Tag Archives: not writing

Where’s that Damn Brain?

Posted on October 17, 2018 by mohawkvalleygirl

It is Bad Attituesday, and my attitude is so bad I do not want to go back and see how long it has been since I made a post about I Can’t Write a Blog Post Today.  Is it Writer’s Block?  Is it Writer’s Blank?  Is it Writer is Too Damn Lazy and Irritable?  SAY IT AIN’T SO!!!!  Whatever it is, my brain is not cooperating.

A little Bette Davis is always a good idea.

I was looking through my Media Library for the picture I have of The Brain from Planet Arous, but I found this one from Hush… Hush, Sweet Charlotte first and thought, “Rest in Peace, Cindy’s brain (was that a Freudian typo?  I first put “piece” instead of “peace” and I meant to, because as I typed it I thought, “pie as in a piece of pie”).  I am in the mood to see Hush.. hush again.  I suggested it for our cinematic Sunday, but we decided to watch shorter movies instead, in order to fit more in (in fact, we watched two more after I made my blog post).

Perhaps the problem is that I had made up my mind to Write More.  I have one of those perverse dispositions that as soon as I make up my mind to do something, I only want to do the exact opposite, or do nothing at all.  As I walked into work, having almost a half hour before my shift began in which to write, I thought about a blog post I wanted to write about one of the movies we watched this weekend.  My brain soon became bogged down, so I thought I would ease into it by working on a letter I had started to a friend.  I got about a paragraph written, felt quite dry and dumb, so worked on an anacrostic puzzle I happened to have handy (what, computer, that’s not how you spell anacrostic?  That’s a word, isn’t it? Damn!) (just googled it: anacrostic and acrostic are apparently the same thing, but Google seems to think anacrostic is also a word).

Where was I?  Ah yes, brain dead and not making much of a post.  And yet I am over 300 words. What does that tell you?  It does not tell me much, but I think I’ll put in another picture and call it a day.  I hope I have managed to amuse somebody.

“Don’t look at me! I’m not writing a blog post for you!”

There’s that damn brain!  Happy Tuesday, everyone.

 

Leave a comment

Posted in Bad Attituesday, blogging, humor, personal, writing and tagged , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Was it a Killer First Draft?

Posted on October 3, 2018 by mohawkvalleygirl

Words to live by!

Of course, the first draft I just finished should have been done a week ago, but we cannot always live up to the ideals we set for ourselves.  The important thing is, I wrote it, I typed it into the laptop, I printed it out, I will edit and polish it, I will email it to the cast.  Then it’s on to rehearsals and performance, but right now I’m writing about writing.

Well, maybe a little about rehearsal and performing.  The draft I finished was for A Trivial Murder, the interactive dinner theatre we are presenting as a fundraiser for Herkimer County Historical Society.  The performance will be Saturday, Nov. 3, 6 p.m. at the Ilion Moose Lodge.  For further information, you can reference the Facebook event.

I feel a little self-conscious admitting in public like this that I am just finishing the script.  We are a month away from performance!  Well, murder mysteries don’t take as much rehearsal as a full-blown play.  Up north, where we had a company called Murder For Hire, we used to put them together in three rehearsals:  Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and go on Saturday!  I was younger and more energetic in those days.  Now I feel more secure with a little more time.

However, I am feeling increasingly good about this show.  After a few glitches, I got a really wonderful cast.  I think everybody will fit their part fine and fill it out with little touches I didn’t even think of when I wrote the lines.  That is why writing scripts is more exciting than writing novels.

Writing a novel, incidentally, is my next project.  Why don’t I have a novel published yet?  I am almost 55.  I was about to say, time to get off my butt, but in fact it is time to sit on my butt in front of a notebook or keyboard and get going.  I’ll write a few blog posts about it along the way.

 

Leave a comment

Posted in humor, personal, writing and tagged , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Judge If You Want: It’s Wuss-out Wednesday

Posted on September 27, 2018 by mohawkvalleygirl

Sorry, folks, it’s Wuss-out Wednesday.  What little writing I managed at work today was on the next murder mystery.  I went to the Salvation Army Thrift Store in Ilion, NY, after work, looking for something I could modify into a 1920’s dress for an upcoming fundraiser.  I thought I could do a post about the shopping or about the fundraiser.  I could even do a post about the problems I am having writing and casting the murder mystery (one effects the other, you know).  I find I can’t.  I need my time sitting on the couch, knitting, and watching television.

Oh dear, it might have sounded better if I said something like, “I need my time for me” or “I need time to rest, relax and renew.”  Well, judge me if you like;) I know some of you will anyways) (you know who you are) (oh, what do I care if people judge me?  Don’t we all judge each other sometimes?) (Oh, I suppose YOU never do!) (again, you know who you are).

Where was I?  Ah yes, posting quickly so I can pick up my knitting needles, not to mention a glass of wine (again, judge if you are so inclined).  The important points about today:  I worked a little on my murder mystery.  I am having problems gathering a cast.  I shopped at the Thrift Store.  I have a fundraiser coming up with a 1920’s theme.  I hope to expand upon all these topics in future blog posts.

I hope your mid-week is going well.

 

Leave a comment

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

Writing About Writing for a Change

Posted on September 26, 2018 by mohawkvalleygirl

Looking through my notebook for something else, I came across the following I had written on an unknown date, and I do not believe I have used it.  Since the only thing I can come up with now is more writing about not writing, I thought this would be a nice change of pace.

Having decided to concentrate on my writing once again, I further decided to start a new novel and finish it quickly. This is hazardous, given my long history of starting novels and NOT finishing them, but I am always one to take a chance.  In my further defense, I did write the closing scenes of the last novel I vowed I would finish, so one could argue that I finished the first draft.  However, I am no hand at argument.

So I was wondering what kind of a novel to write, and I had this idea to write a tale of romantic suspense.  I enjoy some of those Gothics, you know, the ones that show a castle under a full moon with a woman in a long dress running away.  Victoria Holt is the mistress of that genre. I love her.  I do not feel equipped to write a real period piece, but romance and suspense, I can do, or so I think (perhaps I flatter myself, but let’s not disillusion me at this point).

I know romance publishers often have strict guidelines, so I did a Google search of romantic suspense publishers.  I have been having better luck with Google lately, and I did find something.

One publisher said they wanted strong, smart heroines.  I can do that.  I hate having a weak, wimpy lead character (NEVER MIND how I may act in real life; I am not writing an autobiography).  They want her to have clearly defined goals and meet with real obstacles. Hell, that’s just good fiction.  What does your character want?  What keeps her from getting it?  Another thing they like is snappy banter, like from 1930’s screwball comedies.  I love those old movies!  And I am good at writing dialogue, even if I do say so myself.

Things they don’t want:  when the only obstacle to love is fear from previous bad relationships.  OK.  Men who condescend or are meant to woman.  Well, that’s good.  I hate it when women fall for those creeps!

That was when I got tired of writing about writing and started taking notes on the novel I wanted to start.  Full disclosure:  it petered out before I got very far.  However, now that I have typed all that in, I am anxious to try again.  I’ll be sure to keep you posted as to how it goes.

 

Leave a comment

Posted in humor, personal, writing and tagged , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Up Next: Murder Most Trivial

Posted on September 20, 2018 by mohawkvalleygirl

I went to work this morning determined to write on breaks and lunch, as well as right before the first buzzer rings.  I usually get to work early.  I used to always write my blog post at that time. Did I do so this morning?  Alas, no.  What the hell happened to me?

However, the news is not all bad.  While I was working, I got a couple of good ideas for my next murder mystery.  I quickly jotted them down when I got a chance.  I was mysteriously unable to write any more, but one does what one can.  Herkimer County Historical Society, beneficiary of the murder mystery, had asked for the premise and title for their Facebook page.  I thought I could manage that much.  This is what I messaged them:

The title of the mystery is “A Trivial Murder.” We’re all here for a taping of the game show, “Who Knows Herkimer History” with our host, Gary “Herk” Henderson. Gary is actually the new host. The original host died under mysterious circumstances, but let us not allow such gloomy thoughts cloud our evening! You should also just ignore those rumors that our returning champion has been given the answers in advance. There’s no scandal here! That journalist is here to do a puff piece, not a muck raking scandal-monger.

Looking over it again, I see where it could be improved.  And improve it, I will!  But not for this blog post.  For one reason, this is Wuss-out Wednesday, and I am only slightly less brain dead than I was yesterday (which I just now realize I should have categorized under “Tired Tuesday”) (another indication of my brain dead condition).  Then again, slightly less is still less.  I bet I’ll have that murder mystery finished in no time!  Can better blog posts be far behind?

 

2 Comments

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

Do Antibiotics Make You Stupid?

Posted on September 19, 2018 by mohawkvalleygirl

I admit I have had some lame posts lately, but I do not think I have had one whining about how I JUST CAN’T MAKE A BLOG POST TODAY in a while.  How melodramatic that sounds, especially all in caps.  But do you feel I am actually whining?  I feel more that I am lamenting, poised mid-swoon, with a wrist to my forehead.  Well, at least I amuse myself.

And then I sat here staring at that paragraph, unable to add to it.  I typed in one paragraph that I backspaced out. It was dumb.  In desperation, I went to Facebook and typed in the following:

Oh My God! I just started typing in a blog post and it is the dullest thing ever!

A friend commented asking how I even start. I replied that I just put my fingers on the keys and start typing. Usually once I start I think of things to say.  Today not so much.  What’s that all about, brain?
I think I shall blame this one on my health.  I was diagnosed with a sinus infection and have been on antibiotics since yesterday.  Do antibiotics make you stupid?  Cue unkind remarks about what’s my excuse the rest of the time.  You know, I think I can make this post slightly better with a picture of Nosferatu.

“I don’t know what I’m doing in this blog post.”

Well, that made me feel better, at any rate.  Maybe this blog post isn’t so bad.  At least it might make other bloggers feel better about their posts.  And I can always try to improve tomorrow.

4 Comments

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

Looking for Lame Inspiration

Posted on September 15, 2018 by mohawkvalleygirl

I tried hard to make a “real” post yesterday, because I knew I would be strictly lame today.  Then again, it is Lame Post Friday, and I have been known to post lame even after a whole week of stinkers.  So I will drive on, even though quite frankly, I feel like I got nuthin’.

“Nothing, you say? But you have BLOOD!”

As I often do, I look to Nosferatu for inspiration.  As I typed in the caption, I remembered a quote often repeated and I have no idea who said it: Writing is easy; just sit down and open a vein.  That is probably not even the right quote.  But I get the idea that I am supposed to bleed. Quite frankly, I have almost never found writing to be that painful.  Perhaps that is why I am a silly blogger and not the winner of some prestigious literary award.

I almost put “only a silly blogger,” but I do not feel it is nothing to make a blog post every day, even if many of them are lame.  I can always build on this and write more.  I always intend to.  In the meantime, how about a blog post now.

Since I wrote about Shattered Angel‘s dress rehearsal yesterday, it would be nice if I mentioned Donate to Murder‘s dress rehearsal tonight.  Of course, our murder mystery is by no means as vast an undertaking as Angel, and it lacks Angel‘s historical significance.  However, I expect to entertain a number of people.  We have certainly enjoyed our rehearsals.  If only I had taken some pictures.

Once again, Donate to Murder is to be presented at Herkimer Elks Lodge tomorrow, Saturday, Sept. 15, at 7 p.m.  Tickets are $25 per person and are available at the downstairs bar at the Elks lodge, 124 Mary St., Herkimer NY, or by calling 315-866-1439.

 

Leave a comment

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

An Idea for a Blog Post?

Posted on September 2, 2018 by mohawkvalleygirl

I did it again.  I went a day without posting so want to make two posts today.  I considered getting up at four, so that one could argue it was still the middle of the night (even though we all know damn well it is not; thus we kid ourselves into believing what we like). However, I felt I needed the rest more than I needed to meet my own arbitrary goals.  So here I sit at 7 a.m. trying to remember what I composed in my head at four before deciding to just go back to sleep.  It probably wasn’t very good anyways.

That raises a subject I may or may not have blogged about before:  writers are often given the advice to keep a notebook and pencil by the bed, because you will wake up in the middle of the night with a truly brilliant idea that you will NOT remember.  Can any of you writers out there confirm to me that you have actually had such an idea, written it down in the night, AND (and here’s the kicker) still thought it was brilliant the next morning?  I never have.  And now I find sleep so necessary and yet so elusive, I don’t even want to wake myself up enough to write it down.

I know, I know, you will argue (you know who you are) that if I DON’T write it down, how will I know if it was or was not brilliant?  Can I really be so profligate with my ideas that I am willing to just throw away all these inspirations?  What do I think I am, some perpetual idea machine?

I must admit, that is a point.  For example, one reason I did not make my blog post when I had time yesterday is that I could not for the life of me think of anything to write.  In my defense, it was not the only reason.  I also wanted to finish knitting a prayer shawl so I can get it blessed after church this morning (the reason sleep was so necessary at four).

So tonight when I go to bed, it will be with a notebook and pen at my side (maybe this will at least inspire me to clean off my bedside table; it needs it).  Eventually perhaps I can write a blog post about the results.

 

Leave a comment

Posted in blogging, humor, personal, Uncategorized, writing and tagged , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Murder On My Mind

Posted on August 31, 2018 by mohawkvalleygirl

First a note:  Yesterday when I said I know a guy who I suspect was not as good a writer as he thought himself… That was NOT somebody with whom I am currently acquainted.  It was a guy I knew a long time ago. I never read anything he wrote, either, so he may have been brilliant.  It is still neither here nor there.  On with the blog post.

It is Non-Sequitur Thursday.  I had meant to go running and do a Running Commentary, but I had a headache all day.  I dragged myself through the full day of work rather than burn a half a vacation day.  By the time I got home I felt disinclined to push myself any further (how’s that for a mixed metaphor?  Did I drag or did I push?  I still have a headache).  Just to add a little whining to the mix, because, as I always say, go with your strengths.

“Take me away, Tall, Dark and Gruesome!”

I was looking for a different graphic when I saw this one.  I thought it was appropriately random and on topic.  I was looking for a logo of 20/20 on OWN, which is what we are watching right now.  I always like a little murder and mayhem.

Oh look, I am over 200 words and I have not said much of anything.  I simply must have some Mohawk Valley adventures to write about this weekend.  I’ll start right after work tomorrow.  My headache should be gone by then.  In the meantime, I would like to share a couple more pictures, just in the interests of entertainment.

Here’s a suspicious-looking bunch.

This is the cast from last fall’s murder mystery, A G.R.A.V.E. Murder.  I guess I have murder on my mind (ooh, that would make a good title, although it is not really a non-sequitur.  Still, you can’t have everything).

Now THERE’S a murderess!

This is from the first murder mystery I wrote for the Herkimer County Historical Society, Who Shot JS?  Just to loop back to titles, which I was talking about yesterday and in today’s first paragraph, I did not think up that title.  Titles are hard!

 

Leave a comment

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

Amy Fisher, Can You Help Me Now?

Posted on August 22, 2018 by mohawkvalleygirl

I realized earlier today I was having a Bad Attituesday, and I confess, I did not fight it.  Now I have just coasted on down into a simple case of the blues.  I’m not whining about it, just telling you where I’m at.  My road should hit an upslope soon (what, computer? I know Attituesday is not an official word, but I thought upslope was).  As I often say, sometimes you just have to feel that way until you don’t feel that way any more.

Anyways, typing in words almost always helps.  As long as I don’t say, “That’s stupid!  I can’t publish that!” and backspace it out, as regular readers know I often do (and some wish I did more often) (you know who you are).

You may not realize it, but I paused just there to eat some supper. My wonderful husband, Steven, made potatoes, cheese and eggs.  Yum!  So now I feel a little more cheerful.

I do have a Mohawk Valley adventure in store for tonight: rehearsal for Shattered Angel, the play being presented by Herkimer County Historical Society in cooperation with Ilion Little Theatre.  I have mentioned it in this space before.  I am helping out with costumes.  I hope soon to make a blog post about How I Got My Act Together.  Some of you may be shaking your heads (or your fingers or your booty) and saying, “She’ll NEVER get her act together!”  Well, you may be right.  I shall not dispute over the matter now that I’ve gotten myself into a better mood.

In the meantime, this is the best I can do for a post today.  Maybe I could just pep it up with a picture.  And I hope to see you all on Wuss-out Wednesday (or whatever kind of a Wednesday it turns out to be).

We just saw a program about Amy Fisher the other day.

Perhaps tomorrow I can tell the story of why this picture just happened to be in my Media Library.  In the meantime, enjoy.

 

9 Comments

Posted in Bad Attituesday, humor, personal and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.
← Older Posts
Newer Posts →