Ducks: Queen of Frickin' Everything

RIP Leroi Moore.

DMB is my all-time favorite band, and Leroi was a big reason why. He'll be sorely missed!

Hello strangers! All like, five of you who read this journal. *G* I've been entangled in the throes of a writing frenzy, and everything else sort of fell by the wayside. Which is a good thing on one hand (I have three projects going! Finally! After a year of writing nothing at all!), but on the other, I haven't been exercising or watching my nutrition nearly as closely as I should be. Luckily, I haven't gained any weight, but starting today I'm back on my plan. Setting smaller goals and working my way back up to where I was.

It's funny how much energy a newer, fitter lifestyle takes for me. Actually, I tend to be very much the tunnel-vision girl when it comes to any major project. When I write, I write. When I got my new kitty friends, they were my complete focus. I need to learn to balance all the things I have going on in my life.

Speaking of my kitties, who are awesome, Charlotte, the mommy, just got fixed a week ago. I don't remember Miss Scarlett being such a pain to keep calm and quiet when she was spayed! The first couple of days weren't too bad, because we had dope to give her, and we mostly kept her down here while the Wee Demon was upstairs. But after her head cleared a bit, OH. MY. GODDESS. It was like, "No, Charlotte! Stop that, Charlotte! Get down from there, Charlotte! No wrestling, Charlotte!" I seem to remember that cats are supposed to calm down after they get spayed, aren't they? Well, before this head wave hit (and the two of them flop down on the floor and stay there all day like a couple of rag dolls), she was twice as hyper as usual! Elsie goes to get hers at the beginning of September. I don't think she can BE twice as hyper. If she does, I think she'll just explode. Of course, for her, we're going to have to keep the cone on for the full two weeks, while Mom got to get rid of it after a couple of days.

Kitties!

Other than that, I've really been putting my nose to the grindstone on The Human Condition, which ended up being my next project. I'm taking my time with the outlining and tagging this time, so I can really make sure the book has everything it needs to sell. I've already got my next project sort of framed, and the one after that as well. These are strictly for print. Besides those, I want to get a few more ebooks out there, too. But I'm not going to get into specifics there until this book is actually in the writing stage.

Anyway, I hope everyone is well! Give me news!

Oh, I almost forgot! I'm not watching any TV besides soaps at all. I've been watching my DVD collection and mostly ignoring it while I work most of the day. Am I missing anything at night? Probably not, since it's summer.

Things have not been in the positive as far as my eating plan goes lately. Between my planned binge on my birthday, to The Pig dying, and lotou0-u3w*-*6hgggggggff f6ty6/ ////y-*48nh444nnnnnn4n/\000000000000008

LOL. That was a message from the final "and," one of my two new feline friends! We brought the beautiful Charlotte and her DEMON SPAWN Elsie home from the pound on May 8, 2006, and they have brought with them all the laughter and chaos that we've been missing since Shaquille got sick a few months ago. It's so exciting, uplifting... and admittedly, exhausting, gettting to know kitties again. Charlotte is 2, a beautiful long-haired calico, and Trouble is a little tiny demon with markings like a cow. They're awesome, and I'm so glad we met them!

( See my pretties! )

I want to thank everybody for all their good wishes, condolences and charitable contributions in Shaquille's memory. I'm going to try and answer every single one of you -- but I want to make sure to say it out loud, as well. You guys really helped with the grieving process. I miss my big Pigger still, but the new kitties and my awesome friends have really helped.

I haven't been disciplining myself to write at ALL in the past couple of months. I've been honoring my brain's complete laziness and lack of desire to create anything, because I've been focusing on my physical body. I thought maybe some fallow time without pressure to write might put me back in a more creative frame of mind. Plus, it seems like I do a better job writing when there's sunshine and butterflies outside. SO... it's now warm and sunny here, I've built healthy habits for my physical body, and now it's time to start working on my career goals for this year. And THAT means -- time to dedicate myself to a project and START WRITING. I realized yesterday that I haven't finished anything longer than a short story since OTHERWORLD, and that was LAST summer! I don't know what's been going on. The passion just hasn't been there.

Now I'm ready to start working again! One of my major goals this year is to get an agent, and that means I have to finish something for paper publishing, as well as my planned ebooks. I figured it's time to get my gay vampire romance on the road, since it's been percolating forever. I have another book in THE VEIL series in mind (about the sexy dark angel Sabriel from OTHERWORLD), and the next in the TALES OF THE GUARDIANS series (NEPTUNE RISING was the first in that one.). But I still have to decide what my next paperback novel is going to be. I have one idea that I've been kicking around, but I haven't stumbled on a real hook for it yet.

Anyway, I just wanted to write down my goal here so you guys can kick my butt and keep me in line:

FINISH THREE Projects by November 1. Two ebooks and one paperback. The summer should be focused on one ebook and the paperback, so I can spend the fall and winter looking for an agent.

~

In other news, it looks like The Pig is feeling a little bit better. We've been giving him fluids subcutaneously for about a week now. It's a really tough procedure, wherein we have to use an IV drip to inject saline underneath his skin to keep his body hydrated. It only takes five minutes, but everybody involved hates it. That's the only thing that's been keeping him alive for the past few days. He has very serious chronic pancreatitis, and had given up eating altogther -- which was so frightening and sad to see. We call him The Pig for a reason -- he used to be fat, and well known for eating pretty much anything he could get his teeth on. So since he's stopped eating, we were pretty much just preparing ourselves for his imminent death.

Luckily, we kept experimenting with foods -- he has bad teeth on top of everything else, so he's been having trouble with any kind of solid food even when he does feel like eating. We kept buying everything under the sun that he likes to eat, and nothing. Then yesterday, we picked up some canned pink salmon and mashed it up just for the heck of it... and he can't seem to get enough. More importantly, he's keeping it down! That makes me feel a LOT better. I know he's still sick, and he probably won't be with us for too much longer, but at least he's not starving to death in the near future. I'm really happy to get a little more time with him, and that he's not suffering as badly as he was.

I'm talking about internet bullies, yo. As some of you know, I'm doing Weight Watchers Online, because wow am I not a meeting person. I've been involved with the boards at 3 Fat Chicks on a Diet and Sparkpeople, so I've never really hung out at the WW boards. This morning I was just bored and looking for something to read, so I thought I would check them out. I mean, we're all doing the same lifestyle program, right?

Dudes! There are some nasty ass people on those Weight Watchers boards! I mean... really nasty! People who are new to the program ask honest questions about things they don't understand, and it's like a fannish tidal wave of wank! People yelling, calling each other names, flouncing, sobbing, accusations, gangs of yay sayers and nay sayers. I started having terrible flashbacks!

I'm staying away from that place, man. The program rules, but the boards are like Mad Max or something!

( Cut for the uninterested. *G* )

1.) What does it say about me that every time I see those network commercials celebrating the return of the TV shows (some of which I don't even watch), I feel all happy inside?

2.) Talk to me about John Amsterdam, girls. Meow!

3.) Did I already mention that my next book, OTHERWORLD, is slated for a March 21 release? Well, I'm sure I'll mention it a few... dozen more times before then.

I owe everybody responses, but I love you! I miss you! How's things?

That crime shows all seem to use the same actors as the bad guy? It sort of ruins the mystery of it after a while. It's like the Red Shirt theory -- you know, there's a mission on Star Trek. Going on the mission are Captain Kirk, Spock, Bones, and Ensign DeadMeat, who is wearing a red shirt. Who do you think is going to die.

This theory is the same sort of idea. You're watching a crime show. There are five suspects, and one is a highly recognizable B-Actor, or even an A-list guest. Who do you think is going to be the bad guy?

Just an observation. *G*

Also, I *heart* Dexter.

Um, you want to know how slow I really am?

I JUST got Underdog's name. I mean, just this second. He fights for the weak and helpless... the... under... dog.

Yeah, I JUST got that. Even though it was one of my favorite cartoons when I was a kid. Hong Kong Fuey was actually higher on the super dog list, but...

So, slow.

How are you guys?

http://television.aol.com/photos/tv-couples

Hi everybody. Hope things are going well. I miss you all!

RIP Heath Ledger.

An amazing actor who died too soon.

RIP Suzanne Pleshette

~

I know I keep saying I'm going to come back and post more, but I keep getting distracted by assorted stuff. :) How are you guys? The only major things that have been going on with me lately are 1.) I joined the Weight Watchers Flex plan -- it's time I start REALLY buckling down and doing something about my weight, which is really out of hand. I've never minded being a big chick, but it's gotten to the point now that I'm not comfortable in my own skin. None of my clothes fit. I'm starting to see myself as an obese person, a negative view, instead of a fat chick (which was just me, and I was okay with it). AND most of all I'm not feeling good physically. Not because of my Crohn's, but in general. I really need to make a change, and WW is helping me learn the two most important things for me -- portion control and the most basic thing of all: THINKING about what I eat and why. Tomorrow's my first weigh in, so we'll see how it's gone so far.

The second thing, of course, is working on edits for OTHERWORLD. We just finished the second pass, and I imagine I'll get the third tomorrow, so we're almost done with that part! Unfortunately, I still haven't written anything new. I HAVE to get to writing again. I don't know what the hell the problem is with my creative muscles lately!

Hope everybody is well!

Sorry I buggered off again for a bit, but I've been feeling VERY unwell over the holidays. Like, stay in bed stoned on pain meds and moaning all day unwell. I'm on the upswing now *knocks on wood* and back at work. I'm doing the first round of edits for OTHERWORLD today, finishing the last part of "Rise," which is WAY overdue, and trying to catch up on emails and posts and stuff.

One thing I have to do toute suite is find out what's going on with the writer's strike! I saw that David Letterman and Craig Ferguson were back on late night last night, and said they got special dispensation to have WGA writers, but that the strike was still going on. Confusing much?

So how are you guys? What'd you get from your assorted holiday present bringers? I got the standard stuff -- DVD's, Sims Bon Voyage, some clothes. It was really fun hanging out with the fam, even though I was curled up in a fetal ball on the couch the whole time.

My next post should be my goals. I don't even think I ever posted mine last year, so they're lost to the ages! Probably for the best, since I didn't meet any of them. ;) I am happy to say that this is the fourth anniversary of my quit smoking date! Yay me! (I keep thinking it's five years, but I quit on New Year's 2004, I think...)

Hope everybody is well!

Happy birthday to the awesome thebratqueen! Have a fabulous day, sweetie!

~

Sometimes -- and it's pretty damn rare of late,*Hank Hill voice* let me tell ya what -- something strikes me that fires whatever I'm writing into a kind of life it was lacking before. Well, you know I'm still struggling with CITY OF NIGHT, and have been for a year. Even with all the writing I did for it during my aborted NaNo attempt, it still wasn't catching fire for me. It's all outlined, and it looks great in that format, but the execution has no life. I'm a HUGE Gerard Butler fan, as those of you who know me are aware, and I am also a big mushball freak for romantic comedies. So I've been watching all the promotion for Gerry's new movie "P.S. I Love You" with great heaping piles of tissue interest. I even spent five bucks I didn't really have to buy the book, because dudes-- the commercial makes me HYSTERICAL. I mean, almost IWRY or Becoming hysterical.

Today I was trying to read the first chapter of the book (but had to stop because I was crying too damn hard) and I realized what was missing from CITY OF NIGHT. The whole central point of the main character's pathos is that he was married to this spectacular woman when he was human, and after she died he never gave his heart again. Fast forward to 2000 years later, and BAM he meets a woman he's convinced is his great love reborn. But this all ended up being background stuff that I left out of the main body of the novel because backstory like that puts people to sleep. HOWEVER... I wasn't getting enough of that grief into the story. It doesn't have to be spelled out for the audience -- you guys aren't idiots -- but it has to BE there, beneath everything the lead does. SO... I'm hoping by injecting the story with that by changing some lines here and there, changing the tone some, will finally make the story seem real in my head.

Or maybe I should just make the lead Gerry in my head, because apparently the thought of him being sad or dying really upsets me. LOL

Man. I just heard that the little brother of a guy I dated in college was arrested for child molesting. That just... blows my mind. I mean, yeah, his brother is a criminal too, but he's more of a "get drunk and bar fight" kind of bad. This is something different entirely. I am so creeped out. *shudders*

~

Finished part 2 of Rise today, and I've got a good chunk done on Part 3. I may just get this thing done this week! Please don't ask about Buffy the Hero, because I've gotten to the point where I'm just going to have to violate the "avoid romance" rule and just go ahead and write what I know, hoping that I hit the person's requests (which were pretty vague) along the way. Trying to write outside my comfort zone? Really doesn't seem to work for me when it comes to shippy stuff! Not that I can't write strange ships... but I can't seem to write NO ships.

I guess I'm just not a gen girl.

Anyway, this part of the story was the really gut-wrenching emotional stuff -- and the smut *G* -- so I had a soundtrack that I thought I would randomly share rather than putting it in the author notes as I might have done in the old days. ;) ( Angst and Smut, Angst and Smut... )

/gratuitous sharing of playlist

~

OMG let's have a vote: HOW FREAKING CUTE WAS BONES LAST NIGHT? Dudes, it was so damn cute that just telling my mom about it today made her cry. LOL. And DAMN, does Baby look good. I think he changed his hair or gained just the TEENIEST bit of weight, because DAMN. And did I say DAMN already? 'Cause DAMN.

~

Heh. I'm writing and listening to music, and I was reading the closed captioning for the Simpsons (Fox 44's closed captioning BLOWS, people. I'd say they get it right maybe 15% of the time, tops) and a random SQUEE! showed up in the middle of some line. Hee. That's what it would look like if I was a closed captioner.

~

For anybody who didn't get a chance to read Rise Part 1 yesterday, there's a new link for it over at Chrislee's: http://www.octavesoftheheart.com/iwry/iwry27_07.htm

I'd love your feedback! :)

Today is my day for IWRY! I want to wholeheartedly jump up and down and squee that I'm posting new B/A, BUT it's not finished yet -- only the first part of 3 is up today. It's going to be a day or two before the rest goes up, and I know I never read WIP's. But if you do... Stop by the amazing chrisleeoctaves' site and check out all the great B/A fic there!

~

Dear Hayden, I love you. Also, you are an incredibly beautiful and WOW hot young lady. I persist in my completely inappropriate crush on you.

Also, since I didn't comment on Heroes last night, I will say here:

SQUEEEEEE! OMG!

~

I'm happy to say that I FINALLY finished all the promo blurbs for OTHERWORLD. That's a huge weight off my chest -- those things are impossible to write!

Back to work with me! I still have to finish "Rise" and my Buffy the Hero fic! :)

I really couldn't type that with a straight face, but I did try. *G*

Happy belated birthday to alleynyc! I hope you and Molly enjoyed an awesome day! *smooches you*

Had a really nice, relaxed week in which I didn't pressure myself to do anything. It's funny how when I let my deadlines go, I have less trouble meeting them. I actually missed doing my Moonlight commentary on Friday, because OMG what a crapfest! I mean... well, I don't want to have to put in a cut, but did you see that ending? MELO. DRAMA. Hee. I can't wait to see the wangst that comes from that shite, man. I'm actually starting to enjoy this show on a mocking level.

Mostly been playing The Sims 2 in anticipation of getting the Seasons and Bon Voyage for Xmas. I always forget how much fun it is to get lost in a world of your own creation -- that doesn't require you to really create the whole thing by yourself. It's fun to do things like... make a punk sim chick, marry her to a rich guy, breed, and then KILL HIM. Hee. Or have a houseful of nothing but pregnant teenagers. Or have Sam, Dean, Angel and Spike all live in one big gay house. *G*

See how it gets addicting? With Seasons, there'll be... well, actual seasons, with weather and everything. Then with Bon Voyage, my Sims will be able to go on awesome vacations to exotic locales. I'm so excited!

Needless to say, I'm not going to finish NaNo... AGAIN. It's just too much pressure, apparently. Which is weird, because I know I can reach that kind of productivity. I don't get why doing it officially would be so stressful. I'm kind of disappointed in myself, as I've NEVER been able to win Nano!

But I DID finish the first part of my IWRY story, and got it to chrisleeoctaves. Part 2 is almost done -- hopefully tomorrow. But now it looks like it might end up being three parts. But at least it's almost done! I can't wait to sit down at the end of the month and read all the stories.

Now if only my Buffy the Hero fic will go so well!

Whee! Heroes tomorrow!

It's the first part of two, and I need it for tomorrow. Please. :D

I hope there's lots of your favorite foods in the offing, and lots of things to be thankful for.

I'll be back on Monday to catch up on everything -- and hopefully the WGA/AMTPA talks will be going well by then!

Hey, all. I just wanted to let everyone know that I'm taking a break from online Geekery for a bit. I need to focus on writing and completely not playing The Sims 2. I'll be back shortly, with fic even!

In the next little while, you can reach me by email. Happy Thanksgiving, if I don't talk to you before then!