(This post is post-dated to stay on top. Originally posted November 3, 2008 at 1:21 p.m. Central Time.)

Welcome to my journal. As you'll notice, I do have plenty of public posts. I don't want to turn the whole journal to Friends-Only or Private, as I think it sort of undercuts the point of a LiveJournal. However, I do have a rule of respect above and beyond those of the Livejournal ToS.

By reading other journal entries in my journal, you agree to not drag conversations to other places, with the exception of personal journals, metaquotes, and some snark communities. I have anonymous replies available most of the time, so there's little excuse to not use that as compared to copying the topic and replying elsewhere. Usually, when I need to lower the people to reply to a post, I'll lower the post's viewing privileges first. If I post here on a topic elsewhere, I have a reason to do it. If I wanted my thoughts posted to the topic, I would've done it myself.

Violating this agreement means that you accept all derision that people like me can give. I will not apply this agreement retroactively.


EDIT: Also, while I'm saying things here, I know that quite a few of the manga and anime on my wish list can be obtained by other methods. I do have a thirst for knowledge. On the other hand, I have a respect for those creative-type people who make those sorts of things. If there is a domestic release date to something I'm interested in, I would like the people who read this journal to refrain from mentioning the less-than-legal methods.

Besides, I plan to be a writer one day, and I definitely wouldn't appreciate people linking to copies of my works that I don't see a dime from, especially when they can just go to Amazon.com and buy a copy.

On the other hand, if there are legal methods to obtain, watch or read something for free (Something like South Park Studios, or a coupon for anything), feel free to talk about it.

Word Count for Week: 2,811 words (11 pgs)
Current Word Count: 81,694 words
Outlook: Yeah, the diet change got in the way of me writing 16 pages. I only made 11, so next week is 14.

Yeah, I'm running out of things to write. I might have to move the last Alexis/Steele fight, since where I've got it, it starts early, but a whole lot of other things happen, too.

The diet change has made me a lot less nocturnal than I was. I may have to start writing in the daytime.

Started reading up on hypoglycemia here.

The problem is that most of the resources for hypoglycemia (except for the link) is for bouts of it during diabetes. I doubt I'm having those.

The symptom quiz they had needs 20 or higher to be considered hypoglycemic. I scored a 61.

Heck, they've got "anxiety" and "depression" on the list of symptoms. If I had known it was due to hypoglycemia, I wouldn't've seen that therapist.

Luckily, they have a diet that I can use. Low carb, replace them with proteins and fats. Take out simple sugars and caffiene (No, my Mountain Dew! My pop-tarts!). I criticized Atkins when it came out. Now I have to follow something like Atkins. I know it's not for weight loss, but I still feel like a hypocrite.

Not to mention I now have to watch what I eat. Thought I'd get to 40-50 before needing to do that.

They advise shifting slowly, as jumping over to the new diet could cause worse problems. They suggest protein in emergencies rather than sugar. (If a diabetic takes sugar to combat low blood sugar, their blood sugar will rise before the crash. If I take sugar to combat low blood sugar, my blood sugar's not rising later, and the crash'll send me back to where I started).

I'm going to phase in these changes. I know for a fact I'm not going to like it, but it has to be done.

Had this around for a while.

My sister had a blood sugar tester. The family all put a few drops of blood on little slips (one member per slip), then the thingy pulled a readout... somehow.

Poll #1426456 Blood Sugar
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All

Guess where my blood sugar was when my sister tested it. (mg/dl)

Note: Healthy is around 80-110, and one of these numbers is dead on.

I saw something on the news about Michael Jackson's Memorial Service. The one thing that got me was someone writing something a wall.

Can anyone explain this to me? I mean he's dead. He's not gonna read it. It's not like a birthday or graduation. He isn't going to look at the wall, and remember that one fan. And it's not like he's gonna get better.

V/A broke 80K. The goal I had from the Beginning. The effective minimum for most first-timers in SF/F. And I got Colin free of the Bureau. Captured no more.

Of course, I'm already planning to throw out about 3,000. And I'm gonna lose some in editing. Eh, I'll clear that up. EIGHTY-K!

Tomorrow, I'll break eighty thousand.

No, seriously. Even if there isn't a hell, giggling at the "two blind guys opening doors" part would probably set up enough energy to make a hell to drop me off at.

Word Count for Week: 3,880 words (15.5 pages, Goal Made)
Current Word Count: 78,883 words
Outlook: Yeah, I'm slogging through Invasion. Compared to my group, the agents are mooks right now.

( Why I'm going to hell, even if it's not logically possible. )

I also think I might lose the mole subplot. I had to prove one of my suspects was who she says she is, and that makes the real mole, the only one breaking into Leviathan without any supernatural power whatsoever, and someone that the group just met, stick out like a sore thumb.

The second part of Vampire/Amazon, codenamed "Separation" is done. After "Paying Debts," this just leaves "Invasion" and the beast known as revision.

Word Count for Month: 12,754 words (51 pages)
Word Count to Date: 76,795 words
Outlook: On one hand, the end is still in sight. I'll have a rough draft together before fall.

On the other hand, I'm starting to run out of places to add words. Whenever I get stuck, I'd go into another section and come back to it later. Running out of places to go, I'm starting to slow down. Hell, I might go into Argue With Me to keep up pace.

And there are those things I need to revise. Colin ending up with a knife in Chapter 11 that hasn't even been made until Chapter 12. Rewriting the Hardhead fight (Attempted rape, even if the guy is completely outclassed, is something I'm trying to avoid.). And making Colin a little more fatalistic. I'm probably going to make those revisions after completing the book but before the week quarantine. I want to see V/A in a new light.

Now that I think about it, do I really need to go around the moon to get enough momentum to go through a few miles of dirt, or could I just go up far enough and shoot down?

Kitty, or "kiki" if you want to be specific.

Word Count for Week: 3,506 words (14 pages)
Word Count to Date: 75,004 words
Outlook: Whoo, 75K. I made 14 pages. I made quota for Separation. Next is 15 pages.

The problem is I'm running out of places to add words. Trying for 15 next week may be a little tough.

I've got about 8 sections I can think of I'll need to start or complete. Only two are in Separation.

Ask me a question. Any question. I may or may not lie. You will learn nothing. And GO!

The second section of V/A, Separation, is over quota.

It's not done yet, and the books still aren't close enough to alpha yet.

But, hey, when I get Separation done, it won't be under quota.

And it means my goal for Invasion will be less.

Been having some problems with the phone line for the past few days. Because of some line sound (or whatever you call it), the modem kept returning "no answer." The line finally got repaired well enough today.

Anything happen on the internet since Sunday?

On my latest excursion to the Outside World, I learned that I'm less afraid of jumping off the high board than getting on a dance floor.

I know I'm anxious and self-conscious. I'm really trying to fight it.

I just want to give out an award to a guy for Totally Not Helping.

Jackass pulled my ponytail (making me a lot more self-conscious). Then tried to introduce me to his friend.

A ponytail isn't a doorbell. I thought we learned this in elementary school.

I looked her over. She wasn't worth the taint of being associated with the Jackass.


At least the new volume of Otomen is out.

Word Count for this week: 1,887 words
Word Count total: 71,497 words
Outlook: I didn't make 14 pages this week. I had a huge disturbance of my nephew and his father's parenting policy of "Do nothing; out of ideas" and "Believe the child that lies through his teeth." I also had another try at going out, and the IAF annual meeting, which cut into my time.

It'll be my goal to hit 11 pages this week. ((13 last week + 7 this week)/2+1)

Word Count for Week: 3,265 words.
Word Count to date: 69,610 words.
Outlook for future: Whoo, 13 pages. Whenever I get enough of a pace going, I can get better up to 3 pages per day.

It's coming together. I've got 390 (<2 pgs) until 70k, 3,501 (about 14 pgs) until 10k left. And 13,501 (just over 54 pgs.) until the work is "long enough".

If my nephew grows up to a career with his name on his shirt, it'll be exceeding expectations. Prisoner number is more likely.