Today, it’s still grey and looking like rain-ish, although according to local weather reports, we’re not expecting any, nor are we expecting snow. This is a good thing. I can deal with grey skies, after all, it’s only ONE WEEK until I leave for ConDor and San Diego. ::ignores tales of Escapade bound f’list::

The week’s been busy with work stuff, some great (a project that’s gone well); some not-so-great – we’re losing our Director of IT and our tester.

Last night, I joined TKL and some other co-workers for T’s hubby’s b-day dinner at Lebanese Taverna, one of my favorite restaurants. A bottle of wine, a bunch of mezze later, I was one happy camper. S (T’s hubby) invited me to join them in Thursday night gaming. Tempting as that may be, I’m passing, but reserving the ability to change my mind. I’m just afraid if I get caught up in this, it will be too easy to avoid writing. Plus, for me, Thursday is not the new Friday, because dudes, I’m too old to maintain at work the next day after a night of drunken debauchery and gaming. ::g::

Finished reading Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal , by Christopher Moore and am just over halfway through The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove. My first exposure to Chris was via Bloodsucking Fiends: A Love Story. If you haven’t guessed already, he’s a brilliant writer who combines wit, cleverness and humor with a rocking good story. I have all of his books, purchased at Creatures’n'Crooks in Richmond during one of my own book signings. That’s the drawback to signings, you often end up spending way more than you should.

I had to buy a new cell phone yesterday – the freebie I got with my service crapped out on me. The salesperson was fabulous and helpful(!) – amazing thing that. I ended up with a Nokia model. Too many bells/whistles for me, as I don’t really need all those extras, but it’s impossible to buy just a plain phone anymore.

This weekend, I plan to pack for ConDor, because I’m anal that way. Other than that, I’ve got a couple of ideas floating in my head, not sure if they’ll be short stories or novels or what, but I’ll give them some room to grow and see what transpires.

If you’re going to Escapade, enjoy, post often and make us hate you jealous live vicariously. If you’re not going to Escapade, have a fabulous weekend.

ETA: oh yeah, I’m operating on little to no sleep today – due to the idjit neighbor man (whom I’ve never seen) who’s wife/SO/sister/mother/whomever he so fondly addressed as “Bitch” in the wee hours of the a.m. while pounding/kicking the door, locked him out. I know security came up several times and he finally stopped, but SHEESH!

‘T’was a holiday for some, but not for moi. Thank goodness many of our clients were not in today. I got a lot done, but enough about work. ::g::

The fun stuff:
Got my schedule for ConDor – looks like I’m on 3 panels and have one autograph session. The 5 p.m. panel is one I suggested, so go me! Looking forward to spending time with allaboutm_e, untamed_sylph and Nancy Holder (who I know only via e-mail, but am looking forward to meeting in person).

ConDor Con schedule:

To lyra_sena and to daughtershade

Hope your days were fabulous!!!

It’s not that I forgot you, but it’s that I’ve been effectively offline since about 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday.

I’m in meeting hell and just now got home.

Very happy birthday wishes to ardent_muses!

Sliding in under the wire…more or less.

Hope your day has been as fabulous as you are.

eeeeee – valentinesecret made me an icon!!

Thanks, whomever you are!

Last night: it snowed.
Today: it snowed some more.

I have no idea what the final verdict was (some dozen inches?) – but when I last looked outside, my car was pretty much clear of snow and the building folks had plowed clear the parking lot.

I’ve been enjoying the pretty pics from ezust and bheerfan.

I’ve been totally lazy this weekend, reading a bit, watching BSG (OMG!) and trying to watch my Netflix copy of Unbreakable which is totally unwatchable – there’s a dent in the DVD – really tiny, but it won’t play past a certain point. Sigh. So I napped instead. ::g::

I’ve also been enjoying the postcard secret challenges that are now on sga_post_secret. You people are brilliant!

The best part about living in my apartment complex: no need to shovel snow.

A man in a gorilla suit just walked by my office.

No, I’m really not hallucinating.

It’s one of my co-workers, who, some 4 years ago, showed up at a staff meeting, shaven-headed, with Neo sunglasses, black pants, black T-shirt, black frock coat. His resemblance to Keanu was duly noted…after the shock.

Evidently, he’d always wanted a gorilla suit, so he bought one.

In other news, the big work project has been handed off to the client. Yay, yippee, and all of that.

I did the grocery run at lunch, so I don’t get tangled up with all the “OMGIt’sGonnaSnow” idjits.

It’s FRIDAY!!! And I can catch up on my shows, b/c I didn’t watch *any* TV this week.

I’m taking a mini-vacation from life for the weekend.

Because I was in freakin’ meetings all day (and nearly missed the bus so I could send the b-day email)

A very very merry happy fantabulastic birthday to my dear cousin allaboutm_e!!

::chickwriter cues banners, confetti, balloons and kazoos::

Hope your day was fantastic, cuz!

MUCH love and see you soon!

Today (just now, actually) I sent a formal complaint to the Mystery Writers of America grievance committee regarding my publisher.

His e-mail of 2/2 offered to pay my LATE royalty payment via Paypal. As of right now – I’ve received nothing.
The same e-mail promised me an electronic copy of my tax information so I could file. – Ditto, nothing.

I can no longer work with this type of unbusiness like behavior – this the final straw in a series of poor excuses, no communication, dodges and hedges.

In a way, it’s a bit freeing to know I’ve taken the first step to correct an untenable situation. It’s also utterly nerve-wracking as I truly hate confrontation and unpleasantness.

Worse case scenario – he won’t let me out of my contract and he keeps the rights to Matters of the Blood. (which I doubt will happen)
Best case scenario – I get out of the contract, I get my rights back and I can find a new publisher and an agent ASAP.

Le sigh.

This post is f’locked and for your eyes only.

So I’m watching Supernatural over the weekend and the girl that’s playing Cassie looks really familiar…as well she should. She was a Slayer in Training.

Lest we forget, Amy Acker and Julie Benz have taken their bows.

Another Jossverse moment – anyone seen the latest Domino’s pizza commercials? It’s starring James C. Leary, better known to the world at large as Clem, the floppy eared demon.

Really really wild small world moment? Cousin Jeff Mariotte’s post about said commercial the *same* day I got the small version of this photo of me and James from Moonlight Rising ’04.

Jeff thinks James is stalking me. heh.

Oh, and by the way – I have a new default icon.

And I’m beledibabe‘s bitch… (well, mostly)