Monday, November 3, 2014

This is already not going as well as planned...

I got the rings today but I feel too tired to try them out.  That will be on the list for tomorrow.  I have an idea for some quick fingerless mitts, so I'm feeling better already about making warm things.

This post is being super difficult to write.  I have a lot of things I want to complain about, but I don't want to sound like I'm whining.  Hello already writer's block, I was hoping I wouldn't see you for a while.
I've started a few general topics to talk about from my everyday life, but I've also deleted most of them.  I complained about my doctor bill that I didn't get until the second notice and also the doctor bill I will have to call about because I got a bill that I'm pretty sure I paid already.  A check for the exact same amount to the same people was cashed three days before this one was sent out.  I also hate calling people on the phone, so this will be less fun.
I started talking about how crazy the timing for NaNoWriMo is because of how crazy this month is, but it's not like it should be a surprise for me.  I also thought about how if I decide to add pictures of finished charity projects and count them as 1,000 words each it won't hurt anyone.  Some people count their homework because they don't think they will be able to do their school work and finish the 50,000 words.
In previous years when I've participated in NaNoWriMo the beginning is pretty easy for me.  I'm pretty good at coming up with characters, a location, and a general start.  Thinking of the big problem the characters have to face and how it will end are where I start to run into problems.
Also, the hubby's computer just started making noise from a YouTube video and he's not home...super freaky.

I'm thinking of doing something similar to NaNoWriMo, but with crafting.  Maybe 50,000 stitches in a month?  Though sewing might have to make more since it is really easy to just set the machine on the smallest stitch and go crazy.  I would count knitting, crochet, and beading in that list.  It might be a nice way to start the new year.  I could call it...NaStiMaMo.  Short for National Stitch Making Month.  Jan would also be a nice time to do it since I know December is usually reserved for Script Frenzy.
Some people use December to edit their story from November if they aren't participating in script frenzy.  Other people just look at it as a nice month off.  Do I think other people will join me in this idea?  I have no idea, but I would like to think that someone out there might think it is a fun idea.

Not sure if anyone likes that I'm adding the break, but I know that seeing a huge wall of text when checking out a blog might make me feel a bit overwhelmed, so I decided to add the break before I get to the long winded part of my post.  That way if someone doesn't want to read my prompt driven rambling they won't have to try and scroll past all of it and get carpel tunnel just to see if they missed a post from the day before.
Though speaking of blogs, I have done a fairly good job at catching up on a few I love to read.  The Yarn Harlot has a lot of funny things about knitting, Refashionista is a funny blog where she takes those scary things you see at thrift stores and makes them into awesome cloths, and AmpuTeeHee sometimes has knitting and other times just has stuff about life.  There are other blogs I read, but those are the three I try and keep up with the most.

Since this beginning of the post is so rambly, here is some more.  I did not go to Knit Night tonight because my mom was told to stay away from pregnant ladies.  She has a spot on her check that is red and warm to the touch.  After going to the doctor he guessed that it might be the start of a spot of shingles.  She gets to take three different medicines for it, but the fun does not end there.  One needs to be taken every eight hours while the other two need to be taken every twelve.  If that isn't confusing enough all need to be taken with food and no two can be taken at the same time.  We figure she will be just eating snacks constantly.  That is about seven times a day she will need to take a pill (or a few) with food.  That is a lot of eating.  I don't even really remember needing to take anything when I got the chicken pox the first time.


Here's where I will try and stop rambling and start making sense.  I'm also wondering if I should just put the break right after I finish talking about anything charity related.

What does writer's block feel like?  Good one for today...maybe.

To me it writer's block can feel like more than one thing.  It does sometimes feel like there is just a wall in front of you.  I sometimes feel like there is a physical block right in front of me.  Like my brain and thoughts want to move forward, but something very thick and solid is in the way.
In the very similar way, it also feels like an empty box.  If ideas, inspiration, and creativity were items then this box would be empty of all of them.  No matter what direction I feel like I want to take or any idea I try and come-up with, there is nothing there.  No items to pick-up and use to get things going. 
I'm even starting to get writer's block trying to describe writer's block.  How very meta of me.

You are a brand-new suicide-hotline counselor.  Describe how you feel during the course of your first call:

Okay, this is my first day...I can do this.  The chair is actually a lot more comfortable than I thought it would be.  I wonder where they got them or if they have any old ones I can take home... No! Focus!  This is all about helping people who need it, not how good your bottom feels right now.
This headset is pretty cool too.  I hope I have it on right, I wonder if I can test it.  Maybe there is no way to test it?  What if I have it on wrong and someone becomes more upset because we can't hear each other?  What is someone is trying to talk to me right now?
Stop it.  There is no way you can help someone if you are freaking out.  There is probably a button you have to push to...oh no, it's ringing.  Okay, you can do this...you probably won't get someone on a bridge as a first call.  What would the chances of that even be?  Okay, deep breath and just answer it!
"This is the Crafty for Charity help line, my name is May." I hope that sounded okay.  Will they just start talking or should I ask them what is wrong?

>"I think that my computer has a virus and I don't think I can take it."
"Are you running a virus scan on your computer right now?  That might be able to fix your problem and then you can go back to what you were doing before." Awesome, no one on a bridge.  I can do this.  Though you would think they would call someone who fixes computers first.  Hopefully they won't ask me to walk them through fixing it.
>"I am, but I'm just so worried about it.  There are things just popping onto the screen and the number of files just keeps growing.  I don't want to loose all my downloaded movies and music!  They are all I have in the world!"
Gee, I wonder why you got a virus in the first place.  Is there some adult videos in there?  No!  No negative thoughts.  You don't know he didn't just save the digital copies of movies before giving the physical copy to orphans.  He could be a very good person and not a irresponsible pirate.
>"There are over 300 infected files!  What do I do? What do I do?"
"Just take a few deep breaths.  How far along is the scan?  Did you make any back-up copies onto DVDs or anything?"  That reminds me, I really need to make a back-up of all the knitting patterns I downloaded.
>"NO I DIDN'T!  I'm so stupid.  People talk about backing things up, but I thought something like this would never happen to me!  Why me?  Did I do something wrong?"
That depends on how you got those movies and music.  Okay, supportive, we are supportive.  It is up to his conscious if he downloaded things illegally.  Remember, we don't know anything about how he got these.
"You aren't stupid and I don't think you did anything wrong.  Just let the scan run though, it might be able to repair those files and everything will be back to normal." That sounded both calm and nonjudgmental.  That is good.  I'm super good at this!
>"But the scan is only at 20%!  It is taking forever!"
Would it be rude to ask him to call back after it is done?  I don't know if I can keep this up for that long.  Is there a rule on how long I can talk to someone?  Maybe there are rules to go by, like you can talk to someone for longer if it is serious.  Will I get in trouble for talking to someone for too long if it isn't too serious?  Is someone listening to me to make sure I'm doing this right?  I wonder if I can ask someone about this.
"As long as your scanner is up to date I think it will work.  About how long did it take to get to 20%?"  Maybe he will get the hint?  Am I a bad person if I'm already trying to pawn this guy off to someone else?  Is he not exciting enough for me?  Did I really want someone on a bridge.  No, that would have been way to much for me to handle on my first call.  You probably have to be here for months at least before you can try one of those.  More than a few bytes of data would be lost if you didn't say the right thing there.
>"I started the scan about ten minutes ago but I got really freaked out when I saw the number of files rising so fast.  Can I stop the scan and see if the files can be fixed or do I have to wait until it is done?  The number just keeps going up!  Can you make it stop?"
"I'm pretty sure the best idea would be to let the scan finish.  I can stay on the line as long as you need me to." I think, I hope no one comes over and tells me I can't.  I would feel really bad if I just lied.
>"The thing just popped up again!  It says that Mike is calling me.  What does that even mean?"
"Do you have Skype installed on your computer?  It might be someone trying to talk to you." I wonder how much this guy knows about the computer anyway.
>"My mom's boyfriend is named Mike.  If I answer the call, will I give him the virus too?"
"I don't think it works that way.  You can just tell him later that you were using the computer and that is why no one answered." It's his mom's computer?  I guess I would be worried too if I got someone else's computer infected with a virus.
>"Oh no, my mom is home.  When she sees this she is going to kill me!  Can you send someone to make sure she doesn't kill me and bury me in the neighbor's yard?"
"If you explain to her that you didn't do this on purpose then I'm sure she will forgive you." I really hope this guy doesn't have a homicidal mother.  I don't think I can send someone out to help him...I don't even know where he lives.  I'm guessing it is in the area, but I would feel really stupid trying to get someone out to help this guy just to find out he is grounded for a month or something dumb like that.
>"..."
Though what if his mom really is a pyscho and does kill him?  If the neighbor has a dog will it dig this guy up?  Though I wonder how old he is, he doesn't really sound like a kid to me.  A teen at the very youngest.
"Hello?"  He hasn't said anything in a while.  What do you do when that happens?  Do I just hang-up or do I stay on?  What if I hear screams?  I don't know if I can handle hearing someone get murdered.
>"Hey lady, my bad."
"What do you mean?" Oh thank goodness he isn't dead.  I think they would fire me if someone died on my first call.
>"My mom saw what I was doing and explained that the number that was going up was how many files it checked and the computer doesn't really have a virus.  Thanks, bye."
"That is good news, bye." Go me!  First call was a huge success.  No one died, I didn't have to worry about crying on the phone and making someone worse.  Time to treat myself to a candy bar from the vending machine!


Hopefully no one will get mad at me about the hotline thing.  I thought it would be fun and I tried to think of how I would be worrying if it was me.  I also wanted to make sure it wasn't anything morbid.


Today's count: 2,350
Monthly count: 4,836
Prompts used: 5

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