 500/ream) filling up my drawers.
Friday, March 26, 2010
Where Did Spring Go?
Brrr. When I took my son to school this morning, I didn't expect the car doors to be frozen. What happened to that 50 degree weather we had last week. I don't know if I can take the cold much longer.
I've cleared out a corner in our sun room at the back of the house for my office space. It was my office about 10 years ago, but became the junk room once my daughter arrived. Now that I'm determined to finish at least on of my books this year, I've decided I need my office back.
Let me tell you, it's darn cold out here. There is an electric baseboard heater across the room, but it's too expensive to use it. So I have a small space heater which is fired up behind me. It takes a lot of time to heat up my corner because the whole room is about 400 sq. ft. Thank God my daughter gave me a Snuggly for Christmas. It's getting a lot of use out here.
The only thing is, my fingers get cold really fast and make typing a challenge. But what is life without its challenges, right?! I can say I'm a 'suffering' writer instead of a 'struggling' writer. Makes me sound more eccentric. I love being eccentric, though my family wishes I would just blend into the woodwork.
My office has its advantages. It's outside of the main house (the sun room is basically a deck that was walled-in and added on to the back of the house). Yes, there is a window directly in front of my desk, but I hope to find some sort of curtain arrangement to cover that. As it is, the traffic around me when I'm working is non-existent. Yipee! That was the most important element I was striving for.
Now it's off to my real job (lunchtime hostess at a family restaurant) and then I'll be able to work on my dream job (writing) later.
I've cleared out a corner in our sun room at the back of the house for my office space. It was my office about 10 years ago, but became the junk room once my daughter arrived. Now that I'm determined to finish at least on of my books this year, I've decided I need my office back.
Let me tell you, it's darn cold out here. There is an electric baseboard heater across the room, but it's too expensive to use it. So I have a small space heater which is fired up behind me. It takes a lot of time to heat up my corner because the whole room is about 400 sq. ft. Thank God my daughter gave me a Snuggly for Christmas. It's getting a lot of use out here.
The only thing is, my fingers get cold really fast and make typing a challenge. But what is life without its challenges, right?! I can say I'm a 'suffering' writer instead of a 'struggling' writer. Makes me sound more eccentric. I love being eccentric, though my family wishes I would just blend into the woodwork.
My office has its advantages. It's outside of the main house (the sun room is basically a deck that was walled-in and added on to the back of the house). Yes, there is a window directly in front of my desk, but I hope to find some sort of curtain arrangement to cover that. As it is, the traffic around me when I'm working is non-existent. Yipee! That was the most important element I was striving for.
Now it's off to my real job (lunchtime hostess at a family restaurant) and then I'll be able to work on my dream job (writing) later.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Spring is in the Air!
What a glorious week we've had. Those winter blues have been chased right away by all the sunshine. It's supposed to turn winter again next week, but only for a short time.
With the Easter season upon us, I tend to reflect on life's cycles - birth, existence and death. It hasn't been too hard to do that lately with the death of a wonderful young man. Yet, as I remember his funeral, the family decided to celebrate his life and Easter instead of mourn. Easter lilies filled the church, the sight bringing comfort to those of us who believe.
My personal metamorphosis is still an ongoing event. Yes, I have lost over 100 pounds, but I'm not finished. My body is still working to adjust to the dramatic reduction in mass, so there are plenty of gaps, sags, and all around mushing and rumblings as my skin and muscles shrink and attempt to return to their original shapes.
This change in me isn't only in the physical. I'm discovering I have more energy, and a cleansing of clutter and a spree of reorganization is taking place as well. I used to have a desk in our sun-room (a deck the former owners enclosed into a nice paneled addition). As I cleared the surface, imagine the shock of seeing the blotter calendar from 2001! it's been that long since I've really worked on my manuscripts.
Well, today - day 4 of cleaning/clearing - I wiped the cobwebs down from the walls and ceiling around my corner, washed the desk top and have set up a new, current calendar alongside my lap top. It is now an inviting place where I can escape from the family and write to my hearts content. Still have to find a curtain to place over the window directly behind my laptop. Could use some ideas as it's a casement window that opens out into my space (remember I said it used to be an old deck, so the window opens from the kitchen out)
I still have a few more days worth of sorting two file drawers and a bookcase to maximize my filing and resource centers. If anyone has suggestions on reference books that have helped them advance toward publication of their work, please let me know. I'm going to beg, borrow or steal from my husband to outfit my space to MY satisfaction - not his. He still thinks my book is garbage (he only reads non-fiction, and DIY books)
Okay, enough of my ramblings. At least I can say I've been meeting my blog commitments. Now to finish those first 10 chapters of Invisible Ties :-P
With the Easter season upon us, I tend to reflect on life's cycles - birth, existence and death. It hasn't been too hard to do that lately with the death of a wonderful young man. Yet, as I remember his funeral, the family decided to celebrate his life and Easter instead of mourn. Easter lilies filled the church, the sight bringing comfort to those of us who believe.
My personal metamorphosis is still an ongoing event. Yes, I have lost over 100 pounds, but I'm not finished. My body is still working to adjust to the dramatic reduction in mass, so there are plenty of gaps, sags, and all around mushing and rumblings as my skin and muscles shrink and attempt to return to their original shapes.
This change in me isn't only in the physical. I'm discovering I have more energy, and a cleansing of clutter and a spree of reorganization is taking place as well. I used to have a desk in our sun-room (a deck the former owners enclosed into a nice paneled addition). As I cleared the surface, imagine the shock of seeing the blotter calendar from 2001! it's been that long since I've really worked on my manuscripts.
Well, today - day 4 of cleaning/clearing - I wiped the cobwebs down from the walls and ceiling around my corner, washed the desk top and have set up a new, current calendar alongside my lap top. It is now an inviting place where I can escape from the family and write to my hearts content. Still have to find a curtain to place over the window directly behind my laptop. Could use some ideas as it's a casement window that opens out into my space (remember I said it used to be an old deck, so the window opens from the kitchen out)
I still have a few more days worth of sorting two file drawers and a bookcase to maximize my filing and resource centers. If anyone has suggestions on reference books that have helped them advance toward publication of their work, please let me know. I'm going to beg, borrow or steal from my husband to outfit my space to MY satisfaction - not his. He still thinks my book is garbage (he only reads non-fiction, and DIY books)
Okay, enough of my ramblings. At least I can say I've been meeting my blog commitments. Now to finish those first 10 chapters of Invisible Ties :-P
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Happy Days!!
Oops! I missed my blog yesterday, so here I am making it up. Life is finally settling back to normal after a rather hectic weekend. With a day trip to Ithaca on Saturday to work on the conference I'm running in April, then a trip to Philadelphia on Sunday for a one hour appointment for my daughter, it's no wonder I didn't make it back to Rochester until Tuesday :) When I don't get a good night's sleep long drives with the sun shining make for a sleepy driver. Stopped in Ithaca for the night and made it back home by 10:30 am Tuesday.
Yesterday was the first day with my newly revised daily regime. My son, Steve, put a kink in the old regime by signing up for track and field. Instead of picking him up at 3pm, I now need to pick him up at 5. Thanks, Steve, for putting a crimp in my day. At least I'm saner than I used to be and can adjust reasonably well to these little hiccups.
Last night forced hubby on a date night. Remind me not to be so pushy about it. I forget that what starts out to be a nice evening discussing family matters in a calm, well-meaning manner turns into a haranguing tirade about all the problems we are facing. I really don't need that, but I guess that's what having a partner is all about.
So now here's the reason for the title of this blog. Today was weigh-in day. Remember that last month, I had a 'zero' result month. Drum-roll please! I lost 9.5 pounds in the last month and have a grand total loss of...
Are you ready for it?
You'd better sit down!
A grand total loss of.....107.5 pounds!!!!!! This loss is over 19 months!
Picture me taking a bow :)
Now I just need to achieve my writing goal before the next meeting and I'm on my way to being a success in life :)
Yesterday was the first day with my newly revised daily regime. My son, Steve, put a kink in the old regime by signing up for track and field. Instead of picking him up at 3pm, I now need to pick him up at 5. Thanks, Steve, for putting a crimp in my day. At least I'm saner than I used to be and can adjust reasonably well to these little hiccups.
Last night forced hubby on a date night. Remind me not to be so pushy about it. I forget that what starts out to be a nice evening discussing family matters in a calm, well-meaning manner turns into a haranguing tirade about all the problems we are facing. I really don't need that, but I guess that's what having a partner is all about.
So now here's the reason for the title of this blog. Today was weigh-in day. Remember that last month, I had a 'zero' result month. Drum-roll please! I lost 9.5 pounds in the last month and have a grand total loss of...
Are you ready for it?
You'd better sit down!
A grand total loss of.....107.5 pounds!!!!!! This loss is over 19 months!
Picture me taking a bow :)
Now I just need to achieve my writing goal before the next meeting and I'm on my way to being a success in life :)
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Life Goes On
Our lives have started to get back to normal since we laid a dear young man to rest last week. It doesn't mean we've forgotten him. There's not a day that has gone by where I don't talk to him in some manner. Whenever I heard the song, LEAN ON ME, I cry. It was the closing song at the funeral.
My son seems to be dealing with things better than I expected. However, it doesn't mean that I'm complacent about it. I am watching him closely for any signs of trouble, hopefully, without him realizing it.
I thank God for all the friends who have supported me through this time. Your thoughts and prayers have been so welcomed.
Maybe I can figure out a way to write a short story around this, giving it a bittersweet ending perhaps.
My son seems to be dealing with things better than I expected. However, it doesn't mean that I'm complacent about it. I am watching him closely for any signs of trouble, hopefully, without him realizing it.
I thank God for all the friends who have supported me through this time. Your thoughts and prayers have been so welcomed.
Maybe I can figure out a way to write a short story around this, giving it a bittersweet ending perhaps.
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