@taylor185 I will leave this up to you, after I submit these 2 pieces of evidence:
1. D liked the post, no additional comment on it, until this evening when she said:
2. "So are we inviting Justin to the wedding?" to which I replied, "I'm going to make him crash it."
I am starting to feel pressure from all different angles, so the past 2 days I set an alarm in an effort to wake up early enough to get stuff done. Today I was firmly in the "remove fried egg with a spatula" camp when it rang at 6:15. I groggily woke up, but I was not happy about it. I was driven with the notion that I had to get up, in an effort to get things done. Espresso, then I wrote for a little bit but I am extending yesterday's Story Triage phase with a lot more navel gazing than writing this morning. I don't want to say I was struggling. It was more like I was watching the pot and hoping it would boil faster. This stuff takes time, and with next week coming up, my mental sinews are extended more than they can handle right now. I started, but did not finish, chapter 26 this morning. I am targeting roughly 40 chapters when all is said & done.
I give up writing, it's just not working, and start the work day. I decide I'm going to do this by going into the dungeon and finishing up the cx bike for Saturday. I put the chain on, adjust the shifting, and all seems good. I set the bike outside the back door so I can ride it later. I go back upstairs, sit down, do the math, and realize there is no way I can pull off today without riding and working for the 4th straight day. So much for taking the cx bike for a spin. I ride for 90 minutes again and knock out 6 story points for Delaware. Not as productive as yesterday but it'll do.
My parents show up just after I get off the bike, just before noon. I wasn't really expecting them so soon, but it works out in the end. If I had stuck with my original plan I wouldn't have even been back from my ride. I need to tie up one last Delaware thing before I can sidetrack my day but then I have to get on 1 quick call with a guy from Austin that lasts 45 minutes. Ok so tack on an hour to that. Sorry parents.
Bird (step-dad) and I run to Home Depot to get things for the garden bench. We swing by the coffee shop on the Watchung circle that I am hoping sells beans now. But they don't yet so I get an espresso and Bird gets a coffee and we head home. I am home for 20 minutes then need to head out to get Simon in the pickup line. Unfortunately, Simon has forgotten to get in the line and they need to send for him, then I get Julia and her friend, drop her friend off at her house, then back home for a very brief interlude where I answer the Austin dude's questions then I am back out the door with Julia & Simon to drop Simon off at his soccer practice, then we head all the way back to Millington to watch the end of Zac's game. We catch the second half and see them win 3-1.
I get back to the house at 5:45 and Bird has finished v1 of the bench. I have done almost nothing to help him which was not the plan, but the Kiddie Shuffle ended up taking almost 3 solid hours and that wiped any time I had to help him. Meanwhile, my mom had made dinner so we sat down to eat together before D was off to Back to School Night, which I can't go to because 1 of us has to stay home. I clean up the kitchen and finally make my way to the shower, like 8 hours after I got off the bike. I'm so tired.
I sit down with the kids and finished writing chapter 26. It wasn't the easiest line to cross but I got there, and in doing this effort I have lined up the next 8 chapters, which is what I spent a lot of time thinking about tonight. I'm pretty sure I'll need to go back and retool both 25 and 26 eventually. In reality, with every chapter I develop the characters and the story a bit more, which I will then need to go back and augment/bolster/fluff (pick your word, I don't like any of them - actually clarify or "put more meat on the bones" may work here) the earlier chapters. I also have the rough idea of the last 3 chapters lined up but that's sort of the Post It note of the story, and a gateway to future things to come. I have no idea where this will go, but I am going to roll this lead character into future stories.
I'm tired. The list didn't really shrink today and I feel like I had a world of trouble staying on top of things. 9 days to go and 23 things on the To Do list for next Saturday. Actually, that doesn't sound as bad as the list looks. Weather is saying high of 71 and low of 49 for next week, with a slight chance of rain in the morning. Week looks dry, so the yard should be ok. Gotta say the weather looks like that Mayan Cocoa Coffee cheese tasted. Can I get a Jimmy Walker?
I need a week of vacation where I do absolutely nothing but drink espresso, ride my bike, eat, read, and write. On that note, going to hit submit and read my 10 pages now.
