Back to Work

So, the first thing I noticed when I went back to work today was that the row I normally sit in was missing. In fact, there were several rows missing. Can someone explain to me why they keep hiring people and yet they keep removing equipment?

There were a few faces missing as well. The new shifts started last week (only 3 weeks late) so a few people quit and several more went to part time. Pretty much the same thing happens every quarter.

Got some more work done on my afghan. I'll have to post a picture of it if and when I get it finished. Don't expect it any time soon.

Promises

I've said it before but it bears repeating: the promises we make to ourselves are the easiest ones to break.

I can remember a couple of years ago I took a vacation in the Spring and I finished the first draft of a short novel. I promised myself I'd get craploads of writing done on my vacation, but it hasn't happened. I did take my lap top to Hamilton with me, but I never cracked it open.

Yesterday I managed to write a bit, and then today I wrote rather a lot (which is why I don't feel guilty updating my blog).

The first person version of DIF is going well, however I'm losing vast amounts of text. Because it's all from my main character's point of view, the story jumped from the prologue to the third chapter. Argh! It's going to be interesting to see if I can work that info back in or not. Most of it is important to the story.

I know this sounds like I'm just procrastinating in new and different ways, however, even if the first person versions don't work out, I think this exercise will help me with the third person version. I've been paying more attention when I've been reading third person, and the in last couple of books the writing was amazing. Even though it was clearly third person it was easy to get into the characters' heads. Maybe that's what this story is really missing.

Home Again, Home Again - Hot Diggity Dog!

My three days in Hamilton went a lot better than I expected. My sisters and I did a lot of shopping, a little visiting, and generally a good time was had by all.

Day One: It was lunch time when I arrived. Sister number one had just come off a night shift so she was sleeping. Sister number two and I walked up to Tim Horton's and met our Aunt there for lunch. Sister number one joined us there (eventually)and after our Aunt left we went on a shopping marathon. These women are hard core shoppers. They have LISTS!

Day Two: The birds started chirping at 4:30 a.m. We finally gave up trying to sleep around 6 a.m. The Bay had Crocs on sale for 30% off, which is why we went a little Croc Crazy. Other than the Crocs we did more looking than buying on our marathon shopping trips. We had more fun just getting out and seeing stuff than actually buying. I got to meet their travelling buddies at a dinner one of the ladies was hosting and hear about the many interesting places these ladies have been.

Day Three: Up again around 6 a.m. What is it with these damn birds? There was a lot of driving, but it was still a nice day. After picking up the daughter and the daughter's fiance in London, we scouted out a garden for their wedding. It was really beautiful - I think we found a winner. Dinner at my sister's house and then it was back to London and then home.

It is so tempting, now that I'm home, to just relax and take it easy, but I've still got a lot of stuff to do on my mental list.

I've Been Croc-ed!

Yes, my friends, it's a sad day in the realm of shoes. I, a die-hard croc hater, am now in the possession of not one, but two pairs of crocs. I blame my sisters (naturally). At least I'm not as bad as them. One sister has 3 pairs, the other has 4!

I do have to admit, however, that the claims about them appear to be true. All except the back thing. They are incredibly light weight, you can wear them all day and not get a blister, and your feet don't sweat in them. At first it was like wearing exfoliaters on my feet. Those little spikey things took some getting used to. But my feet seem to be happy.

My back, on the other hand, is not. I am not blaming the crocs for that. The blame lies solely with the lumpy mattress on the bed in my sister's guest room. In fact, that's why I'm sneaking onto theinternet instead of going to bed (like everyone else). I'm procrastinating.

I think tonight I'm going to try folding up all those extra blankets she has piled in this over-heated room and try sleeping on top of them. Anyone out there give good massages?

Bad Habit

I must say, my vacation is getting off to a rocky start.

Yesterday I sat down and started thinking about all the things I wanted to get done on my vacation, and quite frankly I didn't know where to start. It was a little over-whelming and I ended up spending a good part of my day just basking in the beautiful weather instead of getting anything constructive done.

Today started out with a migraine. It was early afternoon before I was able bodied. I did a few of the little things on my giant, mental list, and then got some writing done.

I seem to have developed a bad habit when it comes to the weekend. I stay up late on Friday and Saturday nights so that I can sleep in on Saturday and Sunday mornings. Normally I'm in bed around midnight and up at 7, but on weekends I'm up until 2 or 3 and sleep in until 9. I have to wonder how much of my migraine was due to whatever causes migraines, and how much was due to the break in my sleeping habit. I had a bad headache when I woke up last Sunday as well . . .

What Happened to Spring?

Seriously, what happened to Spring? We appeared to have gone straight from Winter to Summer. I actually found it hot out today. In fact, here it is, close to midnight, and my deck door is still wide open.

It's not that I didn't enjoy the balmy weather we had today, but a little warning might have been nice. And if it's this warm now, I have a bad feeling about mid-summer.

Even Environment Canada is saying this warm spell will last, but I'm not quite trusting enough to start planting my garden yet. It is only mid-April after all. Although I will admit to starting my sweet peas inside today.

Pajama Day

I got a fair amount of writing done on the weekend, which was a good thing because I was so sick Sunday night that I took Monday off from work.

Monday I was actually feeling better and I probably could have gone in to work, but I'd already called in sick so I decided to have a couch potato day. Or maybe that should be chair potato 'cause I mostly stayed in the easy chair all day - in my pajamas no less.

I think a pajama day every once in a while is good for you. No stress, no worries, just complete and utter nothingness. I napped a bit, read a lot, and watched a really good movie I might otherwise have missed. It was great.

But today it was back to reality, meaning work. The four of us asking for an accommodation received a letter telling us that we have a temporary accommodation until May 31, provided we sign a paper saying they can send us home without pay any time the chat is slow. It's been slow a lot lately.

There are about sixteen phone reps doing chat because the phones are slow. If chat is slow as well, we'd get sent home and they'd get to stay. What's wrong with this picture?

Is it too soon for another pajama day?

Ponderings

This was actually going to be titled "rainy day ponderings", but that was when I was prepared to update yesterday (which was a rainy day). Today was sunny, for the most part, although it appears to have clouded over now.

Pet peeve of the month: publishers who re-release books I already have, but with zippy new covers that make it look like a new book. I get all excited when I see a new book by a favorite author, but then I read the blurb on the back and realize I already have this book. Grr!

I have decided it is not easy to get into a writerly frame of mind during a rainy week when you're feeling like crap. I didn' last long on the pills my doctor prescribed for my digestive problem - they made things worse, not better. Can't wait until I see the internist at the end of the month. I'm tired of not knowing what's wrong with me.

Speaking of tired of not knowing, still no word on my accommodation for work. I don't know why they're dragging their heels - there's 4 people in Owen Sound who've been accommodated . . . Hopefully there will be some sort of word before I go on vacation (the week of the 21st).

Oh, I just thought another peevish thought. Why are we still paying Canadian prices for books??? One book alone had a $4 difference in price! I think I'm going to have to start buying on-line. Screw Chapters!

Point of View, Part Deux

Yes, I know I said I'd update yesterday. I'd like to say that's because I was too busy writing, but that's not the case.

After much deliberation, I've taken the first 50 pages of Driving Into Forever and I'm going to try writing it from different points of view. I know this seems like a lot of work (yeah, I agree) and perhaps even counterproductive (I disagree), I think it will ultimately help me find my writer's voice. You know, that little thing that pulls you along through the story.

When I'm done, I'll have 4 versions of the first 50 pages. One in third person, the way I've started out; one in first person, from my heroine's point of view; one in the first person, alternating the heroine and hero's point of view; and one in both first person and third person.

Sounds crazy? Yeah, I agree. But I'm hoping I can lay this whole point of view question to rest, once and for all.

On the Road Again

You know the road I'm talking about. The one that's paved with good intentions.

It's been awhile since I've done some serious writing on the weekend so I figured this weekend I concentrate on my writing.

I got up, unplugged the lap top from the living room and brought it into my nice clean office. Then I spotted a present I'd bought for a sick friend, so I had to find something to wrap it in. The plastic bin with the wrapping paper is still in the spare bedroom, but I always intended to keep it in my office, so I had to find a home for it (on the desk that used to hold my Lexmark printer).

Then I had to move the toner cartridge off my desk, so I had to uncover the laser printer and find homes for all the junk on top of it (including a small, broken HP printer). A quick search failed to locate the software for the laser printer, so I can't install it on my lap top. I wonder how long toner lasts once it's shoved into the printer? I haven't used the laser printer in over a year and it's got 3 other colours of toner in it . . . Just to be on the safe side, I'm not opening the black toner until I've found the installation software.

Next I went into the kitchen for a glass of water and cleaned out the cupboard that had the cereal and crackers in it. I'm not even sure why I opened the cupboard in the first place. We're talking many partial boxes of crackers. There must have been a sale around Christmas . . . And yes, Crazynance, I broke down each and every box so they could go in the recycling!

Finally, I got my glass of water and here I am.

You see what I'm up against?

Okay, no more excuses. I'll post again tomorrow with a progress report.