CUSTOMER DISSERVICE - I can't wait!

I so want to buy this poster and hang in it my cubicle.

The month of August is what is known as "blackout" - no one takes vacation/annual leave and any sick leave must have a doctor's excuse to go with it. It's not as bad as it sounds. I'm used to not taking time off. Before I took a few days off in June and July I had over 40 days of leave time saved up.

Anyway, the problem with August is the graduate students who apparently wake up on X morning and decided to go to graduate school. I really don't want to hear all the whining about why official transcripts, test scores, reference letters and writing samples are needed for X program. A few of them have even asked why they can't be admitted without sending ANYTHING!! The closer we get to the August 24th start date of the semester, the worse it gets.

I'll keep you posted.

new month and new ideas

I hate to be so disorganized. My friend Lisa over at AllAboutAlton is always quoting "Organization will set you free" to me whenever I can't find something. I was looking tonight for some unique character names. I came across a map of wrecks of the Outer Banks. I have a copy of this map somewhere in a box. Somewhere. Sigh.

Anyway, I found a partial image through Google and wrote down a few names and the dates of the shipwrecks.

1. Helen Benedict, 1914

2. Harriet N. Rogers, 1873

3. Isabella Parmenter, 1925

4. Annie Blackman, 1889

I had thought at one time to create characters with these (and other names from the map) and see if anyone would ever notice the connection. Guess I'll have to dig out my map and make note of a few more names.

My NaNoWriMo for July did not end like I wanted it to. All I will say is that my word quota did not reach 50,000. I'll try again.

I've started making notes for the NaNoWriMo for November 2009. I'll need to reread my novel from last year, since the character I'm using for this year's novel, Zero, was a major supporting character. He's a computer hacker, a loner, but will find himself involved in helping out others so he won't be able to hide behind his computer screens.

Until November gets here, I'll be working on character development for Zero. I don't want to do too much, since it seems that I write more when I don't plan ahead of time. Apparently the writing part of my brain likes the seat-of-the-pants approach.

I'm also going to work on some new ideas. I was reading a recent issue of Threads and came across a tip someone had submitted. The tip was about using two different colors of thread when you didn't have the correct color - by using a darker color and lighter color, they blend together, and as long as you're not too close, you won't be able to tell the difference. I marked the page with a sticky and made a note to put this on a clue list - a clue that would show the button had come off and been repaired that might later be used to solve a crime.

Biltmore Estate Asheville NC italian garden b&w

italian garden black and white, originally uploaded by mysterywriter.

This is an older photograph (from 2007) but I decided to use it anyway.

I ended up not taking too many pictures during my recent visit to the Biltmore Estate. I was too excited about the Premium House Tour. And what an experience it was!! I've been on numerous Behind-the-Scenes and Rooftop tours but I was able to walk down into the Winter Garden, visit the den (behind the library - I'd already been in there twice, but I didn't say anything) and was able to actually do into another couple of rooms I had only been able to see by looking at them from the outside.

I'm so glad I did this new tour. I had some of my questions answered. I'll have to plan a new trip and more questions for the next time.

My little band of time travelers...

...wants me to write about them again. They've been sitting quietly while I write about other things, but their patience is up with me.

I can hear Mac and Freddy, demanding to be let loose somewhere in history. But I've got to finish my NaNoWriMo for July first - which is going to be really hard.

I'm finally having to change the name of my character, Ginger. The name just isn't working out. So I've pulled out my copy of The Writer's Digest Character Naming Sourcebook (second edition - first edition is somewhere in a box) by Sherrilyn Kenyon. I suppose I could use any old baby name book, but I like this book. I can look by country for male and female names (listed separately) or use the reverse lookup in the back to look up a certain word - say "noble" and a list of names and page numbers will appear that use the definition of noble for each name.

There is also a list of top ten U.S. names by year, beginning with 1980 and ending with 2003. Should I decide to write a period novel, I can check the list of top ten names for 1908 to see that John and Mary were the top names for males and females, respectively.

Thankfully, MS Word has a piece that I can find and replace words - cause I'm gonna need it when I finally fine the right name for Ginger.

(The photo was taken in front of my house looking east.)

Premium House Tour at Biltmore Estate - Should I?

I've just discovered a new specialty tour at the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC. I'm headed there next week. I've taken the rooftop and the behind-the-scenes tours many times - and learned something new each time - but this sounds like a great experience.

For $150 I get a personal tour guide for 2 hours. The areas seen in the previous tours I've been on are included, as well as the areas open to the public. Here is a link. I need to call in the morning and find out the details. I called tonight but the reservation was already closed.

If anyone has taken the tour, let me know how it went.

A trip as a reward

I just booked myself a weekend stay in Asheville, NC as a reward for writing at the end of the month. I've been here several times and joke with my friends that this is my second home. My reason for going is to see the new rooms that have opened up at the Biltmore Estate. I let my year round pass expire this past April so I'll have to renew it. How can I pass up unlimited daytime visits for a year?

I'm getting ready to settle down and write some tonight. I'm having a hard time meeting the word quota for the day, but I hope the Biltmore "carrot" will do the trip and get me writing. I'll go whether or not I meet the quota, but I'll be happier if I've reached it before I leave.

August also starts "blackout" in my office - no annual/vacation leave and sick time can be taken only if you have a doctor's excuse. So I need a treat before the madness starts.

I'll leave Friday after work and return late Sunday evening. The drive isn't too bad. I've got Sirius satellite radio to keep me busy and I may just throw in the Twilight audio book as well. All I need now is to plan what to wear and wait out the time.

I think I hear Ginger and Robert (hey - he finally has a name!) calling to me.

The start of my NaNoWriMo this July

Ginger is my heroine's name. She's got red hair, wears glasses to read, loves to knit even though she isn't very good and is a library school dropout. Don't let the dropout word fool you. She's quite canny in her thinking.

She works as the secretary for the local PD and does research for a famous mystery writer who lives nearby. A new chief of police comes on board, a man hoping for a nice, quiet place for retirement (he's only 48) when a series of murders begins. He still needs a name, but what I plan to write tonight doesn't concern him......yet.

The new series of murders will be based on an older crime, a killer who has so far gotten away with his/her crime. But I believe the time has come for some revenge.

My goal is to write the 1613 words per day (31 days in July, remember) and get back on track to writing every day like I was at the beginning of the year.

The picture above shows my current project, the Ishbel scarf/shawl. I bought it on Ravelry. The yarn came all the way from Scotland courtesy of the people at Old Maiden Aunt. The color is Hebridean from their Homecoming collection. 50% sure alpaca and 50% merino. Wonderful stuff.

NaNoWriMo in July???

I've decided to do my own version of NaNoWriMo next month. Why? Well, there area several reasons, which I'll list here in a few days.

Needless to say, I need to write. In 2007 my friend Lisa and I did our own in May and I was finally able to write my first novel. Said novel is now collecting dust, as is the one from last year's NaNoWriMo, but that's ok. I've written two novels!!!! So I'm going to try it again before work gets too hectic.

More details to follow later this week. I've taken the next two days off (sorry G that you have to do some of my work) to paint but I'm going to be making some serious notes on what to write come July 1st.

I’m trying desperately to find something to work on besides my current knitting project. I kept coming back to my ‘body on the beach’ idea all weekend and made some great progress this weekend, finding a name for my mystery writer (Travis) and discovering how his mother (Miranda) came to be murdered when he was fifteen years old. I’ve even got three suspects now, not including Miranda’s husband. The twist is, bodies are showing up, dressed just like Miranda was in 1968; same exact outfit, down to the brand of clothing, shoes and jewelry. How creepy is that? Well, that was as far as I got. Time to shelve that notebook back on the shelf and work on something else. I’ve learned when nothing else is there to write about, its time to work on something different.

Earlier this afternoon I decided to work on Maggie and Gabe’s story. Maggie is a seamstress who has moved back home due to some unfortunate events in her career as a wedding gown designer. I’ve had this idea for well over ten years. My recent interest in sewing has had me digging out my notes and manuscript from before to see what I could do to it. Several hours later I’ve decided to combine the body on the beach story and Maggie and Gabe into one story. Maggie’s knowledge of fashion and designing will help in uncovering who killed Miranda over forty years ago. So there’s another one shelved back in the bookcase.

[I keep my ideas in one big notebook. Once I start working on an individual idea, I take it out and put it in its own notebook – a place where I know I can find it again – as my friend Lisa is always telling me – “Organization will set you free” – this is one area in my life where I do try to keep organized.]

So here I set, needing to write, and nothing to work on. Don’t get me wrong, it has been a productive day, for non-writing things. My clothes are washed and ready for the next week. I sewed a new pillowcase, stirred up some chocolate chip cookie dough (I keep it in the fridge for up to a week – I bake them as I eat them because there is nothing better than eating a warm, right out of the oven cookie) and attempted to make a skirt without using a pattern. I’ve learned a few things from the skirt, so I’ll be taking it apart and trying again, but I’m happy I had the idea to make one without using a pattern. Sometimes you have to learn to do things the hard way in order to be a better sewer later. Anyway, I got a lot done today but I still need to write.

So I am again on the lookout for something to write. I’ve set my clock a little earlier in the morning. I’m going to try and write before I go to work. Maybe I can get back into my grove I had at the beginning of the year.

Floundering

I'm floundering. Work has been kinda chaotic since March and where I missed a few days while in Philly my writing exercises have deteriorated. I want to write so bad, but apparently I'm back to my old tricks of just going on to bed because I'm tired. And I am tired. No doubt about that. And a tired writer is not a very good writer.

Work is exhausting. When I get home, all the inspiration I've had during the day just disappears. I make notes of what I was thinking, but that's about it. Script Frenzy was a bust this year. I ended up with 20 pages, which is better than nothing. I guess.

I'm fighting a weekly battle with another office at my institution, trying to make sure that the credentials I receive are authentic. I feel like I'm adding to the weight on my boss T's shoulders, but I need her support and she's been great so far in giving it. 

Today's incident has her now calling a meeting with the person in charge of the office I'm having trouble with and the associate VP of academic affairs. I apologized to T today for causing so much trouble but she wasn't worried. She did say however to not go back on what I've been doing - once I make an exception, then all this will have been for nothing.  

I'm headed to Hagerstown, MD next weekend for a small trip. I'm hoping to regroup, find my focus again, and get back to writing. I need the writing to calm the chaos in my life right now. I may even need to murder a few people, fictionally speaking, of course. 

(Yes, that's my dog Scooby telling me "No picture, please.")

Final days of ScriptFrenzy

nanowrimo notes , originally uploaded by mysterywriter.

I'm up to 19 pages. Can I do it? I want the bragging rights to say I finished a script. I'll give it my best shot. I really want to wear that t-shirt I bought in public. LOL

I've been using a previously written story and converting it into the script format. I've found that my story has now made several changes and I've veered away from what I had written. I'm going with the flow so all I can do is hope the final outcome is something I can put to good use when I go back to working on the novel.

I will admit that writing a script is much harder than I thought. I'm making a terrible mess of mine, but that's OK. This is a learning experience for me, and if all I ever get out of it is better dialogue for my fiction writing, I'll take it. I write what the voices in my head (characters) tell me to.

Sorry for using an old photo. I needed one with paper on it so reused a previous NaNoWriMo picture.

the start of homemade jelly - and murder

the start of homemade jelly, originally uploaded by mysterywriter.

The most mundane of chores can lead to great story ideas.

I was making homemade raspberry (black) jelly today with help from my mom - that's her hand in the photograph. You can see the steam coming off the hot juice. I was thinking that this stuff would probably take someone's skin off. I was thinking back to Christmas eve last year when the baked beans I was stirring popped onto my wrist. Hurt like hell, but nothing compared to getting splashed with this stuff.

Jelly making would make an interesting way to kill someone. Maybe the body could be so disfigured there wouldn't be a way to ID it. Hmmmm.

Script Frenzy update

I told C over at Planet All-Star today that I had finally written one page of my script. Of course, he comes back with "Only 99 more to go." 

Finding an idea has been tough. And writing a script is much harder than I thought. I'm used to describing the surroundings, what the characters are thinking, etc. No so in a script. I need dialogue and lots of it. Dialogue I can do - sometimes when I'm working on my writing exercises the dialogue is all I'm writing down. One reason I thought I could write the script. Oh well. I still have a few more days left in the month to catch up. I hope. LOL

My issues with writing my word quota has me thinking about murder a lot. I can't seem to find one idea to write on. My regular job is wearing me out and by the time I get home, I'm too tired to think clearly to write anything worth keeping. I sound like I'm whining and I am. C's wife G had to listen to me vent today, as did my sister L while we had lunch. The clothes I have on today will never be worn in the same combination again. Today was just filled bad karma. LOL

Tonight I'm going to work on my teenage time traveler story and see if I can get together a list of scenes to write about for my word quota then turn right around and redo the scene for the script. Maybe add another page or two to the script. 

9709

I needed 9,300 words for the month of March and I achieved that goal even though I missed three days of writing. I still feel sad that I missed those days, but my other days of surpassing the daily quota paid off and I didn't have to write any extra tonight to make up for those days.

My total word count to date is 23,204 words. That's almost half of what is needed for NaNoWriMo! 

Next month I should add at least another 12,000 words. April will be 400 words per day. I'm also participating in the ScriptFrenzy contest, which should help me with the word quota as well.

Script Frenzy arrives in April!!

I was chatting online with a friend of mine about 12:30 Sunday morning (3/19) when she told me that ScriptFrenzy, the script writing contest created by the people at NaNoWriMo was in April!!! I thought it was in July and that I had plenty of time to work on my story - plot, characters, etc. I was going to use my word count for that month (700 words/day) to write at least one 100 page script. But it's next month!!!!! What am I going to do??????

I'm going crazy trying to learn how to structure a script. I've read various books, websites, magazine articles and I have decided that I do not have the time to successfully plot out a screen play. Will that stop me from participating in ScriptFrenzy? NO WAY!

My plan is to just start writing different scenes. As long as I have 100 script pages by the end of the month, I'll be happy. Nothing in the rules says anything about the quality of the script. I know there if a format, but I'm such a loser I was totally unprepared for this year's contest.

I've also just returned from a conference in Philadelphia. My university uses Banner so the company that makes this database, SunGard, hosted their annual summit. First time for me to attend and I had a blast. I went with three co-workers, flying out on Saturday (3/21) and returning on Thursday (3/26) and since I had already been gone four days that week, I took Friday as a vacation day. Whew. So I had no chance to work on my script idea and structure. 

I also didn't write for three days while I was gone. I started out great, handwriting my daily quota, since I didn't take my computer (my iPod Touch was used a lot though to surf the web) and one night I actually forgot to write. I was disappointed with myself. I ended up skipping the next night, my last night in Philly, and skipping Thursday night as well after I returned home. I finally told myself I needed a break. I wasn't writing to win a prize. I'm attempting to make writing a habit and I think I have done a good job of that. So I may take a few more breaks in the coming months.

So my plans are to participate in ScriptFrenzy, writing 100 pages of a terrible script, but that's OK. I'm happy to just be writing, and to feel the creativeness finally bubbling up and escaping. I've mentioned to a few friends that my stories were trapped by my laziness and if I ever popped that cork, I would have an unending flow of words pouring out and onto the paper.

I'm sure you're wondering about the photo I included. That is a picture of my sewing machine. I finally drug it out of it's case and bought the piece I needed to fix it (two of them actually.) I think April's word count will be about a seamstress/costumer who gets involved with a small town cop solving a cold case. I've had this particular idea for over 10 years. Actually, I don't think I've worked on it since I left my job as a police dispatcher in 1998. 

I came across an article in a newspaper while on vacation about a woman who made wedding gowns. That got me started on a story about Maggie, a seamstress who previously worked in the costume department at a movie production company and who now had her own business creating custom clothing. 

My creativity in writing has spilled over into other areas of my life, causing me to get back into sewing (currently making a pillowcase for the first time) and to start knitting. Those crafts will in turn inspire more writing, creating a beautiful circle of creativeness.

100 Things

I finally made it to 100 posts! Almost like trying to write to a certain word count each night. I started this list in November 2008 and kept adding items as I would think of them. Some times I despaired of actually finding 100 things to say about myself. But I have prevailed.

1. I have red hair.

2. And green eyes.

3. I'm 5'4" tall. Well, 5'3 3/4". Same thing. LOL

4. I'm nearsighted and wear glasses.

5. I'm right handed.

6. But I fervently wish I was left handed.

7. I work in higher education.

8. I have a master's degree.

9. I drive a black VW Jetta.

10. With a manual transmission. Special order.

11. I learned to drive on a VW Beetle. Light blue. Manual transmission.

12. That my dad drove to school. 

13. My dad is 6'4". I am 5'4. You would think I would be a little taller. Thanks, Mom.

14. I took my driving test in a car with a manual transmission.

15. I failed the test. Stalled on a hill. In the pouring rain.

16. State trooper told me I had guts to take the test in a car with a standard transmission.

17. Passed the next time. IN THE SAME CAR.

18. If I could do the math, I would be an architect.

19. Or a forensic scientist.

20. Or a musician.

21. My dad taught algebra, pre-calculas, geometry, chemistry, physics and computer programming in high school. I had all but physics. I know just enough to be dangerous.

22. I'm a beginning knitter. 

23. I'm an experienced cross stitcher. 19 years experience.

24. I have two sisters and one brother. 

25. Odd numbers are my favorite.

26. I love frogs.

27. I love practical jokes.

28. Blue is my favorite color.

29. I played the flute and piccolo in the school band.

30. I have been to the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC at least once each month.

31. I have never been out of the country.

32. But I do have a passport. Everyone should. You never know when Mr. Tall Dark and Handsome (with blue eyes) will show up and ask you to leave with him.

33. My avatar is a somewhat accurate description of what I had on the day I created it. My hair looked worse that day, though.

34. I'm older than the cartoon character Scooby Doo.

35. I'm in love with Edward Cullen, AKA Robert Pattinson.

36. Hawaii 5-0 and I debuted in the same year.

37. Most of my pets growing up were "rescues" - not from the pound or rescue groups - they were dropped at my house because I live in the country. There's a serial killer for you - murdering people who drop pets because they don't want them any more.

38. I saw the Twilight movie 4 times in theaters. 

39. I love cemeteries. Don't ask me why.

40. Age 40 was pretty sucky for me. I hope 41 is better.

41. I wish time travel were possible.

42. I have never broken a bone in my body.

43. I like to read mysteries.

44. I've met Alton Brown, host of Good Eats (Food Network).

45. I've also met William Shatner. Live long and prosper, Captain Kirk.

46. I've discovered that knitting is a much more expensive hobby than cross stitching ever was.

47. I love horses.

48. I'm fascinated by snakes, but also scared of them.

49. I can play the piano. 

50. I want to make a quilt.

51. Smallville is my favorite TV show.

52. I love ghost stories.

53. If I can teach myself to write in a higher level programming language, I may embark on a 2nd master's degree in Information Systems. Maybe.

54. I've pre-ordered three different versions of the Twilight movie on DVD. And pre-ordered it from iTunes as well.

55. I own a Macbook and an iMac.

56. I plan to grow pumpkins this summer.

57. I spent 6 years working as a police dispatcher.

58. I joined eBay in 1998 to purchase a VCR that played and recorded the in the formats PAL and SECAM as well as NTSC. 

59. Said VCR cost me $400.00. And is still working today.

60. I have a real copy of the Song of the South movie. PAL format (VHS).

61. I want to build my own house.

62. I now have a huge poster of Edward Cullen on the back of the door in my TV room.

63. I learned to cook so I could eat certain foods more than once or twice a year. Example: homemade crescent rolls. My mom would only make them for Thanksgiving and Christmas. I can now make them anytime, but I will admit they taste the best during the holidays with all that turkey and mashed potatoes.

64. My first dog was a German Shepherd named Sam. He died when I was 12.

65. My current dog's name is Scooby-Doo.

66. I've had my new car (black VW Jetta) for 15 months and already have over 27,000 miles on it.

67. My favorite board game is Monopoly.

68. My next favorite board game is Trivial Pursuit.

69. I also like Scrabble, Clue and Yahtzee.

70. My favorite ice cream is mint chocolate chip. Also has to be colored green too.

71. I've owned three VW Jetta's and a Jeep Wrangler. 

72. I've been certified as a CPR instructor by the American Red Cross.

73. I've been certified as a CPR instructor by the American Heart Association.

74. I want to drive on Germany's Autobahn. Really.

75. My license place is personalized now. It's the name of my favorite TV show.

76. I won 2nd place at my junior high school in a DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution) writing contest.

77. My boss B gave me the highest compliment the other day. She called me irreplaceable. I almost cried.

78. I want to work on a master's degree in Forensic Science.

79. I would like to visit Germany for a month.

80. I have over 6 thousands e-mails in my inbox alone, not counting the hundreds in various folders in Outlook.

81. I currently have six pairs of glasses with the same prescription. Yes, six. Three with black frames, one with silver, one with gold and an old, old pair of blue frames.

82. I've been making homemade napkins like crazy. I like the idea of doing my bit for the environment.

83. If I keep up my monthly writing exercises, I will have written over 250,000 words by the end of the year.

84. I would like to teach myself a foreign language or two.

85. I've also discovered that sewing is a much more expensive hobby than cross stitching ever was as well.

86. I plan to participate in ScriptFrenzy and NaNoWriMo this year. 

87. Current songs on my iPod include: Runaway and Dream on Dreamer by Cascada, Convoy by C.W. McCall, Will you still love me by Chicago.

88. I once tracked down a television movie I had watched as a child on Saturday morning on the CBS Children's Film Festival. I could remember only that it appeared to be based on a fairy tale and had an owl with three silver acorns that were actually wishes. Tri orísky pro Popelku is the name of the movie. Better known as Three Wishes for Cinderella. The language was Czech with English subtitles. I finally found a VHS copy of it. For more info on the CBS Children's Film Festival click here.

89. I've learned that patience is a virtue. I've waited for HDNET to air the NCIS episodes from JAG. They're FINALLY airing on March 18th and I've set the Tivo to record them. I hope the power or cable doesn't go off.

90. I don't know whether to believe in ghosts, but I would love to meet one.

91. I actually enjoy playing solitaire. On the computer or with real cards, especially if they're my Scooby Doo deck.

92. I collect USGS (United States Geological Survey) topographical maps (7.5 min quadrangles) of places I've been. Or of places I would like to visit. The last one I bought was for Forks, WA of Twilight fame.

93. I like windows. My house will have lots of them. 

94. I love strawberries, will eat a banana if I have to and I will suck the juice out of an orange but I won't eat the pulp. Ick.

95. I'm currently reading The Reader. I hope to get Revolutionary Road next.

96. I made myself my first pair of pajama pants over the weekend. I love them and look forward to making a few more. 

97. My goal for Christmas 2009 is to make handmade gifts for my family and friends.

98. I love BBQ potato chips, popcorn with extra butter and crunchy Cheetos. But not all at the same time. ICK.

99. I plan to get a motorcycle endorsement on my driver's license next summer if not before.

100. I have red hair. Here's the proof. This is a school photograph of me from, I think, the first grade.

the return of the time traveler

This month my goal is to write 300 words a day. Ok. I've been doing that but I can't seem to stick with one story. I started out good, writing a murder mystery one, but I soon strayed from it and begin writing other stuff. Which isn't to say that's a bad thing, but I ended up writing something different each night. So here I am, March 12th, and while I have the word count quota, I don't have anything else worth keeping.

Now I know you'll say that at least I was writing, practicing my craft, but I would at least like to have something I can come back to at a later date and edit into something that might one day be published.

So I've brought back Mac, my time traveling teenager and her story. I wrote about 20 single spaced pages about her and her friends Freddy and Tessa last month. I'm hoping they can get me out of the funk I've been in this month. 

I want to use Mac's story for the short story contest sponsored by The Writer I mentioned in an earlier post. I think this will be what I need to actually write something, edit it, then send it off for a review. I hope I can do it.

Happy Birthday to my MOM

My mommy is 69 years old today.

Thanks for your love and wisdom and encouragement and cooking lessons. 

I want to be just like you when I grow up.

two dead bodies in less than 1000 words

I'm pitiful. I've written less than 1000 words so far (970 to be exact) and I've already murdered two people. Haven't decided how they died or why, but one body has washed up on the beach and another was found in his home, I think. LOL

I'm writing a new story and just going with the flow. I have six new characters and no idea what to do with them. I've got a doctor (GP), a veterinarian, a maid (dead body #1), a cop, the cop's father (dead body #2), a housekeeper and someone else I can't remember right now. Too many to keep track of already. I guess I need to drag out the character list I use with NaNoWriMo and start writing them down.

I finally made my cookies tonight. I was mixing them up yesterday evening and found out that I had no brown sugar! Well, no brown sugar that was usable. All of if was hard as a rock. So I had to buy new stuff today. It's all in the fridge now, waiting for me to come home tomorrow. I cant' wait.

Happy Birthday Gabriella Moonlight!!!

First off, you gotta change your age on your blog to 41, like I did!!! MUHAHAHAHA

G (she's behind the All Who Wander Are Not Lost blog) and I have been friends for a few years. She worked in an adjoining office, which is where I met her a couple of years ago. Then she changed jobs and moved upstairs. But now she's back downstairs in the best department on campus!!!

She's been a super quick study and has picked up the knowledge needed in a few short months to do a very demanding and mentally exhausting job. She's also working on finishing her master's degree in Humanities. She inspires me everyday to be a better person. I hear her talking on the phone with students and I realize how 'cold' I've become in answering questions from students. I rarely get a call now I haven't heard before so the job has become a little mundane. It's been refreshing to see the job through a new person's eyes that makes me appreciate the job I have.

She sits in the cube beside mine, in what you would call a "corner" office - we're all in a cubical farm and she has one of the corners. I used to have this space, but I wanted a smaller one so I have her mine after she was hired. She brings humor to the office and is a willing participant when I get in one of my moods to pull a practical joke.

Luckily for me, she is taking Monday off to celebrate her birthday. An entire day, home alone. How wonderful is that??? It's great. For me. MUHAHAHAHA

Yes, practical joker that I am, something will happen to her cubicle while she is out of the office. Fair warning G! Be prepared for a surprise when you return on Tuesday. I'll post an update when she returns.

8,357

I again met my goal of writing at least 200 words each day during the month of February. 

My highest word count day was Wednesday, February 4th. I had 1,203 words that day. That was the snow day I took and I wanted to write at least 1,200 words that day.

My lowest word count day was another Wednesday, this time February 18th. I managed to pull out 201 words. And the words for that day are in no relation to anything else I wrote this month. I just wrote miscellaneous descriptions of some knitting I wanted to do. 

my list for the weekend

I'm working on a list of things to do for the weekend. I have a lot to accomplish and a short amount of time.

1. Write my last 200 words for the day. I'll post my February total on Sunday.

2. Make some homemade chocolate chip cookies. I follow the recipe on the Nestle bag of chocolate chips but I also add more chips. I then keep the dough in the fridge and bake cookies whenever I want them. Hot cookies, straight out of the oven, anytime I want. LOL

3. Decide on the story idea for my March daily writings. February has been about teenage time travelers visiting the RMS Titanic before she sinks. One of them runs away and tries to save someone who died during the sinking, which is a no-no.

4. I may have to kill a couple of people in the March writings. I've only killed one person since November and NaNoWriMo. I hate to say this, but I miss that part. I like writing about crimes and how they are solved. The kids on the Titanic have a dead body there now. Guess I need to wind that up and move on to a few more bodies. MUHAHAHA

5. Sew some more napkins. I'm going through a crafty phase right now. My sewing machine is now fixed so I'm going crazy buying fat quarters (usually an 18"x22" piece of material) and turning them into napkins. Trying to be more environmentally friendly. The picture is of my newest purchases. Two of each will be added to my collection.

I just had to share.....

...this photo of my very first napkin!!! Yes, I'm a geek. I'm so excited to finally be able to sew. I tried years earlier, much like my writing, and never got very far. I have the determination now to start a project and finish it. This napkin will be the first of many, following in the steps of the writing exercises I'm working on now. Practice makes perfect, or at least makes the writing a habit, which I believe is what I've needed all along.

How does this pertain to writing really? I've inspired myself to dig out a story idea I was working on about 15 years ago. I'd seen an article in a newspaper about a woman who made wedding gowns by hand. My character was going to be exactly like this woman. She would be one of those old fashioned seamstresses we hear about. She can make anything, from wedding gowns to suits to napkins and table runners and Halloween costumes. But there's something in her past that haunts her. A murder? A jilted lover? Who knows. But now that I'm inspired to work on the story again, I'll soon know the answers.

Happy Birthday Lisa!!!!!

Special birthday wishes are going out to one of my BFFs - Lisa (aka miseenplace) today. You're getting closer to me everyday year. LOL

Lisa runs the All About Alton blog, about Alton Brown. She claims to be his #1 fan, and I totally believe her.

Lisa and I met during the Fall 2002 in a Humanities class called "Historical Studies" where we both work. At the time Lisa wasn't working at my school (yet) but we became friends in the class we will forever call "the class from hell."

Fast forward a couple of years. I see Lisa when she comes in for class sometimes. We chat, exchange pleasantries. Then she is hired to work in the library of the school I work for. How great was that???

I talked her into applying to the University of Tennessee's Information Science (Library Science) program and we both were accepted, taking classes via the Internet since neither of us could leave our jobs beginning in the Fall 2006, when our friendship took off. She finally completed the program last August, earning her 2nd master's degree. (I dropped out due to death and illness in my family.)

I got her hooked on the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC and we made several trips. She introduced me to Alton Brown and his show Good Eats on the Food Network. We've both joked that we could be sisters, with the amount of stuff we have in common. When we went to orientation for the UTK program, I talked until I was hoarse, finding all the things we both liked (cross stitching, photography, architecture, research, etc) and had great fun on the trip.

So, in order to show her my appreciation for our friendship, I found something out about her favorite TV chef. I found a magazine today, premiere issue. I've included a photo of it here at the bottom of the post. I've also purchased you a life time subscription to it. 

Here you go: Happy Birthday Lisa!!!!

W

A

I

T

F

O

R

I

T

HERE YOU GO:

MUHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

So much for my little reward dinner

I left work early to give myself a reward tonight. I'd finally gotten caught up with everything in the office and decided to eat at a little diner in my hometown on the way home. Well, lets just say I should have stayed at work.

The meal wasn't that bad. I had a ham and bacon club sandwich on toasted bread. Plain. Yes, you heard me right. I am not a veggie person. I do not eat lettuce, tomato or mayo on my sandwiches. I like them plain. No problems there. Even the fries were half way decent this time. Usually they haven't been cooked long enough, but tonight's were better.

What I didn't like was how the ordering process went. I don't blame the waitress at all. I don't think she saw me come in, nor the guy about five minutes after me. I came in, sat down and opened up my book. I'd received Lethal Legacy by Linda Fairstein today from Amazon and I so wanted to get into this one. Fairstein is one of the few writers I buy in hardback. I immediately started reading. Everyone knows to come in and sit down, the waitress will get to you.

I'd been reading for a few minutes when this guy comes in and sits down at another table adjacent from me. A few more minutes and the waitress comes over to the area where we are. And you know what??? She goes to his table first!!! WTF??? That wouldn't have been so bad (not her fault she didn't know who came in first), but he goes ahead and orders!!! He didn't even look over to ask if I had been waited on. He just immediately orders!! 

So she takes his drink order then leaves to bring it back. Then she comes to my table to get my drink order. She leaved and brings it back. Then she takes his meal order, then mine. His food is also brought to the table first. GRRRR. I was kinda ticked off. But who to be mad at the most, the waitress for not knowing better, or the guy who should have had the decency to ask if I had been waited on already, since I didn't have a drink on my table or a menu or anything. 

Now some of you may be thinking, why didn't I speak up? And why did I get mad when I didn't speak up in the first place? I'm just not that type of person. One, I don't want to embarrass anyone in public, so I usually keep my mouth shut and just stew in silence. If someone cuts in line, I just think about ways to kill them painfully in the pages of my stories. That usually helps alot. I did write down what I wanted to say in a post while I was sitting there waiting on my drink. Couldn't help myself. LOL.

The tip I left was ok (20%) since the food was good this time, but I'm the type of person who gives great tips, if the service warrants it. Most waitresses there either work there full time or are going to school so I'm happy to give extra. The girl who usually waits on me usually gets a nice BIG tip. Where was she tonight?????

So how does this relate to writing? Well, right now I don't know. I'm sure the experience and scene will work its way into my writings some day.

February 4, 2009 snow day

It doesn't look like a lot of snow, but it is to someone who has to drive 40 miles to get to work.

It wasn't an official snow day, but I took a vacation day anyway. After driving home the night before, I wasn't going back out on the roads again until they were clear.

The snowman idea was a bust. The snow was not the right kind to make one. So my dog will have to suffer. LOL

I did, however, write 1,203 words that day. I think I took a nap, too. It was just a great day to be home and not have to worry about driving.

I also want to send out birthday wishes to my friend Cliff. Hope you had a great one. And now we're the same age again. MUHAHAHA

Flickr

This is a test post from , a fancy photo sharing thing.

Snow day plans

Is it wrong of me to wish for a lot of snow so I can stay home? I work in higher education and rarely do we get a day off for weather. 

Oh, I've gone home early or taken a vacation day for high water, power outages and previous snow squalls, but it has been well over 10 years since the entire university closed down because of the weather, until last week that is. I had already called in that I was taking a vacation day. I live 40 miles from where I work and I was not going to drive slick, dangerous roads just to have to drive home again eight hours later.

If tomorrow is a snow day, I plan to build my dog a snowman. Scooby needs the company. Doesn't he look like he wants one? For once I finally got him to sit still long enough to take a front view picture. I'll add one with the snowman if I stay home.

If tomorrow is a snow day, I plan to write 1000 words. I'm currently writing at least 200 words a day for this month, but since I can sleep later, nap and play with my dog, I will write more too.

I used the list of names from a post on my other blog, Beat the Block, to start this month's writing exercises, much like I did last month with my vintage resale shop story. My main character for this new story is a butler named Peabody. My other characters are Jane, North and Marcus. So far I have two scenes. I'm mostly free-writing, if I can call it that. I do not think about what I'm going to write. I open up the document and just start writing. Most of the time I am surprised at what comes out. I do not consciously think about what I'm going to write. And I usually put it off until right before I go to bed. Sometimes writing under "pressure" leads to better writing.

5,138....

....is my total word count for the month of January. I met my goal of writing at least 100 words a day. Some days the creativity was flowing fast and furious. Others felt like I pulling chewing gum out of my hair - I felt like I was never going to finish. 

My highest daily word count was 663 on January 4th.  The lowest was 100 on January 18th. I tried not to look at the word count as I wrote. It seemed when I did look, and saw that I had met the quota, my muse said bye-bye and I had to stop.  

February's goal is 200 words a day. I should have at least 5,600 words by the end of the month. Planning will be needed. On some nights I would wait until 11:50 to write. Deadlines are great for me. Spurs the creativity. But the more I plan to write each month, the earlier I will need to start.

I wrote my words over three different stories. Two of them look promising for the short story contest in The Writer. I need 2000 words for that project.

Twilight

I finished rereading Twilight (by Stephenie Meyer) this evening. I started the novel again on January 1st and I've tried to read a little bit each evening. Oh, I'm reading other books, like the knitting mystery series by Maggie Sefton, but Twilight was read before I went to sleep almost each night. 

Right now I'm waiting on FedEx to deliver the USGS topographical maps of the Forks, WA area. I'm that obsessed with the series. I usually buy topographic maps as souvenirs of places I've been - Harper's Ferry, Blennerhasset Island, Cass (all in WV) along with Cape Hatteras, NC and Asheville, NC to name a few others. As soon as these new maps get here, I'll be ordering the ones for the Port Angeles, WA area. 

I'll admit I'm not someone who has been a fan of the series from the beginning. I only just discovered the series last summer. I was so engrossed, that after I read Twilight the first time, I immediately ordered New Moon and Eclipse and pre-ordered Breaking Dawn.

New Moon and Eclipse were set to be delivered on June 20th, which is a state holiday in WV where I live. State workers had the day off, a three day weekend. I still had to work, since this is one of the holidays taken during Christmas at the university where I work. I checked the delivery schedule. I was planning to hunt down the books as soon as I saw they had been delivered. 

I was outraged to discover that UPS wasn't going be delivering them. The comment on the tracking page said closed! I immediately called the local UPS office and asked if I could pick up the books from them, that my university was not closed that day, just regular state offices. I had an entire weekend to read these two books and I wasn't going home without them. They said fine, so I dragged a co-worker, Amy, with me and went and picked up my books. She laughed at me for being so eager to get them. She has now read them and understands my need to get them ASAP. 

So now I'm trying to wait patiently until March 21st when the movie is released on DVD. I'm biding my time by rereading all the books. And looking at my maps, as soon as they get here.

Golden Ticket

I have a Golden Ticket in my office. No, I'm not going to see Willy Wonka. What I have is a ticket to get technical questions answered by one of my friends. Maybe.

If you can't read the fine print, it says: "Not valid on PC or PC-related equipment. Offer good only in even numbered years only. Not applicable on days ending with the letter 'Y'."

Birthday greetings

I would like to thank G and everyone for their birthday greetings. Today was great. Time spent with family and friends is never wasted. 

I've started on a new decade that I hope will bring good things to my life. 

Thanks to L for the super funny e-card she sent me. Luckily my cake real cake didn't have any candles on it this year so there was no need to call the fire department. LOL

Also a special thanks to my friend Cliff for this card. I forgot to get the mail on Saturday so I actually "received" this card on my birthday. You can read the inside here. But remember, Cliff, your birthday is only a few days away. Muhahaha

Short story contest at The Writer magazine

The Writer is sponsoring a short story contest. The deadline is May 31, 2009 to enter. You can click here for more information.

Let's see if I can get something ready to submit.

new year's writing resolutions NOT

Officially, I didn't make any resolutions this year. But one thing I have tried to do is write at least 100 words a day. So far I have kept to that. For me, this is what I needed to do all along - write every day. I needed to turn the writing into a habit.

I try not to think about what I am going to write. I either open up a document I've been working on, like the vintage resale shop idea, or I start something new, like I did last night. Here is part of what I wrote:

The park was silent this time of night. Mothers and their children were safely tucked inside their homes, safe from the monsters. I watched one particular child sitting in her bedroom, reading a book. She thought of me as her protector. Was I? Or was I one of the monsters I kept warning her about?

I am what is known as a grotesque, or sometimes called a gargoyle. Since I do not funnel water away from a building I am not a “real” gargoyle. Whatever you call me, I am a monster. Children should run screaming from me, yet this one doesn’t. She is happy to be around me. Does she see me differently than adults do? Does she believe I am some sort of magical creature who will save her?

Her name was Anna. She had two older sisters, Daphne and Valentina, who knew of me also, but they stayed away. They were getting older, and as older children do, they tended to not believe in the same things as the younger children do. Which was fine with me. I had Anna all to myself.

The resale shop has kinda hit a a brick wall. I know what I need to change, but I need to think about it some more. I hate to delete whole sections, but I seem to have written myself into a hole and I desperately need a way out so I can continue the story. I have no clue where I'm going with the story, but I know I want to work on it badly enough to keep thinking about it and making notes on scenes to eventually add.

I am also finding myself writing in first person. I HATE to read first person stories, though I loved reading Stephenie Meyers' Twilight series. I think from reading the four novels of the series (Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse and Breaking Dawn) from Bella's point of view has somehow changed how I write, at least for these 100 word exercises. I just discovered her last summer. 

Another series I've been reading in the first person is the Alex Cooper books by Linda Fairstein. If you like Law & Order: SVU you will love these books. Her books are an automatic pre-order from Amazon when I find the book available to order.

A note to fans of L&O:SVU - Stephanie March is returning for six episodes, beginning February 17th. I loved her character, Alex Cabot. I haven't been watching lately, but I will definitely be turning in for these new episodes.

Vintage clothing resale shop

I picked this item from my first list of what I call story starters at my (new) other blog, Beat the Block. I've been collecting lists of things for some time, and decided to start posting them in order to help other writers get over writer's block. I can't say for sure if I've ever had the block before. I'm just a lazy writer.

Here's the first paragraph of the new story:

I saw the sign out of the corner of my eye. I looped around the block and came back, catching a black Mini Cooper pulling out from directly in front of the store. I pulled in and turned the bike’s engine off. Amanda’s Vintage Clothing Resale Shop was the place I had been looking for for the last ten minutes. I needed a one more piece to complete my costume for the Halloween masquerade in two weeks. I stepped onto the sidewalk and took the helmet off. I hate how the stupid thing messes with my hair, but I wore mine every single time. I wanted to live to ride another day.

My goal, since the first of the year, has been to write at least 100 words a day. Now that doesn't sound like a lot, but to someone who doesn't write REGULARLY, this seems like a huge amount. So far I have 1,186 words, all based on the phrase "vintage clothing resale shop." Should I follow my own advise, I may not need NaNoWriMo anymore to be able to say I've written a novel.

A new modem

IMG_4795
Originally uploaded by mysterywriter

I didn't realize how much time I actually spent online until I couldn't. I had to have my old modem replaced as well as part of my line (water inside - don't ask me how) so I can now surf from the comfort of my chair.

Now back to researching how to commit murder. Just kidding.

New blog for beating writer's block

I created a new blog to help others beat writer's block. It's called Beat the Block and you can reach it here or view my blog roll.

Monday through Friday I will post a list of items to start new writings with. Saturday and Sunday I will post pics of my post card collection to inspire new writings.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KRISTIN!!!!

I hope you have a wonderful birthday!!

In the words of Mr. Spock: LIVE LONG AND PROSPER.

2009 quote book title winner

The winner for the title of the 2009 quote book:

SO MUCH YET TO SEE

I will admit this is the favorite I mentioned earlier. A couple of them I marked off because they didn't quite fit in with the others. I like to think of the titles as a a way to look at the upcoming year. 

In the literal sense, there are many places I would love to visit, both here at home and abroad. But there is also so much yet to see with my writing, as well. I feel that I am at that stage in life where I have lived enough to write a much richer story. I can't wait to see what ideas I come up with or how I rework older ideas into new ones that now have a different slant to them. 

To accomplish these new ideas I know I will have to set obtainable writing goals. One hundred words a day doesn't sound like a lot, but to someone who isn't used to writing on a daily schedule, this will be hard at first. I'm the kind of writer who writes when inspiration hits. Doesn't make for a lot of writing, since my real life sometimes leaves me exhausted and too overwhelmed to even think about writing when I get home in the evening. 

By the end of 2009 I hope to have more writings on file than I do now, and not just because of NaNoWriMo, though I will be writing for it again.

By the way, Happy New Year. I hope this year is great for everyone.

2009 quote book title contenders

Unless I find more before midnight tonight, one of these quotes will become the title for the 2009 book. I already have a favorite among these, but I will wait until January 1st to make my final decision. Then I will open up a new Moleskine Cahir notebook, write "2009 Quotes" on the front and my chosen quote on the inside of the front cover.

Hey G, you might recognize the last one. I took it from one of your posts.

1. If you want to find something, you have to stop looking

2. Miles to go before we sleep 

3. Everyone has their own story

4. Without a life, there can be no death

5. You'll never succeed if you're afraid to fail

6. Grab the guilty pleasures over the bran flakes

7. So much yet to see

The quote book

I collect a lot of things, from books and pens to DVDs, CDs, and magnets, to name but a few. What a lot of people don't know is that I also collect quotes. 

What do I do with all these quotes? I put them in a book, one for each year I've been collecting them. The ones with the red spines are record books printed by Wilson Jones. The pile here runs from 1996 to 2007, with the exception of 1997. I can't find that one anywhere. There are also three more books before these, from years 1993-1995, that are similar in looks though smaller and yellow in color, which are also MIA at the moment. 

I would buy a new book, usually during the month of December, and start getting ready for the new year. Each one has their own title. I would go through the current year and pick one or two (or three or four or more) favorites and toss them around. One of them would become the title for the next year's book. 

At the beginning, I had a special pen I would use to write with. Over the years I've used whatever has been handy, not caring whether it was a pencil or pen, the ink red or blue or black.

2008 will mark the 16th book I've placed on the shelf. 

So what kind of quotes do I collect? Some are famous, like "The New Colossus" by Emma Lazarus, found at the Statue of Liberty, or funny (to me, anyway), like "...and the voice of James Earl Jones." Don't ask - too goofy to tell now, years later. Some are song lyrics (usually pasted into the book instead of written down) while others are phrases from books, movies and TV shows I've watched over the years. 

The older ones I no longer remember what I had been reading or watching at the time I came across the quote. Newer ones, such as those from this year's book (the open one on the Macbook, a Moleskine Cahier notebook) I can tell you exactly what I was watching or reading or which song I was listening to. 

By the titles I can sometimes tell what I was writing or researching about. 1998's title of "Far seen and far seeing" refers to Whitby Abbey on the coast of Northern England. You can kind of get a sense from the photograph if you click on the name. For more information about the abbey, check out the Wikipedia article found here.

Here are the titles, for what they're worth. Those without a title are MIA.

1993

1994

1995

1996 The glimpse through those far off windows

1997

1998 Far seen and far seeing

1999 Imagine what you will know tomorrow

2000 The past is the past. Your future awaits.

2001 A woman's destiny, they say, is not fulfilled until she holds in her arms her own little book

2002 Believe and be ready

2003 Discover what it is you're good at

2004 Go beyond your comfort zone

2005 This is your time. Now go out there and take it

2006 ...for if I do not succeed today...tomorrow

2007 Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself

2008 ...how much you'd give up if the chance came along

2009 ?

2008 notes and goals

Every year, on the first day of January, I create a list of things I want to accomplish for that particular year. Not all are writing-related. As a matter of fact, writing-related goals are rarely on the list. My goals usually involve buying something, like finding a frog cookie jar (going on the list for 2009) or obtaining my passport (which I can now remove - got it in February.)

One goal I had this year, which I hope to at least get caught up with, and continue through next year, is using this pocket diary (weekly, 18 months) from Moleskine to keep a list of items to start new stories. The diary started in July and goes until December 2009. I use the spaces to makes lists of items to include in stories. When I hit a rough spot, I go through and pick around 4-6 items and try to come up with a story and include all the items I chose. 

There are 184 days from July 1 to December 31. I have written on a total of 20 days. I'm a lazy writer. But I will add this project to my list for 2009. 

A sample: abandoned safe, small plane wreckage found, piano with the strings cut, cracked/broken mirror with piece missing, dressmakers dummy, forged birth certificate, antique car with skeleton inside, pages torn from a diary, abandoned safety deposit box, vandalized tombstone, reading glasses, apple and cinnamon muffins, Bigfoot scare, kidnapped heiress, out-of-date/expired passport, hoodie with torn pocket, forgotten Christmas gifts and 20 years worth of diaries.

So I have no excuse not to be working on something. There are ideas everywhere. 

NYC was AWESOME!!

IMG_4724
Originally uploaded by mysterywriter

I had a great time with my friends in NYC.

I got to see Central Park, Chinatown, the Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall and had the best lunch at Ellen's Stardust Diner. The singing waiters and waitresses were great. Ken was worth the entire trip, singing "It's Raining Men." 

More pictures on my Flickr account.

Road Trip

Huntington House - Widening 5th Ave. (LOC)
Originally uploaded by The Library of Congress

I'm headed to NYC this weekend for a quick road trip. The best thing about the trip, besides traveling with my BFF, is that I don't have to drive!!! We're taking one of those bus trips, 12 hours up, 12 hours back and 12 hours in the city. I can't wait!!! Plus, we're going to see the Rockettes' Christmas show. How much better could it get?

I've got a small notebook to plot out new stories from my time spent in the city. I've been to Chicago, Atlanta, and Washington, D.C., but never to NYC. I'm so excited that this work day is dragging by so S...L....O....W...L....Y.

The above photograph can be found on Flickr. The house on the left hand side of the is the Vanderbilt mansion, owned by Cornelius Vanderbilt II. The house in no longer there (torn down) so the Bergdorf Goodman store could be built. Here is a front view of the house.

My T shirt says it all

If I were a serial killer....

...and didn't care who or why I killed, it would be a smorgasbord out there right now. People are rude, pushy and just plain nasty during the holiday season. 

Why the hurry to get in front of me while driving? Afraid I'll get seated in the restaurant before you? Afraid I'll buy the last XYZ gadget that your kid just has to have? Afraid I'll get that parking space a little closer to the door? 

I, for one, will be glad when the season is over. 

What do I do now?

Now that NaNoWriMo 2008 has ended, I find I'm at a loss for something to do in the evenings. Oh, I can always turn the television on and catch NCIS reruns or knit or read or clean my bathroom (I don't think so!) but I can find things to keep myself out of trouble.

I was thinking last evening, coming off my buzz of writing a 50,000 word novel, that one thing I need to do is to keep writing. I'm a lazy writer. I have lots of ideas, but I never act on them. I write down the idea, sometimes an index card, sometimes an entire sheet of paper, but that's as far as it goes. I need to actively be working on something. So that is my plan. Work on something.

I've also been neglecting my other interests. I'm a cross-stitcher. One of my current projects is The Hermit by Stephanie Pui-Mun Law. You can check out her site at Shadowscapes. The Hermit is under the Tarot designs. I ordered the XS pattern from Heaven and Earth Designs.