Day 6 of Unemployment - A Saturday

Since I didn't have to work on Saturdays when I had a job, today is, yet isn't, my Day 6 of Unemployment.

As far as my goals went for yesterday, as I mentioned yesterday, I did get the hall closet floor cleaned and straightened, but did no more on the closet.

I also went for a few walks with Rascal, but not as far as before, since we were blessed with a dusting of snow and blasts of cold air.

I never got a chance to get anything done on my works in progress, so hope I can find some time this weekend to get something done in that regard. If not, there's always Monday, since I don't have a day job any more.

On that job score, I've been checking the papers daily, but the pickings are slim. Also, online is not much better. I'm keeping my eye open and hope to get something that's a perfect fit by year's end, hopefully much sooner.

Vacation in May?

You may wonder if I uploaded the correct photos from my computer here, but I assure you, these photos were taken today on the last day of our vacation in Wisconsin! For a few more, come on over to http://facebook.com/morgan.mandel

Say It Isn't Snow

It's Back Again, and I'm not happy. Neither is Rascal. She took one look and I had to force her out the door. Can't blame her. We've had enough of the wet, white stuff for this year. I'm hoping it leaves real soon.

What about you? Would you like to keep some around, or would you prefer it be banished, at least until next December?

Beware - Don't Look If You're Easily Grossed Out

B.S. Photo - Rascal before the snow.

Whether or not you're a dog owner, you'll know what I'm talking about here.

The past few months, we've had tons of snow in our part of Illinois, but thanks to the recent warmer weather and rain, most of the white stuff has disappeared.

Hidden underneath the pretty white stuff was - to put it indelicately - a lot of crap. I spent a good part of Saturday and  this morning scooping it up with a shovel and depositing it into plastic garbage bags.

You may wonder how I can think of relating this nasty little chore to writing. Here goes -

After you've finished your manuscript, it may look beautiful and wonderful to you, but beware. Hidden under that false beauty can be all sorts of nasty piles of stuff that need to be removed. If you're savvy enough, you can tackle the cleanup job yourself. Otherwise, you may need the help of a critique group or editor to do the chore for you. Here are a few nasties to clean up:

Backstory dumps - Do readers really need to know right away every little thing that already happened?

Overly long descriptions - Sure, they look pretty, but do they move the story forward?

Adjectives and adverbs - They're the lazy way of writing and slow down a story. Make sure you have the best words for what you want to say, like action verbs and exact nouns.

Orphan letters - Did you start a word in your writing excitement, then begin another one without completing the first?

I told you I could do it. Never underestimate my ability to relate anything to writing. Anyway, today I'll be working on my Rascal manuscript and looking for spots to remove some of that, to put it indelicately, crap.

If you know of other hidden nasties to look for, please share with us. Or, maybe you have a dog and can relate to my chore today. (g)

Slush Piles

I don't like slush piles. They're scary and messy. Unfortunately, with the recent snowfall extending from Wednesday night, through Thursday and up until Friday morning, I find an overabundance of them.
If I must negotiate one, I tread carefully and hope I don't slip and fall.

The best thing to do is avoid them altogether. I look for spots that are either snow packed or kind of dry where it's easier for me to walk. I look for sheltered areas, like under awnings. I walk through buildings instead of outside when I can.

As a writer, I also try to avoid slush piles. A few ways to do that are:

1. Address your query to a specific editor or agent.
2. Pitch to an editor or agent at a conference. A good pitch may result in a submission request.
3. Research what an editor or agent wants before you submit anything to them.

Do you know of any other ways? What has worked or not worked for you?

Give Me a Break

When I opened up the back door Friday night to let the dog out, there it was again, that dreaded white stuff I've come to hate. All I could say was, "Give me a break."

Actually, I did get a brief respite of a few days from that dreaded slippery, wet stuff. During the intermission, I thoroughly enjoyed walking the dog, walking to work and other activities I'd missed, which I couldn't do when the snow made it too difficult to travel on foot. Spring seemed so close I could almost think it had arrived.

That was before the cold, soft, flakes hit me in the face when I opened the back door. Once again, I'm dealing with what looks oh, so pretty, but doesn't act so very nice.

This dismal turn of events reminds me of a novel. The hero and/or heroine suffers through all sorts of calamities. Then, when everything appears to be okay, calamity hits with a vengeance. Wham, once again, the world is not so pretty. The only hope is that somehow everything will turn out all right at the end.

So, as an author, I put my characters through the roughest winters I can think of, I give them a short break, pile on more snow, then at the end I reward them with the wonders of Spring sunshine.

What about you? Do you like to torture your characters? Can you think of any novels where you thought all was lost, yet somehow everything turned out all right? Or, maybe, can you think of novels where you were disappointed because the author treated the characters too nicely? Please share.

Trials by Wind, Cold, Snow, Water

A new river - the backyard!

First we had the trial by wind, coupled with that of cold, when the wind chills dipped to 25-30 degrees below zero. Then came the trial by snow, when we were blessed with 12 inches of the white stuff. The latest is the trial by water, which began Friday night. All day Saturday it rained, alternating between light and heavy. Do you believe it? A tornado watch in parts of Illinois and Indiana in December. Fortunately, that's been lifted and we're spared that trial.

The good news is so far the ceiling in the kitchen is not dripping. We did have ice shoring up beneath the shingles from our prior trials. I was kind of worried about water dripping down the kitchen ceiling, since that had happened a few days before Christmas. We managed to control it with a few towels and a bowl then, but I didn't know what heavy rains would do so soon afterwards.

The bad news is seepage in the basement started very early Saturday morning and is still going on. This only happens in extreme circumstances, which is certainly the case this time. I know from experience to keep valuables on higher ground, such as on tables, or chairs or counters down there, just in case, so I didn't have to worry about rescuing items. So far, not sewer backup so at least it's not the germy stuff, relatively speaking anyway.

Normally, we can handle a day or so of rains, but not after the recent snowstorm which dumped 12 inches of snow on us. When the snow melted, it had to go somewhere. Some of it poured into the window wells, some under the window wells. Some gathered alongside the patio, making the river effect in my photo. Lots went into the storm sewers on the street outside.

When I watch TV and see the damage wreaked on other homes in the area and see the travelers stranded at the airport, I consider myself lucky. I was able to get to the show and use up my free pass before its expiration at year's end.

At home, the DH, I and Rascal still have electricity, heat and food. My computer and TV are in working order. What more do I need?

What about you? Have you had any weather related problems lately? Did it play havoc with your Christmas or the days after? Please share.

I Hate Snow, Do You?

Sorry for two hate-filled posts in a row. Can't help it. That's how life is going lately.

I know I've touched on this subject before, but it bears repeating. That's because it keeps repeating itself. It's not even officially winter, yet here we are in Illinois smacked with another snow storm.

Those people in Vegas who shared some of our snow yesterday were probably happy because it was a novelty for them. It's no novelty to me. I've had to deal with this stuff too many times before. It just gets in the way.

Okay, if I were a kid and could play in it, make snowmen and throw snowballs, I'd probably be happy about the copious amounts of that awful white stuff outside. Or if I were retired and had the luxury of curling up with a book at home or sitting in front of my computer writing, snowfall would be an incidentally pretty backdrop. Or if I'd already finished my Christmas shopping and hadn't wanted to walk the extra three blocks back and forth to the only Carson's left in the Downtown area this morning, the snow would not bother me quite as much.

Unfortunately, I'm none of those. I have a day job to get to. I know when I step out of Ogilivie Transportation Centre I won't be able to shop. I'll be headed straight to the office because those extra three blocks to Carson's will be slippery and too dangerous to maneuver. The bridge over the Chicago River will either be packed with snow or slush covered, two unpleasant scenarios.

On the bright side, the DH did buy a fantastic snowblower before all the snow came, so he's managed to clear the sidewalks around our house, which is no easy chore since we're on a corner. At this point, he's very happy with his purchase.

Since he's off today, he was able to drive me to the station and can pick me up tonight. Once I'm home after work, maybe the snow won't feel so much like a curse, but something pretty. Maybe. Until then, I'm not too happy.

Okay, pile it on. Who out there loves snow? Who hates it? Am I the only one?

SNOW Is A Four Letter Word

View from the train window at one of the stops on the way to work. Note the wet window pane and the reflection of the light from the opposite side of the train. That light is kind of annoying. So is that awful white stuff outside.

Maybe it's because I'm old. Maybe it's because I'm clumsy. All I know is, when I see snow, my first reaction is not "Goody."

It's "Oh, no."

I confess. I hate snow. Oh, yes, it's very pretty. If I didn't have to deal with it, maybe I could stand it. But I do have to deal with it and way too often. I have to walk down the sidewalks that are either piled with the white stuff or the used-to-be white stuff that's turned messy, sloppy and dirty.

This morning I left the house early and trudged the usual five plus blocks to the train station, battling the snow falling on my face, plus the piles on the sidewalks. The places where the snow wasn't, which were the spots where homeowners thought they were doing a favor by shoveling or snow blowing, were actually more treacherous, since they were icy. I was exhausted by the time I sat down on the train, and I'm used to walking.

When I got Downtown and exited Ogilvie Transportation Centre, I was treated to a sloppy walk over the icy bridge. Then, there were the puddles of water and slush at every street corner, where I had to decide which was the best spot to cross without getting splattered or immersing my boots in the wet stuff.

Needless to say, I didn't go far on my lunch hour. Fortunately, the DH picked me up after I got off the train in the evening, saving me the misery of walking home in the dark over the snow and ice again. Thank goodness on Tuesday the DH can start later for work and can drive me to the train.

And this is just the beginning! There must be a reason why we still live in Illinois. Sometimes I wonder.

What about you? Do you love snow? Do you have mixed feelings? Do you hate it?

Please share.