Pages

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Writer's Block of the Worst Kind...

I haven't felt like writing very much the past couple of days. The weather has been miserable, work has been busy, and I'm in a funk because one of my parents made a few upsetting comments when I went to visit them recently. All of these factors have put me into quite a funk and are preventing me from writing.

I like to think my family and I have a decent relationship. We certainly have a much better relationship now than the one we had when I was a teenager. However, we still have our spats from time to time, or may not see eye to eye on things, or may make comments that offend one another. No one is perfect. Thankfully these spats are far and few between, and they never really last long, but when they happen, man do they suck.

Maybe it's the weather that's making us crankier than normal though. It's been horrible lately, absolutely horrible. It's been in the 90s, which isn't too bad, but the humidity is high and that is what everyone everywhere is complaining about. In fact, it is so humid that whenever you move you are instantly dripping in sweat. It makes me want to run away to the desert. Sure it's hotter out there, but at least it's a dry heat, and that really does make all the difference in the world.

As for work? Well, it's the end/beginning of the month, so we're scrambling to get updates to the company website out, launch new products, update sales numbers, etc etc etc, and of course there have been the usual round of defects popping up that weren't there when we were testing these changes, so we're trying to get those fixed as quickly as possible.

Thankfully, I was able to finish up chapter eight of The Undying Ones before this recent round of writer's block hit. And I wrote about 1500 words on chapter nine of Collaborating Chaos before I had to turn it over to Kella (this is why I wasn't able to respond to everyone's comments last week, or comment on as many blogs as I normally do, because I was trying to get that chapter banged out). She finished it up for me after I realized that there was no way I was going to get it done in time. I was away from my computer for most of the weekend so even if I wanted to write, I couldn't. You can check out the newest Collaborating Chaos update and read the rest of the story over here

Even though I wasn't writing, I did manage to put more items up in my Etsy store. I now have two styles of peasant bodices that I am offering, along with entaris that can be worn with the belly dancing bodices I have available. Both bodices are very cute, and everyone who sees them likes them, but I think the entari is probably my favorite item. It's so comfortable to wear, and the gauze breathes so it's perfect to wear during hot weather like what we're experiencing now. I should have chemises, partlets, skirts and some men's clothing up next week. 

I've also started knitting again. It occured to me that my husband and I are planning a trip to Washington with our friends at the end of December, and it gets cold up in Washington, and I don't have a whole lot of cold weather appropriate accessories. I have my technicolor dream scarf and a cowl, but the scarf isn't that long, and the cowl doesn't really cover my head and my neck at the same time, and wearing both look very silly. So, I'm trying to get my ravenclaw scarf done as quickly as possible - I think I'm about halfway there. 

And now, for what you've all been waiting for - the Wippet Snippet. Here's 68 words from chapter eight of The Undying Ones. 9 times 4 is 36, times 2 is 72. 1 plus 3 is 4, 4 minus 72 is 68. 

He stripped to his waist, and washed off the soot from the fire as best as he could using the water from the rain barrel. It was icy cold, and made his teeth chatter and his skin break out in prickly gooseflesh, but pulling the tub from the pantry would take too long - especially when all he wanted to do was crawl back into bed and sleep.

You can read more WIPpet Wednesday posts here, and more ROW 80 posts over here.

9 comments:

  1. Very nice descriptive passage. Short, though. *ahem* Did I mention, it was short? Oh, yeah. Not like I'm greedy and want more or anything like that. ;)

    Ahh, family. Yeah. Sometimes it's better than others.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you :) I figured it was a nice bit of a fan service - even though it is very short and his physique isn't really described in detail...

      Yeah, family. They can be a pain sometimes, but I love them, I really really do. I'm sure they feel the same way about me sometimes :D

      Delete
  2. Sometimes it is convenient to live 2000 miles away from family. Not always, but there are times I'm glad we do.

    I don't think I've ever once in my life been so tired that I couldn't wait for the shower to warm up... and that includes after giving birth. You poor character is either very sick, or has been through quite an ordeal.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. There have been times we have thought about moving to another state. Not because of family (we do actually enjoy being around our families - and it's nice to be near by in case of emergencies) but because California can be quite expensive. There was a house we saw online in another state that was $200,000 that would be $2,000,000 here!


      Between the dream about his sister, the shadows he saw in the window, and something else that happens shortly there after, Liam has had quite a tough night. Poor guy.

      Delete
  3. I love the new items in your etsy store, Christina. Not that I've worn my bodice for years however....

    As for not writing much... yeah, I didn't get much writing done recently when my mother got to commenting about things in my life either. Being at odds with kin is hard, especially when there doesn't seem enough wrong to make a real break from things (and being from a family where extended family often lived in the same house for years, I often find people are surprised I haven't stopped talking to family members for forever because of things that have happened)...

    Well, anyway... I understand how you could be upset. I hope things calm down and you're able to get back with your parents on a more comfortable level of conversation and socializing than now.

    As for your WIPpet--too short! (Okay, so it was super cool WIPpet math involved and all, but... I want more!!!!) One minor nitpick to go with that complaint--if the water is icy, does he get cuts from the ice shards? Or is the water just bitterly cold?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you! I only wore a bodice once this year - it was so warm, and I was afraid of getting heat stroke again, that I stuck to wearing my belly dance garb.

      I feel pretty silly for complaining right now. It wasn't even that bad of a comment, and they were right.

      And of course, I actually wanted to write today, but it was so busy I couldn't. Figures.

      As for the WIPpet, it's more that it was bitterly cold than that there was actually ice in the water. I may need to make that more clear in the rewrites.

      Delete
  4. Ooh lovely vivid scene and very teasing with such a short extract but that leaves me wanting more so that can only be a good thing. (Impressive WIPpet maths by the way!)

    I feel for you in that humidity. I don't do heat well unless it's very dry and even in the UK I'm now longing for the lovely cooler days of autumn.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I know exactly how he feels!! Totally me today lol

    Great descriptions.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Bleh, I hate muggy heat! Totally hear you on moving to the desert!

    Great WIPpet excerpt. I totally get the "Nope, I am refusing to make any effort right now" sentiment.

    ReplyDelete