A bed of roses

New tv stand is ordered and will be delivered Wednesday.

The office was pretty quiet today. I was only in because there was a 'meet your fellow professional services teams' thing on. There is a wide range of services, all focussed on making the student experience the best it can be, all underpinned by IT. I saw some familiar faces but didn't get much chance to speak to people. There were people from each service but we weren't all there - I think there must be about 500 all told. A 'job shadowing' scheme is being put together, which could be interesting. Of course, I'm already keen to reach out to my projecty colleagues :D

I watched a bit more of Dave from Playstation Access playing FFVII. It's fun seeing him having fun with it for the first time.

I'm leaning towards Fenyx Rising as my next game because it's more in my comfort zone, but that probably means it would be more like the game I've just finished. On the other hand, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart would be something very different - but I'm not feeling a great pull towards 'different'. Or I may finally go in and face Yunalesca who has been waiting for me for a VERY long time.

The colleague I gave the old games to has developed an addiction to The Talos Principle :D I remember the rush I got when I solved a puzzle - and the utter frustration of failing to do so. But I'm glad they're enjoying it.

There are now 3 snowdrops in the garden. I am very happy about that.

And I'm really struggling to find anything interesting to say, so I'll stop.

 I am hardly ever bored - there's always something to do. And I'm also getting better at doing things I don't want to do.

Yesterday was one of the fullest days I think I've ever had! The husband is getting a taste for going out and has taken up going for short walks, which I encourage because otherwise he'd just seize up completely. So, yesterday we decided to go for a walk together, since I was off work and had nothing more important than cleaning and gaming on my 'to do' list. We ended up being out for longer than either of us expected and paying for a rather expensive lunch that wasn't all that great. But, it was good to be out and to be together.

I also managed three loads of washing, full clean of the living room and (this is the discipline part!) a full clean of the kitchen, which I almost persuaded myself I didn't need to do. But I felt so much better when it was done - and it only took half-an-hour.

And I made progress with 'I Am Setsuna' and 'Once Upon a Time'.

OUAT is getting to be a bit like 'Lost' - I just want it to be over, now. The 7th series really wasn't necessary and there have been so many twists and turns. Who really is the Big Bad in this one?! Two characters that are fascinating me, though, and are keeping me watching are Tilly/Alice and Samdi/Facilier. Oh, and Gothel/Eloise - completely amoral, which makes her probably the most interesting of all!

Today is pay day and I am taking myself shopping for journaling supplies, Lush stuff, and some new trainers. Retail therapy!!!

I've managed to break the back of the editing of Mannerley. I've cleaned up a number of niggly things that bothered me during my read through and I've also strengthened the ghost scene which is, after all, the climax of the plot. I want to go over that once more, though. Then it's the Big Job - the dialogue. I've found some excellent blog posts on The Write Practice and Ride The Pen, which I am going to use. First step is making sure the dialogue works for each scene - driving plot, developing character, all that. Then, I'll make sure each character's 'voice' is properly represented. And then I smooth out any remaining roughness before sending out to my Betas, take on board any final feedback and (drum roll, please!) then we self-publish. *squeals with excitement* I think my deadline of end of August is probably over-ambitious, so it might be September, but having an aggressive timeline has really pushed me to Get It Done. I also thought it was nearer to being done-done than it was. But I have enjoyed the editing process far more than I expected to, perhaps because of the delay. Anyway, there is light at the end of the tunnel and I will reach it by taking one step at a time.