Thursday, May 17, 2007

My Brain is Full

I came to an important conclusion sometime today. My brain is full. After pumping a critique partner's brain for specialized job information last night, then having critique group at which I had to talk about process, and carry that over to a day spent researching facts I need to know for a current project, I hit my limit.

For those who know me, when I tell you that all of the facts I had to find had numbers in them, you will know what those horrible sounds coming from my office were. Especially when I have to see if the numbers will play nice with each other and find a way to explain why things have to happen even if the numbers normally would not get along. Did I ever mention that in college, I failed the supereasy math class twice? Yes, I was trying. I do not have a number center in my brain. I traded it in for more story space. This is why I can memorize shipping routes in the 16th century, all of Henry VIII's wives, in order, with the reason he was no longer married to each one of them, and carry long lists of song lyrics in my head but cannot remember street names in the town where I live.

I've been listening to a new playlist while writing this week (because it took me this long to figure out how to access the subscription feature on Yahoo Jukebox) and only today have I been able to remind myself that the weird sound at the end of "One Week" by Barenaked Ladies is not the cat throwing up. The cat is very glad I have figured this out.

This morning when checking the weather forecast, my brain somehow read "65" as "85" so of course I dressed for near ninety degree weather, and soon regretted that. We are not going to go into why I have an old pajama top festooned with doggy faces where I catsit, but I was glad it was there this morning. Also very glad the puter I use does not have a webcam.

In an email exchange with my friend, Kara, I referenced the Trek convention many years ago when a friend asked me to hold her infant and watch her dealer table while she and her husband took a much needed break. No problems with watching the table or the baby, who snoozed the whole time, even though the table was next to a mockup of the Enterprise-D bridge, complete with red alert alarm that went off at irregular intervals. Every single time it went off, my first thought was "must get baby to nursery and respond." This, boys and girls, is when one knows it is time to get out of a fandom. Or at the very least take a break once in a while.

The afternoon I had is another one of those "hey, doofus, take a break" moments. While the research I did today was needed and I got the information I wanted, and that will help shape the story, the focus for me is always on the growing love relationship between the h/h. Time to crack open one of the nice big historicals in my growing TBR pile and read in the glow of my real life hero's puter screen as he plays solitaire. Even though I have a hard time stopping to refuel, it's better than bottoming out.

Thursday, May 10, 2007

Tagged!

1. Each player starts with eight random facts/habits about themselves.
2. People who are tagged need to write their own blog about their eight things and post these rules.
3. At the end of your blog, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names.
4. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.


1. Though I only met my sister, Sally, when we were both adults, we are eerily alike in a scary amount of ways. Finally, proof that each one of us is not the only one in the world with certain traits.
2. I've only just discovered the UK band, Travis, more proof that I live under a rock. I am currently addicted to "Driftwood," as well as "Why Does it Always Rain on Me" and "Flowers in the Window." Informed husband we must buy their CDs. Now.
3. Family members have given me electronic items purely for the entertainment value of listening to me trying to make them work, and the creative way I can scream at the poor items.
4. I take regular chair dancing breaks during my writing time. Okay, sometimes I get up, but I don't like being that far away from my legal pad while I'm in the zone.
5. After years of struggling with not doing it, I'm making soundtracks for my WIPs again, and darned if that doesn't help the whole process right along.
6. Though I can't keep polish on my fingernails to save my life (I'm too rough on my fingers) I am very girly about doing my toenails. White polish is my favorite for summer; other seasons, anything goes.
7. I cannot pass anything within a store and not straighten it up (recounting my experiences in retail as I do so) -- this was in Camilla's list, but it's true for me too. Mumblecough years of retail and retail management have encoded this in my DNA.
8. I like to torment my friend, Linda, (whose birthday it is -- Happy birthday, Linda) by putting pictures of actors she finds especially, ah, manly, in unexpected places. I am seeding her apartment with such today.

Tagged:

Elise
Marguerite

and because I'm funny that way,
Kady
Kara
Terri

and because it's early, my brain is being dragged along by the story monster, I will say either three imaginary friends or random readers who would like to toss in their two pence.