Archive for previous entries this month
September 1, 2007
Zaphod sleeping
Welcome to September.
Thunk.
I am getting things done. I don't know that I'm really caught up, but I'm going to pretend I am.
I had a nice dinner with Carol and JD tonight. Russ and JD spent the day together. Carol worked at her hotel room and I worked in my office. I somehow think this isn't quite right. But I got a good amount of the stuff done that I needed to get done. And I played with Carrara for a while as well. It has a few bugs, but so far I've enjoyed it. I want to spend more time with it.
I want to do more writing.
I want to do more reading.
I think there's going to be a big conflict here pretty soon.
But right now the only conflict is how long it's going to take me to get to bed if I have to run through the maze of cats.
September 2, 2007
A Sunset
Ah, here we are, just working away. I have things yet to do tonight, and it's already 12:55 am. Ack. Best get to those now!
Our company has gone back toward home. My work is still piled up, but I seem to be making a bit of headway on something here. I hope that I can get to the point where I can just sit down and write for a while again. Maybe tomorrow. It looks clear of most work right now. Oh sure, there's 14 things on my 'to do' list for it, but most of the big jobs are done. Or about to be done, if I just stop typing on this and go do them.
Sounds like a plan to me.
September 3, 2007
Two guys and the little girl
The Gods hate me. That's all I can figure right now.
It looks as though Jatol, the site that has hosted FM for so long -- and so well -- is dying. It's 3 am right now, and I'm working at making certain I have a total and up-to-date back up of the FM site. Oh hell. I just realized this means my huge zoo sites are going to fail as well. I've been so worried about the other stuff...
Ack. This journal is on Jatol, too.
You may never see this. At the rate things are going, I don't know if I'll have the funds to put my zettesworld.com site back up at all.
I really don't need this.
But we'll see. Maybe things will get better. I don't believe it, but I can hope.
We'll get FM back up and going if it goes down. I'll work on the other sites later, if I get a chance.
Hmmm... Can't upload this until I'm done downloading the FM stuff. We'll see what happens.
I think I'll just pound my head on the wall for a while, though.
September 4, 2007
Rainy scene
Are we still here? Who knows. FM is still up, so there's hope for this one.
I'm looking at other sites to move to. I'm looking at dropping a number of my personal things because I won't be able to afford to get it all back, at least not at once. Right now, I have to focus on FM.
This is pretty much ruining my ability to write, of course. I am, however, getting some editing done on the last Dark Staff novel, and I'm down to the last 28 pages or so. Yay! I'll be happy to have it done!
So that counts.
Other news? Should there be other news? Russ has two more days of work in Omaha. There will be a few other days scattered here and there, but that's the last of the regular work for the time being. He has some classes at Western Iowa Tech coming up, so that will help.
And I have the DAZ newsletter, which should help with this current problem.
There's hope.
September 5, 2007
From 2000
The move of the sites has been a headache. Not horrible, but just that kind of stuff that causes stress and drives me crazy in the end. My head is pounding.
I am absolutely lost in what I'm doing. Thank God for Russ and Mar or I don't think anything would have been done by now.
I can't upload this tonight (site is moving). I'm just going to end here and go do something else for a while.
Great picture, though. That was taken with the trusty old FD91.
September 6, 2007
Edmond Resting
And resting is what I need for far too much of today. I'm still tired, too.
But things are closer to being up and running again. I'm waiting for FM to resolve for me, and then I'll open the forums back up and we'll be fine once more. I still have other sites to deal with though, including the one where this one goes. So you won't be seeing this just yet.
This will go up on the site in a day or two, when things are finally sorted out. In the mean time, I'm going to try and get some writing done. Really.
And next week, it's back to the schedule.
September 7, 2007
Hiding among the bears
It looks like an ET moment. (You know, I really disliked that movie.)
It's late, but the good news is that FM is well and truly up and going. I'm still not sure about anything else, but we're getting there. I think I can almost see my life going back to normal, whatever that might really be.
I need to get back to some serious writing. It's not been happening. I thought this was going to be a good month, and I'm immediately hit by the latest bit of insane disaster. I'm tired of it.
Ah well. Things will work out.
It's starting feel like autumn here. I like it! Cooler weather, the leaves just starting to change -- the kids back in school so that it's mostly quiet during the day. I'm looking forward to good photography days. And sorting them properly to my new hard drive. After the problem with FM I realized I had to do some serious backup stuff, and though we shouldn't have, we bought me a new drive.
So, there's my news. Now I really must go write something. Anything.
September 8, 2007
Another pretty sunset
Things are going better today, I think. And I'm really trying to turn my attention to writing again. I've got most of the newsletter put together, and I'm using the rest of the time to do writing work. I'm trying to hit 500 words at a shot, which really isn't that much. If I can do enough of them, I might get a good count for the first time in weeks.
The weather here is turning cool. Amazing how fast it changes! I think I'll have to get my sweaters out and clean them up.
I've read the second book in the Master Li and Number Ten Ox series. Wonderful books. I really think I need to just sit down with the last book in the set and read it and be done with it, so it doesn't keep dragging at my attention.
And that's it for today! Things are at least going better!
September 9, 2007
Pretty flowers
I forgot to upload the journal last night, and as long as I was going to do it, I figured I should write up today's entry as well.
It's cold. Cold enough, in fact, that I'm thinking about turning on the furnace. It's because we don't want the older kitties to get colds. Really.
I am about to print out my schedule for the week, and unless things go really bad again, I should be able to stick to it. I look forward to it, in an odd sort of way. When I can check things off the list, I know that I'm really getting stuff done. Otherwise, it's sort of a hit-or-miss kind of thing. If I remember it, I do it. Like posting this journal.
So, I have hope for today. We'll see if it works.
September 10, 2007
Nice Frog
That was taken back on May 28, 2000 at 3:02:18 pm. I could get it marked on a map, too, if I had a little more ambition. I still find it amazing, this age we live in.
I've worked all day and actually managed to get most of my schedule done, and the little I have left won't take long to do, I hope. I'm not sure. I can't seem to get Pip off my list. I don't know why he has to stretch out right there where I have my schedule taped down on the desk. It drives me nuts some days.
Writing is going well enough. I hope I get a bit more inspiration tomorrow, though. I kind of ran dry toward the end of tonight's work. It might be that I'm tired. of course, I've been tired for days, and no amount of sleep seems to help.
It's getting a bit cool here. I'm looking forward to pretty trees this fall. There should be good pictures coming soon.
And maybe even some interesting news.
September 11, 2007
Another, older picture
It's been an odd day so far. Russ and I went for a short ride out into the country where I saw a lovely kingfisher, but I wasn't quick enough to get a picture. It was a gorgeous nearly-autumn day, though. Great to be out for awhile, and I felt much better by the time we got home. It's a shame I haven't really gotten any work done since then, but it's still early.
And because it's early, I can't really come up with much to say tonight. Writing is going well. I'm getting things done. I'm not quite as tired as I have been, either.
I'm looking forward to good autumn pictures!
September 12, 2007
The Boys
I am tired. So this is going to be short, and I'm heading off to bed. I still have one thing left on my list for the night, but since it's something creative, I just don't think I dare try to approach it tonight. I'll get it tomorrow. It won't take long once I'm awake.
The notes for the new book are going very well. The work on the current book is moving fine, but I think I've lost my way a bit. That's what I get for not outlining this time. Maybe I should take the time to write an outline to get through the rest of the novel. You know, that's probably the best thought I've had in days. I'll think about it.
Or dream about it, since I am heading for bed.
September 13, 2007
Pretty flower
I actually feel as though I'm almost on top of things tonight. It's not midnight yet, and I have many of the things on my list marked off. The stuff that's left is mostly fun things, too. I think the zoo pictures are going to be next.
I've done some DAZ work, and I got some Vision stuff done. I have nearly all my writing done for the night, and the last little bit shouldn't take more than half an hour. Ah, I still have to go edit a bit, but that won't take long either. Once those last two are done, I get to do the art stuff. I'm looking forward to it.
We're supposed to have a frost tomorrow night. Ack. I really don't want it to get cold yet. I generally like cold, and I've loved the weather today, but I really don't want too cold. Still looking forward to those leaf pictures, though. Maybe I can get Russ to take me to Stone Park some time this weekend. I bet it's just starting to change and is lovely.
I could use the time out.
But right now, I need to get the last little things done and have some fun!
September 14, 2007
It's cold!
Okay, maybe it's not that cold. It's still ten degrees above freezing. But it's cold enough and I can't get warm tonight. I'm trying to get the last bit of my work done, and then I'm going to go crawl into bed and maybe read for a while. Or sleep.
I got a good amount of writing done again tonight, though, so all is well in that respect. If I could get Pip off my schedule, I could tell what I still need to do tonight, too. Maybe it's just as well. If I look at it, I'll have to do it.
So, I'm ready to call it a night. I'll get caught up on anything else tomorrow.
I think I'm going to rework my schedule so have one 'catch up day' in fact. I think it'll make it a lot better to work with. Since tomorrow is the last day on this week's schedule, I can start thinking about that. Good.
Okay, that's enough thinking for tonight!
September 15, 2007
The boys again
It's 47(f) out tonight, but it seems much colder. I think it's psychological, to be honest. Or the fact that I actually have a cold, and I've been sneezing and miserable, so the cold temperature seems worse.
For the most part, I really enjoy the changing of the seasons. I saw my first really nice trees today, and I hope to see more soon. But tonight, I'd like nothing more than to curl up somewhere warm and just rest.
Which is what I'll be doing soon, of course. I'm nearly done with my writing for the night, and I got most of my newsletter done as well.
The writing is going well the last few days. Attitude, you know. I decided that, despite having all this extra work, I was still going to get a good amount of writing done. So I started writing 4k a day. Today is the 8th day of that plan, and it's gone well. There are bound to be times when it won't work as well, but I'm happy with it while I have the chance. A Plague of Rats is moving along, though not quite in the way I thought it would. Still, it's an interesting story to work on. The new one Draw the line is getting all kinds of notes but nothing coherent so far. I've got six weeks to pull it together.
And right now... time to finish up a little work and rest, and hope that this cold is better tomorrow.
September 16, 2007
Pretty lights at night
The days are just too busy. I'm going to have to find a way to cut back on some of it. Next week I'll double up some of the small things and then set it up so that Saturday and Sunday are free of everything but what absolutely has to be done -- DAZ newsletter, writing, etc.
However, in general, the schedule is still working well!
And I am still writing 4k a day. This is really good news. I feel like I'm back to normal again, instead of just bouncing around at things. A Plague of Rats is up to 70k, and I expect to have it finished in a few days. I'm looking at a sequel to it, too.
So, I'm going to get this done and then get right back to work!
September 17, 2007
Yes, we're starting to get color
I forgot to upload last night's entry. There wasn't much to it anyway, so it really doesn't matter, but I do wish I would stop forgetting to do that part!
We are having a hot day! I didn't think we'd have weather like this again, and I sure hope we get some storms tonight to cool it off! I want autumn back -- temps in the 70's, and everything looking lovely. I suppose it's on the way and I shouldn't complain, because we all know it's going to change soon enough, and then it will be winter. I like winter, as long as I can stay in here and look at it!
Maybe I'm just looking for some changes in general. That might really be the answer. I'll need to think about that for a while.
In the meantime, back to work and get this posted!
September 18, 2007
Lovely sunset
I am trying to get caught up on stuff tonight, so this will be short. Well, besides, I don't have much to say. I am still working on A Plague of Rats but that's not a surprise. The surprise is that I keep hitting spots that are just about stopping me dead. I get past them, but it's not been easy.
I'm also tired. I shouldn't be. I slept well today for the first time in a while, but I guess it wasn't enough. My plan is to get all my stuff done and go to bed early. Like maybe 2 am instead of 4 am.
Ugh. Must go back to work.
Had a nice storm tonight, though. It was still warm enough that I could stand out in the drizzle and take pictures without feeling too cold. I'll probably regret it later, but it was fun while I did it!
September 19, 2007
Pretty Rose
It's late. I'm tired. I'm going to make this short and head for bed.
I got a lot of stuff caught up today, but I'm going to have more things left undone tonight. I don't care. The important part is that I got my 4,000 words done and did some editing for DAZ. Tomorrow I'll get some of the other stuff caught up again. Tonight, I just want to curl up in some blankets and not think much about anything for a few hours.
Sounds like a plan to me!
September 20, 2007
Zaphod
I'm doing this early today so that it's not 3 am and I want to go to bed -- only to remember this journal. Yeah, silly, really, but I keep doing it anyway.
The weather has warmed up again. It's nearly 90f today, and I have the screen in on the office window. There's a breeze. We don't get those kinds of things often enough here. Really, it's a nice day out there. A shame that I'm going to be spending all the time here trying to get work done.
But that's the way my life always goes, right? I wouldn't know what to do with free time!
The novel is going well. I keep getting slowed down, but it works out eventually. I'm at a point where some of the characters have met back up again, so that's good, I think. And they're about to head into something very strange and dangerous. I just hope I'm up to writing it.
The last couple days I've felt off. Ugh. I might end up just heading back into bed soon.
But at least I'm getting this done!
September 21, 2007
A walk in the country
Russ surprised me with a trip to DeSoto Wildlife Refuge (and Omaha) today. It was a wonderful day for it, and I managed quite a few lovely pictures. But we came home to problems, and now it's late and I've gotten very little done. So this will be short.
I enjoyed the day, though. I'm going to keep that in mind while I work hard to get caught up!
September 22, 2007
Autumn
Well, okay. Let's give up on the idea of getting caught up, and just on getting what absolutely has to be done finished. That sounds reasonable. I'm all for trying reasonable now and then.
It's been an odd couple days with all kinds of site problems. Mar took care of the work part. I did the stress part. I think she probably stressed, too, but she handles it better than I do.
I am working on the newsletter (of course) and I think I now have all the pieces I need. No, hold on. No promo picture again. I'll have to get that before I know what order things go in. That might make it difficult to get done.
I'll worry about it. . . . later. Time to upload this and get some sleep.
September 23, 2007
Lovely colors
LONG night. It's almost 4 am and I've just gotten the DAZ newsletter done. I'm about to upload it and this, and then I'm heading off to bed! Yay!
Part of the lateness is my own fault. I kept messing around with things the last couple days, and I really shouldn't have. Just in a mood, I guess.
But it's done and about to go up. Then I send the email off and I'm free for a few hours! (grin)
Don't ask about writing. Just don't. (sigh)
September 24, 2007
Pond
That picture turned out far better than I expected. Very nice and fun!
I got the newsletter done, finally. And I'm trying to get some writing done tonight, but I seem to be having the usual concentration problems. It's going all right -- just wish it would go a little faster so I could go to bed. (grin)
And I wish I had something interesting to say tonight, but really, I'm lucky to have any mind at all at this point. Oh, it's not horrible, but it's been an odd few days, and I don't see it getting any better for a while. I rather hope things straighten out soon, but then I've been wishing that for a few years now and it's pretty obvious that no one is listening!
On the other hand, things are not all that bad. Just unsettling sometimes.
Gah. I have to go write.
September 25, 2007
Storm clouds
Oh yes, I nearly forgot this again tonight! It's because I have been doing so many other things, though and all of it going well. The story is nearly up to 85,000 words. The notes for the new novel are growing. I did some work on DTF and on Vision -- and I'm within a few pages of finishing reading Academ's Fury.
So, it's all good in that respect. I just have to say that if I didn't have this on my list of things to do, I'd have forgotten it. Sad that I have to have a schedule to remember things like this. Oh well. It works.
One more thing on the list and I'll be done for the night.
So, off I go, without really having said anything of any importance at all. This shouldn't surprise anyone at all.
September 26, 2007
Cuteness
That's a picture from the last time I went to the zoo at the end of August. I might be going again on Friday. I wonder how much bigger those little guys will be?
Once again, I'm trying to get this journal done 'early' (if you can call 10 pm early) so that I'm not trying to do it at the last moment.
I should be writing. For some reason, every time I start in on it, I find myself moving off to something else. It's not as though the writing is even difficult at this time. Part of the problem is a headache that will not let go today. I'm not certain what's brought it on. I just need it to ease up a bit for a couple hours, though! I need to finish my work!
Or maybe I just need to go relax for a little while. I think I'll try that first. (grin)
September 27, 2007
Birds
As of this afternoon, Forward Motion has moved to a new site. This one will be moving as well in the next day or two, so don't be surprised if you can't get to it. The last place just did not work out, unfortunately. The site started developing way too many problems.
So, we've moved again. Twice in one month is far too much, and Mar had way too much work to do. But it's there and people are already seeing it at the new location, and some aren't even aware that we moved again.
Life is odd.
And I'm going to the zoo in a few hours, so this is short and I'm heading for bed!
September 28, 2007
Fun day at the zoo
I had a great time at the zoo today! Yes, the tiger cubs are larger. They were quite cute, but I really didn't get any good pictures of them.
I have had an increasingly frustrating time at home tonight, and I'm finally giving up and going to bed. I'm not uploading this because it's kind of useless to do so at this point. Hope to have things settled again soon.
September 29, 2007
Last of the summer flowers
Weather is odd tonight. It got warmer after sunset, and now it's cooling down again. We had two big thunderstorms between midnight and dawn last night -- lovely stuff, but odd time of year for it.
Things are going okay. Not great, but not badly. Once we get all the stuff sorted out with the sites, it will be far better. And if I could focus on writing at all, it would be nice, too. Soon, I hope!
But that's about it, really.
So, off I go and probably make things worse rather than better somewhere. I seem to have that knack lately.
September 30, 2007
More Autumn Colors
Got the newsletter done. Got the websites moved on this should show up in a few days. Yay!
Russ leaves for New York in the morning. (Not so Yay) I think we're set here. I can't think of anything in particular that I really need done between now and then, and he's only going to be gone a couple days this time.
I have started a major rewrite of the second Silky novel. Why, you ask? Shouldn't I be finishing A Plague of Rats? Yes, I should -- but I kept just dancing around with the story, and I need to set it aside and think about what I want the ending to do.
I do not plan on ever writing another novel without an outline. Just a short outline would have saved me all kinds of time!
Other things, other work -- not much. I want to get some art work done this week, just because I feel like it's been far too long.
Oh, and I'm thinking about buying a Canon camera, rather than the new Sony. It's a bit less expensive, has some nice touches, and the reviews have been marginally better. What I would really like is for the Sony Alpha to get a live view back screen, but it didn't happen in the just released version, so I'm going to move over to a Canon for a while. My current camera, which I love, is really starting to show some wear. I've done -- oh, several thousand pictures on it, dropped it a few times, and generally abused the poor thing. I noticed that I'm starting to have some trouble with the white balance, so I think it's time to start looking.
And if I get paid for the newsletters, who knows?
(grin)
Time to get back to work though. And upload this, though it's not going to make a lot of difference to many people.