That Ole Overwhelmed Feeling

I've been leaving short posts here, not from a lack of what to say but a lack of time to say it in. It's the busy season at the paying job with Agents Licensing renewals due on January 1st. The few quiet moments I have are spent in recovery, not speeding through everything else I have to do. Right now, I should be working on lawsuits but I decided to come talk here first.

I worked on creating deadlines yesterday. January is my busiest month because I want to write a whole year of newsletters before starting on anything else. That way posting should go easier as well. I think I'm going to have to tweak the editing deadlines a little, considering I didn't factor that in with the writing deadlines. *Sigh*

Got the money stuff online finished, but haven't cleaned off my desk or plugged in my battery yet. And I'm not going to go into the download issues I've had with the stupid updated virus scan. I should have just bought the boxed version.

Time to earn my keep.

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The BookWorm

Deadlines

I need to make some. I need to have a whole year's worth of tutorials done before the end of February, along with the rest of the writing. Time to plan.

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The BookWorm

Where To Begin

I've been offline and too busy to get on the computer for the past four days. And three of those days, I couldn't even reach the computer. So a recap of the holiday weekend.

Friday Dec. 24
I finished the roof patch job Thursday night, banging my thumb in the process. Most of Friday was spent cleaning the back bedroom: finding places to store stuff, reorganizing a few things, mopping, and vacuuming. Finished the bathroom and the hall. Dad helped me move the mattresses around.

Saturday Dec. 25
Had to cook for Christmas dinner so this was the rest of the kitchen day. Was washing dishes when I looked out the window to see snow falling. Surreal, honest snowfall. Melted as soon as it hit the ground, but it was snow. Finished all the dirty dishes and the stuff that had migrated to the table went back to where it belonged. Had Christmas dinner with my parents and gave them their gifts. All my bedroom and living room needed were a mopping and vacuuming, and I got that done. Sorted through my drawers and recycled some T-shirts.

Sunday Dec. 26
All that's left is the office. And I couldn't walk in there. I moved the stacks so I could and ran out of steam. I waited for my company and colored. And watched all of "The Two Towers" commentary before they got there. Also noticed that something was wrong with Mustard's eye.

Monday Dec. 27

GRE day. Saw my company off and went to take the test. Made a 490 on the Quantative (Math) and 580 on the Verbal. Mustard needed to go to the vet. Put him in the cat carrier, and into the car, and the first stop was Southeastern. I was supposed to drop off my transcript, and I quizzed the person I had talked to on the phone that they were going to be open on the 27th. It was a ghost town.

Got Mustard to the vet and got oinment for his eye. Fixing him will probably happen next Monday. And since I was on the right side of town, I figured I'd check on all the cats. Putz, and Rick's four (two at the Faire site and two at his house) since they're all out of town. No keys.

Take Mustard home and get the keys. Opened the cat carrier door, but it didn't swing open very much. Okay, he'll push it open when he gets tired of it. Go check on all the cats. They're fine, except Putz. I can't seem to make Chad understand that yes, she's little but she has a fur coat. He had both his heaters on 75 degrees. She was ready to run out for relief. I turned one off and the other down to 65 degrees.

Finally got back home. The garbage had been scattered all over my driveway. Mustard was meowing pitifully, still inside the cat carrier. I had to laugh at him.

Today
Mustard doesn't like the oinment until after you get it on his eye. It's just a little infected. Back at work, and we had seven buckets of mail so far. And now lunch is over.

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The BookWorm

Finished writing Blue Man

Finished writing Blue Man yesterday. Now I just have to type it.

We get to leave early today, WOOT! I have so much cleaning left to do at home; it's not funny.

And I just remembered I didn't say anything about the Yule ritual. It was very nice. We created a circle (which has to be the largest circle I've ever attended) and celebrated the turning of the Wheel of the Year.

Need the extra time at home. Also need to remember to go buy the last Christmas presents.

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The BookWorm

Addicted to CNN

I'm trying to wean myself off of it. I don't need to know that much about what's going on in the world. I did pretty good today; I only opened five windows in it instead of the usual twenty.

I'm working through Suze Orman's "The Laws of Money" book. I'm ahead of the game now, with very little worries and I want to stay that way.

Now back to the Blue Man that is almost finished.

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The BookWorm

This is a FIESTA!

Office party day. Though we have to jump around and party and work on the same day. So this is all you're getting today.

P.S. Bought a new mattress set yesterday. And Solistice tonight.

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The BookWorm

Seasonal cleaning

I accomplished a lot this weekend. I accomplished a lot this weekend. I have to keep repeating that to myself to stave off the feeling that I haven't done enough, I should be finished but that isn't humanly possible. Stupid guilt gene.

The kitchen is clean, except for the dishes to wash. The extra dryer that is being stored on my porch (don't ask) is now on the other side of the porch instead of right in front of the dryer I'm using. The living room is clean and dusted and filled with Christmas stuff. I actually got the tree put together, and I think Mustard understands he can't eat it. I don't know about the climbing yet.

My bedroom: mattress is flipped. And right now storing the hopefully now cleaned blankets in there. Haven't vacuumed or dusted yet. And I have to go through clothes and get rid of some.

Bathroom: needs organizing and and scrubbing. Litter boxes did get changed out and now Mustard has an enclosed one with a door.

Office: Have dealt with all the junk mail that had piled up. Now I need to reshelve books and file papers. Also I think I need a library cart. Tested the HP Laserjet and it's officially broken. I'll just have to save up for a new one.

The Back bedroom: *Deep breath* Putz peed all over the mattress in there, my Scooby-Doo huge stuffed animal, and all the clothes that were on the bed. I think I finally got the bedding cleaned, but the mattress is a lost cause. I used up an entire bottle of Febreeze and it didn't make a dent in it. And of course, we didn't make it to the back bedroom before I took Chad so he could finish stuff at the Inn before he leaves to visit with his mother for Christmas. Hindsight, we should have tackled that room first, but the kitchen looked so much worse.

Need to vacuum and mop all the wood floors.

Then I get to start on all the computer work that has been piling up. I promised I would get Red Planet back to Gold status, and I have work to do on Alt. BM Site and the Library.

And my friends from Florida will be here Sunday. GRE test Monday, and I don't know where any of my overseas address have gone (I think I put them in address book, but where in the office that is *rolls eyes*). I'll have to send out virtual e-cards and I feel guilty about that.

Any wonder why I want a vacation this time of year? Or the big giant remote to put the universe on hold until I'm finished cleaning. I could have so much more done if they didn't insist on me going to work.

And another reminder: Tell Disney thankyou for Gargoyles. And how much we want Season Two.

Take ten minutes and write them a nice thank you letter. Even a
postcard will do. Keep it short and sweet - this isn't the place to
take them to task for sending you on a retail scavenger hunt to find
the disc. Most importantly, tell them how much you look forward to
the release of SEASON TWO.

Here's the address:

Buena Vista Home Entertainment
Department CS
Burbank, CA 91521

(This is the address off the disc.)

Can't lose that address now.

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The BookWorm

Friday I'm in Love

It's a catchy tune. No other reason for using it as a title.

I have a Wal-Mart bag full of mail to go through. Joy. Have no choice really, but to bring it to work and sort it; I have bills in it somewhere to pay. Let me get busy.

Finished mail, and everybody is paid for the month. Well everybody that will shut off at least. I still have a few incidental debts to clear up.

Also worked on tweaking this blog, mainly to see how the year has progressed much quicker. I'm having some problems with it, but hopefully those will get ironed out once Support emails me back.

Time to do some typing.

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The BookWorm

Found it!

Doesn't spoil the naming theme. I just don't know why it wouldn't come up when I put in "Cassandra" in the search engine.

To explain, I used "Cassandra" as my role-playing alias in the Gargoyles TGS forums. This was before I knew about Mary Sues' and their problems. I wrote Cassandra's story out and that caused a lot of confusion. But I went ahead and used "Cassandra" to ask my questions and post my rambles to at Stataion 8's Ask Greg site. Though it looks like there's been a recent facelift, and is called the Gargoyles FiendSite.

Here's my anaylsis of Demona inspired by "Awakenings." Rewatching the episodes made me remember this.

Question received on Sun, April 02, 2000 06:37:37 PM
Cassandra writes...
Okay, I went back an read your rambles on the episodes ( Awakenings - Her Brother's Keeper). You felt the moment when Demona revealed her name lacked punch. It did, for me at least, but not because of the scene itself. From the beginning of Awakenings , the gargoyles had a dangerous edge but Demona was the one with the least control over hers. The scene with the Trio decides to scare the peasants, I knew they were "just picking" (even though it was picking that could have gotten dangerously out of hand). But Demona acted like if she could have found an excuse to rip the throat out of Tom's mother, she would have. By Awakenings Part 5, it's chillingly apparant just how ruthless and demonic Demona has become. Besides, it's a great twist on Goliath's earlier name of affection/endearment, Angel of the Night. Angel=light, darkness=night, demon=fallen angel=darkness=night. The scene became one of those moments when everything felt RIGHT. Of course, what else could you name her? moment. The question was just how long ago was she given the name.

When I first saw the expression on Demona's face when she and Goliath reunited in 1994, I sat up. Yeah, she was glad to see Goliath but she was angry too. My thought first seeing it was "Poor Goliath, nothing good is going to come from this." Looking back now, knowing Demona's history, I have to ask did she read the Magus's version of events from the Grimorum? If the Magus recorded things fairly accurately, then she had to realize that Goliath chose suicide instead of trying to raise the eggs alone. If he had stayed with the eggs, she would have returned with a story Goliath would have swallowed and they could have raised the eggs together. She never would have created the Hunter, she never would have met Macbeth, she never would have made the deal with the Weird Sisters, she would have died centuries ago. And in that moment of reuniting, Demona blames Goliath for all of it. She buries it quickly cause she wants to give him a chance to realize why her way is the only way, but it still there. Wow, all that from one line of dialogue.

There's my feedback for the day. Caio.

Greg responds...
Very cool analysis. I like that second paragraph particularly. I hadn't thought of Demona blaming Goliath then-and-there for all of that. Very cool.

Response recorded on July 05, 2000

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The BookWorm

Thursday too long

Having another Diet Dr. Pepper that I shouldn't and looking for my comments I maid about Demona years ago. How her introduction in the 20th century totally chilled me to the bone. Turning out to be harder than I thought. I hope it hasn't gotten lost in a crash or something.

Chad will be spending the weekend with me. I haven't had a chance to ask how plans have changed with is mother. Which means hopefully I can get the house cleaned and decorated since I'll have another set of hands.

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The BookWorm

Wednesday blahs

I think I have settled onto a theme for this week in titles.

*Gritting teeth.* Neil Gaiman won a damn Hugo with a comic book and they had to change the rules not to allow them any more. Movies have had sound a lot longer than you think; before talkies there were orchestras in movie theaters. And I'm reading the bloody comic in question and he's using WORDS with pictures to tell the story.

Her arguement doesn't hold water any ways. You're telling a story and it belongs in the story sections. Art doesn't tell a linear story, even though it may be inspired or inspire one.

But all that's just my nitpicking flaring up. What really pisses me off is the snarky attitude. "I don't have to tell you that I'm moving a thread because I'm the moderator. And of course I know more than you because I'm in the bloody school and that also entitles me not to explain my actions to you lowlifes on the board."

I'm remembering "ultimate power corrupts ultimately." And lack of sleep is blowing things out of proportion. But the extended version of "Return of the King" was good. *Sigh* I just wish they had left in the Scouring of the Shire. I understand the reasons for not, but it's still my second favourite part of the books and I miss it.

Got about half the laundry done. And straightened out the entertainment center. Need to get another shelf to go with it. Need to work in the kitchen tonight; it's the worst. Also need to find my bills and get those in the mail before Christmas. Problem is I don't want to work on math when I get home. But I have to do it before I go clothes shopping.

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The BookWorm

Tuesday has a chance

Fine, I'll stop arguing with London about it. But I will maintain she should have said something yesterday when she moved the bloody thread. Proper net'iquette. And I actually spelt that right. :D

BMFM is coming out in 2006. It's euphoric to have followed it from the beginning to now again.

Chad's cat Putz is now safely home again. She's adorable, very affectionate, but I was tired of being licked awake at about 4:30am everyday. Mustard just crawls into bed with me or just howls a little for food. Though I did roll over him trying to find the snooze button this morning.

Some laundry has to be started tonight. It's going to go down into the 20s. (Farenheit). It's not supposed to get down into the 20s in Louisiana, but The Weather Channel says that it will. *Sigh* I don't have any clean pants. I'm wearing a skirt today and I freeze going outside.

I bought myself Gargoyles yesterday. :D I'm going for the box extended set of Lord of the Rings tonight. Put on the movies and clean. I still don't know where I'm going to put the Christmas tree, or how Mustard is going to react to it either.

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The BookWorm

Monday with a vengance

Work is hell. Faire is over. And my disaster area of a house is waiting for me.

Yeah, life is good :p

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The BookWorm

Exhausted Yesterday Better Today

I think I was so tired because I woke up night before last during the latest storm and electric outage. Hot and sticky and my knee still hurt.

The knee--the doctor thinks it's Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome. Basically, it means my leg muscles are pulling my kneecap out of place. I've got a knee brace, ibuprofen, and therapy exercises--which I haven't had five free minutes to go in two days.

Worried about Red. I hope it's just work that has swallowed her whole.

I am feeling better today, more sleep or the fact Chad spent the night. Gutter minds have fun with that one.

Got the GRE scheduled for December 27th. Thank you Governor Blanco for giving us the Monday after Christmas off; the testing center isn't open on weekends. Yes, that really is our Governor's name.

I should be able to get all school stuff done that day and get in. I'm not going to be willy-nilly about this degree. No jumping around taking classes that don't count just 'cause they're interesting. Though I will make an exception if Joe Burns is giving a night or online course in Web Design.

And Fans! has had the most hysterical Friday cliffhanger ever. I know I'm the only one who likes this comic, but a Borg Scooby-Doo should appeal to more than just me.

Last weekend of Faire, but I don't know if I can wear the knee brace in my garb. I might have to be in street clothes 'cause I have to give my pirates their participation awards.

But once Faire is over, I can concentrate on the house and Yule. I know my co-workers think I'm as bad as Scrooge, but it still feels too early to get into the season.

Ah, but I think I found something that shall help. DAAAAA da da da da dum dum. Took fifteen years, but we now have the Phantom on the silver screen! Okay, so it's not exactly "It's a Wonderful Life." Damn, I may have to forgive Joel over the Batman disaster.

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The BookWorm

Weekends?

The current To Do list is 22 items long and growing. I haven't wanted to merge it with my long term To Do list; I think that's a semblance of sanity self preservation.

Got the doctor's appointment for the knee tomorrow. So that will be working a half day. :p Need to stop missing so much work, but my knee isn't getting any better with home therapy. And I don't want to start heavy exercising again until I get it checked. And I need to start heavy exercising again to get the stupid weight off. And since I have been stressing lately and it's the days before hell week, I've been craving. No more sugar free chocolates ever, I'll just go ahead and have the real thing. I was so sick last night.

Computer systems under repair so I have a little free time. Better put it to good use and get into the next scene of the Blue Man.

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The BookWorm

Holiday season is cruel

It's not that they mean to be. It's a happy joyous season to spend with family and friends. It's not its fault that I'm just overwhelmed by everything that must be done, should be done, has to be done. *Whimper*

I haven't even got shopping done for my family yet. Other than Krista's--which I got months ago--I'm thinking gift cards. Kai and Mom both love to shop. And Kai's setting up a new house... okay, so it's been set up for a while but I'm sure she still has stuff she wants. Dad equals movie gift certificates. It's easy and it gets him out of the house if he uses them.

Now I just have to figure out what to get Chad. Oh, the combined efforts of everyone on cast berating him for not getting me a rose finally got through his male skull and he bought one for me on Saturday. Then he joked that he created a girly monster. I offered to kick him in the shins instead of making the puppy eyes.

He wants CDs of the Faire's musicians. I'll get a couple of those to start that collection off. And a wallet, he needs a new wallet.

My knee is still bothering me. I know, I know, I have to schedule a doctor's appointment after payday. I also have to schedule the GRE, eye doctor, dentist, the vet for Mustard, winter cleaning (the whole house needs a top to bottom scrub out), Yule decorating, Yule ritual, screening in the front porch, knocking out the office wall, getting classes for Master's, shopping for Christmas, writing, writing, and more writing.

Okay I can get Dave and Sean movie gift cards too. But what to get Billy and Misty?

I'm stopping this right now, and moving back to lawsuits and typing paragraphs of the Blue Man.

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The BookWorm

Back to normal

Well, almost.

It's not often I get to surprise my mother, but I did when I gave her a check big enough to pay off the gasoline credit card. I told her I was going to. *Shrug*

Going to start working on "The Blue Man" and finish it while working on Zy's novel. It's interesting looking at the same character at two different ages. Keep thinking about finishing up Zack's saga. That's would only take about three years of free time.

Still trying to figure out what is wrong in my checkbook. I've gotten $40 off somehow. Must be a duplicate record in my registar somewhere. And it's tedious double-checking this, because I had to start at the beginning of the account, listing it in Quicken... from over a year ago. That's what I'll be working on when I get home.

But first, I'm going to the gym. I haven't been in two weeks for various reasons. Time to get back on track.

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The BookWorm

I'm a HOUSEOWNER!

It's finally all official! WOOT!

Now to finish paying the bills.

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The BookWorm

House update

Been very busy at work. And halfway closed on the house. Finish the paperwork today and should get the money and a deed. Of course, it means missing a whole day of work since the earliest they could work me in was 10am. *Sigh* I'll just have to be super-super good for the next 4 months.

But it does give me time to do banking, pay things off, and get my car worked on.

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The BookWorm