In Other Words

Archive for the ‘miscellaneous’ Category

The other day I had an interview at a publishing company to see if I could freelance for them. (It was a fun interview and they really wanted me on board but couldn’t figure out in what capacity: they don’t have an editorial dept.)

This company also has an impressive three-floor open-concept art gallery (oooh, I could have spent thousands if I had had the cash, and that would have been on only two pieces! Check out Brian Lorimer, pieces “Missing You” and “Forest in Yellow,” although I also love “Alone in a Big World” and several others. Heck, I love all of them) and an ad agency. While there, I picked up one of the ad agency’s rack cards.

Seemingly unrelated, but not

I also just finished reading a critic’s review of Audrey Niffenegger’s recent novel Her Fearful Symmetry, in which the critic actually, appallingly, used a certain dreaded term for the book. If ever my novel was described as such, I’d likely cry, for what does it mean anymore, given out so unthinkingly, so unoriginally?

The two together

One of the things that most perplexes and vexes me is the repetitive use of certain terms and images in order to set something apart from whatever is similar. This in itself is utterly oxymoronic (how can you be unique if you’re the same as everyone else?) but no one seems to notice, or at least they seem unable to do anything about it. Particularly guilty, in my mind, are copywriters for advertising companies, and book critics.

If one more ad or design agency is declared fresh and innovative, in the sense that they are unlike any other, while displaying splashy images of fruit and water or fruit in water, particularly apples and citrus, and if one more book is dubbed a veritable tour de force, I shall truly have no choice but to believe that there are regretably no more original thoughts in this world and that we are doomed, doomed, to read or look at nothing new. The fact that this problem is rampant in mostly the creative fields completely boggles my mind.

I have a weird and wonderful sense of history repeating itself, or something akin to that. If you’ve been reading here for a while, you know my first encounter with Tolkien and The Hobbit was in grade three, when my 23-yr-old teacher Mrs. Henderson, on whom I had a giant crush, took us out to the cemetery next door (I went to a Catholic school that was situated next door to the church of the same name), where we all gathered under a large tree and she ceremoniously opened a large format hardcover book covered in plastic and began to read.

If I thought I was in love then, I was mistaken. Under that tree, surrounded by mossy headstones on midsummer afternoons, I adored Mrs. Henderson and I love her still for fostering my love of hobbits and the magical land of Middle Earth. Those books have been formative for me.

So imagine my absolute delight when the very same book was discarded from the library years later and my mom brought it home for me!! And then imagine my absolute horror when the friend I lent it to lost it. And THEN imagine my wonder when, years later, this boy named Colin VanderMeulen produced the very same edition, only softcover, from his personal collection of books. I think I proposed to him then and there.

And now, almost 10 years later, imagine this: Colin-boy and Lucy-girl lounging on the couch across from me, their backdrop my wall of books, and me, copy of Tolkien’s and my beloved Hobbit in my lap. I’m finally reading it aloud to my little family!

Really. Can there be anything better?

Isn’t it amazing how quickly a day can change? Probably we pay more attention when it’s a great day that abruptly becomes shitty, but today was not that day for me.

I have been fighting a cold and exhaustion and I was certainly in no mood to go back to work so soon after Christmas. I have editing deadlines to meet and 11–7 at the clinic is not really my favourite shift.

It was a good thing Colin had already scraped off the car and shovelled the driveway because I was dragging my ass out of the house at precisely the time I was due at work. The driving was slow and though I tried to speed things up, no amount of cursing was going to make the half-wit in front of me care that I was late and therefore drive faster than 30km an hour. Poor baby Jesus. His name was used a lot this morning!

Needless to say, I arrived at work simultaneously riled up and tired. But something weird happens to me as soon as I step through that office door. I’ve made a rule for myself that I never take a bad day to work, and that seems to have stuck without me making much effort. Even though I was mad enough to spit, instead I made my boss laugh when I described to her why I was late. She seemed to brighten up herself and forget her frustration as she was trying to book a ticket to Florida online.

And then she said, “Well, to brighten up your day, I brought you a little something. I wanted to give you a special extra thing [she'd taken us to lunch a few weeks prior as our Christmas gift], because, well, you’re the best receptionist I’ve ever had.”

My jaw dropped. And then it dropped further when her card revealed a quite substantial gift certificate to Chapters. I was so thrilled I actually jumped off the floor and did some weird Elaine dance kick. I thanked my boss profusely and excitedly and she made everything even better by saying it was well worth it.

After chatting about our holidays (because the first patient had cancelled and we had time), we got down to work, but my day had changed so significantly by then—a burst of sunshine on an otherwise dreary, stressful day.

But it wasn’t over yet. To top it off, my time at the office lasted all of three and a half hours, since most of the patients cancelled due to bad weather. I left almost four and a half hours early.

Although I can’t stop thinking about my boss’s surprise gift and how much it means to me, I also can’t help but think about how much such a thing can really alter someone’s output. I drove home in an excellent mood after putting my best foot forward in getting as much as I could done beforehand. I totally believe in random acts of kindness, and my boss’s thoughtfulness has made me feel very inclined to pass on the good will, if even in some small way.

Today is Boxing Day, as you know, and I’m still discovering how quickly a festive season can pass, just like that, seemingly in the blink of an eye.

It feels very wrong to me.

Today my eyes are red-rimmed and tired. It is 6:41 pm and I’ve had a small breakfast, a small lunch, a few cups of tea, and still no supper. I’m (still) in my pyjamas. I feel down and exhausted and empty, not unlike the feeling you get when your best friend has just left after a fun-filled sleepover.

On Christmas Eve C and I and Lucy and my parents (they were with us for a few short days) drove to Barrie to have Christmas celebrations at my sister’s house. Four of us even made it to midnight mass, which I haven’t done in years. We were ten people altogether; only my sister in England and her family were missing. There’s always someone missing, but we did make videos and take lots of photos to send and I read aloud her card and emails from overseas. It was a good time. But we drove home last night because I had to work today to keep on schedule.

I miss my parents, I miss my family, I feel upset that already—ALREADY—the days off are over, and I go back to work at the clinic on Monday, and back to attending to deadlines, the stress of which never really left me. So short a time not working I feel I haven’t had it.This is why I’m tired and down, not because of the holiday toll, though it was emotionally draining for me.

I think people should get two weeks or more off work for Christmas. I wish it were possible. In fact, my personal grown-up Christmas wish is that Christmas could be officially two weeks long, no working at all, everyone in my immediate family plus the kids in a huge house. Then we do all the meals prep together, even shop for gifts together, and there’s no driving back and forth and bickering over who gets to see whom and so on. It would be so ideal Thomas Kincaid would paint it.

I’ve been told I have unrealistic expectations of life. And the depression of that is hitting me today. Christmas is over. Religiously, I guess it’s not (we were always taught that Christmas is not only one or two days ), but I am also struggling with religion, among other things.

Today has passed the way the time with my parents passed, the way Christmas passed. The hours went by so fast I felt like Scrooge on hearing the quarters chime—confused that I had somehow lost a day.

I don’t want to edit papers today. I’m so blue that all I want to do right now is curl up with the dog and C and sleep as though I hadn’t a care in the world.

Since EditQuest is a very important part of this site, and since people come here looking not only to be entertained but to seek out an awesome editor, I have decided to include posts here that those particular people might be interested in, although you may find yourself reading as well.

On Wednesdays, now most seriously dubbed Working Wednesdays (does that sound as though I don’t work any other day, or as though I don’t take my work seriously except on Wednesdays?), I will post pieces that pertain strictly to the business of publishing, writing, editing, freelancing, or just business in general. I’ll write tips, resources, ideas, and guidance, though the posts might be also peppered with a few personal tidbits based on experience. Some days, like today (even though today is not Wednesday because I’m a day late), I’ll introduce you to a person or company I am acquainted with in the hope that you may find benefit.

Sirius Graphix for Serious Results

Recently I’ve written hints about a possible new source of editing work I’ve been quite excited about, and the time has arrived when I can reveal the identity of this new source. May I present for your perusal Sirius Graphix, a company that took me very much by surprise, not least because they contacted me out of the blue (if you take a look at their site and also see where their name came from, you’ll realize how punny I just was!) but mostly because it is populated by people with whom you may already be quite familiar. Today I have the opportunity to post an interview I conducted with the head of Sirius’s team members: Deborah Dorchak.

It is my hope that, becoming acquainted with the company, you may be able to take advantage of their services (it might even be me who edits, if that’s what you require!) but also that you can get to know these kind and talented people better. They really do have much to offer. In addition, you’ll see their design for this very site in about a month. Woohoo!

Interview with the Designer: Meet Deborah Dorchak

SV: One of the things I’ve learned as a freelancer is that when people ask me what I do, I am supposed to answer in about one to two sentences, concise yet accurate and attractive. Keeping this in mind, how would you describe Sirius Graphix?

DD: Sirius Graphix is a full service design company that offers graphic design with a full marketing department right at your fingertips. From the initial strategic marketing consultation to the finished product, your style, brand, and message are combined with our experience in marketing and design to produce striking imagery that draws viewers in. No matter what ideas you have in mind, our team will create symbols, images, and copy to make those ideas a reality.

SV: How did you come up with the idea for Sirius Graphix?

DD: It started the way most of my ideas do, with that little voice in my head going “What if?” In this case, Rose (one of the writers of the Sirius team) mentioned an idea for an ebook. I said, “Great, you write it, I’ll design it.” I then mentioned it to Wendi (co-founder and marketing director) and she saw the potential for something bigger. From there it was a maelstrom of ideas and networking.

In our first week we had our first client. We had no site of our own yet, nothing to show at all, but we had a client. If that wasn’t total encouragement I don’t know what is.

SV: What is Sirius Graphix’s mission statement?

DD: Our mission is to provide excellent service, guidance, and education for all our clients while providing a one-stop shopping experience for all their design needs. No matter what the medium—be it writing content, designing e-books, banners, brochures, a complete PR package, or even just a few images for a project they need—if they need it, we provide it. The ultimate goal is for Sirius to be the place they come to first—and last.

SV: You’re no stranger to business ventures like this, mainly as the designer. Now that you’ve started your own business, what will be different?

DD: The difference this time is before, as you said, I worked mainly on design. I wasn’t able to focus my time and energies on creating the types of projects and ideas I had in mind. And believe me, the ideas are non-stop. I doubt the rest of the team was expecting such a barrage of concepts.

Through it all there were long hard hours of work that, while profitable, seemed empty. There’s nothing sadder than having a sock drawer full of Great Ideas and never letting them out to see the light of day.

Now with the Sirius team working so efficiently, we’ve breathed new life into those ideas. Not only am I able to provide a higher quality of service and creativity for our clients, but the work is much more enjoyable for everyone involved. In fact, I can honestly go as far as to say, I don’t think of Sirius as a job. It’s a labor of love for us. Wendi and I love what we do so much the time just flies by. It’s really hard to put it down and shut the computer off at the end of the day.

SV: How would you describe your ideal client?

DD: Our ideal client is one who takes the time to think through all the needs and wants of the project and communicate those specifications effectively. We are more than happy to help in that communication process by providing the tools, thoughtful questions  and consultation to help each client really focus on getting the right questions answered. So far, every client who’s participated in the consulting process has been our ideal client.  Taking the extra time upfront to really listen to each other goes a long way toward creating that ideal client every time, I think.

SV: As lead designer, what’s your pet peeve when you look at themes designed by others?

DD: Can’t really say. A theme, like any other creative endeavor, all comes down to personal preference. What might be great for one person might be a royal pain for another. Cosmetics aside, from a purely technical standpoint, I would have to say my biggest pet peeve is sloppily written code. When its clean and readable, at least you stand half a chance of making the mods you want.

SV: Although you design with each client’s preferences in mind, what would you say is non-negotiable for a good theme, if anything?

DD: I don’t think there is anything non-negotiable in a good theme. As I said above, different things work for different people. This is why we build all our themes from scratch, starting with the design itself, taking each client’s specific needs in mind. One person might need a highly specialized sidebar with all the bling, but the next person may not. They may not even need a sidebar at all. Why should they pay for extra features if they are never going to use them?

SV: What inspires you?

DD: Movies. I watch a lot of movies and often get my best ideas from there. Music, too. Sometimes all it takes is one line of lyrics and I’m off and running—and so is my team. Actually, I think they have a bomb shelter somewhere they’re not telling me about.

SV: Tell me a little about the Sirius team.

DD: Ahhh…my team. I have never had the opportunity to work with such a talented group of women in my life. Wendi Kelly is my friend, business partner and co-founder. She’s the fire to my water and keeps me going. And vice versa. She’s a talented writer and strategic marketing consultant and after running several successful businesses of her own, I highly value her opinion.

Rose Redelfs is a vivacious spark with plenty of drive. She’s the comedienne of the group and she infuses her writing with a marvelous sense of humor. As the youngest member of the team, Rose brings a fresh, youthful perspective, which can be very important for clients needing to appeal to the younger market.

Allison “Sushi” Day is our code goddess. Over the past couple of years I’ve watched her skills grow and knew that one day she’d be kickin’ ass and taking names—although she might blush while she’s doing it. Sushi is one of the sweetest girls I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting and I just know she’s destined to do great things.

And I didn’t say all that because she sends me cookies on a regular basis either.

SV: What do you hope to see from Sirius Graphix in five years?

DD: We want to continue to expand on our one-stop shopping experience by offering additional services. One of the additions we have planned is to expand our ebook writing division. In five years we hope to see Sirius as an established publishing house. We’d like to be able to help future authors go from manuscript to an actual book on the market. I have no doubt we’ll be able to do this. It’s going to take careful planning and research, just like everything else we do, but it will happen.

Thank you, Deb.

Now, if you haven’t already done it, go check out the commendable Sirius Graphix. If you need a design for your site, an overhaul for your blog, a spectacular looking ebook, look no further.

It’s time to get Sirius!

First, I think this would make more sense if it were edited to ask: What would you do if you knew you could not fail?

As for my answer, I’d write a novel and open Biblio. And that’s just for a start…

What would you do?

I would never call this beauty of a desk an editor’s desk. I’d call it a writer’s desk. So hopefully I can be an actual writer at it, a real writer, one who submits fiction to literary journals and actually has it published.

How am I supposed to excel at writing and produce anything of worth if I don’t continue to do it, if I don’t make the time to do it (I really wanted to write find the time because I feel as though I’m burning the candle at both ends, but you know what people say to that, right)? I don’t know. But maybe this desk will help.

Stop laughing.

I’m sitting beside a large pile of pages that constitute the manuscript I’m working on. I’ve got only the notes and bibliography left to proof (about 60 pages of tiny text), and I should be working on them, but I can’t help but want to be here instead, composing a wonderful post, something creative and brilliant. I should also be Christmas shopping and walking Lucy with Colin on the snow-covered, Christmas-lighted streets. Unfortunately, there’s only one of me.

With so much going on before my parents arrive next week—working at the clinic as usual, having to finish the proofread, getting the Christmas shopping done, etc.—I’m feeling rushed and out of sorts. Remember that post I recently wrote about that and about reprioritizing? (What do you do when they all have equal precedence?)

Sometimes when I feel this way, and when I can, I make a purchase. It takes my mind off things and of course is fun because I love acquiring new stuff, like a book or a handbag or, say, a desk. I’ve needed a good desk for a long time. A proper “editor’s desk,” preferably a rolltop one. I’ve been convinced that getting a “real desk” would help me with my work, and I’ve had an idea of what I’d like for about two years now. After much searching, I haven’t been able to find anything just right and I was ready to settle for IKEA’s rolltop this February for my birthday, even though it’s not really what I had in mind.

And then…look what I found a couple of weeks ago on kijiji! Totally by accident: I wasn’t even looking (which is usually how it happens for everything, isn’t it?). It’s handmade in Java with no powertools, this beauty, in solid teak wood. With the drawers stashed with dark chocolate, ginger candies, pens and sharpened pencils and erasers, even secret money; with a cherished sheepskin and cozy lamp by my armchair with the soft heated blanket, too, how could I not feel just a little more focused while I work, or, at least, a little less likely to want to leave the room?

“Come now,” says December to me, her voice soft as snowflakes, crystal eyes spying my raised eyebrow, sharp ears catching my grumble. “Surely it’s only fair? After all, it’s only 5 months of the year…”

I grimace, thinking of grit and filthy crusts of old mounds of snow, but forgive this fresh and timely dusting—it is pretty, I admit—even as I swipe off the slush from the windshield and try to avoid the annual grime on my white coat.

But my foot slips and down I go. I look up to catch December’s wicked grin. A flash of white shoulders, a flick of platinum hair—she is gone.

There’s a silvery echo on the air that does not bode well.

Today I had this awesome conversation with a man from Italy, the handsome owner of the hair salon I go to, and we discussed the incredible and significant difference between the North American lifestyle and the European lifestyle. Here, he said, and I agreed, what matters most to us is accumulating stuff and working for money. There, in Europe, the pace of life is different. What takes priority is enjoying oneself, whether it be over a four-or five-hour dinner at a restaurant with family or friends, or closing up shop from 1-4 in the afternoon, taking long walks in the cities or towns, or having a coffee or tea with a friend. Walking is different here than over there, he stated emphatically. It’s a social thing. And there is no rush. Work and a large home or having lots of stuff comes second. He and I both miss that sensibility we experienced (for me, both being raised by European parents and also visiting England) and try to get a hint of here.

The idea of prioritizing enjoying oneself and properly prioritizing our lives in general is akin, I believe, to finding our life’s purpose. For one thing, we slow the hell down and gain perspective. For another, it would totally seem, by the general happiness of those people who get it right, that everything they want is gained anyway, for lack of such frantic trying the likes of which we exhibit here.

Stuff needs to get done, yes, but it won’t be the end of the world if it gets done a bit later, no matter how much it seems that way. Work has to happen as well, granted, but it will be a lot more bearable if we included first in our lives that which we actually need most—making time for what matters most and finding yourself where you best fit in according to your values. We may even find that we end up pursuing as work what we tend to actually enjoy doing.

Since returning from England, I’ve noticed a huge change in myself more toward this line of thinking. I take my time drinking my tea, having a piece of chocolate, lingering over dinner. I try to relax at work, and imagine where I’d rather be, and think about how I can prioritize it. I have relaxed about financial stress or the rush to get chores done. They will be taken care of, but they cannot come first. I’ve reached a time in my life now when I’ve had enough of pining or regretting or languishing.

It’s time to reprioritize.