There are some things I wish to share on this Sunday night.

- As of yesterday morning, I've written almost 14,000 words for Nano. Now I'm at 33,572 total. I wanted to get to 37,000 tonight, but I've totally run out of steam. Yesterday I went on a complete tangent and wrote a bunch of nonsense that I never planned on writing. But it added to the word count and really that's all you can ask for when it's November and you're trying to write a book in a month.

Also, last night I was watching Metal Mania and the video for Don't Cry (by GN'R, if you weren't aware) came on, and as I watched it like I haven't seen it 400 times in my life, I realized that one of the characters in my novel is totally based on Stephanie Seymour, Axl's girlfriend at the time. Basically my story is about total wish fulfillment and the fact that I subconsciously put her in there amuses me greatly. I am a funny little person.

- I've been in cleaning mode today for some reason. My apartment is still a mess, but I cleared out two boxes worth of crap that aren't getting to go to the new house. In one of my boxes I found a bunch of CDs that I thought I'd lost forever. And that I probably paid hundreds of dollars for on iTunes. Phhtt. I found my Bad 4 Good CD, which I am listening to now. I've been really fixated on listening to it lately and I have no idea why. It's been 18 years since that band was relevant in any kind of way, and even in 1991 nobody really cared. Ahhh, nostalgia.

I also took my car to get it detailed today. On the way, I found a recycling place and threw out about 2 years worth of magazines that I've been stockpiling in my trunk. While I was waiting for my car, my dad magically appeared out of nowhere. That was kind of exciting, 'cause I live in Dallas, not some tiny town with one car wash place. He had Alf with him, who did not seem too interested in me at first, but when he realized it was me, attacked me with kisses and a big golden retriever love fest. I love doggies.

- I'm obsessed with the Skee Ball app on my iPhone. It's kind of affecting my life negatively.

- Add me on last.fm: http://www.last.fm/user/lizwontcry

- I haven't had much social interaction this weekend. I left Josh's pretty early yesterday and I've been doing my own thing ever since. I hardly ever get to spend so much time by myself on a weekend, and I kind of love it. I wouldn't want to do it all the time, but every once in a while it's nice to have no one to answer to for a day or two.

- I'm taking Wednesday and Friday off this week for Thanksgiving-y stuff. I'm way looking foward to going to the farm and eating major food stuffs and hugging a lot of dogs. Plus, 2 day work week, hollla!

- Tonight I watched Baby Boom. How much do I love that movie? Very, very much.

- I feel like there's more, but I've completely hit a wall of tiredness. Have a good week, y'all. Bork!

Title: Lucky Strike
Author: Butliz
Rating: Teen
Summary: Sara enjoys bowling with her friends and colleagues and thinks back on the events that brought her to this point, and to Grissom.
Word count: 1,500ish.
Disclaimer: I don't want to own it until Grissom comes back.
Spoilers: Post-ep for 10x8, Lover's Lanes.

( It didn't matter how many pins fell down... )

You know when you see a picture of someone you admire and/or think is completely hot and the picture does a lot for you and you want to stop working on Ocean's Thirteen so that you can make out with it?



This is one of those times.

Just a few things:

1. I REALLY want a new layout. When I was using diaryland, I had someone who would regularly do layouts for me, or I'd figure it out myself with basic HTML, but that doesn't really work here. On LJ, I know you can change it with the basic styles they have to offer, but I want to customize it. I want an Axl layout, damn it! I want it to be dark colors and I want it to be awesome. Could any of you PLEASE tell me how to go about this? Even if it wouldn't be free? I know it's dumb to spend money on something like this, but I would be willing to.

2. Josh has been taking his medication and feels a lot better. I am glad we got through this without any major catastrophes, health-wise, financial-wise, and us-wise. I got really mad at him on Sunday night for being a dumbass and neglecting his health, but other than that I feel like I've done a good job maintaining everyone's sanity. Yay.

3. I like my Nano story. But I'm still way behind (finally hit 20K last night) and I think, I'm pretty sure, it sucks.

4. Today I get to work on General Hospital, and then Ghost Whisperer. In captioning land, that's like the best day ever. Oh, and James Franco on GH? I think they're making way too big of a deal about his appearance, but, uh...he's hot. I never knew this about him. Now I do.

5. That is all.

So I signed up for by yuletide. I basically have no idea what I'm doing, but it seems to be all the rage to do a Dear Yuletide Santa letter, so here it is. Awesome.

( Click here for fun! )

Hi, friends. I'm back at work after my fabulous Las Vegas/Utah journey. I had fun, really, I did. But things turned out in Vegas the way they always have in Vegas-I hung my head in shame as the plane took off and wondered where it all went wrong. Someday I will learn, but for now, I will just be happy that I got to go, I saw my mom and brother and doggies, I took a lot of pretty pictures, ate some good food, and played a lot of Blackjack. It's all good. I am, however, broke.

The good news is that I did, in fact, obtain a new condo in the auction that took place on Saturday. I am quite overwhelmed, as it's a 2 bedroom instead of a one bedroom and it's really a lot nicer than I ever thought I deserved. I will be living way beyond my means here and a huge part of me thinks I definitely don't deserve it. But my dad is in real estate and has been waiting for an opportunity to get a house like this for almost 4 years. I got a 2-bedroom condo that would have been more than $700,000 for quite a steal. I don't need all that room. I'm going from 600 square feet to 2,115 square feet, for crying out loud. But in a few years when the economy recovers, I will be able to sell it, make an awesome profit and get something more appropriate for where I am in life at the time.

Meanwhile, I have this awesome place with a closet that's bigger than my bedroom at my apartment and I have to think of neat ways to decorate it. My mom is going to come in January to help me, she used to be an interior decorator. Things just got real, y'all. Plus, I have a little closet leading out to a hallway, and every day (I think) someone comes by and collects my trash from the hallway. I mean, really? So unnecessary, and yet so awesome.

I feel okay about it. I am a little scared because it means I have to put on my big girl pants, but it also seems like the right step in my life now. It seems sort of meant to be, too. A few months ago, when I was taking those rainy day cloud pictures, I went down this street and noticed the condos and how awesome they looked, and made a note to ask my dad about them, thinking they would be way too expensive for me. See?



Just a week or two later, my dad tells me about these condos. I think that's a good sign, and I always try to listen to what the universe is telling me. Also, I found a roach in my shower this morning. The only other time I have EVER seen a roach in the three years I've lived in my apartment is the very first night I lived there, and I called them and made sure they took care of that particular situation ASAP. I think that means it's time to move on. Right? Anyone still with me? Okay then.

I have no idea what this means for Josh and I, but I suppose we'll deal with it as it happens, like we have everything else.

I missed him on my trip, you guys. My mom and brother and his boyfriend and I went to Bryce Canyon on Saturday. Josh and I went there together 3 years ago, it was lovely. He just doesn't have an urge to travel at the moment and I did kind of put him on travel probation after he made at least half of our roadtrip a few years ago quite unpleasant.

Okay, then. Back to work. Shit is getting real on the General Hospital I'm working on today. I want to know what happens! Also, I really need to work on Nano tonight, and for a long time. I only wrote about 3,000 words while I was gone. I have so much catching up to do, but I feel like I can do it. I don't want to give up, this is my eighth year and I know I can catch up in a hurry if I want to. Phhtt.

I know I'm behind on comments. I'll get to those tonight, as well.

Have a good Monday, f-list.

Hi. Liz, 30, from Dallas/on vacation in Las Vegas/ended the day in Richfield, Utah.
This is my fifth ADIML. Come with me on a failed gambling journey that undid all the hard work I did the night before at the Blackjack table. New friends always welcome!



( Viva Las Vegas! Except not. )

Can you still count the night before a victory when the morning after only ends in defeat?

*cry*

Oh my goodness, y'all. Tonight was pretty much one of the most awesome nights I've had in a while. And I was alone, even. But seriously, for me, it's like someone asked me, "Hey, what's your idea of a perfect night?" And I would say, well, seeing Bette Midler live and then going on a completely awesome Blackjack hot streak would definitely be up there.

( Happy rambling under here! )

Hi. Long time, no see. I appreciate the comments on my last entry and I meant to answer them in a timely manner, however, I didn't. I will eventually. Possibly even today!

Josh's dad's funeral was this morning. It was very short, a graveside service. It was a military funeral, so there was the business of the flag folding and presenting it and such. The whole thing lasted about 30 minutes. I was really proud of Josh today...he's not the most social person but he kept it together while everyone gave their condolences. He was even handed the flag (and not his older brother or sister) from the coffin and we brought it back to the house with us. It was all very nice and much calmer and less depressing than I thought it would be. Josh seems to be in good spirits right now, which I also wasn't expecting. When his mom introduced him to people at the funeral, she called him "Josh, my wild child," which made me giggle a bit.

I stood behind him at the service and noted that his butt is very nice looking in jeans. Is that wrong? My boyfriend is hot, y'all. I'm just sayin'.

Sometimes in the past week when I'm over here, I just get so sad for everyone in this house, especially his mom. She was married to him for so very long, had 3 children with him. When he's been in the hospital for the past 6 months, and for the years before that, she was always with him, 24 hours a day most of the time, even when she had to sit in the waiting room and could only visit him for 10 minutes an hour. That's devotion.

I didn't know his dad that well myself. I know when I was a teenager, I was terrified of the guy. I just hope the funeral gave some people peace and they all find a way to deal with aftermath. Buhhh.

In other news, on Saturday I was eating a piece of steak. It was a big piece of steak. And instead of spitting it out when I realized it was too big to swallow (that's what she said), I tried to swallow it anyway. And almost choked to death. For real! I had to somehow find water and drink it and then kind of bang on myself to get it out of my throat. I for real feel like I escaped something there. I had that moment of "I will seriously die if I cannot somehow overcome this piece of steak in my throat." I didn't want to do that to Josh, first of all. Or my mom. So I overcame, and in the future I will cut my steak into smaller pieces.

Also on Saturday, I took a tour of maybe my new condo/house. It's way too nice for me. I would obviously take it if somehow we magically are able to buy it in the auction, but holy craps. That place is out of control awesome. Everyone would want to come party at my pad, ya know what I mean?

Other things:
- Vegas, baby! 2 days. So excited.
- I'm getting a rather slow start on Nano. I'm already behind, at 1,211 words. But it's only day two, I have nothing else to do today, and on Wednesday I have a 5 hour plane trip in which to write as much as possible.
- I have two Boston Terriers sleeping on me right now while Josh and I are watching Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Humakavula!
- I am writing a General Hospital fic. I know. I can't help it. Dominic/Dante and Lulu forevs!

That is all. Have a good week, friends.

Just a quick little note to ask...please keep Josh and his family in your thoughts tonight. His dad died this morning. :( Although he's been in the hospital for 6 months, he was getting better before he got a lot worse, so everyone's a bit shocked. I'm not sure what else to say other than...bah.

Thanks, friends.

So I can't stop fixating on going to Vegas. It's pretty much all I think about these days. I dream about it when I'm sleeping. Yesterday, I was completely irresponsible and bought a more expensive ticket for a much awesomer seat at the Bette Midler extravaganza. I just wanted to. I'm an adult, I do what I want.

Oh, and this weekend I made an outline of my Nanowrimo story. I'm excited about it, but I need some kind of scandalous twist. Maybe not soap opera scandalous, but some kind of surprise that happens within this story. Maybe I've just been watching too much General Hospital. There are some big happenings on the GH this week, y'all. Sonny finally figures out the ugly truth about Claudia. DUM DUM DUM.

This picture is of Dominic and Lulu, my latest ship/obsession. It's not a good picture. A better picture is always of Dominic with his shirt off.


I mean, look at this guy's arms. Humina humina, am I right?


*sigh* Life was so much easier before I grew infatuated with a soap opera, of all things.


I really don't have much else to say, so here's a bunch of pictures that are just hanging out on my computer. Do any of you use Stumbleupon? I stumbled this picture today and it made me squeal with delight. Look at these things. Can you imagine anything cuter ever?



( More. )

I am again kind of bummed out this morning because this time, my dad hung up on me last night. It was kind of deserved but really, when is it not, as I may borrow a phrase from my favorite co-worker, a bummer to be hung up on? My first instinct was to call my mom and ask her what I should do about it, but ever since I hung up on her, I've been trying to talk to her less and depend on my big girl pants more. It's all kind of bummery, really.

So here is a list of things I'm excited about. I know you're...excited.

( And I just can't hide it! )

Title: Karaoke Night - part 2 of 2.
Author: Butliz
Rating: Teen
Spoilers: Set between the fifth and sixth season, a few weeks after Nick's kidnapping situation.
Pairings: Grissom and Sara, a bit of Catherine and Warrick, a tiny hint of Sofia and Greg for funsies.
Summary: The team take Nick out for a fun night of karaoke to help get his mind off of his ordeal. While watching their colleagues make asses out of themselves, Grissom and Sara finally make a connection. It's a dramedy, if you will.
Disclaimer: I do not own: CSI, Lenny Kravitz, Fleetwood Mac, Billy Joel, Guns N Roses (believe me, I've been trying for years), or Madonna.
Warning: I was a rebel and have no beta. If it's a mess, you have only me to blame.

( It was always in yourself... )

Title: Karaoke Night - part 1 of 2.
Author: Butliz
Rating: Teen
Spoilers: Set between the fifth and sixth season, a few weeks after Nick's kidnapping situation.
Pairings: Grissom and Sara, a bit of Catherine and Warrick, a tiny hint of Sofia and Greg for funsies.
Summary: The team take Nick out for a fun night of karaoke to help get his mind off of his ordeal. While watching their colleagues make asses out of themselves, Grissom and Sara finally make a connection.
Disclaimer: I do not own: CSI, Lenny Kravitz, Fleetwood Mac, Billy Joel, Guns N Roses (believe me, I've been trying for years), or Madonna.
Warning: I was a rebel and have no beta. If it's a mess, you have only me to blame.

( All of my life, where have you been... )

So I pretty much did nothing productive this weekend (well, I did have lunch with my BFF, and I did clean my apartment for my mom's impending arrival) but I did watch hours and hours of television. So much television my brain should be complete mush by now. You'd think that since my job involves watching TV on an 8 hour a day basis, I'd be over it by now. Yet I am not.

( Spoilers for everything... )
Speaking of captioning, last night I watched a Holidate that I worked on. Almost 5 years later and I still think it's so cool that at almost any given moment, there is something that I have captioned that is on TV. Yes, I am fascinated by my own captions. I am a dork.

I did a little bit of a friend's cut. I know, I suck. But I just cut people who I haven't interacted with much since we've been friends. I hope that doesn't make me too much of an A-hole.

One week until the big 3-0. I'm ready. I want the anticipation to be over with already.

My mom is coming in tomorrow. Yay!

That is all. Have a good week, friend's list.

Every now and then, an epic thunderstorm passes through Dallas and leaves us with amazing clouds. I drove around for 45 minutes tonight trying to get pictures because I was so fascinated. I should have been a meteorologist or something, 'cause I really love me some clouds and weather in general.



( More pretty... )

1. HOMG. Such cuteness, I can't even...


2. I had a tiny breakdown today that was brought on by all the usual anxiety, plus the fact that I went to the gym today and was changing into my workout clothes when I discovered that while I put like 6 shirts in my bag, I had neglected to put any pants in there. So...I left. That is such classic me lately. I don't know. But I went to Josh's and we enjoyed burritos and Pawn Stars (I NEED A SECOND SEASON IMMEDIATELY OMG) and puppies and all is okay for a while.

3. I won a fanfic award! Well...kind of. There was a tie. And there were only like 4 stories in the category anyway. But I'll take it, and thank you for whomever voted for me. This is the third year I had something nominated, and not gonna lie, it was nice to finally win something. Even if it was a tie. I am included with some very talented people.



4. I want a new layout. I think I want it to include Axl. I don't know how to do this on my own. Would anyone be willing to help me out with something like that? I'd be willing to compensate in some kind of way, whatever might be fair for such things.

Have a pleasant evening, friends. I get to wake up at dumbass o'clock so I can go to work and do a special on doo wop music. *cry*

- This picture will never fail to make me oh so happy:



Any time I need a little bit of happiness, I will look at it and be...happy. I found it at my new favorite place of cuteness. Good times.

- I am developing intense girl crushes on both Kathy Griffin and Lady Gaga. As for Kathy, I think her sense of humor may be a little bit over the top (I watched part of her last appearance on Larry King, man it was hard to watch some of that) but watching her show on Bravo makes me feel real empathy for her. The woman works her ass off and has shitty luck with her love life. I feel that, bro. And Lady Gaga? I just think the world needs Lady Gaga like it needed Madonna in the eighties. Just sayin'.

- Josh is always introducing me to the most awesome TV shows I'd never discover on my own. Northern Exposure, Entourage, Defying Gravity (cancelled! *sniff*), the 4400...and now there is an awesome reality show called Pawn Stars. It's like a trashy version of Antiques Roadshow. I watched 6 episodes in a row last night and I'm craving more. It's always a guy who thinks he's going to get $800 for his Civil War gun and instead only gets, like, $50. I just love it so much.

- I don't think I've been good about replying to comments lately. I'll do better.

- Last week I didn't work out at all, after having worked out 6 days in a row. But I made it back to the gym yesterday, and I count that as a minor victory. At least I didn't wait a month before going back. It's been known to happen. Eating is still terrible, but we'll get there.

- I don't want to be 30. T minus 11 days.

- My mom will be here next Tuesday! I am glad she'll be here for my birthday, although that is mainly because her brother is having surgery. But yay, still, 'cause mommy!

- I miss Axl and I'm getting excited about the dates in Japan in December. I hope it all works out. Axl needs his fans and we need him, damn it.

- The weather is lovely lately.

- More early overtime. I actually like waking up early, when it's still dark. You can actually see stars in the sky at that time! Although getting out of Josh's bed this morning and uncuddling 2 warm Boston Terriers did suck. A lot.

- That is all.

Things:
- So I just watched House. kslasdkfjsadfsl. That's about it.

- CSI Spoilers, oh, my! I tried to avoid them today for like 20 minutes, but then curiosity got the best of me. I am enjoying these spoilers. They are good.

- Speaking of CSI, I am trying to write a kinda funny, kinda dramatic CSI karaoke fic based on the time between the fifth and sixth season. Think about where one could possibly go during that time. The possibilities are endless!

- I got my hair cut today. A lot of inches. And I got highlights, which I haven't gotten in maybe 3 or 4 years. The highlights are copper and I am in love with them. To help you picture it, I showed my hairdresser a picture of Sandra Bullock's hair from the Proposal. She got it. And now I got it. I love my highlights so much that I'm thinking about proposing.

- Ahh, sooo much new TV. Just tonight, I DVRed The Good Wife, The Forgotten (I made a pact with my 11-year-old self that I would never miss anything with Christian Slater), the Biggest Loser and NCIS. How am I supposed to watch all this stuff? I don't know how people do it. Also, I watched another episode of Glee. I enjoyed it more than the pilot. Whee.

- 2.5 weeks before the 30th birthday occurs. I wish it would just happen because I'm tired of waiting. It's kind of a mindfuck and I'm over it yet I am still freaking out. But...I'm not going to get married, have kids, lose 50 pounds and have an exciting and lucrative career in 2.5 weeks. So...there's not much I can do to stop time. I haven't invented my time machine yet.

Also, Oprah is going to be at the State Fair of Texas on my birthday. I feel like it is thus my destiny to try to make it in attendance. Wouldn't that rock? I think so, my friends.

- I am so very easily emotional these days during TV shows, movies, commercials, whatever. Today I was working on a show about dogs, and I was introduced to Archie. He's a newfoundland that works with abused and troubled children. He is so effing cute I can't stand it. And his story is just touching. From that one particular article...
One abused toddler was 11 months old when she arrived at Casa Pacifica. She finally spoke her first word, “Archie.”
*sigh*

- Really need to get my eyebrows waxed.

- I should go read or write or do something productive or sleep or something.