MAGICK MUSINGS…

Me panicked: Hey, the WiFi on my netbook is not working!

GW calmly: Why not?

Me panicked: I don’t know why not. It was working a minute ago.

GW calmly: Reboot it.

Me panicked: I DID! And it’s still not working. I have to have it. It HAS to work! What’s wrong with it???

GW calmly: I don’t know. What did you do?

Me panicked: I didn’t DO anything! It just stopped working. One minute I was on a website and then it stopped working. I can’t get on ANY of the websites I need to be on. I NEED to have internet access.

GW calmly: Why? The netbook was strictly for writing on.

Me panicked: Um, sure. It is. But I have to have access to the internet! You know, research and everything.

GW calmly: Uh huh, sure. Did you make a point recovery backup?

Me panicked: Point recovery backup? Um, no. Was I supposed to do that?

GW calmly: Well, it helps for situations like this.

Me panicked: But I didn’t know. What do I do now? Does it have to go back to the factory? I don’t want to take it back. I have to have it.

GW calmly: Let me take a look at it. We might have to do a whole recovery on it.

Me panicked: What does that mean? What happens then? Will that make it work?

GW calmly: Yes, it will work. It restores it back to the factory settings.

Me panicked: Will I have to reload all my programs?

GW calmly: Yes.

Me panicked: NO!

GW calmly: Do you want it to work?

Me panicked: Of course! I NEED it to work.

GW calmly: Here’s the problem.

Me panicked: What? What is the problem? Is it broke?

GW calmly: Well, you might say that.

Me panicked: Oh, NO! What’s wrong? Does it have to go back to the factory? Can you fix it?

GW calmly: I already did.

Me no longer in a panic: You did? Cool! Is it working? What was wrong with it?

GW calmly: See this button here?

Me happy: Yeah, it has a little antenna thingy on it. What’s that for? Is it broke? Did you fix it?

GW patiently and calmly: No, it’s not broke. It turns the WiFi off and on. And guess what?

Me sheepishly with a red face: I turned it off?

GW shaking his head calmly: Oh, Babe!!!!

~Sandy

…Sunday was the first day of summer and it arrived with on the wings of hell!

A non-writer friend of mine inquired that now I finished one book - how do I start another? Where do the ideas come from, how do I decide what I am going to write, what do I do next.

My answer was I don’t know. Everyone does it different.

Are you working on something new? she asked. And when I said yes, she asked how I got started on it. I swear she’s like a dog with a bone, LOL! I thought about it a moment and then told her I could only describe how it happened with this current story because the last one didn’t happen this way and the next may be even different.

A few weeks ago I was talking to Brenda (otherwise known as queenbee to us at Yellow Rose) and something said in that conversation sparked an idea for another story. It was just a tiny ember that just wouldn’t die. During the next week, I thought about it , stewed about it, perused it, pondered it, and even dreamed about it, until one day it grew into a wildfire. I called Brenda and said, “I’ve got it all figured out! Do you want to hear it?”

Brenda probably didn’t have a clue what I was talking about at that moment, but because she is such a dear friend and knows me well, she never asked what I was talking about, but just said ‘of course’ and I told her my new story idea.

After typing up a rough draft of a logline and a short premise and some random notes, I emailed writer friends Sandy S and Michelle and asked them if they would read something and tell me what they thought. Because they are dear friends, they never asked what I was talking about and just said ‘of course’. And I sent them my new story idea.

I called another good writer friend, Denise, and I asked her if she would listen to something and tell me what she thinks. Because she is a dear friend, she never asked what I was talking about and just said ‘of course’. And I will share my story idea.

I have been listing things I want to have happen in the book and filling in plot points and character arcs and thinking of themes and settings and such. I haven’t actually written the first word because the first line just hasn’t come to me yet. But it will.

That’s my story and I’m sticking to it. LOL!

I do want to say thanks to these wonderful friends who I can call up any time and, without any questions and because they are who they are, knowing I value their opinion, will listen to me and share their true opinions and root for me and pull for me and even kick my butt for me when it needs it.

And I appreciate GW who puts up with me forgetting things and who listens to me pitch my story ideas or work out a plot problem and he never thinks I am weird when he asks what I am thinking and I launch into a long tirade on my writing and somehow, someway, he understands me.

~Sandy

Ah…the land of kilts and clans, bagpipes and drums, whiskey and beer, haggis and bangers, naps and tatties, dancing and singing…

GW and I went with some friends to the annual Scottish Festival and Highland games Saturday. I tell you…the Scots and Irish certainly know how to party!

We started at 9:30 and the weather was so nice although the wind was blowing a bit hard for my taste. I hate my hair to be mussed. But by the time 3:00 rolled around, I was begging for it to blow harder, hair or no! I doubt it gets this hot in Scotland.

We got brave and tried several new things. First on the list was a beginners Gaelic lesson. Not sure if I could ever master that difficult language but we did okay learning some basic greetings. And GW really got into the swing of things and did very well singing Old MacDonald had a farm in Gaelic. Especially the I AI I AI O part! Must have some Scot in him way back!

Next, we stopped to watch a bunch of big guys in kilts (BIG guys…I dare you to call them skirts in their faces!) throwing these big ball things called hammers. Evidently, the one who throws it the farthest wins. You know, men stuff. Always competing.

Around lunch, we visited the food court and, of course, we all had to try some original Scottish fare. We tried Scottish meat pies (pastry with meat) and it was a little bland, but not bad. Then we tried bangers and mash (little sausages and mashed potatoes covered in onion gravy) - again, not too bad.

Then we all got our courages up to try haggis. Okay, if you don’t know what haggis is, I’m not going to tell you…just google it, my friend, and clap your hands for our bravery! Tried it once, don’t have to try it again, LOL! But you know…when in Rome…or Scotland I should say.

To reward ourselves we hit the funnel cakes and the scones with strawberries and whipped cream. Worth the calories, trust me! After all that, along with my favorite drink - pear cider, and just a wee bit, I promise - I was ready for a nap.

But we perservered and watched caber tossing, Irish dancing, music from harp bands to the Celtic rock band The Kildares. We left around 3:30 and ran a few errands and then came home and crashed big time! But it was so much fun!!!!

One of the Bagpipe Marching Bands:

One of the many breweries serving all kinds of beer. They even let you sample before you buy. I was a wuss and stayed with the pear cider. But I did try a sample of the others.

I have no clue who those people were, but they wouldn’t get out of the way! Everyone takes their time and like to talk and visit.

This is where we bought our bangers and mash and haggis.

Here it is - my first (and last) taste of haggis. The haggis is the brown stuff. It’s served with mash potatoes and rutabagas. Proof for posterity that I did try it!

We B rockin’ with this group called the Kildares! Soon after this picture was taken a girl with a fiddle joined the group and it was awesome! I plan on downloading some of their music to my iPod.

This group was called Clandestine. Due to the heat, the bagpiper was having trouble tuning his instrument so he took it apart to work with it. It confirms that the bagpipe is not a native Texas instrument, LOL!

Okay, girls, here’s what we’ve always wanted to know but afraid to ask. But, take my word for it not ALL of them wear shorts underneath, LOL!

This is called the Caber Toss. GW did a great job with these pics:

This kind of dancing takes so much stamina. Their heels are not allowed to touch the stage during the performance.

Some funny sayings I saw:

‘Some see it as a glass half empty.
Some see it as a glass half full.
But an Irishman just asks: Are you going to drink that?’

‘Be careful meddling in the affairs of dragons.
For they find you crunchy and taste good with ketchup.’

Seen on the t-shirts of some of the women:
‘Kilt inspector - spread’em lad!’

If you ever get a chance to attend one of these festivals, I highly recommend it.

BTW, do you know what the Gaelic saying in the title of this blog means?

…a 100,000 welcomes!

~Sandy

I finished the first draft of my book!!!

A day early and 665 words over the bet with GW. We changed it to 45,000 because I had a whole week I missed of writing when I was busy judging for a couple of contests. Duty calls, you know.

Not that I would let anyone read it at this point. It is a really rough draft and will take quite a bit of revision. Hey, even Nora Roberts says she spits out her story and then goes back through at least twice and revises. And I am really excited about going through and shaping it up. I figure it will end up around 60,000 words once I am through revising it.

But I actually wrote and finished something and it feels so good!

And, instead of getting a Kindle, I opted for a 10 inch Netbook. And I love it, love it, love it! It is small enough to take anywhere with you and can fit into a large purse. It has WiFi capabilities so no matter where I go, I can log on and check emails, surf the net, etc. Not that I wanted one for that reason, of course LOL! But it is so convenient to haul around instead of my big laptop I had to connect and disconnect to everything it is hooked up to.

Here is a pic I pulled off the net to show how compact it is. Mine is the black one:

Now I have no reason not to write anytime, anywhere. I love it, love it, love it! Did I say that already? A friend asked why I didn’t want jewelry. My reply was that I am more interested in things that boot up! She just shook her head. It may have been in disgust, but I’d prefer to think it was amazement.

Poor GW! No double compound saw thingy for him! At least not until later. Like maybe Christmas…

But he tells me it was a win, win situation for him. Bless his sweet heart!

Gaw, I feel so rusty and awkward typing on this blog. It’s only been three months since the last time.

Off to start revisions…and do homework on a online workshop I am involved in…and jot down notes on a new story that is rolling around in my head…

Have a beautiful spring day!

~Sandy

…putting everything in front of my writing!

Things I can cross off my list though:

• Taxes done
• Read book for published contest
• Unpublished entries critiqued
• Some (not all) critiques done for critique group
• Checking account balanced
• Writer’s group checking account balanced
• Attended meeting at writer’s group (guest speaker Rosemary Clement Moore and she was great!)
• Grocery shopping done
• Gumbo made
• Laundry done
• Ironing NOT done
• Yearly visit to the Fort Worth Home Show
• Started a friend’s critique that she wants to submit next week to her editor.

Wow! It’s amazing how life in general can suck every minute of your day. All of a sudden it is like 3:00 on a Sunday afternoon and you wonder where the weekend went.

But it is actually hard to believe that it is already Thursday with the weekend only a day away. I am definitely getting some writing caught up!

And my word meter is still moving albeit slooooowwwlly! Too slow evidently by the smirk on G.W.’s face.

~Sandy

I realized something last night. 5400 plus words written (I forgot to look and change the meter this morning), I think I found the REAL beginning of my story. Where the REAL action starts. Where the REAL me wants to chunk all I have written and begin again.

But I will not do that. Not this time. Not only will MY cheering squad kill me - GW has his own (waving at you guys and you know who you are) - but I have realized that everyone goes through this and it is easily taken care of during revisions. And revisions. And more revisions.

I’m actually looking forward to taking this bare bones story and fleshing it out and layering it to make it whole. But first….I have to finish it. And I am excited to see where it is going to go.

Um…I also realized that, in my haste, when I placed the bet with GW, he doesn’t have to DO anything to win. I have to fail.

Dream on, Babe! Not happening!

Looking forward to the weekend!

Happy Friday the 13th!

~Sandy

…a four legged kind. A four legged kind who has tiny ears and a long tail. Who industrially chewed open the bag of landscaping rocks and a bag of sand and built a little home in our garage. Who went grocery shopping at the All You Can Eat grass seed bag located between the aforemetioned landscaping rocks and bag of sand in the garage and…ate all the grass seed. Which was a lot considering the bag was full. I hope he/she (please God don’t let it be a ’she’ nesting for future little four leggers) saved some for a rainy day or else I really don’t want to see the size of him/her now.

So, in honor of our new guest, I made GW take me to the nearest Home Depot (like that was a real chore for him, LOL) and we loaded up on supplies to encourage our little boarder to find another place to reside.

Forty dollars later…

Broom
Dustpan
Goggles
Face masks
Sticky traps
Gloves

…this little critter has turned out to be an expensive guest!

The traps are set and now we wait!

Happy Birthday to my youngest son, Jacob! I wish you happiness and health, love and wealth, and the wisdom to handle it all.

~Sandy

…don’t you just hate them?

There is always so much I want to do. And only 48 hours to do them all.

We visited with out of town friends and showed them the Fort Worth ropes. Took them downtown to the Sundance Square where we toured the area pointing out the Bass Hall, the two-story Barnes & Nobles (which GW had to drag me out of there) and, since there were some in the group that had never been to Texas before, stopped in a few of the shops that specialized in Texas souvenirs. Which they got a big kick out of. Or maybe they were making fun of, I really couldn’t tell.

Of course, all this walking worked up a thirst so we stopped into the Flying Saucer for a beverage. It took us awhile to decide what we wanted as they carry 230498 kinds of beer. At least it appeared they do. I meant to snag a menu to carry home, but forgot. It named all the different beers and categorized them with an explanation of what they were and what was in them. Great resource just in case you wanted to become a beer connoisseur.

I stuck with my White Zin, but the waitress heard me say I have always wanted to try a Guiness, so she was kind enough to bring me a sample. It wasn’t bad at all and I was pleasantly surprised. Now I can check that off my ‘Things to Do Before I Die’ list.

The biggest excitement for the college girls in the group was while we were standing outside a well known hotel in the middle of downtown. They were looking up at the building and some guy walked up to the window with the drapes open wearing nothing but…well… nothing!

Welcome to Texas, girls!

The rest of the night was spent at the Stockyards, eating Riscky’s Ribs and making the required Billy Bob’s visit.

Sunday I was able to visit with the grandtwins. And they are just wonderful. So funny. So smart. So beautiful! I didn’t have time to bake any Nana cookies for them and they were so disappointed.

In case you haven’t noticed, I’ve been getting some writing done. The only thing I am discovering is that it keeps me from doing other things I need to do and want to do.

Oh, well…priorities first.

~Sandy