Gabrielle's Life and Writings

Gabrielle Lawson, writer of Fanfiction. I will use this space to keep a journal about my writing, the progress I'm making, stories I'm working on, writer's blocks I'm having, our adoption process and progress and just life in general.

My Photo
Name:
Location: Missouri, United States

I'm multifaceted and highly educated. I have a BA in History and an MA in Museum Studies. But I couldn't make a living in a museum, so my hobby--computers--became my living. I'm now a charter member Microsoft Certified Desktop Support Technician. I aspire to be a professional writer and/or poet. I am a Christian and have been living by His grace for the last four years or so, despite the MegaStress and now the GigaStress. He keeps me going, and displays His glory still, in my life.

Friday, August 22, 2003

Did I say no distractions?


Well, if I did, I need to add the exception for very short stories. Ainaechoiriel wrote one today, thanks to a challenge by Dwim. So I didn't write much Faith. I did write a bit though. The Bashir scene is done and I'm on to Riker and nearly through with it. Still only at late morning though.

Tuesday, August 19, 2003

Eek! It's been a long time


Um, I guess my excuse is that I've been busy. I've been to Focus again this last weekend. I had a bit of car and house stuff to take care of, I didn't get on the internet much at any rate. And I've been planning for a weekend trip to DC.

But I have written! After the Formenos scene, I went back to the other prisoners and now to Bashir. I'm just about done with his scene and then we'll move forward in the day. I think I need to cover two days in this chapter. I'm still on the first. In Formenos's scene, I did find a neat way to tie it back to Faith II. I love it when stuff like that happens.

Haven't done this for awhile:

Status of Stories Update


    Status of Stories
  • Faith, Part III Working on Chapter 14 (4th chapter).
  • The Honored This one hasn't gone anywhere in awhile, but it will when I finish Faith. 1 1/2 chapters written, a big scene near the end.
  • The Hardest Thing still awaiting an appropriate ending, but it has a title!


Thursday, August 07, 2003

Venting over. I'm a happy camper


And no, not because of the car issue. That still stands 50/50 and I'm just resigning myself to it.

But I'm happy because I'm excited. Today I booked my flights to and from London! That's right, I'm going to Europe! I've only been wanting to for about 8 years. Pretty much right after I got home from the Czech Republic, where I had taught English for a year. I'm going to 4 different countries this trip: Germany, the Czech Republic, Poland, and England. In that order. Why then did I book for London? Because it's way cheaper than book for Germany when I'm not going for nearly 60 days.

Wednesday, August 06, 2003

Sometimes ya just hafta vent


On Sunday, I was backing out of a slanted parking spot, going very slowly because I couldn't see around the cars beside me. A black pickup truck passed me in the lane. I continued backing out. And came to an abrupt halt when my vehicle collided with something.

Now, at the time, I was well flustered. I didn't get all the information I should have. I didn't get the addresses and phone numbers and drivers license number of the driver or her husband. I didn't get their VIN. To be fair, they didn't get my address or phone number either. We had apparently backed into each other. Their bumper was scratched. My wheel well was dented and the corner of my rear passenger door was bent.

It wasn't until I got home and was talking with my sister that it hit me. Their bumper hit my rear wheel well. I was farther into the lane than they were. My door was bent. It's steel. I crawled out of my parking space at about 2.5 mph. You can't bend steel at 2.5 mph. So they must have been going faster than I was. So if I was out further than them, and going slower than them, it logically follows that I was backing out first.

So, logically, I had the right of way. Logically, they ran into me, hard. Logically, it would seem to follow that the other driver didn't look before backing out.

Apparently, logic has nothing to do with insurance claims. Their insurance says fault is 50/50. My insurance company, when this morning they seemed to be on my side, now says fault is 50/50. The other company's representative even said, and I quote: "The factors of speed and right of way are not an issue here." Because, apparently, being in a parking lot means there are no laws. Go figure.

And logic, it seems, has nothing to do with insurance rates either. I asked how this would effect my rates. My claims adjuster couldn't tell me. I had to call a different number. And they said was I at fault or not at fault. There was no provision for 50/50 here. Either the other company pays more than 50%, in which case, I'm considered "not at fault", or they pay 50 % or less, in which case I'm "at fault". And therefore have to pay the penalty.

Lovely. Needless to say, I'm not happy about this situation. Unfortunately, my insurance company still has the best rates (Progressive, by the way), so changing would only cost me more. The best I can be, at this point, is resigned.

Turns out I did some writing after all


I had some down time on Tuesday, so I picked up my Clie and did some writing. I finished the scene on the Enterprise and went back to the prisoners for some background stuff. Next, I think, is Formenos. I'm still only about half way through this chapter.

Tuesday, August 05, 2003

Gosh, it's been a long time


Sorry it's taken me so long to get back to this. I've just been way too busy lately. And tired. I'm having a hard time getting over the tired from the seminar. There's a meeting for Focus tonight at 6, but I have quite a dilemma. Do I keep my chiropractor appointment (I have this pain shooting down my leg, so that appointment sounds pretty good to me) or drive 45 minutes down to south KC right after work? Sure I'll probably have fun and get to see my new friends again, but right after work is what I call the "danger hour". I can get cross-eyed and sleepy on the 15-minute trip home, let alone a 45-minute trip. It's quite scary.

But anyway, back to writing. I have written. A tiny bit. I've hardly been able to get three sentences in. I've just been too busy. And part of that is Ainaechoiriel's fault. She's making a new dress and she's been using my evenings for that for the last three days or so.


But I will try to get some writing in this week. I miss it.