Another meme stolen freely from canarynoir, just for fun...

Instructions:
Bold the things you've done.

( behind here )

Today found out that one of my co-workers is retiring in September, and another is moving to Alabama because his wife was promoted. ARGH. More training. I haven't finished training the last batch. And I am a TERRIBLE trainer - I have no patience. I just know the job better than most, so they come to me... I must breathe...

Suddenly I'm starving.

Not that I wanted one. Going back to work this morning, I stopped for gas ($25 bought me SIX gallons) and noticed that my right rear tire was a little low. It's had a slow leak for a while, so I thought nothing more of it and just filled it, then bopped to work.

About 10 or so, Security called me to let me know my tire was flat -- as in FLAT, totally, pancake, empty of air, it was a non-tire now. So come the end of the day, after an hour overtime, I struggled to get out my spare only to find that when I bought my new tires, lo these many years ago now, apparently when they chose the best of the PREVIOUS bunch of tires to be the spare, they must have neglected to put my jack back. So I am jackless. Fortunately, a nice guy from claims volunteered both his strength and his own truck's jack, and he got the truck up and the spare put on in about twenty minutes or so (I know his face, of course, after all these years I know most everyone by sight, but I'm not sure of his name; he wasn't wearing his badge anymore). I drove up the garage ramp to fill the spare the rest of the way (we have an air pump on the roof of the garage for the fleet cars), and got home just around six.

Now, my OWN UNIT, my so-called "teammates," all asked me what I was going to do, but none volunteered to help. One fellow, my cube-mate, even, said he'd do it, if he were only wearing jeans. (The claims guy was in slacks.) I saw karma work, however, as his son called to say HE was stranded--with a flat tire. Heh. At least my cube-mate got the irony of that one.

But the tire, now... a few weeks ago when I had them checked and rotated, I was told I could probably make it until July. Not to much. There's a LOT of tread showing. I may take the bus for a while until I can afford tires, 'cause I'm willing to bet all of them are getting that bad. I'm just glad it happened at work and not on the freeway -- it was 112 degrees today, and will be 113 tomorrow. That does mean curtailing my plan to get back to the gym, though. *sigh*

( Here is my blurb, for those who wish to read it )

to ruin a perfectly good three-day weekend... the first of the year, even.

Seems the tornado that touched down 50 miles northeast of Denver touched down pretty much right exactly on our Greeley office, tearing a lot of property to pieces (although no injuries, thank goodness!), shutting down much of the main building, including our sister-unit, so that means work for the weekend, as we try to get a jump on their work for next week as well as our own. Fortunately, offices all over the country are pitching in to help, so it shouldn't be too bad... it just means I have to work tomorrow. WAH!

It's not like we really had anything planned, which is why I volunteered - most everyone else has family coming in or stuff like that. All Barb and I are gonna do is make some barbeque on Monday and I might bake a cake. Otherwise... we had our Thursday off.

JOY!

Our new supervisor got together with our old supervisor and played a gag on us all. We fell for it, even (told us our new guy was being transferred out and we'd have to break in another new one - considering the general bungee-boss thing, it was plausible!). It was a pretty fun day.

I feel a little crappy, though. Don't know if it's allergies or if I have something; and I strained my back, at the gym yesterday, I think, so it just hurts enough to be annoying when I move (not bad, mind you, just annoying). But on the whole, a pretty good day. A woman at the gym stopped to tell me how good I'm looking (she's a regular, I see her almost every day). That felt good.

There is a chicken roasting in the oven with numerous root veggies.

Another rejection. At least this agent was fast. And nice. But still, "thanks but no thanks."

My hard drive at work died, leaving me wandering from empty cube to empty cube so I can work - they would have brought me another machine, but we're scheduled to get our new systems in the next week or so (hopefully tomorrow, even), so everyone figured it was less trouble for Tech Services to wait until the new machines are in (apparently, mine is not the only one that's crashed - it seems the upgrades are just in the nick of time). Fortunately (or not), there were four people out sick/on vacation today, so there were plenty of empty cubes to choose from.

I suppose I ought to check and see if I have any reviews due this week. Nope. Good.

Today talked to the Trainer and found he agrees, I need to lose about 30 pounds (going by my body fat ratio, measured with the nasty pinching device). Then he took me through a fairly tough series of circuit exercises and recommended a lot of changing up my routine, which makes a certain amount of sense - I maintain because my body's used to my same ol' workout.

He's willing to give me a break on actual paid sessions, but we'll have to see what the tax season brings (not to mention those car repairs). It likely won't happen soon.

Heath Ledger. What a freakin' shame. He was such a GOOD actor - quite apart from the story, every time I thought about Brokeback Mountain it was because of the intensity of the character of Ennis. And I just plain enjoyed A Knight's Tale for silly fun. He could do both ends of the spectrum pretty damned well. Ah, what does pass through someone's mind? Who knows? It's a shame, anyway.

I was lauded a genius who should go for her Master's at work because I used the word "Pagination" in a sentence. It drew blank stares from the woman I was training, and she had to ask me what it meant. *headdesk* I did say I really needed to at least finish my Bachelor's, first.

I tried to open my iPod to replace the battery with the little iJuice kit I bought, but it's not easy (thanks, Apple) and I worry about breaking my poor ol' Iggy. So I'll put this off until absolutely necessary (he holds a charge for about six hours still), or until I can afford a new one if I break this one.

I forgot about Terminator last night. Oops. Gotta get used to having that on Monday nights. I just went to bed early, instead.

And other autumnal holidays. Actually, Dio de los Muertes is tomorrow, but I'm getting a jump start; I wore my happy skull shirt and jewelry today.

Hope everyone had a happy Halloween. We went over to visit with tiirz and edgedancer, since there's construction equipment and boards and nails and such all over our front walk - we figured a little dangerous for tots. However, we left here at 6 p.m. and there wasn't a kid in sight anywhere as far as we could see. I don't know if anyone even tried to come to our door.

In any case, it was a fun day. We dressed as zombie doctors and entered the costume contest at the office - don't know if we won anything yet, though. In some of the recent contests (United Way, the start of football season, other office-type shenanigans), I won a cooler filled with snacks and tickets to an ASU game at Bingo, and our decorated pumpkin won first place. My unit is just brimming with office spirit. Truly, high school never ends.

NaNo: I got started this morning, but how does anyone do this stuff with a full-time job? Only 1,062 words, and almost 49,000 to go.

I can do it.

Oh! And there's an opening in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Contest, and I've been accepted. I have six days to get my submission ready. It pretty much is already, so I'm going to submit that over the weekend. I haven't heard from the last agent I sent it to - if I win (knock wood), and the agency accepts, wouldn't that be something? I could present a new agent with a book that's gotten a contract from Penguin Books!

Whoo. I have to get my act in gear.

Here I thought no one was talking to me, but apparently LJ isn't sending email alerts to tell you someone's made a comment to your journal (so I responded to everyone in a big lump). Of course, I haven't sat down to read LJ since Tuesday - I don't know what happened on Wednesday, but Thursday they were grinding the floor level and the noise and dust chased us out of the house for dinner - missed Ugly Betty, so need to download, 'cause it looks like Things Happened. Nighttime soap operas? You betcha.

I got paid today AND got out my Christmas Club account. I have... $0 at hand. This is the yearly cost of being a Homeowner, since where it all went was to Property Taxes (boo) and Homeowners Insurance (boo, but necessary, I suspect). I am broke, but all bills are paid and the new mortgage is paid and I shall hobble along until November, when I'll have a little spending money again. The good news is the contractor said it could all be done in as little as ten days! I actually doubt this, because things got held up with week with cashflow and miscommunication between various groups within the contractor's stable, but it could be done in a little over two weeks.

For those who want pictures, start bugging rahirah. She has the camera software now, and I doubt this little computer could handle it (not to mention the photos themselves - this laptop was not meant for graphics!). I won't be able to re-load the software until I can get the new computer set up.

The worst thing about remodeling, besides the boxes? DUST. Every day I feel like my hands and feet have been dragged through sand.

Four good workouts this week. I'm on the ball, for a change. Doing well calorie-wise, too, although today was the "tailgate party" at work, so I had a BBQ sandwich and a brownie. I didn't have dessert at home. I invented an Indian jambalaya:

one chicken thigh
two quarts water
a couple handfuls of jasmine rice
boil well, until chicken cooked and rice almost done
tear meat off thigh, put back in with rice and broth
a couple pinches of kosher salt
about two teaspoons of black pepper
a tablespoon or so of red curry powder
about a teaspoon of cumin
a couple of good sprinkles of chili powder
about a tablespoon onion powder
chop one large carrot, add to broth
one-half onion, chopped, cook until carrot is starting to get tender
sliced chicken sausage (Aidells brand, with artichokes and garlic)
mix up well, cook about a half-hour
add a handful or so of frozen corn; cook until heated through

Eat. It was good (I say "about" for spices, because I don't have my measuring spoons out and I tend to measure by "palm full" for most things).

Today one of the guys I'm supposed to be training went to our boss with a list of complaints. I like my boss, he dressed the guy down and gave us all a chance to defend ourselves - in this case, I had corrected something this guy had done and I was wrong. I 'fessed up and fixed my error, but still gave him the credit - so the complaint was? On Wednesday I asked him what weaknesses he had and where he felt he needed more training, and he assured me "nothing, no where, I'm fine." Everyone heard him. Now... he claims he doesn't know how to prep mail. Oy. I guess 30 years at the Company and he thinks he's got this buffer - new rules, new time. I'm just afraid his lack of ability will reflect on me once his training is complete. (Yes, I said 30 years. And I'm training him. Yes.)

Despite being a Bush-zombie-believes-everything-he-hears-on-TV sort, I rather like my boss anyway. He DOES see what goes on and knows the score. Not one's typical pointy-hair.

I finished my two reviews; BJ Thomas's first studio disc in ten years and Dwight Yoakam's new tribute to Buck Owens, Dwight Sings Buck. Some good stuff, really.

Only five days until NaNo starts. Yeek.

But before that, I have to admit when I'm wrong, and I was wrong about my computer. I successfully changed the battery, and now it doesn't ask for me to reset the date and time before going to start up Windows and then crashing.

miertam tried to be helpful over the phone (for which I am eternally grateful), but I'm a little too thick to follow such instructions. So I'm still on tiny ol' laptop. rahirah wonders if it's because the new Windows XP I installed could not be activated (the code that came with it claimed to have been used too often; this was a possibility, I knew, since I got it from a friend who said it may or may not still be valid. Anyway, I am sad - a new computer might be all well and good, but this is MY COMPUTER, it has all my stuff on it, and I just re-installed so many things... but someone - a kind, wonderful someone - out there dropped a big hint that I might get a new computer, anyway, for which I will be grateful, but I hope there is understanding about the whole my computer thing. I know where all the nooks and crannies are. :-)

Oh, and that jumping in? I is officially insane:



50,000 words? No problem. Time to write them down? Eep.

And all my notes are on my other computer. So are all my pictures.

Work has finally settled - we got moved into the new building on Friday, and for some reason, this week we're finishing again. Everything seems to be back to normal, which is very much of the good. But I still don't understand why it's so difficult for some people to understand... I told myself that, perhaps to these folks, this job is to them the same way that, say, nuclear physics is to me - and I view them with the same impatience that a nuclear physicist would view me if I tried to do HIS job.

But man, it's NOT nuclear physics!!!

As stated in sillymagpie's journal, I've formed a pact to keep to a low-cal diet through the month of October (although I assume this will be suspended for the day of tiirz's Halloween party) - so I'm back again; the scale at the gym claimed I actually gained 4 pounds; I knew the scale at home was a little suspect. I haven't had a chance to weigh in at work, because I can't wear my boots yet (which I have always weighed in). Now, I suppose I do know the boots weigh about 5 pounds, so I could make some adjustments, but we're also in another building now from where Medical is, so it's not as easy to get to that scale.

But I am going to approach this seriously, and this time, for sure! 25 pounds, ho!

Every day this week SOMETHING has been wrong when I got home.

I don't remember Monday. Probably the power or something. Tuesday the power and the cable were out. Wednesday a pair of shelves full of knickknacks we were probably going to keep was knocked down and many things shattered (some things were salvageable, but there's a piece missing from my Rapunzel statuette and one ear from Barb's carousel horse); and the power was out in the entire back of the house.

Today nothing contractor-related; but my main computer will NOT turn on. The battery has been slowly dying, and this I knew, but I hoped I could cripple on for a while longer. Apparently not. Fortunately, I have little laptop, but it doesn't have access to my email (especially all the stuff I just downloaded before the last crash that rendered it un-startable). Oy.

But on the whole, things is going well. There is a frameout in our new room, showing where our dining room and AWESOME CLOSET will be, as well as marked lines for the next break-through (into the living room). They will be able to put our stained glass window into one of the new windows, which will get it out of the middle of our plate glass window in the living room. My foot still hurts and is still swollen, but I'm getting back mobility.

On the flip side, I haven't written a word in ages; although I am seriously considering joining NaNoWriMo this year. Not sure why, just to give myself a challenge, I guess, while I wait to hear on the first manuscript again. At least no news remains good news on THAT front.

And I found a site which sells kits which allow you to change your own iPod batteries, so I ordered one of those.

So now I have to go find a site selling batteries, and once my technical advisor rahirah wakes up from her nap, I have to ask her what it is exactly I need, because I haven't got a clue.

Today someone out in our company, upon receiving a major promotion, sent her "I accept this job offer" form to the Fire Claims P.O. Box instead of directly to H.R. (I don't know why.) Anyway, this allowed me to see exactly how much she will be getting in her new position. I see Claim Reps are, indeed, paid well for the stress. Almost twice what I'm making, to START, which had me momentarily wondering if I SHOULD try to get into claims...

Well. There it is.

But on the other hand, the boot is off. The doctor wants me to start (and apparently I should have already been doing - would have been nice to have instructions!) working the toe to get mobility back. I started hopping around like a crazed thing as soon as I got home - in order:

The workers were done for the day but the power was out, so I had to throw on shoes (shoes!) and go flip all the circuits. Done.

The cable was out, and the refrigerator was behind the plastic sheeting covering the kitchen. Called the contractor. Checked out the enormous hole in the wall (pictures coming soon, I promise).

Got a call from the shopping side - cabinet emergency! Sure, come on over.

Got cable back up. Started dinner in middle of "kitching room." Walked dog, who dragged me around the block at apparently the pre-selected path and speed. Not sure foot is up to this. Got back to find rahirah home just as our cabinet/shopping specialist arrived. The colors and styles we chose would take like four times as long as the kitchen itself to get - go with other company. (Spend time talking rahirah into going for something other than she had selected - ah, the artist! *smootch!*)

Finally get off my feet. Mmmm, foot a little swollen. Greet sillymagpie for the evening's premieres. Have dinner - slightly bland and thin pea soup (why didn't I think, "hmmm, if I'm going to cook, I may need the measuring cups"?) - and watch shows. Woot, NCIS - didn't see any of that coming. Hooray House, as taciturn and annoying as ever. ARGH! Boston Legal started half-an-hour early, I have to find it online so we can watch the beginning of the show - hey, John Larroquette's joined the cast! Double Woot! Great night of television back again. I recorded Bones so I'll watch that tonight.

For Monday night, I was delighted with Chuck, which was thoroughly implausible and desperately silly but sweet and lovable for all and I think I'll like it a lot. As for Heroes, sillymagpie hasn't seen it yet, so all I'll say was I still love this show. Haven't watched Journeyman yet, although from what I've read it doesn't sound all that exciting (will give it a try, though), or How I Met Your Mother. Apparently a good half of everything I want to watch are on Monday and Tuesday. I know there's at least one show I want to check out tonight; plus Criminal Minds, although I'm not sure I'll stay with it since Mandy Patinkin's gone, but we'll see; then Ugly Betty on Thursday and Moonlight on Friday. I don't know how I'll juggle this when Lost, Jericho, and Scrubs all come back.

I really need Tivo.

In other news, it's almost chilly outside here in the mornings, although the days are still warm. I'm contemplating pulling out a sweater to go to work in (although that causes the perilous problem of leaving it there, this time of year). I know, scoff at me, those of you in less harsh climes. Not that I can REACH any of my jackets, mind you (not easily, anyway). This may cause a problem in the coming weeks... This was the first year I actually packed away all my winter wear instead of just leaving it (because I have a much larger wardrobe than I used to have) so I have no clue what I own and what I don't, and I can't find ANY of my pajamas (I've been looking for a couple of weeks now). I'm not sure if I like not being able to access all my belongings all the time. I may be a packrat but I usually know where all my pack IS.

My cold is just lingering a little - not really bothering me, but I can feel that draggy, not-quite-me feeling at the back of my head.

And foot DEFINITELY swollen. Once I sat down to watch TV last night, it was noticeably puffy, and still is somewhat this morning. Fortunately, we have Jeans Days the rest of the week although I'm sure my supervisor won't have a problem with me wearing sneakers until the swelling goes down and the foot has more mobility.

Why three Jeans Days? Well, Friday is the regular Jeans Day, today is the "end of summer bash," and the boss thought, well, why not Thursday, too? Besides, because moving apparently comes in groups, our department is moving, too. Fortunately, all I have to do is pack my own stuff, mark it, and then wait until they have the equipment set up in the other building (across the parking lot) and test it. May have to work a little late Friday (forgot to mention that to sillymagpie - won't be too late, I hope), or Saturday. Depends on how fast Tech Services gets stuff up and running.

I'd say "I'll set up a tape," but they've been turning off the power almost every day for construction, so I can't be sure things will stay where I put them. Of course, these machines hold their programing really well, so I can give it a try, providing it's not out so long it wipes the clock.

(I can hear the echo from a cat sitting in the big, empty kitchen meowing plaintively... he still thinks the food lives there.)

Oh! And I stood on the scale this morning - somehow, I managed to get through a month without working out and only gained one pound! And again, woot!

I wish I could weigh myself properly. I know I'm gaining, but I keep wanting, nay, needing chocolate and other things bad for me. Stupid food cravings.

Last night was the first really bad night since the surgery. I woke up around midnight IN PAIN - really, uncomfortable, can't-get-back-to-sleep, PAIN. I stumbled out of bed and took a couple of Percocet and managed to get back to sleep eventually, but I'm still getting twinges now. I have the TENS unit on and I'll take Lortab when I get to work. I had my first post-op doctor's appointment to change the dressings, and boy, is this foot ugly. I'll be happy when it's done, though. The bone is healing nice and straight and the doc seemed pleased. Sadly, I did tell them I haven't been in much pain so I didn't get a new prescription. I hope this settles down here shortly. I really don't know what changed (besides the bandages).

First day of work was not too bad; I did have the happy, joyous sensation of "wow, they really, really need me!" upon returning. Of course, that does mean right off, back to overtime.

So off to work I go.

I cannot believe a full week has gone by already. I don't know how I'm going to manage work, but I'll figure it out eventually. It's not that I'm in pain, really, but I'm in discomfort when the foot is down - I have to see about the best way to keep it elevated at work while at work (it's plenty hard just here at home at this computer). I wish I had a cord long enough to get the Internet on my laptop, out in the living room (no, it does not have wireless, it's an ancient hand-me-down used computer I got for $75 - it's basically a high-powered word processor, but it DOES mean I've written three chapters of Book Two, filling it out and giving it what it's desperately needed, i.e., its own plot - yay me!).

Speaking of writing, I was considering actually entering NANOWRIMO this year (or if I've missed the deadline through my usual procrastination, next year)... I'm not sure, though, if I have to start fresh, or if I can count ongoing manuscripts. Especially since everyone else seems to be starting up on the "Ficathon" season.

Otherwise, it's been mostly sleep, eat, take pain medication, sleep some more, hobble around, and then sleep some more. I can't really weigh myself because I don't really know how much this boot weighs - I can't really exercise, although I've done some minor stretching and seated yoga, just to try and keep in shape.

I can't believe I have to go back to work tomorrow. I also have my first post-op doctor's appointment, so I'll also be doing more driving than I've done since the surgery - should be all right, I tested driving; it just means not taking any pain medication in the morning so I can drive all right. I've been very careful with the meds, I haven't had a drink in a week (get to sit around all week and can't have any of the nice wine I have in the fridge, boo).

Today I spent most of the day watching the Dead Like Me marathon on SciFi; I now want to own the show, it's fun.

I completely forgot that WorldCon takes place over Labor Day until they announced on the Doctor Who list that The Girl In The Fireplace won the Hugo - cool, that makes two Steven Moffat scripts in a row to take it for short form drama, and one of my favorite episodes, ever.

A meme for luck:




I finished reading The Subtle Knife and have started The Amber Spyglass.

Almost fell behind on reading my Flist, but did have to mostly skim, since, as I said, sitting up sucks, with all the blood rushing to my foot and making it, well, uncomfortable. I will be SO happy when the boot comes off.

Only one more week until my soap moves to DirectTV. *sigh* I know I'll be better off without it, but, really, WAH. I think I may give that new show, Chuck, a try. It looks like it could be funny. Also Moonlight. Not sure about other new shows. I'm pissed they moved Bones to yet ANOTHER timeslot where it conflicts with something else - now it's on opposite NCIS. It looks like everything will be starting up the week of September 24. The only day that hasn't changed at all looks like Tuesday - NCIS, House, and Boston Legal; I'm not sure when Jericho comes back, and Lost doesn't start until February.

In the meantime... I think they're going to break concrete this week. I have to remember to take pictures at every step so we can do a "before" and "after." Barb already got lots of shots of the "before."

I'm so excited!

I still don't want to go back to work. And worse still, it's STILL freakin' hot out there.

Yesterday morning, driving to work, there was roughly twice or three times as much traffic as there normally is. I thought maybe it was national get-in-your-car-and-drive day but I hadn't heard, but apparently all it was is most of the Phoenix area schools started. On Friday? In the middle of August?

What do I know about such things anymore?

I forgot completely I had a review due yesterday. I haven't read the book. Fortunately, it's short and I got my deadline pushed to next Friday. Oops. Maybe it's time to take a hiatus from these, but I sure would hate to stop reviewing some of these independent artists - they need the exposure, and I like helping them (and I'm the only one on our mainstream list who gives them any).

It was a very fast and hectic week. I feel as though I got very little to nothing at all accomplished; no workouts, no packet sent out, never once finished at work (although we're getting a little smoother at the new process, it's still taking twice or three times as long to do things; "more efficient," my ass, Corporate). I did get a massage on Thursday, and my therapist recommends stretching, which I have been trying to do, and said I hunch forward too much, which is causing the tension (and the pain). I need to work on stretching exercises that open my chest and roll my shoulders back. I've been trying to be more conscious of my posture (which I know sucks).

It's only two weeks until my bunion surgery. This doctor scheduled an EKG - not sure why, I'll ask my PCP on Monday morning. I have to get the blood work done, too, and frankly, THAT makes me much more nervous than an EKG. I'm not worried about my heart, but when they take my blood, I fall down. So I'm going in late Monday morning, and getting off at 6 - this may be a test to see if I would like to move my hours from 7:45 to 4 to 9:45 to 6. I'm so torn. On the one hand, yuck, getting off that late - but traffic would be fine coming home, and I wouldn't have to go to bed so darned early. I'd be able to sleep until 7, even on days when I went to the gym (instead of getting up at 4:30).









The air pressure, up-and-down humidity, is killing my sinuses. I've had that low-grade headache for ages, and it won't go away, no matter what drugs I take. *heavy sigh*

This morning we got up early, went to take Barb's mom to the airport, sat with her until the flight crew took charge of her (so there won't be any chance of her missing the flight, like last time), then we went over to the Farmer's Market to shop a little. It was nasty, yucky, miserable hot out (the website claims it's only 101/103 with 29% humidity, but it feels a LOT hotter/yuckier). Now, just catching up on the soap (at least it looks like they're going to wrap up the current storyline before the promised "cliffhangers" before it moves to Direct TV), sitting around reading through LJ and the usual Caturday activities.

Oh, and ( One more article )

I don't want to go to work tomorrow.

Unlike some people, the more time off I have, the more I want. Oh, well. It does keep the paychecks coming in, I suppose.

It does mean getting back to the business of losing weight, which I not only gave up for the last week, seemed to actively avoid - I gained about five pounds, which I shall have to fight off in the next few weeks, before my birthday wrecks it all again.

Anyway, today I got my car tested and passed, then did a few other things around the house, and generally just kicked back. Now there is a chicken roasting in the oven.

I have nothing to say about the current things, but I did do this: wildrider at insanejournal.com - which I may or may not ever really use, but there it is. My main worry is losing everything I have here, so I would have to find out a way to back it all up, should they "come for me next," and there's no one left to speak...

My soap opera did get renewed for another season. However, NBC has moved it exclusively to DirectTV, and they will no longer stream episodes online once it moves. So when the end of this season comes in a few weeks, it'll be gone from me. I am sad about this, although it will save me about 45 minutes a day. *sniff* I won't be switching to DirectTV just for a soap, and I can't help but wonder how many people would - even insane fans. I think it's NBC's way of doing the old, "Well, we TRIED, but the ratings just didn't stand up!" ploy.

Another rejection slip. Time for another submission package. *sigh*

I am unspoiled. I am happy, geekily, joyously delirious about going to Borders at midnight and getting my book, and then I shall read.

And with any luck, they will not schedule overtime on Saturday morning. Although I realized this afternoon I have an online class on Saturday morning, so I couldn't work even if I wouldn't be reading.

I have been working overtime every day this week, still not going to the gym, but eating okay and, I guess, maintaining.




I am still not used to where the "end" key is on my keyboard, and I keep hitting "ctrl-delete" rather than "ctrl-end" to get to the bottom of things.

I have two reviews due Friday, a writer's meeting tomorrow, and Potterdammerung on Friday night. I hope I can get 'em done. I was going to do more on them this evening, but other than putting together my general structure, I didn't actually get any WRITING done. Hopefully I might have a chance tomorrow before the meeting, depending on how long the contractors take (we've talked to two contractors now). I can't wait to bake in my new kitchen...

I suppose I have to get some sleep now. I never seem to have any time at home to do anything...

Good and kindly readers informed me the "story" I was working on was basically a big chunk of backstory and had no business standing on its own - these are things I occasionally need to know, because I can't see them myself. I am in their debt. But I'm also once again floundering on the rocks of writing.

Day Two, Week Four:

I didn't have a chance to weigh in yesterday, so --



As though to prove I was going too fast, I have backtracked some, and my poor snail had to go backwards a few pounds. I think this is hormone related (at least, I hope so), and I should be back on track this week.

Work progresses apace. We still haven't gotten the hang of the new system. Seriously, it should be easier than this.

It has reached the time of year when exiting my office into 114-degree heat actually feels pretty good, because all the people who move to the Valley HAVE to keep the air conditioning at sub-freezing in order to survive here. Is it any wonder the Valley has brown air? At least our electrical infrastructure was something well planned, unlike our road system.

( My very first macros )

Al Queda says the US invasion of Iraq was a gift to them (NBC Nightly News). Wasn't that nice of W? Today I listened to Diane Rehm for the first time in a while; it was a topic close to my heart - we are exchanging our civil liberties for "safety." I have to read the book they were discussing, In Defense of Our America, by Anthony Romero & Dina Temple-Raston. Apparently they also address the "right's" attack on the ACLU - about time.

Anyway, hope everyone has a "safe" Fourth of July - remembering always the men who believed it was more important to be free than to be safe, and led us to Independence by way of dissent, rebellion, and revolution. Watch the fireworks. (Hope no one in these parts does anything stupid with them, considering the fire danger.) Enjoy!


ETA this cartoon...

Coming home today I came all over with a real craving for Chinese food. The bad kind. I need to squash this desire.

( I meme, and I like the result: )

More insanity today. We at least finished Tuesday's work and got started on Wednesday. Whoop! I have a huge pile on my desk that I haven't had a chance to so much as breathe on - research has become a trial, rather than something I enjoy daily. Hopefully this will smooth out. Oy!

Here be hilarious, spoilery, Doctor macros - not just spoilery, but a little pornographic. But very funny. I can has Timelord secs...

Last night the dog decided he wanted to go out in the middle of the night - and I never really got back to sleep. I lay there thinking about a bunch of stuff, being just a little tipsy from the wine I drank last night while I soaked in the tub (it did help the shoulders), and so spent the day in that haze of headachey-not-enough-sleep feeling. I hope to sleep tonight... (And get back to the gym, dang it!)

I still want Chinese food.

What a day!!!!!!

The madness at work continues. I got there at six and around noon realized I hadn't had breakfast yet - fortunately, lunch was only a few minutes away. Then suddenly it was time to go home. I went ahead and scheduled comp time for later in the week, but it's anyone's guess as to whether I'll get it (although it would be nice) - it's amazing to me how difficult something so easy has proven to be (basically, the upgrade to the software includes more on-screen work, and less paper-shuffling - in theory it should work well, and I believe eventually, as we get our sea legs, it WILL be more efficient. However, at the moment, it's sloppy and the exact polar opposite of "efficient." We haven't even finished Monday's work yet).

ANYWAY...

This evening I bake cookies for the June Birthday goodie day tomorrow - treats, I think, will do wonders for morale. Of course, we were all as giddy as though we'd been drinking margaritas all day by 3 o'clock, anyway, but still.

I was washing dishes and I went to set a pot on the dish rack (yes, we do our own dishes - neither of us really believes in a "dishwasher" - and for the curious, it was a three-quart Paul Revere copper-bottom pot). I was trying to balance it precariously on the mixing bowl and glasses already there, when it literally leaped from my hands and dragged a glass with it. I watched as, in slow-motion, the glass hit the concrete floor along with the pot. CLANG! The glass didn't break! I was about to gasp with relief when the glass continued up, up, over, somersault, and SMASH!!!!!!!! It burst into a billion pieces.

I was barefoot. I went to get some shoes on before cleaning up.

It's been a dropsy couple of days...

ETA:

MEME:

$4025.00The Cadaver Calculator - Find out how much your body is worth

Mingle² - Online Dating

Now, I thought I would have been worth more. I've done so much to be so much healthier than I was a few years ago...

As I listened to that song coming home this afternoon, I wondered... isn't the plow a technological advancement?

Anyway, it's day one, week three, and I've lost two more pounds!



I didn't make it to the gym this morning because 1) I was tired (cats again), and 2) I slept wrong on Saturday night, so have the upper back pain compounded by sore skin from laying on the shiatsu machine yesterday afternoon. Ouch. I need to lay on the heating pad tonight, I think, although I avoided that because, well, it's freakishly hot here now. (The low last night was 82f.)

Yesterday I mostly continued to break down my manuscript into chapters and watched movies on TNT, although I finally got the vacuuming done. I haven't heard from the current submissee (is that the right term?) on the list - so of course one can expect the next rejection slip any day now. But rather than getting me down, I continue to persevere, simply because the more people who read it the more good things I hear about it, so I KNOW it can find an audience. Somehow!

Good episode of Doctor Who this weekend - and for those who haven't seen, Season 3 starts on July 6 on SciFi, with both The Runaway Bride and Smith and Jones.

The new system at work has started, and despite theoretically being "easier" (and it really is), I felt like I was running at full tilt ALL DAY LONG, skipped lunch, and STILL didn't get done. And no one else did, either, except one woman - and checking her work proved she finished mostly because she simply stopped separating documents and writing claim numbers on them. *sigh* Just makes more work for the rest of us. So I was pretty grumpy by the time I left, having stayed an hour late, and we don't HAVE to go in early tomorrow, but we CAN - which means, of course, I will. But since we can't have any overtime (word from the Big Bosses), it HAS to be taken as comp time, so somehow this week, I get some time off - and counting Saturday, I now have six hours to take. I mean to take them in order to go talk to the bank about our loan. I'm chomping at the bit to get started!