Monday Maundering - Random thoughts

I thought I'd treat you all to an example of my stream of consciousness thoughts, but really, I don't think anyone wants to spend time in my head. My thoughts tend to run chaotically and in all directions so I'm not sure where that would take us.

What is it about money? I mean, I understand that everything in this world has a price. We just have to find it and pay it. But really, why can't we trade skills and goods for other things instead of using money? Like Himself. He's pretty handy with a computer. He could trade computer maintenance for food. Or building a web site for gas. Then again, people wouldn't be able to agree on the value of the goods or services they were trading so I suppose money is a necessary evil.

Then there's this. According to the update, they're finally allowing women their pads and tampons back. But really, they're afraid women are going to throw their sanitary products at people? When guns are allowed in, which I would think would be the more dangerous option? I always knew Texas had issues but this is just ridiculous. Then again, a lot of things happening in Texas are pretty ridiculous these days.

A lot of things happening everywhere are pretty ridiculous these days. The ongoing war against women has got to stop. It's getting so being female is a crime. To paraphrase a quote from one of my favorite movies: "They're in our homes and in our heads. They tell us what to do, what to think, what to say. They're meddlesome, and they haven't the right." The government needs to back off and leave us alone.

Then there's what happened in Florida. How could they let Zimmerman off without having him pay a price for killing Trayvon Martin? He disobeyed the cops. He stalked the boy. He shot him and killed him with no provocation. Yes, he said he was defending himself. Yes, it's possible Trayvon was fighting him. But what if Trayvon was the one in fear for his life and he was defending himself? Did no one stop to consider that? Obviously not. And then there's the poor woman who got 20 years for firing a gun at her abusive husband. There are mitigating circumstances in that case as well, but she didn't hurt anyone. She was skilled with a gun. She knew what she was doing. She doesn't deserve 20 years in prison for defending herself.

I could ramble on about various things but I think that's enough for today.

Sunday 'fess up...Anni won an award!

First of all, many thanks to Deirdre for my blog's first award.  *blushes*  I appreciate your visit and I'm honored you thought I deserved the award.

Second......can we just not talk about writing this week?  Please?  *looks around*  Oh all right.  I'll admit it.  I failed miserably at the writing this week.  I got some reading done though, and I figured out a few twists for Cracked World.  But all of the edits on Only A Name kind of burned me out on writing.  I'm feeling a lot better now so I expect I'll be able to tackle Cracked World more this week.

It's pretty much guaranteed we're not going to Texas.  Unexpected car repairs (brakes went out) and medical bills as well as me having to cancel my overtime this week (got sick) have forced us to take a major hit in our finances again.  But we're still going to take a mini vacation in April.  Even if it's just hanging out in a hotel/motel in town & avoiding everyone we know for a day or two...we're going to get our vacation.

Did a little beta reading for KD Sarge this week.  I'm not very good at it but I hope that I at least helped out a little.  I read a new book this week and I enjoyed it but, well, I'm reserving judgment on the rest of the series because of how disappointing I've been finding the UF books I've read lately.  I'll get a review of the book up on Books in the Woods here in the next week or so.

Vlog is live, as always.  I actually finished it last night.  It was kind of nice to be able to sleep in today and not have to worry about getting that done.

Story links from this week's Magic Monday and Freak Friday:

The Rescue
The Fallen Ch 1

Now for the vlog and a few other videos for your entertainment.

Sunday 'fess up...*sigh*

This week has been two things: work and sleep.  Well, bill paying got put in there somewhere but other than that I've got nothing.  I've been working suicide shifts (15+ hours in one day is a "suicide shift").  No time for anything else.  Even my cat has missed me.  He's laying on top of me right now as I lounge in my nest typing this.  I think he's upset with me because I've been too tired to do anything with him.

So...writing...died this week.  I got a couple pages on Only A Name done in revisions but that's it.  And I don't know that it's going to be better in March either.  Because of our need to go to Texas in April I'm putting in a bare minimum of 20 hours of overtime a week in March. More suicide shifts are in my future.  If I have my way (arguing with the boss right now over this) I'll be putting in anywhere from 19 to 29 hours of overtime a week.  For those of you curious, that's 109.5 hours of overtime I've scheduled.  I was supposed to have 116 but he made me cancel my overtime for Monday.  I know, I know...that's a burn out schedule.  I'm aware of this.  BUT...I have to have $2000 by the time I leave on April 10th.  Actually, I have to have most of that BEFORE I leave so I can afford the trip.

There's a reason I'm glad I have 2 weeks off in April.

I don't do this often, and I won't be doing it again.  But as long as my boss doesn't fuck with me too much I'll get it done.  Himself has overtime coming up too so even if I lose some of mine he'll be able to make up some of the money.  But I make more than he does on a base level so my overtime is worth more.

Vlog will happen.  Eventually.  Some time today.  I'm having fun talking to the web cam even if no one else really watches them so I'll post it and I'll link it on Twitter when I'm done.

That's it for this week's SFU.  We'll see what happens with my boss and me, and we'll see what my week looks like for next week's SFU.