Helen Mathey-Horn's Blog, page 2

IWSG – What?

The awesome co-hosts for the June 1 posting of the IWSG are SE White,Cathrina Constantine,Natalie Aguire,Joylene Nowell Butler, and Jacqui Murray!

Struggling with something to say? 
Every month, we announce a question that members can answer in their IWSG post. These questions may prompt you to share advice, insight, a personal experience, or a story. Include your answer to the question in your IWSG post or let it inspire your post if you are struggling with something to say. 

Remember, the question is optional!

June 1 question – When the going gets tough writing the story, how do you keep yourself writing to the end? If have not started the writing yet, why do you think that is and what do you think could help you find your groove and start?

This is a great question and an important one I should really work on.

I’ve indicated that my most ‘productive’ writing was a period of summer vacations (teacher) where I had no commitments or household responsibilities (staying with my parents) and their schedule was just odd/off enough (my mother worked days my dad worked nights) that I had plenty of time to do what I wanted and visit with my parents around their schedules. I will not get that combination again. So I’ve been floundering with trying to recreate that but nothing works quite the same.

And the siren call of the internet…sigh…blessing and curse.

A stand-alone computer might be the answer.

What holds up your writing?

To see others’ answers, click.

This was written before all the shooting. SIGH apparently, we are never going to learn.

Yeah, I’m slow to post.

Had lunch with the ‘kids’ on Sunday. Don reminded me it was our anniversary. (Oh, yeah.) The orchid show and sale was on at the Tulsa Garden Club. (Oh Yeah!) So we all went over there and some money and plants may have exchanged hands. I’m a sucker. I’ve done iris posts in the past as I love the look and colors of iris, but orchids are also up there in my “LOVE THEM” zone.

I wanted to highlight/enlarge the two plants by the ‘Snowman’, but I am failing at technology today.

So, between Iris and Orchids, I must have a thing for Monocotyledons. Click to read the Wiki description.

It is a little cold to put these orchids out (even though some are already out there, but not the new ones) as I’m not sure what temperatures they were ‘growing in’ with the people I bought them from.

My kids say I need to buy a greenhouse. Hmmm.

May the Fourth/Force

Late again for IWSG –

May 4 question – It’s the best of times; it’s the worst of times. What are your writer highs (the good times)? And what are your writer lows (the crappy times)?

Many have said writing gives them the highs. I agree when the ideas and images are flowing it is a joy to be writing.

And many have said the lows can be the writing also and again I agree. When you get stuck or something is going in a direction you are not happy with, it can be crappy.

“Aren’t you in charge of your writing?”

I think most writers would say, “Nope.” Sometimes writing just grabs your pen or takes control of your computer and what comes out was not what you intended.

Click the question to see how other writers answered the question of May. And May the Force be with you.

Tax Day

Not complaining about paying Federal Taxes or even State Taxes. We saw our tax person last month(?) and got it done early. She is so efficient and honestly whizzed through the steps on the forms, Federal and State. What my beef is…we are getting a ‘refund’ from the State. They send us a debit card in the amount. This is the second year this has happened and in both cases the amount is under $10.00. Really? You couldn’t just put $10.00 back in our banking account, which the original amount was deducted from? Or credit us that amount on next year’s taxes? I hate those cards, they are not worth the plastic they are printed on.

Audio Books?

This months Insecure Writers’ Group questions is…(drum roll please)…

April 6 question – Have any of your books been made into audio books? If so, what is the main challenge in producing an audiobook?

Short answer…no.

Why? Well first, I think you need to have a serious market for your work and um…I don’t have much of a following.

Second…as another blogger mentioned…it costs money, so if you don’t have income from said book(s) it might be foolish to spend more money?

However, if it were ever to happen, I think Wil Wheaton would be wonderful, but as he has no clue who I am and he could care less. I’m only saying that as he doesn’t know me at all. From what I can tell he is a really nice person. Just saying, Wil, if I ever do make it big you’re my first choice.

If you are interested in my books they are here.

And for a little color.

If you click on the April 6th question above it will take you to other authors’ responses to the question.

Now to enjoy the month and all the floral displays coming out!

April 1st – No Fooling

This is one of two days that as a teacher (secondary) you hope will fall on a weekend. Want to guess the other? Answer at the bottom

It is not that I don’t admire good pranks, it is the constant disruption just when you thought you had a ‘flow’ going in your classroom.

I do have to admire kids that come up with good pranks. I was reminded of the 9th grade physics class with the cars and ramps and one student put an index card with a large letter “S” on his car. Second answer at the bottom.

I’m just looking forward to FLOWERS and warmer weather and even nice rain. We walked out to our car the other day and it was covered in a layer of dirt with ‘raindrop’ marks in it. All we could think was a duststorm and a rainstorm collided and yes that was about what happened. A dust storm from west Texas had blown in with a light rainstorm.

The best part of right now is the plants are starting to flower. I’ve a small bouquet of white daffodils, a hellebore and one white tulip. Only one tulip with the strength to flower.

Halloween

“S” car go (Escargo)

Hope you are enjoying your ‘April Fools’

Pi Day

The math teacher in me can’t miss this day! For information see the Bing opening page. Of course you’ll have to do it on March 14th.

March is just full of ‘fun’ calendar days. Pi Day – March 14th (3.14), The Ides of March – March 15th (Caesar’s Day?), St Patrick’s day – March 17th, oh…

I just went to look up other ‘holidays’ celebrated in March…what a list. I’ll show you what we’ve missed so far.

March 1st – I’ll pick National Music in our Schools Month (too many others)

March 2nd – National Read Across America Day and/because of Dr Suess’s Birthday?

March 3rd – World Wildlife Day and Peach Blossom Day

March 4th – Benjamin Harrison got a day?

March 5th – – Multiple Personality Day (shouldn’t this be plural?) and National Absinthe Day – okay if you are drinking absinthe the multiple personalities are a given

March 6th – I’ll go with National Oreo Cookie Day but check out the others!

March 7th – National Be Heard Day and Alexander Graham Bell Day – really on the same day???Helllllooo?

March 8th – ooh I actually celebrated this one – accidentally. National Organize Your Home Office Day

March 9th – Amerigo Vespucci Day (thank god they used his first name in naming the land mass, can you imagine Vespuccia as a country name?)

March 10th – I’m going to go with the Harriet Tubman Day

March 11th – Worship of Tools Day, National Plumbing Day and National Oatmeal Nut Waffles Day (Who is making these UP???)

March 12th – National Plant a Flower Day and also National Girl Scout Day (show me the Thin Mints!)

March 13th – National Jewel Day and Earmuff Day (How are we going to see the earring bling?)

Now upto date and for the rest of the month.

March 14th – National Napping Day (because of the time change?)

March 15th – The Ides of course and with the Ides ‘thing’ National Buzzards Day (although the picture they have looks like a hawk?)

March 16th – I’ll ‘stick’ with National Vaccination Day

March 17th – Besides St Patrick’s and to be expected National Corned Beef and Cabbage Day, there is Evacuation Day in Massachusetts (???where do they go???)

March 18th – foods are the theme? National Lacy Oatmeal Cookie Day and Sloppy Joe Day It’s a meal.

Mach 19th – National Poultry Day and National Let’s Laugh Day (Why did the Chicken cross the road…)

March 20th – 2 poison ones! and 2 related to love (or maybe it is 3)

March 21st – too many good ones. I’ll pick International Day of Forests

March 22nd – World Water Day, and Daffodil Day (The first is critical the second is nice)

March 23rd – World Maths Day, Meteorological Day, and Near Miss Day (We hope?)

March 24th – 3 food, Cheesesteaks, Chocolate covered raisins, and Cocktails (okay a drink to go with the food) and one medical (Tuberculosis) day

March 25th – Tolkien Reading Day and National Dante Day (Epic writer’s day???)

March 26th -On ‘Live Long and Prosper’ Day, you should Wear a Hat Day, eat you National Spinach Day, and observe “Earth Hour” All healthy.

March 27th – Mothering Day (UK), National Spanish Paella Day (yum), National Cleaning Week (do we have to celebrate?)

March 28th – Too many interesting ones, National Weed Appreciation Day (not the Marijuana kind) and Respect Your Cat are two.

March 29th – Piano Day

March 30th -Turkey Neck Soup Day?

March 31st – Manatee Appreciation Day, and National Bunsen Burner day I could get behind both.

Well, that was fun. So drink your absinthe and green beer and the month will fly by.

March 2nd

Time for IWSG for March

March 2 question – Have you ever been conflicted about writing a story or adding a scene to a story? How did you decide to write it or not?
The awesome co-hosts for the March 2 posting of the IWSG are Janet Alcorn, Pat Garcia, Natalie Aguirre, and Shannon Lawrence!

Oh yes. I know where a certain story should lead and what SHOULD happen, but it would be too (that should be IS too) painful for me to put down in words. I don’t feel too badly about not wanting to kill this person off. I’ve read that J.K.Rowling had a hard time writing the scene involving the death of Sirius Black.

So the story line sits in my head.
Maybe I should just write it down quickly, like pulling a bandage off a scab, and get it over with. On the other hand, I do know that somethings do affect me internally and I’m just not ready for that gut wrenching pain.

Color Addiction

I’m not sure when I first realized I had an addiction to color; all colors, in a kinds of media. There might be a few colors I am not drawn to in certain things. I don’t wear orange, but I’m happy to paint with it or use it in something I’m not going to wear, or maybe scarves.

If you take me to a store (kind varies) that has its wares organized by color I will fall down the rabbit-hole. Yarn stores are particularly bad for this kind of weakness. And if the ‘color’ can be petted (like yarn) and you can feel the texture and softness, oh boy.

On-line isn’t much better. You can’t feel the yarn, but if you’ve purchased from the vendor before you will know what you like and it is so easy to just click a few buttons and it shows up on your doorstep and who doesn’t like getting something in the mail. (Besides bills)

I don’t need to but I will still go and buy a few more (thank you DIL for enabling me). As a result, I have the ‘three bags full’ of rhyme and I’m trying to decide what to do with them. I’m obviously not knitting, crocheting, whatever, fast enough.

More socks, if I can. I’ve got the heel turn memorized. Heck, I had it memorized a while back and I could not find my basic directions sheet if you asked me. And occasionally all my sets of double point needles in the appropriate size are in use which means, finish a pair before you can start another. One way to control the projects.

An early pair much worn.

There is a fun 10-stitch afghan pattern I’ve made more than once. This pattern is on Ravelry, but there are other copies floating on the internet. It is good for using up the small quantities left from other projects and I’m inching towards starting another one. The tricky part (if there is one) is the corner turn, but other than that it is simple.

Not my picture, but you can see the construction easilyThis is one of mine when it was still in progress, see needle by inquisitive cat that has a wish to lose a life.

And a summer flies shawl I’ve made at least twice, but I like it’s look especially with a yarn that goes from one color to another. It is not free, but for $6, I’ve made this more than 6 times so the cost for the pattern is approaching ‘free’.

Not mine, but I did one in yellow, so just pretend.

You might notice I have a few favorites.

The other day I started a ‘loop’ type scarf, no pattern just knit/purl squares. I don’t know who it will go to. DIL doesn’t wear scarfs much but she does like pink and it is a very pretty pink/white…I may tempt her. But I’ve got to get it done first so, knit. Knit faster!

It keeps my fingers busy and as a side bonus, as I don’t want ‘oil’ on the fibers I’m working, I don’t eat/snack while I’m knitting. I’m hungry, perhaps I better go knit.

Snow Day

Dark because this was a night shot. In that situation it is really a very ‘bright’ shot without flash.February 4th at Sunset.Best thing to do!