CassieQ

Hope you had a great one!!

OMG

I used to work retail and remember Black Friday rather well. I can't stand the crowds and the hassle and the massive amounts of stupid, so I just stay home.

I'm so sorry Cia.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!

I had a pair of the MC Hammer pants in middle school....

Congratulations!!! You totally deserve it!!!

This makes me feel really old

Happy Birthday KC!!!

I've had success with NaNoWriMo several times in the past, but lately it just doesn't seem to work for me anymore. Not sure why

Damn girl, lol

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARK!!!

This is sad news. I'm so sorry hon.

Never missed work because of a story...but it has made me late to an appointment a time or two

*stares at the photo* I'm sorry, was there a question involved?

I love hearing about when people enjoy writing. It is such a rush when the words start to come. I like both long and short stories, but there is always a little trepidation when I start reading an ongoing work, because I am afraid that the writer will stop updating and just leave me hanging. Luckily, I don't find that happening too often on this site. But waiting for updates does drive me crazy sometimes I'm not a seasoned veteran either, but I do like to write. I know that I would never post a long story until I have it complete. I made a mistake one time of posting something before I had the ending worked out and it was miserable trying to finish it. Some people find that having chapters posted help motivate them to write, for me it is the complete opposite. If I feel pressured to write because people are waiting for updates, then it feels like an obligation and sucks the fun out of it. If it's not fun to write, then that is when it gets really hard. I usually have a vague idea of how a story is going to end and even less of an idea of how to get there, but if it is a short story, I'll dive in with no more of an idea then that. It makes it fun if I don't know how exactly things will happen and decide to figure it out on the way. Usually I just let my characters figure it out. They know what they are doing better than I do! If it is a long story, I will sometimes use a basic outline, just to help keep me on track and help me make sure I don't wander into a gaping plot hole or such, but I always try to make sure I never have everything 100% planned out. Where's the fun in that? The only time I've come across blocks have been one of two reasons. Either I had been hammering away at the story too long and needed to take a break. When that happens, I will usually tinker with some other story, and then come back to it. The other reason is usually because I am trying to make my characters do something that they don't like. I remember a point in a story line where my character was supposed to start doing something that was completely against his nature and no matter what I tried, I couldn't get it to work and was just stuck. Then one morning, I was sitting in my car before going into work, which was where I would normally write down pieces of the story that I thought up during the drive into town. I was pissed off, because I had been hammering my head against that scene for weeks and was fuming (not a good state to be in when I was going to be facing patients in 15 minutes ). And then it just came to me, out of the blue, that I was taking the story in the wrong direction. I knew that, but I had been ignoring it because it would mean going back and deleting or revising over 10,000 words of writing I already had down. I might have hit my head against the steering wheel in frustration, I can't remember. But when I went back and made the necessary changes and let the plot follow it's natural course, the words came back. Incredible. Anyhow, that is my strange little advice. I don't know it is is helpful, but I know it works for me (but I am a weirdo.) Good luck with your writing.

Welcome!

So sorry Mark. I was devastated when I lost my two kitties, and I had only had them for a few years. It is like losing a member of your family.

Sounds like a great story. Can't wait to check it out! Thanks Renee.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DARK!!!

Thanks Cia!

I was going to just do a status update, but it was getting a little long for that, so I decided to do a blog entry instead. I kinda hate myself for doing this, but I finally went home and left my Mom at the ER with my dad and sister. I didn't want to leave, but my Mom was worried about me being able to drive home safely (I work 10 hours shifts and by the time I get off of work, I am exhausted). So after the fifth or so request for me to go home and get some rest, I went. I am getting updates through my sister on my phone. When I left they were on the fence about letting her go home. The ER doc told me he would talk to the hospitalist (who the hell is that)?!? and let us know whether she could go home or should stay for more tests. When I asked how long this would take (we were going on 7 hours in the ER at this point) the doc told me no more than 20 minutes. An hour later he still hadn't shown back up and a few minutes a got another text from my sister...2 hours, still waiting. I hope they at least get her into a room and move her out of the damn hallway. Worse part is, no one seems to know what is wrong. She can't stand up and walk without having episodes of nausea, dizziness, fainting and she shakes like crazy after just walking a few feet or sitting up for a while. And she exercises, eats well, takes her medicine and just takes really good care of herself. I have no idea. We've ruled out low blood sugar, the ultrasound of her stomach was all clear, she's have 4 EKGs over the last several days, all are normal. CT scan was fine, chest X-ray fine. My Mom has currently surpassed my cousin for longest ER stay. And at least I got to brush up on my skills for terrorizing nurses (no disrespect, nurses are awesome, but I will be damned if I was going to sit there for one more minute watching my Mom be ignored). Hoping for the best.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! (I'll bring the chocolate cake this time)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MJ!!!

Happy Birthday!!! I have a birthday spanking ready for you!!