Rewind one day...(yikes)

Hello people and welcome to July. Yes, no need to check your calendar, it is indeed already the 7^th month of 2015. July 1^st also means it is time for a new post to the Insecure Writer’s Support Group created by Alex Cavanaugh. Thanks Alex! 

 For me, IWSG is a purposeful reminder (the proverbial string tied around the finger) to post on my blog. It’s not that I don’t like to blog, I’ve just got this pesky little so-and-so sitting on my shoulder constantly lecturing on how I should be doing absolutely nothing except working toward my deadline on Time Trials, book #3.

I have this to say about that. Thank goodness August is a long month.

Life does come into play, though, and I get to flick him/her/it to the curb, or put a piece of duct tape across that big mouth.

Last month I wrote about unusual words. Well, guess I’m not through with the word issue, however, the ones I have chosen this time are more common. 

Simple vs Shallow

Simple - easy to understand, not elaborate or artificial; not ornate or luxurious; unadorned; unassuming; modest

Shallow – not deep; lacking depth; superficial

I often think these two words are interchanged, though I see them as opposites. My maternal grandparents come to mind. My grandfather worked at his brother’s gas station, my grandmother worked at Joske’s (later bought out by Dillards) in Women’s Sportswear. They lived in a crackerbox 2-bedroom house with a kitchen so small two people struggled to walk past each other at the same time. Some of my favorite memories as a child were spending weekends with them. The window sill in the kitchen over the sink was lined with the most beautiful African Violets. To this day I can still hear my grandmother singing while she cooked. They were simple, but happy people. Definitely not shallow.

Childish vs Child-like

Childish – behavior of, like, or befitting a child

Childlike - like a child as in innocence, frankness; sharing the wonderment of a child’s inquisitiveness

I often feel childlike when I stop to admire a cloud formation or find amusement in two squirrels playing chase through the huge tree in our front yard…

Aggressive vs Assertive

Aggressive – characterized by or tending toward unprovoked offensives, attacks; making an all-out effort to win or succeed no matter what the cost to others; vigorously energetic, especially in the use of forcefulness

Assertive – confidently self-assured; completing a task in a manner as to least offend or hurt others

This reminds me of working at an all-male intensive residential substance abuse facility back in the 90's. Besides having a full case load, I taught Behavior Modification 5 days a week to a large group of men. I worked with TAIP (Treatment Alternative to Incarceration Program). I believe learning the difference between how to be assertive without being aggressive was a true eye-opener.

Words are funny things. Last month I found words I couldn’t even pronounce and never heard in conversation. This month are just plain words…similar but very different.

Over and out for now. Hope you enjoy the summer heat more than I do…

   

Words

Hello people! Today is the first Wednesday of June and time for another Insecure Writer's Support Group post, created by the one and only Alex Cavanaugh. My insecurity at the moment is about the deadline I've given myself to complete book #3 by August. However, that's not on my mind today...which could be the issue.

I’ve talked about this before. Now, I believe it deserves a post of its own.

As a writer, I know why there are twenty different words to describe afraid, happy, sad, surprised, etc. After all, if there was only one word to describe a feeling or situation most books would end up sounding like a first grade reader. 

Let me turn to my thesaurus…okay, here we go: characterize, define, depict, illustrate, portray, all to describe the word describe….get the picture?

After a day of writing I go back and try out my own narration. That’s the best way for me to see if the sentences flow. Sometimes, when reading out loud, I find myself ending a sentence different from what I’ve written (that’s how I know it doesn’t sound like I talk.) 

Also, this process helps me catch where I have used the same word a couple of times in the same paragraph. Believe me, the way I write, that happens a lot (see paragraph above), mostly because I have to give myself permission to just write and not edit at the same time. If I did, I’d never get past the first paragraph. That’s when I use the thesaurus…such a handy tool for a writer.

But the point of this post is about words themselves. Who comes up with them? Who gave the Oxfords and Websters the thumbs up to say what becomes a word? There are some weird ones out there. 

For example, the other day a friend of mine on Facebook posted this word:

Ultracrepidarianism - Luckily he was kind enough to give the meaning - the habit of giving opinions and advice on matters outside of one’s knowledge or competence.

He also added: “A condition I sometimes suffer from.” (which I found amusing)

Here are a few others:

Tmesis – the sole term in the English language to begin with tm – the insertion of one or more words between the words that make up a compound phrase, as in “what-so-ever” inserted in the middle of “whatever.” (I thought it was a dash…)

Deipnosophist – a person skilled in the art of dining and dinner-table conversation (a host?)

Mumpsimus – a traditional custom or notion that is adhered to although it has been shown to be unreasonable (over-kill?)

Floccinaucinihilipilification – the action or habit of estimating something as worthless (a snob?)

Presenteeism – the compulsion to spend longer at work than is required or to continue working despite illness (martyr? germ-spreader?)

Spaghettification – the process by which (in some theories) an object would be stretched and ripped apart by gravitational forces on falling into a black hole (the big oops? – actually thought for sure this word would have something to do with meatsauce)

Spitchcock – an eel, split, then grilled or fried (really?)

Triskaidekaphobia – extreme superstition about the number thirteen (paranoid?)

See what I mean? Okay, I’m done, oh, except for this last one. Kerfuffle.

Have any weird words to share? I’ve got more, but I’m gonna stop.

You’re welcome...

http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/words/weird-and-wonderful-words

 

Paying Attention

It's the first Wednesday of the month and time for another Insecure Writer's Support Group post. Ninja Captain Alex J. Cavanaugh started this group to give anxious writers everywhere an outlet to connect with others as well as a place to vent fears and frustrations as a writer. If you're an insecure writer or just looking for a little support, click here to join.

Paying Attention

In Saving Gracie, my first novel, I often refer to Grace’s “other self.” She's first referred to as Grace #2 and then simply #2. As long as Grace lived her life as a whiny Henny Penny, #2 used her whit and most often sarcasm to whip Grace in shape.

As Grace matured, #2 became an ally.

Do you have a #2? I know I do. Actually, I think everyone does. Sometimes the voice is hard to hear, and sometimes we’re just not paying attention. 

It’s the voice that whispers information that often causes a response such as:

I knew that was going to happen…

I knew I should have…

I knew I was going to regret…

Something just told me I needed to…

For the last week or so I’ve felt…something. I don’t feel right, something is out of kilter, my chest hurts, my insides feel jittery. What is it?

Yesterday I literally asked “what is it?” And I got the answer. You see, like Grace in Saving Gracie, my mom also died on Easter Sunday. It’s been many years now (since 1987). I was 35 and could not imagine a world without my mother in it. 

The trauma of her death and the Easter Season (the beautiful flowers, Easter baskets, decorated eggs, bunnies...the whole shebang) has lodged itself somewhere in my DNA. Where it was a jackhammer many years ago, now it’s a little tap-tap-tap reminding me…tis the season. I love you Mom.

Peace to all…

Procrastination

It's Wednesday, March 4, which means...

The definition of my topic today, according to Wikipedia is:

Procrastination -  the practice of carrying out less urgent tasks in preference to more urgent ones, or doing more pleasurable things in place of less pleasurable ones, and thus putting off impending tasks to a later time, sometimes to the "last minute" before a deadline.

Well...

 I was so proud of myself for going to Oyster Creek Park this morning and walking 3 miles. The way my mind works is that should carry me through the rest of the week…but I digress. Having my chested puffed out and headed home I remembered today, the first Wednesday of the month, was blog post day for IWSG. Well flip! 

I could have written it over the weekend or even last week…yesterday would have been acceptable, but nooooooo. I’d like to say I just plain forgot, but that would be a lie because I thought about it over the weekend, last week…and yesterday.

I consider myself to be one of those “fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants” gals, although my broomstick doesn’t seem to function unless it’s on fire.

Remember the song Anticipation by Carly Simon?

My version:

Pro-cras-ti-nation, Pro-cras-ti-naaaa-tion

Is making me late

Is keeping me waiting…

On an end note, I find that most tasks do get done and everything works out just fine...with the exception of completing my next novel…