Month: July 2021

Monday Was a Day

1 Comment

Y’all—Monday was a day.

Sunday afternoon had me ridiculously lethargic, and no, not just because I was standing around Walmart while Batman was purchasing a firearm. It’s Walmart—I could literally spend hours picking out things I’d buy when I become a millionaire/better paid in general. But I just couldn’t stand. I wanted to sit or lay down, so my energy level was strange. Then I found out a coworker tested positive. Same coworker I chatted with in close quarters end of last week. Also found out I was sitting in another coworker’s chair who was home sick due to the ‘rona. (No office announcement about the cases…)

*sigh*

I stayed home from work on Monday and Batman joined me—if I had it, he’d likely have it, and could spread to his office. So, we went to the only nearby clinic accepting patients for rapid testing. All other places didn’t have any openings for Monday. We checked in at 10:40 and told it was a 2.5 hour wait. Okay. No worries. We went home, took care of Appa, I did some work, and we returned at 1:15. Another hour or so. We went BACK home, ate some lunch, played with Appa (I did more work…) and then we went BACK again at 2:15 and waited for another thirty minutes. Finally, we were called in, and some Slavic-sounding doctor shoved the world’s largest Qtip up both nostrils. She did the same to Batman and less than an hour later, we found out we were negative.

Win!

Win?

Well, what the heck is wrong with me? Because, according to her thermometer, I don’t have a fever, but my eyes feel like they’ve been dipped in acid—the same acid currently residing in my throat every time I swallow. Call me old fashioned, but this sounds like a fever to me.

In my frustration of all the back and forth and work emails pinging (I’M SICK!!) I lost my shit on the kitchen sink faucet because it sprays everywhere, I saw tiny bugs (even though I just cleaned) and the darn faucet thingy kept springing back up, making it difficult to tsunami the bugs away so in a brilliant moment of thought, I hit the metal thing with my right hand. You know, the dominant one—the one I’m currently typing with (ouch by the way). Want proof of my idiocy?

Clearly, I lost the battle. The faucet has no bruises, and came off looking the same. I have an injured finger and injured pride, but no Covid, so that’s good.

I actually intended this post to focus on my first DIY project. I could save it for next week, but who knows what adventures await between now and then? Want to see what I did? Well keep reading if so. If not…I don’t know what to tell you…you should probably stop reading now.

For those who are interested: Batman and I bought this nightstand for $20 in a thrift shop. Not needing a nightstand, the idea to make it a plantstand popped right into my brain. So, that’s what I did. After googling how to paint wood furniture, and having Batman assist with the purchases in Home Depot, I set to work, letting the creativity fly! The result?

Fully finished with fake plants purchased from Michael and Old Time Pottery:

Think it looks not-terrible. And I’ll take not-terrible. It was a fun little renovation project, and I’m inspired for my next! Just hoping my finger and pride are restored by then. Also hoping the acid leaves my eyeballs and throat. Very hopefully over here for a lot of things, and that includes you having a stellar week! The more positivity, smiles, and laughing, the more we can change the world from being a giant dick.

~ Lady Caitlin

P.S. Word of advice – don’t punch inanimate objects when you’re frustrated. They always win. Bastards.

Another Complete Rewrite?

2 Comments

Listen to this crap:

I reached the “end” of Untitled, and it turns out, it’s not the real ending. Like, at all. Unravel it even further, and all of the “things” I started learning along the way, the “things” I wanted to sprinkle into the next draft have already changed the entire story. Again.

DUDE.

I don’t even think this is the same story I started writing the beginning of last year. The original scene that I wanted to write just because (with no intent to share—just for me and yet, it spurred entire book) is NOT EVEN IN THIS NEW VERSION. The way they meet completely changes, so it wouldn’t make sense.

*blink*

*drinks wine*

*drinks more wine*

This is weird. I’m all for following my characters down their freaky little rabbit holes, but these are huge changes. So why make them? BECAUES THEY’RE BETTER THAN WHAT I HAVE. I just reread my first chapter of the rewrite and my God, does it suck. Not just the telly-writing (we can forgive that; it’s first draft) and I could even *maybe* get past the cliché-ness of the cheesy-ass freshman-level formatting (always something to edit later) but it was just BORING. There was no risk. No reason to keep reading, and I knew it was desperately missing something.

So, I dug in, and it didn’t take long. I knew what my characters wanted, but by changing the urgency of the need, it propelled one of my protagonists into a different situation, changing her back story (and, in essence, her current story). *Ahem* Enhancing her back story, which was interesting, but lacked a deeper level I now had thanks to this change.

I really wish I could say more. Explain more. But, I’m still figuring this thing out myself. Because, and I’m afraid to admit it, I’m not sure if the conflict in the previous rewrite now applies to this version. So, what does that mean? Another complete rewrite?

*goes out and buys more bottles of wine*

Do I have the energy for another new rewrite?

I really want to say no, and that what I have is fine—but who just wants fine? We all want the best, and I want the best for this story. This untitled, constantly changing story that won’t even tell me what to call it. Fucking story. But, I do want to keep working on it. I have to admit that before (and, well, kind of now) it’s solidly based on just the romance, and I found myself asking questions about what happened outside the romance. The answer to those questions enhanced the characters (the heroine more than the hero) and again, now the situation has changed.

But it’s okay, guys. I’ll figure it out. Each change digs me closer to a more interesting plot and I’m excited I’m not just at the mercy of the romance. I want excitement in every aspect, which is probably why I was drawn to writing Harrizel, which I need to get back to…

Maybe the impossible has happened: I miss writing fight scenes? Could that be it? And there are some in this new WIP, but maybe it’s the over action I miss? Romance just for romance-sake can get boring. I guess I like a little adventure to go along with it.

Wonder what this one will come out looking like.

At his point, your guess is as good as mine.

~ Lady Caitlin

I’m in a Funk

4 Comments

I’m feeling funky.

Wait. Scratch that. That’s not right.

I’m feeling in a funk. In a mood.

Something’s off.

Did Mercury meet up with Venus in retrograde on the wrong side of the moon? I believe in the all the cosmic stuff but don’t understand any of it. Just like chakras. Sometimes it takes me a while to get something, so I’m sure I’ll learn what it all means eventually, but for right now, I just know I’m in a funk.

Or maybe it’s a metamorphosis? I am seeing 5s and, according to numerology—of which I dabble a bit—5s are the number of change, especially triple 5s (what I’m seeing). Typically, the change signifies a large shift like a marriage, job change, or baby. It’s something significant. Well, I’m married, and I don’t plan on any babies, and I’ve had more jobs than I can count, so I’m not sure. But something is off, and there IS a change coming, and I PRAY TO GOD it’s a good one.

I completely forgot yesterday’s post was the IWSG one, so that sucks. I try not to miss those, but Wednesday was NOT my day. Elsa tried to bring her shit, and I had errands that took me out of work and into the storm, only to go back into work to face a multitude of metaphoric fires. Not fun. I should’ve been proactive and written the post prior but again, there’s this funk. I’m feeling all sorts of weird, and it’s messing with my creativity.

I’m still writing no-name. Actually, I have one more chapter to go to finish this first draft of a complete re-write, and then it’s back to the beginning for draft # two. Currently sitting at 117,000 words, this chunky monster will *for sure* need to be edited down—but there’s so much more I want to add! Ah, the joy of writing and editing and rewriting and reediting and hating yourself because all artists do at some point because the work drives us INSANE.

Least we have vices to help. And it’s nice most of them are legal.

Alright, I’m heading back out into the world with this funk. This mood. Wish me luck and try explaining the cosmos to me if you can. I’ll take all the insight I can get.

~ Lady Caitlin

P.S. The highlight on Wednesday was watching Loki. Have you seen this show? I’ve never been a fan of Loki (the character) or Tom Hiddleston much, but watching the show, I can now say I’m fully invested in both.