Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Yawn...need...sleep...

It feels like my feet haven't touched the ground in the last week.

Magic is still settling in. Not too keen on the name myself, but that was the children's choice. She is still quite skittish and selective about when she can be approached. We are keeping her shut in our room for now, until she is settled enough to be introduced to the rest of the menagerie. She definitely doesn't like being approached while she is on the floor, but is happier on our bed and comes over for cuddles more and more often.

She kept us awake the first couple of nights, jumping up, jumping down, exploring, playing with some of the toys we've put out for her...luckily she seems to be getting over that now.

This week at work has been even more hectic than usual, so many demands on my time that I'm barely keeping my nose above water. In fact this past year or so feels like I've been sprinting a marathon, and it doesn't look likely to improve any time soon. The one thing that keeps me sane is being utterly ruthless about closing the door on it when I leave the office and not being tied to a phone or *shudder* a BlackBerry.

Not that home is any less hectic, of course. To the list of extra-curricular activities we have now added music lessons for Matthew. He's having a go at the clarinet. Just a few lessons to start, to see how he gets on, but he impressed everyone by getting a note out of the instrument on the first attempt, and he is picking up techniques that his teacher says many more advanced students struggle with. And he enjoys it, which is kinda important.

And I am glad to be back on my bike again after a couple of weeks hiatus around Easter. That one-hour cycle is valuable "down time" for me.

And finally, sucker for punishment, after taking feedback from "Miss Snark's First Victim" Secret Agent contest back in February, I tuned the first page of Ghosts of Innocence a bit and sent it in to Ray Rhamey's "Flogging The Quill". After a few weeks in the queue it was posted today. Some mixed comments from readers to take on board, but I was pleased that Ray himself voted to turn the page and continue reading.

4 comments:

Jean Davis said...

You have an opening posted? Arg! Figures on the ONE day I don't check FTQ, someone I know gets posted. *runs over to check it out*

Botanist said...

Ain't that always the way, Jean? Thanks for adding your comments. Glad to hear it seems to be moving in the right direction since last time, though I honestly didn't do a lot to it other than some judicious rearranging of existing words.

Jean Davis said...

Before it seemed that Shayla was just sitting there with no feeling, observing. Now the description of the food seems to have some characterization to it, we get some feeling from her and better understand the situation. Funny how rearranging a few words can make such a difference.

Botanist said...

Well, I'm sure it still has a way to go yet...if anyone can tell me exactly where "there" is that I'm trying to get to in this highly subjective game :-)

Odd how many people have commented on the food aspect at various times. Following the good old mantra of "show, don't tell" the image of untouched food was meant to help show a stressed state of mind. Also the choice was intended to convey a sense of foreignness. I'm strangely reluctant to get rid of it, I'd much rather make sure it's doing the job I put it in there for.

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