Thursday, September 9, 2010

A Time to Every Purpose

Does it always have to be so perfect and lengthy? My blog that is. More specifically each post. The realistic answer is probably not. I’d likely get a whole heck of a lot more comments if I didn’t ramble on for 1500 solid words every time.

But that just wouldn’t be me now would it? Comment whore or not I will suffer with the lack of them to put my verbal vomit out there.

Who knew one could use the words ‘whore’ and ‘vomit’ in the same sentence? Oh wait, Vegas…

So there are a whole lot of happenings going down, stuff I’ve joined and things going on so it makes me wonder if I really can get back to posting more regularly (?). First of all there is the Book Club which is so rad. I always wanted to join a book club and now I did so yea! We read & reviewed Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert last month and September is all about The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bend. I’m looking forward to that one on mere title alone.

Because, really, who doesn’t love lemon cake?

Then again maybe I have eaten too much of it lately because exercise is about to take up a whole big chunk of the page in the current chapter of my life. I finally got back on my treadmill (now that temperatures in Boston have calmed back from the upper 90’s and humid) and on the suggestion of a good friend who is doing and sticking to it, we’re picking up P90X in a couple weeks with the next paycheck.

I have to, really, because no matter how much I avoid looking at my stomach, every time I do catch a glance it baffles me how it can possibly have morphed into the shape of an entire pizza plus a five piece chicken selects. Or maybe the selects went to my ass? Huh, no, that’s probably due to all the cheese and fries. (Ooh, cheese fries…)

Fast food. My one true nemesis on this planet.

So because a few of us were feeling a similar need to shed there is the new Fitness Club! Basically we’ll all talk about our good, healthier habits and give each other some virtual high fives for the efforts we’re all making toward being healthier people. No weigh-ins, no weight revelations, no pressure. And I love that.

While I’m spending all that time on the gerbil wheel I might as well get some kind of benefit so I’m reading a lot of Chick-Lit too. I really forgot how much I loved reading stories about dynamic women. Back when I was younger we simply called it ‘Fiction’ but the aforementioned mildly misogynistic catch phrase gained momentum and stuck.  So now, according to the industry, that’s what I write.

Some of the books I’ve read recently have been memoirs. I gobbled up all but one book by Jen Lancaster so far. She is hilarious, open and really, really good at conversational voice. I identified with her style and situations right away. Well, except I never owned & had to sell anything by Prada and I’m not a Republican but otherwise I get everything that flows out of that woman’s fingers. Right down to the constant cursing.

Though, unlike Word who has just presented me with a little red squiggle, at least I do know what Prada is.

Faux has trailed off again and honestly that is fine. After six straight weeks of body breaking labor work I’m fully content to not have to climb, roll, cut, pounce, sand or tape anything for a while. Plus, NaNoWriMo is coming up and I really have to start thinking up some baseline character stuff.

We went out a week or so ago with a friend of mine and I had one of those nights where my little notebook and pen got whipped out so often with hilarious inspiration that I should have had a mini voice recorder instead.

And FYI? People in locals-only type bars give very odd looks to 37 year old women in sweats and a bucket hat who “take notes” all night. But ask me if I care. I have another novel to start in less than sixty days people! There is no time like the present to create a character.

Oh, and FYI x 2? People in bars are some seriously interesting characters.

With NaNo comes the lack of ability to focus on pretty much anything else so before that whirlwind begins it seemed right to do one craft fair this year. It’s the same one I did a couple years ago in Melrose and I’m looking forward to it, mostly because I plan to whip up a whole bunch of fun home décor from fabric and faux and sell the pants off it.

Two goals achieved -- 1. I make something out of all the reclaimed fabric I have gathering dust in my craft closet and 2. all the fabric in my craft closet finally goes to a good home that isn’t mine.

Which leads me into the next eight week project. Not only creating craft fair merch but really organizing my entire crafty life. (Now all I hear in my head is the Beastie Boys…) I have so many old photographs just dying to be attached to the pages of the umpteen half filled or empty scrapbooks taking up space in yet another cabinet. Something tells me I’ll gain space by putting them together.

So in short (not) I guess its time to reorganize and reclaim my life back. The physical, mental, intellectual and spiritual. Not to mention financial or any other ‘al’ that happens to pop up.

Only 965 words this time, not too bad.

7 comments:

Almost Precious said...

Damn, NaNoWriMo time already ? Where the hell did this year go ? Sorry about the cursing but seems like just a couple of months ago you were busy writing for NaNo, I can't believe it's been a year already.

And yes you do see some of the most interesting people in bars...I know as in my youth I worked in a few bars. Yep, some reeealy interesting characters. Hey! did I tell you about the gal that tried to kill herself in bar where I worked? She actually took a stiletto knife and jabbed it into her abdomen...hum, no I don't think I told you about that one.

The craft fair scene sound like a great idea, hope you do sell the "pants off" your merchandise. :) Wish I could get back into that venue but when I decided to fold up my vendor's table and retire from hawking my wares at craft shows and fairs, I sold off all my tables, tent, displays and even the electronic Royal cash register. Geez, I think I still have the old credit card swipe machine and a box full of old carbon copy CC receipts; would imagine the chems in the paper would no longer be good. Note to self: "toss the box of credit card receipts". Now what can one make from an old knuckle buster, credit card swipe machine ?

Oh gad...what is it about your blog Jenn? My word verification is ingless ...yo no speak ingless !

Bridgete said...

I agree, bars are fascinating places.

I think I'd be disappointed or worry that something was wrong if your posts were short, so just keep being you! :)

Joan said...

opps, great addition. :)

Joan said...

Oh Jenn, yes, there is always so much to do, or...we want to do. You had me laughing, smiling, shaking my head yes, yes, yes. Thanks again for the great read. By the way, the nutmeg and cinnamon was a gread addition!

pastrywitch said...

According to Cake Wrecks, September is National Strategic Thinking Month, so there you go.
I too would be worried by a short post. And where is the fitness club?
I have Lemon Cake on hold at the library, hopefully it will arrive in September.
Yeah, Nano. Not a clue. But that won't stop me.

ginger said...

mmmm.....cheese fries....

your link love is lovely :)

i thought about doing nanowrimo this year. kate almost had me dialed in, but i joined a bi-monthly dedicated writing group she belongs to and realized that i don't want to write a book. i don't even like having the dedicated writing time. it feels like work when i do that and i am apparently that person who only wants to write when i want to write. otherwise it feels like a job and i no longer want to do it.

wow, that was way tmi! sorry. :)

socks (xoxo)

Jenn Flynn-Shon said...

OMG Anna! Um, no you never mentioned that one before. Now see it might need to become a blog because that is a story I think I need to hear lol! Like a train wreck, just can't look away...

Thanks Bridgete :-) That's the plan baby!

Oh Joan I'm so glad you tried the extra spices & liked it! Yeah I love "lazy man's dinner's" but they can be bland and need that extra kick.

So Kate Fitness Club...right over on Ginger's sidebar there in the same general vicinity as Book Club... Strategic Thinking Month huh? Well that just rules, guess I should get to thinking then. Hmmm...

Yeah Ginger I know what you mean for the most part. Most days when I look at my planner & see "write xx article" I end up spending most of the day laughing at YouTube vids or something way more fun and less regimented. NaNo is challenging to be sure but it was necessary for me to actually get the book out. If you're not fully invested in the insanity of it I agree not to join up. (Kate's writing club sounds great though, been thinking of something like that just to meet people outside my dust bunnies) I think after a couple books I'm not going to need it as much for accountability purposes (read: hopefully I have an Agent by then who assesses deadlines instead :-)