When things come up

Thank you so much to everyone who commented on my June IWSG post. Your kind words and motivation helped. I got a lot done. THANK YOU!

I would love to say I have been absent all of last week because I was working on my manuscript, but I would be lying. Even though I wanted to blog and report how I was managing with my changes, I couldn't. Our router was hacked . . . again and I didn't dare go on the internet. It just goes to show, no matter what you you do, if someone wants to access your information, they can. It doesn't help that I started watching CSI Cyber. Luckily the person was just piggy backing on our internet connection and locking us out. 

Other than that, I have been rather productive with my manuscript changes. It was overwhelming at first and I actually only completed a few pages a day. That is until Friday, when I suddenly got the energy and inspiration to keep going and going. I got so much done, I surprised myself. I also have a strategy for tackling my manuscript. First, I'm going to make all the changes, which my editor and I agreed on, which are noted in Track Changes. Secondly, I will make the additional changes my editor suggested in my personal detailed report, which are errors I keep making repeatedly throughout the document. Thirdly, I will cut all the unnecessary words. Lastly, I will sort out all the punctuation. I think it helps if I only make one type of change at a time. I can't pay attention to a lot of things at the same time. So I will end up going over the manuscript a few times.

Even though I was freaking out the past few weeks, I haven't done a lot of walking. Mostly because I simply didn't feel like it. Bad excuse, I know. Other than that, I haven't really been up to much. I felt so bad about not working on my manuscript that I finally started working on it and I enjoyed it. 

What have you been up to?

Still freaking out (IWSG)

It is that time again. I get to share with the whole world what an insecure mess I am. For those that don’t like whining, please stop reading now.

Okay people, my manuscript is back from my editor and the comments make a ton of sense and explain perfectly where I had gone wrong. Also, the mistakes I made can easily be fixed. So why am I so afraid of approaching my manuscript? I see the notes and I get overwhelmed. I told myself that I would take it page by page, but I have already psyched myself out.

I think I just need to suck it up, take a big girl pill and start working. The manuscript is not going to change itself. I know all this, so why do I feel so afraid? Do any of you ever feel this way? Maybe I just need a kick to the backside. Any of you want to deliver the blow?

The Insecure Writers Support Group was created by the talented Mr. Alex J. Cavanaugh so that writers can share their insecurities and/or encourage others who need support with their own. You can visit Alex Here, or if you want to join us in discussing our insecurities on the first Wednesday of each month, you are welcome to join by going Here.

Unable to play it cool

I'm hyperventilating and having silent fits of stress. Why? Well, I got my manuscript back from my editor this weekend and now I'm flipping out a bit. My editor did a good job and if anyone wants to hire Janie Goltz, (thank you, Janie) she is amazing and affordable. I guess I'm just a little overwhelmed. I've never been in this stage of my career. I know all I have to do is either make the changes she suggested or not. But it all feels so surreal. Whew!

Okay, I think I have to go do some serious walking to de-stress or I'm going to drive myself crazy. It's not something to freak out over, right? One more thing. Has anyone else been having problems with Blogger or Google+? I've been unable to read my notifications and at times even log in to Blogger.

Have a great week everyone.

Crafting goes alien

A while ago I decided to embrace my creative side and decided to make something out of butchers string. Well, I have to warn you, not even I know what it's supposed to be. I started out with an idea of wanting to make a tree, but it ended up being something completely different. 

This is just a piece of cardboard, butchers string and glue. I tried to make a tree shape. At this point I think it kind of resembles a tree, or if you're my brother you'd think it looks like a lollipop. And then I decided to take things a bit further and then this happened. 

In my defence I was trying to create branches, but it ended up looking like wings. And to make sure others could see it's meant to be a tree I added roots, but it ended up looking like legs instead. Okay, now even I have to admit it looks more like some evil plant than a tree. But my brother? He got so excited because he thought I was creating my own alien species. 

At least I enjoyed the whole process, even if I don't know what it is. 

End of the bank drama, hopefully

The other bank I went to see today gave me everything I hoped my new bank (previous one) would give me, so I closed my previous account and opened a new one. Third time lucky? The account I signed up for today works with Paypal, finally! So hopefully everything is sorted out. My new card comes in a few days. Yay! And most importantly, I can afford the account. 

I did some walking last night and I didn't get dizzy. Walking definitely keeps my moods in check and helps me manage stress. Now I just have to focus on fixing my bad eating habits too. I have a terrible sweet tooth and love of all things potato. Now I'm thinking about crispy fries, Yummy!

I've actually started on the pile of free e-books I have hoarded on my laptop, so hopefully I can start making good on those reviews. Also, I will start on the second round of rewrites for my second book in my Thelum series. I'm excited to get started. 

What are you up to today? 

Just keep walking

Thank you for the kind words and encouragement with regards to my previous post. Your words helped. 

Today was the first day where I could actually walk without getting dizzy. Yay! I needed to walk because I felt so stressed today my head ached. Why? Well, my new bank prevents me from adding my new card to Paypal, which was one of the reasons why my previous bank also couldn't help me. I spent most of the day querying my new bank and trying to find a solution, but I didn't get the answers I wanted. Of course I contacted Paypal too and they were fast in getting back to me and they were more than helpful. Unfortunately, my new bank is not going to budge. 

I really need my own Paypal account because editors and cover designers mostly prefer that payment option. The last thing I want is for my family to do all my payments for me. This is something I want to do myself. And...my bank only allows me to do online purchases at certain online stores, which is very limiting. Tomorrow I'm going to yet another bank, only to hear if they can provide me with an option that does allow me to use Paypal. If they can, I will be switching accounts again, as long as I can afford the account of course. Sitting in long lines in banks is definitely not my idea of fun. But I guess I have to do what I have to do. 

My family thinks that my predicament is very amusing. I however do not. I just don't like getting things wrong or struggling to sort things out. I was told my new account could do all of the above and it doesn't. But okay. Tomorrow is a new day and I will deal with everything then. 

We all start at the bottom, right?

I’m feeling much better after being sick with the flu for over two weeks. I still get dizzy when I walk for too long, but I guess it will take some time to get back into exercising. Thank you to everyone who wished me well. You guys are awesome!

Today I had a new experience. I had to close my bank account with the bank I had been with for ten years. Why? Because they couldn’t give me an account that could accommodate my unique needs. Because I do data for my brother I don’t earn a “wow” salary. Basically the consultant told me that I didn’t earn enough to have the account I wanted with the specific bank, which made me feel really crappy. I’m still a poor writer and might always be a poor writer, but damn, don’t be mean about it.

So, I went to another bank who could not only give me the account type I wanted, but they didn’t make a big deal about me not earning big bucks. They welcomed my business and when I went back to my bank to close my account, there was so much crap to go through before I could successfully close my account. But I am sorted out now and it was a very unique experience. My new bank doesn’t care how much I earn, as long as I can afford to maintain my account, they’re happy.

I’ve never actually spoken about the financial aspect of my life, but I am ready to now. I still live in my family home, which my brother now owns and because he’s a researcher, he needs someone to do his data (because none of his interns wish to do it), which I do from home. I also do a few other administrative tasks for him. In exchange, I get to live at home without paying rent and I get free meals and he pays my medication/ medical bills. Also, I have to help my mom out in the house and accompany her when she does shopping or run errands. For cash I do my oldest sister’s admin and her chores, which my mom insists all of us do (because she wants us to stay humble).  My other sister, the chef, buys my toiletries and whatever I need in exchange for me taking care of her and my brother's pets (which I count as my own anyway). I'm the youngest of 4 kids by the way, if you're confused right now. 

I don’t mind doing all of the above because I still get to have more writing time than I did when I had other jobs and I get to help my family out, whom I love more than anything. Living my current lifestyle might never make me rich, but I’m happy. Isn’t that what counts? I think so. Besides, my mom and siblings take excellent care of me. What more could I want? 

  

So, do you ever get treated differently because you don’t earn a lot of money? If so, what did you do about it? I’m curious.