I'm going back to school. It took me this long for things to finally click in my brain and make me realize what I want to do as my career. I mean, my 'other' career besides writing. We all know that most writers have to do something else because it takes forever for (fiction) writing to pay off. Overnight success is a bit of a misnomer. We think of it that way, but chances are the manuscript was rejected for years before a publisher picked it up and then it became an 'overnight' success. Just remember that, those of my dear friends who get frustrated by the 'luck' of the Jo Rowling's of the world.

I write little bits here and there, but it's hard for me to stay focused on one project sometimes. I need to finish Wrongs of Shattered Glass but I am slightly stuck. I might run my plot through Dramatica Pro and see if anything shakes loose. By the way, don't spend money on Dramatica Pro if you are already an extremely organized plot person. Don't expect it to write things for you, either. It just asks questions about your story, your characters, etc. You can spend hours upon hours in this program, I swear, but some of us can't just think of all the questions we need to go into to flesh things out further. *raises hand*

I've thought about doing some nonfiction writing, but I just kinda go *blank* when it comes to uncovering article ideas.

Marapets is my latest virtual pet site discovery. It's more well-rounded than Neopets is - you can do more with your pets and the games are likely ones you've played before on other gaming sites. It is harder to make money in the game, but once you get around and see where everything is, you start to figure things out. So anyway, if you're looking for a better place to play a virtual pet game, join me there.

What is the point of having a keycode on a gym if you post a notice in the front door of what the keycode is? Bad thing is, anyone wanting to 'break in' could get in just by guessing the code, it's that simple.

O.k., now, I know Go is not a big thing here in Kansas, but it is to some extent around the country. I wouldn't have thought finding a book would be that difficult from other states. One I asked for, no one had in the entire country and it's not that old. The second one, libraries in three states had. Eh? O.k. I'm going to infect the masses, you must all play Go! (heh - I wonder if this is how chess players feel only worse?)

I had a rough night - did not get to sleep until almost eleven. (This is a big deal when you have to be up before six a.m. to start getting somewhat coherent for work.) Why is that when dogs have a change in their routine they want to mess up all over the floor? Even when you just took them outside not a minute before?

Whose idea was it that it needed to snow in Kansas around Spring Break? That's just wrong. It's supposed to snow across the Spring Equinox. Well... umm... that should make ceremonies to celebrate the rebirth of spring quite interesting. I think I'll have to stay inside and play pretend.

Why does every gym have at least one creepy jock guy that glares/stares at you as if he has x-ray vision or can read your mind? You know like how his glare gets worse when you think about punting his butt to the moon? Or worse, you've got the ones that look like you have no business getting on 'their' equipment. My favorites though are the women who think they know everything and compete with everyone. They're usually blonde and never sanitize the equipment after themselves.

I'm sorry, you can take the writer to the gym, but you can't force the writer to stop people watching. (And classifying them according to their behaviors... lol.)

I am wearing a green army camo top that my sister gave me, a green mardi gras bead necklace, and a green bracelet that I think I've had since childhood. Yep, it's St. Patrick's Day. Don't forget - don't want to hear that a friend got pinched. (Unless they asked for that happen which is, of course, none of my business so don't share... LOL.)

Well, I was a nice person. I didn't run K. over with my car. I even let her jaywalk in front of my car! Aren't I sweet?  Actually, seeing her didn't bother me as much as it used to. I don't want to automatically strangle her blonde self. Except she's dyed her hair a light shade of red again. Copycat. *laughs*  Don't ask if you don't know what I'm talking about. It's a long ugly story and one I'm leaving to the past. I think I've changed a lot. Plus I don't think she recognized me which is always a good thing. Hell, Darcie didn't even recognize me when I went into the library until she got a really good look at me and then she's like 'Oh, you cut your hair!' Well, she had to have recognized the vehicle. So maybe she was smirking instead of smiling. Who knows? I don't and I don't really care anymore.

Yes, that picture is very outdated now. I have short hair. I never thought I'd do it, but I love it. I'll have to get a picture on here sometime, but I just haven't yet.

The Gorillaz CD was a gift to myself. I watched the new Harry Potter movie as part of my birthday. It was a lot of fun. I actually got to throw food like a brat at one birthday party. ^_^. I got it thrown back at me. Oh, and I will tell you, green icing stains your skin almost instanteously. Ha!

Does anyone around here play go at IGS? I play at KGS usually, but is IGS better? I tried logging in and such but it was semi-confusing. A lot of people just want to play blitz at KGS. I know I'm new to the game, but I'm not completely an idiot about the game. I think blitzing is 'fun' but it's not go and I don't think it's good for serious study. It probably isn't good if you think too much about your moves or try to play only joseki you've 'studied'... Speaking of which, I know there's a split as far as how people feel about studying joseki, but I think if you don't really know that much to recognize good form, you should study if you can apply what you've learned to your own moves / those of your opponent. A lot of the game is subconcious / intuitive, I think. You might play something wrong, but as long as you keep trying to figure out what is wrong, you'll keep progressing.

Anyway, I went by the library to request some books on Go through ILL. I wound up grabbing a book by Al Franken and a manga called Desert Coral.

I have to be at work in fifteen minutes, so I'd better close. I'm going to the gym after I drop off my paperwork for the week. (Billing period always ends on the fifteenth.) Anyway, have a great day and rest of the week people.

Well, I'm having two birthday parties, it seems. One on Saturday and one on Sunday. I'm sharing Saturday with my nephew. He got to pick the cake and ice cream so the dinner meal was my choice. We're having Tuscan Pot Pie. That is the adults are. The kids won't eat much of anything that they've set their mind not to like. Most of what they eat is strictly kiddie foods like chicken nuggets, corn dogs, et. al. At least they eat some veggies, but getting them to try anything new is a nightmare. But for the most part, this is my sister's nightmare.

Have to call my boss on Monday, I'm wondering if I'm getting more hours or if I have another surprise because I'm getting a year older. After a full weekend of it, I'm going to be ready to pull my hair out, I'm afraid.

I need to gas my car up today before prices go up again. (Argh.)

Saturday morning I"m going tanning but I won't be able to workout then so I'm going to workout today and tomorrow. Or that's the plan anyway. Oh - guess what? I seem to have developed an allergy to the tanning lotion I was using.

My cat's sneezing. I hope it's just one of his attention getters. I don't want to have to take him to the vet.

My birthday is next Monday so I'm sure I'm going to be doing something
'fun' this weekend. I don't know why, but I hate birthday parties. But
I'm told I'm still having one whether I want one or not. They're so
claustrophobic. You know what I mean? You get worn out being so happy
that by the time you get through the cards and the presents you are
like: 'Thank the gods, it's over'...

I do like blowing out the candles though. Even if I don't get them all.

I really haven't decided what I want for my 'menu'... Any suggestions?
Preferably stuff that people won't kill me over for asking about. I was
asked what I wanted to do for my birthday and I thought about saying
'play go on the Kiseido Go Server all day long' but I think I might've
gotten a smack upside the head for it so I just said, 'I don't know
yet'...

I still don't know yet.

I still need to talk to people around town about being my sponsors for
the MS Walk. They say to write letters, but I'm thinking about calling.
I don't want to just walk in and ask because you hate to catch people
at a bad time and knowing my luck....

And I do need to pull together the stuff for having a garage sale. April 22nd will be here before I know it, I'm sure.

If any of you nice people want to donate online, here is the link: https://www.nationalmssociety.org//KSG/personal/default.asp?pa=54025586&pd=KSG4EWLK20060422TOP

It only tracks progress for online donations but I guess they will add
the offline stuff to it after the walk or something. LOL. But you can
learn a bit about multiple sclerosis. As far as why I'm doing this?
Well, it could just as easily be me or any one I know. I'm lucky that
it isn't, but what if it was?

You are the Druid of Njord. Brave and fearless you
are the wisest of the Druids. Your powers may
be limited but your potential has no
bounderies. If these Druids do fight thay are
most likely to use the weapons that do not
contain magic.

What level of Druid are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

I've been sick since last week, but I think most of the cold part of
it is gone. I do think I've got some kind of sinus infection though.
(arg). So I'm going to see if I can get an appointment over my lunch
break. But hey, warm weather is back in Kansas, so I can't complain.

I just signed up for the local MS Walk in Topeka. This is something
that is very important to me - I hope to complete the full six miles.
If you know anyone who might be interested in giving a pledge, please
send them to this address: https://www.nationalmssociety.org//KSG/personal/default.asp?pa=54025586&pd=KSG4EWLK20060422TOP
My goal is $500 by April 22nd (the day of the walk).

I'd love to know why I keep getting so pissed off here lately, but at least I'm getting to the point that I can say why
I'm angry. Well, I know some of the immediate issues, but I'm not sure
where this newfound easy to get pissed trait is coming from. I've never
been a hothead, I took after my grandfather - slow to boil, y'know?

Maybe I'm just sick of keeping stuff pent up or pretending, although
that is a good trait professionally and for the most part out in
public, but it's made my personal life somewhat miserable. So. Maybe
I'm just peeling layers back to figure out what's going on in my own
mind - I usually don't have a lot of time to self-analyze any more.

No offense to those who say V-Day is about 'love' and not couples,
umm... it's still a stupid holiday and I hate it. If you love someone,
tell them. Who cares what day it is? Now, the candy companies and the
card makers and the florists love the silly people who spend ten times
what they normally would just for one day a year. But that being said,
I hope everyone had a wonderful Valentine's Day yesterday and that at
least one person told you that they loved you.

I'm on a bit of a chocolate craving marathon thanks to Auntie Flo so...
I'm gonna have to pay for it. I'll see how much I can get accomplished
at the gym.
Last week I had gained back two lbs. which got on my bad side a little
but I'm hoping I weigh-in better this week. I doubt it, but I'm hoping.

Why is that the times you want time to yourself and block everything
out, that's when suddenly everyone wants to bother you? Is it some kind
of twisted billboard sign above my head that says 'bother the crap out
of me'? Argh!

But I'm going tanning tomorrow where I can be all by myself with no other noise from other people for a whole half hour.
Then I go work out so I can let go of some of my pent-up anger... well,
it's not anger, but just all the normal life crap. If you know what I
mean? Even when it's going good, there's still negativity - that whole
balance of the universe thing.

I'll close there before I get deep or in deep hockey, whichever comes first.