Exhausted on a Tuesday

I left work early today to uy the rest of the Dante class books and finish the story assignment. I got the books no problem and finished writing Capt. Kate's short story, but didn't finish typing it. Okay I'll submit The Blue Man instead. There was no finished version of The Blue Man
on the laptop, much less the corrected first scene version. Gritting teeth and suck up my failure to meet a simple deadline.

Course, it didn't feel like leaving early when I started an hour earlier than I'm supposed to. But nothing will get done if only two - three people are opening all the mail. At least, it has kept up from getting told to help classify Agents Licensing.

Finally heard from the PT and of course my schedule mess that up too. I can't even off the weekends because they are booked until the second weekend of April. At some point I have to sew. I'm hoping to lose some weight and my dress will fit better. Judging by the pants I'm wearing today, it hasn't happened yet. I need to cook. I think the only meal that is correctly proportioned is breakfast.

Great, I just lost contol of the pen and wrote on my shirt. Ugh, I'm ready to go home.

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The BookWorm

Deadline Pressure

Short story is due in class tomorrow by the latest. Writing it, I'm at the beginning of the climax scene. Typing is further behind. *Whimper* Gotta finish.

End of the work day. Typed: I got them to the ruined monastary. Writing still have to finish the climax. I want to go through and do some editing, stuff I know I didn't get right--like the naming conventions between characters. But on the flip side, should I leave it in and see who catches it? It will all depend on how much I get done tonight.

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The BookWorm

Should have skipped Friday

Went to the dietian, got my car fixed, bought books at the campus bookstore, and got Chad from Lafayette for the weekend. Today I was good and went back to work. And it's been a surreal day since it started.

Surreal in small doses can be invigorating. Today's doses have been mind numbing. I was avoiding the insanity by writing, but I think I've gotten stuck. I like the dialogue, but now I'm thinking I need to space it out more. More description, more movement and action from the characters. I never have enough description. And I want this story to be vivid, to sing.

I found some good advice on realizing where you're fear of success comes from. Is it possible my lack of submission tries stems from fear of failure? Am I just avoiding the scenerio? Or is it possible that nothing I have is decent enough to waste the time on? (Hmm, that's telling right there. My first word choice is "waste" and finding a market for my stories shouldn't be a waste of time. But not counting "Blue Man" and Capt. Kate that I just finished, the last original short story was finished in 1999.) If I can get a quiet moment, I want to do the visualization exercise.

Oh I need to remember to take my measurements for this week tonight. I think walking with my newly bought books worked out my torso. I'd like to follow my workout with some time in the sauna.

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The BookWorm

Skipping a day

I did write a blog entry yesterday, but don't feel like relating the tired whine. Though it did serve a purpose, it reminded me of a deadline and then sent me scurrying to fiction. Which I kept up today. I finally got to my dead crew scene, and about to move into the discovery of the treasure scene.

Now I'm tired and I can't find Dante. And I'm going to try to go to bed early. And the computer needs a rest.

The appointment with the nutrionist is tomorrow, and I'm seriously considering ending up with the whole day off for a rest. Yeah, it's been that kind of week.

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The BookWorm

Well one room finished

It's 5pm and the kitchen is done. Except for building the plate rack, but that's going to have to wait for decent weather for woodworking and staining. Muggy and rainy is not that. And few odd dishes I found to wash.

Now for the office and homework. *Sigh* I always leave the worst room to last, why is that? I may take the homework first.

But here's a question for all you computer gurus out there. I have BellSouth DSL, on all the time. So why do certain websites and certain programs trigger a pop-up box to sign up through the Dial-up connection? Bell South offers a dial-up connection should something happen to the DSL. But nothing has happened to it when I get these, I usually have all green lights on my external modem. Any thoughts?

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The BookWorm

Can I make two rooms stop being disaster areas in about twelve hours?

I honestly don't know. Under the sink is done now, but there's still a lot of cabinets to do. And I have to build a plate rack and get rid of stuff in my office so I can work in here again. Hell, so I can walk through it again.

And then I have to read for both classes, and grocery shop so I can cook meals for the week. And write. *Twitch*

At least at home I can keep updating on the computer and not on paper that I don't have time to type until later.

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The BookWorm

Kitchen disaster area update

Been up since 7am. I love the fact that Mom calls it early when it feels so very late to me. The side affect of having to wake up at 4am Monday through Friday.

Got started with laundry and the kitchen reorganization around 8am. Finished the glasses cabinet and moved all the small appliances out. Moved my tupperware collection to the upper cabinets. Then got started cleaning out the cabinet under the sink. The plastic sliding baskets I bought are to store the cleaning supplies under there. I was vaguely think I might want to buy or build more trays to slide the small appliances out of the cabinets on. Decided to use what I had already bought before going on another spree. Found water in the cleaning supplies under the sink.

The left strainer was leaking as water goes down the drain. Mom suggested teflon tape. I went to the bank and Lowe's. The teflon tape wouldn't stick to anything. Great, I'll go ahead and replace the faucet too once I figure out how to fix the leak. No problemo, back out to Lowe's. Bought a book on home repair that covered sinks and faucets. Got advice in the plumbing aisle on how to fix the leak. Got faucet on sale for $88. Got home about 12:30-ish.

Old Faucet

Cannot get the strainer to come off the sink. Call Krista for help. We spend the entire afternoon on that sink. Once the leak is finally fixed it was hours on replacing the faucet. The faucet was still leaking when we gave up around 5pm for supper. Took her to a restaurant in Ponchatoula I've been trying to try for two semesters now, Speakeasy. Now I want to go back in full Roaring 20's garb.

Finally got sink fixed by 6:15pm. Had the heater aimed into the cabinet trying to dry the floor out faster, but as of now it's still damp. The kitchen is still upside down, and my dirty dishes are getting washed in the bathtub.

But the new faucet looks fabulous.



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The BookWorm

I Swear It's Not a Procrastination Tactic

I went out, ate, grabbed books, and went to Lowe's for kitchen organization supplies and wood for the plate rack project, and bugged two very nice employees over said wood. Got home at 8:40pm. *Bangs head on monitor.*

Book buying was a little annoying. Granted, there's a reason why we call the chain bookstore Books-a-Thousand in Hammond. But still. There's four books by Carolyn Hart that I need to complete the Death on Demand series beside the new book in April. How many did the store have? Zero. Needed two to complete the Mary Russell series by Laurie R. King. Only had one. Okay, so I went through my list of authors from the Southwest chapter of WMA. Out of fourteen writers from the state of Louisiana, they only had one and only had her latest book. I ended up grabbing some Anne Perry titles I didn't have and Wilkie Collins "Lady in White" to round out my spree.

Looking at J.A. Konrath's blog entry for today, and I probably pulled a self-esteem/attitude bad yesterday. I emailed the Southwest chapter of MWA to see if I could attend their conference. I should've just started my application to MWA. Which I will tonight--can't promise right now at the paying job.

Tonight is back to the gym. And now that I know how my locker works, it shouldn't take thirty minutes to dress out. I hope the PT gets in contact with me soon; I'm tired of waiting. ANd I'm none too sure if the young lady behind the desk who took my papers knew what was going on.

Oh, my new homework blog has started at the Reading Diary.

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The BookWorm

Stubborn Gene Activated

No I didn't get to the kitch yesterday. I got home for supper and bedtime. Still, I must do something with it tonight.

The crux of the delimnia is dirty dishes. I loathe washing dishes, hence why I've been promising myself a dishwasher for so long (let see, living in the apartment in Natchitoches eight years ago). Chad can't hand wash with his allergies. My answer is to buy a dishwasher. Chad's answer is to use paper plates.

And that's where my stubbornness seem to step in. The mention of paper plates for daily use--not a party or a picnic--makes me grit my teeth and growl. No, I won't do it, it's cheating. I'm evil, lazy, white trash if I use paper plates. I'm above that. I'm not a cheap college student who doesn't have a sink to wash dishes in. Nothing logical about this hatred.

Is it perhaps because everyone I know who depends on paper plates have houses where housekeeping is optional? I desperately don't want to live like that--even if I can't master picking up after myself.

But logically I have to admit that using paper plates until I save enough for a dishwasher would be less of a headache and incentive to save. Okay I decided. By setting aside $50 a pay period, I can pay for the dishwasher is eight pay periods roughly four months. I can deal with paper plates for that long.

After vacation/conference and dishwasher, the no-spend-out-of fund needs to be geared towards a Roth IRA.

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The BookWorm

To Get the Juices Flowing

I try not to complain about the paying job too much here. Grateful to have it, don't know when the government is going to get nasty over blogs like the private sector, that sorta thing. But the new check scanners slow everything down. It takes aout thirty minutes (or at least feels that long) to complete a batch of twenty checks, including all the copying of paperwork. On the old system, it took ten minutes to process forty checks. So now I'm here at the paying job a half-hour early to try to finish everything that didn't get finished yesterday. Ugh.

Must remember to buy kleenex and more legal pads for work. I'm writing my blogs on the legal pads and running out of paper quickly. Must also remember to update 2005 LRF Resource Guide invoice and send to Chad. Make invoice for 2006 Acadiana Resource Guide. Need to find history of Burgandy and France material.

Creative writing class has fifteen people and I'm in the first group to submit work for workshops in a month. I've decided to finish Capt. Kate's short story for class. I can submit novel exerpts, but I'm not ready for editing on Zy's novel yet. And if I need to turn in a second, different piece--not just a revision--Blue Man is written but not finished. Plus I'm kind of curious to see what reaction my Elizabethan sea dog ghost story gets. And maybe I can find a market for it.

I finally got everything I should need on the laptop. Chad upgraded for business reasons and I got his old one as partial payment for the 2005 invoice. But it doesn't look like I'm going to have a chance to use it today.

I'm probably going to start another blog in conjunction with the creative writing class. We have to keep a reading diary on the fiction or poetry we're reading. I seem to do best with an audience. Most of what I already had set aside to read is nonfiction though. Minor bummer, I'll have to go book shopping. I need to get the last two in the Russell/Holmes series by Laurie R. King and I want to read some of the mysteries of people in the Southwest Chapter of MWA. Especially since I've never heard of them. *Sigh.* My knowledge of who my working peers are is sorely lacking.

The confrence is a go money-wise. I don't think I'll be able to afford a dishwasher for yet another year. I don't know about a new laser printer. I'm hoping, and the one I want has a rebate going on. It's going to depend on how much is left after I get my finances in order and pay ahead on the house note and bills. If I can't get the dishwasher, I still need to organize the kitchen cabinets better and make a dish rack for the wall. Workshop shelves for the back porch would be nice, but might have to wait too.

The projects are starting to pile up and my kitchen and office are still disaster areas. I think they're having a negative impact on the chi in my house and my chi by extension. When I get home after exercising tonight, I must get started on the kitchen.

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The BookWorm

First day of class

Been busy, as you can see by three updates in a row. A lot of times it's easier to write out a blog entry by hand, and then scramble for time to write it later.

I spent all day Monday on the back bedroom. I saved the demolishing for the weekend Chad will be with me to help. The closet system I bought was designed to fit a 8-feet to 10-feet width closet of normal wall heights. The back wall isn't a standard wall height. I ended up with two places to hang clothes instead of three, because the third rod is three inches from the floor. Due to confusing instructions, I had to leave off the drawers. And the shoe rack had to come off so I could fit big Rubbermaid boxes. I labeled all of those said boxes, but the whole system feels like I just created shelves to restack the boxes that were stacked on that wall already.

Once we tear out the closet, there will be space to add the drawers. We're also going to have to put up more shelving on that north wall because there just isn't enough room for everything that's back there and the twin bed that will have to be set up in there. Still have to clean the kitchen and office. *Whimper*

I found a conference to go to. *Big beeming smile* Well I had run across a mention of SluethFest and looked that one up. It's put on by the Florida chapter of Mystery Writers of America, 4 days in Fort Lauderdale with Katherine Ramsland as one of the guest speakers and big emphasis on writing. The catch is it's set for the beginning of March and is way, way, way out of our price range. March will have us really gearing up for Acadiana Faire. It doesn't work. *Big huge sigh*

But Chad had asked about a Louisiana chapter. I shrugged it off. If it existed it was probably in New Orleans and got blowed away. But I remembered to go googling the next time I spoted the SluethFest website that I had left open on my computer. And I found that Louisiana is part of the Southwest chapter of Mystery Writers of America along with Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. And they have a conference in June! Hardboiled Heroes and Cozy Cats. Okay so it's not Malice Domestic or Bouchercon. 80 people hardly make a convention. But it's a drivable distance, it's at a good time, it's only 2 days, so we can afford to go. And it's incentive to finish Zy's novel and give the bloody thing a title, so I have a manuscript to work on getting better (or at least to show that I'm serious about this writing craft).

2008 Bouchercon might be doable though. But I need to finish this blog entry so I can get to work work.

I got my papers signed by the doctor, so I can have a personal trainer. Good thing, since I already paid for one and the yearly locker fee. I just can't haul the towels around. Thay take up too much room in the gym bag. I haven't got the music to work yet, and am waiting for an email back from Napster as to why it's not working.

I messed up keeping my food diary over the weekend, so I had to start it back today. My appointment with the nutritionist is Jan. 26th. Must remember to put a leave slip in.

My sleep schedule is really screwed up now. I didn't have a schedule the whole three day weekend.

Mom finally agreed to stop using the dump and it needs landscaping. Yippeee!

Both of my classes are listed in the same room. I hope they don't change them so it'll be easier to remember where to go. Creative Writing is up tonight. And that's all for now boys and girls!

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The BookWorm

A weekend and a half

I wonder if I'll actualy have time to type this entry later? (Typed on the 17th.)

Saturday the 14th: The plans were simple. Straighten the house and write. Straightening house at this point means practically a spring cleaning. Of course, the plans were interrupted by having to help Dad with his surveying project. Still I managed to get a couple of pages and my bedroom done.

I was in the middle of watching Naussicaa of the Valley of the Wind when Mom comes yelling the woods are on fire. So we got to spend a couple of hours firefighting. A little history, my family has occupied this land for five generations now and they picked a spot descending into the creek gully as the dump. My pleas to stop dumping and burning there because I want to landscape said gully have fallen on deaf ears. Maybe now I can make some progress on that score.

Unrelated to that, my sister Kai decided to move back to Texas. I hope everything works out for her there.

Sunday the 16th: got the living room and bathroom clean, then promptly filled my bedroom and living room with stuff from the back bedroom so I could put a closet organizer on the back wall. I didn't finish that part of the project and will have to start again tomorrow.

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The BookWorm

Sleep?

I haven't been sleeping good lately. It's harder and harder for me to get up on time. I don't understand it, except perhaps the recent holidays got my sleep schedule off kilter.

Exercising went well. More people showed up at the Center, and I saw how some machines worked without me looking like an idiot. I remembered me to warm up, stretch, and cool down. I only had trouble with the overhead press, and then found out after struggling through 10 reps. I was supposed to use 30 pounds not 50. I found two abs working machines, so I don't have to struggle with situps on the floor in front of everyone.

I started a food diary this morning trying to keep track of what and approximately how much I eat to better inform the dietian.

I've cut back on my caffeine consumption. That was the first thing I suspected when I realized I was having trouble sleeping. It doesn't seem to be helping. I'm probably going to have to spend the whole weekend getting up at 4:00 a.m. to get back on schedule.

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The BookWorm

Exercising Journal Report

Do I have blogging on my brain constantly or what? I take a notebook to workouts with me to record numbers of what I do, what I may need to buy, random anything that comes to me; and I end up recording the above in paragraphs to my readers. :p

What I spent the weekend doing was acquinting myself with the Pennington Activity Center. Which meant using the track, weight room to find my max levels, and locker room. Haven't tried the suana yet.

They do have personal trainers, but I have to get released by my doctor. And since I've been having cell phone issues, I haven't been able to call and find out how I can get a signature. Hopefully I can make the calls tomorrow.

Since Mondays and Tuesdays will be my official off days, I buried myself in the Alt. BM Site update to keep the "pity me" demons at bay--the real reason that it's getting done. It worked up till I went to bed. Course it doesn't help the self esteem at all that Chad either forgets to call me all night and remembers after I've gone to bed and the brain has shut off or just wants to call for five seconds to know that I'm alive. Gee, I'm so glad I'm worth that much effort. I guess I'm supposed to be the understanding girlfriend and sympathetic that he hates talking on the phone. I'm not feeling understanding or sympathetic. I'm scared, I'm depressed, I feel fat and ugly and worthless, in short I'm feeling needy. I know, I know, I need to discuss this with him instead of in the blog. *Sigh* It may take email though.

7:00 p.m. Update: Me and Chad talked, and he understands where I'm coming from and how it makes me feel. :D

Back to exercising, I need to develop a safe routine that makes me sweat, works the target areas, and won't be upsetting to toss aside when I get a routine from the personal trainer.

Wednesdays: Chest, Back, Arms

• Chest Press max = 70 workout = 60


• Incline Press max = 70 workout = 60


• Arm Extensions max = 30 workout = 25


• Pull Down max = 70 workout = 60


• Overhead Press max = 50 workout = 45


• Bicep curls max = workout =

Thursdays: Abs

• Sit ups = 20

Fridays: Legs

• Hip Induction max = 90 workout =85


• Hip Abduction max = 70 workout = 60


• Glute max = 75 workout = 70


• Seated Leg Press max = 120 workout = 115

Of course, aerobic exercise mixed with this. Saturdays and Sundays, just track walking and running.

For fat loss: 10 - 12 reps, 1 - 3 sets. Increase the weight each week.

Need to remember to warm up, stretch, cool down, and pack some music.

What was really depressing, ten years ago I took a weightlifting class. That was light for me back then. Course I was also 120 pounds and thought I was fat because I had a belly pouch.

Gads, I was stupid teenager.

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The BookWorm

It's Official

202 pounds at the doctor's office (some of that has to be PMS bloat).
190 pounds at home with no clothes on.
61.5 inches tall with a medium frame.
142 blood sugar reading in December.
129 blood sugar reading in October.
172/17 blood pressure (at least that's some good news.)
35 is current BMI. http://www.healthchecksystems.com/bmi.asp

What I should be between:
115 - 129 pounds http://www.healthchecksystems.com/heightweightchart.htm.
19 - 23 BMI.

I'm diabetic, type 2. It's still in early stages; I should be able to fight it with diet and exercise changes. The two things I have the hardest time with.

Classes start January 17th. The Student Center is oppen right now, so I really be able to start an exercise routine and hopefully make it habit by the time classes start.

I'm still stunned. We all knew that was what is wrong with me, but it's numbing to have it confirmed. I'm not even sure if I know how much weight I should lose in three months before I have to get blood work redone. I know it won't be all of it. I know I want to adhere better to the Fit for Life diet; my energy level was better on it and filling up more on fruits and veggies. I don't think I craved refined sugar as much either.

What is this going to do for my writing and website work? One of the time management tips was to have multiple projects going, so if your brain gets tired of one you can work on something else. I was considering adding website updates. Now I don't know what to do. My body has betrayed me.

Damn, that sounds so melodramatic.

Some stress has allivated. The refinance check finally came through, so I'm squared away financially and can move forward on my land plans. I've cleaned off my desk of all the destracting mess that I can't do anything about until Monday. :p So I'm going to put the groceries away, start laundry, take some asprim, and start writing. Squeeze in two good hours I hope before going to workout.

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The BookWorm

Bum deal

I'm tired, I'm cranky (PMS), I'm stressed out over money, I'm probably getting bad news from my doctor in about an hour, I'm having trouble focusing and keeping my butt in the chair.

Ugh, I should be beyond this now. I've been writing since I was 11. Slipping into an imaginary world should be second nature. Instead I find my brain freezing without my notes. Yes, I know that half of what I'm doing to Zy's novel is editing and expanded on a half-finished first draft, and of course I need notes for that. But that doesn't explain the free-fall and the over-whealming desire to jump out of the chair and do anything else, everything else.

The Time Management for Writers book wasn't a big help. Well, other than pointing out how desperately I need to manage my time better. The tips were geared for article writers. Or is it just resistance to look for anything worthwhile in the ideas?

I have the weekend to myself--Chad is in Lafayette on business. This is an opportunity to figure things out. And to clean house.

Time to go to the doctor.

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The BookWorm

Progress!

I finished Chapter Seven, but it doesn't look like I'll get to type it tonight before I crash into my bed.

Cleaned out one office box yesterday. Now only four to go with that project, not counting the boxes of scanning.

Should be done with the refinancing tomorrow. I hope.

Working on web updates right now. They aren't ready, because I'm yawning like mad now and I havn't found the look I like yet. Drat.

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The BookWorm