Would somebody please look at the code on my 2000 archive page and tell me what the hell is wrong with my tables that's making it so messed up? I cut and pasted exactly from my journal page like I always do when I roll a month over, and for some reason it ended up being complete garbage this time. I fake being computer proficient, and I pretend to code in html, so would one of you fine geeks out there please tell me what the hell is wrong with my code?

This is why I could never be a computer programmer. I was at the point of screaming at the top of my lungs at my computer to stop messing (okay, I used a different word) my pages up.

(By the way, the above paragraphs were written many hours after the following ones were... so don't think that I was screaming at my computer while sitting at my detail. I waited until I was safe at home and could upset no one but my dog to do that.)

I'm sitting in the welfare office, two hours into a six hour detail. A lot of the guys say they can't stand this detail because it's really boring, but I kinda like it, since all you have to do is sit at a desk. Heck, they even let you read a book if you want. (I can't imagine sitting here for six hours without having a book!) I brought my laptop today, so I almost look as if I'm doing something constructive. Not that I think that any of the people coming to the welfare office care if the deputy looks like he or she is doing something constructive.

So, I managed to make some notes on the sequel to the ole novel. I really need to get the rest of the story outlined out, so that if the publisher actually decides to buy it, I can show what the other books are going to look like. Speaking of the publisher--I had a message on my answering machine the other day from the editor, telling me that it's still under consideration, it had been passed on with a "yes" recommendation to Jim Baen, and that they were basically just waiting for the yes/no from him.

Cool news, except that I haven't done diddlyshit as far as writing goes for well over six months, and not a damn thing on the next novel in far longer. So if this thing actually sells, I'm going to have to get off my ass and write something.

But I'm glad I brought my laptop with me today, because not only did I make some notes and do some brainstorming, I also looked back at the stories I wrote during Clarion, as well as the many story fragments I've dumped on this laptop in the past couple of years. It's interesting going back and looking at a story after such a long break, because it's totally fresh, and I can really see where the stories need work. (Like, everywhere!) And I don't really have a whole lot of excuse anymore to not be writing. I'm out of school, not in training anymore (other than the usual on-the-job training.) Sure, I'm working a lot of details in order to catch up on my bills (and most of those are not the kind where I can write during the detail, unfortunately,) but that's only once or twice a week, so I do still have days off here and there.

I guess I've just been relishing the feeling of not having to do anything and being able to attend to the really mundane facets of life. I deliberately did not sign up for any details for the coming weekend (which I have off) and even turned down an offer to fill in for someone else on the JC Penney's detail on Saturday. (Which wasn't tough for me to do, since I rather dislike that detail. Lots of walking around, and too much dealing with idiot shoplifters and stupid people. (Plus, I see too much that I want to buy! I have to really control myself not to go back the next day to shop.) On Sundays it isn't too bad, since it's only 5 hours, but Saturdays it's 8 hours, which is just a bit too tedious for my taste. If I'm going to spend 8 hours or more on a detail, I'll take a flagging detail where I get paid $25/hr.)

So this weekend I'm purposely leaving free for silly things like yardwork and housework, and spending time with people I like. Scheduling intelligent converation into my existence. (I think I miss intelligent and interesting conversation more than I miss sex. Maybe. Would be nice to have both. Not at the same time though. I think one or the other would suffer in quality. But maybe in the same 24 hour period.)

I've been awful about staying on my Body For Life program this past week. However, I do intend to get back into the gym today, and I also plan on running with this new Academy class on Wednesday morning. If it's possible, I think I'm going to try running with them fairly often, since that way I know I won't wus out, and I'll actually get out and do it. At least until the instructors get sick of me!

Dunno if I'm going to make it to the Chicago Worldcon this year. I really rather doubt it unless I really luck into some money. A Worldcon tends to cost me about a grand, once you add in airfare, hotel, food, transportation, membership, and any lost wages from missed work. (And I won't have any vacation until late fall, and I haven't checked to see if Worldcon falls on one of my weekends off, though I would still end up taking a couple of days off at some point or another.) So, it's rather doubtful at this point. We'll just have to see. I would like to see everyone again--kinda feel like I'm losing touch with that "crowd."

Perhaps next year.

I think this is going to be a longish entry today, since I have 3 1/2 hours left to kill. Though, I did bring a book. Yesterday I finally got the chance to read through the S&S 16 anthology. Yeah, it's been out for almost a year, I know. I may ask for this detail more often, simply so that I can catch up on my reading. The book I brought today is a mystery by Laurie R. King. My mom lent me another book by her, A Darker Place, which I found quite good, (except for the ending which left me really frustrated) so I went to the library and picked up some other titles by this author. (Aaahhh, the library. Free!)

I'm getting pretty good at solitare and minesweeper.

A lot of the people who come in here bring their kids--their only option, I'm sure, since many of them are coming in applying for child care assistance. But, generally speaking, the kids are pretty well-behaved, which is amazing considering that some of these people have to wait hours before seeing their case worker. And it's 95% women that I see in here. Very seldom do men come in. I don't know whether it's just because the women are the ones who take responsibility for applying for food stamps and other assistance, or whether it's because all of these women are single mothers, or what. But it's majority women, and at least half of those come in toting a kid or two with them.

Can get kinda loud in here sometimes. I do wonder why they need a security detail here though. I've never seen anyone even come close to misbehaving (though of course that might simply be because there is a deputy here.)

Two of the children are entertaining themselves by hiding behind chairs, and then peeking out from behind their "cover", pointing their finger at their opponent, and pretending to shoot the other child. The child who gets "hit" then obligingly slumps down for a second or two, then leaps back and tries to shoot back with their finger. They're utterly delighted by this game, and it has kept them occupied for nearly half an hour.

Gee, somehow this game is somewhat disturbing to me. Just as the fact that the parents are ignoring the nature of the game is disturbing. Perhaps they're simply relieved that the kids are amusing themselves and are not bugging mommy for anything. Or perhaps it simply doesn't occur to them that their kids are playing at having a shootout and killing each other.

Akk.

2 1/2 hours left, and it's starting to empty out a bit. The patience of some of these people is incredible. Or maybe it's resignation. There's a woman here who's been sitting here with her daughter for over 3 hours. And sometimes people will wait a couple of hours, only to be asked if they can come back later in the afternoon. They meekly go, and then return at the specified time. I'd go nut-buggy if I had to kill my entire day sitting in a waiting room. But I guess most of these people have no other choice, and no place else to go anyway.

And I realize that I should have had a bigger breakfast, since I'm going to be here until 2pm. I stuffed a couple of snacks into my laptop bag, but since there are still people in the waiting room I can't really fish one out and munch, since part of my duties is enforcing the "No food or drink in lobby please."

Okay, maybe I can see why they want a deputy here. A couple came in, and while the woman was filling out the paperwork, they got into a bit of an argument, that probably would have progressed into a lot of an argument if they hadn't seen me glaring at them.

Don't you dare make me break away from my game of solitare to whup your punk ass!