Gone

Back in the "good old days? people sometimes stayed glued to their house for hours at a time if they were expecting a phone call they could not miss.

The ease of virtual communication has erased that. Now we panic if you lose our phones. 

This is not a rant against social media, etc. I love smartphones, and I love social media. I love the ease of convenient communication. 

This morning, I've already answered emails, confident of return replies when the other people are available.

"When they are available." That's the key.

Ease of communication should never translate into 24/7 availability. We should always have off-radar time, the degree of which depends on our nature and how much we need.

Despite negative reports, social media is a tool that can foster connection. But as the ease of communication increases, we should become fierce in protecting the times we don't wish to be "on."

For me, micro bursts of it during the day keep me focused and productive. Larger bursts during the weekend and "days off" rests and rejuvenates me.

Unconvinced? Here's someone else who tried it - and liked it.

https://getpocket.com/explore/item/why-you-need-an-untouchable-day-every-week

Four Days Off

In a family that's had as many weird drug reactions as mine, the starting of a new medication, however temporary it may be, is enough to provoke sky rocketing anxiety.

When the medicine is necessary, but not an emergency, I try to start it on my own time. This way, if I have to address side effects, I'm not ruining someone's day or screwing up deadlines.

So I took a vacation day on July 5th and gave myself four days to swim or die.

I swam (so far) and wound up with FOUR DAYS OFF!

It was exhilarating. Here's how I spent it.

I saw two sets of fireworks (from a drawbridge on July 3 and a parking lot on July 4).

I edited and formatted the 2019 WriteOn Joliet anthology.

I made significant progress on Phyllis memoir, to the extent the first draft is about 85 percent done.

I'm almost through chapter six of Cornell Dyer and the Never Robbers (as I was basking in that, Timothy came up to me and said we should get the next book done before September; when did I have time to meet???).

I took two naps.

I ate too much ice cream (for someone who is prediabetic).

I spent some time with a friend who has cancer, who looked fantastic! (she's had a bit of a reduction in her cancer markers. No remission yet, but she's in there fighting).

I cleaned the house.

I hung out with three of my grandchildren (a bonus, because one had a medical emergency, and they stopped at the house after seeing a specialist).

I walked (but only at night. Because this new medication comes with a warning to stay out of the sun).

I met with a fellow WriteOn Joliet member to discuss one of his latest stories.

I did some work (because four entire days off is impossible, really).

I spent minimal time on social media.

Today it's back to work. I have my rides lined up (because, well, it's July and walking to work is a huge no-no on this medicine, and I do not own a car), and I am ready to switch back into other gears. Last night I closed out of all fiction (and side project) tabs, not to be opened again until this weekend.

Mostly, I'm thankful for freedom, and the courageous men and women who made it happen. The only thing I've fought, really, is my own fears.

But I did try to use some of that resulting freedom these last four days in the service of others...and to renew myself to try again to chip away at selfishness in order to be a better servant.

Instead...

...of the usual routine, I let some habits go this weekend to get whittle down a to-do list that was overtaking my time faster than Bryony grew on the Simons estate.

And while I do have some catching up to do on social media, I feel I made good of this past long weekend.

Some of it was work, but I feel, if not ahead, then at least not too far behind this morning.

Friday night I moderated a monthly fiction workshop a week early to help out the coordinator, who could not make next week.

I met with Colleen Robbins, my editor for the BryonySeries prequel Before the Blood for a couple of hours on Saturday morning and reviewed her notes and edits for the third installment.

Later that day, I incorporated many of her suggestions and did some rewriting to eliminate an overabundance (on some pages) of "was," were" and "had." This was not as easy as it sounded. The wording had to remain young and childish, as well as not change the meaning of the sentences (there is a grammatical reason for past participle as opposed to past tense).

I also began some of the formatting. This will take at least another weekend to finish since this book, and the two that will follow it, are significantly longer then the first two.

I also met with another member of WriteOn Joliet for my first calligraphy lesson.

I did some housework.

I caught up on personal phone calls.

I did some filing.

I did a little marketing.

I whittled down my AOL account "new mail" by nearly half. Three hundred more to go!

I saw a movie (Brave) that a friend had wanted me to watch with her for about six months.

The trade-off is I let some social media (limerick slam recap has been moved to this Saturday) and about half of my workout routine slide. 

But I'm resuming all of that today with a renewed sense of accomplishment.

Here's to a successful week - for you and for me! (raising coffee mug).

Illustration by Kathleen Rose Van Pelt for "Bryony."

Social Media Break: Three Things I Learned Upon Returning

It's been about two weeks since my last post, having been out of state for eight days and then returning to a working weekend.

This is about the only time each year I break from daily posting. In the past, views understandably decline. This time, they did not (and in some cases increased), leading me to realize three things.

1) I have some loyal readers.

I'm assuming these are people who check to see if I've FINALLY posted and then consoling themselves with old posts.


2) Tagging posts really works.

Because the posts that DID get the most views were really old, say from 2011 to 2013. I'm assuming readers found them through internet searches or the list of tags on the blog's landing page. Which leads me to...


3) The compounding nature of existing Twitter posts.

I use Google shortener and check the number of clicks the day's posts received while scheduling the next round. What I didn't know is that followers still clock on old posts. I scrolled waaaaay back into my list of shortened links and saw how the views had gone up.


The moral of the story?

Social media is not the entire marketing answer and for most of us, it won't build an immediate audience. But slow and steady might not only win the race, it makes for a pleasant journey.

Not a bad reflection for Labor Day. And a nice "welcome home." :)

Postings Will Be Sparse While I'm Gone (and I Talked to Ed Calkins)

Flying out tomorrow to Raleigh (by plane, not vampire bat) to spend time with my family, in whatever adventures they choose.

Although I may throw something up from time to time on social media, I won't be posting regularly until my return (but I may check in) and may not blog at all.

Where to find me?

On Twitter at @BryonySeries. On Facebook at www.facebook.com/BryonySeries or Joliet Connect at https://www.facebook.com/groups/1521908851451776/.

And of course, please follow the adventures of Bertrand the Mouse on Instagram at bertrand_bryonyseries. Because he'll more than likely be posting daily.

i also did speak to Ed Calkins. He was surprised and happy to hear from me and promised to send a fresh blog post by next Saturday. But the reasons he's taking a back seat from stuff are still there. He's a great guy, so please remember him in your thoughts/prayers.

See ya in September (or thereabouts!)

Sick: Taking a Social Media Break Today

Daniel, who's been sick most of the week, is still running a temperature, although it's now low-grade.

Faith, one of our cats who is also sick, is improving.

After I write a story for Monday's Herald-News that was due yesterday, I'm taking the rest of the day off.

I debated still working the spaghetti dinner, but I can't be around food, have no voice to run raffle, and don't want to get the customers sick, as most of them are elderly. It's very disappointing because it's the only event our church, which is made up of a handful of seniors, hosts, and we don't have enough people to work it.

Plus, Rebekah made one hundred long loaves of bread for the garlic bread and baked six large desserts. She, along with Timothy and Daniel, are key players this year. As a mom who's watched them grow up in this church, I really wanted to see them in action.

Well, Daniel is now staying home, too.

Hopefully, I'll be good to go tomorrow, as I have an event to cover in the afternoon.

It's a beautiful Saturday, writers, vampire fans, and everyone else. Enjoy!