Saturday, August 15, 2009

Saturday, August 15, 2009
Waning Moon
Pluto Retrograde
Jupiter Retrograde
Uranus Retrograde

One of our sightseeing options in Prague is a collection of whale penises displayed at a monastery. Huh?

Got some editing work done in the morning (which is weird, because I prefer to edit in the afternoon), but I wanted to get it done before the Optimum guy arrived.

He arrived early in the designated time period — I was shocked. He was in and out in 30 minutes — with Iris, who usually is afraid of strangers, supervising. Fortunately, the dispatcher took it seriously when I booked the appointment and told her to send someone who’s comfortable around cats.

I had trouble signing in, initially, so I called tech support, and he got me all set up in just a few minutes — phone, voice, wif-fi, ethernet, the whole deal. And the TV is still working properly, too, so it’s all good.

Remember when I switched to Verizon and it took two weeks to get it up and running? I’m already a happier customer.

But then I decided to start reconfiguring the space right away. I wanted to move my desk about four feet to the left and put the shelf unit I’d been using to my left – in front of the bookcase I dismantled — to the right, setting up the small printer and using it for office supplies, primarily. But to set both pieces back against the wall, I need ONE more INCH. ONE INCH. So I had to take all the books out of the enormous oak bookcase directly to the left of the new space in order to move it that ONE INCH, because it was too heavy for me to move with the books and tchakes in it. Which meant I had to dust everything, which was a good thing, because I hadn’t been able to get to that bookcase to dust it for awhile.

I truly loathe those “experts” who tell you not to have objects out on your shelves because that means you have to dust. So what? Every object has meaning and has a story, and dusting time means I re-tell the story to myself and remind myself of personal history and happy moments. Okay, so the collection of elephants took awhile — I didn’t realize how many there were, and working on those tiny tusks can be a bit time consuming — but it’s worth it.

I don’t trust people who don’t have books in their homes or who don’t have personal mementos displayed. In the former instance, someone who doesn’t read isn’t someone I can be comfortable around. In the latter instance, I always wonder what they’re hiding.

Anyway, I jiggled the bookshelf over its inch, hauled the desk across, and set up the shelf unit. Once I actually excavate my desk and get rid of all the crap that’s stacked up, it will look very nice (and get rid of the behemoth PC). The little printer is very happy on its top shelf, I’ve got my box of disks stacked beside it, and there was even room on the wall to hang my calendar. I could also get to the clock high up on the wall (I used to have to move the PC monitor and stand on the computer desk) to change the battery and reset it.

I tried to reset the 400-day clock, which ran down a few months ago, but it needs a professional.

I wasn’t able to unpack the office supplies and get them re-shelved, but at least I’ve gotten a start on it all.

A friend of mine gets really great boxes at work, and dropped off four on her way home, so I can unpack some of the bins where I’ve stored the books and pack the ones I don’t immediately need in the boxes and take them to storage. Then I can use the bins to finish packing up the stuff that needs packing in the bedroom, so I can do the furniture swap.

I was pretty wiped out last night and took it easy.

I’m really not happy that Yoga Accessories won’t take back the travel mat. It’s stinking up the whole house. I’m going to wash it with castille soap, and I found a place through SHAPE magazine that requested donations of yoga equipment. I’ve still got the box, so on Monday, I’ll pack it up and ship it off. Someone will be able to get good use out of it, especially when I get the smell out. I’m probably too fussy about texture, but texture in a mat is very important to me, and this just didn’t work.

This morning, I had to be up early to do my yoga, do a backup on Time Machine, run through the problems on the Mac, and get out the door a little after 8 AM for my Genius Appointment. I better walk out of there with everything solved this time around.

Then, I’m covering the Wellness fair at a location in town. I’m in the same town as one of the most prominent spiritual and wellness centers in the country, and I never spend time there. Mostly because I don’t like the egotistical infighting and the high prices. But I’ll see how the fair is – if anyone’s got a massage chair out to give 10 minute neck-rubs, I’m there!

Tomorrow is all about my writing — I’m packing up and going to visit a friend in CT for the day, hang out by the pool, relax, etc. and get some of my own work done. The last few weeks, my own work has been pushed to one side, and that can’t happen.

My writing is the priority, and everything else has to fit around the writing, not the other way around.

Devon

Saturday, August 8, 2009

Saturday, August 8, 2009
Waning Moon
Pluto Retrograde
Jupiter Retrograde
Uranus Retrograde
Sunny and warm

Quick post because there’s too much going on and not enough hours in the day.

Got a good batch of work done yesterday a.m., plus getting to Trader Joe’s to stock up on cat food. Then, I was called in to another site job for an emergency during the late afternoon and evening, and I’ll have to go back today after my Genius Bar appointment. They’ve been really good to me, so I don’t mind helping them out, but I also got in some client work I wasn’t expecting until the middle of next week, and I’m going to have to do it piecemeal in and around the site job next week. There was no way I could turn around that amount of material in a couple of hours and give it the attention it needs, even if it was the only project on my desk (which it wasn’t).

AND meet the deadlines for my own work.

I got some work done on “Plot Bunnies” and finished the second mystery this morning. I need a new title. However, it’s different enough in tone and style that it does fit under the “Devon” name rather than the “Ava” name under which “Plot Bunnies” will submit. And, with the latter, I think I only have to cut about 60 words — not 1500, like in the first.

I have my work “cut out” for me — pun intended!

I have to pack up and move three sets of bookcases and files from in front of the phone jack before the Optimum guy shows up next week. Got started on that and will stop at Target after the Genius Bar appointment to pick up, you guessed it more bins. I’ll do a little bit each day when I dash back for the hour or so to feed the cats.

Sending the Verizon marketing materials back unopened and marked “Refused.”

Ran out of ink on the big printer, so I have to deal with that in the next couple of days, since I’ve got to print out postcards and sent them to a friend who offered to distribute them for me. Also have to do a little research on a reasonable quote for a big project. The guy wants a for-hire on something that is usually done by royalties — he swears there won’t be any; I think he’s full of it. For-hire is a way higher price than royalties, in my book, so I’m sure I’ll price myself out of his budget.

The cats and I were all settled down to sleep late last night when the familiar heaving noise all cat owners know and hate so well filled the room. I turned on the light to find that Violet, the littlest cat, heaved up the biggest fur ball I’ve ever seen. We all just stared at it. I said, “How can something that big come out of something so little?” Not fun to clean up, but at least she’s feeling better and we know the Petromalt does its job!

I’ve got to clean out the litter boxes, get to the bank and post office, and get over to the Genius Bar. I hope we can get this issue resolved once and for all.

Have a great weekend.

Devon

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Waxing Moon
Pluto Retrograde
Jupiter Retrograde
Cloudy and humid

Yesterday was a hit and miss day. The problems with UHaul continue — I can’t go into detail about it, unfortunately, but it will get very, very, VERY ugly tomorrow, and then there will be consequences.

The guy at the Genius Bar fixed my iPod in less than 10 minutes. I’m a little concerned because we couldn’t figure out WHY it went kerplooey, which to me indicates it could happen again (I always like to know the why), but it seems to work now. He did some Genius Bar magic and we re-entered information, and now it picks up wi-fi and is synched with MobileMe and doing all that stuff it’s supposed to do. I’ll know for sure this weekend, and then, if necessary, take it back. They were really nice in the store, as they always are, and they’re really good about herding people in a friendly way, so the rude, pushy people (the same ones who drive expensive cars and therefore feel that rules of the road and rules of basic courtesy don’t apply to them) don’t ride roughshod over everyone else. And the employees do it in such a friendly, humorous way that the a-holes don’t even realize they’re being herded. It’s quite an education to watch them do their thing.

I started spinning a story on the drive home, that I hope I can place with BOOKS FOR MONSTERS, since I enjoy working with them so much. I’m calling it comic urban fantasy, but it might veer off a bit in another direction.

Afternoon was spent fighting with UHaul, talking to a potential new client, and working on client projects.

It looks like I’ll get away for the weekend — provided I survive tomorrow, which will just be six ways of hell, if not more. There is no doubt in my mind that I will have to call for police intervention. That’s how out-of-control the situation has gotten.

Cooked pork chops smothered in garlic teriyaki sauce, with buttered noodles and crisp, steamed green beans. I haven’t had the chance to cook much this week, but intend to remedy that over the weekend and next week.

I’m really looking forward to a weekend of a whole lot of nothing. I will need to sleep a lot, eat a lot, drink a lot of wine, and maybe spend time by my friend’s pool after tomorrow.

Today, I’ve got to head to Trader Joe’s to stock up on cat food — we’ve only got two cans, and I can’t leave the cat sitter with an empty cupboard. The cats know what cupboard holds their food, and they are horrified when it’s opened and there’s not a tall stack of cans. We’re similar that way — we like well-stocked cupboards.

I’m going to try to get a little writing done, get the GDRS up, and prepare mentally for tomorrow.

Devon