running

Snapshot #129 | 10 Things for 16 June 2019

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Currently…

1. spending… a little too much money. I should be able to get back on track going forward, though.
2. being… indecisive. I said I’d been trying to choose between two very similar WordPress themes? I’m still second-guessing myself. If you have strong opinions for or against blog sidebars, feel free to chime in. That’s what it’s coming down to, and I keep changing my mind. (It seems like I do have strong opinions for and against sidebars.)
3. reading… Keep Going by Austin Kleon. It’s the followup to Steal Like an Artist and Share Your Work! and I really needed it right now.
4. looking… for a new podcast to listen to. (I knew this was going to happen.) If you have any recommendations, let me know in the comments. I’d especially like to find good ongoing podcasts about photography—audio only—and 20th century history. Also I tend not to listen to things that run more than 30 minutes an episode.
5. playing… with a kitten that made Lucy look chill and well-behaved.
6. making… the first batch of cold-brew coffee of the year.
7. thinking… about my long-term goals, and trying to turn them into plans.
8. starting… to see some improvement in the whole running thing. (According to the numbers, at least. When I’m actually out there doing it, it doesn’t feel like it’s getting better or easier at all.)
9. catching… up on all the TV I didn’t watch during the season. (Or starting to.)
10. wondering… why all the Marvel Funko Pops are bobbleheads. It annoys me that they don’t match the other ones I have. (Apparently I collect those things now? I don’t know.)

Snapshot #126 | 10 Things for 5 May 2019

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Currently…

1. nursing… a post-Endgame emotional hangover. (Didn’t cry in the theatre, but it was a near thing.)
2. thinking… about John Singleton. Everyone’s talking about Boyz N the Hood (and rightly so), but Higher Learning (trailer) had a huge impact on me when I was first falling in love with movies. This hurts.
3. making… a real plan for the new running season. I started later than I’d like (stupid rain), but it’s not too bad, and I’ve got plenty of time to reach my goal for the year.
4. baking… this cake. It might be my new favourite (small batch!) chocolate cake recipe: the cake is flavourful and delicate, the frosting is fantastic, and none of it is too complicated.
5. figuring… out a tricky worldbuilding detail in the mysterious next writing project.
6. planning… some changes.
7. starting… to daydream about cold brew season. Yes, two weeks ago I was complaining about how spring—let alone summer—would never get here. I got over it.
8. feeling… motivated. And also sleepy?
9. troubleshooting… the Scrivener export/compile process. I mean… it works, but it’s not exporting a file that looks the way I want it to when I import it into other applications. (I like to deliver the file to beta readers using Google Drive. It solves so many compatibility issues.)
10. looking… for ducklings and goslings every time I’m near the lake… no luck so far.

Snapshot #123 | 10 Things for 24 March 2019

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Currently…

1. loving… everything about Captain Marvel. So much. Including the kid two seats down from me who fist-pumped and shouted ‘yes!’ at the end of the mid-credits scene. (He also air-drummed his way through ‘Celebrity Skin,’ which was kind of awesome. On that note: the soundtrack was pretty much just one of the mixtapes I made in junior high. Which made the whole thing even better.)
2. worrying… about Lucy. She wasn’t feeling well, and had to go to the vet. But she’s doing better now, and the vet says that she’s otherwise in very good health. I had a couple of very anxious days, though.
3. realizing… that I still haven’t changed the time on the office clock. (Which should give you an idea of how often I look at it.)
4. looking… for Cadbury Creme Eggs. I can’t seem to find them this year, which of course means I really want one.
5. trying… to wear dresses and skirts more often. I’m out of practice.
6. making… a major breakthrough in my revisions on The Black Sun. You guys. It’s gonna be so good.
7. realizing… that it’s going to be time start running again soon. I need to make some new playlists.
8. spending… a little too much money lately. Time to rein that in.
8. giving… up on the sourdough starter. Just for a little while. I’ll try again when I’m a bit less frustrated with it. (It keeps almost working, and then… not.)
10. feeling… uninspired. It’s just been one of those weeks.

Snapshot #111 | 10 Things for 7 October 2018

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Happy (Canadian) Thanksgiving weekend!

Currently…

1. reading… some very good books.
2. feeling… inspired.
3. getting… irrationally frustrated every time I see someone talk about “fonts” when they mean “lettering.” (Actually. No. It’s not irrational. Fonts and lettering are not the same thing, and I love them both.)
4. buying… one of the dress patterns I was swooning over a few weeks ago. I’m sure it’ll drive me batty, but that’s fine. It’s worth it.
5. starting… to narrow down my options for the Christmas baking marathon.
6. enduring… a cold.
7. resisting… the temptation to buy a bunch of new camera gear. (Sort of. I’m channelling the temptation into research, planning, and motivation.)
8. waiting… for the new series of Doctor Who. Only a few hours to go!
9. accepting… that I’m not going to reach my running goals for the year. I’m going to be spending the rest of the season just getting back to where I was before the humidity derailed me. But that’s ok. There’s always next year.
10. looking… forward to getting back to work. I’ve got a lot of plans for the next few weeks, and I can’t wait.

Snapshot #108 | 10 Things for 26 August 2018

Personal

Currently…

1. drinking… so much cold brew coffee. 🖤
2. thinking… about Twitter, and whether the idea of it (which I still love) is enough to make up for the current reality. I’ve been looking at Mastodon as an alternative, and so far everyone I’ve met there seems nice, but it’s not the utopia I’ve seen suggested. (This thread raises a lot of good points.) (I’m also not 100% sure I’ve got the patience to deal with another social network.)
3. finding… the perfect DIY solution for the big empty wall. (More on that later. I still need to pick up a few supplies.)
4. making… frozen yogurt. It’s… ok. It tasted fine, but it turns out, I still don’t like the texture of Greek yogurt, even when it’s frozen.
5. trying… to find a new approach. To a lot of things.
6. starting… to think that I might still be able to meet my running goals for the year. It’ll be tricky, and I’ve got to be smart about it, but… maybe?
7. getting… distracted.
8. having… a minor panic attack re: all the stuff I’ve been getting for the office. I’m basically done with the major purchases, though, so it’ll be fine once I get used to it.
9. stalking… the neighbour’s new puppy. I haven’t had a chance to say hello yet, so I end up just staring from the window and sighing. (I think it’s a French bulldog? I’ve only seen it from a distance, but it’s tiny.)
10. daydreaming… about buying a school bus and turning it into a tiny house. To the point of searching for used buses (there are two near me!). (How do I reconcile this with #8? I don’t. At all.)

Snapshot #103 | 10 Things for 17 June 2018

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A day late with this (time got away from me this weekend), but here goes.

Currently…

1. working… on, like, six different projects, all of which I’m super excited about. (And, because creativity begets creativity, I might be toying with another idea. Or two.)
2. processing… my emotions about Anthony Bourdain’s death. I’m really surprised at how hard it hit me.
3. finishing… the four-week running program I’d been doing! Now I need to set a new goal.
4. going… with a lighter shade of blonde, at least for the summer. I kind of love it.
5. sorting… out logistical issues.
6. waking… up at three a.m. for some reason. And then staying awake until about half an hour before I have to get up. (It’s happened twice now, and I hate it.)
7. thinking… about baking something. Because now that it’s finally starting to feel like summer, why not look for more reasons to turn on the oven?
8. figuring… out how to fix the ending of The Black Sun. It’s kind of awesome.
9. trying… to get back on track. The last week was a bit of a disaster, as far as my schedule goes.
10. reading… for fun. Weird how easy it can be to let that slip, isn’t it?

Lady's Slipper Orchid | Reghan Skerry

Snapshot #102 | 10 Things for 3 June 2018

Personal

Currently…

1. wondering… where the line between “research” and “procrastination” is. I’m starting to suspect that I’ve crossed it.
2. meeting… my running goals three weeks in a row!
3. catching… up on podcasts. I’m now completely up-to-date, for the first time since… November.
4. loving… the coffee station I’ve set up in the office. Of all the changes I’ve made in the past month or so, that’s my absolute favourite. (The office is still a work in progress, by the way. I’m hoping to be able to give you a tour by the end of summer.)
5. taking… care of some incredibly tedious and stressful technical chores. Not gonna lie: there are times when living in the future is kind of annoying.
6. thinking… about doing some kind of DIY writing/creative retreat.
7. resisting… the urge to buy a whole new set of furniture for the balcony. The current set is perfectly fine, I just need a nice day and the motivation to clean and paint it. (I’ve even got all the supplies I need! It’s just a matter of doing it.)
8. overthinking… everything.
9. starting… to notice that I’m creeping up on that three-month lull in motivation. But it’s early enough that I’m already taking steps to get back on track.
10. reminding… myself that it’s not quite summer yet, despite a couple of days that did a pretty good impression of it.

Snapshot #101 | 10 Things for 20 May 2018

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Currently…

1. working… on those behind-the-scenes projects I mentioned. I’ll be ready to launch very soon, and I’m so excited to share them with you guys!
2. processing… my post-Infinity War emotions. They’re… complex. (In a good way!)
3. hemming… curtains. The excitement never ends.
4. thinking… about Violet Lane. I’m not ready to give up on it, but it still doesn’t feel like I’m on the right track with it.
5. building… a proper running routine for the summer. Finally!
6. starting… the annual search for a sunscreen I don’t hate. (If you have a suggestion, let me know in the comments! I need something that keeps me ghostly-pale without leaving chalky white stains on all my black clothes.)
7. getting… over myself. At least a little.
8. troubleshooting… weird phone issues.
9. considering… a new design for the site. Which is absurd—I like the current design, it’s functional, and it hasn’t even been a full year since the last redesign—but I’m fickle and easily distracted by shiny things.
10. daydreaming… about homemade ice cream. Soon.

Merlin | Reghan Skerry

Snapshot #100 | 10 Things for 6 May 2018

Personal

Currently…

1. thinking… about moving to a lighter shade of blonde. I’m tempted to go really light, but let’s be honest: I can’t be bothered with the maintenance it requires. (I’m also having one of those moments when I desperately miss having pink hair. But again: maintenance.)
2. trying… to get good photos of the merlins who’ve moved into the neighbourhood. (And feeling kind of torn. The merlins are adorable, but so are the chickadees and juncos that they’re definitely hunting.)
3. making… this cake. I went a little overboard (ganache! black cocoa!) but it was fantastic.
4. wondering… how many times Creative Screenwriting is going to sell their email list. The magazine folded years ago (which is too bad, because I liked that magazine), and look: a new batch of screenwriting-related spam.
5. struggling… to establish a good running routine this year. The weather has not been on my side. Yes, I could run in the rain. And at some point this summer, I probably will. Just not yet.
6. putting… the office in order. It’s still a work-in-progress, but it’s already so much better than it was.
7. managing… to avoid Infinity War spoilers. (Mostly. As much as possible.)
8. spending… all my time & money at Ikea. (See #6, above.)
9. having… a really busy week. Hopefully, things will even out again soon.
10. starting… to crave iced coffee. Soon.

Snapshot #99 | 10 Things for 22 April 2018

Personal

Currently…

1. going… through all my cake recipes.
2. thinking… about the photos I want to take and the stories I want to write. (Granted, any photos would be good right now.)
3. feeling… seriously productive. It’s entirely possible that I might be figuring out how to do the things. Maybe.
4. wondering… if I should start sewing again. Why? That way lies madness. (But… I really want to make this dress.)
5. getting… the shelves for the office! I’m ridiculously excited. This is the first step in turning it into a room where I want to spend time, rather than just a glorified storage room that happens to contain my desk.
6. waiting… for deliveries.
7. starting… my running season. A little later than I’d hoped (the day I’d planned to start had a -7°C windchill, which… no) but I’ve started.
8. making… some behind-the-scenes plans. There might be an announcement coming soon.
9. befriending… cats. I’m starting to think it’s a superpower.
10. hoping… that spring might be happening for real this time.