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Post by Admin on Aug 20, 2017 16:17:17 GMT
I'm back at work. My goal is to have small, attainable daily goals, and keep working. I need to maintain productivity. So today I formatted a new ms. and began to input the chapters so they are clean, tight, and ready to go to the editor. I got 2 chapters put in, a total of 2238 words. My goal is two chapters a day with extra being a bonus.
In addition to the chapters, I began to block in the shapes on my new painting. I want at least one hour a day painting. More, if possible.
Joshua is in his chair, despite having a sore re-open. I'm hoping he can sit long enough to get a couple of pages rewritten on his picture book. Two pages should be enough for a daily goal with more being a bonus.
It feels good to be working. I need to maintain focus and productivity.
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Post by bill on Aug 20, 2017 20:02:30 GMT
How exciting! You got this! Focus to the end!
Anything I can do to help, you know where to find me!
It will be great when you and Josh pubish your books. Maybe one of these days it will work out for us to have a combined book signing. How special would that be!
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Post by Admin on Aug 20, 2017 20:46:16 GMT
I'd love to do that. I know there is an annual one in Emporia. I think its in June. I know the Lyons library and the Gridley library would probably let us sign there again.
I will meet up with Lindsey on the 26th. She is bringing Drake to me. I've agreed to take him in since Lindsey feels he needs someone home all the time. She's gone too much. I can't wait to get him home.
I want to know how the Settler's day went. It looked like a beautiful day. I think you mentioned it somewhere but not sure if I took it in. My mind wasn't functioning very good. I've pretty much slept for two solid days when I got home. Just now starting to feel rested enough to function.
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Post by bill on Aug 20, 2017 21:00:12 GMT
I handed out a bunch of bookmarks at Old Settler's Days. I got some positive feedback and met a boy who loved my book! I only sold one book. Lots of foot traffic and publicity. We'll see if it eventually pays off.
My next appearance is at the Wichita Public Library September 9. There will be several authors (I don't know how many) selling books, so hopefully it will create some foot traffic and additional publicity. I need to look at fall festivals and plan some other apperances. I know there are a ton of opportunities out there in the coming months. I also hope to get into some schools this fall, but not sure how to work the timing on that.
I'm sure we could put together book signings for us in this area also - Halstead, Newton, Sedgwick, maybe others.
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Post by Admin on Aug 22, 2017 13:10:44 GMT
I'm at page 26 with a total of 9756 words. I discovered something interesting and you probably already know it. I got up at 5:15 am. I had to clean my kitchen so the propane company can deliver 10 bags of salt for our softener. I do have my pride. This is day three of getting my writing goal met. And I got up earlier than usual, got my pages input, and hit the kitchen with energy. I have not had energy in a very long time. I'm sure the grief and worry over Kathy drained me a lot and I have not yet hit the wall about her. Its close. I don't know if it will fade away or if I'll have a break down and just lose it. I think I need to go visit with Bill. And having her dog here will help. Hoping to get him on Saturday.
Anyway, pages put into the clean ms. and kitchen caught up. I now have time to put in an hour or hour and a half of painting before Joshua gets up. Today is a day with no appointments. So Joshua should get to work this afternoon. Problem is he keeps falling asleep. I don't know if its depression, or the zyrtec. I'll start giving him zyrtec in the evening instead of the morning and see if he can maintain more energy.
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Post by bill on Aug 23, 2017 2:21:59 GMT
Sounds like you're getting into a groove - good job! I think the Zyrtec can make you drowsy so hopefully giving it to Josh at night will help him stay awake.
I've been going at such a fast pace that now that it's starting to slow down a bit I want to just stop. I've hit a wall and am going to have to push through. We moved Sydney into her dorm room yesterday, which I'm sure is messing with my emotions. I'm so close to getting back into a normal groove after a summer of seemingly constant activity.
A couple of days off work to get caught up around the house and refresh me mentally would help, but that can't happen until next month at least. For now, it's plowing ahead on willpower. We got this!
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Post by Admin on Aug 23, 2017 13:25:05 GMT
Today I added 3,401 words to the clean ms. bringing my total to 34 pages and 13,157 words. Goal met.
I didn't get to paint this morning. Maybe I'll work it in this afternoon. I have an appointment this morning which messes up my schedule. I'll work around it as best I can. Joshua was more awake yesterday and full of smiles this morning. I think we've got the medication adjusted so he can function better. He sees the doctor tomorrow afternoon.
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Post by bill on Aug 24, 2017 2:27:59 GMT
Good job! Keep the momentum going!
I'm in the throws of revision. Also, I joined a challenge on one of Holly's forums and am writing at least 100 words each day. I count revised words for this. I finished day 52 today. The challenge lasts for 100 days.
The challenge was the only reason I got anything written last night.
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Post by Admin on Aug 24, 2017 12:31:12 GMT
Bless competitiveness. Marti and I used to push each other. She was driven to be #1 and I was motivated by not being left in the dust. I talked to her a few days ago. Breaks my heart to see such a bright mind go dim. I don't think I will ever understand dementia. I love with a son who is brain damaged. And he works so hard. He's taught me, better than anybody could, that the mind is flexible. It can create new pathways. I can't figure out why, when old paths no longer work, a person can't relearn. Can't start over and just input new data. i hope I never go the route of dementia. It would break my heart, I think.
Life is humming here. I get Drake, Kathy's dog, on Saturday. That will throw a new pattern into my work day. I'm going to have to fight hard not to slide back into unproductivity trying to get a new ball in the air. Juggling is just fine when the rhythm is steady but throw one wobble into and they all come tumbling down.
One would think that after the summer I've had, I'd opt for relaxing and trying to forget the stress, and grief, but I seem to have gone the other route. I'm using work to keep the gremlins away. There is so much work to get done. Hank suggested I approach our neighbors daughter to see if she might want a job. I need help. I meant with Josh but he thought house cleaning. Maybe if she would work for me cleaning house, she would get to know him and it might work into a help situation. Hard to know. The last person I hired didn't work out so good. But help would be a very nice thing to have.
Hank is getting a new toy. I'm super excited about it. He's buying a Polaris Ranger with a winch and snow blade. He can't walk outside anymore without danger of falling. We have a large expanse of ground to cover. The 4-wheeler would allow him to move things from garage to shed, shed to house, and he could start using the barn again.
With the snow blade, we can keep our driveway open without killing ourselves. We can hop in it to go to the mail box, or visit the neighbors. It's heavy-duty enough we could actually go see the back of our property. I think it's going to be a very useful addition to our lives.
Still moving on getting the porch built. Waiting for one more estimate. Then I'll figure out how much money we need and request it.
I also want to find that check, contact the lawyer, and find out when the next court date is. I sometimes wonder how one life, at my age, can be so dog-gone busy.
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Post by bill on Aug 25, 2017 2:34:25 GMT
LOL! You do have a lot going on! But yes, we can't forget about the bank information. It will be nice to have that behind us.
I'm busy at work until at least next week. I didn't get any time off this summer, which frustrates me because I would like to have spent some vacation time with my kids. Hopefully we'll figure out a way to make a long weekend to Colorado - we'll see.
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Post by Admin on Aug 27, 2017 13:30:11 GMT
I didn't get my typing done yesterday but I did have the bonus words from earlier in the week. So, adding 2,532 words this morning and the bonus words from earlier it brings by total to: 23,938 words and 58 pages. That meets my goals up to yesterday. I'm going to type this morning until at least 9:30. So, I should, if I don't get interrupted too much, get caught up for today's goals. It's hard to be productive when life has me heading in a different direction but at least I'm not totally skunked. Still fighting back, still producing, just not holding to my work time like I should. There will be days that just aren't normal. I need to learn to work in spite of that.
The dog will take some time to settle in. He's so food oriented. I know why Lindsey and Kathy kept him on such a strict food and water regime. Lindsey works and Kathy was ill but he doesn't trust the food to be there so when its out, he wolfs it. Its hard to regulate his trips out doors when he has no eating structure. I always raised my dogs on free choice kibble. They ate a bite here, and a bite there, but never felt compelled to scarf the whole bowl down. They knew the food would always be there. I've never had to switch a dog over to free choice. I'm not sure how long it takes, or if its even possible, but I think when he realizes he's not going to be hungry, or thirsty, that he'll be less protective of the food dish.
I had a rough night last night. He didn't want to sleep in his crate. He doesn't know when he can count on bathroom breaks so he gets anxious. I'm hoping to have him straightened out on times by the end of week one.
Lindsey handed over the computer and workbook that Kathy used for JOshua so I plan on getting him back in to a class room mode starting tomorrow. The picture book will move forward and I want him painting again on the weekends. I just need life to back off and leave me work.
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Post by bill on Aug 27, 2017 19:21:00 GMT
I'm so excited to see you writing regularly! I know it's a constant battle, but fight for the time to accomplish the things you feel called to. I'm sure it will take some time, but Drake sounds like a good dog and you have a special way with animals so in time you'll all settle into a new way/routine of doing things. Maybe if you put so much food all over the house there's no way he could eat it all. LOL - okay, that may not be the best idea, but I bet it would be an entertaining one!
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Post by Admin on Aug 27, 2017 20:00:00 GMT
He's already moderated his intake. He even turned down a special treat. I think he's finally not hungry and water is out all the time so he's not as anxious. He's doing really good outside. I still keep a long line on him because I don't know how he'll react to the neighbors dog or rabbits and woodchucks. He climbed up on the couch beside Josh and crossed over onto the chair Josh was kicked back in. I had to move him because he was lying on top of Joshua but I was glad to see he wanted to be close. He just needs to learn to stay beside people and not on top of them.
I'm typing today trying to get goal made for today. If I fall short, I'll try for bonus pages all week to get caught up and pull ahead. I really want this book live. It's time to start cranking the work out. Its been such a long time since life has pulled back and left me alone. All I want is to get up every day and know what my jobs are for that day.
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Post by Admin on Aug 27, 2017 21:37:36 GMT
added another 822 words bringing word total to: 24,761 and 64 pages. I am missing content. I need to either find it, or re-create it. Not happy with the delay.
I hate having to re-create missing content so I'm hoping I can find the missing chapter. This really annoys me because it has the potential to sideline my momentum.
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Post by Admin on Sept 4, 2017 19:02:39 GMT
Bit of a down slide this week. Took me awhile to integrate Drake into the family. As always, I drop a few balls when I add something new. But yesterday, I knew Jeff and Dan were stopping by so Saturday and Sunday morning I cleaned house. Deep cleaned it. floors mopped and things neat and tidy. Had a really nice visit with them and then Dan asked if they could help me move some stuff from the garage to the shed. I had mentioned that Hank put the new Polaris Ranger in the garage and I wasn't sure if there was room for Josh's van and the Ranger.
They worked so hard. Bill would have but he's still on restricted lifting. They did way more than I ever expected and the garage looks good. We are able to get the van, the Ranger, and the lawnmower in. I could have cried I was so happy. Dan and Jeff told me they were paying back for all the car rides, food treats, etc. that I had given them. I still get emotional. I'm stuck off here and never get in on the family work days. It felt really good to have somebody help me.
Anyway, it feels good to have my house looking good. I texted the guy we're hiring to do the siding and room addition and told him we're ready to proceed with that. The studio space is coming. I'm praying it will come before winter. I don't want to wait until spring. I want it yesterday.
Joshua began working on his book again today. Added 3 new pages to his rewrite. This version is a lot more fun. He's eager and ready to work again. It's been a long time since he's had the want-to. Kathy's illness hit him hard. He valued her teaching him so much. I will need to find somebody else but I'm trusting God to let me know the right time and the right person.
I've been painting a bit. Getting things finished and new work started. I need to start putting artwork in the gallery again next month. I've had 4 months off. I don't want to lose my space. My plan is to get back on my daily work on getting a clean ms of Knock Knock. I liked those early morning writing sessions.
I'm going to look for the check tomorrow. If I cannot find it by afternoon, I'll call MB and see what I need to do to get a copy of the image. The new court date is Sept. 29th. We need to get things to the lawyer as quickly as we can. If you do not have the info from me by Friday you can hound me unmercifully and I'll be grateful.
I'll get the trust info sent to them. then all we'll need is your report. that one check should not be that hard to find. Hank bought me a folder and everything that I think I'll need for 2017 is going in to the folder. I will learn to be more organized. I can do this. It can't be that hard.
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