Finally!
We’re getting new (ha! It’s been so hot for so long that I started to call decent, cooler weather “new!”) Okay, let’s try this again. We’re getting…ahem… decent, cooler weather around here. And by “decent,” what I mean is that as I write this at 4:13 PM on Sunday, it’s only 92 degrees.
IT’S ALL TERRIBLY EXCITING, Y’ALL! FALL IS ON ITS WAY!
It’s a good news/bad news situation, though. First of all, I’m glad it’s cooler outside (not cold!) The difference it’s made in our household is huge. For once, we’re all happy here. (I hope I didn’t just jinx us.) Not over-the-top happy, btw, but no one’s upset about anything at the moment, either. That is SO NICE. The only thing that’s changed? The weather. I believe the heat was truly starting to psychologically get on our nerves! They’ve done psych studies on this phenomenon, btw. Not on the people in our house (just to clarify), but on how the heat affects people generally as a whole. Findings suggest that as the temperature rises outside, so apparently, do people’s tempers.
The bad news is that, unfortunately, I really haven’t been able to take advantage of how gorgeous this weather is outside because I’ve been inside slogging away, typing up the changes I’ve read through and made aka Draft #2. You’d think this would be fairly straightforward. Not so much. My revisions are getting spur-of-the-moment re-writes as well. Because as I’m editing on my keyboard, I’ll remember something else that all of the sudden absolutely has to be in my book — OR THE WORLD WILL COME TO AN END — and, well — y’all know how my brain works. One thing leads to another.
I am so ready to be done with this book.
Also, I’m beginning to doubt some of what I’ve written. Like a huge chunk of my story. About a hundred pages. I haven’t a clue how many words that is, but I’m going to assume that’s a lot. So, there’s that. Can I salvage what I’m doubting? God, I hope so! But if not, then it just wasn’t meant to be and — it is what it is.
Speaking of which, I wanted to ask y’all a question about something that I caught a quick glimpse of the other day when I was scrolling through my phone. It requires a little back story for it to make any sense.
BACK STORY
Don’t you hate it when you come across an interesting article when you’re scrolling through your feed, and then when you click on it, you get this stupid pop-up screen that covers the entire article?! At that point, you find out that in order to read the damned thing, you have to pay money and subscribe to that site! It’s as if the site is holding it’s own article hostage until you pay up.
What is this, y’all?! No one likes that. And I’m just pissy enough that if a site does that to me, then I’m never going to subscribe to it. EVER. Even if all of a sudden I had all of the money in the world to spend on whatever I wanted (it could happen), I’m still not going to spend it there.
Does that make me spiteful and bitter?
If so, oh effin’ well.
Of course, an AI Algorithm started this! (I’m assuming here. Otherwise, I’m just blaming AI for something that it doesn’t really deserve.)
Hey, AI Algorithm, I wasn’t even looking for the stupid article. You brought this to me!
Also, don’t tell me my phone and its algorithm/s don’t know when I’m not subscribed to something. And if it knows that (it does!), then it should also be smart enough to realize that money’s tight right now. Just stop sending me stuff you know I want to read but can’t! What do you think I’m going to do? Give up food or utilities or steal money just so I can subscribe to your punk ass site?
The answer is — No. No. A hundred times NO! (I have no idea where I stole this line from, y’all, but it fits, so, thanks, whoever I’m plagiarizing. Okay. Apparently, that comes from a Betty Boop cartoon. Also, I misquoted it. Just thought you’d want to know.)
So, yeah, that’s the back story.
Anyway, that’s what happened to me the other day — and not for the first time. The article I was interested in reading had to do with the fact that, apparently, someone’s taking issue with using the phrase “It is what it is.” Not sure why there’s a problem with this since I didn’t get a chance to read the article before I got that nasty pop-up screen holding it hostage. Eh. What the heck. It can do with the article whatever it wants cuz I’m not paying.
It is what it effing is.
Anyway, if anyone knows why this saying is now considered controversial, I’d love to hear the answer if you don’t mind. You can speculate or maybe you’ve read this article or have heard about this elsewhere and know what’s up. All I know is — if something is what it is, then it can’t be anything else. Can it? I mean I guess it could be what it is plus something else. Maybe. Otherwise, it would be something different and not what it is. Right? And how can you argue with logic like that? I guess someone’s found the way.
So, blogger friends, Roger and Chris, were able to leave a comment on Wayward Sparkles, presumably, via WordPress Reader on last week’s post. Thanks, guys!
Unfortunately, that doesn’t help those who use some other platform like Blogger or you don’t subscribe to a platform at all. If y’all are so inclined and you can’t get through on WP Reader, you can always email me at waywardsparkles@yahoo.com. I’m still waiting for Richard to fix this and hoping I’ll hear from him this week. Until that happens, though…
Well…y’all know.
Also, I’m ready for some football. The Cowboys are facing the Giants this evening. Woo Hoo! Go Cowboys!
Also, tomorrow is the anniversary of 9/11. Can y’all believe it’s been 22 years?! I wrote about my remembrances of this day years ago. If you’re interested, you can find that post by clicking here. I usually spend the day re-watching what happened that day in 2001 on The History Channel and not forgetting.
Lastly, this past week we lost Gary Wright of “Dream Weaver” fame as well as Steve Harwell, who fronted Smash Mouth. May they both rest in peace!
Hope y’all have a great week ahead!
Back to the grind.
But first, music —
and
and
TTFN,
Mona
AI algorithms are so annoying. I click ONCE on a stupid ASMR video and now my YouTube feed is full of this shit. Like why do people find soap cutting stimulating?! I’m at a loss as to why this is a thing and now I have these suggested videos all the damned time!! Anyway, congrats on getting to the tail end of your book! That’s a huge accomplishment, and I also get those rewrites because after your done you remember a lot more things that you left out. Dream Weaver is a poignant song from my point of view, RIP Gary Wright. I remember this sing from Wayne’s World, lol.
Huntress,
Right? By the way I must have been under a boulder for a couple of years because I had no idea what ASMR was. Now that I’ve looked it up, though, I’ll probably start getting a bunch of these AI generated suggestions. Ugh. I agree. Who does find cutting soap stimulating or soothing or whatever reaction it’s supposed to generate? Holy cow! But hey, I learned something new today. Thanks for teaching me that! It sounds like it’s supposed to be a good grounding technique or maybe a relaxing technique. Very interesting. 🙂 Mona
Hey Mona, here is the link to my latest post!
https://wordpress.com/read/blogs/147740617/posts/4252
I tried to go back and get your email address from your previous reply and I can’t remember which post it was :/
So go find my post from a few days ago then revise your idea of me actually living in the frozen tundra of Wisconsin….
Hey Boo,
Done and done! Brrr… 🙂
Mona – Best of luck with your revision work – in relatively cooler weather. I totally understand about “paywalls.” Sometimes the pieces I write for the local paper are paywalled. But some folks can access them. It”s a strange state of affairs, at least for newspapers. There has to be a better way. Have a good week.
Roger,
Paywalls! So that’s what they’re called. Okay, I learned something new there, too! I agree. There should be a better way. M
So you might have read that I had an issue in the library where I work with someone outside the library who wanted to read something that’s restricted to library users. And I still feel conflicted about it. Sure it’s something the library paid thousands of dollars for and it wouldn’t be fair to the students who paid tuition, but is it fair to lock information in an ivory tower? Either way, though, the person who contacted me at least knew what the situation was. It’s not as though I tempted them with a description without telling them there were restrictions. Companies that do that will never get my money.
And writing really is a tough job, especially since it’s a labor of love, but I know you’ll get through it somehow. You remind us here regularly what a good writer you are, after all.
I know, right? I once asked a professor at the school I was graduating from (he was one of the administrators) if we could pay a fee as alumni of this school so we could continue to have access to the library and stay up-to-date on new research from online data bases. Since I was going into the world of counseling, I felt it would be important to stay current on new psych studies and findings. Plus, it would have generated extra money for the university. He thought it was a really good idea. Don’t think it ever went anywhere, though. I never heard anything from him or anyone else after I graduated. And I didn’t become a counselor. So, there’s that.
I’m going to be a successful author, instead! (Fingers crossed and all the good things required falling into line as I need them to! Good luck and prayers certainly wouldn’t hurt either!)
I agree with you, though, Chris. Is it fair to lock information away from those who seek it but don’t always have the wherewithal to purchase it? Even so, I have no qualms with people making money. If you’re going to charge for whatever service or product you’re providing, that’s great, just be upfront about it!
But, at least in the situation I detailed in my post, make that clear before I click on it that this article is for paid subscribers only. Then we don’t have a problem. I have to wonder if in the near future, everything on the internet will require a paid subscription to read it? Because, subscribing to whoever provides your internet service, not to mention the cost of keeping your phone updated, is not enough. So if it comes to that, then I’m giving up the smart phone and going back to a land line.
I wonder if I can run Wayward Sparkles that way?!
Hi Mona! Looks like I can now get here and leave a comment. But. Where’s the ‘like’ button?
Sorry took me so long!! Still having trouble with your posts!!
LA,
You’re not the only one and it’s not on your end. It’s Wayward Sparkles acting up again. I’m glad you were able to get through today, though. Thanks for letting me know. Also, that’s progress. We are still tweaking my site. And by “we” I mean my tech guy. Hopefully, it will be working better soon. It already is. Mailchimp is still up in the air at this point, but we’ll see. Mona
I’m kinda torn when it comes to the phrase “it is what it is”. I use it at times, but I’m also not a big fan of it. I think it sounds negative. Like, there’s no hope. We have to accept whatever the “reality” is and there’s no chance of turning it around. Just my two cents. Glad things are cooling down and things are well with the fam! And RIP Jimmy B.
Rhonda,
I hadn’t thought of it that way before. Negative, huh? I’ll cogitate over that. I suppose that could be true, but what if you’re talking about something fun or exciting or tasty. Can you still use that phrase?(I love ice cream because it’s delicious. It is what it is!) 🤷 Thanks for your two cents, my friend! I always appreciate your thoughts! M