Apr 14, 2013

Sunday - Just a blog post.

Yep.
That's what it is today.
Sunday.
And it's a sunny day, too.
It was long overdue!
Finally, the sun is coming out to play again.

I went shopping this morning, coz I couldn't be bothered with it yesterday, but that meant I had to get going early. There's only one supermarket in the area that's open on Sundays and only till 1 pm. I had an excuse to get up early today, as early as ... oh, about 8.30 or so (yes, that's early!!) because it's my ex-husband's "weekend", so he would be knocking on my door around 9. He wasn't though, he sent a text message to the kid, letting him know he would be on the 9.30 bus, so we had some time to spare. It meant waking up at a more leisurely pace instead of jumping out of bed the moment he knocks (that would be me, the kid's usually up around 8). I usually go back to bed once they're gone, but since I had some shopping to do (groceries, coz school starts again tomorrow), I didn't go back to bed (booo-hoooo). Instead I turned on my computer and checked a few of "my sites".

This one in the first place.

It's nice to see the number of viewers/readers grow steadily. It makes me happy to know people are coming to *my* page to see what I've been up to. I hope you're enjoying the stay ;o)
I also checked Facebook, played the only game I'm still playing regularly (just don't have the time for all that begging and building and begging and building and .... you get the picture, right?) and checked my messages. Only one, but it was one I had been hoping for, waiting for. It made me extra happy. I replied, turned my computer off again and set out to get my shopping done.
All in all, it didn't take me long to get there, shop, pay and get home. By the time I got back, it was getting warm. The kind of warm we've been longing for for weeks now. The kind of warm it should've been all damn week, all damn month!!!!

Yeah, yeah, I can hear you nagging about "What's all that about global *warming* now, huh??", but you can cut the crap, I've had it with that. And I really don't want to get into that right now. It could only mess up my mood, which is good (for a change).

On to some better topics.
Writing!
I love that one!
I came across a post from one of my Facebook contacts sometime this week, about a writing contest. The Writer's Weekly 24-hour writing contest, to be precise. Now, for those of you who know me, you'll understand why this got my attention, aside from being a writing contest. And for those who don't know ... scroll back to the top of the page here and have another look at that handsome devil. Now do you get it????

Anyways, I decided to enter.
At least, I was hoping I could still enter, because there's a 500 participant limit, so I was hoping I would still "make the cut". I entered all my information and submitted the form, then waited patiently (yeah, right), until 7 pm yesterday. At 7.01 pm I was checking my mail and .... BINGO!!!!! The topic had been dropped into my mailbox. I started reading it, finding my mind whirling with images in a matter of seconds. Images that instantly started competing for my attention, screaming "use me, use me", giving me a splitting headache in no time. DUH!! I blocked out the screams and continued reading. Maximum word count .... (uh-ohhhh, I'm not good with those) .... 925 words ... WHAT???? Are you kidding me??? 925????

Blahhhhh!!!! I write that in 5 minutes!
Damn!!!
That is sooooo short!
I had been expecting a little more than that.
I've done it before though, actually, I've been doing it every Friday for a few months, but this ... no, this was a bit unexpected. It's really all about getting the damn thing right from the first try. Sure, you can change things and tweak it a little, but there's not a lot of room to work with. Really not.
I didn't start writing at once. I let it all just sink in and let the ideas take over, allowing them to fly freely and either grow or dissipate. One grew strong, but I only had one image to describe and a crushing ending. I started writing it, but pretty soon found myself struggling with it. The image just wouldn't expand. It usually does once I start writing, but here, it just didn't. It bulged somewhat, but not nearly enough to allow for a 925 word description of it.
So I saved it and closed it, started closing window after window of open programs (not that I have 20 of them open, but still, there are a few X's to click), but then I changed my mind, opened a new word document and started writing afresh. Something new. Something else.
There wasn't even a picture, it was just a nagging thought at the back of my mind, unwilling to leave me be, unwilling to let me go to bed and find sleep. I'm sure I would've laid awake, tossing and turning, had I gone to bed after all. There would've been no peace for me, so I did the only thing I possibly can do, I wrote the damn story!
It came out alright and I let it rest, the whole 899 words of it.
Today, I sent it to a friend for a "first impression" and that came back positive, so I opened the file again and had another read myself. I tweaked some, I changed some, I added some. Now, I think I'm done, but I'm waiting for a second opinion before moving on to the next step, which is to submit my story. I have a few hours to spare.

I'll keep you posted as to how it goes.
Keep your fingers crossed for me!!!!



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