Musings of Lanna Lee Maheux

Respect, So much Respect

Lanna Lee — Mon, 18 Nov 2019 04:50:33 +0000

Getting my write on

Every year my local NaNoWriMo region does a “Day of Writing Dangerously”, it’s kind of like the Night of Writing Dangerously that happened on the west coast, but it is during the day time and is not a fundraiser (which means it’s free as the hotel is kind enough to lend us one of their conference rooms). Some of us bring snacks. This year it was small, seven of us, I think. And I got some good writing done, because we got a few word sprints in (where someone sets a timer and we write as fast as we can for 15 minutes). I love it. It makes me miss NaNoMaine and the write-ins there. We had a great thing going on while it lasted.

I am still struggling with my book, it is still fun, but I really think it sucks. And I have so much respect for speculative fiction writers. It is one of my favorite genres, and it delights me so, but it is hard to write. Ugh. Maybe it will be easier once I figure out what the plot will be? Maybe?

Anyway, the word update: I am now at 8,219 words! I wrote 3,816 words today! AMAZING! I only have 41,781 words to go! If I write 3,214 words every day, I will make it to 50,000 by the end of November.

Not really holding my breath there, but it’s still within the realm of possibility.

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Plugging Along

Lanna Lee — Tue, 12 Nov 2019 04:54:45 +0000

Collage for Marilee and Badb Crush the Patriarcy

Got another 896 words today. I know, I know, if I only wrote 4 more words, ONLY FOUR, I’d have an even 900. I realize that now, but it’s too late.

Here is a collage I did for last year when I had the same idea to do a novel. I started over again this year, but the premise is basically the same.

Look, I am not sure people would recommend my keeping the same premise. Those people might recommend that I should start with something new, something fresh. But. I really LOVE this idea. It delights me. And, while it may be a bit stale since it isn’t as fresh in my mind, I am just working my way around and working with it. I am discovering it.

Already unexpected things are happening. Characters are showing up. There is a sliver of a plot. And I am falling asleep, so I really should go to bed.

Word Count for 11/11

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NaNoWriMo Day 10, I mean Day 2

Lanna Lee — Mon, 11 Nov 2019 03:12:53 +0000

Let’s do this! – Day – Taken on November 2, or Day 1

Ok. So I didn’t write all week, but I wrote today. And it was good.

For NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) the goal is to write 50,000 words in 30 days/1 month – and the month chosen is November, because it has 30 days, I suspect.. I wrote on Day 2 – which I forgot to post about, 952 words then. Today on Day 10, my total word count is 3,446 – meaning I wrote 2,494 words today. Which is AMAZING. The NaNoWriMo website is helpful in telling me that at this rate, I will be finished in March. Thanks helpful word-count-bot!

Hey, did you notice my spiffy NaNoWriMo shirt in the picture above? Awesome isn’t it. I bought it as an incentive to complete the challenge this year. And, if I keep writing this many words per day I can definitely finish by November 30th. I mean, I bought the shirt, I HAVE to keep going.

Good work today, but a long way to go!

The difference with my writing today is that I just started to do stream of consciousness stuff until I figured out what I wanted to talk about. I had this idea of using an unreliable omniscient narrator, one that would take a conversational tone with the readers. You know, dear reader, and whatnot. Not sure where this is going, but it is helpful – I feel like I am fishing for the story. Start writing, and I find out what the narrative is. I mean, I’m a pantser, for sure (will explain below). I just have to remember to keep the eye on the prize. The goal is not good, it is finished. Write a draft. That’s it. Get ‘er done.

Ok. I am a pantser. That means I don’t use an outline and I write “by the seat of my pants”. In the writing binary, there are also plotters. They plot their entire novel. Now, like many things, it seem like there is a pantser/plotter spectrum. Some plotters pants it and some pantsers plot. I tried being a plotter this year, or at least a hybrid. But Pantsing is winning again. I’m good with it.

Screenshot snippet:

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Helllllooo There! Back from the not posting in a while

Lanna Lee — Sat, 02 Nov 2019 15:43:50 +0000

I was going to say back from the dead, but I’m too superstitious to do so.

Thought I would blag to say hey! And, since I am doing NaNoWriMo again this year, I thought I would try to blag my progress.

So far 0 words!

Just starting NaNoWriMo so 0 words so far!

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Kinda Blah

Lanna Lee — Mon, 12 Jun 2017 03:45:41 +0000

Lenny Helps Us Play Splendor

Feeling kinda blah. Like, not totally blah. Just kinda. Dealing with a cold and it’s funtimes of coughing and whatnot.

I slept in today, and lazed about. I aimlessly looked at the internet. I wasted a lot of time. I feel kinda bad about it only because yesterday was a wash too.

I guess I keep feeling better. If I don’t cough up a lung when I go to sleep, that will be nice.

Note: my cold is annoying but not alarming. Slight stuffiness. Coughing (which has abated). You don’t need to do an internet intervention.

I had big plans of getting a head start on my day-job work today, but shiny things kept getting in the way. (Like watching interviews from the cast/producers/writers of American Gods, and inspiration porn on the interwebs.)

Maybe I just needed another restful day. And now I am endeavoring to get to sleep before midnight so I can get a full 8 hours of sleep (I have 15 minutes to go!)

Things I did do today: call my Mom – but to no avail, she did not pick up the phone; watch new episode of American Gods, only one left!; bathed – not necessarily in that order.

[Spoiler: (not about American Gods) you might have noticed this is the third day in a row I’ve made posts, because yes, I decided to try posting every day on my blag again. Don’t tell anyone tho, I am not sure I am committed yet.]

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CPAP Nation – or something like that

Lanna Lee — Sun, 11 Jun 2017 03:50:41 +0000

CPAP mask cushions awaiting use

At the end of last May I started using a CPAP Machine. I blogged about that in depth here. Far be it for me to repeat myself.

So. 1 year later. What are my thoughts? I am not giddy about the CPAP thing. When I wake up I have puffy face with lines all over it. When I have a cold (like now) it sucks to be coughing into the cushion and have air being forced down my throat when my nose is plugged and to be coughing at the same time. (Or should I say it BLOWS?!)

However, I have noticed a major difference in my sleepiness. I no longer feel sleepy when I need to do a longer car trip. Before CPAP, every time I needed to do a two-hour one way trip by myself on the way back I would always need to stop and sleep. That’s no longer happening. I guess I get a normal amount of sleepy now.

My pulmonologist says I am a model patient. I use the mask every night, and my average number of apnea-type incidences per hour are around zero.

A few months ago I had a cold, with the runny and stuffed up nose and subsequent grossness and decided that I would take a break from using the CPAP machine for the night. I’ve been told it’s okay to take a break, and I figured that would be the night.

I woke up choking. I couldn’t breathe. I decided that I would muddle through with the cold and deal with cleaning my mask extra good the next morning, and strapped my mask back on. It really hit home to me that this was what was happening ALL THE TIME before my CPAP machine came along. It was DANGEROUS.

The only times I don’t use the mask now are when I take surreptitious naps in my barcalounger (or I am in a car or on a plane or bus or train) – times where I am sitting up. Otherwise I use the CPAP.

My husband was also tested around the same time, he’s not as bad off as I am, but we have matching machines, and matching sexy (totally non-cockblocky) masks.

So if your partner suggests you get tested or if you get tested and they say you are a candidate for the CPAP machine I recommend it highly. I mean, sometimes it BLOWS, but at least you know you aren’t suffocating while you sleep anymore. And it gets rid of the snoring noise too. So you become easier to sleep with.

And see how sexy the mask is… RAWR! I’m a beast in it!

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A Loss for Kansas & the USA – #besparkly RIP @PatsyTerrell

Lanna Lee — Sat, 10 Jun 2017 02:53:42 +0000

Here is the thing. I found out about Patsy Terrell’s death via Social Media. That’s also where I met her. Through Social Media.

A few years ago (in 2012) a few months after my father died, I went to Hutchinson Kansas to speak at the Small Town 140 conf. There I met many lovely people, and one of those was Patsy Terrell. She was a writer, activist, and she taught people how to use Social media. I had her on my podcast (Lounging with Lanna Lee), and we had a great, heartfelt conversation. We went to some events together and she and her BFF Greg Holmes met me for lunch at Roy’s BBQ. We kept up on Facebook.

Last year, seeing the need for change in her state, Patsy ran Representative in the Kansas State senate. She won, and I’ve enjoyed following along with her successes.

And it sucks that she is gone. She was doing so much, always growing, and always trying to make the world a better place, even before she ran for office. She made me want to be a better person.

She was only in office for a few months, but Patsy made strides, helping overhaul the Kansas tax system. To honor her memory, some of her colleagues wore bright colors and sparkly brooches, because Patsy LOVED to #besparkly!

Patsy and I were acquaintances. I would call her a friend, and I’d like to think she’d call me a friend. But we weren’t close friends. But if we were closer geographically, I am sure we’d have hung out more. We were Facebook Tight. I am grateful to have known Patsy.

The world is a dimmer place without you, Patsy.

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What Would’ve Been: 50 years

Lanna Lee — Sat, 11 Jun 2016 13:03:07 +0000

Today is a bittersweet day. It’s my parent’s wedding anniversary, and this year it would’ve been 50 years. But my Dad went up and died in 2012.

It doesn’t hurt as much now. not as much as it did a couple of years ago. I still feel a twinge sometimes when I see an old, happy couple.

Because if he were still living, they’d be an old happy couple.

So this golden wedding anniversary is hard for me.

Here are some pictures of my parents. And some of lilacs. Every June, my father would pick some lilacs for Mom. It was a thing. I love lilacs.

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Dreams

Lanna Lee — Sat, 11 Jun 2016 03:11:45 +0000

My dreams are coming back. One of the symptoms of the Sleep Apnea was that I wasn’t remembering my dreams, it was like I wasn’t dreaming at all. (A quick google search brings up articles about the correlation between apnea and not dreaming.)

So, it’s been 11 days (nights) since I started using the CPAP machine, and more and more I am remembering my dreams.

Last night my dream was about impostor syndrome. I was dancing my away around a night club showing people my dance moves and I could tell they were digging what I was laying down, you know. And Dream-Lanna was incredulous that the cool people like her. I was just amazed the cool people thought I was cool. When I woke up I was like: that’s classic impostor syndrome. I can’t get away from it!

The other night was a convoluted dream about me being arrested in a small town and having a ankle bracelet and I was made to stay at the combination jail/post office and people kept sitting on my bed. I had to keep telling them not to sit on my bed, using logic like “How would you feel if strangers were sitting on your bed.” It would work for a while, and then another person would sit down. Then I went out drinking and a lot of my long-time friends joined me, (yes, I still had the ankle bracelet on), people that I don’t really talk to a lot, but amazingly, are all facebook friends. Another weird dream.

I love weird dreams. I’m glad they’re coming back. Even if they are highlighting my insecurities.

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CPAPtastic: A Poem

Lanna Lee — Tue, 07 Jun 2016 01:01:08 +0000

My hose gurgles, water spits out
Humidity’s too high
Frustrating sleep, mask slipping
Unit breathes with me, an exasperating sigh

I wake with luggage under my eyes,
Puffy pale pouches
Lines on my face from strapping on the mask
Dry mouth because I turned the humidity down

I check my progress online.
98%
I get a “badge” and share it on social media
Sleep Apnea participation medal

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