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Clinging To Optimism #IWSG

Posted on May 3, 2017May 3, 2017 by Loni Townsend

It’s the first Wednesday of the month. Though I’m rolling in at a later-than-usual hour, I’m here for another edition of Insecure Writer’s Support Group.

I mentioned last month how March shoved my head into the ground. April thankfully gave me a week of reprieve. Of course, I had to curse myself by excitedly telling my coworkers, “I should be able to exercise next week!” I really should have known better. Because what followed were medical appointments, dietary restrictions, and sleep issues. All of which resulted in me sending apology emails to my boss and using what little leave I have left.

Needless to say, everyone at the Town’s End is cranky at the moment and have been for a few weeks now.

Despite being quick to snap at people, I’ve managed to get some writing in. Therefore, I’m not an insecure writer this month! That’s something to be optimistic about. Plus we’ve got solutions en route for all the medical woes, so I think in another week, we’ll see an improvement on that end. I’m hoping May will let me finish chapters 8 and 9 in Isto. I’m clinging to this optimism, and maybe it’ll carry me through this month.

IWSG Question of the Month: What is the weirdest/coolest thing you ever had to research for your story?

There’s been a couple of things I’ve had to research. One was how to liquefy a human. It’s a process called alkaline hydrolysis, and it’s actually considered a greener form of cremation. Go figure. Of course what I was using it for was far more nefarious character killing means. ๐Ÿ™‚ Other things include cannibalism and MacGyvering sleeping gas from the contents of a train car bar. My people like to get into trouble, and I’m certain I’m on a government watch list.

How was your May? What are you insecure about this month? What are your favorite low-carb vegetarian recipes? What strange things have you had to research?

About Insecure Writer’s Support Group
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You can find the sign up for the IWSG here. We owe Alex J Cavanaugh a huge thank you for thinking this blog hop up.

30 thoughts on “Clinging To Optimism #IWSG”

  1. Madeline Mora-Summonte says:
    May 3, 2017 at 12:40 PM

    Good that you’ve got solutions in place for all the medical issues. And you’ve even written through it all? Awesome! ๐Ÿ™‚

    Liquefy a human?! ๐Ÿ˜ฎ

    Reply
  2. CD Gallant-King says:
    May 3, 2017 at 1:09 PM

    I started to ramp up my exercise in April and I did something to my foot. I’m hoping it’s just a strain or a pulled tendon or something, and not a stress fracture or an actual year. I have a doctor’s appointment tomorrow, wish me luck.

    And good luck to you keeping your writing on track this month. Get your chapters in!

    Reply
    1. Loni Townsend says:
      May 3, 2017 at 1:29 PM

      Good luck with your foot! Much of our medical related issues started with the feet. Be sure to take care of those guys.

      Reply
  3. Erika Beebe says:
    May 3, 2017 at 1:44 PM

    Holy moly Loni. I am sorry for Your sleepless nights but happy you squeezed in writing. Your research might never allow me to go to sleep! Wow! Great post ๐Ÿ™‚

    Reply
  4. Sarah Foster says:
    May 3, 2017 at 1:48 PM

    And I thought I had researched some sketchy things! Hopefully the medical issues work out soon.

    Reply
  5. Elsie Amata says:
    May 3, 2017 at 3:33 PM

    I’m so sorry to hear you’ve been under the weather. Um, liquifying a human. Gross. haha I always wonder what would happen if the FBI wanted to search my computer. I think I’d go to jail. ๐Ÿ™‚

    Reply
  6. Crystal Collier says:
    May 3, 2017 at 3:40 PM

    We researched the same crazy thing! Way to go, us!

    I’m so hopeful for your medical solutions. It seems life spins completely off kilter when health issues enter the picture. Here’s to feeling better and more in control!

    Reply
  7. Alex J. Cavanaugh says:
    May 3, 2017 at 3:49 PM

    Sorry you’ve had so many health issues lately. Don’t kill anyone.
    MacGyvering sleeping gas – that is just awesome.

    Reply
  8. Juneta says:
    May 3, 2017 at 4:00 PM

    Wow that is a strange one. Not sure I’d want to go there. lol
    ‘ Juneta @ Writer’s Gambit

    Reply
  9. Chrys Fey says:
    May 3, 2017 at 4:10 PM

    Liquefying a human? Ick!

    I hope you can get to chapters 8 and 9. And I hope all medication issues are taken care of soon.

    Reply
  10. Olga Godim says:
    May 3, 2017 at 4:34 PM

    Liquefy a human!? Gosh, am I glad I’m not writing murder mysteries. And after confessing to such a terrifying research topic, you are asking us about our favorite low-carb recipes. You must have nerves of steel, lady!

    Reply
  11. Arlee Bird says:
    May 3, 2017 at 4:54 PM

    Glad things are getting better.

    From things I’ve read, the drug cartels in Mexico sometime use the liquefying method of killing. Though I think they prefer leaving mutilated corpses for people to find since it’s more visually terrifying.

    Arlee Bird
    Tossing It Out

    Reply
  12. L. Diane Wolfe says:
    May 3, 2017 at 4:55 PM

    Turning a human into liquid? Well, we are 98% water to begin with.

    I hope you’re on the permanent mend soon.

    Reply
  13. Christine Rains says:
    May 3, 2017 at 5:59 PM

    Hope you’re feeling better soon. And yay for some writing time! I’ve been pushing slowly to the end of the final book in my Totem series. It’s slow because I don’t know how it will end yet. All the scenarios in my head so far involve killing heroes! Is it okay to be proud of your villain and frustrated with him at the same time?

    Reply
  14. Mason T. Matchak says:
    May 3, 2017 at 9:37 PM

    I think that a lot of us have done searches that would get us on watch lists. ^_^ I’m rather grateful that most of what I do, I get to just make up. But I’m glad you’re clinging to optimism, and I hope May works out well for you.

    …and now I totally want to liquefy someone in a book someday. That sounds like a really interesting way to kill a character. Bwa ha ha.

    Reply
  15. Anna says:
    May 3, 2017 at 10:02 PM

    I’m glad there is a light at the end of the tunnel. ๐Ÿ™‚ And I have to admit I cringed at what you researched. Took me by surprised. You looking so wholesome and all. ๐Ÿ™‚

    Anna from elements of emaginette

    Reply
  16. Ellen @ The Cynical Sailor says:
    May 4, 2017 at 6:04 AM

    It’s probably a good thing you had to research how to liquefy a human and that it wasn’t something you already knew about from, say, personal experience ๐Ÿ™‚

    Reply
  17. chemistken says:
    May 4, 2017 at 9:08 AM

    Glad you could put your medical issues to good use by writing. Almost makes me wish something would happen to me so I could get some writing done. (just kidding) I hope you feel better soon.

    BTW, your post explains why, when I called the bank and the credit card company for my own story’s research, the first thing they asked me was if I knew you. Apparently you are on some sort of list.

    Reply
  18. Leandra Wallace says:
    May 4, 2017 at 9:33 AM

    Sometimes clinging is all we can do. =) Hope it all sorts itself soon!

    Reply
  19. Elizabeth H Seckman says:
    May 4, 2017 at 9:54 AM

    Yeah. you are probably on a watch list somewhere. LOL

    Glad you got some writing in and see some good health on the horizon.

    Reply
  20. Jeri says:
    May 4, 2017 at 1:13 PM

    Back when I was still working on my novel, I did some research on how a body would decompose in a barrel of diesel fuel. If I ever go back to revising it, I’ll have to do some more research in that area.

    Reply
  21. M.J. Fifield says:
    May 4, 2017 at 1:46 PM

    I love that so many of these IWSG posts this time around discuss the possibility of being on a government watch list. There’s someone in the government right now saying, “Wait…should you all be?”

    Glad you got a reprieve in April, however brief. Hope May treats you better!

    Off to figure out how to work in alkaline hydrolysis in my novel…

    Reply
  22. Roland Clarke says:
    May 4, 2017 at 1:55 PM

    Seems the medical issues have been doing the rounds in Boise. Hope everything is resolved. As for your research, I’m not surprised that you are on the ‘watch list’…along with a few more suspicious writers. (Acts all innocent.)

    Reply
  23. Liesbet says:
    May 4, 2017 at 3:19 PM

    Loni, I hope your medical issues get solved soon. Hard to concentrate on writing when health is priority number one! Interesting research topics. I could see why you might be on the government watch list! ? Liesbet @ Roaming About โ€“ A Life Less Ordinary (May co-host)

    Reply
  24. HR Sinclair says:
    May 5, 2017 at 1:09 PM

    Cling to every shred of optimism you have! It will see you through. Being able to write is a great start toward feeling better. Low-carb vegetarian! Ack, that’s a hard one.

    Reply
  25. J.C. Jackson says:
    May 5, 2017 at 8:46 PM

    Keep it up! Progress is progress.

    April was crazy and it’s still too early in May to tell. Hoping for calmer times.

    As for me in terms of insecurity, I’ve just been getting super distracted lately. Also getting nervous about the next release.

    I can’t really remember weird things I’ve had to research. I know they exist, but the topics have eluded me.

    Reply
  26. Michelle Wallace says:
    May 7, 2017 at 11:17 AM

    Alkaline hydrolysis sounds more eco-friendly and sustainable…if I dare say so…
    Hope you feel better soon, Loni! ๐Ÿ™‚

    Reply
  27. Tamara Narayan says:
    May 8, 2017 at 8:47 AM

    This reminds me of a CNN post about a “green” pod you can put your body or ashes in and then be put in the ground under a growing tree. I love trees, so it would be fine with me. Prettier than a gravestone. Hope your health woes are resolved soon.

    Reply
  28. Sarah says:
    May 8, 2017 at 5:50 PM

    Huh. Liquefying a human. Sleeping gas. I do wonder if someone has flagged you. Well, happy you’re writing. ๐Ÿ™‚ Also, very happy to hear you are feeling better but hope you get all this crap worked out for good. May has been so much better than March but that’s not saying much. Cheers and good wishes!

    Reply
  29. C.G.Coppola says:
    May 11, 2017 at 6:07 PM

    I am like *super* late in responding, but I’m glad to hear April was a bit better, minus all the health issues ๐Ÿ™ But YAY for getting writing done! It’s definitely something to be optimistic about! And liquifying people? Really, Loni? ๐Ÿ˜‰

    Reply

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Welcome to my blog. I post here on Wednesdays most of the time, but you can find me on social media any day of the week. My topics include my stories and writing, life at the Town's End, creating and tinkering with graphics, things I learn and think might be helpful to others, and the occasional amateur photo. Thanks for stopping by! I hope to see you around.

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