I've had a sort of weirdly unproductive week where I've been spinning my wheels a lot, acting unfocused. I think there are several factors behind it, but the biggest ones are sleep deprivation (and for no good reason--Annabel has been sleeping fine), not eating right, and forgetting to take vitamins to make up for the bad eating.

Someone please convince me that I'll still finish the novel this year even if I don't try to force myself to write tonight when I'm all sleepy and groggy, and that it's better for me to answer a few emails, unwind, and be asleep by midnight than to try to write scintillating prose when my brain's fuzzy just because I'm behind on my weekly page count goal. My common sense is warring with my goal addiction.

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Susan, if you write tonight, tomorrow you will look back on what you've written and castigate yourself because it's not going to be your best. Then you'll throw away those pages and still be behind on your page count. Better to be well-rested and behind than staying up late, scribbling furiously, and still behind in the long run.

You are allowed to be imperfect once in a while. Now go have some herbal tea, relax, and hit the sack.

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Good point. It's been a frustrating month so far. Last week I was floundering out of uncertainty over how to tackle a really critical portion of the story I'd just arrived at, so I went back and fixed some problems with an earlier chapter, which was a good use of my time. But now I know what I want to write, but my brain is too foggy to perform.

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Nicole, you and sj win the awards for hiding the hottieness!!! You both are so damned adorable. Sorry for all the pasta, mandarine oranges and peas on the carpet. I hope you found the bagel and muffin top.

Also, sj should know that the Dread Pirate Owen loves his book and jacket.

Best Kara line:

When Deena informed her it was time to go home she said, "OK, but I want to take my new baby home." Deena asked her what baby and she said, "Baby Owen."

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So glad that little Emma doesn't have ringworm!

So glad that everyone in OH is having a wonderful time!

LOVE the Kara line. She's just such a cutie.

I'm sure there was more, but I can't remember it all.

Gronklies. This is gonna be a long day, I'm afraid. My thwump from yesterday still stands. And, it's starting to hit me more.

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Fuck. Think Em has ringworm.

Fuck! I hate to say it, but that cat needs to go.

Ringworm isn't worms, fwiw. I thought I had it while I was pregnant with Julia (I didn't), so did research, because it was freaking me the heck out. It's just a fungal infection, like yeast, etc. I don't know if the cat has had ringworm, but regardless, it isn't worms. Still, glad Em doesn't have it. Sorry she had the ec..ec..ah shoot, I can't spell it, this morning.

Sorry for all the pasta, mandarine oranges and peas on the carpet. I hope you found the bagel and muffin top.

HEE!

(I am so jealous of everyone else who's gotten to meet you and Owen, I can barely speak.)

When Deena informed her it was time to go home she said, "OK, but I want to take my new baby home." Deena asked her what baby and she said, "Baby Owen."

Except for Kara, because she totally gets it.

Gronklies. This is gonna be a long day, I'm afraid. My thwump from yesterday still stands. And, it's starting to hit me more.

Oh no, vw. I'm sorry. Can you call your therapist this morning, just to talk. I mean, I realize your thwump isn't *your* thwump, but if it is hitting you emotionally, that doesn't really matter.

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Can you call your therapist this morning, just to talk. I mean, I realize your thwump isn't *your* thwump, but if it is hitting you emotionally, that doesn't really matter.

I may a little later. I did talk to her last night, which was helpful. I'm still kind of numb about the whole thing. It's living in knots in my stomach. I really thought I'd wake up and the thing would be resolved. But they're not, which means this could go on for weeks. Somehow I have to get myself to the point where I can deal with that.

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Have you ever been to India Quality, though

I have not- where is it?

Also I hear there a couple Indian joints in Salem that are decent (well, I heard one is decent). Tom has a lot of co-workers that live on the North Shore, 'cause he works in Beverly)

Frank, will you be our friend when we move? I'm a-skeered and the only thing keeping me going is that more Buffistas will be nearby. Hey! Cindy's sort of up that way, kind of! Kewl!

OK, I stop being clingy and needy now.

{{vw}}

Also, I miss Teh Cute of Owen, and the general awesomeness of hanging out with the Ohioistas. Had such fun in November. Must visit my sister soon! Maybe I can bring a baby (one of hers) with me!

Also, I got to work early so's I can start work before co-workers arrive, and look at where I am. Also, I had a dream that there was heavy flirtage with meara, and I was trying to behave due to my marital vows. I will say, though, she was tough to resist. Nice dream!

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Frank, will you be our friend when we move? I'm a-skeered and the only thing keeping me going is that more Buffistas will be nearby. Hey! Cindy's sort of up that way, kind of! Kewl!

Somerville is probably physically closer to me (I'll have to check mapquest) but Salem is psychologically closer for me. I'm much more likely to hop on 128 and go either north or south, than to hop on 93 and go South. I think it's an aversion left over from when I used to work in town. When I was working at City Hall, I drove in a lot, and when I worked in Charlestown, I drove all the time. Somedays I think that if I never see 93 South again, it'll be too soon for me. Although when I went to your place for Nillyfest, and realized I only had to drive it to Medford, it was nothing, as we go to Medford a lot, because of in-laws.

The North Shore mall wouldn't be the worst meeting place, ever.

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Oh. And Pickering Wharf.

Frank, how is Salem Willows these days? My roommate and I used to go down there and play pinball, rather than study.

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