Project Overload

That would make a good name for a book.

Between job, writing, editing, blogging, vlogging, keeping up with twitter and yet more job life is becoming hectic. I try to do job stuff in the morning, and writing in the afternoon. It keeps a routine.

But as of now, I think I need to shop around for project management software. All of my projects are becoming just too much to mentally keep track of. I have a Google Apps account, maybe it’s time to go shopping.

This week’s goals: Finish next edit of Locked In, and get Locked Out to 75%+ complete. I’m taking it easy. Friday is Canada Day, and it’s hard to get stuff accomplished on holidays when the boyfriend is home and wants to have fun. Plus, it’s Canada Day. I want to have fun!

I have muted hopes that this version of Locked In will be the last.

Podcasts, my sexy, sexy voice and catchup

Working weekends bring me back to my time studying physics. The 8+ hours of studying/cramming/grinding and that fuzzy brain feeling mixed with hyperactivity from sitting still too long. I have since managed to kick the caffeine, so at least I’ll be able to keep a normal bedtime. I shouldn’t complain too much. If this project goes through I will be catapulting myself out of the ranks of the underemployed.

I played around with my audio recorder to check podcast potential because I usually just do interviews for transcribing and I wanted something better than my Blackberry. I have an Olympus DM-520 Digital Stereo voice recorder. I am blown away by the audio quality in a quiet room. It seems that I’m setup for some amazing audio books. Hopefully some of mine will wind down or conclude so I can get started. For some inexplicable reason, this recorder makes my voice sound really, really good. Lower quality recordings can make me sound squeaky, or worse, like a 5 year old, but I seem to be firmly set in the adult range. I’ve also determined that I can read the most disgusting, hilarious stuff aloud with no stuttering or inappropriate laughter. (It helps if you re-read the problem bits once of twice before you make the recording pass. Again, another great thing about my recorder is that I can seamlessly pause.)

So, podcasts and audio books are on! It’s going to be awesome!

Tomorrow is massive review catchup. I have two due Tuesday, and Tuesday morning I’m going to an advance screening of a movie that may prove to be very exciting and is very hyped. I’m happy, I usually don’t get the good ones (unless they only show at 10am, then I get them.)

I can start writing again.

Planning some fun things

Not much to write about writing-wise. Locked In draft 5.3 is making the rounds, and day-job style work is interfering with my other creative ambitions. Eating is a good cause, though. And absence does make the heart grow fonder.

I’m planning some fun entries for both here and our dear Zombie Empress. I need to plan out some sweet images for anonymously-obsessed-boyfriend to crunch for me. He’s good like that. He’s also creating cover art for Locked Out, a story that’s not even near complete yet. I think he’s really into the whole storyline.

I can get into that a little. Locked In and Locked Out are part of a series of short stories that deal with a zombie apocalypse from non-traditional views. Locked In is from the vantage point of the zombie, and Locked Out concern itself with the story of the scientists who are trying to figure out what’s going on. A third story is planned for the military and evacuation perspective. I’m not sure if I’ll do one about survivors, the angle is so overplayed I’m not sure how to make it fresh without just churning out crap filled with chainsaw-wielding Mary Sues. False dichotomy, I know.

Story reception, writing therapy and making people cry

After posting some short story non-fiction, I was surprised at how well it was received. 43 reads in a little over 24 hours, and two votes.

To be honest, all that story is was me writing down old, horrible memories in a deep fit of depression.

Now, people want more. Of course I have the autobiographical subject matter to continue with the series, but that last story was incredibly painful to write.

Another thing is that somebody left a comment that they cried. That’s a little steep, knowing that just my words alone can evoke that kind of emotion.

I am exhausted. First re-write of short story done, supposedly vastly improved. At least it’s not at the “who wrote this crap?!” stage. I hate that stage. At the risk of repeating myself, I’m my worst critic, and I’m also my favorite bullying target.

I’ve come to notice that most of the premises of my stories are profoundly morose and messed up. Sometimes I wonder if writing is like a mirror into your subconscious, and it really is you, just the parts hidden from prying eyes. The parts from the nightmares.

I finally heard back from that internship, seems like I’ll be reviewing local events in the July and October issues, plus online. Work is stressful due to a deadline for a sizable government business grant coming up. While I’m pleased that somebody has enough confidence in me to trust me with generating the required documentation for that kind of endeavor, I really hope I don’t mess it up, either.

A new week. Edits and projects, but in random order.

It seems this week will be a busy one. I have a project due, I’m hoping to meet up with that internship so I can get rolling, and I want to edit my story.

Additionally, I put off invoicing, but it’s not that big a deal. However, I like getting paid, so it is a big deal.

I’m feeling a little directionless at the moment. I hope it’s just a random funk and I’m clear by morning, because disempowered is no way to start the first week of the rest of my life.

On the good side, I went to Mini Comiccon, it was an interesting place. Met some characters, got glared at by Darth Vader and saw some very cool toys. Feared for my life as Stormtroopers appeared, made strategic retreat.

By retreat, I of course mean going home to have some barbecue, not running away from a comic book convention.

Business and stellar alignment.

I was working away developing IT products and services packages, minding my own business. And what happens?

I get a letter in the mail. After two months and a couple of emails, Quebec has finally decided to make my business registration official and has sent me my business number.

I’m pretty stunned. I’d figured they’d take much more time, or excessively nitpick my company name. Today, I went from self-employed consultant to business owner.

This is a whole new ball game. And frankly, it’s a little intimidating.

It seems this is a fortuitous week. I get a sweet project and essentially a way more awesome version of my old job back, and now I’m in business and can do all these awesome business things I’ve been planning to do. Such as making more money. In addition, I finish my first short story and come up with a few more ideas.

This week is shaping up to be incredible, and surreal. Hopefully that internship of mine will call me up and we can get started with that soon as well.

The one short story per month challenge!

I’ve decided to challenge myself to write one short story per calendar month. I want to gain experience writing fiction from many perspectives, and this seems like a good way to not only get my creative juices flowing, but also to work up to writing something of novel length.

Speaking of novels, I have some awesome ideas, but I want to be able to do them justice.

In other news, a database I work on is growing nicely, and I may even have another interesting outlet for it. I got that consulting job I was talking about late last week. It seems there is a lot of good opportunities there to move up and grow. I worked for them in the past, but rather than reprise my role as Business Development Manager, I’m to be a Product Development Manager. I wonder if this is a title side-grade or an upgrade. As long as the pay is good and lets me keep working on my writing, as well as not interfere with my quality of life, it’s all good.

Little coming up on the reviewing horizon other than a punk show sometime in May, as well as some rock/metal album for the end of May. Still waiting for that internship to get back to me. I hate waiting.

With regards to the short stories, I’m hoping to have my first one out for reading/viewing pleasure in early/mid May.