StevoWard.com

Too connected?

steve — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 03:20:32 +0000

Do we need to disconnect from the Internet to write or get inspired? Frank Bures, contributing editor of Poets & Writers Magazine pw.org thinks so. His main thesis in Inner Space: Clearing Some Room For Inspiration
is that we need to find a quiet, uninterrupted space from which to write. He also says that we now are so overloaded with data and stories that we are losing our ability to create.

I can see his point, but also think we can use our stream of tweets and other interruptions as a great source for inspiration. It is just a matter of perspective.

What do you think?

Oh, I wrote this on my iPhone while sitting in a Books-A-Million cafe as tweets and emails bombarded me with Christmas music blaring as they vacuumed the store.

We’re back on track

steve — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 01:23:29 +0000

Ok, I’m taking this holiday season to get a few things back on track.

Running

After my knee injury I’ve not been able to get back to regular running without the pain flaring back up. So, I made a determined effort to come back this year with a complete, balanced training plan with cross training that combines running, biking and weight training. We are two weeks into training for the Mercedes Half Marathon. This morning, the family ran a good five miles on our long run. If we keep going according to plan, we should be able to at least finish the Mercedes Half, and maybe I’ll even PR. I’m also seeing the need for sufficient rest, so see below for my plans for building in more rest in my schedule.

Weight

Along with the running trouble, I’ve gradually gained some weight. Last year after Christmas, I had reached my maximum weight ever. Last January I started back on a low carb diet and lost around twenty five pounds, but I believe there is still some progress to be made in the weight department. My exercise program, combined with limiting the carbs, and plenty of protein should help get the weight back to where it needs to be.

Writing

This year I was successful with Script Frenzy but crashed and burned at NaNoWriMo in November. We had a week at Disney World around Thanksgiving that kept me from writing, and I only had about 19000 words in this year’s NaNo-Novel. But, I’m going to continue with it until I get to a complete crappy first draft. I’ll take as long as I need for that. My resolution for writing is to get some words out every day. Oh, and writing here counts too.

Schedule

I’m not a morning person. I can stay up late, like until 3AM or so without even getting sleepy some nights. But If I try waking up early in the morning, forget it. This has to change. I’m trying to get to bed earlier so I can wake up in the morning to do my running and writing before work. After one week of trying this new schedule, I’m calling it a draw. There were a few early mornings, but still several late nights as well. I’m going to keep on working at this every day. If I sleep in or stay up too late one day, there is always another day to get it right, right?

Time Flies

steve — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 05:14:31 +0000

It has been almost a year since the last post. I’m doing Script Frenzy again this year. Last year’s effort fizzled after about the half-way point. But this year we’re going strong at 33 pages. Just a little behind schedule, but with big plans to finish strong. I have a decently fleshed out plot outline this time, so we’ll see.

Running More Now

steve — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 05:49:45 +0000

My daughter is going out for cross country this fall and has started running every weekday at the team course. Can’t really go to a great cross country running course and not run, right? So, Susan and I are running about 3 miles every day now and really enjoying it.

I have decided to write more than once a month as I dig out of a deep dark place.

INT. STEVE’S HOUSE – NIGHT

steve — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 03:25:40 +0000

Steve is typing away on his macbook, flying through a 20 page first day goal in his Script Frenzy 2010 effort.

I’ll try to update this blog with my progress throughout the month-long attempt to write a 100+ page screenplay in 30 days.

Since that is about 3.3 pages per day, and I’m already sitting on 20, I feel pretty good. But I know how easy it is to lose momentum. Add in a serious sickness, with 3 days of fever, and now allergies on top of that, and this will be tough.

Still Running and Reading, Just Not at the Same Time

steve — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 15:21:55 +0000

I’ve been gradually adding to my mileage. Now I run 3 miles a day, just about every day. My daily running routine is to make every day a running day, with the knowledge that usually one or two days each week will turn into a skip day. This routine keeps me on track, since an occasional skip day won’t throw me off track, because the next day is always a running day.

Reading has been a little slow, I couldn’t get through “Your Heart Belongs to Me”. I just never could care about the protagonist, and just gave up. I’m going to try another Koontz book, “Velocity” next.

Mercedes Half Marathon

steve — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 05:02:49 +0000

My daughter ran her very first Half Marathon today. See the full story on http://wardwardward.com.

Reading – Listening

steve — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 05:00:41 +0000

Just finished the audiobook House of Thunder by Dean Koontz. This was the first fiction audiobook I’ve listened to, and I enjoyed it. The book was almost about to lose me since it took at least 4 CD’s to get going, but finally got pretty interesting near the end with a plot twist that would have made more sense if I had read the book years ago.

A writing book that I have been reading used Koontz as an example for his excellent plots. The plot of this book took way too long to capture my interest.

Big Project Underway. Re-siding the House

steve — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 05:47:21 +0000

We’ve had a masonite problem with our house for longer than I care to admit, and finally have decided to go with vinyl siding. This project has taken a bit of time, so I’ve been away. I’ll be back soon with some before and after pictures and any interesting stories related to the re-siding project.

Deep in a Malware Hole

steve — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 04:00:55 +0000

I’ve been working on a family member’s laptop that was infested with all sorts of Fake Antivirus malware, and at least one or two viruses. I have managed to get most of the stuff cleaned up, but the cleanup has left the machine unstable and we’re going to end up reformatting the hard drive and reinstalling windows. I can’t say how glad I am to be using a macbook now.