Happy Labor Day
- September 07, 2020
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Today is Labor Day in the U.S., a holiday that celebrates workers. A special shout-out to those in the healthcare field!
Happy Holiday!
Feeling Lazy
- August 31, 2020
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Have a good week!
Writers, Do You Need to Visit?
- August 24, 2020
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Dorothy Gilman, author of the Mrs. Pollifax spy series, was agoraphobic at one point. When I read that, I was shocked. Her Mrs. Pollifax has traveled everywhere, from Turkey to China to Albania.
Middle-Earth: Respite in Rivendell
- August 17, 2020
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Perfect place. Music, poetry, food. Even archery practice! Met a charming elderly Hobbit who said his nephew was going to visit and wanted me to meet him but understood that I need to leave before the weather turns.
Postcard by ErikaRaeHeins at Etsy. Buy it here (it’s a set).
A Fast Hurricane
- August 10, 2020
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Hope everyone has their power back after the hurricane that hit the East Coast in the U.S. (and the storms that followed it). I lucked out. There were lights flickering but I didn’t lose power, unlike others.
When I finally ventured outside a couple of days later, there were neat piles of tree branches lining the sidewalk all up the block.
Here’s hoping for nice and peaceful weather.
Hey Writers, What Happens If You Quit Writing?
- August 03, 2020
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Let’s say you write a book and get it published. And sales aren’t good and no one really seems to care. And while you know that you write to keep your soul alive, writing to give other people enjoyment is also important (as are sales—let’s be honest). There’s a symbiotic energy that flows between writers and readers and when it works it’s the best thing in the world.
Writers, Are You Exercising?
- July 27, 2020
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We all know the benefits of working out. And almost everyone I’ve spoken with recently has bemoaned the extra poundage that showed up on the scale. It’s time to fix that.
I love to dance, and found many YouTube vids that allow me to customize my workout, moving from ballet to belly dancing to cutting loose with rock n roll. And if I get bored, I can find new vids to work out to.
But I was looking forward to hitting the archery range this summer and that’s where I hit a snag. Fortunately, there are ways to work around that. No, I didn’t set up a range inside my apartment no matter how much I was tempted. I could see things going very, very wrong. Once again, it’s YouTube to the rescue. I’ve discovered vids showing exercises for archers by using stretch bands. Not the same thing, of course, but it keeps me motivated until the world turns on safely again.
What have you been doing to stay in shape?
(In case anyone’s wondering, the archer above came from Rock Creek Metal Craft.)
See You Next Week
- July 20, 2020
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Writing and editing this week. Have a good one! 🙂
No More Gaming for Me
- July 13, 2020
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During this time when a lot of people are indoors, playing games via computer or phone is a great way to pass the hours.
Not for me. I recognize and accept that I become addicted. I don’t use that word lightly. I would play one game for hours, days, months, until I wasn’t doing anything else. Eventually I would realize that I wasn’t even enjoying the game, but I couldn’t get myself to stop. Then I’d delete it. And then another game would grab my attention. I’d convince myself that this time it would be different. I’d play just a little each day and not let it rule my life.
It would get to the point where I played a game before even getting out of bed in the morning. And play for hours until it was time to sleep.
The last game did me a favor when it began running ads I felt were horrifying. I contacted them and their response was, “Well, we use an ad agency and have no control over the ads.” I suggested they use another ad agency and they replied, “All ad agencies are the same.” Since I have friends playing games from different companies who have never seen the ads I described, I highly doubted that, but further communication with the game company showed me that they had no intention of changing. (Game companies, take note: Political ads driving lies and fear have no business popping up in the middle of a game.)
Still, they did me a favor. Their actions made it easier to delete the app. I knew I’d lose all those thousands of play time rewards (that I earned, dammit!) but did it anyway.
Within days, I completed a short story for an anthology. A story that had lain dead in the water for months because I had no brain cells left for it. I felt happier. It’s true that for a couple of weeks I kept flipping screens on my phone looking for “something.” That’s when I realized the habit I formed.
I’m okay with listening to friends enjoying their games. My writing is the best game I can play, and in turn, my friends listen to my voice rise with excitement after getting through a difficult scene.
Happy 4th Weekend!
- July 06, 2020
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