Tag Archives: writing

Not Just Slacker: Sagging!

Ah, what a lousy week for my blog!  Post Christmas let-down, a fender-bender, foolish post after foolish post… and I am damn tired today!  I was going to start a new feature of Sagging Saturday when I remembered I already had one called Slacker Saturday, which is an accurate description of me today.

I had thought of making a post about my goals for 2018, although that would be inviting the scorn of people who Don’t Do New Year’s Resolutions (you know who you are).  Well, why shouldn’t I set goals for myself, and since the calendar is about to turn over, why should I not call them goals for 2018?  Being the dithery, indecisive person that I am, I naturally hesitate to do so.  What if I set these ambitions for myself and fail to follow through?  How foolish will I look and feel?  I suppose no more foolish than usual.

My main goal, which I set for myself again and again throughout the calendar year, is to Write More.  On Facebook this morning, I saw a couple of videos of people who decided to do something every day for 100 days:  doing something they were scared of, going to the gym.  I thought, hey, Work on My Novel.  So when I went to the store this morning, I purchased a nice new notebook and got started.

Did I make a good start?  I can’t tell you that.  I’m sorry I told as much as I did.  It’s not so much the fear of looking foolish I mentioned earlier.  It is the fear of Once You Talk About Writing It, You No Longer Feel the Need to Write It.  So I shall say no more.

My headline now seems less apropos.  Perhaps something about Day One of a Hundred would have been better.  But I am still sagging.  Hey, it’s still a holiday week.  I’ll try to perk up and do better in 2018.

 

More an Apology than a Post

Well, I did it again.  I went a day without making a post and now I’m sitting here with my first cup of coffee trying to take up the slack.  It is really very foolish of me.  I did not want to write a dumb post about how I did not feel up to writing a real post last night.  So what am I writing this morning?  A dumb post about how I am not up to writing a real post this morning.  I guess my options are to (1) wait till I can come up with a real post, (2) grit my teeth and attempt a real post now, and (3) just go ahead and write the foolish post I should have written last night and have done with.  Oh, and (4) not make a post, give up this pretense of being a real blogger, and stop spewing this foolishness out into the blogosphere. Oh, like THAT’S ever going to happen!

Steven and I did some minor running around yesterday, including going to Ed and Bud’s in Little Falls for a Tom and Jerry, something I have been wanting to do since the Reindeer Run 5K earlier in December.  Oh, don’t go blaming my not posting on the booze; I’ve sipped and typed before.  Yes, I did continue to enjoy a few more cocktails as the evening progressed.  I’m on vacation!  Sheesh!

So here is my Wuss-out Wednesday post.  Just over 200 words typed in Thursday morning saying I am sorry I did not post anything yesterday.  Sometimes it is kind of fun not being a real blogger.  As always, I hope you’ll stay tuned.

 

Late, Lame, but Not Lean

Yesterday I took a real Blogger’s Sick Day.  Judge me if you like, but one can only do so many things when one has a migraine.  Determination will only take you so far.  I was going to say “discipline,” but we all know I am notoriously undisciplined, while nobody refutes that I have a marvelously thick skull.  Maybe that’s my problem with all the headaches.

Just to throw this in there:  I AM doing something about the headaches.  I shall not elaborate on what, because, you know, HIPAA and all that.

Last night I felt incapable of even Lame Post Friday. How unlike me.  It was the last day of work before what I will call Christmas shut-down. I rather thought more people would be feeling more giddy, myself included.  I knew I should have brought cookies.  There is nothing like home-baked cookies to spread the Christmas spirit, as well as to add to the hip-spread of people who really need no help in that direction, myself included.

Yes, I have been sadly aware that this is a HUGE time of year for getting, well, huge.  I knew it was coming; the calendar is remarkably predictable each year, and I have been around quite a number of years.  So did I prepare by dropping a few pounds ahead of time (yes, I KNOW yo-yo dieting is a terrible thing; I’m only talking about five pounds, is that such a problem?)?  Of course not!  I’m still trying to drop the few pounds I put on last Christmas!

So this is my Friday Lame Post:  a late lament about my weight.  I believe that is sufficiently lame, yet universal enough that I hope some people are at least mildly entertained.  For those of you who are not so plagued by those pounds (either by not putting them on or not caring if you do), you may bask in the glow of superiority.   We’ll call that just another service I provide.

 

Does Santa Give Coal to Bad Bloggers?

Some bloggers have guest bloggers or re-blog others’ blogs on a Sunday.  Maybe I should consider doing something like that.  Or I could keep having posts like Wrist to Forehead Sunday, when I really don’t feel capable of posting anything good, yet I like to post every day.  Oh, what the hell.  You can always feel smugly superior, all you bloggers who make better posts than this on a regular basis. Or you can just point and laugh.  You know who you are.

So Christmas Eve is one week from today.  Am I ready for such a thing?  Of course not!  Why would I be!  But I am tremulously happy that I have five more days of work, then a week and a day off.  Yes!  You would not think it was a mere three weeks since I had time off, or that I have had every weekend off for a very long time.  I can’t help how I feel.  I want some time off.  I’m sure many people can understand this feeling.  Those of you who can’t, well, congratulations on your far superior work ethic.

Where was I?  Ah yes, nowhere in particular.  Just trying to type a few remarks in so I can continue to pretend to be a daily blogger.  I hope you are all having a lovely December.  Steven and I had a few friends over last night.  I guess you could call it a Christmas party, although I usually invite more of a crowd to a party (so any local friends who are thinking, “She didn’t invite ME to her party,” please don’t feel bad).  We had a very fun time.

I did a very little Christmas shopping this morning.  And by “very little,” I’m afraid I mean I purchased one present for one person may or may not like it  and bought a bunch of stuff for myself.  In my defense, most of what I bought for myself was yarn to make more afghans which I will give away (I have plenty of afghans of my own).  It is not a great defense, however, because I love to sit on my couch, watch TV, and crochet an afghan.

Speaking of which, that is exactly what I want to continue to do.  This is Wrist to Forehead Sunday merely because I fear I am not making a good blog post.  I am having a rather enjoyable time apart from that.  I hope my readers have had a wonderful weekend.

 

Is It Friday Already, Finally?

Yes, it is another Late, Lame post.  I wonder if I should make a sub-category to reflect that?  Nah, I’ll just post.  I confess, I had my doubts this week as to whether I would make it to Friday, or indeed, if Friday would ever come.  You’ll have that.

So with Friday came the deadline for Mohawk Valley Living magazine.  If I was a really good writer, like I pretend I am, this would not matter, because I would have already written my article or articles and submitted them.  And here we come to the ugly truth about me. However, I did what I could and submitted something that I feel is not completely contemptible.

Then I had to rush into some nice-looking clothes, because my friend, Kim, was picking me up to go to a wine tasting at Valley Wine and Liquor.  It was Adirondack Winery of Lake George.  I have tasted their stuff before but never been to the winery.  I must get there one day, though, because they have some dry wines that are not carried by the liquor store so were not available for tasting.

From the wine tasting, Kim and I headed to the Herkimer Elks Lodge for Cucina Berto’s Tom & Jerry Night.  Steven joined us already in progress.  We had a couple Tom & Jerry’s, and Steven and I each had a cup of Italian Wedding Soup.  Yummy!

And now we are home.  I’m afraid this post will read like a Flustered Friday, and indeed, parts of it felt flustered to me.  However, it was a fun Friday, and I am looking forward to an equally fun Saturday.  I’ll write a blog post about it.

 

Running But Not Writing

We are just a few days away from the Reindeer Run 5K in Little Falls, NY!  I ran yesterday, did not run today, will run tomorrow, and either take a long walk or a short run on Friday.  Today I went to the Christmas in Little Falls website and made a note of when and where the race begins.  Yes, I was not clear on these things when I signed up.  I suppose I must have noticed it when I filled out the form, but I neglected to make a note of it (what a surprise, me not organized! Say it ain’t so!).

A lot more stuff is going on in Little Falls on Saturday besides the run.  I have not decided yet what, if any, other events I will attend.  Right now I am more concerned with making sure I have some good sports bras clean.  And deciding whether I should wear reindeer antlers or a Santa hat when I run.  Either one might fly off when I sprint it out at the end.   I guess my sprint is not all that fast compared to other runners, but I do pick up the pace a little.

So my tiredness from Tired Tuesday continues.  Likewise my extreme reluctance to write.  I don’t know what it is, but I can’t seem to make myself put pen to paper and move it.  Now that I have written that, I think I would like to put that to the test.  It is all very well to keep typing in a blog post, but I do not feel that I am writing.  For one reason, this is kind of a lousy blog post.  Well, I’ll just call it Wuss-out Wednesday and drive on.  I’ll let you know on Thursday if I have any luck with the pen.

 

If Only I Had a Flair for Blog Posts!

I pause in my Sunday activities for a Wrist to Forehead blog post.   I am a little down, I confess it.  One feels one ought to be in high spirits at all times during the Christmas season, but that is not realistic.  So I’ll just ride out the downslope until I feel up again.  In the meantime, I do like to make a blog post every day (downslope is not a word?  I’ll be damned!).

Steven and I did some decorating on the interior of our house today.  It would be nice if I took some pictures, but I am currently unaware of the whereabouts of my tablet, and I never did learn how to use that digital camera.  Steven did most of the decorating.  He has a flare for it.  Or do I mean a flair? I don’t know where my dictionary is either.  Ooh, I just laid eyes on it when I typed that; it is right in front of me. Wait a minute. I mean flair.  I’m glad we got that cleared up.

Where was I? Ah yes, having Wrist to Forehead Sunday.  I am trying to recruit my energies, because we want to attend the 4th Annual Christmas in Meyers Park this evening.  It is easy walking distance from our house.  I’m hoping to leave a little early and take the long way down, so we can admire lights on people’s houses around the neighborhood.  I have been making mental notes of where they are when I go on my runs.

So I owe my readers a blog post about Rome Historical Society, one with pictures of our Christmas decorations, and perhaps one about Christmas in Meyers Park.  All these possibilities and here I sit typing my usual nonsense. If that isn’t a reason to swoon onto the chaise with my wrist to my forehead,  I don’t know what is!

 

Late and Lame, but Here’s a Lizard

I thought of that title while I was logging into WordPress.  I figured I couldn’t just call it  “Late and Lame,” because I’ve used that title before.  Then I remembered I have some Godzilla pictures in my Media Library. Godzilla on a Friday, there could be no possible objection.

“Hello there, blog readers!”

Steven and I just got back from Ilion Little Theatre’s production of The Christmas Spirit.  I must write a whole blog post about it, but I am far too tired to do that now.   Anyways, I have to figure out what I want to say.  Godzilla is no help to me there.

“What do you mean no help? I’m a real helpful guy, give me a chance!”

I tried to write a real blog post earlier.  It did not go well.  Then again, it is Lame Post Friday.  How can I do a real post then?  I like to do silly things on Friday.  Random observations and half-baked philosophy.  I think saying that Godzilla is no help is one or the other.

When in doubt, throw in another picture.

In case I don’t write a real post about the play, it is The Christmas Spirit at Ilion Little Theatre, Dec 3, 8 and 9 at 7:30 p.m., and Dec, 4 and 10 at 2 p.m.  Tickets are available at Eventbrite.

 

Muddled Monday with Murder

Just for the record, I have not reached my breaking point yet.

I decided to continue with the theme of murder largely for the sake of alliteration.  As regular readers know, I adore alliteration.  I am typing this post while giving the occasional glance at an episode of Snapped that I believe I have seen before, although I do not remember much of it.

So this is Day One of my New Leaf.  Did I mention the new leaf in yesterday’s post?  Ah yes, I said I was going to write more and make better blog posts.  This morning, as I put a new notebook and pen into the bag I carry to work, I felt I should actually renovate my entire life:  clean house, lose weight, get organized, learn things, do things, make things, be a whole new person!  I can just hear my readers asking in varying tones of sarcasm, depending on who it is, “How’s that working out for you?”  For heavens’ sake, it’s only the first day!

I started writing a letter to a friend (I thought I would keep the rule of “any writing counts”).  I made an appointment to have a mammogram, something I have not done in at least seven years.  I started a list of Things to Get Done This Week.  When I got home, I called the neurologist about the headaches I have been having.  One reason for that was that I had one.  Oh dear, was I coming down with a cold?  I checked my Facebook and email and thought about how I usually let myself off the hook on Mondays.

Then I bestirred myself and spent some time getting a few things done.  I cleaned the house a little.  I folded the laundry and hand-washed one of my better pair of leggings.  I got a start on the onerous task of organizing my yarn and craft supplies.  I’m hoping to make a few Christmas presents.  I have a hot glue gun and I’m not afraid to use it!  I took a shower and said to myself, “See?  You CAN get stuff done when you have a headache!”

Hey, I know I did not get a lot of stuff done.  The fact is, I can’t just be a whole new person.  I have to start with the person I am and try to make improvements.  So far my improvements today have not extended to my blog posts, as you see.  I’m wondering if I should leave the Snapped logo at the top and “murder” in the headline.  Oh what the heck.  It’s Muddled Monday.  I’ll go with it.

 

I Need a Little Murder

I was going to say Halloween, but I think an episode or two of Snapped or even Dateline would fill the proverbial bill (you can get away with an overly used expression if you add the word “proverbial”).  Steven and I have been watching Christmas movies all day, and I just don’t feel like crying again.  I fully understand why people often become more depressed at Christmas time.  My intention was not to whine about my own melancholy.  Then again, it is Wrist to Forehead Sunday.  Like a Facebook meme says, I’ll get over it; I just need to be dramatic first.

Anyways, I do need a little murder, as my headline says.  The Herkimer County Historical Society has contacted me about putting together another interactive murder mystery for them.  Well, you know I will do almost anything for my friends at the historical society.  And I will write a murder mystery at almost any excuse.  Naturally, I find my mind at first completely blank.  What a good thing they asked me about this months before they want it!  Lots of time to dither and whither, then write the damn thing and get to rehearsing it.

In the meantime, I need a blog post for today.  I mean to stop that nonsense I have employed about missing a day and posting two the next.  I will write more!  I will write better!  Today, however, I think I’ll just post a couple of pictures and have done with.  Let’s see, murder or Christmas, or a judicious mixture of both?

Who doesn’t love the Muppets?

 

Oh swell, I have to wait till nine o’clock for my fix!

 

“Did she say murder? I’m outta here!”