WHEW!

OK, to tell you how crazy it's been, I've only unpacked one of my two bags from RT (it had my underwear and my shampoo -- and James needed it for his trip this morning). Other than that I have accomplished next to nothing aside from work and getting James ready to go. Oh, and crying. I know James will be happier in Denver, but I'm seriously going to miss him. (And worry. Never mind he's a fully grown capable adult - he's my BABY. Irrational. Even a little insulting. But true. (And yet another case of karma turning around to bite me in the butt so that I'll be more understanding.)

I renewed my virus protection via snail mail instead of e-mail. I didn't want to put it on the credit card and decided to send a check. (Hey, I was going out of town for most of two weeks -- no problema, right. WRONGO.) It's still not back up and I appear to have a virus trying to make my life miserable. UGH!

Today I'm going to do really exciting stuff like clean house, do laundry, fix the screen door (done) and get my office in shape to start writing tomorrow. I'm hoping the activity (and my motivational CD's) will keep my mind off of fretting over things I can't do anything about (i.e., missing my kid who NEEDS to pursue his own dreams and an actual SOCIAL LIFE).

I realize most folks make fun of the motivation stuff. But it works for me. When I'm down, frustrated, whatever, the 30 day program helps get me on track. I've gone through it completely once, several years ago. (Picked up copies of the tapes at a garage sale). But I brush up on it with partial reviews frequently enough that I invested in the CDs for myself. (Got 'em used on E-bay from somebody who never opened past the first cd packet). I realize it is SO not for everybody. (People can blow through huge amounts of money with it like an addiction by going to expensive seminars and picking up master's programs and stuff that they really can't afford if they're not careful. But I also believe that a person should look carefully at what does and doesn't work for them. So I bought my CDs online; went to one seminar out of curiosity (It was a gift from a friend and former employer)(and made absolutely sure I wouldn't buy anything on impulse by leaving my purse, checkbook, and credit cards at home!)

Which I suppose says that I'm motivated -- but cheap. Tight as a drum. Scroogola. I, however, prefer to think of it as practical, thrifty, budget conscious, and a leftover from years of desperate financial straits when James was little and I was a single mother. It just sounds so much nicer. Words have power -- and I am a writer after all. (GRIN).

A couple of other things on the agenda for today are my thank you notes from conference. (We got taken to terrific meals by both our agent and our editor, breakfast by Laurell K. and Jonathan, received gifts, and such.) I want to acknowledge some of the folks I got to meet. (Although there were so blasted many of them it's a bit of a blur!) I also need to clean out my e-mails, send a thank you to Evelio who send me a wonderful DVD of the signing that I have NOT had the chance to watch, send my mother the hard-back copy of the book and the ARC for Moon's Web, pay bills.... (Crap, thinking about all of this is making me feel REALLY GUILTY about sitting here and posting.)

ANYWAY, I missed you guys. Hope you've had a great couple of weeks. But I really had better put in one of the CD's (either motivation or hair metal) and get my butt to work!

Have a great weekend.

Cie