Author Archives: Richard Reilly

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I had gaming last night.  This is the first time I’ve ever played really played table-top RPG.  That’s not the point though.  The group that I am playing with always used to be the friends of one of my friends.  Slowly, I feel that shifting.  I am getting to know all the guys in this group and loving to hang out with them.  I even held a conversation with one of them until four in the morning…about life, the universe, and human nature.  All I can say to that is…Fuck Yes!

Anyway.  Today will be quite busy.  I have a lot of work to do for Elance.  To be perfectly honest, I kind of want to just do it all today so that tomorrow can be more of a creative day.  I have a lot of free time left today, so I think I may be able to pull it off…so long as I start right now.  Anyway, here is Day Six of the memory challenge.

Day Six: Daddy Problems

Wrong Side of the Bed

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Today was just one of those days.  From the moment I woke up, I was pissy.  Luckily, I know how to deal with it.  I’ve stayed away from most everyone all day and just read.  When I get like this, my writing tends to suffer with it…so I just relax instead.  Thus the reading.  I haven’t read nearly enough int he past few weeks so I’m glad I gave myself this opportunity.

I keep getting random emails from the Peace Corp.  My medical has been in for a month.  If the tentative date of January 2013 sticks, I will be leaving in 202-233 days.  A big part of me wants to be called in for early duty.  This waiting game is killing me.  I want to date but I feel guilty about entering a relationship knowing it has to end in six months.  I wouldn’t mind getting a job, but I know I would have to lie to get it.  I would love to move to Denver, but I can’t sign a lease.  Just let me go already!  I can leave tomorrow!  Anywho, here is Day Five of the Memory Challenge.

Day Five: The Break Up

Order of Operations

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I have three heavy-duty, time-consuming projects going on right now.  First, I’m four days into The 50 Day Memory Challenge.  Second, I have a large Elance job.  Third, I need to finish the third draft of my manuscript.  It’s getting difficult to sit down and figure out which one I should be working on.  This is the third day that it has been like this.  In the end, it goes like this.

1. Memory Challenge.  It’s quick and makes me feel creatively accomplished when I finish.
2. Elance.  Since I accomplish creativity early, I feel like I have the energy to do monotonous work.
3. Edit.  Doing this last means that I can do it for as long as I want without causing a problem.

I still might have to take a break to go on another adventure.  The fire here in Fort Collins is kind of crazy–37,000 acres in 48 hours.  It’s starting to hit the outer edge of town.  It’s still 0% contained and burning lots of houses to the ground.  I went on two expeditions yesterday–one brought us close to the flames.  The other got me pulled over.  What does today’s adventure bring?

Here is today’s memory:

Day Four: AIM Crush Realization

Fire a Brewing

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I’ve become rather obsessed with the fire exploding outside town.  It started at 6:00AM yesterday morning.  Now, some 32 hours later, it is already bigger than 14,000 acres.  They are evacuating people on the north side of town and into the mountains.  After going for a swim in the Reservoir this morning, we drove as close to the fire as we could.  Although the fire was fascinating, it was the evacuating population that caught my attention.  Watching people loading up their vehicles.  One man was chasing down his dog.  At the evacuation center, young people were gathered in the parking lot because there was nowhere else to go.  It’s fascinating how disasters mess with culture.

I worked for several hours yesterday and hope to continue to do so today.  I am already deep into the third draft of my book.  I also got a lot done on my Elance job.  So…today will consist of more editing and hopefully finishing off the first part of the Elance job.  It’ll be hard work….but it’ll be worth it.  Until tomorrow, here is day three of my memory challenge.  It’s different than the others (and kind of cheating), but just go with it.

Day Three: The Abortion & Remembrance

Editor Richard Reilly?

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I started work on a big Elance job today.  This one is particularly interesting because the end result will actually carry by name: “Edited by Richard Reilly.”  It’ll be a great way to build my portfolio.  It’s an easy task…it’ll just take some time.  I’m just excited because most of the work I do through Elance is Ghostwriting…meaning my name will never be carried on the finished work.  It’ll be nice for some real recognition (and a good paycheck).

I spent my morning garage saling and watching a fire grow in the mountains west of town. Now I’m spending several hours writing–trading between memories, work, and editing.  Lot and lots of work to do on every front.  My goal is to finish by Elance job early and finish the third draft this week.  It’ll take a lot of work, but it will be worth it.  Until tomorrow, here is day two of The 50 Day Memory Challenge.

Day Two: Kicked Out of a Bar 

Starting the Memory Challenge

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Twenty pages of editing down.  Today was utterly exhausting.  Lots of yard work followed by an afternoon with my grandmother followed by a couple hours of editing.  It is the good kind of exhausting.  The kind where, at the end of the day, I feel like I have accomplished a lot.  And the day isn’t over.  I have plans for what sounds like an incredibly strange evening ahead.  I can’t wait.

I started the 50 Day Memory Challenge today.  I’ve been wanting to start this for quite some time.  Having Jordan preempt me was all the encouragement I needed.  My first one comes from the trip I made to Europe during my Senior Trip.  I hope you like it.  More to come over the next 49 days.

Day One: Love in Frankfurt

Interrupted my a Storm

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I was going to use yesterday evening to edit my heart out.  Instead, this happened.  The storm was moving so slow.  I watched it for nearly an hour as it slowly approached town.  Then, when it finally hit, I had way to much fun.  Lots of rotation in the clouds, plenty of hail, and some of the heaviest rain I have ever experienced.  This is easily the best storm of the year.

I’m going to try to get back on track today.  I have a lot to do before I can sit down and edit…but I’m going to get that out of the way right after I finish this update.  I want to get at least another 10-15 pages done today.  I’m also kind of jealous of my friend Jordan.  She already uploaded her second day of the Memory Project.  I never got around to it.  Maybe I should just start today.  I will let you know…

With Love,
Richard

A Long Day of Moving and Editing

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I spent four hours of my day helping my mother move out of her office.  After the role I played in getting her fired (or reassigned, as they put it), it was the least I could do.  As I walk away from today, I have a renewed understanding for why I hated working in an office and would prefer never to be a part of one again.  Politics is frustrating enough in a family or set of friends…it’s simply Hell at work.

I’ve started working on the third draft of the novel.  Since there are so few changes necessary, I am breezing through it.  There are 52 chapters in all…and I just spent the past 90 minutes getting through the first five.  A part of me just wants to finish off the draft over the next two days so I can focus on some other projects (like actually starting the Memory Project) while other people look it over.  I’m at least going to continue editing for the next 80 minutes (I hate that the coffee shop in this town closes at six).  Maybe I will continue working at home.

With Love,
Richard

Best Coffee Ever

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My hometown has some of the best drip coffee I have ever tasted.  It’s called The Blue Mug.  For only $2, they give you a mug that you can refill as often as you would like.  That’s why I feel like I can get so much work done here.  I just finished writing one of the extra chapters and loved it.  I was preparing the information for the second chapter when i realized it really wouldn’t add much.  I’m going to scrap the idea.  My novel is going to be short of the planned 70,000 to 80,000 range.  Going into the third draft, it stands at 67,344 words.

I’m going to alternate between Ghostwriting and working on the Third Draft the rest of this week.  I’m house sitting for my parents again–which gives me a lot of free time.  I just got a pretty big ghostwriting job via Elance.  I can’t wait to get started.  I think I will be able to strike a nice balance between writing as a job and writing as a hobby.  Only time will tell on that front.  I have to run.

With Love,
Richard

Third Draft

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With the help of forty ounces of coffee, I was able to finish the second draft of my manuscript. I am going to write two new chapters tomorrow before regrouping and starting on the third draft. It’s a great feeling to know that your manuscript is approaching the stage where others can read it and not be bothered by small mistakes.

When I finish with my next draft, I will give two people the opportunity to be the first readers. First is my mother–mainly because she would kill me if I let someone else be the first reader. The other is a friend of the family. She is a fast reader who helps me edit. She also is a great way to see how the average person will like the book. I can’t wait to get it to them. Soon enough.

With Love,
Richard