Under Pressure and More Greeting Cards
I awakened this morning and went down to my computer. One of the groups that I belong to is a Game of Thrones activity group, where we combine writing with graphics in a variety of challenges. I had signed up to be a Secret Santa in a Tolkien group that I belong to, and also my Game of Thrones group and knew, in the back of my mind, that my "gift" was due on the 23rd.
I had decided to do five graphic icons and a story of 500-1000 words and had the graphics complete several days ago. I hadn't done anything about the story, though. So, when I awoke this morning, I double-checked the deadline date and had a slight panic attack. Oy! How did time get away from me so badly?
Sitting at the keyboard, I started writing. And an hour later, had posted a 700+ word fic that went in a direction I had never foreseen. I did take one read-through before posting to polish it slightly and catch any errors, but normally I will read through my stories up to 20 times before posting. I almost feel naked, having had to trust myself to post something that wouldn't be embarassing or too badly constructed on the fly like this. It's not my best work, but it's not my worst either. I think I can live with it. The Secret Santa fic I wrote for my Tolkien group was quite different. I worked on that one for many days and did many revisions. Either way, I hope my recipients enjoy their gifts.
And I have to shout out to my friend Shirebound whose greeting card arrived in yesterday's mail. I just loved it! And the trading card was fabulous. When the trading cards were first released, more than ten years ago now, I collected the first three sets - the Fellowship of the Ring, the Two Towers and the Return of the King sets. I have sets one and two complete and I'm missing less than five cards in set three. They are all in acid-free card holders in three-ring binders along with my artist cards that I also collect. Getting this card was a real bonus and I loved it! Have a marvelous Friday!
I had decided to do five graphic icons and a story of 500-1000 words and had the graphics complete several days ago. I hadn't done anything about the story, though. So, when I awoke this morning, I double-checked the deadline date and had a slight panic attack. Oy! How did time get away from me so badly?
Sitting at the keyboard, I started writing. And an hour later, had posted a 700+ word fic that went in a direction I had never foreseen. I did take one read-through before posting to polish it slightly and catch any errors, but normally I will read through my stories up to 20 times before posting. I almost feel naked, having had to trust myself to post something that wouldn't be embarassing or too badly constructed on the fly like this. It's not my best work, but it's not my worst either. I think I can live with it. The Secret Santa fic I wrote for my Tolkien group was quite different. I worked on that one for many days and did many revisions. Either way, I hope my recipients enjoy their gifts.
And I have to shout out to my friend Shirebound whose greeting card arrived in yesterday's mail. I just loved it! And the trading card was fabulous. When the trading cards were first released, more than ten years ago now, I collected the first three sets - the Fellowship of the Ring, the Two Towers and the Return of the King sets. I have sets one and two complete and I'm missing less than five cards in set three. They are all in acid-free card holders in three-ring binders along with my artist cards that I also collect. Getting this card was a real bonus and I loved it! Have a marvelous Friday!
-
mischievous
Speaking of deadlines and panic and heart-attack... do you want to hear a horror story about registering my pupils for this year's astronomy competition?
- Erulisse (one L)
Until two years ago, applying (registering? which is the right word?) for competition was really simple. A few days before the competition, a mentor was supposed to send the list of his pupil(s), with the names and classes, and that was it.
Last year, however, a new rule was introduced. Applying should've been done at least a month before the competition, and mentor had to include the theme of the practical work of his pupil. If the national commission (organizers of the competition) for any reason didn't think the theme was good, they would turn pupils down, and mentors&students had only a few more weeks for choosing and making the new theme; needless to say, if you were turned down, you simply didn't have enough time to do a good practical work.
I can tell you, I really don't know what criteria they had, because they turned down many really good works. *angry*
Anyway... I was a few days late to register my pupils for the competition; I apologized and everything was ok, we were allowed to compete although our application was a little late.
So, this year I was determined not to be late. I checked the first announcements as early as October (the applications/competitions never happen before December/February). And I saw application deadline: my brain memorized December 21st. Ok, that's plenty of time, isn't it?
Days passed, weeks passed... December arrived. It was December 1st. I was in the middle of preparing our astronomical magazine, and at some point near the end of that tay day, I really didn't feel like doing it any more (I was sort of "overdosed" with it, if you understand what I mean), and I said - I'll check if there are some new announcements for the competition. So I opened their website... and froze! The deadline was not 21st, but 1st!!!! That very day, that was already passing! You can imagine my panic! So, I quickly downloaded all the application forms, and filled them in. Luckily, I sent them on time, and got the response the very next day - all our practical works (I have 4 pupils this year) are accepted.
Needless to say, I'd feel *extremely* embarrassed if I was late two years in a row. *thud*
And next year, I'll double- and triple-check the deadline, and print it in huge letters and put it on my computer.
Calenders are not my friend. I have missed events that I purchased tickets (expensive tickets) for, I even missed taking the standardized admissions test for my college because I messed up the date. It's probably a good thing I'm not a student of yours, we'd both blow it and look at each other, laughing so much we would cry.
- Erulisse (one L)
- Erulisse (one L)
- Erulisse (one L)
- Erulisse (one L)