This is the first blog hop I've participated in. I'd like to extend a big thank you to my new creative friend Jacque for inviting me to participate. Most of you probably got here from there - but if not - you can check out her writing at The Jacqueverse. This lady actually writes books!
Writing for me has always been something that I've aspired to do. Dreamt of. Planned on doing. Put off. And finally have gotten around to. At least in spurts.
What Am I Working On?: I'm currently working on a semi-fictional screenplay. It's full of half-truths, partial-lies and lots of naughty bits. Large swaths of it are based on my life, some scenes fantasized, a few are pure conjecture - but I've been sworn to secrecy as to which are which. When Judd Apatow makes it into a movie I might be forced to divulge more details.
How Does My Work Differ From Others Of Its Genre?: I think that the main difference is that it is from the perspective of a female protagonist in her mid-thirties but has the dirty jokes and grit of a more masculine role. Plenty of jokes about male anatomy, stupid things that men do in relationships at all stages, and the chumminess of having callous, rough, loud-mouthed, beer drinking, butt-scratching girlfriends that would much rather hang out with guys.
Why Do I Write What I Do?: It helps me process the relationships in my life and gives me the opportunity to peer a little deeper into the rabbit-hole that is friendship, romantic relationships, and human companionship.
How Does My Writing Process Work?: It just happens. Really. I'm not making this up. It has taken me a very long time to have the courage to start writing down the things that pop into my head. And that is exactly how it works. Something will cross my mind and I'll work to develop it into a scene. It might be a vision of a restaurant that comes to mind - and I'll write that down - describing the cooks, a waitress, maybe a cigarette smoking patron that seems to be lost staring into their cup of cold coffee. A few weeks later, I might have a thought about a specific male character... and then I might decide that he needs to be the one she meets in that restaurant. Then it all comes together. Scene by scene. This process does take a long time to develop any real writing - but it feels natural and the scenes and characters feel organic this way. Nothing forced or contrived.
I don't have many blogger friends to link to just yet - but when I get some, I'll share their sites and hopefully you'll take the time to check them out too!
Monday, April 28, 2014
Thursday, April 17, 2014
Vegetarian Eats
I'm not one of those vegetarians that make a huge deal out of not eating meat - or at least I try my best not to be. It can be hard in social situations, at family gatherings, or at any potluck event to not appear as if you're being a picky weirdo while you peer into dish after dish of food that someone else prepared and attempt to determine whether or not there might be animal products in it. Close friends will make sure you have something to eat - but having to ask "what is in that?" can come across the wrong way. Then of course, you have to fess up to being a non-meat eater and everyone gives you that look like you're totally crazy and then they start with the questions.
"Well, do you eat chicken?"
"How about fish?"
"Don't you eat eggs?"
"You like butter don't you?"
I'm writing this today because I had the pleasure (again) of eating at one of my favorite restaurants in town - om cafe. This is one of the few places where I can order practically anything on the menu. Having so many choices of vegan, vegetarian, gluten fee, macrobiotic and generally healthy options is a rare thing at a restaurant. They procure as many of their menu items from local farms and vendors as possible. While they have a focus on vegetarian cuisine, they do also offer fish and seafood options. Their menu does change frequently - but the best part is that everything they create is a wonderful treat and if you visit them often enough, you'll get to try many more meat-free options and expand the horizons of your palate and maybe your mind!
There are many kinds of vegetarians - some that won't eat fish - some that still enjoy dairy products - and of course, some that eat bacon (yes, really - there are "vegetarians-except-for-meat-candy" out there). Vegans are much more strict and don't have the variables that vegetarians do. Understanding and acceptance of these "weirdos" does depend on where you're from - some places have higher concentrations of vegans and vegetarians than others - and it is becoming more common to abstain from eating our animal friends and the products that are made from them. Just don't forget to BYOT (Bring Your Own Tofu) when you know you'll be eating with carnivorous friends!
"Well, do you eat chicken?"
"How about fish?"
"Don't you eat eggs?"
"You like butter don't you?"
I'm writing this today because I had the pleasure (again) of eating at one of my favorite restaurants in town - om cafe. This is one of the few places where I can order practically anything on the menu. Having so many choices of vegan, vegetarian, gluten fee, macrobiotic and generally healthy options is a rare thing at a restaurant. They procure as many of their menu items from local farms and vendors as possible. While they have a focus on vegetarian cuisine, they do also offer fish and seafood options. Their menu does change frequently - but the best part is that everything they create is a wonderful treat and if you visit them often enough, you'll get to try many more meat-free options and expand the horizons of your palate and maybe your mind!
There are many kinds of vegetarians - some that won't eat fish - some that still enjoy dairy products - and of course, some that eat bacon (yes, really - there are "vegetarians-except-for-meat-candy" out there). Vegans are much more strict and don't have the variables that vegetarians do. Understanding and acceptance of these "weirdos" does depend on where you're from - some places have higher concentrations of vegans and vegetarians than others - and it is becoming more common to abstain from eating our animal friends and the products that are made from them. Just don't forget to BYOT (Bring Your Own Tofu) when you know you'll be eating with carnivorous friends!
Wednesday, April 16, 2014
Back At It
It has been years since I have written in this blog. I've decided that I should return to this process, maybe not on a daily basis - but on a very regular one. I've recently lost a job that I thought I'd have for a long time - but adversity brings on creativity, right? I've started at a new company, in a position I thought I'd enjoy and immediately got thrown into a better position due to the fact that another employee was leaving. You might think that this is wonderful. The real problem is that the boss is not a very ethical business person.
This new boss is reactionary and doesn't consider the laws and the actual cost of making quick decisions in the heat of the moment, or on some kind of whim. I am of the mind that a great business-minded person will take a situation and look at the options and weigh every aspect before coming to a well educated conclusion as to what the best action might be. Whims are something that children have - and occasionally, something that interesting adults have - not something that a boss should be operating a company on. For example: When hourly employees do not want to attend company functions unpaid and on their own time, the employer decides to make those employees salaried and telling them that they no longer need to punch in - telling them to "just make a note of the extra hours you work - that will work in your favor when reviews come around". This is WRONG. Especially when those employees are considered "non-exempt" according to the FLSA rules and regulations. Those overtime hours need to be paid as time and a half in real dollars - not as "extra credit" on your next performance review. When this was brought to the attention of my boss, they told me that I had misunderstood what was said - which is completely inaccurate. When someone says, "You will now be salaried and no longer need to use the time clock. You will be putting in between 40 and 45 hours a week" - that is pretty clear - they don't want real documented accounts of your time and they will only be paying you for 40 hours of your time even if you work 45. The real problem is their ignorance of the employment law and what constitutes as "exempt" and "non-exempt" positions. I'd rather punch a clock and get paid time and a half for overtime. Being "salaried" is not always an advantage.
Therefore, (sorry for the long rant - just a bit peeved), I've decided to continue working at that craptastic place until I can find something better while in the meantime working on creating my own business. I need a creative outlet again - and I need something that can make me some extra cash. This is where my art and design work comes in. Fine art photography, sewing, knitting, gardening, anything that I can make some money doing while reaping some personal enjoyment would suit me. Having a full-time job seems to suck the life out of me and makes me waste my "free-time" watching old BBC shows on Netflix while I feverishly knit some new project. I should be spending this time planning and working out new creative ideas for products that I can produce and sell. It's not rocket science/brain surgery/any other profession or task that the general public seems to find complicated. It is actually pretty simple - and lots of entrepreneurs have fulfilled their dreams by learning how to find a niche, design a product line and then find the best way to produce, market and sell it.
It's time for me to find ways to support myself spiritually, creatively, emotionally, all while making ends meet. It's possible. I've seen hundreds of people do it - and I know there are thousands of people out there that are capable of doing this for themselves if they just had the faith in themselves to give it a shot. It is about time that I found the faith to do it myself.
This new boss is reactionary and doesn't consider the laws and the actual cost of making quick decisions in the heat of the moment, or on some kind of whim. I am of the mind that a great business-minded person will take a situation and look at the options and weigh every aspect before coming to a well educated conclusion as to what the best action might be. Whims are something that children have - and occasionally, something that interesting adults have - not something that a boss should be operating a company on. For example: When hourly employees do not want to attend company functions unpaid and on their own time, the employer decides to make those employees salaried and telling them that they no longer need to punch in - telling them to "just make a note of the extra hours you work - that will work in your favor when reviews come around". This is WRONG. Especially when those employees are considered "non-exempt" according to the FLSA rules and regulations. Those overtime hours need to be paid as time and a half in real dollars - not as "extra credit" on your next performance review. When this was brought to the attention of my boss, they told me that I had misunderstood what was said - which is completely inaccurate. When someone says, "You will now be salaried and no longer need to use the time clock. You will be putting in between 40 and 45 hours a week" - that is pretty clear - they don't want real documented accounts of your time and they will only be paying you for 40 hours of your time even if you work 45. The real problem is their ignorance of the employment law and what constitutes as "exempt" and "non-exempt" positions. I'd rather punch a clock and get paid time and a half for overtime. Being "salaried" is not always an advantage.
Therefore, (sorry for the long rant - just a bit peeved), I've decided to continue working at that craptastic place until I can find something better while in the meantime working on creating my own business. I need a creative outlet again - and I need something that can make me some extra cash. This is where my art and design work comes in. Fine art photography, sewing, knitting, gardening, anything that I can make some money doing while reaping some personal enjoyment would suit me. Having a full-time job seems to suck the life out of me and makes me waste my "free-time" watching old BBC shows on Netflix while I feverishly knit some new project. I should be spending this time planning and working out new creative ideas for products that I can produce and sell. It's not rocket science/brain surgery/any other profession or task that the general public seems to find complicated. It is actually pretty simple - and lots of entrepreneurs have fulfilled their dreams by learning how to find a niche, design a product line and then find the best way to produce, market and sell it.
It's time for me to find ways to support myself spiritually, creatively, emotionally, all while making ends meet. It's possible. I've seen hundreds of people do it - and I know there are thousands of people out there that are capable of doing this for themselves if they just had the faith in themselves to give it a shot. It is about time that I found the faith to do it myself.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)