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Working Wednesday: Back to the Book

Things have finally quieted down here, so I’m getting back to normal, which means working on Arresting Anna which might end up being Joan of Art, plus the second book, Stealing Nadine. While telling Bob that he can’t have a spaceship in New Jersey. Well, it’s a living.

What did you work on this week?

64 Responses

  1. I’ve been enjoying the sunny, warm weather. Fall seems to coming slowly to my area. Tomatoes are still ripening. I’m a fair weather baseball fan so watching the Blue Jays.

  3. I am so excited to see these books nearer publication. Agnes is my favourite book but Maybe This Time is a close second. I find it’s fairly easy to choose your favourite top 10 books (or series) but 10 to 15 it gets trickier. I’ve found it handy to have a top 15 list for movies, books, TV and music to call upon when meeting new people. Most people have favourites in at least one of these categories and they’re good conversation starters if things go quiet and awkward. Things drop off the list as new discoveries are made but I like old favourites. Art can be good too but it is not as universal a topic. There is someone on sociall media called My Art Broker and she asks people if they could own any work of art what would it be and why. There are the usual Mona Lisa, Monet, Van Gogh answers but some of them are artists I’ve never heard. I love to hear of creative things that people are passionate about.

    2. I was just on Instagram and a photo of Barbie with many cute crocheted clothes popped up under your name. Too cute.

  5. I’m back from visiting my parents and my sister, along with my other sister (who lives on this side of the country for now, but will be moving out there to help with my parents). It was a good trip, but it was definitely work. Still, my mom is recovering well from her surgery and very much enjoyed being the center of attention for her 88th birthday (2 birthday lunches and a brunch, with various grandchildren and all three of her girls together, which never happens, so that’s good).

    Also, THANK YOU SO MUCH for Agnes and the Hitman, my no-idea-how-many-times reread of which got me across the country in both directions, and through to this morning. I love that book so much.

    Now I’m working on catching up with all kinds of writing business, plus getting my chimney replaced. Fun times. Hopefully I’ll start writing a flash fiction later today.

  6. I am glad you are doing better, Jenny.

    I finally feel like I am hitting a groove with the new day job. This is my first week solo and my head finally feels like it has stopped spinning at the influx of new information. I didn’t think I was particularly stressed, but I had a bunch of minor physical symptoms that I didn’t associate with the change that are starting to settle down too. I never notice that I am depressed until it eases, although all the signs are there of not picking up the house and little chores, not reading, downloading too many crappy free books… I know my patterns after the fact. Ah well.

    The teller line has tapped me for coverage for the last two days because someone had to rush their dog to the emergency vet. I want to help my old team and said yes, but I am annoyed with management that they asked and put the tellers in this situation, because it was able to be avoided.

    So I am buying myself a little treat. Perfume sample sets are my weakness. I commit to full bottles of very few, but I am a sucker for a good marketing gimmick. So I bought this limited edition sample set from Heretic Perfume that is based off of different types of ghosts. It came on Monday and I am really happy with the first two scents. They are subtle and gender neutral and not overly sweet. So I think that I will go back for the Season of the Witch bundle, even though it will take me forever to get through what I already have and perfume does go bad eventually. I do gift or resell the ones that don’t suit me, but I like to change up scents every day or so and my stash is getting a bit excessive.

      1. Thanks! Me too. I feel like I am coming back to myself after a long absence. It’s mostly little things, like putting away the clean laundry instead of letting it sit in the basket, or not impulse buying nearly as much. Or noticing that the floor is crunchy underfoot. It’s funny how you don’t notice the slip and slide downhill. I definitely waited too long.

      1. It makes sense, doesn’t it? Scents are memory and lingering and hard to put your finger on…

    4. Well done you for getting through the scary stage of changing jobs and starting to feel confident and at home in the new situation! And now you can leave scent-ghosts in every room you’ve been in with actual names tied to them. That’s a fun little detail for this month! “Lupe was here, and so was *insert ghost-perfume name*”. <3 I guess there isn't a May Archer-perfume in that set…? 🙂 (Would any of us want to/dare to wear it if there was?! And what would it smell like?)

  7. My energy’s been unreliable, so it’s been a rather scattered week. I’ve done a bit of proof-reading, but need to have a blitz on it. Also started The Artist’s Way, thirty years after the first time I did it. I offered to do it alongside a friend’s daughter, but after telling me she’d started on Friday, I suspect she hasn’t actually begun. Anyway, it’s been fun so far – though I could do without morning pages destroying my early starts. Took myself on an artist’s date, hunting for conkers and colourful leaves: https://www.instagram.com/p/DPg1AF1DN0s/

    Today’s a gardening day, though what with morning pages and my daily walk, I’ve only managed half an hour at the allotment so far. Hoping to sort stuff in the garden this afternoon.

      2. Wow. I always love your photography, but usually the Girls in the Basement don’t yell at me for a whole series “Make Fabric Art From This!” The leaf veins are turning into embroidery before my eyes.

  8. Algis Budrys wrote quite a decent novel, Hard Landing, about an alien spaceship landing in NJ. Sections of Heinlein’s Have Spacesuit, Will Travel also involve spaceships in NJ, come to think of it. But I agree that one would not fit easily into Jenny and Bob’s present series as described.

    1. Not to mention the War of the Worlds – set in New Jersey. (And Buckaroo Banzai fighting aliens in New Jersey)

  9. Car with new battery is so far behaving, knock wood. Am awaiting final outcome (expected shipment of fresh tests) of hassle with my pharmacy when they unintentionally issued me, on my insurance, expired covid home tests for future use. Will be happier when that is settled with tests exchanged.

  11. It’s tech week. I’m trying to work on finishing Halloween costumes. I have two days of a classroom lab to do at work.

  12. I spent the majority of my weekend working on finishing my crochet blanket. There are no loose ends now, and I think it looks good, but I’m wondering about doing some blocking so it gets more square. I’ll turn it in to the State Fair on Saturday.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/DPi0uGTjkIo/?img_index=1

    And Charlie decided he needed to model while I took that picture. I’ve also included pictures of he and Teddy, laying on the bed with me. And a picture of Charlie post-surgery yesterday. He came through it like a champ, and is currently sleeping off the pain meds.

    I also included a picture of a little green anole I named Mabel. She startled me when I walked by her in the garage, as she tried to get out of sight. Of course, she’s hanging out on a bright orange ladder, so not quite as camouflaged as she might like. I asked DH if he wanted to catch her and put her back outside. When he came back, his only comment was “she’s fast!”. So, I’ll assume Mabel is still living her best life in the garage, snacking on whatever bugs came in there with her.

    2. Triple and Matcha are wishing Charlie a speedy recovery and hope he gets lots and lots of treats and hugs and scritches!

  13. Got my covid and flu vax yesterday, and I seem to be having a stronger reaction than usual (headache, fatigue, nothing serious), so I’m not working, just lounging about, listening to audiobooks that don’t appeal, so I return them and get another and listen for a while and send it back to the library.

    One book, in particular, is annoying me, but I’m trying to keep going with it, not returning it, giving it second/third/etc. chances, because I’ve liked the author’s books a lot in the past, and they tend to start really slowly with five million words of backstory (recaps of previous books), so I just need to get past that to the actual story. This is the first time I’ve listened to a book in the series in audio, and the narrator has a generally excellent reputation, but it’s just not working for me, and I don’t know why. It bugged me even before I got my vax, so I can’t blame it on being under the weather.

    Meanwhile, my carpal tunnel flare is appreciating the break, but I’m anxious about 1) finishing the last quilt UFO before my unheated studio is unuseable, and 2) the possibility of a killing frost tomorrow night, with six tons of still-ripening tomatoes on the vines.

    1. I’m not sure if you’re presently at a stage where skipping chapters might help, if they’re just recap or extraneous info, but I’ve sometimes found that helpful with audiobooks. Granted, it’s a bit more of a hassle than it is in print books.

  14. My main job has become going to appointments. Which means taxing my resident son with driving me there. So far, no big results in the way of improving my eyesight. The Opthalmologist said yesterday, “It’s only been 6 weeks.” They have been a very long 6 weeks. Time when I have been unable to do anything I enjoy. My balance is getting better, with therapy.

    I’m glad life is improving for you, Jenny. The new titles sound good.

    1. Jan, I’m sorry that the vision problem is so far remaining. I know well the situation where one’s main job consists of appointments. I hope yours ease off.

    3. I’m happy to hear balance is improving, Jan, but so sorry to hear you’re having vision-troubles. If things don’t improve, or get worse, on that front and I can do anything to support with tips or tricks or pocket hugs or general cheering on, please don’t hesitate to reach out. <3 But as they said: It's "only" (bah!) been six weeks (do they honestly have NO concept of time?), so let's hope things will start improving. Speedily. Like, about now. At once. <3
      Put a new batch of hugs in your pockets, for whenever needed. It's great how those things just jump over to whatever pocket the person is wearing at the moment of need. Even invisible pockets. Incredible things, pocket hugs.

  15. I’m doing a lot of yeoman’s work which means I’ve got The Good Wife in the background, since I’ve seen it before and don’t have to pay much attention to it. Trying to figure out why the last two seasons aren’t as good. Two reasons I think: 1) not as many court cases and instead more focus on all the stuff going on outside the court, and 2) no Josh Charles who left to go make his fortune in Hollywood and instead made a terrible French film Bird People which made him sound and look robotic, as French films are want to do.

    1. One of my favorites on The Good Wife is Matthew Goode aka Fin. He also stars in Discovery of Witches. And the good wife herself plays a lesbian in a relationship with Reese Witherspoons character.

  16. Glad things are settling down, Jenny.

    I’ve been slowly extending my daily walk and can now reach the Milwaukee River–where today I saw salmon splashing through the water! Keeping that image with me as I swim through the latest round of client changes on a social media project.

  17. I am working on managing my hip pain and getting at least key deadlines met for day job.

    My biggest achievement may have been getting a basket of clean sheets up from basement to second floor bedroom. Pushing three trash cans to curb is also a contender. DH returns from Chile tomorrow but heads for Panama Tuesday for five days. Hopefully he can manage to do a lot of the once a week chores before he goes. I finally told him I think he has to shorten his trip to Europe in November —some things he has to do but he can skip visiting the friend with Alzheimer’s even though it also means missing visiting DD. I have coped with a wide range of medical problems over the years ( if I need hip replacement it will be my 18th surgery, but many didn’t really slow me down like 5 gum surgeries) and this is the first time I have had to say I need you to change your work travel just because of pain pre surgery. He always did it for the surgeries that we couldn’t plan around his travel and for babies without my asking—this is a measure of the level of pain not of DH.
    It’s harder to manage also because normally I would ask my neighbors for small favors but he had bypass surgery Monday and she’s taking care of him.

    2. Oh dear, what an overwhelming load to handle. Sending strength and pockets hugs and hope things will turn to the better soon.

  18. I haven’t really done much but I have paid for a lot of people’s work. We had the air ducts cleaned and appointments for new windows, roof repairs and brick repointing. The joys of a “new to me” old house. This is in addition to paying to fix the garage door, do the yard, and haul the remaining trash from the house we are trying to sell.
    This week is my Mom’s funeral and next week is traveling to the old house to pick up the leftovers and holiday decorations.
    Looking forward to November when I don’t have to travel and might possibly have money, unless something else breaks.

    2. …Wow. Kudos to you for not going crazy having to handle all of that.
      My condolences on the passing of your mother. <3 Sending lots of strength to help carry you through the coming extra-heavy time. Hugs!

  19. Today is the last day and the painters will have finished the outside of the house. It looks great but I can hardly stand how long it has taken. And the awning guy came by today to drop off color samples. Tomorrow the contractor is back to start dealing with the dry rot we discovered on the deck. And hopefully sometime in this decade he will install the primary bedroom windows that he rebuilt and said were ready 4 weeks ago. The cleaning crew comes in an hour so I have to finish getting my junk out of their way.

    Under new skills, yesterday I figured out how to restart the tankless gas hot water heater without blowing up the house or the neighborhood (after the painter accidentally triggered a fault event) and I successfully installed the battery charger on my Morgan. And I dealt with a cleaning some of DH’s respirator machines which I am still learning how to do.

    Woot Woot. I rock.

    3. Not blowing up the neighbourhood is a very underestimated and incredibly practical skill to have. 🙂 Go you! (And, the frustrations are understandable. Argh! Glad to hear things are close to be finished.)

  20. School – Grades are due, my new class started, and band is in full swing. Being a band parent is intense, and I love it, but whew! Busy. Glad you are working on all the favorite stories!

  21. Had a minor eye procedure-plugs in my tear ducts-which is supposed to help my dry eye, got blood work and managed to get to 2 meetings on time. Yay! Tomorrow is easier, just a hair cut and one meeting.

    Still need to schedule a trip to the groomer for Pixie and get her to the vet for a bunch of shots and her wellness exam.

    Got to get it all in because after ignoring me for decades, I have been summoned to jury duty. That’s now 3 times for the county and once for federal. I’ve aged-out of federal now but have some years before I can opt out of the county. I really shouldn’t complain because there’s never been anything on the docket so I’ve never actually had to report.

    Looking forward to No Kings rallies and only hope that there’s a large and safe turnout.

  22. I guess my work was requesting time off work. I was saving up to days in case I moved. Then we decided not to move until next spring.

    I requested 70 hours off from now until the end of the year. I will still have 56 hours to rollover to next year. And I’m losing 14 hours. I just couldn’t find any more slots on the pto calendar. I wish they would pay me for the hours I can’t use but they won’t.

  23. I’m supposed to be writing my weekly publishing news roundup but I stopped to think of all the fakes in Faking It and how they could morph into Book titles for the new series. I cannot wait to read it!! Characters from Faking It and Maybe this time might make an appearance and I love them all. – I have been on a Crusie Mayer binge lately and reread everyone of your books again for the 5 th and 6th time each. (probably more.) I just love the genius of Faking it. Book titles could be fakes, forgeries or riffs on famous artists- or paintings- the scream, Mona’s smile, Monet Money, right enough bad alliteration back to work

    1. Maureen – it was a little thrill that Gabe from Fast Women was in Maybe This Time. Ms Crusie is so clever that way!

  24. I didn’t do anything of note. Just posting to say “I ATEN’T DED” and wish everyone a good day, good month, or even good year.

    {{{{ARGHERS}}}}

  25. I know it’s no longer Working Wednesday, but since I’m still a Furloughed FedTM, dates no longer have meaning. One thing I’ve been reassured about is that I will have no difficulty being retired. Being able to live on my own schedule (I.e., night owl) is so nice.

    I’ve also made serious inroads into the mess of my house. I really do prefer a neat and uncluttered environment, but lack the will to clean after a full day of work. It’s almost reached the stage of “not embarrassing,” which is excellent.

About the Author

Jennifer Crusie is the New York Times, USA Today, and Publisher’s Weekly bestselling author and co-author of twenty-three novels, one book of literary criticism, miscellaneous articles, essays, novellas, and short stories, and the editor of three essay anthologies. She lives in a cottage in Pennsylvania, where she often stares at the ceiling and counts her blessings.

Find out more about Jenny’s published works by visiting JennyCrusie.com

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