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Saturday, July 04, 2009
Common sense - some people are born with it, some people acquire it, some people have to get it from their daughter
For about eight years we've had this graphics tablet and pen attached to the computer. We got it way back when I was playing with designing websites and making fun little animated gifs. And I still use it occasionally - like to write on the picture of my clippykit bag in one of my recent blog posts.
So, day before yesterday I was complaining to Sparkler about the pain I've been getting in my mouse hand, and the fact that I was going to have to buy £80 worth of ergonomic mouse, and she said, "Why don't you use the pen instead?"
Lightbulb moment.
Seriously, I've been struggling with pain in my right hand and thumb joint for weeks. I've tried swapping the mouse to my left hand (hideo-impossible to use) and using keyboard shortcuts as much as possible, and sort of turning my hand on its side while I use the mouse to spare my thumb joint as much as possible. And finally, in desperation (and a few tears) deciding to buy £80 worth of ergonomic vertical mouse. And all the freaking time this tablet and pen were right there next to the computer, plugged in, ready to go.
I used the pen rather than the mouse all of yesterday, when I was filling in spreadsheets and cut-and-pasting data. And you know what? My hand isn't hurting any more. And you know what else? I feel extremely silly.
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| Thursday, July 02, 2009
The RNA has a blog and ergonomic mice and Darth Vader (the RNA only has the first)
Look at this, the Romantic Novelists' Association has started up a blog. There's going to be posts by various RNA members, plus announcements of that month's releases by RNA members.
Oh, and also a Twitter account. Look at us, embracing social media!
The RNA conference is coming up on the 10th to 13th of July, and we're going to be twittering from the conference using the Twitter hashtag #RNA09. The joys of Twitter, Erica the red laptop, and (allegedly) on-campus wifi.
So remember to check it out on the 10th: http://search.twitter.com/search?q=%23RNA09. I may even manage to send twitpics, but it depends on how well my phone behaves so don't, like, put your life on hold for them.
I tried to think of a snappier title for this post, by the way, but it didn't work so well. I'm getting some hand and wrist pain in my mouse hand, which - who knew? - turns out to be quite distracting when you're using the computer. It looks as if I'm going to have to buy an ergonomic 'vertical mouse' (expensive! ouch! but wrist pain! also ouch!).
This conference I'm taking a guest with me. He won't be much trouble, cos he'll share my room, but I may have to watch him in the bar. This is him:
 Bobblehead Darth, in the fifth country of his round-the-world tour. He's an honorary Romance Diva, and is travelling from Diva to Diva in search of cookies and the Dark Side. He's decided a romance writers' conference is the place to go for both, and, well, you don't argue with a Dark Lord. He's been holding that light sabre worryingly close to my Elizabeth Goudge trophy. After the conference he's going home with Nell Dixon, so I just have to pacify him until then.
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| Saturday, June 27, 2009
Looking forward to the holiday
It's three weeks till the end of term. It's five weeks till Abstract is off work. It's five and a bit weeks till we go on holiday.
I know these numbers cos we are all officially exhausted. Everything I do is taking longer than usual, which means I'm working for longer for less result (so frustrating). I have critique partners waiting for critiques, and books waiting to be written. And even my virtual bookshelf on Facebook is way overdue for being updated. You know things are bad when you can't keep up with your hobby.
Anyway, for our holiday this year we're going for a week to one of those holiday village places, staying in a big static caravan, near to a huge swimming pool, within walking distance of a beach, and with the opportunity to do climbing and archery and eat pizza and go to Starbucks. I'm really looking forward to it! We've never done something like that before, and it's a bit of a gamble, because if you go to one of these places and you don't like the free onsite activities or your fellow-holidaymakers or the pizza and Starbucks and evening entertainment (that last is really a gamble), you're kind of wasting your money.
On the definite pluses, a beach is a beach is a beach, there will certainly be other children/young teenagers there for the girls to make friends with, and hey - Starbucks is always good, right?
And I love caravans. We've splashed out on the most luxurious option for once, with real beds and a nice kitchen and a flatscreen TV (better than we have at home, probably!). And I am so looking forward to a few lie-ins, and going to the pool, and having morning coffee in Starbucks (product placement! send me free coffees, yes?), and going to the beach, and maybe trying out archery and letting the girls try rock climbing, and playing on weird little water-bike-type machines in the pool, and putting on my new pretty RNA conference dinner dress and walking to the bar for dinner without having to have the "who's driving tonight" conversation.
Ooh, yes, new dress. I found it the other day and thought I'd better snap it up before it went. It's cute. Pictures will come at some point after the conference. I need something to cheer me up for the dinner, after all, as I have to give back the Elizabeth Goudge trophy. The side of my computer is going to look naked afterwards.
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| Monday, June 22, 2009
What writers do when they're not writing. With added sparkles!
The first side of my clippykit bag is finished. Look! Proof!
This is me modelling it (if you click on the picture you'll get a bigger resolution):
And this is its close-up:
 The colour doesn't show up at its best on our red sitting-room carpet, but all the same - see, how pretty!
The other side is a work in progress. It's going to have miniatures of my cover art, and my web address in glitter pen across the centre. One side for prettiness, one side for Cold Hard Advertising. Cold Hard glittery Advertising.
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