Jess is still hanging in there.

I am sinking into my annotations for my final packet of the semester. I need to mail it out by Wednesday. I also need to finish revisions on my long critical paper. UGH. Really, UGH. I am sick of it. Two more annotations--not going to revise any creative work for this packet. Just can't do it.

Grant--just drag it out and beat me with it. Reviewed the final few sections. Like participating in my own torture--"Yes, master, I want you to make me feel like an inferior insect with no talent, brains or skill." Panoptic function--placing myself into my own Bentham's device for policing and watching...

Went to Di's book signing and bought three new books! Yay.

OMG! So we haul an old computer desk (had been sitting in our bedroom) to Goodwill. While there, I come across three pieces of an outdoor nativity set. One is the camel. I think to myself, "I want a camel for my yard." Then I get the giggles. Show my hubby who, thankfully, picks up the whole idea and we run with it. I mean, really, who would buy just the 3 pieces of a nativity scene, an incomplete nativity of a king, a camel and a donkey. So what would have been the future for those pieces? We saved them--brought them home, renamed them. Pedro King-the reformed drug dealer (frankincense and myrrh), Sampson the camel and Nester the donkey. Pedro wears a baseball cap now, and a hunters orange serape--he's a bit redneck. Sampson and Nester were jealous and begged for orange, too. So we relented. I shall have to be on the look out for special items for them now. Nester needs gloves for his ears. Sampson HATES his green "blankie". They are happy in the yard, under the "empty" flag pole. So much to say about that...teheheheh.


I am getting a totally strange and wonderful kick out of it and can't help but think that Rach and Jess would as well.

sigh. My mom would think I am sunk into the blasphemous, heathen ways she "knows" I live.

But, they make me smile. Friends do that.

The lastest as of an hour ago

Newest update: Jess had less swelling in her brain last night than was expected. Her temperature has stabilized. Her eyes are reacting to light, but are not dilating together. She is responding to some tests, but it seems that the reactions are not what they should be at this point. These are all small things, but they... are something. One of Jessica's friends keeps saying "We are praying her back" So keep praying! Continue to pray for her mom and sister as well.

Jessica DeMilo is in grave condition in a hospital 200 miles from here.  She was badly injured this morning in a car accident that was no fault of her own. 

She is a talented, loving, wonderful person. 
She is my friend. 

I cannot pray--but for her I shall.   I shall pray with everything I have, tho in my heart I know that for me this is futile...I sit with a hollow feeling and a heaviness in my stomach.   

I have a new friend this past week.  And now I feel as if another has been lost to me. Is it selfish to think that karma has a way of keeping the friendship pool very small?  Yes, that feels very selfish, right now, to be thinking of MY four friends, when Jess and her family are suffering so.

Stay strong Rach and Di.  We shall not give her over so easily.

Bear with me.  I finished the complete rough draft late friday night.  I worked on it Saturday some, formatting issues and such.  Then it was on to my school papers.

Today- the review meeting for the grant.  It began...


"Uh, well, uh, I just don't really know where to start."   Then it got bad.   "No voice, the voice is not there, voice, voice..." 

Ever been kicked, stomped and hit and left to clean up the mess THEY made beating you?  

One whole section was crap... Nix it.  Yes, the review panel has this power.   Said that the readers would be trained to look for "specific criteria" and how I set it up would be opposite that.  INFORMATION I COULD HAVE USED WEEKS AGO.  

First and last grant, people.  Technical writing is blech. 

Good news?  I have a table of contents.  wheee.  wonder if they can just read that?

Yes, a rant about the grant.

I have the first 12 pages cleaned...the next 30 drafted and ready for review.

I have the last two sections drafted.  The evaluation section is probably ready for review but will have another go at it in the morning before sending it on. 

I just drafted the objective section for the first time and must now retrieve much data to make my arguments for graduation and persistence rates as well as good academic standing rates.  It will take the better part of a day or so for that. 

I can see the end in sight though there is quite a climb to get there.  

I hope that sometime next week I will turn it over to our new employee (whiz kid on computers) to re-format it back to Word 2003 version, create a table of content page, check pagination issues, margins and font consistency.

I will have my staff read for final polish (really a just a courtesy because it will be ready but it won't cost me much to make them feel included)

Then fill out all the forms that the government requires and finally, submit.

On to annotations and reading for mine own purposes.

What did you do today?

Lunch today with mom, sisters and son.  2nd anniversary of dad's death. Son M is suffering.  We attempted to be cheery.

Son asked:

What happens when you are scared half to death twice?

Can it be the same half?

Hummm, see? I knew it would be food for thought for you, my friends!

Yep--its now cool to be a Geek.

GEEKDOM

GEEKERS

GEEKING

GEEKED



And my friends are the geekiest.

Gotta love that.

I have a new friend!
I have a new friend!

When you can count the number of friends you have on one hand, a new friend is pretty special!

Life is good today.

Go here today--seriously folks its worth it for a chance to win a great prize!

bittenbybooks.com/

So I signed up for the write a novel in a month thing.  I have no chance in hell in doing this.  But...nothing ventured, nothing stressed, right?!

Also...
I am struggling today with how to deal with a son who is devastated by the break up just yesterday of his relationship with his girlfriend of 14 months.  She wants to experience the "full" college experience of dating, being unencumbered.  I read: "she has a new interest".  He was trying to save money for an engagement ring.  Yes, he was that serious.  And we really like her. He has dated a few doozies, but this one we liked.  'Cept she is young...and that is now showing.  He is reeling, thinking that maybe she can use the next few months to realize that she had a good relationship with him.  She's not had a bad one...he has. 

This brings to mind a friend who laments the failure of men to recognize her attributes (I agree) and that once she is out of school there may be time for concentration on a relationship...or something like that.  The thing is, so many men are also thinking the same thing--wondering why women can't see them for the good guys they are.  

Fate- is this the answer?  That sometimes fate is just not ready for you?  That when it happens, it happens, ready or not?  Or is it a matter of recognizing that fate and jumping on that chance?  I am not sure...

So, son is heartsick.  Says he can't imagine himself with anyone else.  Its dramatic.  I want to laugh.  Then I remember that he is not a child anymore and has the feelings of an adult.  I was many years married and had children at his age.  This is really, really heartbreaking.  That makes me sad.  And I don't want for him to travel through life alone- lonely.  Of for this to warp his sense of relationships and women. 

Parenthood is not for pussies.  And sometimes, no matter how old the child, there is nothing better than a mom's hug.

Contest at Fangs, Fur and Fey you should enter.  Go see for cool stuff!

So my bestest friend and author has this contest going on. Pop over there and see what it is about. She has just had her 7th novel released and it is fabulous! Its an urban fantasy that is really "out of the box" original. Fun, feisty and fresh.

bittenbybooks.com/


Today is rainy, cold, and windy. I plan to work more on the grant. I went to bed last night thinking I had a complete rough draft. I woke in the night to realize I did not complete the objectives section. ONLY THE MOST IMPORTANT SECTION. Details, detail. sigh. I will get this monster off my back!

Also starting on the next book for school...Adrienne Rich "Lies, Secrets and Silence". Have you read it?

This shall be, of necessity, a short entry. It is my launch into the LJ world. Though if you ask Di or Jess, I have been an anonymous commenter for some time. I have capitulated, giving in to the pressure to create and manage my own.  And to snoop on others. I cannot promise daily postings, though I shall strive for that. Also, I will be changing some things up, once I get accustomed to the hidden spices this has to offer. 

Sort of a kick start to this-- a prompt:

What one story or childhood memory do you have that you always thought you should write down, but haven't?