Write

Over 1200 words so far today.

Animals for decoration

Joining a long line of animals altered by humanity for decoration:

Glowing Fish to Be First Genetically Changed Pet

Let's see. Dogs. Pigeons. Cats. Horses. What other creatures have been altered...?

Disappointment countered by progress

Write

Only 406 words tonight. Less than my average per hour. But the scene (which is absolutely new) was moving forward. Thus, the low rate is balanced by movement in the story. Overall, I'm pleased. I will have lots of material to rewrite which is always better than having no material at all.

Interesting sw

Write

This looks interesting:

WriteItNow

Know your limits

Weights

As part of yesterday's cardio class, the instructor had us do stretches. One form had us standing on each foot for several minutes at a time while stretching the other leg in various motions.

I could not perform many of those moves. I began to feel frustrated. I blamed myself: I've felt for many a year now to be quite advanced in this class. I know moves several instructors didn't know!

I then reminded myself stop being so stupid. The instructor teaches dances as well which was quite obvious. More importantly, it was my workout. I determined the level of activity I wanted to achieve and could achieve.

Health experts state that sustained cardio for 20 minutes three times a day is enough for an average American. My goals are higher than that but I don't want to be a dancer (yet). So during the rest of the workout (i.e., abs, more stretches), I executed them at my rate. My sweat-soaked shirt more than showed that I was working out just as hard as anyone else in the class. That was later proven when I weighed myself in the locker room. I had lost another pound. Yeah!

Write

Date’s Thursday, November 20, 2003. Time’s 22:16:59. At the coffeeshop.

I’m surprised. Few people in the shop. My favorite spot (view to the bathrooms though that’s definitely not the reason it’s my favorite spot) was available.

Time’s 22:24:42. Oops! Time’s 22:30:41. Gotta write. Be right back (BRB).

Time’s 23:09:58. Back.
287 new words. Over a page (250 words). I’m pleased. Gonna break for five minutes then resume at 23:15.

Time’s 23:15:27. Back. And back to work.

Time’s 23:23:09. Back.
Gonna end tonight session. My contacts are bothering me. Still, got 364 new words. I’m pleased. Night!

You're writing? BWAHAHAHA...!

Last night I returned my parents call. When they asked what have I been up to, I mentioned I've been working on my novel.

"You're what?" Mom asked. I said I'm working on my novel.
"Haven't you been writing for the last seven years?"
"Yes. Intermittantly."
My mom yelled to my dad and both laughed. I could guess what they were saying.

It's interesting what I felt. Amusement. As I later told the story to R. and my sister (who were both horrified at my parents' reaction) I know my mom and dad. Neither read for pleasure. Thus, it's ironic that my sibs and I love to read despite the parental figures' discouragement during childhood. Knowing this fact, I never even conside their opinion on the written word like I would with R.'s or my friends Greg, Clark, and my ex-co-worker Debbie. Putting such emotional investment would be as wasteful and useless as trying to convince a fundamentalist of any faith to admit their deity may not exist, for example. As I said to R. and my sister, "they're Mom and Dad. I'll always love them and I never expect them to understand. And that's okay."

The next day....*

And, of course, it's a quiet morning so far unlike yesterday's busy day. Hope it stays that way. I really want to get a bigger chunk of the handbook done.

Finally got the mail out this week. I need to start purchasing rolls of stamps again.

Today's a dual-workout day. I think I'm going to skip the weight-training this week and increase the cardio (which means add another session) instead.

Writing's been shot. I'll see how I feel tonight. Definitely writing Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. R.'s going to take one of the latter two days to catch up on the workload.

We discussed doing a movie marathon this weekend. Scary Movie 3, Looney Toons, and the Cat in the Hat. Yikes!




*I'm really just blathering in this entry.

You might be....

Oh, this is funny....

...You might be a Rednecked Wizard

ToDo

Errr. I can feel panic rising with the thoughts of all the projects* I must do, have to do, and want to do (which is fueled by the lack of breakfast this morning.) To calm myself, I'm going to break down my current projects by my role**:

Personal
Complete the books I'm currently reading. (I'm notorious in starting but not finishing a book even even when it's a good read.)
Get stamps by day's end. Mail out stuff.
Fill out and mail out rebates by week's end.
Get spouse's schedule today.
Follow up with the copywriters (for job info) by week's end.
Follow up with real estate agent (for job info) by week's end.
Schedule and execute at least one hour's worth of housework by Sunday. (I can't believe I can't find time to do this!)
Decide if I want to create a personal homepage by year's end.


Spouse
Purchase pastries by night's end.
Verify meeting bank tonight by noon today.
Decide date to see The Haunted Mansion set and purchase tickets by week's end.


Son
Give parents a call by week's end.
Decide what to do about Thanksgiving by week's end. (Currently have two offers.)
Decide what to do about Christmas by week's end (especially if I visit the parental figures.)


Sibling
Give siblings a call by week's end.


Friend
Give Kendall a call by week's end (especially after that juicy e-mail.)


Writer
Send Monday's work to desktop computer before next writing session (which I believe is tonight).


Fitness (can't think of the appropriate title)
FINALLY do weights by week's end. (I may have to push this one to next week. Again. Grrr. I can feel my pecs deflating and my arse inflating....)


Employee
Handbook. FINALLY get more than a page or two!


Entrepreneur
Get RLI paperwork to accountant by week's end.



*I define a project as a goal with a discernible start and stop date. I don't include routine stuff in this list.

**This list is subject to grow as I remember things....

Friends week

Saw a whole slew of folks on Sunday. Virtually all of them commented that we haven't seen each other in a while. Then saw my friend Kevin yesterday night. Dinner.

Wow. Haven't seen so many folks in such a short period for...hmmm...a year?

Day so far....

Overall, not too shabby of a day. Work kept me quite busy during the morning from when I walked through the door until I left for lunch as I processed several of the hardest requests.

Ah, yes, lunch. I originally planned to work out this afternoon. Because I rushed out this morning, I forgot my workout clothes. Thus, eating out twice today: lunchtime and din-din with a friend after work. If I make it to The Center tonight, I'll have to bow out to any suggestions for a late-night snack.

Hmmm. I wish there was a decent cardio class tomorrow. Oh! I'm working tomorrow from 0700-1700. I can easily make the interval step class down in the Lake Forest gym. Will have to check to see what R.'s doing that evening, though, since it's the weekly half-day.

Just spoke with Clarkest. He's got a new cell. Yeah! Now I can barrage him with calls and text messages. Hehehehe....

Sigh. Still have so many projects due by month's end. And next month. Yikes! We're going to have to talk. Hmmm. Maybe I'll draw up a list. Oh! And to make it simple, I'll put options to check off :-)

WWW

Words
599 new words. I'm happy, especially since I didn't originally plan to do any writing tonight.

Weights
Should have done weight training today but I skipped it to take care of bills. Did cardio, though. Ugh. Not difficult but high intensity. I'm exhausted.

Whatever
More to come....

Weekend ending....

Wrote (see below); saw Die Mommie Die (thanks for the invite, Greg and Clark!); and did the foodshooping for the week. (Sheesh! Ralph's is expensive).

Now I'm going to retire, read Silver Drums, start on Harry Potter and Order of the Phoenix, and dream.

Today's session

1142 new words. I'm pleased. And, though I was at the coffeeshop and I had Wi-Fi on over to FM (specifically, the chatroom), I didn't allow myself to get too badly distracted.

Finished!

Just finished reading the Gates of Hell (see previous entries). I give it a solid B.

They can do that?

Hmmm. I'm not familar with private schools but I never even thought the expulsion would be legal in the first place:

School Reverses Position Agrees Not To Expel Gays

All from a visit

Yesterday we attended a housewarming party. The following popped up in my head as I socialized:

Got to get our own house organized.
Schedule more time with friends.
Plan to redo our own place especially with the line of credit.
Simplify life (especially after a long conversation with one friend).
What do I really want out of life?
We have few friends who read for pleasure.