What do you do if your computer is off limits most of the time and your workspace is disrupted? Can you shift to longhand for awhile? or will all your forward progress die?
I've had to answer these questions for the next couple of weeks.
The Situation:
We live in an "Old Lady House" that needs regular TLC. Check out this old blogpost for some more on the housework. As you can see, it is always a work in progress.
And the time has come that we must refloor. We don't have a choice. We have to put down new sub flooring, carpet, and tile. The study is one of the rooms on the to do list.
The Solution:
I'm happy to say, I've figured out how to keep working. ; )
The writing desk I use to draft longhand has been moved to the solarium. I have a backlog of writing magazines I need to read and a book on parenting that I need to read for research for FRIENDLY FIRE. Add several other projects I've been putting off, and I'm being very productive while John paints, hammers, and works in the study, living room, dining room, etc.
So, what about you?
Do you have contingency plans for a "rainy day" of writing?
Yikes. You mean, *gulp* go unplugged? *shudders* I don't think I could do it. If I didn't have the computer at the desk, then I'd resort to the netbook. If not that, I'd cling to the kindle. If not that, well, I'm afraid I'd have to resort to the cell phone. What a world we live in, eh?
ReplyDeleteYep, unplugged! ; ) All I will do for the next few weeks is check all my emails, blogs, etc. twice a day. Otherwise, I'm on my own with paper and pen. Though to be fair, I'm a long hand drafter from way back.
DeleteIf it's just a day or two I can live with jotting things down in my note book. I do like to write long hand so I can do that if it's a longer time frame. Fortunately, I also have a netbook and since everything is on dropbox I can access it anywhere. That's for drafting though. Editing/rewriting I really do like my desktop with two monitors so I can have multiple documents up at once. Fortunately, my hubby is as addicted to the computer and internet as I am so if we had work to do in the room with the computers he would just move them and set them up somewhere else. A lot of things, music, TV, phone, run through our computers/internet so we wouldn't like to be without them for too long.
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ReplyDeleteI only have one computer, the desk top. I know that's old fogey, but it's all I've got. We thought about moving it to the solarium, but I knew I had other things I could do with the down time. Of course, by the end of two weeks, I might be tearing my hair out. ; ) I'll let you know.
DeleteI can definitely work in longhand. I love it!
ReplyDeleteBut I think I would work even better if I had a solarium [vbg]
; ) Deniz, it's a lovely room with exercise geer (that needs dusting) and a good view of the deck and backyard including the bird feeders. Though at the moment, there's a lot of extra stuff crammed into the corners and stacked all over.
DeleteI'm the old lady when it comes to writing. I wrote my first articles and books on a Royal manual typewriter with carbon paper and a cheat sheet for margin.But then again, when renovations got really bad with men traisping in and out, hammering going nonstop...I went to a motel for a week so I could think straight.
ReplyDeleteI remember carbon paper and margin cheat sheets! And correct tape that allowed you to type over typos. Ouch! I'm feeling old. ; )
DeleteHeck, I remember that stuff too, and I'm younger than you! They were still using typewriters and correct tape at my organization up to five years ago!
ReplyDeleteOh my! Deniz, that's wild! I thought they'd gone the way of the dinosaurs long before that.
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