Today was a good day. I was able to participate in a google hangout with a group of other writers. It was nice to hear from other people practicing the craft. It made me feel normal as others in the group shared concerns, struggles, and frustrations very much like my own. And to hear from a published author much the same was great.
Of course there is the other side of that coin also... The author shared that she has some of the same issues I do. She shared that editing one's own work is never fun. The other side of the coin being that some of the things I struggle with, and don't like don't get easier or more fun as time goes by. It's not disheartening, but it doesn't give me joy by any means. I suppose that on those points the best you can hope for is learning to tolerate them, while developing enough skill to be functional at them.
I guess some of the fun part of today was that I finally got why authors attend conventions in droves. This craft is largely practiced in seclusion in solitary fashion. When opportunities arise to have a 'water cooler' moment as it were, we flock to do it. Of course, I am not much for crowds, the public in general, and wading through seas of people to have a couple moments here or there does not strike me as an entertaining moment. However, moments like this morning where clearly skilled professionals could gather from various parts of the country and talk are exhilarating in ways I cannot fully explain.
Having never been to this particular hangout before, I was not sure what to expect honestly. I have been to typical critique groups in the past, and I am still a part of a functional monthly one to this day, so its not like I was completely unfamiliar. I did have a bit of a fanboy moment as I am a fan of the work of the host, Mur Lafferty. I felt like a twelve year old boy. The event was part of a monthly bonus for her Patreon supporters. I had a great time.
I also spent time today downloading podcasts and getting them onto an SD card so that I can listen to them on my tablet. Thank God for that external SD card slot on my Xoom. My tablet is older, and it does not have all the bells and whistles of the current generation, but it does what I need it to do. I read ebooks on it, listen to music and podcasts on it, and watch movies on it. That sort of low intensity usage makes it easy for it to travel with me when I need it to. If it just had a decent keyboard option I could replace my laptop altogether.
I do however digress. In other matters related to my humble house, we came together to do some outside work. We all pitched in to trim the bushes and our hedge. I only mention it, because moments when my little brood comes together for common cause and purpose, I find to be rewarding on many levels. The other hands in the house realize what it takes to keep things rolling forward smartly, which is always a good lesson learned.
The humble and simple nature of my home is the other element worthy of note. I did not realize when I married my wife that I would crave the simplicity of domestic life. Somehow a Saturday spent doing the basic chores related to our house is a good use of the time. And somehow ending the day's labor eating my darling wife's meatloaf is a good reward.
There are concerns on the horizon. War clouds of a work nature are gathering. Struggles with the growth and maturity of our little ones are starting to manifest themselves. And somewhere along the way realizing that time is zipping by hits me. Somehow in the midst of all of that finding a way to detach from all of the stuff and just dwell in the here and now, and drink in the fragrant scent of this oasis is sublime.
Of course there is the other side of that coin also... The author shared that she has some of the same issues I do. She shared that editing one's own work is never fun. The other side of the coin being that some of the things I struggle with, and don't like don't get easier or more fun as time goes by. It's not disheartening, but it doesn't give me joy by any means. I suppose that on those points the best you can hope for is learning to tolerate them, while developing enough skill to be functional at them.
I guess some of the fun part of today was that I finally got why authors attend conventions in droves. This craft is largely practiced in seclusion in solitary fashion. When opportunities arise to have a 'water cooler' moment as it were, we flock to do it. Of course, I am not much for crowds, the public in general, and wading through seas of people to have a couple moments here or there does not strike me as an entertaining moment. However, moments like this morning where clearly skilled professionals could gather from various parts of the country and talk are exhilarating in ways I cannot fully explain.
Having never been to this particular hangout before, I was not sure what to expect honestly. I have been to typical critique groups in the past, and I am still a part of a functional monthly one to this day, so its not like I was completely unfamiliar. I did have a bit of a fanboy moment as I am a fan of the work of the host, Mur Lafferty. I felt like a twelve year old boy. The event was part of a monthly bonus for her Patreon supporters. I had a great time.
I also spent time today downloading podcasts and getting them onto an SD card so that I can listen to them on my tablet. Thank God for that external SD card slot on my Xoom. My tablet is older, and it does not have all the bells and whistles of the current generation, but it does what I need it to do. I read ebooks on it, listen to music and podcasts on it, and watch movies on it. That sort of low intensity usage makes it easy for it to travel with me when I need it to. If it just had a decent keyboard option I could replace my laptop altogether.
I do however digress. In other matters related to my humble house, we came together to do some outside work. We all pitched in to trim the bushes and our hedge. I only mention it, because moments when my little brood comes together for common cause and purpose, I find to be rewarding on many levels. The other hands in the house realize what it takes to keep things rolling forward smartly, which is always a good lesson learned.
The humble and simple nature of my home is the other element worthy of note. I did not realize when I married my wife that I would crave the simplicity of domestic life. Somehow a Saturday spent doing the basic chores related to our house is a good use of the time. And somehow ending the day's labor eating my darling wife's meatloaf is a good reward.
There are concerns on the horizon. War clouds of a work nature are gathering. Struggles with the growth and maturity of our little ones are starting to manifest themselves. And somewhere along the way realizing that time is zipping by hits me. Somehow in the midst of all of that finding a way to detach from all of the stuff and just dwell in the here and now, and drink in the fragrant scent of this oasis is sublime.
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