Story update!

Well, I have been writing after all. I was bored last night and caught up with some other stuff (besides cleaning my house) and thought I should take the time to write. So I sat here at my computer, opened my text editor and got out chapter 15 of Faith. At first, I rushed it, wanting to get that chapter over with. But it was still far too short and well, rushed. So I went back and thought it through, added some stuff here or there, and voila! It's still short, but it might be done! Either that or I add the big boom (don't worry if you don't know that that is, I do try not to spoil here in my blog) at the end here and start chapter 16 with the aftermath of that.

And I've had more people say they like the present ending of The Hardest Thing than didn't like it. So I've posted it to . The Journey has been sent to the admins at The Writer's Ranch for posting there.

I haven't done this for awhile:

Status of Stories Update

Status of Stories

• Faith, Part III Nearly done with Chapter 15 (5th 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 finished! And posted.
  
• The Journey revised and posted.
  

The Return of the Writer

Well, it's not quite as dramatic, but I am feeling the writing jones again. I think that's a good sign.

Stress/sister update: Speaking with Sister #2 now and then. She still doesn't give me enough money, but now her car has been repossessed. Grr. Sister #1 and I are speaking on a business only basis. Yes, I'll be going to her house for Christmas Eve this evening. Still don't know how that will be. But the whole family will be there, so it's not like I'll only have to deal with her.

Writing update: Well, I'm writing. Not a lot, but darn it, it looks like 2 1/2 more chapters. The half is the one I'm writing now, day 3 in the camp and will end with a bang. Next chapter is day 4, the aftermath of that bang and the evacuation to the ship. Last chapter is the ship.

Other stories: I've had two people go over The Journey for me, so I've fixed a lot of typos and made some other parts clearer. And the majority of those who have read it seem to think the ending to The Hardest Thing is just fine the way it is. So maybe that one's done as well.

The Return of the King!!!!

Okay, did that get your attention?

I went to the midnight show, or rather Ainaechoiriel did. So much from this post will likely be duplicated word for word in her blog. We (ahem) were beautiful, if I do say so myself, in our dress! Quite a few people complimented us. And the ears never went on so well!

And then the movie played. Oh, it was spectacular, absolutely breathtaking. There were, of course, some disappointments with changes or missing parts, but there is always the Extended DVD that will most likely do much to remedy the worst of these. Still, it's worth seeing at least 8 times! I hope I can afford it. ;-)

And I actually squeaked during the coronation scene. Yep, squeaked. Just when you thought Legolas couldn't get anymore gorgeous. Gulp We were wrong! Be still my beating heart. I'm still swooning and it's been a day and half! I've so got to see this again soon!

I actually tried to write, but I can't get ROTK out of my head! I decided today to try and jump forward to the parts I think I can write, saving the harder stuff for last. I do want to finish Faith by Jan. 31st at the latest. Dec. 31 would be better, of course, but I doubt now that I'll make that deadline.

Oh, and I've almost got The Journey beta'd. One of the betas is done and the other is on Chapter 12. So that one will be improved and cleaned up and then, hopefully, I'll a) decide The Hardest Thing has a good enough ending already or b) find a new ending for it.

Money is still a problem, but sisterly stress has let up

Motherly stress went away as both my mom and I said we'd said our last. Mom doesn't bring it up anymore. Neither do I. At least, not to her.

Sisterly stress has fallen to a backburner. The situation has not been resolved with Sister #1. She's not talking to me and I'm thankful for it. I, of course, am not talking to her. I'm not going to admit that I'm a cold, compassionless, automaton. I think she has memory problems worse than mine. I won't bother with her until she retracts.

Presently, she has dislocated her shoulder so I'm pretty sure she's got other things on her mind. And yes, I did ask how she was doing and how she did it and all those sympathetic questions she doesn't think I'm capable of.

Sister #2. We haven't talked since our last pleasant conversation. Given Sister #1's shoulder, I'm sure the timetable for getting Sister #2's stuff and kittens has been pushed back a bit. A shame about the kittens. With three of them, I don't think my Christmas tree will last until Christmas. I'd have a better chance with only one.

So have I written?

Yes. Not much mind you. I would have to have the unfortunate luck to get stressed right when I was embarking on a very difficult bit, that never-before-seen stuff in Trek fanfic. Not easy to write and pull off. So I've only written a little. But at least I wrote. It's a breakthrough.

And I'm working with two betas to clean up any remaining problems in The Journey for posting to the Writer's Ranch. They are also going to take a look at The Hardest Thing so maybe I can find an ending for that short story. We'll see.

Letting up?

Is it letting up? I'm not sure. My mom started in me finally. But then she wrote me a somewhat nice e-mail. She said I was wrong and went way overboard, but she also said she was sorry about the way things went and, in caps, that she still loves me.

Still one thing, as evidenced by her next e-mail, I think she's missing the point on is this: my sister's problems became my problems. I was paying her bills and mine and I was (and still am) running out of money. Sometimes I think the rest of my family thinks I have a money tree growing in the back yard. I couldn't wait six months for my sister to get her act together. I didn't have the money for it, and she would owe me over $3000 by then. Besides, I don't think we could have lived together that long without being at each other's throats, even if money wasn't the issue.

I feel like my family holds me to some impossibly high standard, but a scewed standard at that. And of course, I fall short. I don't think they hold themselves to that high a standard.

Oh, one other think, my sister (the one who "lives" with me) and I had a pleasant conversation, including two aspects of this whole money-fiasco: insurance and kittens. Her two kittens will go elsewhere until she can afford to get them fixed. She will get her own insurance next month. This won't keep me from having higher rates because of the wreck she just had, though. I got quite upset over that (not in that conversation) the day before.

But anyway, writing. Nope, haven't done it. I've thought about it though. So that's a step in the right direction. I may even try it tonight.

I want a tag-team life

I'd tag my partner right now and let her do the fighting. Things have gotten ugly. I haven't seen my sister (who supposedly lives with me) since Friday. She's avoiding me like the plague. She is also ignoring my text messages and my phone calls. She has, of course, not paid me any rent.

Still, I'm serious about her not staying here. Shouldn't be too much of a problem for her. She's staying somewhere now. She only needs to get her stuff out at this point.

And the other sister is apparently not over yet either. She sends me an e-mail once in awhile. Otherwise I don't hear from her either. No one else has come down on me. Just no one else really just calls me either. So it's kind of lonely here.

My friends support my decision, as does a former pastor, though he says I should apologize just the same. Because of my sister's perception, right or wrong, that I was hurting her. He says I should write a letter expressing three things: an apology, how I gave her a month longer because she is my sister than I would have given just any roommate, and that I believe she can make it on her own. I added one of my own: her failure to communicate. Of course, I don't know how to deliver this letter. And I don't know if she'll bother to read it before she wads it up and throws it in the floor.

So, have I written? Well, no. When will I? Wish I knew. I need to tag out.