Super scattered this morning. Was up till nearly 2 a.m. and back up before 5. Being sick last weekend reset my robot programming back to an old default or something, sleeping has been weird all week, will have to get strict on myself again and go through tech withdrawal so I won't be wiped out for the trip. I probably won't sleep much the night before we head out, because I'll be too excited.

I got stuck wondering the other day what it would be like to be Xindi-Aquatic, from Star Trek: Enterprise. We know very little about them, mostly that they evolved to live in water and looked kind of like a cross between a big lizard and a small whale with fins for their hind legs. I have a hard time envisioning them being so tech savvy in bodies like that, especially having built the particle beam weapon. Their brains would have to be really different. I may have to dig around for back story in novelization or something.

Really good talk with Scott this morning about going forward. He's my unwavering support system, makes everything possible for me to work, listens to the pitches no one else has heard yet, knows my strengths and weaknesses, and more than anything, is totally in the moment with me. There is no lag, no extra communication efforts. We spent years going separate ways in our heads because our lives are pulled apart continuously like a taffy machine, but lately I've been reading some of my work to him, and he's starting to push me a little because he wants the stories (future projects). I've been doing some heavy thinking about flinging my beta readers through a grinder if I push them through this current project in my time frame. (There will be more projects.) If I'd had this going all along it might have worked, but I'm at the place now where I can't wait that long and keep juggling what I'm already incorporating into final revision. I got great advice, awesome pointers that I feel were crucially needed, but I think I can take what response I've gotten so far and apply it across the board. Little things like verb tenses, definition questions over word and phrase usage (I'm still unconfident) (see, like that word, totally correct usage because I looked it up, even though spell check tagged it), and truly golden advice- add more words. I've been working so hard the last few years on sifting my words down to more manageable proportions that I am now evidently sacrificing smooth idea transition for packing space. I can't tell you what a liberating revelation that was after hearing so many people complain that I'm too wordy! I mean, I'm not Robert Jordan Wheel of Time wordy, but I'm sure I could give the man a run for his money. Except I'd have a lot more action going. Anyway, I've reread and revised my own stuff so many times that it gets hard to step outside my head and see it from a fresh point of view.

This is me at a book signing for Barrow series author John Deakins, click the pic to see the post.

I canNOT get this song out of my head this week.

I'll tell ya one thing, after I'm published I won't schedule automated DMs out to new followers on my 'official' twitter accounts begging them to go like my facebook page like the author I woke up to this morning.

Ok, sorry about that, got me some COFFEH.

That was so cool I threw it out on twitter immediately. Yes, it clicks. Ok, where was I? Last weekend before vacation. Scott got new tires put on yesterday. Some random packing has begun. We're eating down the fridge, nearly have the freezer bare. I know that's weird, but our electric has gone out so many times here, I don't want to come home to spoiled food because power went out during a storm and stuff thawed and then refroze. I have experience with that sort of suckage. This coming week will be final chores, last of the laundry, last trips to town for stuff. It'll be a really busy week. Oh, here we go, click for silliness and distraction for no particular reason.

Now go have a good weekend.

I dreamed last night I was working on the computer and wanted to overlay/interface two different windows I had open. Guess what- yeah, I was able to drag a small window of settings and gears over a window full of links and they just melted together into one new window, and then I was able to apply the settings I wanted to the links I was using. That seems simplistic, but I wonder if some day online shopping and search engines and stuff will be like that, some sites are a little more frustrating than others.

I'm having one of those mornings where I dumped a hundred tiny pills on the floor and then accidentally tipped the bottle over again right after I got them all picked up. I'm so glad I keep a rug there- 1- easier to see, 2-easier to kneel on, 3- pills don't bounce and roll so far, etc. Old people probs. Ok, I've actually been having these probs since my twenties. My hands don't always work in the mornings and the floor is sweet and holds onto things for me. Getting older hasn't made it any harder. If my pills looked like this they could pick themselves up. Click to see where they came from.

Last weekend before vacation, mountain of stuff to take care of, plus we might have burrito for awhile today. I'm still recovering from that bug, crashed in bed at 7:30 last night without warning and slept like a rock, thank goodness. This week would be frustrating if I were looking at all the things not being crossed off on my list. Lists are great, but never use a list to throw yourself off a cliff into despair. That's dumb. Sometimes bodies just have to drag around recovering from stuff. Meanwhile, in my head...

I made Scott laugh last night with an opening sentence to one of the cruelest shockers of my young childhood. Rough hurdle crossed- check. That's the tough part of writing. Something you'd be shocked at hearing your neighbor do, something that would make you maybe the angriest you've ever been at your spouse, something that might make you feel it's time to take a stand on weird child abuse, but something that is so funny you can't stop thinking about it and wish they'd put into a movie just so you could see it and laugh some more. I'm pretty sure I've got Tim Burton beat. I love him. You all know that, right? Especially after the big Ed Wood tweeting I did yesterday.

Weird Al is the only music artist I know what has ever used the phrase 'explosive flatulence' in a song. I won't say more about my stomach flu recovery. Except that I'd win all your puny bean wars and leave you so jealous.

I'm bouncing back! Try to keep up.

I hope my friends and family are ready. I mean, I'm taking my sweet time rolling out, right, and most of you aren't seeing the hecklers yet. I've mentioned the out of the blue marriage proposal (sweet and somewhat lengthy), and a guy I blocked recently for going over my language line in comments on facebook (and he promptly followed me on twitter after that, and what I never mentioned yet was the continual bugging that got him blocked on G+), and today I banished a troll from my Lexx on G+. I've already talked to some of my family about no-guilt blocking since I've gone public with no filters, they've seen what I've gone through in the past, and they still support me. So far all this is pretty mild.

I've been through the nasty meat grinder that is the internet, and I've seen friends dragged through it. That is why I disappeared for awhile. I am learning to surf over all that crap, and I hope my friends and family are able to follow me over the top of the crap, too. Some people shut down when the scheiße flies, we've all seen celebrities do it, while others cave and wind up embroiled in the side taking and making lectures and whatevs. I'm not doing that.

The best PR advice I EVER got was "don't respond". I no longer explain, apologize, or question. I just simply walk away. If it's something I'm tired of seeing, I block and make it stay away. No side taking. ~I DON'T CARE.~ I am who I am, I do and say what I want, and if someone else tries to use me for attention in any way, shape, or form, fine, but I'm not dragging it onto my own turf. I'm not flagging my detractors for everyone to go look at. People who jump up and down with 'look at me' crap, whether it be sweet or malicious, are simply being ignored.

I am being followed on several media by some really awesome people. I want to emulate them, and be successful like them. I want cool things for myself, and to be good for other people. These things won't happen if I get distracted by troll drama. All the neat people that I watch from afar don't make big public deals out of troll drama, except to address cyber bullying and how to avoid/overcome.

Because I am who I am, and because I do what I do, I put people I care about at risk for contact with some real drags in this world. The reason I bring all this up is because you may sooner or later run into comments with links to some very unsavory contents that will boil your blood and trigger a reaction, and I'm hoping you don't fall for that. Pleeeeeeease don't pay attention to the trolls that might slip through and pop up around me. Please don't feed the trolls, because I don't reach down and pull people out anymore. If you get sucked into something that ruins your day, please understand that contacting me about it only detracts me further. I love my friends and family, but I have more on my plate than wasting time over stick poking and bickering.

One more thing- I take Lexx very seriously, as a product, as an art form, as a film mythology, and especially as a fan. Just because I like Lexx doesn't automatically mean I have low standards. Trolls who bomb my followers with links to anything close to drugs and porn automatically get blocked, whether it was meant to be just a funny little joke or not. I support followers of all ages, all orientations, and all religions that don't include ritualistic abuse. I guess this little post is like a disclaimer for my followers stating that I don't support the trolls who jump in and stir up trubbas. Even if you don't see me taking sides, please know I have a very low tolerance, and you have no idea how many people have already disappeared from my twitter feed. If I kept all the followers who ever followed me I'd have several thousand by now.

This is wordy and it's time to move on. I got sparkly bonus points this morning for disappearing an especially grievous troll. You're welcome.