The Ole Master Plan

The Agony and the Ecstasy of the Day Job

By day, I'm a medical transcriptionist.  That means I sit in one spot, wear headphones, and type what the docs say, with grammar editing and such.  Yeah, not much Ecstasy here.  Before my first cup of coffee, I whine about the bleakness of my existence to CK for as long as he'll listen.  The record is 2.5 minutes, give or take.

BUT, every now and then, the docs will say something just hilarious.  It's great material for a would-be writer.  I was typing along just now, when he said this:  

"Impression:  Ice-pick headaches.  They are not too bothersome to the patient and the mother agrees with just observing them."

HA!  

First, if that was me, I'd ask to be put up for adoption.  

Second, in my world, bothersome describes waiting in traffic, not feeling my brain is being pierced through with sharp, pointy metal.  Just sayin.

But isn't it a great line?

All Time Greats

Once upon a time, a girl went to Spain and Italy with her best friends for three weeks.  In 2003, digital cameras mostly only existed in the point-n-shoot variety.  And they cost a hefty nickel, which I couldn't afford.  I took my manual Canon T60, a 50 mm lens, and a bucket-load of film.  Two weeks in, I labeled all my film caps with a dot of red nail polish, nine by that day, to keep them separate from my friend's film.  By the end of the trip, I had 11 rolls of film.  Remember that anticipation, hoping your pictures came out?  Here are a few of my favorite scenic shots....   Some classic people shots to come.

Taken at Lago Maggiore, Italy

Bless my soul, this is Manarola, Italy.... aka Heaven

Manarola and the Mediterranean

Florence, Italy

 

Funky photo

I took this photo in Phoenix, Arizona last May.  Funny that from that intersection on Camelback in the middle of the afternoon, all I could think was, "It was a dark and stormy night..."  I'll post this photo again when I learn how to photoshop out the street light.

Blog vs Book

Sometimes,  a book or magazine about writing can get the creative juices flowing.  Or prick the conscience.  There I was, curled up in the corner of the sofa, innocently reading a back issue of Writer's Digest Magazine.  I was feeling good about finally getting my blog started, when I read this quip by Sherman Alexie:  "Every word you write in your blog is not in your book...."  Or something to that effect.  Now I can't find my magazine.

Okay, okay.  He has a point.  Tomorrow's post must be about daily goals.  Oh, and I pictures to post.  Hmmm, that's still work on this blog.  And I gotta work.  And buy groceries.  Houston?

Butt in Chair

A few weeks ago, I attended a meeting of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators.  I am neither, but my friend, Angi, is.  She has three works in progress and.... are you sitting...  just signed with a literary agent!  Go Angi!!   Her webpage is www.yascribe.com.  

While children's lit isn't my genre, I enjoyed the speakers and their advice.  One joke stuck with me, though.  They had pens to give away, all printed with the slogan, Butt In Chair.  Really, need I interpret?  Wouldn't we all rather play on the internet than work?  

I read that one writer goes to a coffeeshop with an old laptop that Does Not have internet capability.  Isn't that illegal?  You might as well take my coffee away.  And, while you're at it, my hair dryer. The results will not be pretty.  Then again, she has finished five books.  And moi?  Ahem…