First off, welcome to the new folks: silentwish_fic, soleta_nf, jackiesjunkie,  twistdmentality, and velvetjademuse.  It's nice to have you here!  Some of you are fellow NaNoWriMo-ers, some are Moonlight fans, and some are both.  How exciting!

Last week, a former coworker contacted Cindy,one of my supervisors, to see if she knew anyone who would be interested in helping out with a little project.  I don't know if any of you know about Flat Stanley, from the books by Jeff Brown.  Basically, it's this kid who gets squished flat, and they put him in an envelope and send him all over the world.  Yeah, sounds weird, but a lot of classrooms have been doing the Flat Stanley thing with their own flat versions of themselves.  So, I said yes, and got a Flat Ceon (my student's name) in the mail yesterday, all the way from Ohio!  I'm supposed to take him around the area and get pictures of him "experiencing new things".

Last night, Flat Ceon went to Biketoberfest in Sanford.  Bikers everywhere!

As always, Moonlight was fantastic, and apparently, remained steady in the ratings, even with Women's Murder Club taking over the #1 spot for the timeslot.  That's okay...next week will be better.  Way better.  Have you seen the previews for "Fever" yet?  Yow.  If you're a Mick/Beth kinda person, be sure to join up over at the Mick/Beth forum.  We have way too much fun over there. 

NaNo planning is coming along.  I have some basic sketches of the neighborhood it takes place in, as well as plenty of character outlines and plot notes.  I think it will be fine, as long as I commit to 2K a day.  That way, Thanksgiving and birthday plans won't be too traumatic.  How is everyone else coming along?  Are you planning your novel out or just waiting to see what happens on November 1st?

 Ah, October 1st always makes me happy and jittery.  It's time to sign up for National Novel Writing Month 2007, and maybe this year will be the year I can actually finish.  It's always something.  

2003: got to 43K but puttered out due to stress at work.
2004: moved halfway across the country and stuff, so no luck.
2005: I think I must have blacked out that year, because I can't remember what happened.
2006: got to 11K and had no time or personal space to write.

This year, things are different.  I have a long-term, cushy job (I'm still at the library and things are busy and hectic and great), Jason is doing fantastically at work (he just got a major promotion!) and we now have a roomy house with a spare bedroom that will function as my NaNo hideout.  This translates into less stress, more space, and generally a kinder, gentler noveling experience.  That's the theory, anyway.

My writing music has changed a lot since last year, too.  This might not mean much to anyone else, but to me, it's VERY IMPORTANT.  I tend to write parallel to the type of music I'm listening to.  Floaty, ethereal Loreena McKennitt playing in the background makes me want to write floaty, ethereal scenes.  This isn't a style of writing that I am comfortable with anymore.  I want more realism, though I tend to like the paranormal-tinged romance genre best, and it's anything but realistic.  But maybe you know what I mean.

Anyway, this year, my noveling music consists of Ray LaMontagne, Sinead Lohan, Damien Rice, KT Tunstall, Regina Spektor, Muse, and maybe a bit of Amy Winehouse.  How exciting is that?!  I'm a GIGANTIC NERD.

Okay, so, is anyone else competing?  Hellooooo? 

I'm supposed to be writing for NaNoWriMo, but I feel like making icons. Especially since I now get fifteen instead of three. Where does one find good stock photos?