Hey, Internets, I’m BAACK!

Not that I really went anywhere but into the bowels of a major work project, but I’m finally peeking my head out and looking forward to the holiday weekend. (in which chickwriter extends her weekend by taking Tuesday, 9/4 off so I can spend my birthday being a lazy bitch).

Up late last night online with bheerfan playing the hey, moving databases game. I got done testing sites about 12:45 or so, then basically was awake until about 2:30. Then awake at 5:30 and finally up at 7. Whee, isn’t insomnia fun? /sarcasm

I saw my new gyn this week. I adore her beyond the telling of it. We talked about the fun, fun, fun of menopause and after the requisite exam, I walked out with a prescription for Ambien. I am so looking forward to sleeping a full night.

Wednesday night, we had a company outing to a Potomac Nationals minor league baseball game. It was fun, amusing and I’m glad I went – mostly because I haven’t been doing anything social in such a long time. We had a box, just above the opposing team’s dugout. I was close enough to watch the players sweat, spit and oh yeah, adjust their crotches. Fascinating.

Got to see one home run and hang out with folks. All in all, not a bad evening.

A couple of cool things arrived in time for birthday goodness: Season 1 of Heroes and Friday Night Lights. Whee!!!

Today I have a short work day (always of the good!) – at 1:00 I have a lunch meeting with one of my favorite clients, then after that a short doctor visit and I’m home for the duration. I’m SOOO looking forward to a long holiday/birthday weekend.

Speaking of birthdays: HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY DAY to the always fabulous and darling estrella30. Loads of love and hugs to you, Nan. The birthday icon is on your behalf.

::twirls you::

I know I missed a few birthdays in the mad rush of August, but I was silently wishing you ALL a wonderful natal day.

Hope everyone has wonderful plans for the weekend…even if it’s just being quiet.

Spent Saturday sleeping in prep for Sunday’s signing trip. Seems I can’t do more than one event a weekend, or I’m just tuckered out.

Drove over to Donna Andrew‘s house Saturday evening and had dinner at a lovely Japanese place (yummy sushi!). Ran into Barb Goffman, Agatha award nominee, who then joined us for sushi, sake and lovely writerly conversation.

Stayed over at Donna’s so we could get an early start to Richmond and Creatures ‘n’ Crooks Bookstore. The lovely Ellen Crosby joined us and we had a fabulous trip down 95 – NO TRAFFIC! (the gods were with us).

Had brunch at the lesbian coffee bar around the corner (yummy food) and then a fabulous signing. We were joined by EllenByerrum, and Richmond author J. B. Stanley. Loads of great people showed up and we did quite well.

Of course, I made out like a bandit buying books:
Joe Hill’s Heart Shaped Box
Kat Richardson’s Poltergeist
and of course, copies of Donna’s latest: The Penguin Who Knew Too Much and Ellen C’s latest: The Chardonnay Charade. I already have a copy of Ellen’s B’s Grave Apparel.

The trip back was less easy – loads of traffic on 95, but we were able to cut out some of it by taking a back way to Reston so I could drop of Donna and Ellen C.

Home now and tired. Work in the a.m.

Thing one:
I’ve survived the first part of this week, which was no mean feat. Hormone hell plus work overtaxed stress =/= happy chickwriter. Today wrapped up with a delayed staff meeting, but hey, there was beer. I had a Yeungling lager, because I could. (Was at work at 7:15…srsly not my fun hour.) ETA: 7:15 *a.m.*

Thing the last:
I’m going to be at World Fantasy in November. Anyone else? Want to meet up?

HBO Sucks Up True Blood (that’s *their* headline)

I heard this from one of the horses’ mouths this a.m. (Charlaine), then saw this in my SciFi Wire RSS feed.

EEEeeeEEEeee!!!

Also heard that Blood Ties will be back in the fall (yay!)

In other news…

I had an epiphany the other night, one that helps explain why I’ve been feeling so, well, off for such a long time. Can you say…this is the pause that doesn’t refresh? Yep…menopause. Out of the listed 35 symptoms, I have about 27 of them. I finally clued in after waking up one night this week, drenched in sweat.

D’OH!!

My gyn appointment is at the end of the month, but at least now I have some focus. I’d been feeling so out of sorts, exhausted with no reason, cranky, bitchy, etc, plus hey, high blood pressure. I was sure something horrible was wrong with me (which didn’t help my emotional state). Although I’m still dealing with the symptoms and am so freaking exhausted I can barely make it through a work day, I know it’s finite and I know that it’s not illness. Whew.

I’m considering it a bit of an early birthday pressie – a little peace of mind. ::g::

Happy Friday!!