Life in progress

Category Archives: Life


by 17 Comments

#JusJoJan the 3rd/23 – Solos

First, I want to say thank you to Dar for her awesome prompt of the day, the word “solo.”

Back in the day (you know, back when I walked uphill both ways to get to school), I was in the school band. I tried out the trumpet at first, but I sucked at it. Eventually I settled on the clarinet.

I was interested enough in playing that I got into my high school concert band. But I was never good enough to be invited to play a solo. That honour usually went to my best friend, Tracey.

I’m not bitter. Really, I’m not.

Still, though I was never good enough at the clarinet, I’m glad I finally found something I am good at.

And now, in both my writing and editing careers, I’m nothing but solo.

The good news? I’m always the number one employee!

Go me!

 ***

This one-woman cheering section post is brought to you by Just Jot it January and Dar! Thanks so much again, Dar, for the great prompt. Please be sure to check out her blog.

For Just Jot it January, click the following link to see how you, too, can join in! https://lindaghill.com/2023/01/03/daily-prompt-jusjojan-the-3rd-2023/ It’s fun!


by 17 Comments

#JusJoJan the 2nd/23 – Constellation of characters

As I contemplated what I could write on the subject of Willow’s excellent prompt of the day, I decided to go to the dictionary to see what beyond the stars I could write.

And as I thought about it some more, I came to realize that I tend to write the same sort of characters in all my books. That is to say characters all of a sort that have deep issues. Issues of longing, of hardship, of loves lost.

Some of my characters deal with their issues with laughter—they tend to end up in my romantic comedies.

Some of my characters deal with their issues in a more angsty way, as in my paranormal series, “The Great Dagmaru,” and another dark romance that’s been gathering steam in my imagination.

But they’re all part of a constellation in my mind. They’re with me constantly … perhaps helping me sort out my own issues.

***

This contemplative post is brought to you by Just Jot it January and Willow! Thanks so much again, Willow, for the great prompt. Please be sure to check out her blog.

For Just Jot it January, click the following link to see how you, too, can join in! https://lindaghill.com/2023/01/02/daily-prompt-jusjojan-the-2nd-2023/ It’s fun!


by 33 Comments

#JusJoJan the 1st/23 – One resolution

I have one resolution for 2023 and that’s to organize my numerous goals.

Now, I’m sure you’re like, what the heck, Linda? Isn’t having goals just a subset of having resolutions?

Nuh-uh. It’s better than that.

I’ve spent the better part of the last year failing at most of the things I wanted to accomplish on a personal level. My freelance editing business is going very well, and I always manage to get projects done on time, if not early. But the stuff I wanted to do that isn’t on a deadline, i.e. writing my own books? Not so much.

So rather than resolving to write and publish, say, two or three of my own creations this year, I’m going more granular, by organizing my time so I can see what I can reasonably get done in the space of 365 days.

It’s easy to think “I’ll just scroll through Facebook and get to work on my own novel—the one no one is holding me accountable for—later.” But then five minutes on Facebook turns into hours and then I think “It’s okay, I’ll do it tomorrow!”

It’s the rinse and repeat that never ends.

Unless I organize myself.

So yeah, that’s my resolution. Set timers, work when I know I’ll have a chance, organize my time, figure out how long each step takes, and rinse and repeat that instead.

Sounds like a solid plan, right?

I’ll let you know how it goes.

P.S. I looked through my resolutions/bucket lists from past years and there’s one item I’m still striving for. In 2016 I said I wanted to spend a weekend alone in my home. Since then, I don’t think I’ve even had an hour alone. I’ll get there, though. Watch out for the boot, kids! 😉

***

This determined and mildly threatening post is brought to you by Just Jot it January! Click the following link to see how you, too, can join in! https://lindaghill.com/2023/01/01/daily-prompt-jusjojan-the-1st-2023/ It’s fun!


by 30 Comments

#SoCS – If I knew the new thing

Oh hey! Look! It’s me writing a SoCS post!

Who could have guessed that would ever happen again?

Really, I’m just here to complain like an old lady.

About all the newfangled thingymajigs these days—why are there so many?

But no, really. Why can’t things stay the same? Sure, you say, you’ll get used to the way things are now.

But I knew the old way. I was familiar with it. And it wasn’t broke, so why fix it?

Like the new WordPress blocks. I don’t know about you, but I always choose the classic blocks.

I don’t like my paragraphs split up every time I want a new one, thank you very much!

*sigh* It takes so long to learn these new unnecessary things. I have plenty to learn of my own choosing, though! I don’t have time for your crap!

Get off my lawn!

This ranty-type post was brought to you by Stream of Consciousness Saturday. Click the following link and join in! It’s fun! https://lindaghill.com/2022/12/30/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-dec-31-2022/


by 50 Comments

One-Liner Wednesday – Dance

“You’ve gotta dance like there’s nobody watching,
Love like you’ll never be hurt,
Sing like there’s nobody listening,
And live like it’s heaven on earth.”
― William W. Purkey

Made with Canva @ canva.com

Photo: The above quote with a woman dancing barefoot on what looks like clear ice, with a sunset behind her.

If you would like to participate in this prompt, feel free to use the “One-Liner Wednesday” title in your post, and if you do, you can ping back here to help your blog get more exposure. To execute a pingback, just copy the URL in the address bar on this post, and paste it somewhere in the body of your post. Your link will show up in the comments below. Please ensure that the One-Liner Wednesday you’re pinging back to is this week’s! Otherwise, no one will likely see it but me.

NOTE: Pingbacks only work from WordPress sites. If you’re self-hosted or are participating from another host, like Blogger, please leave a link to your post in the comments below.

As with Stream of Consciousness Saturday (SoCS), if you see a pingback from someone else in my comment section, click and have a read. It’s bound to be short and sweet.

Unlike SoCS, this is not a prompt so there’s no need to stick to the same “theme.”

The rules that I’ve made for myself (but don’t always follow) for “One-Liner Wednesday” are:

1. Make it one sentence.

2. Try to make it either funny or inspirational.

3. Use our unique tag #1linerWeds.

4. Add our lovely badge to your post for extra exposure!

5. Have fun!

Badge by Laura @ riddlefromthemiddle.com

The Magician’s Curse (2.99) on Amazon US and everywhere else (Amazon worldwide, Kobo, etc.)
The Magician’s Blood (3.99) on Amazon US and everywhere else
The Magician’s Soul (3.99) on Amazon US and everywhere else
“The Great Dagmaru” Complete Series (6.99) on Amazon US and everywhere else
The Magician’s Sire (free with sign-up) here.


by 25 Comments

What Day is it Anyway? Friday, July 8th, 2022

My day today so far—4:56pm: 

I started off the week with having a Thursday appointment to look forward to. Something to count down to rather than a particularly good appointment. Just a marker for the time to go by. So I did pretty well all week with knowing what day of the week it was.

This morning?

I woke up with no clue. It took me a while to decide that it was Friday. So here I am with a What Day is it Anyway post.

The appointment was really something else. A routine dental cleaning for Alex. Why was it special? Mostly the three hour drive one way to get him there. The local hospitals won’t touch him with his heart condition, and neither will the regular dentists because he won’t stay still. So off to Ottawa we went. Preparation for something like this is huge. I had to get up and start his tube feed at 7am in order to get him to the hospital for a 1:45pm appointment.

So I did that and off we went. Nice drive (though of course it was expensive with the price of gas), and I listened to my audiobook all the way there.

Parked at the hospital, went inside, did all the COVID protocol stuff, sat down in the waiting room …

…and realized I’d forgotten to pick up and administer a dose of antibiotic so he can get his teeth cleaned.

So it was a nice six hour drive. Cost me $54 in gas, $13.50 for parking, and $33 for the chicken dinner I promised Alex if he behaved.

And his teeth are no more clean than they were at 7am yesterday morning.

Next available appointment? November 9th.

At least the audiobook—Finding Audrey by Sophie Kinsella—was good.

Join me?

If you’re like me and have no idea what day of the week it is, why don’t you write your own “What Day is it Anyway?” post? If you do, you can drop your link in the comments below.

You’re not alone!


by 20 Comments

What Day is it Anyway? Friday, July 1st, 2022

My day today so far—3:08pm: 

The good thing about scheduling the Friday prompt post a day ahead of time? I don’t have to worry about getting it done on Friday morning before 9:30am.

The drawback to scheduling the Friday prompt a day ahead of time? I keep thinking today is Saturday.

The fact that it’s a holiday for most of the rest of the country isn’t helping.

I’m not sure if they’ll go ahead with the planned fireworks here since there’s supposed to be a thunderstorm at dusk. And I don’t really want to take a chance at having to walk home in the rain if they do go ahead, so I won’t be going regardless.

Will you go to the fireworks this long weekend, either in Canada (Happy Canada Day!) or in the US (Happy Independence Day!)?

Join me?

If you’re like me and have no idea what day of the week it is, why don’t you write your own “What Day is it Anyway?” post? If you do, you can drop your link in the comments below.

You’re not alone!


by 33 Comments

What Day is it Anyway? Thursday, June 30th, 2022

My day today so far—11:14am: 

Here we are again. Every day this week I’ve woken up wondering what day it is now that Alex is finished school. I work seven days a week, so there’s nothing different in my life. Except Alex’s baseball on Thursday nights, so yay! We have something to do today! I’ll take pictures.

I’m still not going a lot of places. I actually went to the mall last week for the first time in over a year. Stores have moved! I was a bit lost, actually. I think the only place I’ve been to with any regularity other than the grocery store once a week is Best Buy to get computers fixed. *shakes fist at computers*

I copied this post from the one I posted exactly two years ago, just so I’d keep the title consistent. But I kept this little nugget, written Tuesday, June 30, 2020:

This plague seriously needs to be over already.

Little did I know…

Join me?

If you’re like me and have no idea what day of the week it is, why don’t you write your own “What Day is it Anyway?” post? If you do, you can drop your link in the comments below.

You’re not alone!


by 26 Comments

SoCS – The scent sent a cent

Or I should say the scent cost a cent and sent me to the store.

Power was down for 29 hours, and most of the stuff in my fridge didn’t survive. I spent most of yesterday catching up on all the stuff I didn’t get done while the power was out. I kept meaning to write this post all day … didn’t happen. Obviously.

During the outage, we walked. My kids depend on their internet connections, so when they don’t have them, they get bored. Luckily, the storm lasted less than five minutes and then the sun was back out. So we walked. An hour and a half on Thursday evening and two hours on Friday.

We got some photos of the damage, all due to a less-than-five-minute storm.

 

Some trees were sheared off
Some trees were ripped apart
Some trees were torn out of the ground.
And this is the tree that knocked out our power.

There was very little damage to structures, as far as we could see. It’s actually crazy how the trees seemed to miss everything.

So we had some nice walks after all.

Brothers holding hands.

This SoCS post was brought to you by Dan Antion! Thanks so much again, Dan! I uploaded the Facebook app on my phone just to talk to you on Friday morning.

You can find the SoCS prompt here: https://lindaghill.com/2022/06/17/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-june-18-2022/ Go ahead and join in. It’s fun!


by 18 Comments

#SoCS – A fortune

Okay, this is the last time you’re going to hear about this from me–unless I win! Please, if you haven’t already, go and vote for my books in the contest for the Paranormal Romance Guild Reviewers Choice Award. The Magician’s Soul has been nominated in the category ROMANCE/FANTASY/PARANORMAL/SUSPENSE/TIME TRAVEL/HISTORICAL/MAGICAL/WESTERN/NATIVE AMERICAN/GOTHIC

and the series, The Great Dagmaru, is in the category just below it.

Here’s the link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScvn1eQbB2t-8PftIfh8ej9CXppQfDq5t0kIhvdLT82B7VAxA/viewform Thank you!!

***

I have a fortune.

Not in money, but in the love of my family.

I know I’m fortunate that despite their ages, all three of my sons still live in my house. Yes, two of them need 24/7 support, but I can’t see myself being near as content as I am if they were living elsewhere. And my eldest who supports me when I need it … I know he’s going to move away eventually, but for now I’m grateful.

Would I be better off with money instead of what I have?

No.

I don’t have many things. My furniture needs to be replaced, and my house needs redecorating.

But who needs stuff when you’ve got love?

 

2019-2020 SoCS Badge by Shelley! https://www.quaintrevival.com/

This grateful post was brought to you by Stream of Consciousness Saturday. Find the prompt here and join in! https://lindaghill.com/2022/02/11/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-feb-12-2022/