Working Wednesday, July 10, 2019

~ Jenny

I have managed to cut 1500 words from Act One. I needed. to cut 4000, but I am NOT reading that damn act again.

GRRR.

Now to finish cutting Act Two. I only have to get rid of 15,000 words there.

What are you doing?

80 thoughts on “Working Wednesday, July 10, 2019”

  2. Last week I was on vacation – or rather, “stay at home and putter about with crafts.” It was nice, and I’ve thrown up a bunch of pictures on Instagram with the production. I put the binding on a quilt I had picked up from the quilter (it’s a rainbow bloom on a white background). I finished the quilting (and binding) of the spiderman quilt for my nephew. I finished up a baby quilt (with baby dinosaurs) for the new arrival. I also took a lot of things off the DVR (putting binding on and other handwork require distraction!) so hooray for me.

    After finishing up the Dragonbelly shawl last week, I put some more time into the Trio blanket. I still have a long way to go, but here’s the progress report:

    https://www.instagram.com/p/Bzt9ZLHBiek/

    The colors are starting to change, which gives me incentive to keep going. One end of this will be pink, black and grey, but it will morph into white, grey and teal green by the other end.

    Now that I’m back at work, I’ve been playing catch up for two weeks out – in addition to dealing with all of the new stuff coming in that my usual department of three handles. The other two are out on their vacations, so it’s time for me to get back to work.

    2. I love seeing your work on Instagram! It pops up on my feed because I followed the hashtag, and it’s a nice break from everybody else there (mostly dogs and small children, with occasional workout tips).

  3. I finished a crocheted blanket!! Took me just under a year, and it stayed together in the wash! I am very pleased, but don’t know what I’m going to do with it yet. I also don’t have a way to post pics online. :/

    Already started two new blankets. Was supposed to be one stash buster, but I was struggling with the beginning, so started another stash buster that already involved me buying another skein. >.> It’s my first time crocheting hexagons. It’s obnoxiously bright verigated hexagons with black centers and borders and some minimal staff stitches in there. The plan is a throw, not another queen blanket. Gonna start with 4 skeins, see what happens!

    I’ve also been slowly adulting. My 401k is finally getting transferred, made a couple appointments, and just sloooowly been checking off things from the to-do list. Been acclimating to the new job, and got the materials (most of them anyways) at Wal-Mart for two crafts that I’ve been saying I’m going to do for years.

    Minimal progress is still progress, and it feels good!

  4. I caught up on Killjoys and entirely fell in love with a lot of the relationships, and so have been doing some deep dive posts on the newest best murder-couple, up there with Root/Shaw and Gareth/Magdalena.

  5. Have spent some 3-4 hours in furniture stores today… First 3 different ones here close to The Hague where we found absolutely nothing, and then we gave up and drove to IKEA (MIL, DF and I) and wandered around there. Ended up having sort-of-picked-out a new wardrobe (much larger than the one we now have and with sliding doors), a new bed (also bigger and with drawers underneath + electrically adjustable at the head end) and a new desk for DF, the kind you can move up and down if you want to stand working for a while or sit or…whatever. You know what I mean. We haven’t ordered anything yet because we need to wait for the painter to pain the bedroom and we also need to measure the bedroom and study so we know if everything will fit, but when that’s done we’ll probably order these things and get them end aug/begin sept. I was happily surprised that DF was looking at things and gave his opinion too. Normally he says “I don’t care, I leave all those things to you”, but at the end of the day he wants to have a say in the matter and it’s his place too, after all, so he should help picking out the stuff. And he did, so all is well.

    I’ll definitely ask MIL to take some before-pics and after-pics when all is done, for I am sure everything will look much nicer and neater and better than it does now. Can’t wait to get rid of the awful brown colour at the bed-head-end-bedroom wall and the equally awful brown curtains that I hated from day 1 but still have hanging almost 8 years later. I’m happy I have an excellent reason to get rid of them now. Brown is not my thing.

    Now exhausted and still need to mod stream chat tonight…ugh. A powernap sounds like an excellent idea. With Sam Vimes. Mmm! 😉

  6. We came back from a camping vacation and I’m working on fixing the bedtime routine. Over the years it evolved from rocking babies to sleep to snuggling in their beds with them to sitting/laying on cushions in the hallway until the kids (mainly the 9 year old), fell asleep.

    We came home last Friday and at bedtime I announced that “daddy and I were watching program X and wouldn’t be in the hall” and the kids accepted it because they don’t like program X and this way it wasn’t going to be on when they were in the living room. Now it’s just keep on going. The 9 year old is reluctantly accepting this. The 11 year old doesn’t care. So my husband and I are gaining an hour + in the evenings. Admittedly I’ve spent them curled up on the couch with tv or a book but hey, it’s a work in progress. Next step is to actually be productive for the time.

    We’re also working on figuring out what we want to do with the land and tracking down information and/or buying stuff to make our time there better. We’ve decided on a picnic table, just need to find that style at our price point. Then a canopy to go over the picnic table. And a shed for storage. We started pricing those out at Home Depot while in Rhinelander and found the brand and price point. Now we just need to go online and build out our specs and find out what prepwork we need to do as the price includes installation.

  8. Leaving tonight for the Arctic. Hopefully the last time this year. Worked till all hours and more to do today before the evening flight. Dil and I have been working really well together with leading up to the soon to be transfer of duties.

    Painting the little girls house when I get back in between nursing husband after knee replacement.

  9. I’ve been busy, but not with anything super fun. Taking care of family members, working at my work-work.

    D.

  11. So amused by the number of comments to a blank post. We don’t need no stinkin’ prompt!

    I’ve been busy working on a non-fiction proposal that scares the bejeebers out of me, but it’s done (for now) and just got sent to my agent. Fingers crossed that she’ll take it on (and a publisher will buy it, but I’m focusing on one step at a time).

    I tried to do some quilting last weekend, but my sewing machine stopped dead mid-seam. At first, I thought it was the over-ride that shuts down the machine if it’s on the verge of over-heating (really hot day), but days later, and it’s still not working. Light is on, so there’s power, but neither the foot pedal nor the automated thread-cutter works. I guess I can’t complain too much — I’ve had it thirty years, and this is the first time it’s ever needed to go to the repair shop. (I clean and oil it regularly myself, and it’s a pretty basic machine, without too much that can go wrong with it.)

    1. This has happened before on the He Wrote/She Wrote blog. I swear I could just put up blank posts for years and you all would keep on talking. Good for you.

      I did add a whine up there now. I love this book, but I think it needs fresh eyes. If I can’t cut 25,000 words (that’s 100 pages) out of the middle two acts, I’m screwed. ARGH.

      1. Yep. You could count on me! I’m such a creature of habit. If it’s Wednesday, it must be time to reflect on the last seven day’s work, and if it’s Sunday, it must be time to be happy.

      2. I saw that “15000 words from Act 2” and thought OWCH. I think you know a lot of people who would love to be those fresh eyes, though. 🙂

        My work: tidied up front yard for 2.25 hours Monday evening. Collected congratulations from 3 separate neighbors on the vast improvement from last winter.

        Found another job to apply to. Waiting to hear from an agent who pinged me yesterday about a position on her list, 75% chance it’s something I’ve already been presented for. No idea why everything this year is trademarks, not patents.

        Arranged for waste service to pick up a big-ass heavy door that’s been trash in our back yard for almost 2 years. Hauled said heavy door to the curb this morning. That is my workout for the day.

        Writing away on novel #10. Novella #26 will launch this month and only needs a quick going-over with a polishing cloth.

      3. How do you find an editor or other person to do that, before it’s been accepted for publication?

        1. You can hire people, but I like real readers, not pros. If you talk with other people about fiction a lot, you’ve probably talked with people you trust.

  12. My first set of proofs only took three days; I’d turned down another last-minute job because I thought it’d be more like a week. So I’ve been working hard on my gardens: Sunday removing the worst of the weeds on the allotment and harvesting the blackcurrants; Monday researching roses at David Austin – which took all day and I’m still cogitating, but have posted half a dozen pix as requested (2 batches, the first of which is at https://www.instagram.com/p/BzvgXfknwGz/).

    The thing is, I’m after plants with character, exciting colour combinations and wonderful scent. That’ll flourish in my garden. And (all together) bring me delight throughout the year. It’s a small space, and shaded for a third of the year, so there’s a lot to juggle. Plus I want to grow new varieties, mostly, rather than ones I’ve already got dozens of photographs of.

    So apart from making blackcurrant compote (not bad, but I prefer damson, so probably won’t keep the bush), I’ve been deep in researching design and planting ideas, and have just transferred my 25,000-word Scrivener project to Word, where I find it easier to structure long research projects like this. Could really do with getting through this and on to the fun bits. But projects like this always seem to generate a maximum muddle stage.

    Hoping to go to Wollerton Old Hall tomorrow for more inspiration. And I wish I could relax and enjoy it all more, rather than wrestling so hard. The next two sets of proofs are due on Saturday.

    1. I love roses, and they just don’t grow well here. It’s probably because I don’t know HOW to keep them blooming. You’d be sad if I put up a picture of my scraggly, flowerless bushes.

      1. I daresay it’s down to planting ones that like your climate and soil; but then deadheading frequently and giving them a good mulch once or twice a year always helps.

  13. I canceled a writing contract today. I’ve been struggling with it off and on for a month. There is not enough material for the word count and I finally just said, “eff it, it’s not worth my time.” My client was very understanding and will look for other things for me, but she’s not my best-paying client so I’m not too worried. I do like her though. I offered to write outlines for her. I mean I can give her an outline with some meat in it!

    Really one 3000 word chapter was basically – Man rescues woman from airplane. Go.

    Maybe it’s just me, but that’s a lot of words to fill in. The next chapter was Man carries woman to safety. 3000 words. Go.

    Okay, there was an actual paragraph of about 250 words, but that’s what it boiled down to.

    Anyway, I’m proud of myself for quitting. I couldn’t face 200,000 words of that. I have a mystery client (Yay!) coming up next week and this week I’m altering umpteen bridesmaid dresses and the mother and aunt of the bride’s dresses. And making little tiny hearts and sewing them on the wedding dress.

    This I can do.

      1. Yep, written as a serial in 25,000-word increments. I’m fed up with shitty outlines. I’d much rather get paid to write my own!

    2. Can you possibly outline that book for her? 3000 words of Man Carries Woman to Safety would be . . . death.

  14. My husband left this morning on a mission, a quest, to get his license renewed. This will be his third attempt. What was all so easy a few years ago has turned into a flustercluck. In Massachusetts now you have to fill out an application front and back page, show three documents a birth certificate, social security card, barring that a document with SSI number and a picture ID. Yesterday he had gone to the DMV location only to find at least 40 to 50 people waiting with the ticket machine down and a supervisor telling them that he would give out numbers like at a deli and will be called. So he left and went to AAA only to find out there was a wait of 45 minutes and came home totally dejected but ready for another day. Working people must absolutely want to tear their hair out.

    1. That’s nuts. Here you go in, hand over your old license, get a new picture taken, get a temporary paper license, and go home. I think there’s only a form if you have to change your address or name or something like that. I could be wrong but I don’t remember getting my renewed license taking more than 15 minutes (granted I live in a very small place but there was no governmental circus to deal with).

      1. The problem (I think) is the “Real ID”. I could have gotten a regular Driver’s license renewal online – no waiting, no hassle, but without the paperwork and documentation, including two pieces of mail addressed to you at your current address from reputable sources, you can’t get the Real ID. That new ID is what is required to pass through airport security (unless you have a passport.) In North Carolina, we’ve got until November to get that Real ID before we can no longer board planes.

        When I went to get my renewal last month, I was armed with everything, including documentation of my name change, etc. Luckily, I’d already done that with the passport, so they didn’t even look at my marriage certificate. I do feel for those women who have always had the bills come in with their husband’s name on them. It will be much harder for them to come up with the other documentation for this.

        1. PS – It took me an hour of standing in line to get to the point where they would give me a number. I then sat in the waiting area for about 15 minutes. After talking with the officer behind the desk for 5 minutes, I had a new photo (ugh) and a paper license. The real one showed up in the mail about a week later.

    2. Here, you always have to go in, take a number, then wait for the receptionist who will then tell you the next line you have to take a number then stand in a different line, or if you are eligible to go the window with the short/or no line, which is applying for a handicap sticker and some licenses (motor bikes????, commercial driver’s license???, replacement vehicle registration, re-license your car??). Somedays, you only have to wait an hour; Somedays, it’s hell. I love living in a city but renewals are always difficult.

      1. This all sounds completely dotty to me. Haven’t you heard of the internet in the US? Or even snail mail? You only have to renew your driving license here if you change your address, or every few years if you’re over 70; but you do it by post or online. Last time I renewed my passport I took the form and back-up evidence to my local post office, who approved it and sent it off for me (I had to pay to renew it, of course).

        1. Here in Oregon, you only have to renew your driver’s license every eight years so you need a new picture anyway so you have to go in to DOT. Car licenses are renew every 4 or 5 years (I don’t remember) and once your car passes DEQ, you can either renew at DEQ or send the forms in.

          My Morgan is old enough that I don’t need DEQ so once I get it licensed, I will be able to do it on-line or by mail. But I WILL have to go through the process to get it registered and licensed since it hasn’t been street-worthy for 40 years. They will also do a manual inspection on a newly registered vehicle. And I took the paperwork in for the handicap placard for the times I needed to take my Mom someplace because I had to have the physician’s statement of need, and the DOT forms and I wanted to make sure there was no glitch. DOT not only does drivers licenses, it does all vehicle registrations: cars, motorcycles, boats.

          Passports go to the Feds and is a different system. I usually get AAA to assist with that.

          1. Passports are a breeze. They tell you on the website exactly what to bring with you, you can fill out the forms online, get the photo taken elsewhere and just turn it all in at the post office with the fee. Then all you have to do is sign and swear and wait 8 weeks for them to send it back. You can get it sooner if you already have a ticket and pay an extra fee.
            But the last time I got a state ID here in Illinois, they had changed the requirements for what papers to bring without changing the website.
            I sincerely hope they have changed it since then!

        2. I renewed my license online for years. (My last picture was from when I was 28. I replaced it last year when I was 58. Mind you, I look *exactly* the same. lol) But now we are going to have to switch to an “Enhanced” license which will enable you to fly and also cross the border into Canada and Mexico without a passport. Different states are requiring this in different years, but for the flying, people are all going to need them soon. That’s a much more complicated process and can’t be done online.

          1. I did mine online as well, using the previous picture. It says it expires in 2027. I hope to need to renew it then. The enhanced card was optional this year. I used to fly all the time. I don’t think you could get me on a plane, now. Trains, yes. Buses, maybe. Cars, of course, as long as I have a list of restrooms to stop at. No planes.

            The Commonwealth of Virginia is proud of streamlining the DMV experience. I’ve been in and out in no time, the last ten years.

    3. My husband was so giddy after getting his license renewed (Yay) he went and got an inspection sticker for the car. Practically a twofer.

    4. Just forty-five minutes?!? That’s nothing here in California. I make an appointment (coming up September 3rd), but still expect to wait. And wait.

  16. Bathroom cleaned. Lawn mowed. Adulting left to do. (One phone call and a little bit of paperwork, is that so hard to accomplish? I think I’ll eat lunch first. ) before I get into the next craft project.
    The project is a small needlepoint done with embroidery floss. I’m at the separate the colors stage (Dusty mauve? dark Mauve? dark rose? rose? light rose? etc. with the number of strands included of minimal help).

  17. Trying to go no mail now that it’s summer hols, but that’s not working and am now installed as chief caretaker for the summer. Sigh. Outgoing head has been shuffled off early by school governors, senior deputy is busy preparing for well-earned retirement, so am holding fort until new head arrives mid-August.

    Starting major edit of discovery draft of over long WIP and my beta readers have given great feedback.

  18. Just sent out a new nonfiction book proposal to Llewellyn (I deal with them directly except for contract stuff) and to my agent.

    Now on to the next novel.

    Got very little else done today, except an energy healing session on my regular weekly client. Much work will be accomplished after dinner, I’m sure.

  19. I sent the chicken book to my agent on Tuesday night, and the dear creature read it immediately and phoned me yesterday morning with lots of positive comments. Today she’s calling my publisher about it, and presumably sending it to her, so I’m working hard on neither hoping nor despairing, and also finding something else to write while I wait for an answer.

  20. In a slump, with my reading and crafting…my abandoned knitting projects are judging me (So I’ve been in this bag how long…)

    then saw the innocent hats patterns online.

    Made one tiny basic hat, so small no pressure, I need a refresher on how to make pom poms, but it is done, I made one thing, it is complete.
    Now the knitting will take me to the next thing

  21. Helped someone revise a letter and made a clarifying phone call for paperwork I may or may not finish tonight.

    Cleaned so much in my house (for me).

    Need to upload changes to the WIP so my co-author can see where/how we are filling in the gaps.

    Doing another letter for someone.

    Oh, probably more laundry.

    Dinner with girlfriend. ❤️

    Writing.

    SLEEP.

  22. Have been trying to cope with severe anemia and then found out I have non-Hodgkins lymphoma. In April, my husband announced that he “wasn’t happy” which translated into “I have been having an affair for quite some time while you have been too ill to go anywhere”. So now, after 43 years of marriage, I am packing my belongings and moving to be close to my son and his family. Thank goodness I have help to pack and my son found a place for me to rent. I am leaving him to God and my lawyer and will concentrate on my health and 2 grandchildren.

    1. That is a hell of a lot to cope with. So sorry. 🙁 Hope & trust all the non-shitheaded members of your family rally round to help you resettle and get the care you need. <3

    5. What a rough Spring. I sincerely hope you are happier without that bum and are walking with at least half of everything including IRA’s and pensions. And you come from a state that will make him give you alimony.

    6. Oh my god. Sharon, that’s horrible. And kind of exciting. New life! And without that bastard, too.

    7. I’m so sorry this happened to you! He sounds like a similar personality to my father. Good call on getting a lawyer to help!!!

    8. Argh. I’m sorry that you’re being towered.

      You go!! Get yourself the love and care you deserve.

      1. Sharon I’m so sorry about your health and your husband (who I hope was a good husband until he lost his mind and his morals). Good luck with the move and the medical stuff and I hope your lawyer is fabulous.

  23. You know, I’m struggling to manage this new job. I’m taking work home every night, and that’s apparently not supposed to be required. Debating changing my schedule from four to five appointments a day to three or four, but it feels like I’m not pulling my weight. Fifteen minutes between calls is not enough, but if it’s not a call, it’s a meeting. How does a day disappear with four calls, or even three!? Yesterday I created a tracking score card, so I could see what I still had left to do, and that helped immensely. Tonight, time willing, I’m drafting some template of all notes that need to be done, so I can try and fill them out during the call. Then, copy and paste, boom, done! Our system is not efficient, I’m discovering. … and my dog feels emotionally deprived from lack of attention. Le Sigh….

    1. Did you watch Pepe le Pew cartoons as a kid? Your “le sigh” reminds me of the cats he tried to woo. lol.

      1. The first link worked for me, despite not being on Facebook (although I am on Instagram). The second link was tricky to exit from – all my fears of Facebook as a sinister trap must be true. But the room looks great. Looking forward to the art it encourages.

  26. Im celebrating other peoples work. The friend i stay with during hospital appoints is comingnup tomorrw for a conference on DNA in geneology. She is bring a quilt i left there to be completed so next week, I’ll have something pretty to post (i hope. I havent seen it yet and they talked me into quilting it with teal thread, so i am slightly nervous) she and my husband will do geneology during the day and then we will take her out for duck nachos.
    The youth from my church came today to tackle my yard. They worked for an hour and a half and got most of it done. My church people have been very supportive over the last couple of months. They keep showing to help and asking for more suggestions. I worry about running them off at some point, but some people like concrete things to do when you face the scarey stuff. I am just so incredibly grateful for them.

    2. It helps to have something concrete to do when faced with something we can’t control. If I can’t wish your disease away, at least when I mow your lawn, I can see how I’ve helped. And I feel a little less powerless.

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