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real life

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I'm lernding!

That was one of the more amusing cries of Ralph Wiggum, famous example of a kid who's fallen through the numerous cracks in the US education system.

I kind'a feel for Ralph whenever I try to cram new things to learn into my fluffy noggin. Especially things that I thought would be easy like:

Creating a podcast using GarageBand to merge and edit and mess with assorted completed sound files.

Yeah. Turns out that that's not a thing you can do.

Current googling has me at "You can use QuickTime to edit music together" and in trying to follow the instructions... no I can't. So now I'm looking for something cheap that I can mix music with on a "Granny can do it" level of technical expertise.

I have some raw sound, and I really need to get that into a better format. Fortunately, the hiss I complained about on the PC doesn't seem to have translated to the Mac, so I might be safe. Either way, I still want to edit in some background music and atmospheric stuff because it just feels more pro that way.

Fortunately things exist to help with that and Google is my best friend. Hopefully, the learning curve for Audacity isn't too steep and, if I can fly it on an intuitive level, I shall give them what little I have to spare.

All hail free software, it has saved many an arse.

I have procrastinated enough, since it's seven and I've been awake since three. I shall now get a wriggle on with today's tale.

...after I take my meds because I need those to brain, apparently.

2 AM fun times

I can't sleep. I have Stuff happening today, and I suspect I'll need caffeine at some point, but I'm still holding off until I capital-N NEED it. I've been doing good on keeping coffee out of my life and I think I can manage not flarfing it up now.

I'll see.

Meanwhile, it's been taking me so long with my Instants that I might as well start one now and see how I fare with that.

If I'm still wanting to be

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That was painful...

I recorded my second story this morning. It took longer than it should have. Why?

  • I can NOT read properly, today
  • I learned that the mic works better when the headphones are turned on
  • I learned that my headset automatically turns off after like seven minutes.

Combined with outtakes, stuffups and re-do's, that's... a lot of reading. At least I was able to pick up where it dropped off and just read the end from there.

BUT my throat is shredded and

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ANZAC Day

Public holiday, broken week, do the hustle.

I'm more or less focussed on writing and not bothering with very much else outside of the mandatory minute of silence in remembrance.

Here's to all those who have fallen. For those who fought for ideals, who fought for their homelands, who fought for their way of life. Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn...

Here's to all those still serving. For those who are still fighting. Some for ideals, some for rich

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SIIIIIGGGGHHHH...

Mayhem was sick, yesterday. Pointing finger aimed at a whole load of sugar over the holidays. We both decided that he would be better off going without sugar for a bit and seeing if that improved things for him.

Three guesses what Mayhem decided to do in the middle of the night?

He made the supremely "wise" decision to raid someone else's Erastide gift, and break it in the process. Without even bothering to ask if it was anyones.

WHILE THERE WAS

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Up and Down, Up and Down...

This week promises to suck. Not because anything else has mucked up my life, don't fret. Nope. This week sucks because...

The firkin school calendar is messy!

Some repressed lump of cartilage in the education department decided that the school year had to consist of four terms made up of ten weeks, interspersed with two-week-maximum holidays [december-january doesn't count] that are artfully arranged to match up with Xtian holiday periods despite separation of church and state...

Ev'rybody do th' hypocrisy ra-a-a-ag... Ahem.

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Returning to the Wagon

So I didn't make myself sick on sugar, but I came pretty close. Amazingly, I stayed at a steady weight despite eating two entire bars of Lindt milk chocolate, bowls of assorted small eggs, and one each from the large Whitman's Sampler. I did actually have protein, in the form of some fried chicken.

Today, though, I will probably stick to the broth. If I go near solids, then it'll either be steak or grilled chicken. I may even make a jelly.

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Happy Erastide!

It's chocolate day here in sunny rain-soaked Queensland. We have, for the little darlings and ourselves:

  • A big bucket full of small mixed chocolates
  • TWO firkin huge assortments which will be for sharesies later on
  • A mind-boggling amount of sweeties.

So yeah. Today counts as a carb feast.

Tomorrow, it shall be a supreme effort for me to ration out anything that's left over. It will be a herculean effort of will to avoid whatever's lying around, too.

Today, though, my herculean

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Five Weeks!

I just looked at my little self-memo this morning and realised... I have FIVE WEEKS left of writing this dang book.

Five weeks until I take a week (or more) off from novel writing before doing the deep dive into a trilogy. There will be world-building. There will be tears. There will be desperate attempts to get someone to consult on things I might be accidentally insensitive to.

Multiple someones would be better. The more people to let me know about unnecessary

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Nothing PLN'd

Today's a public holiday, so after the mandatory Instant, I may well disappear. Beloved may whisk me off to parts unknown and adventures unpredictable.

About all I can rely on is a piscine type dinner.

I've procrastinated a lot already. I should get a wriggle on so y'all get content, today.

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A Modestly-laid PLN

My car is ready from its rehabilitation, today. This simple O-ring replacement is going to cost over a grand. Ouch.

Like... I have that much squirrelled away, but it's putting a dent in my finances for sure. Like... half of my luxury expenses fund dent.

Oof.

Also on the menu this morrow is: Unfucking the wreckage of the three days where I was not around to prevent it, a money run to pay for same, the usual tales to tell, an uber

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Back on track?

So I've kept forgetting to make sure a blog entry is actually published. Chalk that big mistake up to travel weariness.

As Bullwinkle J. Moose said, "This time for sure!"

I'm back on to work, today, resuming the routine that keeps my equilibrium. I'm not overtly invested in working on my novel. If I write something, then I'm ahead for next week. If nothing happens - nothing happens.

I'm headed for the most tempting time of the year for Keto people -

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The day I've been dreading

Today promises to be full of the sads. Sads are definitely allowed and should not be held back on.

I will sorely miss her.

I will miss discovering new things with her, sharing obsessions with her, and occasionally plotting to take over the world with her because those who had it already were clearly doing it wrong.

I will miss her tales of the Yatla Panthers - one of the Aussie East Coast's less well-known cryptids. As well as allegedly a parent

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I'm on my way... soon

So here's the PLN:

1) Take my pills [done!]
2) Write this blog [almost there]
3) Gather all my shit into one place and start the long-arse journey to Tullagawupwup [not there at all]

I've packed most of my stuff. I've got clothes, pills, the basic tech I need to be mobile and keep y'all up with my nonsense. I made certain I have that one trinket I've been obsessing about.

...I have my hopes that the Vestigial Arsehole - aka the

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Last Day

I got some last-minute stuff to get, including some leggings to protect my shins during the autumn-winterish chill of the more southern climes, especially when it's close to beddie-byes time.

I need a power board, because nerds like us tend to use/abuse/need them as soon as they come into the house. Maybe a smallish extension cord in case the only spare plug is located under the bed or whatever.

I know I have a room with a microwave, so I

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