Progress Report

My head hurts. Just thought I'd get that out of the way up front. And my coffee tastes kinda funny . . .

Look to the right. Notice the new addition to the list down the side. I've added a recently read list with a star rating. While some books take forever for me to read, some I read so fast they don't even make it to my list. Hence, the new book list.

I'm not even going to try to find an excuse for the lack of progress in my writing this week. I think a 57 hour work week says it all. And this week isn't looking much better, provided they offer the overtime. It's almost frightening the way the money goes so fast. I'm making more than I've ever made in my life and it's just not enough. The bills pile up faster than I can pay them. I think that's why I feel such a push to get my office finished - my oasis from life.

I have the two big filing cabinets emptied and out of there. Today's task is to find homes for the plastic bins in the closet. It's not just a matter of getting them out of there, it's also a matter of finding a place to put them. Which, of course, means I have to go through all that crap first. Which is why I'm updating my blog instead - Procrastination is my middle name.

When I'm finished the office I'll have to figure out how to post before and after pictures. I don't want to be the only one impressed with all my hard work!

Zokutou

So . . . I couldn't help but notice, as I'm sure no one else has, that my nifty little progress bars to the right were not showing. At first I naturally thought it was something I did, but I checked out the Bleeding Ink site and Heather's bars were missing too.

It appears that Zokutou, the designer/source of the progress bars, failed to pay their bill and their account has been suspended.

Any suggestions on where I can get a new progress bar?

Kong Hee Fatt Choy

Happy New Year, for those of you who don't understand Cantonese. Last year was the Year of the Dog, this year is the Year of the Boar.

For many years I thought I was born in the Year of the Boar, but that was according to the Westernized version of the Chinese calendar. I was actually born in the Year of the Dog (does that mean that I really am a bitch?).

If you're into spirituality or mysticism or whatever, you know that things happen in cycles. Like luck. Somewhere I read that when the year you were born in rolls around you are supposed to experience elevated good luck for that year.

I don't feel that my luck was vastly improved in the Year of the Dog. I wonder if the Year of the Boar might turn out to be better?

What A Pain!

Both literally and figuratively, the past couple of weeks have been a pain.

I started getting a blinding pain in my lower jaw. Although my teeth hurt, it wasn't a toothache - heat and cold didn't affect it, pressure seemed to help. I figured it must have been due to a sinus infection. My doctor said I somehow strained a muscle in the side of my face. Is that even possible?

At any rate, thank you, Chippy, for your advice about using heat on it. I spent a great deal of time with a hot cup of tea pressed against the corner of my jaw, right below the ear. That, plus a bottle of migraine strength Advil, have got me through the last week.

I'm still in the "tearing apart" phase of rearranging my office. How did I ever fit so much stuff in there? One filing cabinet is completely empty, the other is mostly empty. I have filled one garbage bag and one recycling bag and I get the feeling I'll need to go through the files again.

You'll notice those progress bars to the right haven't moved. Yeah. *another big sigh* Writing has been put on the back burner for now. Money has become an issue again so I'm working 55 hour weeks now.

Yes, I know I'm crazy. But this is my life until I win the lottery.

Happy February

Happy first day of February. I don't know what the story is behind it, but my family has always wished each other a happy first day of the month. I'm sure everyone out there has an odd family custom or two. It would be interesting some day to record them all.

My head is filled with thoughts of my novels, but I'm finding little time to write during the week. Although I'm not finding my extended shifts at work too hard to handle at work, they leave me with little energy for anything afterwards. Hopefully, once I get used to the longer hours, things will improve.

The good part is I'm sleeping better at night, the bad news is I dream story ideas. There's one I'd like to get back to about a white lady and a black night. It almost sounds like the title of a book, at least it sticks in my mind that way.

A couple of mornings ago the moon was shining so brightly on the dusting of snow we had overnight that it sparkled like glitter. I thought it was a full moon (5:30 a.m. is pretty dark still) but I was wrong. Tomorrow night is the Full Snow Moon. Also known as the Full Hunger Moon. Hmmmmm, sounds like there might be a story in there somewhere . . . maybe a series of stories . . .