Monday, February 13, 2012

WHY PAINTING IS LIKE WRITING, PLUS ROW80

It sounds like the start of a bad joke:
Why is painting a room like writing a book?
I don't know, why is painting a room like writing a book?

 I hope you weren't waiting for a punch line -- I'm fresh out of punch lines, too tired from painting.

Okay, okay.

WRITING A BOOK      

What should I write?
Idea!
PREPARE
Research/Brainstorm
GATHER THE RIGHT TOOLS
Notebook, notecards, sticky notes, whiteboard, pens, computer
WRITE
Halfway through your idea changes
Suddenly in a tight corner -- how do you write out of this?
Move things around
Want it done so badly, it's all you do in your spare time
First pass -- done!
Needs fixing
Re-write
Think you're done, until someone else looks at it!
Fix the misses
Done! Still, it never matches what you first envisioned

PAINTING A BIG ROOM


What should I paint?
Chose colors
PREPARE
Tape baseboards, remove wall plates
GATHER THE RIGHT TOOLS
Paint, brushes, tape, rollers, ladder, screwdriver, hammer, cloth, newspaper
PAINT
Halfway through, you realize you have to paint the room 2 different colors
Suddenly in a tight corner -- how do you paint behind the weight machine?
Move things around
Want it done so badly, it's all you do in your spare time
First coat, in certain lights it looks done
Needs second coat
Think you're done until your husband comes in w/ the mega light
Fix the mixes
Done! Hey, it looks better than what you thought it would.

So, here's what I learned. It does eventually get done. If you have the right tools, it's a hell of a lot easier. If you prepare, it goes so much faster (sure it's a pain, but worth it in the long run). It feels damn goodly to be done.

So, yesterday, I loaded Pages on to my iPad -- it's easier to bring to work than the laptop -- I can bring it anywhere. That's part of the right tools. I'm concentrating on the re-write right now. that's part of needs fixing. Plus, the whole thing just made me excited.

That's it -- sort of a check-in.
How are you doing?

Sunday, February 5, 2012

HELLO STRANGER...A ROW80 CHECK-IN

Confession: I have missed 3 (three!) check-ins. Yikes!

Mea Culpas are abounding. Of course, it's not because I didn't want to check-in, I just...didn't. Almost worse. Every time I thought I might have time, I'd already be 2 or 3 days late, thus, thinking I'd catch-up the next time.

You can see how well my plan worked. NOT ONE BIT. Hmmm.
I feel as if we (I) need a recap:

When last we left our intrepid (or, rather, procrastinating) heroine, she was bemoaning the fact that she had no time. She has yet to find the time, nor is she done with painting the basement.

She is certain that any day now things will fall into place and she'll be back on schedule.

Not the greatest check-in, I grant you, still, a check-in, none-the-less.
I'm still working on things, editing here and there and writing some new words...here and there. Nothing remotely spectacular or even mediocre.

So, Monday will be my sponsor post. Ha! I promise to be better with the check-ins.

What's your promise this next week?