| AWANA |
[Nov. 19th, 2009|11:36 am] |
Sunday night, after Third Service, I passed our AWANA leader in the hall. She stopped me, we chatted for a minute, and she said completely out of the blue, "I just wanted you to know that I think you should read Psalm 20."
Crazy, from a person I've never had a sit-down conversation with. Never talked about the gritty life-stuff with. Never shared hopes and dreams with.
So anyway, it took until today for me to read it. Because I'm LAME. Some of the verses stand out more than others right now:
3 May he remember all your sacrifices
and accept your burnt offerings.
Selah 4 May he give you the desire of your heart
and make all your plans succeed. 5 We will shout for joy when you are victorious
and will lift up our banners in the name of our God.
May the LORD grant all your requests.
I love it. We may fail, but God's remembers the good that we've done through Him.
He's not just keeping a list of defeats, but He's rejoicing in our wins.
He wants us to be happy and fulfilled, because He loves the hell right out of us, if we let Him.
And we're supposed to be mad-happy for everyone who's accomplishing their goals and doing it in a right way.
So to everyone who's working hard and fighting good fights (be it with word counts or health or revisions or family or work-at-large), ROCK ON. You guys are amazing, and I'm wishing you the best. |
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| Whee! |
[Nov. 16th, 2009|05:41 pm] |
So much has been going on that, um, I've been remiss in blogging.
BUT I JUST WON THE DEBSNESS GIVEAWAY AND THAT IS AWESOME.
I think most of that 35-piece prize pack of BOOKISH AWESOME will be around for a looooooong time, decorating my library shelves!
Thanks, Debs! |
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| I say it's time for bed. The clock says differently. |
[Nov. 12th, 2009|04:31 pm] |
I like the way Adrienne recapped her day. So I'm copying her style.
7:30 -- Get up, make the bed, check email, get overwhelmed at the amount of email. Head to the basement. Grab the laundry that dried overnight, make lunch for V.
8:00 -- Get dressed, get V ready to go sans hair styling. Pack up computer & Advent stuff. Say hello to Papa, watch a clip of Castle bc Nathan Fillion amuses us so much.
8:30 -- Get V and our stuff into the car. Look for keys. Go back in the house to look for keys. No find keys. Go back to car, look in purse, find keys!
9:00 -- And we're off! Drive to church, talking about radio towers and listening to the radio, because the radio fascinates V at this time in her life. Become certain Metallica should retire. Wonder what is worse for a child, Green Day or Metallica. Decide it's Metallica, as long as Responsible Parent turns the volume down on all drug and violence references and curse words. Stop at Burger King for breakfast. Continue to church.
9:25 -- Pull in, grab stuff, grab V, place V on the back of the car. Brush V's hair. Give up on pulling it back, because it's so fine and unruly. Stuff V's lunchbox into backpack. Head inside.
9:30 -- Drop V off at her class, sign her in, and scurry over to my class. Do not make coffee because I'm late. Do not check in books or do any library stuff because I'm late. Late late late late late. Say hello to kids. Assume Teacher status.
11:00 -- Finally have a breather and make coffee when the kids are in the children's library.
11:10 -- Return to class to see that Other Teacher has made it. Deliver coffee to First Teacher and make sure everything's okay, and head out before any child can ask me to take them to the potty. YAY! I DID NOT HAVE TO TAKE ANY KID TO THE POTTY TODAY!
11:25 -- Let Director know I'm done & heading out. Grab my stuff and zip up to Panera. Have cheddar broccoli soup & a gingerbread latte (rock!). Reply to 2045 emails, mostly regarding Christmas stuff, and work on Freelance Project of Awesome. No, really, I love this project!
1:40 -- Back to church, realizing again how much I heart Foo Fighters. Call Freelance Project Manager, discuss ideas, do librarian things like check in books 'n' shelve 'n' stuff.
2:15 -- Realize it's 2:15 and shuffle down to V's class, where she is the Last Kid Standing. Am grateful Teacher is not annoyed at me for being so late! Gather V's projects & stuff. V wants to see Grandma Rose before she leaves, so we do that. And then we, you know, leave.
2:40 -- Stop at McDonald's for a Happy Meal. Sure, she's already eaten lunch, but the current toy is My Little Pony and, um, I can't resist. Bad mom points for sure.
3:00 -- Get home. Get V and all our junk out of the car. Chat with Papa. Let V finish her fries. Update dayplanner to reflect things like the Christmas Program for preschool. Let V pick out a movie to watch quietly, because prime naptime is already gone. She picks Snow White.
3:30 -- Change V's sheets, because somehow they got wet last night. I'm thinking she spilled her water, but I could be wrong. Get V situated for downtime.
3:50 -- Change into sweatpants. More Bad Mom Points, I'm sure. Then fold laundry and sort papers 'n' stuff.
4:10 -- Sit down to blog, but answer More! emails fist.
I think I'm gonna make some tea and do more freelance work, because it's too late to do anything else. I have no clue what's for dinner. Don't ask me. More Bad Mom Points!
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| Rehearsal. And stuff. |
[Nov. 11th, 2009|06:58 pm] |
Went through Miss V's packed-away clothes this morning. Downsized our collection of unused clothing quite a bit. It's weird, not knowing if you're gonna have another kid or not. Do you toss outgrown clothes? Do you keep? Meh. We have what has to be at least one full carload heading to Rescue Mission, though -- my clothes included in that batch.
Bahh. Headache.
Um. Yeah. Kids gathered tonight for a last-minute rehearsal before they perform on Saturday. They did a great job, and I'm really proud of them. Still some kinks to work out with scheduling, though.
Verity weaseled her way into Cubbies tonight. So I'm at church until that's over. I'm in the library, and I'm hearing the bass in "Facedown" coming from the Sr. High room. Also, I'm on Aleve (Vitamin D!) tonight, so, um, that's why I'm not making much in the way of, you know, sense.
Okay. Going away now. :-) |
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| My fumb is got bwood. |
[Nov. 10th, 2009|01:41 pm] |
That's how Miss V would say that I cut my thumb. Just so you know. It's still bleeding. Ick.
Didn't get home until almost midnight lasternight, so, um, postfail. But Bible study was great, per usual, and I got much-needed girly stuff afterward, like RAZORS! and COCOA BUTTER LOTION! and SHAMPOO! and LIP GLOSS!
I love girly stuff.
Line editing today.
And TAYLOR SWIFT being GREAT, as is her way.
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| Somewhere, it's still Sunday |
[Nov. 9th, 2009|12:22 am] |
Yeah. Hey.
LOOONNNNG day, as you might be able to tell from the timestamp.
Rehearsal tonight went well. Feel good about performance next week. Now, to get everyone to the venue on time.
Also, Glee pilot with friends tonight. Superfun.
Good night! |
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| Sneaky sneak |
[Nov. 7th, 2009|09:20 pm] |
Right before bed, I'm sneakin' this one in.
Hugely busy day today.
House is decorated for the holidays, thanks to ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) cynthiamary !
I hurt all over and am exhausted. It's 9:21, but I'm going to sleeeeeep.
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| Sinking feeling in pit of stomach. |
[Nov. 5th, 2009|07:17 pm] |
So I'm here, tackling my wordcount with vigor and zest, using the much-lauded Write or Die desktop edition.
And I'm about 600 words in, and everything's going great, and I hit some macro accidentally and---
It's all gone.
So that's my first complaint about Write or Die. The APPLE+S macro I always use on Word? Like, after every few sentences? Does me no good on Write or Die.
Into the breach again, I guess.
Ick. |
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| Full speed ahead. |
[Nov. 4th, 2009|02:34 pm] |
Not exactly caught up to where I should be on my word count -- I'm about 400 behind, plus today's WC. But life has made its demands, and I only just got my teaching plans for tomorrow (looks like I'm primary for the full day), and I realized today that I have to get permission slips and Vertical applications together for the Sr. High drama thing, and costuming issues for our performance next week and, um, yeah.
Yeah.
It's been crazy. All of a sudden.
Boy's got a meeting tonight and it will run late, so after Miss V is in bed, I'll have about 2 hours...if I've been awesome and gotten lunches ready for tomorrow, and all the laundry done and...
Ohcrap, I forgot the laundry.
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*slips back in*
See how loaded my brain is, peeps? It's loaded.
Which brings us to NaNoWriMo Tip #2.
(#1 was using Write or Die, but I didn't label it as a NaNo Tip because I'm lame and forgot.)
NaNoWriMo Tip #2:
Keep a blank sheet of full-sized paper (or better yet, a notebook) at your side.
This is not a page to get mixed in with your novel notes! And DO NOT use a page in your novelling notebook! This is a Completely Different Monster (TM). This paper is always at hand, along with a preferred writing utensil. On it, you scribble down all the things you need to do.
Okay, it's not a revolutionary idea. But it really does help you keep focused. The less time you spend away from your story, the better. And when you're like me and are grasping at fifteen minutes here, thirty there, but have a lot of other responsibilities that need attention, this helps tons.
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| CELL PHONE NUMBERS GO PUBLIC |
[Nov. 3rd, 2009|08:19 pm] |
REMEMBER: Cell phone numbers go public this month. All cell phone numbers are being released to telemarketing companies and you will start to receive sales calls. To prevent this, call the following number from your cell phone: 888-382-1222. It is the National DO NOT CALL list. It blocks your number for 5 years. HELP OTHERS BY PASSING THIS ON . It takes about 20 seconds. |
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| Write or Die |
[Nov. 3rd, 2009|09:27 am] |
Hello, ElJays!
First: thank you, Expedia, for sending me an email that says "Book Holiday Fares From $103!" Because I think, oooh! A BOOK HOLIDAY! THAT WOULD BE SO FUN!
And then it's all like, oh, wait. Book as a verb. Bah.
If you haven't given Write or Die a whirl, DO IT TODAY. It's a kick in the pants to help you get your seat-of-your-pants first draft down. Boy got me the Desktop Edition and I LOVE IT WITH ALL MY HEART.
I surpassed my goal yesterday, which is good, because I only got 910 in on Sunday. Sundays are going to be "add five words and you're good" days -- I'm just packed all month long, and Sundays I rarely even open my computer. So the 910 wasn't a hit-the-target day, but I was happy nonetheless.
Okay. I still have about 1350 more words to squeeze in today, so I'm out.
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| HallowV |
[Nov. 2nd, 2009|11:18 am] |
And my November-tacular icon is courtesy of Amy Russell. Go give their sites & photography some love, LJ peeps! |
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| NaNoWriMo: Days 1 & 2 |
[Nov. 2nd, 2009|11:16 am] |
 Okay, guys. This is, what, my sixth year participating in NaNoWriMo? I know, right? And in those five previous years, NaNoWriMo has taught me a valuable lesson:
I have what it takes to write books.
Clearly, I've still to prove that they're salable books, and I've yet to revise something to the contentment of someone who could do the buying, but I am physically and mentally possible of writing full-length books. To come up with an idea and a setting and characters that can run with me for a minimum of 50,000 words.
So if I've proven myself that I can, and have multiple NaNo Winner Badges to prove it, why am I running this particular gamut again?
Because I've been revising for two years and can't see my other ms clearly, that's why.
Because I haven't worked on a new fiction project this year, that's why.
Because I'm running low on steam and confidence and I'm afraid this year is going to be another waste in my writing life, because even though I completed a draft of the revision, it still needs much work, that's why.
But more than all the frustration, more than all the fear of failure, bigger than all that, I just freaking like to write.
It's fun for me. It feels good, physically. I have a New Idea and it's more fully developed than any previous idea, and it deserves to have at least a month of my time. I like the characters, I like the setting, I like the themes, and I like the conflict.
So I'm writing a book this month.
Maybe I'll have EPIPHANIES about the revision while I'm doing it. If so, I'll gladly stop, drop, and roll with those. NaNoWriMo's not an experiment anymore. It's not a source of stress. It's fun and an outlet and an excuse to burrow away for a few hours a day.
But I've already made progress on this pet project, and I'm happy about that.
So to all the New WriMos out there, YOU REALLY CAN DO THIS and it is WORTH THE TROUBLE and IT FEELS SO GOOD TO WIN!
And to anyone else who's doing this for similar reasons as me: HUZZAH. We can and we will.
Later, gators.
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| Here I Am |
[Oct. 26th, 2009|04:44 pm] |
So exhausted. I have a travel hangover, for sure.
I came home to things of beauty: Boy had thoroughly cleaned the closets and gotten rid of TONS of junk. Most admirably, he cleared out the attic catch-all room and re-organized everything. All my stuff is in my office, so I can't use it until it's all sorted out, though. Like, there's barely room to walk for the 30 years of papers, memorabilia, and whatnot.
Beyond all that (and I can't imagine how much work that was), I came home to a clean rest-of-the-house, candles, roses, and chocolate. And a Boy was really glad to have his girls back, which is all kinds of nice.
Ooh, and I also snagged a cover flat for Becca Fitzpatrick's Hush, Hush, and a couple of books!
This week is going to be about catching up on a few projects, jumping forward on others (Christmas production at church needs a writer, and apparently I am it), and trying to figure out who exactly is in drama this year. We've had enthusiastic YES I WANT TO DO DRAMA responses, but half the kids are in band (and thus couldn't come to rehearsal last night) and the other half didn't show up.
Still, the rehearsal we did have, with just three kids, was GREAT, and I talked to the band kids after and they're all committed. *hugs them all*
So yeah. Lots ahead of me. I'll be seeing some of you peeps around, eh?
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| Read-A-Thon: I went to bed. |
[Oct. 25th, 2009|07:18 am] |
So...life got in the way of me finishing even one book. But it was happy life stuff, like naming all the animals V and I saw at the zoo (for the sixth time) and introducing Boy to GLEE. He will watch it with me, and, well, my work here is done.
Maybe one of these Octobers I'll have the whole weekend void of stuff. As it stands, today I have nine billion things to do. But I'm gonna read for a bit this AM and then head out into the world.
Congrats to all you Read-A-Thonners who made it! |
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| Read-A-Thon! Who Keeps You Company Mini-Challenge |
[Oct. 24th, 2009|04:15 pm] |
 Who keeps you company while you read?
Right now, Miss V is asleep and Boy is at work, so I'm curled up with my cozy red thermal blanket and Sergei Rachmaninov. I chose Rachmaninov because I'm reading about Russia. It seemed fitting. ;-)
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| Read-A-Thon! Eat to Read Mini-Challenge |
[Oct. 24th, 2009|02:44 pm] |
I am home from SC, I have run errands, I have unpacked, I have had lunch, I have my jammies on, and now I'm going to get as much of the Read-A-Thon in as I can today. Already my eyes are tired, and I've only just sat down!
Eat to Read Mini-Challenge Entry
 I've got a bottle of water and a glass of Haus cider beside me for my first participating hour. At the ready: a full supply of cookies, popcorn, coffee, cocoa, chips, and other, more substantial food, like salad and sandwich stuff for later.
 But specifically, I'm looking forward to munching on Spekulatius cookies and drinking a nice cup of Raven's Brew coffee (thank you, alaskanmermaid ). And for a special treat later (if I come near finishing even ONE book): cream soda.
I love read-a-thons. Best calorie dump evar!
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| Leaving. Again. |
[Oct. 12th, 2009|01:30 pm] |
Just as I'm winding things down from this summer and getting everything ironed out for fall, I'm leaving again.
Miss V and I will be road tripping to South Carolina mid-week, staying until sometime next week. This is a Cool Thing (TM) because I read Paper Towns last week and am all about hitting the road right now.
I will be taking sboman 's revision and the following books:
Yes, I plan to do a LOT of reading. Add to that about 24 hours of audiobooking (TBD), and I might just get caught up on books for the year.
Okay.
I have two dozen things to do before tonight. And my goal is to have all of it done before 8pm, so that I can cuddle up with Rose & Co. as I get deep into blue_succubus 's Blood Promise.
I LOVE BOOKS, GUYS!
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| The State of the Revision. |
[Oct. 5th, 2009|08:08 am] |
As we enter Round Five of this book, I know something I didn't know in previous rounds.
Notice how I'm calling it rounds rather than drafts? Because now it's more like a sporting event in which at least one entity gets pummeled and bloody. And while the ms might have more than a few scratches and a bit of bruising, it's me who was down for the count in September.
Anyway.
I've become aware of something I didn't know in previous rounds.
I have two stories here.
On one hand, I have a domestic and social activism story. On the other, I have a crime and psychological suspense story.
They're two very distinct tales now.
The thing I'm trying to work out before I can really progress is Do I fully separate them and let them live as different manuscripts, or do I spend another six months or a year weaving them together?
Anyway, that's the dilemma I'm facing right now. So we'll see what comes of it.
Good weekend, though! Got a lot accomplished, and some things are looking uppish.
More later!
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