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Below are the 20 most recent journal entries recorded in the "Joelle Duran" journal:[<< Previous 20 entries]
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06:19 am
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Awkward April
Good things and bad things and a less pathetic list for the month of April. The good stuff was that the weather was much closer to 'normal' this month, which made sleeping less troublesome. Took two days off work at last, as well as getting to celebrate the first anniversary of finishing my Geren novels. On top of that, I finally got unstuck with 'Delarun' section 2 about 51 weeks after I last managed to make some progress on it. As for the bad, that was the job, which is still beating the stuffing out of me, so time and energy for art and writing has been quite limited.
Apr 9 - Second apheresis donation of 2012
Apr 10 - Finished writing 'The Last Orphan'
Apr 14 - Finished Portal Page illustration for 'Last Orphan'
Apr 22 - Finished chapter 1 of 'Delarun' section 2
Apr 29 - Finished illustration for 'Last Orphan'
Apr 30 - Third apheresis donation of 2012
As for May, I know I won't be getting much done, because I have an 8 day trip out to California planned to visit family over Mother's Day weekend and the week following. So getting ready for that and playing catch-up afterward will take a bit of time, but if/when I do have energy, writing in 'Delarun' section 2 and polishing up 'Last Orphan' will take priority.
Tags: monthly summary
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07:44 am
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Writer's Block: Words of Comfort
My favorite place is on my futon/bed, though most of my weekday reading gets done on the bus or at my desk at work.
As for reading, I'm dying to get back into the 'Lamb Among the Stars' series (recently got the last two books), but since I finally got a copy of Hunger Games from the library that I've been waiting on for months, I'm going to read that first so I can return it quickly for the sake of the people in line behind me...
Tags: books, writer's block
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07:16 am
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Maddening March
Another thoroughly rotten month, as the pathetic list below makes plain. Not all job-induced, however. Here's some quotes from Mark Seeley at the U of M about what March was like:
"More temperature records were broken this month than any month since the Dust Bowl Era of the 1930s."
"Across Minnesota climate stations 424 new daily high temperature records were set and 327 new daily warm low temperature records were set in March, including 8 new statewide daily high temperature records, and for many observers (MSP included) the earliest date for an 80 degrees F reading (March 17). In addition many observers reported the highest dewpoints ever measured in the month of March, some even in the 60s F."
"Mean temperatures for the month ranged from 12 to 18 degrees F warmer than normal."
"In the end, March was so extraordinarily warm that it advanced phenology by 3 to 4 weeks, bringing some earliest ever ice-out dates to many Minnesota Lakes..."
The horrid heat wave was not only bad on my body, but worse on my spirits, with the terrifying prospect of being invited to start my annual trip to Hades (summer) two months earlier than normal. I've certainly learned greater compassion for summer SAD sufferers down south, who lose half of each year of their lives, while I generally just suffer for four months! Thankfully the temps have backed off slightly in the last couple weeks, just running a month ahead of average rather than two months, but I am still in deep dread of what might be coming.
Mar 12 - Passed the 10,000 word mark with 'The Last Orphan'
Mar 15 - First apheresis donation of 2012
Mar 17 - Finished 'Spring Summons.' 1111th post celebration picture for ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/community.gif?v=92.1) shouts_of_joy
As for April, what's on my plate is to try to not leave my job and all my possessions and run off to Alaska if the month ends up feeling like June. Hopefully things won't be quite that bad, and I can work on finishing 'Last Orphan' and starting in on the story illustration. I really wish I could get back to 'Delarun' as well, but with the way things are, I may just have to abandon any hope of touching it until October. =(
Tags: monthly summary
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06:22 am
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Frustrating February
As the pathetic list below reveals, this month simply stunk. After 4.5 months of my job beating the tar out of me, and with no extra days off since New Year's Day, I'm worn out to the point where I can pretty much only manage writing on Sundays. At least I can do art on a few more days each week, but my projects of late have involved rebuilding Poser figures that got partially destroyed by the big crash in June 2010, so everything is maddeningly slow. 'Maddening' definitely sums up the mood!
Feb 16 - Finished Copper & Changer comic
Feb 17 - 19th Anniversary day!
As for March, I expect more of the same. Hopefully the job will start lightening up, finally. I'll just keep working away at writing 'Last Orphan' and my 'Encounters' illustration. Spring is coming, way too fast.
Tags: monthly summary
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06:05 am
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Writer's Block: Every Four Years
My read-through-the-Bible in a year plan does not have an entry for February 29th...so I guess I get to celebrate by READING WHATEVER I WANT!! Muahahahah!
It's nice to escape rules and structure once in a while.
Tags: writer's block
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06:23 am
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19 years!
And another year gone round again. Today brings me to the 19th anniversary of my first 'meeting' t'DoL. Not a big year in itself, but it means I can officially start getting really, really excited for the 20th. (Never mind I've been toeing the line on that quite a bit already!)
Another anniversary means an excuse for me to put up another anniversary essay on my Beginnings Page. This year's subject is looking back and thinking over things I'd have done differently, with 19 years of working in t'DoL and Geren's 'world' under my belt.
In conjunction with that, and because of my mom's asking, I've also finally opened up the 15th and 17th anniversary essays that I've kept locked to date. So if anyone's read all five Geren books and they're interested, those essays are now accessible. They do have some spoilers for 'Renewer Rising,' but you have to highlight to see most of them; your choice!
Current Mood:  celebratory
Tags: writing
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07:02 am
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Rest in Peace, little Logan
Logan died yesterday. He was just over five and a half years old. I never got to meet this little one; his parents are close friends of my brother and sister-in-law, and the last time I saw them was before Logan was born.
But I have prayed for him so much over the past year, and read each blog post on his behalf that his mother put up, that I feel I know him well, another cousin, perhaps.
And now he is gone, gone home. It was horrid last night, to wake up in the dark and pray for him as I often do, and then realize that it is over, I can only pray for his family instead.
Logan was diagnosed with a brain tumor in August of 2010, and though the tumor was mostly removed, his life since then was a struggle against cancer and a struggle against the destructive side-effects of the treatments given in an attempt to save his life. Yet I think part of my grief is because he reminds me of another little 5 year old boy taken from this world too soon. Jonathan, who I used to babysit when I was in high school, slain in a tragic car accident so many years ago.
It breaks my heart when children die.
As you think of it, please pray for Logan's family, his parents and especially his older sister Abby, who had to say goodbye to him yesterday. His mother put it best:
"And our family needs continued prayers. Although Logan is whole and healed and dancing in Heaven, we have a long road to healing ourselves."
Current Mood:  sad
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05:57 am
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Jumping January
That felt like a pretty fast month--February's here already! Aside from 'Delarun' section 2 still refusing to cooperate, I'm pretty pleased with this month's list (especially since my job is still trying to drive me into an early grave).
Jan 8 - Finished writing 'Encounters'
Jan 14 - Made Portal Page illustration for 'Encounters'
Jan 19 - First whole blood donation of 2012
Jan 22 - Finished illustration for 'Reunion'
Jan 23 - Finished writing 'Delarun' interludes and epilogue
Jan 29 - Started writing 'The Last Orphan'
In February I hope to keep working on 'Last Orphan' and finish another illustration or two. No big plans at this point, unless 'Delarun' decides to surprise me...
Tags: monthly summary
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06:17 am
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Writer's Block: A Bright Idea
If I was the inventing sort, which I most certainly am not! I've long wanted to create a program that would scan text for repeated words. (With an exclusion list of common words like 'a,' 'the,' 's/he,' 'it,' 'then,' etc.) It is such an aggravation whilst writing and editing my stories and novels to replace one word in one place and find (much later) I'd used it already in an adjacent paragraph. Especially in action scenes; those give me so much editing trouble.
So it wouldn't do my editing for me, but at least it would point out things my blind eyes are missing!
Current Mood:  amused
Tags: writer's block
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07:44 pm
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Dubious December
Not much of a December for the accomplishments list, that's for sure. Not much of a December for anything else, either! Second hottest day-after-Christmas on record, horrid brown Christmas, horrid hot month, horrid drought in the making since August...I could go on.
Dec 3 - Made quote magnet gift project
Dec 17 - Finished 'Safe,' 2012 calendar image
Dec 22 - Fifth apheresis donation of 2011
Dec 26 - Started writing 'Encounters'
But it is over. New year, new month, 'clean slate.' For January, I hope to finish 'Encounters,' even though writing it has been very slow. I've also changed my strategy on 'Delarun' since it's been giving me so much trouble. Now I'm planning to write the linking portions and the epilogue next, then hop off and write the Delarun sidestory 'The Last Orphan,' since it has been hollering and clamoring and otherwise being a nuisance in my head (because of its huge book 4 connections). That's the plan, anyway! If 'Delarun' section 2 decides to behave before that, it will certainly get my attention.
Tags: monthly summary
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05:59 pm
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2011 Books
Another year, another book list. 2011 was a non-fiction focus year, and I only got through 41 books. Still, I got what I wanted, which was not getting slowed down with writing, and very happy I did it. Non-fiction books don't make me stay up past bedtime or knock other things out of my schedule!
( the books )
Tags: books
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07:39 am
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2011
Back with the little quiz I've posted the last seven years. 2011 was quite a year. Huge highs and accomplishments, and a bucketful of trouble to go with it. Quite the roller-coaster, in many ways.
( Read more... )
Tags: yearly summary
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05:58 am
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Writer's Block: Bare necessities
Leaving aside biological necessities like oxygen, water, food...my answer would be:
1) God
2) t'DoL
3) My computer
Current Mood:  thoughtful
Tags: writer's block
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06:06 am
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Writer's Block: It’s the first day of winter
My favorite time of year! Love love lovelovelove so much!
First and foremost, I have to say the snow. That is what makes winter winter for me. There is nothing like walking amidst a snowfall, the delightful sight of a snowstorm outside the windows, the way everything fades into whiteness. I love the sparkle and glimmer of snow in drifts, the cold light before dawn and after sunset, the special gleam of snow under moonlight.
There is the beauty of frost, which I love everywhere except on my windshield. Such crystaline delicacy, such intricate and amazing patterns! The way it sheathes grass-blades and tree branches and transforms the whole world in beauty.
There is the delight of battling the deep cold below 0 F (-17 C). The bundling up in layers, the strategys of staying warm despite the wind, the fun of the crazy jokes about the cold. The way the snow squeaks underfoot and the air is crisp and sharp.
And the fun of bundling up in blankets in bed, of dark late mornings perfect for sleeping in with no early sunrise, singing birds, or impatient cats to pester me--they'd rather sleep in too!
Haven't even mentioned shoveling, sledding, sundogs and sunbows, snowmen and snowforts, but this is already turning into an essay... =D
Current Mood: love winter!
Tags: writer's block
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01:37 pm
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Writer's Block: B.Y.O.B. Holidays
I have to see the original animated How the Grinch Stole Christmas every year, preferably on Christmas Eve. Classic perfection.
But more recently I've become fond of seeing The Nativity Story every year near Christmas, and that is likely to become a tradition of mine as well. Really love the soundtrack too.
Tags: writer's block
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06:09 am
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Nutty November
'Nutty' is definitely the word for last month. My job is driving me nutty, I didn't get any writing done, burned the candle at both ends for three weeks with my movie-poem project...and had loads of fun sharing the fresh walnuts I bought from California with coworkers and others. So not the greatest list for the month, but at least not any worse!
Nov 14 - Fourth apheresis donation of 2011
Nov 20 - Finished 'Twilight Rising' movie-poem
Nov 22 - Finished wallpaper version of last movie-poem image
Nov 25 - Finished 'Wind' avatar
Nov 29 - Finished winter sidebar image for shouts_of_joy
As for December...I have no idea. I don't know when I'll regain the ability to write, or what direction I'll be heading in when that happens, but until then, there's no end of art projects to work on, and Christmastime to savor as well. And shopping and feasting, can't forget that! =)
Current Mood:  rushed
Tags: monthly summary
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07:47 pm
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HAPPY BIRTHDAY, t'DoL!
The long-awaited, long-anticipated day is here again (and nearly spent)! I had to go all out for this year's birthday celebration, in part because it's a special year for me. The year of finishing my Geren books, and the 18th anniversary year, meaning that t'DoL has now blessed my life for over half its duration.
( gratitude )
He's bound to be mortified and hiding under the proverbial furniture by now ;) so I'll change gears and give you all something laughable. My birthday gift!
Ugh, it was a mess from the start. I really should have given myself a month to do it, not just three weeks of hammering away at it every spare minute. Had to leave out the fourth verse of the poem completely, and made loads and loads of blunders. Quite amusing and humbling, in a way, after making 'Never Alone' and 'Wildfire,' pictures that I'm pretty proud of, to be back to kindergarden level with a different sort of medium that provides lots of room for novice mistakes. And I just plain ran out of time to fix the really glitchy bits at the end, which was quite frustrating.
It's just another piece of novice art for t'DoL to keep in his mountain or put on a shelf in Delarun, I guess! ;)
So here goes...
Twilight Rising from Adaneth on Vimeo.
(full-sized version viewable at Vimeo)
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BELOVED!!
Tags: art
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06:21 am
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Writer's Block: Tea for two
Oh, so easy. t'DoL, of course! And of late I've been really craving going out to California with him to Heal poor little Logan. I know he certainly wouldn't protest. Of course we couldn't stop there, we'd have to hit up lots of children's wards in as many hospitals as he had the energy to take on. I could be navigator, as he doesn't know how to use Google maps. ;) It would be insanely fun, by my definition of the word.
Tags: writer's block
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07:26 am
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Writer's Block: Courage under fire
Definitely writing my five Geren novels, between 1998 and 2011. Nothing else I've done or shall do is likely to surpass that huge endeavor!
But for runner-up, it would be the number of blood donations I've made to the Red Cross. Unfortunately, my chapter doesn't seem to send out gallon pins anymore, so I can only guess I'm somewhere in the 4-5 gallon range since I first started donating in college, and since platelet donations are not included in that total.
Tags: writer's block
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05:09 pm
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Nice October
A very pleasant month, and a beautiful autumn, despite winds ripping down many of the leaves too quickly. It was great to get out so many weekends, when some years it's raining on nearly all of them. Also pretty pleased with my list below, particularly the accomplishments of finishing my 'Wildfire' illustration that I'd been anticipating doing for a few year, and of finishing my third novella, 'The Last Tutelage.'
Oct 1 - Autumn excursion 1, north to Father Hennepin and Mille Lacs Kathio SPs
Oct 9 - Autumn excursion 2, south to Red Wing art show and Barn Bluff
Oct 16 - Finished illustration for 'Wildfire'
Oct 17 - Passed the 10,000 word mark with 'The Last Tutelage'
Oct 27 - Finished Portal Page illustration for 'Tutelage'
Oct 28 - Finished story illustration for 'Tutelage'
Oct 29 - Finished writing 'The Last Tutelage'
As for November, on the art side of things, I'm working on a big project to celebrate t'DoL's birthday, and that will certainly take up most of the month. On the writing side, it will be finishing the editing of 'Tutelage' so I can get it up online for Copper-fans who have read book 5, and then I'll either get back to 'Delarun,' or, if it keeps being obstinate, write a short story or two. I'm not kicking off any more novel/novella length stuff until 'Delarun' is done, so the Shado-novel(la) has to wait for now.
Happy November! =D
Current Mood:  hungry
Tags: monthly summary
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