Tag Archives: writing

I Dilly Dallied My Weekend Away

Hello and welcome to another Wrist to Forehead Sunday post.  I had meant to post on something of more interest but am strangely disinclined to do so.  I know, I know, one must be pitiless in the matter of mood in writing.  That is part of a quote by somebody.  I forget who, but he said it a long time ago. I just imagine it is still true.

Who, me? Procrastinate making a blog post?

This is a plaque my sister Cheryl gave me.  Everybody seems to think it is so me.  The fact is, most of the time I am piddle puttering.  But we’ll leave that for now. I really just wanted to put in a picture to pep up the post.  I hope it worked.

“What do you mean, tomorrow’s Monday?”

I gave up looking for the picture I had in mind and add this one of William Castle, looking flabbergasted.  I actually had to keep reminding myself last night that today was going to be Sunday.  Then when I took a nap earlier, I reminded myself that it was still Sunday, Monday isn’t till I sleep again.  I hope I will sleep again, but one cannot worry about these things when a nap is clearly indicated.

I do love my murder mysteries!

I wanted to end with a cheery photo and at last settled on this one from Donate to Murder.  I hope to remember to take pictures at Tuesday’s rehearsal for Curtains for Frangelica (preview of coming attractions).  In the meantime, I will try to come up with a better blog post for Monday.  Once again, I thank you for tuning in.

 

Keep Writing, Me!

Of course I was too tired to make my Tired Tuesday post on Tuesday.  Also, my Chromebook warned me it was low on battery and my Tablet was uncooperative. That is no excuse; I could have stayed on the Chromebook while it was plugged in, in fact I told myself that.  I was too tired to listen.  Do you suppose I have long Covid?  Do you suppose that is just another lame excuse (see, that’s me wishing for Lame Post Friday).

This was taken for one of those blog posts I haven’t made yet.

I threw in a picture to cut the whining short.  It sort of worked.  Anyways, this is part of Herkimer’s Historic Four Corners: the two buildings that comprise Herkimer County Historical Society.  The writing I am stalling while typing in this nonsense (I am kidding myself that this is a warm-up) is the rest of the script for Curtains for Frangelica, the interactive murder mystery I am writing to benefit the society.

Frangelica Inferno, fans of my murder mysteries may recall, is an former porn star in search of legitimate fame.  Along the way she killed local playwright Jack Sherman and has been accused of others.  The character is played by my friend and adventure partner Kim Darling.  Since Kim has left the area, I decided to kill her off.  That’ll teach her!

So I have gone from Tired Tuesday to Preview of Coming Attractions.  Back to the script!

 

Early Morning Monsters

As I embark on my second cup of coffee early Monday morning, I faced a decision:  take a walk or make a blog post.  Sitting the couch ten-finger typing and continuing to sip coffee won.

Aaaahh, coffee!

This is the mug I am using.  I was using it yesterday, too, and wanted to put it in the blog post.  I find it appropriate for the time of year (aficionados know the Halloween season begins the day after Labor Day) and for a Monstrous Monday post.

Scary? Or just old?

This picture was in my Media Library near the picture of the mug.  I use it to keep the post local, since I took the picture on one of my walks around the neighborhood.  It is, perhaps, a little in advance of the current season, but I like it.  It isn’t as scary as other rotting pumpkins I’ve seen; some of them mildew inside and the mouth becomes a rotting black hole.  Nice!

I think she’s pretty!

For another local photo, here is my skeleton Bonita, wearing a pet mask I picked up at a rummage sale and holding black tulips a fell0w cast member gifted me after making them for a prop in a murder mystery.  I never put her in her summer outfit this year; it was a kind of a bad summer, but that’s a long story, not very interesting.  I have yet to dress her for Halloween (yes, she is naturally dressed for Halloween, but since she is a year-round skeleton, I like to give her a little something extra).  In fact, she is sitting on a chair almost buried in some costumes I need to return to another fellow murder mystery actor.

Now I am over 250 words and have three pictures.  Score!  And my Monday blog post is done!  Could this be the start of another streak?  I can only hope!  Once again, thank you for tuning in.

 

Sunday Blog Posts Are Not an Adventure; They’re Murder!

Sorry, sports fans, but all I can manage today is a Wrist to Forehead Sunday post.  I don’t know why I call my readers “sports fans” when this is not a sports blog, although I think my readers are good sports about my missing posts and doing foolish posts instead of writing about Mohawk Valley Adventures, as promised.  At least, maybe I didn’t promise exactly;  I try not to make promises.  Anyways, tonight I feel ready to swoon, dramatically posed with the back of one wrist to my forehead, onto a handily placed chaise lounge (I add the description for the benefit of anybody just tuning in).

Preview of Coming Attractions, maybe.

Here is a picture I took last Thursday of my great niece and nephew, Evie and Sheppy at the ARC Park in Herkimer, NY.  Their grandmother, my sister Cheryl, invited me to join them.  We had a lovely time, and I took a number of pictures for blogging purposes. They were very nice about posing.

Right now I am, big surprise (to regular readers), watching Columbo.  However, I had an interesting reason (or do I flatter myself?) for picking this episode.  I saw the actress who plays the murderess last night and today as I was watching the movie Mr. Brooks (I started it last night but was too tired to finish it).  Alas that I do not know the actress’ name.  Do you suppose I could find it online?  Regular readers know I am no hand at that.

Random picture to denote passage of time while I look.

Lindsay Crouse!  When I saw her in Mr. Brooks, playing Demi Moore’s boss, it took me a minute to recognize her, because she had a different hairdo and was playing quite a different character.  She was a very sexy murderess in Columbo.  For anybody not familiar with Columbo, I did not need to add a Spoiler Alert before telling you who the murderer was.  That was the plot of almost every Columbo:  you see the murder committed and wonder how Lt. Columbo is going to figure it out and prove it.  If you are not familiar with Columbo, I highly recommend it.

I do have a happy Sunday with Columbo.

Incidentally, Mr. Brooks is also a movie where you do not have to guess who the murderer is.  I love the movie, but I fear it is not for all tastes.  Having said all that, I see I am over 400 words.  That’s a lot of words for somebody who didn’t think she could make a blog post at all.  Once again, I have to ask, what the hell, me?

 

Is It Too Lame for a Friday Blog Post?

Full disclosure:  As I begin to type a Lame Post Friday post in order to continue my streak of blogging daily (only two posts in a row, but one must start somewhere), I have been drinking and typing.  I walked to Cliff’s, a local convenience store, to get some money from the ATM and purchase a lottery ticket; Mega Millions, which has reached enormous proportions.  I know I have very little chance of winning. However, if I do not purchase a ticket, I have zero chance of winning.  Anyways, the walk down was healthy, and I needed more cash.

From Cliff’s I walked to Yetty’s, where I enjoyed a glass of Chardonnay and wrote a little more on my murder mystery (Preview of Coming Attractions).  I looked at a a menu, but nothing particularly tempted me.  I had eaten something before I left home, I add to comfort those who perhaps thought I was drinking on an empty stomach.

Random picture to denote passage of time.

 

And that was as far as I got last night when my Chromebook cut out on me.  I had no idea I had let the battery get that low.  Shows how much I pay attention.

Anyways, from Yetty’s I went to End Zone, where a couple of friends and the bartender, who is also a friend, and I speculated on what we would do if we won large amounts of money.  My best hope is that I win something, maybe a hundred bucks:  enough to do something fun with but nothing life-changing.  Life will change in any case, and there is your half-baked philosophy for the post.

I see I am approaching 300 words, which I feel is adequate not to say respectable (my usual adjective) for a Lame Post Friday post, even a late one.  I have no Mohawk Valley Adventures planned for today but hope to write a blog post about the ones I have not yet blogged about (I would say Preview of Coming Attractions, but these posts are beginning to seem more along the lines of Promises, Promises).

 

Off a Long Pier

Yes, I have missed an entire week of blog posts.  In my defense, I have no defense.  Right now I am fighting yesterday’s migraine (these things rarely last more than a day, so I feel quite ill-used) and wondering if neglecting my morning’s walk to make a blog post is really the right thing to do.  My fingers, happily dancing across the keyboard, say it is.  That voice in my head that continually badgers me probably says not, but I can’t really hear it this morning.

A few days ago I was feeling less than adequate but wanted to take a walk.  It was the weekend so a long walk was eligible.  I said to myself, “Take a long walk.”  And a voice in my head said, “Off a short pier.”  The voice did not have a mean or snarky tone, though.  It was kind of like Drew Barrymore at the beginning of E.T., when she was repeating what her older brother said, “A deformed kid.”  A quiet, cute little voice.  Remember little Drew Barrymore in E.T.?  Another Barrymore to love (regular readers know I adore Lionel Barrymore and am quite the fan of John and Ethel).

I love that guy!

Here is Lionel Barrymore in Devil Doll.  I don’t have a picture of any of the other Barrymores.

But here is a Freudian typo I almost made:  Marrybore instead of Barrymore.  Like you were going to marry somebody boring.  I may use that in a murder mystery sometime.  I often make up silly names, like Jeribilt for a set designer (just a hint of my upcoming murder mystery).

I see I am over 250 words.  Score!  I think I will bill this as a Non-Sequitur Thursday and hope it is the beginning of a new era of daily blogging for your host, Mohawk Valley Girl.

PS.  I was inspired to continue the blog by a comment on a previous post.  I have the best readers!

And I still have time for a short walk.

 

 

I Wine, I Wuss, I Make a Wednesday Blog Post

So there I was, debating between having a Wuss-out Wednesday or a Waste Not Want Wednesday.  Then I said, oh just make one of the posts you have been putting off making. So I started to do that, then realized I did not have all the relevant information in my head.  I can’t possibly go looking for the right notebook now.  So how about a Preview of Coming Attractions, using a couple of the pictures I hope to use when I finally write those elusive “real posts.”

Who me? Drink wine?

This is me at the Raindrops on Roses Bed and Breakfast in Herkimer, NY, enjoying a flight of wine from their Wine Tasting Room. I sat in their lovely garden and took a picture of my hand and a glass for Facebook posting purposes.  The bracelet, one of my favorites, I got from One Of A Kind Designs Handcrafted Jewelry by Debora Bruce (OOAK).  You can find OOAK on Facebook, and if you like jewelry, I recommend you do.   So now at least I gave shout-outs to two local businesses.

One of my favorite spots!

Here is a picture of the Eckler Building and Suiter House, where the Herkimer County Historical Society resides.  I took this picture for another Post which is not easily condensed into a few words.  However, these buildings are also important in the murder mystery I am currently writing and hope to start rehearsing soon.  It will benefit the historical society and is to be presented at the Herkimer Elks Lodge on Saturday, Oct. 12.

Ah, I see I have gotten over 250 words.  Regular readers (if I still have any) know I consider that respectable.  I thank you for bearing with me as I struggle with my blog and other problems.

 

Oh Crap! Who Shall I Kill?

So I posted Tuesday for Monday then neglected to post Tuesday and Wednesday.  It is now Thursday morning and I believe I am rapidly losing what is left of my mind.  For one reason, I started to type in “neglected” but started out “deg”  then stared at it wondering why it looked wrong.  Coffee, please kick in soon.

Oh crap, I can’t find the picture I am looking for.

I was searching for a coffee mug other than the Halloween one I have been showing lately, specifically the one I am actually using from Dyn’s Cider Mill (brief shout-out to a local business) (come to think of it, I must go there soon).  I know I have one but it proved elusive. I decided plastic poop would do.

As I struggle with blogging and most other things in my life (not whining, just observing; I know we all struggle), I sometimes get a few things done.  One thing was to set an actual date of the murder mystery I am writing to benefit the Herkimer County Historical Society.  October 12.  Why I had it in my head they wanted the first weekend in November, I do not know.  However, I had an inspiration for a better victim and plot (a little easier to write, too), so I am going great guns.  Additionally, I have emailed several potential actors.

Now who would kill a beautiful lady like this?

Unfortunately only one actor has emailed me back, but I expect to hear from the others as I go along.  In the meantime, I hope to finish the script this weekend.  It is so fun to write when things just clip along, as they sometimes do.

In the meantime, I hope to return to my previous daily habit of making blog posts.  I thank everybody for tuning in.

 

 

It’s Not Fall, and It’s Not Friday

We had a hint of fall in the Mohawk Valley today.  I enjoyed it, but unfortunately as soon as my body feels that cooler breeze, it says, “Oh boy!  Allergy season!”  As if the sinuses don’t give me hell 24/7/365.  Shouldn’t that be 24/7/52?  Twenty-four hours, seven days, fifty-two weeks?  I think I should just say all year round.

As you may have noticed, my decongestant makes me a little punchy.

They look evil.

I missed my Monstrous Monday post, so I feel free to make one now. Here is a young Christopher Lee with two actresses I don’t remember (too light-headed to look it up) in Horror Hotel, as it is called in my DVD collection. It is known sometimes by a different name, but I have talked about that before in this space.

An oldie but a goodie.

Just a reminder that it is not really Monday.  I can easily put myself in a time warp, and that would not be a good idea.  I have a thing on Thursday and it would not do to show up on Wednesday or Friday.

Anybody can lose their head once in a while.

Note to self:  Make blog post before taking decongestant.  However, I have long maintained that a bad blog post is better than no blog post at all.  Is it true or am I kidding myself?  Discuss amongst yourselves.

 

What Is the Matter with Me?

This is so embarrassing.  It seems about once, sometimes twice a week, I write a blog post apologizing about not making daily blog posts and promising to do better.  Obviously I do not.  I could offer all manner of excuses and explanations, but excuses are often lame (and it is not Lame Post Friday, alas!) and I always say explanations are tiresome.

All that said, it feels pretty good to be ten-finger typing on my Chromebook, putting down some words, any words.  Why do I no longer do this every day? Why am I asking that again when I JUST SAID that explanations are tiresome?

Looks delightfully evil, yes?

I threw in a picture to jolt myself out of self-incrimination and more tiresomeness.  I have not used this coffee mug in a while, but I have enjoyed my morning coffee, as I do most mornings.  Full disclosure:  Sunday I drank tea, because my stomach was upset.  That tasted pretty good too.

Random picture to denote passage of time while I get more coffee.

The above picture is the Capitol Theatre in Rome, NY, a delightful old movie palace, from back when the term “palace” truly applied.  It is, perhaps, symbolic of my life.  I feel I need to make some changes, begin a new chapter.  Somebody somewhere said there are no second acts in real life, but does anybody really believe that?  I don’t even remember who said it.

Must go here soon.

The theatre picture is also relevant, because I have at least one theatrical project I need to get going on, namely a murder mystery I am writing to be presented for the benefit of Herkimer Historical Society.  This third picture is a local business I may visit soon, Rose Quartz Stand on Mohawk Street in Herkimer, NY (do I have to keep putting NY?).  I want to purchase some iron pyrite for use as a prop in the murder mystery.  Does that pique your interest?  I hope so, as I will no doubt be sharing more about the mystery as I go along.

That is, if I manage to make more blog posts.  I have neglected a few good Mohawk Valley adventures I had recently and hope to remedy the omission (preview of coming attractions).  In the meantime, I thank any readers who are still tuned in, and welcome (dare I hope?) any new ones.