On Editing

I've finally stopped procrastinating and gotten into the real blood and guts of editing the manuscript, and I've completed it only minutes ago. It's sort of a refreshing feeling. I've got some minor changes and fixes to undertake, and then I will send it out to be copyrighted, and if I'm feeling good about it, I'll send it out into the world.

I think sending it out is going to be the hardest part. I mean, I've posted bits and pieces of part of it in an online writing community and have received wonderful feedback. I've let a few friends and family members read it, and it was well received, so that sort of gave me the gumption to keep going. But in the end, I like probably most if not all writers, feel like my finished product is garbage. I can't be objective of my own work, I can't think it's good. I can only hope that it's mildly entertaining.

I'm not expecting it to be a best seller or even popular. I just want to make at least a few people laugh and be able to escape their own reality for a short period of time while reading my stuff. That's all.

In other news, after work this afternoon, I went out and got a few prints of some photos I took in the fall, two really that I find particularly haunting. I was going to hang them in my home office, but I've already got those two pictures hanging, just in black and white. I think they'll go in the living room.

Also, I printed a photo I took of downtown Detroit from the river. It's going to be a belated birthday gift to my best pal for his game room. I thought it would be better to give him a more original, thoughtful gift this year instead of the same old gift card to Lowe's I give him every year. Time to be more personal right?

On Winter Fun

The trip up to Boyne was relaxing, beautiful, peaceful, splendid, freezing, fun... with the exception of all the damn children running around the place! I'm sorry, when did this wonderful ski resort become fucking Disneyworld? I mean, we went in the middle of the week, I suppose these kids could have been on "winter break" from school, or they could have been "local" but for cryin' out loud, they were everywhere.

The only place I was safe was in the spa. No one under the age of 16 is allowed in there, it was heaven. Soaking in the hot tub, sweating it out in the eucalyptus room, swimming in the indoor/outdoor pool when it was 4 degrees outside, marvelous. Of course, the pool was subject to children. I was baffled to see 3 young boys walk in, the oldest was maybe six, no parents with them! In tow is a toddler, maybe three. I hear the oldest one say "let's go hot tubbing!" I'm sorry but I thought children weren't supposed to go in hot tubs, don't they boil or something?

On another evening, the husband and I were sitting in the lodge, quietly in the back watching a movie on his laptop with headphones, you know, being considerate of other people sitting in there, maybe wanting to relax and take in the view. Suddenly, a dad walks in with his fricking crying kid trying to "soothe" it. Well, his soothing apparently had no affect on this child because he would not shut the hell up. They leave after about ten minutes or so and I think super, peace, quiet, hooray! No, no, no. A short while later, grandpa comes in with the same kid crying his eyes out. Jesus fuck! What does this kid have to be so upset about?

Not to mention, it seemed like everyone that night thought the lodge was their own personal phone booth. I'm not talking about people quietly talking on their phones, I'm talking about people practically hollering on their phones. For what purpose I don't know.

We took a side trip to Petoskey one day. It was frigid! Everyone was frozen and barren, but it was beautiful nonetheless. We got out to take some photos, but the wind was whipping and basically unbearable to stay out in for too long. But it got us away from the resort for a little while.

Regardless, I did plenty of swimming, soaking, picture taking, and enjoying the relative quiet except for the screaming kids, and the teenagers partying their asses off all night and early in the morning. Mind you, I didn't do any actual snowboarding which was what was intended, but the husband did get out there and tear it up.

On Aftermath

As expected, the "snow storm" wasn't nearly as bad as rumor made it up to be. Yes we probably got around 8 or 9 inches, but nonetheless, it wasn't anything to write home about. I'm thrilled to mention however that I did end up getting a snow day from work. Everyone panicked as anticipated and decided to close the office the night before. I did spend the majority of my snow day outside shoveling out the driveway and sidewalks. We got some freezing rain along with the snow which added to the weight of the snow, it sucked.

Today is my last day in the beige prison for a week however. I'll be going up north next week to do some snowboarding, relax in front of a huge fireplace in a lodge with floor to ceiling windows, sit in an outdoor hot tub, and just chill out. On the one hand I'm looking forward to it because I haven't been there in a few years, but on the other hand, there's nothing like the comfort of home and hanging out with my "fur babies."

Of course, I am still suffering from a persistent sinus infection, going into my second week. I went to the doctor last week to get some meds and they did nothing for me! So I called this morning the see about a new round. I just don't want to feel shady for my upcoming trip. It's just typical that I'd have to get sick now.

On Impending Winter Weather

I'm always excited when I hear about "winter weather" possibly headed in my general direction. It's not that I'm thrilled to shovel my way out of oodles of snow, but I'm always thinking... maybe I'll get a snow day at work. Yes, it sounds nuts to be wishing for a snow day from a grown up job that doesn't include being a teacher, but instead a disgruntled cubicle dweller, but I feel like, maybe with enough snow, it might happen.

To paint a picture, the majority of the people I work with are paranoid when it comes to matters of weather. Rumor has it that a snow storm is coming our way (and sweeping most of the Midwest and northeast as well) and it's likely to bring 10-12" our way. This is what the weather experts are predicting. Of course, the term expert should used to loosely when it comes to describing the weather personalities. Usually, they hype everyone up, at least here in the Mitten and a foot of supposed snow usually equates to 3-5" and leaving me disappointed and bemused with the hysteria that I witness when "storms" head our way.

The talking began this morning around cubicle square about the what ifs? "What if we can't make it into work at 9AM to open the office on Wednesday? Should we come in at 10:00? Should we have a snow day?" Since weather is something of an obsession of mine, I immediately started dredging through weather.com to check the status. From what I gather, the heaviest snow will accumulate in my part of the world from 3-5AM on Wednesday morning. Of course, it's supposed to snow for hours on end, but to a lesser intensity. It got me thinking, how much damage could 2 hours of snow possibly do? My prediction boys and girls, this isn't going to be a big deal at all.

On Winter Ails

It's that time of the season, cold and flu season. Of course, I suppose that technically started in October. Regardless, cold and flu are running rampant in my circle. Down in Cubicle Square, we're passing the cold around like a cheap floozy passes the Clap. I actually left work two hours early today, and I even felt guilty doing so since, this really isn't the worst I've felt. However, I'm taking into consideration my lovely snowboarding get away which is just over a week away, I'd hate to be sniffling and coughing all over the slopes. Yes, rest is prudent at this juncture. Depending on how I wake up feeling tomorrow, I may even **gasp** take the whole day off.

I've spent the additional two hours that my sickness has granted me at home wiping my nose with less than desirable Kleenex, the kind that makes your nose raw, and watching Season 2 of Dexter on DVD. I took a break to pass out on the love seat for a few hours only to wake up with a "crick" in my neck. That's what I get for sleeping on a love seat.

I then decided I should fire up the ol' computer and do some more work on my book, well, look at how hard I'm working. I'm feeling the creativity flow through me, but I don't want to direct it to where it's needed the most. Here it's almost February and I'm hoping to get this thing out in the world by April or May. Not at this rate my friend. I could make excuses and say, "Oh, I'm not working on it because I don't feel good, I'm not 100%." However, I'm not working on it all the time when I am 100% so that excuse is just a bit... weak.

I watched Stranger than Fiction last night, a fantastic movie in my mind. It made me long to be as eccentric as Emma Thompson as Karen Eiffel in 20 years. Of course, my husband drops me the line, "You don't write enough." Ouch. It's because I'm a snob when it comes to my writing. I'll jot down ideas that come to me, but I won't work on more than one piece at a time. Example, I'm working on my manuscript right now, nothing else matters. There will be no starting the next project or jotting down a short story. I'm a one piece at a time kind of girl.

On Petulance

I've been feeling a bit out of sorts lately. I'd like to blame it on my day job. My pay was expectantly cut last week, a cup of perfectly shitty, scalding hot coffee was dumped all over me last week, and I've inadvertently become the "go-to girl" around cubicle way. Of course... it's been that way for 8 months now. I loathed my job just a bit less when I could sit here for my 8 hours, keep to myself and whittle away at my crummy paper pushing.

I haven't worked on my re-writes in the last week or so. I'm being terrible with the procrastination. Speaking of, I've had my new tabs for my license plate for nearly a month and haven't put them on yet. Yeah, they're expired, I'll be busted if the 5-0 decides to pull me over.

In the long term, I think I should mention now that I don't have very high hopes for 2011, but maybe I'll be wrong and it will turn out to be a stellar year... but I won't hold my breath.

On Aging

Yesterday my mother turned 65. She wasn't overly thrilled about it, to say the least. When my father turned 65 last year, I made him a disaster of a birthday cake from scratch. It tasted like a sponge, with thin chocolate sauce (that was supposed to be frosting) dripped over it. It was ugly, it had no taste, but he ate it anyway because he's a champ. He just ate it with a bowl of ice cream.

Tomorrow, I'll be preparing a birthday breakfast feast for the parents. I'm thinking pancakes, eggs, English muffins, mimosas, (veg)bacon, (veg)sausage, etc. I can cook a mean breakfast (I think) so at least it wouldn't be a total disaster (hopefully.)

It's strange watching my parents get older, and unfortunately, imminent. It seems like just yesterday they were younger, I was younger. Time seems to be flying by entirely too quickly.

While I didn't get along too well with my parents in my formative teen years, and really, what teenager gets along fully with their parents at that age? I certainly carry on with them quite well now, and love them very much. So it warms me to be able to do something special for them every now and then because they did so much for me growing up.

On Laughter

Another successful dinner with the dinner club last night. It was my turn to host. I made fettuccine Alfredo (homemade sauce), green beans with sunflower seeds with a garlic and red pepper seasoning, and baby corn with an onion seasoning. It turned out quite well. Everyone had at least two plates. It warmed my heart to see my friends enjoying something I had made. Especially since I'm not that great in the kitchen.

There was a plentiful supply of wine. We polished off a gallon... and then a bottle and half, it was nearly obscene. We sat around the living room belting out Christmas tunes and playing a silly board game, laughing hysterically. It's truly what friendship and the season is about.

Tonight my husband and I are hosting a Winter Solstice Party. At least thirty people, if not more will be here. There will be a bonfire out back for the brave ones who are willing to hang out in weather which is only in the "teens." Of course, we've got the basement set up quite nicely as well. Tables, chairs, games, dim lights. I think it will be a semi-epic party.

Alas, I'm already exhausted from shopping earlier today, and maybe from the inordinate amount of wine I consumed last night. Though, I am looking forward to having some fun nonetheless.

On Friendship

A few weeks back, some friends of mine and I decided having a meal date would be a good idea. We had talked about it before of course, but it never happened. Welcome to our second dinner date. Our plan is to rotate hosts with a different type of meal each time, ie: breakfast, lunch, dinner. The first week was breakfast, consisting of quiche, toast, hash browns, fruit, and of course... screwdrivers. It was a great success. Lunch last night consisted of cheese & broccoli soup, sandwich roll ups, cheesy bread, an assortment of desserts, and of course plentiful wine.

It will be my turn to host in a couple of weeks, and I must say I'm thrilled that we're keeping up with this so far. Of course, it's still new and fun, we might bore of it quickly, but it feels so... grown up. Plus it's a wonderful excuse to get together with close friends and share a meal and laughter. Laughter lightens the heaviest of hearts. At this juncture in my life, I'm feeling particularly grateful.

On Completion

4/18/2008 - 11/30/2010

I can now happily say that I finished the first draft of my manuscript. After nearly ten years of scribbling random stories, starting manuscripts only to let them sit unfinished, I actually saw this one through to the end. Of course, there's still so much work left to do, starting with editing and re-writes. It feels amazing to be finished and now I can jump fully into the Christmas season without wondering when I'll set some time aside to finish the book. I'm hoping the editing and re-writes will only take through most of the winter, and maybe I can move on to the next step by spring.

A huge milestone, and I couldn't be more ecstatic.