DaveTheAnalyzer

Near the end of the shortest month, and schoolwork kind of swelled. Instead of the usual three stories a week, last week I read and reviewed five, since the teacher suggested to just in case the author’s style caught me enough I could imitate it for a later assignment. I don’t think that’ll be the case but reading 112 pages in five days was a challenge and so was writing the reviews and composing the responses to others’ reviews. In addition, I had to write a four page paper on how to write shorty story endings and there was the usual read and review work for Writing Portfolio I had to do.

With all of that and having fallen behind a bit on my reading and watching schedule, I decided to drop my one-shot writings from “one page a weekday” to “whenever I can find time to write.” It was so challenging to squeeze my schoolwork into my usual routines this week, I decided I should make this change. This does hurt a bit, as I like having two fanfic projects to work on, but it wasn’t worth the stress. I would revert when the school semester is over and there will still be plenty of time for me to pencil it in during said semester, so it isn’t a total loss. I just hope I can get around to posting a few one-shots this year. Granted, it might help if they weren’t so long, but it might take me a few years to see what a regular posting schedule would be like.

Speaking of fanfic, I finished writing chapter 14 of We Will Hold On Forever last week and got to chapter 15 this week. There are more than a few segments I’m unsatisfied with, so much that needs to be rewritten, and two scenes I’m considering moving to the next chapter, but I needed to get it down. I did have some fun moments where I came up with scenes and moments on the spot and they seem to fit so far. From how things look, though, it would be lucky if I can post things by April like I promised. Chapter 15 might be as long as 14 and with the edits involved, going back to sync chapters 10 to 13 might take awhile. On the bright side, there will be four to chapters in a row that I will post during a month.

I am also picking up vacuuming. Near the end of January, I started vacuuming the part of the house I hang out in most often. After Dad’s grumblings several months back, I felt compelled to do it. It was a bit exhausting but I did feel like I accomplished something. He normally did it every two weeks but I initially decided to do it once a month on the last Sunday, since I was lazy. When that time came, I found a different vacuum head and asked him how to switch it up. He ended up instructing and helping me with vacuuming the rest of that house section and the adjacent rooms. There was a lot of trying to stand up straight and vacuum smaller parts of the floor without moving much. The small vacuum head was for the wall and other narrow parts, to pick up where hair somehow gathers up. It was challenging to follow those instructions but Dad seemed patient. I’m considering switching back to vacuuming every two weeks so I could build up those instincts. I’ll see within two weeks.

I have an iPhone. I stuck with an ancient Sprint cell for nearly a decade since I rarely call people and most of the Internet access now possible on a phone I have on my laptop, which I take wherever I go. But with how texting has become such an important part of communication and with Mom often fielding texts from my helper, I decided to get a new phone. I have explored it on and off for the past month, and it can have its uses. I could listen to audio programs while doing activities or read fanfics on the go. I haven’t set up my voicemail yet but I’m getting the hang of texting. There is an issue with that, though. The texts don’t always seem to get to their sender. I thought I fixed the problem but for example, Mom texted me on Sunday and I texted her back except she didn’t get the message. I had to send it two more times for her to get it once. I don’t know what the problem is but it meant my helper didn’t get the text about seeing Early Man and she got tied up in personal matters, so she wasn’t available.

That’s all for now. I’m getting up around 7 am instead of 9:30 am this week because I have classes on Saturday and I’m thinking of sticking with it. I helped Mom get grosses two times and that’s the kind of exercise I need in this cold weather. Staying up a bit late tonight typing this up might throw a wrench there, so cross my fingers. Until the end of March, see you!