Blue Bird

[Bluegate]

Red, where are you at with your writing right now? I know you're struggling with all the distractions but I was wondering if you have any tiny little goals for right now to help you get back into the swing again.

 

[Red Bird]

I'm on the last round of revisons, so it isn't really like writing at all. I'm just going through each chapter and making changes according to my notes, and recommendations from the last read from my mentor. I can't even remember where I left off. I need to look back and see my last post from here and try to remember where I was. Oh, my.

I just finished taking an exit exam that I should have taken two months ago. Now I'll receive my diploma.

I also have to take a test for my respiratory license by June, which means I have to order the books and study guide soon. So, I'm catching up and refuse to kick my own butt for the distractions, but damn I'm hoping there aren't any more for a while.

Thanks for asking, blue.

 

[Bluegate]

You're welcome. I do think you have a lot on your plate. It's a wonder that you have gotten as much done as you have.
The last that I recall you were heading off to the synopsis again. And the last part from the book that I think you posted was the part about being dragged across the pond. Fun times.

 

[Red Bird]

you're right. what i need to do most is pull the ms edits from my mentor and make the suggested changes. i've already restructured so the chronological order is correct.

promise me the next time you hear me talking about a man you'll remind me of how off track this one had me. ha.

my son called to say that he talked to the contractor tonight and that he was taking the cabinets to my house, which means i'll have more crap in my way until he installs them.

did you get your tables done?

i have to do rounds and then i'll be back. did you do any writing or outlining today?

 

[Bluegate]

Too funny you!

next time you hear me talking about a man you'll remind me

Then in the next sentence you mention two more men. (I know, I just had to poke fun at you. We don't have Seams to push around anymore. hehe)

Do you actually have walls to install those cabinets onto? Stupid evil contractor.

Have you looked at your MS recently? I mean have you read it over as a whole to see how it flows as a story? I have learned from you just how easy it is to lose sight of the big picture when you spend so much time smoothing and editing. Just curious.

I'm not completely finished with the tables. I sanded them down the other day. Today I did a mixed stain finish on them and tomorrow I will pluck up some courage and add some white paint. I might even throw in some frog green and electric blue to poke through. There won't be any delete button for that maneuver. Eeep!

I have fallen completely off the writing wagon. This isn't all bad though. I think I got what I needed to get out of that particular route and I'm mapping out a new one. Redecorating the bedroom helps. The act of changing my physical space helps to reinforce the changes I'm making in my subconscious mind. I suppose that's all a bit esoteric for a concrete word oriented site but it is all part of the creative process to me. Figuring out how to see my story in my own head is probably more important to figure out than where to put a semi colon. If the story sucks, who cares where I put the punctuation?

I actually think that I will be ready to hit the story board again tomorrow night. I'm writing a blog post right now so that kind of counts. I had even fallen away from that for awhile.

 

[Red Bird]

No, I haven't read through the entire ms in a long time. The good news is that I ended up doing what was suggested, which was move away from it for a time so that I could see it with fresh eyes.

I get that changing physical space creates new energy.

 

[Bluegate]

Yes, the getting away from it for awhile is helpful. I think that is what I have been doing as well. I just finished a blog post that felt more genuine than I have felt writing in some time. It's interesting. I think that while I have been very candid (within public posting reason) I have also been very guarded when it came to writing my story. This is something I really need to address and I suppose it's the "place in my head" that I'm looking for; to be truly vulnerable on the page. It's one thing to write blood on the page, it's entirely another to actually bleed on it.
What I really needed most was to decide if I was going to let myself bleed or not. I'm guessing you know all about that. ;-)

 

[Bluegate]

Red, I'm off for now. Tomorrow I diagram! What do you have planned? Come on girl we gotta get back at it.

 

[Seams]

Hello you two. Long time

Writing...ya, its good to walk away a bit...just don't go too far, Red. It becomes just another perspective then.

I'm trying to write a piece with 2 very strong mc voices but opposite, i think i broke my mind along route.

best wishing to you both in writing

 

[Red Bird]

Seams,
I think I broke my mind, too. More than once Yeah, I didn't really decide to take a break, it just turned out that way. Good to hear from you and to know you're still writing.

Blue,
You up?

 

[Bluegate]

Hey Red! Sorry I'm late. I'm up and I'm directionless. Nothing new there.

So, pretty cool getting a drop from Seams, eh? Nice to see his rambles again.

 

[Red Bird]

Oopsie,
Work got busy. Hopefully we will try it again later! They were installing my cabinets when I left for work tonight

 

[Seams]

lol you two. It's not like I don't come here, its just that I don't post stories here but i can still learn and say hello be nosey about your writing and all that ha

glad you are doing well, Red. I do wish they will finish you house soon. it took them two days to put my new roof on this week, so i know you'll appreciate them when they are done and gone.

Hello Blue, glad you are doing well also. yeah, get back to writing yo slackers. if i'm managing it, so can you

good mornings

 

[Bluegate]

Hi Seams, it's cool that you aren't posting your writings here. We just miss your company and your input. We have grown very accustomed to your ramblings.

I can't believe they got your new roof on in two days time. That sounds pretty good. Were they people you knew?

I really put the pen down for a bit there and have not exactly picked it back up yet. I need to and I am actually kind of itching to do so. I think I got very frustrated and discouraged toward the end. I didn't exactly hate what I was writing but I really didn't see the flow or voice in it. I think I was in some kind of hyper edit mentality. Worried about every word and that just sucked.
Well, lesson almost learned there. Almost, because I still need to find out how to not do that anymore.

Red you working tonight? We just plain missed eachother last night.
I hope you have cabinets!

 

[Red Bird]

Oh yeah, I've got cabinets. There sitting on the floor, but I got 'em. Ha.

They say they'll be done by Saturday, which is tomorrow, but I ain't holding my breath. Now, it could be that I'll have cabinets on the walls and a sink on the floor, but I'm not seeing a completion. Either way it will be done by next weekend.

My son was home last weekend and left me with a parting gift: The cold from hell. Thankfully I have the next few days off work to rest.

 

[Seams]

lol I will have to send the crew over to your house, Red. I think my guys are faster.

Blue, well I work in the construction field, but I try to stay out of the tradespeoples' way. They were racing against the snow and freezing rain, that might have been the incentive. Still to give them credit they did it well.

as for writing. well i'm trying a few new things, so not posting anything as such. But i understand the need for stepping away until words settle on the paper, Blue. Sometimes with so many cooks in the broth of your story, it ends up so thick with ideas that the original flavour gets lost. Hope you find that balance soon.

good morning to you both

Seams

 

[Red Bird]

Morning Blue, you hanging in there. I sent a reply to your pm. How's the garden? How's the writing?
Seams,
Please send the crew. I'm getting fat.

 

[Bluegate]

Hi Red! I'm hanging in. Sounds like you're still hanging out. Your guy should have gotten Mr. Seams on the job in the first place. Sure, Seams may be the concrete guy but he knows how to get who to get what done.

I actually picked up a pen again yesterday and it didn't feel like pulling teeth. A good sign to be sure. Speaking of teeth...I had another appointment with Dr. Mengele the country dentist and and discovered that amoung the other issues that caused my little blindness episode last time, I seem to be allergic to the novocaine used. He tried a different version this time and I was fine. So Happy.
The writing, I just felt more comfortable this time and wasn't trying so hard. It came out more in my bloggy voice as per suggestions and it was at least easier to do. Whether or not it sucked is a whole 'nother story...so to speak.

Red, you getting any writing done between drywall dust and take out food?

 

[Seams]

That's the worse thing about contracting, so many variables can get in the way of a job being done. I have a garage to do today, its -1 and light snow with rain mixed in, just to sweeten the smile.

Am hoping yours is done soon, Red. It's starting to remind me of Moscow, how it took them forever to build a home. It was like watching people watching paint dry - whenever they worked.

Glad you are writing in your blog-voice, Blue. To me it has a gentler flow, more true, less forced(i'm not saying the other wasn 't true, but it felt too worried over things.)

off to work I go, then to my cell phone company where I plan to beat them for screwing with my plan. I should be just in the right mood after work

 

[Red Bird]

Good luck with the garage and the teeth.

The cabinets are off the floor. The vacated place now houses the sink. I'm stuck in my room for what I hope is the last weekend while three men are pounding and sawing on stuff. I don't know what. These guys have been saying this is the last weekend for a long time, but now I can see that it may be Keep your fingers crossed.

So, I'm working on my ms again. Well, it's open and in front of me anyway.

It sounds like you've made some progress, Blue. Wanna share?

Red

 

[Bluegate]

Oh, this thread is indeed dusty. Perhaps it's time we hung a "help wanted" sign out on the Ol' Blue Bird Cafe window.

 

[Red Bird]

Ha. I started another thread in the wrong section. Man it really has been a long time.

 

[Bluegate]

oops! Sorry I missed you Red. Figures...you're writing again, but doing it all a**backwards. LOL

 

[Red Bird]

So, I'm going to read some of my old stuff posted in SYW and see what I can come up with. I know I had a plan. I have to refocus.
What's up with your stuff?
Is Seams still around here?

 

[Bluegate]

I think that sounds like a great idea. I'd love to see what you have going on. Ok, I'd love to see what I have going on. That goes to your question about my work. hehe. NOTHING. Nothing to see here folks, go back to your homes. Yeah, I've been very distracted all summer and haven't written so much as a postcard. I could really use a kick in the pants here.

Haven't been on the site in months so I really don't know if Mr. Seams is around. It would be nice to see him though.