Downside, Upside, Outside

Downside

Last week my computer had started to act funny; running slow, refusing to open files, rearranging the files on my desktop at random moments, shutting twice on its own, and being a general pain in the butt.

I had a tense computer week.

Then I realized I had not backed up the files on my hard drive in a while. I know, I know. I used to be on top of that by backing up on a daily basis and then I just..well..became a bit lazy about it. Lesson learned.

I did lose a few writing files which included the short story that I had planned on posting last Friday. I didn’t pre-write anything on paper and the entire thing was only saved on the computer. Or so I thought.

The other files I lost were:

1. Short story ideas. (also not written in my notebook)

2. My posts for this week.

3. A few photo files.

It took about 10 hours on Saturday but, I finally saved as much as I could and backed up the files onto a portable hard drive. That was,of course, after I updated the virus software and did a complete system scan. Which was why it was an all day kind of event.

Upside

My computer is working completely fine again. Doing the happy dance!

Managing to avert a total file loss disaster taught me a valuable lesson about – backing up, saving – all of my writing files on a daily basis (like I used to do).

Outside

Wednesday’s post will be something different (yes because I lost the original post), I’m going to get up earlier then I normally do and take a walk with camera in hand. I’ll take photos of what I see and post them in the afternoon.

A scavenger hunt of sorts.

Who knows this could become a regular theme for Wednesdays. “Walking About on Wednesdays”….I kind of like that idea.

Any suggestions of what I should look for? I live in a suburban area. Trees in full fall color are on the list.

Monday Madness

Today I’m working on a few different projects with laundry being one of the most important. While I’m at the laundry place I’m going to work the story map for the YA project I started a few days ago. After the bore of the laundry chore I’ll work out a few kinks in The Unmaker (one of which is the title), plot some points for Blackridge River (see that Jack I haven’t forgotten you), and start the chapter summaries for the paranormal romance story.

And in-between all of that madness I will remember to eat, drink, and take a walk. As long as it isn’t too hot outside I’ll take a walk.

(c) 2010 Joelle Wilson at Sharon Woods Park

 

If the heat is too much I’ll settle for drinking ice tea on the balcony while blissfully fantasizing about the cooler autumn temperatures in October.

 

 

I’ll end with a few links today.

The Creative Penn - ‘How Twitter Landed One Author A Book Deal’ – Different way to get your foot in the publishing world’s door.

Writer Unboxed - ‘When A Character Won’t Cooperate’. All about listening to who your character really is.

Stephanie Mooney - great post about single story concepts titled ‘Incomplete Truths’

Writing Forward - A writing exercise titled ‘Free Writing’ which is similar to the morning pages kind of writing exercise.

Writing is a madness for which there is no cure.