Tag Archives: writing

Can I Manage some Mental Meandering?

Posted on August 16, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

I may have made some misguided remarks about getting back to “real” posts today, now that Much Ado About Nothing is over, but I just don’t imagine anybody believed them.  For heavens’ sake, I had a brutally busy weekend including two performances and a cast party, I worked ten hours today, I did some other stuff after work, I’m TIRED.  And it isn’t Tired Tuesday yet.  I think I might manage a Monday Mental Meanderings.  Let’s see what comes of the keyboard.

A side note:  Much Ado isn’t completely over yet.  We may have one more performance.  I’ll write a blog post about it if we do.

I promised myself that I would write more when I wasn’t running around to rehearsals and performances so much.  I was really looking forward to it.  Who knew I was going to feel so brain dead today.  Oh, who am I kidding? Everybody knew it.  Still, I brought a notebook to work and did not bring any cryptogram puzzles or other reading material.  I would write SOMETHING. Sometime turned out to be a letter to my sister.  I didn’t finish it.

The notebook I had brought was not one I had written in recently.  While flipping through to a blank page, I discovered a novel I started last year which I had been thinking about lately but did not know where it was.  Now I know!  I re-read what I had written.  Sometimes when I am reading something I wrote I think, I am a very good writer. No doubt I flatter myself.  I really must start finishing my novels.  Then they might be published and other people could judge what kind of a writer I am (although I will probably say to them, “Don’t judge”).

In the meantime, I declare this foolish blog post done and I will see if I can come up with something better for tomorrow.  Happy Monday, everyone.

 

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We’ll Always Have Lame Post Friday

Posted on August 13, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

I really did try to write while I was at work today (YES, on a break, don’t go speed-dialing my boss!).  For one reason, I ran out of cryptogram puzzles from the newspaper and I didn’t bring a book or magazine nor yet my script to study (that last would have been a good idea; missed a bet).  Well, the brain dead thing continues, I guess. Anyways, it’s Lame Post Friday.  I can’t get too exercised on Lame Post Friday (exercise!  That would be another good idea!  Oh well).

It isn’t even a “real” Friday for me, because I work tomorrow.  Oh, don’t sneer at me, all you non-Monday-to-Friday people.  I know, you all work harder and longer than me at more challenging, important jobs.  Blah, blah, blah.  I wasn’t complaining.  Much.

My plan had been to write about LiFT’s performance of Much Ado About Nothing last night at Benton’s Landing in Little Falls.  It went very well.  Actors and audience both endured high temperatures and humidity.  We were rewarded with a live Shakespeare experience.  Oh, I do love theatre.  I love writing too; I just don’t seem to be capable of doing much of that lately.  As I often say, one must persevere.

Tomorrow afternoon we have another performance, this one on the stage where we have rehearsed the most, Sterzinar Park, Canal Place, Little Falls.  Saturday’s show is at 4 p.m., then Sunday we have one at 3.  For more information, you can visit LiFT’s Facebook page.  You can also see some fun pictures of our other performances.

And in case anybody was wondering, Sunday will conclude All Much Ado All The Time and we return to our regularly scheduled blog posts (you know, a few “real” posts surrounded by foolishness about How I Can’t Write a Post Today).  I do hope you’ll stay tuned.

 

 

 

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Some Kind of Halt

Posted on August 12, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

I gradually realized what my problem is.  I started to put “suddenly realized” but the fact is I do not do anything quickly these days.  Yes, it is the heat.  If you are one of those people who worship summer weather and feel chilled when the mercury drops below 75,… I don’t know where I was going with that sentence.  After all, people have the right to like whatever kind of weather suits their fancy.  To each his own, as the old lady said when she kissed the cow (I stole that expression from  friend).

I have mentioned in this space that I melt in the heat (alas, not literally; my weight-loss goals continue to elude me).  My body slows down and my brain comes to a grinding halt. Is that a cliche, “grinding halt”?  Perhaps I could come up with a more imaginative term.  Let’s see, what kind of halt has my brain ground to?  Did it, in fact, grind?  Or was it something… gooshier?  It did not slosh, because that implies more movement than I have recently experienced.  More of a drag.  My brain dragged along in a discouraged fashion and at last reached an ominous stillness.

Ominous?  Perhaps so, because it may never start again.  Still, “ominous” implies that my brain is actually doing something, namely threatening unspecified consequences.  Only it is not.  It is lying there, thinking nothing, offering nothing, doing nothing.

I wrote the preceding during my nine o’clock break at work.  When I read it over at lunch time, my brain thought, “complete halt.”  Of course, “complete halt,” I realized.  That is what I meant.  Perhaps not evocative, but more accurately and less cliche-edly what happened (yes, I know, “cliche-edly” is not a work, but it is exactly what I mean).  It was some few minutes later that I realized for my brain to think “complete halt” it clearly was not at one (yes, it took some minutes, moving slow in the heat, remember?).

If only I could think of an unrelated yet clever-sounding title, this could be a Non-Sequitur Thursday post.  However, I have no time nor, as observed ad nauseum, brain for such a thing.  I must get ready for a performance of Much Ado About Nothing at Benton Landing in Little Falls at 6.  I am quite nervous but of course looking forward to it.  Happy Thursday, everyone.

 

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Oh I Can’t Publish This!

Posted on August 11, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

I already wrote a post called “When in Doubt, Eat Ice Cream.”  That is the situation I am in now.  I got nuthin’ and I’m about to eat ice cream, hoping it will help.

This time I only got three sentences typed before the ice cream was ready.  It worked better last time.  At least the ice cream tasted pretty good.

I am still having the damnedest time writing anything.  In fact, I am having a difficult time doing anything.  My entire being just wants to sit and stare into space.  Or better yet, lie down and stare at the ceiling.  Maybe at the television.  I think I could bestir myself to the point of reading a really trashy paperback.

And THAT was when our wi-fi quit.  I don’t properly understand technology, as regular readers (if any) know.  We are apparently back on-line now.  If only it was so easy to get my brain in gear!

Oh, I can’t publish this.

I typed in the above before I had to hurry away to a committee meeting for Ilion Little Theatre.  It is a committee exploring online ticket sales. Full disclosure:  I had a couple of glasses of Pinot Noir during the meeting.  I figured, we drink during ILT dinner meetings, why not a little libation during a committee meeting?

So it turns out I can so publish this.  The crappy posts continue! A warning:  it may not get much better tomorrow.  I have a performance of Much Ado About Nothing at six, so I will be leaving my house before five.  Oh dear, how embarrassing.  Unfortunately, I do not see how I can avoid it.  We’ll call this a Wuss-out Wednesday, and I am going to hit Publish.

 

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Not Even Time to Think of a Lame Headline

Posted on August 6, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

For today’s Friday Lame Post, I shall share what I wrote in my spiral notebook while on lunch at work earlier this week.  I shall add comments as I feel like it.  I think I will put the comments in italics, just to be precious (whatever that means) (I may address that use of “precious” in a future post).  And I just italicized what I just typed in, to be consistent.

My plan, for last week as well as this week, was to write blog posts ahead so I would only have to hit “publish” before heading out for rehearsal or performance.  So far it has not worked out very well.  Still, it’s only Tuesday.  I have hopes for this week.  Not high hopes. As you may guess, I was correct not to harbor high hopes.

Today I am testing a long-held theory of mine.  The theory is:  you can write when you’re in pain as long as it is not a headache.  My wrist is throbbing for unknown reasons.  And here I am writing.  True, it is my left wrist and I am right handed.

Oh!  It hurts like a son of a bitch!  My theory is wrong.

Come to think of it, I knew my theory was wrong years ago.  I had strep throat when I was in college, and it made me feel dreadfully ill.  My head throbbed in a most painful fashion.  But I had exams and I took them.  Well, let me tell you I wrote some of the best essays of my life with my head throbbing.  Maybe part of the reason was that I wanted to get finished and get the hell out of there and back to bed, but I felt as if my brain focused with laser precision and cut through all the crap.

What did I learn from this?  I don’t know, but I think I won’t use this blog post, because I do not like it (oh, I do NOT remember writing that part.  Oh crap).

And I wish my wrist would stop hurting.

My wrist is feeling better, for any kind readers who were concerned.  Probably a stupid pulled muscle or something.  I feel a little silly for having made such a fuss about it, but as I wrote earlier, it did hurt like the proverbial son of a bitch.  I’m wondering if my original assessment of not liking and thus not publishing this post was not the right one.  However, for reasons I have been talking about for weeks (remember, Much Ado About Nothing?), I now only have time to hit “Publish.”  Happy Friday, everyone.

Under the heading, It Takes So Little To Please Some People, I like the way the title of the play is not italicized when it falls in a paragraph that is all italicized.

 

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Lazy Saturday Afternoon

Posted on July 31, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

Yes, it is another Slacker Saturday post.  I decided this after I typed in four or eight possible leads (who was counting?) and immediately backspaced over them.  Don’t judge me.

Our dear little doggy, Spunky, got us up prior to 5:30 this morning.  That was at least later than our usual 4:30 rising time, so I counted my blessings and put on my running clothes.  After accompanying Spunkman (as Steven likes to call him) on his morning business meeting, I went for a run.  It was not as long a run as I have taken, but I petted two dogs, went up something of a hill, and reached the I Can Rock This stage, although briefly.

I had rehearsal for Much Ado About Nothing at 10 a.m. in Little Falls.  That’s always fun.  I just love community theatre.  You meet the nicest people.  Also, I am an incurable ham (get it?  Because ham is a cured meat?  Well, I thought it was a play on words).

After rehearsal, Steven and I had some discussion of what to do, but eventually we went out to lunch at Cucina Berto in Frankfort, and grocery shopping at Hannaford in Herkimer.  When we got home, we took our doggy for a walk around the block (that is usually about as far as our little friend wants to go). Now we are wondering what to watch on television, if anything.

As you can see, I have indulged in a number of bloggable activities today: run, rehearsal, lunch, shopping, walk.  I could even write about How I Can’t Write a Post Today, given the number of starts I erased before I started.  Instead, I offer… what I just wrote.  Happy Saturday, everyone.

P.S.  Steven suggested the title.

 

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Today is Thursday, Right?

Posted on July 29, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

For my Non-Sequitur Thursday post, I thought I would address how my Wuss-out Wednesday post was actually published on Tuesday.

I suppose the shortest explanation would be one of my favorites:  Shit happens.  However, that would make for a rather short blog post, and it doesn’t really explain anything.  A slightly longer explanation might be that I’m not very bright or that I was awfully tired. Explanations are so tiresome.

The funny thing is, because I have never fixed the time thingy on my WordPress account, the post has Wednesday’s date, July 27.  I suppose I could just stay still about it and hope nobody notices, but at least one of my Facebook friends already did.  Also, this seemed like a good thing to write about for Non-Sequitur Thursday.

It is really difficult to write anything these days.  Is it the hot, humid weather?  Menopausal brain fog?  My general sadness and discouragement?  I think all of the above are factors.

Of course, one must persevere.  I learned that from running.  One observation I feel bound to make, however, is that it is much easier to persevere when running than when writing.  Really, running is so much easier!  All you have to do is move your feet.  OK, sometimes my body does not want to cooperate.  But it has never just sat down on the sidewalk and refused to move.  Once I start running, I can almost always persevere.  With writing, not so much.

I know, according to this thinking, I ought to be running marathons by now.  We all know that is not the case.  In my defense, I remind you that I did say “Once I start running.”  Getting started is half the battle.  I’m sure some of you are gearing up to chirp, “Well, that’s true of writing, too.”  Sometimes it is.  But sometimes not so much.  Sometimes I get started and can’t get much more than a sentence or two.  Sometimes I am going great guns when suddenly, I’m not.

For example, this blog post.  I started out without too much difficulty, I kept going for several paragraphs, stringing over 300 words together, and suddenly…  I am not only inclined to stop, I’m wondering if I should erase this whole thing and start over again.  Unfortunately, I can’t do that.  I have to get ready for rehearsal for Much Ado About Nothing.  We’re meeting at the zoo tonight, and I have to drive myself there. After getting my costumes together and looking over my lines again.  Sorry, no more time to blog!

 

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Pre-Rehearsal Wuss

Posted on July 27, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

Oh crap, look at the time!  My ride is picking me up for rehearsal in about 25 minutes.  I can’t get my blog post done plus find the props I still need, brush my teeth, put my shoes on, look over my lines again, eat a pickle, finish my iced coffee, look at Facebook again… and remember all the other stuff I thought I could do.  Oh, and pet my dog. He just walked over from his end of the couch, and I think that is what he wants.  One must pet one’s dog, after all.

Luckily, this is Wuss-out Wednesday.

The thing is, I wrote a blog post today.  I had written most of it yesterday with the thought that I would also type it in when I typed in yesterday’s post.  Then today I would only have to hit “Publish,”  so I would have time to run.  However, yesterday I also did a load of laundry and made a salad.  Was that not ambitious of me?  I finished the post while at work today.  Then I amused myself by writing a brief synopsis of a possible sequel to Much Ado About Nothing (you know, the play I’m in).

When I got home today, after I took the dog for a business meeting (it was too short to call it a walk), I went running.  I wanted to write a Running Commentary post, but that is just not going to happen.  Anyways, first I had to eat, drink an iced coffee, and check my email.  Then answer my email, which I had to do twice, because I didn’t do it right the first time, and I still haven’t answered all the emails I am supposed to.

Good grief!  The only good thing is, I now have over 250 words of this nonsense and I  am going to hit Publish.  Maybe I can write another blog post about what else I accomplished from my list in the first paragraph.  Happy Wednesday, everybody.

 

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More Second Guessing on Tired Tuesday

Posted on July 20, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

This morning I wrote the following in my notebook:

History, cheese and wine, what’s not to like? Writing a blog post about them, apparently.

Then I put parentheses around the second sentence and went onto begin a blog post about the event I was referring to.  Alas, I did not finish it.  However, I liked my acknowledgement of my initial resistance to writing so thought I would tap out a few thoughts about that and call it a Tired Tuesday.

Sometimes the rush of Just Don’t Feel Like It is mere laziness or another bout of our old enemy Fear Of Not Being Good Enough. The operative thing to do is put the pen on the paper and give it a try.  In today’s case, it worked.  If my break had been longer, perhaps I could have finished the post and avoided another post about Why I Can’t Write a Post (I’m using a lot of capitalization in this paragraph; sorry if it bothers anybody).

However, sometimes resistance is trying to tell a writer something.  I hesitated a moment before I wrote the second sentence earlier.  Proponents of free-writing will shake their heads and say, “Tsk-tsk,” but sometimes when I am writing, I think a sentence and do not write it down.  Then I decided to write it down and to ponder the thought.  I wondered if I wasn’t becoming bored because my posts were becoming monotonous.  I wondered if my readers were becoming bored — ghastly thought!  I did not ponder the thought long but kept writing,  to see how it would go.

It actually did not go too bad.  It just isn’t finished.  But is it good enough?  Have I become monotonous?  Are my posts still amusing and readable (dare I say — witty)?  Or am I just second guessing myself as usual?

Ah, I think I’m on to something there!  As I said earlier, it is my old enemy, Fear Of Not Being Good Enough.  But here’s a question: why do I feel that fear so much more on an ordinary post than on a Post About Why I Can’t Write A Post?  I suppose the bar is set lower for today’s kind of post.  Then again, who sets the bar but me?  Well, I can’t start second guessing myself about this post.  For one reason, I have to get ready for rehearsal (remember, All Much Ado All The Time).

 

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Much Ado Monday

Posted on July 19, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

I’m a little early for All Much Ado All The Time, but yet, here I am.

And I just sat here staring at that sentence with no idea what to put next.  My plan had been to DEFINITELY write my blog post while on break at work, so I would only have to type it in.  Instead I studied my lines.  I hope nobody in the cast reads this, because they may wonder why I still don’t know my lines if I was studying them when I should have been writing.  Oh well, perhaps I know them better than I think I do.  We’ll see.

I mentioned yesterday that I got very little done over the weekend.  Among the chores still hanging over my head in a threatening fashion:  figure out and get together my costume for the Doodah Parade in Ilion on Friday,  find a few more costume pieces for my two characters in Much Ado About Nothing, finish learning my lines, unpaint my toenails, fix my work pants, wash my other work pants, clean my house, finish my container garden, work in my yard…

Why did I start listing those things?  Now I’m having a panic attack!  Not really, but it isn’t making my headache any better either.  And it isn’t making this blog post any more interesting.  Sorry about that.  However, there is not much I can do about it, because I have rehearsal tonight.  I have to look over my lines again.

 

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