Ben's Random Thoughts and Statuses

[BendtedWreath]

I usually binge and catch up on stories on Sundays, but since we have about a week left to turn in the Prompt Event entries, I'm going to polish the heck out of the one-shot I wrote with the help, opinions, and guidelines given to me by @Thomas Wells, @LJCC,  and @CassieQ. I have confidence that the final result will be a far stronger piece, so thanks again! 

[Thirdly]

Ha ha. Not Ben getting done before me. I'm not crying just a little right now. 🥲

[BendtedWreath]

2 minutes ago, Thirdly said:

Ha ha. Not Ben getting done before me. I'm not crying just a little right now. 🥲

[BendtedWreath]

I just ranked up to Adept Scribe after leaving a review on @kbois's short story The Last Unicorns, the gift that keeps on giving. 🤣

[BendtedWreath]

Just received my 50th review badge on @Wayne Gray's The Answer, which was an excellent read (and I'll link it when I'm back from travelling).

My musing of the day is regarding perfumes/colognes and public transportation.  Some scents are so strong that they linger on buses for a long time. I wish I didn't have  such a strong sense of smell.

That is all.

 

Edited May 5, 2025 by BendtedWreath

[Thirdly]

4 hours ago, BendtedWreath said:

I wish I didn't have  such a strong sense of smell.

From how far away can you smell? I've once caught the scent of cologne from forty feet away. 😂It was a very nice scent, and I took it upon myself to tell people when the scents work for them. I hunted different perfumes for years until I found the one that matched my chemistry (which turned out to be a rare run that doesn't exist anymore). I lost where I was going with all this. Right! I have a cursed nose, too. Sensitive to scents. Allergic too, to boot. 

[BendtedWreath]

11 hours ago, Thirdly said:

From how far away can you smell? I have a cursed nose, too. Sensitive to scents. Allergic too, to boot. 

I haven't thought to test the distance, but if I had to guess, just a few feet. I'm not allergic, but strong scents do give me migraines sometimes. 

[Jason Rimbaud]

I have one of those people in my restaurant as we speak. 

It's a horrible smell, fills the restaurant and I want to go up to him and ask how the hell does his husband let him leave the house with that horrible powder smell. 

 

 

[BendtedWreath]

8 hours ago, Jason Rimbaud said:

 I want to go up to him and ask how the hell does his husband let him leave the house with that horrible powder smell. 

 

 

I heard love is blind. I didn't realize it was also anosmic. 🤣

[BendtedWreath]

While attempting to refine some areas of my writing, I found an entire slew of other areas that are rough around the edges and I haven't a clue how to begin to sand them down... or why I keep using sculpting as my metaphor for writing. I'm not even a sculptor. At least, not to a satisfying degree.

[Zombie]

1 hour ago, BendtedWreath said:

I haven't a clue… why I keep using sculpting as my metaphor for writing

yes, sculpting (a la Michelangelo) is removing material that can never be put back, whereas words can always be reinstated after you’ve deleted them - even when the delete key was smashed with extreme relish…

 

 

 

Edited May 16, 2025 by Zombie

[Jason Rimbaud]

2 hours ago, BendtedWreath said:

While attempting to refine some areas of my writing, I found an entire slew of other areas that are rough around the edges and I haven't a clue how to begin to sand them down... or why I keep using sculpting as my metaphor for writing. I'm not even a sculptor. At least, not to a satisfying degree.

 

13 minutes ago, Zombie said:

yes, sculpting (a la Michelangelo) is removing material that can never be put back, whereas words can always be reinstated after you’ve deleted them - even when the delete key was smashed with extreme relish…

 

 

 

The only thing I would add, each time you sculpt/edit/delete, always save a new version so you always have the old version just in case you make a mistake. Some of my stories have up to ten different versions. Helped me save stories when I lose the plot in editing/rewrites. 

J 

[BendtedWreath]

I've been doing as much

2 hours ago, Jason Rimbaud said:

The only thing I would add, each time you sculpt/edit/delete, always save a new version so you always have the old version just in case you make a mistake.

 I've been doing this for big changes and when seeking help, yes. I think I'm getting close to your number of copies with my chaptered work. 😂

[Thirdly]

My method of madness is, excluding charts which sometimes just don't fit because they are horizontal, I compile all notes on one massive document. In this document I also toss all failed or ancient AF drafts. The other is the "working draft." Then I make one more copy of the completed draft to tear through for editing after. But I save hardcore editing for the end. Which kicks me in the butt when a story is more than 16 chaps long, but editing the whole after you have the full of it down helps you find any links you missed (at least in my case, any links I may have missed). And, yes, I color code everything because I had the fortune of not being born color blind, so the colors actually help me.

Edit: But the reason this is my personal method of madness is because I have more than 15 projects vying for my attention.

Edited May 17, 2025 by Thirdly

[BendtedWreath]

29 minutes ago, Thirdly said:

Edit: But the reason this is my personal method of madness is because I have more than 15 projects vying for my attention.

I am only struggling with the one project. I can't even imagine how you and @Jason Rimbaud manage to juggle more than one project. But I greatly appreciate everyone's input and help!! I also hate to admit I'm a sentimental sap, though you'll never hear me utter such words in person. 

[CassieQ]

8 minutes ago, BendtedWreath said:

I am only struggling with the one project. I can't even imagine how you and @Jason Rimbaud manage to juggle more than one project. But I greatly appreciate everyone's input and help!! I also hate to admit I'm a sentimental sap, though you'll never hear me utter such words in person. 

I used to be a two--three project juggler and that seemed to work better for me, strangely.  

[BendtedWreath]

5 minutes ago, CassieQ said:

I used to be a two--three project juggler and that seemed to work better for me, strangely.  

Even that sounds like a big feat to me. Godspeed to all of you. 🤣

[Jason Rimbaud]

35 minutes ago, BendtedWreath said:

I am only struggling with the one project. I can't even imagine how you and @Jason Rimbaud manage to juggle more than one project. But I greatly appreciate everyone's input and help!! I also hate to admit I'm a sentimental sap, though you'll never hear me utter such words in person. 

So currently, I am working on

1. Captivated By Kai (next part of Glacier Bay Stories)

2. Time Stood Still (part three of Glacier Bay Stories)

3. Glacier Boys (part four of Glacier Bay Stories)

4. Midnight Sun (final part of Glacier Bay Stories)

5. Sicarius: Gabriel's Gambit 

6. Forged In Shadows (my take on vamps and WEREWOLVES)

7. Unnamed Project (only have about 15K words done, maybe a short story unrelated 

Oh, I'm trying to finish part two of Tyler's Dilemma, edits are taking longer than I thought

[BendtedWreath]

53 minutes ago, Jason Rimbaud said:

 Oh, I'm trying to finish part two of Tyler's Dilemma, edits are taking longer than I thought

I look forward to binging the rest! I had to pause to work on something else I shouldn't mention I'm working on due to its confidential nature. However that one is nearly prepped to turn in. Then, I can catch up on Tyler's Dilemma. I'm really invested in those guys.

[BendtedWreath]

It's official. I wrecked my sleeping schedule and now I have to discipline myself into maintaining a more reasonable amount of hours. Time to gradually add a half hour per day. 

[BendtedWreath]

Ben traced his sleep data with woe

Because restless sleep was his foe

About half on Tuesday

Down further on Thursday

And now all his thinking is slow

 

 

[BendtedWreath]

Sleep update: I have been at least getting a solid 6 hours these last several days. I prefer a full 9 hours, but am my most functional at 8.5 hours for some reason. 

Mood update: It's Secret Author Season. I'm floating on clouds. I couldn't be more thrilled to hear there are 20+ entries this year. 

[BendtedWreath]

I have officially received my one year in badge! 

Happy GA Birthday to me! 🤣

[chris191070]

Happy GAversay

[BendtedWreath]

I have decided to save money for a food processor strong enough to create pistachio paste frequently.