I spend...er, waste entirely too much time here, but the games are SO cool!

Anyway...hi, everyone! Sometimes I really wonder at the questionable wisdom of maintaining (or trying to) three separate blogs...but my three really do reflect different facets, so I guess I'll keep at it and update each one while I can. The one I get to most often, not surprisingly, is for The Mother in Me, so if you get bored waiting for me to update this one...hehe

Well, toward the writing goals (I use the term loosely), I have actually written and submitted two articles to WriteForCash. Yes, I know...some writers - usually those who are already established and making plenty of money with their writing to satisfy themselves - would say I'm wasting my time for fifteen bucks an article, but I don't agree. If I get acceptances on the two I've done, I'll know I'm on the right track. I picked topics that are extremely easy for me to sit down and write off the top of my head, in an hour, give or take, and I think fifteen bucks an hour is a pretty good rate. Especially since it's actually pay for something I've written. My words. And no, I don't care that they buy all rights for that pittance. Like I said, it's super easy stuff I can do off the top of my head. They limit you to twenty articles per month, but if I get acceptances on the two I've turned in, I know I can easily do 20...I'm kinda waiting to hear on these so I know if I've got the right idea about how it works and what they expect. Twenty a month is 300 bucks. I could live with that, especially for the minimal effort. And if I do get acceptances, imagine what a boost it'll be to my confidence in my article-writing ability.  I'll let ya know what kind of responses I get!

Okay, so I've been back online for a couple weeks, and I'm just now getting here. Sorry! Been a lot going on, and you'd think I'd blog about it. haha

First, if you haven't heard: I'm pregnant. Due in January 2005 with my fourth child. Yes, I'm happy about it. I ADORE my babies. Might as well have one more before I get way too old. As if I weren't already. Thirty-seven seems a little old, especially if you had your first one at 20 like I did. hehe Oh well. I'm looking forward to it, believe it or don't.

I'm also getting over a bout of pneumonia, along with a nasty sinus infection, and a bit of dehydration. Put that with the first trimester of pregnancy, and I've been pretty sick. Feeling a lot better now, but still not 100%. Hoping to get back there SOON!

Of course, this pregnancy means that no one is going to hire me now, not for a casino job or call center or anything else I've applied for lately. Which means, in turn, that I absolutely have to get busy and make some money writing. No more waffling, procrastination, low self-confidence, or excuses. The money has to come from somewhere, and it's my last option. Writing has to become my JOB. Now if someone could tell me how to go about making that happen QUICK, I'd be forever grateful. Yeah, yeah, I know. You can't make money as a writer 'overnight.' Well, bull. I've never actually believed that, and it's time I proved myself right.

Geesh, has it really been almost a month? Well, might be even longer this time...after now I won't have Internet access, so I certainly won't be blogging. Might do some offline then post when I get back, but I doubt it. I'm probably going to work in the next couple weeks, too.

First, let me explain that I won't have Internet access because the phone company is completely terminating my account on May 3rd, i.e. later today. I can't pay the $247 I owe them (mostly for services I didn't use, anyway. Go figure.) I won't be able to pay them for at least 2-3 weeks, either, so yeah, it'll be awhile before I get back online.

Can't pay my rent this month, either, so might be awhile before I have a place to hold my computer. I'm just hoping and praying my landlord won't take it too hard & won't evict us. I WILL pay him for this month, just will take a little bit. Please pray, think good thoughts, whatever you do that he doesn't evict us over it. I had a good reason. I had to pay a $785 gas bill or it was going to be shut off on Tuesday. Must have hot water and a stove to cook on...not to mention it's still been cool enough occasionally to use the furnace around here.

All these money problems are a reflection of the fact that my brother suddenly moved out a few weeks ago (note that I did NOT say that it's entirely his fault, however.) No notice, just no more room & board payments from him, even though all his furniture & some of his stuff is still in the upstairs bedroom. Moving on with his life. Yeah, thanks for forcing me to move somewhere with mine, too. No, I'm not bitter. Well, maybe a little.

And other than that, folks, things aren't too bad. Eh, it was about time I made some changes in my life. Here's another one for you to wish me well on--should know tomorrow if I'm going to get a job with overnight-ish hours (7 p.m.-3:30 a.m.) at the casino where my oldest daughter is already working. It will JUST barely work out with babysitting, her schedule, etc. so please wish me luck! It will help me get caught up on stuff a whole lot faster, give me some breathing room, and I might actually stop being such a slug ALL the time. haha Not to mention I'll have my earned income for the year so I can actually USE the three child tax credits I have.

As for my writing, well I haven't been able to concentrate on that lately (see above.) Perhaps that "breathing room" I mentioned will also take the pressure off there (i.e. not being in the desperate position of having to write for MONEY that ain't happening anyway) and I can write again. More luck, please.

Let's see...anything else? Guess not. That's about it for me. I'll let you know just as soon as I'm able to get online again. Until then, over and out.

Grrr. Couldn't get the cool graphic to show up, but I'm at 6387/25000, or 25.5%. Go ME!

Yep, I joined the April Fools...gee, wonder if Feath & company would consider making this a monthly thing...we could go on to be the May Flowers, June Bugs, July Firecrackers, August...well, you get the idea. hehe This is HUGE. I could see it getting bigger than NaNo, which is only once a year, and you have to write a novel, and you have to work on one NEW WIP, and that's ALL that counts toward your goal, and...too many "ands" there. I AODRE the April Fools concept...that you set a word count goal and just WRITE. On anything, any WIP. Any writing counts. It really WORKS for me, I can tell that already. Also makes me realize that I do a lot more actual WRITING on any given day than I think I do. Way cool. Can ya tell I'm pleased?

*Happy Birthday to me!* Okay, so I'm a few hours late...about 11, if you want to be technical about it. I was born at 4:09 p.m. on April 1, 1967. That makes me 37, for those who don't want to do the math. For some odd reason, 37 seems quite a bit older than 36 did last year...eh, maybe it's because I've spent 7 months of the last year chasing a rambunctious male toddler around (yes, mine). I still enjoy it, but it takes a bit more out of me than it did when my firstborn was toddling...of course, I was only 21 then. Nah, it doesn't make any sense. I don't feel "old" or even "older," but 37 just seems "oldish" to me. I'm now rushing headlong down the slide to 40. Not that I think I'll ever be old, really.

Had a quiet day, if a bit sleepless. I'd stayed up writing on my April Fools challenge (appropos, no? hehe) goal until around 5:30 a.m., then fell into bed exhausted. And couldn't get to sleep for the life of me. After nearly two hours of lying there with my brain still running full tilt, I got back up. Got a 2 1/2-hour nap around noon, but that was it. And since the baby...er, toddler (he's becoming less baby every day *sigh*) napped then, he naturally wouldn't nap in the evening. And then we had to go pick the eldest (16) up from work. My check was in the bank after that, so we got gas, splurged on some fast food. It was my birthday, after all, and I was not cooking for anything. After a quick pit stop at home to drop off the bag of ice and change abovementioned toddler into his pajamas (and out of his stinky diaper heh), we hit the 24-hour Wal Mart for a few things we needed and a few treats. My eldest kept fussing at me in that motherly way of hers: "Mom, it's YOUR birthday. Get yourself something, and quit picking out stuff for us!" LOL Can't help it. I enjoy pleasing them with little things more than I do picking up stuff for myself that I'll never get around to using. Or (fiction) books I'll never get around to reading. I did buy a package of blue Jr. sized legal pads for writing notes...thought they'd come in handy for the e-book I have sitting on my hard drive waiting for me to read and review for Gothic Revue. Yes, a cool new writing gig. Yay, me!

I started to go on and write "No pay for that, but..." BUT I changed my mind. I'm not going to apologize for taking non-paying writing gigs on my way up. That apologetic attitude has been a good chunk of my problem. I've had my sights set on going straight to the top, and that's just silly. I've got to take a lesson from people like Terri Pray, a friend from a few online writing groups...that woman has had so much success with her writing it makes my head spin. And she only really started in the last several months. Starting small certainly seems to be working for her, so I'm going to take a lesson. Thanks, Terri!  Coincidentally, she's a regular contributor and reviewer for Gothic Revue, also...although I didn't know that before I applied for the position. She also probably doesn't know what an inspiration she's been to me. I'll have to tell her.

My very good friend, Kim, whom I love for her honesty among other things, pointed out to me recently that I've squandered a great many writing opportunities that have fallen into my lap in one way or another...either passed them up or started out gung-ho then let them fall by the wayside. I knew right away when she said it, and the more I think about it--she's absolutely right. So, no more. I'm going to take those (especially) writing-related opportunities that fall into my lap and run with them. Here's to you, Kim!

Speaking of staying up all night...it's nearly 3:30 a.m. and I still need to take a bath. Going out to dinner for my birthday tomorrow...er, tonight (Friday) to a decent Mexican restaurant called Jalapenos. Cute, huh? They're in the top ten best here, anyway. I like Mexican food a lot (especially my own cooking), but I like seafood better. Mmmmmmm, crab legs. But Mike (the father of my two youngest, in case you care) doesn't; he's paying, so Mexican it is. And he's taking all of us. Works for me.