NaNo Update: 15,000 words

Okay I know I am waaay behind on the big 50K. But I am seriously excited I finally broke the 15,000 barrier.

Here’s hoping to another few thousand words before tonight is over. Cheers, james

Hubby Project: D2 kitchen knife

The hubby started this knife right after we got married, maybe a month in I think. He finally finished this week. Fyi we just celebrated our seven year anniversay. So proud of him. This is the second knife project he has finished this week.

Also he started his own blog to post about his projects.
Orgesforge.wordpress.com is the site. He just started it last night and don’t know what he may or may not have put up.

Cheers on a rainy, yucky night, james

NaNo Update: Week 3

Wordcount: 11,500

I survived three weeks of NaNo, if only my word count was what it should be. It feels great to have busted the 10K word mark, but still fighting to make the 50K mark. Regardless of however many words I finish up with it I will be proud.

I am so not complaining because everyday I have put words on the page. I have showed up for work for three weeks straight. That is award worthy in itself, because I would write several nights a week and then I would get stuck and stop writing. Telling myself, just need to think it out. Then it would be a month or better before I would pen to page. Repeating the cycle over and over. Until now.

Uhuh, tell me again it was Bigfoot that ate the cookies in cookie jar. Not buying it anymore. This excerise has taught me more about writing than any of my others. Deadlines really do seem to make a difference.

Cheers, james

Rough Writers Club

In the NaNo site I was contacted about a strange, unique writing community. I visted their page, it so happens to be a wordpress group too.

I read the Writers Manfesto and thought, dang they must have crawled in my head and pulled this stuff out. The amazing part is they are like me or I’m like them.
          1) They want to write and to make a difference with their writing. Well hello that is me to a tee.
         2) Writing is hard to do, but you don’t have to do it alone. I mean you do but you know you aren’t the only one out there following the drunk rabbit down an acid induced maze. (Friends don’t let friends write under the influence. Also I do not promote the use of any mind altering substances with the Exception of: Coffee, Sugar, Tea, Soda, or Chocolate.)

Okay so have I got your attention yet? Here is the super secret website. Check it out, say Hi and if maybe these folks sound like folks you could hang with, sign up.
http://www.roughwriters.club
Cheers, james

Hubby Project: Ulu

The hubby finished this ulu for a friend. She said her mom used one as a collard knife. If you aren’t familar with them. You can flat out cut carrots, rutabagas, butternut squash in chunks, but quick.

Background: Ulus are an Alaskan construct from the Inuit people. There are lots of videos on Youtube of people making, using and discussing ulus. There is a similar blade type called a mesoluna, but it is a Mediterian knife. It has two handles vs. the single handle.

This particular ulu the hubby made out of a good used stainless steel sawblade. He cut it out with an angle grinder and a dremel tool. Since the steel was already tempered (hardened) he wanted to avoid getting it hot and losing the temper. (One day I’ll let him post about his metal working instead of doing it for him.) Once the rough outline was cut out, he smoothed out the rough edges and sanded it and got it right. He made the handle of mahogany (hard wood, expensive too) and polished it and sharpened it. The edge is wicked scary sharp.

Anyway cheers on this chilly Sunday evening, james

NaNo Update: Week 2

First I would extend aplogies for posting late this week. Secondly I thank each and every person for giving me the opportunity to touch you as you all have touched me.

Word count: 7,800
My second week of NaNo hasn’t been as good as I’d hoped. Time scheduled for writing was usurped handling family issues. I’m sure I am not where near alone in this. And moments spent writing were not as productive as the previous week. I am thrilled to say I written everyday this month, even if for only a moment or two. I am torn between two methods, on my phone in brief sessions and handwriting the rest of the time.

I am coming to the conclusion I need a better method without backtracking. The stuff I write on the phone I later write on paper so I lose time there, plus I keep a line count of word totals. So that is time consuming. My normal method is to write to astopping point and go back and count my words up.

I have been looking at some of the writing apps to put on my phone and my android tablet to sync back and forth. I keeping wondering if one called Writer would work but a review said they accidently deleted a huge chunk of stuff by tapping clipboard. Others reviews said lost their work, etc. I had planned to type using my windows tablet but the phone is handier. I also use it regularly to blog, and never worry about having or finding a wifi signal.

Here is to you dear readers, writers and everyone else in the blogosphere. Cheers,

100 Followers! Thank You!

Dear Readers,

Thank you for helping me achieve this awesome mile stone. Wow! 100 followers never in my wildest dreams did I think I would have enough to say to so many.

I have learned so much from your blogs, posts and pictures. I hope that you have learned as much from me. Here’s to all of you. Thank you so much for the opportunity to you with my words and in turn be inspired by your own.

Cheers, james

NaNo Update: Week 1

November arrived Sunday morning at 12:01 am. I slept thru it. However I managed four different writing sessions on Sunday. Total word count was 1840 words. November 2 didnt fare as well and total word count was 453. Tuesday, November 3 saw a better showing of a total word count of 879. Wednesday, November 4 was awesome, total word count was 1,139.

I knew this woldn’t be easy and that first day the excitement would help fuel the writing. But I am hoping I can catch up the slack this weekend. Heres to all the ones that are doing NaNo this year. And a “you can do it” to all the ones that are on the sidelines watching and maybe wondering “could I do that?” Cheers, james