Write a Primes

The first exercise in the NaNoWriMo Preparation Challenge is to write a primes. In writing the primes I will answer five question about the main character. These questions cover the character name, what happens to the character, why it happens, how the situation turns out, and a moral.

The fun begins on October 1.

I have a working title

The NaNoWriMo Preparation Challenge, on writing.com, begins October 1, which is only two days away. I entered the challenge, but I didn't have a working title or any idea about the novel's genre or characters. I now have a working title.

I don't like to start a poem, story, or essay without a working title. I don't know if I'm the only writer with that particular superstition; I don't know if it really is a superstition. I find that a working title helps me focus on the writing. Sometimes I keep working title and sometimes I pick a different title. I just don't like to start writing without a working title.

I'm not going to mention the working title in this post. The contest or challenge doesn't begin until October 1, there is a possibility I may change the working title between now and then. I doubt if I change my mind about the working title because nothing else appeals to me, but you never know.

Writing about the lights going out

Daily Practice Writing prompt for Sunday, September 27, 2009: Write about a time the lights went out.

The wind blew. The thunder roared. The lightning struck. The lights went out leaving us in total darkness. We looked out the living room window and saw flashes of lightning. We saw crisp streaks of light connecting heaven and earth.

My grandmother wouldn't let us set took close to the window. She wouldn't let us have any metal objects. She wouldn't let us pet the dog or the cat. Grandma insisted that if we did these things lightning would strike us.

We sit on the couch watching the lightning through the living room window. We watch the rain drops glisten in the reflection of the lightning. We listened to the thunder roar. We listened for the tornado sirens. We listened to the thunder. We watched the lightning. We watched the raindrops glisten in the lightning. We waited for the lights to come back on.

We waited for the lights to come back on so we could watch television. We waited for the lights to come back on so we would have something to do besides watch the raindrops glisten in the lightning. When the lights did come back on, Grandma wouldn't let us turn the T.V. on.

The Blue Screen of Death

I encountered a memory dump this morning, I didn't lose anything; it's just that whenever I encounter this issues it's frustrating. This is the first time in 2009 I've encountered the problem I think I encountered it once in 2007 and again in 2008. Each time I encounter the Blue Screen of Death, it's under different circumstances.

I think the issues is a driver problem, however, I'm not sure which driver is causing it. Anyway, because of the encounter I'm going to be doing maintenance and housekeeping on my computer next week. I'm going to take a lot of items off my hard drive and save to CDs. I think I ought to consider getting a thumb drive as well. All though, that may have to wait until after I get DSL.

Friday Thoughts

On the last Friday in September

the predawn sky seems darker

as the year draws swiftly to an end.

Only three months left in 2009, it seems like only a couple of months ago we celebrated a New Year. The year is aging time passes quickly. Autumn is here soon harvest begins. I don't have a garden or live close to any farms. My memories of fall and harvest time come from my childhood in Oklahoma.

In the field crops wait

for the arrival of farmers and farmhands

winter approaches.

Those are my thoughts on this last Friday in September 2009.

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A chilly autumn morning

It finally feels like autumn. Last night was warm and didn't feel like autumn. This morning there is a chill in the air, at least in the house. I haven't been outside yet. It's still dark, so I'm not going out to get the newspaper.

A chill in the air
awakens sweater desire
Las Vegas morning.

On the first day of Autumn 2009

Autumn begins at 5:18 PM EDT, which is 2:18 PM PDT. The web site Equinoxes and Solstices 2000-2010 gives the time the seasons begin and then you translate the time to your individual time zone.

The leaves haven't started changing color yet. My next-door neighbor has an oak tree and the leaves are still green. The leaves won't begin to change color until later in the year. That tree usually begins losing its leaves between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Las Vegas autumn
trees wear holiday colors
Thanksgiving Christmas

The Last day of summer 2009

Today is the last day of summer 2009. It's warm here in Las Vegas, but in Colorado it's snowing. My sister-in-law called me this morning from Colorado, they're planning on coming to Las Vegas the first week in October. At least, they are if the can get over the passes.

Tomorrow fall begins and the weather should be cooler in Las Vegas. The first day of autumn doesn't always mean it will be cooler for a couple of month, but I'm hoping for cooler weather. I do have to admit though that this summer hasn't been too difficult to handle. The power bill rose over $300.00 only once during the season. The last bill, the one I'm paying on October 6 was under $300.00, so I'm happy or as happy as I can be under the circumstance.

Preparing for NaNoWriMo

October is preparation month for National Novel Writing Month. A NaNoWriMo preparation contest runs on writing.com during October. The idea is to outline the novel's plot and create the characters.

Each day in October you schedule about 15 minutes to work on the plot, outline and character creation. Then in November you begin writing the novel. I need the preparation time because I have absolutely no idea for a premise. I will figure that out before October 1 when the preparation begins.

National Novel Writing Month

November is National Novel Writing Month and you can sign up now to write a 50,000-word novel in November. This is the 10th year writers across the world have celebrated NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month).

To write a 50,000-word novel in 30 days you have to write at least 1,667 words ad day. Sign up now and on November 1 begin writing the novel.

One of my writing weaknesses is use of the passive voice

I am having a tough time overcoming this particular weakness. Perhaps challenge is a better work then weakness. True the use of the passive voice is a weakness, but overcoming it is a challenge.

Challenge the weakness
each day make progress toward
writing perfection.

I have a new plastic trashcan

I have a new plastic trashcan sitting on the back patio. I haven't used it yet. I haven't put trash in it or rolled it to the curb on either Wednesday or Saturday. Why haven't I used? Why is it still on the patio waiting for trash? Those are interesting questions, I'm not sure I can answer them.

A trashcan is intended to hold trash and garbage. A trashcan is intended to be pushed to the curb on trash pick up day. In my neighborhood, the garbage trucks make their rounds on Wednesday and Saturday. Why haven't I used the new trashcan? This is a question I need to explore in my off line journal.

Personal relationship with pets

Dogs, cats, parakeets
give unconditional love
bring smiles to my face.

The pets I have cared for over the years have taught me many things. Each pet has a special place in my memory with the lessons they have taught me. Each pet brings both smiles to my face and tears to my eyes. My cats, dogs, and my Grandmother Newland's parakeet taught me that different species of animals get along better then human beings.

Saturday Morning in Las Vegas

The rich aroma
of morning wafts through the house
French roast coffee perks.

French roast coffee smells better then regular coffee. This morning when I made it in the percolator smelled the aroma as the coffee begin to perk. The perfume of coffee scents the air.

Black coffee in a
white cup consumed sip by sip
a good Saturday.

My Saturday has started good. I have a small white cup of hot coffee setting on a wooden coffee table. I pause in my writing every few seconds to take a sip of black French roast coffee.

Sunset Clouds

At sunset the rims
of charcoal clouds burn scarlet
summer barbecue.

I looked out my window at sunset. The clouds appeared as barbecue coals. It's the end of summer and there will be no more barbecues, even in Las Vegas.

Morning writing becoming difficult

Fidál (Grace), 1 ‘Izzat (Might), 166 BE – Tuesday, September 8, 2009 about 8:56 AM Pacific Time

Morning writing is becoming difficult and I am beginning a new 19-day period of goal achievement. I did OK with the word count the last nineteen days; true I didn't make the goal everyday, but I did make it the majority of time. I exceed the goals several days in a row.

I encountered many interruptions lately, which is not an excuse for lack of achievement. The interruptions are going to continue these nineteen days. They may even increase, so I think I'll plan writing sessions for five or ten minutes at a time. That way the interruptions are included and if I can write longer I will.

I have looked at the deadlines and included the deadlines on my "To Do List". Most of the deadlines are next week. There are two exceptions, one deadline is September 9 and the other is September 12. After that the closest is September 15 and September 24, so working five or ten minutes at a time should complete everything I know I about. I will deal with any unknowns as they occur.

Warm Summer Afternoons in Las Vegas

Afternoons have been nice lately. Sometimes we have clouds and sometimes it's clear. This afternoon it was warm not hot. This morning I did a load of laundry and hung them out. I didn't get the cloths in until mid afternoon. Usually the weather is hot, but this afternoon it was warm.

Las Vegas summer
warm September afternoons
locals celebrate.

I'm looking forward to Labor Day, I'm not sure why because I won't take it off. Holiday or not I still have laundry to wash and floors to mop. I still have stories and poems to write and submit. I'll probably take of September 13, Grandparents' Day. Mom and I haven't been out in a long time. My mother is a Great Grandmother, so I think we'll go somewhere and have ice creams to celebrate.

After Sunset in Las Vegas

The cloud cover glows
reflects light from casinos
Downtown and the Strip.

It looks like rain in Las Vegas

The clouds begin to gather slowly this morning. This afternoon the sky is completely covered. It looks like rain in Las Vegas. Of course, that is no sign it's going to rain. This is a desert and we get very little rain during the year. In addition, we're experiencing a drought.

Clouds in Las Vegas
gather and promise us rain
sometimes no rain comes.

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Happy Skyscraper Day

September 3 is Skyscraper Day, which is only one of about thirty Bizarre September Holidays. I am not sure how a person is supposed to celebrate Skyscraper Day. Maybe find the tallest building in town, go to the top of it and look out over the city.

I am not sure which hotel-casino in Las Vegas has the tallest or highest tower. I know it is one of the hotels on the Las Vegas Strip. Therefore, instead of celebrating Skyscraper Day by going to the tallest building in town, I will write a poem.

Towers rise into
the hazy Las Vegas sky
tourist plan their day.

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Happy 9th Birthday writing.com

Happy Birthday writing.com!
Nine years of helping writers write;
Nine years of assisting authors to find their muse;
Nine years of encouraging helpful reviews;
Happy Birthday writing.com!

Writing.com is celebrating its ninth birthday from September 1 to September 14, 2009. Drop by and log in as a guest to celebrate. Drop by and register for a writing.com free account. I begin with the free account myself and have upgraded twice since I joined writing.com. My writing and my confidence has increased since becoming a member of writing.com.