For want of a Word.

The Claw.

Everyone has been tempted once or twice by this arcade staple. The big mocking game that offers incredibly cheap, while still intriguing prizes. This game serves only two purposes: To take your money, as well as your sanity. And convince you beyond all reason that you need whatever it holds.

There are only a few reasons you would ever play this game. You are either A.) High (sugar or drug related) or drunk, or cocky as hell. B.) 10 years old and think you’re invincible, and jonesing badly for that monster truck. Or C.) Dared by all your cohorts and now pride won’t let you leave without that bobble head.

I am only mortal and have also been tempted by this monster machine. Three times in my life to be exact. My first encounter was inevitable, everyone needs their dreams crushed once, or dropped inches from the box. My second time was years afterward when a group of my friends and I instigated situation C, then by sheer luck discovered the weak link in the dream dropping chain. It didn’t matter that the coveted toy inside was miniature Care Bears, when life gives you a broken arcade game, you take it for all it’s worth.

My third time brings us up to last night. When I was getting a late dinner with friends in a mall food court. It wasn’t really flashy, or emitting brain-melting music, what it had was giant super balls. I don’t consider myself a tomboy, but I do like my bouncy balls.

So after eyeing the machine half the meal, even walking up to it to ogle the toys, I was handed 50 cents and told to go nuts!! I’m not sure my friend really meant for me to literally go nuts, but after I aligned the claw just right, watched it descend upon my prize, miss it by centimeters, and still come up with a ball, I did just that!!

It was amazing!! I wasn’t even embarrassed to be the center of attention. Which I was, I even got congratulations from passerby’s. I got my toy! And it flashes, and bounces, and has a snowman in it!!

((It goes without saying that many, many ball jokes were tossed around the rest of the night))

The evening ended on a very good note, and now the ball rests after being thoroughly used and abused. Don’t worry I promise I wont let it go to my head.. and I wont try to get another one.

Such luck only happens once. ((dang it.))

I’d like to take this time and apologize.  I’m sure you’ve all noticed I suck at the blogging game, I do and I’m sorry.

When I find time to write, I normally don’t think “BLOG!” I think “How the H-E-Double Hockey Sticks did she get into that jail!?!”  And then I go on a research bing.  Don’t be fooled people, I may spout crude, rude, sarcastic nonsense about research, but I love it.  Dearly.  No I’m not smirking.  Or twitching.

So, news on the home front.  I’ve begun editing.  I’ve also learned a lot about myself.  It’s quite harrowing really, you see I don’t always type things (ie: words) that I think, I suppose it’s the whole philosophy of “If I know what I’m talking about, so should you.”  The worst part is, I don’t know what I’m talking about sometimes.

I’ve also learned that when ever I try to type lane, I inevitably type lance, Ya I don’t know why.

I’m on page 60 of 122, almost there.  And can I say, I’m dangerous to my own health.  I almost had a mini heart attack because I was (at least I thought I was) far enough in the story to be introduced to Turner, and he wasn’t THERE!  I flipped page after page looking for him, finally coming to the conclusion that I forgot to add his parts in to my final draft.

Which of course wasn’t true, I had.  I’m not that insane (yet, give me a few more pages and I just might get there) I finally found where he jumps in, I think I might move him up a bit.

So after 6 hours on my couch with my lappy, my cat, a bowl of extra mild super liquidy salsa (I don’t like the chunks, but I like what the chunks do to the juice so I soak my chips in the salsa juice!) my binder of story (yes I printed it out) and my red pen (that apparently had a leak if my red hand/face was any indication later) I was done editing 60 pages.. it was a definite learning experience.

Over at Fifthwind my fellow novelish finisher Wishingstar (we finished at the same time) asked about the next step: Editing.  and I’ve been taking advantage of her request and reading all the tips and advise, and have made a game plan for myself.

Fifthwind, our leader extrodinar of course had great advise, but so did Grammer and Ms. Shadow.  So I’m combining them all. 

I know what I’m doing, but I don’t know how to explain it right now, so I wont bore you with “well see I’m doing this cause…” I’ll have to write later on it. 

See, this way if it doesn’t work I wont have to delete this blog!!  Win win right?

~EDIT~EDIT~EDIT~EDIT~EDIT~EDIT~EDIT~

Clear  back at the beginning Mr. Bubbles critiqued two of my chapters.  One was the chapter I posted on Fifthwind, the second was an excerpt of Goody, because he has the hots for her.  Just kidding  *shifty eyes*

I just wanted to give him a public THANK YOU!!!  Because he helped more than he’ll ever know.  Thanks Alex!

Is this just me?  Someone tell if it is, because I’d love to know.  But I have this feeling of.. impatients, anxiety, and plain nervousness about writing!  It’s one of those feelings like: You KNOW you have to do something, but plum forgot what it was, and damn, it was important too.

But I know what it is I’ve forgotten, I haven’t written.  Uh oh, just got an idea.. is this what a withdrawal feels like?

Geez, I only wanted a month off, is that too much to ask for?  Well alright, I might be able to understand that, but where is this “times running out” feeling coming from?  Seriously, it’s making me re-evaluate my life and make sure I’m ready for something major, kinda scary!

Maybe it’s just my A.D.D going into hyper drive.  What I wouldn’t give to just sit and be still.  Have nothing to worry about.  Though even when I have nothing to worry about, I worry about wasting time.

I wonder if you can rent 2 year olds.  A handfull of two year olds could probably wear me out.  But then I’d just go to sleep, and not get anything done, and then when I woke up I’d be upset because I hadn’t done anything.

Maybe I need to rethink my whole stance on medication.  Actaully that wouldn’t work, then I’d just worry about side effects, and wondering if I was going to die.  *crossing medication off list forever*

*sigh* Maybe I should just write, see where that gets me *taps pen on teeth*

Nah, I’ll just go kill some Sims characters cleverly.

You poor little neglected blog. I’ve posted almost everywhere, but not here.  Well Word fans, if you aren’t a member of Fifthwind, or my friend on Twitter (please don’t be my friend, I’m not proud of signing up and am in a recovery program) or weren’t at ColdStone Creamery on Wednesday at 9pm then you don’t know.

I finished my Novel.

That’s right, it’s over, and I’m thrilled to pieces!  I almost fell to pieces when I finished it too.  It was a good thing no one was around when I wrote those oh so important final words, becaue they would have been.. had better days.

I was however wisked off my feet by a close friend and taken out for ice cream, cause thats as crazy as you get in Utah.

I’m very proud of the ending, it was everything I dreamed about.  Almost made me cry!  Oh and Will, poor Will.  You actually feel happy for him, he doesn’t get the girl, but he’s ok with it.  Alright, alright he tolerates it and is happy for his friends.  In any case, I didn’t feel as horrible for him by the end as I thought I would.  He’s my good boy! 

So now that I’ve finished, I’m going to be giving myself a break.  Both to relax, and to be fresh for when I do go back and tackle the SONOFATREE!

While I was writing there were a million things I wanted to do instead of write.  However now that I”m done and able to do those million things (watch me!) I just want to go write some more!  I made a list however, wanna see?

Tough.

1- Learn to draw good so I can write a Comic!
2- Learn to draw REAL good *drool*
3- Read all the books I can get my grubby little hands on
4- Win Sims (think about it)
5- Make two fabulous Anime figurines while I watch NEW Anime shows
6- Watch ANIME!!!!! (how I’ve missed it)
7- crochet more
8- learn to write short stories
9- write short stories
10- start next book.
11- Do singing lessons & Salsa dancing.

12-Get a job at Five Alls so I can be a medieval bar Wench!!

That last one is a dream that will probably never happen.  I don’t think I’d make a good serving wench, I don’t have the bust for one, and I have a bad memory.

Anyway I was advised to give it a month or so, and then jump back into the pool.  This I will do, and try to make the most of this month.  It is Halloween after all, gotta find a outfit!

Anyway all done, go find another blog to read. I recommend all of the ones on my link list.

((I’m kidding.))

Yes, that’s what my novel out line now says.  *holding in glee*  I even made it all curly-Q and nice.  Ok who am I kidding.

HOLY FREAKING KITTY BALLS OF GLORY!!!!!!! 

I did it *laughs manically* I did it, I did it.  I know the actual story itself isn’t done, but.. the outline is.. and that’s the first STEP, and now I know how it ends!  And knowing is half the battle kids!

*dances around happily*

No, I didn’t kill Will.  Though there was a second or two that I almost changed love interests… Didn’t though *phew*

I’ve been requestd to give out my twitter info.  I will, but I’m doing it under duress.  Much, much duress.  Or not so much really…   anyway here we are

Twitter

I will warn you, I don’t update it often because I’m trying to forget I have one.  I can’t delete it because I don’t know how, and truthfully.. sometimes I do think I have something incredibly witty to say but have no where to say it.. that’s why Twitter was born people.  For souls like me to be randomly clever.  Or tell us about their sock drawer.

Anyway, I’ve got to get going.  1200+ words to write.

When first we practice to deceive.

Not mine, sorry.  My mom told me that when I was a teen, and I have never forgotten it.  Who first said it I’m not sure, but I’m throwing the acknowledgment out in to the universe so hopefully it finds them.

So, as you can tell, today isn’t the day I said I’d update.  I’m sorry for that   But I’m updating now.

It’s been a very busy couple of weeks.  On top of that, I’ve managed my time very, very poorly and have been reaping those rewards for quite some time now.  I told myself I wouldn’t read any books until my novel was finished, because I didn’t want any distractions, or accidental cross overs

So instead, I’ve been reading web comics!! *face palm* 

Speaking of my novel, I’ve reached an all new HIGH.  I can’t really say, because I feel incredibly stupid about it, but I will say: I know my story will now actually finish some time in the near future.

Frigg’in A, right?

Like I said before I did hit a large, HUGE, prewritten section of work.  I thought I would zip threw it and be on the other side of the world once I finished.  No such luck, zhe world ez tuff.  And really annoying.

I have finished though, and I LOVE how well I’ve got everything glued together.  There is one last section but I will probably butt up to it soon, if all goes according to plan.

I bet ya’ller confused huh?  My my, I seem to do that a lot.  Heres what happened initially:

Had idea, wrote down said idea.  Idea luckily was in the middle of the story!  So because I was an idiot, and an untrained novelist, I started on the section and worked my way out.  I also got flashes of ideas for other sections of it and so I wrote THOSE down where ever I felt like.

This tactic results in a higgeldy piggeldy mess of a story, with island chapters floating around in some form of order.

I just confused you more, didn’t I?  Great.

Here I’ll make up for it, go visit  The Sereph Inn, and The Pheonix Requim

You’ll forget all about me, promise.

 For my last trick I’ll tell you about an obstical I’ve over come, that doesn’t make me look incredibly naive or lacking in the enligsh language.

For a long time, I was worried Will and Turner were to much a like.  I needed them to be different for various reason, as well as obvious ones, and for almost the whole first half of the story you never see them together.  So I never had the chance to play them oposite each other and see how they faired.

I now have, and while they are still a little closer then I’d like, they are different.  Sadly, they also have claimed their rights as novel characters, and wont budge on their personalities!  I need Will to be less sweet, because he gets screwed and I’d feel better about it if he was more of a jerk.

I just can’t think of what to DO with him.  Everything I think of I’m like.. “no he wouldn’t do that” “that’s so mean”.. “What?!  No!”  *sigh* 

I think I’ll have to kill him.

Oh sad!!! T-T

NO!!!!!!!!!!!

I try to update and be a good blog mommy and look where it gets me.  BACK at the starting gate.  Jimminy Crispins am I upset.  What?  You don’t beleive me?  Oh well look frowny face and all.  ((FYI – I had a WHOLE, completed blog done before I left work, submitted it and EVERYTHING and when I come home it’s GONE))

Anywho, the missing link, or the missing Amber which I think is much safer if not infinatly more depressing, is back.

I’m really sorry I haven’t posted in a few weeks, it’s just lately I”ve been a little, lets see… Exhausted is a good word and I think I’ll use it here.  I’ve been Exhausted!!! Both mentally and physically.  You see in the real world, or RL, as the texters and tweeters

*Incoming Tangent*

I HAVE A TWITTER ACCOUNT!!!!!!!

*Outgoing Tangent*

like to call it, I have been up to my pretty little elbows in paint and all sorts of other remodely stuff.  Then on top of that I have recently hit a MASSIVE prewritten section of my book that I need to some how assimilate in to my novel without doing much editing.

Do ya remember that little snippty that I gave ya’ll at the beginning of my bloggerdom?  You know that little heated piece with Miss Iz and Mister Wick?  Ya that’s part of the book now.  Freaking cool isn’t it?

Ya well it was so cool I had to stop myself from spaming my novel thread on the good ‘ol Fifthwinder with this:

I HATE IT I HATE IT I HATE IT I HATE IT I HATE IT I HATE IT I HATE IT I HATE IT *Infinite exclamation points*

Why because it was childish.  Even at one A.M. it was childish, and when one a.m. tells you it’s childish, and it ought to know, then you really should listen to it.  So while it would have been an excellent inside job, my thread wasn’t spammed.

Anyway I’ve almost reached the end of the pre-writtenness of my novel and will have to make everything “original” from here on out. *rolls eyes*

Well Poppets I’ll have to write more tomorrow because it is the Mummys Happy Happy today and I need to deliver a very muchly deserved present.

I promise I’ll expound on my literary prowess at the novel Olympics tomorrow.  PROMISE.

The Fifthwind has a Newsletter now!!  It’s first addition posted Septermber 1st, and it’s cool.  Everyone over at the forum helped make it as awesome as possible. 

I even contributed

In the words of Mr. Bubbles

“Long may the Newsletter rain wisdom and snappy witticisms down upon the bewildered brains of the unsuspecting internet populace!”

So today while I was chatting innocently about lolli-pops in the Fifthwind chat I was sentenced to a penance duel.  These happen everyone once in a while when one has been to crude or has hit someone without provocation.

I was just getting snuggling with lollipop inuendos.

Anyway I wrote a duel that I’m actually very pleased with and would like to post it here.  Mainly because I have nothing else to post.  And for those of you who know about my closet collection you’ll find this all the more entertaining.

Oh I should mention that the topic of the duel was: An Interesting Crop.

“Yes all of them must go.”  He said walking along the dark corridor talking on his cell.
“No I don’t care.” He said indifferently
“What part of all of them do you not understand?”
He leaned up against a dark wall and flipped a switch.  Twelve rows of lights flicked on shining down on very crowded tables.
“No you can not keep one, their dangerous man!  Or is that something else you don’t understand.”
Rolling his eyes he walked along a row of tables.
“I can say whatever I like.”  He drawled bored out of his mind, he should have never gotten family involved.
“Fine, you know what, I’ll do it.”  He hit the glowing red phone button and looked out at his crop.  They really were quiet cute, unnatural, but cute nonetheless.  It was a real shame he had to do this.

Casually he walked over to the supply shed and pulled out a gas can and pink gardening glove.  He felt a slight pang as he put her glove in the can opening and lit it on fire.  Sighing he cast a last glance around the cabbage patch they had grown together.  It deserved this, though it wasn’t fair. He placed the makeshift bomb on one of the tables and left the room. 

He wasn’t even to his car when it exploded.  Unable to help himself he looked back, then quickly left.  He shouldn’t have done that, now the image of firelight dancing off their plastic heads would haunt him forever.