Tag Archives: blogging

Faux Finish Friday

Posted on June 18, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

This week it seems I have indulged in all my give-myself-a-break posts.  And regular readers know I almost never miss Lame Post Friday.  Additionally, I see that since Monday I have mentioned the appropriate weekday in the headline.  Can I continue the trend (I am writing the post before the headline)?  We shall see.

I spent a good deal of my time at work today wondering why I was not in a happier mood.  After all, Friday.  And I don’t have to work Saturday.  What’s not to like?  I was going home to a cute little dog, and my nice husband would be home a mere hour after me. When I got tired of wondering about that (it didn’t take long), I alternately tried to think of something silly to write about for my blog post and potential endings for my banana play.  I MUST finish that play soon!

I did not reach a satisfying destination on either of my trains of thought.  WHY are all the terrible events happening in my play?  Stephen King thinks it is scarier if you DON’T KNOW.  I see what he means, but I think it is sloppy writing.  A writer can withhold the explanation, I suppose, but personally I feel dissatisfied when I get to the end of a story and there is no reason for anything.  Oh, don’t prate to me about how “in real life we don’t know why everything happens,”  we’re talking about fiction!  But it’s neither here nor there; I don’t rule out leaving things a mystery, the more so because I don’t know why they are happening myself.

Oh dear, now you all know I am something of a sloppy writer myself (cue unkind remarks about how you knew it all along).

Speaking of sloppy writing, I am over 250 words.  I call that a respectable post. Now if only I can think of a headline that includes the word “Friday”…

 

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I Write, I Wuss

Posted on May 19, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

OK, I’m tired of typing that in.  I have not finished the post I mentioned yesterday, about the cheesy movie we saw, but I thought I would type in what I had and see if I couldn’t draw a conclusion.  I certainly get long-winded about these movies.  So now I’m stuck trying to come up with a Wuss-out Wednesday post.

Earlier I had thought to write a cooking post about what I made yesterday for dinner.  But when I was thinking about it, I realized that all my recipes are depressingly similar.  Put onions on the stove in some oil.  Crush garlic and set the timer for 15 minutes.  Add other stuff.  Eat.  Yum.  Not a bad recipe, really, but how often can I use it as a blog post?  How many times have I used it?  It is way too much trouble for me to check, so let’s count that as a rhetorical question.

I did do some writing while at work.  I began writing the banana play (I have a new working title now, but I don’t want to share it, because I’m afraid of its being stolen).  And I made up a new writing rule for myself: Don’t take breaks when working on a project.  I’ve attempted to implement this rule with novels.  I see now that it works with plays as well.

You see, I started working on the play (that is, started on yet another idea for that play) last week.  Monday through Friday I thought about it, and I got quite a few notes written.  Then the weekend came and I got a little busy.  So I didn’t work on it.  Sue me.  I thought I could jump right back into it.  Turns out not so much.  I spent Monday and Tuesday thinking about the play but felt somehow… outside of it.  I couldn’t get into it.  I made a couple of notes but felt ultimately stalled.

Today I looked over my notes some more and still felt stalled.  My problem was that I wanted to outline the whole play before I started writing.  I have never been able to do that, but since I have a problem with finishing things, I thought it would be a good thing to try.  I was not successful.  However, when I decided to just begin writing the first scene… it seemed to work.

So I have a page or two of Act I Scene 1.  I’ll keep you posted on how I’m doing.  In the meantime, I guess this is the best I can manage for a blog post today.  Happy Wednesday, everyone.

 

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More Tired than ‘Tude

Posted on May 18, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

My original plan for today was to write a Bad Attituesday post AND a movie commentary post (can’t really call what I write a review) while on breaks at work today.  Then I would type both posts in and not have to worry about a post tomorrow, when Steven and I have a program to attend at the Herkimer County Historical Society (preview of coming attractions).  My real plan was to avoid running again today while allowing time to do so tomorrow.

Why do I even bother making a plan?  It never works out for me.

I had no ideas for a Bad Attituesday post, so I tried my hand at the movie commentary  I wrote quite a bit on it, in spite of being somewhat mortified to realize I had not paid much attention to the movie in question.  It was running into some length and I had not finished.  Still, I did not despair.  I could come up with an ending, sure I could.  Something would come to me as I typed it in.

As the day progressed, I thought to myself, why not run?  Why not run in place on the mini-tramp for bouts of ten minutes or so, interspersing this with push-ups, crunches, flutter kicks, etc.?  What a great idea!  Especially if it rained, which was beginning to look possible.  I could still type in the movie post.  I didn’t have to do a Running Commentary two days in a row.

The rain held off, so I ended up running outdoors, taking a different path from yesterday and running for a whole minute longer.  I ran slow, even for me.  It did not feel as good as yesterday.  I persevered.  When I walked my cool-down, my legs felt sore, but it was the good sore of having just worked out.  I felt reasonably content, but still not inclined to write a Running Commentary.

Anyways, I had to cook supper first.  Well, not really “had to.”  Steven works till 6:30, so it would be quite acceptable to grab something easy and let him do the same.  This might even be preferable, because I don’t want to wait till 6:30 to eat and if I don’t Steven will have to reheat whatever I fixed.  But I really wanted to use some leftovers, I had what sounded like a pretty good plan to me, and I could always take any leftover leftovers for my lunch tomorrow.

I know, I know,  I could have just done a cooking post.  I could not have PLANNED to do a cooking post, since I was not sure till I was actually taking the cast iron frying pan out of the cupboard that I was going to cook.  But I can write that sort of thing on the fly.  I’ve done it before (I know, I’m doing it now, but this isn’t a “real” post, as you can tell).

Does the phrase Tired Tuesday mean anything to you?

Well, it means something to me.  It means I am leaving the — Good God — THREE pages of movie commentary untyped for now.  I shall look forward to finishing it.  In the meantime, I’m going to think of a silly title for this piece of foolishness, hit publish, and relax with my crochet and a true crime show on cable television.  Happy Tuesday, everyone.

 

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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.

 

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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.

 

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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.

 

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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.

 

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Leading Ladies Limbo

Posted on May 4, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

I was going to call this post “Life after Leading Ladies,”  but I’m not quite there yet.  We still have three more performances, plus a pick-up rehearsal before and a cast party after.  So the show is not over, yet my job is largely done.  It is distinctly odd to be sitting here not thinking about the thousand and one things I am supposed to be doing or making sure get done.  Oh, I know, not 1,001 actual tasks.  But at least 846.  Theatre people understand.

I have big plans for my post-show life.  I am going to clean and organize this house.  I am going to write at least two plays, a novel, several magazine articles and, yes, some non-lame log posts.  I may entertain.  I mean by giving parties, not be being on stage.  Audition for a play?  Surely you jest! (And I’ll call you Shirley if I feel like it).

But I can’t do any of that right now.  I couldn’t even begin a blog post when I was on break at work today.  I was compulsively doing cryptogram puzzles.  And while I was working, my mind would not bend around anything worthwhile.  It kept singing me re-runs from the TV show Galavant.  I loved that show, and I’m afraid it is not coming back.

One must transition into ambition, is what I’m thinking now.  Hey, that almost rhymes.  Maybe one of the plays I’m going to write ought to be a musical.

 

 

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Made it through Monday

Posted on May 3, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

Subtitle: Oh Crap, I Still Have to Make my Blog Post!

It wouldn’t take a psychic to predict that I was going to be tired today.  Three shows, little sleep and lots of celebrating.  And I’m back on overtime.  I’m in quite the happy mood but just a little brain dead.  So let’s have some Monday Mental Meanderings and try for a Better Blog tomorrow.

Our place of celebration yesterday was Sorrento’s in Ilion, NY, an excellent Italian restaurant we have eaten at many times.  A number of people who had been in the audience at the matinee were also there.  They told us once again how much they had enjoyed the show.

After work today, I stopped at T & J’s Fruits and Vegetables in Herkimer to get salad ingredients, so I can continue to pursue my weight-loss goals.  I got some really tasty Roma tomatoes, a zucchini, a lemon, some radishes, sharp cheddar cheese and Italian bread.  The lemon, cheese and bread were not for the salad.  I put the bread in the freezer, and I’m drinking seltzer water with lemon as I type this.  I’m saving the cheddar for a treat.

Along with the tomatoes, zucchini and radishes, I put yellow onions and black beans in the salad, then poured in Italian salad dressing.  It’s the kind of dressing that comes in an envelope and you add oil and vinegar.  I use red wine vinegar.

Hmmm…. I’m thinking these are not really mental meanderings.  At least I mentioned two local businesses.  That must content me for today.  As I said, we’ll try for something better tomorrow.  Happy Monday, everyone.

 

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What Lame through Yonder Window Breaks?

Posted on April 30, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

I thought of that title yesterday, when I was trying to come up with something for my Non Sequitur Thursday post.  Yes, I was wishing it was Friday.  Who wasn’t?  Oh, I know, you probably weren’t (both the people who work on Saturday and the ones who just always have to disagree) (you know who you are).

Oh, how good it feels to be writing my blog post in my battered spiral notebook before my shift at work begins.  This is so much better than sitting at the computer, staring at a blank screen and thinking, “I got nuthin’.”

So, yes, it is opening night of Leading Ladies at Ilion Little Theatre.  Yesterday, as I gave a little director’s speech before Final Dress (we directors love to give speeches) (and any director who just said, “I don’t,” FAT LIAR!), I said, “There’s a saying that the worse the dress rehearsal the better the opening night…”

“Let’s not do that,” said one of my actors, which is exactly where I was going with that.

“Thank you!”  I said.

And we didn’t do that.  Rehearsal went very well.  I expect tonight’s performance to go equally well.  My only two concerns are (1) what am I going to wear and (2) will anybody want to go out for a drink afterward?  These are questions for which I am sure answers will be forthcoming.

In the meantime, it is Friday.  For this blog specifically, Lame Post Friday.  A lame post should also be brief.  Happy Friday, everyone.

 

 

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