Found on the NEO

I wrote this post on September 2nd, then every time I saw it on the Neo, I was like, "I posted that, didn't I? Yeah, I'm sure I posted that." Then I forgot to check.

I never posted that. But I like it, so I'm posting it now, even though stuff that's a month old is hardly relevant. Some of it is, though! So...

Because It's Important Enough to Say Twice

Afterlife will be releasing this weekend, and I'm participating in the release party thrown by The Romance Studio tonight. If you've got a few minutes, check it out. There are several authors celebrating new releases, so there should be something for everyone! The party runs 6:00 p.m. to midnight Eastern time.

In the Midst of Insanity

Today's Friday, right?

My week has been so crazy, with thinking I had to work, then not having to work, then getting more work from the freelance job, and canceling obligations, rescheduling activities, fretting about things that weren't going right. It all worked out in the end, which is kind of a lesson about not worrying about things until absolutely necessary. I always advocate for that, but it's hard to do.

I even managed to watch some TV this week, though nothing new yet. All the old favorites are off to a good start. On Bones, though, I think it would have been cool if they'd opened their own agency or something. I thought that might be where they were going, when Booth asked why they only investigate when there's a body.

This weekend is going to be a working weekend, but hopefully I'll make a little progress toward getting Soul of the Dragon published. Oh! And speaking of books, Afterlife will be releasing this weekend, and I'm participating in the release party thrown by The Romance Studio tonight. If you've got a few minutes, check it out. There are several authors celebrating new releases, so there should be something for everyone! The party runs 6:00 p.m. to midnight Eastern time.

I'll also be blogging tonight at Supernatural Sisters. Supernatural returns! I admit, I've been too busy to get excited, but that slow buzz of anticipation is starting. Tune in to Supernatural Sisters a couple of hours after the show to see what I thought and share your own feelings about the start of season six!

I'm heading now into another soccer- and football-focused weekend, with bursts of intense work. What have you got going on?

Premiere Week!

One of my favorite reasons to love fall is here: The main premiere week for primetime television. Unfortunately, I'm too busy to watch anything! :(

Okay, not true. Not anything. Just not most of it. Still, I manage to have a lot to say about TV (raise your hand if you're surprised. LOL)

Grumpy. And Stressed.

We won't talk about the grumpy. Suffice to say week 2 of the NFL was not as fun as week 1.

So let's talk about the stress. I can't stop thinking about my week:

I Love My Schedule, Except When I Don't

Reasons I love my schedule:

1. I don't have to leave for work too early, so the morning's not a stressful mess.

2. The half hour drive to work and home again allows me to keep up with the Patriots and NFL podcasts I listen to.

3. If I go straight home, I have two hours of time before the kids come home, time I can designate for fiction or freelance work.

4. Even after the kids come home, their homework time is still work time for me.

5. I can focus on soccer practices, school stuff, and my kids' needs without guilt.

Reasons I don't love my schedule:

1. I still have to get up at 6:30 because Number One leaves at 6:40. She doesn't need me, but I'm not letting her go without saying goodbye.

2. The half hour one-way commute carves an hour of wasted time out of my day.

3. I rarely get to go straight home. I always have errands to run. Even when I don't, two hours is never enough time to eat lunch, catch up on e-mail, address whatever volunteer stuff I have to do, do any freelance work that came in or was pending, and work on my fiction.

4. "Homework" time is also "tell Mom about my day" time, essential and only precluded by an intense deadline.

5. HA! Guilt will never be banished.

So on paper, my schedule looks perfect. In execution, though, I think I need to do some tweaking. This is the first full week of school, so I've cut myself some slack so far.

That's going to have to end.

Royal Trouble

I've posted before about my involvement with Orchid Games. I've been a beta tester, and one of my stories is in the FREE Heartwild Solitaire Classic.

But that's not what I'm blogging about today. Today, I'm blogging about Royal Trouble.

My Brain is Weird

The dream started with me getting into an elevator. There was one other person, plus a courier with his bike, and we had to maneuver a little to all fit. He pressed 4. We pressed 2. The elevator went to 4. We pressed 2 again. It went to 1. We pressed 2 again. The elevator went sideways.

Then it went up on a diagonal and left the building, and we were climbing over the city, as if we were still in an elevator shaft. But there was no structure around it, and in fact no elevator, I suppose, since I could see everything around me (I think London). So I decided it was magic.

Home Alone

Today is my first day off (from the day job) since school started. I've been really looking forward to it! A whole day to work, plenty of time to really dig in. And then I stupidly added appointments to my morning. And then Number One overslept half an hour, thanks to Simone Elkeles and Suzanne Collins, which necessitated driving her to school. I'd just dive in to work now, except those appointments mean I must shower.

Day...Derailed.

Not really. I can get back on track. But here's my plan for the day:

Topping Off the Summer

On our last Saturday before school started, we took a day trip to Philadelphia and had a great day. I blogged about it Monday at The Gab Wagon.

It's been a good summer. Lots going on, many intentions that were never fulfilled, some stresses, but some good things, too, and overall, I'm happy.