I should be writing…

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I don’t know that I’ve actually posted this up here, but I’m trying to get back into writing.  Now, this blog has such a small following that everyone who reads it may already know that particular factoid, but just thought I should get it out here.  The internet being the way it is, there’s always a chance someone I know but don’t talk to regularly will stumble onto this website and see this post and think, “Huh, I didn’t know Keri writes!”  On the other hand, I may never get anything finished and out there for the world to see.
 
So far in my life I’ve really only finished one or two stories.  The reason I can’t tell you if it’s one or two is because I just don’t remember with the first one if it ever got a final ending.  The other, however, I do remember.  It’s something I started writing when I was around 13 or so and by the time I hit about 18 I finally said “screw it” and slapped an ending on it.  I’ve read it once or twice since then, but no more recently than before my last two moves (so 5 years ago at the shortest).  I’ve never been completely satisfied with the story as a whole (partly because the majority of it was written in my 13 year old voice) and especially with the ending.  I just forced myself to end it because I wanted to prove to myself that I could finish something, but I don’t think I was really “feeling it” at the time.  Maybe if I go back now I could rewrite or edit it into something publishable, but I really don’t think so.  It would probably need a full rewrite and I’m not at that point in my writing “career”.
 
Right now I just need to write.  A lot.  And a lot more.  I am super rusty and probably don’t have any more skill than the average teen at writing fiction.  I just haven’t practiced and used that part of my brain in a long while.  Oh, sure, I’ve written a few things off and on since high school, but nothing I’ve gotten past a couple pages on, nothing I’ve come anywhere near finishing.  It’s always easy to start with a shiny new project, but slogging through till the finish is always a trick I have troubles with.
 
I shouldn’t say I’ve not finished anything since that one story long ago.  I have started writing again (hence this post), after spending many hours listening to a podcast called “I Should Be Writing”.  Mighty Mur Lafferty is my new favorite podcaster.  I had heard about her podcast several times and have really enjoyed listening to several of her stories played on EscapePod (a totally awesome scifi podcast) and finally decided to give her show a try.  After listening to 30 podcasts (about a year of her podcasting life) over the course of a month and a half, I finally decided to sit down and start writing again.
 
At first I just started typing.  The file I have started is not-so-creatively dubbed “new writing project” and is now just under 19,000 words.  I’m pretty sure it’s all crap, but it’s my crap and if I don’t get it out on the computer screen it’ll just sit in my head.  I’ve also worked on a couple other things (mostly when I’m feeling blocked on “new writing project” and need a break).  I finished a flash fiction piece and have been working on a short story that I think I could probably finish in the next week unless I’m working on my monolith.  Not sure what exactly I’m going to do with these, but at least I feel like I’m getting somewhere.
 
I’ll keep you updated.  Oh yeah, and I’ve promised myself that Macbook I’ve been drooling over for years (no, it’s not the same one I started drooling on, I want the new improved model).  My goal is 50,000 words, counting all of my fiction projects.  I’m just over halfway there….

Little rubber duckies

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imageI’m reminded of the scene from the Miracle Worker where Helen’s mother asked Helen will ever  learn language. Annie’s response was something to the effect of “How long does it take for a child to learn language? Perhaps it’s after 1 million words or so”. Such seems to be the case with young Elizabeth who seem to be learning new words every day almost as if by magic. Sometimes however, we’re not exactly sure she really knows what the word means, or if it’s just a case of monkey see monkey do.  To Elizabeth all ducks are quack. When  we were reading a snowy day this afternoon and one the page where the little boy is taking a nice hot bath after his trek through the cold snow, she points out with the little rubber duck floating in the tub with him. Quack! she said.

Kids these days.

Brilliance

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So, my baby girl learned at least three new words this weekend.  Or at least, she spoke 3 new ones… not that they’re entirely clear to anyone on the street.  I really do understand all those people that say about little kids that only their mothers (or fathers) can understand them for a while.  After all, who would know whether “Bah” means bottle or blanket or bear but the one who hears it daily?  (Elizabeth uses “Bah” usually for either blanket or bear, but sometimes it also means book).

Anyway, the new words.  So yesterday she used the word/syllable that sounds something like “Duay”.  Said it right after I said “Don’t pick that up, it’s dirty”.  Then she used the syllable several more times over the weekend when referring to a door.  So I’m all excited about that, and a while later we’re heading down the stairs (we stayed at Grandma and Grandpa O’s house) and I ask if she wants to sit with Papa (grandpa) and she says “Pop!”  This morning she used the same word to refer to our dogs (they’re both older dogs, but I still call them her “puppies”).  The third word was the most exciting for me.  She said blue.  Or rather “Boo”.  This is really my first indication that she understands colors.  We were reading a “learn your colors” book and turned to the blue page and I asked her what color cookie monster was and before I could tell her (keep in mind that’s probably the 15th time we read that book this weekend) she said “Boo!”  Maybe it’s luck or she can almost recite the book since we’ve read it so much, but she did call her blue blankie “boo” a little later (she has several favorite blankies, and currently the blue one is tops).  She also said “boo” when I was asking if she wanted to read a book (which is a switch from the usual “Bah”).

So if she said “duay”, “pop”, and “boo”, I guess that’s 3 words, but if I count them as “dirty”, “door”, “papa”, “puppy”, “blue” and “book” then it’s 6.  I’ll go with the latter and just say my baby’s brilliant!

I’ve decided that although my baby might not be more advanced than the average, I’m going to tell myself and her that she’s brilliant.  Besides, as mean and cruel as the world is, everyone should have at least one person that thinks they’re brilliant, beautiful and talented.  Isn’t that what moms are for?

Stampin!

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The three of us went to a friend’s house today to do some Stampin’ Up card making.  It was not an official event (no catalogs or pressure to buy things) but just lots of cards to play with.  Besides her and the Orstad clan, there were 4 other ladies (yes, Matthew was the only guy there, poor man) and we all had a great time.  The hostess had created 7 different cards using different techniques (eg embossing, using dimensionals, some crank thing that crinkled the paper, tearing, using assorted pretties like brads and ribbons and different punches) and had enough card stock all cut out and ready to go so that everyone could go around and make at least one of each.  Matthew didn’t make any cards; I think he’s decided that although this is sort of fun, it’s not really his thing.  But he chit-chatted with everyone (most work with me or are friends in town here we’ve spent a lot of time with) and did admit that he had a fun time (helped that our hostess is a grandma and had LOTS of fun toys and lego/megablocks to keep El amused!)  All in all, it was a lot of fun.

Which brings up the point: if Keri has gotten into cardmaking and made lots of Christmas cards (I did make quite a few), why has almost no one received one?  Because Keri likes the fun of creating things and then letting them die in a heap, almost but not quite finished.  I still may send them out… if some people receive Christmas cards from us in March, hopefully they understand.  If some don’t ever get a card, either I forgot you, I got tired of making cards and you are one of the unlucky ones, or more likely: I never got around to sending the cards I have.  Pitiful, I know, but that’s the way I roll.

In the meantime, here are two more random pictures.  They are both from Elizabeth’s first trip to Storybook Island in Rapid City last summer in July.  We had to peel her, bawling from the black plastic horse because she wanted to ride him FOREVER.  Scott, does the other pic make you nostalgic?  Remember those things?  Last year she was too little to really get them bouncing, but this year I bet she’ll love them!

Powerful site

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Yeah, yeah, I know.  No posts for 4 month and now 4 in one day… expect the same in the future!

I just wanted to link to this site I wandered onto after seeing a video of this guy on youtube (I think Matthew sent it to me).  It is very powerful and amazing.  Great guy to listen to when it seems like life won’t even give you lemons but is instead just handing you cockleburrs.  This guy has a 2nd site too, that he uses for his business talks he gives.