The last two days have been flat-out. I trained at work. (“Trained” sounds like “drained” for a reason. I think I burn more calories by teaching people how to use Quicken than I do by working out.) I came home and wrote. I ate much junk food. I stayed up way too late. I went out to celebrate that a friend at work got a promotion (good for him, sucks for us, don’t want him to leave) and ate many many mussels and shrimp, and then drove home. I pigged out on too much junk food, and drank my way through a river of soda.

Despite all of this, I won NaNoWriMo this year, squeaking in with less than a minute to go when I crossed the 50,000 word mark. I was so tired during that last thousand words or so that twice I caught myself typing with my eyes closed so that I could rest my very heavy eyelids. Another few minutes and I’d’ve been done for. Thank god for servers that submit quickly, for accepting my win, and for the big comfy bed upstairs.

The book, by the way, is nowhere near done, so no, you cannot read it yet. My winning was a major accomplishment and something that I treasure, but as far as the story is concerned I think I just crossed the halfway point in the story’s final length. Hard to say since so much of it is pure unadulterated crap, too. Ah, the joys of being a writer.

I look forward to also being a cartoonist again, but not right now. Now, this post is disjointed enough, so I sleep.

I need to be at 42,000 words at the end of the day, and I made it to 40,000 about an hour ago, which is pretty good progress since I was around 36,000 this time yesterday.

The microwaveable heated slippers my cousin gave me have made working at the computer a lot more comfortable, because now that I’m next to the windows I get chilly. (Okay, so i was chilly at the center of the house too. What’s your point?)

There’s a stack of bags at my feet filled with Christmas presents from Black Friday, when my sister and I hit at least one store in two major and three minor shopping centers. Coupled with the furniture we bought yesterday for the livingroom (I need a desk), it made an impressive enough total that Discover called earlier to make sure my card wasn’t stolen.

Now we have to hope for Christmas bonuses ;)

Meanwhile, the new Mac is working beautifully. The old PC on the other hand, has been singing lately, a witty high-pitched tune that screams “I’ve got a component that’s breaking!” We thought it was a hard drive, so we ordered a new one. It’s winging its way here from the wilds of UPS-land even as we speak. But then this evening the machine started singing a different tune, one with lyrics like, “I’m a processor fan and I hate you!”

Negotations with the fan – which proceed at least in part with the assistance of a vacuum – are still in progress.

It’s freakin’ cold and I’ve got lots of gardening, painting, and light-hanging to do before Christmas gets here, so things will undoubtedly be adventurous from here to January 1, but we’re enjoying it nonetheless.

Only 26 days until my vacation starts.