Archive for previous entries this month
August 1, 2006
First Lightning Shot with new camera!
I'm quite happy with the shot, too! And not only because I got it -- it was part of a major weather change that passed through. We had rain! And wind, and cooler stuff -- this is the first time it's been below 80f in a long time! (Although it's right back to being miserably humid, so I suspect this is only a brief respite.)
I've decided that lately I'm working too hard on trying to get too many things done. I'm going to slow down, work on the projects and get them done when I can, instead of rushing through one thing after another. The NaNo book is the first one on the list, and it's only going to be about 25-30k. I already have over 20k on it. So I need to finish up the text and then get to work on editing.
August 2, 2006
The sunset last night
A wonderfully slow, laid-back day. Didn't get a whole lot done and I really don't care. It was the best weather we've had in weeks, and I didn't hardly even run the AC -- just toward the late afternoon when the sun hits the side of the house and it heats up in here.
I have been waiting hours for a render to get done -- and I know it's not going to be right. Still, you have to let it go, then find the problems in the finished picture, and go again. I love the 3D art stuff, but it can take a long time to get a single picture done.
But, on the other hand, a person can get some writing done during the renders. Well, a person could if they actually sat down and wrote. I've been messing around -- though Russ and I were also away for about an hour and a half,
And yes, I was right -- it's not quite right. Well, it's going to be the last attempt for tonight because I'm way too tired to play with this again!
Though, on the good side, I did learn how something works, so it's not all a loss.
Did some work on Touched by the Wild -- I can see the end, finally! I also did some work on the NaNo book and that went very well. I'm happy with both right now.
And quite happy to call it a night and get some sleep!
Oh, and before I forget -- all the pictures prior to this month are now down. I need the space, and this thing really gets out of hand! From now on there will only be pictures for the current month of the journal.
August 3, 2006
Zaphod at the sink
The day started out good -- got some research done in Omaha for a new novel -- and ended bad with the car breaking down on the Interstate on the way home.
I would like this round of bad luck to maybe clear up now.
And I have a horrid headache tonight, and that's going to be all I'm saying about it.
August 4, 2006
What's the problem?
That's Edmond. he's a long slinky guy, and far too much Siamese in him -- you can see it in his shape, his face... and his attitude. (grin)
Before I forget, Anders Bruce is giving away a copy of Muse at this site: http://andersbruce.awardspace.com What a nice thing to do!
I worked on two major projects today and may have one done. The other is going together very nicely. All in all, not bad -- even if we don't have a car and won't have one for most of before Monday and probably longer.
I have a package arriving by UPS...someday. I've discovered that I don't like tracking the stuff. It's too frustrating. Why the hell did you send it there! Why didn't it go from Des Moines to Sioux City rather than Des Moines to Omaha! Don't you know that's just going to add another day to it! I won't get it before Monday! ARGH!
Really, it's not all that bad. I could just stand to have it sooner. But then I'd probably not get other things done that I need to get done.
And I seriously think I need to update my poor graphics program. I'm still working with Corel Photo-Paint 9. It keeps crashing on me. Just not made for the higher megapixel pictures and all the other stuff I'm trying to do. Digital Cameras were still pretty new when I got this program, and I think I'm ready to move up to something that maybe is a little better set up for that kind of stuff.
This is what I want -- Paint Shop Pro Set -- which is $109 and out of my range at the moment. Especially now that the car has broken down and we're going to go instantly broke once more. But there's always hope that things will come together soon again. Anyway, I want that set with Painter Essentials 3 because I do a lot of painting fx with the pictures and the 3d art.
Oh sure, I wouldn't mind the whole Adobe PhotoShop stuff -- but $649? I just don't think so.
But still.... getting things done. We'll see how it all goes!
August 5, 2006
Sunset, August 1, 2006
I may have a plan for organizing my pictures. It's going to take me years to get it all done (and I'm not exaggerating there, by the way), but I started tonight and I've got the first 200 done. I have over 100,000 pictures, so this is going to be a slow process, especially since I will be adding pictures.
But still.... I think it will help in the long run.
I'm starting with the old FD7 pictures. There are only 2638 of them -- the least amount of pictures from any of the cameras, including the print ones. The new camera is almost up to 7000 already.
I'm looking forward to hitting some of the trips to Colorado and stuff. That'll be fun!
Did some work on Touched by the Wild tonight. I'm about 10k from being done. I might make it this next week.
And that's it. Time to get back to work, I think.
August 6, 2006
Storm
Nice clouds from the other night.
I got the 2YN stuff done. Almost forgot it this week -- it's just been that kind of time.
I've gone back to the idea of an Access photo database, especially after Russ showed me the program to make easy thumbnail pictures. It's going together very well now.
I wrote about 1000 words on Touched by the Wild.
And that's it for my day.
August 7, 2006
Tonight's Rainbow
I caught this one totally by accident. I was out testing some stuff and happened to turn around -- and there it was. Nice!
I'm nearly done with Touched by the Wild. I'm almost ready to start on Sudden Storm. It's a good combination of places to be.
I've also nearly pulled together everything for the NaNo book. I'll just have to get all of it into the proper file and start editing....hmmm. And a cover would be nice, too.
Beyond that -- today was Russ's birthday. We didn't celebrate at all -- no car, no money, etc. But at least it was quiet day.
Touched by the Wild is still going along. I'll be done with it soon. Then it will need to be edited, too.
So, I'm done for the night here! Hey, look! It's not even midnight yet for a change! (grin)
August 8, 2006
Well, no... I didn't really want that water...
Zaphod is fascinated by liquid in glasses. We have to watch him. He'll try anything if he can get to it.
Got a lot of work done today. I'm kind of tired tonight, though, so I'm going to call it a day pretty soon. I'm about 1/3rd of the way through one nonfiction project, and I did a few more notes on Sudden Storm -- and I'm down to the last big conflict in Touched by the Wild.
Can't get much better than that, I guess.
Still no car. This really is a problem now, but we'll get past it!
August 9, 2006
Visiting Bast
I hate this weather!
The humidity is over 90%. It was still around 100f at 10:00 PM.
I can't breathe in this weather. I hate it. I want cool, comfortable weather back again.
I got quite a bit of writing done this afternoon, though. I'm almost done with two separate projects. I'll be glad to have them both out of the way.
And we'll not talk about the story idea that I woke up with this morning. I don't need a story idea right now. Really.
Why won't it go away?
August 10, 2006
Bryce Work
I'm starting to get a better feel for Bryce and Daz. This is good. I might be able to pick up some more cover work if I can master enough to at least do the basics without too much trouble.
The weather has gone bad again tonight. I was sitting here wondering why I couldn't breathe, and checked -- yup, 91% humidity again. There is a storm system heading our way, though. That's good. I think.
I haven't gotten a lot done today. I took some stuff to help me breathe early today and slept through most of the day. Buy hey, I was breathing, so I can't complain too much. I did get my 1000 words on Touched by the Wild.
Oh! And we have the car back! Yay! One week without a car was way too long, although we did prove one theory -- that we live within walking distance of anything we need. Granted, Russ did all the walking because of the heat and humidity and my inability to breathe well lately, but we still managed.
Let's hope it's the start of a good sign and things get better from here on!
August 11, 2006
Zoo shot
I miss the zoo.
I have a cold. It's a miserable little cold that's settled in my chest and ears. Miserable stuff. I want it to go away now.
That didn't work.
I'm not done with Touched by the Wild yet. I am nearly done with one of the nonfiction projects, though, so I'm happy about that. I might have them both done this weekend. Yay!
I have signed up for the outline marathon at FM. I don't normally do this kind of stuff, but I think this will help me get the new story down and ready to write. Or maybe more than one. If I get moving there's no telling how much I might end up doing.
I'll probably be lucky to get one done at the rate things are going for me.
But now... done with this stuff for the night. Time to get one last project out of the way for the night, and then I'm going to sleep!
August 12, 2006
Another zoo shot
I managed to get one of my major projects done today. I should have this draft of Touched by the Wild done in the next two days.
I feel like I'm almost accomplishing something! Don't worry -- I'll get over that soon enough. All I have to do is go back and look at the list of stuff that I still have to do.
But still...
I'm going to be doing an outline marathon next week -- at least if I can get the time and manage to fit my mind around it. I'm looking forward to it because I have at least two novels that really need outlines right now, and another one I would like to start working up for NaNo. No, hold it -- just thought of a third -- or is that fourth? -- book that I need to get outlined. What was number 2? Ack. Brain is just gone.
I have a head cold. It's settling into my ears. I hate this, but I have faith that it will be better.
Forward Motion is sitting at 9999 members. I wonder when the 10,000th member will arrive!
August 13, 2006
Nice pond
I finished Touched by the Wild. I have several notes at the top of the manuscript, but the basic work is done. Yay!
The car developed a problem tonight. Argh.
We have over 10,000 members at FM. Yay!
And I'll end on a yay note. Things are annoying, but they could be worse.
I'm going to just relax and play with pictures for the rest of the night. I'm having fun, after all!
August 14, 2006
Iowa
I started a new outline tonight. It's a good start, but I need to think through the next section, which could go a couple different ways. I'm thinking of having it go a little of both ways and see what I think.
Beyond that, I sort of relaxed today. I have a pain in the left side of my head, neck and shoulder -- sinus related -- that is driving me to despair. It doesn't matter what I do, it still hurts. After a while it makes it hard to concentrate on anything, let alone get some real work done.
Looks like the car is fixed again.
We're going to have good thoughts about it.
August 15, 2006
Summer
I think I might go to the zoo tomorrow. I'm not certain yet, but I'm preparing incase I do. I think it would be just what I need -- but that doesn't mean I should go. We'll see how things look in the morning.
In the mean time, I've been working on my new outline, which is going together pretty well. In fact, for the first time in a few months, I feel as though I have both energy and a brain at the same time. I'm sure this won't last for long, but I'm going to take advantage of it.
I don't think there's anything else to report. Obviously, the car is working again. I don't want to jinx it but talking about it again. In fact, I fear I might jinx it just by getting in it again. But we'll see.
Other than that... Nice day. Good weather. Lots done.
August 16, 2006
Inca Tern
I went to the zoo. I am so tired now I don't think I can get past posting this -- if I even make it that far. Had a great time! I was at the zoo from 8am (half an hour before opening) until 6 pm -- ten hours. I still didn't get to all the parts. Probably because I stop and take pictures. LOL.
It was a quiet day at the zoo. There were only about ten people lined up at the gate.... and then about 8:20 a huge bus pulled up. However, it turned out to be a bus full of Amish. If you have to have a crowd of people, they're the ones you want. Polite, friendly, excited....
I don't know if I got many good pictures today. I won't know until tomorrow, since tonight I have to get a few things done and then get some sleep.
I had a good time.
I'll just sleep here at the desk now, okay?
August 17, 2006
Sleepy Edmond
There is almost always one of the cat on this piece of cloth on my desk. Tonight it's Pip, but at other times it's either Edmond or Zaphod. Or any combination of two -- but they're a bit large to get all three up there at the same time.
We are having Internet problems tonight. What a shock, right? Up and down... but it appears to be up again, so I'm getting this done and ready to post.
I've had a remarkably productive day. I hope I can continue to do the same tomorrow. I would like to get to the pictures from the zoo sorted and start getting some of them up.
I am tired tonight. It's been a long day. I need to get this posted and see about heading for bed soon!
August 18, 2006
Sunset
I had another productive day without even realizing it until I was done. I didn't get to any of the things I had intended to do, but I did get one of the nonfiction projects very nearly done. Yay!
As I said over in my blog (I think), I need to make a list of the things I have to get done. Things keep slipping out of my sight and then I get hit with things that need to be done RIGHT NOW. This is my own fault for not keeping better track. So, I think tomorrow I'll look at listing out all the rest of the projects, the on-going work, and the things I need to do before September. (Vision, yes, I know.)
I'd start on a list tonight, but I'm too tired to even consider it.
And that's it, except for the news that Russ will be teaching math at a community college for the next four months. It looks interesting! He's really excited about it, too.
And I'm tired. Rough couple nights. I need some sleep!
August 19, 2006
Another sunset
I didn't get last nights journal posted, which I will blame (justifiably) on the headache from hell that started about the time I was writing up the post and has kept hold of me for the entire day. The post from yesterday is below.
I don't appreciate this headache. I had several things to get done today, and I've only managed two of them. No, three. That's a little better, at least.
I've taken so many pills for this headache that they've made me ill. I'm about to give up and go pound my head on the wall. Or sleep.
I have forced my way through a few more sections of outline, but I suspect that when I get my brain back, I'll look at them and kind of decide they're pretty lame and stupid. Still, for the moment, we'll pretend they make a story.
Did I mention that Russ starts teaching math at a community college on Wednesday? It's only a 9 hour a week job, but he's really excited about it.
That's it. I'm going to post this now before my brain takes another break from this reality.
August 20, 2006
Butterfly
Got some work done tonight. Need to get more done, too, but I don't think it's going to happen tonight. I'm suddenly just bushed. But I feel better about a lot of the work I got done today, so I guess that's good.
I have The Servant Girl outlined. I need to tweak a couple spots, but over all it's going very well. I'll be ready to use it during the Labor of Love challenge if I decide to do it. That's up in the air at the moment. I want to join in, but it depends a great deal on how much work I get done on other things.
Time to post this, I think. I'm so tired I can hardly think straight.
August 21, 2006
Alone
I love this picture. It's straight out of the camera -- a rainy/foggy day in spring.
I think a few minutes ago I finally had a break through on a novel outline that has been driving me nuts. I hope so, anyway. What I saw as a possible direction sure seemed interesting and exciting to me, so I'm going with it. It makes a big leap forward in an outline that has been stalled at chapter two for several months.
I've worked out the details with the University of Michigan to donate pictures to their site. I'll be putting together sets of them whenever I have the time. (Yes, go ahead and laugh.)
So, things are looking reasonably better tonight. I hope it keeps going this way for a while!
I SEEM TO HAVE MISPLACED AN ENTRY SOMEWHERE ALONG THE LINE....
August 23, 2006
Squaw Creek
I'm doing this early tonight since I've added a couple sample writing sections to this journal and I would like to get them up right away. You can now read the first fifty pages of Ruins Here and the first thirty pages of Muse Here. I hope to stir up a few more sales for them!
I did place another story today, though, so that's good. A Tale of Cats and Rats and Really Bad Choices will be in the upcoming Catty New Year from Whortleberry Press. I also did the cover for them. This is the companion book to last year's The Twelve Cats of Christmas. I did the cover for that one as well and had a fun little story in it.
I am trying to get a number of things done so I can be ready for the writing marathon that starts on Monday. I suspect that I won't be as ready as I would like, but I'm going to try anyway. So, it's time to get back to work on other things!
August 24, 2006
Edmond and Bear
I've gotten some work done today. Not as much as I needed to, but then I never really do get as much done as I should.
Overall, though, it went well. A novel and half done for DTF and all kinds of other odds and ends. More outline on Mirrors2, which is quite nice. I need to do some restructuring of Summer Storm done before Monday, though, so I can write on it for the upcoming marathon at FM. I need a good stint of writing to put me in a good mood. Seems simple enough, right? (grin)
I have a ton of stuff to get done, though. But then I always do. The one thing I can say is that I'm never bored. I don't have time to be bored. I don't have time to do much of anything that isn't related to lists of things that need to be done.
I've been doing some great editing on stuff, too, which makes me feel better. I might have even more things to go out in a few days.
August 25, 2006
A fun little piece of work
I got caught up in some work tonight and just didn't get to this. I'm reworking the Sudden Storm outline a bit and getting it ready for Monday. It's going very well, too.
Boy am I tired, though! And I have so much else to get done! Ack!
But I'll get there.
Just not tonight.
August 26, 2006
Lion....
In about 24 hours I'll be starting the Labor of Love challenge over at Forward Motion. I'm not certain how far I'll get, but I am looking forward to it. I have my outline nearly entirely in shape, except for some annoying little things toward the end that are fighting with me. Well, I have 24 hours to fix it. Either that or -- as often happens -- I'll fix it when I get to that point in the story. Sometimes it's not until then that the material becomes clear.
But I'm looking forward to it. I think this is going to be fun, and I need a good fun book to write right now, and Sudden Storm -- or Summer Storm (the main character's name is Summerfield, so this might work better) is going to be a lot of fun to write. Urban Fantasy. In Omaha. (grin)
I plan to take at least two or three days to devote mostly to the dare before I go back to work on other things. I should be able to make quite a dent in the novel in that time.
But right now... need to get some Vision stuff done and try to figure out the last few steps in the outline!
August 27, 2006
Fireworks from years ago....
I had to look through some older pictures today and came across this one. It looks good in the smaller picture!
It's about an hour before I start the Labor of Love marathon. I'm looking forward to it. I have my outline done and printed out -- 100 'scenes' and I'm aiming for about 90k, though I'll be happy with 70k. If I didn't have other things to get done, the 90K probably wouldn't be a problem. But... well, it's the end of the month, and there's lots of other stuff to do!
Still, I'm looking forward to it.
I think I pretty much have everything ready, too, though I think I need some music tonight. I plan to only write a couple thousand words before I go to bed, and then hit it harder tomorrow.
Should be fun.
In that masochistic writer sort of way.
August 28, 2006
Remembering Winter
Well, first day of the challenge is done and I did all right -- 10,000 words. I didn't think I would do that well since I was dead tired and didn't feel well. I'm doing a little better now. I need to restart soon and get a thousand or so for tomorrow.
I haven't written like that in quite a while. I didn't think I was going to make it anywhere near that number earlier today. It helped that I hit a very exciting part of the novel, though.
Russ leaves for New York on Wednesday and won't be back until the following Tuesday. Well, I'll have a lot of time to write, I suppose. Sigh.
Right now, though, it's time to go take care of a few things, and then come back and get some more writing done.
August 29, 2006
Summer Storm
The new book is going well, despite the general craziness of life. We're about ready for Russ to go -- well, as long as you don't count all the work he needs to get done.
I'm going to have to do some more work on Vision now, though, if I hope to have it done on time. I've gotten a good amount of the early stuff done already, but as I've mentioned before, it always takes more time than I think it should.
And that's about it for tonight. I need to get some other stuff done, and I want to get to bed early because I'm tired out again. So... off I go!
August 30, 2006
Sleepy Boys
And sleepy human who almost forgot to post this tonight!
Russ is off to New York. I have an email from him, so I know all is well there. I've been working on Summer Storm and it's going well. Tomorrow will be a short day for it because of Vision, but I'll get there.
I've been at this computer too long today. Time to go get some sleep. of course, now is the time two of the cats decided it's time for kitty races from one end of the house to the other.
Sleep? Who needs sleep....
August 31, 2006
Flowers
Almost done with Vision... but too tired to keep going right now. I'm going to sleep for a few hours and then finish it off. We'll see how I do getting back to the novel afterwards. I'm up to 27,000 words, at least. Fun stuff going on, too.
Tired, tired, tired. Don't sleep particularly well the first night or so when Russ is gone, and it catches up with me when I least need it to.
Sigh.