A Life of Crime and Chocolate

Thanks everyone, I appreciate it. I always know I can come here to let it all out. Cant do that with my family, they think I'm just too negative all the time. It's not negativity, It's being optimisticay cautious.

HJ - The scans are on the 28th. We stay at Ronald McDonald house the night of the 27th and the night of the 28th because Blake is too young to have a 40-60 minute scan while he's awake. He just doesnt keep still so he has to be put under a general anasthetic which means he has to be close to the hospital for 24 hours post scan.
We get the results on the 5th December unless the Doc rings me - which I hope he doesnt because that usually means it's not good news.

Gail - It's the Dukan Diet I'm doing. I'm always really full and am usually really good. I've got sugar free jelly and sugar free lollies (candy) to deal with my sweet tooth. I also found some sugar free hot chocolate which is fantastic as I'm a huge fan of hot chocolate.

Shakesbear said:

Well. that is it! I have finished work. Retired!

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OMG! I can't believe I missed this post. Sorry, Shakes. Hearty congratulations! I think you deserve to relax and do as you please with your time.

lizmonster said:

Gail, have I mentioned we have a cat that looks amazingly like your avatar? Right down to the grumpy look.

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No, you didn't, but I like. I chose this avie as a kind of a facade. You know, the 'don't mess with me' look.

heyjude said:

You guys crack me up.

So I have some news. If we're on FB together, you already know, but as of today I am officially agentless. It's been a good haul, and I loved my agent, but it was time to try something new.

(There should be some witticism here, but words fail me! Some writer I am. )

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Well done, HJ! It's never easy to do the right thing, even when it's for the right reasons.

Time to untrunk some of those ms'essesss and breathe new life into 'em, eh?

IAMWRITER said:

Hey guys This is literally my first visit to these neck of the woods which is kinda bad since I've been here for ages and I write in this genre.

I'm currently writing my first novel and trying to plough through it. After all its been in my head for about two years.

And I brought some chocolate

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OMG! You brought chocolate!!! and

French Maiden said:

Gail - It's the Dukan Diet I'm doing.

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Ah. Okay. So you can't have the chocolate.

Never mind - I took it and hid it where no one will ever find it.

I'll be thinking of you both on the 27 and 28th.

SOMEONE BROUGHT CHOCOLATE!

And it's virtual chocolate, French...so I think you're OK. Good thoughts coming your way on the scans, too...and don't forget to look after yourself in all of this.

hj, congratulations on the big change. I can't even quit a doctor I don't like, so I am very impressed.

I've received a little bit of beta feedback on my book. She's not very far yet, and she keeps asking me questions (which I've refused to answer, but it's really useful to know what kinds of questions are coming up for her). She says she's enjoying it, and making lots of notes, so I guess that's good!

On the other hand...she was playing the "Who would you cast for the main character?" game, and she came up with this guy. The only thing I've seen him in is "No Country for Old Men," in which he played someone seriously creepy, so I wonder how I've described my poor MC!

All in all, though - for first beta feedback, it's relatively untraumatic. She seems to be reacting to it much like my mom did, so I have some idea what sort of audience might enjoy it.

Wow, just catching up on all the news after the laptop died. You guys are so awesome, the way you face all these things with such bravery. Massive best wishes to all of you. You're all an inspiration.

My house still looks like a warehouse, but I got some of the boxes emptied today and have actually managed to get the couch put down in the living room, so you can sit down in there now. Best thing is the kitties are settling so well, I'm completely surprised just how well. My little adopted American kitty is acting as if he'd been in this house all his life. He's so much more confident and happy after all his traumas. It's great to see him come on so well.

lizmonster said:

And it's virtual chocolate, French...so I think you're OK. Good thoughts coming your way on the scans, too...and don't forget to look after yourself in all of this.

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Ahh, virtual chocolate, the best kind - has no calories .

THanks guys, I appreciate the thoughts.

I finished reading yet another book lastnight. In the time between finishing the book and deciding what to read next, my mind began to wander and I had a massive melt down on the loungeroom floor. Again thank God for my dog. She knows when I need her the most and was there to hold and cry into. Would be so lost without her.

Zelenka said:

Wow, just catching up on all the news after the laptop died. You guys are so awesome, the way you face all these things with such bravery. Massive best wishes to all of you. You're all an inspiration.

My house still looks like a warehouse, but I got some of the boxes emptied today and have actually managed to get the couch put down in the living room, so you can sit down in there now. Best thing is the kitties are settling so well, I'm completely surprised just how well. My little adopted American kitty is acting as if he'd been in this house all his life. He's so much more confident and happy after all his traumas. It's great to see him come on so well.

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Glad to hear the kitties are settling in okay. How 'bout you, you enjoying being back home, Zelenka?

French Maiden said:

Ahh, virtual chocolate, the best kind - has no calories .

THanks guys, I appreciate the thoughts.

I finished reading yet another book lastnight. In the time between finishing the book and deciding what to read next, my mind began to wander and I had a massive melt down on the loungeroom floor. Again thank God for my dog. She knows when I need her the most and was there to hold and cry into. Would be so lost without her.

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No words, just hugs

muse said:

Glad to hear the kitties are settling in okay. How 'bout you, you enjoying being back home, Zelenka?

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I'm just starting to enjoy it, now that there's no real pressing problems to deal with. I'm a bit frustrated because my brain's having bother getting focussed on the book, but I'm sure that'll come once I'm in more of a routine. Next weekend I'm heading down to Birmingham for another sci fi convention, so I'm all hyped up for that now. I do miss Prague though, but it's good to be home with all my books again!

Zelenka said:

I'm just starting to enjoy it, now that there's no real pressing problems to deal with. I'm a bit frustrated because my brain's having bother getting focussed on the book, but I'm sure that'll come once I'm in more of a routine. Next weekend I'm heading down to Birmingham for another sci fi convention, so I'm all hyped up for that now. I do miss Prague though, but it's good to be home with all my books again!

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Give yourself a break. All the upheavals you've had lately it's a wonder you can even speak, never mind write. I'm totally in awe.

Take some time off, get the house in order, go, enjoy the sci fi convention and come back rested and ready to work.

They really are HJ, she's gone to her friends place (a retriever cross spaniel) for a couple of days to have some doggy down time.

So glad you had a good time

heyjude said:

So we're back. We went to Disney for the preview of the New Fantasyland. Had a blast. Are tired.

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*breaks out the emergency chocolate*

That sounds wonderful, HJ. It must be a happy tired.

heyjude said:

We were exhausted, but no rest for the weary! Yesterday was the annual teddy bear run. We sorted, bagged, and tagged over 1600 teddies for kids with cancer. NOW I'm truly exhausted! (But still a very happy exhausted!)

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YOU, Lady, are an amazing person. Thank you for doing that.

I love doing work that's too much fun to be real work. If only I could find a job like that.

*shoots lasers out her eyes at a particular contractor*

heyjude said:

We were exhausted, but no rest for the weary! Yesterday was the annual teddy bear run. We sorted, bagged, and tagged over 1600 teddies for kids with cancer. NOW I'm truly exhausted! (But still a very happy exhausted!)

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heyjude said:

Oh, I get no credit. It was too much fun to be real work.

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If you won't accept credit, how about....

THANKSGIVING THANKSGIVING THANKSGIVING! Oh how I love any holiday that gives me two days off work! And it couldn't have come at any better time.

I feel bad for those who don't have Thanksgiving. It's really a great Holiday.

On top of all my celebrating and relaxing, I'm going to be thankful that I've found such a great community to teach me about writing and how to not take critiques too personally.

I've never been to a Thanksgiving dinner. (shock!)

In the UK we tend to gorge ourselves at Christmas instead. I think we make a bit of a bigger deal about it than you guys do in the US.

Do you have Bonfire Night in the US (aka Guy Fawkes Night)? That's the one where, every Nov 5th, we detonate large amounts of explosives and burn stuff to remind ourselves of a terrorist attack.

onesecondglance said:

In the UK we tend to gorge ourselves at Christmas instead. I think we make a bit of a bigger deal about it than you guys do in the US.

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I think in the US we gorge ourselves at the slightest provocation. I'm trying to think of a holiday that is not food-focused one way or another...maybe Arbor Day?

Do you have Bonfire Night in the US (aka Guy Fawkes Night)? That's the one where, every Nov 5th, we detonate large amounts of explosives and burn stuff to remind ourselves of a terrorist attack.

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Closest is the 4th of July. I live in a state where fireworks are illegal for random citizens (you can get a licensed company to put on a show)...and yet, for about a week before and a week after the 4th, our little town is full of random explosions and pretty lights. We also blow stuff up on New Year's Eve because...well, because champagne and pyrotechnics is such a great combination!

You know, I'm thinking our cultures aren't all that different when it comes right down to it. Except for football.

lizmonster said:

You know, I'm thinking our cultures aren't all that different when it comes right down to it. Except for football.

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That would be the one we play with our feet?

(I kid, I kid... )

I hate Thanksgiving, only because all my US friends talk about it and I get the biggest craving for turkey, which we don't really get here until Christmas.

I did get a bit of good news though - I emailed my boss at the TV station to say I was back in the UK if she ever needed any freelancers to help her out, and today she's emailed to ask if I'd go on a casual contract and do some shifts in December. So pretty happy. It'll be good to be back in the newsroom. I always got so many ideas in there!

And heading to Memorabilia in Birmingham this weekend to stalk my favourite actor. Haven't seen him since August so it'll be good to catch up. Plus Haldir out of Lord of the Rings is going to be there. Not that I'm a geek girl or anything...

Oh, and just to prove I'm not a geek, I just signed up to a free Astronomy class from this Coursera thing, through Duke University. Figured it'd be interesting and give me more of an insight into my MC in the book, whose background is in physics and astronomy. Starts on the 27th.

FUN FACT - Thanksgiving did not become an official Holiday until on October 6th, 1941, when both Houses of Congress passed a joint resolution fixing the traditional last-Thursday date for the holiday beginning in 1942.

However, in December of that year, the Senate passed an amendment to the resolution that split the difference by requiring that Thanksgiving be observed annually on the fourth Thursday of November, which was sometimes the last Thursday and sometimes (less frequently) the next to last.The amendment passed the U.S. House, and on December 26, 1941 President Roosevelt signed this bill, for the first time making the date of Thanksgiving a matter of federal law and fixing the day as the fourth Thursday of November.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thanksgiving_(United_States)


Note: This Thanksgiving is on the "next to last" Thursday.

Good fact checking there Ken! Interesting.