Month: January 2019

Creativity, Emotions, Life, Thinking

Finding My Way Through the Snow

1972italy

There is actually traffic this morning.  The weather is supposed to last through noon today.  I guess yesterday’s shut down gave most people a needed day off.  Not everyone was able to stay home.  Nor did everyone elect to stay home judging from the amount of accidents yesterday afternoon.  According to the Weather Channel app on my phone the snow will stop but the temps will drop and stay that way through the weekend.  So we are looking at negative numbers even before wind chill.

I got a notice on my phone that they were asking people to turn their furnaces down to 65F or lower because of the drastic temperature drop.  Sadly we cannot do this as the house is too cold as it is.  The AC units are still in among other things so we have a continual draft despite our best efforts at keeping the cold out.  (Why are the AC units still in you ask?  That would be due to the garage that was supposed to be finished this past fall still not being done.)

It is getting brighter out but you still can’t see very far.   That is very much how I feel.  I can’t seem to see very far in any direction.  Which way to I go?  How far before I turn back?  Should I turn back?  These past few months have given me a chance to regroup and try to figure things out.  I’ve even tried a few new things.  But I need to move forward.  And I could not have a worst time of year to do that in.  Maybe it will be a good thing.  I can prove my mettle.

 

Creativity, Dogs, Gardening, Life, Thinking, Writing

Notes From a Blizzard

1972italy

Well here we are.  The last few hours of the current blizzard.  There are parts of the state of Michigan that have literally SHUT DOWN.  We don’t do that here!  That is unheard of!  We are shaped like a snow mitten for pity’s sake!  But there it is.  -1F that feels like -19F and a fine mist of snow that does nothing for your vision.  Funny thing is we are getting hit less than in Traverse City.  The situation is usually reversed.

I wonder how many lives will be lost when all this is said and done.  Human and animal alike are going to have survival issues.  Everyone’s immune systems will be wonky as well.  There is supposed to be rain at one point.

So what does one do when faced with a shutdown?  Write and read of course!  I am looked at strangely because I prefer pen and paper to write with and actual physical books to read.  This is why.  When extreme conditions hit I still have something to do.  No electricity?  I’m good!  No internet?  Got that covered too.  Naturally I will have to type any writing into the computer to submit it but that to me is worth the hassle.  Extra editing time when I have to type it in.

I sit and watch the trees sway in the wind.  I can’t hear it over the furnace.  I wonder how many branches will come down.  There goes another.  It’s like Mother Nature is pruning the trees.  There will be a lot of yard clean up this year.  For us that’s ok.  There is a lot I wanted to do anyway.  The dogs are spending a lot of time curled up.  No one wants to go outside.

I think today will be more reading and writing than anything else.  I hope power doesn’t go out but I suppose I ought to go around and make sure we are ready if it does.  The hardest thing will be the dogs freaking out.  When power goes out our ceiling fan goes off.  When that happens all the dogs get scared.  No idea why.  They do that when I have to turn it off to clean it too.  Other things in the house beep to signal they are turning off which scares them.  So I usually spend the first little while cuddled up with them trying to keep them calm.  Not matter what, as soon as I get up everyone will follow.  It would be adorable if they weren’t so scared.

Time to hunker down.  I’ll make myself some more coffee.  Here are a few pics of today.

 

Books, Creativity, Learning, Thinking, Writing

Got My Shorts on Even in the Storms

1972italy

I’m going through my book shelves and reading things I haven’t, or atleast haven’t for a while.  There aren’t many books on the shelves that I haven’t read.  I find myself pulled toward the short story collections.  Short bites I can enjoy whenever.  I still love novels but I am in the mood for short stories.

What surprised me was what I did NOT remember.  Which were a lot of the stories from the last two collections.  I know I read through each story.  I was happy because I found a short story I’d remembered but thought that it was from a collection I borrowed.  Even then the ending was not what I remembered.  I was kind of scary but still cool because it was like reading them for the first time.

Short story collections work well for commutes, lunches, before bed and other occasions where you might only have a short amount of time to spare.  Even though reading them might be easier it can actually be harder for the writer.  Sounds weird, less to write how can that be more difficult?  The writer still has to keep all of the elements of a novel but in a condensed form.  It’s like the difference between a carton of milk and a can of condensed milk.

Even though it can be a challenge for the writer that is a good thing.  It teaches you how to tighten your writing and get rid of things you don’t need.  That could be too much description, too much background or even too much going on in the story itself.  You learn to pick and chose what elements you put in.  The story still has to flow but this time a little quicker than normal.  No time for the slow burn you can use in a novel.  You need to pull your reader in and keep them there.  Like shoving your marshmallow and it’s stick right into the heart of the fire to get it good and crispy with that nice gooey center.

Some writers take what they learn writing short stories and put it into novel form.  Each chapter becomes like a short story.  Each chapter is almost self contained.  Each chapter is a bead on the necklace that is the resulting novel.  Some writers prefer one style over the other and tend to stick with that.  Most writers tend to enjoy the challenges of both and will use both forms.

Which do you prefer to read and/or write?  Why?

family

Sick and Snow

1972italy

Today will be a short one because I’m really don’t feel very well. I was able to have a good chat with both my parents yesterday. Dad and I hadn’t been able to chat in over a week. Spent quality time with my husband as well. We don’t get near enough.

My fur babies have been taking care of me this morning for which I am very grateful. Moose has been with me pretty much all morning. The girls switch off as to who lays with me.

Today will be laundry day. What remains to be seen is how much of it gets folded and put away.

No one wants to go out because it is not only deep but very very frigid. I hope all the animals outside are able to find food and shelter. I threw the frisbee for Essie earlier and she caught it and came right back in. The snow is almost past her tummy.

That’s all I have for today. Hopefully I will feel well enough tomorrow to do a better job with this. Cheers!

Dogs, Emotions, Life, Motorcycles, Riding, Thinking

Keeping Forward Momentum

1972italy

Trying to keep looking ahead and not looking behind so much.  But looking  ahead brings on anxiety.  Instead of the excitement of not knowing and adventure I see change and potential disaster.  And I wasn’t like that in my past.  I was always excited for change and something new.  Now something new is something I can mess up or break.  A sad change.

I need to buckle down and get well because I can’t do an interview being sick.  “Please hire me so I can get a bunch of your people to call in as soon as I start!”  Nor do I want to call in sick right out of the gate.  So I feel like a between a rock and a hard place.  I have to find a job but I’m sick so no one is going to really want me until I’m well again.  The few stay at home jobs I have looked at have you doing all kinds of stuff to even qualify to be considered it’s ridiculous.

We are supposed to get hit Monday with another 3-9 inches of snow.  I can use that as an excuse.  But I need to move forward.  I wish the roads were clear so I could take the bike out to clear my head.   My brain is stymied.  All I have is emptiness inside.  Which would be great if I was meditating but when trying to write it creates a problem.   Part of it is the medicine.

I’m not sure what to do about Stella.  The other day she threw up one of my shirts.  The whole thing.  Now that means she somehow got into a 3 foot tall hamper with a lid.  We have two hampers and neither has moved.  I think she has eaten something else as well because I haven’t seen her have a bowel movement in a few days.  I am giving her pumpkin to help things along but I can’t afford a vet visit right now let alone a surgery.  I will give things a few days and then call the vet.  She has been very good about not eating fabric the past few months.  Suddenly both she and Moose start (Moose hasn’t done that before she arrived).  I feel like a bad Mom.

I have been trying to look forward to riding season as well.  Breaks my heart to see the bikes under all that snow (especially since they were supposed to be tucked into a garage this winter).  It just feels like this snow will never end.  I have a lot of goals for the upcoming season.  I have been going through books and magazines as well a articles and videos thoughtfully provided by family and friends.  Riding season needs to get here before I forget all I have learned!

I need more coffee and I am getting medicine head.  So before I say something stupid or go off on some weird tangent I will sign off.  Have a great day and thanks for reading!

 

Creativity, Dogs, Emotions, family, Learning, Life, Photography, Tattoos, Thinking, Writing

Remembering the Past While Working to the Future

1972italy

It is bitterly cold but not snowing.   My car is no longer stuck.  Both the yard and driveway have been plowed.  All four dogs are sleeping as I write this.  Moose and I curled up on the couch together after they ate and went outside this morning.  It helped but I have a feeling that I’m fighting a losing battle with this cold or whatever it is.  But I will still fight it.  May be it won’t hit as hard.

I got a bit of frostbite on my calf from getting the car out.  Who needs post cards from adventures?  I collect scars and other marks.  Lol.  That is the big reason I have my tattoos and will continue to get them.  My family has a history of dementia.  I want to be able to look at my body and use it to remember myself.  Be it a scar or a piece of ink it all happened as a result of something that happened to me.  That is also why I carry around a 3×5 card with all the tattoos I still want to get around in my wallet like some kind of donor card.

Some designs are more pressing than others.  I have paw prints that I want to get for my kids.  I have my infinity symbol with family written in it over my heart.  I plan to put a paw print below that for the kids.  I also want to do some kind of memorial tattoo for the ones that have passed.  I’ve thought about either a bracelet around my wrist or around my ankle for them.  There have been a lot and I still have four alive so I may do both.

The flip side of all this is moving forward and looking to the future.  In that regard I am trying as well.  I got two small articles published this week.  They arrived yesterday in the local paper.  I need to find a job (even if I start part time and work my way up) to move forward with things.  The local paper wants to keep me but it is small enough that only the owner is full time.  Everyone else comes in and lends a hand as they can.  So that means I need something to go with that.

It’s hard to think about moving forward under all this snow.  That has been my big stumbling block.  I just want to hibernate til Spring.  Part of me worries that I am making the future look better for doing things rather than right now.  Regardless things still are going to get done now.  They have to.

My coffee is almost gone and I need to take a round of medicine to fight whatever I have so I will end this for now.  I’ll share a few photos of the morning.   Cheers!

 

Dogs, family, Life, Motorcycles

We’re Here! I Swear!

1972italy

Wow.  We got hit hard last night!  My poor Jeep has gotten stuck in the front yard.  I peeked out to see where he was left when we got up.  The snow is past the top of the bumper.  I lose my dogs whenever they go out (so glad we no longer have Minion as he was all white, atleast I can still find these guys).  We still have power and heat.  I am so glad I don’t have to go to work today!  What a mess!  Chris will have to walk to get his truck at the shop around the corner.  Thank goodness the brakes are done.

Once it lightens up a little more outside I will take a few photos to show what we got.  I’m sure the outdoor people will love it today.  The bikes are all but buried.  Atleast halfway up my tires on poor Rogue.  Chris’s bike is taller so Lucy is sticking out more.

Do I try to dig out my car?  I’m not sure that will be possible with the way he got stuck.  I may try anyway.  We’ll see how I feel this afternoon.

Wow.  I just went and took some photos and it just started snowing again.  It’s coming down pretty good.  So much for light snow this winter!  Mother Nature made up for our deficit all at once it seems!   Stay warm!

 

Dogs, Emotions, Life, Motorcycles, Riding

Feeling Grateful

1972italy

Thank you to everyone for allowing me to indulge my whininess over the past few entries.  We received more bad news yesterday but I will pass over that.  Today’s post will not be negative.

I find myself drawing away from people when I get like this.  My only connection will be my written word.  I have to be careful because I will try not to spread or share too much of my negative situation/vibe and thus just not connect at all or I will share too much and too often and everyone is just tired of hearing it.

Those of us who ride tend to be worse of in the bad weather when life throws bad things at us because there is no potential relief from getting out and riding the bike.  And it’s cold.  Another rider and I were discussing that not only do we find ourselves more annoyed more often there is also a higher stress factor.  Not that things may be worse but the usual release valve is not there.

Getting sick again isn’t helping.  I worry that I won’t be able to go to an interview because I am sick.   But I said no negativity.   I did find eye drops for the dogs so no vet bill.  The drops seem to be working as well so yay!  I will need to get them more of their normal medicine either today or tomorrow.  If Chris still needs my car I will send him with my credit card instead of making two trips into town.

We are due to get hit with more snow today and tomorrow.  I am glad to have the option to hunker in.  I got a few sunset photos last night so I will share those.  Thank you again and I hope everyone has a fab day.

 

Emotions, Life

Angry Post (you have been warned)

1972italy

I’m tempted not even to do this. Everything has gone to shit in short order. Not the least of which is that I am writing this on my phone because my laptop refuses to function. I am ready to throw it across the room. The dogs are sick. I am not far behind. If I do not find a job soon things will be even more dire. All it took was a mistake on a person’s part from one of my bills not to differ my payment. That took a significant amount out (unplanned) so now I am scrambling to keep things turned on.

Do I delete the last paragraph? Do I just delete the whole thing? If I do I know I will not write anything today. I am angry. I am hurt. The harder I try the worse it gets. I am at a loss. And I am beginning not to care. And that is dangerous.

Dogs, Emotions, family, Life, Thinking, Writing

Trying to Focus On Desserts and Not Be Stressed

1972italy

I’m not sure how today will go.  Things aren’t really flowing.  It’s more of a jerky stop and start.  Computer problems, Moose has gotten sick twice over the course of the night (somehow he has eaten two or three pairs of socks and I have no idea how he has gotten to them), Stella heard things and started barking (and had a hard time stopping)…  I hope there is enough gas in my car to get me to and from my meeting that I’m covering as well as a trip to the newspaper.  I also hope he turned off all the things he had on.  In his truck my husband leaves everything on and just turns the vehicle off.  I always turn off everything- radio, heater etc.  And as cold as it is in the mornings my car doesn’t want to start so less strain on the battery the better.  I also need to get directions to where I am going.  I’m leaving almost an hour early incase I get lost.

On the positive side Moose is keeping breakfast down, I remembered to get everything together last night so I can shower and such without waking Chris, the kids are asleep, I will have this done before I leave, I will have had atleast one cup of coffee before I leave…

But I am tired and just not feeling it this morning.  Being pulled out of deep sleep at random intervals hasn’t helped.  I need to figure out bills at one point as well.  Not all can get paid so I need to decide who does this time and who does next time.  I may need to go into Traverse tomorrow but I think I can put that off until Thursday.  We’ll see.

My piece did get accepted so I will post a pic of the article when I get the paper Friday or Saturday.  I worry that we have doggy pink eye going through the house.  I hope I’m wrong.   We seem to get hit every few years.  I will drag things out as long as I can because I can’t afford the vet right now.  Home remedies here we come!

I still need to shower and go to my other writing site so I’d better sign off for now.

close up composition conceptual creativity
Photo by Pedro Figueras on Pexels.com