Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Iris under the covers

Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Waning Moon
Neptune Retrograde
Mercury Retrograde
Cloudy and cold

It snowed, on and off, for most of the day yesterday. I just stayed in, popping out to shovel the bottom of the driveway so the repairman could get in and, later on, my mom popped out to shovel the end of the driveway of the neighbor who’d dug us out — and he came home from his trip 15 minutes later! Talk about timing!

I didn’t get much writing done; My back hurt a lot while sitting at the computer, and it was difficult to concentrate through that. I managed to get some work done on the workshops.

Wrote thank-you notes post-holiday, straightened out some paperwork. I’d like to know why, if I’m on a monthly plan with Comcast, I’m expected to pay the full monthly price every two weeks? Isn’t that illegal? You better believe I’ll be talking to several of the appropriate authorities about that.

And the silliness with Optimum just continues. I received a copy of their response to the BBB, and they downright LIED. As in not even getting close to what actually happened. The reason these companies get away with this crap is that people can’t be bothered to complain, and that’s what they’re counting on. So we all get screwed.

I read all 300+ pages of material for Confidential Job #1 (which was very enjoyable) and will do my write-up today.

Repairman came — turns out he used to live in the East Village, what ARE all these New Yorkers doing up here? The drain hose broke, and he has to order a new one. So I’m going into the New Year without a working washer and company coming, which doesn’t thrill me.

After over 24 hours of only getting local coverage, we could finally get news from beyond our little area (they didn’t have any of the morning shows like THE TODAY SHOW on yesterday, or WORLD NEWS TONIGHT Sunday night, it was all local coverage, and I felt very cut off from the world). New York got hammered! I kind of knew that, because Metro North texted my cell over 20 times, including ALL NIGHT LONG again (even though I’ve told them numerous times to take me off the list and they didn’t put me on the list until after I moved). I can’t block numbers on my phone, or I’d just block them. But seeing the pictures of New York — wow. Am I ever glad I’m not there and still working on shows, because you know they would have expected me to walk through a blizzard from Westchester to get to the theatre instead of calling someone who lives three blocks away.

It’s very windy here, but the house is sturdy and the car’s safely in the garage, so it’s all good. I think it’s too windy to go to the dump today, but we have to go out and get some cat food. There’s a lecture tomorrow afternoon in Chatham I want to attend — I have to find out if it’s still on. It’s by a colleague of an acquaintance of mine, and I’d like to go to be supportive.

I want to get some writing done, and do more work on the workshops, especially the Plum one — I’m rearranging and editing lectures. One Story, Many Voices is pretty much set — I want to tweak the “house style” rules a bit. There’s still room in both workshops, if you want to participate. And I’ve got a blog post for Savvy Authors to finish and get out today.

Great article in the local paper about how people are writing fewer holiday cards all over the country EXCEPT on Cape Cod, where they’re writing more. I knew this was my kind of place! 😉

I’d like to get a little more unpacking done before the party next week, but I’m limited in what I can lift right now. Sigh.

Devon

Monday, September 13, 2010

Monday, September 13, 2010
Waxing Moon
Pluto Retrograde
Uranus Retrograde
Neptune Retrograde
Jupiter Retrograde
Mercury DIRECT (thank goodness)
Cloudy and muggy

One of the great things about Elsa being around for 15 years is that there are hundreds, perhaps thousands of happy memories revolving around her, and that is what I will try to focus on.

Every time I go to Philly, I have to leave my beloved Optimum and use Comcast. They just suck so badly. They are slow, they freeze, it takes minutes instead of seconds to load anything. And since it’s someone else’s account, I can’t call customer service and ream someone a new one! 😉

I dread losing Optimum when I relocate. Comcast is the premiere service where I’m going, and I don’t want them. It’s as bad as having my old PC on a bad day. I think I will take the advice and go with Time Warner. Right now, there’s an anti-Time Warner campaign in NY on television, but I’ll give it a shot and, if they’re awful — well, I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it. Besides, I have to have an address before I get fresh cable hooked up!

In spite of a jagged start to Saturday, it was a pretty productive day.

My mom said Iris and Violet are not doing well at all. They’re grieving terribly.

And then I hear a Megabus slammed into an overpass in upstate NY on Saturday, killing 4. Yeah, that gives me confidence for my next trip with them!

Saturday was very quiet. I worked all morning, I stopped to go to The Black Sheep, one of my favorite restaurants in the neighborhood for lunch. I had their Eggs Benedict — amazing! So wonderful and so perfect. I am an Eggs Benedict addict — if it’s on the menu, I must have it, and I’m very fussy. The Black Sheep’s version are right up there with The Egg & I’s version, up in Maine, which is still the best I’ve ever had.

Worked more Saturday afternoon and into the evening. Performed a Ceremony for the Dead in commemoration for 9/11l. Went to bed early again.

Must have had busy dreams again, because I work up on Sunday, thinking I was at home. I was completely disoriented.

Got some work done in the morning, read the papers, actually dashed out in the rain to McDonald’s for a sausage-and-egg McMuffin — not bad.

Left in the late morning, hauled everything to 30th Street Station, got on the Megabus. It was packed, which surprised me. I thought it would be fairly empty at that hour.

There was one annoying woman who insisted on screeching into the phone in as loud a voice as she could, on and on and on about family drama. Six people asked her to please keep her voice down. She refused, She said, “But I have to check in.” Finally, I said to her, “Checking in is saying, ‘I’m on the bus, it’s moving.’ It is NOT going on and on about family situations that none of us give a damn about and, frankly, are petty and boring. Your life is just not interesting enough to be forced on us for two hours. Shut up or we take the phone away.”

She shut up.

Because I would have done it — taken the phone and asked the driver to hold it until we arrived in NY. One of the bus rules is to keep phone conversation to a minimum and do it in a way that does not disturb others.

Ride wasn’t bad. We were only about 15 minutes late getting in due to traffic, and due to the bus ahead of us not giving us room to unload, and its passengers being slow and stupid about claiming their luggage.

Went over to 6th Avenue in the rain , caught a cab uptown — a young guy stepped in front of me and tried to take my cab, but the driver shouted, “Get out of my cab, you pig! I stop for the lady!” Gotta love NYC cab drivers.

Got on the train at Grand Central, the ride was uneventful (thank goodness) and I was home a little before 5. The cats were very glad to see me.

Unpacked, repacked some of the stuff I’m taking when I go back to Philly in a week and a half in the bigger suitcase I’m taking for that jaunt, posted my Welcome and first lecture for the workshop, and spent the evening reading magazines, catching up on mail, and comforting Iris and Violet. I don’t think Violet slept the whole time I was gone –she felt she had to be awake and vigilant. She’s exhausted, poor little thing.

In spite of the windows being closed, the apartment is filthy from Friday’s workmen outside, so I have to scrub everything down again.

The orchid, however, sent by my freelance writer friends, is amazing! I will have to post a photo tomorrow. Stunningly beautiful. Thank you so much for your love and support.

Today, I’m teaching the workshop, working on some other writing, getting out some other necessary paperwork, running a few errands (I’m out of wine, and, if I don’t take care of that, I will whine).

The “workmen” are already here making my life hell, so, no doubt, I will be filing more complaints against them.

Devon

First Willowspring Grove novel (handwritten, first draft): 49,250 words out of est. 100,000 words (49%).

Friday, July 23, 2010

Friday, July 23, 2010
Waxing Moon
Neptune Retrograde
Pluto Retrograde
Uranus Retrograde
Jupiter Retrograde
Sunny and hot
Festival of Salacia and Sulis

Yesterday was fun. Different than I expected, but fun. I was out of the apartment early, walked east on Chestnut Street to the historic district. Never made it to Ben Franklin’s grave, although it turns out I was always within a block of it. There are thousands of boy scouts on their way to a jamboree — thousands of ‘em, all over the place. I spent most of the day trying to dodge the large groups. A store proprietor said they’d be at mostly family-friendly places; I hoped to find a tavern to hide in.

Don’t get me wrong, they’re very nice and reasonably well-behaved, in spite of being older teenaged boys. But they ARE teen-aged boys, and there are thousands of them, and there’s only so much of that I can take.

Paid my respects to Betsy Ross, photographed the fountain in her courtyard with the cats. Swung by the Old Quaker Meeting House, and the store at the Visitor’s Center. I wanted to buy some silly gifts, but the store was overpriced, and there wasn’t anything appropriate. And why do the stores in the Bourne Center sell replicas of the Statue of Liberty and postcards of NYC? Doesn’t make sense to me.

Carpenter’s Hall (good bookshop there), swung back around on 2nd St. to the Clay Center. Although it states on the website that the gallery opens at 10, and I was there after 10:30, it was locked and dark. Typical Philadelphia.

Ducked down Elfreth’s Alley, full of tiny little row houses and window boxes, and pre-revolutionary lane that still has people living there. Poor things, the tourists must drive them nuts. And there’s Blanden’s something or other, another little alley leading of Elfreth’s Alley, which would be lovely and peaceful is so many people weren’t crawling around taking photos! I was one of them, but I tried to do it quietly! 😉

Took some lovely photos in the cemetery at Christ’s Church, dodged four troops of boy scouts (for a minute, I thought I’d have to hop over the wall, which, in a dress, would have been an adventure). Walked across to the Society Hill neighborhood, full of restored (expensive) row houses.

There’s an oddly designed red brick building, heading south, called the Center for Living History that “closed permanently” on June 18. That’s a shame. And I wonder what they’ll do with the monstrosity.

The plan was to eat at a pub I’d read about called The Artful Dodger that looked interesting. I thought I’d check it out and write a short article about it. There are plenty of publications who take that type of stuff. I got there about a half hour before they were scheduled to open. I was hot and tired, in spite of carrying water. I wandered around the neighborhood, which is lovely, and spent a good bit of time in the churchyard next to St. Peter’s. I took some interesting photographs — I like old graveyards, they have stories, and they tell them if you listen quietly enough. Also met a woman walking two Wheaton terriers who told me about some interesting graves in the graveyard next door, at cemetery beside Old Pine St. Church, and about some lovely little gardens tucked away between Society Hill and where I’m staying off Rittenhouse Square.

By the time we were done, it was a few minutes after noon. I walked back to the pub, and it was even a few more minutes after noon. Not only was it not yet open, the staff saw me waiting and turned their backs. Not a wave or holding up a hand to indicate five more minutes. Dismissal.

So I left. Not spending my money there.

The service in Philadelphia restaurants sucks more often than it doesn’t anyway, which is a shame, because Philadelphia has a lot of outstanding restaurants. It sucks more than in most other towns I’ve travelled to throughout the world. But the servers seem to think they’re doing you a favor by letting you come in and sit down and pay them to maybe come by your table if they feel like it and can get off their smart phones or be bothered to stop conversing with their colleagues. 98% of the wait staff in Philly couldn’t last a single shift in NY.

Exceptions that I’ve discovered (and to which I keep returning) are Smith’s, on S. 19th St., a few blocks from Rittenhouse Square, and The Black Sheep, on S. 17th St. Hopefully, the place we’re going for lunch to today will also fall into that category.

Walked west on Pine Street, which was lovely. Row houses, Antiques Row (a series of antique stores — if I’d been in shopping mode, I’d have stopped at a few, but I wasn’t). I hoped to find a little cafe to stop and have a bite, but didn’t see anything that particularly struck me.

So I wound up at The Black Sheep, which is close to where I’m staying. I already knew they had great burgers and a nice selection of beers. I sat in the bar. The only person working was the bartender, who was also serving, but she was great. Nice change. I had the fish tacos — a huge platter with delightful condiments including one of the best cilantro sauces I’ve ever had. And a couple of pints of Flying Fish beer, which was very good. All reasonably priced, served promptly and politely, in a good atmosphere. Because The Black Sheep is so close to where I stay, I tend to overlook it, but I won’t anymore.

After lunch, I returned to the apartment and collapsed in the air conditioning. I was pretty wiped out. Didn’t do much of anything for the rest of the day except some percolating and email. I overheated during the day, in spite of drinking a lot of water, so it took me awhile to cool down.

Contract negotiations are not going well. I hope I don’t have to walk away and start the submission process all over again on this project, but if it comes to that, I will. I like this company, but they’re not taking one of the non-negotiables for me seriously and they think I’ll blink. They are sadly mistaken.

I will tell them so politely and firmly, and we’ll see where that leaves us.

Back to the page for awhile this morning, and then it’s off to lunch with some writer pals at a Belgian restaurant only about two blocks away whose menu looks fantastic. Let’s hope the service is up to par.

Boy, am I spoiled with my Optimum internet service at home. Comcast sucks — it’s hard to get anything done efficiently. Pages take about 3-1/2 minutes to load — when they can be bothered to load at all. I hope they are not my only option when I relocate.

Today is the festival of the goddesses of mineral springs, salt water, and healing waters. I will honor them tonight by a good soak in the tub with salts!

Devon

Saturday, May 22, 2010

Saturday, May 22, 2010
Waxing Moon
Pluto Retrograde
Cloudy and warm

Getting here as an adventure yesterday. I was up and out the door for my run, and back by the time I usually leave; got everything gathered, got the train to the city, picked up water, walked over to Penn Station from Grand Central.

That’s where it got sticky. Because of an accident in NJ, the turnpike was closed, and the busses couldn’t get in. Three of the DC busses and one Boston bus that were supposed to leave well before ours still hadn’t loaded. And they had no idea when any of it would clear up.

Switching bus services wouldn’t work — it wasn’t the bus line, but the highway that was the problem. I figured, if I waited too long, I’d pop into Penn and see if I could get a seat on an Amtrak (although that’s a full $80 more than the bus).

They got two DC & the Boston bus off and started lining them up for the next Boston. Suddenly, our Philly bus turned up, they shoved us all on it, and we took off. It was only about 35 minutes late. Our driver said, “I don’t know when the hell we’ll get there, but we gonna get there, ‘cause I am the BEST.” And he was.

The trip itself was fine. I had the iPod on, and every song in the shuffle was perfect. I’m reading an anthology of fantasy romance called THE QUEEN IN WINTER with novellas by Claire Delacroix, Lynn Kurland, Sharon Shinn, and Sharah Monette. I read all of Kurland’s “A Whisper of Spring”, which was lovely, and started Shinn’s “When Winter Comes” which I really like, too. When I picked it up, I didn’t realize Shinn was included. I’m glad, because she’s one of my favorites.

Philly was so hot and sunny I thought I would pass out. I found out later it hit 91. Considering I had to wear fleece two days ago when I went on my run, it was too rapid a change.

Went to where I’m staying/working, dumped the luggage, changed out of travel clothes into LL Bean cottons, and headed up to Trader Joe’s (which is almost all the way back to 30th St. station). Picked up what I needed, went to the liquor store, got what I needed there, went to Metropolitan Bakery to get my coffee and something for breakfast today — all they had that was breakfasty was a fruit and oat bar, which didn’t thrill me, but I got it anyway. However, when I ate it this morning, it was WONDERFUL. Lovely surprise.

The rest of the day, I lay around reading cookbooks and magazines. I was done. I had lobster ravioli in Alfredo sauce for dinner. Didn’t watch TV. Instead, I did a tough yoga routine to get out the kinks the travel-with-luggage put in, a good meditation, and some reading. I went to bed very early.

Slept well, up early, yoga, did my work here. It’s supposed to be cooler here today and then rain tonight, but it looks like it’ll rain before then. Good thing I travel with an umbrella!

The plan is to go to Reading Terminal Market today. Although I’m worried it’ll be high-end touristy, there are some things I want to see, like the second-hand bookstore, the cookbookstore, and some of the food stalls. If it’s too touristy, I’ll leave.

My arm is healing well. I don’t even think there will be much of a scar. I’m glad, because I’ve been working on this poultice for several years now, and I’ve finally hit the balance of materials that my body responds well to. It disinfects and draws out contaminants while starting the healing process. I’ve noticed that, when I use traditional/synthetic medicines, I feel worse for the first 48 hours, it looks gross, and then the surface seems to knit while underneath is still a mess, and often it has to be re-opened and the process started again. So, while it seems to heal quickly, there are frequent set backs. When I use holistic medicine, there’s relief within the first hour, and, although the overall healing is visually slower, it’s more thorough and there are fewer setbacks. Normally, in a wound like this, one treatment would be applied to disinfect and decontaminate, while then another put on to start the healing. I wanted to see if I could put both into one concoction — I’ve been working on this for about five years now — and this seems to be getting there. Patience is not one of my virtues, but it’s paying off here.

When I get back, I’ll do some more work, and maybe get some writing done. I nearly left the computer at home, but realized all my “in process” projects are on the computer, not in longhand (yes, I backed everything up on Time Machine before I left).

The internet connection here is Comcast, which. compared to my Optimum, is pathetically slow and unreliable. Now I know which company NOT to use when I move!

Off to the market!

Devon

Sunday, February 28, 2010

Sunday, February 28, 2010
Waxing Moon
Mars Retrograde
Gray and gloomy

Yesterday was mostly about the conference, which is as it should be. We are buckling down to work. It’s a smaller conference than the Muse, so it’s easier to give the students more individual attention. It’s easier to work in depth with a dozen students than over a hundred, which is what I’ve sometimes had.

Comcast is driving me nuts. I’m kind of shocked by how badly Comcast sucks. I’m managing to get the work done, but I’m worried about the live chat this afternoon. I’m deeply grateful I have Optimum back home.

Cooked tuna steaks for supper, which was great. Watched the Olympics for a bit. Fox’s idea of supporting HUMAN TARGET was to run a marathon of the few episodes already aired on FX — but with more commercials and cutting scenes, most of which were Jackie Earle Haley’s, which royally pissed me off, since I think they’re the best scenes in the show. People work so hard to put on a show — 18, 20+ hours a day, and, having worked on hour-long dramas, I know how hard it is. And then the network messes around and makes stupid decisions. You know the old adage, “Those who can’t do, teach?” — which isn’t true if you get a good teacher. What is true is “Those without a creative or commonsensical bone in their bodies become network executives.”

Did just over 1000 words on one of the short stories, which was good. Did notes on another piece. Worked on my next assignment for the humor workshop. My first two assignments were well-received, so hopefully, I’m on the right track. It’s a challenge, but I like it.

Word from home is I received a royalty check — always like that. I think I’m going to use it for a pottery workshop in May. I haven’t been able to afford the 14-week course, in either financial or time-related terms, but there’s a one-day introductory workshop in mid-May I’d like to get into at the professional studio next town over.

That’s pretty much it. I commented on exercises in both workshops this morning. I have a live chat on freelancing as a career not a hobby (look out, content mills, I am saying exactly what I think of you), commenting on more exercises, working on my assignment, and, hopefully, getting more writing done. The plays are percolating, so once I get home this week, I’ll put time into those. I have to get two of them out to my producer by mid-March, and well, tomorrow will be March.

Back to the page.

Devon

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

Friday, August 14, 2009

Friday, August 14, 2009
Waning Moon
Pluto Retrograde
Jupiter Retrograde
Uranus Retrograde
Sunny and pleasant

Yesterday was a pretty quiet day, thank goodness. I got the site work done — in and around the cleaning crew that had come in! Hard to get any creative work or anything that needs serious concentration done with vacuum cleaners and mopping and scrubbing happening all the way around!

The same place has booked me again in October, for two weekends, right after I get back from Prague, book-ending the week I teach at the Muse Conference.

So, basically, October’s booked! Yay! I might take on one or two more small projects, but, for the most part, it’s done. I’ve already got a few things booked for November. This year, I hope to wrap up client work by December 15 and then give myself a holiday break until after the first of the year. If that’s financially viable. Between what’s booked and my own deadlines, it should be a productive autumn, and, while I’ll do some marketing, most of it will be geared to projects after the first of the year.

I’m lining up some guest bloggers to appear while I’m in Prague, so you won’t miss me too much!

I feel better — I’m wondering if the air conditioning caused the sore throat and swollen glands.

I’ve got to head over to the family pharmacy when it opens and pick up some herbal supplements I need, then wait for the Optimum guy. I have to clear out a little more space so we can get at the plugs, and he’s got about 5 feet of space at the phone jack, and about 3 where the cable lead comes into the apartment. And that’s the best I can do for him. He’s just going to have to work around boxes and bins and piles of stuff.

I decided that, since I’ve pulled so much stuff out of the way in the first place, I’m going to dismantle the entire office area and reconfigure it so it works better. It means moving the 3-tired desk unit that accommodates the computer and one printer about five feet to the left and setting up new shelving to my right, where it’s actually useful to me (being right-handed), and getting a row of project containers to sit along the front of it, instead of just keeping things in stacks that the cats rearrange.

The new yoga blocks are fantastic, as is my new mat bag. I still haven’t found where the cats stashed the other block. But the yoga travel mat I ordered simply will not work. The one I saw in the store was like a rough towel — soft, flexible, folded in quarters, could fit in my carry-on. The one that arrived is an overly long piece of vinyl which not only won’t roll up again, sticking on itself like cling wrap, but gives off such a strong chemical smell I nearly reeled. The cats won’t go anywhere near it.

I’m hoping the whole switch over won’t be too painful. I need to get some editing done, and I need to turn attention back to my own deadlines, which ALWAYS must come first.

Tomorrow, I’ve got a 9 AM appointment at the Genius Bar, and I want to get this damned computer re-aligned once and for all. I spent over two hours last night installing software updates. The huge update was for Apple Software. The tiny one was for Word for Mac — which took four times longer, and immediately I got a flag that I had to download an additional update because of “critical failures” in the previous update. Bite me, Microsoft!

I’m hoping these updates will make things run more smoothly, and that tomorrow’s Genius can smooth it out.

The zipper on my three-month old computer bag broke. Can ANYONE make something that lasts for more than a minute? I am so sick of shoddy manufacturing.

Let’s hope the ISP switch isn’t too much of a nightmare. When I switched TO Verizon DSL from whomever I had before (I can’t even remember who it was), I had two weeks of hell.

Fingers crossed.

Devon

Thursday, August 6, 2009

Thursday, August 6, 2009
Waning Moon
Pluto Retrograde
Jupiter Retrograde
Uranus Retrograde
Cloudy and cooler

It was supposed to storm yesterday and be pretty today, but they were wrong. Gee, what a surprise! 😉

Yesterday’s work day was truncated because I spent so much time on the phone with Apple Care. The Macbook is fine, but AGAIN, I’m having synch problems with the iPod. We couldn’t figure it out, so I’ve got another Genius Bar appointment on Saturday. Urgh. It seems to be connected to the Mobile Me. Mobile Me is supposed to make my life easier and more efficient; instead, I feel as though it’s limiting me. I’m getting really frustrated.

I also have HAD it with Verizon’s landline lack of service and the failing DSL. That’s because they’re trying to force everyone over to FIOS. I don’t want FIOS. They can bite me. Additionally, they still owe me a major credit they promised me TWO YEARS AGO, when we were without phone service for two weeks. They never posted it, and ignored all my contacts. They also have tried bait and switch offers too many times — an offer for better/cheaper/more efficient service,which, when you actually call to get it done, suddenly the offer’s expired, but they can offer it to you at double the price. Again, bite me. AND, they’ve refused any cooperation to stop the phone harassment situation with which I’ve been dealing for over a year. No, I am NOT changing my number. Give the damn number from which these calls originate to the authorities so they can deal with it. So I took the time to switch to Optimum yesterday. i save nearly $70/month AND actually receive customer service. Go figure. Of course, they have to send out a tech at the end of next week. The poor guy has to come into the middle of all this chaos — and I have to take down several bookcases so he can get to the correct wall jack.

It’s going to be a pain in the ass, but I’ll be happier in the long run, and I’ll be able to access wi-fi, which will also make my life easier. I’m keeping Verizon for wireless, but will also upgrade my phone and adjust my plan later this month. They used to be really good and helpful in most areas, but have really gone downhill in the past two years.

And the commercial, where they offer a “free” netbook — you ONLY have to pay the taxes and shipping? It’s either free or it’s not, and this isn’t free. The taxes and extra charges they add to everything — and raise every few months without proper notification — are ridiculous. And the daily solicitations, both by phone and mail, trying to get me to move to FIOS, even after I’ve told them orally AND in writing to stop — no. Buh-bye.

I know some really great individuals who work for Verizon, but the direction the company as a whole is taking is just not consumer-oriented enough to retain the bulk of my business.

On a happier note, I cleared off a bunch of client projects, and I’ve just got one or two more to finish tomorrow before I focus my attention on the site job next week. I applied for a job that could be really cool — if the price is right. I worked on a couple of proposals. The second mystery has really taken off — I think I can finish the first draft tomorrow, and then go back and make the cuts in the first ones. I’m happy with both these pieces — what I’ve learned over the past few months is applied, and it makes the pieces stronger.

Another story got rejected — I just love it when guidelines say they want something unique and quirky, but what they really mean is “mainstream neurotic.” The first issue of the publication I read made me think the piece could fit the publication, although I wondered why the voice of all the pieces in the issue were so similar. Now that I’ve read several issues (which, yes, I should have done first, but usually a full issue cover to cover gives you a good sense of a publication), ALL the pieces sound the same, and that’s worrying. I don’t know if they’re all actually written by the same person and appear under multiple names, or simply edited to sound uniform. Warning bells went off. In the interim, I found a market I think is a better fit, so out it goes again tomorrow.

I’m headed out to the city for a long lunch with Costume Imp for Prague Planning. In five weeks, we take off. And, even though it’s lunch, since it’s a three hour round trip, it becomes a day trip.

Have a great day all — I hope I don’t get rained on — we’re supposed to eat outside. Just in case — I’m switching OUT of the suede shoes to something more waterproof.

Devon