A Light Through the Darkness

I knew this before, which is why we're moving with her down to NC when we move. She used to be a real estate agent, and has a friend who's still an agent...

Who deals with rentals.

*swoon*

Donna emailed her for me, and I already have like 8 properties to look at. Yes, I'd like to go with our number one choice (the duplex in Concord), but just in case, I want to have other opportunties available. I've learned not to put all my eggs in one basket, so to speak.

So this Sunday, I think I'll kidnap Ms. Donna and we'll go look at rental properties. One of them looks awesome - it's a HOUSE (EEE!!!!), but it's up in Hillsboro, so I need to see how far from Manchester it is (hubby doesn't want an hour commute, and neither do I, frankly). So we'll see how far the drive is from Manchester.

And good news on the taxes/car front as well - filed the taxes today, and we're getting enough back that I can put it all aside in the savings account, and not worry one bit about security deposits and first months' rent. BIG sigh of relief there. This, boys and girls, is why Hubby and I both have extra money taken out of our checks every pay period. So I KNOW I'm getting something back each year, and it's not chicken feed, neither. ;) Car - they've found an engine!!! Huzzah! So hopefully, within 2 weeks, I shall have my beautiful little Escort back! (not that I mind driving the Lovely Ms. Donna's Kia Sephia, but, well, I want MY car back!)

Good news all around today. And now, off to the showers to get ready for work.

The old, animated classics. I just finished watching "Robin Hood" - easily one of my favorites. I needed to see it. Now I want to watch "Aristocats," "Sleeping Beauty," "Mary Poppins," "Pete's Dragon" and "Peter Pan." Not necessarily in that order. :p

Instead, I'm listening to Disney Magic on Live365, and working on the book. Yup, I'm writing paranormal romance to classic Disney music.

Is that more warped than doing horror to Christmas carols?

Yup, W2 season. *sigh* Someone remind me why I thought it was a good idea to do both Health and Insurance (just finished Annual Enrollment season) AND Payroll? Yeah, I forget why too. :p

So I've dropped out of novel_in_90, because Belladonna Dreams is getting put aside for a bit this week, and I'm already behind. I need to finish editing Alien Revelations (which is the cool sequel to Alien Deception and I highly recommend it), then I get to finish reading irysangel's UNNATURAL (which I cannot WAIT to dive into, but I have to finish Tony's first, as that one actually pays money and well, I need money *grin*). In there somewhere, I have to start editing Dark Moon Seasons.

Oh yeah, The Complete Guide to Writing Fantasy: The Author's Grimoire is in there too, although that consists mainly of collating the line edits from the authors involved, making sure my intro is smooth, and putting bios together. Not too bad.

So writing is a bit on the back burner. However, depending on how much I get done tonight on Tony's book, I might take a wee bit of a break and write up what I have on faeries for SB. I've been doing some mulling (because it's easier to worldbuild at work rather than actually write), and I have some interesting things.

More later. Back to work now. *sigh*

Still writing. Chapter 27 is done. On to 28!

Word count so far today: 6621

And it's still today until I sleep. Really. :p

Happy New Year, all!

Still slogging. 3.5 chapters to go. 2956 words so far.

And it's only 8 pm EST. I think I just might get this done.

Back into the fray.

Well, it's been a rough few weeks - I've been sick (the creeping cold of death, where your brain leaks out of your nose, among other things) but I'm finally feeling better. I also had my latest colonscopy, and my doctor told me I have NO dietary restrictions anymore! Yay!!!!

This means, of course, that I am now out of excuses as to why I'm not eating better. :p So I was talking to my little sister today, and she mentioned how she'd lost another 2 lbs this week on Weight Watchers. I'm intrigued. She's lost 17 lbs since she started in August, and she looked FANTASTIC at Thanksgiving. So I think I'm hooked. Then a friend at work mentioned that another friend works there. She's a registered nurse. I'm sold.

January, I'm joining Weight Watchers. To keep myself honest, and support my writing friends who are also dealing with weight issues, I've started a community, writersweighin. If you'd like to join us, please do.

It's going to be very easygoing community - I figure we'll share tips, cheer each other on and keep ourselves honest.

More later - I want to swim tomorrow, so I'm going to write now, so I can get up and do just that.

cross-posted to val_marathon

Last week just blew chunks. Literally. Now, things are starting to slowly come back to normal. I'm having a small medical problem, but that's in the process of being dealt with by my doctors, so there's no use stressing over it. I'm not going to finish 50k for November 30, so no stressing there either. (I needed approximately 20k this weekend to have a hope of catching up. I got 2k - I think)

magicnoire posted a bit about making some resolutions at the end of November, and I like that. I have only one resolution for the new year:

I'm going to get healthy.

I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired. I'm making my resolution right now to treat my body better, and to lead a healthier life. I can't really exercise right now (too tired, and need to get this nagging health problem taken care of). But I can eat right, and cut down the soda again (NaNo was HORRIBLE for my eating habits). I can start my baby steps back at the gym. I can do it.

I'm going to be creating a few filters this year, I think. An SCA one, definitely. A writing one. And a health one. I'm also going to be posting to val_marathon more than I am.

Let me know in the comments if you want to be part of those filters. And remember, the Ornament swap is on! Email me at captain_hobbes @ yahoo dot com by November 25th if you'd like a handmade ornament sent to you!

ETA: Okay, so now that the parentals have been informed of said medical problem, I have been informed that if I am still experiencing said medical problem tomorrow, I will be checking myself into St. Joe's via the emergency room. As I doubt this will magically resolve itself overnight, I will most likely spend tomorrow and maybe Wednesday in the hospital. Bleah.

Well, I got part of the list done. Sent two more chapters off to my author for the vampire book, and got about 1/2 the pages done for the cookbook. Then computer went all wonky, so I had to run the Ad-Aware and clean it out. *sigh* Stupid spyware.

So tonight, I WRITE!!! Well, I do two more chapters in the vampire book, and then WRITE!!!! I have ideas - lots of ideas - and if they don't get out on paper soon, I will kill someone. As argus7hills is the closest person to me, he should be scared. :) Just kidding, love. I promise to write tonight.

Now off to get caffeine, so I can stay awake long enough to get the writing done.

Well, here's what I managed to get done last night:

To Do Tonight:

1. Download the Dreamweaver trial version and install it.
2. Teaser (up to 250 characters) to get the reader's attentions.
3. Excerpt (up to 3500 characters) - a scene that best shows off the story and the writing.
4. Back cover blurb (up to 3500 characters).
5. Bio - This should be a short biography of the author(s) told in third person under 250 words.
6. The issue template can also include the following:
a. Link to story/author personal website:
b. Link to author mailing list:
c. Link to author blog:
7. Send the instructions for the pants and caftan that Nedra gave us, if Nedra okays it.
8. Update LJ.
9. Write what happened at the Elephant House.
10. Background on the talents/magics of Sapph’s world.
11. What do Kate, Erik, David and Heather actually DO for this story?
12. Dammit, get the rest of the series at least on paper (ie, what the rest of the arc is) so I have it.

Then I woke up sick, and slept the day away. So now I get to dive into the rest. *sigh* BUT...

I get to use my new LJ Icon!!! (thanks to lessy37, who keeps my Sharpe habit supplied!!!!)

1) My rose from Mother's Day has been chewed upon and thrown out already. *sigh* Silly kittens. At least I know they got their Vit C for the week.

2) Got 1620 words on Saturday. Only 235 words on Sunday, because I got a call from work at 11 pm telling me I had to be in for 8:30 am, not 9:30 am. *rolls eyes* Silly flooding!

3) Got to the gym yesterday. Go me! Situps today (and more at val_marathon.

4) Need to keep writing. At work until 9 pm. Blah.

5) Resisted the urge to make cinnamon buns. Go me!

Um, okay, that's enough. Can you tell how much caffeine/sugar I'm running on? It's okay, though - I have NOT opened the Mountain Dew yet. :D