Sunday Update 6/2/24

It's been a while since I did one of these.  Don't expect me to catch up. LOL

Almost two years ago, I went and got me one of those payin' job things.  Last Tuesday, I gave my two-weeks notice - which basically amounted to nine days worth of work.  Friday the 7th is my last day. Think of it as me retiring again.  Think of it as me shrugging, if you're so inclined.  In reality, it's just time for me to come home and get back to being me again - writer, fisherman, gardener, kitty mommy, housewife - without day-job distractions.  (I was going to say without any outside distractions, but the world being what it is means plenty of outside distractions.  Blerg.)

The first thing I need to do, which I'm already starting to do, is get back into a writerly mindset.  This means taking care of the business side of writing, refilling the well by reading, and then actually sitting my ass down in this chair and writing.  For the business side, I delisted all my books from Draft 2 Digital and am taking them back to Kindle Select so I can drum up some page reads.  As single novels or series are marked as delisted, I'm enrolling them in KDP.  I did this a while ago with Song of Storm and Shroud.  Last week, I did it for Blink of an I and for the SCIU series.  I'll be doing some marketing for those in the coming days/weeks, as time and money allow. 

I've also been reading.  I finally set a Goodreads goal for 2024 - 35 books.  I think I can do that in the next seven months.  I've already read 4, so I'm off to a good start.  

The actual sitting down and writing will come.  I'll make it happen starting later this month.  The plan is to start small.  In the beginning, I'll be in my chair with a pen and my notebook, jotting down ideas and writing little sentences and paragraphs about nothing in particular.  I'd like to do some kind of JulNoWriMo - July Novel Writing Month - wherein I set myself a goal and write toward that end on a single novel.  I don't think I'll be able to do 50K in a month yet, so I'm not even going to try.  Maybe 30K.  Maybe only 15K.  The point will be to write every day so that the atrophied writing muscles get back into shape.  I'll talk more about that as the time approaches.

In non-writing, I have 6 tomato plants I'll be nurturing and all of my gardens need care after two years of neglect, I have a lake full of fish waiting to ignore my worm, and Sawyer needs a motherly influence to curb his less-than-stellar behavior.  

I'm ready to begin.  5 more days of the day-job to weather through and then I'm home.  I feel good.  I feel strong.  I'm ready to pass out lollipop, kick ass, and write books... and I'm ALL out of lollipops.  ;o)

How are things in your world lately?  

The Chaos Diaries - A New Wave

And when I say 'new wave', I'm not talking about around new round of 'rona.  I'm talking about the insanity surrounding the 'rona.

So, Wallyworld has mandated masks nationwide with people who'll be standing outside to enforce the rule.  Why?  Because there are like loads of places in the nation already with mask rules, so why not make all the stores in the non-totalitarian places enforce those rules, too?  Umm.  Yah. 

Today, all Dollar General stores follow in Walmart's locksteps.  Because it's what they do, I guess. 

Okay, here's the thing.  Yesterday, I tried the mask thing.  I had heard the USPS was enforcing a mask rule, so before I went into the post office to mail bills and pay for my PO Box, I put on a mask.  I walked from my car which was parked in front of the door, to the outgoing mail slot which is about 8 feet inside the store and by the time I dropped my mail into the slot I was hyperventilating and sliding into a panic attack.  I walked the few steps to the postal jail and slid my money for the PO Box through the tiny slot to the mail chick.  When I tried to talk to her, all that came out was croaking, so I ripped the damn mask off.  She looked at me kind of weird and I apologized saying "I'm sorry but I just can't wear it' and explaining how I'd heard it was mandatory masks in there.  She said she hadn't heard it was mandatory there yet. 

I'd also heard that masks were already mandatory at DG, so I girded my loins and went off to DG, telling myself it was something I was going to have to do if I wanted food, so I just needed to get over it.  I put the mask in my purse and headed for the doors.  No signs of any kind saying I had to put on a mask, so I didn't, but I was prepared to do it if someone said something.  No one inside was wearing masks, so my stress level went way down and I shopped, thinking perhaps my info was wrong.  When I was done, I talked to the cashier who told me the mask rule would go into effect the next day.  The guy behind me overheard us talking and was all like 'what?', so I explained it to him.  And he WENT OFF.  Can't say I disagreed with anything he said, although I might've said it quieter and with fewer expletives. 

The manager, upon hearing him, came out loaded for bear and totally on the defensive. With me.  I talked her down and the dude left, muttering additional worthy comments about America, freedom, and communism.  After she'd calmed down, because I assured her I was on her side and didn't have any intentions of taking my own righteous anger out on her or her staff, she told me that DG's new rules are to be enforced, no questions asked and no room for dissent.  Employees don't comply or enforce the rule, they're fired.  Period.  Then she told me she has the same phobia I have about things over my mouth and nose.  And she has to suck it up or lose her livelihood. 

That's where we're at in America, folks.  Follow the rules to avoid the chance you might catch a disease that, at the worst projections, is only slightly deadlier than the flu, or lose your job, be unable to shop for necessities, potentially face jail time...  The original guidelines were to stay 6 feet away, wash your hands, and stop touching your face.  I haven't heard anything that says 'those didn't work, so we have to wear masks now'.  We just have to.  No logic.  No rational.  Nothing.   

As I've said before, I have no problem with people choosing to wear masks.  If you feel like you're in the risk group, and you feel safer wearing a mask, go for it.  It's the difference between choice and force, folks.  And the underlying goal behind it?  Control. If they can get you to wear a mask by scaring the hell out of you, they can get you to do anything.

I have to go out again later this week.  While I was at DG, I bought a big handkerchief which I hope will be easier to deal with than the mask I had.  The new masks I ordered arrive sometime this week.  We'll see what happens.  If I totally spazz out inside a store because of the mask thing, I'll have Hubs drop a line here while I'm in jail.  (Not seriously concerned about that.  Well, maybe a little.)

Thursday This n That

Happy Independence Day!

Project Hermes is on sale starting today.  I thought it was apropos.  Blink would also be apropos - it's on sale next week.

The neighborhood is full of people right now - most of whom I don't recognize.  Friends of weekenders, I assume.  And the new people who've bought homes recently.  I'm looking forward to Labor Day Weekend.  Or rather, the day after.  That's when this place will return to normal.

I have a framed copy of the Declaration of Independence on the wall next to my desk.  It was one of the first things we bought for decor after we moved here.  Kind of a nod to our own freedom as well as to this wonderful country we live in.

The big fireworks show here is set for the 6th.  We're not going.  I don't enjoy fireworks - the loud noises, crowds of people, bugs... :shudder:  More power to you if you do. 

We have the best light show going on outside right now - fireflies.  They're really going all out this year.  So cheerful and pretty, but also quiet.  Last night, it wasn't even dark yet and they were flashing out in the woods.  =oD

Peace and quiet.  It's a wonderful thing.  It's my thing. 

Tonight, I will lay in bed, pretending to be in a thunderstorm rather than cringing over every bang and boom.  Once you realize that you can sleep through thunderstorms, sleeping through fireworks becomes easier.  A couple times in my life, I lived quite close to railroad tracks.  If I can sleep through that, I can sleep through anything. 

We're not doing anything today.  That's freedom, baby.

Have whatever kind of Independence Day you enjoy.  Celebrate your freedom any way you choose*.  Because, hey, that's what being free is all about.


*without infringing on anyone else's freedom, k?

Independence Day

Happy Independence Day!

This copy of The Declaration of Independence hangs on the wall to the right of my desk.  (Click on it to make it larger, if you want to.)   It was one of the first things I bought and put up after we moved here.  Serendipity finding it at the thrift store so soon after we declared our own independence and moved here, I think. 

This document is what Independence Day is all about. Declaring to the world that men have the right to be free individuals. 

Enjoy whatever pursuits you have planned for today and spare a thought for why you're free to pursue them. 

I'll be working on editing today.  And I am extremely glad I live in a country that allows me to write the books I want to write without fear of reprisal - at least from my government. 

Happy Fourth of July, folks!  And be careful out there in the world today.  :hugs:

Happy Independence Day

This copy of the Declaration of Independence is hanging on my office wall.  All I have to do is look to the right and there it is, reminding me of our freedom every day. 

Happy Independence Day. Celebrate your freedoms, today and every day.

Personally, I have work to do today, if I want any chance of getting this manuscript to my editor on time.  Isn't it a wonderful thing?  I'm free to write and to work and to publish my books.  I'm free to work on a holiday if I choose to do so.  No one's going to stop me.  No one's even going to try.  And that's freakin' awesome.   Yay for the U.S. of A.!

What are you up to today?