Archive for previous entries this month
July 1, 2006
More from the zoo
I'm not sure why I'm even bothering to write this tonight since I still can't access the site. I swear there is a conspiracy with this company. But really -- it doesn't matter in some ways. I have nothing new to say.
Oh, thunderstorm. Yay.
Anyway, Vision is not done and up. I have to update the FM site yet tonight.. I need to finish some edits on the current book. I need to do more writing.
I think I need a nap.
July 2, 2006
I love this shot
Still more of the 'talking to myself' journal, since I can't get it to show up on the web. These people are driving me nuts, you know. First it's changes that screw things up. Then it's messing with email stuff that took a few days to clear. Now it's the site itself. I'm going to move this -- just as soon as I can get the site up so I can say it's moving.
Vision is not yet up. I hope to get it soon.
I would like, by the end of the week, to be caught up on just about everything, and maybe take most of the month to you know... just write. It would be fun to have a good writing month again. And go to the zoo. I'll have to watch the weather and coordinate with Russ's work days down there, and see if I can find a fairly cool, middle of the week day to go down. I love the place and I could use the exercise again.
Feeling better, obviously. I was still ill for a good part of today, but I seem to be feeling better tonight. I'd really be happy with that.
And now... back to work! And to upload this, even though I know it won't show up!
July 3, 2006
Bryce Work
We lost our funny little dog today. She'd been ill for some time, so it wasn't a surprise... but it was still not good.
This will be my last 'no one sees these posts' post. I'm moving over to another spot, changing my links, and should be there soon.
I would like the year to get better now. I think Russ and I are due for it.
July 4, 2006
Funny Frog
I spent most of today not thinking about things... which is why this journal still isn't moved. It will be tomorrow, I hope.
I'm trying to get back to other work. I did some good writing today, and I think I'll be able to get back to it tomorrow.
Still no sign of the Vision articles, though. Once those come in I'll be very busy for the rest of the day.
Tonight I need to go sleep, though. It's been a long few days and I'm just too tired to write any more.
July 5, 2006
Desert Treasures
So, here we are at the new site. I haven't had a chance to change the link on the main site, or any of the other places like my blogs, but I do finally have a link on the old site.
I finally got Vision up today, so now I can have a few days of my own to get some work done. I'm working on Touched by the Wild, which (in case I didn't mention here), I am not going to put up until I have a good deal more of it done. I might wait until I'm finished, in fact.
Besides that, no much going on today. It took me about six hours to get Vision done and up and it pretty much wiped me out. Watched the second Spiderman movie tonight -- slow opening, which is something writers should keep in mind when they watch it. All the things going wrong for Peter Parker could have been handled in about half the time they devoted to it -- and it would have been far more painful to have it hit bam-bam-bam. Instead, I kept waiting for the action to start.
So, that's my post for today. Now back to my own writing, and try to take this lesson to heart.
July 6, 2006
Edmond in the Window
Unless I wake up miserably ill tomorrow I will be going to the zoo in the morning. I am looking forward to it -- my first trip in a few weeks. I see they have new snow leopard babies in the nursery, so I can't wait to see them.
I got quite a bit done today on the writing front, which helps. As soon as it changes over to midnight I'm going to do some writing for tomorrow, too, so that I don't come home from the zoo and feel as though I haven't gotten anything done at all.
I have updated my main site -- http://lazette.net -- with some upcoming things. It's good to look ahead and know there's some good stuff on the way.
Oh. Forgot to upload this. I was busy over editing Ruins -- damn, I like that book!
So, off to upload this, get my things put together for tomorrow, do a little more writing, and get some sleep.
July 7, 2006
Summer cool down
I have survived another trip to the zoo! These African Penguins were enjoying a quick dip in their outside pool. I love watching penguins. They're amusing.
I came home and made it as far as the bedroom where I slept for the first time in two days. I wish I had slept longer, but I'm back up and getting a little work done and talk with kitties. I had to put the little guys (who are getting to be quite big, really) into the bathroom so I could write this. Edmond the Silly jumps up behind me in the chair and attacks my hair. And Zaphod is a teddy bear. He just wants to be held all the time.
I'm really about ready to call it a night and try to get some more sleep! Good thing I did my writing early so I don't have to even think about it now. I don't think I'd have the brain cells to connect to make some fiction!
July 8, 2006
Zoo pics
I am working on the zoo pics and I'm about half way through what I have on hand. Yay! I also got about 27 more up on the zoo blog, so I'm moving along pretty well -- as long as you don't look and realize I have another 155 to put into the blog, and I've barely started into the July 7th pictures.
But anyway....
I haven't done a lot of writing today and I don't care. Well, I do care, but not as much as I usually do. I'm refreshing my brain -- that's it. I'm thinking through a new novel and the pieces are coming together very slowly for me, but I think I'm finally starting to get the vision pulled together.
And that's about it for me tonight. I'm going to upload this and then maybe go nap for a while. Or sleep through the night since it's already 11 pm.
July 9, 2006
Mom Cat's Little Helper
The lighter colored, Siamese-like cat is Zephyr. She's was born to Whisper, the Black and White cat, a year ago. You will notice that Whisper is carrying a kitten. She apparently has two of them in the ferns just a few more steps beyond this picture. One is dark (the one she's carrying) and the other is gray and white.
I wouldn't know this except that Zephyr keeps taking them out and moving them. She does this three or four times a day. And Whisper picks them up and brings them back. And there they stay for a few hours, until Zephyr decides to take one for a trip again. It's really funny to watch. I'm not sure why Whisper puts up with it, but she doesn't seem put out with it at all.
Zephyr is not a big cat. It's getting harder for her to pick the babies up, and she ends up sitting them down, picking them up, dragging them in the grass....you have to wonder what the little guys are thinking of all this, too.
And as I write this, Kwi is asleep on the desk and encroaching on the mouse pad again, while Edmond and Zaphod are asleep in my lap with the bottom of my tee-shirt curled up over them so they don't fall off. They're getting to be big boys -- and they are so sweet!
July 10, 2006
Pretty
I just did the final edit on Ruins. Next up is the formatting and then off to Holly it goes. Yay! It will be good to have it done and off the list.
The boys had to go and have shots today, and they're just tired out tonight, poor little guys. Edmond is having stomach problems the last few days, so we have medication for him now. I hope it's not too hard to give to him, because I don't want the little guy to get where he doesn't trust us.
Other than that, all is well. I'm tired. I'm going to call it an early night soon.
July 11, 2006
Cute!
Ah, so here we are at the end of another day. I got my writing done. I got Ruins off to Holly. I am messing around with Daz stuff for a few minutes, and then I'll do some writing again after midnight so I can start my day right. I need those little boosts these days.
But I'm happy to have the novel done and gone. Next up is the NaNo book project, which really isn't very long. And I'm still working on Touched by the Wild, though to be honest I'm less enthused about it than I was at first. This might not be the story I post after all.
And that's about all the news for today. Russ is feeling better tonight, and we hope that he's even better tomorrow, especially since he has a class to teach. He's been miserable for about three days now.
Did I mention Pip falling on my head and neck yesterday as I put the cat food away? Gah. I'm sore! He's a big cat!
July 12, 2006
Fish
Writing picked up a little tonight. As soon as I'm done with this I'm going to see if I can get back to it and get some more done. I'm almost 30k into the novel, and while I have some reservations about how it's going, I'm going to push through and see what I end up with. I think this section might need a major reworking, but I want to see how the rest of it goes first.
Russ is feeling better tonight. Yay! I'm fighting a headache most of the day, but it's not as bad as it has been. Hey, I can even type tonight, which I couldn't for the last few nights. My fingers kept getting messed up.
Edmond has nightly medication for a stomach problem, and it's so sad to have to give it to him. We don't want him to get upset because they're the two sweetest little guys in the world. Another five days or so of this stuff -- I hope it clears everything up and we can stop.
And there's my life for today. I am almost done with the first sorting of the last zoo trip. Once I get all of that done I guess I'll have to go back and do more pictures. (grin)
July 13, 2006
Tonight's Sunset
It looked as though we were going to have storms this afternoon, but everything moved off to the east of us. We hardly had a sprinkle. Sigh. We could use some rain!
Tonight I sorted through my last set of zoo pictures. I now have to resize about 110 of them from two trips, then drop the ones I still like into the online folder. After that I can start adding them to the zoo blog. It makes a nice change of pace from the writing stuff.
And the writing stuff is going all right. Nothing spectacular, but I'm getting there! Tomorrow Russ has to go to Lincoln to pick up some paperwork for one of his jobs and I'm going to ride along. I hope to talk about the new novel and get moving on the outline. I have ideas and part of it is coming together, but... just not entirely hitting right yet. Almost there, though.
Touched by the Wild is moving along better again. Well over 30,000 words now, and I think about half way through the original material. I found part of what had been bothering me about the current section and straightened it out. It's looking much better again.
I've also been thinking about who has influenced me. I see definite Andre Norton influences in this book.
And before I forget again!
Archeology and business don't mix....
Leander Consantinos had his life ripped apart when he went to prison for a series of murders he didn't commit. Now, free again -- but with his wife remarried and his son renamed -- he has no choice but to rebuild his life on the ruins of the other. After taking a job at a museum in New Mexico, Lee is caught up in a new drama as a local landowner fights to hold on to his land and protect the archeology sites it harbors, while an unscrupulous land developer does everything in his power to get what he wants.
Lee is willing to take up the fight. After all, he has nothing left to lose.
July 14, 2006
Another Sunset
First, writing has been going better, so I'm happy there. Second, ideas for the new book seem to be falling into place and I think it's going to be very good once I get the last of the stuff in place. Yay!
We went on a ride today. Russ had to drive down to Lincoln to pick up some paperwork for someone. It was a drive down and back with no stops anywhere, but it was too out there anyway! 100f on all the banks we passed, so I didn't mind not getting a chance to go somewhere. (grin) We didn't come home by the same route, either, so it made it a nice circle of a drive -- about 300 miles total -- with lots to see. I only took a couple pictures in passing, but that's all right, too.
Came home, ate, and napped. (grin)
We did see three different accidents -- a record, really. One was between Lincoln and Omaha and had traffic backed up for miles, lucky for us on the other side of the freeway. The second was just north of Omaha, and they had the life flight helicopter there, and had just blocked off all traffic while it was in place -- but again, on the other side of the road. The last one was just south of Sioux City and nearly got us, but traffic had backed up to an exit that we could take to go the long way around. Good thing because when we came back around on the overpass we could see that the traffic was backed up on both sides and getting worse.
But we made it home without any problems of our own. Yay!
And now I need to get a few things done!
July 15, 2006
Pip Day!
(A bit late posting this because I fell asleep! This is actually Saturday's post. I'll get to Sunday later!)
Today is Pip Day! He's been with us for 12 years now. He still likes to sleep with me in bed, with his head on my shoulder and curled up next to my side. What a sweet little guy!
And, amazing to both Russ and me, he loves to play with the kittens. We feared he'd be a real problem with them, but he lets them attack his tail, and he sits on a chair and bats at them as they leap up at him. No growls or hisses at all. Considering he still goes after Wind now and then, this is really amazing.
He's a good cat.
July 16, 2006
Zaphod
I spent all of today hiding in my house and stepping out only long enough to confirm that yes, it really is that hot. Then I scurried back in and hid with the lights turned off, the AC on, and worked on my computer doing things that really didn't take a lot of thought. We hit 109f on the heat index today. You could really feel it, too.
And now I'm tired out. Long day, even though I went to sleep early last night and pretty much didn't wake up until this morning.
I put water out for the strays so they don't get heat stroke. We had that one year and had to take the little thing to the vet. She got better. In fact, she's still around.
But that's about it for the day. I need to go lay down for a little while and hope that the headache eases back again. It's been a pretty good day. I don't want to end it on a bad note!
July 17, 2006
Lovely flower
I spent most of today messing around and not doing much of anything work-wise. I'm going to do that all week. I think it's improved my attitude already. (grin)
Today I worked on an Access database for my Daz collection. $1.99 here, $1.99 there... free stuff... sales -- this stuff has grown in a year and a half and I really want to get a better handle on it for future work. I have about 700 pieces and I've catalogued 400 of them so far, so I'm doing fine. And it was remarkably relaxing.
I also wrote, of course, but not as much as I meant to. I'll have to improve on that tomorrow.
I worked on the zoo blog, too. I've uploaded the next 115 pictures that will go into the blog. I'll be adding a few into posts every day. I'm not sure when I'll be going back to the zoo. It's way too hot right now!
And that's been my day! I'm going to upload this and maybe do a little writing again. Or maybe work on a Daz picture that has been lingering in my brain!
July 18, 2006
Prince Derry Rides
While that isn't exactly a picture out of my story, it is inspired by it. And I'm really happy the way it turned out. I might have posted this one before, but no matter. I like it. (grin)
I wrote a little over 4,000 words today. That, of course, puts me in a much better mood than I have been. I even took the time to watch an odd movie tonight -- The Fighting Prince of Donegal. Great, wonderful characters. It was just the kind of thing I needed.
There were other things I should have done as well, but I didn't and I don't care. Ha!
Russ teaches in Omaha tomorrow, but I am not going to the zoo. It's supposed to be up around 100f, and I'm just not a real hot weather person.
And that's it! Now I'm off to do some other stuff for a couple hours!
July 19, 2006
Hot Days
It's 9 pm and it's still 98f and 105 heat index. This is far too hot for around here. Russ and I went out for a few minutes and then scurried back home. The AC is barely keeping the room cool and the bedroom is like a furnace.
I hope for a storm tonight. There are finally a few clouds out there, but so far it doesn't look very promising. However, it's only supposed to be up to 88 tomorrow, so that means there has to be a 'cold' front moving through. And 78 is the predicted high for Friday. Yay!
I hit the 500,000 word mark today, but it wasn't easy. And it's an odd 500,000 since almost all of it is in reworked older stories. But still, a good number to reach for a bit over the halfway mark in the year. And I'm happy to say that Touched by the Wild is moving along a little better again. I think I hit the 40k mark on it today.
Other than that... I have a kitten asleep in my lap with his head on my arm, and he's not really happy with me working and bouncing him around. Time for him to find another place to rest so I can do a few more things!
July 20, 2006
Tiny bird
Long day. The car has developed a bad problem. Zaphod is not feeling well. Bugs got into the expensive kitten food that we spent most of our spare money on, and it had to go out. My ankles keep swelling despite medication.
But, hell, we're all here. The vet gave us medication for Zaphod, the kittens are eating the good house cat food without a problem, and while my ankles hurt like hell, I think now that the weather is cooler it's going to help.
I got a bit of writing done today on Touched by the Wild, and I added a great deal of material to Sudden Storm's outline. I talked to Russ about a couple things over dinner, and he thought the additions sounded great. I hope to start the novel in August. I want to get Touched by the Wild done, first. And it gives me a chance to fill out more of the outline.
Oh, and Kwi stomped across my keyboard today and broke the legs that hold it at an angle. Both of them. Which, of course, means I'm having a little trouble typing.
There are days....
July 21, 2006
Funny Owl
I have a headache tonight. The kind where any noise is setting me off -- like that damned train that won't stop blowing the whistle! I swear sometimes the people are just annoyed that someone might be asleep while they're working.
Did my writing. Working on a picture that I really kind of like -- just need to get a couple things tweaked. Zaphod is still coughing, so he's probably going to the vet on Monday. He's active enough still (another problem with the headache), but we're still a bit worried about him.
That's it. I'm tired. I need to get the last few things done and go to bed.
July 23, 2006
Lovely Cat
Got quite a bit done today, from 4000 words written to the bathroom partially cleaned. Can't ask for much better than that! I'm working on a Daz picture right now and getting the feel for how some things go together. It's been a lot of fun, though frustrating at times. I think I've about got the knack of a few of the things though.
I had another breakthrough on Sudden Storm, too. A nice little piece of 'information' that also dictates the actions of one of the characters. I love stuff like that. I just have to remember to work the little bits in as I write. I think I'm going to have to have a list of things on the wall to remind me.
Touched by the Wild is going well. I'm heading into the final third of the book, with the enemy about to come into clear view for the first time and my heroes taking the offensive and making decisions that will change them forever. You can't ask for much better than that when you're writing. (grin)
July 24, 2006
Sleepy Boys
That's Zaphod on the Right and Edmond on the left. And yes, I can really tell them apart -- most of the time.
Zaphod is going to the vet tomorrow for a cold/eye problem that isn't quite clearing up. he's better, but Russ said he wants to make certain. If he doesn't take Edmond as well, it will the longest the two of them have been apart since they were born.
I wrote a bit today, but it occurs to me that I didn't check to see the final count. Hold on. Ah -- 2823 words. Not bad since I didn't really dedicate myself to it as much as usual. I started out with about 1000, but then I started bouncing between it and other work including -- you can all gasp at this part -- house cleaning. Not a lot, but enough so that it's actually noticeable.
Beyond that, not much going on. I'm working on some art stuff. I need to add more pictures to the zoo blog. I'm on the last section of work for Touched by the Wild. I'll need to edit. But it's almost done!
July 25, 2006
Edmond
Work, work...work, work, work.
It's been a day. I can't say I've gotten a lot accomplished, but I'm sure tired out from it! I'm going to call it a night pretty soon and get some sleep.
The book is still moving along just fine. The outline is doing well, too. I can't comlain about any of that. I don't like the weather, but I'm stuck with it.
I think that's about all the words I have left in me today!
July 26, 2006
Resting
Got quite a bit done today on Touched by the Wild. Good!
Russ has a job interview tomorrow. Even better!
Kwi and Pip have taken over the desk and I have to run the mouse on my leg. LOL. At least they've stopped walking over me and the keyboard for the moment. Sometimes that drives me nuts!
But there's not much else to say tonight. The weather is hot and I sure wish it would rain. We went to the store tonight and it was so hot and humid I could hardly breath. I hate this kind of weather. I want some nice rainstorms. I don't think that's asking for too much!
July 27, 2006
Plot Bunny
I didn't get a lot of writing done today. Most of the day was spent updating some stuff for FM and the rest just trying to breathe. I haven't had a problem like this since I left the smog of LA. The humidity here is horrible, and I appear to have a chest cold besides. I hate it.
The check we've been waiting for finally came in. And went right back out again, but at least we're caught up on some bills. Russ has an interview tomorrow (same job as today's interview), and everything looks good so far. It's a three month contract, but there are some side things going on with it that will likely help a great deal. Three months of regular checks will help get us out of this mess, and with luck Russ will find some more work by then.
The weather here is awful. It's 12:30am, the temp is 75 (not bad) but the humidity is 80 percent and the dew point is 69. Very bad numbers. And we're having the worst heat/drought since the dust bowl days, as well as the longest stretch. Not good at all.
I want it to clear up so I can breathe again.
July 28, 2006
The last time I saw clouds
That was taken somewhere back around the 23rd. Probably earlier. I think it sprinkled a little that day.
We're do for a heat advisory tomorrow. Oh joy. I'm not leaving the house, for all the good that will do me, because the house is pretty miserable when it gets that hot anyway.
Yesterday's entry is below this. I didn't get it uploaded last night for some reason. How odd.
And that's about it. Nothing particularly bad today -- in fact, except for the damned heat, it's been a good couple days. I hope things keep going well!
July 29, 2006
WWI Monument, Hospers, Iowa
I love this monument. Not many people are going to see it anymore since they built a bypass around the tiny town of Hospers. Everyone is always in such a hurry to get places, and now they'll miss even the little things like this. It's a shame.
The weather here is awful. It's not as bad as it was last night, but it's still bad enough to annoy me. Rain would be nice. They're saying we should have some on Wednesday, but I think they're lying to try and keep everyone from being more annoyed -- because every time they say we're going to get rain, it never happens.
I had a good writing day -- over 3k and could have done more, but wanted to do a few other things tonight.
Ack! I'm in trouble. Something I thought I put out at the beginning of the month was actually a submission at the end of last month. That means I need to come up with something in the next two days! Good thing I had a short story in mind here, or I'd really be worried!
July 30, 2006
Getting there
I got a considerable amount of work done today -- but very little writing. I did get something edited, and I'm pretty happy with it. It goes out tomorrow. Yay! I have nearly everything ready for the new month at Forward Motion, too. I'm working on the cover art that I might get paid for if I can pull it together....
But it was a horrible time trying to get some writing done today. I just didn't want to do much of it, and settled for a thousand words. Not bad, just not what I had hoped to do.
Other than that... not bad. End of the month already. Wow!
July 31, 2006
The end of July!
I got a number of things done tonight, including getting all the zoo pictures uploaded! I'm caught up! I never thought I'd ever be caught up on that blog!
Of course, now I'm considering going back through some of the earlier, original pictures and culling out the good ones and posting them as well. The pre-new-camera stuff.
I did not get as much writing done this month as I expected to. Oh well.
I did get some of the house cleaned up better than usual, so maybe it evens out a bit. (grin)
Starting in August, I'm going to be deleting previous month pictures to save space on my sites. Only the current month's archive will have pictures up still. It's much the same with my regular blog.
Other than that -- we're having odd weather. It was 89f degrees a couple minutes ago. Now it's back up to 91f. At midnight. There were storms off to the north -- tried over some lightning shots, but no luck! -- but nothing has come near us so far.
I hope it cools down in August. I want to get back to the zoo. (grin)