Turbulence and Time

Oh, the ready underminers of any plan... This week has been a HECK of a week, good, bad, amazing, horrible. It's ALL been there, but there has just been TOO MUCH of it.

The Good



On Monday I finished CONSPIRACY. I had to restart the ending three times and I'm still not quite happy with it, but I am happy enough to think as a TRILOGY, I can go back and rewrite the FIRST and all the details will be right... I mean there won't be a point in polishing the second and third if nobody wants the FIRST, but I wanted the entire story written in first draft before polishing the first because I DIDN'T want to be written into a corner (and I'm glad I did—some important things HAVE changed.

The Bad



DEADLINES, DEADLINES, DEADLINES at work (plus a coworker who is acting off—I am not sure if she is mad at me about something or having personal problems, but it is sort of passive aggressive and reminding me of my mother at the moment). I have reasonable tolerance of grouchiness, but feel people have an obligation to either say WHY or swallow it. Snarkiness needs justification.







The AMAZING



The editor wants to see revisions, but ALSO said she thought she could work with me on the cozy... It is a deadline, but it is also an INTERACTION with real life publishing professionals... it is a REAL chance.





The Horrible



Mr. Tart has had his panties in a bunch about pretty much EVERYTHING, all week. He is periodically impossible. His temperament tends to the morose, which on some level (the dark bad boy one) is appealing, but when he gets like this, he blames ME for his misery, and no many how many times I try to calmly tell him he needs a time out, a spanking, a chill pill, or a therapist, he STILL is no fun. I think we've reached the end of it, but when he is like that, he frequently disrupts me and makes it hard to do my editing or writing.

It ALSO is my daughter's birthday tomorrow, so there has been a mad quest to learn about cameras (we've finally come round to giving her money, which she will save until Christmas when we will pay for the REST of the camera, as she wants a photography camera with all the lenses and such, but digital—we just can't do over $400. Over two occasions though, when she is thinking photojournalism as a career, I can be more comfortable, even if $200 per occasion is more than we can really do. (Besides, if it is for Christmas, I can shoot for a black Friday sale and maybe get a really good deal).







Fitness Blog, Say What?



Yes, Saturday is my fitness day, and HONESTLY, this is ALL related. Time crunches and stress are HUGE obstacles to doing what I am supposed to. The exercise still fell into line, but I had several eating SNAFUs. When I am feeling sorry for myself I crave crunchy, greasy or alcoholic. I managed to lose half a pound, but I was over points several times. Measurements aren't down at all (in fact upper body is all up half an inch) from two weeks ago, in spite of weighing 2.5 pounds less, but it is all MUCH less than when I started, and I know half an inch can be as easily explained as pizza last night (only 2 pieces, and my day's eating was on points—but it is a bloaty sort of food, yes?)





I need to spend a little time thinking about the safety net for when life gets manic like this... I need to do a little shopping so I have some easy, satisfying snacks that trick me when I am feeling pouty. Diet Coke seems to be one of the things that helps—feels splurgy. I try not to have one every day, but this week I definitely did (never mind that half the time I added rum to it).



The next two weeks are unlikely to improve matters, and then May 6 I go on a business trip where for three days it is virtually impossible to eat right or fit my exercise in. I will try though, and vow to spend a little time planning for damage minimization...