Oh crap. That sucks, I'm sorry.

that is the hot chick. I can't believe how reasonable she's being. She's even considering paying her security deposit now but not moving in until March 1st. We have a lot of options we're considering. I just wish one of them would be easy for everyone.

that is the hot chick.

Oh, she's helping you evict him, I see. Splendid.

Yeah I feel really bad that she's having to get involved in this but so grateful about how cool she's being. When I called her today I said I'd hoped she'd already found another place so she didn't have to deal with all our crap and she said our place is the one she most wants to move into.

My thesis just took kind of a dramatic turn. Or, at least a turn. And I have no idea if it's brilliant or if I'm now so buried in this shit that I can't see out of it.

So, now I'm stuck and don't know if I should continue. I had really wanted to finish this section tonight, but now I'm not sure if I should, or if I should let it sit for a bit.

{{{{vw}}}} I find that letting it sit is often the best policy, fwiw.

Laga, I'm very glad that the new roommate is looking to be so awesome. You've earned it!

I find that letting it sit is often the best policy, fwiw.

Yeah, that's how I'm leaning, except that I have to get some work to the program director or I'm out of the program. So, in some ways I need to continue. Blech.

I say go ahead and continue and know you can change it later.

This is going to sound like kind of a weird question, but...I'm looking for ideas on where to shop for clothes. I had an epiphany that even though I have a decent idea which cuts and colors look good on me, I've been dressing to fade into the background. And I don't want to do that anymore. I've been following an online workshop on author branding this week, and one piece of advice that resonated with me was that you want to present yourself as the person you want to become. So I need to start dressing like an intense, focused achiever who writes the kind of books I write, as opposed to a mousy, shy woman who feels extremely unattractive and doesn't want anyone to look at her.

Anyway, due to that whole "don't buy it if you can't pay cash" vow, I'm not running out to replace my wardrobe overnight. But I am going to try to be more mindful about what I buy and why, maybe wear the occasional piece of jewelry, etc. Lately I've been shopping almost exclusively at Lane Bryant, because it's all plus size, and I'm overweight. But I'm sure there are other places I could shop, and I really am trying to lose the weight (with "look like the author I'm trying to become" as part of my motivation--someday I really AM going to sell a book, dammit, and I want to look hot in my author photo!), so in a year or two I hope to be back in size 10 or 12 and shopping accordingly. But I haven't thought about my clothes any more than I have to in oh, ten years or so, and I find myself not even knowing where people like me--you know, late 30's, not sweet young thing but not old lady--generally shop.

I am a huge fan of resale shopping. It takes a bit more time but you can have fun doing it and you can score some really quality clothes for next to nothing. Salvation Army and Goodwill are my favorites. I just got a Liz Claiborne sweater for $1.