What Do You Have To Do?

From Whistler looking north. Jasper is to the east.


Lately I haven’t had time to read the paper. Oh, I’m not so terribly busy. And it’s not like the Edmonton Journal is so thick that it takes forever to get through it.
No. It just seems like other things have gotten in the way.
Generally, the other things take precedence for a reason. They’re either way more interesting or time–sensitive, like taking a day trip to the mountains.
That has to be done when the opportunity arises, the weather and light are right, and specific to last week’s adventure, when Mr. Goat’s Lunch Pail is available to spend the day with me. Take the chance to do things together when you get it.

But when I’ve got plans and need some time it’s my time with the newspaper that gets sacrificed. This is my choice so in that respect I am not complaining.
My point is when I don’t read the paper I feel as though I haven’t gotten anything done. It sits there folded on the table taunting me with its promise of quiet information.

Somewhere back in the 80s a friend mentioned she’d learned that we have certain things we need to do each day in order to feel as though we’ve accomplished something. If memory serves it was three things we needed to do to get this feeling.
I have from time to time asked myself what I needed to do. I don’t know that I have three things, but I have one and it’s reading the daily paper.
I read it with breakfast. I eat. I read. I relax. It’s time dedicated to immersing myself in the outside world while remaining quiet. I need quiet. I get ruffled when surrounded by noise.
When I was working I’d read some at breakfast and finish the rest with lunch. I like to eat while I read. I find it satisfying.

Now, when I have all this time I find I don’t get the paper read every day. Last week I finally finished Wednesday’s newspaper on Sunday, along with Friday’s. I did it outside on the deck in the morning sunshine. It gave me a wonderful sense of accomplishment.
What about you?
What do you need to do to feel as though you’ve done something?

Is Being A Beta Reader Scary?

I wonder if I scared my friends.
Last June I approached several people to read my manuscript. I listed what I wanted them to check for as they read.

Grammar wasn’t on the list for most of them. I have one faithful beta whose grammar skills outpace most everyone else currently walking the Earth. Her instructions included “read it with a red pen.”
Mostly I wanted the readers to tell me if the manuscript made sense. Was it interesting? Engaging?
Did I contradict myself anywhere?
If you’d spent money to read this, would you demand it back?

I’ve discussed books with these people. I know they have opinions, strong ones, about what they read and that’s what I wanted.
I get that it’s difficult for most people to blurt out the brutal truth, but that’s what I was after. If I don’t know there’s a problem, how can I fix it?

I tried to get a good cross-section of readers. Some were new agey and aware of meditation and hypnosis, others not so much.
Red pen reader was happy to do it and, though kind, told me the truth. Most everyone else seemed reluctant. Many still did it, although one who initially agreed later said she didn’t have time to do it. Was it really a time issue, or did the manuscript bore her silly? I didn’t ask. Maybe I didn’t want to know.

If you read books, then you have an opinion on them. That’s my idea when I look for betas.
When I’m asked my opinion, I give it. I’ve occasionally tried to be kind about it, though I can’t really pull that off.
I’d rather hear the truth as it is than have anything sugar-coated. It’s what I’d like to get back, especially from betas.