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First...*pant drool gorgeous incoherent mumbling*...The new comic is beyond words. Second...I am apparently doing two panels at writercon, which is made of yay, but I may need a bit of help...One of my panels is "Expletive Deleted: How Explicit is Too Explicit", I thought it would be a good idea to take a sampling of my own work to find some examples of 'way too much, just right, etc.' I'm thinking 'Show Me' and 'A Whole New Me' as not too much and 'Very Giving' as way too much. Other suggestions are welcome...all of my fic is here: http://www.fangedfour.com/strange/Third...I'm leaving for Minneapolis at 7am on the 30th and get in around 4, and leaving Minneapolis at 10am Monday the 3rd. Can't wait to see all of you! We may also have room for one more in our room if CJ doesn't get his crap together and tell me if he's coming or not, haha. So let me know if you need a bed for one or all of those nights... There is no fourth, the boy and I are in extreme homework mode so not really talking or hanging out right now, which is made of woe, but as they say, this too will pass.
Feeling : distressed Hearing : Please Don't Leave Me - Pink
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So apparently writercon is looking to boost attendance. All I can say, is whether you are still 'active' in fandom or merely a not-so-innocent bystander...you will never have more fun in your life than you will at this event. Guaranteed. Wrap up posts from my Writercon 2004 & 2006 experiences are here: 2004 recap... 2004 Pictures... 2006 recap... 2006 PicturesSo if this doesn't entice you I can't imagine what will. Writercon is the perfect blend of drunken debauchery, intimate conversation, writer's workshop, brushes with fame, and tattoos. I'm sure everyone gets something different out of the experience, but for me, these 100 or so women (and a few men) that I love make for the very best of times, one I look forward to for YEARS!! I hope you'll make it, and as part of the May Day Promotion, be sure to mention that I referred you...Register here: http://writercon.com/You *know* you want to be there!!
Feeling : excited
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* Sick again. Just got over the bronchitis (mostly) and now my right sinus is just...wrong. This is not my month.
* Homework again. 2 five page essays and one 7-10 page synthesis paper due Tuesday. Again. sick.
* Nuclear Engineering test looks to be a doozy. Will need at least a full-day to study, so a fair amount of stress going on there, as I'm just *barely* clinging to an A in that class. Sigh.
* Despite these stresses, life remains good. I'm unconvinced we're going to make it to San Francisco next week as the boy is having the dog put down (mercifully, THANK YOU E!!!) and will not be up for a fun-filled vacation. So we're playing it close to home and just going to maybe drive to the beach or up to Seattle for a day or two instead.
* I'm supposed to be planning baby brother's 30th birthday party for the first weekend in April and just can't decide on a place. It kind of sucks that my parent's house is so small. Just not a party-going house. I am also not keen on paying a big rental fee, so it's looking like a restaurant party instead of a pot-luck party, which is fun, just a very different vibe. Oh well, it will work out. Plus we're seeing Lisa Lampanelli that weekend, which should be insane...in a good way.
* Just so much going on, I have therapy tomorrow (assuming I don't still feel like crap) which will be nice since he's been out of town for a couple weeks. Plus, as hard as this continues to be, I'm just glad it isn't leaving bruises like my physical therapy, haha.
Feeling : sick
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Well actually, no. No it isn't.
I have lost my voice.
If you see it please ask it to return to me.
The Amazing!Boyfriend invited me up for Saturday night, and by the time I was half-way there...the voice was gone.
I'm feeling a lot better, the chills and weakness are gone, but every now and then the coughing returns. I'm going to the doc this afternoon just to make sure I don't have pneumonia (which we have all learned I am very susceptible to). But I think I'll be okay. More than anything I just want to be sure it isn't going to require antibiotics to get rid of this junk.
I'm afraid I have no other news. It's been all sick, homework, sick, homework. What a long week.
Although, in good news, the girls finally won a basketball game and ROCKED. So exciting. Plus they had softball tryouts on Saturday and they may move Bridgie up to Juniors so they can be on the same team. They've never played softball together, so that would be exciting! *fingers crossed*
Feeling : discontent
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SO I'm sort of doing something different this year...I'm tearing my life apart in a *good way*.
With the encouragement of Em and the Boy, I am reducing my hours to 3/4 time at work and full time school. Money-wise I'll pretty much be right where I am now, a little more financial aid, a little less salary. I'm hoping the balance will be close to flush, but honestly, as long as I cut back on my ridiculous fast-food habit (which OMG I *must do* regardless) it should work out just fine.
Spring's classes are as follows:
BI 103 - General Biology + lab SOC 499 - Focus on Culture COMM 380 - Image and Myth in Film
Plus, I'm taking a one-weekend class at the community college on Human Potential. I find these sort of 'your body, mind and spirit; a user's guide' classes to be really helpful in a lot of ways. I'm lucky that they offer them here in town at the Benton Center. So 13 credits, but really only 11 for most of the term.
I'll have to re-evaluate my plans in the summer, figure out where I'm at and what it will take to get to the next step. I'm mostly excited because after Spring term I will only have 27 credits left to complete! Which means I'll only need to take 9 credits a term next year (even if I didn't take any summer classes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) There are no words for how joyful this makes me. I will GRADUATE in JUNE 2010. OMG *flails*
So, while I'm still a little panicky about taking my GREs this summer and applying to graduate school, I'm *this* close to my goal. Bachelor's degree before I turn 35. Yes, that's a big damned Wo0t!!!
*dances*
Feeling : jubilant Hearing : Ribcage - Elbow
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So last night I did my first all-night paper writing in a *really* long time. I did not like it.
I did not like the 45 minutes I got to turn the light off between 5:45 am and 6:30 am when I had to get up to go to the dentist.
I did not like the roughly 11 hours I spent writing about 'Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird' even though I find it a beautiful, thought-provoking poem. That's just too many hours of staring at a computer screen.
I did not like feeling guilty for talking to the boy for a few minutes.
I also did not like getting fillings this morning.
I especially didn't like that I had to stop them a few minutes in to have them give me more Novocaine.
I did, however, like the Nitrous Oxide. Although, having it three times in one week might not have been the greatest idea ever.
I really did not like going to class this morning since I did not finish A Light in August because I was writing, and now I have been spoiled for the end.
I think I will finish it, but the use of the N word has me so on edge I'm just frazzled by this book.
I most vehemently did not like getting to work this morning and finding my entire office thrashed, flipped, unplugged, and disoriented.
I was extra extra unhappy to learn that the 'mysterious burning smell' that led to this destruction was in fact a burnt out fluorescent light...in the lobby outside my office.
The upside of today was that at least when I got to work and finally sat down at my desk my shirt wasn't inside out (like it was yesterday).
Plus, Cute!UPS!Guy gave me a shoulder rub when he came in this afternoon. Apparently I had that 'OMG pain' look.
Which reminds me. I did not at all like going to the dentist instead of my physical therapy this morning.
I also did not like having to pay for my Paid LJ account today. Sigh.
***
What I DO like is that tonight is SciFriday and Em is coming over for Dollhouse, Sarah Conner, and BSG.
I DO like that I get to read Langston Hughes this weekend.
I DO like that the only homework I have that isn't reading is some blackboard posting.
I DO like that we've decided to go to San Francisco (or possibly Vegas) for Spring Break instead of to Canada. Now I don't have to rush to get the kids passports this week.
I DO like that I continue to be happy despite random bouts of unhappy moments. As a whole? Life is good.
***
Oh, and I DO NOT like that I still have to work for two more hours today. It's just cruel.
Feeling : exhausted Hearing : Rain Man - Eminem
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1. Refinance Car. Check. Payments reduced $150 a month, 2% lower interest rate on loan.
2. Children's story plotted out in head. Check. Planning to write it out tonight, illustrate tomorrow.
3. Wallace Stevens paper forming. Check. Looking at 13 ways of looking at a blackbird in 13 different ways. Hope to have paper mostly done by Friday.
4. Sick kid almost better. Check. She slept for 20 hours yesterday and spent most of today folding laundry.
5. Increased mobility in shoulder. Check. Twice a week therapy seems to be helping, still some kinks, but making progress.
6. Trigger book established. Check. Trying to keep track of things that make me cry, send me towards emotional outbursts I wasn't expecting, or that make me uncomfortable.
7. Clearing desk off. Check. Actually feeling like a made a dent in my work pile today.
8. Ficathon Story...well, not check, yet. But I'm actually thinking I will write it, so if time allows this weekend I'll start pulling ideas together.
9. Menu for weekend forming. Check. I'm thinking that Saturday night I'll try to make a kosher version of my chicken ring using turkey bacon.
10. Sci-Fi geekiness on. Check. I'm so looking forward to having Dollhouse, Battlestar Galactica, and Sarah Conner all in the same night. It's an overload of awesomeness.
I'm thinking the rest of the afternoon will be spent rearranging/cleaning my office a bit. I'm just feeling so out of sorts that it's time for my OCD to kick in a little and do its part.
I'm also going to have to bring up my shopping addiction with the therapist I think. As much fun as it is having all of these new dresses...well, I went a little overboard even for me. Add in books, CDs, and DVDs, and well, I definitely indulged too much this month. Sigh. That said...I'm really looking forward to my Mad Men DVDs arriving.
P is coming up for the weekend, so I'm really looking forward to a relaxing weekend with him. We have lots of homework and such to do while he's here, plus kids basketball and my great aunt's 80th birthday party, but it will be lovely to have him for more than a few hours. Wheee!
So you know, up, down, a little sideways, but I'm moving forward. This is all good.
Feeling : busy Hearing : Not So Sweet Martha Lorraine - Country Joe & The Fish
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Tax refund came earlier than I was expecting. 1. State Taxes Paid Off! 2. Lisa Lampanelli tickets bought. 3. Credit Card paid down a bit. 4. 30 shares of a new stock bought. 5. Passport forms for the girls, ready to file next week. 6. Email sent to credit union about refinancing the car. I'm feeling very accomplished! It's a nice mixture of fun and necessary, practical and whimsical. I'm also feeling pretty good about my midterm this morning. The one on Wednesday was a little less exciting, so here's hoping. One more take-home to do tonight, plus a few other things like a children's story to write tonight and some blackboard postings, then...Saturday night with the Boy! Plus, I think rainkatt and I are on for tea tomorrow. Which is SO made of Awesome!!! Sometimes, life just gives you a bowl of fabulous!
Feeling : cheerful Hearing : Son - Scott Weiland
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