Author Archives: mohawkvalleygirl

Hit Pause, Write Post, Hit Play

Posted on June 1, 2015 by mohawkvalleygirl

We’re having Femme Fatale Sunday. That is, we are watching movies with murderous dames (these are movies from the 1940s; I’m allowed to say “dames”). You probably guessed I was not vamping around in ankle-strap pumps myself. Although that might be fun sometime.

Usually when I write about movies in the blog, I prefer to stick with the cheesy variety. Today, however we are enjoying some classic films noir, Double Indemnity and The Postman Always Rings Twice. Both are based on novels from James M. Cain, a notable writer of pulp fiction back in the day.

I love film noir, but I must confess I like it for the plots above all else. Other aficionados of the genre (doesn’t that phrase sound nice?) appreciate the cinematography, the play of shadows and the use of light and dark. I enjoy that too, but for me it is the story that keeps me coming back for more. Sometimes I’ll watch a picture that is advertised as a film noir only to be disappointed. The woman will be femme but not fatale, the movie as a whole will lack that moral ambiguity that I treasure.

There is probably a much better discussion to be had here, but right now I am having a lazy Sunday watching movies. I may pause to make some popcorn.

Just Another Scattered Saturday

Posted on May 31, 2015 by mohawkvalleygirl

I pause in chopping vegetables to make a fast blog post (I just made a typo of calling it a blot post. As my friend Rachel likes to say, my Freudian slip is showing). Mostly this will be a post about things I could write a post about but am not (but may in the future).

This week I ignored my note to myself about not taking three days off running and reaped my just deserts (as in what I deserve, not strawberry shortcake, worse luck) on Friday. I ran again this morning (Saturday). I took mental notes each time and Saturday even ran a course I have not run in over a year.

Later this morning I went to the Baptist Church in Herkimer, NY for Coffee and Conversation with a Cop. They hold that every month but I have missed the last few months for one reason and another. I had a nice time and got a few answers that will help with the novel that I WILL finish, though probably not in May as previously advertised.

Leaving the Conversation in progress (they were doing fine without me), I went to the Herkimer County Humane Society Garage Sale. Fun and productive. Driving back into Herkimer, I made stops at T&J’s Fruits & Vegetables and Hannaford.

Coming home, I cleaned frantically. I don’t often do cleaning posts, but one never knows what will come off the pen (and out of the keyboard) of Mohawk Valley Girl.

Now I must go back to chopping vegetables, among other chores. I hope all readers are having an excellent Saturday.

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Posted in humor, personal, Preview of Coming Attractions, Scattered Saturday and tagged blog post, Coffee and Conversation with a Cop, Herkimer County Humane Society, herkimer ny, running, T and J Fruits and Vegetables. Bookmark the permalink.

Excuse Me, I’m Having a Lame Here

Posted on May 30, 2015 by mohawkvalleygirl

I have two days left of Finish That Novel May. Earlier I was toying with the idea of denying I ever said that.

“No, no, what I said was, ‘I MAY Finish That Novel.’ You misheard me.”

The writing took a turn for the better since yesterday. I wrote and wrote. Maybe if I cancelled all my plans for the weekend and wrote non-stop… I think we all know that is not going to happen. For one reason, I have had weekends when I had no plans at all. I have not written non-stop. For another reason, my plans are important and not just for me. I have a life outside of this novel.

And there we have it. Am I allowed to have a life outside of being a writer? I’m sure there are people out there who would say (hear it in that squeaky, nyah-nyah voice we mimic people we hate in): “If writing is important to you, you’ll write.” And then they go on to list all the things THEY have given up to write. Which is nice, if it is the things they HAVE given up and not the things they would have given up if, in fact, they wrote and didn’t just go around telling others how to write.

Oh, OK, other writers do make sacrifices of things they might like to do in order to write. So do I. Sometimes. Perhaps I need to sacrifice a little more. The thing is, I have always been of the opinion that the more you experience, the more material you have to work with. That, and when I was younger, I really wanted to LIVE. I had spent a lot of time sitting at home reading or writing stories. Once I got older, I got out and DID things. I guess I kind of got in the habit of it.

Of course, going out and doing things is good for a writer of a daily blog. But we’re talking about a novel today. On the other hand, we are writing a blog post. A Lame Friday Post. And I declare it done. I am going back to my life. Maybe write a little more on that novel.

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

Non-Sequential Chores

Posted on May 29, 2015 by mohawkvalleygirl

Sometimes you just have to do something, anything.

I know, this is under the heading of “Well, duh” advice. However, I have had it demonstrated for me three different times today. Four if you count the library. This being Non-Sequitur Thursday, I think it will be appropriate to tell three small but differing stories with a common theme. Think of it like Love Boat or Fantasy Island (if you don’t get the reference, consider that another non sequitur).

Finish That Novel May is not going well. I seem to spend a lot of time looking at what I have and asking, “What is this? Where do I go now? Oh crap!” Well, today at lunch I just started writing a scene. And it was good! It was important! And dramatic! I finished that scene and I wanted to pump my fists in the air and shout, “Yes! THAT was a scene!” I started another scene during the two o’clock break, wrote a little more of it just before going home, and I walked out of that place wanting to sing.

I went to the library and worked on another chore that needs must be done, but feel less triumph over that so shall not count it as proof of today’s opening sentence. However, I was fortunate enough to find a few good books at their ongoing book sale before I left.

At home I was hit with a huge wave of I Can’t Do ANYTHING! I felt down, dumpy and sad. Then about ten or fifteen minutes before Steven was due to arrive home I said to myself, “Just clean till he gets home.” I couldn’t believe how much I got done. Not everything, of course, because my house is kind of a sty. But I felt much better and was able to greet my husband with a big smile.

Till I confessed all the stuff I had not gotten done, then I felt a little sad again. One thing I had been going to do was to make a tossed salad for tomorrow’s lunch, including hard-boiled egg.

“Do you want me to start the eggs for you?” Steven asked. I said OK, because if I couldn’t manage to make the salad I could always eat the eggs for breakfast.

Full disclosure: I forgot to check on the eggs to see when they started boiling. Luckily Steven remembered before the water had boiled away. I made the salad. The eggs were just right.

And that made me feel good enough to tackle the other chore I had been putting off for today: writing my blog post.

4 Comments

Posted in humor, Non Sequitur Thursday, personal and tagged blog post, blogging, chores, Finish That Novel May, writing. Bookmark the permalink.

In My Defense, It’s Wuss-out Wednesday

Posted on May 28, 2015 by mohawkvalleygirl

So this guy at work got ticked off, because he said I was stalking him. In my defense, my doctor told me to get a hobby. Well, I guess it wasn’t MY doctor, but it was A doctor who wrote the article somebody shared on Facebook. At least, I think it was a doctor.

OK, the above paragraph is completely fictitious. None of the guys at work are the least bit bent out of shape about me stalking them. However, I thought of that for possible use as a humorous Facebook post. That is what I think about when I’m at work (it is the kind of job where you can let your thoughts wander). I try to think about my novel or blog or any other writing projects at hand. When I have no thoughts about any of those, I try to think of humorous Facebook posts.

Some of my readers who are also Facebook friends may now be saying, “Huh. She doesn’t share any of those with us.” How unkind! I thought I was mildly amusing on occasion. Unfortunately, sometimes I think of some really good bons mots then can’t recall them when I sit down at the keyboard.

The same goes for my blog posts. However, full disclosure: today I did not think of a good blog post. But I thought for Wuss-out Wednesday, a humorous Facebook post would do.

We’re Animal Lovers, Too

Posted on May 27, 2015 by mohawkvalleygirl

Mohawk Antiques Mall must be run by animal lovers. They house 4PetSake Food Pantry, and last Saturday they hosted the Herkimer County Humane Society Plant Sale. Steven and I stopped by to add to my container garden.

It was a windy morning. A flyer for the Humane Society Garage Sale next Saturday blew off a post it was taped to. I put it back on only to have it blow off again. I brought it to the ladies at the table. They thanked me.

“I’ll have to go to that Garage Sale,” I said. “I found some good stuff there last year.” (Perhaps you read my blog post about it.) I noticed on the flier that they would be selling hot dogs and offering tours of the facility. “I might eat a hot dog,” I said. “But I might not take a tour. It breaks my heart, all those dogs wagging their tails so hopefully. I just want to take them all home.”

“We have cats, too,” one lady said.

“I’m allergic. I can’t even be in the same room with a cat for very long.”

We picked out some pretty flowers and a six-pack of basil. I was especially delighted with the basil. Fresh pesto all summer!

We did not go into the Antiques Mall this time, but it is one of our favorite places to browse. They are located a Main St., Mohawk, NY. For more information you can visit their website at www.mohawkantiquesmall.com and/or Like their Facebook page.

The Herkimer County Humane Society Garage Sale is from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 30, 2015 at the Humane Society, 514 State Route 5S, Mohawk,NY. For more information, visit their website at www.herkhumane.org, or Like their Facebook page.

For more information about 4PetSake Food Pantry,visit their website at www.4PetSake.org, and/or Like their Facebook page.

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Posted in Community Events, humor, personal and tagged 4PetsSake Food Pantry, basil, flowers, Herkimer County Humane Society, herkimer ny, Mohawk Antiques Mall, plants. Bookmark the permalink.

Oh Yeah, And I Wore Blue

Posted on May 26, 2015 by mohawkvalleygirl

I am making my post late in the day on Memorial Day (although my page, for reasons best known to itself, says it is tomorrow already). Never mind why-all I did not post earlier. I wrote a post in my head as I went for a run. I will attempt to recreate it now.

I had already intended to run every day of my three day weekend. Then a Facebook friend posted that she and her son were running in honor of fallen soldiers under the auspices of Wear Blue Run to Remember. You sign up on line and commit to a certain distance, one meaningful to you, and they assign you a soldier to run in honor of, if you don’t have someone in mind to run for.

My only problem was that I do not know how far I run. I run for a set length of time. It would be nice to think I was doing at least a ten minute mile, but that is by no means certain. Additionally, I was not sure how hard core my Monday run would be. I have not been running days in a row lately. My body might rebel by the fourth day.

Finally I signed up to run two miles. It was meaningful to me, because I learned to run in the army because of the two-mile run on the PT (Physical Training) test. I felt a little foolish putting such a small distance, especially since my friend and her son were both doing 10 kilometers. However, it seemed important that I actually do the distance I had committed to. I knew I could eke out two miles, even on a very bad day.

My run did not start out auspiciously. I wondered if I was having an every other day thing, because my Sunday run was terrific, my Saturday run was terrible, and I don’t remember my Friday run. But I was running for a soldier. I had to keep going. I made up my mind to run up the hill to Herkimer College. It is an impressive hill to many people. I feel it is good to run an impressive hill when you are running in tribute.

I did not know which soldier I was running for. Wear Blue had not emailed me back. I wondered if I had made a typo when I gave them my email address. I later found out that I had registered too late for them to assign me someone. There were places I could go and pick someone to run for, but I did not do that. I just ran for a soldier.

As I ran, I worried that the soldier I was running for might feel a little cheated, since his runner was running such a short distance and running it very slowly at that. I pictured the soldiers up in heaven, discussing it over a beer (I don’t believe the polka that says, “In Heaven There Is No Beer”).

“Who’s running for you? I got this soldier’s wife who runs marathons. She’s doing 10K.”

“Cool. I got some middle-aged lady, used to be in the army. She’s doing two miles. Oh well, I guess the old ladies like to feel they’re doing something for us.”

“Yeah, better luck next year.”

I made it to the top of the hill and it sure wasn’t easy. Since I was only doing two miles, I had thought I would just go back down the back way. But halfway up the hill I remembered the little Veteran’s Memorial Park up near the athletic fields. I should run to that, I thought, since I am running in tribute. Then I felt so tired I thought I wouldn’t make it. Then I realized that I could not possibly write in a blog post that I had thought about running to the Memorial and decided not to.

“This is how writing a blog helps runners,” I said to myself. I continued, utilizing the determination that had gotten me through Basic Training.

When I got to the Memorial, I stopped the CHRONO on my watch and walked through it. It is a small area with trees and benches. Marble slabs are engraved with the names of Herkimer veterans. Some of the benches and trees have plaques saying who sponsored them. I would like to return to the Memorial and spend a little more time, really pay my respects. Today, however, I soon started my watch again and headed back down Reservoir Road.

Somewhere along the way, I realized the run had stopped sucking. I had not noticed when that happened, but I would hazard a guess that it was about the time I started downhill.

For more information on Wear Blue Run to Remember, you can visit their website at www.wearblueruntoremember.org. They also have a Facebook page.

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Posted in humor, personal, running, running commentary and tagged blog post, blogging, Herkimer County Community College, Memorial Day, running. Bookmark the permalink.

A Good Start for Morning Adventures

Posted on May 25, 2015 by mohawkvalleygirl

In lieu of my usual Wrist to Forehead Sunday, I offer a brief shout-out to a local business. I don’t think this business particularly needs a shout-out, because any time we are in there the place is hopping. However, I do like to tout good local things, so here is my post about Crazy Otto’s Empire Diner in Herkimer, NY.

Yesterday (Saturday) Steven did not go to work till 2:30 p.m. Since it was my day off, I suggested we have a couple of Mohawk Valley adventures in the morning, starting with breakfast out. After some debate over where to eat, we settled on Crazy Otto’s. The advantages were that it was close and that we have a card that gives us 20 percent off (we got the card by signing up for E-Z Pay with the newspaper; it is good for a year and gives us the discount at several local eateries).

Crazy Otto’s is one of those old-fashioned trailer diners. It is decorated with movie posters, license plates, memorabilia and more. Our license plate from when we lived in Georgia is on the ceiling on the right-hand side. We could not see it from where we sat on Saturday, but I’m sure it’s still there.

We got a booth without too much trouble, ordered coffee and perused the menu. I got two sausages on a hoagie roll, which came with either hash browns or homemade chips. I LOVE their homemade chips. Steven got pancakes with poached eggs and bacon. Our food was delicious. My roll was grilled, so the inside was crispy but the outside was soft, just the way I like it. The wait staff made sure our coffee stayed filled, which is a big selling point for Steven.

As usual, it was an enjoyable, tasty meal. We like Crazy Otto’s for lunch and dinner too. Crazy Otto’s is located at 100 W. Albany St., Herkimer, NY. Phone number is 866-8801. For more information, visit their website at http://crazyottosempirediner.com/ You can also Like them on Facebook.

6 Comments

Posted in humor, local business, personal and tagged breakfast, Crazy Otto, Crazy Ottos Empire Diner, diner, food, herkimer ny, local business. Bookmark the permalink.

Just a Note

Posted on May 24, 2015 by mohawkvalleygirl

This blog, you may have noticed, has hit a dry spell. I can blame it on trying to train for the Boilermaker 15K or on Finish That Novel May or, today for example, on the headaches with which I am occasionally plagued. But it may just be me. Operator error, as it were.

I have completed four years of writing this silly blog, and I have not missed a day (except for once when the electricity went out and I posted late) (and occasionally when I have typed in my posts early and set WordPress to publish them at the proper time, although I don’t think that counts as missing a day). Every writer hits a dry spell. Oh well, I suppose some do not, or else they lie about it. And I’m sure many non-writers feel that dry spells are just laziness or self-dramatization.

Where was I going with this? Ah yes, my dry spell. I’ve been eking things out with Pedestrian Posts, Running Commentary, and Posts About How I Can’t Write a Post Today. Many bloggers simply take a little time off. I’m afraid if I do that I will never start again. No loss to the blogosphere, you say? You could be right, although it is unkind to point that out. It would be a loss to me.

I like posting something every day, even if it is just a note to my readers telling them I do not have much to say. I will say thank you for reading. Writing a blog has made me a better writer and a more consistent writer. And it is very fun. I hope you’ll tune in tomorrow, when I will try NOT to have a Wrist to Forehead Sunday.

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Posted in blogging, humor, personal, writing and tagged blog post, blogging, Boilermaker, not writing, novel, writing. Bookmark the permalink.

Not a Lame Run After All

Posted on May 23, 2015 by mohawkvalleygirl

I went for a long run this afternoon, so I thought I would do a Running Commentary instead of my usual Friday Lame Post. However, it is Friday and I am feeling a little, well, lame. I will begin typing and see what comes out.

It was cooler today than it has been but the sun was bright. Good running weather, I told myself. I had gone two days without running, instead of the three which I made a note to myself not to do again. I feel I must make another note to don’t wait two days either.

As soon as I started running my body started complaining. Oh come on, I thought. It’s only been two days! And we took a walk yesterday! Maybe I would warm up as I went. My plan was to do a long, challenging run. Then I could do a lesser run tomorrow, when I have plans for later in the day. Up the hill to Herkimer County Community College (HCCC) would be good, I thought. Back way or front way would do.

Before I had gone two blocks I was thinking I would cut myself a break. A short run, any run, just run. Traffic was heavy enough that I thought I might not be able to cross German Street. Then I would be off the hook. I found a time to cross.

I decided to go up to HCCC the front way. It’s steeper than the back way but shorter. This run was really sucking. I reminded myself that once I started up a hill there was no question that I would make it, the only question was how much it would suck. Will going up this hill ever stop sucking? I usually walk up the stairs at work. That never seems to get easier either.

I tried to comfort myself by thinking how bad-ass I would be running the Boilermaker 15K. If somebody asked me if I was running the 5K, I could say, “Huh. I could run a 5K backwards.” Then I wondered if that was true. Maybe if I made that (admittedly obnoxious) boast, somebody would make a bet with me. I’d say, “Fine, you run the 5K with me frontwards and make sure I don’t bang into anything.” When I ran the DARE 5K last year, which goes up the very hill I was on, a lady told me it was easier to go uphill backwards. I tried it.

Then I remembered some running advice another soldier gave me. When you feel you can’t run any more, run silly. I swung one leg in front of the other, swinging my arms wildly to keep my balance. Then I turned sideways and did the grapevine. I would keep that trick in mind for future use. Perhaps I could share it with other runners during the Boilermaker.

When I got to the top of the hill I did not continue up onto the campus but headed right to the back way to go down. I was feeling better about the run, but this was cut myself a break day after all. I hesitated again at Reservoir Road but downhill won. I was about 20 minutes into the run. Would I make it for 48 (the length of my longest run so far)? I would see.

As I headed toward the traffic light on German Street, I realized I had reached the coveted I Can Rock This stage of the run. I don’t think I had endorphins, but I was not feeling too bad. My leg muscles were warm and supple. I could run for 48 minutes. This was going to be all right.

The feeling did not last. I had headed away from my street. Now I headed back toward the street. I didn’t care if it was 48 minutes. As I got closer to home, I felt a little better. I was perhaps not rocking it as well as the first time I reached the I Can Rock This Stage, but I found that I could keep going after all.

By going past my house and around the block next to mine, I made it to 48 minutes. My schnoodle, Tabby, graciously walked around our block with me to cool down. I felt pretty happy that I ran. I’ll run again tomorrow. No more two days off!