Tag Archives: blog fodder

Raw Data

Posted on by under blogging, editing, fiction, hobbies, horror, job hunting, lazy, life, publishing, random thoughts, submissions, writing, writing craft

raw data Well, I’m going to pick out some new markets to which to submit my rejected story today.  I hope to have those submissions finished by the end of the day.  I’m only looking at simultaneous submission markets right now, obviously, but if that doesn’t work, I might just go ‘head and publish it on my fiction blog and see what you all think of it.  Maybe you can see something wrong with it my wife and Sherri and I didn’t.

Other than that, not a lot going on.  I had a vague idea for another story floating around in my head but it was gone before I could get to a notebook and pen to jot it down.  Darn.  I hate when that happens.

Over the weekend I did what I usually do over the weekend.  Nothing.  So, now you’re all filled in there.  Feel better?

Um … lessee.  Other than that, I don’t really have much to say.  I promised Sherri I’d send her a synopsis of one of the book ideas I’ve been kicking around (a cowboy-dragon story).  I haven’t done that yet.  Sorry, Sher.  I’m not sure why I haven’t done it.  Just lazy.

I know I need to hop back onto my WsIP – editing the finished manuscript and writing the languishing one – but I haven’t done that yet.  It’s not like I’m not writing though.  I’ve done this story I’m submitting and I’ve written out some of the book stuff by hand.  Like I’ve told you all before, I sometimes have a hard time just deciding what software to use to write this stuff in.  I want the convenience of the all-in-one packages and the ease of the straight word processors and there just ain’t no middle ground on that.  That’s no excuse, though.  I gotta get up and get it done.  I will, I promise.  What else do I have to do?

Which means, of course, there’s still nothing on the job radar.

And last but not least, blogging has become … well, let’s just say it’s challenging.  I’m dry with ideas for this space, and they don’t come easy lately.  Nothing’s even broken loose from watching TV or reading your blogs.  So … hm.

What’s up with you all?

-JDT-

All original content © 2009 DarcKnyt
ALL rights reserved.

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Lists, Lists, Listless

Posted on by under blogging, life, lists

lists-fullYou know, some time ago I compiled a list of topics about which I could blog when I ran out of blog fodder.  I figured looking over the list, thinking about the topics, would generate some ideas for this space.

So last night, while my beloved watched her weekly round of Criminal Minds (and the only thing criminal about it is the liberties they take with the writing and acting), I looked over that list in hope of generating a post for today.

Know what I found?

I have a hundred items on that list.  It’s a very nice list, really.  I got it from a friend over on deviantART.  And not one of those topics sparked an interesting blog post for me.  Not a single one.

The list, languishing on my hard drive in obscurity, is completely useless.

I wondered if I could make a list of other things I find more useful.  I decided, since I couldn’t come up with anything else, I’d go ‘head and do that instead.

But then it dawned on me – those lists would be useless too.  I mean, by the time I did the research to find something interesting to list, I’d be able to come up with something else too.  So, no.

Then I thought I’d go out and find some really controversial websites for you to look through.  Trouble is … I don’t want this blog to become that kind of blog.  I mean, we already have enough weird stuff blogs out there.  So I don’t think so.

Then I thought, well, why don’t I share a list of my favorite movies, TV shows, songs, foods, etc.?

No.  You’re kiddin’ me, right?  No one wants to read that crap.  No one.

Okay, so I had nothing.  And how many “I got nothin’” posts can one person get away with?  I could tell you a funny story about my kids, but I don’t have one just now.  I mean, I might, but what am I going to blog about next week if I do that now?  So, no.  Again.

With nothing left to do, I decided I’d come up with another useless list and give it to you.  In my listlessness, I felt it was the most appropriate list I could provide you at this time, and in this space.

Know what that list was?

-JDT-

All original content © 2009 DarcKnyt
ALL rights reserved.

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Mistaken Identity

Posted on by under blogging, cooking, Family life, Food, Humor, life, marriage
a small plate with a serving of mashed potatoes

For those who don’t already know, my eyesight is … well, let’s just call it unpredictable.

Years ago, when I was young and thin, good-looking and not very bright, I made a horrible decision for cosmetic surgery which ended up screwing up my vision for life.  It can’t be corrected, only … I dunno.  Accounted for, I suppose.  I have to sort of average it out.  So, anyway, long story short, I have really poor vision, especially early in the day (whenever that comes for me).

So this morning, I stumbled out of my bed and got started with my job hunt and things like that.  I spent some time online with blogs and Twitter and whatnot.  Then I got the kids fed and decided to have something to eat myself.  Not a major decision for most people, but lately, food and I aren’t getting along very well and I have to walk on eggshells with it.  So on tenterhooks I go to the fridge for something tummy-friendly to eat.

And there, nestled in a black plastic container from a favorite local Chinese delivery joint with the clear plastic lid covered in condensation, is a pile of what looks for all the world like my wife’s amazing twice-baked potato filling.  She’s made some pretty amazing stuff of late – twice baked potatoes being a favorite for the kids and me – and some of it managed to be left over.  So I thought I hit the jackpot.

I peel the lid off the container and set it on loose, to allow the steam to escape while I re-heat what will eventually be a bowl of creamy mashed potatoes.  I’m considering digging for the leftover chicken that went with it too, as I pop it in the microwave and tick the timer over to two minutes.  It’s a large heap, so I figured I’d start with two minutes and if it’s still cold in the middle I can zap it a few more seconds and see how that does it.  But I want to be careful, because I don’t like how the microwave alters food, so I don’t want to ruin this delicious lunch I’m prepping.

I catch a glimpse of one of the many makeshift cookie jars my wife has, and see it’s been left apart from the others on the counter.  Intrigued – because I’m famished at this point – I open the lid and see the sugar cookies she made for the kids to decorate last night.  Good stuff – not too sweet, not heavy, great texture.  I decide against sneaking one, though.  Again, I’m set on those spuds.  Don’t wanna mess it up for myself.

I give up on the chicken idea and return my attention to the microwave, as the final seconds wind down.  And I’m still smelling those sugar cookies even though the lid’s securely placed back on the jar.  Hm.  Interesting.  The pleasant, sort of starchy scent is a bit doughy considering they were mixed and baked last night.  And my wife stored the leftover cookie dough, so it’s not out on the counter turning rancid.

So what’s with the smell?

The electronic chirp of the microwave cries at me and I pull the black container out of the chamber.  But something’s … not quite right.  No, not right at all.

The lid of the container, set atop the black plastic bowl, is pushed up and aside a little.  The potatoes under it seem to have … to have grown somehow, like some mutating blog monster from a bad 50s Sci-Fi movie.  They’ve … expanded.  Bloomed.  And as the steam slowly drifted around the edges of the circular plastic lid, it almost looked like it was breathing.  Exhaling.

Then I caught that odor, that smell.  A starchy, floury smell, like sniffing into a bag of … well, flour.  All purpose flour.  The kind you’d use to make …

Oh, no.

No, no, no!

Nooooooooooo!

Rip the lid aside, take a big sniff.  Yep, it’s this stuff.  This … this is not twice-baked potato filling.  Not at all.  No, this … this is …

… cookie dough.  The leftover cookie dough from the night before.

I shove a spoon into the puffy mixture and more steam escapes.  I stir, wild, vigorous cranks of the spoon, trying to get the dough down, down, cool, dammit, cool off!

Finally I slam the lid back onto the container and stuff the still-hot plastic back into the fridge.  A few hours, yeah, yeah, just a few hours and it’ll be all right, it’ll be fine, two minutes, c’mon, how much damage can two minutes do?  It didn’t harden, I could still stir it, who’s gonna notice, right?  Right?

Right?

-JDT-

All original content © 2009 DarcKnyt
ALL rights reserved.

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The Staring Contest

Posted on by under blogging, fiction, friendship, hobbies, lazy, life, traffic, writing
Quill and modern pen

Ever sat down in front of your computer to write something – blog post, email, comment to a blog post, fiction work, whatever – and ended up in a staring contest with your monitor?

It usually wins against me.

Today is no exception.  I spent a lot of time away from the computer yesterday doing life things.  When I sat down to write my blog post, I realized I didn’t have anything to write.  That’s not unusual – I’ve even blogged about it before, just because I didn’t have anything else to say.  But today?  Well, today nothin’ doin’.

Sometimes happy accidents will occur when you sit down and start typing.  Serendipity will also step in occasionally and rescue me with something funny or some bolt of inspiration.  But lately, nothing’s happening with my creative spark, and I have no idea what’s wrong.

It’s no secret I haven’t worked on any of my works in progress for a while … as in, months.  But sometimes I do manage to get something written.  And for the most part, I haven’t had to fall back on the “I don’t have a post” post in a few weeks either.  My gut keeps saying it’ll pass, it’ll break, soon I’ll be back in the saddle.  But I’m not the only one feeling this way.  My buds Sherri and Ben have both posted recently about being stuck creatively.  (Sherri seems to have overcome hers.)  And I’m not only becoming creatively constipated, I’m started to get blogjammed as well.

I’m wondering if scheduling is the key.  Somehow, someway, Stephen King manages to sit down and write two thousand words a day.  He forces himself to.  When I sit down and bust through my block with something, 2k’s a piece of cake.  I can do it on my head.  But when there’s no juices flowing in the gray matter, no amount of forcing will break the jam loose.

What about you?  Is there a scheduled time for when you sit down to pursue your creative endeavors?  If you’re blogging, do you only blog when you have something to say, or do you try to keep to a schedule?  (If I blogged only when I had something to say, you’d see me about twice a year.)  There’s no shame in not posting five days a week, but I try to do that, try to keep the audience I’ve got engaged and coming back when I can.  At the same time, I don’t have broad interests and can’t really speak on a wide variety of topics like my buddy Leafless over on Pen of Passion.  I’m not as sharp an expert or as learned about writing as Courtney over on Creative Burst, who provides amazing and useful information every single post.

No, I’m ordinary and plain and fast running out of ways to entertain, unlike WIGSF, whose wit and views on life, love and music are incredibly entertaining.  And I’m not as prolific as my friend Bryce, who offers insights into self-publishing when he’s not cranking out his serial novel.  So … what’s a boring recluse with nothing good to say to do about maintaining a blog?

I’m thinking scheduling my fiction work to a set hour block would work, but who knows?

What makes the creative stuff run for you?

-JDT-

I’m Down to MEMES, People

Posted on by under authors, blogging, books, editing, hobbies, lazy, life, memes, reading, writing
Cover of "I Am Legend"
Cover of I Am Legend

Yes, I’ve dipped that far.

My reservoir of blog topics is dangerously low.  I’ve got nowhere to run, folks.  Without posting fiction on this blog anymore, which wouldn’t help me right now anyway, I’d have to do memes to occupy this space.

I’ve been pretty good at keeping my content fresh, my updates regular, and my comments replied to.  But at this point, I got nothing for tomorrow.  So unless I have a great nightmare, I guess I’m down to telling you about conversations I’ve had with people on Twitter or doing memes.

I hate memes.  They’re the tools of the lazy blogger.

And I’m gettin’ mighty lazy.

So … anyone know about any good memes I can do?  Nothing that involves an iPod, please.  Not only would they be the same as my beloved’s answers, they’d be … boring.

I had to run to the library today to return some movies, and while I was there, my love rattled off a list of horror classics I have in a book.  I think I found three of them in our library.  Three.  Richard Matheson’s I Am Legend, which is about a vampire pandemic, and Ira Levin’s Son of Rosemary and Sliver, but not the recommended classic Rosemary’s Baby.  I ask you – no Rosemary’s Baby?  Whiskey TANGO foxtrot, y’all??  They had some William Peter Blatty, I’m sure, but I’m not in the mood to deal with The Exorcist at the moment, so I didn’t look.  They had some King, and some Koontz, but I’m looking for different stuff, so I didn’t look for them.

What else?  Hm.  I’ve never read an Elmore Leonard novel, either, and I hear tell you can’t write good dialog without learning from master Elmore.  Anyone got any good recommendations from him?  I’ve tried more than once to find Harlan Ellison there too.  Nothing.  Not one.

I finished up the kiriban prize too.  No, I didn’t meet my goal of 1,000 words or more for each day (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) to which I’d committed on my deviantART page, but I did write 1,000 words or more every day I wrote something.  I wonder what would happen if I just committed to writing 2,000 words a day no matter what?  Even if they’re just words for a writing exercise?  What would happen?  What’d be the worst thing that COULD happen?

Hm.

So … any big plans for the weekend?

God bless, y’all.

(I warned you.)
-JDT-

All original content © 2009 DarcKnyt
ALL rights reserved.

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