Tag Archives: writing

Wordy Mornings, Udon and Ice Cream

ben and jerry's carmel laptop

These two make a great couple

Most of the time, I’m on a second shift schedule. Husband’s job occupies him from 2pm until 11pm or so, and has done for nearly four years now. It was tough when I was 9 to 5, but when I went freelance, I shifted my day back about five hours, and got reacquainted with my boy.

These days, all three of us are late to bed and late to rise. I realize this will have to change before Iris starts school. But, for now, it works. One of the best parts – on those rare occasions that we go out at night or to a party, we’re still wide awake at midnight as our old drinking buddies with “normal” schedules are swiftly losing steam. Makes me feel young(er)(ish).

Of course, when work is plentiful, I often wake early to squeeze in a little writing before my babes get up. While I do not at all like the jolt of an alarm, or the foggy effects of too little sleep, it always pays off. This past week has seen lots of early mornings, and I almost cringe at the amount of sitting I’ve done. Still, my bank account is soooooooo much happier now, and I’ve once again enjoyed client relationship building. The content folks for whom I work regularly and on a recurring basis are pretty much awesome, and I am endlessly, endlessly grateful for the work, the connections, the respect and the professional growth I receive from them. This is why I left the office. This is how I know it was the right thing to do.

Even better, hefty work weeks mean treats! I pulled my first all-nighter in a long time Monday night, and was not really feeling like food prep come Tuesday evening. So, I ordered too much sushi and udon take-out from XO Asian, picked up some New Holland brew and threw in two pints of Ben & Jerry’s. Once that umpteenth wind came around, I was good to go. There’s nothing like a delicious reward for a job swiftly and (according to my editor) successfully done. And, we’re giving House of Cards a second chance, and I like it. Wishing there was another season of Bob’s Burgers on Netflix, but this is nothing to complain about.

Not when there’s more Karamel Sutra in my freezer.

Lovely weekend to you!

ps-> I came across this strange little thing in looking for the first link in today’s post. I had to share it because it’s weird, and it also mentions udon.

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The Assignment that Never Ends…

never ending wood board road

In the past, I’ve had work assignments that were big, and seemed like they’d never be over.

The one I completed last night took the cake.

While it was technically due by 5pm yesterday, most writers working on the numerous parts (myself included) were finding the articles to take significantly longer than expected. Our overlord (a very nice guy, incidentally), allowed us until today to finish, and you could hear the collective sighs of relief from our various remote locations across the country.

Perhaps it was all the Dutch names. Maybe it was our general unfamiliarity with the Dutch landscape. Or it could have been the monotony of the keywords. I like to think it was all of these, tossed in with some characteristic writer procrastination.

Whatever the case, I felt as though I’d be writing these pages for the rest of my life. Even as I chipped away at the individual pieces, the pile never seemed to diminish.

Sadly, there are times when being a writer is the primary thing that destroys my inclination to write. Specifically, professional freelance writing sometimes leaves little energy for the screen time and thought process of personal creative writing.

By the end of the typing marathon, all I wanted to do was eat carbs and watch Dracula.

Still, it’s worlds better than limited lunch time. There are always those green patches on the other side, but I’ll continue to graze over here for a while.

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Week Two:

It’s the end of my second week as a freelance writer. How time does fly.

As I expected, my situation is slowly becoming a bit more profitable, and I’ve gotten a little better at managing my time. I’m more adjusted to the schedule  (although perhaps sleeping a touch too late in the mornings), and doing a better job at eating actual meals.

I was surprised to realize how much I relied on an office atmosphere and my co-workers to ensure that I was eating at normal times and always had filling and tasty dishes on hand. Earlier this week it hit me that I’d been lamely snacking here and there, eating way too much cheese and neglecting the spinach. No more! I swiftly bought bananas and made some potato-kale soup.

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