Patti O'Shea's Blog, page 67
May 23, 2019
Desk Chair Hell
My desk chair has been annoying me for a long time now, but I put up with it because I generally didn't spend much time sitting in it. That changed after I got two monitors and a docking station for my laptop. Not only am I working from home one day a week for my day job, but now I'm writing in my office, too. The chair's shortcomings have become more and more unbearable. So has the neck, back, and hip pain.
This is not a cheap chair. I spent a lot of money on it at an office surplus company. They charged 50% of what the chair cost new, so the price tag was astronomical for the first owner. I know now why they got rid of it when it was almost brand new and in perfect shape. Clearly, they'd been sitting in it all day.
After a little bit of research, I decided to get a gaming chair. They are designed for long sitting sessions and that's what I need--something that will let me sit and write for long stretches of time. I'm not sure which particular chair I'm going to get, not yet, but the idea of not hobbling when I stand up is vastly appealing.
I really hope this is my answer.
This is not a cheap chair. I spent a lot of money on it at an office surplus company. They charged 50% of what the chair cost new, so the price tag was astronomical for the first owner. I know now why they got rid of it when it was almost brand new and in perfect shape. Clearly, they'd been sitting in it all day.
After a little bit of research, I decided to get a gaming chair. They are designed for long sitting sessions and that's what I need--something that will let me sit and write for long stretches of time. I'm not sure which particular chair I'm going to get, not yet, but the idea of not hobbling when I stand up is vastly appealing.
I really hope this is my answer.
May 21, 2019
The Brakes Part 2
Last week, I talked about how my characters bring me to a screeching halt when I write them doing something they don't want to do. I mentioned I knew what scene it was and that I was going to fix it and move on. I hoped.
I fixed it. The new version is much better. If anyone tells my characters this, I will deny I ever said it, but my hero and heroine are right when they go on strike. This scene fits better with who the hero is.
But I wasn't able to move forward.
As I read through the rest of the draft to fix anything changed by the rewritten scene, I found another scene that doesn't work. This one is a little different than the previous scene. I mentioned that I started the proposal for this work about 8 years ago. I've done a lot of rewriting, but some of the original proposal has worked in the new draft and I've revised sections to fit.
I thought this scene would work perfectly in the new draft. I was wrong.
While the scene was fine in the original version, the characters are slightly different now. Or maybe it's that I know them better now. Either way, my heroine dug in her heels and insisted that she wouldn't act that way. Sadly (once again), I'm forced to admit she's right.
One more scene rewrite coming up.
I fixed it. The new version is much better. If anyone tells my characters this, I will deny I ever said it, but my hero and heroine are right when they go on strike. This scene fits better with who the hero is.
But I wasn't able to move forward.
As I read through the rest of the draft to fix anything changed by the rewritten scene, I found another scene that doesn't work. This one is a little different than the previous scene. I mentioned that I started the proposal for this work about 8 years ago. I've done a lot of rewriting, but some of the original proposal has worked in the new draft and I've revised sections to fit.
I thought this scene would work perfectly in the new draft. I was wrong.
While the scene was fine in the original version, the characters are slightly different now. Or maybe it's that I know them better now. Either way, my heroine dug in her heels and insisted that she wouldn't act that way. Sadly (once again), I'm forced to admit she's right.
One more scene rewrite coming up.
May 16, 2019
Slamming On the Brakes
Whenever I get stuck writing a story, it's always the same problem. I forced my characters to do something they wouldn't do. Sometimes I get stuck immediately, but sometimes they let me move forward for a little while before slamming on the brakes. This is what happened to me recently.
It's mostly my fault this time because even as I was writing this scene, I knew in the back of my head that it wasn't something my hero would do. But I had this vision in my head and the scene worked, so I ignored the little voice and continued onward. This was in chapter 3. I was able to write 25% of the book before coming to a screeching halt.
No matter how many times this happens, my first reaction is always to think the problem is the scene I'm working on. I'll pull out my notebook, brainstorm, and try to keep writing. Every time.
This instance was no different and I lived in this state of denial for weeks. Far too many weeks before the light bulb over my head lit up and I said, maybe I wrote something my characters wouldn't do and that's what this is about. But chapter 3 was far enough back that I didn't remember Finn balking as I wrote it, so it wasn't as if I could just go right to that chapter. No, I had to work for it.
The plus side is because it was early in the book, I didn't have to read too far to figure it out. Still, it's frustrating that 1) my characters never do what I want them to do, only what they want to do. And 2) that I don't immediately figure out why I'm stuck. You'd think I'd learn.
It's mostly my fault this time because even as I was writing this scene, I knew in the back of my head that it wasn't something my hero would do. But I had this vision in my head and the scene worked, so I ignored the little voice and continued onward. This was in chapter 3. I was able to write 25% of the book before coming to a screeching halt.
No matter how many times this happens, my first reaction is always to think the problem is the scene I'm working on. I'll pull out my notebook, brainstorm, and try to keep writing. Every time.
This instance was no different and I lived in this state of denial for weeks. Far too many weeks before the light bulb over my head lit up and I said, maybe I wrote something my characters wouldn't do and that's what this is about. But chapter 3 was far enough back that I didn't remember Finn balking as I wrote it, so it wasn't as if I could just go right to that chapter. No, I had to work for it.
The plus side is because it was early in the book, I didn't have to read too far to figure it out. Still, it's frustrating that 1) my characters never do what I want them to do, only what they want to do. And 2) that I don't immediately figure out why I'm stuck. You'd think I'd learn.
May 14, 2019
Finite Space = Invisible
My dad moved in with me after my mom passed away, and while it's mostly been good, we have had a few moments. Like what happened the other day.
I'm trying to do six million things after working at my day job and before going to bed. My dad is cooking dinner. He tells me we don't have any coconut aminos. But we do have coconut aminos, the bottle is in the refrigerator. I tell him this. He tells me he looked. I tell him the label is an orangy-yellow. He goes back to look again.
Minutes pass and then I hear him say, no, we don't have this ingredient. I looked everywhere.
This means I have to drop what I'm doing and head to the kitchen. I open the fridge, and in less than 30 seconds what do you think I found? Yes, the coconut aminos with the orangy-yellow (AKA hard to miss) label.
Where did you find it? he asks, sounding amazed.
The fridge is a finite space to begin with, and because this is a taller bottle, it limits the space it could be even farther. I found it one of the two shelves that could accommodate it.
This isn't the first time this has happened where something is absolutely not there and I find it in seconds. After talking to some women at work, it seems like this might be a guy thing because their husbands do this to them, too.
I read this article back in January about millennial burnout and one of the things I saw mentioned in that article that resonated for me is the part about how women carry the mental load for their households and that it's exhausting. This has definitely been true for me. It also mentioned that women are often the project managers for the house and that men wait to be told what to do rather than seeing what needs to be done and doing it. I have some of this, but my dad is actually pretty good on this score. Sort of.
One thing that drives me crazy is laundry. I always wash clothes on Saturday and yet every single week, I have to tell him to bring his clothes over. Sometimes I give him a couple of hours notice. Like when I went to get my haircut, I told him I was going to wash when I got home and he should have his clothes there for me.
Guess who came home and saw zero clothes in the laundry room? Yep, that would be me.
I'm trying to do six million things after working at my day job and before going to bed. My dad is cooking dinner. He tells me we don't have any coconut aminos. But we do have coconut aminos, the bottle is in the refrigerator. I tell him this. He tells me he looked. I tell him the label is an orangy-yellow. He goes back to look again.
Minutes pass and then I hear him say, no, we don't have this ingredient. I looked everywhere.
This means I have to drop what I'm doing and head to the kitchen. I open the fridge, and in less than 30 seconds what do you think I found? Yes, the coconut aminos with the orangy-yellow (AKA hard to miss) label.
Where did you find it? he asks, sounding amazed.
The fridge is a finite space to begin with, and because this is a taller bottle, it limits the space it could be even farther. I found it one of the two shelves that could accommodate it.
This isn't the first time this has happened where something is absolutely not there and I find it in seconds. After talking to some women at work, it seems like this might be a guy thing because their husbands do this to them, too.
I read this article back in January about millennial burnout and one of the things I saw mentioned in that article that resonated for me is the part about how women carry the mental load for their households and that it's exhausting. This has definitely been true for me. It also mentioned that women are often the project managers for the house and that men wait to be told what to do rather than seeing what needs to be done and doing it. I have some of this, but my dad is actually pretty good on this score. Sort of.
One thing that drives me crazy is laundry. I always wash clothes on Saturday and yet every single week, I have to tell him to bring his clothes over. Sometimes I give him a couple of hours notice. Like when I went to get my haircut, I told him I was going to wash when I got home and he should have his clothes there for me.
Guess who came home and saw zero clothes in the laundry room? Yep, that would be me.
May 9, 2019
DIY
I mentioned my awesome sticker cutter and that it also cuts vinyl. The walls in my bedroom need something and I'd been looking at wall vinyl. This might sound weird, but I have this fear of hanging a picture above my bed and having it fall on me in the night. The odds are against that ever happening, but I can't get past that.
I really like the mid century modern look and my bedroom curtains even have that kind of pattern subtly interlaced throughout the fabric, so I was thinking of doing those shapes on my wall.
And then I went online and priced out the ready to put up wall vinyl.
Gah! They are charging so much money for so few pieces and I was like seriously? Now that I know what vinyl costs and I know how easy it is to do, the markup seems ridiculous. Remember I have successfully cut my 2019 word of the year out of vinyl and installed it on my wall.
And not only was it easy, it didn't take that much time. If I'd had the file already created, it would have taken minutes to do this.
Because of this and because I'd have to buy more than one kit with the small number of shapes included, I decided I could do this myself.
Mission one was buy wall vinyl. There is an online vinyl seller who has a scrap box of all usable pieces. I was able to get a 15 pound box for pennies per sheet. Accomplished!
I'm still working on Mission two. Buy mid century modern clip art.
I did find some of the shapes I wanted, but there is one that is eluding me. The rounded square with the middle taken out (only one side is thinner than the other). This is the shape that would actually match the pattern in my curtains. I did find it in a background image that I could purchase, but that would mean messing around in graphics programs to isolate it.
I also tried creating the shape myself in the software that came with my cutting machine, but I'm not an artist and it showed.
The search will go on, but maybe I'll start on Mission three while I search. I'll need to figure out how many shapes I need and where I want them to go on my walls. This might require a lot of work, but this problem would exist whether I cut my own vinyl or not. And when I saw those prices online, this definitely became a DIY project.
I really like the mid century modern look and my bedroom curtains even have that kind of pattern subtly interlaced throughout the fabric, so I was thinking of doing those shapes on my wall.
And then I went online and priced out the ready to put up wall vinyl.
Gah! They are charging so much money for so few pieces and I was like seriously? Now that I know what vinyl costs and I know how easy it is to do, the markup seems ridiculous. Remember I have successfully cut my 2019 word of the year out of vinyl and installed it on my wall.
And not only was it easy, it didn't take that much time. If I'd had the file already created, it would have taken minutes to do this.Because of this and because I'd have to buy more than one kit with the small number of shapes included, I decided I could do this myself.
Mission one was buy wall vinyl. There is an online vinyl seller who has a scrap box of all usable pieces. I was able to get a 15 pound box for pennies per sheet. Accomplished!
I'm still working on Mission two. Buy mid century modern clip art.
I did find some of the shapes I wanted, but there is one that is eluding me. The rounded square with the middle taken out (only one side is thinner than the other). This is the shape that would actually match the pattern in my curtains. I did find it in a background image that I could purchase, but that would mean messing around in graphics programs to isolate it.
I also tried creating the shape myself in the software that came with my cutting machine, but I'm not an artist and it showed.
The search will go on, but maybe I'll start on Mission three while I search. I'll need to figure out how many shapes I need and where I want them to go on my walls. This might require a lot of work, but this problem would exist whether I cut my own vinyl or not. And when I saw those prices online, this definitely became a DIY project.
May 7, 2019
The Button
While I was in the gym, getting back into my street clothes, I popped the top button off my shirt. I felt it happen and was able to retrieve it to sew back on later.
I knew I had a sewing kit at home--I'd gotten it as a free gift when I'd purchased something else--and I even managed to find it easily. I open my sewing kit and discover that there is no thread even close to the color of the shirt.
An online search turned up the right color, but it would cost me $8. That's ridiculous, but I didn't have time to run to the store. I ended up buying another sewing kit and this one did have the correct thread.
I finally sat down on Friday evening to put the button back on the shirt. Threading the needle went well, but I ran into trouble after that. The knot I'd tied in the thread pulled right through the waffle weave fabric. It took a minute, but it finally occurred to me to double the thread. That worked.
But as I struggled to remember how to tie off the button, I thought to myself, You've sewed buttons on before. Why are you having so much trouble now? When was the last time I'd sewed on a button?
That's when it hit me. I probably haven't done a button or any other kind of sewing since maybe junior high school age. Because I hate sewing and have a patience problem with it, I'd always taken anything that needed sewing to my mom and asked her to fix it for me. I don't lose buttons often, but I'm certain this is what I did from my early teens onward.
And then I spent the evening sad. Even though I lost my mom more than three years ago, little things continually pop up and bring it all back with force. Like with a simple button.
I knew I had a sewing kit at home--I'd gotten it as a free gift when I'd purchased something else--and I even managed to find it easily. I open my sewing kit and discover that there is no thread even close to the color of the shirt.
An online search turned up the right color, but it would cost me $8. That's ridiculous, but I didn't have time to run to the store. I ended up buying another sewing kit and this one did have the correct thread.
I finally sat down on Friday evening to put the button back on the shirt. Threading the needle went well, but I ran into trouble after that. The knot I'd tied in the thread pulled right through the waffle weave fabric. It took a minute, but it finally occurred to me to double the thread. That worked.But as I struggled to remember how to tie off the button, I thought to myself, You've sewed buttons on before. Why are you having so much trouble now? When was the last time I'd sewed on a button?
That's when it hit me. I probably haven't done a button or any other kind of sewing since maybe junior high school age. Because I hate sewing and have a patience problem with it, I'd always taken anything that needed sewing to my mom and asked her to fix it for me. I don't lose buttons often, but I'm certain this is what I did from my early teens onward.
And then I spent the evening sad. Even though I lost my mom more than three years ago, little things continually pop up and bring it all back with force. Like with a simple button.
May 2, 2019
Notes, Notes, Notes
Organization is among my biggest issues when it comes to writing. I've tried so many different methods that I can't keep them all straight any longer. One of the things I did, though, is turning out to be a problem now.
Back when I lived in Minnesota, I started carrying a steno notebook in my tote bag. When I got information on a story, I would jot it down. It didn't matter which story it was, it went in the notebook. I used tabs to color code which pages were for which book/series. This worked fine. And then I filled the book and had to start a second one.
And a third.
And then there were the loose notes that I never took the time to transfer over to a notebook. Um, yeah, I did mention organization was a problem. I'm not sure you can see just how thick that note stack actually is, but it's daunting. (At least it's sorted by series/book!)
Clearly, this method was an utter failure because the color coding didn't stay consistent among the notebooks and the loose notes further complicate the whole mess.
So I'm onto another method now. Will this one work? Who knows. But I did get to play with my sticker maker and create a label for each series I'd like to keep notes for.
There are two notebooks for Jarved Nine because I have two different trilogy ideas for Wyatt's teammates (Eternal Nights) and I want to keep them separated. I also have around 5 more stories for the Blood Feud World that I'd like to get to. These are all some day projects and not on the immediate agenda.
Now the trick is going to be finding time to move all the notes from picture one to the notebooks in picture 2. I work full time, have a house and an aging parent to take care of, and a horrible commute that takes up way more time in Atlanta than it ever did in Minneapolis. And oh, yeah, I still need to write because I'd like to finish my Paladin League series before the roaring 20s. :-)
Back when I lived in Minnesota, I started carrying a steno notebook in my tote bag. When I got information on a story, I would jot it down. It didn't matter which story it was, it went in the notebook. I used tabs to color code which pages were for which book/series. This worked fine. And then I filled the book and had to start a second one.
And a third.
And then there were the loose notes that I never took the time to transfer over to a notebook. Um, yeah, I did mention organization was a problem. I'm not sure you can see just how thick that note stack actually is, but it's daunting. (At least it's sorted by series/book!)
Clearly, this method was an utter failure because the color coding didn't stay consistent among the notebooks and the loose notes further complicate the whole mess.
So I'm onto another method now. Will this one work? Who knows. But I did get to play with my sticker maker and create a label for each series I'd like to keep notes for.
There are two notebooks for Jarved Nine because I have two different trilogy ideas for Wyatt's teammates (Eternal Nights) and I want to keep them separated. I also have around 5 more stories for the Blood Feud World that I'd like to get to. These are all some day projects and not on the immediate agenda.
Now the trick is going to be finding time to move all the notes from picture one to the notebooks in picture 2. I work full time, have a house and an aging parent to take care of, and a horrible commute that takes up way more time in Atlanta than it ever did in Minneapolis. And oh, yeah, I still need to write because I'd like to finish my Paladin League series before the roaring 20s. :-)
April 30, 2019
Wicked Obsession (Almost) Everywhere
When Wicked Obsession first came out, I received a lot of questions from people who read on platforms other than Kindle when the book would be available for them. I'm happy to tell you that it is now out on all the major book sites!***This post contains affiliate links. Should you choose to make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.***
You can find the ebook at Apple Books, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, and a couple of others! Wicked Obsession. This is a universal link with all the platforms where the ebook is available listed.
I'm also excited to announce that Wicked Obsession is also available in Large Print Paperback! I know there are some people who prefer to read on paper. And it's available in Paperback with normal-size print.
This was a learning curve for me, but bit by bit I'm going to try to setup my other books in paper, too. I didn't put most of them into paper because there were so many used copies of mass market paperbacks out there from when my publisher held the rights, but I see those dwindling now. Just FYI, I don't have the rights back to my Light Warriors series or any of my Harlequin/Silhouette novellas, so there's nothing I can do with any of those titles.
In the meantime, Kobo, Apple Books, and Nook readers, you can now read Wicked Obsession on your favorite ereader!
April 25, 2019
Sleeve Fail
I had so much trouble knitting the sleeve of my first sweater that I ended up with a noticeable line where I picked up stitches. :-( Apparently I twisted my yarn. I didn't think I had, but I had so much trouble with this that it's entirely possible. This means the sleeve has to be ripped back and I have to start that over again. Just the sleeve, thank goodness!
But after being so excited to be this close to finishing my first sweater, this took the wind out of my sails. I simply didn't have the heart to start over, not immediately.
Trying to decide what to work on next was difficult. I have all my little project kits put together, but they weren't really grabbing me, and the projects I was interested in didn't have the skeins wound into cakes and I didn't feel like dragging out the swift and the winder, so bleh!
Finally, I decided on a shawl. It was heavier weight yarn, so it should knit more quickly than the usual fingering weight shawls I've knit. Cast on 250 stitches. Gah!
When I'm casting on this number, I always misjudge and end up with either a super long tail or I run short and have to start all over again. This time was a super long tail. I decided to live with that and not start over. I knit my setup rows on a 7mm needle then I was supposed to switch to 7.5mm.
It never occurred to me that I didn't have 7.5mm needles. After all, I have a set of interchangeables and all the sizes should be there, right? Um, yeah, no.
I tried knitting on 8mm, but the end result didn't look good. I ordered a set of 7.5mm needles (not interchangeable, but fixed to the cord). This was a different brand than my usual needles, and when it arrived, I figured I'd have to work to uncurl the cord, but I didn't. It immediately uncurled! OMG! Revelation. I have my interchangeable cords hanging in my office because I don't want to put them away and then have to uncurl them again. What a pain!
But there's a brand of needles that doesn't do this!
Seriously, I think I'm going to have to buy a new set of interchangeable needles from this new brand. Imagine being able to put cords away when I'm not using them! Wow!
But after being so excited to be this close to finishing my first sweater, this took the wind out of my sails. I simply didn't have the heart to start over, not immediately.
Trying to decide what to work on next was difficult. I have all my little project kits put together, but they weren't really grabbing me, and the projects I was interested in didn't have the skeins wound into cakes and I didn't feel like dragging out the swift and the winder, so bleh!
Finally, I decided on a shawl. It was heavier weight yarn, so it should knit more quickly than the usual fingering weight shawls I've knit. Cast on 250 stitches. Gah!
When I'm casting on this number, I always misjudge and end up with either a super long tail or I run short and have to start all over again. This time was a super long tail. I decided to live with that and not start over. I knit my setup rows on a 7mm needle then I was supposed to switch to 7.5mm.
It never occurred to me that I didn't have 7.5mm needles. After all, I have a set of interchangeables and all the sizes should be there, right? Um, yeah, no.
I tried knitting on 8mm, but the end result didn't look good. I ordered a set of 7.5mm needles (not interchangeable, but fixed to the cord). This was a different brand than my usual needles, and when it arrived, I figured I'd have to work to uncurl the cord, but I didn't. It immediately uncurled! OMG! Revelation. I have my interchangeable cords hanging in my office because I don't want to put them away and then have to uncurl them again. What a pain!
But there's a brand of needles that doesn't do this!
Seriously, I think I'm going to have to buy a new set of interchangeable needles from this new brand. Imagine being able to put cords away when I'm not using them! Wow!
April 23, 2019
Word of 2019
I usually try to pick a word of the year. It's something to remind me of my goals and what I hope to accomplish. For 2019 my word is Sustain. As in sustain all the good habits I've been working to build over the past year or two.
While it's all well and good to choose a word, remembering what that word is so that I can use it to encourage and inspire myself is another issue. I've tried writing it in my planner, but once I'm past that section, I rarely go backward. I've tried writing it on a Post-it note, but that doesn't seem to work real well for me either. This year, I had an epiphany. My Silhouette Cameo cuts vinyl. I decided to cut my word out of temporary vinyl and put it on my wall. Right in the middle of my kanban board.
It was amazingly easy to do and I'm so happy with the result. Now my word is in my face every time I walk out of my office. Just like my kanban board with its tasks.
I used washi tape to outline my kanban board sections, but the lines are crooked. I'm toying with the idea now of cutting my lines out of vinyl, too. With transfer tape, I'd have a better chance of creating nice, straight lines. I think.
The only thing stopping me is the location of my cutting machine isn't conducive to using those big long rolls of vinyl. Well, and maybe the fact that I'm a little bit nervous that I'd mess up anyway.
Maybe I'll use a ruler and replace my washi tape with more washi.
While it's all well and good to choose a word, remembering what that word is so that I can use it to encourage and inspire myself is another issue. I've tried writing it in my planner, but once I'm past that section, I rarely go backward. I've tried writing it on a Post-it note, but that doesn't seem to work real well for me either. This year, I had an epiphany. My Silhouette Cameo cuts vinyl. I decided to cut my word out of temporary vinyl and put it on my wall. Right in the middle of my kanban board.
It was amazingly easy to do and I'm so happy with the result. Now my word is in my face every time I walk out of my office. Just like my kanban board with its tasks.
I used washi tape to outline my kanban board sections, but the lines are crooked. I'm toying with the idea now of cutting my lines out of vinyl, too. With transfer tape, I'd have a better chance of creating nice, straight lines. I think.
The only thing stopping me is the location of my cutting machine isn't conducive to using those big long rolls of vinyl. Well, and maybe the fact that I'm a little bit nervous that I'd mess up anyway.
Maybe I'll use a ruler and replace my washi tape with more washi.
