Meditations of an Artist

Allergens from trees and mold are making the last few days a living hell out here. Feels like being back in Sacramento for crying out loud. But unlike in Sacramento this will pass and soon, not last most of the F***ING year.

Waiting for the mailman to arrive with a check. I have to run it to the bank and then run out to Gilroy to pickup a crapload of medications we need. We're running very low on some of the more important ones and that's making me nervous. Will be glad once we've got them and can breathe a little easier... LITERALLY!!! Asthma sucks.

Finished the 5th draft this morning. Big relief. It starts going out to beta-readers later today or tomorrow. Tired right now.

Took a nice stroll along the beach to just "be" for a while. It helped.

Waiting to see if I hear anything from CSUMB. I pray I get an interview and land the job. It'll mean moving but into a much bigger place for less money. Fingers crossed.

Sorry I've not posted or read much here lately, been too busy with the novel and the holidays. Working on the 5th draft and hopefully will finish it in the next few days. Only go 30 pages to go. Then it will be unleashed on my Beta-Readers, you know who you are... so please remind me. I've lost track.

May this year bring success and happiness to all.

Peace out.

Hello Everyone,

Sorry to be away so long, but the rewrite of my novel was a huge task. I completed the third draft a while ago, only to discover that most publishers want a max of 125K in words. My 3rd draft came in at like 189K, so I had to do a lot of rewriting and grammar fixing along the way. I just finished the 4th draft today and came in at 124,500 words. Still need to do a 5th revision, but I'm expecting that to go pretty quick. I just want to make sure it still flows and everything makes sense. There will be a number of loose ends that have had heavy hints at what's been going on, but those will be dealt with in the sequel. I actually enjoyed doing the 4th draft and removing a lot of things because they will be recycled and used in the 2nd novel. So they won't go to waste.

I hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving. I hope to write here again soon.

Later.

Okay Beta-Readers... The 3rd draft is completed. Remind me who you are and let me know if you want the novel sent to you by e-mail (whole or in sections). The file size of the novel is 1800KB (347 pages). Or if you want me to send you it in disc form.

Thanks for all your patience everyone, it's been a hard slog at times but I've gotten this far and I'm not going back. While you all are doing the reading, I'm going to start researching publishers and their requirements.

If anyone wants I'm willing to put the Prologue up here on LJ.

Don't know how I forgot but the other reason I've been away from LJ is I've been making adjustments in my lifestyle. I got diagnosed with Type II Diabetes and have been making a lot of changes and adjustments in the way I eat and live. I'm only on oral medication, no injections and I hope with time that just lifestyle will allow me to deal with it, without meds. Time will tell.

I will say one thing, both Helen and I have been noticing changes for the better in my physique. One of these days I'll get to see where I'm at with my weight. I was 185 when I got diagnosed and I know I've been losing some since then.

Hi everyone. Sorry for the long silence, I've been away from LJ for some time now and I apologize for not getting around to reading any of your entries. I'll try to be more on top of things in the future.

I've been busy re-connecting with people back in NY who I found through Facebook. It's been nice to talk with them.

But more importantly, I have finished the 1st draft of my novel and am about 1/3 of the way through the second draft. And all I can say at this moment is THANK GOD FOR 2ND DRAFTS... I made so many mistakes, wholes, repeating the same thing in the same page or even the same paragraph it was unbelievable. Not to mention all the changes I had to make to the earliest pages due to new twists and turns I hadn't planned on in the later pages of the book. If this thing had been a school assignment it would have come back with so much red all over it you woulda thought it needed a dozen tourniquets, life support and last rites.

Oh well... at least its coming along. It currently weighs in at 356 pages, though I'm trying to cut it down a bit. Most publishers going with an unknown author like to see smaller manuscripts... we'll see. I have to start my research for publishers soon. Probably after I send the novel to beta-readers... and yes I am remembering you Thirza, you're at the top of the list and I hope to get it to you soon.

Peace out y'all.

Found this on Facebook...

Rediscovery

On July 1, 2008, Berlin film experts announced that a 16 mm reduction negative of the original cut of the film, which runs over 210 minutes in length, had been discovered in the archives of the film museum Museo del Cine in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

They announced in February 2009 that they had begun restoration work on the rediscovered film.

I am dying to see this cut, I hope they do a good job on it.

Answer the questions in the comments section and (if you want) repost the meme in your blog for others (including me) to respond to.

1. Your Middle Name:
2. Age:
3. Single or Taken:
4. Favorite Movie:
5. Favorite Song or Album:
6. Favorite Band/Artist:
7. Dirty or Clean:
8. Tattoos and/or Piercings:
9. Do we know each other outside of LJ?
10. What's your philosophy on life?
11. Is the bottle half-full or half-empty?
12. Would you keep a secret from me if you thought it was in my best interest?
13. What is your favorite memory of us?
14. What is your favorite guilty pleasure?
15. Tell me one odd/interesting fact about you:
16. You can have three wishes (for yourself, so forget all the 'world peace etc' malarky) - what are they?
17. Can we get together and make a cake?
18. Which country is your spiritual home?
19. What is your big weakness?
20. Do you think I'm a good person?
21. What was your best/favorite subject at school?
22. Describe your accent
23. If you could change anything about me, would you?
24. What do you wear to sleep?
25. Trousers or skirts?
26. Cigarettes or alcohol?
27. If I only had one day to live, what would we do together? (If you have no idea, just say something crazy, it'll entertain me!)
28. Will you repost this so I can fill it out for you?

AND MANY MORE TO COME!!!!!

Trying to keep busy actually. Stomach growling and demanding food, but I'm going to see my new doctor today for the first time for a physical to see how I'm doing and where I'm at with my health overall. I expect some blood work will be ordered. So I'm fasting. Best to get it done in one day. I'll be taking Helen back for some blood work on Friday and to return a blood pressure machine they loaned us. Originally I thought about waiting until then but the thought of both of us on low blood sugar and very hungry on a long drive didn't sound like a good idea after a while.

Still under consideration for 3 manager jobs at UCSC (this will be the 7th week for two of them and the 6th week of review for the other). I'm keeping hopeful. I'm also under review for a position over at Cal State University of Monterey Bay (that one has been going on for 3-4 weeks now). Hoping, hoping, hoping...

Helen has another interview this afternoon, while I'm driving to Gilroy (45 minute drive). So it will be a while before we see each other this afternoon. For the moment I'm keeping her in coffee while she's busy on the IMAC.

Going to try and get more done on my novel. Getting close to the finish line on the first draft. I would really like to see this come out good and be in a bookstore one day. But of course that won't happen unless I finish the puppy.

Later all.

Man did I blow it or what? SORRY!!!! Hope it was a good day.

...Here now, why hasn't this bloke been posting or even checking up on his friends LJ's lately. Well the answer is very simple.

I've been busy.

Helen has been working through an antibiotic that has had me watching out for her as much as possible. Though today she seems in high spirits, even before she got the notice about two job interviews that will be taking place on Monday and Tuesday next week, respectively. She has needed a lot more sleep as a result of the drug... make that antibiotic. I don't want to make her sound like an addict or pusher over here. Though she is technically a pusher. She pushes me around like nobody's business. AND I LOVE IT!!!! Which probably tells you more about me than you really ever wanted to know. So here's the Brain-Brillo, scrub the images out of your minds and enjoy the ingnorance of mental bliss once more my child.

In other news, I have been under review for 6 weeks now for two manager positions at the University of Santa Cruz and 5 weeks for another position. It can take up to 8 weeks for them to do the review process. And considering 2 other positions I applied for there I received notice that I was not going to be interviewed within 2 weeks of the review process beginning, I'm hopeful.

I've also been busy with my novel writing. This week alone I got over 15 pages done in three days. Today I spent my time going over the novel and tying up loose areas and inserting bits that helps things make more sense during the final confrontation. Speaking of which, I have most of that scene already done. And I'm within 10-15 pages of linking it up with the rest of the book. In short, I may be done with the first draft by the end of this month. After a second draft is completed, which will not take long because I've been doing a lot of re-writing during the 'first' draft (it's more like first draft 5.0 at this time) I may start asking for Beta Readers. I know of at least one or two already who have volunteered, but more could be helpful. WARNING: Don't volunteer if you're not into Sci-Fi/Horror. This novel reads as if it's a horror story at first. But when the true threat is revealed the Sci-Fi aspect becomes VERY apparent (at least I hope so).

Later all. Take care of yourselves.

Still in a weird mood but not necessarily a bad one. More introspective I guess. Been catching up on some of everyone else's LJ's and I see the 'fun' seems to be spread all around. Well, hang in there everyone, it's got to get better. And if it doesn't, well there's always Tar and Feathers for those responsible. So remember T and F party on an unspecified day in the future. Come one come all, just bring your own feathers. Maybe we'll skip the tar that stuff smells foul. CRAZY GLUE ANYONE!!!

In other news, I got turned down by Whole Foods for a cashier position. I guess 25 years of customer service made me too qualified. Or too much my own person and therefore not maleable and bendable to company wills. "Yes marthter... I will go and ring the bell... I mean pull the thwitch... I mean... thtack the shelves..."

Wow I'm in a better mood than I originally thought I was. I had planned on going on about 'Screw the world I'm not gonna take it...' kind of entry. Instead I'm doing comedy over here. COOL.

Still waiting to hear back from either university as well as whether or not a temp assignment I was approached about is going to happen or not. It was supposed to start next week and I've still heard nothing. I'll be checking on that today to see what's up.

Completed an art piece (well... almost, needs some touching up and then I need to sign it). But it's the second piece I've done in 6 months. Now that may not sound like much, but considering I haven't completed any artwork in almost 2 years prior to this, it's a step in the right direction. Helen or I will post photos of it as soon as I've done the finishing touches.

Later.

Sorry to sound like a moping grouch but this month has not been one of the better ones. Between struggling to find work, having Helen go through all that crap with Goodwill and things just falling apart around me some days, it's been like 'Okay enough already. I've been dealt a lot of bad karma this month. So I better have loaded up on a lot of good karma in my karma bank and I want some of it to spill over onto us and our friends next month thank you very much.'

I've put in like almost 30 applications this month and have only heard back from like 4 of them. (All thank you but no thanks we went with someone else, but we'll keep you on file... blah-blah). I just hope something is coming my way... IN THE GOOD WAY PLEASE UNIVERSE!!!

Just in a mood today. Don't mind me.

On a lighter note, I've hit 300 pages in my novel. YAY!!! And I think I'm getting close to the point where all the unusual events will start coming together and the final confrontation, which I've already got partly written. (Yes I'm one of those writers who doesn't work in a linear pattern when he's creating) And then I'll start going back over things and start the first full revision. I've been doing some revisions as I've gone along. I walk away from the book or had other things to do and a few days or weeks later I go back to it and have to re-read what I've done to get back into the story. I wind up doing some revisions when that happens.

I hope to have this sucker fully written, revised, beta tested and then try to submit it to a few publishers by the end of this year. We'll see if that happens or not.

Take care all. Hope things are looking better for all of you.

Unbelievable day today. I get to my temp assignment and for the first three and a half hours everything is fine. I was wearing a dustmask because the allergens are having a wonderful time at the expense of us allergy sufferers. Not to mention I recently had a very bad asthma episode I did not want to repeat. Now I expected the occasional questions about "Are you worried about Swine Flu?" which I did get and once I explained things the customers and my co-workers were like, "Oh... well then you're doing the right thing. I wish my child/sibling/spouse would listen when I tell them a mask might help..."

Then around 2:15PM I get a call from the manager of the store telling me that I'm not presenting the image they want to present to the public. And if I could not function without it they would have to send me home and cancel me for the rest of the assignment. So I went home. Actually I went to have lunch with Helen and tell her everything. She felt bad for me. I feel like a little plague monkey over here.

Mind you the oddest things about this was the fact that the manager showed up earlier in the day with a bunch of other managers whom I knew. The other managers talked to me at length and told me I was smart to respect my condition. The manager that sent me home, said nothing at the time. HOWEVER... one of the VP's was with them and while she said nothing to me, I have heard from the other managers that she can be a little 'odd' at times. So I'm at home settling down to lunch and to take it easy.

I have to admit even with the mask, there is something in the air today that sneaks up on you and hits you. So I'm going to take it easy. Later all...

Been under the weather thanks to unusually high allergens in Santa Cruz. It feels like being back in Sacramento sometimes. The weather here has been improving finally, but those 90+ degree days really screwed up the plants. Not mention our on and off again rain pattern which countless people keep telling me is NOT the norm around here. Been having to use a lot more meds than I've had to in a while including some of the more heavy duty emergency stuff like Prednisone. Been bloated and having swallowing problems due to heavy post nasal drip.

But, I've gone to a workshop to get a better idea of how to get on board with the University of California Santa Cruz. Got some good tips on resume' and cover letter adjusting to help stand out more. Will be working at Goodwill the next couple of days and possibly next week with any luck. Could really use the hours, it's been really slow until this month. Did a couple of weeks over at the UCSC Bookstore earlier this month.

Been working on my novels as well. Up to 275 pages in the first one. I know I've had one or two questions about Beta-readers and I'll get back to you once I'm more satisfied with how and where I've got things currently going.

I might post the prologue one of these days and see what people have to say...

Gotta get ready to visit Helen on her lunch break. Later all...

This is Helen posting, but I'm using his computer.

I've been on the job at the UCSC Bookstore now for 2 days. I'm enjoying it. I like the environment and my coworkers. Of course the CRUSH of students for books doesn't start until next week, but I'm looking forward to that too really. I don't like to be idle for too long and this is the first temp assignment I've had since December at the Christmas store for Goodwill. Oh, I've gotten things done like my writing (up to page 234 now), trying for other jobs, interviewing and all. But... It's not the same.

It's a bit chilly lately, much to my delight. I love cooler weather. I'm not talking snow on the ground, but 50-low 60's. I feel invigorated by it. The pollens are wreaking havoc right now I admit, BUT... I'm doing a helluva lot better than I would be back up in Sacramento. This time of year was one of those time where I was most likely to have my worst Asthma attacks up in Sacramento. Here... I seem to be holding my own. I can go outdoors and take long walks. I still feel the allergens but they aren't rendering me practically a Zombie who needs to stay indoors more.

Gotta get going. Things to do. Bus to catch. Later all.

Well, I got through my first day at the University of California Santa Cruz's bookstore. It will be a good assignment and I am going to enjoy it. The bus stop is just up the street from us and the bus stop at the university is just across the street from the bookstore. So transportation is easy. The people I'm working with are really nice and easy going too. I'm sure there will be some pain in the butts with the clientele but I've got a lot of experienced people there to help back me and the other temps up.

Allergies are giving both Helen and me a bit of a rough time, but we're doing our best until the levels start coming down. But at least here in Santa Cruz the season is much shorter than up in Sacramento.

I hope all of you are doing okay. I'm trying to send good vibes to all. Later.