K.C. Kendricks's Blog, page 63
December 1, 2015
“Step into Christmas with me…”
December 2, 2015
The Insecure Writer’s Support Group http://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com
“…so hop aboard the turntable and step into Christmas with me!”
That’s my nod to Sir Elton John. It’s a line from my fave Christmas song from 1973, Step Into Christmas. It plays as well today as it did forty-two years ago. Happy. Upbeat. Downright freakin’ cheerful. Just like the holiday season…
Every year the weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas are like the BLACK HOLE THAT KILLS WRITING. Maybe it only attacks me, but I suspect it sucks in many, many, many writers.
Forward progress - halted.Momentum - blasted to hell.Productivity - squashed like a bug.
I try to enjoy the holidays but the fact that I’m not writing bothers the hell outta me. I’m busy at work and at home. The only thing I can do to work around the holidays is plan for the slowdown and plan for writing time. And once I have a bit of time blocked out on my calendar for WRITING, woe be on the head of anyone foolish enough to interrupt me.
It might sound strange I’ve had to resort to serious threats and tantrums just to write, but I use whatever means necessary to get the job done. Whatever means. What. Ever. Means.
There’s nothing insecure about it.
So Merry Christmas to you - and don’t bother me between six a.m. and noon on December 5, 12, 19, and 26, 2015. I’ll be writing.
KC Kendricks http://www.kckendricks.com http://www.twitter.com/kckendricks
November 28, 2015
Sounds like the plan
November 28, 2015
Writing is more than the creative muse. There are business aspects that are unwise to ignore. If the writing generates income, it needs to be handled in a way the IRS deems appropriate, at least for those of us in the United States. To claim business expenses, we need to prove we're actively involved in said business. I have a log of my time going back for years. I use a spreadsheet, creating one worksheet per year. I can't believe it's time to prepare a sheet for 2016.
I can't believe it's time to get the Christmas cards ready, either, but that's another blog. And the Final Countdown app on my phone says only 26 days until Christmas. How the heck did that happen???
Being a holiday weekend, and Thanksgiving over for another year, I've been pondering what I can [realistically] accomplish between now and the new year. My spread sheet says I published eight stories this year. Two more are "in the pipeline" and a third is waiting for the second part of the story to gel so I can finish it. I should be content with all that but I find I'm not.
Wanting to revisit the Marionville setting, I can easily bounce a story from each pair of guys. That's eight stories. I have another Ian Coulter story underway, and then there's the third Levi and Stacy story I've been wanting to do for years but the PAX program kept getting in the way.
All this is why I can't wait to retire and be a full-time writer. I can't say I'll actually be able to write for the entire forty-five hours a week I'll gain, but I'll be able to utilize a chunk of it.
I think between now and the new year my best use of time is in the planning of my time. Working out story details, character bios, and fleshing out ideas is as important as the writing of prose. It's the beginning of the process.
There's something new to learn, too. The My Sexy Saturday group has added Triberr and I've no clue how that works. So even if I'm not writing, I'm going to be busy laying a firm foundation for 2016. Sounds like the plan. Stay tuned.
KC Kendricks
www.kckendricks.com
twitter.com/kckendricks
facebook.com/kckendricks
Join the mailing/announcement list by sending an email to:
betweenthekeys-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Writing is more than the creative muse. There are business aspects that are unwise to ignore. If the writing generates income, it needs to be handled in a way the IRS deems appropriate, at least for those of us in the United States. To claim business expenses, we need to prove we're actively involved in said business. I have a log of my time going back for years. I use a spreadsheet, creating one worksheet per year. I can't believe it's time to prepare a sheet for 2016.
I can't believe it's time to get the Christmas cards ready, either, but that's another blog. And the Final Countdown app on my phone says only 26 days until Christmas. How the heck did that happen???
Being a holiday weekend, and Thanksgiving over for another year, I've been pondering what I can [realistically] accomplish between now and the new year. My spread sheet says I published eight stories this year. Two more are "in the pipeline" and a third is waiting for the second part of the story to gel so I can finish it. I should be content with all that but I find I'm not.
Wanting to revisit the Marionville setting, I can easily bounce a story from each pair of guys. That's eight stories. I have another Ian Coulter story underway, and then there's the third Levi and Stacy story I've been wanting to do for years but the PAX program kept getting in the way.
All this is why I can't wait to retire and be a full-time writer. I can't say I'll actually be able to write for the entire forty-five hours a week I'll gain, but I'll be able to utilize a chunk of it.
I think between now and the new year my best use of time is in the planning of my time. Working out story details, character bios, and fleshing out ideas is as important as the writing of prose. It's the beginning of the process.
There's something new to learn, too. The My Sexy Saturday group has added Triberr and I've no clue how that works. So even if I'm not writing, I'm going to be busy laying a firm foundation for 2016. Sounds like the plan. Stay tuned.
KC Kendricks
www.kckendricks.com
twitter.com/kckendricks
facebook.com/kckendricks
Join the mailing/announcement list by sending an email to:
betweenthekeys-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
November 26, 2015
The cook's sneaky plan
November 26, 2015
It's Thanksgiving in the United States. We like to make a big deal out of the day by talking about its history and place in the founding of our country. While that's important and something we should never forget or try to bastardize with political views, I like to live in the here and now. And I like to be honest.
Today is a day I'm thankful that I don't have to leave home. I don't have to rush off to the day job and be at the beck and call of people who whine. (Yes, I'm whining about people who whine. I admit it.) For me, Thanksgiving is a day to celebrate family, the way we were and the way we are.
Back in the day, my grandmother, mother and aunts would put out a big spread. There are fewer of us now. We celebrate differently. My mother tried to carry on the tradition of a big family meal, but it didn't last long after my grandmother had died. Today I'm cooking for just four and that's okay. My house is on the small side and the last time I had twelve people at the table, it was crowded. Four works.
Like a lot of folks, I've been re-evaluating the food placed on the table. My goal is to sneak in healthier offerings at the rate of one a year while not forgoing traditional fare. This year it's a fresh fruit salad I saw Bobby Flay make on his cooking show. They all liked it when I made it for the family picnic, so they're getting it again. This Thanksgiving is corn and green beans. At Christmas, it'll be green beans and a broccoli and cauliflower medley. Next year, something with black beans and possibly roasted Brussels sprouts.
So you see, I do have a sneaky plan. Subversive, even. If I do this right, they won't notice lighter and healthier fare until it's too late. But don't worry. I know better than to mess with the turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing and gravy. And the wine. That, too, is part of the plan.
KC Kendricks
www.kckendricks.com
twitter.com/kckendricks
facebook.com/kckendricks
Join the mailing/announcement list by sending an email to:
betweenthekeys-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
It's Thanksgiving in the United States. We like to make a big deal out of the day by talking about its history and place in the founding of our country. While that's important and something we should never forget or try to bastardize with political views, I like to live in the here and now. And I like to be honest.
Today is a day I'm thankful that I don't have to leave home. I don't have to rush off to the day job and be at the beck and call of people who whine. (Yes, I'm whining about people who whine. I admit it.) For me, Thanksgiving is a day to celebrate family, the way we were and the way we are.
Back in the day, my grandmother, mother and aunts would put out a big spread. There are fewer of us now. We celebrate differently. My mother tried to carry on the tradition of a big family meal, but it didn't last long after my grandmother had died. Today I'm cooking for just four and that's okay. My house is on the small side and the last time I had twelve people at the table, it was crowded. Four works.
Like a lot of folks, I've been re-evaluating the food placed on the table. My goal is to sneak in healthier offerings at the rate of one a year while not forgoing traditional fare. This year it's a fresh fruit salad I saw Bobby Flay make on his cooking show. They all liked it when I made it for the family picnic, so they're getting it again. This Thanksgiving is corn and green beans. At Christmas, it'll be green beans and a broccoli and cauliflower medley. Next year, something with black beans and possibly roasted Brussels sprouts.
So you see, I do have a sneaky plan. Subversive, even. If I do this right, they won't notice lighter and healthier fare until it's too late. But don't worry. I know better than to mess with the turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing and gravy. And the wine. That, too, is part of the plan.
KC Kendricks
www.kckendricks.com
twitter.com/kckendricks
facebook.com/kckendricks
Join the mailing/announcement list by sending an email to:
betweenthekeys-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
November 19, 2015
Step away... and away
November 19, 2015
A few weeks ago I got a Fitbit Flex. It’s one of those little gizmos you wear on your wrist, like a watch. It counts your daily steps and sends the info to an app on the device of our choice. I have the app on my cell phone because it’s always handy.
The app tells you all sorts of things. It ties into MyFitnessPal.com and together the two apps will drive you nuts provide steps walked, how many miles walked, active minutes, calories burned, how well you slept and how many pounds to go until you reach your weight loss goal (if you set that one).
I told myself I wasn’t going to get all caught up on the craze to take 10,000 steps a day.
Aye. Right.
It seems I like the daily challenge of feeling the gizmo vibrate on my wrist. For the past week, starting with last Thursday, my totals are:Thursday (11/12) 11,574Friday (11/13) 10,659Saturday (11/14) 5,480 (rain)Sunday (11/15) 10,664Monday (11/16) 7,875 (homeowner “stuff” needed done)Tuesday (11/17) 10,125Wednesday (11/18) 11,194
That’s not too shabby for a woman with a desk job during the day and a writer gig in the evening. A quick twenty-minute walk before work, and a good thirty-ish minute walk during my lunch hour puts me within striking distance of 10K. The incidental trips around the building, up and down the stairs, picks up the rest. But now I’ve discovered - there’s more.
I just found out there’s a 15K step badge you can earn. Maybe I need to step away from the gizmo before I hurt myself.
KC Kendricks
www.kckendricks.com
twitter.com/kckendricks
facebook.com/kckendricks
Have you joined my mailing list? No chatter, just news.
Send an email to:
betweenthekeys-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
A few weeks ago I got a Fitbit Flex. It’s one of those little gizmos you wear on your wrist, like a watch. It counts your daily steps and sends the info to an app on the device of our choice. I have the app on my cell phone because it’s always handy.
The app tells you all sorts of things. It ties into MyFitnessPal.com and together the two apps will drive you nuts provide steps walked, how many miles walked, active minutes, calories burned, how well you slept and how many pounds to go until you reach your weight loss goal (if you set that one). I told myself I wasn’t going to get all caught up on the craze to take 10,000 steps a day.
Aye. Right.
It seems I like the daily challenge of feeling the gizmo vibrate on my wrist. For the past week, starting with last Thursday, my totals are:Thursday (11/12) 11,574Friday (11/13) 10,659Saturday (11/14) 5,480 (rain)Sunday (11/15) 10,664Monday (11/16) 7,875 (homeowner “stuff” needed done)Tuesday (11/17) 10,125Wednesday (11/18) 11,194
That’s not too shabby for a woman with a desk job during the day and a writer gig in the evening. A quick twenty-minute walk before work, and a good thirty-ish minute walk during my lunch hour puts me within striking distance of 10K. The incidental trips around the building, up and down the stairs, picks up the rest. But now I’ve discovered - there’s more.
I just found out there’s a 15K step badge you can earn. Maybe I need to step away from the gizmo before I hurt myself.
KC Kendricks
www.kckendricks.com
twitter.com/kckendricks
facebook.com/kckendricks
Have you joined my mailing list? No chatter, just news.
Send an email to:
betweenthekeys-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
November 13, 2015
Friday the 13th, or it's time to finish the paranormal story
November 13, 2015
It's Friday the 13th. Not a big deal in my world. But you know, I did get an email from a guy claiming to be a prophet that said bad things were coming. Hmmm. I didn't open it. He put too much info in his subject line which told me all I needed to know and that was to hit the delete button.
I don't think any of my family and friends are particularly superstitious about the day, either. I suspect there will be a few jokes at the bowling alley whenever someone misses a spare. They'll start saying the ball went in the gutter because of it being Friday the 13th, not that they threw it there. That's about all the mention it'll get. I mention it only because I needed a blog title and an opening before I segue into something more relevant in my writing world.
Work has progressed on the fifth installment of the Sundown saga. This story has a working title and I think it will stick - Fly By Night. The story has a lot of police work in it and we see Sundown really contributing to solving Fallon and Juny's case. There's also a sense of Fallon grappling with just how different his shapeshifter lover really is. Not that Fallon's love for Sundown is threatened - never that. It's more like Fallon is finally internalizing and processing what the difference really means.
More secrets about the Chal are revealed and a few are unsettling. This intensifies what Fallon is feeling. It's a bit unnerving for him. Also, curiously, Sundown and Juny seem more relaxed with each other. Sundown actually engages Juny in conversation! Never thought I'd see that happen and I'm writing the story. Sometimes the characters do have a will of their own, or so it seems.
With any luck I'll finish the story within the next week, get it to my proofreader, and get it turned in before Thanksgiving. "Luck" is a fickle thing, though, so don't hold me to it.
Enjoy the day!
KC Kendricks
www.kckendricks.com
twitter.com/kckendricks
facebook.com/kckendricks
pinterest.com/kckendricks
email to join the mailing and announcements list at:
betweenthekeys-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
It's Friday the 13th. Not a big deal in my world. But you know, I did get an email from a guy claiming to be a prophet that said bad things were coming. Hmmm. I didn't open it. He put too much info in his subject line which told me all I needed to know and that was to hit the delete button. I don't think any of my family and friends are particularly superstitious about the day, either. I suspect there will be a few jokes at the bowling alley whenever someone misses a spare. They'll start saying the ball went in the gutter because of it being Friday the 13th, not that they threw it there. That's about all the mention it'll get. I mention it only because I needed a blog title and an opening before I segue into something more relevant in my writing world.
Work has progressed on the fifth installment of the Sundown saga. This story has a working title and I think it will stick - Fly By Night. The story has a lot of police work in it and we see Sundown really contributing to solving Fallon and Juny's case. There's also a sense of Fallon grappling with just how different his shapeshifter lover really is. Not that Fallon's love for Sundown is threatened - never that. It's more like Fallon is finally internalizing and processing what the difference really means.
More secrets about the Chal are revealed and a few are unsettling. This intensifies what Fallon is feeling. It's a bit unnerving for him. Also, curiously, Sundown and Juny seem more relaxed with each other. Sundown actually engages Juny in conversation! Never thought I'd see that happen and I'm writing the story. Sometimes the characters do have a will of their own, or so it seems.
With any luck I'll finish the story within the next week, get it to my proofreader, and get it turned in before Thanksgiving. "Luck" is a fickle thing, though, so don't hold me to it.
Enjoy the day!
KC Kendricks
www.kckendricks.com
twitter.com/kckendricks
facebook.com/kckendricks
pinterest.com/kckendricks
email to join the mailing and announcements list at:
betweenthekeys-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
November 6, 2015
September Morning for MSS 117
November 7, 2015
Welcome to another My Sexy Saturday! My Sexy Saturday is a weekly blog hop full of great excerpts from a wide range of authors who write in every genre giving you the opportunity to find your next favorite book. Be sure to check out the list at the bottom of this post.
This week I'm showcasing seven sexy paragraphs from September Morning. September Morning is set to release this weekend. I'm just waiting for the powers that be at Amber Quill to push the button for it to go live.
Here are seven sexy paragraphs from September Morning. Enjoy!
_*_*_*_*_
I fell sideways, squirming to get away. He wouldn’t let go, so all I managed to do was rub cocks with him. He flipped me over and pinned me down. His lips found mine, hot and eager. I opened to him, meeting him on the field of mock battle. Back and forth we teased, licking and nipping at each other until I was breathless. I pulled away and stared into his dark brown eyes.
Something pure and good arced between us.
I wasn’t ready for it. This was supposed to be just sex. I needed to keep it that way. He cupped my cheek, then caressed it, his touch gentle.
“As much as I’d like to really get down with you, I’m not ready to let you fuck me. Hope you can understand.”
I turned my head and kissed his palm. “Yeah, I do. Although teasing you is great fun.”
“So is getting you off.” He smiled, then his face morphed into serious lines.
My balls tingled and I resisted the urge to reach down and squeeze them. We moved at the same time, and whether I kissed him, or he kissed me, I wasn’t sure. My senses reeled, hit by growing waves of arousal as his soft, breathy sigh drew me in. He was like some live flame in my arms, with his heat and energy ready to be unleashed at my command.
_*_*_*_*_
September Morning is available for pre-order, too. Just go to http://www.amberquill.com/store/pg/26-Upcoming-Releases.aspx, find the cover, and click.
More about September Morning:
Following the death of his partner, Jagger Davis is on a sabbatical to finish healing and to get his life moving again. JD goes to Sandbridge, Virginia for a restful summer of solitude and discovers the cottage next door is full of friendly neighbors. One in particular catches his interest.
Nate Fischer is part of a group of guys who spend every summer at Sandbridge. An IT specialist for a private contractor at the nearby Naval base, Nate’s taking some vacation time. When JD arrives, Nate invites him to a cookout on the beach. It isn’t long before Nate and JD are inseparable, but there are three men in the relationship.
JD’s memories are a constant companion. He won’t banish them to satisfy someone new. When Nate’s job abruptly calls him away, JD realizes he didn’t give his summer lover a fair chance. Now he has to convince Nate there’s room in his heart for both the past and the future.
September MorningAvailable at Amber Quill Press http://amberquill.com/store/p/2285-September-Morning.aspx
KC Kendricks www.kckendricks.com twitter.com/kckendricks kckendricks.blogspot.com facebook.com/kckendricks
Welcome to another My Sexy Saturday! My Sexy Saturday is a weekly blog hop full of great excerpts from a wide range of authors who write in every genre giving you the opportunity to find your next favorite book. Be sure to check out the list at the bottom of this post.This week I'm showcasing seven sexy paragraphs from September Morning. September Morning is set to release this weekend. I'm just waiting for the powers that be at Amber Quill to push the button for it to go live.
Here are seven sexy paragraphs from September Morning. Enjoy!
_*_*_*_*_
I fell sideways, squirming to get away. He wouldn’t let go, so all I managed to do was rub cocks with him. He flipped me over and pinned me down. His lips found mine, hot and eager. I opened to him, meeting him on the field of mock battle. Back and forth we teased, licking and nipping at each other until I was breathless. I pulled away and stared into his dark brown eyes.
Something pure and good arced between us.
I wasn’t ready for it. This was supposed to be just sex. I needed to keep it that way. He cupped my cheek, then caressed it, his touch gentle.
“As much as I’d like to really get down with you, I’m not ready to let you fuck me. Hope you can understand.”
I turned my head and kissed his palm. “Yeah, I do. Although teasing you is great fun.”
“So is getting you off.” He smiled, then his face morphed into serious lines.
My balls tingled and I resisted the urge to reach down and squeeze them. We moved at the same time, and whether I kissed him, or he kissed me, I wasn’t sure. My senses reeled, hit by growing waves of arousal as his soft, breathy sigh drew me in. He was like some live flame in my arms, with his heat and energy ready to be unleashed at my command.
_*_*_*_*_
September Morning is available for pre-order, too. Just go to http://www.amberquill.com/store/pg/26-Upcoming-Releases.aspx, find the cover, and click.
More about September Morning:
Following the death of his partner, Jagger Davis is on a sabbatical to finish healing and to get his life moving again. JD goes to Sandbridge, Virginia for a restful summer of solitude and discovers the cottage next door is full of friendly neighbors. One in particular catches his interest.
Nate Fischer is part of a group of guys who spend every summer at Sandbridge. An IT specialist for a private contractor at the nearby Naval base, Nate’s taking some vacation time. When JD arrives, Nate invites him to a cookout on the beach. It isn’t long before Nate and JD are inseparable, but there are three men in the relationship.
JD’s memories are a constant companion. He won’t banish them to satisfy someone new. When Nate’s job abruptly calls him away, JD realizes he didn’t give his summer lover a fair chance. Now he has to convince Nate there’s room in his heart for both the past and the future.
September MorningAvailable at Amber Quill Press http://amberquill.com/store/p/2285-September-Morning.aspx
KC Kendricks www.kckendricks.com twitter.com/kckendricks kckendricks.blogspot.com facebook.com/kckendricks
November 3, 2015
IWSG - Writer’s Block (a.k.a. your brain needs a break)
November 4, 2015The Insecure Writer’s Support Group http://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com
Writer’s block. Two word to strike dread into the heart of any serious writer. You want to write but the words won’t come. You sit in front of the screen and stare. You had such a great idea so what the heck is going on?
Having been afflicted by this malady a handful of times in the last thirteen years, I’ve reached a few conclusions. At least where I’m concerned.
Not all writer’s block is bad. Sometimes I think my brain simply needs a break. I’ve learned not to push the words. I go blog, play on twitter, dream up new characters and develop bios for them. I stay busy but I stop fretting over daily word count.
I look for outside stresses. The very first time I couldn’t write was in the middle of the Triskelion debacle. I’d signed with them for two books and they closed down and filed bankruptcy before the books were released. I’d never experienced that and it soured me on writing for a long time. These days I’ve learned a lot about self-publishing, or indie publishing if you prefer. I can always take a story indie.
Sometimes the day job wears me out and I don’t have energy to spare at the end of the day. I might go through a period where my life is on a social merry-go-round. It’s all okay.
Even when I’m not writing I’m thinking about writing. I know from experience the wheel will turn and I’ll be back at the keyboard, banging away. As difficult as it is to do, I just have to relax and ride out those times when my subconscious knows what’s best and forces me to take a break. It's not really the end of the world, even if it feels that way.
KC Kendricks http://www.kckendricks.com http://www.twitter.com/kckendricks
November 1, 2015
New cover up - September Morning
November 1, 2015New cover up. Hmmm. Sounds like a headline on a piece about political corruption, doesn't it? But no...it's time to debut a new book cover. That's something much less sinister.
So here it is - the September Morning cover. Is it all that I hoped for? Well, no. I'm a little disappointed. September Morning is a great little story, if I do say so myself. Those guys on the cover - I don't recognize them at all. I mean, eyebrows are one thing, but these two? Oh, dear......
The sunrise is great, though. I wanted a sunrise because it's supposed to be morning. And I guess Ian Somerhalder and Tom Mison really don't pose for m/m romance book covers. That would be asking a bit much. Having them in my head for inspiration is one thing - probably more than they appreciate - so I'll just be happy they were my imaginary buddies while I was writing this one.
And no, I can't do a thing about it. Publishers, by contract, have the right to give a writer whatever cover they choose.
So don't judge this book by its cover. The author promises it's better.
_*_*_*_
To read an excerpt from September Morning, please visit my website at
http://www.kckendricks.com/SeptemberMorning.html
September Morning - look for it November 8, 2015 at Amber Quill Press.
KC Kendricks
www.kckendricks.com
twitter.com/kckendricks
October 31, 2015
Autumn Wonderful
October 31, 2015Happy Halloween everyone! We had great weather for the kiddies last night. About a quarter of the folks on my bowling league we absent due to taking their kids to Trick or Treat. Surprisingly, none of the bowlers wore any sort of costume this year. I guess we are finally "growing up."
Windows 10. I've come to the conclusion I'll never find, much less utilize, all the features on this operating system. One thing I do like is the weather tile. I dumped most of the preset tiles in favor of my own selections (which are few) but I kept the weather. What a lovely week ahead for the first days in November. So very different from a few short years ago when a late October snowstorm wrecked havoc. We were without power for 55 hours during that one. (But we had a lot of wood to burn the next year.)I'm looking forward to this last few warmer days of autumn. November will bring a chill wind, one that stays until, finally, in April, a hint of spring can be felt. I wouldn't miss the changing of the seasons for love nor money. I love stepping out on my front porch and observing the changes in the trees.
Where I'll end up by the close of this fall day, I don't know yet. Likely it will be right here at my keyboard. What I do know is the hours between will be autumn wonderful.
KC
kckendricks.com
twitter.com/kckendricks
October 26, 2015
10,000 steps
October 26, 2015
Sooooo I bought into the Fitbit craze and got a Flex. So it was $90 I probably shouldn't have spent, but hey. I don't have any serious vices. Why not have another fun gadget? (Maybe gadgets are a vice - who knows?)
I work in an office setting, plus I write. That's a lot of time at a desk. To counter that I generally take a walk in the park on my lunch break. The first full day of having the Fitbit, I logged 5047 steps. Whoa, baby. Really? I did that many without varying my routine at all? I rather impressed myself. Halfway there without actually trying.
Being a pragmatic sort, I realized right then and there that 10,000 steps a day, every day, might be out of range. I set a goal of 5500 for the next day and added five minutes to my lunchtime stroll. I ended up at 5322 for the day.
Okay. That told me I needed to add a purposeful walk around the office building, once in the morning and once in the afternoon. This is over and above going to other officers to check on my charges. This would just be a flyby. Let 'em wonder what the hell the office manager is up to. The added five minutes and two flybys got me to 6686.
At this point I'm not sure the Fitbit is adding correctly. That's a quite a jump.
Friday. A twenty-seven minute walk in the park, two flybys and bowling night. Total=7944. Hmm. I would have thought bowling would add more, but it is what it is.
Fast forward to the next Friday and the same routine got me to 8790. By now I'm really confused about the way this gadget measures steps.
Saturday, October 24. Great weather. I made up my mind I was going to hit TEN THOUSAND steps or fucking die trying.
As it happened, we had quite a To Do list for the day. First up - an early morning pantry run to Wal-Mart (yeah, yeah) to restock the larder. After that a few chores in the yard including climbing up and down a ladder a few times and a trip to fill up the gas cans and get diesel for the John Deere. All of that and I'm at about 7000 steps. Fine. I set out for a walk in the woods, taking the two-mile loop. It's almost four o'clock when I get home and the Fitbit says I've only gone 9467 steps. Fuck. Me.
I can do this. I can go another 500 or so steps. I CAN DO THIS! I walked down to my mailbox and back. That's 975 feet out the lane and 975 feet back in. I know it's that far. I measured the distance when I had to pay a contractor to scrape off the topsoil and put the first one hundred ton of stone down back in 1981. I look at the read-out on my phone and it says 9989.
BITE ME!
A few steps around the house and the Fitbit gizmo vibrated. According to modern tech, I'd made the whopping big total of 10,007 steps and it was still daylight. By the end of the day I'd registered 10,539 steps. I got the badge.
What's my take-away from Saturday's exercise? I'm not crazy enough, or obsessive enough, for the Fitbit craze. If I don't get 10,000 steps a day, who the hell cares? Not me. I'll continue to play with my gadget because, admittedly, it's a way to remind me to take those extra strolls around the office and add a few minutes to my mid-day walk when possible. But from now on, I'm counting along with the Fitbit.
KC
www.kckendricks.com
www.twitter.com/kckendricks
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Sooooo I bought into the Fitbit craze and got a Flex. So it was $90 I probably shouldn't have spent, but hey. I don't have any serious vices. Why not have another fun gadget? (Maybe gadgets are a vice - who knows?)I work in an office setting, plus I write. That's a lot of time at a desk. To counter that I generally take a walk in the park on my lunch break. The first full day of having the Fitbit, I logged 5047 steps. Whoa, baby. Really? I did that many without varying my routine at all? I rather impressed myself. Halfway there without actually trying.
Being a pragmatic sort, I realized right then and there that 10,000 steps a day, every day, might be out of range. I set a goal of 5500 for the next day and added five minutes to my lunchtime stroll. I ended up at 5322 for the day.
Okay. That told me I needed to add a purposeful walk around the office building, once in the morning and once in the afternoon. This is over and above going to other officers to check on my charges. This would just be a flyby. Let 'em wonder what the hell the office manager is up to. The added five minutes and two flybys got me to 6686.
At this point I'm not sure the Fitbit is adding correctly. That's a quite a jump.
Friday. A twenty-seven minute walk in the park, two flybys and bowling night. Total=7944. Hmm. I would have thought bowling would add more, but it is what it is.
Fast forward to the next Friday and the same routine got me to 8790. By now I'm really confused about the way this gadget measures steps.
Saturday, October 24. Great weather. I made up my mind I was going to hit TEN THOUSAND steps or fucking die trying.
As it happened, we had quite a To Do list for the day. First up - an early morning pantry run to Wal-Mart (yeah, yeah) to restock the larder. After that a few chores in the yard including climbing up and down a ladder a few times and a trip to fill up the gas cans and get diesel for the John Deere. All of that and I'm at about 7000 steps. Fine. I set out for a walk in the woods, taking the two-mile loop. It's almost four o'clock when I get home and the Fitbit says I've only gone 9467 steps. Fuck. Me.
I can do this. I can go another 500 or so steps. I CAN DO THIS! I walked down to my mailbox and back. That's 975 feet out the lane and 975 feet back in. I know it's that far. I measured the distance when I had to pay a contractor to scrape off the topsoil and put the first one hundred ton of stone down back in 1981. I look at the read-out on my phone and it says 9989.
BITE ME!
A few steps around the house and the Fitbit gizmo vibrated. According to modern tech, I'd made the whopping big total of 10,007 steps and it was still daylight. By the end of the day I'd registered 10,539 steps. I got the badge.
What's my take-away from Saturday's exercise? I'm not crazy enough, or obsessive enough, for the Fitbit craze. If I don't get 10,000 steps a day, who the hell cares? Not me. I'll continue to play with my gadget because, admittedly, it's a way to remind me to take those extra strolls around the office and add a few minutes to my mid-day walk when possible. But from now on, I'm counting along with the Fitbit.
KC
www.kckendricks.com
www.twitter.com/kckendricks
Have you joined my mailing list? No chatter, just pertinent news. Email to:
betweenthekeys-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
