I forgot to title this first time because I'm a complete amature · 9:21pm Nov 11th, 2013
So, 26 days since I've written anything at all. Beyond just not having the ability to seek out the words I need to put together this second novel, I've not written a blog post, a short one-shot, a caption for a picture/photo I've seen... I don't even know if I've even written an email.
Part of it has been that I've been busy. Perhaps I'm just doubting what I've put to paper so far and am fighting the constant urge to scrap what I have so far and start the second novel again. Could even be the roughly one grand worth of sound equipment on my desk that I've been trying to learn the ins-and-outs of. No matter what it is though, figured that I could start getting myself back in with the easiest thing I could think to do: Just describe the past month for a bit.
Happens that my editor has another calling in her life, and a good portion of October was spent with her in the midst of doing her best to make a wedding happen for a couple that had previously convinced themselves that simply signing paperwork for a marriage license would suffice. Through the entire ordeal, while I was left out of planning purposes for good reasons, I was asked to assist with the wedding itself in terms of setup and take down. Their wedding was held on the Sunday following my last day of work. I had to quit my job as my sister had received new employment elsewhere, and I was going to go with her to help her get situated (not to mention, I should be there anyways. As much as I want to, I can't trust the world to keep a 5'3", 90 pound woman safe; so I should be there until someone else may one day pick up the torch to do it). The combination of preparing for keeping my mouth shut tightly during a wedding of many people I didn't know and becoming unemployed is what strangled most of my ability to focus during October.
Oh, also, I had all four of my wisdom teeth removed, 8 fillings done, my foot developing a condition that we considered steroid shots to remedy, and an ear infection, I was not very comfortable physically during that month.
Wedding came and went, but not before I got the chance to learn what an absolute bitch chocolate fountains can be. I was tasked with setup, operation, and cleanup of the chocolate fountain that was rented for the event. It was a beautiful device (even if I did have to get crafty and arrange it in a way not quite suggested by the manual so that it would create a full cascade of chocolate instead of sporadic drippings), but believe me when I say that I wish to never be responsible for one of them ever again. And that's because of what was required for cleanup.
For those who are not very familiar with certain aspects of chocolate, most specifically chocolate commonly used for dipping (Such as in fondue pots or chocolate fountains), it has a very problematic little addition made to it to help it retain its consistency at warm temperatures instead of turning into a bubbling soup, keep its hardness at room temperature, and give it that glossy beauty rather than looking like Louisiana river water:
Paraffin Wax.
So after many hours spent babying this machine for a wedding, and having to inform every patron that would inevitably ask me about the vittles laid out that I had absolutely no idea what they were just about to put in their mouth, it came time to pack up before the owner of the facility being rented came to investigate for final walk-through and sign off. It left me with a 4 foot tall metal monstrosity coated in brown sludge, and no hot water.
I spent at least a couple hours that night sitting in my bathtub at home with a bottle of Dawn on the floor next to me and a sponge as I had to meticulously scrub down every single inch of that machine (lest the bride be charged several hundred dollars to replace the machine that was caked in chocolate made harder than diamonds by cooled paraffin wax.
Funny thing about Paraffin Wax is that it is actually clear and glossy. After spending all evening in a bathtub with it, I was completely shiny. I looked like I had been turtle waxed, and even now I can hear a little squeaking sound when I rub my fingers on my stomach.
So standing on unforgiving cement for so many hours with my messed up foot would not have been too much a problem if I did not have to move every single thing myself and my sister owned into a U-Haul truck only days later. That Thursday, actually. In pouring rain.
Also had a fight with the U-Haul place because they had the audacity to try to make me take a broken vehicle trailer with me. We were planning to put our old Ford Escort XL (1995) on a trailer to save it from the strain of a 10 hour drive to Austin, Texas. Ends up that when we tried to get the trailer hooked up at the rental store, they could not get the signal lights to work on it. Instead of offering us another trailer (since they did not have one at the time), they told me that I would have to drive it to a local repair store they used and have them fix it up. On my time. When I was 6 hours away from getting on an all-nighter road trip to a new town, and still had half an apartment to clear out and have cleaned up before the landlord would came through for his final walk through.
Goes without saying, but I told her where she could shove her trailer and refused to pay a cancellation fee since it was their fault the equipment was not in proper working order. So we drove the Escort too.
At least it all made it. 36 hours without sleep, having packed up an entire U-haul in the rain, drove, and then unpacked it again; I finally made it to Austin. So that's where I am now. I've been here a week, and have just now found the presence to write... anything, even something as simple as just bitching about the last month or so.
I can't make any promises as to when I'll have another chapter done. I'm staring this chapter I'm working on, 15-2, in the face right now. I'll be open about it's subject: It's Ben and Rainbow Dash having a sit down with an elderly mare in her estate of Stalliongrad, being asked uncomfortable questions about why he was called upon by Hyacinth. I've not found a good disposition for this character yet; So I've happened to throw away at least 10,000 words so far as this has been rewritten many times. I'll get there though.
Thanks for hearing me out. Until next time.
Well, I hope everything works out well for you and you don't give up. Transient's Detail is my favorite story on this website and I think I'd murder you if you stopped. Don't think I won't take the trip down to Austin! I live in Oklahoma, so it's not too far out of my way!
Actually, wait...
10 hour drive? You didn't live in Oklahoma, did you?
We could have been neighbors!
1500735 Afraid not. I was in Louisiana. So glad to be away from that place, at the very least.
Since you're not too far away, let me know if you ever drop in Austin. I'll buy you lunch. You know, that is if you end up in town for any reason other than having to kill me for my lack of progress.
1501531
I'll take you up on that. On occasion I take a trip down there to visit family.
I realize this is long past the relevent by date, but I was in a similar position with a chocolate fountain rented for my cousin's wedding. We solved the problem by using the hot, high-pressure spray hose at a local coin car wash.