Tag Archives: blogging

And What Have We Learned?

Posted on June 25, 2014 by mohawkvalleygirl

I had a Wrist to Forehead Sunday but refrained from having a Middle-aged Musings Monday. If I promise faithfully NOT to have a Wuss-out Wednesday, do you suppose it would be OK to have a Tired Tuesday? Hmm, it’s no good. I can’t make that promise.

I really, truly did not intend to write Yet Another Post About How I Can’t Write a Post (once again, it is not WHY I Can’t Write a Post, because I don’t know why). I made up my mind to write at work before my shift started and on breaks. While I was working, I pondered things I could write about. I pondered long and hard, with the result that I never saw the guy show up with the cooler of Gator Ade. Another co-worker dubbed me unobservant and thinks I should not drive.

The result of all my mental meanderings was a scene for my novel which I may or may not be able to use. I do not regret writing it, of course. No writing is wasted. If you can’t use the writing itself, at least you learned something from writing it.

Ooh, do you suppose I’m learning anything from these paragraphs? Well, I am disciplining myself NOT to quickly erase everything I just wrote. I know, some may feel my prose is not worth saving, but how can I tell that if I don’t re-read it? It is difficult to judge a thing as soon as you have written it. Usually you either love it or hate it. The best thing to do is to read it later with a cooler head.

And that is where I run into a problem with this sort of a post. I am sitting at my computer, typing off the cuff; I want to hit “Publish” and go. Save the draft and read it later? Oh well, there’s an idea, but I don’t know that I will get the opportunity to do so. Stop this obsession with making a post every single day? That’s crazy talk!

I comfort myself with the thought that standards are different for an informal blog such as this one. And even a rough draft may amuse someone. As always, tomorrow I will strive to do better. And Happy Tuesday, everyone.

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Hit Publish and Go Back to Enjoying my Sunday

Posted on June 23, 2014 by mohawkvalleygirl

It is Wrist to Forehead Sunday. I haven’t worked on my novel, I haven’t even written in the TV Journal. My brain is on strike or vacation or maybe it was never that good to begin with (say is ain’t so!).

This is the part where I usually surprise myself and come up with another 200 words or so that are not that unreadable. I hit publish and go back to enjoying my Sunday. But today, it seems, it is not going to be that easy.

The weather is delightful. It has been a beautiful weekend, sunny and warm. I had a very enjoyable Saturday afternoon and evening with my husband, Steven, including two or three Mohawk Valley adventures. Really, I have no reason to feel I have nothing to write about.

I suppose these things happen to a writer sometimes. I keep thinking I will write an extra post and keep it in my Drafts section for just such an emergency. Sometimes I get a post or so ahead, but I always use them right away. Well, I wouldn’t want them to get stale or outdated.

Today I haven’t had any Mohawk Valley adventures, unless you count a trip to Hannaford for groceries. Ooh, wait, I did write a post about that once, a long time ago. I mostly spent the day re-reading an Agatha Christie novel. It is very instructive to re-read a mystery novel. You see where the writer put in all the clues and say, “How the blankety-blank did I miss THAT?”

So it looks as if I have once again written over 200 words. Perhaps I’ll go work on my novel now.

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Waaaait a Minute

Posted on June 19, 2014 by mohawkvalleygirl

So there I was, determined NOT to have a Wuss-Out Wednesday. Unfortunately the determination came upon me late in the day. I spent my breaks at work writing my novel. I was at first greatly encouraged to be putting new words on paper, even, dare I say, moving the plot forward.

And then I thought, Waaaait a minute (like I do for plot holes in cheesy movies), would this character REALLY do this? Or would she be more likely to… I should make THAT character have the idea to… (I know this sounds very silly, but I am determined not to actually talk ABOUT the plot at this point in the writing). Rather than re-write the scene just then, I went to make a note to myself that it was that character’s idea, not this one’s to blah blah woof woof.

Then I thought, Waaait a minute, would SHE think that was a good idea? I was instantly paralyzed. So I worked on Cryptogram puzzles till the end of break.

As I went back to work, it occurred to me that, yes, that character MIGHT in fact have that idea. And the OTHER character (not this character, a third guy) would agree. And she wouldn’t like that he agreed. Conflict!

And now I’ve said too much.

Anyways, with all this on my mind, I did not write a blog post today. When I got home I thought to take my schnoodle Tabby for a walk and write a Pedestrian Post. Steven graciously accompanied us. It was a very nice walk and not a thing happened worth putting in a blog post (I know, since when does that stop me?).

So here I am, over 250 words into not having a post to write. Um…. maybe I could just hit publish and, as always, try again tomorrow.

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I Could Go for a Bloody Mary

Posted on June 17, 2014 by mohawkvalleygirl

Once again, I spent time before work and on breaks working on what should have been a perfectly acceptable blog post. And it’s just not there yet. Luckily, it is Monday. Having skirted Wrist to Forehead Sunday with another Running Commentary, I feel free to have a Middle-aged Musings Monday.

What I was musing about today veers a little into half-baked philosophy. And into religion, which Mohawk Valley Girl usually stays out of (likewise politics). In fact, I was about to stay out of it today, but I don’t have a whole lot else and, really, one must not shy away from controversy. I’m not sure how controversial I’ll be, half-baked as I usually am. But here goes.

When people think God is punishing them, how do they know? I mean, it seems easy enough: I do something wrong. Something bad happens to me. God must be punishing me (or Karma or the Universe; I’m non-denominational).

Boy, wouldn’t that be nice, if I thought I only did one damn thing wrong!

Anyways, we’re not talking about me. Let’s try an historical example. When Mary Tudor, also known as Bloody Mary, ruled England, a lot of stuff went wrong with the country. She thought for sure God was punishing her for not bringing everybody back into the fold of her religion. So she kept burning those she considered heretics. Bad things continued to happen. She thought she probably had not burned enough people so redoubled her efforts.

Do you suppose it occurred to anybody at the time that perhaps she was being punished FOR burning people and not for NOT burning ENOUGH people? I’m not saying that’s what I think God had in mind (I do NOT pretend to know what God thinks), I’m saying, HOW COULD SHE KNOW?

This whole topic is a lot more complex than I am making it right now. However, this is what I pondered at work today, when I wasn’t working on the blog topic that didn’t work out. And this is what I’ll post. We’ll try for a Mohawk Valley adventure tomorrow.

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I Wrote, I Typed, I Hit Publish

Posted on June 14, 2014 by mohawkvalleygirl

Do I dare have a Lame Post Friday after taking a sick day on Wednesday and writing a ridiculous post on Thursday? I actually don’t see how today’s post could be anything but lame. I am going to be very pressed for time after work today. I am attempting to write something before work (which you are currently reading) that I can type into the computer later (um, right now; so time-warpy). Possibilities swirl through my mind. Can I pick one and go with it?

Today is Friday the 13th and it is a full moon. The last time I remember that happening, I was in California in the army. I thought it was so unusual I suggested we have a bonfire on the beach and cook hot dogs. Some friends were into it, but we ended up at my house. I cooked the dogs in a frying pan on the stove. It was a fun time.

On some Friday the 13ths, you can find a television channel showing the slasher flicks of that name. There’s some cheesy fun for Mohawk Valley Girl, although I confess my taste in horror runs at least ten years previous to ’70s slasher flicks.

In any case, I have other plans for the evening. Steven and I are going to attend the theatre (pronounced thea-tah, if you like). We are going to Ilion Little Theatre’s production of Funny Money. It should be a fun time.

What often happens in these cases, meaning when I hurry home and get ready to go someplace, is that I end up posting some fast thing pretty much making fun of myself for being so unorganized. How many times can I get away with that? I was determined not to let that happen today but to write something beforehand.

How’m I doing so far?

And that was all I wrote. Now it is VERY close to the time when I must go. It’s Wrist to Forehead time! But I wrote, I’ve typed, and now I will hit “publish.” Happy Friday, everybody.

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200 or Bust

Posted on June 12, 2014 by mohawkvalleygirl

This is not so much a Wuss-out Wednesday as a Bloggers’ Sick Day. And now that I think about it, I’m not so sure I can legitimately call it a sick day. I mean, if it was a real sick day, couldn’t I just type in one sentence and done? Sick day. Means I don’t have to do it.

But I won’t feel happy until I write at least 200 words. Can I manage 200 words? Maybe 150 would be OK. I feel obligated to say at this point that I DID have something written for today. Only it was long. I can’t type in that many words. I’ll save it for Non-Sequitur Thursday.

I did not feel this awful all day. I had rather an OK day at work. But my sinuses were bothering me to the point where I took a decongestant. Now I am so lightheaded I question if I have any brain left. I know, I KNOW many of you were questioning if I had any brain to begin with. What a dull, obvious joke. You should be ashamed of yourselves.

Now my word count tells me I am over 180 words. I question how accurate that is, since it is taking me two sentences and more to get to 190. I guess it doesn’t add each word as I type it. Ooh, ooh, I looked away and now it says 226. Score! I’m going to lay back down and continue to watch the room spin.

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Sorry, Folks

Posted on June 8, 2014 by mohawkvalleygirl

Sorry, no Saturday Running Commentary this week. I gave blood at work yesterday and felt like taking it easy for one more day. I did a few blogworthy things this morning, but I feel that whatever I write about now I will not do justice to. That is a rather dreadful feeling for a writer. You would think we would get used to these crises of confidence, but I never have. I suppose there are writers who never have such crises, or never admit to them. Well they aren’t me, that’s all I can say.

So how about a Preview of Coming Attractions. That sounds better than I Could Write About This But I Won’t.

I walked with Tabby to the post office this morning, to mail a few post cards. I know, I can usually manage a pedestrian post and I probably will in the near future. After we got back from our walk, I set out on some real Mohawk Valley adventures.

These involved the Herkimer County Historical Society and the 1834 Jail. These comprise two of Herkimer’s Historic Four Corners, which Tabby and I walk quite often. I really want to think more and write something worthy of these places.

Both stops involved some time standing out in the direct sunlight. I have a problem with the sun. I could be part vampire or part Addams, I suppose. In any case, when I returned home I did not feel well, so I took a nap. After some coffee I’m feeling a bit better, but still not up to par.

So I guess this is Wuss-out Saturday. Not very alliterative, I’m afraid, but there it is. I’ll try writing shortly after coffee tomorrow and so avoid Wrist to Forehead Sunday. I do hope you’ll stay tuned.

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My Philosophy is You Have to be Philosophical About It

Posted on June 6, 2014 by mohawkvalleygirl

My plan was to write two posts today. I intend to give blood at work tomorrow. Sometimes my body reacts badly to that and all I can do is lie down and watch the room spin. So I thought, I’ll write my Friday Lame Post on Thursday as well as Thursday’s post, type both in and be ahead of the game. I’ve done it before. I can rock this.

I even had some pretty good half-baked philosophy for Lame Post Friday. I had no ideas for Thursday, but there’s always Non-Sequitur Thursday. I sat down and wrote two paragraphs for Friday. That I wasn’t so thrilled with. I spent the rest of my breaks at work solving Cryptogram puzzles from a Dell Puzzle Book or working on the crossword in the newspaper with a friend of mine.

Well, Thursday’s post was still going to happen. I had plans to go home and plant my tomatoes. I could do a gardening post. Well I may yet do that. For right now… well, let’s just say the tomatoes are not planted yet and at least I didn’t cry.

I can’t, I positively can not keep writing posts about Why I Can’t Write a Post. Well, apparently I can. The question is will anybody keep reading them?

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Big Plans for June

Posted on June 5, 2014 by mohawkvalleygirl

The Blog Runner is doing a Juneathon. He is a blogger I read sometimes (I don’t read anybody every day. Sorry, fellow bloggers). He runs a lot more than I do, by the way. Participants in a Juneathon, if I have this right, do something physical every day in June and write about it. This is the sort of challenge that appeals to me. The Blog Runner is doing it to prepare for a particular race.

In my case, the only race I have on the horizon is the DARE 5K in August. If I keep going at the rate of 3 or 4 runs a week I can get there handily. Come to that, I could probably run a 5K now. It would just take me a while. And the hill in the middle of this particular 5K would not be any fun at all.

Moreover, I’m not concentrating on physical fitness this month. June 6 marks one year of working on the novel I vowed I would finish (I have started MANY novels that I have not yet finished)(point and laugh if you must but how many novels have YOU finished?). I decided June would be All About Novel, preparing for my week vacation at the beginning of July. If I work hard for 30 days while at work (um, on breaks, I mean), I should be geared up to really make progress for nine straight days off.

So I commented on the Blog Runner’s post praising the idea of Juneathon but declining to participate. Then I realized I had gone for a run June 1 but had NOT worked on my novel.

In my defense, I had worked on said novel for the previous eight days. This is better than I’ve done in a while. One thing I try not to do is take days off. One thing I have been doing a lot lately is taking a day off.

June 2, 3 and 4 (today) I worked on the novel. I ran again July 3. So I could do a Novel Juneathon having missed one day or a Fitness Juneathon having missed two. Or I could do some push-ups and sit-ups before bed and only have missed one. One thing I can’t do is go back in time and not miss any days. And one thing I am unlikely to do is both kinds of Juneathon. Just saying.

However, a Julyathon for fitness is possible. I don’t think I will write about my physical activities every day, but every third or fourth day I can recount what I’ve done so far. That will leave space for posts about Mohawk Valley adventures, cheesy movie reviews and, of course, my beloved Lame Post Friday.

But first I’ll try to get through June.

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Ghost of a Post

Posted on June 2, 2014 by mohawkvalleygirl

Well, here I am late in the day on Wrist to Forehead Sunday and my wrist is truly on my forehead because I don’t have the ghost of a post or of an idea for a post. Ooh, the first part of that rhymed. If only I could write a poem about my dilemma, all would not be lost. I used to be pretty good at poetry. OK, I was never really good, but I wrote some silly rhyming stuff in high school that amused some people.

I haven’t a ghost
of idea or post
on Wrist to Forehead Sunday.

I’ve blogged for three years
in spite of my fears
that this would happen one day.

I worked on my home
and drove into Rome
It’s been a very fun day.

If I was wittier
instead of prettier
I could joke and make it a pun day.

I jogged round the town
and didn’t fall down
So it was also a run day.

Now I will finish
‘fore my readers diminish
and try this again on Monday.

OK, that really wasn’t very good at all, and I’m sure many people who know what I look like are wondering just what I think I’m prettier than. Still, one must admit, this is something different. I think a bad post is better than no post at all. Do others agree? Discuss amongst yourselves.

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