#Update

#WooHoo! – Shrinking #CompterWoes – #Update

/ Marcia Meara / 24 Comments

Just a quick update on a more positive note than some I’ve had lately … today marked a MILESTONE in the Saga of the New Computer: I finally got my printer hooked up and working. There were several things impeding that process, not the least of which was that it wouldn’t accept the Wi-Fi password, but a call to a VERY nice young lady at Spectrum helped me figure that one out. And I have actually printed out THREE documents this afternoon, hence the happy dance above.

I’m still not out of the woods yet, as I try to find a graphics program that does more than the pathetic Paint that comes with Microsoft Office, yet doesn’t cost as much as many. I won’t be using it professionally any more, so I don’t want to lay out another huge chunk of change, but I DO need something whereby I can make headers and do some photo retouching. If any of you has a good suggestion, I’d be love to know. I’ve got a list I’m planning to check out tomorrow, but would be interested in hearing any success stories you might have. (I’d prefer something that resides on my own computer, rather than an online site.)

Thanks so much for all the kind and supportive comments on my previous posts. Haven’t been able to respond to all of them, but I read each and every one, and they ALL helped me keep my sanity! With any luck, a few more days will at least get me out of Crisis Mode here, and I can take my time with other apps and programs I might want.

Thanks again for being part of our wonderfully supportive writing and blogging community, and always being willing to offer a friendly word of understanding.

LOVE YOU GUYS!

 

 

#TearingOfHair and #GnashingOfTeeth – #ComputerWoes – #Update

/ Marcia Meara / 17 Comments

Just a quick update on my progress–or lack thereof–with setting up my new computer. Yeah, it’s plenty fast, but heck if I can find everything I need, even when it’s actually ON the thing. Plus, many (probably most) of my programs are gone, due to being incompatible with Windows 11, so I’m trying to find possible substitutes for them. Every file I ever had is still here, but the list is astonishingly long, and finding things is tough. And worst of all (so far), my printer doesn’t seem to work on this computer, even though the pc says it’s the default printer. If I can’t figure that out, I’ll have to buy another. *sigh* (Not like I haven’t already spent a lot of money on this.)

But never fear! I WILL get things sorted out one way or the other. It’s just going to take some time, and that means less time I have for blog stuff. I am scheduling all guest posts, etc, first and foremost, so that those run for you guys, no matter where I am in this process. But what I may not be able to do is spend very much time responding to comments and/or checking out my favorite blogs. I’ll do my best, I promise, but getting my pc in order is critically important, so I have to keep working on that every chance I get. 

I know you guys will bear with me as I work through this process, and sooner or later, in the famous words of a certain Terminator, “Ah’ll be baahck!” In the meantime, thanks for your patience!

NOTE: Sorry I should have mentioned that my wonderful SON (in his early 50’s now) has helped me hugely, but he doesn’t live here. He did give me some great pointers over the phone, and is hoping to visit us before too long. I also know I can call Best Buy, but I wanted to be sure I’d done everything I could before doing so. (It’s a good way to learn as I go.) I considered myself fairly savvy about my OLD computer, and earned a living with digital art for some time, etc. But I skipped about five generations of pc’s between it and the one I have now, so everything on this one is quite different. I’ll get there, though. THANKS!

 

#This&That&TheOtherThing – #BlogBreaks – #UpcomingPosts – #DarkPlaceMinions

/ Marcia Meara / 52 Comments

Happy Tewe’s Day, everybody. Hope all is going well in your corner of the world. Just wanted to give you a quick update this afternoon, so here goes:

THIS

Had a lot of fun Saturday at the Meet the Author tea, met some brand new readers, and enjoyed seeing some old friends again. If you’ve never done something like this, I can tell you it’s well worth a go. It’s fun. You make new readers. And you have a chance to sell a few books, too. (Plus the food is usually wonderful!) I think you’d enjoy it!

THAT

My special guest for tomorrow’s #TenThingsYouMayNotKnowAboutMe post will be Teri Polen. Teri’s a great friend and a supporter of her fellow writers and bloggers, and I’m delighted to have her visit us. You won’t want to miss her post, I guarantee, so hope to see you tomorrow!

THE OTHER THING

For those of you who might be wondering, the effects of my run-in with those Minions of the Dark Place (fire ants) are gradually improving day by day. Today marks Day #10 since the little bastages hurled themselves at my feet and ankles, and left me with a total of 48 nasty bites. (I’ll spare you the foot photos today! 😁) They should be mostly gone in another week to ten days, and I will have lived to tell the tale. Again. In fact, I’m thinking fire ants will likely make a brief appearance if and when I return to my 4th Riverbend tale. Haven’t decided whether to finish that one or not, but if I do … expect  Minions. 

And that’s it for now! As you were, folks, and I hope to see you here tomorrow
and Friday. (Taking my Blog Break on Thursday this week.)
Until then, have a great rest of your day!

Quick #Update and a Smile – #TenThingsYouMayNotKnow – #Humor

/ Marcia Meara / 23 Comments

 #TenThingsYouMayNotKnowAboutMe: For those of you who haven’t yet chosen a date for your #TenThings post, here’s a list of the remaining open Wednesdays. (You’ll notice they run clear to the end of the year, so you can grab one far enough out that you’ll have plenty of time to put your post together.)

OPEN DATES:
July 6
August 3, 17, & 31
September 14
October 12 & 26
November 29 & 23
December 7 & 21

And for those of you who enjoy my  bi-weekly #MondayMeme posts, I’m sorry I didn’t get one put together for today,  but here’s something to help make up for it a bit, I hope. It sure made me laugh, anyway! 

Have a great week, everyone!

 

#Poetry – #Events – #Updates

/ Marcia Meara / 34 Comments

I’m pretty sure it’s not feeling like spring yet in much of the country, but down here in Florida, the weather is blissfully cool, without being cold, and perfect for gardening or relaxing outside. For the next few weeks, we can enjoy cool nights in the mid-40s and pleasant days in the 70 to 82 degree range. That’s cause for celebration as far as I’m concerned, so I decided to share a poem with you. This one has never made an appearance before, but I’m thinking of including it in a new poetry collection at some point. Hope you enjoy it.

POETRY

Outside or In

I may go out to the garden today,
Where the sun is bright in the watered silk sky,
And a ruby gem flits from tree to tree,
While a cardinal woos his love with burbling songs,
And goes about the business of building a nest,
Promising new life in the weeks ahead.

I may go out to the garden today.
The dog days of summer are drawing near,
Threatening to bake the roses,
Scorch the herbs, and wither the grass,
In a sweltering, impossible heat,
Which will trap me inside by the end of June.

I may go out to the garden today,
To sip icy tea from a sweating glass,
Catching my breath between the chores,
Pruning and weeding, and raking the paths,
Racing the pages of the calendar,
As they flip through the last days of spring.

I may go out to the garden today.
Or maybe I’ll laze indoors, instead,
Beside the window, in a comfy chair,
The stack of books nearby a siren call,
Luring me to open their covers,
And visit those gardens blooming inside.
                                                    ~ Marcia Meara ~

EVENTS

Also wanted to share some upcoming events with you. Just as a heads up for anyone in the Central Florida area, I’m going to be getting back to my wildlife talks at both of my venues next month. If you’re in the area, would love to see you join us. All talks are free and run from 1:00pm to 3:00pm,(tea luncheons excluded).  March schedule as follows:

March 5 from 1:00-3:00 at Enterprise Museum for a talk on the River of Lakes Heritage Corridor, and taking a look at wildlife habitats along this new Scenic Byway.

March 26 from 11:00 – 1:00 Meet the Author Spring Tea at DeBary Hall , $15 per person, reservations required by 3/18. I’ll be doing a Reading and a Question and Answer Session, and then we sip tea and dine on delicious sandwiches and desserts! Always a lovely time!

For more info on locations, etc, feel free to email me: mmeara@cfl.rr.com

UPDATES

And last, a quick update on what’s happening around here. I’m continuing to feel a bit better each day, with my energy level gradually getting closer and closer to normal. Though I’m still not ready to take another look at my Riverbend 4 novel, I have started work on my WRR spinoff novella, Cole, Cole, and Dupree. I’ve actually written real words on a Word document, and shared them on my beta blog!  (And I’m happy to report, my readers seem to have liked them, so far.) Therefore, I’m encouraged to think I might actually get this story finished and published in the not-too-distant future. (Fingers crossed!)

I am also ready to start scheduling regular guests again here on The Write Stuff, for #GuestDayTuesdays, and #TenThingsLists. If you’d like to take part in either of these,  email me to see what dates are available. (You can find more info on the header bar at the top of the page, under General Blog Rules and Various Feature Instructions.) I look forward to having some of you visit in the weeks ahead.

And there you have it, folks: Poetry, Events, and Updates! Thanks for reading and have a wonderful Tewe’s Day!

#ThankYou and #Update Redux

/ Marcia Meara / 43 Comments

I just want to thank everyone who responded to my Tuesday “Checking In” post. Your support and encouragement have done wonders for my mood, and my mood improvement has done wonders for my health. As we all know, attitude is everything, even when dealing with physical issues. And the good news is, yesterday, I felt like I finally turned a corner with this cold I’ve been coping with for almost three weeks now.

Notice I called it a “cold?” I refuse to even entertain the possibility it’s been another case of that other word that starts with “C!” I am not going there, regardless of the extreme fatigue that accompanied my sneezing, coughing, and general discomfort. Nope. Been there, done that, and refuse to ever acknowledge it again, though I will always be cautious about being around others when I’m under the weather with anything that might be contagious.

And all that being said, the important take-away is the phrase “turned the corner.” I actually had a lot of energy yesterday, and an unexpected decrease in other symptoms, too. Got stuff done, and felt good about the day. But not to worry. I’m easing back into things carefully, and it will take some time for me to get back to my writing and my normal blog visits and comments. I am trying to read posts I’ve fallen behind on, though for now, will probably be limiting myself to a Like and a Tweet here and there. I know you’ll all understand, and I appreciate that enormously.

Thanks again, and PLEASE stay safe and well, you guys! (I will, if YOU will.)

(Me, being healthy and energetic!)

Thank You & Going MIA Again!

/ Marcia Meara / 14 Comments


Just want to say a quick thank you to all who offered support and commiseration yesterday. I was really freaked out, as you may have surmised.  I’ve done all the things suggested, including a few I already knew, and the good news is that (SO FAR) my computer is running fine today. John, Windows Defender told me there were no problems at all and that my system was good to go. I’ve saved the instructions, though, just in case it goes off the rails again.

The bad news (you knew there had to be some, right?) is that I still have a program to give Saturday, and a whole lotta people have reserved seats. But, more bad news, I’m only 2/3 done with the slideshow. URK. That means I will be MIA from the blogging world in general until I finish this presentation. Hopefully, it won’t extend beyond today, but it has to be done, even if it spills over into tomorrow. I will take a break later this afternoon to “Like” and Tweet where I can, but that’s about all I’ll be able to do until this project is ready for Prime Time.

The other good news, is this is the last new program I have to create for this year! I’m not doing any talks in December, and hopefully that will give me time to get a few more new ones ready before the new year arrives. 

Thanks for your understanding and your help, and hope to be back by tomorrow. (So I guess that means I better get ON IT right now!! I think I hear a crested caracara calling me!) See you soon!

 

 

#I’m BACK! #Update #BlogFeatures

/ Marcia Meara / 53 Comments

Okay, okay. I know I look NOTHING like Gene Wilder, but he’s a personal favorite of mine and I couldn’t resist his saucy expression! 😀 Besides, the message works! I am officially back from my adventure in the Land of Breakthrough COVID. (Not an adventure I’d wish on anybody else, and boy am I grateful every day that we’d gotten both of our shots before this hit us.) I’m also grateful to have come through it all not too much the worse for wear. Still low energy, so I try not to push too hard, but mostly all symptoms are gone, even those dreadful narcoleptic-like fatigue episodes.

The important thing is, I survived,  and I feel well enough to tackle getting most of my regular blog features back up and running  once more, though it’s possible, I may need to step back now and then if I find I’m getting overwhelmed. Hopefully that won’t happen, or at least, not often.  With that in mind,  here’s what you can look for coming up on The Write Stuff, usually on a bi-weekly basis:

  1. Every other Monday: #MondayMeme (usually writing related)
  2. Every other Tuesday: #GuestDayTuesday (I’m ready to start scheduling )
  3. Every other Wednesday: #TenThingsYouMayNotKnowAboutMe guests
  4.  Every other Thursday: #ThorsDaySmiles
  5. Every other Friday: #Granny Says

I have the weeks set up so that Monday, Wednesday, & Friday posts run one week, and Tuesday and Thursday posts, the next week. That gives me a couple of empty days each week for miscellaneous posts that I want to share and some extra guest posts now and then. Weekends are also open for whatever comes along, and a couple of times a year, I’m planning to run #ExcerptWeek, wherein you’ll be invited to share an excerpt from one of your books as one more way to promote them.

I have the #TenThings Wednesday spots filled every other week up to December, but if you’d like to be scheduled after Wed, Nov 24, just email me, and I’ll get you set up.

#GuestDayTuesday, where you can post anything you want about your books and writing (from promos to new releases to cover reveals, and more),  is wide open, starting now. Tuesday, Oct 12 is the only Tuesday I have already scheduled at this point, so feel free to contact me if you’d like to take part. (Otherwise, you might be seeing a lot of ME as my own guest. 😁 )

And I think that pretty much covers what’s coming up, but if you have any questions, all of the instructions and lists of what I’d need for you to send me are listed above (right beneath the blog header) under “General Blog Rules and Various Feature Instructions.” If you can’t find the information you’re looking for there, feel free to email me, and I’ll help as best I can.

Thanks so much to each of you for your support, healing wishes and prayers, and patience as I dealt with this situation. I am truly looking forward to catching up with all of my favorite blogs once again. And I can’t begin to tell you how much our writing and blogging community has meant to me during the eight-plus weeks I was quarantined! Probably would have lost my mind without the online friendships I’ve made.

All that being said,
IT’S GREAT TO BE BACK!

UPDATE: Still Here, and Still Crazy After All These Years!

/ Marcia Meara / 41 Comments

Yep, in spite of the fact that I’ve not left my house in over 8 weeks, nor seen the face of a single friend, nor been able to do much writing thanks to COVID-Brain, I am definitely feeling lucky. I’m still HERE! As of today, at least, I still get another chance to do it all better! And that, my friends, is a daily miracle we often forget, and honestly, one I’m surprised to find myself enjoying: the miracle of life in all its guises. The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. WOOOO and also HOOOO!! 

To bring you up to date, I am no longer having any symptoms of this dreaded, miserably wretched, murderous virus we’re all sick of hearing about. I do have a greatly reduced energy level, but I’ve even seen some improvement in that area, too. I know the fatigue-related stuff can go on for an extended period, but I’ve learned how to go on, myself, right alongside it. In other words, it might slow me down, but it’s not going to stop me. 

I do plan to return to blogging (and visiting the blogs of my friends) by October 1. I’m giving myself the rest of this month without any firm commitments as to the blog or my current WIP, just keeping the posting and writing flexible and simple for now. But come October 1, I want to get back to my regularly scheduled programming, as they say.

I will be putting out a call for those who’d like to take part in #GuestDayTuesdays to share promotions, new releases, and various other topics. I’ll be continuing with my new #GrannySays series, and will start back sharing weekly roundup posts from Story Empire and Sally Cronin’s Smorgasbord. I’m not going to continue with #FirstLineFriday for now, though that might return in the future. But I do want to run some special “events” now and then, such as #ExcerptWeek, and a few new things I’m going to fit in here and there.

I’m very much looking forward to resuming these features and adding some new ones, and to finishing my current WIP, Riverbend #4, Working title A Need to Burn, and just may share some excerpts from that, along the way.

And finally, I’d like to thank all of you for your support and encouragement over the last weeks. Our blogging and writing community is the absolute BEST, and I appreciate each and every one of you! 

Stay tuned, my friends, and remember, “Life Finds a Way.” (Recognize that? Hmmm. Maybe a new series for this blog: “Who Said It?” That could be fun!)

Now go forth and live YOUR life! And be sure to stay Safe and Well! (It’s much more enjoyable that way.)

#GrannySays and #CovidUpdate

/ Marcia Meara / 48 Comments

I’m very happy to let you good folks know that after 4 weeks (ack!) tomorrow, I may be turning a corner. Saturday was a pretty bad day. Symptoms were still qualifying as mild, but they were noticeably worse than they’d been in the preceding weeks. In fact, Mark and I both had clean clothes lying in wait at the foot of the bed in case we had to make a trip to the ER in the middle of the night. (Nothing like being pepared for something to assure that it doesn’t happen, you know.) 😁

Happily, when I woke up Sunday morning, I felt quite a bit better. And Monday, better still. In fact, it was the best day I’d had since this whole thing began last month. For the FIRST time, I made it through the day without multiple naps, too, so even the fatigue issue was improving. Yesterday continued with things still remaining pretty level, and again, no naps necessary! WOOHOO! 🎈✨🎈

I’m not back 100% by any means, but it’s a huge step forward, and I’m looking forward to at least being able to catch up with a few of my favorite blogs. It might be a while longer before I’m able to do all the things I was doing before this wretched virus came along, but I believe someone once said “slow and steady wins the race.” (Thank you, Aesop.) So that’s my plan. Still gonna listen to my body, get plenty of rest, and stay home a bit longer until I’m ready to be tested and cleared for take-off! 😊

Finally, I’d like to thank you all for your support, encouraging emails, and friendship. It has meant the world to me, and I love each and every one of you!