Hiddennode

So, right, the desk. These are a little old, but see previous posts for why they weren’t posted yet.

Let me start off by showing what my desk used to look like.

Note that I used to have a back panel on the desk. Still weird seeing that back wall now.

Okay, so the new desk. I ordered an Ameriwood Work Center-L desk from Amazon back in April. Not too expensive, but I was a little hesitant about ordering from a company I didn’t know. I would come to find out, my instincts were right. (see multiple angry tweets about not getting my instructions… that’s another story).

Fast forward to two weeks later. I have my instructions, and I’ve moved Trish’s desk where mine once was. This first shot is a few steps in and the top is still upside down.

So I start building higher and higher, getting more parts together and keeping cats from grabbing the tiny bits and screws.

Look! It’s standing! I’m so proud.

One wing done.

(Look, a cat distraction!)

And here’s the left wing. FYI, this step is recommended for two people. The manual is not lying. This was a pain in the ass crawling behind and attaching that wing. (Also, I got the top up too)

So, that’s the desk done. It’s a few weeks later and now here’s the current desk:

If you can name a few dozen geeky things in that picture, a cookie for you.

So, desk images delivered. Are you happy now Dakota?

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It’s been some time. I’m sorry for the lack of posts in May, post here and in fiction. Life has been busy mostly centered on work. As said on the 16^th though, it’s the end of the month and things are getting rolling. Work is manageable again, especially after a last minute change Friday morning. I’ll have less and less stress going forward and I can get my shit together!

So the breakdown:

Work – They kept another person, reducing my work load by a 1/3. Awesome. They also activated the program they were testing and things were wonderful. Awesome. I’m shifting to an 8am-5pm work schedule. Not awesome, but I’ll deal with it. These three points combined make life a hell of a lot better.

Home Life ­– Some issues, but progress is continuing. The new desks arrived and I built one of them (pictures to come later). Too big to have two in the office though, so we’re giving one to Trish’s dad. Sounds good too as he’s moving closer. That will make life easier with just being able to interact with them on a regular basis as opposed to being two hours away. A few things I need to touch on in the coming weeks, but overall, things are on the up and up.

Writing – New life blog today, new flash fiction tomorrow! That’s right, the flash fiction is returning as of June 1^st, and so help me I will never have a break again unless I end the project. I’ve only completed yesterday’s work but I’ve resolved myself to write a piece a day. It’s going to take a bit to get my groove back but everything is rolling. I’m not sure how often I’m going to blog here over the next couple of weeks, but I’ll try to keep this place in the know regarding the big things like, when I’m going to be at D*C, any conventions I’m heading to, and where my writing it going. Life marches on.

That’s it for the update! Expect more! Demand More! Communication! End!

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So to sum it up in the least number of words- April was busy. May has been as well, but that’s a given from having the middle of April start in a fury of activity.

The primary source of my busy state is the paid gig. The day job has been taking up a great deal of my time and effort, spilling into over time in the last two weeks. Whereas work five weeks ago was relaxing, focused, and allowed me a certain level of mental groove; the most recent iteration of work since the 19th of April has been epic in the amount of issues, assistance, and general size of my work pool. Frankly, I haven’t felt the desire to do anything after working these past few weeks beyond mental simplicity. It’s just been that kind of month. That said, things with the job should begin to change come the 31st of this month. Hush-hush on the details but work should be more back to a stable structure instead of the madness that engulfs the current focus.

There has been some progress at home though during this cycle. Trish and I started having weekly meeting regarding the standing of our household, finances, and things that need to be acted on. It has really made her happy as she feels like I’m more “involved” with the house and I agree. It makes me feel like I’m more involved. We’ve even started doing more with the house because of it. I bought some new desks and they should arrive this week. I can’t say putting them together will be fun, but it will be great to have the change of scenery. We’ve had the same configuration for the past 3 and 1/2 years.

On the writing front, these are the first words I’ve written since the 27th, when the last post showed up on the writing side of the blog.I missed a great deal of days in April and all of May. I won’t have June ready by the 1st of the month I believe. I’d like to, but it’s just unlikely. I do have a plan for continuing the flash project. I even know where, oh, about 40 stories are coming from. I’ll share the inspiration later once I have it rolling. The goal, right now, is to be up to date by the end of June and have July rolling. Be the end of July, I expect to have everything up to Dragon*con ready. By Dragon^Con, I expect to be done for the year except for the stories I’m going to add to the purchasable book.

Like I mentioned, it has been a busy time. Life is stabilizing though, and within the next week or two, I’ll be into my new routine.

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Been a busy Monday. From taking the time to really get down and exercise, to reviewing a recording of Transdimensional café and finishing up editing on flash fiction, I’m quite proud of myself.

Even managed to complete something like 5000 words on brainstorming for the new D&D campaign. Did I mention that? Yeah, turns out I managed to recruit five people to be a part of a 4^th edition dungeons and dragons game. Awesome.  The story concept is familiar, very Romanesque in a magical realm. Think it’ll work, we’ll see though won’t we.

Fun note about last Thursday’s flash fiction, Corporate World: I ended up being inspired to make this piece after listening to the first few episodes of Nathan Lowell’s Quartershare. So far the book is pretty good, looking forward to how it ends, and the inevitably the half dozen sequels.

Woo, getting tired. I suppose that exercise is catching up to me.

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It’s Wednesday, and that can only mean it’s time for the weekly weight round up.

…

Okay, there’s a lot of jokes in that sentence, as well as incorrect information, especially considering how ‘un-weekly’ this posting has been over the last month. Enough about that, diving in.

So for the last two weeks of February I was doing good with getting out and walking every evening at work. From 6:00 to 6:10, I did a half lap around the building for two weeks.

Then March hit my like a brick and I haven’t exercised since. In that time frame, though, I learned some things. First, my weight as of 3/3/10 is 387 lbs. That’s a high number, but that’s much better than the 396 I was last year in October. 9 pounds less in six months especially when I know that I did bad over the holidays. The fact I loss in that period is awesome.

Second, I’m learning how to treat food properly. I’ve been getting better at turning away from foods I don’t need and avoid eating just for taste. Still not perfect but I’m getting better as I go on.

So, going forward, I’m going to get back out there and walk. The bronchitis is still hitting me, but if I don’t get my blood flowing I’m not going to get back to full and healthy, and the sickness wins. I’m going to take it easy at first, but I want to be where I was two and a half weeks ago soon. I was so close to being ready to doubling my exercise time, and it was torn down by that virus. I’ve got two weeks left in March to get up to speed to double my exercising in April.

And damn it, April will be an awesome month.

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It has been some time hasn’t it? Almost a month now since my last post on this feed. Long time readers might not be too shocked about the delay but those of you who started reading this year are likely to be surprised by the long disappearance. The past month has been quite a mix of activity in and around my personal life.

The primary dismay has been the last two weeks, where I spent most of my time either sick or recovering from being sick. The first week of March was spent dealing with a nasty norovirus that gave me terrible flu symptoms. The second week bronchitis decided to come back. Even now I am still recovering from the bronchitis and through it all I missed something like four and a half days of my day job, with only one day of that being sick time covered. I’m just happy to be near healthy again. If only I can clear my lungs long enough to go for a walk and get back to exercising. The con’s only six months away and I’m still only able to be on my feet fifteen minutes. This half a month repast on sickness is not helping.

But hey, we’re done now right? Time to just climb back on the horse as if we never fell off. Excuse or not, we’ve got some catching up to do. Expect a return to the normal schedule here with the typical Monday, Wednesday, Friday schedule. Well, maybe not Friday, but Monday and Wednesday will be common.

Also, regarding jsamueldiehl.com, I have been behind on my flash as well. To be exact, we are missing the following dates: 1/5, 1/7, 1/12, 2/18, 3/2, 3/4, 3/9, and 3/11. That’s eight stories I owe you, not to mention the fact I haven’t started the Saturday series yet. Well, look for them, they will be coming. For now, expect a new piece to show up tomorrow as expected, and then we’ll start filling out that back log.

Plans are still in motion, and things are getting back on schedule. Just taking some time.

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It’s been an awkward month. Between starting a new game, dealing with family death, shifts in work schedules, and relationship issues, things have been fumbled. I’ve already mentioned the mystical quest the non-exist posts are on, so the blog really shows a reflection of things as they are.

Despite issues, though, I’m pressing on. There’s been a few hiccups but I’m fixing these holes, at least in terms of the fiction writing. As of this post’s writing, the last entries that have appeared on jsamueldiehl.com was on February 4th. To catch up, I’m post-posting these items, so feel free to check the website on the normal Tuesday/Thursdays for new backlog items. I’m actually reaching into my archives for these stories too, so you’re seeing things that have been around for years but no one has ever read.

I’m determined to keep up with two pieces of flash a week for this year. So far, when I’m lagging behind I’ve been able to catch up. Keep with me, and I’ll make sure to keep these stories rolling.

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So, let’s just agree that I totally made posts between the 8^th and today. The other posts are just, erm, on a mystical quest that they may or may not return from. Let’s wish them luck.

So it’s Wednesday again, which means weight and diet talk. February has been a disaster as far as eating right goes. I’m still keeping count of calories, but as far as keep below my goal I’ve been a mess. I blame my tendency to relax my diet during the weekends.

Also, I need to stop bringing change to work. I seem to be too friendly with the vending machine especially since they just stocked up on my favorite candy. Curse you Raisinets and your tasty flavor!

Food Goal this week: Make it through the rest of the week without grabbing a soda or candy at work.

Exercise has also been pretty bad. I still try with the hula hoop, but I haven’t quite got the knack with it yet. I need to spend time this weekend really learning how to use it properly and get active.

I’m starting to realize at this pace I’m going to cost myself extra money for travel expenses in September. The only person I’ve got to blame is me at this time.

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It’s an early Monday again, the last in a series dealing with me and Raven jumping out into the car at nine, rushing to have breakfast, and dropping me off to work at ten. I say the last because after over a year of this cycle, Raven’s dad is finally done with chemo today.

It’s a paradox of though I’d guess you could say. With my grandmother’s passing last week from cancer and cancer illness to the fact Rodger has beaten his into submission, I’m at a mixture of feeling. They aren’t too far apart in age, with my grandmother being in her late 80’s and Raven’s father being in his mid-80’s. Yet they lived different lives and maybe that’s part of why they each were able to handle their diseases differently.

I really admire my father-in-law. He’s a good man and very sharp. A little rough around the edges but from what I understand he’s mellowed a bit compared to Raven’s youth. Now, he’s a retiree who makes a decent amount playing the stocks, looking after his wife, and doing what he can to make sure his children have a good life. He’s a very good man and I count myself lucky to be able to hear and learn from some of his lessons meant for his children. I love the most the amount of respect he shows to Raven for her hard work, diligence, and treatment of her home business.

My grandmother wasn’t quite that way. She’s always lived with a great deal of stress with much of it generated by her own actions. I dare say when I was still a kid, I didn’t treat her too great. It started to change after I went and came back from college, but truthfully, I wish I had more time to make up for how I treated her when I was a kid. Really wish she had taken up mine and Raven’s offer to have her come move out here. I think she would have been happier here in North Tampa. Away from the rabble and trouble of those houses in Chalmette. Away from family that went back and forth with treatment of her.

Too late now.

I suppose this bit of reflection will help. It’s a rough thinking about my grandmother these days, but besides through text I honestly don’t share much of my feelings openly. Death is one of those things that has encircled my life. From when my mother passed the day I turned five to this recent loss, death and I feel like travelers along the same road. There’s no hatred or love between each of us, just mutual respect.

Death takes, we give.

Such is the price of life.

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Sorry for the delay with posting, certain things kept this from appearing on the usual day.

The last week with dieting has been a mixed bag of success and failure. Primarily I failed on Friday and Monday. Friday happened because of ordering out at lunch, dinner, and having a pastry (which is worse because I turned one down that morning but still had one later that evening). Calorie count for Friday was ~2450. Monday failed at dieting but it was a planned failing. It was my anniversary and I knew whatever we did, wherever I went, I was going to be bad.

That’s fine if that’s my one day this month. After that, I need to remain good and loyal to my diet. I’m down to seven months left to lose enough weight to reach my goal of needing only one plane ticket to reach dragon*con.

Frankly, that’s the goal. No weight value, no size value of clothing. Just so long as my fat behind fits in one chair in an airplane, I’m happy. That’ll be over $200.00 in travel expense savings over my planned trip budget.

So now I just have to figure out the size of the seats on the plane I’m riding up in and see how many inches I need to lose to squeeze in.

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