Well I gave up on using blogger for my project. Two days of ‘oops, your blog isn’t quite ready for publishing’ is enough to drive me away. So I wandered around the greymatter site and found out I can run more than one blog at a time with it (no, I did not know that before. Shut up.) So long story short, GM is now my favourite blogging software and now my fiction evolution project is up and running 😀

And to whomever left me the comment below about the character Mary I wrote about, I don’t have anything else written about her. That was just a writing exercise. But I might develop her further on my new site linked above 🙂

Chalk another fecking reason to get totally irritated with blogger. I’m trying to start a new blog (yes I know I’ve got too many as it is but I’m embarking on another project) and whenever I try to publish it, I get ‘Opps, Your blog is not quite ready to be published. Try again.’ What the fuck is that? My settings are *identical* to my other blogger journal (apart from filenames of course). What the hell is that error?

Grrrrrrrr.

Now this one is screwing up. I swear this software gives me more headaches than enjoyment.

Right, all sorted, I think. Had to change fecking stat counters because Nedstat wasn’t compatible with the commenting code. Bah. Annoying. Anyway, it’s all good now and anyone sneaky enough to find there way here, either by googling or by the hidden link – leave me a damn comment 🙂 Even if it’s just nonsense. I like comments. If you’re rude and obnoxious though I’ll ban your IP and make fun of you here in the blog 😀

Moved this blog to a new folder. Hopefully I didn’t fuck it all up 🙂 We’ll see…

bah looks like it’s not updating. See? This is why I hate Blogger. Argh.

Spent a bunch of time moving my public blog to use gm software. Now this one is the only one still using blogger.com. I suppose one day I’ll get that wild hair up my ass and switch this too but meh. Fuck it.

Went to see Chicago tonight at the cinema. What a fabulous movie. If LotR has to lose to one movie this year, it should lose to Chicago 🙂 Also bought ‘Where the Day Takes You’ off Ebay. I wish I could have rented it first because I’m breaking my rule of ‘no buying if I haven’t seen it’ but Kat put sooo much pressure on me to get it. You hear that Chickie? You peer-pressured me into it! Twisted my arm! Damn you!!! *cheeky grin*. You know I love ya honey. And anyway, from the reviews I’ve read, and chickie’s own review, it’s probably one I’ll like.

All in all, a lovely day today. Got some new pants and a skirt, took the kidlet out for dinner and a show and had a lovely conversation about the thrill of thunderstorms (hoping to get the first ones of the season this weekend, cross your fingers) and now I’m just chilling out, winding down, watching Seinfeld, pondering sinking into my big cozy, warm bed in a few. Ahhh bliss.

On the S&N forums I posted a bunch of writing exercises in the creative section and I think I’ll do one here. I’ve got a story floating around in my head but need more details. Maybe this will help. Anyway, I’m going to make up a person and bring them to life. Hopefully 😀

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There was a Mary in every junior high. The girl no one remembered. The girl who endured the jokes about her clothes from the rich kids. The girl who could never hope to be popular because she did everything wrong. She was the one who, when asked to go up to the board and answer a math problem, had an embarrassing stain on her jeans the day she got her first period. She was the girl who threw up at her desk during biology. Teachers may have felt a little sympathy towards her, but mainly they wished she was in any other class but their own. She was a chubby girl with horribly curly brown hair. No svelte, bouncy curls for her. Oh no, it was wiry and had a tendency to stick out in odd directions. Her small, freckled face was dwarfed in size by her thick glasses. Her vision was so bad, she couldn’t read the big ‘E’ on the eye chart. Her mother said contacts were out of the question until she was older and so, she suffered behind those god-awful frames. She looked rather like a wild-eyed owl dodging students as she made her unobtrusive way to each class.

When she entered the classroom, no one noticed. That’s not exactly true… the teacher noticed and gave a little grimace. One of the popular girls snickered at Mary’s hopelessly out-of-date clothes. Mary eased past the ‘cool crowd’ and slunk into her seat at the back of the room where she immediately piled her books as high as she could on top of her desk and hid behind them, lowering her head and staring at her desk for the duration of class. The teacher never called on her anyway, what was the point of paying attention? She would just sit here and write her little vengeance stories. Her stories were her escape.

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So there’s Mary. I have a vague idea of what I want to do with her but right now, it’s just *too* vague. I could add a little more depth to her as well. I think I want her to come out of junior high so traumatised and tormented that she vows she’ll get even with the nasty ‘popular’ kids one day. And so she writes little stories of how she gets back at them all. And as she continues on to high school, her stories get darker and more violent. And I could intersperse her everyday life with her fantasy world until one day, they merge together.

I’ll think on it.

I decided that this just isn’t a blog until I’ve done one of those personality-type quiz thingies. So I did a random search, found one, and answered it below. Everyone should do these because they’re fun. No really, they are.

1) What, if any, nicknames do you have? I don’t really have any. Unless you count my net name, which is really just my middle name. I used to be called ‘Blueberry’ though by some perverted friends of mine who thought I had a penchant for blueberry-flavoured joygel. (I don’t btw so get your mind out of the gutter :D)

2) What is your nationality? Born and raised in Yankeedom, family came over from Ireland.

3) What is your height? I’m 5’8″. No I will not convert that for you freaky metric Europeans.

4) What is your hair colour? It’s usually some shade of red.

5) What is your shoe size? My feet are annoying in that I’m the only female in the family with big feet. I wear a size 11 in women’s, size 9 in men’s. Everyone else is a 7 or 8. It sucks.

6) What is your place of birth? I was born in Grand Island, Nebraska.

7) Where did you grow up? I grew up, however, mainly in California. My favourite spot I lived in for about 6 years was Monterey, CA.

8) What is your current occupation? I’m a web designer.

9) Name your favorite: band, TV show, album, flavor/taste, car, author, flower, movie, food, singer, fruit, book, color, actress, cologne, cartoon, song, magazine, drink, number, actor, perfume, animal? Don’t have a fave band right now, Survivor, Chicago Soundtrack, hot chocolate, Jaguars, Tolkien, Birds of paradise, Lord of the Rings Trilogy, homemade veggie soup, Bowie, pineapples, Lotr Trilogy again, deep green, Nicole Kidman, Canel Christale, Spongebob, Gollum’s Song, Entertainment Weekly, Dasani, 42, Richard harris, Sunflowers, cats or dogs.

10) What is the one thing you would never do? Bungee Jump

11) What is the one thing you’ve never done, but want to? Surf.

12) What is the first thing you notice on a person? Probably their eyes, unless I’m talking to someone online, then I notice spelling errors 🙁

13) What one word would describe you best? Clever

14) What are your morals? What the hell kind of question is that? Uhhhh, don’t kill people? Be excellent to each other? Stupid question.

15) Name 3 things you really don’t like: 1 – It’s pronounced ‘Noo-Klee-Er’ Mr. Bush. Not ‘Noo-Cue-Ler’. Idiot. 2 – People who say ‘I seen that movie the other day’. 3 – Blatant bigotry.

16) What three things would you change in the world if you could? I’d go back and make sure Bush Jr. was never elected, for any public office whatsoever. I’d go back in time and make my father go to the doctor. And I’d probably fire whomever thought hiring Carrottop for 1-800-call-att adverts would be a good idea.

17) If you could only take three items to a desert isle, what would they be? A stack of my favourite books, suntan lotion, and a cell phone.

18) What are three things that turn you on? Sexually? Or just in general… Sexually speaking, it would have to be left up to your imagination because I’m not going to answer that. Generally speaking, I like it when a person actually listens when I speak rather than just waiting for their turn to speak. I also like people who have interesting things to say, I like a good debate – a good-natured one mind you, not one that turns into a fight.

19) What are three things that turn you off? Well I think I answered that one already – when talking to me, please be considerate and listen to what I’m saying. Don’t just nod your head and smile and then cut me off just to be able to hear your own voice.

20) What three places would you most like to travel to in the world? Ohhh, pick three spots in Europe and I’d be happy.

21) What three things would you most like to change about yourself, and why? I’d beef up my willpower, my metabolism and my ability to stand up for what I want instead of justifying my unhappiness in where I live by saying I’m staying to be close to my family.

22) Do you have any brothers and/or sisters? How many? I have a sister, and about a year ago I found out I have another sister, but I’ve only met her once.

23) Do you have a best friend? Yes. 2 of them 🙂

24) Do you use illicit (illegal) drugs? Nope.

25) Do you smoke? Not anymore.

26) Do you have any piercings? List them: Umm, my left ear is pierced three times, my right ear once. That’s it.

27) Do you have any tattoos? List them: No tattoos.

28) What do you feel your purpose in life is? If I knew that one, I suppose I’d be happier eh?

29) Describe the perfect man/woman: My perfect man knows how to fix computers and cars, will kill spiders without rolling his eyes at me, is affectionate without being smothering, and willing to leave me alone now and then and let me have my own space.

30) Who do you think is the sexiest woman/man in the world? Oh gosh, ummm, depends on my mood. I could drool over Joaquin Phoenix/Gabirel Byrne/Elijah Wood for hours really.

31) What do you look for in a person? Intelligence, sensitivity, sense of humour.

32) Rate yourself from 1 to 10: I’m a 10 and don’t you forget it 🙂

33) Are you a romantic person? I like to think so.

34) What do you consider romantic? Thoughtfulness is probably my number one romantic ideal.

35) Would you rather have a serious relationship, or a one-night stand? Well, a serious one, because there’s absolutely nothing satisfying in a one-night stand. Having said that, my idea of a perfect relationship is one that doesn’t involve me having to give up any shred of my independence.

36) Have you ever truly fell in love with someone? If so, how did it feel? Yes. Wonderful, heart-wrenching, painful, glorious, sexy, perfect.

37) Do you ever look in the mirror and make funny faces? All the time 🙂

38) What do you like to dress in? Comfy clothes on the outside, nice silky satin stuff underneath.

39) Say you were in a busy eatery/restaurant, what would you do if your friend/mate jumped up on the table, and began singing to you? Laugh good-naturedly and applaud when finished

40) Would you run 4 blocks nude for $100,000? Nope.

41) What are your hobbies? Movies, traveling, computers.. nothing horribly exciting but it makes me happy.

42) Do you like to read? Voraciously. If I don’t have a book going I feel naked.

43) What types of books? Depends on the mood again. I like thrillers, courtroom stuff, a bit of Sci-fi.

44) What authors? Tolkien, Grisham, Jean Auel, JK Rowling (she’s my hero), Ann Rule, Patricia Cornwell.

45) Do you exercise? Sporadically.

46) If you could be anyone in the world, who would you be? Nicole Kidman

47) Do you have an idol? If so, who? Yes, JK Rowling. Single Mom makes good 🙂

48) What types of music do you enjoy? 80s alternative, underground stuff. I despise Top 40.

49) What is your best memory? Your worst? Most memorable? Best – Probably any family get-together. Worst – Death of my mother. Most memorable? My daughter’s first steps.

50) What was the nicest thing ever done for you? The worst? Nicest – Oh my daughter does them constantly. She’ll draw a picture for me, write a story or make something out of clay for me while away at a sleepover. Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy to know she’s thinking of me when she’s away. The worst – Probably the day my selfish ex-husband came home from class one day and told me he was divorcing me and taking my daughter.

51) Do you have plans to go to college? Been there, done that.

52) Have you traveled anywhere? Oh yes, I’ve traveled a lot around the US, and done quite a bit of the UK and Ireland.

53) If you could go anywhere right now, where would it be? Back to England.

54) Have you ever been arrested? *cough* I plead the fifth.

55) If you could be an animal, which one would you be? A slinky little cat.

56) Do you believe in a god? If so, who? Why? Oh man I don’t want to do a deep dark god talk here. I don’t believe in God. Why? I have my reasons.

57) Do you believe in the supernatural? No not really. I like the idea of it, and it makes for great movies (usually) but I don’t believe it’s real.

58) What is your outlook on homosexuality/bisexuality? I believe that if you are happy with yourself then that is all that matters. I haven’t got a single issue with anyone and their sexual orientations. One of my best friends said it best when he said ‘I’m not homosexual, I’m not heterosexual or bisexual. I’m just sexual’. Right on.

59) Have you ever been in love with someone that didn’t love you? If so, how did it feel? Ohhh back in high school I had a huge crush on a boy called Patrick Douthit. He of course, didn’t know I existed I’m sure he still doesn’t. But it was one of those ‘worship from afar’ things. Didn’t hurt too much – nothing compared to the pain of being in a serious relationship and getting dumped for stupid reasons like distance.

60) What, if any, phobias do you have? I have a fear of drowning. But I love to swim. Go figure.

61) What is your sexual orientation? Well I’m just sexual too, but only with blokes 🙂