Tag Archives: writing

Not a Bad Saturday

Posted on December 4, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

But I don’t FEEL LIKE making a blog post!  Ha, ha, just kidding.  At least, I would in fact rather be reading others’ blogs right now, but I KNOW as a writer I must not wait till I am  “in the mood” to write, anybody taking in a deep breath to make a self-righteous lecture to me can just stand down.  In fact, I very often am in the mood to write, especially once my fingers hit the keys and I begin typing.

I have been having a not very good day, although it has had its moments.  I have about a half hour right not to make my blog post before Steven arrives home from work and we head out to a Christmas party.  Therefore, I shall attempt another Scattered Saturday post.

I realize that people who harp on their physical ills (as well as other negatives in their lives) are tiresome.  However, I just want to mention that I once again have one of my Saturday headaches.  How very annoying.  Before you start shaking your finger or your head (or your booty) at me, no, I did NOT tie one on last night.  That sort of headache can often be cured with some Gatorade and a nap.  Well I did eventually get a nap and am sipping some Gatorade now, but they are far from the miracle I was hoping for.  No matter, the headache seems to be fading away of its own accord, and I did not mean to write the whole blog post about it.

Then again, isn’t that always the way?  Pain has a way of overtaking your life, and it is often all you can think of.  Well, I shall drag my mind away from my petty pain.

I wrote four post cards to my usual people this morning.  I walked to the post office with them.  Alas, my dog, Spunky, did not accompany me.  As I have said, he does not seem to enjoy long walks.  More to the point, I went from the post office to Basloe Library for Coffee with a Cop.  I’ll write a full blog post about that later.  I walked home after the coffee and conversation, and immediately got into my vehicle and drove to The Medicine Shoppe in Ilion to pick up a prescription.  While there, I ducked into Ilion Wine and Spirits for a bottle of wine for later (we still haven’t had the bottle I purchased on Shop Small Saturday; I’m saving it for an occasion).

Back home, I took the nap I mentioned earlier.  When I got up, I put on running clothes and ran in place on the mini tramp for forty minutes, the longest I have run in a very long time.  There is a 5K in Little Falls next weekend I may run.  Stand by for numerous Running Commentary posts this week while I prepare.

I think I still have time to read a blog or two. Happy Saturday, everyone.

 

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It’s Beginning to Look a Little Like Christmas

Posted on November 29, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

I said once before,  when in doubt, take a couple of pictures.   Or words to that effect.  So tonight after staring are the blank screen for a while, I decided to follow my own advice.  Um, just as a side note, I did write today, just not a blog post.  I worked on the murder mystery I am writing as a fundraiser for the Herkimer County Historical Society.  Ooh, I should write a blog post about that.  Maybe tomorrow.  Tonight, I went out and took a couple of pictures.

My husband, Steven, had decorated the front porch today.  I thought a couple of pictures of that might be nice.  The main problem I had, other than not yet being particularly adept at using our Tablet, is that there is a weird-looking tree in our front lawn, and it kind of obscures the porch.  As you can see:

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I moved closer to get better shots of our Santa Clauses.  This is our new one, who is actually kind of old.  My parents got him for us at a second hand store.

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I couldn’t get a good picture of our other Santa, who I purchased at a boring big-box store in 2005, our first Christmas in this house (you know, we ought to give our house a name, so I could refer to it by that in such a case).  I couldn’t get a good picture of our angel, either, but I thought the bad one I got might look kind of cool.  What do you think?

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Oh well, maybe not.  In any case, here is my post for today.  My usual nonsense with a few pictures thrown in.  I think they class it up a little, but perhaps I flatter myself.  I guess I’ll call it a Mental Meanderings Monday and drive on.  Hope to see you on Tired Tuesday.

 

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Bring on Boris Karloff!

Posted on November 28, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

Oh, I had not meant to make a Wrist to Forehead Sunday post.  I meant to have Sunday Running Commentary and even ran with that very purpose in mind (as well as health, weight-loss and 5K preparation purposes).  But then I had to go grocery shopping, then I started doing laundry, then I had a headache so lay down, then I fell asleep till Steven came home, then I was cooking…

It’s starting to look like a Scattered Sunday.  In fact, I don’t feel particularly wrist-to-forehead right now.  Only, I want to make a quick post, so Steven and I can get on to the movie watching portion of the evening.  He brought some of our Christmas movies down from the attic.  I particularly want to see How the Grinch Stole Christmas, the real one, meaning the cartoon narrated by the inimitable Boris Karloff.  For one reason, I can pretend we’re watching a horror movie.  I adore Boris Karloff.

I am in the midst of cooking a couple of things that might make good cooking posts.  Additionally, I have extended posts to write about some of the Mohawk Valley businesses I patronized on Shop Small Saturday.  All kinds of blog topics, yet here I am hurriedly typing in nonsense (full disclosure:  I paused in my typing to go stir some stuff out in the kitchen).

Then again, this is what I do.  I publish nonsense on many occasions.  But I hope sometimes at least I amuse and entertain.  Or do I flatter myself?  That thought will give me a wrist to forehead moment.  Happy Sunday, everyone.

 

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Lame Us Give Thanks

Posted on November 24, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

So here it is the day before Thanksgiving (although this post may be dated for Thanksgiving, because I never fixed the timestamp on this thing) (I don’t know how; technology mystifies me).  Personally, I would be thankful if I had remembered to bring my notebook to work with me an written a post in it earlier.  But I suppose there is no point in pining for what didn’t happen.

As I continue to fight feeling down and blue, I remember reading somewhere that gratitude can counteract depression.  Let’s see if it works.

I am thankful for my husband and my family and my job and my dog and cable television, when there is something on I want to see (does anybody remember the Bruce Springsteen song “57 Channels and Nothing On”?  If he only knew!) . Oh, that parenthetical comment was not very thankful, was it?  But I guess I am thankful I can remember things from the ’80s (that song was in the ’80s, wasn’t it?).  May women my age begin to have memory problems.  I think I read that somewhere.

Another thing I am thankful for is that I have the rest of the week off.  A four-day weekend!  Woohoo!  And that makes today Friday for me!  So it’s Lame Post Friday!  I think this one certainly qualifies. I hope all of you have a lovely Wednesday or Friday if it’s one for you, too.  I hope to see you all again on Thanksgiving (when it will possibly be Non-Sequitur Thursday).

 

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Not Really Like a Real Writer

Posted on November 22, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

I actually started writing a blog post while on break at work today.  It was a Running Commentary about my run on Sunday.  I had written almost half a page and hadn’t even gotten on the road yet when break ended.  While I worked, I thought of a way better lead than what I had.  Cool beans, I thought.  I’m editing and everything, just like a real writer!  At the next break, I skipped a line and started to write the new lead.

No, wait, that wasn’t what I had thought.  No, this is a better way to say it.  No, don’t put it that way….

So I spent the rest of the break solving cryptogram puzzles I cut out of the Telegram.

On the other hand, it is Middle-aged Musing Monday or perhaps Mental Meanderings Monday, in other words, a day I sometimes let myself off the hook.  It occurs to me that I am spending entirely too much time off the hook lately, but I am not sure how to fix the problem.  I keep trying to jump back on the hook and missing.  What an awkward metaphor, anyway, “on the hook.”  What am I, a pirate?

I know, I know:  the answer first, last and always is to just keep writing.  After I publish this nonsense, I shall work on another project.  Then I might even take another crack at that Running Commentary.

Hey, I just remembered something else.  This is a three day week for me, so although it is Monday, it is kind of like Wednesday, because, you know, I only have two more days of work.  Wuss-out Wednesday!  Oh, I know, that doesn’t make it any better.  Just wait till tomorrow, when it’ll be Tuesday and Wednesday AND Thursday!  Sometimes I just have to laugh at myself.

 

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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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