So…um…now what?

I’m really behind on emails and reading blogs and all my “social” internet-ing. I’m missing my online world and my online friends. Isn’t that strange? After being virtually unplugged for two days, I feel totally out of touch! I came home yesterday and today to about 100 emails. Most I could ignore completely. Some I had to answer. Others can wait. And still others can go to the trash bin.

My work computer decided to explode last Friday with a major Trojan. Man thought he’d fixed everything. But it’s still sick. Major problems abound. Today, it undergoes major surgery. A total wipe out and system reload.

R.I.P. Trojan.

One thing that little scare had me do, though, was immediately come home and scan the home computer, the Mini, the thumb drive. All are clean, thank goodness. And then I backed everything up. EVERYTHING. The hard drive, the thumb drive. I can’t afford to lose any data. Especially when I’ve been working so diligently on the revisions. I think I’d weep if anything happened.

I did have a wonderful surprise in the mailbox when I got home, though. Karen Marie Moning’s Dreamfever has arrived! And yes, I’m salivating to read it. After I cooked dinner, did the dishes and got the kid settled into bed, I settled down to read. I’ve been waiting for this book for a LOOOOOONG time.

This weekend is about running errands, cleaning house, church, soccer practice, and getting the kiddo ready for the first day of school. Plus I need to work on the OTFS contest and those revisions. I’m this close to being finished and I don’t want to come to a complete halt.

And that’s about it for me. I can’t believe it’s Friday already! This week totally flew.

Happy weekend, ya’ll!

Hard Work

Sampson catches up on paperwork.

paperwork

All that hard work makes him ready for a nap!

naptime

Busy Weekend

Saturday was the chapter meeting. It was really good, I have to say. We got a lot accomplished in the business meeting and our speaker was delightful. We had Rosemary Clement-Moore who talked about writing YA. She’s funny and very lively. Her new book is out, too. Highway To Hell is the third in her series about her spunky heroine who fights evil. If you like paranormal YA, then you should definitely check it out.

After that, we had lunch with Rosemary and chatted and had a really nice time. Then she headed out for her book signing. I went home, and Man picked me up and then we went to the book store. I got there just in time to get her last book! Whew. So now I have in my hand the third book and I can’t wait to start reading it.

Man and I went to dinner after driving around for while. We were going to cook on the grill but it was still a little cold and we were both famished so we ended up at TGI Fridays. I had a nice steak.

Sunday was all about laundry and getting a lot of work done on the chapter biz. I think I spent about six hours at the computer. And that’s six hours solid. I worked on the website and made a lot of updates, the luncheon registration, a new member packet… all sorts of things. It was exhausting.

By the time 10:30 rolled around, I started reading the last two chapters of Phoenix for editing purposes. I think I have all the glaring typos and errors fixed. Now I just need to write the 2-3 more scenes for the book and call it done! I’ve already started sending it out to for critique. I want this book to be super good before I submit it. I’m still shooting for April 1. I think I can make it, too.

This morning I need to take the kiddo to the dentist for a check-up. Plus they’re going to seal his permanent molars. It’s preventative – keeps the cavities away. I’m all for that! I just hope it doesn’t cost an arm and a leg. Oof.

And then I’m off from work Wednesday-Friday with the kiddo and my nephew. I need to start figuring out some inexpensive entertainment activities. I’m thinking the Botanical Gardens will be a good outside option, provided it doesn’t rain, of course. Plus they can run themselves ragged. haha

Okay that’s it for me. I gotta get ready for the dentist. Happy Monday, ya’ll!

Work work work

So much to do and so little time to get it done in.

I’ve had the good fortune to get some work done on the Rome story. I’ve read through the entire book, now, and made some edits. Now that I’ve done that, I can finally get back to it and finish it. My friend, Lara, and I are going to have a write-a-thon and finish our books. :) We traded drafts to read for fun (these were our NaNo books) and I gotta say, her teenage characters are great.

After I cooked dinner last night (brats, rice and brown gravy – it was YUM), I sat at the computer the rest of the time. I got a slew of contest entries that had to be logged and entrants notified so I did that first. Then I decided to try and stay ahead of the game and went ahead and attached score sheets to all the entries I already did have. Then, finally, I got to write.

Since I’m President of my local chapter, I thought it would be cool to implement online workshops for everyone. I had no idea how much work would be involved in that. I put out a call for workshop presenters to the other RWA chapter loops and got an overwhelming response. So I’ve printed all the submissions and I’m going to go through them this weekend and start making some decisions about what to present to the group. And THEN I have to contact all these folks, get them scheduled. And that’s only scratching the surface. I have to get the website updated with a registration page (egads!), set up a Yahoo Group for the classroom, and I’m going to have to recruit someone to be a moderator… So much to do!! But, I think it will be worthwhile in the end. I few this as a way to pay for our monthly meeting room (since we have to do that now). I’m worried about the budget. I want to make sure we have enough money for the rest of the year’s events.

I’ve recruited Man to help me figure out this form for the webpage. He, thankfully, said yes. I wonder if I can pay him in chocolate?

I get the kiddo tonight! I’ve been missing him something fierce.

Okay, time for work. And why is the cat sitting and staring at me?

Countdown

I have started the official countdown to the Estimated Time of Departure for the Big Weekend. At the time of this writing, there will be less than 24 hours to go. WAHOO!

I’m SO looking forward to getting out of down and blowing off some steam for a while. It’s going to be greatness.

I actually have to work all day today. :D After I pick up the kiddo, we’re going to the book fair at the school so he can get his books on his wish list. I have to admit I’m really looking forward to that! And speaking of the book fair… I volunteered yesterday with the kiddo’s class to help them out on their wish list. It was great fun. The librarian thought I was nuts because I said it was great fun. hehe

There was the cutest little girl who reminded me a lot of my niece. She asked me to help her find books on horses so we scoured all the shelves for horsie books. She was so cute. The boys were cute too. All of them found the Star Wars and Indiana Jones books in a matter of seconds.

I chatted with the librarian after his class left to go back to work. Then I headed to the office.

I’m so happy to report a cold front came through and it was in the 40s last night. Talk about COLD! I also froze my bum off at soccer practice last night, too. Another mom and I chatted and shivered the entire time. That was the longest, coldest hour of my life. Well, so far. ;)

I got some critiquing done yesterday as well as getting in some words on the Magic story. I can’t stop thinking about the NaNo book, though, and I’m trying to decide where to start it.

Oh, and I’m very excited to report I’ve managed to get my niece interested in the Young Writer’s Program through NaNoWriMo. I think that’s just fabulous. My sis-in-law told me she’s started outlining her book. I hope she keeps that up. Working without a synopsis is mucho difficult.

Okay that’s it for me. Time to take the kiddo to school and get me to work. Happy Thursday!

Surrounded by Stupidity

It seems like everywhere I went yesterday, there were stupid people. From the time I got on the highway to the time I drove in the driveway. Idiots everywhere. I was highly agitated by the time I got home from work – which, incidentally, it took nearly 20 minutes just to get out of downtown (a normally 5 minute trek). AND my shoes gave me blisters. GRR

Work especially tried my patience today. I was very ready to leave when I walked out the door at 5 pm.

On the upside… the kiddo and I hung out. He was so sweet – after dinner he decided to give me a make-over. Which really consisted of combing my hair and “styling” it. I thought that was cute. Later, he watched Star Wars III since he hadn’t ever seen it before. He was happy as a lark watching the movie with a giant bowl of popcorn. I had cookies and milk which seemed to lighten my mood.

I did get a few words in on Magic. Progess is still slow, but chapter 3 is complete and I’m ready to move on.

And that’s it for me. And it’s only Tuesday… *groan*