Loving the library

We decided not to spend any discretionary funds for the time being, and we're really reducing the expenses. One result is I've become proficient at interlibrary loan, searching for and reserving books at home on my laptop, and I'm able to find most of what I need.

Also been busy taking grant-writing webinars -- very useful. Got into their database for three hours today and downloaded 45 files of information on funding foundations.

Making progress on the book, as well. Have written over 70 pages and made some enhancements to previous work.

Just wish I could get over this flu -- I've had it a week and it doesn't seem to be going away all that soon.

Getting closer to Part II

I've set some goals and have been meeting them. Didn't write yesterday because I was out all afternoon doing research for the Arts Council and running errands. Today, I will write twice as much, and am more than halfway toward that goal. I'm really enjoying the process, getting down the bones of the story. Hoping, though, I will be able to find the ability to enhance it a lot on the second pass.

I finished a Michael Gruber book and am now setting out to read everything he has written (except his children's story). He raises the bar for intelligent thrillers.

Have a new program of checking out books through online interlibrary loan -- an austerity measure I'm inordinately proud of. We already own too many books; 21 full-size bookcases plus several smaller ones. We're swimming in the things.

On a related note, I've determined to learn how to use the latest Adobe applications, including InDesign so we can write and publish our own e-books. I ordered the Creative Suite and am looking forward to training myself in these apps two or three hours every morning--a good alternative to surfing the web and getting royally pissed off at the oligarchs.

Our little Brunhilde is a lot more active, now, with the other cats outside during the day, doing cat patrol and running around. It's nice to see her run and move around (though her waddly little body makes us laugh), and she inspires me to exercise more. We've determined she doesn't have an eating disorder, like Tessa, because she doesn't show an inordinate interest in food -- she just didn't move very much at her SPCA home. She is so sweet and loving. We're glad to have her in our family.

My hero's background

I need to delve deeper into Ravi's background today and have some decisions to make, like how has the man related to women all his life. He is a scientist and inventor, certainly not a playboy type, but nevertheless he looks like Sanjay Gupta -- good looking with gravitas, in my estimation.

Ravi will appear in future books (one already written, but on hold) so it's important that I get this right.

Robert Reich strikes again: "Our Incredible Shrinking Democracy"

Robert Reich's new post, "Our Incredible Shrinking Democracy," is a must-read. For some time, I have thought Reich's analysis of our political and economic issues is both succinct and hard-hitting. He can explain complicated issues in the most direct terms and I agree with most of what he has to say. If you don't want to read anything else on these heavy issues, at least read Robert Reich.

His blog is located at:

http://robertreich.org/

The direct link to this article is here:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-reich/our-incredible-shrinking_b_446748.html

Another cat with an eating disorder

We selected a beautiful calico cat from an SPCA photo on the web and when we went to pick her up, discovered she is now 17 pounds -- way overweight. She's a year old. We brought her home, anyway, and now have to go about healing her.

We wanted her as an indoor companion to our nice, sleek male. Fortunately, he won't object to not having his food left out all the time because feeding is incidental to him.

I learned that one has to be patient in a cat weight reduction diet because if the cat loses weight too fast, it can contract a fatal liver disease. One site said 1 to 2% of its weight each week (about 1/4 pound for her, or 1 pound per month) and another site said limit weight reduction to 1/2 pound per month. This is going to be tricky. But -- oh well -- we saved another cat's life.

Making my villain more ominous

So far, my novel's villain is not as ominous as I'd like him to be. I need to keep his unspoken threat subtle, but give him a dangerous undertone.

This is something for me to ponder, while moving on to the next scene.

This is also something for me to work on when I get stuck in a future scene.

Always something.