Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Where I Talk About Nothing... A Lot



In case anyone hasn’t been paying attention, I haven’t posted the last few Mondays. Well, I have a really good reason. I think I complained a bit in my last IWSG post that I’m afraid that I’ll wake up one day and realize that I’ve quit writing.  I went on to talk a bit about how I have a single block of time to do everything I want to do. Well, I think I’ve spend a bit more time blogging than I have much of anything else. Ironic to those of you who must think I do a poor job at visiting others, responding to comments, or anything else. I’m going to plunge headfirst into the A-Z challenge in April, then scale back to maybe two posts a week after that. I’m thinking Monday/Thursday might be a good schedule – with, or course, other days still open if the need arises – and that should free up a least a bit more time.

Regardless, I haven’t posted on Monday’s the past couple of weeks because with the warmer weather, my oft neglected yard needs some attention from me. My wife and I still have the standing agreement that she will handle the yard work if I will handle the laundry. Something I felt guilty about last summer, but after A) she hired people to help do the yard work and B) expected me to continue doing laundry throughout the winter months I feel quite a bit less bad about it.

However, we had a host of storms to come through late this winter that have knocked off giant limbs and destroyed portions of our once lush paradise of a yard. So, I did drag my sorry butt outside on this 70 degree weekend and help clear off brush, collect wood and organize some items that the children have scattered about.

For example, the little ones (long term houseguests that are aged 3 and 6) decided to pull out a couple of cheap, plastic pools we’d stashed away last fall once the weather turned cool. After these were brought out and played with, children came in, and storms followed. Those pools were blown with the wind, travelling over our fenced in yard, and out into the fenced in yard of our neighbors – were the torrential rain filled those pools.

So, I had to find them, empty them, and drag them back to store them. The whole time, working only nine fingers due to the horrid t-shirt incident mentioned last Monday. I grabbed my son (hereafter to be referred to as junior, or jr) and made him and his friends come out to gather sticks, fallen trees, logs, assorted items, and pile them up in the corner so I can build a bonfire. Jr is not a big fan of work, even for brief moments of time. I sympathize, as I’m not that big a fan of it either, but he didn’t complain. In fact, we had gone out on Saturday and watched John Carter. Immediately after he had his headphones in and got this pouty look on his face. Like any good parent, I mocked him for being embarrassed until he agreed I am awesome. I tried to think of what it was like when I was 15 and I went places with my parents. I guess I hated it too then. I’m not sure how much longer I can strong arm him into doing things with me. I’ll be lost if my mockery ever stops working.

Someone hand me my lighter so I can set this baby off
Of course, one of the downsides to all those storms was that wood tends to get wet. So, the part of me that is aware of all the little things I do that contribute to harming the environment cringed as the smoke billowed. It took hours to really get the thing going, but once I did it was great. The gallons of torch fuel I required to get the fire really started convinced me that I had chosen my accelerant wisely. I ended up pulling up a chair and stoking that thing with glee. After it grew to a real blaze I put on headphones and enjoyed a beautiful weekend.

Where was I? Oh yes, trying to build a fire. I did not build it in the Texas A&M style of course, but the smaller, more responsible sized one. I happened to have an ax that I can swing like a superhero, and I managed to make the several tons worth of wood small enough to be thrown onto the fire to create a controlled burn. With my injured pinky, I imagine I was quite the striking figure out there. A hero from a bygone era, braving hardship and the elements to bring home enough wood to keep the fires burning just one more day.

What I didn’t do, was get on my computer, even once. That’s the second weekend in a row I’ve done that. I do kinda like it. I read a bunch while I was outside, and afterwards a friend came over and we watched the Game of Thrones on Blue Ray. Not the whole series, but several hours of it.

So, it was a good weekend, even if a repressive and backwards thinking government stole an hour away from me. Therefore making it one hour less awesome than it should be. In case anyone missed Grumpy’s post yesterday about his book cover for his upcoming release, I was supposed to have done some tweaks over the weekend to it which, again, I did not do.

18 comments:

PT Dilloway said...

Yeah, fire! You should have put all the wood into the shape of a big man like The Wicker Man. That would be cool. Makes me glad though I don't have a yard. Though yesterday I had to run out and buy some Drano to unclog the tub.

Cindy said...

I saw the cover you made for Grumpwell...love it! You have talent.

I know what you mean by having time to write too (as you know) I try to put fiction writing before blogging because I feel the more you have out there...the better the odds if you know what I mean. But yet again, I always find myself wanting to stay in touch with blog buddies..social media is just so fun.

Andrew Leon said...

Are there superheroes that use axes? I mean, isn't that kind of against the whole superhero ideal? Unless you're the Punisher. I'm sure he would use an axe except that he just uses guns.

Rusty Carl said...

Wait, Spider-Man uses an ax doesn't he? I figure if they can make heroes out of people using hammers then they can do it with an Ax too.

Didn't the avengers have an Ax guy 5 years ago? The god of tree cutters or something . I kidd, it was Ares, I just can't remember if he was actually a hero.

Andrew Leon said...

As far as I know, Ares has always been a bad guy. But I've been out of comics for a while.

How was John Carter? By the way.

Anonymous said...

Incredible we still have Daylight Savings Time. Last weekend I stayed off the computer for 72 hours. An amazing feat but one that is necessary from time to time.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Nice weather means I have to go out and do yardwork as well. Sucks.
Glad you unplugged. You need to do that more often. You said you wanted more time to write - stop working on everybody else's stuff and go write. I'm waiting for the next Rusty masterpiece you know.

Unknown said...

Staying off the computer is great. It helps to clear your mind and save your eyes. :)

I went see John Carter as well and thoroughly enjoyed it.

Michael Offutt, Phantom Reader said...

Grumpy's cover looked real nice after you got done with it.

Briane said...

I wonder what it's like to have friends? I ought to try it some time.

Your post made me laugh out loud. I would say more, but I'm trying to be laconic so that Michael and Andrew will describe as both a "good egg" and "laconic," since I understand that in America we can be two things at once.

But WHY did you have to go get things out of your neighbors' yards? Once things leave my yard, they're no longer my responsibility. It's the law of the jungle. Which my neighbors have (to their dismay) learned I live by.

Also, your parenting advice is going to be put to good use.

Finally: I have a blogfest for aspiring writers-to-be:

http://www.troublewithroy.com

And I took part in Offutt's 7-memes thing and now you have to:

http://www.thinkingthelions.com

But since the theme of the week on blogs is "Man I'm too busy to write, as you can see from how much I'm writing about being too busy to write," feel free to not take part in the 7 Memes thing and go light more fires in your backyard to impress your kids (THAT is parenting.)

Briane said...

I wonder what it's like to have friends? I ought to try it some time.

Your post made me laugh out loud. I would say more, but I'm trying to be laconic so that Michael and Andrew will describe as both a "good egg" and "laconic," since I understand that in America we can be two things at once.

But WHY did you have to go get things out of your neighbors' yards? Once things leave my yard, they're no longer my responsibility. It's the law of the jungle. Which my neighbors have (to their dismay) learned I live by.

Also, your parenting advice is going to be put to good use.

Finally: I have a blogfest for aspiring writers-to-be:

http://www.troublewithroy.com

And I took part in Offutt's 7-memes thing and now you have to:

http://www.thinkingthelions.com

But since the theme of the week on blogs is "Man I'm too busy to write, as you can see from how much I'm writing about being too busy to write," feel free to not take part in the 7 Memes thing and go light more fires in your backyard to impress your kids (THAT is parenting.)

Brinda said...

Blogging or writing novels...hmm...It seems that one activity seems to take over, doesn't it. I understand completely. I think I may also lessen my blogging after A-Z. The bad thing is my blogs are not the length of yours and they still take a lot of my time.

Nancy said...

Any opportunity to have a bonfire should be seized. take your moments

Ciara said...

I'm also pulling back on my blogging after the A-Z challenge. I'll be posting M-W-F. I'll be visiting blogs other days, though.

Golden Eagle said...

After the A-Z Challenge last year, it was so nice to have a break from the almost constant posting. I get the feeling the blogosphere will be a lot quieter in May this year.

Those must have been powerful storms to bring down limbs and scatter stuff around.

Jay Noel said...

Fire! Fire!

Yeah, we had some scary storms come through here in St. Louis, but the worst of it just went south.

It's nice to get away from the computer once in awhile...just unplug and take a break from the computer.

Andrew Leon said...

@Briane: If you want me to use the word laconic in your direction, you're going to have to work a little harder. :)

@Rusty: Seriously, how was John Carter? Bah, just email me and tell me.

Rusty Carl said...

@Andrew: The movie was pretty good. I keep forgetting you don't check my twitter reviews. Although my twitter stream does appear on my sidebar.

It was Star Wars-esq in its tone I think. It felt big, exciting, I was never too worried that anyone good looking was going to die. Seemed to capture the spirit of the book fairly well.

But $350 million budget (with marketing included) makes that $30 mil opening seem like it's going to be a pretty big flop. I hope worldwide sales stay strong, it was good enough to deserve another installment.