I went to my first Tae Kwan Do class tonight and already have some bruises on my hand. Of course that is because I was really grabbing the other dude's outfit in a move because I wanted to make sure the move really did work. Ach. I got my own little outfit AND a belt. Woo! I have to give it more time, but what I did like was that you just jumped right in. I hate it when classes baby step you in the beginning. More tomorrow and then next week I will see about making day time classes.

Ahh Rabdos (still need a title) is in the works. I have spent much time on it and to my shock...it's long. Am I a novelist at heart? Impossible. I love short stories so much. I need to focus on finishing something right now. Really finishing it...so I need a bit of a extended deadline. Sorry about that.

I also got my new Writer's Market book and was reading the front part which is how the authors made it....and dang. The average time it takes is six years to get published. Six years? I don't have six years...I have four years to make this happen. I also considered the job thing again so I am applying for two state jobs. The likely hood of that happening is slim. The weird thing about the application is that I need a witness to sign it. A witness....how..bureaucratic.

Alright more writing. I barely did anything today. Yesterday whooped me a bit. But perseverance is the key, right?

Tim also made an interesting comment today. He said I am charmed. No, not like the hallowell ladies...but "everything I touch turns gold." What a nice thing to believe! I have been lucky however I think of what Holly used to say which is: Chance favors the prepared mind (Louis Pasteur). While I believe there is truth a little luck, I also believe that you must look for it, be pepared and not afraid to try new things, meet new people or be open...to anything.

I got sick of IE crashing every other click (even after I defraged my machine). I took Tim's advice and switched over to Mozilla. So far it seems to be working much better! Awesome.

Friday morning Jack arrived for his weekend playdate with Pluto. It's weird having another greyhound around...though Jack is white with black spots (like a cow) he still seemed just like Pluto. As if Pluto just looked a little different. They had a great time ripping up the yard, smelling each other's business, and peeing over each other's pee. By Sunday though, one could tell that Pluto was starting to get a little jealous of all the attention. His head butts became very insistent. Also, I am very jealous of Jack's ability to sit. Tim and I have a new mission. Pluto WILL learn to sit. By golly.

Friday night I went to the Essen Haus and met up with a bunch of other Epic folks for our second run, I even danced TWO polkas! Liama came and stayed for a long longer that five minutes and I had a great time. I love international crowds. Makes me feel alive and human.

Saturday we watched American Slender. It was a good movie. I asked Tim if he was going to write a review of it, but he said he has a hard time writing good reviews. I suggested to just say it was good and get to the funny part of three reasons why you should see it. I also watched Clay Pigeons...not too bad. Not to bad at all. It was a day of movies, reading, bath, and relaxing.

Sunday Tim packaged up all the boxes from our move in the garage, Sarah bought a bike, I made a great dinner of baked halibut, pasta and veggies, worked on my story, read some other stories, transplanted a plant, adios to Jack (and inert happiness at the prospect of earning ourselves a Pluto free weekend), made a cappuccino, wrote a few emails to some authors I recently read in my books, and then went to bed.

It was a good weekend, but I am afraid I didn't get as much as I would like done in my story. My story that is vast becoming a novella (at the very least). Crap! I might need an extension. Off to work on it now.

Oh and a Happy Birthday to Kate. I expect to see pictures soon.

My internet explorer keeps performing illegal operations and shutting itself down. That sucks. I wonder if I need an update, or my six year old computer is staring to have problems keeping up. In any case.

Oh the pressure is on! I have two responses from respectable citizens to read my drivel! Must finish drivel. I worked on it all day yesterday and only succeeded in fixing some really rough patches and worrying about how I am going to fit in all the other stuff I want and yet keep it relatively short. Maybe I am a novelist. Bah. Oh well, today I am going to free write the rest and just ... do it. As Nike and Spike Lee says....just do it.

First, I am going to go to Ella's Deli with Hilary for a spot of coffee and some relaxation. I need to be ... zenned...to do this. I also have to mop the kitchen floor today. It's a mud pit...white socks beware. Spring + dog = dirty house.

Crap, and I have academic book group tonight. I SO don't want to be in this group anymore. Making commitments suck. Other people break them all the time, why can't I?

Plus, I just realized I can't get my permit tomorrow morning. The greyhound we are sitting for this weekend is arriving tomorrow morning around 9 or 10 and I have no idea how long the DMV is going to be. Next week then. Shoot, I was looking forward to ... hey wait. Tim is taking next Thursday off to recuperate from DJing at the Inferno for the Fool's Masquerade...I can go then. Yah! Oh...gotta go.

I have a deadline for myself to finish my Rabdos story this week, proofread it... and send it to a friend next week to read. If any one else would like to read it, let me know. I am not asking for in depth analysis or anything like that. I only want to know if it was a story that you enjoyed reading and that it doesn't look like a creative writing class exercise.

Also, I am going to take Tae Kwon Do starting next week! How cool is that? My tribe set up a deal with a local facility to give free lessons and use of the gym for two years. All I have to do is pay for the 15$ uniform. I have always wanted to learn a martial art, and though I have never thought of doing TKD, I am not about to look a gift horse in the mouth. I am very excited.

I have a bajillion rollover minutes on my cell phone. While I don't normally talk on the phone, I am sometimes moved to do it. Right now I am. Who wants to have a heart to heart on my dime? Anyone up for an old fashioned phone call? Anyone?

What a weekend. I am sore right now and impatiently waiting for the percolator to brew me up some coffee. I can hear Tim saying right now "We never should have gotten that percolator, it takes to long." Bah, we have had it for five and half years now and never had to replace it, like you would with OTHER coffee makers. Still, I am beginning to think a two shooter might be nice.

Friday began with going with Liama to look at houses. We looked at total of seven houses, the last one at six at night and set up via Liama instead of the realtor. This house is closer and a ten minute bike ride at most, it had an awesome...like dream basement with a work shop that took up the whole wall with tons of built in cabinets and shelves...oh it was dreamy (and warm!). I like warm basements. The floors were all hardwood and in good shape, and the living room was covered with dream catchers. Heh. I asked the woman if she made them, and she said no, that she bought them all. There were also kokopelli things everywhere! It was quite clear to me that the wife (I am 99% sure it was her -- it always is), had a case of Indian over admiration. Which is quite all right me with, and I fully encourage everyone to feel that way. However, I wish that the ... artwork/craftwork would have been original pieces and not put together by looking through a Fingerhut catalogue.

That aside the folks were great! And man could the mother's mother quilt. Those quilts were FANTASTIC! I had a case of quilting envy after I left. Maybe I will start a crazy quilt. Yeah. I am getting into these long term sewing or knitting projects while watching TV or movies. The knitting is hard because I don't know how to make fancy completed things like sweaters. I need to have someone teach me how to read those patterns. Sewing patches together is easy! Just time consuming.

So Saturday I got up in the ass crack of dawn and went with Tim to Geneva Wisconsin to walk dogs. It was okay though because I knew for a week that the best day last week was going to be Saturday. Oh it was so deliciously warm and springlike. After walking the grey hounds waiting for homes, we took the long way back (oops) to Madison, threw Pluto out to go potty and then jumped back into the car to help Sarah n Dave with the house. My only war wound is a little blister sore on my middle finger (right hand) from pulling up nails. Oy. In the early evening we had to head home and get dressed for the Epic 25th Anniversary party.

Ahh the Epic party. It was held at the Monona Terrace. There were lots of people from Epic (and spouses/partners), and two weddings -- which is how the Monona Terrace stays in business it would seem. I saw Liama and said hi, and Bierka and Ryan but they didn't see me and I didn't have an opportunity to get up. Eh well. The CEO was the worst public speaker I have ever seen, and I was embarrassed for their "award show" because one of ten people where there to accept the award. How sad. We left midway through it and went to the Essen Haus with some folks from our table and other E people who didn't go to the dinner. Hey the coffee and dessert was good though. ;) I have never seen a major company run out of food (read desserts).

Essen Haus was awesome and we went through FOUR boots! That was my first time whuping some boots, it was fun. And they had polka! [Boots = a large boot shaped glass filled with beer that you drink and pass around the table].

Sunday I got up and headed over to Middleton to offer my services of help with Sarah n Dave's new house. Sigrid and Matt stopped by around lunch time and we all went out to Hubbard's diner (nice place - good pie).Then we went back and did some more house stuff. I felt I could have done more by the time Tim picked me up -- but that is probably because I am not exhausted and sick and tired of home improvement projects and therefore have lots of energy. :)

Tim picked me up and we headed home. I realized half way home that I forgot my cell phone. Geez. Why do I keep forgetting my shit everywhere? First my purse at the Inferno last Thursday. Then my cell phone a few days later. I am beginning to think I am careless....dang it. Gotta keep a better eye on my stuff.

When we came home I retired to the bedroom and read: Bookbat, and Night Flying and most of the Motorist Handbook. I even took notes and learned TONS, oh TONS of stuff about driving that I didn't care about back in High School the first time around. Friday is the day, I gotta call sometime this week to add me to our insurance because Tim will not let me drive our car, even to practice, until I am insured. Pft. The real hard part is coming up...stick driving. I just have to remind myself that one day I will drive manual as effortlessly as Eric, Hilary, Tim and Shane.

Today, Pluto is restless. Tim said that when he got up he found Pluto sleeping on the futon instead of crate. He went out twice and he when he came in he kept playing with squeaky toys. Pluto is not a morning dog, so this is unusual behavior. I think it stems from being ignored all weekend. I must take him for a walk today. I hope it isn't TOO cold outside. I don't like cold.

A dream dinner party: Alfred Hitchcock, Rod Serling, Neil Gaiman, Johhny Depp, Ray Bradbury and Tim (cos I would have to have a witness and someone to share "can you believe this is happening" glances).

Last night Tim and I went to a Pee Party at the Inferno. Rules were you got in, and got a cup and got to drink FREE beer until someone broke the seal or left. I got in three beers, Tim got two and the contest lasted for an hour and a half. Contrary to popular belief it was NOT a woman that broke down, but rather the second dude in the contest who had consumed a total of six beers.

Tired ... this will do for today.

current clothing: inside out jammies (oops), green T, and a fluffy white robe
current mood: hungover
current taste: yesterday's coffee
current hair: long and messy, but at least in a clip out of my face
current annoyance: my headache
current fragrance: frankensence incense a penpal sent me
current thing you ought to be doing: nuthing, I am doing what I planned to be doing right now
current jewelry: same stuff as always, earring, five rings and a lip stud
current book: Neccessary Noise, Tales in Time and Walk Softly, Rachel
current refreshment: yesterday's coffee
current worry: reading Prison Nation for tonight's book group
current favorite celebrity: Johnny Depp
current longing: Wishing this headache would go away
current music: none, I am sick of my mp3 list
current wish: That I could figure out what my block is, and finish my stories.
current lyric in your head: bloody bloody thursday
current regret: having that last beer
current desktop picture: lotr, two towers image
current plans for this weekend: help rip up carpet and the epic anniversary party
current cuss word du jour: damn
current disappointment: yesterday's coffee
current amusement: this stupid thing
current IM/person: Ben, and Tim
current avoidance: going outside in the cold

I just watched Cabin Fever. All I can say is: "Niggas' "

Getting a greyhound does have it's negatives. In the past three days we have filled a two small bags of poop, and today while I was on poop patrol, Pluto ripped up the yard even more. How can a yard recover from all his running around? Why does the ground have to be soft? Why does he have to run so fast? Man. By the time summer comes around all we are going to have is a fenced in pile of mud with a few patches of grass here and there.

Not to mention how much mud he tracks into the house AFTER I wipe his feet, and how many times I have to change the sheet on the futon because he insists he must always sleep there.

On the plus side I did think of two great story ideas last night.

Tonight my fearless companion and I conquered Final Fantasy Chyrstal Chronicles.

Over all, I am disappointed with this FF game. It was okay but really more fun with four players. I am looking forward to seeing how four of us are going to beat the three stage boss at the end. Only three stages? Yes, if you will believe it.

In other news I got a ton of books at the library on Friday because I had a case of post sick restlessness. I am reading a collection of science fiction time travel stories. What a great idea for a collection. I am struck by how well HG Wells wrote, his story could have been written yesterday instead of in 1906. I would like to be like that. While I have written quite a bit of stuff, I haven't finished anything I would like to send out yet. I am going to have to start finishing things soon if I have any hope of getting any where near by 52 attempts at publication by the end of the year.

I also am going to take out the driver's handbook next week and study it. I plan to have my driving permit in hand by the end of the month. Still that begs the question of what the hell I am going to do with a driver's license. I guess, at the very least, it will calm my fears of what I will do if anything should ever happen to Tim.

My darling husband who had just fallen asleep on the papasan. I should go put us to bed now.

Taxes are done. Egads that took all day. The good news is that we get a total refund of 165 bucks, the first rebate in years. Not quite enough to travel to Shiprock but halfway there....just have to finagle a way to save some more bucks in the next months to make the trip. By golly, we ARE going to have a vacation this year.

By Grabthar's hammer, by the sons of Worvan, we shall persevere!

"i'm sticking pins and needles in the stinging rotten flesh like substitute pieces of half cooked meat"

I am gonna try and do taxes today, or at least take a good hardy look at it.

Oh great mercy. The fog of the sick slowly evaporates. I feel much better today, but I don't think I am going to overdo it. Yesterday while I was recouperating I got hooked on Confessions of A Oldest Living Confenderate Widow (thanks Lifetime), and the second half is showing today. I think that I should probably take it easy today as well, to ensure that this isn't a "false recovery," and watch the rest of the program and clean the office. I did manage to clean the living room and kitchen yesterday inbetween commericals. I am sure I can be equally successful today.

Free items today include: a spaghetti measure/blow scraper, refrigerator magnet and a small packet of recipe cards from my friends from the 'sell shit to homemakers" marketing team.

Why is it, that when I am sick I have the most motivation and ambition to do things? I wanted to start an exercise fitness routine, start a novel, learn ho chunk, clean the WHOLE house, make some oatmeal scones (hmmm I could do that today....), garden, take Pluto for a walk, etc, etc. I have endless inspiration but no actual energy to go through with it. Perhaps. that is it, I can dream about what if, because I can't actually do it. How cruel.

I did scare up enough energy to show Sarah how to play DDR though. She laughed like they all do in the beginning, but soon became addicted.

Movies this week include: Underworld, Cabin Fever and more B5.

The going away party for the Geisler's was a big success. Tiara and Adrian took pictures, so hopefully they will share some of them or put them on a website for a week or two so others can see or something. Hm. The next day we went over to see if they needed any help but it was pretty much done in two hours! Man that was quick. So we took carpet tiles and headed home and stopped at Red Robin on the way to have some greasy burgers. Yum. A few hours later, bam! I ram smack into Tim's cold.

Ughhhhh today is awful. I am so sick and tired, and there is no food in the house. Tim said he would go shopping if I made a list...but oh the energy it takes to make that list. Oh, charmed is on.

Lots to do today, and I am not entirely sure how it is going to be done. Not that I am stressing too much about it since I haven't done anything. I did get a cake though...that is something. This week has been extra busy, moreso than usual.

Yesterday, the girls who came to my house later AFTER I had already gone to their house earlier to find that it was empty and locked. It seems their Mom and Dad had forgotten that it was Thursday, mistaking it for Wednesday went off to school and work like normal. They were confused when they got to the school to find out that there was no school but rather teacher parent conferences. He he. She is very scattered sometimes. I always seem to make the aquaintance of folks with many things on their mind. Anyway, we made pink sugar cookies from "scraps" complete with our own frosting, played outside, watched cartoon disney and old fashioned toys.

Tim being sick sucks. Him going to bed at 9:00, after getting up from a afterwork nap to eat dinner, really messes up my schedule. It's also boring. We cancelled academic book group and I showed Sarah how to knit. Later I took Pluto out on a walk in the pouring rain to try and make him go potty. All he succeeded in doing was getting soaked and sniffing every single shrub and peeing on every other tree. It was nasty out! The only good thing out of the deal was that he got somewhat of a bath thus removing all the mud that has been slowly caking on his fur over the past two weeks.

Well, I want to take advantage of Alladin and do some writing.

A few things. First, I found an email from TDS telling me that my email account was disabled because of unauthorized use and in order to find out more, just unzip the handy zip file that was attached. They even had the gall to put the TDS website at the bottom. I redirected that puppy straight to the TDS folks -- I hope it doesn't get caught in their virus scan thing or whatever. The gall! This has been on the most insidious virus attempts I have seen in a long time.

Second, the City Water Meter Man was here, and told me a story that a few years back, there was this lady that lived in my neighborhood. She had an ocd complex and didn't want to move the stuff, or let the City Water Meter Man change the meter. She also decided that she did not want to pay her water bill any more because she didn't need water. After a year, it came out that the woman had been using a tub to go to the bathroom. Just think of it, and entire years worth of pure waste sitting in your house festering. I remember I couldn't stand the outhouses I had to use when I was young, but those at least were outside and breezy. Can you imagine having that inside?? The City Water Meter Man said that was in the papers and such, but of course I have no recollection of it -- probably because I wasn't here. He related some other colorful stories of folks houses in the city of Madison. What a great little break in the day. :D

Third, Tim is home sick today. Poor dear. The night before he said he couldn't sleep, and then last night he was cranky and when he went to bed he had a fever. I gave him some Nyquil and then today he was feeling worse. I said that he had to have bed rest though. For the first time in many many months he slept past 12:00. Now that is a sign that he is sick.

Fourth. I don't know how "they" figured out I was a house bound woman of married status, but they did. I have started to get Suzie homemaker junk mail packets for Health and Wellness Club, Creative Home and Arts Club, Harlequin Book Club, Mystery Book Club, Doubleday Book Club -- all in the last two weeks. What's great is the non book clubs ones send me little incentives gifts, I got a cute little gift bag, two memo pads, a packet of green tea, and my all time favorite and it is about time -- Address Labels with my name on it. Although the spelled my last name Redeagle without the capital E. However, I used to spell my last name like that until I was 15 or so. Also government and businesses seem to differ on it too, so I am therefore known as Red Eagle and Redeagle on many important documents. I think I will use the labels anyway...I am sure folks are trained to KNOW how my last name should be by now.

Fifth, I am going to go to resale shops with Hilary and Mina today. Woo. I should get a picture of her so I can add to the friends section so you have an idea of who I am talking about. Also, I need to tell her sometime today that I don't say good bye on the telephone (rarely ever) or in person so that she doesn't think I am some kind of rude socially inept weirdo.

Last night we made a dinner that has: cabbage, sausage, carrots, potatoes and onions in it. It was fantastic and even again as lunch today. I also made a batch of molasses oatmeal cookies that take some getting used too, but I tell myself that back in the days of depression they would be like ambrosia. All in all it made for a old world dining experience.

I watched the Oscars and Tim played Mech's, and Sarah went to a staff meeting (today is her first day on the job). I guessed sixteen right and six wrong. I think Bill Murray should have gotten best actor. Poor man, he has always been one of my favorite actors, I love Groundhog's Day and What about Bob. Comic genius I tell you! It rates up there with Uncle Buck, A Christmas Story and What a Way to Go!

I can tell spring is in the air (at least for the time being...indian spring?), because I am being drawn out of my hermitage. I had coffee at a coffee house, an honest to god coffeehouse, the ones I used to love so much -- Michelangelo's to visit with my poet professor friend Roberta. We talked about writing and I got to express my concern of feeling pressure to write native american themed literature. She admitted she used to feel the same way, but then gave several examples of other multicultural writer's experiences and ended by saying "I am indian, therefore whatever I write will be indian." Such simplicity. I think I am going to stop worrying about it and just write whatever comes to my mind. Perhaps being indian will permeate it in someway, but I am certainly not going to force it (nor do I want to).

The rest of the weekend was spent with my darling who was home for the entire weekend for once. We went to the dog park with Pluto on Saturday AND Sunday, we got our Turbo Tax thing from Best Buy, Ben dropped off a load of shit, peat moss, topsoil, some flower via Jen, and Sarah came to roost. I am now so excited for spring to really get here, and stay, so that I can start seeing if I have the gardening touch.