Tag Archives: writing

Looking for a Little Cheer

Posted on November 21, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

When in doubt, take a couple of pictures and wing it.  That is my new blog motto.  I think it’ll work for Wrist to Forehead Sunday.

Actually, I feel it is not a true Wrist to Forehead Sunday, because that is a day I kind of make fun of myself for my angst.  I don’t feel like making fun of myself tonight.  Then again, perhaps that is the best time to do so.  I’m sure I don’t know these things.

At any rate, I am sitting in my living room watching Lethal Weapon, which I have never seen before.  Oh, I’ve seen the scene with Mel Gibson’s butt, but I guess that’s neither here nor there.  It is, of course, a Christmas movie.  We like Christmas movies. This one, however, is kind of a depressing movie.  So I’m kind of watching and typing, trying to get this blog post done, and I don’t really know what I feel like typing about (as Truman Capote once said, “That’s not writing, that’s typing”).

As I am feeling kind of down, but not that my angst is of the usual amusing Wrist to Forehead Sunday variety, I thought I would take a couple of pictures of cheerful things in my life.  I started with my dog, Spunky.

 

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I confess to feeling a little envy that he is so comfy, all curled up and sleeping.  I tried to take a nap earlier, because I had a headache.  I had the damnedest time falling asleep and it didn’t even help the headache.  I suppose you’ll have that sometimes.  Most headaches go away eventually and in the meantime they must be endured (I say philosophically now; at the time I felt quite grumpy about it).

 

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These are some lovely flowers that friends sent me, because of my recent medical thing.  It was quite unexpected and very much appreciated.

So there are two thing to be cheerful about:  a nice doggy and nice friends who send me pretty flowers.  What reason to I have to have a Wrist to Forehead Sunday?

 

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But I Like Writing a Blog

Posted on November 16, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

Oh, this is swell!  I had to get 12 Likes on the bit of nonsense I published yesterday.  Now I feel paralyzed, unable to write a post because I am certain readers will not like it as well.  I can’t even think of anything to write about.  Is this really because I got that many Likes?   Or am I using that as a handy excuse because I have finally completely run out of brain?  That sounds a little drastic.  Let’s stick with talking about the Likes.

Full disclosure:  I LOVE getting Likes.  I am grateful for each and every one.  My problem is, I can’t figure out what I did to get them so I can, you know, keep doing it.  I’ll write a post that I think is quite clever, or very funny or maybe a little profound; it gets nada.  I feel a tad bit embarrassed to hit Publish, I get a lot of Likes (for me; I know there are bloggers out there whose likes number in the 100s.  One has to start somewhere).

I can just hear somebody saying, “Just don’t TRY so hard!  Obviously people prefer your spontaneous utterances; they are more honest, more fresh, less labored and formal…”

Well, that is not the case.  I NEVER try very hard when it comes to writing.  I don’t have to.  That’s why I love writing.  Oh well, sometimes I make more effort than others.  Sometimes I edit, change out a word, ponder the best way to put something, even, dare I say, polish a phrase.  When I write something with a plot, of course I work even harder.  But for the blog, I am more often than not composing at the keyboard, seeing what comes out of my fingers.  Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t.

And, dammit, why can’t I figure out why it works when it does?

I’ll open up the floor for suggestions.  Comment, if you would like, and tell me what I do right when I do it right, where I go wrong at other times.  Maybe I can learn something.  Or maybe I’ll just keep typing, hitting publish, and wondering why I get Likes when I do.

 

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Well, Sure, Everything’s Great!

Posted on November 15, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

And I thought I had my wrist to my forehead yesterday!

I returned to work today.  I told everybody everything was great, because, well, when you round up, I guess they are.  Many people welcomed me back.  They were surprised as well as pleased to see me, because I had not told anyone I had been cleared to return.  I thought, why go announcing these things? I call enough attention to myself as it is.  Toward the end of the day I ran into a fellow I hadn’t seen yet today. He works down at the other end of the room (it’s a big room).

“So you’re back,” he observed in a friendly tone.  “And everything’s all back to normal?”

“As normal as I ever am,” I told him.  He appreciated that.

My assignment to myself now is to try to be better than normal.  It might have been a good idea to go running after work today, but I let that ship sale.  On the other hand, I finished and emailed my article for Mohawk Valley Living, one day before deadline.  I hope they like it.

Perhaps that is why I am having a hard time with this blog post.  Maybe I wrote myself out with that article.  Say it ain’t so!  Don’t I always say that writing begets more writing?  Shouldn’t I be writing a BETTER blog post after warming up on that article?  As we see, that is not the case.

On the other hand, why don’t I cut myself a break?  I worked a ten hour day in a factory after a week and a half of all the naps I could take.  I went home and finished writing a magazine article (I started it in between naps last week).  Yes, I could have gone running, done laundry, written two articles and a better blog post.  If I was some completely other woman I’ve never met or heard of.  Then I wouldn’t be Mohawk Valley Girl.  We wouldn’t want that, now, would we?

 

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In My Defense, I Have a Headache

Posted on October 27, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

OK, this is what happened to me today.  I was supposed to be helping decorate the Overlook Mansion in Little Falls, NY, for their Dia de los Muertos themed fall celebration.  Several members of LiFT, the Little Falls Theatre Company, are participating.  Well, I decided I could not do it.  I have too many issues (and not back issues of Playboy).  Or maybe I’m too big of a baby.  Reasons are so tiresome.

A work friend had told me about this wonderful display of vintage movie costumes at Sangertown Mall, outside of Boscov’s, the new department store there.  I guess it is part of Boscov’s Grand Opening.  Steven and I LOVE old movies.  We wanted to go see.  Steven would have preferred to go on Thursday, but there is snow in the forecast.  So we went today.  I took a few pictures with our Tablet, in hopes of writing a blog post about it.

Additionally, I began writing a blog post while at work today, about the Outlook’s Day of the Dead.  I thought it would be nice to give them a shout-out, even if I do not take part.  Regular readers may also remember that I had hoped to go running after work and write about that.  Well, I did not do that, because then we never would have made it to the mall.

I’m seeing all these possibilities for blog posts and here I sit typing off the top of my head and doing it  quickly, because I want to go lie down.  I did mention that I have issues and that I’m a big baby, didn’t I? So I’m calling this a Wuss-out Wednesday, and I hope, as usual, to come up with something better tomorrow.  In the meantime if anybody wants to find out more about the event at the Overlook, I refer you to their Facebook event.  For more information on the costume display, I refer you to the Boscov’s (New Hartford) Facebook page.  As always, thank you for playing.

 

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Post Play Postmortem

Posted on October 25, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

I’m going to call this a Middle-aged Musings Monday, but it is really  one of those whiny posts about how I am just too tired to compose a real post.  Perhaps we could call it a Blogger’s Sick Day, because I am suffering from some sinus-y, headache-y virus or something.  Or from being too old to keep up with myself.  At least Post-Play Letdown has not kicked in yet, so I have something going for me.

Yesterday was the closing performance of Splitting Issues at Ilion Little Theatre.  Things went very well.  The audiences loved us, we loved each other, and a good time was had by all.  We had our cast party at Applebee’s in Herkimer after we struck the set (which was luckily not an extensive one).  Now before you start shaking your head or your finger (or your booty) at me, I did NOT have any wine, nor yet a Margarita, Sangria, or this really cool looking drink with an upside down beer that one member of our group had.  I am temporarily off alcohol.  Several people noticed I was not imbibing.  Could it be I am becoming known for my love of adult beverages? SAY IT AIN’T SO!!!

Be that as it may, we had a nice dinner with lots of laughs and conversation.  It was really quite a delightful cast. I hope to work with all of them again.  Maybe in a play where I can have scenes with other people beside Steven.  Not that I did not thoroughly enjoy being in the scene with my dearest husband.  Obviously I DID.  He’s a great actor!  Lots of fun to work with!  Yes, he usually reads my blog, why do you ask?

Oh dear, I think I have just talked myself into Post-Play Letdown.  Well, one must endure these things as the almost inevitable aftermath of a wonderful experience.  As I like to say, sometimes you just have to feel that way until you don’t feel that way any more.  Alas, that is probably the case with my sinus condition a well.  I hope to see you all on Tired Tuesday, when I hope not to be too tired.

 

 

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Wrist to Review

Posted on October 23, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

I must begin to get ready soon for the closing performance of Splitting Issues, the play I am in at Ilion Little Theatre.  I think it would be a good idea to publish my blog post before I leave.  For one reason, after the show we have to strike the set, then we have the cast party.  Who knows when I’ll be home?  And then Steven will want to get on the computer, because he is at work right now while I am sitting here on my fat butt, on the computer.  Only I am not feeling well, and there are a few other useful things it would be really nice to get done, and my brain can’t seem to settle on a blog topic.

Sounds like Wrist to Forehead Sunday to me.

I know, first world problems.  Don’t you hate that expression?  It’s a snarkier way of saying quitcherbitchin’ (that’s all one word, isn’t it?), and I feel it is snarky enough to discount somebody else’s complaints.  Then again, I do complain too much and should, in fact, quit my bitching (I think it’s funnier when I put the g back in).  So let’s get back to the blog post and stop talking about me (oh wait, it’s  personal blog; it is supposed to be about me).

Splitting Issues has gone splendidly, by the way.  We sold out Friday night and had an almost full house Saturday.  Both audiences were very appreciative.  There is just nothing like hearing that laughter when you are on stage trying to be funny.  I LOVE live theatre!  Paul Boehlert reviewed Friday night’s peformance in Sunday’s Utica OD.  The review was published online Saturday.  A cast member found it on her phone and read it to us.  It was a great review. And it mentioned me and Steve!

Here is the link, in case you’d like to read the review for yourself:

http://www.uticaod.com/news/20161022/review-splitting-issues-splits-sides-at-ilion-little-theatre.

In the meantime, I’m over 300 words.  I call that respectable.  Happy Sunday, everyone.

 

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Lame Picture Friday?

Posted on October 22, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

So there I was, trying to make a Friday Lame Post and not being very successful at it.  I actually wrote something earlier, but I did not finish and it wasn’t all that great anyways (I know, when is it ever?  But one does what one can).  In desperation, I took my dog, Spunky, for a walk.  I thought, “I don’t care how short of a walk; I’ll do a Pedestrian Post!”

So about a block and a half from the house (which, incidentally, was about as far as Spunky wanted to go), I was admiring the grey, gloomy day, thinking how it suited my mood, wondering how best to describe it, when I remembered, this blog has photos now!  I could post some lame photos!  This would be great!  Of course many things do not turn out to be as great as we hope, but you’ll have that.  Once we got home, I grabbed the tablet and went back outside.  Steven had been wanting to get a picture of his Halloween porch anyways.

20161021_165317I stood across the street to get the whole porch.  I hoped our monster tree was not blocking everything, but I think it is OK.  After all, a monster tree fits right in with the season.  I thought perhaps I could get a better shot of just the tree, because it is kind of unusual.

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Next I wanted to get a close-up of our newest decoration, the delightful witch we got at Pumpkin Junction (perhaps you read my blog post about it).

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Finally, I thought I would include a shot of some of nature’s own Halloween decorations, namely what happens to one’s Black-eyed Susans at the end of the season.

20161021_165514Hmm… I’m not sure how wonderful my photos are, but I’m working on it, and I feel this is definitely better than more whining about how I just can’t make a decent blog post.  And after all, who doesn’t like a picture of a witch?

 

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Picture This!

Posted on October 18, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

What a moron I am!  Or as Bugs Bunny would say, “What a maroon!  What a Ta-ra-ra-GOON-dee-yay!”  I started writing a real post, about an authentic Mohawk Valley Adventure Steven and I had yesterday.  It isn’t bad. I could have finished it.  BUT, I wanted to add pictures!

Regular readers have probably noticed I never use pictures.  I could rationalize that with something like, “I’m all about the WORDS,”  but that is only what I say to make myself feel better about my lack of technological finesse. I think sometimes pictures are nice.  I like to see them in other blogs.

So we got a tablet some time ago and learned to take pictures on it.  Much later, we learned how to email them, then how to share them to Facebook.  I’m thinking it will not be too difficult for me to take one more step and put a photo or two on the old blog.

So yesterday at Pumpkin Junction, I took some pictures.  Today I shared them to Facebook.  Then I went to Facebook and downloaded them.  I’m pretty sure all I need to do now is hit where it says “add photo” and it will give me the option to get the photo from my downloads.  It really shouldn’t be too much problem, even given my vast reserves of incompetence.

However, and here we get to the real typical me, Steven and I have to leave soon for dress rehearsal for Splitting Issues, the play I believe I have mentioned before.  Opening night is Friday.  It is long past time for this blog to go All Splitting Issues All The Time.  However, I hope tomorrow to give my shout-out to Pumpkin Junction.  With pictures.  I hope you’ll stay tuned.

 

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Fuzzy Head, Foolish Post

Posted on October 4, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

Oh crap, look at the time.  I wasn’t going to have any lame posts this week.  I was going to write GOOD stuff for my readers (if any).  I tried to write on breaks at work today but it did not go so well.  I tried again as I sat in the doctor’s waiting room.  It went even worse.  All I could do was sit there and write about how I couldn’t write because my head felt so fuzzy.  Oh, sorry, I really did not mean to bring my health woes into this.  Change the subject.  New paragraph.

It is a three day week for me, because I am taking an extra long weekend. Woohoo!  You realize, of course, that this makes today like a Wednesday.  Wuss-out Wednesday!

What a weird day anyways.  My doctor’s appointment was in New Hartford at 3:45, which meant I left work at three (the usual time) and drove through late afternoon Utica traffic.  Rush hour was still rushing when I drove home, taking a different route from how I usually go.  Of course, Mohawk Valley rush hour is not nearly as grueling as other rush hours.  Really, it was very little problem, except for the fuzzy head thing I alluded to earlier.

Before going home I stopped at the grocery store, where I saw that rainbow peppers were on sale — This Week Only!  I had to buy some.  Then I had to cook them tonight, to make sure they got cooked.  Could I write a cooking post about what I made?  Not tonight.  Fuzzy head, remember?  Wuss-out Wednesday, remember?  Tomorrow I’ll fight the fuzz and try to come up with something better.

 

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Post Past Bedtime

Posted on September 29, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

Oh, how did this happen?  Past my bedtime and no blog post written!  Yes, my bedtime is ridiculously early.  I get up at 3 a.m. and I keep hoping to get enough beauty sleep for it to deliver as advertised.

I did work more on the new novel today.  Not a whole lot more, but one has to start somewhere.  I had a more adventurous time after work, which I would like to write about, only, you know how these things are.  You have something great to talk about, so you want the post to be great.  Or at least on the same planet as great.  So I will just briefly tell you my day and leave it at that for now.

I worked 10 hours.  I mention that up front, in hopes it will explain my relative state of punchiness right now.  After work, I had this idea to get a pre-made pizza to put in the oven.  Not a frozen pizza; this is maybe a step above those.  You get these at a big box store I sometimes shop at but do not care to give a shout-out to.  If you feel that makes me a hypocrite, we can discuss that at some future date.  Today, I went to that store and spent about a half hour pushing a cart around buying things besides the pizza I had gone in for.  I believe that sort of thing happens to many of us.  NO, this is not the great thing I’m procrastinating writing about.

The great thing involves the Overlook Mansion, a bed and breakfast in Little Falls, NY.  LiFT, the theatre group that presented Much Ado About Nothing (that I was in; perhaps you read one or two of my blog posts about it), is involved in a Dia de Los Muertes-themed Fall Celebration they are holding this October.  A few of us were meeting there to take a tour of the place and brainstorm ideas.  I will write more about that soon.

In the meantime, you know today is Wuss-out Wednesday.  I hope this post was marginally less wussy than previous Wednesdays. If not, well, there’s always next Wednesday. As always, I hope you’ll stay tuned.

 

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