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Yes, I know, I know. It's been since, what, 2013 since I posted?
I have reasons!
Once I returned from Down Under at around May and June of last year, I got super-duper distracted by a rather pesky (horrible) staph infection. Yeah, that I had apparently been suffering from for a loooong time (even while in Australia). My immunity was shot (which is why I got 2 colds in 4 months... 3 years since my previous one!) and I just felt crummy--bad skin, nausea, etc. And then I somehow aggravated the infection and, well, I blew up.
Well, not literally... but I had NO IDEA that there were that many lymph nodes in the human body. And how much pain that could cause.
Long, stupid story short: antibiotics suck, allergic to the one that *may* have helped me, severely underprescribed ones that did not work, but made me sicker, went to acupuncture (AMAZING), system got a bit overloaded in the meantime, developed food sensitivities out of no where, skin blew up more (ever have your entire face ooze? That was my Christmas vacation).
AND, my acupuncturist said "We're starting over!" and put me on the most amazing food cleanse that cleared out everything. ALL OF IT. And slowly, the original infection went completely away, no meds, just cleaned diet. No alcohol, no caffeine, no sugar for a month. I extended it to 5 months because I felt like it. Was it fun? No. But neither is fully body lymph pain.
Now? I'm better than I was before. Immunity is back up to par. I can now be around sick people and not get sick. Food sensitivities went away (yay tomatoes! yay spinach!) (except for corn... I learned that clogs my sinuses and makes my skin itchy) My skin is clearer than ever. Lost a handful of unexpected pounds with the cleanse, too, and kept them off! I'm finally HUMAN again after a good 18 months. It's like they say... food is medicine, and you are what you eat.
Anyway. That's my story. It sucked and now it doesn't suck anymore.
BUT NOW TO THE GOOD STORIES. THE NFE EXCHANGE!
I had a wonderful Helen and Frank love story written for me: the future eyes us sideways by![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
be_themoon.
And I also had a Madness story, too! Another Frank and Helen one! :D The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face.
Please, go read these fantastic stories! I love me some Frank and Helen.
And then I wrote The Ambassador, which I, of course, made a part of my Dichotomy Universe. It appears my recipient went AWOL though... I hope someday they discover it and like it! The prompt that they gave me was RIGHT up my alley.
That being said, it's really just a small section of a story I have outlined out which is intended to be the sequel to the Big Bang story I wrote a few years back (which I am overhauling before I post on ff.net and AO3). But hopefully I can tackle that entire saga...eventually!
All for now...
I have reasons!
Once I returned from Down Under at around May and June of last year, I got super-duper distracted by a rather pesky (horrible) staph infection. Yeah, that I had apparently been suffering from for a loooong time (even while in Australia). My immunity was shot (which is why I got 2 colds in 4 months... 3 years since my previous one!) and I just felt crummy--bad skin, nausea, etc. And then I somehow aggravated the infection and, well, I blew up.
Well, not literally... but I had NO IDEA that there were that many lymph nodes in the human body. And how much pain that could cause.
Long, stupid story short: antibiotics suck, allergic to the one that *may* have helped me, severely underprescribed ones that did not work, but made me sicker, went to acupuncture (AMAZING), system got a bit overloaded in the meantime, developed food sensitivities out of no where, skin blew up more (ever have your entire face ooze? That was my Christmas vacation).
AND, my acupuncturist said "We're starting over!" and put me on the most amazing food cleanse that cleared out everything. ALL OF IT. And slowly, the original infection went completely away, no meds, just cleaned diet. No alcohol, no caffeine, no sugar for a month. I extended it to 5 months because I felt like it. Was it fun? No. But neither is fully body lymph pain.
Now? I'm better than I was before. Immunity is back up to par. I can now be around sick people and not get sick. Food sensitivities went away (yay tomatoes! yay spinach!) (except for corn... I learned that clogs my sinuses and makes my skin itchy) My skin is clearer than ever. Lost a handful of unexpected pounds with the cleanse, too, and kept them off! I'm finally HUMAN again after a good 18 months. It's like they say... food is medicine, and you are what you eat.
Anyway. That's my story. It sucked and now it doesn't suck anymore.
BUT NOW TO THE GOOD STORIES. THE NFE EXCHANGE!
I had a wonderful Helen and Frank love story written for me: the future eyes us sideways by
be_themoon.And I also had a Madness story, too! Another Frank and Helen one! :D The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face.
Please, go read these fantastic stories! I love me some Frank and Helen.
And then I wrote The Ambassador, which I, of course, made a part of my Dichotomy Universe. It appears my recipient went AWOL though... I hope someday they discover it and like it! The prompt that they gave me was RIGHT up my alley.
That being said, it's really just a small section of a story I have outlined out which is intended to be the sequel to the Big Bang story I wrote a few years back (which I am overhauling before I post on ff.net and AO3). But hopefully I can tackle that entire saga...eventually!
All for now...
Let's do it again!
Come join in on the NFE Write-In this week!
http://tinychat.com/jfbs4
Hope to see some of you there!
Come join in on the NFE Write-In this week!
http://tinychat.com/jfbs4
Hope to see some of you there!
Thanks to everyone who came to tonight's NFE Write-In!
We had a lot of gold stars, cheerleaders, and Word Wars. I'd say it was a success.
It looks like we're going to aim for another one next Friday, 8 PM EST. Perfect for those last minute changes, additions, and other edits!
Stay tuned for the chat room link next week. Hope to see you all there!
We had a lot of gold stars, cheerleaders, and Word Wars. I'd say it was a success.
It looks like we're going to aim for another one next Friday, 8 PM EST. Perfect for those last minute changes, additions, and other edits!
Stay tuned for the chat room link next week. Hope to see you all there!
ATTENTION. CAN I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION, PLEASE.
ahem.
I'm further behind on my NFE that I'd like to be. I'm a bit behind since I took a two week hiatus on all things life related with a staph infection that I couldn't unfocus on. Yay.
So…anyone up for another good ol' fashioned write-in? I think I hosted one either for last year's NFE or BB… can't recall. I just remember that it was very, very effective.
Anyone else on board? Say, this Friday evening?
LET'S DO IT, PEOPLE.
ahem.
I'm further behind on my NFE that I'd like to be. I'm a bit behind since I took a two week hiatus on all things life related with a staph infection that I couldn't unfocus on. Yay.
So…anyone up for another good ol' fashioned write-in? I think I hosted one either for last year's NFE or BB… can't recall. I just remember that it was very, very effective.
Anyone else on board? Say, this Friday evening?
LET'S DO IT, PEOPLE.
Australia.
Jun. 3rd, 2013 06:58 amWell, this place could sure use a good dusting…considering I haven't posted in over 6 MONTHS.
But anyway.
G'day everyone!
As some of you know, I've spent the last couple of months residing in Australia on a much-needed escape/break/vacation/what-have-you. And then there were the months prior to that preparing for my trip, so needless to say, I have a lot to catch up on around these parts!
The trip was fantastic. I got a lot of "soul-searching" done (for lack of a better term) and saw some amazing things, met great people, and just generally got away. I got to reconnect with my former grad-school roommate (who I stayed with) and got to hone my previously non-existent nannying-skills with her toddler. I drank great wine, ate great food, got to swim on the other side of the Pacific, travelled in and around Sydney Harbor, and even got to cuddle a koala! I hope to post a few pictures and details in the near future…
On the writing front, I've accomplished nothing. BUT, I've got quite a lot of thinking in. And tons and tons and tons of reading (I've read about 75 books this year thus far, following a total of 150 in 2012). I'd like to think I'm practicing my skills by the "think method." (La-di la-di la-di la-di-da…la-di-da…la-di-da…)
I'm still out and about traveling in the midwest in and in California before I settle back down early next month. I'm hoping to catch up on lots of fic reading in the meantime, and will slowly starting to get to work on the edits of my last year's Big Bang. It's time.
And then, of course, the NFE which I am really, really looking forward to, of course!
In the meantime…how is everyone doing?! I've missed you all!
But anyway.
G'day everyone!
As some of you know, I've spent the last couple of months residing in Australia on a much-needed escape/break/vacation/what-have-you. And then there were the months prior to that preparing for my trip, so needless to say, I have a lot to catch up on around these parts!
The trip was fantastic. I got a lot of "soul-searching" done (for lack of a better term) and saw some amazing things, met great people, and just generally got away. I got to reconnect with my former grad-school roommate (who I stayed with) and got to hone my previously non-existent nannying-skills with her toddler. I drank great wine, ate great food, got to swim on the other side of the Pacific, travelled in and around Sydney Harbor, and even got to cuddle a koala! I hope to post a few pictures and details in the near future…
On the writing front, I've accomplished nothing. BUT, I've got quite a lot of thinking in. And tons and tons and tons of reading (I've read about 75 books this year thus far, following a total of 150 in 2012). I'd like to think I'm practicing my skills by the "think method." (La-di la-di la-di la-di-da…la-di-da…la-di-da…)
I'm still out and about traveling in the midwest in and in California before I settle back down early next month. I'm hoping to catch up on lots of fic reading in the meantime, and will slowly starting to get to work on the edits of my last year's Big Bang. It's time.
And then, of course, the NFE which I am really, really looking forward to, of course!
In the meantime…how is everyone doing?! I've missed you all!
Thanksgiving.
Nov. 25th, 2012 08:39 pmHellooooooo?
Man, long time no post. And I keep saying that with full intention to get back into the swing of things here on LJ and other places…hopefully I will this month.
November has been a pretty good month all around…a few paid gigs here and there which I am *very* grateful for. My reading has slowed down a bit, though, so I'm a bit behind on reaching my 150 books in 2012 goal. There's still time, though!
My mother came into town (leaving the rest of the family to deal with my brother's in-laws…suckers) and I went all out for a Thanksgiving meal for just the two of us. Which has left us with lots and lots and lots of leftovers. Oy. Though I only got a 10 lb. turkey, we've barely made a dent out of it. Plus, there's the fact whenever my mother is in town, she likes to eat out a lot as a treat. And I have some pretty great eateries around…
In the meantime, she's currently camped out on my couch with the Outlander novels in hand. I sent her two before she came and checked out the next three specifically for her visit. She reads exponentially faster than me and can churn one of those out per day. For those who have read these: I KNOW, RIGHT?! Craziness!
I did not sign up for the Big Bang this year. Even though I have a story on the back burner that could easily hit the 20K mark, I just can't justify it when I still have to do all the major edits for *last* year's Big Bang! I hope hope hope I have the motivation to tackle that thing during the holidays. Writing and fanfic in general just hasn't been on my mind these days. And there's so much to catch up on, I know!
Looks like my freezer is going to be stocked for awhile. And I'll to use up some of my old stock for new stock that I should make tomorrow or the next night.
December is going to be low key…I'm heading back to the midwest earlier than normal so I can see the midnight showing of the Hobbit there. And then 3 weeks in a crowded house…that's going to be a challenge. It's going to suck, too, now that my best friend/kitty is no longer with us. Holidays without pets just aren't that fun.
Not much else going on, really! I hope each and every one of you had a lovely Thanksgiving weekend… and woohoo holiday season! It's the most wonderful time of the year! :D
Man, long time no post. And I keep saying that with full intention to get back into the swing of things here on LJ and other places…hopefully I will this month.
November has been a pretty good month all around…a few paid gigs here and there which I am *very* grateful for. My reading has slowed down a bit, though, so I'm a bit behind on reaching my 150 books in 2012 goal. There's still time, though!
My mother came into town (leaving the rest of the family to deal with my brother's in-laws…suckers) and I went all out for a Thanksgiving meal for just the two of us. Which has left us with lots and lots and lots of leftovers. Oy. Though I only got a 10 lb. turkey, we've barely made a dent out of it. Plus, there's the fact whenever my mother is in town, she likes to eat out a lot as a treat. And I have some pretty great eateries around…
In the meantime, she's currently camped out on my couch with the Outlander novels in hand. I sent her two before she came and checked out the next three specifically for her visit. She reads exponentially faster than me and can churn one of those out per day. For those who have read these: I KNOW, RIGHT?! Craziness!
I did not sign up for the Big Bang this year. Even though I have a story on the back burner that could easily hit the 20K mark, I just can't justify it when I still have to do all the major edits for *last* year's Big Bang! I hope hope hope I have the motivation to tackle that thing during the holidays. Writing and fanfic in general just hasn't been on my mind these days. And there's so much to catch up on, I know!
Looks like my freezer is going to be stocked for awhile. And I'll to use up some of my old stock for new stock that I should make tomorrow or the next night.
December is going to be low key…I'm heading back to the midwest earlier than normal so I can see the midnight showing of the Hobbit there. And then 3 weeks in a crowded house…that's going to be a challenge. It's going to suck, too, now that my best friend/kitty is no longer with us. Holidays without pets just aren't that fun.
Not much else going on, really! I hope each and every one of you had a lovely Thanksgiving weekend… and woohoo holiday season! It's the most wonderful time of the year! :D
Outlander.
Oct. 10th, 2012 01:05 pmHelloooooooooooo!
Long time no LJ, everyone! I figured it's time to list my reasons/excuses/distractions.
1. The month of August, I was stuck in Outlander land. Being unemployed, I had hours and hours of free time (when not looking for work) to read. So I did. The entire series in about 3 weeks. It was cracktastic. And because I tend to have a one track mind, I was unable to focus on anything else—online "life", TV shows, etc. But boy am I glad I'm caught up on the series now… and I'm glad to not have been roped in without as many books as there are out now!
2. Speaking of unemployment… the great state of California had deemed me as unable to file for unemployment insurance in early August. Their reasons why? Because I'm too busy being "self-employed" and therefore not available to work 40 hours a week. I appealed, and let them know that I was NOT busy sitting around paying myself for sitting around in a swimming suit and reading 6 hours a day in 102 degree heat. I made the distinction between "self-employed" and "independent contractor" and let them know that there are thousands in my line of work who can pull unemployment, so why should it be an issue for me?
I sent the appeal off, fully preparing to get a court date to meet with them in person… and instead, a week later, I got a notice in the mail: "ooops, our bad, here has some $$$, lol."
I took it. Along with the back $$ that I missed out on while fighting the system.
3. And of course, as soon as it cooled down some and I got unemployment reinstated, that's when the work comes rolling back in! Or, at least, mostly. Though I've been kicking and screaming to leave the independent contractor world, it keeps dragging me in. I had an awesome 3 day gig pop up last week out of nowhere that was both fun and very well paying. Whew! And I made lots of connections, which is even better.
Now, here's how things work for me: I will never, ever get a job that I apply for. Jobs come to me. This has always bent the case, and the trend seems to continue. But, I can't just sit around and wait for the phone call, though… I still have to go after them, for my own sanity's sake (and the fact that the great state of California rightfully insists that I do).
I've been meeting with a friend on a near-weekly basis and together, we tackle the job hunt. She hates her job, I just want one. We also bounce creative ideas back and forth, eat good food, and laugh at youtube videos, but I digress. With our powers combined, we've been getting a lot accomplished on the job hunt, helping each other out on leads and such. Which leads me to…
4. I was up for a job. A really good one. Made it to the final stage of interviews. And you guessed it, I never applied for it to begin with—I applied to 6 positions with this company, but only a 7th one found my resume in the pool and went after me.
I did not get it, alas. And the reason being is that I sabotaged myself in the final interview. I was hesitant because it would have meant transplanting myself for a couple of months, being on my own on finding housing in only 3 weeks, work out transportation with said new job because I'm carless, and basically giving up all my time for the holidays. The interviewer sensed my wariness and called me out on it, and though overall the interview went really, really well, I know deep down that I took myself out of the running.
So, last week when I got the call, I was really, really upset. Not because I didn't get it, 'cause frankly, it's a relief not to have to worry about that stuff (and I do have some smaller gigs lined up in the next two months), but it's out of principle. I recognized a running trend I have with myself, and that's the self-sabotage through fear that has pretty much encompassed all areas of my life. A fear of change, I guess. I'm not sure, I'm still trying to figure it out.
5. Now THAT being said, there is a BIG change coming up. It's been in the making all summer long, but I can confirm that in March 2013, I'm taking off for a 3 month stint (at the least) inBrisvegas Brisbane, Australia! Woohoo!
My really good friend/former roommate in grad school moved down there 2 years ago with her husband, and they've been pressuring me to come down for awhile. And the time is just right that I need something new, big and challenging in my life. And it's a test to get over that self-sabotaging fear, too… so, I'm embracing this change BIG time.
6. Of course, there was the NFE… and I promise, I WILL get around to reading all the stories I missed. Like I said earlier… me and one my one track mind. It's been hard to get focused back on Narnia and such lately. The story I wrote did pretty well, I think. My recipient seemed to really like it, and that's what's most important! Because I was dealing with an OC, I knew it'd be a challenge to get anyone's interest, but despite that, I got some lovely feedback.
That's it in very, very large nutshell! And kinda explains why I've become an Outlander in LJ-land. Fall has kicked in to full gear… I'm still reading a lot and am unemployed this week, but I'm not in such a financial hardship as I was just a month or two ago. And most importantly, it's finally cooled off! The weekend heat waves of 100+ weather in the land that "needs no air-conditioning" are over. That's reason enough to celebrate…
Though it also means I'm going to have to start wearing real clothes again and do laundry and such. Ah well. I saved a lot in quarters the entire month of August.
And I've got a lot to catch up on LJ… I'd ask how you all are, but I'm sure the answers are all in the back pages of entries I've yet to read. Regardless, I hope you all ARE well!
Long time no LJ, everyone! I figured it's time to list my reasons/excuses/distractions.
1. The month of August, I was stuck in Outlander land. Being unemployed, I had hours and hours of free time (when not looking for work) to read. So I did. The entire series in about 3 weeks. It was cracktastic. And because I tend to have a one track mind, I was unable to focus on anything else—online "life", TV shows, etc. But boy am I glad I'm caught up on the series now… and I'm glad to not have been roped in without as many books as there are out now!
2. Speaking of unemployment… the great state of California had deemed me as unable to file for unemployment insurance in early August. Their reasons why? Because I'm too busy being "self-employed" and therefore not available to work 40 hours a week. I appealed, and let them know that I was NOT busy sitting around paying myself for sitting around in a swimming suit and reading 6 hours a day in 102 degree heat. I made the distinction between "self-employed" and "independent contractor" and let them know that there are thousands in my line of work who can pull unemployment, so why should it be an issue for me?
I sent the appeal off, fully preparing to get a court date to meet with them in person… and instead, a week later, I got a notice in the mail: "ooops, our bad, here has some $$$, lol."
I took it. Along with the back $$ that I missed out on while fighting the system.
3. And of course, as soon as it cooled down some and I got unemployment reinstated, that's when the work comes rolling back in! Or, at least, mostly. Though I've been kicking and screaming to leave the independent contractor world, it keeps dragging me in. I had an awesome 3 day gig pop up last week out of nowhere that was both fun and very well paying. Whew! And I made lots of connections, which is even better.
Now, here's how things work for me: I will never, ever get a job that I apply for. Jobs come to me. This has always bent the case, and the trend seems to continue. But, I can't just sit around and wait for the phone call, though… I still have to go after them, for my own sanity's sake (and the fact that the great state of California rightfully insists that I do).
I've been meeting with a friend on a near-weekly basis and together, we tackle the job hunt. She hates her job, I just want one. We also bounce creative ideas back and forth, eat good food, and laugh at youtube videos, but I digress. With our powers combined, we've been getting a lot accomplished on the job hunt, helping each other out on leads and such. Which leads me to…
4. I was up for a job. A really good one. Made it to the final stage of interviews. And you guessed it, I never applied for it to begin with—I applied to 6 positions with this company, but only a 7th one found my resume in the pool and went after me.
I did not get it, alas. And the reason being is that I sabotaged myself in the final interview. I was hesitant because it would have meant transplanting myself for a couple of months, being on my own on finding housing in only 3 weeks, work out transportation with said new job because I'm carless, and basically giving up all my time for the holidays. The interviewer sensed my wariness and called me out on it, and though overall the interview went really, really well, I know deep down that I took myself out of the running.
So, last week when I got the call, I was really, really upset. Not because I didn't get it, 'cause frankly, it's a relief not to have to worry about that stuff (and I do have some smaller gigs lined up in the next two months), but it's out of principle. I recognized a running trend I have with myself, and that's the self-sabotage through fear that has pretty much encompassed all areas of my life. A fear of change, I guess. I'm not sure, I'm still trying to figure it out.
5. Now THAT being said, there is a BIG change coming up. It's been in the making all summer long, but I can confirm that in March 2013, I'm taking off for a 3 month stint (at the least) in
My really good friend/former roommate in grad school moved down there 2 years ago with her husband, and they've been pressuring me to come down for awhile. And the time is just right that I need something new, big and challenging in my life. And it's a test to get over that self-sabotaging fear, too… so, I'm embracing this change BIG time.
6. Of course, there was the NFE… and I promise, I WILL get around to reading all the stories I missed. Like I said earlier… me and one my one track mind. It's been hard to get focused back on Narnia and such lately. The story I wrote did pretty well, I think. My recipient seemed to really like it, and that's what's most important! Because I was dealing with an OC, I knew it'd be a challenge to get anyone's interest, but despite that, I got some lovely feedback.
That's it in very, very large nutshell! And kinda explains why I've become an Outlander in LJ-land. Fall has kicked in to full gear… I'm still reading a lot and am unemployed this week, but I'm not in such a financial hardship as I was just a month or two ago. And most importantly, it's finally cooled off! The weekend heat waves of 100+ weather in the land that "needs no air-conditioning" are over. That's reason enough to celebrate…
Though it also means I'm going to have to start wearing real clothes again and do laundry and such. Ah well. I saved a lot in quarters the entire month of August.
And I've got a lot to catch up on LJ… I'd ask how you all are, but I'm sure the answers are all in the back pages of entries I've yet to read. Regardless, I hope you all ARE well!
And everything after. (No, not a Counting Crows Fan, but it seems appropriate.)
It's been awhile since I've posted... best make a list of what's happened.
1. NFE is in as of a week ago! This year was oodles easier than last year's, which was rather overly ambitious. But, I had a goal of being more open minded with what I would be willing to write and, most importantly, KEEP IT SIMPLE. It still ended up being twice as long as originally intended... ah well.
The prompt I was given nearly panicked me, but there were two or three bits listed that I was able to run with. I do hope my recipient enjoys it! That's the most important thing.
2. Olympics! I am an Olympics junkie. You cannot peel me away from the TV. Thing is... I don't have cable. The live streams officially provided by NBC are very unsatisfactory (no commentary, no graphics/standings). So.... BBC to the rescue! The linkrthstewart gave me for the opening ceremonies has been wonderful, and it's been fascinating to watch things from the British perspective (especially since it's their Olympics). Added bonus: no commercials!
I must say, my favorite thing is the late night gold metal count when they move an arrow up a replica Big Ben for each gold metal, set to Spandau Ballet's "Gold." Hysterical.
3. You'd think it's over and one with, but my Narnia Big Bang is anything but.snacky has been ever so gracious and has gone above and beyond for a second-beta pass on the Beast. Big, big changes are ahead for the piece, and though motivation is usually problematic, I am bound and determined to finesse the shit out of that thing. It is not going to be easy by any means... indeed, some of the "fixes" are actually going to be in the form of supplemental/satellite fics! Oy.
For the time being, though, I'm taking a step back from it. There are some changes that still need some thorough planning, but I'm going to sit on it before I dive back in. Perhaps after the NFE is over and done with!
4. Real Life. Well... it could be worse. Which is funny, because I'm in a trickier place than I was, say, two years ago when I was riddled with anxiety... socially, financially, professionally. I've made a big decision to step away from my profession about a month or two ago (quitting my union and everything), but that has led to unemployment.
BUT, it has also opened the door to big changes. The plan is to do a major upheaval at the start of the new year, and it would be ideal if I could find something in the meantime to financially plan for it. But that's the problem... I can't find anything to fill my time or my bank account. It's been a struggle, I can't lie.
That being said, this past month has been a blast. I have some fantastic friends, the most I have ever recall having, and they all seem to slowly be moving into my neighborhood. Great evenings, great conversations, fantastic homemade food... zero complaints there.
5. On that note... literally. Everyone, please check out my friend's band, Milo Greene. That's the name of the band, not my friend... and really, he's a close friend of several of my close friends. I got to see him on the 4th of July for the first time since grad school, when he provided musical accompaniment to my thesis show. (Indeed, one of the tracks on the album is named "Orpheus" and is a theme he used in our Tennessee Williams' "Orpheus Descending" production). I do take full responsibility for putting a mandolin in this kid's hand.
If you like indie-folk with a touch of bluegrass, with a pinch of Fleetwood Mac harmonies, this is for you. All in all, we're so, so proud of them—their album was released last month, they had a performance on Letterman last week, and they are out on tour now (with a stop at Lollapalooza this weekend... I don't think they're one of the ones that got rained out, thankfully).
But this... this is my favorite song. Enjoy:
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If you liked what you hear, please check out their self-titled album available on iTunes! :D
6. And what else have I done to fill up my time, besides applying for work and being glued to the Olympics? Reading. I read about 25-30 books in the past month, the vast majority of those being Richelle Mead. Yeah, so, the Vampire Academy books are actually good... whatcha going to do about it?
But yeah, I'm going through the entire list of crap YA fiction. Except for Twilight. I refuse to touch those books... and indeed, stay away from all Vampire fiction, save for the aforementioned series. But I liked her other series, so I figured I'd give it a shot. Turns out I liked them better than her adult fic...
My questions for you!
1. Olympics? How're y'all liking them?
2. NFE? How'd it go for you? You excited to read the entries?
3. Reading? What books have you read recently, and more importantly, what can you recommend? And is anyone else on goodreads.com?
It's been awhile since I've posted... best make a list of what's happened.
1. NFE is in as of a week ago! This year was oodles easier than last year's, which was rather overly ambitious. But, I had a goal of being more open minded with what I would be willing to write and, most importantly, KEEP IT SIMPLE. It still ended up being twice as long as originally intended... ah well.
The prompt I was given nearly panicked me, but there were two or three bits listed that I was able to run with. I do hope my recipient enjoys it! That's the most important thing.
2. Olympics! I am an Olympics junkie. You cannot peel me away from the TV. Thing is... I don't have cable. The live streams officially provided by NBC are very unsatisfactory (no commentary, no graphics/standings). So.... BBC to the rescue! The link
rthstewart gave me for the opening ceremonies has been wonderful, and it's been fascinating to watch things from the British perspective (especially since it's their Olympics). Added bonus: no commercials!I must say, my favorite thing is the late night gold metal count when they move an arrow up a replica Big Ben for each gold metal, set to Spandau Ballet's "Gold." Hysterical.
3. You'd think it's over and one with, but my Narnia Big Bang is anything but.
snacky has been ever so gracious and has gone above and beyond for a second-beta pass on the Beast. Big, big changes are ahead for the piece, and though motivation is usually problematic, I am bound and determined to finesse the shit out of that thing. It is not going to be easy by any means... indeed, some of the "fixes" are actually going to be in the form of supplemental/satellite fics! Oy. For the time being, though, I'm taking a step back from it. There are some changes that still need some thorough planning, but I'm going to sit on it before I dive back in. Perhaps after the NFE is over and done with!
4. Real Life. Well... it could be worse. Which is funny, because I'm in a trickier place than I was, say, two years ago when I was riddled with anxiety... socially, financially, professionally. I've made a big decision to step away from my profession about a month or two ago (quitting my union and everything), but that has led to unemployment.
BUT, it has also opened the door to big changes. The plan is to do a major upheaval at the start of the new year, and it would be ideal if I could find something in the meantime to financially plan for it. But that's the problem... I can't find anything to fill my time or my bank account. It's been a struggle, I can't lie.
That being said, this past month has been a blast. I have some fantastic friends, the most I have ever recall having, and they all seem to slowly be moving into my neighborhood. Great evenings, great conversations, fantastic homemade food... zero complaints there.
5. On that note... literally. Everyone, please check out my friend's band, Milo Greene. That's the name of the band, not my friend... and really, he's a close friend of several of my close friends. I got to see him on the 4th of July for the first time since grad school, when he provided musical accompaniment to my thesis show. (Indeed, one of the tracks on the album is named "Orpheus" and is a theme he used in our Tennessee Williams' "Orpheus Descending" production). I do take full responsibility for putting a mandolin in this kid's hand.
If you like indie-folk with a touch of bluegrass, with a pinch of Fleetwood Mac harmonies, this is for you. All in all, we're so, so proud of them—their album was released last month, they had a performance on Letterman last week, and they are out on tour now (with a stop at Lollapalooza this weekend... I don't think they're one of the ones that got rained out, thankfully).
But this... this is my favorite song. Enjoy:
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If you liked what you hear, please check out their self-titled album available on iTunes! :D
6. And what else have I done to fill up my time, besides applying for work and being glued to the Olympics? Reading. I read about 25-30 books in the past month, the vast majority of those being Richelle Mead. Yeah, so, the Vampire Academy books are actually good... whatcha going to do about it?
But yeah, I'm going through the entire list of crap YA fiction. Except for Twilight. I refuse to touch those books... and indeed, stay away from all Vampire fiction, save for the aforementioned series. But I liked her other series, so I figured I'd give it a shot. Turns out I liked them better than her adult fic...
My questions for you!
1. Olympics? How're y'all liking them?
2. NFE? How'd it go for you? You excited to read the entries?
3. Reading? What books have you read recently, and more importantly, what can you recommend? And is anyone else on goodreads.com?
Well, NFE season is upon us, and of course, I'm up to my neck in unnecessary research.
I may or may not have spent 3 hours working on family trees. Or virtual location scouting around England.
However, going through all my past notes and stories, I came across something confusing (and something that I obviously did NOT document well in my notes on how I came to these conclusions).
ANYWAY. For those fanfic writers (or readers who are stickler to details)... what do you have for your Pevensies' birthdays?
Lewis, apparently, dictated a timeline events that someone else published, which makes it both official and non-official. And we know how trustworthy Lewis is at consistency.
Timeline.
Being still somewhat new to the fandom as of a year ago when I started writing, I used this as a guideline and tweaked from there.
In last year's NFE submission, I wrote Edmund having a birthday in March... and I know I went against canon, for in PC, Edmund had received the torch for his birthday right before they head off for the new school term. But, sorry, my Edmund just isn't a Virgo!
In my NBB (which is still looking to be tweaked, so I don't mind changing) I have Susan stating that her birthday is October 12, 1927. And now I'm just arbitrarily choosing birthdays for Peter and Lucy. So, this is what I have:
Peter — July 27, 1926
Susan — October 12, 1927
Edmund — March 12ish (can't decide), 1930
Lucy — February 3, 1932
So, I'm asking you all... how far off base are these?
I may or may not have spent 3 hours working on family trees. Or virtual location scouting around England.
However, going through all my past notes and stories, I came across something confusing (and something that I obviously did NOT document well in my notes on how I came to these conclusions).
ANYWAY. For those fanfic writers (or readers who are stickler to details)... what do you have for your Pevensies' birthdays?
Lewis, apparently, dictated a timeline events that someone else published, which makes it both official and non-official. And we know how trustworthy Lewis is at consistency.
Timeline.
Being still somewhat new to the fandom as of a year ago when I started writing, I used this as a guideline and tweaked from there.
In last year's NFE submission, I wrote Edmund having a birthday in March... and I know I went against canon, for in PC, Edmund had received the torch for his birthday right before they head off for the new school term. But, sorry, my Edmund just isn't a Virgo!
In my NBB (which is still looking to be tweaked, so I don't mind changing) I have Susan stating that her birthday is October 12, 1927. And now I'm just arbitrarily choosing birthdays for Peter and Lucy. So, this is what I have:
Peter — July 27, 1926
Susan — October 12, 1927
Edmund — March 12ish (can't decide), 1930
Lucy — February 3, 1932
So, I'm asking you all... how far off base are these?
Goodness, has it been a year already?!
I first joined LJ to participate in last year's NFE, and here it is, time to do it all over again!
This time will hopefully be easier—it was all new territory last year, having never really written anything seriously in, oh, ten years. Little did I know I could be so, well, prolific... yeah, there will not be a 20K fic coming from me this year. :P
Anyway, some progress has already been made, which is surprising, because my prompt scared the hell out of me when I got it! But...it should work. I hope. Regardless, it's nice to have something to do besides endless job hunting.
That and it's getting me to work on the as-yet-untitled sequel to my NBB (which also is in the process of getting tweaked for ff.net).
OK. Off to write.
I first joined LJ to participate in last year's NFE, and here it is, time to do it all over again!
This time will hopefully be easier—it was all new territory last year, having never really written anything seriously in, oh, ten years. Little did I know I could be so, well, prolific... yeah, there will not be a 20K fic coming from me this year. :P
Anyway, some progress has already been made, which is surprising, because my prompt scared the hell out of me when I got it! But...it should work. I hope. Regardless, it's nice to have something to do besides endless job hunting.
That and it's getting me to work on the as-yet-untitled sequel to my NBB (which also is in the process of getting tweaked for ff.net).
OK. Off to write.
OK, continuing on from this post! More notes for the remainder of my NBB fic, Fuel to Fire!
( Chapter 4 )
( Chapter 5 )
( Chapter 6 )
( Lucy and Durah )
And that's it! As I think of more notes, I'll probably add on to these posts. And for those who have trudged through the entire 90K story and these notes…I thank you deeply.
Many, many thanks to my betaswingedflight21, lady_songsmith, and rthstewart for all the encouragement and hand-holding. And very special thanks to snacky for being a fantastic mod!
My hope is that there is a little something in it for everyone. Whatever you got out of it, I want to thank you for taking the time for reading it. I hope you enjoyed it, and would love to hear any and all feedback.
In the meantime, I’m off to hang out with my good friend Pinot Noir…
( Chapter 4 )( Chapter 5 )( Chapter 6 )( Lucy and Durah )And that's it! As I think of more notes, I'll probably add on to these posts. And for those who have trudged through the entire 90K story and these notes…I thank you deeply.
Many, many thanks to my betas
wingedflight21, lady_songsmith, and rthstewart for all the encouragement and hand-holding. And very special thanks to snacky for being a fantastic mod!My hope is that there is a little something in it for everyone. Whatever you got out of it, I want to thank you for taking the time for reading it. I hope you enjoyed it, and would love to hear any and all feedback.
In the meantime, I’m off to hang out with my good friend Pinot Noir…
Well, this is it! My NBB, Fuel To Fire is posted!
And with wonderful icons, too, courtesy ofcrantz!
Some of the amazing works I’ve read in the past year have been so incredibly inspiring. Last year at this time—almost to the date—my nights were spent pouring over Narnia fic after Narnia fic with a large pitcher of hot tea as my only companion...and not getting my fill of either. When it came time to the NFE, there just wasn’t any doubt—I had to give it a shot. And thus the Dichotomy universe was created, quite by accident.
Writing proved to be challenging, yet fun. Especially since I have made it very vocal for several years that I have never, ever liked being forced to write anything for anyone. Really vocal. However, the NFE changed my attitude, as did the smattering of one-shots that came soon afterwards. And then a niggling of an idea sprouted from a throwaway line in Dichotomy, I started jotting down ideas, before you knew it, I had 24K written of a story… and then the NBB was announced. Perfect.
So. Here we go. This is a word dump of ideas, thoughts, feelings and a drop of beliefs here and there. In some sense, it can even be a bit autobiographical, but I’m sure most writers can be accused of that. It’s strange to close this chapter, literally, in Scrivener…I’ve been staring at this stuff for 6 months after all. But, I have other writing folders that are ready to be explored.
In the meantime, there are many things I want to share with the readers regarding Fuel To Fire, so behind the cuts are extra notes, research, inspiration, and whatnots for each chapter.
( The Title )
( Chapter 1 )
( Chapter 2 )
And with wonderful icons, too, courtesy of
crantz!Some of the amazing works I’ve read in the past year have been so incredibly inspiring. Last year at this time—almost to the date—my nights were spent pouring over Narnia fic after Narnia fic with a large pitcher of hot tea as my only companion...and not getting my fill of either. When it came time to the NFE, there just wasn’t any doubt—I had to give it a shot. And thus the Dichotomy universe was created, quite by accident.
Writing proved to be challenging, yet fun. Especially since I have made it very vocal for several years that I have never, ever liked being forced to write anything for anyone. Really vocal. However, the NFE changed my attitude, as did the smattering of one-shots that came soon afterwards. And then a niggling of an idea sprouted from a throwaway line in Dichotomy, I started jotting down ideas, before you knew it, I had 24K written of a story… and then the NBB was announced. Perfect.
So. Here we go. This is a word dump of ideas, thoughts, feelings and a drop of beliefs here and there. In some sense, it can even be a bit autobiographical, but I’m sure most writers can be accused of that. It’s strange to close this chapter, literally, in Scrivener…I’ve been staring at this stuff for 6 months after all. But, I have other writing folders that are ready to be explored.
In the meantime, there are many things I want to share with the readers regarding Fuel To Fire, so behind the cuts are extra notes, research, inspiration, and whatnots for each chapter.
( The Title )( Chapter 1 )( Chapter 2 )5 chapters down, 1 to go on the revision of my NBB. I'm almost there. Oh, what a monster it is... it's currently projected to be 75K long, with 3K projected to go.
What I say to that: AH-AHAHAHAH-HAHAHAHA.
I have yet to write the five small interludes that are going to be about 750-1000 words each. And each time I revise a scene, I'm still adding about 500-1500 words to it. And I've three scenes to revise.
I'm sure you all could do the math.
Anyway, it's slow going. I did not look at the thing for over a week, so now I feel a week behind. There's just so much to trudge through, and it could use at *least* two more passes through before I'm happy with it. And even then...
On the plus side, I have the time to work on it this week. I also need to work on my part of the art work forlady_songsmith that I'm doing with rthstewart. And, of course, formatting this will be fun since every other word is italicized. It's going to be a mad dash to the end, that's for sure!
Anyway... I'll see you on the other side! I need to get back to some Elephants.
What I say to that: AH-AHAHAHAH-HAHAHAHA.
I have yet to write the five small interludes that are going to be about 750-1000 words each. And each time I revise a scene, I'm still adding about 500-1500 words to it. And I've three scenes to revise.
I'm sure you all could do the math.
Anyway, it's slow going. I did not look at the thing for over a week, so now I feel a week behind. There's just so much to trudge through, and it could use at *least* two more passes through before I'm happy with it. And even then...
On the plus side, I have the time to work on it this week. I also need to work on my part of the art work for
lady_songsmith that I'm doing with rthstewart. And, of course, formatting this will be fun since every other word is italicized. It's going to be a mad dash to the end, that's for sure!Anyway... I'll see you on the other side! I need to get back to some Elephants.
Hmmm, it's been awhile since I posted...
Life has been busy, but I am now faced with a few blissful days of having no obligations towards anyone but me. That means cleaning, organizing, taxes... and, of course, writing.
I've started the revising process of my NBB, which is something I have been looooong been looking forward to! The goal was to hit, on average, one scene per day. And so far, so good. Of course, some scenes were in worse shape than others... and I do have about 24 of them. Hoo-boy. It's still projected to be 60K. However, each scene revision has added about 500-1500 extra words. Yikes.
And I shudder when I think of the slop-fest that I sent in as a first draft, though! I kinda want to sent in the revised stuff and say, "No, really, I CAN write coherently!!"
Ah well. That'd only be worth it if there was a running for "Most Improved."
I'm wondering if I'm going to be pulled in to pinch hit on the artwork... but I'll cross that bridge if/when I come to it!
Life has been busy, but I am now faced with a few blissful days of having no obligations towards anyone but me. That means cleaning, organizing, taxes... and, of course, writing.
I've started the revising process of my NBB, which is something I have been looooong been looking forward to! The goal was to hit, on average, one scene per day. And so far, so good. Of course, some scenes were in worse shape than others... and I do have about 24 of them. Hoo-boy. It's still projected to be 60K. However, each scene revision has added about 500-1500 extra words. Yikes.
And I shudder when I think of the slop-fest that I sent in as a first draft, though! I kinda want to sent in the revised stuff and say, "No, really, I CAN write coherently!!"
Ah well. That'd only be worth it if there was a running for "Most Improved."
I'm wondering if I'm going to be pulled in to pinch hit on the artwork... but I'll cross that bridge if/when I come to it!
Thanks to everyone who joined in on the Write-In last night! Though I kinda failed in getting much accomplished while the majority were in the skype chat working, I did manage to get *some* stuff done... more than I had done before, that's for sure!
Anyway, the glory of skype is that now that the conversation is all set up, it will always be there and available at all times — feel free to hop in whenever you are writing, and who knows, maybe someone else will be signed on, too!
A Perma-Write-In, in other words. I know I'll probably be on tonight!
Anyway, the glory of skype is that now that the conversation is all set up, it will always be there and available at all times — feel free to hop in whenever you are writing, and who knows, maybe someone else will be signed on, too!
A Perma-Write-In, in other words. I know I'll probably be on tonight!
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