I’ve been so busy with school the last few weeks, I haven’t really had time to even check my email, but I had to check out this link: a Tatooine planet? Pretty cool, huh? Okay, so it’s uninhabitable and like a billion light years from Earth, but still awesome. And now I’m going back to do homework…and daydream about double sunsets.
Category: real life
Hydrothermal worm, courtesy of FEI and Philippe Crassous
…or not. This is actually an electron microscope picture of a hydrothermal worm. This morning, while I was procrastinating doing some research, I stumbled on this, and almost fell out of my chair. Wow! Has George Lucas seen this, because it looks like something out of Star Wars! Just sayin’ Pretty cool pic, though. Would be far more useful if I wrote SF.
And if you’re really looking for ways to procrastinate or, alternately, actually doing research, check out ARKive. The site is filled with tons of gorgeous pictures in the organization’s effort to photograph every species on Earth. Awesome mission.
I wish I had something terribly profound to say about writing (or really, about anything) today, but I don’t. I’m tired. I have a lot going on. I’m a little bit stressed. I have a lot on my mind. It’s hot. My new tattoos are itching and it’s driving me crazy. (Profound thoughts: I have none. Excuses: I have many.)
Writing means different things to different people. (And by “writing” I mean actually writing. By hand.) For some, it’s a necessary evil. For others, it’s just necessary. For me….well…it depends on what I’m writing. Grocery list, To-Do’s, definitely handwritten. Novel-planning, plotting, and brainstorming, are all done by hand, as is journaling. I think the physical act of writing ideas down links things together in my brain and allows me to make connections I wouldn’t have otherwise.
First drafts are computer-drafted, as are most forms of my communication (email, Facebook, texting). I am making an effort to handwrite letters, though. It’s just more personal. It does seem a little bit odd that the main creative portion of my writing (the “planning” stage, if you will), is something that I have to do by hand, but the actual writing is always on the computer. Hmmm…..
But I think handwriting is a skill everyone needs. Check out this link: Is Cursive Obsolete? What do you think? Is it obsolete?
Well. For this week, anyway. Having not made much (or really, any) progress on revisions in the last month, I decided to officially give myself the week off (thereby getting rid of the associated guilt over not revising). I’m moving next weekend, and of course, there are approximately 7,001 things that need to be done before then. So, a hiatus. From revisions, anyway.
I still intend to do a bit of brainstorming and outlining on the DOTD story. Just enough to keep my momentum up, anyway. Apart from that, my plan for the week is to take care of real-life stuff, read a bit, and try not to stress about anything (mainly work). There’s plenty of time for that next week…
Badly. In fact, so badly, it’s probably Stage IV. Seriously. It’s a struggle to make myself do homework, much less anything else! I have a daily planner that I fill out religiously (and with much detail) every week. This week, I’m maybe getting 50% of my to-do lists done. Not for lack of time. I’ve only worked one day since Saturday (Sad, I know. I should be ashamed to even write that…). It’s just complete and total lack of motivation.
At least I got my homework done (until Sunday, anyway). With only two more weeks in the summer semester, falling behind isn’t a good idea. But I have a writing project that needs outlined, and I need to finish a revision and start another one. Not to mention getting started on my certification at work…Can I get a couple of days with 48 hours in them, please?
Anyone have any tricks for overcoming procrastination? I’d really appreciate them…when I get around to implementing them, anyway.
I had a horrible weekend. My internet was out. I couldn’t check my email ALL weekend. I almost had a nervous breakdown/withdrawal symptoms. Not only that, my cell phone is acting up, so I couldn’t check my email on that, either. It was the longest weekend ever! I didn’t know what to do with myself. Okay, I worked on Saturday, so it could have been worse, but still, 48 hours with no internet? The horror! Apparently, I can only take so many naps in a day…
I mean, it was bad enough that I couldn’t do homework (Yeah. I’m one of THOSE people. I had homework. It needed to be done. I’d rather do it than procrastinate. So sue me.) I couldn’t read any of my online books. I couldn’t listen to my new addiction (neoclassical) on Pandora. Not being on Facebook didn’t bother me, surprisingly enough, but the lack of email was…painful. I was so happy when the tech guy showed up bright and early Monday morning and got it fixed. (And also astonished. When they say “He’ll be there between 8 and 12, you don’t really expect him to be there until, say…11:45. But this guy showed up at 8:20.) As soon as he left, I got right online to get my fix.
So, tell me, how technology-addicted are YOU?
…Okay, not usually. Usually I embrace it. With pride. But today…today, I regretted it just a tiny bit. I have this patient that I sometimes take care of. He’s 93. He always has his cell phone with him, which was kind of funny to me at first. I mean, how many 92-year-olds do YOU know who actually have a cell phone?
Well, today he asked me “Do you want to see a picture of the most beautiful girl in the world?” Of course, not being heartless, I said “Yes.” So he showed me a picture of his wife. She was smiling widely, looking like she loved life and was deliriously happy. Then he said “I lost her in November. I miss her so much. I love her SO much.” They had been married three days shy of 70 years, and he is still madly in love with her.
I almost cried. It kind of gives me hope that maybe there are still some decent guys out there…somewhere. (Even if I don’t know any of them.)
First of all, why does it have to be so hot? At 6:30 p.m, it really shouldn’t be 105 degrees, now should it? No wonder I haven’t been outside since 9 a.m….I’m not sure if it’s the heat, or the shock to my system from being in New Orleans five days last week. I mean, it was hot there, but it wasn’t this hot. And this is my first Texas summer in two years. Can I just say I’m not impressed? It’s only mid-June, and it’s already well over the century mark. Not my idea of fun.
Let’s add the horrible heat to the slight bit of culture shock I’m experiencing, and you’ll see why I’ve felt out-of-sorts this week. Last week, this was what I was doing Saturday night:
Bourbon Street
And also this:
Drinks!
This week? I’m at home. Doing homework. Fighting to stay awake at 8:30 at night. What is wrong with this picture? Better question: what is right with this picture? Beats me…I’m hoping this blue funk goes away. If not, I’ll be forced to admit that I’m horribly homesick for a place that I only spent two years in (Okay, and that I was fascinated by and drawn to for a good 10+ years before that.), and that the place I’ve always called home…no longer is.
On a side note, I just discovered Neoclassical music (Abandoned Toys, anyone), and can I just say wow? I am blown away. And this music so fits my mood…
Or, really, at all…Okay, so I did get another five phases of the DOTD story outlined. But that’s pretty much it. This week has been a little hectic, between work, appointments, a friend’s birthday party, and packing to go to New Orleans later this week. Oh, and I just realized today (as in, about 5 p.m.), that my summer class starts tomorrow, and not next Monday, like I thought. Oops. It’s a good thing it’s an online class, since I’ll be out of town for five days.
I’m SOOO looking forward to visiting my second home and seeing family and friends. I need a vacation!
To all those who fought (and still fight) for our freedom, and for those who supported them (and still do): thank you.
And for my grandfather, who was a veteran of World War II. I love you and miss you, PaPa.
