Today, I am doing a white rabbit impersonation, and already too busy. Just like this crazy flower…
It’s Friday, which means a family visitation, weekly shopping delivery, the final chapter to finish, and the need to find out why one of my lesser characters seems to have disappeared into the mist…
I wanted to make some promo posters for Ghost of a Chance too, but that title says it all today…
Of course, I won’t manage all of this, but I’m gonna give it my best shot!
#TankaTuesday Weekly Poetry Challenge No. 283: #Tastetherainbow-“Chakra” Color Poetry
My purple calendar hangs on my wall the days are crossed off telling me you forgot no red roses sent today our special day lost in the mist I ask myself; do you still love me? too many days forgotten, make me blue ©AnitaDawes2022
After weeks of frustration, nothing working the way it should never mind used to, I am extremely happy to report that changing our browser has wiped the slate clean, and the joy of blogging has returned!
I have just spent all morning visiting everything and practically everybody and have not encountered one malfunction. Every like button responded, every comment was accepted, and passwords were always ready and waiting.
I didn’t meet any hitches, delays or errors of any kind.
Riding high on this wave of euphoria, I went for broke and went back to Buffer, a site I have used for years to schedule posts and promo stuff. For some reason, and I can only guess it began with a tinkering, they have been refusing to connect with our Facebook account.
I pressed the button, held my breath, and voila! We were instantly connected.
The transfer from Firefox was painless too. Everything transferred to Edge in literally seconds. I say everything, but I did have to replace those emojis on Twitter, but that was all.
When I think of all the frustration I have been putting up with these past weeks, I am kicking myself for not thinking of this sooner…
Off to wrap up the ending of Ghost of a Chance in a much better frame of mind!
My best friend…
When I first started writing several years ago, I became obsessed with the Dragon dictation software. At the time, I think this was the only voice dictation available, and I thought it was marvellous, thinking of all the typing I wouldn’t be doing.
Never mind that it took a lifetime to accustom itself to my voice. Originally, I thought all I had to do was talk and my words would magically appear on the screen. That couldn’t be further from the truth.
You must voice every comma, full stop, and line break. I also discovered that sometimes it can be hard of hearing. Make that stone deaf!
One way or another, I went off the idea, finding it too much trouble. It also costs money, something we didn’t have back then.
Moving on to 2022.
I recently noticed that Microsoft Word, the newly updated one, suddenly had a dictation mode, free to Word users. Word is expensive enough, but I thought this was a bonus if it worked.
I still had to voice every blessed comma et cetera, but it was efficient, quick and pretty accurate. In no time at all, I was dictating everything. And my aching arms and wrists thanked me for it.
I prefer to draft longhand, and transcribing my work and my sisters, has always been a bind, time-consuming too. I can dictate a thousand words in ten minutes these days, and I am more than happy with that.
I use Word a lot, and along with Grammarly I can spell check, edit and move stuff around to my heart’s content. It’s also essential if you need to find overused words, name changes, or simply find something you have forgotten.
My best friend ever…
Something that is not my best friend these days is our current browser, Firefox. I have tried them all in the past, never quite happy with any of them. Chrome, for example, almost sent me insane.
Recently, however, something has been happening to ruin my blogging day. Every time I press a like button, chances are it won’t respond. The same thing happens with my comments. This has been happening to a lot of bloggers, apparently. Someone suggested changing our browser, which can often result in a colossal upheaval affecting everything, so I was reluctant to do this.
Until today, that is. I was trying to visit and communicate with everyone like I normally do, and almost all of the sites I visited were a complete waste of time. My temper turned up.
I have no idea why it took so long, as I have never been known for holding back for long. With steam coming out of my ears, I switched off the PC and made a cup of coffee. I had to do something, but what?
The only browser I haven’t tried is Microsoft Edge. Highly recommended and promises to transfer all our favourites from Firefox. Mmm…
But will it let me like what I like?
Only time will tell, but in the meantime, I feel better, knowing I have tried something…
The power shot past me The sacred moment lost I lie under the covers A heavy ache held my heart I hear the owl in the woods The hollow crack of spirit The candle lit, the feast ready The sideways glance, the door opens Yesterday’s spirits rush in… ©AnitaDawes2022
Her winter green smile disturbed the words in my head I remember the pledge we made To stay longer, greedily Enjoying each other, the forest Hid all trace of us High on love, hidden by mother nature The stone in my shoe reminding me She isn’t real… ©AnitaDawes2022
The last few days I have been in a finishing frenzy, getting closer than ever to writing those magical words, The End. I have just put down my pen and come up for some badly needed fresh air!
When I have finally finished, and before I start the editing, I need to visit the sea, just to feel a bit more normal…
I thought I would get to the end of my current WIP, Ghost of a Chance, yesterday…
BUT…
I expect many of you have reached this point, only to have the same thing happen to you.
In my head, one by one, each character had a but, and to be fair, they were legitimate buts.
Consequently, I spent the evening reviewing their ideas. I realised the story was nowhere near finished.
I eventually switched off my brain and went to bed after scribbling several pages of notes and detailed plans for at least three more chapters. As I fell asleep, I knew why this had happened. It had happened before with one of my earlier books. After staring at the story, day after day, I had become obsessed with coming to the end, as if this would magically be the answer. Of course, it never is. On that earlier occasion, the ending I came up with was rushed, and it showed. Badly…
Endings are so essential to get right. It’s a shame they came at a time when we wish we hadn’t started…
Is this bad habit just me, or have any of you had this problem?
Kinda glad this week is coming to a close and looking forward to a quiet weekend.
Hopefully, we can start to feel a bit more normal come Monday!
I am working on the penultimate chapter of Ghost of a Chance, and I might even finish the first draft with a bit of luck. Really looking forward to that moment.
The sunflowers are beginning to open, so looking forward to that, too
Have a wonderful weekend!
Thank God for fiction, the bishop and the black dog, the dog that told of the whispers between the walls The hot dog that legged it to a better life Stories saved my soul from shrinking my way to cope, to lose myself in myth Hercules and the Minotaur, Troy, Medusa with her head of snakes Without these things my childhood would have been so much darker, lonely Nowadays, holidays take in the old, sometimes forgotten architecture My enthusiasm knows no bounds when it comes to the skill of our forefathers The beauty of a gargoyle, high above your head The grotesques that keep away bad spirits Anything otherworldly keeps my soul in place… ©AnitaDawes2022
Anita Dawes and Jaye Marie 