11:30 am

I've taken some time off from my day job so I can focus on my writing. It's only a couple of days but I've escaped from the city and I'm hanging out upstate with my friend Tony. It's been a quiet retreat where I can take deep breaths, spend time writing, and eat lots of yummy healthy food. Well potato chips being the exception to the rule.

I watched the movie Arrival last night. What a fantastic movie!! It was one I wanted to watch earlier in the year but I didn't get a chance to see it. It's a smart, nuanced movie that might be too much for those who are expecting a shoot-at-the-aliens type of movie. Excellent, so glad I watched it with friends.

Also had a little kitty therapy surrounded by several cats who wanted attention from this friendly guest. Plus watching over Tony's two dogs...they crack me up, they are so freakin' cute.  Anyway, surrounded by so many animals has helped.  

I've also been adding to my novel 800-1,500 words at each stretch.  My first night here, I accompanied Tony to his mediation group and hung out in a waiting area writing while he counseled someone. The plan was to write for an hour and then join the meditation group. I don't know where the time went but I looked up and 2.5 hours had gone by in a flash. I had 1,500 words of fresh material to add to the novel. * happy sigh *

That's where I'm at. It's Sunday, I've spent my morning writing.  It's been a tough go today but I sat at my desk and just showed up. That's half the battle really.  I wrote up 747 new words but I don't really like it very much.  May have to go back and trash that section.  It's fine. It's just words. Tonight we are going over to play some board games with a group of friends...and if that doesn't happen then maybe watch a couple of episodes of WestWorld.  Just got into this show this weekend.

All for now.
L~

All artwork, photos, and text © Copyright 2008-2017 Liliana Almendarez unless indicated otherwise. All Rights Reserved. Any downloading, copying or use of images on this website is strictly prohibited without express written consent by Liliana Almendarez.

Is It Over Yet?

It's been a very busy month.  As I've written in previous entries, I've been helping my dad renovate the bathroom.  It's been one day after another of running new pipes, laying down a new floor, tiling walls and floor, grouting and cleaning grout off the rest of the tiles and we have four more days left to finish.  Left to-do is priming and painting the walls, plus installing the new sink cabinet.  Tonight I have the night off.  Which is why I'm finally writing an entry. And really all I have to say is I'm tired.  I almost see the light at the end of the tunnel but there is so much left to do before we're done.  Not to mention that we've had setbacks throughout. Yesterday afternoon, my dad accidentally left a valve open on the boiler and flooded out three rooms There are boxes of old letters and journals that were soaked solid, so I have to go through them and throw whatever is not salvageable. Weekend project. Ergh.

Books--I recently finished Kate Wilhelm's, Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang. A novel about an isolated post holocaust community determined to preserve itself through cloning. This is an amazing hard science fiction novel and what makes my jaw drop about this story is that it was first written in 1976.  Historically the idea of cloning can date back to the late 1800's. This novel however takes a look at the social implications of cloning within the confines of this separatist community. I've been trying to decide on whether to keep this book on my shelf or if I should just gift it away. Lately, as I finish reading novels I've been leaving them on subway benches for others to pick up. I'm on the fence. The idea that I'll be moving in the next year makes me more likely to gift it away.  Less books will really save my creaky back from having to cart more boxes to yet another apartment.

I just started reading Sarah Waters latest novel, The Paying Guests. I really love the way she writes. It's a total pleasure read and I've been carting this 500+ page novel from home to work and back.

That's all I have for now.

Best,
L~

All artwork, photos, and text © Copyright 2008-2014 Liliana Almendarez unless indicated otherwise. All Rights Reserved. Any downloading, copying or use of images on this website is strictly prohibited without express written consent by Liliana Almendarez.

Falling Off the Grid

I admit, I fell off the grid for awhile.  Been traveling a bit.  Was also looking for a new gig since I have a stack of bills staring me down.  Landed a temp gig down on Wall Street through my agency.  The job is perfect.  It's easy admin work and at the end of the day I can walk out of the building and not give the "work" another thought.  Today I finished out my first full week so a full paycheck by next Friday will come in handy.  I was told the gig is good until the end of August.  I have the next three months to find something a bit more permanent but in this economy a steady paycheck is enough for now.

Where to start?

Moving: In 16 days, I move from my current apartment in the Bronx back to Brooklyn.  Being out of work for two months left me needing to re-evaluate matters. I used up my piddly savings to pay for living expenses.  So I'm moving back in with the folks temporarily while I get this whole job/money deal sorted out.  Which is really kind of odd since they plan on selling their house in the next year or so.   Guess I'll figure that out when it's time.  Anyway, in the meantime I've been packing.  I've got a stack of boxes, comprised mostly of books, against the dining room wall.  It's strange to not have access to them. I know it will only be for a short time but I already miss the ability to grab a book at random just to read a passage.  I've whittled down my library every time I've moved and I'm down to about 10 medium boxes.  It's the object that I still spend money on acquiring. I keep sorting and re-sorting through papers and old journals and I keep wanting to chuck them but then my attachment to them stops me from doing it. Guess they go with me.

This whole transition time has me thinking about moving away from NYC to somewhere more remote. The problem with remote is lack of access to public transportation, 'cause altho' I have a driver's license, I really suck at the whole driving thing.  The idea of having to take care of a car and insurance payments and gasoline and whatever else it might need just does not appeal to me at all. So I guess I'm choosing to stay in a more urban setting. At times, I wouldn't mind living a simpler existence. Have less stuff but I'm not sure I could live out of a backpack tho'.  There are limits to my running away fantasies.  I'm not much of a camper.

Movie: Wednesday night I went to see the movie: The East.  It's another Brit Marling film altho' it was co-written with the director, Zal Batmanglij.  I've been waiting for this one for awhile now.  It's a decent flick but some of the storyline was problematic for me.  Sometimes, the dialogue got caught up in it's own sanctimonious bullshit.  I caught myself rolling my eyes a few times.  HOWEVER, what's underlying the actual story is this call-to-action social activism that I really dig.  I think Marling is still genius and I look forward to her next projects!!

Reading: While on vacation last week, I picked up the book Delirium by Lauren Oliver.  It's a young adult science fiction novel.  It's part of a trilogy: Delirium, Pandemonium & Requiem.  "In Delirium, the government requires that all teenagers be cured of love, a.k.a. deliria, to keep society safe. But 95 days before her treatment, Lena Haloway falls in love--and must face the truth about her own feelings and the world in which she lives." The writing at times has a lyrical quality that really made me savor the story. Oliver really captured that angst that comes with budding love.  I picked up her second book when I got back to the city and then downloaded the last novel onto my Nook.  I have to say the first novel was the best one for me because of the depth of emotion I felt while reading it. The second one was compelling but the writing was uneven for me. I finished the third novel today and hmmm....some of the story was satisfying and some of it was not.   

Writing:  I haven't been writing at all.  I've been trying to start a couple of new short stories but they won't come out.  Unfortunately, Indigo is still my obsession but I haven't been working on it either.  Which reminds me, I want to change the title...the title is starting to bug me.  I can't stop thinking about the story itself and my characters.  I just have to sit and write but I've been too active, too up-rooted, too social and doing everything else other than facing a revision of this novel.  I've been drinking with friends and going to movies instead.  Ergh.  Despite the fact the novel still calls to me.  I feel it constantly in the back of my brain, working, working out some of the problems.  But I need to take pen to paper or sit in front of my laptop and just start pounding on the keys.  I just need to get past my laziness and just take it one chapter at a time.  I can just feel that it's going to be a HUGE undertaking and I'm just not ready.

Play:  I went to see the play Relatively Speaking and I laughed so hard I could barely breathe.  I was up in the balcony section but I actually think the actors heard my hysterics.  I really love comedies based on misunderstandings and in this piece they were able to sustain the misunderstandings almost all the way through.  I want to know the craft behind that piece...perhaps I will break it down one day and figure out how it works.

Publication: I was notified a couple of weeks ago that Applause Books is going to take a monologue from Glass Knives and publish it in Best American Monologues.  How cool is that?!!  When I find out publication date, I'll let folks know.

All righty, I think that's all I have for the moment.  I've been sitting here for an hour trying to fill in all the blank spaces on this page.

Peace,
L~

P.S. Please forgive all typos and grammar problems.  I've realized lately that when I am writing off-the-cuff...the words are coming out before my thoughts have even formed.  It happens.

All artwork, photos, and text © Copyright 2008-2013 Liliana Almendarez unless indicated otherwise. All Rights Reserved. Any downloading, copying or use of images on this website is strictly prohibited without express written consent by Liliana Almendarez.

Perk Me Up

The sun is out today. That’s helped perk me up. I’ve been pretty crabby most of this month so far. Yep, you read that right. The month. That’s why the posts have been fewer and far between lately. I am trying not to whinge too much up on this platform. I have moments of respite but for the most part I’ve been grumbling into my teacup pretty consistently. Today that dark cloud over my head has some sun rays breaking through.

Let’s see what have I been up to that I could share? I’ve been spending most of my downtime reading these days. Currently reading Jo Walton’s Among Others. I have to say, I don’t really understand why it has won so many awards. It’s such a simple story that I’m completely perplexed at the hype over this book. As I’ve been reading along, I’ve been expecting the story to become richer. It reads like a compendium to the Science Fiction genre. Indicating to other titles to make a point and you have to have a vast knowledge of the genre to get the connection. Hmph. I am a chapter away from finishing the book and the big confrontation is happening…but it’s all so very late in the game at this point. Ergh! As a reader, there is just no level of satisfaction. As a writer, the craft, the story arc just feels a bit incomplete, as if, there was more story to tell. This is one of those books that I’ll leave in the lobby of my building for someone else to pick up. No point in taking up bookshelf space. That’s the other reason why I’m a bit miffed at this novel, I actually bought a hardcopy. I was browsing in St. Mark’s bookstore, a small indie shop, perusing the shelves and I read the back cover copy and it promised me so much more than the book delivered. I thought it was going to be a keeper, the kind that I would read over and over again. If nothing else, I think it’s taught me to start using the library more regularly…hehehe.

I haven’t been watching much television. All the shows (even my favorites) seem so vacuous these days. So my DVR is creating quite the collection of unwatched shows.

I think it’s time to raid my shelves for something more substantial like Philip Pullman or Kathe Koja. I want to let the rest of the world fall away and become lost in someone else’s world. Perhaps it’s time to go back to my novel and start the revising process. *nervous at the prospect *

Last bit, Ben Howard is singing at Central Park Summerstage in July. I’m going to see if I can pick up a ticket for that concert. I think he’s going to be fantastic live.

I’m attaching an old Tegan & Sara song, Living Room to this entry. Next Tuesday is their make-up concert after last month’s cancellation. Yay! * Joy! Joy! *

That’s all I’ve got.

Peace out,

L~
All artwork, photos, and text © Copyright 2008-2013 Liliana Almendarez unless indicated otherwise. All Rights Reserved. Any downloading, copying or use of images on this website is strictly prohibited without express written consent by Liliana Almendarez.

Inner Critic Won This Round

Let's see, where should I start this?...oh yes, word count.  I will confess that Friday night I did not write.  * Gasp - I KNOW * I had my inner critic shaking her finger at me and ranting on and on about laziness which is never my favorite word.  I was checked out and having a pity party for myself.  Should I list all the things that got in the way...really it was just my "skewed thinking brain" that got in my way.  Here are some sound bytes (take with a grain of salt in the light of day):  I don't like the story any more, I don't think I am smart enough to write this particular story, I am convinced that my writing is crap with all my split infinitives and excessive ramblings, And then it got worse. And nothing I told myself worked, I was convinced that washing dishes and  cleaning my cat's litter box was SO MUCH more important that working on my writing.  Really?!  Really?  So ONE WHOLE DAY without writing.  Ergh.

Today I was racing through my day.  Saturday was spent in a crazy whirlwind of errands. Picking up my dad's birthday present from the post office, buying the appropriate display case for it and pretty wrapping paper, lots of time on a line that snaked for two and a half days through the store, sheesh, ...it was crazy-town in my brain today because no one was moving fast enough. Then at 3:30, I met up with my writing group and we talked about Christine's story...gosh, so very proud of her and all the work that she's done on it. All the talking about writing craft made me ready to FACE THE PAGE...* by the way, I did that with a low, booming voice * So I hopped online, went to the NaNoWriMo website to check my stats and they were dismal since I didn't put one word on the page yesterday.  Today, I managed, 1,600 words in two and a half hours.  Yay!  Okay, I'm still behind the eight ball on this one...do you see that diagonal line...that's where I should be hitting right now if I'm going to hit 50,000 words at the end of the months...eeesh!  My grand total so far is 11,101 words.  Now, according to all their stats I need to write 8,000 words on Sunday to be caught up.  Why does it feel like I'm in school all over again? My goal for tomorrow is 5,000 words.  Eight hours, two breaks to eat a small meal...I can do it right?  *gulp* And could I possibly squeeze in a walk in Central Park?

I have a dinner party to go to tomorrow night.  That's actually going to be my incentive...prize at the end of the tunnel...'cause I love Lance's cooking and his wife Patty makes the best Sangria EVER!!

My Stats on NaNoWriMo Website...Eeek!!

All artwork, photos, and text © Copyright 2008-2012 Liliana Almendarez unless indicated otherwise. All Rights Reserved. Any downloading, copying or use of images on this website is strictly prohibited without express written consent by Liliana Almendarez.

Crackling Tuesday

I am taking a break from the tedious dysfunction of my day job because my head is about to split open and a swarm of locust are going to come flying out. Argh!! I am in such a rotten mood today. And the worse my mood gets, the quicker I snap at the people around me. Perhaps I shouldn’t listen to the head-thrashing rock music right now…that seems to exacerbate this feeling of utter frustration coursing through my body. I need ice cubes to nosh on. It always helps “cool” me down.
My sister writes, “You determine how you respond to information.”
Ergh. Right now my response is anger, the cold jaw-tightening kind.

Trying to listen to some music to pull me out of my mood or at the very least change my automatic setting. Anyway, I’ve been listening to this new group, POLIÇA. The lead singer uses reverb or Auto-tunes or some crazy techie app to create this computerized sound. Usually, not a big fan of this kind of music making but for some reason I’m hooked on this song. Maybe it’s the cute lead singer with the pixie haircut. Or maybe it’s her awkward nerdy dance moves. You gotta love it.

Novel Writing Update: Last night’s word count: 1,404
Bringing my total word count up to 7,160.
That’s something, I guess.

I’m off shortly to go take a walk. Perhaps NYC’s icy air will help dispel the heat of this fury. Or maybe some retail therapy? The vendors are up in Bryant Park. Oof, need to be very careful with that tactic.

All artwork, photos, and text © Copyright 2008-2012 Liliana Almendarez unless indicated otherwise. All Rights Reserved. Any downloading, copying or use of images on this website is strictly prohibited without express written consent by Liliana Almendarez.

Word Count Update

Pandora keeping me company while I write (Nov. 2012)

Saturday total word count: 1,740

Sunday word count: 1,456

Total to date: 5,756

I know I wanted to write more but the words began to slow down. I stuck to it and stayed in place tho' just in case there was more to transcribe. Pandora kept me company.  She's been sticking close which is totally appreciated.  Managed to cook a healthy meal so I have lunch for a couple of days (steamed kale, baked tofu and sprouts). Uhm yep.  That's all she wrote.

Peace,

L~

All artwork, photos, and text © Copyright 2008-2012 Liliana Almendarez unless indicated otherwise. All Rights Reserved. Any downloading, copying or use of images on this website is strictly prohibited without express written consent by Liliana Almendarez.

Sweet Chilly Saturday

Tagged Scaffold on E. 77th.  Complete tag is "love yaya" (Nov. 2012)

I spent the day walking around Central Park.  People were out in droves.  It's chilly but walking around was exactly what I needed after I spent the morning writing.  Let's see it's day 3 of National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo, for short).  

Thursday's word count: 1,140.

Last night's word count: 1,420.

This morning's word count: 1,212.

Total word count so far: 3,772

It's amazing how a little writing every day adds up.  Hoorah. Feeling pretty proud of myself at the moment. I know it's only three days in and after I finish with this post, I'm going for a second writing jag. I'm trying to hit 3,000 words today and another 3,000 words tomorrow. Just trying to give myself a cushion in case the writing slows down during the week.  Always anticipating the worst.  Hehehe.  

Just had a bowl of chili with beans as a late lunch.  Brewing a pot of tea while I write this entry up.  And then I'm off to NYC in the year 2127.  Crazy shit is going down and my protagonist Castle has been accused of treason.  She's heading back to Alpha base to get some answers and to help clear her name but information is coming to light that makes it seem as if she might be working for the other side.   I think my role here is that of typist because this story is tumbling out onto the page faster than I can type.  Every time there is  a pause or a feeling like I'm not sure what else is coming up ahead...I just tweeze my eyebrows.  Yep, you read that right, I tweeze *giggle *  So my eyebrows are finally starting to have of a more tamed look to them finally...I've been sporting the crazy scientist version up until now.  I'm not even sure I meant to share that much information but hell, these bits are all part of the quirky eccentricities that make me, ME!   Yay!!  I feel a musical number bubbling up...hehehe.  

Anyway, one more pic uploaded below and then I'm off to try to hit my 3,000 word count.  

Sunlight on moving water in Central Park (Nov. 2012)

Voilà.

Peace,

L~ 

All artwork, photos, and text © Copyright 2008-2012 Liliana Almendarez unless indicated otherwise. All Rights Reserved. Any downloading, copying or use of images on this website is strictly prohibited without express written consent by Liliana Almendarez.

Healthy Chapter 6

I worked on editing chapter 6 for the better part of the day. It was tough. It’s so much easier to line edit someone else’s work because I can be ruthless. I don’t quite have the same teeth for my own work. However, I managed to clean it up into fairly decent shape. It’s 2,800 words long. Also managed to start on Chapter 7. Worked on the first two paragraphs and then my brain turned off. I thought that was a clear sign for me to stop for the day.

My treat for all the good work is a theater show tonight. I’m going to see Close Up Space. Yay!
All for now, I know this is a short one but I’m fried.

Peace,

L~
All artwork, photos, and text © Copyright 2008-2011 Liliana Almendarez unless indicated otherwise. All Rights Reserved. Any downloading, copying or use of images on this website is strictly prohibited without express written consent by Liliana Almendarez.

What's Up?

I am plugging along on the novel. Took me awhile to get back on track but the last two days I’ve written up 3,600 more words. It’s cool…progress…finally! I’m not sure what happened. One day I was hemming and hawing about what to do next with the story… the next thing I know…I revamped 3 whole chapters in a matter of days (Chapters 3, 4, and 5 are mostly done…5 may need more but will decide better tomorrow) with the 6th chapter (1,500 words) waiting for a serious line edit. Yes!

I had given myself a year-end deadline with this novel and now that I have the last three and a half weeks breathing down my neck…it kick started me to plow through and get this rough draft turned over into a decent manuscript.

Also, I’ve been reading Margaret Atwood’s: In Other Worlds: SF and the Human Imagination and her take on the genre. It’s providing fuel for me to finish this story. I’ve only read the first couple of chapters but I’m fascinated with the way she engages with this particular genre. Her words have motivated me to finish my own story because at the end of the day, I want to see how this book ends. It has changed so much from its initial inception that I want to see what this story will eventually become.

 

Peace,

L~

All artwork, photos, and text © Copyright 2008-2011 Liliana Almendarez unless indicated otherwise. All Rights Reserved. Any downloading, copying or use of images on this website is strictly prohibited without express written consent by Liliana Almendarez.