Help – I’m Stuck In A Rut And I Can’t Get Out!

Okay, the title is a little misleading. I’m not really in a rut so much as I’ve been focusing on the same thing for too long that now I can’t see the forest for the trees. Have you ever been there? It’s kind of frustrating. Here’s my problem: I need to come up with a book cover for my next book and I’ve got nothing.

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Change Is Good

Photo courtesy Google Images

I hadn’t even realized how much of a rut I was in until I got out of it. I am so glad that my husband and I decided to relocate to Mississippi. The move across country was relatively incident free and the transition into the Baer House Inn here as innkeepers has been a breeze. Except for some chaotic moments with shuffling boxes around to find clean clothes and particular kitchen utensils, everything has fallen into place. I’m not sure it’s the right place yet, but fallen into a temporary place at least.

For 30 years I sat at a desk and worked for someone else. Most of those 30 years were not torture, but it was definitely time to spread my wings and fly out of my “known zone.” I am now in my “unknown zone” and loving every minute. Sure, I’m tired and I’ve had a few brief crying spells (mostly because a certain someone has been mean to me), but all in all, I’m having fun.

Photo courtesy Google Images

I’m not overly impulsive; I like to plan most things out. But our decision to move to Mississippi sort of came out of left field. It was a strange set of circumstances that led us here, but I’m ever so glad we’re here. Vicksburg is a charming town with super friendly shopkeepers, wait staff, grocery clerks, etc. Everywhere we go, people are nice to us and wish us success in our new venture. It’s only been about two weeks, and already I’m starting to feel like this is home.

Image courtesy Google Images

If you’re on the fence about making a change, I suggest you do it. Holding on to the mundane for the sake of security in knowing the outcome, is not a good reason to keep doing it. Just make the change and think positive and work hard. I’m pretty sure you’ll be surprised at the results.

How about you readers, have you ever taken a plunge of sorts? What big scary thing have you jumped into? Was it worth it?

Word of the Day: Yeuk

Fun fact about me: I didn’t think I’d enjoy getting up early, but it’s not so bad after all.

Original post by Jansen Schmidt, August 2015. Photos and images courtesy Google Images.

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I Can’t Afford To Play Monopoly Anymore

Photo courtesy Google Images

My husband recently got a promotion at work. Good news, right? Yes. But, it requires that he work the 6 pm to 3 am shift for quite a few weeks. Not such good news. We’ve learned to deal with it and have even developed a routine of sorts that seems to be working for us.

Routine, however, can morph into a rut and nobody wants to be in a rut. In an effort to mix things up a bit, we decided to try playing a game instead of our normal watching tv together thing. (Besides all of the shows we normally DVR have ended for the season and there’s not much on we like to watch during the summer.)

“Wow, I haven’t played Monoply is like a bazillion years,” said I. “Let’s see if we even remember how to play.”

We set up the game, distributed our trust fund money to start the game and rolled the dice. My husband was first to round the board and pass go. But instead of forking over the standard issue $200, we realized that with today’s inflation, the rising cost of health care (not to mention Obamacare) and other such nonsense, we really should only receive $100.

Photo courtesy Google Images

Then I was presented with an opportunity to buy Boardwalk. I was practically salivating to hand over my money for the property until my husband suggested that even if I could afford the property now, I probably wouldn’t be able to afford the proptery taxes later and might lose the lot to foreclosure.

“But I’ll build a hotel on the property and collect rent,” I argued.

“How are you going to pay for the hotel?” he asked, “You just paid everything in your bank account to buy the property.”

I decided against the buying the prime piece of real estate, but on the next move I happily snapped up poor little Baltic Avenue and immediately placed a house upon it. When the time came to collect the rent of the little fixer-upper, I realized that the measly sum wouldn’t even pay to fill up my thimble playing piece with gasoline.

“How ’bout we play something else,” I suggested. “I can’t afford to play this game.”

Next we brought down the game of Life from the upper most closet shelf. After blowing off the dust we decided that game would probably be too depressing so we put it back. Next came Sorry. It was quickly determined that we were both, unfortunately, already winners at that game and put it back as well.

Photo courtesy Google Images

My husband suggested Baulderdash because, “we can just make shit up.” Then I reminded him that I am a writer of fiction and making shit up is what I do all the time. He rubbed his chin and put the game back. We decided against Scrabble for the same reason.  I could make up words all day long and he’d never know if they were real words or not. Of course he could challenge my “dwerger,” but then he’d lose like a million points when I proved him wrong with my trusty dictionary.

Finally, we put all the boxes back on the shelf, shut the closet door and sat our sorry asses down on the sofa to watch re-runs of NCIS. So much for mixing things up. Seems like the rut we’d created was just fine after all.

And what about you? What do you do to step out of your routine? What are some of your favorite board games? What television show are you patiently awaiting the new season of?

Word of the day: Firkin

Fun fact about me: This one’s actually about my mother – she could yodel.

Original post by Jansen Schmidt. August 2013. Photos courtesy Google Images

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