Eva Pasco's Blog, page 5
December 4, 2024
Eva’s Byte #501 – A Matter of Perspective
From my perspective, Christmas ‘tis the season for cultivating gratitude and manifesting good will to humankind. Whether or not I view Christmas as “the most wonderful time of the year; the hap-happiest season of all,” is immaterial. Or, any time of the year for that matter.
For me, it all boils down to having barely enough, having just enough, or having more than enough. In that regard, I’m grateful for having more than enough to rejoice about.
The other day, crawling in a line of traffic along my route, I espied a homeless encampment consisting of two tents in a wooded area, not far from the road.
Clearly, Christmas is not a one-size-fits all, holly, jolly proposition glossed over in traditional song lyrics.
In the capacity of a writer, I’m moseying along chapter 7(594 words thus far) of my
Contemporary work in progress.
*May each of us experience the relevance of Christmas from our own perspective.
My sincere appreciation to you for reading this far.
Eva’s Authors Den Page: http://www.authorsden.com/evapasco
For me, it all boils down to having barely enough, having just enough, or having more than enough. In that regard, I’m grateful for having more than enough to rejoice about.
The other day, crawling in a line of traffic along my route, I espied a homeless encampment consisting of two tents in a wooded area, not far from the road.
Clearly, Christmas is not a one-size-fits all, holly, jolly proposition glossed over in traditional song lyrics.
In the capacity of a writer, I’m moseying along chapter 7(594 words thus far) of my
Contemporary work in progress.
*May each of us experience the relevance of Christmas from our own perspective.
My sincere appreciation to you for reading this far.
Eva’s Authors Den Page: http://www.authorsden.com/evapasco
November 27, 2024
Eva’s Byte #500 – Going the Distance
“You never know how strong you are until being strong is your only choice.” (Bob Marley)
One of the many who goes the distance in the capacity of care-giving, I recently found myself back in the loop of hightailing it to the ER and making follow-up visits to the hospital.
At this particular hospital, going the distance literally starts with pounding the pavement from a parking garage to a building, and then proceeding along a labyrinth of corridors to one’s destination.
On one of those days, I arrived before the official start of visiting hours. I sat in the waiting area at a central location where people in need of medical attention check in. I may have gone the distance, but this elderly woman out-distanced me by a mile:
She inched her way along the drop-off/pick-up lane to a set of doors. When she got out of her SUV, she single-handedly removed a wheelchair from the cargo section. After whipping it in shape, she then proceeded to assist her husband out of the vehicle and into the chair. After wheeling him inside the building, she got back in her vehicle and headed for one of the parking garages.
You know the drill. She had to walk all the way back to the central building. Eventually she’d have to walk all the way back to the parking garage to get her vehicle and join the queue in the transport area to perform another Herculean feat.
That’s an unsung heroine summoning her strength and stamina to go the distance!
In the capacity of a writer, I’ve gone the distance in fine-tuning chapter 6 of my Contemporary work in progress to 1544 words. Due to life’s hairpin turns, I’m slowly getting my mojo back for wending my way through the draft of chapter 7 (243 words thus far).
*May each of us go the extra mile when it’s required of us to do so.
My sincere appreciation to you for reading this far.
Eva’s Authors Den Page: http://www.authorsden.com/evapasco
One of the many who goes the distance in the capacity of care-giving, I recently found myself back in the loop of hightailing it to the ER and making follow-up visits to the hospital.
At this particular hospital, going the distance literally starts with pounding the pavement from a parking garage to a building, and then proceeding along a labyrinth of corridors to one’s destination.
On one of those days, I arrived before the official start of visiting hours. I sat in the waiting area at a central location where people in need of medical attention check in. I may have gone the distance, but this elderly woman out-distanced me by a mile:
She inched her way along the drop-off/pick-up lane to a set of doors. When she got out of her SUV, she single-handedly removed a wheelchair from the cargo section. After whipping it in shape, she then proceeded to assist her husband out of the vehicle and into the chair. After wheeling him inside the building, she got back in her vehicle and headed for one of the parking garages.
You know the drill. She had to walk all the way back to the central building. Eventually she’d have to walk all the way back to the parking garage to get her vehicle and join the queue in the transport area to perform another Herculean feat.
That’s an unsung heroine summoning her strength and stamina to go the distance!
In the capacity of a writer, I’ve gone the distance in fine-tuning chapter 6 of my Contemporary work in progress to 1544 words. Due to life’s hairpin turns, I’m slowly getting my mojo back for wending my way through the draft of chapter 7 (243 words thus far).
*May each of us go the extra mile when it’s required of us to do so.
My sincere appreciation to you for reading this far.
Eva’s Authors Den Page: http://www.authorsden.com/evapasco
November 20, 2024
Eva’s Byte #499 – The Right Time
In the capacity of a writer, the song title “Night Time is the Right Time” pinpoints when I sit at the keyboard to further my Contemporary work in progress. Based on my lifestyle, the evening hours are devoid of commitments and reasonably free from distractions.
A smattering of famous night-owl writers include: Franz Kafka, Danielle Steele, Barack Obama, T.S. Elliot, Charles Dickens, and Sylvia Plath.
As for moi:
Two hours devoted to the craft are plenty for me to wrap my head around during the intense process of plotting a scene. In that regard, I have finished drafting chapter 6 (1536words), and have begun drafting chapter 7, progressing from 125 words.
*May the right time provide the “write” of way along our creative journeys.
My sincere appreciation to you for reading this far.
Eva’s Authors Den Page: http://www.authorsden.com/evapasco
A smattering of famous night-owl writers include: Franz Kafka, Danielle Steele, Barack Obama, T.S. Elliot, Charles Dickens, and Sylvia Plath.
As for moi:
Two hours devoted to the craft are plenty for me to wrap my head around during the intense process of plotting a scene. In that regard, I have finished drafting chapter 6 (1536words), and have begun drafting chapter 7, progressing from 125 words.
*May the right time provide the “write” of way along our creative journeys.
My sincere appreciation to you for reading this far.
Eva’s Authors Den Page: http://www.authorsden.com/evapasco
November 13, 2024
Eva’s Byte #498 – Villains in Fiction
As I flesh out one of the fictitious villains in my Contemporary work in progress, I do so to avoid creating archetypes like Oil Can Harry, the cartoon gangster cat created by Terrytoons who is Mighty Mouse’s arch enemy. During my childhood, I delighted watching Harry’s evil ploys to steal Mighty Mouse’s girlfriend away from him.
A writer who takes pride in writing fiction with conviction, I’m winding down the draft of Chapter 6 (1247 words thus far), delving into why one of my villains has evolved into a ruthless, misogynistic, self-serving stinker:
Getting to know you
Getting to know all about you…
("Getting to Know You" is a show tune from the 1951 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical The King and I)
*May each of us delve into the heart of matters when writing our stories.
My sincere appreciation to you for reading this far.
Eva’s Authors Den Page: http://www.authorsden.com/evapasco
A writer who takes pride in writing fiction with conviction, I’m winding down the draft of Chapter 6 (1247 words thus far), delving into why one of my villains has evolved into a ruthless, misogynistic, self-serving stinker:
Getting to know you
Getting to know all about you…
("Getting to Know You" is a show tune from the 1951 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical The King and I)
*May each of us delve into the heart of matters when writing our stories.
My sincere appreciation to you for reading this far.
Eva’s Authors Den Page: http://www.authorsden.com/evapasco
November 6, 2024
Eva’s Byte #497 – A Gratitude Platitude
Mindful of the chasm between the haves and have-nots, be it feast or famine, my foundation of gratitude is built on appreciation for food, clothing, shelter, health and well-being.
With all the hard knocks from recent Hurricanes Helene and Milton, I’ve adopted this gratitude platitude in celebration of this year’s Thanksgiving:
“Thanksgiving reminds us that no matter what befalls us in life, we can take the charred remnants, and we can reconstruct a life unimaginably richer than that from which the shards and pieces fell.” (Craig D. Lounsbrough)
In the capacity of a writer, I’m grateful for my characters who are steering me along the journey of a Contemporary work in progress. The draft of chapter 6 is progressing from 601 words.
*May each of us celebrate a Thanksgiving robust in strength and resilience.
My sincere appreciation to you for reading this far.
Eva’s Authors Den Page: http://www.authorsden.com/evapasco
With all the hard knocks from recent Hurricanes Helene and Milton, I’ve adopted this gratitude platitude in celebration of this year’s Thanksgiving:
“Thanksgiving reminds us that no matter what befalls us in life, we can take the charred remnants, and we can reconstruct a life unimaginably richer than that from which the shards and pieces fell.” (Craig D. Lounsbrough)
In the capacity of a writer, I’m grateful for my characters who are steering me along the journey of a Contemporary work in progress. The draft of chapter 6 is progressing from 601 words.
*May each of us celebrate a Thanksgiving robust in strength and resilience.
My sincere appreciation to you for reading this far.
Eva’s Authors Den Page: http://www.authorsden.com/evapasco
October 30, 2024
Eva’s Byte #496 – A Weighty Subject
The brick:
In the same camp as those writers who leave no stone unturned in the quest to bring about realism, authenticity, and plausibility to fiction, I delved into the topic of “bricks”.
One nefarious brick out of a pile is the weighty subject in the draft of chapter 5 (finished at 1157 words) along the progression of my Contemporary.
What I gleaned from my research is in keeping with the chapter setting of Acushnet Avenue in New Bedford, Massachusetts, vis a vis the location of the now defunct Wamsutta Mills, constructed in 1847.
It had come to my attention that during the 1800s, the standard size for bricks in the United States was 9 inches long by 4.5 inches wide by 3.5 inches high. This size was widely adopted after 1840.
All well and good, but, this writer needed to know the weight of a brick that size. Lo and behold, I discovered there’s such a thing as a brick weight calculator.
Weighing in:
Brick Weight = Length x Weight x Thickness x 0.0694
I divulge the actual weight in chapter 5 to add realism, authenticity, and plausibility to the scene.
*May each of us weigh our words in laying the foundation of our stories.
My sincere appreciation to you for reading this far.
Eva’s Authors Den Page: http://www.authorsden.com/evapasco
In the same camp as those writers who leave no stone unturned in the quest to bring about realism, authenticity, and plausibility to fiction, I delved into the topic of “bricks”.
One nefarious brick out of a pile is the weighty subject in the draft of chapter 5 (finished at 1157 words) along the progression of my Contemporary.
What I gleaned from my research is in keeping with the chapter setting of Acushnet Avenue in New Bedford, Massachusetts, vis a vis the location of the now defunct Wamsutta Mills, constructed in 1847.
It had come to my attention that during the 1800s, the standard size for bricks in the United States was 9 inches long by 4.5 inches wide by 3.5 inches high. This size was widely adopted after 1840.
All well and good, but, this writer needed to know the weight of a brick that size. Lo and behold, I discovered there’s such a thing as a brick weight calculator.
Weighing in:
Brick Weight = Length x Weight x Thickness x 0.0694
I divulge the actual weight in chapter 5 to add realism, authenticity, and plausibility to the scene.
*May each of us weigh our words in laying the foundation of our stories.
My sincere appreciation to you for reading this far.
Eva’s Authors Den Page: http://www.authorsden.com/evapasco
October 23, 2024
Eva’s Byte # 495 – The Earrings
Strolling down memory lane in the spirit of Halloween, I espy my nine-year-old self putting on a gypsy costume. Although, I don’t recall one stitch of clothing comprising the ensemble, I vividly and fondly gaze upon the festive pair of earrings my mother made from scratch:
Wielding a mathematical compass, she penciled two circles on the cardboard backing of a pad. After cutting them out, she outlined several geometric shapes on both circles, then used crayons to brightly color each division. For the final touch, my mother jabbed the compass point into the circular shapes to perforate openings for elastic threads to slip through. Tying the ends formed the drop for the earrings to dangle from my ears.
Still a gypsy at heart, I’m in good company with those who embrace our uniqueness without following the crowd. We value our independence, enjoy solo ventures, and manifest creative energy.
In the capacity of a writer, I’m venturing along chapter 5 (741 words thus far) of my Contemporary work in progress.
*May each of us embrace the spirit of adventure.
My sincere appreciation to you for reading this far.
Eva’s Authors Den Page: http://www.authorsden.com/evapasco
Wielding a mathematical compass, she penciled two circles on the cardboard backing of a pad. After cutting them out, she outlined several geometric shapes on both circles, then used crayons to brightly color each division. For the final touch, my mother jabbed the compass point into the circular shapes to perforate openings for elastic threads to slip through. Tying the ends formed the drop for the earrings to dangle from my ears.
Still a gypsy at heart, I’m in good company with those who embrace our uniqueness without following the crowd. We value our independence, enjoy solo ventures, and manifest creative energy.
In the capacity of a writer, I’m venturing along chapter 5 (741 words thus far) of my Contemporary work in progress.
*May each of us embrace the spirit of adventure.
My sincere appreciation to you for reading this far.
Eva’s Authors Den Page: http://www.authorsden.com/evapasco
October 16, 2024
Eva’s Byte #494 – A Moose, I Deduce!
The mighty moose is uncommon in my native state of Rhode Island due to the ease of hunting them with muskets during the Colonial period. The Narragansetts called the moose, “moòsóog” or “moose”.
My recent moose sighting occurred the morning of October 10, 2024:
Driving along Route 114S, the two-lane, also known as Wampanoag Trail, I espied a majestic, golden brown moose running on the narrow, grassy lane parallel to the highway.
Presumably, the highway hipster made it to the densely wooded area just beyond.
I’ve not mistaken a moose for a reindeer, prevalent in my neck of the woods. Its scalloped, open-hand shaped antlers confirm my sighting as such. Besides, I’ve watched enough cartoon episodes of The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends to know it’s so.
In the capacity of a writer, I’ve finished drafting chapter 4 (1466 words) of my Contemporary work in progress. I’ve begun drafting chapter 5 (114 words thus far).
*May self-confidence outshine self-doubt.
My sincere appreciation to you for reading this far.
Eva’s Authors Den Page: http://www.authorsden.com/evapasco
My recent moose sighting occurred the morning of October 10, 2024:
Driving along Route 114S, the two-lane, also known as Wampanoag Trail, I espied a majestic, golden brown moose running on the narrow, grassy lane parallel to the highway.
Presumably, the highway hipster made it to the densely wooded area just beyond.
I’ve not mistaken a moose for a reindeer, prevalent in my neck of the woods. Its scalloped, open-hand shaped antlers confirm my sighting as such. Besides, I’ve watched enough cartoon episodes of The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends to know it’s so.
In the capacity of a writer, I’ve finished drafting chapter 4 (1466 words) of my Contemporary work in progress. I’ve begun drafting chapter 5 (114 words thus far).
*May self-confidence outshine self-doubt.
My sincere appreciation to you for reading this far.
Eva’s Authors Den Page: http://www.authorsden.com/evapasco
October 9, 2024
Eva’s Byte #493 – The Lone Mower
First and foremost, my thoughts and prayers go out to those in Milton’s path, and to those coming to grips with the aftermath of Helene—more than likely, one and the same.
My stuff:
By late October or early November, most folks in my neck of New England will stop mowing their lawns because the grass is “no longer” growing. Riding through a residential neighborhood with well-maintained yards, I espied a lone mower on the range.
A somewhat uncommon occurrence at this point in time when leaves are beginning to show their true colors, rarer still: an elderly gent pushing a manual reel mower. Granted, the area was a postage stamp lawn. Still, he had to slog his way through thick and lush grass.
Reel mowers fell out of favor in the Sixties and Seventies. Even though leaf blowers have come into their own, rakes are still on the uptake.
In the capacity of a writer, I’m pushing through the draft of chapter 4 (1073 words thus far) along my Contemporary work in progress.
*Along the lone venture of writing, may each of us push ahead with our own word power.
My sincere appreciation to you for reading this far.
Eva’s Authors Den Page: http://www.authorsden.com/evapasco
My stuff:
By late October or early November, most folks in my neck of New England will stop mowing their lawns because the grass is “no longer” growing. Riding through a residential neighborhood with well-maintained yards, I espied a lone mower on the range.
A somewhat uncommon occurrence at this point in time when leaves are beginning to show their true colors, rarer still: an elderly gent pushing a manual reel mower. Granted, the area was a postage stamp lawn. Still, he had to slog his way through thick and lush grass.
Reel mowers fell out of favor in the Sixties and Seventies. Even though leaf blowers have come into their own, rakes are still on the uptake.
In the capacity of a writer, I’m pushing through the draft of chapter 4 (1073 words thus far) along my Contemporary work in progress.
*Along the lone venture of writing, may each of us push ahead with our own word power.
My sincere appreciation to you for reading this far.
Eva’s Authors Den Page: http://www.authorsden.com/evapasco
October 2, 2024
Eva’s Byte #492 – Struggles
My short-lived struggle to slip insulated air conditioner covers on two inside window-mounted units counts for naught in the grand scheme of things. There are plenty of folks struggling to come to grips with Hurricane Helene’s devastation.
As well, the ever-present struggle of the homeless hit home even harder this week when I, along with other residents, couldn’t unlock the side door of our apartment building. Apparently, vagrants tampered with the mechanism and gained entrance to seek overnight shelter in the basement.
While I relish the season of autumn for its magnificent foliage and crisp air, there are those who struggle to find a warm place to stave off the cold.
In the capacity of a writer, I’m moseying along the draft of chapter 4 (649 words thus far) in my Contemporary.
*May each of us writers enjoy tampering with words to unlock our stories begging to be told.
My sincere appreciation to you for reading this far.
Eva’s Authors Den Page: http://www.authorsden.com/evapasco
As well, the ever-present struggle of the homeless hit home even harder this week when I, along with other residents, couldn’t unlock the side door of our apartment building. Apparently, vagrants tampered with the mechanism and gained entrance to seek overnight shelter in the basement.
While I relish the season of autumn for its magnificent foliage and crisp air, there are those who struggle to find a warm place to stave off the cold.
In the capacity of a writer, I’m moseying along the draft of chapter 4 (649 words thus far) in my Contemporary.
*May each of us writers enjoy tampering with words to unlock our stories begging to be told.
My sincere appreciation to you for reading this far.
Eva’s Authors Den Page: http://www.authorsden.com/evapasco
