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July 29, 2003

MESSAGE FROM CAT PLANET

TWO-LEGGED FURLESS CAT HAS FORGOTTEN TO ACQUIRE FOOD FOR US FOR THE LAST TIME. STOP.

WE HAVE RETALIATED BY STEALING HER TICK-TACK DEVICE AND USING IT TO WRITE THIS MISSIVE IN THE FURLESS LANGUAGE. STOP.

TICK-TACK DEVICE WILL BE RESTORED WHEN SHE FEEDS US AND STOPS GOING NUTSO OVER THIS BOBB THING. STOP.

SIGNED,

THE CAT

PS: NONE OF THAT CHEAP CAT CHOW CRAP. MAKE IT IAMS THIS TIME, OR WE'LL RAISE THE WEEK'S HAIRBALL QUOTA.

Posted by sdshaver at 12:04 AM

July 26, 2003

savvy

Damn. Pirates of the Caribbean was a dead sexy flick. Well written, too. More than made up for the cheesiness of LXG and the shaky cinematography of (the otherwise excellent) 28 Days Later.

Aaaanyway. Speaking of 28 Days Later... mahahahahahahahaha. I love turbo zombies. Not as much as I like Pirate Depp, but it's close. Yarrrrr...braaaaains!

And on that note: Two pages done for tonight. I'm hoping to wrap Chapter Three tomorrow, start on Four on Sunday.

On the house front -- I found a property I loved. Absolutely fell head over heels for. It sold out from underneath me. Fuck.

yesterday I heard you screaming

sometimes I feel like a motherless child

a long way from home

Posted by sdshaver at 02:20 AM

July 23, 2003

roasted vegetables

Still looking for a house. This brings the total of properties viewed to...23? 24? Something like that.

Got a page of Chapter 3 done, refreshed myself on what was going on in Chs. 1-2, wrote some notes on character development and plot ideas, and then succumbed to exhaustion from house-worry and working all day. Bed felt oh, so good. This morning was dentistry (my teeth are doing very well, thank you) and a very interesting re-broadcast between Diane Rehm and the late Carol Shields, a Pulitzer-prize winning author who wrote her last novel, Unless, under the cloud of the imminent knowledge that she was not long for this world.

On one hand, I can only imagine the distress of knowing you're dying. On the other -- if you can get past the fear of what happens when the lights go out, wouldn't it be freeing? All the risks you could take....

Technically, though, we're all dying. Carol just knew it was coming with a little more immediacy than most of us.

My joi de vivre keeps me going; and the greatest joy of my life is the writing and the boundless opportunities it daily gives me. Opportunity to tell more stories, discover more places, hear more voices.

Right now, my main character has just woken up from unpleasant dreams. She's dining on the old bread and cold roasted vegetables from the dinner her family ate the night before. She has no idea what's in store for her in the next 48 hours of her life.

For that matter, neither do I.

I look forward to that someday when I wake up knowing the first tasks of the day are to shower, eat cold leftovers (bread and roasted vegetables, maybe?), tidy up my home a tad, and then deposit myself in front of the computer for several hours.

Pleasant dreams.

Posted by sdshaver at 11:05 AM

July 21, 2003

aaaand...done

Chapter 2 is done, and will not be touched again until three months from now -- NO FOOLIN'. I've got my scenes with Brazen Displays of Magic TM done, so I can stop worrying about that for a bit.

So anyway, I'm playing catch-up this week, and hope to get 3 and 4 done by Sunday. More house-hunting tomorrow, and let's hope this is the last time, yeah?

Posted by sdshaver at 11:37 PM

crap

webwork took longer than I was expecting, but on the bright side -- the cosmetic stuff is done (for now).

I'll dig into (and finish) Chapter 2 sometime tonight.

Someone drop a house on me already.

Drop a house, eh?

Um, not that one, thanks. Besides, ruby ain't my color....

Posted by sdshaver at 10:42 AM

July 19, 2003

no house

razzlefrazzinmrrffflegrrfff...hmph.

Writing resumes tomorrow night. And the house hunt continues.

Tally ho! (Tally's a what?)

Posted by sdshaver at 10:15 PM

July 18, 2003

house hunting....

...is eating my soul.

Property has been bid on. Now we wait.

(faints)

Posted by sdshaver at 10:47 PM

July 13, 2003

addendum

After griping that there was no time to do so, I got some writing done after all. Chapter 2, at least, is now mapped out with only a small bit to fill in, and the beginning of Chapter 3 is outlined (and should be fun to write -- but then, it's all fun to write).

And hey, I got to write a bio for myself for the Valdemar anthology, which is going to be called Sun in Glory, apparently. No word on the other anthology (different editor), though. Still hopeful, but not too hopeful at this stage. We'll see. At least "Binder" made it past the first round of rejection slips.

And that reminds me that someday I wouldn't mind writing about Binder. She's a neat character in an interesting world. Um, yeah. Like that description is helpful at all.

I leave you with strains of Neutral Milk Hotel, who the strange and wonderful Monsieur Kellner turned me on to. G'night.

Posted by sdshaver at 01:43 AM

July 12, 2003

dammit

Another day blown to house hunting. This brings the total of houses I have looked at up to...20.

Putting in the bid tomorrow on one of the places I saw. I have confirmed my suspicion that there is nothing spectacular I can get with the money I've got, but there were three places I found that I can comfortably accept living in. The top pick of those three is what I'm bidding on.

Maybe someday I'll increase my cash flow sufficiently (or find a way to supplement it) to afford better. Until then, I dream of three bedroom homes with hardwood floors, huge bathtubs, stained glass windows, massive kitchens, skylights, hot tubs, and dry, roomy basements.

Tomorrow, I write.

Posted by sdshaver at 11:21 PM

July 11, 2003

Adam Corolla says I'm a pansy

Overheard on Loveline this evening, Adam Corolla calling anyone with a mold allergy a psychosomatic pansy. Hehehehe.

So -- progress minimal again today, due to aikido and work. But my schedule says I'm doing nothing with Friday, and that may very well mean another chapter done.

Saturday is another massive house hunt. Ugh. Jeff says I should wear a dust mask. I just might....

Posted by sdshaver at 12:33 AM

July 09, 2003

The High House Hunt is On

It got to a point where I was dreading walking through the door. After a night's rest, I still have a headache.

Five hours of house hunting yesterday yielded a low-level headache that graduated into a migraine and no house.

The culprit of my still-throbbing brain? Partially it's all that "fresh paint, new carpet!" that these so-called homes advertise. Most likely, though, it's because out of eight houses, four of them had rampant mold problems due to badly-maintained basements. Out of the three other houses I've visited in the past, all three of them also had the same problem. This means I've been to eleven houses, and seven of them are a mold-infested nightmare.

I have lived in houses (Greenwalls, for example) that had these sorts of problems. If I recall correctly, the mold problems at Greenwalls gave otherwise-healthy Dr. Jane asthma, caused Marion to go into congestive heart failure, and aggravated Lisa and Cindy's health problems.

But my writer self sat in the background, and made observations. Like the smell factor. I'm not a highly trained scent ninja, but I am programmed to look for scents. The houses I liked were the ones that had no off scents. And I could pick out the houses with mold problems the moment I walked through the door.

So the search continues. And no writing occurs on days when I have migraines or I'm looking for houses. Alas.

Posted by sdshaver at 10:57 AM

July 08, 2003

monday, monday

No writing done yesterday, but I did do some scene and character sketches (literally). Stuff that will hopefully never see the light of day.

And also, all my extra time on Monday is sort of my designated "get other projects done" day. I work on websites, talk to friends, and T.A. at my dojo.

Today I'm going to look at houses, and probably go to aikido since I've missed so many classes in the past month due to Stuff.

And I came up with this, a musing I've had a few times about a few guys. Really ought to set it to music someday. I'm lousy at funny stuff, but...enh. This might pass.

Your Evil Twin

I've been lookin' for your evil twin

Saw him just the other day

Buying evil onions

For what purpose, I can't say

Yeah, I'd date your evil twin

If only for a while

Cuz I don't want commitment

All I want is style

When I hook up with your twin

We'll go on evil dates

He'll stiff me with the bill

And eat the best stuff off my plate

He'll say he doesn't love me

He won't make up for what I lack

He won't compliment my figure

But I hear he's bitchin' in the sack

Oh, I'd do your evil twin

My heart don't need retrieval

And when he dumps me I won't mind

Cuz, y'know...he's evil

Posted by sdshaver at 11:16 AM

July 06, 2003

chapter one, done

And I ain't editing it again until I finish the freakin' book.

Holy cow, this is fun.

I also got to use a burnous. I love that word. burnous. You can all blame Jennifer Roberson's Tiger and Del series for my introduction to that word. Burnousburnousburnous. Hee!

On to chapter two!!! Oh man, I'm so excited to be writing again, I'm like a puppy. And the characters are so much better-defined this time around. It's amazing.

But first, I celebrate with a frap bar and thirty minutes of Adult Swim.

Yee ha!! I R writer of the wurds!

Posted by sdshaver at 04:32 PM

TO-HO-KA-MI-E-MI-TA-ME

Destiny as a sexually transmitted disease. Whatanidea.

It's no secret that Tori Amos is one of my favorite musicians. I'm not crazy like Tori, but I can understand her use of Tori-speak to convey what's going on in her head. I get the same treatment. People call mine "cat-logic".

Not much writing done today, due to prior commitments (websites, weddings, and sokushin). Tomorrow will be different. And I'm not certain, but I even think that next weekend is free and clear.

I am working on driving some demons from my heart, which meant watching yet another old movie. Evil Dead II. I have seen this one (I've seen nearly everything cinematic that Sam Raimi ever laid hands on), but one of the roommates hadn't, and I couldn't let that pass.

Posted by sdshaver at 01:25 AM

July 05, 2003

double SECRET probation

So I finally saw Animal House. Yes, I am low on my late-70s and early-80s movie vitamins.

Rain seems to be more of a character this time around. More like...uh...me, actually. Selfish, slightly spoiled, vibrant, trying to prove something because everyone treats her like a kid.

In comparison, my main character (thank god) is not a whole lot like me. But then I was always the younger sibling, never the older one. So I guess Myr is the older sibling I never was. If that makes any sense.

It helps that I have had friends who were older siblings, and tough ones at that. I need that perspective for the Myrish one.

A lot on my mind lately about the potential things that could be and could have been in my life. It's finding its way into my writing, of course. It's making me write bad poetry. Bad, poetry! Down! Sit! Staaaaay. Good. That's a good little poetry! Yeeees.

And speaking of bad poetry...I went through my garage stored stuff today, and found some. Yeesh. No one should ever have to listen to stuff like that. Ever. Anyone unfortunate enough to have ever gone to a concert I gave between 17 and 21 -- I'm sorry. Really. Please forgive me.

I also found a sheet of paper from when I was researching kendo for the first time (I was probably 18 or 19). Back then I actually thought kendo was all there was in regards to sword arts in Japan. Ha ha. Silly me.

Anyway, one thing I wrote down -- brace yourselves, my zen-natured friends -- was this:

Whoa. Now that's some deep shit. I think I'm going to go meditate on that.

Okay. I'm done.

I know you're laughing, you. You can stop now.

Time to hit the sack. G'night, kids.

Posted by sdshaver at 01:46 AM

July 03, 2003

Welcome Back

Aaaand...start.

I've started again on Sword of Shades. Much ass-kicking was involved. In particular I'd like to thank T.I.P., Michael, Babs, and Donna for reasons to start again.

I'm beginning fresh, something I'm good at. Starting today, I plan to have it done by the end of October. So a full novel by November 1st. I'm giving myself extra time due to house moving.

In a fit of passion, I drew an image of Patch, a previously sketchy character who suddenly has a whole lot more depth. Actually, I drew a lot of images of Patch. This was just the best one. The full version even has BOOBIES. Cuz Patch, y'know -- she's all about the uncomfortable nekkidness.

If I can I'll get one done of Nadir, but I need the mood and the muse, and I won't put up anything I'm unhappy with.

Old journal entries are gone for the time being. If I ever sell this thing I might consider bringing them back, but they reflect another time and a different person. They need to go quiet for now.

Aw man, I just realized the most awesome way to outline my novel. It r0xx0rs. I'm totally gonna use it, and not tell any of you what it is. Nyah nyah.

Oh, and I saw a hula dance tonight. A real, honest to gosh hula dance. Narrative dance that isn't pretentious. Loved it.

All right. Time to get this party started.

Posted by sdshaver at 11:31 PM