New Bluetooth Headset

Someone forgot their fancy Platronics bluetooth headset at our Legislative Day event at the AZ state capitol building this past Wednesday.   So instead of letting it gather dust in lost and found, I paired it with my phone and tried it out.  The thing has a thousand times better signal with my iPhone 5 than the one I currently have (which has such terrible range that if I put my phone in my pocket, or turn my head away from my phone, the signal cuts out).  I honestly didn't think I could get a bluetooth headset that would work better than the pathetic marginal connection I've been dealing with for over a year.  So I never looked.  Okay, it's not like I am just the type to accept something that has such poor quality, I had one before that had just as bad of a connection and range, and I also find the same issue happening with a couple of bluetooth speakers I've used.  I just thought, bluetooth must just not work too well with the iPhone 5.  Whatever.  And I love the idea of having a discreet little headphone in one ear so that I can listen to podcasts, NPR, an Audiobook, all without having the hassle of interrupting others or dealing with cords getting caught on things.  So I've dealt with the crappy signal.  Made sure to stick my phone in my bra (great signal there), or tuck it upright in my right back pocket (works well unless I bend down to pick something up), or in my armband on my right bicep (which, believe it or not, also loses signal quite regularly).  And I've trudged on...continuing to listen to my broken up podcasts or books, hoping the next iPhone would work better (and by next, I mean the iPhone 6, or whatever it'll be called).  Until I paired this Platronics Voyager Legend bluetooth.  No signal was lost with my phone in my pocket, or if I turned my head, not even when I put my phone behind my back and sat smothering it into the office chair at work.  So I decided all hope wasn't lost.  Maybe I just needed to research this more.  Finding pretty much the same reviews and mediocre possibilities as I now remember finding last year when I purchased the bluetooth I have, I decided to just walk around Best Buy and ask one of the people who are paid to know things like this.  She knew nothing.  Pointed to the platronics one I was borrowing from the lost and found (it's freakin huge and bulky, I'll post a photo...)

I mean, the microphone is just ridiculous, especially considering I don't ever intend to use this to make phone calls, unless it's too inconvenient not to.  So I had a little birthday money stashed away and figured, since that annoying Best Buy employee can't point me in the right direction, I'll just buy bluetooth after bluetooth until I find one that works this well.

I'm SOOOO happy I did.  The first try was the winner.  The box said something about having a range up to 300ft...sold.   It's a Motorola Boom and I did actually see some positive reviews for it during my research.  I'm so glad I made that choice.  When i finally figured out how to get it to work (I kept expecting it to have a little light show up when plugging it in to charge it but it turns out, the light is so tiny, I thought it was a speck of paint on the volume buttons...there's a much more appropriate looking spot on the outside that isn't actually a light).

So once I realized it was actually working fine, I paired it with my phone, and feeling a bit nervous, slid my phone into my pocket to test it out.  Expecting the typical break in signal, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that I can have my phone in any pocket, turn my head in any direction, even walk into another room, and this thing never loses signal.  It does when the microwave is on (duh), or if I walk too far away, or have too many walls between my ear and my phone, but I seriously couldn't duck behind the couch before without missing most of what Ira Glass was saying.   So obviously I've been listening constantly.  I finished One More Thing by BJ Novak...which was less entertaining, in my opinion, after the halfway point.  Caught up on my favorite podcasts (Books on the Nightstand, Studio 360, some other NPR ones, I Should be Writing, All Write Already, Writing Excuses), started 'Dark Places' by Gillian Flynn...whenever I get back into doing something like this (which feels like a break for my brain while my body is doing something unpleasant, like folding clothes), I get all forgiving of myself for not doing everything I want to do with my life.  For instance, I haven't been writing much at all since I finished editing my book for the second time.  And this afternoon I decided, it doesn't mean I'm not a writer. It doesn't mean I'm giving up on myself.  I can take a damn break, for crying out loud.  The reason doesn't matter.  So I'm upset with my writing right now...that doesn't mean I need to quit for good.  I need to be okay with myself before I force myself to write when I don't want to, which will make it feel even more forced and horrible.

Okay, this was a lot more detail than it needed to be to get the simple point across that I got a new bluetooth, and it's awesome.  So, if you're like me and you like listening to talk radio, podcasts, audiobooks, and you have a smartphone (seriously, how did I exist before my iPhone?), and you want a good Bluetooth...try this one out.  It's freakin awesome.

Weekend and Journal Entry (8/5/96)

This past weekend was pretty great.  Not for any particular reason but because I got everything I wanted to do accomplished and still had enough time for fun and relaxation.  I made jewelry, listened to an entire audiobook (it was only a little over 4 hours long, The Giver, but it was still impressive in my opinion), finished The Storyteller audiobook (one of my favorite books now), did laundry, hung out with the kiddo, took the dog for a walk both Saturday and Sunday, visited a great friend I haven't seen in too long, worked out on Saturday, cleaned my car inside and out, and other little things (like dishes).  Though I was exhausted, I felt really content last night.  There are so many times that I feel like I've wasted days away, and this was not one of those times. 

There was something specific I wanted to write a blog about but I currently have no recollection of what that was.  I just remember thinking "I should write a post about that".  I'm sure it'll come to me eventually.

So on to the journal entry...

8/5/96
Diary, I was pretty mad last night ********(more info about that crush I wrote about in the last entry)

I chickened out yesterday night and just fell asleep!  I guess it's just easier said than done!

I wrote a letter to Mad About You last night, to keep me busy.  I sure hope they write back.  I collect autographs.  So far I have Tim Allen (Best), Jim Carrey, Cathy Ireland & The Cast of Home Improvement (other best).

I have my door open right now, because my brother isn't home, neither are my parents.

I'm supposed to do something with Rose today but shes not home!

Lately I've been thinking of ideas for inventions: A calculator, time, atlas, TV watch!  I wish it was already invented, I would have one!!!

I left a message on Rose's machine so she should (hopefully) call back.

I actually enjoy painting my nails, so I'm going to go and do them now!

                                                   Millie :D

I guess my iPhone would have made my 1996 self pretty darn happy.  I've always loved technology....but I'm glad I wrote about the tree house in this journal because I've also always loved nature and being outdoors. 

I did end up getting that Mad About You cast of autographs.  I think all of them are still in a folder somewhere in my current house (my husband being in the Air Force, I've moved quite a few times since then, so it's saying something that I still have that random childhood collection).

Obviously, I had an issue with being honest to myself about things like wanted to paint my nails.  I didn't want random future people (all of you who might be reading this today, I guess), thinking that my 13-year-old self was so girly and vain. 

My last thought on this one...what I wouldn't give to have time to write a letter to a TV Show requesting an autograph just to pass my time.....jeesh....I was telling my husband earlier that I wish someone would invent a way for human adults to live (with no health side effects) with only about 4 hours of sleep a day.  I'd LOVE to have a few extra hours of awake and alert time a day (and not have to take caffeine pills to accomplish this, or feel like death the next day).

To Kill a Mockingbird

I started reading this book yesterday for the first time in my life and I'm absolutely loving it. Ughh...I actually started it two days ago and started this post yesterday, but as you can see, I have neglected finishing it until now.

I've lived my entire adult life only reading (or listening to the audiobook versions) about one classic piece of literature per year.  Usually they're Jane Austen books...and I often don't get through an entire one.  I've read Dracula, Wuthering Heights (definitely not what I expected), A Christmas Carol, Persuasion (didn't finish this one yet), Sherlock Holmes (also haven't finished, but got through a whole lot of it), Tale of Two Cities (listened to the audio version and got through so little of it, I'm embarrassed to even list it here).  Hm...I really need to get on GoodReads so I can keep better track of this.  

I love listening to audiobooks.  I can't remember how much I've written about them in previous posts but it's really one of my favorite things to do.  The obsession started while I was moving from Louisiana to Pennsylvania in 2009.  I think my sister suggested I try listening to audiobooks for the 20+ hour drive (spread over two days).  The first one I listened to was Bel Canto by Ann Patchett.  I finished it on that trip, while intermittently listening to music and talking on the phone to my husband.  I'll always be thankful for that drive...who knows how long it might have taken me to realize my love for audiobooks otherwise?  I'm even a subscriber to Audible now, have been for over a year, and there hasn't been one month that I've regretted the cost of the membership.  

So I'm currently reading three books.  To Kill a Mockingbird (strictly the paper version), Reached by Ally Condie (doing the whispersync for voice where I can read it on my Kindle and it picks up where I left off in the audiobook I also have through Audible...technology is nuts), and I just started listening to Life of Pi (just the audiobook version of this one).  

The editing is still going well.  I flew through a chapter today and I'm getting more and more excited about the story and the way it all fits together.  I'm starting the edits on Chapter 17 tomorrow and there are 33 total.  Since I realized it'd go slower, my ultimate goal has been to have it done before the end of the month, and I'm well on my way to achieving that.  

Even the jewelry shop has picked up (today I had the first sales I've had in weeks...and I've had a bunch of custom requests lately).

But still no job.  And still no interview.  Booooo to that. 

Weight loss challenge with the husband started again officially (we took a hiatus over the holidays...I'm still struggling to get back to where I was before the hiatus).  Weigh in is tomorrow morning and he made us a disgustingly fatty taco lasagna type thing tonight.  Which I ate a serving and a half of and enjoyed every filling bite.  

Well played husband, well played.  I can already feel my rings uncomfortably pressing into my bloated sodium filled fingers.  

What's today...Thursday?

That's how I've been feeling a lot lately.  Partially because my husband has been off of work for the holidays and partially because of this job-searching slump I'm having.  I was slightly more constructive with my time today, finished over a chapter already in the editing (got stuck at a major rewrite area early in the second chapter I was working on at lunch time).  I also revamped my resume with the help of a friend from the town I was living in the past few years.  Now I just need a few good library jobs to start accepting applications for me to see if it will help my chances of landing an interview.

Before the editing and the resume rebuilding, I emailed the Human Resources woman that worked with me on getting my one and only phone interview so many months ago.  I asked her if she could possibly offer me some advice on getting my foot in the door in a local public library.  No response yet.

All the libraries around here hire through the county or the cities in which they're located, and though I've applied to at least half a dozen good jobs (that I was totally qualified for), I've still only been offered that one phone interview a month before I even moved from Pennsylvania to Arizona.  It's rough...seeing the great jobs, applying for them, holding my breath for them for weeks, and not even getting offered an interview.  I know you're supposed to call the jobs to see if they've had a chance to review your resume but around here, it's difficult to decide who to call.  The job is listed through the official city website and other than the actual address of the jobsite, there's no other information provided about where you'd actually work.  So calling the library and flat out asking 'who might be on the panel for interviewing so-and-so position? Can I speak with said person?' seems like a bad idea.  Calling a library usually gets whoever is at the front desk.  Hopefully if that does turn out to be some type of common practice around here, the HR person will be kind enough to fill me in.  I guess I'll be happy if I hear back from her at all.

So my plans for tonight:

-Eat dinner (the hubby will be making it tonight)
-Get the goofy girl to bed
-Go for a 2.3 ish mile run with the doggy while listening to the audiobook version of 'Gone Girl' that I checked out of the Free Library of Philadelphia and loaded onto my iPod (little library tip...if you check out a book and load it onto a device that doesn't have Wifi, you can keep it on that device for well past its due date...basically it will stay on the device until you load that device to the computer again.  So next time I decide to sync my iPod, I'll say goodbye to my borrowed copy of Gone Girl).
-Get through that rough rewrite section of the chapter I'm editing while indulging in milk and cookies
-Bed

These are the cookies I got while grocery shopping with the family this evening:

Yummy, and only 120 calories in 10!

They were kind of purchased for the kiddo but I really really like them...so we're going to learn about sharing with this batch of cookies.  

Chapter Five

I'm starting Chapter Five of this book tomorrow. It feels way more legitimate now that I've been sticking with it for several weeks. I started listening to an Audible 'how to' book on becoming a successful novelist. It was written by the guy who wrote the Rambo books (I didn't even know they originated from books...sorry David Morrell!!). I definitely don't expect to become a successful novelist because of this audiobook, but I have found that listening to any nonfiction book helps me stay more aware of whatever topic that book is about. And they take me weeks to finish, so if I'm thinking about writing fiction for weeks, it can only help.

I just wanted to give myself a little congratulations on finishing another chapter. I'm using an app to track the amount of words I'm writing (did I mention this already in my latest blog post?) and the app is telling me that I'm 12% done with my goal of 70,000 words. I definitely say 'hooray' to being anywhere in the double digits of percentage done with this. If I could just get to triple digits percent complete...that's obviously my ultimate goal.

This audiobook brought up something interesting for me today. The author asks 'why do you want to be a writer'. He even brings up the really good point that writing one book could involve up to a full year of work that you may never ever be paid for (this is something I've thought of time and again recently..simply because I'm making and selling jewelry now, working for a living, and raising a daughter--all of these things give me a very limited amount of time and I can't help but equate time with money now that the jewelry business is something else I could be putting my time towards here at home).

I still haven't really fully answered the question, to be honest. I'm gonna have to keep thinking about it, I guess. Some of the reasons I can't let go of wanting to be a writer...
-I've been writing in journals since I was younger than a teenager.
-I have stories that I haven't even ended in my head yet...so I feel like the only way I can see them finish themselves, is by writing them.
-I need to feel like these desires to get published have not always been a delusional and childish 'I'd like to be a ballerina when I grow up' type dreams.
But I don't feel like any of these really answer the question of why I WANT to be a writer.


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