State of the Abra
You know, a long rambling post where I write about where I'm at and what I'm doing and all the other things I think friends should know about each other but all too often don't these days. I encourage you to do one of these posts, too! I miss knowing these things about my friends (Twitter and Facebook have added a lot of little detailed information, but I think they've taken away some of the big picture).
Mind/Heart
I haven't checked in with how I feel about things for a while, and having looked in there briefly just now, I'm not sure I want to. All the usual frustration/procrastination, I guess. Losing battles. Always the self-imposed stress of not being/doing enough. What else is new? ...I am ready for winter to go away. I want to be able to open the windows in my house again.
But no. Life is pretty good right now, for reals. I feel like I'm moving up a level as a writer, and that's really satisfying. Phil and I are doing okay, even if he does persist in dragging me to sports events. I'm happy I can walk. (It's the little things.) I just feel extra-specially short on time.
Body
I really miss weather congenial to biking. I want to hop on my bike and go places. I want to bike home from work, and maybe pick up takeout on the way home if Phil's out gaming (like tonight). Soon I'll have an appointment with my surgeon and then I can get my knee brace and can start doing active things. I've really, really missed active things--some times my muscles get that wanna-be-doing-stuff ache and what can I do? On the other hand, at this point I have chronic knee pain. A lot of that's probably my job right now, where I am now standing for up to 8 hours and lifting and carrying heavy things. Moving is not so bad, but standing still is...not good. I am trying to figure out pain and activity stuff, but I'm not good at avoiding extremes in that. So I really want to start doing stuff again, but I'm worried that it'll hurt forever and I'll never be able to do anything again. Lack of activity has led to me putting on weight, and that makes me unhappy. I want a new human suit; this one is broken.
Job
Hours and location are indeterminate, as always. I've had a fairly regular schedule for the last couple of months: usually (not not always) 1 - 6 daily, usually (but not always) a law firm in downtown. The regular schedule has been nice, despite the dinner-hour despair it's caused. The different job responsibilities that mean I'm on my feet all day really, really aren't. Now they've hired another person and say they won't need me "except as backup" (read: who the hell knows) once she's oriented. So only another couple of weeks of this, and they've shifted my schedule as of tomorrow to remove an hour from my day. Smaller paycheck, more writing time. I'm familiar with this dance. I'm also training in to back up the records management guy once the new girl is up to speed. So--once again, no idea what my schedule will be.
Writing
Writing is going well. I've been getting more publications. I'm editing Vicesteed during my writing time (really looking forward to finally finishing it and getting back to writing a book-length project), and writing short stories longhand during my bus riding time so that I still get to write (and it feels so much better). Right now I'm writing what may have one of the following titles: "Xeno-Mother," "Xenometria," or "Whore/Alien/Mother" or "Her Alien Baby." Thoughts? "Ekaterina and the Firebird" is the one I just finished writing in that style, and I've sent it off to the critique groups. We'll see what they think of my historical fantasy with gender identity issues and Russian myths in. Oh, and I'm also playing the letter game (in which two writers write each other letters in character and make up a story thereby) with a writer in my critique group, creating Platinadar.
Photography
Has been neglected. In large part because I don't have the hard drive space to save photos, but I still feel pretty bad about it, especially since it does seem to be a way I can make money. Need to get website/photography listing going. On the other hand, I have another sports team shoot coming up this weekend, which is yay! Boys, this time. Must think about masculine poses. Swimmery masculine poses.
Other Things
Fu Manchu, the new kitten, is becoming a feisty cat. He keeps us awake all night and then attacks our hands when we're groggy from sleep (he's better than he used to be, but we still bear the marks!).
Having to buy a new car, with a car loan no less, has done bad things financially. I'm still paying off the credit card from the tornado repairs, and will be for some time. This probably means I won't get a cellphone after all, much less the fabulous Droid, which makes me very sad. ::sniff:: Also another long list of things I won't get, like--shoes, and long-sleeve big shirts.
Distractions
I have been reading some, but not as much as I'd like--something about using my bus reading time to write instead. I'm trying to post little notes about what I've read that I liked. I watch my standard TV shows (How I Met Your Mother, Criminal Minds, NCIS, Human Target) and fold laundry or do knee exercises during them. I found http://www.casttv.com, which is like Hulu on crack. Or possible with crack. So the last few days, I have been watching this season of Dexter like the little addict that I am. I don't really have time for distractions, though. Hmm...
Mind/Heart
I haven't checked in with how I feel about things for a while, and having looked in there briefly just now, I'm not sure I want to. All the usual frustration/procrastination, I guess. Losing battles. Always the self-imposed stress of not being/doing enough. What else is new? ...I am ready for winter to go away. I want to be able to open the windows in my house again.
But no. Life is pretty good right now, for reals. I feel like I'm moving up a level as a writer, and that's really satisfying. Phil and I are doing okay, even if he does persist in dragging me to sports events. I'm happy I can walk. (It's the little things.) I just feel extra-specially short on time.
Body
I really miss weather congenial to biking. I want to hop on my bike and go places. I want to bike home from work, and maybe pick up takeout on the way home if Phil's out gaming (like tonight). Soon I'll have an appointment with my surgeon and then I can get my knee brace and can start doing active things. I've really, really missed active things--some times my muscles get that wanna-be-doing-stuff ache and what can I do? On the other hand, at this point I have chronic knee pain. A lot of that's probably my job right now, where I am now standing for up to 8 hours and lifting and carrying heavy things. Moving is not so bad, but standing still is...not good. I am trying to figure out pain and activity stuff, but I'm not good at avoiding extremes in that. So I really want to start doing stuff again, but I'm worried that it'll hurt forever and I'll never be able to do anything again. Lack of activity has led to me putting on weight, and that makes me unhappy. I want a new human suit; this one is broken.
Job
Hours and location are indeterminate, as always. I've had a fairly regular schedule for the last couple of months: usually (not not always) 1 - 6 daily, usually (but not always) a law firm in downtown. The regular schedule has been nice, despite the dinner-hour despair it's caused. The different job responsibilities that mean I'm on my feet all day really, really aren't. Now they've hired another person and say they won't need me "except as backup" (read: who the hell knows) once she's oriented. So only another couple of weeks of this, and they've shifted my schedule as of tomorrow to remove an hour from my day. Smaller paycheck, more writing time. I'm familiar with this dance. I'm also training in to back up the records management guy once the new girl is up to speed. So--once again, no idea what my schedule will be.
Writing
Writing is going well. I've been getting more publications. I'm editing Vicesteed during my writing time (really looking forward to finally finishing it and getting back to writing a book-length project), and writing short stories longhand during my bus riding time so that I still get to write (and it feels so much better). Right now I'm writing what may have one of the following titles: "Xeno-Mother," "Xenometria," or "Whore/Alien/Mother" or "Her Alien Baby." Thoughts? "Ekaterina and the Firebird" is the one I just finished writing in that style, and I've sent it off to the critique groups. We'll see what they think of my historical fantasy with gender identity issues and Russian myths in. Oh, and I'm also playing the letter game (in which two writers write each other letters in character and make up a story thereby) with a writer in my critique group, creating Platinadar.
Photography
Has been neglected. In large part because I don't have the hard drive space to save photos, but I still feel pretty bad about it, especially since it does seem to be a way I can make money. Need to get website/photography listing going. On the other hand, I have another sports team shoot coming up this weekend, which is yay! Boys, this time. Must think about masculine poses. Swimmery masculine poses.
Other Things
Fu Manchu, the new kitten, is becoming a feisty cat. He keeps us awake all night and then attacks our hands when we're groggy from sleep (he's better than he used to be, but we still bear the marks!).
Having to buy a new car, with a car loan no less, has done bad things financially. I'm still paying off the credit card from the tornado repairs, and will be for some time. This probably means I won't get a cellphone after all, much less the fabulous Droid, which makes me very sad. ::sniff:: Also another long list of things I won't get, like--shoes, and long-sleeve big shirts.
Distractions
I have been reading some, but not as much as I'd like--something about using my bus reading time to write instead. I'm trying to post little notes about what I've read that I liked. I watch my standard TV shows (How I Met Your Mother, Criminal Minds, NCIS, Human Target) and fold laundry or do knee exercises during them. I found http://www.casttv.com, which is like Hulu on crack. Or possible with crack. So the last few days, I have been watching this season of Dexter like the little addict that I am. I don't really have time for distractions, though. Hmm...