Scratching Post

Been having a bit of a writing slump, which I broke via mainlining episodes of Criminal Minds and poking at fanfic for the first time in ages. Don't get me wrong, it is a blessing to have 3 separate things published this year, but I also have some stuff that needs editing and things like actually finishing them that have been sitting on the back burner for a while while real life got in the way. This, at least, got me back into thinking about words again, so it totally counts as a win.

Not sure how many people are still on here as I constantly forget to post. I think most of the fics have been linked, but that's about it.

So, life:
Been swamped at work and with prep for the convention. Convention's come and gone, work remains. I've also been focusing on my original stuff versus fanfic recently. I didn't think I had made much progress, but there was this helpful post over on Tumblr that pointed out the length of most novels. I'm at 63K words for the first story and need to add about half a chapter and polish it up, and I'm at 62K words for the second one and missing about the last third of it.

Con:
CONvergence 2019 was a thing that happened. First year in the new hotel so there was the whole logistics of the move thing related to that atop the usual. It went pretty well, and gave us ideas for improvement next year. Bonus was the random casual conversations I had with Dr. Chuck Tingle - thus the chocolate milk icon.

Stuff:
Anxiety's still randomly rearing it's ugly head in an attempt to kick my ass. A couple of other health-related issues as well, but I'm alive and kicking and plan to stay that way for a while.

So I have had some major anxiety issues and such lately that I won’t go into here. I will say that it makes me doubt/question/stress over my writing, amongst other things and that, yeah, it’s one of the reasons I constantly forget to reply to comments, no matter how much I adore them - I just feel like I’d sound so trite saying, “Thanks!” to every one of them even when I feel so much more than I can put into words about them.

Anyway, my own original writing has been on the back burner for years. I honestly thought I lost most of the drafts and notes and the thought of trying to recreate it all was too overwhelming. This summer, I found a failing external drive with most but not all of them on it. Anxiety steps in, I avoid actually re-reading for fear of what is written, etc.

I reread. I started editing. I fucking love these characters. No one else might, but I do.

Spouse was out tonight and I worked for like over 6 hours straight, managed to get through something like 54k of draft, and it actually works? And pretty well at that? Minor changes still needed and it’s not complete as I fucking trolled myself and left it on a damned cliffhanger, but with notes as to what happens next.

Sorry, I’m just... really, really happy with this right now. No one was here to tear me away or tell me to stop or that it wasn’t worth it or to distract me with other stuff. I had my laptop, my writing, a giant mug of chocolate milk, and a couch full of kitties and a puppy that thinks he’s a kitty. I actually feel really accomplished right now. And exhausted as it’s midnight-thirty, but mostly accomplished.

I swear I will get to answering comments soon, for really.

Life got weird, both health- and family-wise, and then I done gone got me a promotion. Little on the frightened side for that last one, but it starts tomorrow so I better suck it up and move on.

I swear I'm not avoiding things by watching every scrap of Olympic coverage I can find. Okay, mostly not. :)

Anyway, will respond soon.

Finished my third 5K on Saturday. Been running and working out and, yes, writing when I can and am horribly behind on replies again. I swear I am not ignoring people!

Also? My coworkers were kind enough to gift me with the cold that has been going around. I don't get sick. I get allergies and sinus infections from those, but not colds. I hate this. I may, possibly, have taken far too much cold meds and really need to stay away from things that will create permanent records right about now. I am breathing though. Lightheaded and goofy and giggly, but breathing.

I promise I will try to respond to things soon!

Thank you, as always, for your patience!

Ran my first 5K today! It was the Chocoholic Frolic because, really, if you're going to make me run over three miles there sure as hell better be chocolate at the end. :)

Final time of 37:25 - shaving four and a half minutes off of my best time during training!

Yes, this is (partially) what I have been doing instead of writing for the past month or so...

Back from CONvergence Con where I spent pretty much every day since last Wednesday doing something for the con.

Full disclaimer: I volunteer at the con and am a member of the convention committee. My views may be biased, but in weird ways.

Anyways, helped with move-in and set-up on Wednesday and then both worked with my department and attended panels and the like from Thursday through Sunday, save for when I was called away for still con-related stuff, but not directly at the con for a few hours.

It was fun, but damn am I tired. So glad that I have figured out to take the following Monday off of work as well so I can try to catch up on some sleep.

Check out the main site for general info about the con and guests and the like. Check out the #cvg2015 tag on Tumblr and Twitter for pics far better than anything I got. I will say that multiple guests to the con have stated publically that they have liked this one better than some of the others around. Maybe it's the Minnesota Nice schtick, or maybe it's because we actually try to pay attention to them as something more than monkeys to perform on command. Whatever it is, we're nice to them, they're nice to us, and it makes it far lower stress all around. :)

There were some awesome costumes and cool panels and beautiful artwork too. That's not to say there weren't some grumpy drunks and assholes along the way as well, but there's going to be that pretty much anywhere.

Anyway, I am rambly, which is a sign of how awake I am. I still need to prep for mom's visit later this week as well, so...

So E signed us up for LA Fitness tonight as a surprise. Apparently they do an assessment of your physical standing and such - mandatory - when you begin. I believe I will set new lows for their numbers. With my bad wrists and worse shoulders? Planking it should rock. The step test should feel great on my knees as well, though that I'm far more used to. I have absolutely no idea what an "overhead squat" is though.

Sigh.

Did I mention I screwed up my shoulder again this weekend? In new and differently painful ways?

It's for the best though, and I know it. I need to get in better shape lest this whole wiggy joints thing controls my life. I had a friend at work that was a personal trainer for the same place and he said they are decent people willing to work with you and guide you to what you should and should not do. I guess I get to find out how much is should not versus how much is want not, huh?

I made the mistake of looking up one possible item for an outfit for Con. There's decent sales right now while places try to clear out their inventory and everything.

I bought a dress. I don't even wear dresses that often, but I bought a dress. It was in my size and had 3/4 sleeves even (a must since most sleeves are too short but you can't tell with the 3/4 ones) and is totally Peggy Carter-esque and since I switched departments I'm going to be required to go to the meet and greet dinner and will need something for that and it's quite nice and was only $32.00 and... I bought a dress.

Now someone talk me out of buying a corset-like top from here? I'm not even sure if she uses boning and there were a few recent complaints about timeliness, which isn't really an issue since Con is in July, but they are hella cute?

Back in the days of camelot_fleet, we'd have a weekly post that included a thread on tea. Now said tea could be actual tea, or some other drink, or the joke that tea meant lesbian sex. Anyway, it was a tradition of sorts.

Sipping at a tea tonight that I had gotten a sample of during our trip to New Orleans. It's called "Black Chocolate" and has, oddly enough, black tea mixed with chocolate. So fricken good. I found the site for the store where we got it tonight, and had to share. Here is the link to Black Chocolate Tea in particular, and you can browse from there. We also love the Pirate's Bite spice mixture, but tend to like things a bit hotter than most, so be warned.

It looks like they have several locations across the US now so maybe there's one close enough to try free of shipping if you happen to be in the neighborhood? The closest one to us in apparently in Wisconsin. It still might be worth it. Or, you know, not since we've been there and know what we like already.