Before I Hop On A Conference Call

I thought I'd post real quick. It's Friday! I LOVE it. I'm finished with just about everything for this week too. A quick status report (in true Friday Fiver fashion)

1. Feeling really good about the day job and how much we've accomplished. The style issues are still hazy and we won't get them resolved until after the first of the year, but the feed has been going great and I've been neck-deep in monographs all week long. I love it, but it really wears me out. But we're good. Next week is the feedback update, but that should go smooth. And my call in a few minutes is a style discussion, but nothing huge has to be decided. Yeah!

2. Finishing up my MFA work. Decided to ready extra chapters (optional reading) and take notes SWB style (Susan Wise Bauer, for those who don't know). I've resumed my reading schedule using her Well-Educated Mind book. Yes, I'm still reading Don Quixote and Pilgrim's Progress! I'm slow! But her note-taking tips for studying work with everything else mind you. Nice to have friends in "well-educated" places. :)

3. Headed to Bellevue to meet with Jen today for our monthly writing chat. I was tired so I thought perhaps I wouldn't make it, but my hubby encouraged me to go. He likes that I come home bouncing off the walls I guess. :) Jen and I get along famously and we get each other all hepped up and inspired, and goodness knows, I need it after this week.

4. Hubby wants frosted and sugar cookies for Christmas baking. Must get on that. I've also got to plan my Christmas menu (roast, mashed potatoes probably). But what kind of pie? When both of us LOVE chocolate pie. Hm, tough call.

5. Freelance work load is still intense. I'm caught up, but more coming in all the time. Expanding my horizons takes a lot of work and it's fun, but I already talked about the freak out day I had this week, didn't I? :) Need to continue writing my new web site and work on my marketing plans.

Sheesh, and I'm supposed to rest this weekend. LOL

Currently reading: Valiant (Holly Black)
Currently listening to: Michael W. Smith Christmas (can't get enough!)

Feeling the Impending Holiday Break

Not that the impending holiday break will be a bad thing! I'm so ready for it! But I can feel it coming and so can my clients and that's when things go haywire. Everyone wants it RIGHT NOW and there are limits to how quickly things can be turned around. I'm doing my best but after almost three weeks of solid deadlines, I'm tired.

So I'm cranking my iPod dock and going for it (plug: I love my Bose! Rachel, you should totally buy it!) and things should be better for the weekend.

Yesterday was freak out day and I just about came undone. You know when you are tired and lots of different things start coming your way at once and you feel a bit disconnected? That was yesterday.

Today is much better.

In writing/reading/revising news, I'm almost done with my work on my short story MFA for the first week. This is my exploratory MFA, but I can get credit for it later if I keep all my papers and written work. It's fun, it's free (except for the books), and I'm learning a lot of great stuff.

Plus a book I copyedited last week is a prereq lit class textbook and is really good. I got it in PDF, so I'm looking forward to working with that too and then using it in my portfolio.

Gotta run!

Now reading: Valiant (Holly Black)
Now playing: Taking Chances (Celine Dion)

Wednesday Gratefulness

Trying really hard to be grateful after yesterday's series of snafus (ten extra copies of the business annual report by accident at UPS store, dentist appointment, wrong item in an Christmas present order, it goes on and on) and had to come home and turn on a Christmas movie.

Today, I am so booked that I still need some gratefulness props. Anyone care to share?

What are you grateful for this holiday season?

Me, I've got a long holiday vacation coming up starting December 21 and into January, I've got heat (some people are out of power in very cold weather) and I don't have to travel this year for the holidays (a big grateful sigh with this one).

If you want to post your gratefulness lists, feel free.

In writing/revising/reading news, not much. I ran around yesterday to do end-of-2007 errands for my biz (thus the gratefulness thread through this post) and came home and fell asleep on the couch watching House.

Today I'm determined to make it through my pile of to-do tasks and leave time to write/revise/read, at least moreso than last night.

Currently reading: Valiant (Holly Black)
Currently listening: It's a Wonderful Christmas (Michael W. Smith)

Tuesday's Brighter

So I stayed home yesterday and I feel better today. Tired, but what's new. I can feel my Christmas vacation coming up soon and I'm already ready for it.

Hubby and I watched White Christmas last night. It was on television, but they cut all the good stuff out, so we turned that off and restarted it on DVD. As I rummaged through our DVD collection drawers, I found a whole pile of movies I want to watch over Christmas break. I can't wait.

In writing/reading/revising news, slow but steady progress. I mapped out my study schedule for school, and organized my reading piles (2008 is the year of the built-in bookshelf system! for sure!).

A new toy appeared for my office last week: Fly Pentop Computer and it's pretty fun. I'm using it to brainstorm, but intend to use it out at the library or in a bookstore. I'll keep you posted on how this writer brain is able to utilize it. (It's on sale at Leapfrog.com for those who want to try it out with me.)

Currently reading: Valiant (Holly Black)
Currently playing: Narnia soundtrack

A Bit Somber, Probably Because I Have A Cold

Hard news this weekend. A friend's IVF failed and another friend's 4-yo-old fell out of a tree (20 feet) and broke both her wrists in two places. I am affected by news like that in such a personal way. I had to fight to get into a party mood on Saturday and so had to go to the gym, rant a bit (while hubby kindly listened) and then I felt better. But prayers and thoughts go to both these friends on opposite sides of the country. I'm so sorry.

The neighborhood party lasted 9 hours. I have no idea how in the world we go that long, but when you start at 4 pm and have 10 houses to visit, it just goes that long. Delish food (crab cakes, eggnog, and brown bears aka hot chocolate and rum) and fun conversation and the finale of white elephant gifts being fought over by people who remembered none of it the next day.

This week is much quieter around the office. All the deadlines are met, a few impending ones are still a week away and I have a cold. Thus, I will curl up with my AMA style book on the couch with a blanket and go nowhere today. It is too cold out anyway.

In writing news, I'm going through revision books and really picking up some great tips. I'm writing in my character notebooks and my structure and theme notebooks and I am reading a lot.

In studying news, I'm back to the grindstone. I just realized that if I want to finish my school by the time I'm 40, I'd better hurry up. So studying for tests today, which I plan to take in 2008.

But all that aside, my to-do list is made for today and off I go!

Currently reading: Tithe (Holly Black)
Currently listening to: Boys choir Christmas music