Ernest Ortiz Writes Now

A few weeks ago, a friend asked my wife and I and a few other friends to act for a video sketch project. The friend provided food and hospitality and we all had a great time. My older son played with a couple other kids while my wife and I took turns holding the younger one. It’s always nice to get out of the house.

When it comes to speaking, my speech is monotone and soft. That’s why you’ll never hear me give a public speech, sing karaoke, or act in a film. I’m a better writer than a speaker. And even that’s questionable.

Maybe if I played in some sort of acting role, I’ll be in a silent slapstick comedy. As long as the pay is good.

#acting #dramaclub #friends #highschool

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I view myself mostly introvert. The comfort of home and being alone in nature recharges my batteries. My wife is also an introvert and more so than me. She often jokes as being a fungus.

As an introvert, I do a lot of writing at home: at the dining table, on the toilet, and under the covers while everyone is asleep. At first, this seems like a good thing. Less distractions and less likely to spend money on coffee and such.

But there comes a time when even the quiet starts to be the main distraction. Instead of your thoughts telling you what to write, it’s telling you that “all work and no play makes [your name] a dull boy/girl.” Writing is not just about writing your feelings and thoughts, it’s also about your experiences.

And you can’t write about your experiences if you’re stuck inside the house all the time. There’s a reason why “touching grass” is a thing. Otherwise, you’ll go crazy.

So take your writing wherever and whenever with you go. Your pencil/pen and notebook are your constant companions. Treasure the adventure.

#writing #adventure #cabinfever #nightmare

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In my previous post, My Red Phone, Notepad, and Pencil, I talk about my three main writing tools always in my pocket. But I never identified them. Now that I started another red Blackwing notepad and this is my first post about it, I’ll give you my thoughts about it.

Note: I’m not affiliated with any products or services I use. No links will be provided.

At first glance, the red glossy cover with the etched image of the Golden Gate Bridge feels smooth but doesn’t slip out of my hands. The stitching is durable and I never had trouble bending the spine. Nor I had problems with pages breaking or falling off.

Inside of the front and back cover is blank which is good so I can write anything on it. I put my contact information and a table of contents. One of my pet peeves on some notepads (Moleskine Cahiers) is having perforations on the last few pages. I hate those! And I shouldn’t have to tear them off or tape them together.

Since I only write in wooden pencil I do see graphite transfer and smearing just like any other notepad. But it writes well. The pages are cream colored so it’s easy on my eyes. I can’t say how it handles pen. I’m sure you can find another reviewer who writes in pen.

Finally, it fits well in my back pocket and it’s durable even while sitting on it everyday. It’s always ready for me to jot down my blog drafts. Now, as for the price.

It costs $18 before tax for a pack of three. $9 each notebook and with 48 pages each you pay about $0.19 a page. It’s pricey, but at least they’re durable. Would I buy this again? No, there are more cheaper options. If you ever get them, they don’t disappoint for whatever your writing needs.

Let me know your thoughts if you used them.

#writing #746 #Blackwing #notepad

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I’ve reached the end of my first red notebook, all 48 pages. Finally, a notebook I actually finished and it’s a great feeling. Does this mean I’ve written everything I needed for my blog?

Not a chance. I never run out of ideas. Got plenty up the wazoo. But ideas are a dime a dozen and there are two problems with it. The first one is trying to write them on paper. Plenty of people have that problem right before it disappears from their memories.

The second problem is implementing the ideas to see if they work. Another variant of the second problem is wanting to maintain the implementation even when it’s not working. People put in so much time, money, and effort into an idea it’s easy to stick with it rather than being wrong and trying something else.

When it comes to this website I don’t have a problem with generating ideas, writing them down, and implementing them. My primary goal with this blog is an online space I can talk about anything. It’s written on paper first, then gets typed up, edited, and published.

Finding readers and subscribers, or getting compensated for my work isn’t my first, second, or third priority. This blog was an idea that took a life of its own. And so far it’s been a success. So I will continue to have ideas, big or small, and write until I can’t do so anymore.

As I retire this first notebook, transfer to another red one, and prepare to retire my first and only red pencil, I look forward to more writing opportunities and blog posts. To everyone keeping up with me, thank you for your support.

#writing #blog #ideas #notebook

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It’s nice to know that some of my readers have Kobo devices. In addition to my Kindle Paperwhite Gen 7, I also have a Kobo Clara HD. I love my Clara because it’s so easy to upload EPUBs on it.

I’m currently reading The Last Coyote by Michael Connelly. After watching the entire seasons of Bosch, Bosch Legacy, and Ballard, I started reading the books from the beginning. I know Connelly also has the Lincoln Lawyer series and some standalone stories, maybe I’ll read them.

But I do want to read all the Bosch and Ballard ones. I’m quite surprised how different the books are compared to the TV shows. Still, I’m entertained and I can’t stop reading them.

So, what books are you reading right now? Let me know and I might check them out.

#books #Ballard #Bosch #Kindle #Kobo #reading

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My family and I recently got sick again. Not as bad as before when I wrote the article Being Sick Sucks!, but it still sucks. I’ll be back soon and post next Tuesday on the 10th. Thanks for your patience.

#family #sick #sucks #off

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Your writing is priceless and a work of art. It should be treated with the highest care and respect. However, there’s the belief that mistakes and blemishes ruin the enjoyment of writing.

When you write in wooden pencil on paper, the older pages smear and fade. And when you write on the left page of a notebook or journal, the graphite transfers to the previous left page. It makes your paper look dirty and unsophisticated.

It’s understandable. After all, would you write in charcoal, chalk, or ink pads? Of course not. So you write in pen like a respectable adult, not a kid trying to learn their ABCs. But I don’t like the pressure of no-mistakes writing and bleed through from a pen. Nothing loses my interest more.

If the pencil transfers bother me that much I can erase them or use archival spray. Not so much with pen. But why do I like graphite smears and transfers from a wooden pencil more than pen?

Not only do I love the scratches of pencil to paper, I love the way it leaves a mark when you smear the graphite with your hands. And how it transfers to the other side of the page. It’s like a shadow. It’s there but doesn’t intrude on you as much as the loops and dots from pen. You might as well be writing in your own blood.

You may think the graphite makes the paper dirty and unsophisticated, but I see a beautiful legacy. It reminds you of your pencil’s lifespan. How it starts off new and whittles down until its usefulness ends. You come back to your notebooks and can see all that hard work with the help of your pencil’s essence. Just one of the more beautiful things in this life.

#writing #graphite #pencil #smear #transfer

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After using Ubuntu for several years, I still consider myself a Linux amateur. I’ve used Windows since middle school so I had to start over. But learning something new is a challenge when your memory isn’t as sharp as it once was. I’ve saved many bookmarks of Terminal commands to refresh my mind.

I bought a Lenovo Thinkpad X-1 Carbon back in 2017. Still find it funny that my Intel i7 quad core processor wasn’t enough to upgrade to Windows 11. That’s when I finally stopped using Windows for good. When my Thinkpad finally died last year (thank you for your service) I had to use my spare 2012 MacBook Pro 13.

I’ve gotten used to the MacOS format and in some ways love it more than my Lenovo. When I couldn’t update the Brave Browser on my MacBook anymore I decided to change the OS.

I researched the best Linux distro for my MacBook and it came down to two choices: Elemental OS or PopOS!. The first one looked promising, very similar to MacOS. But I didn’t want to pay only to not like it. So I chose the latter.

PopOS! doesn’t look like MacOS, but I read good things about it. I also wanted to try something different. After installing it the WiFi card wasn’t working. For some reason the OS doesn’t recognize Apple WiFi cards. The only solution was buying a USB WiFi card from eBay and it works.

I like the OS. It works faster than Ubuntu and it’s easy to navigate. I don’t care much for the Workspaces feature. As long as I can use Terminal and install and use the programs I need that’s all it counts.

The company who makes PopOS! also sells their own laptops, but they’re pricey. They allow donations so I’ll give back whenever I can for their good work. So if you want to try PopOS!, give it a shot and let me know if you like it or not.

#computer #laptop #linux #popos

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It’s been over two months since introducing my younger son to baby food. On the first week, he wasn’t able to poop. My wife was worried so I had to call the pediatrician. Of course after the call, my son lets out a small one.

Still, I didn’t think that was all of it. Couple days later, my son was on his bouncy chair and he pooped pass the floodgates. Stained the bouncy chair and his body suit. To save your appetite I won’t describe the mess in detail.

I don’t mind the mess. You get used to it. You changed one diaper you changed them all. Besides, I’ve gotten my hands dirty on nastier things. I do look forward the day when I change my last diaper and my sons are well potty trained.

#blowout #diapers #parenting #stayathomedad

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There are two cardinal rules of writing. First, you never say I’m trying to write a book, novel, short story, etc. Second, you never talk about what you’re writing in detail. Break these rules and you’ll never get anything done.

I don’t like talking about my upcoming projects because I always jinx myself. However, eventually I’m going to have to talk about them. And since I’ve been mostly consistent on posting on this blog, the momentum helped me bring back unfinished short stories out of the back burner.

I’ve stopped writing short stories for several years because I’ve been so busy. Now, I’m back in the game. I have a chance to finish my short story trilogy before the year is done.

Why now? I hate leaving anything unfinished. At this point in my life I don’t care if my works succeed or not. It’s all about just finishing. Best to be last in the finish line than to drop out completely. At least I can say to myself in the mirror that I did it.

Do you have any writing projects in your back burner? Do you want to finish them regardless if you succeed or not? Take advantage of 2026 before 2027 creeps up on you.

#writing #project #shortstory

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