How Tendinitis Ruined My Camp NaNoWriMo

So there I was, writing happily. And there was the tendinitis, remaining pleasantly dormant. Until today, when it hit me so hard I could barely even hold a cup in my hand. Seeing as how I have to type all day at work, I decided to set Camp NaNoWriMo aside. Does it suck? It really does. But I am sitting here typing with one hand. Yay excuses!

At the very least, I wrote more in 16 days than I have in over a year. I wrote: 27,537. And! I know that I am capable of writing 50,000 words in a month mentally if not physically. I have suffered from severe tendinitis in my left arm and hand for years now, including a bit of nerve damage in my elbow on the same arm. Essentially, according to the doctor, any repetitive movement is bad. And typing is bad. But my job involves typing, so I type! I just need to go to physiotherapy. Which I will do soon, once the pain lessens! Yay whining!

Either way, now you all know my epic fail. My hope is that everyone else participating wins just as epically. Good luck, people!

 

Bookish Feelings

Do you ever read a book that leaves you with a specific feeling? A feeling that no other book can quite replicate? Either a feeling of comfort, mystery, or even a haunting feeling. There are few books I have read that really have their own atmosphere, something almost tangible. Below are the books that instilled these sorts of feelings. The kind of books that even when I think about them now, they still feel the same.

The Historian By: Elizabeth Kostova – This book created a sense of mystery and adventure that I haven’t been able to find in any other books.

Murkmere and Ambergate By: Patricia Elliott  – These books are both creepy, haunting, mysterious and beautiful. They are YA books and I have never read anything quite like them.

Anne of Green Gables  By: L.M. Montgomery – Comfortable and happy. This author can write about the beauty of nature like I’ve never seen elsewhere.

Emily of New Moon By: L.M. Montgomery – Sadness and hope.

A Writerly Question

I have a question for all you fellow writers out there. Do you use Writing Software? Something like Scrivener? If you do, what do you use, and is it worth it?

 

Things I Have Learned About Marriage

Warning: This post will be rather sappy.

I got married on July 31st 2010 to the most awesome man ever. We met online like true nerds through the game Neverwinter Nights. We were friends for years before we ever started dating. Which was difficult, since he was from the USA and I am from Canada. But for all those people out there that say long distance relationships can never work, my husband and I are proof that it can work. Anyway, when we started dating we had to travel back and forth and were only able to see each other every 3 or 4 months. Needless to say it was terrible. Super terrible. 5 days after we were married, he had to leave back to the states again. Not a fun time, but so worth it. Finally, we were able to go through the immigration process. That’s right, he gave up his country, friends and family for me because he didn’t want me to miss my family. Anyway, we have been married nearly 3 years now and here is a list of some of the things I have learned. I love being married. It is great.

- Be sappy! Tell each other you love each other a billion times a day. It never gets old.

- Have fights. Yell and argue, but make up really fast. Don’t hold on to arguments.

- Hold hands. I learned this from a very smart lady. She told me that you can’t be mad if you’re holding hands. Very true!

- Share everything with each other! Be it music, movies or your dreams. Share it all.

- Go out and take adventures. Even if you are just going for a walk.

- Communication. Always communicate. This was always difficult for me. I am one of those chicks who says: “I’m fine.” When I’m really not.

- Love each other for your faults and your strengths. Don’t get annoyed by little things.

- Be comfortable in silence. Have your space and don’t be offended if your significant other needs personal time. We all do!

- Laugh. Always remember to laugh!

I have more, but I don’t want to bore you. Just wanted to share about my marriage randomly. I got married at 19 to the greatest man in the world and it was the best decision I’ve ever made.

Random Post of Aquarium

Hello, all! I have been away for a bit. Lots of work and random stuff going on. As an update on the randomness, I will post a few photos from my visit to the Aquarium with my husband! I love the Aquarium. Hope you are all well! I should have a bookish post up soon.

Wacom – Bamboo Splash Tablet

I have been wanting a Wacom tablet for years. I am not the greatest artist by any means, but drawing is something I really enjoy doing. I was researching on the weekend and found this little gem. It is a Wacom tablet that is only $79.00! http://www.wacom.com/en/creative/products/pen-tablets/bamboo/bamboo-splash Having been using it for three days now, I have found it to be fantastic. As practice I have been painting a drawing I made a few years ago.  The tablet is easy to use, has a lot of settings and the stylus is great. Learning to use this device is easier than I thought it would be. Needless to say, I am very happy with this product and would highly recommend it.

Muse Concert

So yesterday I went to the Muse concert with my husband. Words cannot express how awesome it was. Not only was the music great (which I already knew was the case) but this band has such a wonderful stage presence. Everything about the concert and performance was fantastic. Now I only wish I could go see them again. If anyone out there ever has the opportunity to go see Muse live, do it! There is no way you can possibly regret it.

Thank You Letters to Parents

A few months ago I made a blog post that was a thank you letter to my mom and dad. Lately I have been looking at my stats and have noticed something amazing. So many people seem to be searching for thank you letters to their parents. Almost every day there are about 20-50 searches for thank you letters to parents that wind up on my blog. I just thought it was amazing to see how many people are wanting to give their parents thank you letters.

Dragon’s Den – Night Beacon Lighting

How many of you either take the bus as your main transportation or know people who do? I know from personal experience how difficult it can be taking the bus at night, hoping the bus driver can see you as he passes.

Which is why I think this idea is so brilliant!

www.thenightbeacon.com

This product was pitched on the Dragon’s Den.

Here is a wonderful description of what the product does:

–The Night Beacon is a safety product that reduces the danger zone around rural bus stops. It is designed to signal approaching buses during the hours of darkness in poorly or unlit rural bus routes. It is manually activated by the waiting passenger at the bus stop.

As opposed to other similar products on the market my product is more cost effective, vandal proof, theft proof and weather proof. Gary’s simple design is all that is needed to accomplish the same results as the more expensive units on the market. The Night Beacon significantly reduces the danger zone and increases the efficiency of the service in rural bus routes in the hours of darkness. Aside from the obvious element of darkness, there is glare from oncoming traffic, glare and reflections from inside bus lights and glare from inclement weather conditions. It also reduces driver stress and provides better gas mileage by eliminating unnecessary stops and allowing the bus driver more notice to slow down gradually. The Night Beacon also allows for more efficient service by keeping the buses running on time. Some rural bus stops are also camouflaged with heavy foliage. Along with night conditions, people also dress in dark colors that blend in. Consequently at highway speeds the chances of missing someone completely or seeing them at the last moment, therefore forcing the driver to brake suddenly are substantially increased. This could cause a chain reaction that involves other motorists and/or pedestrians.–

If you take the bus or know anyone who does, vote for The Night Beacon on the Dragon’s Den, now!

More Amazing Book Finds – The Silmarillion 1977

I absolutely love finding old books. I was wandering around the other day and went to the thrift store. I always browse through the books, just in case I find something awesome. Which I did!

I found a copy of the Silmarillion By: JRR Tolkien published in 1977. It has that amazing old book smell, and I love it.

It even has this awesome fold out map at the back of the book.