Archives for February 2018

Twelve years go on this day did I start blogging for real. The blog was called „Diapers and Music“ at first which was pretty funny because at that point my son was almost out of diapers already.

But I didn’t know that. And it felt like the diapers would go on forever.

And now the parenting and the music are a little less important in my world. But the blog is still here.

And I’ve been blogging daily for almost half a year now.

Amazing.

I am perfectly aware that you guys are reading this. And that makes me happy. Even if I’m not all that good about replying to comments and such. I’m trying my best, though.

I will be celebrating with mostly doing nothing today. After last week I need a sloth day.

But this has been quite the journey. And I know that some of you have been reading here the whole time. Which totally blows me away.

Thanks.

Not that this will be in any way different because of the fact that there will be no school and much less teaching next week.

The big and exciting thing for my husband today will be the arrival of the Vox vintage amp and a bass box from 1964. The big thing for me will be getting all my morning things done before going to the spinning meeting.

So my plan is to get up in a minute, have breakfast, go running soon afterwards, then take a shower so that I have enough time to let my hair dry without using the hairdryer, then do the dishes, eat lunch early at around 11.45, and then leave for the spinning meeting.

My husband would have liked me to be home and help with logistics for having three people over while not knowing if they will want to eat lunch here or not.

Both of us would rather know a time when they will arrive instead of sitting here waiting but that can’t be helped.

Yesterday went very well even though I didn’t clean anything at all. But errands and grocery shopping took a lot of time, late Friday morning is prime grocery shopping time around here.

Eating Chinese was great, even though the boy was acting a little weird. He was overtired and exhausted, I’m hoping he’ll be having a bit more energy today.

Teaching went well too but by mid-afternoon I was ready for a break.

The boy was too tired to watch something last night so I watched an episode of „Dollhouse“ while knitting a sock. As one does.

I’m really looking forward to a slower week next week and can’t wait to sit down tomorrow to make my list…

Typical.

But not quite as much as I feared I’d need.

Yesterday was super-busy but now the new podcast episode is done and ready to go live this afternoon. I decided that It’s no use to stick to a Saturday afternoon launch when I’ve already got it finished and ready to go.

With all the work on the podcast there was no writing yesterday at all. Which is a bit cruel because I want to know what happens next. Well, I do know what happens next but not what will happen after that. Not before I write it.

Of course I could just spin the story a little further but I’d rather put it down on paper. I’m afraid if I think too much about it it will turn into a long daydream instead of something other people can read.

So yesterday was mostly podcast, with an hour of chopping kale thrown in. My husband pulled most of the kale from the snow yesterday morning which meant that I got to chop, chop, chop, right after my run. Which was gorgeous. I even took a picture for you:

I’m trying to get better about taking and posting pictures here.

Then after endless chopping and cooking and preparing kale for the freezer we had our wonderful lunch (and in case you’re wondering that beer there is alcohol-free for once; every day for lunch my husband and I share one – and yes, those are double-knit Star Trek potholders, and yes, I started eating before taking a picture, I was that hungry):

Then it was all podcast and teaching until bedtime. And then I was so exhausted that I didn’t write. Went to bed a little late, slept a little better than the days before.

Today would have been completely insane if I hadn’t just found out that the concert we were supposed to attend tonight will actually be on the 23nd instead of today. Which is a big relief because that means I will have a little time in the evening instead of rushing around all day until falling into bed.

So today I want to clean everything, run more errands (we had a grocery list fail and are about to run out of toilet paper, and we are having three people for lunch tomorrow with no time to cook for that so I will have to get provisions, and I need to go to the drug store), practice in the morning (yeah, I know that’s very unlikely), and then we’ll go out for Chinese because the boy comes home early for the last day of school before carnival break. We will celebrate his very excellent grades in English and his abysmal grades in Latin. He is planning to install and emergency Latin-study program again over the next few weeks. Wish him luck.

Then I will teach, teach, teach without a break until it’s time for dinner, and then it will be the official start of a free week. Phew.

I can’t tell you how happy I am that the concert isn’t tonight. I keep looking at the list of concerts on the fridge to see if I’m imagining it.

All in all yesterday was a very good day, especially because I wrote 1,800 words on the new novel. It’s going a little slow at the moment because for the first time ever I’m not writing a sloppy first draft but try to make it as good as I can on the first pass, and that has me hesitating about words and scenes a little more.

I’m also doing a reverse outline which means every time I finish a scene I go back and read it, make corrections, and then I write a sentence or two about what’s happening in that scene, and who is in it. I probably should put the settings in there as well so I can find things easier later.

I did a very short run yesterday, only three kilometers. It felt like it wasn’t even worth putting my shoes on which is funny. If you had told me in my youth that there would be a point where I would consider a three kilometer run too short to be worth it I would have laughed in your face.

Here you can almost see the frozen ground and a little snow left on the tree stumps.

I also finally managed to make deodorant and mouthwash.

No cleaning. Lots of time spent writing, about half an hour spent watching the design course, and then I downloaded the newest version of Photoshop Elements. I currently run a version that is seven years old and that makes following the course a little challenging. I would love to actually use Photoshop, the big professional software but I don’t want to spend the money for the subscrition service.

I brielfy toyed with the idea of using Gimp but then decided against it. It is free but I have found it completely un-intuitive to work with, and I already know my way around Elements. For now I’m using the trial version but am expecting to pay for it afterwards. (Since I ordered new winter shoes and paid for the design course this month I’d rather wait a little before buying software. I think I will need to update Microsoft Office at some point too. I’m still using the 2011 version, and that is starting to get creaky. I have toyed with the idea of using free office software but am finding that I’m using Office more than I realized. And so far I haven’t liked any of the free software at all.

So today there will be running, music, writing, recording the podcast, maybe a little cleaning, and maybe a little watching of the design course. Also spinning, and crocheting.

I think that might be enough for the day.

Phew. That was a whirlwind day! And I couldn’t really say why. At least I turned the lights out at 10. First time this month. No writing, though, despite me really wanting to. I’m not quite sure if this is me being scared of the new writing method or if there actually was no time.

My husband got up rather early, and then my grocery shopping marathon started. I even met someone I know in the parking lot and had the „oh my, you have lost so much weight I barely recognized you!“-discussion standing there while my frozen blueberries and peas started melting. (No, I didn’t do a special diet, I just ate less. Thanks. No, I won’t tell you that I’m really angry that I packed six kilos back on in just a short time. No, I am not a super-disciplined person. You’re welcome.)

I came home just in time to help making the salad for lunch, then we ate our lasagna, I did the dishes and put on makeup. Then it was time to meet the potential new student. Which was really nice, and she is now an actual new student of mine. Very good.

In between students I wanted to practice but time got away from me (yes, the internet again) and I only did a singing warmup. I actually do need to get more disciplined so that I can use my time better in the future.

Just when my last student had left, the boy came back home from his science fair thing. Poor boy spent the whole day there, mostly being bored.

Then it was time for Orna Ross’ free webinar for creative entrpreneurs. She is doing one a month this year. I am finding the topics rather interesting but the information a little basic for my taste but then I have been a „creative entrepreneur“ of some kind for decades now. I keep forgetting that this teaching gig I do, the one that pays the bills, is something like that. Unfortunately not one that creates assets but instead one that makes me hire out my time but I’ll get there some day.

I also keep forgetting that with being fifty and constantly learning comes quite a bit of experience. Duh.

I still like her mixture of woo-woo and practical business sense, though, and maybe I’ll be able to connect with other people through this whole thing so I guess I’ll be attending those webinars again in the future.

But that webinar meant that 45 minutes of my time were spent on that instead of my writing which is not good at all.

I tried and stared at the screen a bit but I was just beyond tired at that point. I decided that if I coudn’t write I could at least move something else forward, learned how to use keywords in Scrivener which will help me keep track of which character appears in which scene, I hope, and managed to install the magic lantern software on my camera.

Then I read a bit and went to bed. Sleep was sorely needed.

Today will be another busy day (surprise), I want to run, write, practice, spin, meditate, teach, clean a little, make deodorant, and go to bed real early.

Ambitious plans.