Tuesday, March 30, 2004

Only one more day to go

Quote of the Day: You don't have to signal a social conscience by looking like a frump. Lace knickers won't hasten the holocaust, you can ban the bomb in a feather boa just as well without, and a mild interest in hemlines doesn't necessarily disqualify you from reading Das Kapital and agreeing with every word. -- Jill Tweedie

At work that is. Thursday my grandmother is having a lump-octomy at 8:30 a.m. Both my parents are out of state, Kai probably won't go, so it's left up to me. At least Chad has agreed to go with me.

Read Free!
The BookWorm

Monday, March 29, 2004

Keep your mind out of the gutter

Quote of the Day: What is beautiful is good,
And who is good will soon be beautiful. -- Sappho

This weekend exhausted me. Sleeping in a strange bed, hiking to the bathroom, cleaning up the joust field, meetings, etc. I had company Sunday afternoon, and after she left I crawled into bed and turnd off lights by 9:30pm. I was so far asleep, I don't remember when Mustard crawled up onto my chest. I did wake when I moved, he started falling off and grabbed my nose with his claws to stop himself. He was sweet about it and licked the boo-boo, but didn't understand why I got up and put a band-aid across my nose. Luckily, it was just a puncture and not a gash.

I don't believe in declawing cats. I think it's morally and ethically wrong. But Mustard is cruising to lose them all.

Then I managed to cut myself with the electric razor this morning shaving my armpits. But I preserved and came to work anyway.

I hope that wasn't a mistake.

Read Free!
The BookWorm

Friday, March 26, 2004

Finally Friday

Quote of the Day: Scheherazade is easy; a little black dress is very difficult. -- Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel

I went to bed at 10pm, didn't get up till 6:30am because of my 9am doctor's appointment. I feel a lot better until I looked at finances. I have $20 to buy caffine, Claritan, and gasoline on. It's not enough. I don't want to hit Mom up for her gas card, but it's either that or a payday loan.

And Chad's bright idea to save me gas is for me to crash at his place. No matter how much stuff I need to do at my house before the stupid meeting and cleaning up at Faire site. It's my guilt gene but damn, it's being relentless today.

Read Free!
The BookWorm

Thursday, March 25, 2004

Working for the weekend

Quote of the Day: Pay my taxi for me. I don't know how it happened but I brought out the bag I keep my going-abroad money in and the man simply won't take francs or liras or marks! -- Mrs. Ariadne Oliver Cards on the Table

I love Mrs. Oliver, while not that ditzy, I can sympathize with her plights. I also know never to create a character of a nationality that is completely foreign to you.

Turning on lights not so simple. I can usually get another 30 minutes after I've fed the cat and he's not be annoying. And I need that 30 minutes to function during the day.

Last night was supposed to go to bed early. Chad came over to do laundry. I got the tutorial sent out, finished the comic book sorting, cooked meatloaf, and we called a night at 10-ish. I crawled into bed at 11pm. I told him next week, I'm going to bed and he can wake me up after a nap or spend the night. He says he doesn't want to spend all day with Mustard, so maybe we should do laundry on Friday nights.

But I slept hard. I dreamed that my mother left my father and moved in with me. Nothing I did was good enough or the done the right way and I was going banannas. Never have I been so glad to hear the alarm clock. Give me dreams of badly CGI-ed Biker Mice movies any night.

Story news: I finished Chapter Two yesterday. So today will probably be getting it typed while I try to figure out how to get my no longer wanted comics on Ebay. It looks like close to a hundred in the box. I'd like to make a profit, but I'm just revealing in the fact that I have an empty file box now. Which I'm probably going to fill with items that I have to go through but are stealing space on the couch right now, but it's empty right now. This is a rare thing in my house.

Read Free!
The BookWorm

Wednesday, March 24, 2004

Wednesday already

Quote of the Day: I'm just a person trapped in a woman's body. -- Elayne Boosler

Well I spent most of last night trying to get the way late tutorial put together, having spent most of the writing time at work getting the rest of it typed so I could cut and paste into what I had already started. I had finished most of it by bedtime, but was too tired to fight with Bravenet.

Too tired is SOP these days. I didn't exactly get to catch up on sleep during the trip and I've been going to bed way too late to make a difference. Tuesday morning, I got up, fed Mustard, and was stumbling back to bed in the dark. I turned a little early and rammed my lip into the corner of the doorway. The doorway into my bedroom is cut through the cypress wall with some framing, not much rounded molding in my house. Luckily my lip didn't swell up though it still hurts if move my lips or press down on them hard.

The other funny thing about the trip. We went in garb: a couple of peasants, Chad was middle class, and me the pirate captain. We left the Faire and ate a late lunch in town. All the kids that saw us gushed "we just left the Renaissance Festival. We had so much fun!" Assuming of course we had something to do with that one.

Mail's here and I have more typing to do. Bye for now.

Read Free!
The BookWorm

Tuesday, March 23, 2004

Back into the routine

Quote of the Day: When women are depressed they either eat or go shopping. Men invade another country. It's a whole different way of thinking. -- Elayne Boosler

I think part of my out of sorts feeling was caused by the interruption to the routine. It was also caused by lack of sleep and pain, but upsetting the routine has its share of the blame. It's one thing to say "take it easy, rest, you need to." Quite another to convince yourself to do it when the living room looks like a file room threw up in it, you have so many stories in progress, a doublet that needs sewing, unpacking to do.

Enough of that. I'm updating the To Do List and sticking to it. I felt saner going by it even if I didn't get to everything. Less memory in use I guess.

Four Winds trip also made us--or at least me--appreciate our joust troop more. They putting on a really entertaining show, even if it has too much wrestling reference. But I haven't gotten tired of watching it after four years, that should've told me something. The Four Winds Joust Troop isn't too bad, they just need to work on the presentation more. But their squires. My squires would eat them for breakfast. Backing up a second, the squires are part of LRF's volunteer cast and under my neighborhood. Pirate Captain is in charge of the joust field, somewhere it does make sense. Our joust field is probably just a little shorter than a football field (one day I'm going to have to get the correct measurements) and we have done the show with just 3 squires when 5 to 6 is the norm. And that requires handing knights weapons, adding armor to the knights, taking care of the horses, and getting lances pieces out of the list field so the horses don't get injured. The first squire visible for Four Winds popped open a parasol and strolled out to replace rings. And then she didn't even replace the rings quickly. Peasants and squires and anyone else that is portraying working classes do not get parasols. I resisted the urge to get take it from her.

I did managed to clean out a good chunk of my comic book and magazine collection, only keeping the stories I really enjoyed. I think I'm going ahead and selling them on Ebay. I can't sell the magazines in a comic book store, and I'd rather them go to people who need them for their own collections. And I'm sure comic book stores buy from Ebay too.

Anyways off to the post office and then probably writing when I get back. It's a super slow day today.

Read Free!
The BookWorm

Monday, March 22, 2004

Ouchies

Well I managed to lock up a joint in my neck on Sunday morning. Went to chiropractor and got adjusted, but had to spend most of today icing it down so I took the day off.

The trip was wonderful. We stayed at a lovely Bed & Breakfast. The Faire hadn't changed much at all, and I think it made us realize just how good our Faire is. Chad got a line on a broom maker and another troop of reenactors--live blade soliders :D--so it was a success.

Today I've gotten a few little things done, but not much. I can't seem to get it together to finish anything I've set out to do. Oh well printing is on the list and that will have to be done at Chad's.

Read Free!
The BookWorm

Sunday, March 21, 2004

FIXED!

CPU fan is now back on. And I have to go catch up.

Read Free!
The BookWorm

Friday, March 19, 2004

What is the deal with packing?

I never leave packing to the last minute. I've managed to do it this time. Clothes are done, except for the ones I have to bring to my sister. Bathroom stuff is mostly done, except it doesn't fit into my bag. I was hoping to leave my black bag of work at home, but it looks like I have to take it. He needs a salary, so I could at least get treated to dinner now and then for my hard work. :p Or he could just buy my loose-leaf. I haven't even dug out what pouches I want to take. Thigh-high boots don't fit anything and I haven't had time to clean my sword. Only Ren-nuts have packing lists like this.

Since I had to pick up Chad and I had to eat and then we had to go shopping, I didn't get to play with the CPU fan any last night. :p I have to get that put together before we leave. Mustard is getting curious about the shut office door and I can't lock it.

Story update: Looks like mail and other stuff has slowed down for today so I might get a little bit of extra work in. But since I have to leave work early, no extra writing hour today. :( There wasn't any yesterday either, since I didn't want to be going to bed at 10 or 11pm after shopping.

Here's to a long car ride and hopefully much shoulder rubbing because I'm stressing and they HURT! It's going to be a blast of a trip. And for the last time, Four Winds Renaissance Faire is where we're going.

April 2 - 4 Coast Con
April 9 - 11 Bay Area Renaissance Festival
April 23 Renaissance Festival put on by West Feliciana High School
April 24 Teachers' Workshop for LRF School Days

I should just leave the clothes packed :p

Read Free!
The BookWorm

Thursday, March 18, 2004

Money :p and computer woes

Quote of the Day: When women go wrong, men go right after them. -- Mae West

Story news: got through that confrontation. Next up the introduction of the romantic lead.

Now I have to spend the rest of the day figuring out my bills, so I have money for the weekend trip and to shop tonight. Cat needs food again.

I did get the bills finished rather quickly. And the CPU fan finally came in yesterday, but Chad and I couldn't get it attached. Maybe I'll get a chance to work on it tonight.

I'm probably going to have to skip my writing hour today and tomorrow. Tomorrow is leaving for the trip so have to get out of here quickly. And I still have packing left to do tonight.

Read Free!
The BookWorm

Wednesday, March 17, 2004

I can't sew :p

Quote of the Day: Too much of a good thing can be wonderful. -- Mae West

I screwed up the iron-on interfacing as I was trying to apply it to the red doublet material. Luckily I think the only peice I'll have to replace is one of the front panels. This is why I always buy more than I need with material. But I do need to go buy new interfacing.

Story news: I got a good chunk of the first section of chapter 2 typed yesterday. Unfortunately due to unforseen disaster with the Robin Hood play, I only had enough time to finish a new paragraph.

Chad's coming over tonight, but we're going to have to work on house before we can actually watch a movie. I've managed to lose the couch.

Read Free!
The BookWorm

Tuesday, March 16, 2004

Confusion

http://pub97.ezboard.com/fbmfm53205frm3.showMessage?topicID=235.topic

No, I don't think she's being malicious; I just can't get a grasp on what she's saying. We're talking in circles on the actual critique. Maybe that's why I feel dizzy. I say change the abbreviation and she says everyone knows what it stands for. I'm going to start calling her fics "Burger King realm," I just know I am. I say she needs more description in this story. She says they've all been described in the other stories. *Sigh* Each story must be able to stand on its own, and this one seems to have major crutches.

But the last paragraph just feels like she's putting the problems with the story all on me. I need to lighten up, I need to read the rest of her stories, there's a chance for a cure? WTF is up with that? You know, I seem to remember somewhere that the reader is entitled to either enjoy or not enjoy the story. And if they don't enjoy it, it is a deficiency of the writer not the reader.

*Snort* I have to wonder what the reaction would be if I had told her I didn't like the story and wanted to wop Harley in the head for being a whiny head case. Not that she doesn't have the right to be a head case, but at least be an entertaining head case. And the teenagers who can't feed themselves? And Maze the perfect man? *Gag noises* I have my doubts that it's better in the original Finnish.

Somebody else needs to comment on this and I don't blame them for avoiding it like the plague.

Course my confusion could also be from trying to type an Elizabethan Robin Hood play and Zy's novel at the same time while trying to comprehend this post. Then again, muddled writing always gives me headaches.

Read Free!
The BookWorm

Tuesday morning

Quote of the Day: A diet counselor once told me that all overweight people are angry with their mothers and channel their frustrations into overeating. So I guess that means all thin people are happy, calm, and have resolved their Oedipal entanglements. -- Wendy Wasserstein

Back on track. I finished up the first section of Chapter Two and got started with the next section. I think I finally figured out how Zy's big mouth is going to save her in the coming confrontation. I never did like the absurd fight I came up with. I'd much rather save the fist throwing for when after Mylte joins the action.

Network is down this morning, so we can't do anything. I'm transferring my commuting notes to the regular-sized paper, then will probably start typing. Depends on how long this will last. Chad needs some notes on school day that I took, but I don't think I can email him. Microsoft Word at the office has the ability to save as PDF files, so I should be able to do some uploading while my computer is awaiting revival.

And when I was buying things I need for the doublet, I found a new Simplicity pattern on sale. 1880 Victorian day and evening dress. I could play Charlotte Pitt. LOL

Read Free!
The BookWorm

Monday, March 15, 2004

Pirate Case for Peasant Court

To explain: Peasant Court is a group of staged skits of the peasants of the RenFaire village bringing suits against each other or getting arrested for drunkness, etc. Last year, our Faire got a new ride a ferry across the lake. Two of my pirates came up with a skit of the pirates taking over the ferry. We never got to do it right. This year I want to schedule it in as part of the show. Big noisy take over of the ferry, big noisy arrest by the sheriff, followed by our trial at Peasant Court.

Pirate Case for Peasant Court

Cast of Characters

Clerk
Bailiff
Judge
Pirate Captain
Assorted Pirates
Audience

Props

Irons or ropes restraining the pirates’ wrists

CLERK
This is a case of thievery and mayhem, an act of PIRACY! The people versus the pirates!

(Bailiff leads in the manacled PIRATE CAPTAIN and PIRATES.)

PIRATE 1
We be privateers! We got a letter of something. From the king!

PIRATE CAPTAIN
Letter of marque. I had it here somewhere.
(Pats down pouches looking for it.)

JUDGE
Act of piracy, that be a hanging offense!

PIRATES
Hanging!

PIRATE CAPTAIN
Ye cannot hang us. Ye have no yard arm.

BAILIFF
(Sadistically)
We can build one.

PIRATES
(Whimpering)
Captain.

PIRATE CAPTAIN
Steady mateys. They cannot hang us for something which we did not do. Case dismissed.

JUDGE
That be my line! And we do not know what you have done. Clerk, what have they done?

CLERK
In sight of the whole village, these pirate….

PIRATE CAPTAIN
Privateers.

CLERK
(Ignores the interruption.)
Did take the ferry by force thereby committing an act of piracy!

PIRATE CAPTAIN
What? That! Case dismissed.

JUDGE
Stop that! We have witnesses?

AUDIENCE
Aye. I saw it. They put a gun to the ferryman’s head. They all had swords out.

PIRATE CAPTAIN
I object. That was not an act of piracy.

JUDGE
Explain yourself, sea wench.

PIRATE CAPTAIN
(Threatens)
Ye address me as the Captain or ye will walk the plank.
(Gets out of the cuffs.)
Now everybody knows what pirates do.

PIRATE 1
(Gets out of his cuffs.)
Pillage!

PIRATE 2
(Gets out of his cuffs.)
Murder!

PIRATE 3
(Gets out of his cuffs.)
Burn!

PIRATE 4
(Gets out of his cuffs.)
Rape!

PIRATE CAPTAIN
(Turns to the last pirate, furious.)
Avast! The articles you signed before coming on board forbade….

PIRATE 1
(Other PIRATES slap hands over PIRATE 4’s mouth.)
It’s allright, Captain. We paid the last wench he was with double her rates. He has not even met a prudent woman.

PIRATE CAPTAIN
As I was explaining, if we had pillaged the ferry, we would have loot.
(PIRATES pat each other down for loot and come up empty.)
And we nay murdered the ferryman because he is at this very moment making his voyage cross the lake. And ye can go down to the lake and see we nay burned the ferry, which we are wont to do after pillaging and murdering.

JUDGE
Aye, aye, there were no pillaging, no murdering, no burning. Then what be you doing?

PIRATE CAPTAIN
We were practicing, your Honor.
(Salutes with hat.)
Case dismissed!
(Pirates jump from stage and run through the audience.)

JUDGE
That be my line! I be the judge and I say when case dismissed!

CLERK
(After waiting.)
Well?

JUDGE
Case dismissed!


Read Free!
The BookWorm

Pirates and Trials and Tribulations?

Quote of the Day: I don't have the time every day to put on makeup. I need that time to clean my rifle. -- Henriette Mantel

Tribulations: Not having a working computer at home is a tribulation. Not having finished the de-junking process is another tribulation. I ended up throwing the stuff that needs to be de-junked back into the living room while trying to find all my material and various sewing projects. Sunday's goal: finish my new doublet as much as I can since I can't afford the trim yet. What I got done: washed the material, cut out the doublet pattern, and sewed the favor sash for my belt. My pirate captain coat looks so bare now, I'm going to have to find some more pretties for it. Perferably, ones that don't fall apart when the hot glue melts in the sun.

Pirates and Trials sorta go together. Saturday, in between PMS irritation attacks and the evil country music at the pizza joint, I did get my pirates on trial case finished. I hope to be able to have typed today. I'm really going to need the time at work for writing projects since I have to have something to wear at Four Winds Saturday.

I love my family, but why is it the FICTION writer is the only one who can keep a story straight? I told my mother at least 3 times in the same conversation that Chad and I would stop for supper in Natchitoches, yes we'd see Krista, yes we'd drop stuff off to her. So why is it when my sister calls me on Sunday, it's "how come ya'll spending the night with me?" *Bangs head on wall*

Speaking of wearing stuff, Chad wants to go mundane to Four Winds. I think I'm going to make him put on his gnome outfit. It's no fair I have to dress up, if he doesn't. I can understand his reasoning "it feels like work" but it is work. :p He wants to do a cavalier faire someday and they're the only ones who put one on.

Well, since mail is late, let me type. I'll post Pirate Trial if I can get it in here.

Read Free!
The BookWorm

Friday, March 12, 2004

Friday

Came home sick yesterday. Think it was my body doing the "you haven't stopped so I'm going to make you stop" thing again. Didn't want to chance driving in this morning, so I stayed home. Course by noon, I felt fine.

My computer however does not feel fine. My CPU fan just died and it'll be sometime next week before I get replacement for it.

Hence no writing today.

Read Free!
The BookWorm

Thursday, March 11, 2004

Oversweetened Tea

Quote of the Day: My goal is to be accused of being strident. -- Susan Faludi

Yeah, I definetely put too much sugar in the tea; I wanted to take a nap all morning after drinking it. I was fine after lunch, but the silly meeting from the HR department went into overtime. Earned 30 minutes of K-time, but only had 30 minutes left to write. Poo.

Here's to hoping nothing stupid happens today.

Read Free!
The BookWorm

Wednesday, March 10, 2004

Behind the scenes work done

Quote of the Day: People call me feminist whenever I express sentiments that differentiate me from a doormat or a prostitute. -- Rebecca West

I got the background organizing work done yesterday. Now I'm ready to write, or technically rewrite. Staying late is working out so well; I'm going to hate the renewal season that will screw it up.

I decided to drink more tea for my health. Only problem is I think I over-sweetened this batch. I'm going to have to go buy some Splenda or something. It would be a shame to ruin what progress I think I've made with a 16 - 20 ounce drink every morning. But iced peppermint tea is soooo yummy.

As for progress, yeah I've cracked down on the sugar and carbs I'm eating. And while I haven't noticed a change in clothes (I think I hid the scale and I don't feel like looking for it), I have noticed less extremes in emotional reactions and lethargy. I've also cut back on caffine--two cans a day--and spread out my water drinking more--instead of saving it for when I get home. Still no time for exercising. Maybe I should park my car at the front office and hike back to see Chad? Then again, I'd have to hike back in the dark.

Read Free!
The BookWorm

Tuesday, March 09, 2004

Experiment's Progress

Quote of the Day:The great English writer and courtier Sir Philip Sidney wrote A Defense of Poetry to counter Puritan objections to what we would call fiction, the making up of stories. In his essay he addresses the morality of making up stories by asking what it is that history teaches us. He gives the example of two Roman emperors named Severus. One was cruel and evil; the other good. The evil Severus prospered and died of old age at sixty-five. The good Severus at age twenty-seven was murdered by his own soldiers. As Sidney's example shows, it is hard to make any sort of lesson out of history. Stuff happens. To make stories out of stuff, we must reshape it so that there are cause-and-effect relationships. -- J. Madison Davis Novelist's Essential Guide to Creating Plot 33

I've decided to work on Zy's novel again. Every two years seems to be the norm with that one, but I plan on finishing it this time. It's a little less ambitious than the Chosen, and it has a smaller cast of mani players than the crossover, so hopefully I should be finished with it before three years. I'm not starting from scratch, still having all the rough drafts from the beginning, when I tried working on in it in 1998, and when I tried working on it again in 2002. To make sense of all that I'm using a lot of the suggestions found in the Novelist's Essential Guide to Creating Plot by J. Madison Davis.

Sunday, I finished the plot outline from the murderer's POV. Very important because the murder victims are discovered out of chronological order. I started working on the plot outline from Zy's POV yesterday and got about halfway through with it. Next I'll do one from Xeryl's POV. Then it'll be play with them until I know which scenes must be written and what order I should put them in.

Traffic wasn't that bad going home, but I forgot I had to go shopping last night. Tonight I should be able to go straight home.

Read Free!
The BookWorm

Monday, March 08, 2004

Trying something new

In effort to combat the evil I-don't-want-to-do-anything feeling I have immediately upon entering my house each night, I'm working overtime. Technically not, I'm just going to stay at work an extra hour and write. Puts me getting home later which is an ick, but I'm not doing anything there anyway.

Course I could also be heading full tilt into burnout, which I also seem to develop when I think the goal hasn't been reached in the unrealistic timetable I have set for it. Okay 4 years of university wasn't unrealistic, but still. So it looks like it's Chad's responsibility to yank me out into the real world.

Excuse me, time to write.

Read Free!
The BookWorm

Not Enough Hours in the Day

Quote of the Day: A gossip is someone who talks to you about others, a bore is one who talks to you about himself, and a brilliant conversationalist is one who talks to you about yourself. -- Lisa Kirk

So please excuse my borish behavior but this is my spot to vent. I'll try to keep it entertaining. Not that it really matters for the few who read this thing.

I'm having that overwhelming feeling again. There's barely enough time for what I have to do, much less what I want to do. So what is exactly holding me back? Fear of failure, fear of rejection? So all that hits me is this "I have too much to do so why bother starting when it never gets finished?" Probably some of all the above.

Don't get me wrong. I love Chad, and he's been a good influence. I just wish I had been warned that I would share his creative tasks as well. I think I've figured out a way to make it an equal share with my writing, but it's a matter of finding the time for the both of us.

Read Free!
The BookWorm

Friday, March 05, 2004

FRIDAY!!!!!

Congrats, Jazzie! You deserve it.

Now this is really short because I actually have free time and I'm using it now. Edit here I come. I can hopefully get a couple of chapters done before the mail comes.


Read Free!
The BookWorm

Thursday, March 04, 2004

I'm not giving into the guilt reflex.

Quote of the Day: I personally think we developed language because of our deep inner need to complain. -- Jame Wagner

There is a LRF social this Saturday in Mississippi. Neither Chad and I want to go, and I gave him a top ten list of why I can't go, but we still feel guilty.

But being sick and tired of the playing creative finances everybloody paycheck and depressed about the lack of money has pretty much gotten the guilt reflex out of the way.

*sigh* I need to make a sale, but that goes back with the no time to research, or clean or anything. ARGH!

Read Free!
The BookWorm

Tuesday, March 02, 2004

How does a day get worse?

When the other batcher has to go home at 1pm to deal with a sick child and leaves you all alone.

Well not entirely alone, and I had offers of help. Luckily, the work load wasn't the same as yesterday and I didn't need them.

Still I'm tired.

Read Free!
The BookWorm

*Whimper*

Today isn't as bad as yesterday, but it still awful. We just lost two co-workers (one is only on half days, the other got sick).

The mail comes in buckets from the post office. In turn, the mailroom of the Department of Insurance sorts and brings us the mail with checks in them. Then we have to open and process the money and send the paperwork--if the company was bright enough to send backup documentation--to the proper division. Often because of volume, our mail is brought to us in buckets. We only had 2 and half today.

What I don't understand is scheduling deadlines for different division on the same day when we get all the money first. Alas it's not my place to question such things.

Okay I have 30 minutes free to write something. :p Bet it'll be answer emails.

Read Free!
The BookWorm

Monday, March 01, 2004

Buckets, buckets, buckets

First bucket came at 9:30 and there was a steady stream. We finished 11:45 with all of those and since lunch started 3 more have come in.

Yeah, we'll be looking at this mail tomorrow too. :p

Read Free!
The BookWorm