Have been checking work email this morning, and saw that my boss had called a meeting for 9:30 am -- somewhat random; definitely out of the ordinary. So, I emailed one of my colleagues and asked for an update.
Apparently, the upcoming issues of both of our print magazines will be our last. After this, it all goes online.
This is HUGE, a major move for our department. And for me? I think a good thing. No more print deadlines. I'm not sure how things ultimately will shake out, but I do think that this will mean that we are able to publish a far greater number of articles/stories/features/news items on the Web.
Wow.
20111129
Forecast: 20 Percent Chance of Writing.
So, I'm working from home today. Which is not so much to say that I'm being paid to perform my job whilst sitting in my bed with sleeping kitties lying around and keeping my feet warm, as it is to say I'm taking a vacation day but working on said day because there still are deadlines and I still must make them.
I have a number of interesting assignments due in the next week: two research feature stories, a summary of recent (single-disease specific) research for one of the magazines, and a more generalized summary of recent (multi-disease) research that will be made into a glossy, photo-filled fundraising "update" for a specific target audience (big donors). There are several other things I'm working on -- online news items, publicity for a new round of grants and anything else research-wise that should happen to fall out of publication-land and demand my immediate attention.
I have off every Tuesday through the end of the year because I had to burn up my remaining 2011 vacation days. This will be my third, so far. Unfortunately, though I'd planned to use some of this time to draft some of the novel (need a working title, so that I won't have to keep referring to it as "the novel"), this hasn't happened. Or, you know, I'd have reported it here.
Anyway, I plan to get one of the aforementioned major work projects finished and emailed in to my boss today. It shouldn't take all that long, but then I have to pick up the boys after school and take them to the doctor's office for their check-ups. Then, of course, Sammy has soccer tonight. And then there's dinner, at least one load of laundry, getting the boys ready for school tomorrow (and me for work) and everyone into bed.
Hopefully I can squeeze a little bit of writing in, even if I have to do it longhand in a journal while at Sammy's practice. I'm going to place the odds of that happening at around 20 percent. And that's probably far too generous.
I have a number of interesting assignments due in the next week: two research feature stories, a summary of recent (single-disease specific) research for one of the magazines, and a more generalized summary of recent (multi-disease) research that will be made into a glossy, photo-filled fundraising "update" for a specific target audience (big donors). There are several other things I'm working on -- online news items, publicity for a new round of grants and anything else research-wise that should happen to fall out of publication-land and demand my immediate attention.
I have off every Tuesday through the end of the year because I had to burn up my remaining 2011 vacation days. This will be my third, so far. Unfortunately, though I'd planned to use some of this time to draft some of the novel (need a working title, so that I won't have to keep referring to it as "the novel"), this hasn't happened. Or, you know, I'd have reported it here.
Anyway, I plan to get one of the aforementioned major work projects finished and emailed in to my boss today. It shouldn't take all that long, but then I have to pick up the boys after school and take them to the doctor's office for their check-ups. Then, of course, Sammy has soccer tonight. And then there's dinner, at least one load of laundry, getting the boys ready for school tomorrow (and me for work) and everyone into bed.
Hopefully I can squeeze a little bit of writing in, even if I have to do it longhand in a journal while at Sammy's practice. I'm going to place the odds of that happening at around 20 percent. And that's probably far too generous.
20111125
First Words.
I read somewhere recently that “easy reading is hard writing.” I’d like to add a corollary to that sentiment: You can’t read what isn’t written. Viz., no writing equals no reading. And we can’t have that....
I’ve thought and I’ve talked far too long, to myself and to others, about the stories I want to write. Stories that people I don’t even know will want to read. It’s time to pick up a pen, put fingers to keys, make notes on napkins and on the iPhone — whichever is most handy at the moment — and finally put some black marks on white backgrounds.
The stories are waiting to be told. They’re already in my head; I just need to let them out. I've Been saying all this for years now. Saying; not doing. The writing that is my income, the thing I do for a living (if you can call paycheck-to-paycheck a living) has sapped my creativity, my time, my energy and my motivation.
But it’s been coming back, some of it. I’ve been feeling for months now that the time is drawing near. Time to begin writing again. Writing stories. My stories. The way I want to tell them. I miss storytelling. I want to do it. I feel compelled to do it for so many reasons. And, so I will. One way or another. Posted here will be updates, word counts, word-block relievers, book/movie reviews, plot thoughts…whatever it takes to keep me on track.
I guess I’ve pretty much written here all that needs saying….
Post No. 1 - fait accompli.
I’ve thought and I’ve talked far too long, to myself and to others, about the stories I want to write. Stories that people I don’t even know will want to read. It’s time to pick up a pen, put fingers to keys, make notes on napkins and on the iPhone — whichever is most handy at the moment — and finally put some black marks on white backgrounds.
The stories are waiting to be told. They’re already in my head; I just need to let them out. I've Been saying all this for years now. Saying; not doing. The writing that is my income, the thing I do for a living (if you can call paycheck-to-paycheck a living) has sapped my creativity, my time, my energy and my motivation.
But it’s been coming back, some of it. I’ve been feeling for months now that the time is drawing near. Time to begin writing again. Writing stories. My stories. The way I want to tell them. I miss storytelling. I want to do it. I feel compelled to do it for so many reasons. And, so I will. One way or another. Posted here will be updates, word counts, word-block relievers, book/movie reviews, plot thoughts…whatever it takes to keep me on track.
I guess I’ve pretty much written here all that needs saying….
Post No. 1 - fait accompli.
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