Kittens!

Due to the fact that a) Pixel cat is knocked up, and getting close to spawning, b) Farmmom really doesn't want to deal with another litter of kittens without me there to entertain them and keep them as corralled as possible, and c) when said kittens are weaned they will become barn cats for the college, my apartment is now home to one stressed out contraband kitty.

About halfway through the drive up here she chilled out enough to sit in my lap and be petted (it was dark by then, which helped) but once I let her back out of the box (screw jack in the box, you want to be startled put a cat in a box) in the apartment she started giving me the awful mommy glare.

She's now hiding under my end table (how did she fit??) and panting, glaring out at me. My arm sports fresh scratches from when I picked her up to show her where the new litter box and the food were.

Everyone cross your fingers that the complex managers don't need to come into my apartment for the next couple of months. I'll be shutting her in the bedroom while I'm out for a few days at least, so that she won't make a run for the door and get lost.

Of course, if they do discover that I have a cat I can always cite the rat problem next door......

This has absolutely nothing to do with my missing my fuzzy critters. Nope, not a thing.

Accomplishments

I feel good today, it's not even nine yet and I've already accomplished things.

Thing number 1: Tomorrow E and I will be going to visit the ponies at home, to introduce E to Mamaw's filly, Etta. Upon the realization of everything that I don't know and how good E is with our equine friends, I talked to Mamaw about letting E take Etta through the program. Mamaw agreed, and E is happy that he'll know what he's getting next semester. I think he'll be even happier when he sees her, she's a pretty little thing.

Thing number 2: E will be coming home with me when it's time to move cattle again, and helping. We're going to be trailing them a couple of miles to where we have good corrals to load out of, and E is all excited that he gets to help with a real life cattle drive.

Thing number 3: The reason E and I aren't going to see Etta today is that he and another of the students had already made plans to make a trip to the tack store. So, I asked E to pick me up a nose band and tie down, and I'll pay him back. That way I can return Marilyn's.

All in all, I'd say it's been a productive day already. Now to work on the Lit paper.

Yeah, I'm never happy....

Mark reminded me last night of something that I've been meaning to write. Or, more correctly, re-write.

So, I'm working on re-writing the road construction accident from another perspective.

It will probably be in even more installments than the original, which means that all of my readers are going to have to be pretty danged dedicated, because when I printed out the original to aid in the editing process it was 24 pages, single spaced. And the reason I want to re-write it is all of the things that I left out.

Maybe I can turn it into a book, or something.

I wouldn't look for an installment for a few days at least, but I thought I'd let everyone know what was coming.

And, I promise, I won't pull a Pink Gorilla Suit and leave those of you interested in such things hanging on it.

Wow

So last night at about twenty minutes till the interview my nerves went insane. I was suddenly certain that no one was going to call in, and I was going to have absolutely nothing to say.

Then the interview started and the not having anything to say part got a little bit better.

Then a call came in. My first call in on my first ever interview? LawDog just calling to tell me I was doing a good job. From patrolling. Then it was Josh, to pull his stalker schtick, and then AD, and Babs.

It was extremely difficult for me not to squeal and go entirely fangirl when those people called in. When I heard LawDog's voice (once I could actually hear what he was saying) I was just gobsmacked. Listening to it this morning I gave in to my inner fangirl and sat here saying "OhmygodIdon'tbelieveit!"

Just thank goodness I was able to restrain myself from it last night.

Thanks to Mark for having me on, and thanks to everyone who listened and called in.

Oh and LawDog, AD, and Babs? Ya'll are my BlogIdols.

Blog Talk Interview

A couple of people posted comments asking for a reminder on some of the details for the interview so I'm going to reiterate.

The interview is tonight, at 12:00 midnight CDT. This is the link to the show's page where you can listen in. The call in number is on that page, and if you can't, or don't want to call in, you can email Mark at txfellowship (at) yahoo (dot) com or instant message him on Yahoo Messenger at the ID: txfellowship.

So, folks, there's the info. As far as what questions are ok to ask... well, if you ask something that I don't feel comfortable answering, that's what I'll say. I can't really think of what other people would want to ask me, so I don't know. You'll just have to ask and see.

Nerves. They Suck.

I stayed up late last night in an attempt to slightly alter my sleep schedule, but I didn't make it much past ten thirty. Yeesh I feel old sometimes. Then I actually slept in until my revised alarm went off at eight, go me!

Still feel like I should be in bed, but I'll pop my vitamins here in a bit and feel better.

Anyway, I woke up and shut my alarm off, and rolled onto my back in bed, wondering why I reset my alarm and why I felt so tired, then I remembered.... the interview.

Nerves nerves nerves nerves!

One good thing, I have two classes today to distract me from focusing on how badly I'm going to tank it.

I can't help it, people. I'm following in the footsteps of blog giants like AD (who, by the way has reached his 200,000 visit in ten months that he's been blogging, cripes I'm jealous, I'm still pushing for 10,000 at four months) and LawDog and MattG and Babs. All of whom I read religiously in an attempt to better my own writing. And because they freaking RAWK.

So the fact that I've been asked to do an interview is a big thing for me. It's a definite honor, and I know I'm going to sound like a total dweeb. And probably, if asked about any of the above, an utter fangirl.

But that at least gives ya'll who listen a little entertainment, and that's kind of what I'm here for, so I guess it's all good.

Operation: Love From Home

I'll be spending some of my meager cash this holiday season on buying a couple of packs of holiday cards, and I'll be doing it soon. Why? Because I'm going to participate in Operation: Love From Home.

This is a project in which each person can send an actual, physical card to a soldier, thanking them for their service.

I've participated in some of the projects where you write a note on the website and they print it on a card, and then send it to a soldier, but there's something more viscerally satisfying about holding the card in your hands, writing out your own "thank you" and dropping it in the mail. Even if it is just to GA to be re-routed. I think the soldiers know there's a difference, too.

So, I'll be spending some time filling out cards to go to soldiers to tell them just how much I appreciate them, and what they do.

Ya'll go drop by and get the information too. To steal a method of persuasion from AD, I get about a hundred hits on this site a day. We'll assume that half of those are repeat visits. If even fifty of you write one card every day from now until November 17th (to allow time for the USPS to get their act together and get them there), that's fifty cards a day.

Fifty one days, not counting today, times fifty cards, that's two thousand, five hundred and fifty soldiers that get a card saying "thank you." All from this little blog thingy.

And all it takes is a few dollars to buy cards (get the boxes of them, they're inexpensive and you can get the blank inside ones so that if you feel like it, you can write a letter) a little time each day, and a few more dollars to mail them.

Show your appreciation to the people who are willing to fight for you and yours, folks, whether you agree with the political situation or not, those men and women are still there for you and your country.

I'll also be making fliers to post at the college, so consider putting the basics on a sheet of paper and posting it somewhere at work, at your school, or on the street. You can make a difference, and you can help with this, if you try.

Hat Tip to AD for pointing this one out to me.

*Edit: Kat at Yikes! (The web home of Operation: Love From Home) has provided me with a flier. If you want to post fliers, contact her and you can get it too. Trust me, it looks great, has all the info on it, and saves you some time. When it's this easy, why not do a little something to help out?