Author Archives: mohawkvalleygirl

Some Post, Any Post

Posted on May 15, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

It is that time of day on a Saturday when I have to publish some post, any post, so I can get on with my weekend.  I am sitting on my front porch, laptop on lap, sipping coffee and enjoying the warm temperature.  I have invited members of my cast (remember that play which it seems I will never stop talking about?) over for a cook-out.  It was a bribe for helping with putting away costumes and props.  Also, I like to have people over to my house.

I’m actually not going to cook out, because it was supposed to storm.  No far it’s not, although it is quite cloudy.  However, I did not purchase any charcoal or lighter fluid, so rain or not, stove top it is.  The house was beautifully clean, thanks to my dear husband.  Unfortunately, that was a whole day ago.  I really need to have people over the precise moment when it is clean.  You blink and you miss it.

I have had a dreadful headache all day.  It is either due to some white wine I rather inadvisedly drank last night (isn’t that how you spell “inadvisedly”?  My computer thinks not) or to the weather.  The spring pollens are in full force (no, I’m sure that is how you spell pollen) (oh, the computer just doesn’t like me to pluralize it. Dumb computer), and I’m sure the barometric pressure is high.  I like to ascribe my headaches to barometric pressure.  I find it fun to say.  Try it.

So I guess this is my Lame Saturday Post.  I don’t even remember what I said yesterday, the nominal Lame day for this blog, but I’m sure it, too was lame. Well, I hope somebody found some entertainment in my words.  And I hope to see you all tomorrow, on Wrist to Forehead Sunday.

 

Leave a comment

Posted in humor, personal, Scattered Saturday and tagged , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Post-Leading Ladies Lame

Posted on May 14, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

I have found that it takes at least a week to recover from a major theatre endeavor, at least for me.  I’m old, remember?  But I will say, I am quite delighted to have a Friday when I do not have to hurry to the theatre for either a rehearsal or a performance.  Full disclosure:  I did hurry out to a wine tasting at a liquor store then to a restaurant for dinner and the grocery store.  Now  I am sitting in my living room sipping wine and composing at the keyboard.

The wine tasting was at Valley Wine and Liquor in Herkimer, NY, with the Adirondack Winery of Lake George, NY.  I have gone to several wine tastings there as well as a couple at Vintage Spirits in Hekimer and Ilion Wine and Liquor, none of which I have written about.  That is very remiss of me, especially as some of the people from the wineries have remembered me and are certainly deserving of a post.

Be all that as it may, all I want to do now is type in something vaguely acceptable and get back to enjoying my Friday.  Did I mention we went out to dinner?  We went to Jamo’s in Herkimer and had two carafes of Pinot Grigio.  Yum!  Dinner was yummy, too, so there is another blog post I ought to make.

Regarding Leading Ladies (that play at Ilion Little Theatre, remember?), I have to return to the theatre tomorrow to help take down the set and put away costumes and props.  It would behoove me not to drink too much wine tonight.  I shall take that under advisement.  Happy Friday, everyone.

 

Leave a comment

Posted in humor, Lame Post Friday, personal and tagged , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Is This Literally a Bad Post?

Posted on May 13, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

A point to ponder:  Why would you call a premeditated murder “unthinkable”?  If it was premeditated, obviously somebody put some thought into it.

Actually (now that I THINK about it), “unthinkable” is kind of a dumb word.  I mean, you can think about anything.  Try to think of something unthinkable.  You can’t, because you just THOUGHT of it!

I know, I know, it is not a word that is meant to be taken literally.  And here I am using “literally” in its actual (literal) meaning, not the way some people use it, indiscriminately for emphasis (as in, “I’m LITERALLY starving to death!”).  I realize that “unthinkable” means “I hate to even think about it” or “I would never even think of doing that!”  or words to that effect (incidentally, that is one of my favorite expressions: “words to that effect”).

Sometimes I just wish people would learn more words so they could use a word that means what they mean it to mean (if you see what I mean).

I suppose one could argue (and there is always one that will argue) (you know who you are, although you probably deny it) that the language is always evolving.  Expressions fall out of favor, phrases are coined, slang terms magically appear.  It just bothers me when they do because people are too damn lazy to find the right word so they just use any old word that’s handy.

Then again, who am I to complain about anybody’s laziness?  I am going to be lazy enough to end this post here and call it Non-Sequitur Thursday.  I hope you are not literally mad at me.  That would be unthinkable.

 

Leave a comment

Posted in humor, Non Sequitur Thursday, personal and tagged , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Just Not Writing a Lot

Posted on May 12, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

My Leading Ladies Limbo persists.  Who knew you couldn’t leap right from one major undertaking into several projects left hanging?  Oh, I know, you probably never left a project hanging in your life (you know who you are) (and I think you’re kidding yourself).

So here I sit, trying to finally write my blog post while on a break at work rather than later composing it on the computer, and all I can do is wonder if I don’t have a cryptogram puzzle or two lurking somewhere (I foresightedly took my puzzle book home to remove the temptation) (my computer does not think “foresightedly” is a word, but I think it is or should be).

At an earlier break today, I worked on The Banana Play (working title).  It seems to be going fairly well, at least in these early stages. One can rarely predict with accuracy how these things will progress.

You know, I’m pretty sure I DO have an unsolved cryptogram puzzle somewhere in this notebook.

It turns out I did.  The above paragraphs are what I wrote earlier in my spiral notebook.  Now I am at my Mom and Dad’s house, because it is Mom’s birthday.  Happy Birthday, Mom!!!  I’m sitting at the kitchen table typing on Mom’s laptop, and I would really rather be visiting with my family.   So I guess this is my Wuss-out Wednesday post.  In my defense, I am writing.  I’m just not writing a lot.  As usual, I will go for a better blog post tomorrow.  Happy Wednesday, everyone.

 

Leave a comment

Posted in blogging, humor, personal, Wuss Out Wednesday and tagged , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Oh Yes, Tired Tuesday

Posted on May 11, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

To top it all off, I have the Type It In Backspace It Out disease.

There was a whole paragraph preceding that sentence and, well, you know what happened to it.

It is Tired Tuesday.  It didn’t start out that way.  At least, not this tired.  I began the day feeling I had the wherewithal to get through it.  However, I knew I was in trouble when I was heating up my coffee before 7 a.m.  I usually try to wait till at least 10, although some days I don’t make it to 8.  However, I usually can last till seven for heaven’s sake!  Oh, don’t get the wrong impression.  I have already had coffee by that time.  I have coffee very shortly after I get out of bed in the morning.

Why am I babbling on and on about coffee?  Oh yes, Tired Tuesday.

Obviously I did not write my blog post while at work today.  In my defense, I discovered another type of puzzle in my puzzle book and it rather obsessed me for most of the day.  For another portion of the day I pondered my options for The Banana Play (that’s only a working title), which is my next writing project.  I THINK I may have my best idea yet.  I dare not say another word about it, though.  It would be a terrible thing to jinx it now, on my fourth or fifth attempt at writing the damn thing.

When I got home from work I cleaned and did laundry, then called my Mom and Dad.  It is important to call your parents.  Then I worked on an article for Mohawk Valley Living magazine.  I think it is finished, but I’d like Steven to read it when he gets home from work.  Then I sat here with the laptop on my lap and alternately stared at my the wordpress site and re-checked Facebook.  Till I finally typed in… what you just read.  After first, of course, typing in several false starts and backspacing them out.

 

Leave a comment

Posted in blogging, humor, personal, Tired Tuesday and tagged , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Thank You, Utica Roasting

Posted on May 10, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

While I was out and about on Saturday, one of my stops was at Utica Coffee Roasting Company.  Full disclosure:  I was looking for a distinctive local place I could potentially write about for Mohawk Valley Living magazine.  I think I found one and must get to writing that article, but for now I will content myself with a blog post.

I was on Genessee Street, which looks as if it goes right to the Roasting Company with very little effort on my part.  However, since that section of the street is one way in the wrong direction, I had to overshoot it and turn back.  This accomplished, I found a parking space and walked up to the place.

Saturday had turned into a beautiful, sunny day, and some people were sitting on tables outside the place.  I could see one seat at one empty table (the rest were all crowded around another table, as sometimes happens at these establishments).  Inside, I saw that one of the tall tables I so love was available.  I hoped it would still be available after I ordered.

I got plain, regular hot coffee instead of one of the many other choices available, and asked what kind of bagels they had.  At first the girl said they had Everything.

“My favorite!” I said.

“Oh, wait, it’s onion.  I’m sorry.”

“That’s OK,  I like onion.”  Onion bagels used to be my favorite, as a matter of fact, but I did not burden her with the information.

The tall table was still free.  Yes!  There were also seats free at the bar across the front window.  These had been fully occupied when I walked in.  I do like to sit at the window, so I may go for one of those seats at a future visit.

As I sat, sipping and eating, I looked around at the decor and other patrons.  I opened my notebook and began to write.  Ah, yes, to WRITE!  Regular readers may know I have been having a few problems with that lately.  It felt really good to sit there with words coming out of my pen for a change.  I can’t say that what I wrote was such a much, but that’s not the point.  I wrote.  I was happy.

Utica Coffee Roasting Company is located at 92 Genessee St., Utica NY, phone number 315- 624-9596.  You can also Like them on Facebook.

 

Leave a comment

Posted in humor, local business, personal and tagged , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Some Semblance of a Blog Post

Posted on May 8, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

I’m having kind of a Flustered Sunday today.  You know, I like that better than Wrist to Forehead Sunday, because it has that internal rhyme with the short u.  It is appropriate, too, because I have spent most of the morning saying, “Uh, what should I do now?”

Regular readers may remember that today is the closing performance of Leading Ladies at Ilion Little Theatre.  I directed.  My cast and crew are the most wonderful people you can imagine.  Other members of the theatre group are awesome as well.  I just love community theatre, because everybody lends a hand.   People who hadn’t signed up to work door sold tickets or refreshments if needed.  The people who had signed up worked hard to make sure our audience had a pleasant experience.  We sold out for the last two nights, which meant the box office people were setting up extra chairs and asking people to move over one, trying to get everybody a seat.

Oh dear, this is turning into a Scattered Post (neither alliteration nor internal rhyme!).  I started out crying about how flustered I am, then gave a brief shout-out to my cast and crew, then started praising the box office folks.  I’m jumping around like a maniac, mentally at least (physically I’m sitting on the couch with my feet up, feeling another migraine hovering just outside my head; SAY IT AIN’T SO!!!) (I’ll try heading it off with some blue Gatorade).

Where was I?  Ah yes, trying to type in some semblance of a post before I have to finish getting ready for this afternoon’s matinee.  I’m repeating an outfit I wore last weekend, because it was both fabulous and comfortable.  At least, I may have to re-think my shoe choice if I want real comfort, but we’ll worry about that later.

In the meantime, I’m just over 300 words.  I call that more than respectable.  We’ll see how quickly I can segue back into “real” blog posts once the play is really over.  Don’t count on it happening tomorrow, though.  After all, I have a cast party to attend tonight.

 

2 Comments

Posted in blogging, community theatre, humor, personal, Wrist to Forehead Sunday and tagged , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Rummage Rounds on Scattered Saturday

Posted on May 8, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

I had a long and varied Scattered Saturday today (and it’s not over yet), but for this post I shall only highlight the early portion of the day.

We slept in past 6:30 and it was great!  After some coffee, a little food, and a quick chat with my Mom on the phone, I wrote a few postcards.  Regular readers may remember it is a hobby of mine to send a few postcards to a few people, usually on Saturday.  I have been quite remiss in doing this for the past few weeks, due to theatre commitments (you may also remember I directed the show Leading Ladies at Ilion Little Theatre; we have a show again tonight, and closing performance is tomorrow’s matinee), so I was happy to at last check in with my friends.

I was also happy to walk to the post office.  I intend to start running again but I was afraid if I did it this morning, I might feel too tired for all the stuff I hoped to get done.  Oh, what a lovely spring morning.  I felt glorious, stretching my legs and checking out the leaves that are at last appearing on the trees.  One of my favorite sights is the pale, fresh green of brand new leaves.  That color lasts such a short time, I’m always happy when I don’t miss it for the year.

At the post office, I noticed signs for two church rummage sales, right along the way I often walk home for the post office. Dollar bag day was going on.  Score!

First I went to Christ Episcopal on Main Street.  I grabbed two beautifully colored blazers that I knew would look awesome over my black sheath dress.  I also found a pretty blouse, a biography of Louisa May Alcott (I have been WANTING to read a biography about her!), a green shawl and a small box or carrying jewelry when traveling.  It was two dollars worth.

I knew some of the ladies there.  One of them asked me if I had anything going on at the theatre.  Naturally I said yes, a play going on tonight.  They remembered seeing me in Roxy (a play we did back in the fall for the Herkimer Historical Society; perhaps you read some of my blog posts about it).

“Oh yes,” I said.  “They hung me good, after I killed my rat bastard husband with an ax.”

Another lady told me she could have thought of a number of other ways to kill him and I should have come to her first.  I agreed that would have been a better thing to do.

Moving on to the Herkimer Reformed Church, at the Historic Four Corners, I was also lucky.  I found a canister set such as I have been wanting but have not had a chance to look for.  It would have been five dollars yesterday, but I got it for a buck today.  It was the only thing I got, but I felt quite pleased with it.

Walking home was a little problematic with all my finds.  I had neglected to put my cell phone back in my purse or I could have called Steven for a ride.  Luckily, my house is not that far away, and I made it without mishap.

My Scattered Saturday has continued to go rather well for me, except for a migraine headache I am currently writing around.  Does it show?  No matter.  I have to finish getting ready for tonight’s performance of Leading Ladies.  I’m wearing one of my new rummage sale blazers.

 

Leave a comment

Posted in humor, personal, rummage sales, Scattered Saturday and tagged , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Looking for Lame in All the Wrong Places

Posted on May 7, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

I thought of that title while I was at work today and, unfortunately, it is about all I have thought of so far.

It is the oddest thing.  I start thinking about writing and think I am really ready to get back into it. Yes, sir and ma’am, I am going to sit myself down and write.  Just watch me go.  Here I go.  Right now.  Writing.  Me.  I’m writing.  Now.

Oh, I KNOW, if you wait till you “feel” like writing, you will never write.  And the longer you stay away from it, the more frightening it becomes to pick up that pen. You can feel the words NOT coming out.  The image of that blank page is so heinous you cannot bear the thought of seeing the real thing.  It’ll suck!  You’ll feel awful!  And that insidious little voice in your head assures you, “Tomorrow will be a much better time to start.”

It’s all bullshit, of course.  Sooner or later, you have to just sit down and write, or else you’ll never write again.  For some people, I suppose that would not be a bad thing (yes, I see you pointing at me!) (you know who you are).  I will eventually do just that.  Sometimes I get myself to it by saying, “Oh, just try.”  And whoever just said, “Do or do not.  There is no try”  can just shut up.

You know, I completely forgot where I was going with this post.  What I am wondering now is (and I may use this as a title sometime): Does this count as writing?  I’m not entirely sure that it does.  No matter.  It is Lame Post Friday.  If you were looking for lame, dear reader, this is not one of the wrong places.  My new plan (which I came up with just this minute) is to begin writing again today or tomorrow.  The reason for this is, I caught myself thinking, “After the show…” (Surely you remember that I directed Leading Ladies at Ilion Little Theatre) (and I’ll call you Shirley if I feel like it).  The show will be over Sunday.

NO!!! You cannot wait for ideal conditions!  They will never come and if by some miracle, they do occur, you will not be able to write!  Everybody knows that!

Oh dear.  This blog post is really dumb and does not fit the rather clever (or do I flatter myself?) title.   But perhaps somebody found it amusing.  Happy Friday, everybody.

 

Leave a comment

Posted in blogging, humor, Lame Post Friday, personal, writing and tagged , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

In My Defense, They Were Cryptogram Puzzles

Posted on May 6, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

Once again I spent every break at work frantically doing puzzles.  Oh, I did walk to The Medicine Shoppe during my lunch to pick up a couple of prescriptions.  Ooh, that’s it.  I’ll give a shout-out to the Medicine Shoppe.  It’s not one of those distinctive small businesses I love, but it is locally owned and operated.  And it’s better than crying about how I can’t write a post.

The Medicine Shoppe is handily located near my place of employment.  It is also located near Ilion Wine and Spirits.  My usual method is to wait till after work, get my prescription, then go into the liquor store and buy a bottle of wine.  Today, however, I wanted to get right home after work.  Also, I skipped the liquor store.

The nice lady behind the counter got my stuff right away.  The co-pays were higher than I expected, so I had to put it on a card.  To make it more worthwhile to use the card, I grabbed a box of OTC migraine pills.

“And that’s $10, so I get one of these for free,” I said.  There was a package of eucalyptus-infused epsom salts you got for free if you spent $10 on over the counter stuff.  Score!

OK, this post has been just about as boring as me whining and crying about how I can’t write. However, it will have to do.  I have to go to our pick-up rehearsal for Leading Ladies.  And I have to find some time to obsess over what I’m going to wear to our final three performances this weekend.  I tried on the little purple dress earlier and it is still too tight.  Damn!  All those vegetables for nothing!

On the brighter side, this is Non-Sequitur Thursday. If I can only think of a witty headline, the post might not be a total loss.  Then again, what’s a total loss now and then in a daily blog?

Incidentally, the Medicine Shoppe is located at 10 Central Ave., Ilion, NY, phone number 315-894-7283.  Ilion Wine and Spirits is at 10 E. Main St, phone number 315-894-8142.  Leading Ladies will be presented Friday and Saturday, May 6 and 7 at 8 p.m., Sunday, May 8 at 2 p.m.at Ilion Little Theatre, 13 Remington Ave, phone number 315-894-3203.   You can find all three on Facebook.

 

Leave a comment

Posted in humor, Non Sequitur Thursday, personal and tagged , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.
← Older Posts
Newer Posts →