My computer has needed an overhaul for quite some time. So I had to surrender it into the care of my best friend's husband, who is an IT guy. He already performed heroics on a previous computer when my current WIP was trapped on the hard drive of a tower whose battery went dead.
So what have I been doing in the meantime?
1 - Well, I did try to stay on schedule with my book review for Stella MacLean's Baby in Her Arms. However, that will have to be pushed back to next week. My day job work schedule has been very grinding of late. Over the years, I've gradually learned to put balls down when my juggling act gets too ridiculous. That has been a lifetime lesson, I assure you.
2 - After work, once I've finished my daily visit with my mom upstairs, I generally head downstairs and hop onto the computer. But every evening this week I've headed into the garden instead. Sigh. That's been nice.
3 - I've had way more Pack Time on the couch. Because we are two humans and a dog, we are a Pack. Pack Time is my favorite time of day. We all pile onto the couch, where my dog and I fall asleep curled up together and my husband watches TV. Bliss.
4 - I've headed over for Pack Time much earlier than I do when I'm writing. So I've gotten way more sleep. This morning I woke up at 4:00 because my body is used to waking up with only 5 hours of sleep. But I realized I could go back for two more hours. Mmm.
5 - I watched the hockey game. Stanley Cup play-offs on Tuesday night, game 3. Lots of woo-hooing in our Cole Harbour house for Sidney Crosby!
Normally I would be at the computer with the game on TV to my left, which I would glance at in between writing. What luxury to simply sit down and watch the whole thing.
Photo by Peter Diana
6 - Listening to a whole bunch of CDs that we haven't heard in awhile. We usually use the CD player in the computer to listen to music. With that gone, my husband pulled out the big ghetto blaster and stacks of CDs that have been collecting dust and we've been enjoying some favorites. Like this one:
7 - As often happens, when I'm in the middle of one WIP, I start getting ideas and scenes for another WIP. So instead of thinking about my early Victorian gardener, Robbie (who resembles Ewan McGregor,) I've been doing some heavy-duty thinking about my dark fantasy and the Chamberlain of the Keep, Scorpius (a dead-ringer for Richard Armitage.)
8 - Doing some pre-planning for the mega collage event at my writers' group Book in a Day all-day workshop on June 13th.
9 - Tending to my husband's erupting cyst on his neck. Good times. Three bandage changes a day. Yay.
10 - Mowing my enormous lawn. I actually find it relaxing, in a sweaty sort of way.
11 - Visiting over at my best friend's house when we dropped the computer tower off. Such luxury!
12 - Doing overtime at work to try to get caught up on a huge backlog of scanning. This actually makes me feel like I'm getting somewhere instead of digging a hole in mud, just to watch it immediately fill in again. Added bonus - no one to interrupt.
13 - Taking a tiny chip off the clutter mountain that is our apartment. Yay me!
Janet says You've sure got a lot going on!
Alice Audrey says Even if I'm supposed to be working on one WIP, another keeps cropping up.
Anthony North says I always keep a cheap back-up, so this doesn't happen to me.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Thursday Thirteen - 109 - 13 Things I've Been Doing While My Computer's in The Shop
Posted by Julia Phillips Smith at 10:01 AM
Labels: Best friend, Clutter, Computer, gardening, Prozzak, Random, Repairs, Robbie Flynn, Scorpius, Sidney Crosby, Stanley Cup play-offs, Thursday Thirteen
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17 comments:
you've sure got a lot going on!
It would drive me nuts to not be able to write, even if I'm supposed to be working on one WIP and another keeps cropping up. You've got the computer back now, right?
I always keep a cheap back-up, so this doesn't happen to me - as long as I don't lose internet connection.
Janet - It's why I'm always a little loopy.
Alice - No, my computer is still at my friend's house. I prepared a half-week's worth of blog posts in advance, but now I'm only on my work computer for break and lunch time.
Anthony - That's planning!
I'm sure your lunch and breaks are just not long enough for all you would like to do. At my work place external internet is strictly forbidden, unless you are a fortunate one who has access as a means to resolve a customer's need. So in the name of providing an excellent customer service experience Google forth, your call is being recorded for quality assurance purposes.
You've been keeping nicely busy! Reconnecting with the world, it seems like.
I'll be at the Pens game tonight. Look for me; I'll be the woman in the balcony in the white t-shirt. *grin*
Go Sid!!
Well your computer may have been idle but you sure haven't! ;)
You want to come here and declutter for me. I can't move. LOL!!
Well all this sounds really cozy!
:)
Goodness gracious, you've been busy. I tackled all the cabinets in my bathroom today and purged 2 garbage bags worth of junk. I find it very freeing!
I've stopped turning the computer on in the evenings unless absolutely necessary. I've got so much to get done this month I don't have the time. I'll save my surfing for when I'm at work! And I did some pre-collaging prep too!
Yeah, I'd told you I was there last night (look up). I was in white, remember? *grin*
We actually picked out a prominent Pittsburgh attorney 'cause of his black shirt. Sent him a text. He called us weiners. (Yes, he's a friend)
And you should have seen my face when I sat down with the local paper yesterday and there was the same picture you'd used of Sid's back!
Anytime my computer acts up, my first reaction is annoyance. But if there is extended down time, then I eventually end up reading more and enjoying the time without it.
I'd rather not go without it, but it's good to know that I can.
And you remind me again to back my stuff up. I did that with my music, but I need to get my photos and writing done too.
Great TT! I love pack time too! I do it with the kids mostly after dinner. Our cat wants to join us but we have allergies so he has to stay off the couch.
My computer stopped working last year but luckily we had a second computer, my daughters. This is the one I have been using ever since. Can't use it as often because my daughter is always on it but I'm just happy I still have access to the internet!
"I've gradually learned to put balls down when my juggling act gets too ridiculous."
That is a principle we can all learn from :D
Wow, you've been doing lots of interesting things. Love the mental image of The Pack -- that sounds wonderful and so restful. :) Gardening -- yyyyes! And declutterizing -- yup, I really need to be doing that, too (sigh!) :)
I hope work calms down for you soon!
We're internally networked and our cable was cut and and and I understand. Whew! You've kept busy! That goes to show that our lives do not need to revolve around the computer. When mine exploded, I still kept writing in (gasp)...a notebook!
Hope your husband will be fine.
One of my artistic mediums is collage, besides writing. I teach it to artists, writers, and anyone who wants to learn. Enjoy the workshop!
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