Archive for
November, 2005
November 27th, 2005
Whoot! I made it slightly before 7pm tonight. I still have a little bit to write story-wise, but I did it! I can now breathe a sigh of relief and claim that I did it! Whoo-hoo!
I’m at the part of the story where Nora is packing up her apartment to move to Alabama and will soon have the offer recinded. Then she’ll go through a whole soul-searching thing where she tries even more desperately to figure out what she’s going to do with her life before finding the right fit with the the company in
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Tags: writing, NaNoWriMo
November 25th, 2005
Chapter Thirteen:
And a Merry Christmas to all!Christmas was Nora’s favorite time of year – the lights, the music, the good cheer, the shopping, the sales, the shiny decorations. She looked forward to it all year. As much as she loved it, she dreaded putting the lights on the Christmas tree. Growing up, that had always been her father’s job and it had always been a big production – he would spend an hour or so, untangling ten or so strands of multicolored light strands and laying each one carefully out in its own space on the carpet. Then he would ritually plug each strand into the wall socket. Another hour would be spent replacing missing or burnt out bulbs. Then another thirty minutes would be spent methodically wrapping each strand around the six foot tall store-bought Christmas tree; they had to be accurately places so there were no “empty pockets” and no overcrowding.Then Nora and her mother would place all of the ornaments on the tree – there were more ornaments than branches but her mother would always try to get everything on the same tree every year; sometimes she would miraculously succeed. Her father would sit in his chair, watching CNN or some financial news show, and occasionally offering insistent advice as to where something should go.Afterward, her father would wrap the tree in tinsel garland with the same meticulous care as the lights. Nora always thought there was too much tinsel on the tree and they seemed to buy more every year. She thought it detracted from the lights and the ornaments, which her favorite parts. Still somehow overcrowded and covered, the Christmas tree was always beautiful and Nora loved sitting in the dark with just the Christmas tree lights on. There was something peaceful and relaxing about watching sparkly multicolored lights.So, while Nora had a store-bought tree as well (she had tried a live tree once but after vacuuming pine needles in March, she quickly lost interest), she did not use tinsel garland; instead she used wide Christmas ribbon. However, she still had a lot of anxiety regarding the lights of which she only actually used three or four strands. She was always afraid she would get it wrong so she almost always asked Jake or Kayla to help her with that part – the offer of free food always brought results and volunteers, particularly since Nora had discovered she was just as talented with cooking as she was with eating. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: NaNoWriMo, writing
November 25th, 2005
This is from the end of Chapter Ten. I’m not entirely sure it will make sense to anyone but me because of the technical stuff. I tried to “dumb” it down for folks like my computer-phobic mother, but I’m not entirely sure the whole thing makes sense…though the technical jargon isn’t supposed to be the point of the scene anyone.
Any comments, suggestions, questions would be well-received.
There were days when Nora did not just want to beat her own aching head on her desk but she wanted to beat her co-workers into unconsciousness. They seemed to thrive on
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Tags: writing, NaNoWriMo
November 21st, 2005
Well, I’m pleased as punch to announce that at the end of the third week, I am at 35,071 words and 70% of the way to the 50K goal. I have quite literally written up to the day I got fired and I’m a little uneasy about writing the actual firing, reliving it and all. I know this is something that I need to do. I know that this whole experience has been very theraputic and extremely enlightening. I’ve learned things about myself from then that I don’t like. I’ve remembered tidbits about the events
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Tags: NaNoWriMo, writing
November 21st, 2005
People mystify me.
I simply don’t get how so many people think. Sometimes I’m able to put myself in their shoes and sometimes even when I think I understand why they think or act the way they do, I logically can not figure out why a grown person would actually do so. What I mean is that grown-ups, especially people over thirty should be beyond pettiness and spiteful vengence for preceived minor wrongs.
Recently I was in a PBeM (play-by-e-mail) game where I had several disagreements with the owner of the list. It was obvious to me that she
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Tags: none
November 16th, 2005
It’s been pointed out to me by the folks in my group therapy that I’m not very good at taking compliments.
This is true. I’m never quite sure what to say. On one hand, I’m proudish and happy to be acknowledged, but on the other, it feels a little conceited. Plus, there are just some things I don’t believe when people tell me.
For example, I never can quite believe someone when they tell me I’m pretty or I look nice. Honestly, I’m not fishing for more compliments when I wave it off and blush and say “This
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Tags: therapy
November 15th, 2005
Well, here were are in the middle of the month and I’ve only got 19,775 words which is slightly less than 40% of what needs to be written by midnight November 30th.
I’m O.K. with it, I think. I’ve got to write about 2K a day the rest of the month to get caught up and I can probably do 3K-4K each of the last two Sundays so I should be fine even if I slip behind again.
I added a “disclaimer” at the beginning of my NaNo novel which I thought would be fun to share:
Disclaimer: This story is
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Tags: NaNoWriMo, writing
November 14th, 2005
Well, I had a little breakthrough in group therapy tonight. I talked about how concerned I was about admitting my own personal mistakes that led to my firing and how I worried about disappointing my parents, particularly my mother. I admitted outloud what it was that I felt I had done that contributed to my firing. Mind you, none of those people are my parents, but just admitting it officially outloud was a relief.
One of the group leaders asked me how it felt to take ownership of my part in the events. While I’ve always said
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Tags: NaNoWriMo, therapy, writing
November 14th, 2005
I’ve often joked about how I was a Computer Diva toward the end of my last job. Heck, I’d accepted that maybe my head was a little big there but I also felt I was somewhat justified.
Reading back through my old journal in those months prior to my “involuntary termination”, I have come to the conclusion that the condition was far worse than I imagined. It’s hard to see ourselves when we’re living in the middle of the bruhaha. Sometimes it’s hard to see ourselves clearly even looking back with 20/20 vision. Some of us never
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Tags: NaNoWriMo, writing, therapy
November 13th, 2005
Quite frankly, that’s the sort of thing that one doesn’t get over – an invasion of privacy by haunted bathroom Formica.
Admittedly that’s the funniest thing I wrote today. 
I spent a whole chapter describing a house Nora didn’t buy during those six months before “The Firing”.
So, I’m at 17,726 words. I wrote 4,707 words today at the cafe. I’m 3,945 words behind where I should be. I wasted my day off cleaning on Friday. Then yesterday I went to the glass studio and worked on my pheonix and then wasted the rest of
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Tags: NaNoWriMo, writing
November 9th, 2005
Wasn’t there a book about a world where the government controls everything including the information and the history, where history is officially changed in the archives to agree with what the government wants people to believe, and where people are told what to believe and remember?
People — o.k. Left-wingers — have been making a lot of references to 1984, comparing many of the things the current administration has done to the Orwellian world. Let’s face it, there’ve been a number of revelations of press releases and press ops that appear to have been completely staged or have been suggested
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Tags: 1984, paranoia, lie, propaganda, Scott McClellan
November 8th, 2005
Going back and rereading my old journal so as to refresh my mind about the events that occurred in that last year at the old job has been somewhat enlightening. Writing scenes and and a story around those events has allowed me to explore my feelings regarding those events and the person I was then as opposed to the person I am now.
It’s almost hard to believe that someone a month ago told me I sounded angry about the job loss and the move and I just don’t feel that way now. Maybe my mother was correct in
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Tags: NaNoWriMo, writing
November 7th, 2005
I’m fairly certain that in most places in the United States tomorrow there will be a voting booth open. Oh, sure, there’s nothing big to vote on like the Presidency, but there’s still important decisions to make.
Heck, here in Maine, we’re voting on the right to discriminate against perceived homosexuals. Oh, I’ll be voting “no” against repealing the law that protects gays and lesbians from discrimination, but the important thing is that people get out and make an educated vote for whatever their cause. Just because you think whatever’s on the ballot doesn’t affect you, just
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Tags: vote, politics, Gay Rights, Discrimination, Freedoms
November 7th, 2005
Chapter Four:
The Sound of Silence
Like most normal people, Nora paid monthly fees to a gym but only visited it once or twice every few months, despite it being across the street from her apartment complex. She had to look at it every time she pulled her car out of the parking lot and every time, she would feel a twinge of guilt about how she really should be exercising; sometimes she would make false promises of going the next day. Every now and then, she would get a sudden attack of guilt for not exercising while or when
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Tags: NaNoWriMo, writing
November 4th, 2005
Someone sent me these in an email.
Tags: humor
November 4th, 2005
So, I noticed more than one blog talking about word counts for their Nano. Apparently there’s a discrepency in how different software programs count words. I would have thought that counting words would be fairly straightforward, either it’s a word or it isn’t, right? (I guess this explains why machines have trouble counting election votes too…)
Anyway, what most people seem to be saying is that Microsoft Word inflates the word count about 30%. So I ran a little experiment this morning and here are my results:
| Microsoft Word: |
4,143 words |
|
| NaNo’s Counter: |
4,151 words |
| NaNoWriMoProMe’s Counter: |
4,213 words |
So, I’ve decided to stick with NaNo’s counter; not only is it in the middle, I’m sure it’s closer to what they’ll be using for the final count. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: NaNoWriMo, writing
November 3rd, 2005
I haven’t been writing about world events or politics the last week or so. I’m sure you noticed the absence of ranting and raving particularly about the Bush administration around here.
Of course, there are a couple reasons for that.
I’m sure you’ve noticed my current focus on NaNoWriMo. That’s going to take quite a bit of time and energy this month. If you think it’s easy, sign up and write a 50K novel too.
But on a more serious note, I’ve been watching the news and the headlines and skimming my usual blog haunts (though a little
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Tags: politics, Scooter Libby, Conspiracy Theories
November 2nd, 2005
O.K. I broke the rules. At least I read on the forums that you shouldn’t revise, etc., but just keep pushing on, but I actually think I not only improved some things, I added words to the revise of yesterday’s work.
I admit to recycling most of a post I originally wrote in real life but I tried altering it here and there to give it Nora’s voice. I think I might relook at Chapter Two again tomorrow after I’ve had a chance to listen to Nora a bit more.
I guess I’m not too worried right at the moment
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Tags: NaNoWriMo, writing
November 2nd, 2005
Here’s an exerpt of the beginning. I’ve cut out the scene that I was working on when I quit last night. I guess I kind of want feedback and kind of don’t. If you do give it, please be honest.
Losing Nora: The Fall and Misadventures of a Computer DivaChapter OneSome days Nora felt that life would be so much better if she could just take a drill to her forehead and release the demons screaming and pushing and shoving to get out. Some days she couldn’t remember what life was like before the pulsating throb that
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Tags: NaNoWriMo, writing
November 2nd, 2005
I spent two hours last night writing. It was a real struggle to get started and to push through. I’m pretty sure it’s all crap, but it’s my crap. Heck, it’s even my old baggage.
One thing that I suddenly realized is that while there are many fellow Nanos out there who’ve planned for this and made outlines and character sketches and I was feeling overwhelmed by the lack of those things, I am a blogger. I took a trip in the way-back machine to my old pre-Maine blog and started skimming. I’ve copied
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Tags: NaNoWriMo, writing
