Chat Hangover

In its early stages, insomnia is almost an oasis in which those who have to think or suffer darkly take refuge. ~Colette


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I have chat hangover.

We had SO much fun at the chat -- I've never had hours pass so quickly. But, holy moly, the craziness!

Then, last night when we were finally officially done, and I closed the computer and crawled to bed, I could NOT get to sleep. I laid there. And laid there. And laid there.

I thought about my WIPs...

Should I add the new character to Stiller Creek, and what do I really know about police departments and forensics and crime? Maybe I should just trash the whole thing? Maybe I shouldn't have the hero be a cop? Maybe the original bad guy shouldn't be bad... but then, how does that affect the ending?

Should I get back to writing "A Jewel for Geoff"? What if Geoff leaves the law firm where he works and goes out on his own? Then how would I include info about Liv? Would he do something like that? What if he quits law altogether and does something completely different? How would that impact the story?

In "Playing House", maybe I should change the story back to where my hero isn't engaged to someone else when the story starts. Maybe he should only be dating Audree. This story is actually finished, so do I really want to change an integral plot point and then have to completely rewrite the entire thing?

What about Camilla? Is there a way I can have Jed have to live in her place without wounding him, since that's what hangs me up?

And...

... for two hours I thought about this stuff. Mulled it over. Felt like I should get up and write things down. My brain was a ping-pong ball, all over the place.

Finally, though, I crashed. Yay.

And then woke up at 3 a.m.

Yes, really. I laid in bed for an hour, certain I would get back to sleep, but the brain was awake again and singing to me. Yes, I had a song in my head ("Who Says You Can't Go Home" by Jon Bon Jovi and Jennifer Nettles, and no I don't know why) and it repeated until I thought I'd scream.

I got up. It wasn't like I didn't have work to do.

But... dear heavens I am tired.

How was your weekend?

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Thinking Thoughts

Did you ever stop to think, and forget to start again? ~Winnie the Pooh

I've been thinking over the past few days... dangerous, I know, but sometimes I can't help myself. In any case, I've wondered what it is that makes a person read another person's blog. Why do you come here? What makes this in the least bit interesting to you? Why do you visit other blogs? Which blogs are a "must read" for you every day?

I have many, many blogs on my Google reader. I try to glance at them every day, but I seldom actually click through, and even less frequently do I comment. I have very little time, so can't spend my days blog-hopping (I wish I could!! There are so many neat blogs out there).

I read the ones that deal with the writing craft, but seldom comment. I'm not a terribly deep person, so when I hit one that is deep (or trying to be), my eyes tend to glaze over. Those? If it keeps up, I take them off my reader. I don't read literary fiction, so why would I read a literary blog?

The ones I hate to miss? My friends. Rest assured, even if I don't comment daily, I've read you in my Google Reader. I feel as though I've missed something if I haven't stopped by to see what you're up to. It may be the most trivial of things, but I'm interested... just as I would be if an IRL friend called to tell me about her day.

In the odd way my brain works, this led me to realize why I enjoy the books I do. Yes, I'd like them to be well crafted and tightly written with few (if any) editing errors. I'm a nit-picky person and those things are important. BUT... I will sacrifice just about anything else if the characters draw me in. If they become my friends. If I care about them, even in their day-to-day meanderings. I'm not a plot first reader, and I've come to believe that I'm not a plot first writer, either -- which is why I stall now and then. I don't know what comes next... that's not usually my initial focus. Creating interesting characters that the reader comes to care for is.

THEN I got to thinking about typical male/female stereotypes and why they *usually* prefer the types of books/movies they do. Women are *usually* nurturers. We are *usually* more emotion or heart driven. We feel, feel, feel. Our decisions are frequently based on emotion first, THEN facts. Men? They tend to be more intellectual or brain driven. They think, think, think. Their decisions are frequently based on facts first.

That's not to say that women don't think and men don't feel. But I do think it explains why men will sacrifice emotion in their stories for plot, and women are *usually* the opposite.

Bet you're waiting for some truly profound wrap-up, right? Hah. Nope. My brain doesn't work that way. Some days I sits and thinks, and other days I just sits.

It was just something I was pondering.

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In other news, my voles are still around. One of them leaped on my foot yesterday and I swore he put his paws in his ears and wiggled his fingers at me while sticking out his tongue.

In all seriousness, one did run across my foot while I was watering. He was gone before I even had time to squeal... those suckers are FAST. And they are living beneath my steps. And I am in despair.

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Brandy, I can't grow roses. Sorry. I can grow pretty much everything else in the world, but roses and I aren't on speaking terms, so I can't help you. Anyone here grow roses? Brandy wondered what causes red spots on rose leaves.

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You Are the Bedroom

You are an indulgent person. You enjoy rest, relaxation, and pampering. You know how to find peace in a crazy life. You are good at unplugging. You tend to be very private. You don't let just anyone in. You are also a romantic. When you have someone, you tend to be very couple oriented.

What Room of the House Are You?

Private? Yes. Indulgent and good at unplugging? No. Couple oriented? Nope.

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