short stories

by

Elizabeth: Friday Story Time and Sprints

This week has had its share of excitement but I’m not sorry to see it heading for an end nonetheless.

Last week the Warriors, our local pro-basketball team, wrapped up their season with a championship win, which meant that this Tuesday, there was a victory parade with crowds of people and periodic confetti cannons.  More importantly for me, it meant that the streets around my office building were all closed off, requiring me to work from home, since teleporting into my office was not an option.

I was not too disappointed.

It was a beautiful day and I got to see the parade from the comfort of my own living room, while taking conference calls in my pajamas and avoiding a few hours of commuting.   Really, I should do that more often.

Now that the confetti has been swept up, the streets reopened, and the portable bathrooms taken back to wherever they roost, it’s time to get back to our regularly scheduled programming.  For me that means a trip to the dentist for a check-up, but then it’s off for something a little more enjoyable like lunch at my favorite outdoor café.  I’ll be taking my smoothest pen and my new writing journal and giving today’s story prompt the old college try.

Care to join me? Continue reading →

by

Elizabeth: Friday Story Time and Sprints

Friday again – how did that happen?

This has been a busy week at Ye Olde Day job, with the arrival of this year’s batch of summer interns.  That, coupled with my meeting with a group of GenX staff members, has left me feeling positively archaic.  And tired.  They’re all so bright and eager and energetic.

My Friday looks to be filled with meetings (oh, what fun!).  When I get home there is a slow leak in the outdoor sprinkler system that needs to be located, which means digging up a bit of the front lawn, and a rapidly disintegrating back fence that needs propping up.

Before I get started on my delightful home-repair projects, I’m going to open up my writing journal, take the story prompt below, and get some words on the page, since I’ve been doing far more reading than writing this week.

Care to join me? Continue reading →

by

Elizabeth: Friday Story Time and Sprints

Basketball playoffs are in full swing (go home team!), the hockey playoffs are nearing and end (sadly, no home team there), and baseball season, which seems to last forever, is well underway.  I, of course, have been ignoring all of these and have been reading books like it’s some kind of Olympic event.

Some of my reading has been for research purposes, a handful were contest entries, and one was an advanced copy of a (now) newly released novel.  I managed to read a few items from my TBR pile, but mostly I worked my way through some favorite, comfortable, familiar re-reads.  I started with a few Georgette Heyer Georgian/Regency re-reads, then off for a couple of Amanda Quick Regency suspense, and then on to Loretta Chase’s Carrington brothers series.

Needless to say, with all of that reading, there wasn’t a lot of time left for writing.  Okay, no actual time went to writing, but I’m okay with that.  Sometimes the best thing I can do for the writing part of my brain is to indulge the reading side.   Enjoyable as my reading interlude has been however, it’s time to pick up the pen and put a few of my own words on the page.

Care to join me? Continue reading →

by

Elizabeth: Friday Story Time and Sprints

It’s starting to look a little like summer.  Well, not the weather – that is currently cloudy and cool where I’m sitting – but the local stores have rolled out their inventory of beach chairs, swimsuits, pool toys, and sunscreen and the local swimming pool has been open for business for a few weeks now, so summer can’t be too far away.

Folks here in the U.S. will be celebrating Memorial Day on Monday.   Although it’s supposed to be a time to remember the people who died while serving in the country’s armed forces, some think of it as the unofficial kick-off of summer, while others are just glad for a three-day weekend.

I’ve done a lot of traveling (for work, not fun) this month, and attended a lot of meetings, so I’m certainly looking forward to the three-day weekend aspect.  I have several things on my to-do list, though it’s quite possible that I won’t do any of them and will curl up with a good book instead.  One thing that I definitely will be doing is setting aside some time to get some words on the page.

Care to join me? Continue reading →

by

Elizabeth: Friday Story Time and Sprints

After 5 flights, 3 days of meetings, and more “talking to strangers” than I care to think about, this week is finally coming to a close.  Only one more black-tie event remaining and then I can call the weekend officially started.  It can’t be too soon for me; I have lots of “nothing” planned for the coming days.

This week’s travel did have its positive side.  I was in Minnesota, where I have some distant family members who I haven’t seen for years or rather decades, so it was nice to get a chance to visit.  The weather was beautiful and lilacs were blooming all over.  Their fragrance, like the accents of many I spoke with, brought happy memories of time spent in the area when I was a child to mind.  It was an unexpected bright spot for a trip that I hadn’t been looking forward to in the least.

Now that I’m back home, where overcast skies have replaced the clear blue ones that I left behind, it’s time for me to catch up on all the things that were put on hold while I was jet-setting around and talking to strangers.  First up on the list will be getting some words on the page.

Care to join me? Continue reading →

by

Elizabeth: Friday Story Time and Sprints

The cat is curled up next to me, I’ve got a tasty espresso beverage nearby, and a Georgette Heyer book just waiting for me as soon as I finish this post.

Life is good.

Unfortunately, my Friday will bring a longer than normal commute and a very long all-day meeting.  Not so good.  No doubt I’ll be itching for a nice workout at the gym or maybe a nice long walk when it is all done.

One thing that will definitely be on the agenda, assuming I have some functioning brain-cells left by the end of the day, will be getting some words on the page.

Care to join me? Continue reading →

by

Elizabeth: Friday Story Time and Sprints

May is shaping up to be a hectic month at the Day Job with lots of deadlines, deliverables, and things to do.  This week I got to interview candidates for a summer intern position on my team.  It was amazing the resumes the group of recent college graduates had.  Almost made me feel like a bit of a slacker.

With the interviews done and the candidate ranking completed, I can at least cross one item off my to-do list as I prepare to enjoy my Friday day off.

On the schedule is running some errands, including a trip to the lumber yard and the fabric store (not both for the same project).  Before I get started with my errands though, my pen, paper, story-in-progress, and I will be getting together for a little focused writing time.   I’m determined to check “get some new words on the page” off my to-do list.

Care to join me? Continue reading →