#ladya rambles

[theoriginalladya]

Today has just been utter crap (still dealing with trash collection issues after two months!) but for a couple of bright spots. One I can't share yet (INTERNAL SCREACHING!!!!!), the other, I've been spinning my second single for that new yarn I'm testing on the e-spinner.

Tonight, I get to be a werewolf, too. Guess it's going to end on a brighter note, at least! :)

[theoriginalladya]

Busy July

The other day, I realized that the Tour de France starts this weekend. (I usually don't see anything about it until it's underway, so I figure this is a bonus! lol)

Why is this important? It means it's time for Tour de Fleece again. Unfortunately this year, I won't be able to use my standard spinning wheel (that I've finally figured out) because of an ongoing hip issue (which, hopefully, will start getting resolved later this summer. Dr. Appointment in three weeks!) So this year, I'll be relying on the e-spinner to get the job done.

(the lighting in my office is yellow-ish, but trust me when I say the blue is a very deep ("Starfire Skies"), vibrant one and the orange is like creamsicles ("Pumpkin Spice Latte"!)

This is the fleece I'll be spinning. Somehow, last time I ordered some, I doubled up on what I already had. oops. Well, that means that I should have enough yarn in the end to make some substantial projects!

Now, all that said, last night I was reminded that Camp Nano starts this weekend too, and I was hoping to stir up the writing muses that have been pretty dormant. We'll see how that goes - going to keep my goal low so I don't get frustrated along the way - but here's hoping!

Also, my last writing project will finally post on July 4th. Maybe that will help the muses too.

And all of this is on top of the new insanity that constitutes my job the first week of the month and kiddo's birthday. Gonna be a busy July!

[theoriginalladya]

*flops*

Okay, big project done! Time to focus on chapter 2 for Everybody Loses It!

But man, I could use a nap...except the muses (and by that I mean Rhys & Kaidan) are bouncing around wildly!

Hmmm...

(Oh, and one of my cats (named Kaidan) just plopped down on the other side of my laptop to soak up warmth. Methinks the muses are trying to intervene with their decision...)

[theoriginalladya]

Got the new drive back today and like promised, most of the files are there!!!!!! Already editing Chapter 2 of Rolling in the Deep and the next chapter of Everybody Loses It!

[theoriginalladya]

Because of major hip pain/problems, this is the first time in over two weeks I've been out driving. (somehow, I'm finally used (mostly) to kiddo behind the wheel. out of necessity, I guess, but wow, didn't think it would happen that quick) Had to go pick up groceries that I ordered last night. Also last night, I had a dream where I hit someone while driving - I'd forgotten it until I got behind the wheel. Needless to say, there were a few nerves as I got behind the wheel.

Thankfully, no pedestrians to hit. Grabbed breakfast at the same time, too. Groceries loaded, etc.

On the way out, was nearly hit by someone backing out who didn't pay attention, but it wasn't my fault and wasn't a pedestrian, so that was good.

I could get used to not driving way too easily, I think. It's much safer...

[theoriginalladya]

So, @painterofhorizons asked me about one of the projects I listed on that last meme.

Mass Effect: The Shanxi Files is a background piece for Caleb, sort of. I'm still sorting out bits and pieces of the plot, but it's going to focus on a few characters who play important roles in Caleb's life later on. For example, you'll get to see...

a younger Dr. Chakwas on her first deployment who is paired up with a young Irish medic named Ciaran O'Connell (Caleb's dad)

Anderson and Connor O'Bannon (aka: Athair) when they fought in the First Contact War...

Remember that tiny side quest in ME1 that involved Dr. Michel, Anderson and Admiral Kahoku? The one about Armistan Banes? Yeah, he's in it too and has a run in with one Jack Harper at the end of it...

So far, I've got most of my outline done and a draft of the prologue which will be the message General Williams sends out to Arcturus to let them know the colony's being attacked. I'm hoping it'll start grabbing hold soon because I really want to get it written and out there to share!

[theoriginalladya]

Whatcha Up To? Tag Game

I was tagged by @painterofhorizons - thank you, my friend!

Tagging @shadoedseptmbr, @happychica, @mtreebeardiles, @tiny-banana-time, @urdnotflexthejedibard, and anyone else wanting to participate!

Currently reading: Star Wars Jedi: Battle Scars by Sam Maggs

Last Song: In the End by the Black Veil Brides

Last Movie: was watching part of The Mummy earlier this afternoon but got pulled away in the middle of it.

Currently Working On: Oh man, what am I not working on! LOL This is a list of all the things I've been thinking about/writing on/getting poked at over the past 24-48 hours...

Chapter 3 of Rolling in the Deep. (Caleb Shepard)

Chapter 3 of Everybody Loses It. (Rhys Shepard)

Chapter 4 of If London Falls... (Abby Williams and Major Coats)

A new project, part of Caleb Shepard's background, currently titled Mass Effect: The Shanxi Files (that may change)

Putting together a full plot for Aubrey Shepard's story (still trying to find the title there)

Plotting out an idea for MEBB which has sign ups April 1

Poking at an AU idea for Caleb and Kaidan to see if I can get it going again.

Poking a little bit at the Biotic Pinball Wizard (Michael Shepard) story, Vanguard of Your Destruction.

[theoriginalladya]

I was tagged by @mtreebeardiles - thank you, friend! Let's see what we've got here...

Nickname: I usually go by ladyamesindy or ladyA online.

Sign: Cusp of Libra/Scorpio. These days, I'm much more Libra but in my youth I was definitely more Scorpio! lol (that made three in our family and oh man, it was interesting growing up!)

Last google search: ummm...trying to find the ingredients in the "Shrimpin' Ain't Easy" roll at Sushi Boss

Song stuck in head: Alone Together by Fall Out Boy Someone please take it from me. It's been there for almost two weeks...

Sleep: absolutely needed right about now. not a good night last night.

Dream job: something I can do from home, which will make me enough money to support myself, my son and our two cats, and is interesting enough to keep my attention.

Wearing: black leggings, tshirt, Kaidan Alenko hoodie, fuzzy slippers, and a pink scrunchie to hold my hair back because Kaidan kitty didn't steal it...yet.

Favorite song: Impossible to have just one favorite. Go check out my Spotify playlists and you'll see why.

Favorite instrument: cello, also bassoon and oboe

Aesthetic: warm

Favorite authors: again, ONLY ONE? Tom Clancy, Ellis Peters, Agatha Christie, and a whole host of others in fiction. non-fiction, I go by topic and there are too many to list.

Favorite animal sounds: cat purrs that you can hear and feel

Last song: no idea. I've been avoiding listening to chase off FOB, but it hasn't worked. :(

Last series: ... Do college basketball games count? March Madness is just about upon us.

Random: I started learning violin at the age of 11, switched to flute at 14, was made to change to clarinet at 15, and then switched to choir only by 17. Of them all, flute and choir were my faves. Someday before I die, I want to learn cello.

tagging anyone who wants to share!

[theoriginalladya]

Sounds like they're going to be able to save almost all of my files from the hard drive! Still waiting to get them back, but sounds like it should be in the next 1-2 weeks. And then I can get back to updating the stories I recently started!

[theoriginalladya]

today has been such a weird day on so many levels, and it just got weirder.

after my previous post about dad, I got involved in a text chat with the sister in law. Apparently, I'm going to get some of the quilted things my mother made out of the division of things. hanging wall quilts and pictures she made for decorations. None of them have any particular meaning to me other than they are something my mother put all her creative energy into making. She had fun with it. That the designs turned out nice is just bonus. And that realization just left me in tears.

a good thing, really - and I honestly mean that - but another backtracking and having to deal with the grief of losing my parents well before their times.

This is the quilt. I might ask for more of the pieces if no one else wants them.

[theoriginalladya]

Well, fuck, the day just got worse.

Something has happened to my external drive - the one I keep EVERYthing on. Writings, photos, art, work, legal documents from my divorce, etc. My laptop and desktop no longer read it. It must've fallen or something, but damn, why now???? Ughhhh.

[theoriginalladya]

WE GOT IT!!!!!!!

We got the house!!!!!!! Just had a text from the realtor - the people accepted the offer! Kiddo and I are going to get the house we want!

[theoriginalladya]

Okay, sooooooo... LESS THAN TWO WEEKS!

Realtor just contacted me - sellers would like to close the Friday before our original date, so October 28th is now our new closing date, I guess!

eyes the packing still to be done

[theoriginalladya]

THE HOUSE IS OURS!!!!!

[theoriginalladya]

And...it's July. How did we get here so fast???? What's going on this month?

Tour de Fleece - found a couple of potential spinning projects, now to decide which one (or both) to work on

Camp Nano - was thinking I might not do it this time since I'm still in 'recovery' mode from May, but June proved to be a bit better writing-wise and I do have an original fic idea I think I'll noodle around with in addition to fanfic writing

Kiddo levels up - hard to believe but my kiddo will turn 23 next week - EEEEEK! Already gave him his big present (Shepard Jr. no more, the kid's got an ELITE N7 hoodie now), but a couple smaller ones are on the way

Not sure what else is going on, but it feels like I'm missing something, hmmm...

Next thing you know, it'll be Christmas!

[theoriginalladya]

Today has been another day in the journey of my father's passing.

So, when dad passed back in March, we all agreed (as a family, including my uncle) to have an autopsy done because the doctors just could not figure out what was wrong or how to treat him. My brothers and I especially wanted to know because the three of us have kids, and if it's something genetic, we need to know. Dad's doctors agreed with our decition (and had been prepared to ask if we would consent to doing one if we hadn't asked for it) because they wanted to know what the hell happened to an otherwise healthy man.

Today, nearly five months on, we got the final report.

I had a sneaky suspicion we weren't going to get much out of the report, to be honest, but I was hoping for some kind of answer that would both help us find closure and be definitive.

Accute Interstitial Pneumonia (Hammand-Rich syndrome)/diffuse alveolar damage rapidly proloferative phase seems to me to be a fancy way of saying, "we can't tell you an exact cause but his symptoms closely resemble this description."

sigh

It's not a definitive answer. Apparently, Hammand-Rich is ideopathic - in other words, it's spontaneous and has no known cause. Much like my mother's Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma five years ago, we have no exact answer as to what caused it.

So, I guess that's that. Closure, but not at the same time. I suppose if there's any good that comes out of this it isn't hereditary (so far as any of the literature says). Here's hoping it doesn't recurr in any of us down the road.