WIGGII! It works!

THE CRON JOB FINALLY WORKS!

I have no idea how many people actually worked on this. My friend Billy got me the original script. Drupal and the site hosting support staff finally got it working with in the confines of the site.

And it just occured to me that I'm probably going to have to rewrite a few things to make it work when I move the database over. *Bug-eyes*

Read Free!
The BookWorm

I know I've been quiet lately

But I've honestly been getting stuff done! See the numbers.

Right now I'm trying to get the server transfers done and the CRON job fixed. *Sigh* I'm still getting the bloody error message. Maybe on a new server it will work. I haven't gotten anything uploaded, waiting until I cracked 600 words a day and for the CRON job to work. :p

Read Free!
The BookWorm

Zy's Novel

Progress Bar from Writertopia

WEEKLY GOAL

Progress Bar from Writertopia

MONTHLY GOAL

Progress Bar from Writertopia

Not a good day

Didn't get to sleep until after midnight. Consequently, forgot about party today and left my contribution in the refrigerator. If the CRON job doesn't work... strike that train of thought, violence just takes too much energy.

Speaking of violence, I wanted to share this I found in the Shortpacked! forum.

GUIGUI wrote:

Crypto wrote:
Now that she ditched the yellow jump suit, April's actualy hot.

What? Stop looking at me like that.

Hum, I rather dig the yelow jump, for my part...

I'm now having visions of a Robot Chicken style video with the yellow jumpsuited April O'Neil in a re-enactment of Kill Bill.

"Where's Shredder?" >whack, whack<

Theno

Read Free!
The BookWorm

Which will do me in first?

The daily chores? The CRON job that won't do anything and also won't send me an email telling me what is wrong now? The sewing?

Lots to choose from. The CRON job is the most aggravating I think. Because I don't know if I fixed the error it was giving me so I can see if it is even coded right to do what I want it to do. GRRRR!

Anyways, I think I'm going to take a break (so I'm not watching the screen waiting for an update) and get the chores out of the way.

Read Free!
The BookWorm

Zy's Novel

Progress Bar from Writertopia

WEEKLY PROGRESS

Progress Bar from Writertopia

MONTHLY PROGRESS

Progress Bar from Writertopia

Weekend Issues

I think I prefer the weekends I go out of town. It's stress in a different way then. However, this isn't one of those weekends and I have a project-to-do-list that's a mile long.

Spent the morning shopping to get it out of the way. Lunch, and then discovered that the CD storage boxes for the the entertainment center are too wide to fit two on a shelf. Okay take those back to the store and find some smaller. Now I have measurements. Do something else on the list.

Decided over the toliet was the perfect place for the shelf unit with no home. (I thought it would fit in the kitchen and it doesn't.) Shift the shelves, get it in the bathroom, it's fits in the space, but the toliet lid hits the shelf that cannot be shifted and won't stay up so you can USE the toliet. I'm thinking taking it apart and storing the peices is now my best bet.

Aggravating. And I don't know what to start next that won't go bad on me. I can't start on the sewing until the living room is done. I can't move the chairs and table out until Krista is done at my parents'. It all feels like it's circling around the drain.

Read Free!
The BookWorm

Weekly total so far

I'm hoping to have more.

Read Free!
The BookWorm

WEEKLY TOTAL

Progress Bar from Writertopia

My trip: Hardboiled Heroes and Cozy Cats 2006

Okay, the breakdown of my four day trip.

June 15
9:00am Left Lafayette. Took longer than I thought, because I got caught in Wal-Mart for an hour buying stuff I needed for trip but didn't have.
10:10am reached west Lake Charles.
12:15pm stopped for lunch 26 miles east of Houston.
1:28pm on the road again. Houston is lost in a long blur of construction and accident traffic. Eastbound I-10 had all three lanes closed due to a pileup that caused something to catch on fire. By the time I passed it going westbound, they were cleaning up the road. Of course everybody in all three landes of westbound I-10 had to look.
4:15pm turned off I-10 per Mapquest's instructions. I know a better way now. Not much shorter timewise, but a tad more direct.
5:20pm finally reached Kai's house. The rest of the night is a daze, a symptom of too-much-driving coma. Though I remember the Tex-Mex restaurant with the 50s decor.

June 16
9:05am Awake, dressed, and ready to go out the door. Being pregnant hasn't made Kai any faster on getting ready. She shows me the LBJ Presidential library after breakfast at IHOP, more of Austin, and lunch at Olive Garden.
2:00pm Finally able to leave my sister's. Much later than I wanted to. I took the new route that Kai recommended.
3:55pm Reached I-10.
6:00pm Finally checked into the hotel. NEVER schedule to go through rush hour traffic AGAIN!
8:00pm Cleaned up and prettied up for the $17 reception that ran from 7pm to 9pm. I agreed with another diabetic I met on the 17th, for that much money they could have had sandwiches or something besides eclairs, fruit, cheese, and cake. And the price did not include liquor. But I got to have room service for the first time.

June 17
The conference. I got all my goodies signed, and even found a couple of books I never thought I'd be able to read--like "Nancy Drew and the Women Who Created Her." I made some contacts, especially a lead on a writing group in LaPlace made up of people who also have jobs! And Toni Plummer thinks the Zy's novel idea is sellable, so I have something to shut that voice up with. I got fired up and actually got my outlining mostly done, and made headway into the next scene.

Funny observation: there was about 70 people at the conference. 4 of us looked under 30, and that's including Toni Plummer who was an invited guest. I want to publish before I'm retirement age, but there is a precedent if I don't.

June 18
11:00am Checked out the hotel and hit the road. Went around Houston and found all the new subdivion areas. But no having to stop for toll plazas! And no rush hour traffic!
1:15pm reached Lake Charles.
2:13pm reached Lafayette and stopped to see Chad. He's doing a lot better, even though he's still stuck on house rest for the next two months.
4:30pm left Lafayette.
6:00pm home finally.

And that's the trip in a nutshell. Next year's conference is in Dallas. And I promised Kai that Chad and I would go back for a longer, week-long trip, which will probably be next year after he's finished with eye surgeries.

I found a group for Pirates in garb! I won't be doing the New Orleans pub crawl with them--that pesky driving flare up again. And I have to finish at least the corset and red doublet by July 8th. Though this is a conversation more for the Garb Closet, but I am really impressed with the fifth picture in the Extreme Costuming gallery. So now I'm toying with the idea of making a version of the Effigy corset nice enough to show if I undo my doublet. May need to rethink the lining on the red doublet too. So you know what I'm going to be doing this weekend.

Read Free!
The BookWorm

I'm home

Safe and sound. I will give the details on what I did tomorrow, after some sleep.

I did get my batteries recharged though and made a tiny it of Zy's Novel headway.

And as promised: Flash Fiction Winner: "The Gingerbread Girl"

Read Free!
The BookWorm

More Good News

I got first place for the flash fiction contest! I'll put up a link as soon as it is published.

Second detail is putting out the word for Dewey Donation System. The 2006 drive is helping rebuild the public libraries of Harrison County, Mississippi. Those guys got ravaged by Katrina too.

Tonight, I'll stop over at Chad's in Lafayette and start on the 7 hour drive to my sister's house in Austin, Texas.

Read Free!
The BookWorm

Home and car is mostly packed

Chad came through the surgery fine. Now we have to wait and see how his body reacts to the transplant. I feel a lot better about that part. Took forever to get him a room. Yes, he is staying overnight in the hospital because they have to see the eye doctor in Baton Rouge tomorrow at some point and it made more sense to spend the night at Our Lady of the Lake.

Depending on if I can access the Inernet at the hotel, this might be the last you hear from me for a few days.

Read Free!
The BookWorm

Chad's eye surgery tomorrow!

Yes, I know cornea transplants are easier than other transplants. I know it's an outpatient, only 45 minute operation. I KNOW! But he' still going under and I'm worried. Free-form anxiety. He'll be fine. He will be fine.

Read Free!
The BookWorm

I keep forgetting sweat doesn't work in Louisiana

Yeap, hot and miserable. And this is while in front of the AC unit. But at least Mustard's litter box clean, garbage taken out to be hauled away, and plants are getting watered. We're currently under a drought while Florida gets Alberto.

I think I got the stories fixed--they aren't changing the format for everything now. There's still so much to do. *Sigh*

Read Free!
The BookWorm

Home again

But for only three days this week, or is it two and a half? I don't think I'm ready to count this morning.

Yeah, I'm hitting the road again Wednesday after work. Stop over in Lafayette and I should get to my sister in Austin some time on Thursday. Then writing conference starts Friday night through Saturday. Sunday hauling ass back home, though I might make sure I have work clothes for Monday just in case I only make it to Lafayette.

I started uploading stories to version 2.0 and tweaking some other things. It's frustrating to have half an answer for the problems, but you need a whole answer for it to look right.

Read Free!
The BookWorm

Saturday update

I sent off the pick. Now we just have to wait a couple of days to see how well it does.

Oh and I should have my car tended to more often. Three and half hours of forced inactivity was good for my numbers.

Read Free!
The BookWorm

Flash Fiction Contest Entry 1 - Finished

Progress Bar from Writertopia

Flash Fiction Contest Entry 2 Long version - Finished

Progress Bar from Writertopia

Flash Fiction Contest Entry 2 Short version- Finished

Progress Bar from Writertopia

Zy's Novel

Progress Bar from Writertopia

WEEKLY GOAL

Progress Bar from Writertopia

MONTHLY GOAL

Progress Bar from Writertopia

Second Flash Fiction finished

With the slight problem of being too long. I haven't edited it yet, and I really don't know if it will be stronger by chopping off the bartender's exposition. If I did chop it off, I could probably add another line or two from the ghost to help point people in the direction of what inspired this story.

Time to check on the last load of clothes. I'll probably edit in the morning while getting the car fixed.

Read Free!
The BookWorm

Flash Fiction Contest Entry 1 - Finished

Progress Bar from Writertopia

Flash Fiction Contest Entry 2 - Finished

Progress Bar from Writertopia

WEEKLY GOAL

Progress Bar from Writertopia

MONTHLY GOAL

Progress Bar from Writertopia

Taking the night has been fun

Been concentrating on getting clothes washed while watching a Jeff Foxworthy stand-up routine and "Rush Hour" that I just got on DVD. Goddess, did I need to laugh.

Since I was distracted, I haven't finished the second of my flash fiction ideas. I can only submit one to the contest by midnight on the 11th, which means I should probably send it on tomorrow. The problem is I don't know which one should go, and no one here to help me pick between them.

I still have to finish the second one. It may become a moot point.

Read Free!
The BookWorm

Flash Fiction Contest Entry 1 - Finished

Progress Bar from Writertopia

Flash Fiction Contest Entry 2

Progress Bar from Writertopia

WEEKLY GOAL

Progress Bar from Writertopia

MONTHLY GOAL

Progress Bar from Writertopia

Flash Fiction Friday Update

Well the free-form anxiety is still there, but has relented since I got one of the peices done! And I fiddled with Alt BM Site version 2.0, getting rid of one of the items on the list (yeah!) and bumped all my issues back up the forum threads at Drupal. Somebody answered the main page problem! (yeah!) Looks like we need a Cron job because I don't want to have manually unselect "promoted to front page" on everything. How do you do Cron?

Later! Take a break! That's an order! No more verson 2.0!

Read Free!
The BookWorm

Flash Fiction Contest Entry 1 - Finished

Progress Bar from Writertopia

WEEKLY GOAL

Progress Bar from Writertopia

MONTHLY GOAL

Progress Bar from Writertopia

Flash Fiction Friday

Had a big long post and was almost finished with it detail how I'm currently feeling about stuff when my work computer had a spontaneous reboot and ate it.

So trying to remember the salient points. My car brakes are messing up; I got that typo-d last night. Not enough sleep or exercise and stress over Alt BM SIte version 2.0. If I sound peevish, it's nothing personal.

Today I'm taking off from version 2.0 to get two flash fiction peices ready, even though only one can go in the contest. This weekend I'm taking off to spend time with the boyfriend and work on Acadiana Faire stuff.

I'm scared the forum is going to become a big black hole and suck all of my available time, and everything I'm trying to do now is an attempt to get more time and still satisify the obligations I feel guilty about. I'm not reacting out of anger and I'm probably going to cave on this issue because I ALWAYS cave when it comes to putting something ahead of writing time. I'm just a little depressed that after having a big blow up, then apologizing for it and explaining WHY I feel the way I do, something I didn't want is still being handed to me to do because I'm the one who must. *Resisting urge to pull out hair.* Why can't the damn forum wait until after we go online and then see if they want another bloody place to talk? (Yes, I know they will and yes, I know I will cave and give it to them and I know everybody is going to stick me with it and I know I'll never have time to write again unless I turn into screaming shrew banshee which I DON'T WANT TO DO!)

I guess what irks the most is at the same time I'm getting the message: give up this hobby and everything else and you'll have time for your writing career. Something, somewhere, doesn't add up and it's wearing me out trying to keep up with the mental gymnastics.

Stupid bug crawling in my ear last night and screwing up my sleep. I wouldn't be nearly this peevish with more sleep. Like I said, it's nothing personal. I'll feel better after this weekend. A lot of it is just free-form anxiety that has latched onto the forum issue with an ferocity that surprises even me. Bring it up after I get some fiction done, after I get the fanfics uploaded, after some of the damn issues get off the damn list, and it'll probably be easier for me to consider it.

Read Free!
The BookWorm

Flash Fiction Contest Entry 1

Progress Bar from Writertopia

WEEKLY GOAL

Progress Bar from Writertopia

MONTHLY GOAL

Progress Bar from Writertopia

Clothes washing adventure

You expect the machines to crap out on you. Usually with the clothes half done and the tub full of suddsy water. You do not expect the washer to keep washing and washing and washing. I had to go to the laundromat because of the blankets. I figure about two and a half hours, get the blankets done, and then I can wash a load or two of regular laundry at home.

Well, I didn't listen to my better instincts nor the people who used the heavy washer ahead of me who said it wasn't acting right. Only two out of three were working, I already finished one blanket, and loaded second and third in.

Second finished, but the stains didn't come completely out. Gave it another whirl. Third still washing. This was probably before 8:15pm. Laundromat closes at 9.

Second finishes again, and the third is still going. Decided against washing the fourth--I had washed it in my machine at home and lined dried it being the only one out of the four that will fit in my washer--and dried to get rid of more cat hair. Second and fourth finish drying, and the third is still washing.

All other patrons are gone by 8:45pm. The employee gets off her phone conversation and then calls the owner because the same blanket that was washing before she started that conversation is still going.

The owner shows up at 9:00pm, right after the machine finally goes into final spin. He gave me my money back for the wash and apologizied. I dried the comforter enough to get into the car and got home by 9:35pm.

So I'm pooped and wired at the same time. But I made a lot of progress into "The Art of Detection." Oh and my breaks are going out, so I will spend Friday night at home so I can get them fixed Saturday morning and then go to Lafayette.

Read Free!
The BookWorm

How much can I get done today?

Probably not as much as I would like. I'm going out of town this weekend, not even going home Friday night. So I have to get laundry done tonight. Also in the laundry pile are three blankets that have to go to the laundromat because they don't fit in my washing machine. I've been putting off washing them for far too long.

And no more 11pm bedtimes. I didn't get off the computer until 10:30 and then I had to wash dishes. I have been doing that every night. By the end of the month it should be a new habit! Now, when to schedule in taking dishes from the drainboards and putting them away?

Read Free!
The BookWorm

Flash Fiction

I think I said Sunday I was working on flash fiction for a ghost story contest. Well I managed 93 words that day. Monday I trashed them, but they had given me a better idea of my protagonist Hattie. I have 308 words in the peice now. It's not very scary though; I have an issue with getting my stories scary.

Read Free!
The BookWorm

Flash Fiction for Contest

Progress Bar from Writertopia

WEEKLY GOAL

Progress Bar from Writertopia

MONTHLY GOAL

Progress Bar from Writertopia

Bubble, bubble, boil, and trouble

12:30pm Well actually I'm cooking. Finished shopping and eating dinner out with the parents, and have five dishes on the menu. Granted I'll probably be eating for the next two week on these, but I'm not a cook-every-night gal.

Menu:

• Beef Stroganoff


• Eggplant Casserole


• Shrimp and Crab Casserole


• Chicken tortellini with alfredo sauce


• Chicked with rice and almonds - an experiment from the Medieval cookbook. If it's too complicated for the stove, I won't be cooking it over the campfire.

Made progress on the CSS and template stuff last night. I have to the updates to do and adding some new modules. Hopefully that will fix the image_exact error message. Then I need to tweak the pages, now that I finally figured what was going wrong with them. Once pages are done, it's fix the front page and signed-in front page and fix the FoxFire's Pick's random display--which would be the two issues that I've had no answer on my pleas for help. I'm not going to start on coding until I'm finished with cooking though.

So what to do while I'm waiting for the oven and finished with dishes? WRITE!

3:43pm I think I got some of my timing wrong. I've had to take a pause while waiting for rice to cook. I finished the Eggplant Casserole, the Beef Stroganoff is in the slow cooker, chicken is poaching and rice for the Shrimp and Crab Casserole is cooking.

I had to look up directions on how to poach chicken. Unless I can cook the meat the night before (remembers the night before opening day and cackles) I don't think this is a dish I can demo cooking at site. I want to be a little more ambitious than soups or stews. Everybody does soups or stews because they're easy. My character is the head cook and part owner of the Tabbard Inn, and hello the King is in town. Now's the time to strut your stuff.

Plus I want to do more with it than just have people watch me cook and ask what's for dinner. I want a demo where the kids are touching ingrediants, churning butter, seeing food items that aren't wrapped in plastic and cardboard. I think I'm also going to need some method for washing hands too. The resource guide is going to have more receipes for you to try at home, and I'm looking for easily cookable but more exotic than a turkey legs. Though Acadiana Medieval Faire's turkey legs have gained quite a reputation.

I have one paragraph done on a flash fiction peice for this contest. I don't usually try my hand at flash fiction, but what the heck, I like the prizes offered.

However cooking and writing do not mix well. I have been washing the dishes as I go though! No, really, it's an accomplishment.

5:00pm The Shrimp and Crab Casserole is now done. It ended up being way meatier than anticipated and flowed over into a second pan. I probably should have tweaked the other ingredients to match the packaging of meat that I had to buy, but I didn't.

I ended up with yet another dish, do to an over abundance of stock once I poached the chicken. I threw in all the leftover vegetables with some of the chicken and mixed vegetables I had in the freezer and pantry. And I'm probably still have too much stock in the pot. I'll strain it and freeze it for the start of chicken noodle soup.

So I'm probably not going to cook the Chicken tortellini with alfredo sauce until later this week when I'm sick of the casseroles. At this point I'm getting wore out.

5:19pm Done with cooking! Still need to break the dishes into meal-sized portions and pack away in the fridge and finish washing all the dishes, but right this second I'm giving my back and feet a rest.

Read Free!
The BookWorm

Backing Up Blogs Finished

10:00am Someone in discussing the Absolute Write messed made a good point of why don't people back-up stuff they write online in response to many people upset over losing what they had written in the databases. Made a whole bunch of people realize their blogs needed backing up, including me.

Now there is a hack in order to do it as one file in Blogger, but that had too many variable for me to want to mess with. I liked this solution much better.

1. Make sure the archive of your blog is set for monthly.


2. Click on the monthly archive link. The entire month is posted on one page.


3. Use the web browser's "Save Page As" function.


4. Burn the files to CD or save to thumb drive.


5. Once the backlog is done, you need only save the last archived month at the beginning of the next.

True, you do get the separate folders for each page. But in those separate folders are all the pics and if you only have snippets (like I do for Discipline Under Fire) the full file that "read more!" links to.

I've finished that with all four blogs.

Now time to start house cleaning that I have to finish. I don't think I'm going to be home another weekend in June after this one. Starting with the kitchen. Most of it is making sure things are where they should be, washing dishes, cleaning out fridge, and making shopping list. I need to cook tomorrow.

12:15pm Lunch break. The Subway opening was the best thing to happen in Springfield. The closest other fast food joints are in Hammond and Ponchatoula about thirty minutes away.

Kitchen is about halfway done. Cleaned out fridge, figured out the grocery list and halfway through with washing dishes. Still have a few things like tools to put away, but hopefully their home won't be the kitchen for very much longer. The rest of the rooms have a few minor, nitpickery items to do and then I'm left with the filing mess of the office. Granted most of that is hidden in the trunk so I won't feel too terrible if I don't get to it this weekend. I need to get the books done though and with the books figure out binder shelving. I have too many for the shelves they fit on and which ones should go where?

1:30pm Finished the kitchen! Now when I cook tomorrow I HAVE to wash up while cooking. Empty sink is the goal.

I managed to stick a splinter up under my thumbnail. I think it hurt worse pulling it out than getting it stuck. So with my thumb in a general state of soreness, I don't really want to do anything right now. But I have to. *Whimper* Shelving is what I'm going to work on now; the rest of the house can stay how is if need be.

5:00pm Everything that is a book is now logged into BookCAT and shelved on a shelf. I haven't needed to go into the kitchen yet. The problem is where I put the shelves in the kitchen is nearly impossible to access. If the 400s end up in there, I'd never be able to get a dictionary. I suppose I could use it for supplies and free up a shelf or two in the office for books, but that doesn't seem right either.

Funnies to watch: Night of the Living Doo, Nothing's Impossible, Scooby Doo, and the Dragon is watching you illusion.

I'm going to veg-out with a new ghost documentary on DVD for a while.

8:30pm Well, the DVD took a little longer than anticipated to finish, since I had to go and rescue my stranded mother. Hopefully, the truck had run out of gas and it's not something more serious.

It was some investigations that ISPR had done in England. One of the group I knew from Sightings, Peter James. I miss that show; it was always interesting.

Nobody has replied to my posts at Drupal yet. *Sigh* And right now I really don't want to work on that either. I think it was all the heavy lifting I did. More supper and maybe another movie.

Read Free!
The BookWorm

Something was different up

And I took it down. So on to more newsy stuff.

Funniest statement made on the hurricane season: Making Light Hurrican Season

Jenna's asking for help. My copy of Street Smart Writer just came in, and I'll donate something once I get paid next week. JC Hosting's behavior still doesn't make any sense.

Writing news: I've been bad. *Sigh* Though the beginning of hurricane season has me itching to work on a fanfic. I've filled in all sort of plot holes. Vampire have coded messages saying when Weathermeister is to arrive. JetStream sets firework factory on fire try to get revenge on the bros. Split up to search the city leads to Rimfire and Bay's capture. Carbine negotiates for a plane with a shipping contract. Need a list of hurricanes for the proper year, and need to know what year I'm setting that one in. Fire = Bay going catonic.

Agh! Well, I feel better having that down. I need to get started on the real projects instead of playing the new game I just bought when I get home. But I'm usually so spent going home, I don't want to think. And I've been tinkering with version 2.0 at work, which I should also tone down on lest I get in more trouble for internet use. :P

Read Free!
The BookWorm