Nursing School--week 2

This is only my second week of nursing school--technically my first full week.

And all I have to say is this: Zzzzzzz...

Seriously, though--this has only been one week? I would swear each day has felt like its own week.

I don't want to sound complainy--I'm just still trying to settle myself into a decent schedule. Really, until after the 1st test, I'm not going to have a good feeling about how much/what I need to study. Until then, I'm erring on the side of over-abundance.

My brain already feels full just from Anatomy & Physiology, like there's no room for the nursing. I think it's partly because I have nursing lecture on Mondays and lab on Fridays, while A&P has lab AND lecture on Tuesdays and lecture on Thursdays, so those are closer together and feel infinitely more imminent.

Wednesday is my weekday off, and of course this being my first one I was all prepared to study and get ahead and BAM! Some construction crew cut the main lines providing internet to the university servers, so there was no accessing any of our online materials for 35 hours! That doesn't seem like a big deal, but ALL the classes put everything online, from lecture materials to homework and stuff you need to print out, blah blah. Major wrench thrown at everyone. Lesson learned: plan way ahead.

So. I'm studying like I've never studied and learning tons and tons. It's pretty cool. Next time you might think "s/he's just a nurse," go ahead and slap yourself.

And just so you know I'm still down to Earth, I got to spend the precious first half of my lunch break today cleaning up projectile cat vomit! Woo! Also, poor Monty (who's been sick for weeks, but slowly getting better) has been snotting green snot everywhere in the house. On the walls. On the brand new beige carpet. In your FACE. Lovely. Poor kitty.

*sigh* *yawn*

Tonight's my one night to relax, so I think we're having friends over to hang out. Which means I get to clean house!

Those of you in hurricane Irene's path, be safe! Remember--you can drink your own pee if you really, really have to! ;)

Evil Cats, Evil Books

Most days I'm pretty sure my cat Mack is human-level intelligent and capable of reason. And that he uses his intelligence for EVIL. EEEEVILLLLL...

The apartment in which I will not be living much longer has ledges built into the walls around chair-rail height. These ledges are about 5 inches wide--perfect width for cat butts.

Mack the boy cat lives to walk across my desk. Over and over, blocking my view. Occasionally stopping to try and eat my plants. Knocking my candles onto the floor. Stepping on whatever is on my desk--paper, sandwich, whatever. All in the pursuit of looking out the windows...

This is pretty much our daily routine. Especially if I'm eating--the effort goes up a few notches. 

I've decided that I'm tired of waiting for my hubby to finish my rough draft of FOUR before I read it. He has 13% left, and that's close enough, right? So I'm going to start reading today. Let's see, it's been...28 days since I finished? Yes. So, a February has gone by, and I think that's enough time.

Last night I started to chicken out about revisions. I'm a big coward when it comes to revisions--I get so many ideas that they start snarling in my head until I feel like beating it against the wall. That's usually when I scrap the revision idea and start on a new draft. 

But not this time. Thankfully, my stalwart CPs (Lola, Portia, and Tara) are there to talk me away from the ledge. Last night I kept my breakdown limited to just my hubby, and he snapped me out of it well enough, but I know I'm going to need hand-holding. Turns out I'm a little bitch baby when it comes to revisions. (I got the phrase "bitch baby" from Grey's Anatomy and I love it.) 

Oh, and what's all this about the world ending and such on Saturday? I have plans on Saturday, thanks. 

Your Knowledge is Greater Than My Knowledge

In personal news: the house buying is coming along nicely! We had our inspection done earlier this week, and while we're going to have to replace the furnace/AC unit, we're still moving forward with the purchase. Our latest closing date has been set as June 1, but we're really hoping to close earlier so we'll have at least a week to make the move.

So if all goes well, this will be my first house! It's not much to look at from the outside right now, but I have big plans for landscaping and some repainting. The inside is very cute with some unique characteristics, though. And the backyard is huge! When I was there for the inspection, I watched two bunnies running around in the forested part of the yard--so cute!

I've been haphazardly packing the apartment, trying to keep some things out and unsure what to do with others...so basically, the apartment is a wreck with boxes everywhere. I like to have neat surroundings whenever I'm working on something big writing-wise, so the chaos isn't helping me think.

I'm still waiting on Evan to finish reading my rough draft, and he's getting closer. I've slowly started my story bible. So far I've got some of the world-building and a lot of the mythology, but nothing much else.

This is where I need help: I've never revised before. I have three messy novels sitting on my hard drive, all worthy ideas, all still untouched because I'd rather write a new messy one than try to clean up an old. But I really want to polish FOUR up and try my hand at sending it out, thus revision looms.

I have Donald Maass' The Fire in Fiction and The Breakout Novelist and am reading through them again with revision in mind, but I'd welcome any and all information you guys think might help me. Personal methods, links, websites, worksheets--anything!

And because it's been so long, a picture of my fur babes:

I was dyeing my hair. They were supervising. 

I Haz the Brilliance.

Do you know what this place is?

Mack, surveying the comfy cat bed before ultimately deciding to sleep on the important papers instead. 

Also, the sad birds on the side of the desk. And no, my copper birdfeeder isn't really that orange (anymore). 

If you guessed my crappily-drawn office--DING DING! You're a winner.

I learned some important things in this crappily-drawn office this week.

A) Despite the blizzard in January, the state of Georgia still panics over 1 inch of snow. That melts when the sun comes out.

B) No matter how many soft, fluffy beds I buy my cats, they will always choose to sleep on whatever important pieces of paper are on my desk.

C) The love of something you've written is a feeling like none other. 

D) Positive feedback from precious CP's is better than chocolate (and that other thing.) 

E) When you think you might abandon a writing project, even if you think it will only be for a short time, MAKE COPIOUS NOTES TO YOURSELF. Write down every SCRAP of information that you're thinking about it. Because when you finally come back to that project, 13 months later, you will JUMP UP AND DOWN when you realize that the only work you have left is putting the words on the paper. 

F) When you're trying to find the proper universal remote code for your TV, make sure you're looking at the SHARP list, not the SONY.

What did YOU learn this week? 

ALL YOUR PAGE ARE BELONG TO ME

(I promise, one day soon this blog won't just be about my cats.)
(Maybe.)

Support Team (lots of pictures)

If you didn't believe me before, I think the Significant Others blogfest really proved what a great, supportive man I married. He likes to tell people that I'm a writer, and he has never once begrudged me for spending time with my keyboard and fantasy men rather than with him.

   =     WIN








But I share my home with two others.

These two aren't quite as supportive, especially when it comes to my writing. In fact, if they just had some opposable thumbs, I'm pretty sure I'd come into my office one morning and discover the strewn-about bits of my computer all over the floor.

Say on the rare occasion I actually feel like being a good writer. I pull out my notebook and pen (Pentel R.S.V.P. extra-fine all the way) and sit at my desk, ready to make some character notes, or maybe plan out a chapter...

Ahhh...sleepy time!

So maybe I not-so-gently remove the offender and settle in for some serious thinking. I'm doing great, really on a roll, and out of nowhere...

This is the best spot in the house. 

I try to write around him, and:

Best-tasting pen ever! 

In their defense, they don't limit these helpful actions to writing. No, they're pretty equal opportunity. 

Trying to install new software:

You don't need to use the wizard with me around.

Painting:

The perspective is off.

Re-organizing bookshelves?

Heehee! Guess what this will look like after we crawl out?

Coming back to the office to work:

Whaddya mean, this is your chair? I don't think so. 

Printing homework:

All your page are belong to us.

Trying to put something together?

Woodglue = ambrosia! 

Doing laundry:

You should clean out this vent.

Also:

This pile of clean clothes > your lap. Times infinity. 

Putting clothes away?

These shirts are so last-season. 

Cleaning the bathroom?

 There are cobwebs in the corner. Also, this towel is now dirty. I won't say why. 

Can't live with them, can't live without them. 

Have some great (or not so great) support in your life? :)

Days 12-14

I took a NaNo break for most of the weekend, opting instead to spend some quality time helping my mother-in-law paint a room in their house. Hubby and I also acquired a new-to-us car, which we picked up Saturday night.

Sunday, however, I was able to boost my wordcount to 24, 187 (almost halfway!), but more importantly had a MAJOR. PLOT. REVELATION! Yays. Completely different direction from my original idea, and the one that's now on my Nano page, but so, so much better. Even my hubby liked it, and he's my tough critic.

However, when I went to jot down the basic idea, kitty Mack didn't want me to. Instead, this is what happened: