What's Up With The Writing Life

Spent this weekend doing worldbuilding work and boning up on my war reading. Book 2 of the fantasy saga (Over Burning Cities) has got some serious invasions coming up, and I'm pitting two war commanders against one another who're both supposed to be really good. This means I need a better handle on each army's composition and logistics, and I'm stealing battle plans and maneuvers - because good writers steal.

I've decided to work through the H-War reading list (I've just subscribed to the H-War discussion list - hell, I'm on a South African history discussion list and a SF/F feminist fiction list, why not one more?), as I was only able to cross out a handful of general books and my goodie Alexander books (because, as previously ranted about, they don't have any book about war and women, or war and constructions of masculinity or war and... you get the idea). Research means Saturdays at the library, and there's something great about being back in research mode. I've been so busy trying to make ends meet this year (you know - affording food, housing), that I haven't set aside much research time outside of the internet. I love it. I'm allowing myself two more days of prep time for Jihad, and then I've got a really strict writing schedule until February.

Busy winter months coming up.

In other news, I'm stuck at 3 MA classes a week instead of 4. The week before last, I had a hacking cough and thought I was gonna die, so I did 3 days (up from 2 days) and took Thursday off to go straight home and sleep. Last week, my Wednesday class left me so tired and sore the next day that I once again opted to go straight home and sleep. Yea, I realize it probably makes more sense to work up gradually - two days a week to three, do three days for a couple months, then move to four - but you know, I'm ambitious. And there's only a two-days-a-week rate and an "unlimited classes" rate, and you know, I figure I'm paying out the ass for this already - I should be getting my money's worth.

Oh, and I picked up a new pair of jeans yesterday, and I can officially say that I've dropped two very neccessary sizes this year, getting me back to a very reasonable pre-South Africa size that's quite comfortable. Because I'm looking to increase my fighting mobility, I'd like to drop another 2 sizes over the next year - and then I'm done. No way am I getting smaller than that. If that happens, I'm upping my calorie count.

I have such a funny fear of fading away. I quite enjoy radiating intimidating amounts of fleshy health.

Whu-pah.