Category Archives: blogging

Setting an Example on Scattered Saturday

Posted on December 17, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

I pause amidst my Saturday gyrations for a Scattered Saturday post.  It’s going to be a quick one, too, because I am frying sausage and it does not do to neglect these things.

My wonderful husband, Steven, had a rare day off, so we wanted to spend at least some time having a few minor Mohawk Valley adventures.  Accordingly, we got an early start and headed to Utica to the So Sweet Candy Cafe for their open house.  Heading back to Ilion, we went to Honey Brook Hobbies, Ilion Wine and Spirits, and Original Herkimer Cheese.  I can do blog posts about all these things, and I hope to in the coming days.

Before and after our adventures, I wrote out a few more Christmas cards.  Alas, I was not in time to get them to the post office before it closed.  It was, in fact, a little cold to walk to the post office, much less go running.  I daresay I should not have let that stop me had I been on my own for the day.  Perhaps a walk to the post office tomorrow, or even later today and look at other people’s Christmas lights.

And what about a run, you may ask.  Well may you ask! I confess, after the Reindeer Run 5K, I once again fell off the running wagon.  I did not mean to, but, well, these things happen.  Now I begin to repeat to myself the mantra: If you are too busy to exercise, you are too busy.  Substitute “lazy” for “busy,” though. Sorry folks, but there it is.  I set a bad example.

But here I am approaching 300 words.  Doesn’t that set a good example for making a blog post every day?  Oh well, given the general quality of my posts, perhaps not.  Then again, some people find them amusing. For those who do not, there are other blogs to read.  Happy Saturday, everyone.

 

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Posting After Midnight

Posted on November 22, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

I almost never get up in the middle of the night.  When I can’t sleep, I just lie quietly and keep trying.  Once in a while I read a book with a flashlight (so as not to disturb my husband, and also because too much light will wake you right up).  So here I am, having gotten all the way up, come downstairs, and gotten onto the laptop, knowing damn well that screens are not conducive to sleep (I read that somewhere, or I heard it on the health segment on the news, or maybe both).

Well, you see, I went to bed early with a migraine, having not made my blog post, largely due to having the headache most of the day.  I am still suffering from great pain in my head as well as nausea.  And I woke up, unable to get back to sleep, and fearing that too much sleep will only give me a worse headache.  So I thought, “I’ll go downstairs and make my blog post.”  Unfortunately, I feel to ill to do anything but complain.  I know, what a whiny baby.  I hate to be called whiny, but sometimes I just have to cop to it.

But here is one amusing thing:  how I remember how to spell “nausea.”  On an episode of The Flintstones, Fred and Barney got a boat.  One of them wanted to name it “Nautical Lady,” and the other wanted, “The Queen of the Sea.”  They took the first three letters of one and the last three letters of the other.  Betty said, “What a sickening name!”  I’m thinking it would be a good name for the boat of a person who often got seasick.

And now I am approaching 300 words.  I call that respectable for a Blogger’s Sick Day.  I’ll try for a better post tomorrow, when my headache goes away.

 

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The Blog DOES Go On!

Posted on November 15, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

“Oh shame! Oh degradation!”

My lovely husband Steven found this picture of me with my wrist actually on my forehead.   Remember, like I was talking about on Sunday?  Perhaps you missed that post.  If so, you did not miss much.  Then again, why should I put myself down?  Habit, I suppose.  Be that as it may (a favorite expression of mine), I thought this would be a good picture to lead with as I am having something of a wrist to forehead evening.

The day as a whole was not too bad.  Steven and I had a nice breakfast at Farm House Restaurant in Ilion, which I could write a nice little post about.  We also took an enjoyable walk, rendering a Pedestrian Post perfectly eligible.  Yet here I sit, laptop on lap, fingers on keyboard, wondering, should I continue to write this blog?

Hmm… that is not strictly accurate.   It was while I was doing dishes a little while ago that I experienced the existential angst of, “Must the blog go on?” Once I found that photo to share and actually began typing, I don’t mind being a silly blogger at all.  Only I can’t go on making these foolish posts about me making foolish posts.  It’s like a snake eating its tail, or some such cliche metaphor (yes, yes, I know, a metaphor does not use the word “like,” stop being so didactic!).

At least I can complete the shout-out I started in the second paragraph:  Farm House Restaurant is located at 9 Central Ave., Ilion, NY, phone number 315-894-3276.  It is a teeny place with country decor and very good food.  We had breakfast there.  It was yummy.

Regarding the walk we took earlier, the sky was gloomy and gray, which is my favorite kind of sky.  I admired some bare trees, especially one with a stark dead branch in the middle of several live ones ending in myriad twigs.  Some trees still had leaves of green, red, orange, yellow and brown.  A few porches still had pumpkins in varying stages of decay.

I’m going to declare this post OK for a Tired Tuesday.  We shall see if my existential angst returns tomorrow  (“existential angst” is such a dramatic expression, I have to laugh at myself for using it).  In the meantime, I will see if I can find an appropriate picture to close with.

I’m thinking he does not read my blog.

I guess Nosferatu does not really have anything to do with this post, but I always say, when in doubt, go for the monster!  Hmm… that may be the title of a future post.

 

 

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In My Defense, It’s a Bad Headache

Posted on November 8, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

I went for a run earlier today, thinking I could make a Running Commentary post.  It beats a Tired Tuesday post, so I thought.  Well, I’m not too tired to write a post, but I have another blankety-blank headache!  What’s that all about? I haven’t done anything to give myself a headache!  It’s no fair.

So here I am whining about my tiresome ills instead of entertaining my readers.

That was when I paused and went to Facebook (my usual dodge during these blogging woes), where I posted that my head hurt and I couldn’t write.  A Facebook friend encouraged me to continue writing my blog post about having a headache.  To be sure, I have had worse headaches.  For one thing, I am sitting upright typing.  The headache has not made my nauseous (I just tried about twelve spellings of “nauseous” before happening on the right one; where’s my damn dictionary, anyways?).

Continuing to count my blessings, I see it is almost time for Steven to get home from work.  We need to go vote.  After my shower, I put on a cute outfit (although perhaps I flatter myself).

Ooh, I hear him now.

I stopped typing and went to vote.  It is one’s democratic duty.  And it did not take long.  No lines, no waiting.  I love small town living.  Once we got home I warmed up and ate some sausage soup, so I am feeling better about everything.  So this is my Tired Tuesday post.  Run, headache, vote.  Oh, and I did a load of laundry.  I’ll get my act together yet!  I hope to see you all on Wuss-out Wednesday, when Mohawk Valley Girl will be surprised and pleased to have made it half-way through the week.

 

 

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Another Blogger’s Sick Day

Posted on October 31, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

I just can’t do it.  I can’t let today be the day I don’t make a post.  Oh, I know, there have been a few days I’ve missed, due to computer problems or, well, falling asleep.  I made my post for those days as early as possible the next morning.  I thought briefly of doing that today, but, well, here I am, here is the laptop, my fingers are not broken, I have  internet connection, and I am awake.

Full disclosure:  I don’t want to be.  I think I am coming down with a cold or something.  I’m tired, I have a sick headache, I feel inclined to do nothing but whine.  My dear husband, Steven, suggested I take today off.  It was a kind, loving suggestion.  But I just feel if I take one day off, I will take all the days off, and then I will not be a blogger any more.  I suppose that would not be such a great loss to the blogosphere.  There are plenty of bloggers out there, many of them better than I am in different ways.

So I begin to ask myself, why am I still posting every day?  I started this blog in May of 2011 with the intention of posting every day for one year.  I don’t know what I thought was going to happen after a year, but it seemed a good goal to set for myself.  Now six years and a couple of months later, I am still at it.  Sometimes I feel a little proud of myself for that.  Then I think of all the foolish posts I’ve made along the way (YES, I realize this is one of them! Sheesh!), and I wonder.

However, when one is coming down with a miserable cold, it is not the best time to question one’s life choices.  One is likely to feel the only good choice would be to crawl into bed, pull up the covers, and cry.  Well, at least I won’t do the last one.  For one reason, it dehydrates one to cry, and it is important to stay hydrated, especially when ailing.  I am sure some readers will feel I might just as well have taken tonight off (you know who you are). No matter.  I am counting this as my Monday Mental Meanderings, and I am going to make myself some hot tea.  Thank you for tuning in.

 

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Sluggish Saturday

Posted on October 22, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

Me on a more ambitious Saturday.

I thought I would lead with a photo of me finishing the East Herkimer Fire Department 5K last Saturday.  Yes, I am boldly wearing a Superman t-shirt, regardless of how slowly I run.  Steven purchased it at a church thrift store some years go for fifty cents.  Sometimes I even let him wear it.

At first I had meant to have Saturday Running Commentary today.  I ran for the first time since 5K (don’t judge), and it went pretty well.  But I like to do Running Commentary posts soon after the run when it is fresh in my mind.  Unfortunately, I had one of my sinus headaches this morning and it got worse as the morning progressed.  Sorry to complain about it, but there it is.

I took some ibuprofen and a decongestant, the I laid down with this thing my Mom nicely got me.  It is a sleep mask filled with seeds or herbs or something.  You heat it in the microwave or freeze it.  I heated it.  It felt awesome!  I fell asleep.  Twice.  The headache went away.  Yay, Mom!  Alas, the decongestant had the usual effect these things do, and I am doped up, brain and body dead, and quite sluggish.  This is why I rarely take decongestants, and why I forget how bad the effects are between doses.  So I make another note to myself and for a while I will rely on the mask, hot tea and sinus irrigation.  The next time I take decongestants, you’ll probably read about it here, when I have another foolish post such as this.

After I got up from the second nap, I felt more rested than I can remember feeling.  The feeling of sluggishness soon returned, and coffee tasted good but did not help.  I recently heard a name for what ails me: Old Farthritis, but let’s not go on about my ills.  I thought I would watch a Halloween movie from the ones I’ve DVR’d recently (TCM is doing a lot this month, yay!).  I tried Daughter of Dracula (1936).

“Look in my eyes… What do you see?”

 

Imagine my surprise when I heard in Ben Mankeiwicz’s pre-movie commentary that the movie is highly thought of by many critics.  I enjoyed what I saw, but I realized  that it is not as much fun watching a monster movie without my husband, Steve.  I stopped the movie, posted that thought on Facebook, and decided to make my blog post.  For what it is worth.

I shall close with another picture of me taken on a more ambitious Saturday.  Here I am in costume and character for the Utica Landmarks Society fundraiser, Ritz and Ragtime.  I think of it because Steven recently discovered it, having not seen it immediately after the event, when all the pictures were first shared.  I know exactly where it is on our downloads.

And I don’t care what you see in the movies: that flask does NOT stay nicely tucked into your garter!

Happy Saturday, everyone, and I hope to see you all on Wrist to Forehead Sunday.

 

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With a Laptop on my Knee

Posted on October 2, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

OK, I’m sitting here with the laptop on my lap (I know, where else would it be?  Well, it MIGHT be somewhere else; I’m not here to discuss the possible whereabouts of computers), and once again, I got nuthin’ (or is it “nuttin'”?  I like “nuthin'”) (which is not the same thing as not liking anything, but close).

Where was I?  Ah yes, Wrist to Forehead Sunday.  I tell you, I am down.  I’m not a writer.  I write a silly blog, and, as Truman Capote once said, “That’s not writing, that’s typing.”  Yes, yes, I must stop with the existential crisis, people will think I am merely fishing for encouragement.   I am only being honest, in this case.  Oh, sometimes I fish for encouragement or even compliments, never fear.  Hell, I’m not perfect.  I’m a factory worker who takes pen in hand or keyboard under fingers occasionally and words come out.  Good words?  Useful words?  Entertaining words?  One can only hope.

I have been trying to take another step towards reaching my writing goals, and I have had little to no success. I know, lift your feet a little higher, push them forward a little more, these things are under our own control if only we would accept responsibility.  Very well then, I shall accept responsibility.  Tomorrow, or possibly later tonight, I will work on the novel I found earlier today.  Ooh, that’s right, I did do one thing today:  I found the notebook I’ve been looking for where I had started a novel I thought I would like to finish. It’s a baby step, but it is a step.  I shall make further updates as events warrant.

In the meantime, it is Wrist to Forehead Sunday, the day I try to enjoy myself with my husband and not think about returning to work tomorrow (I’ll work on curing the Monday to Friday Malaise another time, did I mention I’m not perfect?).  We were watching Halloween movies earlier.  I wonder if we could watch another one now. No, I can’t work on that novel now, time with husband, remember?  I may or may not ever become a successful novelist, but if I take care to spend time with my husband I WILL have a good marriage.  Priorities, people.

 

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I Think the Word was “Conflict”

Posted on September 14, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

It is Wuss-out Wednesday, and it is going to be a Wuss-out Wednesday blog post, and you can read it and enjoy it or ignore it.  You can do that as a reader.  As a blogger, I have to post (“The blog must go on!” I say in a dramatic tone of voice, posing in a half swoon, with one wrist to my forehead) (THAT’S IT!!! It’s Wrist to Forehead Wednesday! Damn!)

OK, now I’m getting silly.  I just searched WordPress blogs for Writer’s Block and find that I am not alone.  Oddly enough, not one of the posts I looked at claimed that “there just ain’t no sech animal” as Writer’s Block, a contention I have heard on many occasions (with or without the hillbilly wording).  They may have something at that, as I see I am over 100 words already.  It is almost never impossible to write SOMETHING.  But to write something good?  As Hamlet once emoted, “Ay, there’s the rub!”

I spent my breaks at work trying to work on a project which ought to have been done by now (I dare not tell you what project, because I don’t want people who know about it to know it is not yet finished) (in fact, already I’ve said too much).  I couldn’t do it!  I managed to write some notes, which is more useful than it sounds.  Then I started to write another note and completely blanked on a word.

WHAT THE HELL IS THAT ALL ABOUT???  I asked myself.  Have I gone senile?  Is it early onset Alzheimer’s? Yes, I am a self-dramatizing fool (see wrist to forehead pose in the first paragraph).  I daresay I’m no stupider than I was yesterday (cue jokes about how that is quite stupid enough).   Still, it is upsetting when one cannot think of a word or even a reasonable substitute.

I think I like it better when I share pictures from monster movies on these days when I just don’t have a blog post.  I may do that tomorrow on Non-Sequitur Thursday.  As always, I hope you’ll stay tuned.

 

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Nobody’s Perfect

Posted on September 12, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

Likewise blog posts.

Yes, it is another post about How I Can’t Write a Post Today.  Or much of anything else.  However, I do have a fascination with writing about not writing.  By the way, I stole the above image from a Facebook page I follow called Writing About Writing.  The fellow that runs it writes a blog, but full disclosure:  I don’t follow the blog.  Come to think about it, none of the blogs I follow are about writing per se.  I wonder what that says about me?  To answer that would probably call for some half-baked philosophy more suitable to Lame Post Friday than Monday Mental Meanderings.

As you may guess by the plethora of lame posts lately, I continue to have difficulty with my writing.  Sometimes it is a question of just not sitting down and getting to it.  However, whenever I do sit myself down, it seems that nothing happens.  I know, one must persevere, and I will.  I’ll let you know as soon as I get some results.

I would like to share with you the actual projects I am having difficulties with.  However, that would be to advertise to the world how close I have come to the deadlines and nothing to show for it.  Oh dear, what if the people I am writing for read this blog?  I’m hard at work!  I’ve finished those projects!  Everything is great!  Not writing?  Me? You must be daft! I am prolific as the day is long!

They say you mustn’t worry what people think, about writing and everything else.  However, right now, the thought of people counting on me, feeling certain that I have written or am writing wonderful things for them… well, it makes me want to finish off this blog post and get back to work on them.  Writer’s Block?  Pshaw!  Never heard of it!

 

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Saturday Sick Day

Posted on August 27, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

I’m taking a blogger’s sick day.  Of course, as regular readers know, that does not mean I will leave this page mercifully blank for a blessed 24 hours.  Good God no, I have to post every day, barring certain unforeseen circumstances such as electronic malfunctions.  It just means my post will be even more foolish than it sometimes is and I will apologize even less.

Here’s the funny thing about feeling so awful for most of today:  I had spent all day Friday planning how I was going to turn my life around and Get Stuff Done.  I was going to do X, Y and Z (no point in bothering you nice people with details) on Saturday, including looking ahead to the coming week and deciding specific things to do at specific times on specific days.  Oh, was I ever going to get my act together!

And I did manage to get a few things done today.  I woke up with a bit of a headache, discovered that I do not have any Immitrex (ooh, was that a HIPAA violation to mention the name of the drug?), decided not to worry about it, and set about my day.  I ended up having a rather nightmarish drive home around 11:30 with a raging migraine.  Then again, this is me:  I was still listening to “Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me” on NPR and trying to guess the right answers (I got a few).  So I suppose I am self-dramatizing a little.  You had a headache, Cindy, get over it, you weren’t DYING!

After some ibuprofen,  a long nap and a hot shower, I was not feeling too awful.  I did the dishes, looked at Facebook, and started supper.  It’s actually a pretty good supper, although I’m guessing at that, because I haven’t finished cooking yet.  I could have done a cooking post, except that I was too anxious to whine about my migraine.

So, act still not together but blog post made.  I still have time to plan for the coming week.  Happy Saturday, everyone.

 

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