#254 - New Leaf, Old Brian

I was up and back to work today, although I worked from home.

The sleep aids made sure I had a great sleep. I woke up earlier that expected again feeling great but decided to stay in bed anyways. Until my alarm went off.

I have plenty of paintings to get through, adjusting and completing revisions before approving them. The revisions were greater than usual due to the key paintings we were using for reference. One of the great things about having references is that we can follow the desired direction of the art director with ease. The downside is when the key isn’t working for the close-ups and other shots, and we have to go in and adjust paintings.

On an average show, there might be 175 paintings to look at, divided among myself and the other lead. So, any bigger revisions can add up fast. But it was great to get things moving so we could send the approved art to the next department.

There was a one o’clock meeting scheduled for today, so Robyn and I walked around our neighbourhood at lunch so we could make sure we would be back in time before it started. The weather was not as perfect as it had been all the other days. It was raining when we left, and the air was warm and thick with humidity.

None-the-less, we were happy to get away from our desks and get some fresh air and a change of scenery for a little while. 

When we got back, I made myself a turkey club to eat while the meeting was taking place. It was delicious!

Afterwards, I focused on approvals and put on some music to keep me motivated. Playing music is the best way for me to tune everyone and everything else out. I get way more work done when I do that, the only problem with being a lead or supervisor is all the constant distractions. There is always some piece of information being passed from other teams or people have questions the need immediate answering.

I was lagging a bit around three, so I went out to the yard and trimmed my rose bushes, clearing away last years dead branches. I’d meant to do it weeks ago but never got round to it. The roses haven’t suffered from it either way. But at least now it looks nice and clean with only the new growth showing.

Then, I headed back inside and made my first ever Nespresso iced coffee. And it wasn’t too bad, I think I see why people really like them. Mine was made using a pistachio capsule and some milk over ice. Can’t say it was my all time favourite, but it was very drinkable and it was too hot for a hot coffee. The cold brew was refreshing.

I finished my workday a just before six and grabbed my keys and sunglasses and headed out the door. I wanted to find a few more plants for the back yard to have a better weighting of a particular ground cover plant and to pick up fence board to make a replacement.

Arriving at Rona, I checked the spot where I had picked up the plants on the weekend and they were sold out of the one I wanted. So, I headed to the lumber yard and picked out the straightest board I could get.

Why do all home repair places have wood that is soaked all the way through. I swear all the wood in the store recently came from the bottom of the lake. I stopped to fill up the car with gas and then headed home. I left the plank on the front porch to dry out a bit before I trim it to size and add some deck oil to it.

Robyn returned from the grocery store with the kids in tow. I had just started to make a batch of Makhani sauce, so we were doing the kitchen dance where everyone else is in everyone’s way.

While I was making the sauce, I portioned out spices for my production manager at work to bring to her. She wants to make the Chicken Ruby recipe, but she hasn’t got all the spices. And I happed to have them all and in good quantities. So, I made up little baggies with labels for each step of the recipe.

Since I have to go into work tomorrow, I can drop them on her desk in the morning.

I ate dinner while occasionally stirring the sauce so it wouldn’t burn. The newest batch turned out great and the house smells amazing.

After eating, Robyn and I settled down for the night and watched two episodes of ‘The Burroughs,’ which we are really enjoying. It’s got some great actors, and the feel of the show is perfect. They really nailed it. It reminds me of 80’s Spielberg. Even th background music reminds me of those years, and in a really good way. They’ve really got the sound down on this one. And it looks like a great show to. Interesting settings, filled with all kinds of quirky characters and that sprinkle of magic dust.

And that got me to about eleven thirty and I got the nudge from Robyn to go and do at least an hour of writing. And that’s exactly what I did.

Tomorrow, I start writing fiction only in the evening session. I ‘ll write the blog on the train and at lunch, but the late-night session is reserved from this point forward to fiction.

I think designating a time for this activity will help convert me into a daily fiction writers instead of a last minute, all at once fiction writer!

This new story seems like it is going in a fun new direction. I’m looking forward to writing the next scene tomorrow. It’s going to be full of action and tension if I do it right, as well as introducing the rest of the agents team members.

One thing that my writing instructor does often, he is also a late-night writer, is he takes plenty of naps throughout the day. Sometimes as breaks before heading back to his writing computer. Sometimes he stops for an hour or two for dinner or to watch a show with his wife before getting back to it.

Granted, writing is his full-time job, so he can stay up until four Am writing and then get up at 9 or 10 or even 11 AM the next day. The point is, that he makes the time for it every day and that adds up through out the year.

I aim to do my version of that, which needs to accommodate a nine to five full-time job.

No pain, no gain as they say.

Bunch of sadists.

Speaking of torture, it is supposed to be rainy and humid and hot tomorrow. Same for Thursday. I hope it keeps some of the commuters at home so I can selfishly get the best seat to write in while on the train. It really does affect my writing word counts.

I think the kids are heading to Canada’s Wonderland tomorrow with the same hopes. People will stay home to avoid the weather. Good luck to them.

Well, it’s time for bed. An early rise and sleep aids are two good reasons to make some Zees.

Good night, all!