Working Wednesday, July 15, 2020

~ Jenny

Well, obviously, I have not been working on this blog. SORRY. But I’m getting my act together now for sure. Probably.

Tell me what you did this week. Let me succeed vicariously.

66 thoughts on “Working Wednesday, July 15, 2020”

  1. I did my Italian presentation on Saturday. It did not go. . . super well (technical difficulties and I definitely should have practiced it a few more times), but the teacher and students were all very sweet and I never felt flustered even though it could have gone better. And I passed! Whew!

    Plugging away on the fic. My brain seems to crave a lot of new music right now. Listening to a lot of BBC Live Lounge Covers and Triple J Like a Version (both are radio shows where musicians cover someone else’s song live) on YouTube to get the right feel. I don’t know why, I’ve always loved cover versions of songs. I feel like if it’s good, I usually end of seeing the artist and the song in a new way.

    I’ve been trying to do one or two small housework things a day (with some success). Things that might happen today,a good long run and making cookies. We’ll see.

  2. I wrote a short bit of Murderbot romance fanfic and then gulped and posted it. It’s the first time I’ve done that and I was pretty nervous. But I really enjoyed writing it. My day job seems to have sucked the fun out of writing lately and this made it fun again, which was great.

    If anyone’s interested, it’s here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25276249. Warning: spoilers for Network Effect.

  3. I made an eight-color potholder.

    No! Please! No standing ovations — I did what I had to do because the world needed it.

    (It turned out very nicely if I do say so myself.)

    (I think I just did.)

    Potholders — who knew?

    1. Potholders are awesome and really, you can never have enough as far as I’m concerned. They’re never around when you need them.

    2. Plus, the ones I have are slowly disintegrating. I definitely need more potholders!

  4. Sweet FA. It’s school holidays, which means I’m super busy acheiving nothing. And the work piles up around me. Feeling agitated.

    Also, not helped by staying up till 2 finishing Network Effect. Oh my god, I thought I loved Murderbot before, but I LOVED this. I want to say All The Things, but spoilers. I’ve waited all this time for the library copy, finished and turned around and bought it because I’ll need my own copy now.

    Also, belatedly realised Murderbot is (maybe, imo) like a Crusie MC?Angry, competent, and saving everyone. No wonder we all (?) love it.

    1. I adored Network Effect. I’ve read it over and over. It’s worth it for the Murderbot/ART fights alone.

  5. I actually did a little bit of sewing over the weekend. My quilt group has been working on a pandemic project, where each week, someone new presents a block and instructions, and we get together virtually to sew them up. Saturday was the final meeting of that project – so if I get caught up with the two blocks I missed, I’ll have 12 blocks, which will be a good sized quilt. Bonus points, I was using leftover pieces from other projects that happened to be lying close to my hand when I started.

    I also got a thumbs up from the surgeon’s office yesterday, and official permission to get back to what I used to be doing, so my two weeks of sitting around inside (don’t exercise! don’t go outside too much! don’t lift more than 10 lbs! don’t raise your hands above your shoulders!) is done. I celebrated by taking a walk in the neighborhood this morning before it got too hot and then reveling in my first real shower in the month of July!

    On a more somber note, this past week my 4 year old great niece was diagnosed with a very rare form of liver cancer. The plan was to have surgery, followed by chemo, so I decided to make her a snuggly blanket since I find hospitals to be very cold. I started that on Sunday. Yesterday, the surgery was aborted because they found that things were worse inside her. They stitched her back up and will let her heal for a couple of days before starting the chemo in hopes that it will shrink things to where surgery can be attempted again. So, I’m on the clock to get this done for her. I’m probably halfway. My goal is to be finished this weekend, so she can have it as soon as possible. Prayers and good vibes, etc greatly appreciated.

      1. You’re allowed to be down. Really hope your niece’s treatment works. And a snuggly blanket for her sounds excellent.

      2. Keep the faith. As rough as they can be, the treatments do work. She’ll love getting a present made just for her.

    3. Sending more good energies for your niece’s treatment. And great cat picture.

    9. I’m so sorry, Nancy. What dreadful news. Cancer sucks. Cancer in children…should be against the law. Sending lots of good vibes.

      But yay for your good news.

    10. Oh, god, four years old. Sending all the good vibes in the world to her. And to you.

  6. I finished the Orwell proofs yesterday, and have been promised an edit for next week. Which I need, but which I fear is also going to be depressing: it’s about economic imperialism, arguing the international system is fundamentally racist (I think; the managing editor didn’t know much more than the author and title).

    So today I’m brainstorming how to market myself to new clients, in the hope of getting work (longer term) on illustrated books, preferably gardening titles. This is especially tricky at the moment, of course, when people are working from home. Still, it’s worth a go.

    Also working on sorting out my fiction project: I need to disentangle two or three heroes from a pile of fragments accumulated over the years. I confused myself by coming up with a new character I want to stick with – I need to decide whether he’s really one of my existing people in disguise.

  7. Taxes done, one day early! Such a stud.
    Went to the doctor for the shoulder issue, got a cortisone injection in the joint. Not sure it will do the final trick, but much more comfortable, and sleeping better.
    Was going to put away the watercolors, but maybe I can leave them out do some gentle painting.

  8. Half work, half gardening and housework. Feeling antsy. Million things on the list to do and want to do.

  9. Finished a writing job that had been hanging over my head. Feels good!

    Did the weekly dusting/swiffering/straightening. Looks nice!

    Switched my daily index card art from jug sketches to abstract splats. What a mess!

      1. I’m a lot better. It was just one of those things.

        But I am enormously behind on the blog comments. If anybody asked me anything and I didn’t get back to them, ask again.

  10. Just plain working. And continuing to not do anything extra except eat. Though my for-work-breakfast muffins came out better than I thought, so they hit both activities.

  11. Cleaning two classrooms (mine and my colleague’s) of old resources. I swear, some of the worksheets were yellowed with age and may have been there since 1996 or EARLIER!!!!

    Redid my pin boards. Remaking charts. Moving charts in both classes to make things flow better.
    Maybe pics tomorrow. Maybe not.

  12. Went to the doctor! First time out of my condo in weeks; it felt wonderful to get out. Got treated, got medicine, already feeling better. Now to finish the taxes (why yes, procrastination IS my middle name.)

  13. I took today off from work so I could go pick blueberries. It ‘s the only really nice day of the week weather-wise and we are reasonably staffed enough that I won’t be missed too much. So this morning I headed out and picked 9 lbs of berries. Afterwards I ran a couple of errands, went for a short hike in a local park and am now happily ensconced in my hammock swing with a beverage, a book or two, and a couple of cats for company. The lawn needs to be mown but that can de done later after I have finished relaxing.

  14. Took dinner to friends who just had a baby and left it on the porch in their cooler. Didn’t get to see them or the baby but they texted a pic of themselves eating the dinner. 🙂

  15. I started walking/ jogging in the morning, after I read and drink my coffee, but before I do anything else. I cannot afford therapy, and luckily it is not a necessity for me. But I can afford to prioritize fresh air and exercise every day.

  16. Trimmed some hedges (they are actualy the neighbors, but they cut my grass on that side and I trim the hedge). Cleaned the bathroom. Started tacking the insulation in the basement ceiling that is coming down (it’s been there for 40 years and the paper is just not holding-duct tape to the rescue). And the old car is scheduled to be picked-up tomprrow. So far, so good.
    And, maybe, I’ll cast on and do a couple of rows of a small afghan.
    And iced tea-mint and decaf green,

  17. Word of the day: titivate. verb. make small enhancing alterations to (something).

    I looked around the man cave and titivated. Those eleven empty Corona bottles on the window sill? (so sixties!) Recycled, along with an accumulation of Amazon shipping materials, especially the cardboard. Ran the Swiffer over all the walls, especially where the spiders were taking advantage of my inattention.

    Finished the reread of the Wearing the Cape series.
    Finished the reread of the Penric and Desdemona stories.
    Started the reread of the Murderbot Diaries. I’m in Exit Strategies now.

    Sat down at the mini computer #1, loaded the Murderbot diaries into Calibre, took the results and loaded it into Mobipocket Creator, and vwa-la! Now I have a single file with all of the stories, very convenient. It takes up just one entry in my Mobipocket Reader library. (Personal use only.)

  18. Taxes done (!) and I’m about to go mail them (there was a glitch that wouldn’t let me e-file 🙁 ), started Closet Purge II – Return of the Hefty Bag (lockdown has made me realize just how much stuff I definitely won’t wear once we get to Portugal), and continue work on my Color Affection shawl. The rows are getting longer (it’s crescent-shaped, so it’s growing) and I’m loving my color choices. I’ve ordered longer circular needles since it’s getting pretty squished on my 32″ ones, and will post a shot once it’s no longer so squished.

  19. Very busy at work doing nothing creative. My reward this evening will be the new Psych movie which starts streaming on Peacock today. Because we needed another streaming service…

    BTW, have we talked about the Leverage reboot?

    1. We have not. There’s a Leverage reboot? Why do they always insist on trying to replicate perfection? (Please see: MacGyver reboot and Magnum P.I. reboot.)

        1. Noah Wylie? Rats.

          So what happened to Nate? In the show I mean. I know what happened in real life.

    2. I saw something about it and then nothing else. I’ll believe it when I see it.
      No Nate, though. They’re being cagey, but he wasn’t asked back, and what I’ve read about it is really bad.

      1. I don’t know how they’re going to handle Nate’s absence. Except I won’t like it.

        I want more Leverage, but maybe a magical season they filmed and forgot about that someone finds in a digital archive and releases.

      2. What did I miss about Nate? I got through the first couple of seasons (because of Argh) and loved it, but somehow wandered away. I need to wander back.

        1. You didn’t miss anything about Nate; he and Sophie retired together.

          Timothy Hutton got accused of sexual imposition and possibly rape (I can’t remember the exact charges) and he was not invited back to the reboot.

  20. I should actually be in bed now according to daily schedule from specialist, but I had PROMISED myself to return to all you wonderful cherries, so… Here I am. Will try to be, anyway.

    I’ve been fighting increasing depression, generalized anxiety, social anxiety and doubled exhaustion since February…which also means I have 5 months worth of posts to catch up on. Still working on this. Specialist is trying to fix my sleep, but thus far we’ve had little to no success with this. 🙁

    I’ve also been crafting…as a part of my therapy/recovery, and luckily I found myself enjoying it again. Partly due to you ladies asking about it a couple of years ago and recent encouraging from family and friends, I’ve also created an Instagram account to post my putterings on. You can find me there as @shasscrafts
    I post the same pictures, just with shorter captions, on my Twitter: @shassmusic

    I’ve really REALLY missed hanging out here. This is a safe place. I just…haven’t been able to. I hope this will change this instant. I also hope you are all doing as well as the current circumstances allow, that you stay safe and healthy and wear masks when you go outside.

    Much Love!

      1. Thank you! <3 I was not OK at all there for a while, but I will be. Doing my best! 🙂 Luckily at least I had the sense to request help as soon as I felt things were going pearshaped*. So I have proffessional support.

        * What pears have to do with it I still haven't figured out, but it's an interesting expression.

    3. Shass, we’ll be here when you want us. No worries. Just take care of yourself, please.

      1. Thank you so much. <3 I always wanna hang out here, I just haven't been able to mentally or energywise. I hope I'll manage it more from now on, I've really missed all of you.

  21. I have finally started to make serious progress on my second cozy mystery. I don’t know about other authors, but some books are easy in the beginning and then get tough, and others start off with a bang and then I have to fight to keep them going in the middle. I don’t know why. But I am relieved that it is finally moving along, since it is due October 1st. Gulp.

    It has been 90 here on and off for almost 3 weeks, which is almost unheard of in upstate NY. (Low 80’s are more normal for summer.) When it isn’t broiling, it is raining. So the garden has gone to hell, even the parts the chipmunks haven’t been devouring, the little thieves. They ate the corn seeds when I planted them, the peas as soon as they got ripe, and every tomato that is starting to get ripe. I am beginning to feel like that guy in Caddyshack who started a war with a groundhog. Except there are dozens of chipmunks and only one of me. Ah, well. Life these days is full of all sorts of frustrations. I suppose this one is fairly small in comparison. But man, I WORKED SO HARD on that garden.

    On the bright side, if I can’t go outside, I guess there is more time for writing…

    1. This is making me feel much better about my slugs, sparrows and mice. Chipmunks sound like real garden wreckers!

      1. They’re the devil. And not in a nice, cute Lucifer kind of way. Also, I meant that to say some started off hard and then picked up in the middle. Oy.

    2. I have been having a similar problem…are your chipmunks making the trek to my garden? 😉

    3. I gave up on a garden this year and decided to just clean everything up for next year. Slowly. So I can still laugh when I see chipmunks scampering around. We have babies all over the place here. I had to slow for a baby bear who was just ambling across the road the other day, and the number of spindly legged fawns following mom deed around is bigger than ever. Such a great reason to go slow. The Awwww Factor is huge.

  22. Celebrated my birthday on Monday with Chinese food, an unusual treat these days. Was able to e-file tax returns yesterday after wrestling with TurboTax — I get twitchy when a 1099 form has a number in a box that TurboTax ignores. But it’s done. The computer store decided that my motherboard was completely shot and it’s too old to replace, so they gave me my hard drives and sold me a reader for them. This seems far preferable to the usual practice of backing up hard drives to a file format that the replacement computer can’t read (I squawked at length about this, since I have some medical files and some ICE-related legal files that I can’t lose, and they’re stored where their program wants to put them, not where Windows expects to find them). Now I need to figure out what I want to replace the old one with. I am wondering whether a basic requirement is that a couple of energetic, athletic cats can’t knock over!

  23. I started a new writing project this week. It’s fun and not too long so I won’t get bored with it before it’s done.

    I’m unhappy with my place of employment – I know, same old story. When am I not discontent with the 9-5? The communication in that place sucks, plus we are reopening despite COVID. Vibes for a new job would be welcome.

    The garden is producing THINGS although the birds ate the strawberries when I wasn’t looking. It was worth it to watch them cavorting in the drip tray – wish I’d gotten a picture of that!

  24. Someone else’s work — what I cannot help but assume was _Welcome to Temptation_ in real life. I mean, they certainly don’t mention the murders or the hood of the car, but I have been Crusied. Anyway, a cheerful story of a small town holding it together and a woman doing the work:

    https://www.seattletimes.com/pacific-nw-magazine/twisp-mayor-soo-ing-moodys-leadership-through-3-devastating-disasters-has-forged-an-inspiring-sense-of-community-shared-purpose-and-resiliency/

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