Friday, June 29, 2012

one foot in, one foot back

It's been a while since I posted anything, though I've been around Twitter and Facebook pretty regularly. Let's see: last time we met, I was in my second week of work and feeling happy with my choices, fulfillment, and hope for my future.

Good news: still feeling that way.

Since then, I've been yelled at, cursed at, hit, pinched, grabbed, pooped on, treated a junkie, treated someone who is bona fide cray-cray, and seen more naked people than you'll ever hope to see in your lifetime. I cut stitches out of someone's throat--that was cool. My hands didn't even shake--aren't you glad?

I've also been told that I'm beautiful multiple times (mostly by little old ladies), told that I look like Marie Osmond (wha??), and told that I have the most beautiful smile that person had ever seen. Even if the speaker is half-blind and half-crazy, it's still a nice compliment, right?

Yesterday in class we spent 2 hours discussing the genetic code of E. coli and how mutations occur in bacteria.

Hubby and I have been watching Rescue Me for the last few weeks. It's free to Amazon Prime members right now, so we've been taking our liberties. Right now we're halfway through season 5. Great show.

As for my novel, things on that front are very good. I'm hoping beyond hope that I'll be finished with revision by Monday, July 2. I've learned so much during this third revision, especially about killing your darlings--although, I have to admit it's not that hard for me to cut entire chapters. I wish I'd kept exact track of how many words I cut and how many new words I wrote. I think it has to be somewhere around 15k cut, at least, and even with that I've still netted 6k over the second draft's final word count, and I have 4 more chapters to go. But the final product is something I'm going to be proud of. I pushed the story, pushed the characters, and ultimately (think) I've put the story right where it needs to be.

My garden is lush and productive. We have a watermelon the size of a big softball, but it seems to double in size every day. I can't wait to eat it.

I'm still training for the half-marathon, though it's not going so well right now. Since I have to get up at 5am four days a week, it's hard to find time to run--especially after working 13 hours on two of those days. And now that it's 106 degrees, even 6am is pretty sweaty. But, soon enough my externship will be over (July 25!), my summer class will be over (July 31!), and I can run as much as I want for a few weeks.

So.


Stay cool, stay hydrated, and eat your vegetables.


10 comments:

Linda G. said...

Thanks for the update. Sounds like all aspects of your life are chugging along just as they should be. :)

Sarah Ahiers said...

First, damn straight your beautiful!! Even if you are covered in poop or other bodily fluids and junk.
I really hope we get a watermelon, though it definitely looks like we're in for a few cantaloupe. It's spreading like crazy and has tons of blossoms.
Our running has also been a little meh these last few weeks. We really need to get back on track with it. Sigh

Old Kitty said...

Lovely Summer!! I so see the Marie Osmond super cuteness now!! Oh wow!! Yay!!

You are doing a sterling job in a most sterling way!!!

Super glad your writing is flourishing too!

Take care
x

Joan Crawford said...

Even if the speaker is half-blind and half-crazy, it's still a nice compliment, right?

Wait... you mean, other not blind and crazy people sometimes tell other people they're pretty?

So jealous of all the cool gross stuff you get to do! I really want to watch Rescue Me too - love me some Dennis Leary. You should freak all the old people out by walking in a 1970's leisure suit, cowboy type get-up and start singing:
You: "I'm am a little bit country... now sign over your checks to me..."
Them: "Okey-dokey, Marie!"

I kid, I kid! You should never wear a leisure suit for any reason.

Matthew MacNish said...

That's like a bunch of good news!

DL Hammons said...

You know...I can see where the Marie Osmond comment comes from. And on a scale of 1 to 10, your smile is a 12!

Enjoy your fourth of July! :)

Natascha said...

Always exciting to make progress! Congrats, Summer. You can finish by July 2 :)

Stina said...

I cut out two chapters last week after a beta readers comments changed the ending slightly. I only cried for a few minutes. :)

Hope things went well with your editing goal. I'm hoping to be finished my wip this week so I can send it to my final beta reader.

Stephanie said...

Awesome! Sounds like things are going great. I've always wanted to run a marathon, but I've never had time to do the training for it. Maybe this year I can pull it off.

Unpublished Life said...

Wow, it sounds like things are going really well.

And, yes, being called beautiful by anyone (be they cray-cray, half-blind etc.) is a massive compliment:)

Your work sounds so interesting ... the part about cutting stitches out of a neck ... ick ick but somebody's got to do it:)

Good luck with the revisions ... hope you got them done in time!

http://unpublishedworksofme.blogspot.co.uk/