When life hands you a ginormous bowl of rotten lemons (hey, I *like* lemons, so just being handed one isn’t cause for despair!) – sometimes you just have to bow to the inevitable and coast along for the ride until its over.

And boy, howdy, did we all get handed rotten lemons this past week! First there was the Thundersneet*, followed by rain, followed by an all too brief respite, followed by heavy wet snow. Followed by, you guessed it, power outage for more than 400,000 people in the DC metro area. Yup, I was one of those people.

It doesn’t take long after an unexpected power outage to make a person thankful and thoughtful.

Thoughtful first:
* I really, really am an internet/tech junkie.
* I really, really need to buy matches.**
* I really, really HATE being cold.

Thankful:
* I really, really LOVE my iPad & iPhone & NookColor.***
* Down comforters are awesome.
* DeerPark water dispenser systems: also awesome.
* Wild Planet sustainably caught tinned tuna: very, very good out of the can.
* Beef jerky: also good (great source of lean protein)
* My UPS driver is AWESOME & delivered much needed cat litter in the middle of the outage.

All in all, a bummer of two full days (45 hours) without power in less than freezing temps. I couldn’t do what I’d intended to do which was (a) work for my office job on Thursday and (b) work Wednesday night & all day Friday on revisions for BLOOD SACRIFICE. That said, the 2 days away from the computer made me think some things through and I’ve worked that into my revisions.

Work continues apace with the book and it shall be turned back in to Mme. Editrix soonest. Then, I can work on the really awesome sparkly shiny idea that came to me early this morning…basically, where to take the series next. Not that I have a contract or anything, but before I can get that I need a proposal.

Hoping that you all keep warm (or cool if you’re in the lower half of the globe) and that Mother Nature is kinder to you than she’s been to our area this past 12 months or more.

TTFN!

* Thundersneet: aka wintry mix, aka sleet snowy rain
** Matches: those things you used to be able to pick up for free that come in real handy to say, light a candle or perhaps even the gas stove/oven when said stove/oven has electric starter and there’s no electricity.
*** I survived by reading, tweeting, emailing on the iPad & iPhone and being able to read real books on the NookColor was priceless.

…of 4:56 a.m.

Woke up sick yesterday – some sort of intestinal bug compounded with sinus issues. Did a lot of sleeping. I woke up about 3:30 this morning, my brain brimming with scenes and dialogue for a short story. My belly seems to have subsided a bit, but my head is still pounding with sinuses that are very unhappy. Normally, I would’ve just rolled over and gone back to sleep, but I knew that if I didn’t get up and write down my thoughts, I’d lose them forever.

So that’s what I’ve been doing in between bouts of sneezing & coughing: writing down the bare bones of what’s becoming a short story. So far, I like the premise. It’s something different, more noir than fantasy, though with definite paranormal elements.

Diana P. Francis talks about the “shinies” – all those story/plot/novel ideas that dangle themselves in front of you like so many diamond encrusted baubles, begging you to touch, feel, grab. Like her, I’ve got my own set of shinies–a list on my white board. Six story/plot/novel ideas that continue to whirl in my brain. This morning, it was Idea 1 that forced its way forward (I’ve numbered them on the board, though they are in no actual priority order. This is just how I jotted them down).

At some point, I need to stop whirling and grab on to one of them, writing up a formal proposal for my agent. Not for the short story, but for at least one of the other four that could become novels. The final listing is for a short piece, as well. As Di said, there’s all that shiny, all that glitter and temptation. I love them all. I want to do them all. Only right now, my brain is only capable of holding a jotting of notes, especially as it’s soon to be muddled with sinus meds.

HOW TO CHOOSE?

Maybe I should go back to bed and start to drift off…After all, that’s usually when the ideas hit. Only–the cable guy is coming as early as 8 a.m. to disconnect cable TV. Just my luck, I’ll fall back asleep just in time for him/her to arrive.

Maybe I’ll just take the sinus meds and hope for the best. ::g::

Part of my get-healthy plan is riding the exercise bike more regularly. So far, I’ve ridden every day this year.

To track this, I’m tracking miles from Edinburgh to Cardiff–part of the postponed Whisky & Wales trip that my sis, BIL, Q & I intend to take next year.

When I’ve reached Cardiff, I’ll go back north to Hogwarts. (Which I’ve decided is bordering the Cairngorm National Forest. 539 miles)

Then I’ll ride back from Hogwarts to Tintagel. (171 miles)

Can I do it? Yeah, I believe I can.

(xposted to Facebook)