Welcome to the official author's blog for Pico Triano. From this site you can find links to most of my online writing. The menu below will bring you to some of my more popular work and allow you to navigate the site. In the sidebar you will find feeds listing the latest articles on all my websites. Relax take you time and enjoy your visit.

Wednesday 30 December 2015

My Mobile Writing Station

You have to excuse the bad case of hat head. I wear a hat at work all day and a toque to keep my head warm in the great outdoors


Bit by bit I've put togther a functional writing station that I pretty much take with me wherever I go. It allows me to fill in time usefully that might otherwise get wasted. It also will allow me to write bicycle touring stories while I'm on tour. I'm not sure the opportunity to do a major tour is in the cards for me but it doesn't hurt to be prepared.

My Equipment

I was quite impressed with the capabilities of my wifes tablet and we saved up to get an inexpensive one for myself as well. There was one thing that I found I didn't like though. I don't like writing with the touch screen keyboard. It's just too awkward for me. We found an inexpensive keyboard and case that matched my tablet and while I'm still getting used to the very small keys, I love it. I can produce writing work on the free open office word processor for Android which I downloaded not that much slower than I would at home. Recently we added a telephone receiver so that I can skype from my tablet anywhere I can get a public WiFi signal. The possibilities excite me and the fact that I can do it at minimal expense really gets my attention.

Making Use of My Tools

Right now I am waiting for my son to finish work and my wife to pick us both up and bring us home. I have the capability right here to finish this, take a selfie with the built in camera, upload everything to my author's blog and publish it before my ride gets here. Not only that everything is small enough for me to pack with me on a self-contained bicycle tour if I chose to do so. How cool is that? I know I could spend lots of money and get a smartphone and do this all even smaller but I'm happy with the inexpensive set up we've assembled. I've got a decent sized screen and a functional keyboard along with the basics for being a writer on the move.

Tuesday 29 December 2015

General Frustration Is No Reason Not to Write



We work with a composting toilet system in the camp we live in. Last night the temperature dropped to -17 C or 0 F with who knows what wind chill factor, and the overflow pipe froze. This was a frustration we fought with last winter and in hopes of avoiding that this winter we wrapped the pipe with an insulation for that purpose.

Turns out that was a really bad idea. This is the worst freeze up I've ever dealt with. The insulation did not keep the pipe from freezing up at all. Worse it makes it almost impossible to thaw out. I peeled it off and am looking at using a different method of dealing with the problem. The chore is eating up all my writing time today and I'm not very happy about it. So while I wait for the next pot of water to get hot, I'm here bellyaching about it.

We're back to last year's solution which doesn't prevent freezing of the pipe but does limit it. I shove the pipe back into the building as far as I can. That leave only about a foot that can freeze. When it does I'll pull it out far enough to immerse the end in an old bucket with hot water in it. It'll have to be done with annoying regularity but at least it works.

I have set a goal of producing something every day on average for thirty days. I'm only one ahead of pace and am pretty determined to stick with this. This problem is not going to prevent me from reaching that goal. I just hope I don't miss too much sleep on top of everything else.

Thursday 24 December 2015

Early Resolution



My writing is stalled and I aim to do something about it starting today.

I'm starting a thirty day challenge. The goal is to write on average an article or blog post a day for thirty days. I say on average because there are going to be days where writing anything will be impossible. I need to make up those days. For me that means trying to get ahead of the game near the start. I never do well on these type of challenges if I'm behind from the opening gun.

Most of these posts will go on my author's blog right here: From Pico's Pen or Pico's Writing Practice. Anything on any of my blogs counts as well as articles on hubpages, and being optimistic, any freelance article work I pick up. What doesn't count is discussions on myLot and articles that aren't published until later. That would make this a non-challenge.

There are sacrifices that will have to be made. First I'm going to have to get up earlier in the morning. I'm a better more productive writer before I've worn myself down on the job. I'm not saying I can't be productive in the evening I'm just better in the morning. It won't be an easy adjustment to make but I think it will make a difference (otherwise I wouldn't bother).

The second sacrifice will involve my online gaming time. I can fritter a lot of time away playing games online. Probably the biggest most useless culprit is Candy Crush on Facebook. I will stop playing that game for the entire thirty days. That will give my friends a chance to catch up. The only game I will continue to play for that period is Runescape and that I have to stay away from if I'm behind in the writing challenge.

Something that is going to help me a lot is the USB hub I picked up at Jean Coutu in town during the week for about ten dollars. Since switching to Mieke's cast off laptop, I've had a problem conveniently accessing my photo stash I built up on the old computer. I have them on a memory stick but didn't have an available port without unplugging something I need. That has now been resolved and adding pictures should be that much easier now.

So this is the first of thirty. Let's see if I can make this happen. Hope to have another something written this evening. Then I'll be one ahead on the first day.

Friday 18 December 2015

Boss Bean is Sick



Got word through our author's only Facebook group that Jo was in intensive care at the hospital. That comes as a big shock to all of us. We have come to rely so much on her and appreciate all the hardwork she puts in on our behalf. Whenever I've had a problem, Jo has always gone above and beyond to have to problem rectified.

To illustrate, this past year my son Wesley was offered a sneak peak at one of Andy Boerger's children's books in exchange for a kid perspective review. The initial review was done reading an ebook copy but he was supposed to get the hard copy in the mail later. That's where things got weird. Our address is just a wee bit hard to send packages to. It took some real hands on leadership from Boss Bean to get that done. I am grateful for her efforts and Wesley loves the book. Not only that Wesley has shown a stronger interest in reading ever since.  Who wouldn't want to do business with a publisher like that?

Without her at the helm though, a lot of us worry. She does so much to keep us in the loop that her absence is huge. Makes us all feel a bit adrift. Not a good feeling. Our prayers are with her. Hopefully she'll be back soon but not before she's ready to do so.