Big Mama's Cat Mat & Peace on Earth

I hate not understanding something. I don't mind long hours and hard work. Indeed, I relish the sense of accomplishment I feel when I've put a lot of time and effort in on a project and it's finally done.

What makes me pull my hair and shriek obscenities into my pillow though, is the furiously frustrating inability to not be able to figure something out.

Like computers, for instance.

I have a love/hate relationship with my computer. As a writer, I rely on it for income, and I actually find typing to be soothing.

However, what bothers me is that computers are supposed to be logical and my computer isn't. When I ask it to perform a function it has performed a million times in the past and then on the million and first time it freezes, gives me an error message, or says "bugger off," (I swear, it flashed that message at me once when I threatened to toss it out the window) for no reason other than to be mean-spirited.

This is all a long way of going about saying that I have been walking around the house p---ed off for the last 48 hours because I can't figure out how to post a simple picture.

You might notice the picture of me in the prior post. Great, right? WRONG! The picture was supposed to appear not in my blog, but to the side, where the info on my profile is listed. After downloading numerous programs, pressing buttons, and even a little desperate chanting, I finally managed to post the picture you see below. There are these problems though:

1. I have no idea the steps I took to post the picture
2. I don't know how to remove the stupid thing
3. I still can't figure out how to post the picture to the side where I want it
4. I ate almost a whole pumpkin pie yesterday and am afraid to go near my scale

So consider yourself warned. If pictures start appearing in nonsensical places on this blog, know that I am inches away from a mental institution and remember me in your prayers.

On to more pleasant tidings...

Although my husband and I don't exchange gifts, we do spend hordes of money on crap for the cats. This year "Santa" brought them reindeer antlers, an electronically controlled mouse, cotton fish, a feathered thing that hangs from the door and squawks only when we jingle it because it terrifies the cats and they won't go near it, and--this years success story--a Big Mama Scratch-O'-Rama Cat Mat (www.fatcats.com)

The mat has some sort of catnip covering, and our girls were delirious. Lucy rolled on the mat for 30 minutes and wouldn't let Olivia near. She was so obviously taken with her new toy and Blair and I started doing Gollum voices for her, cooing and hissing, "Is it my pre-c-c-c-ious? We loves the precious...FOREVERRRRR!!!!!!!!"

We need to get out more.

Speaking of which, although I just started this blog, I'm taking next week off. I'm holing up in a hotel room at the beach for a week to do some thinking and planning about where I want to take my writing--and my life, for that matter--in the New Year.

I have big plans of waking up, grabbing my notebook or laptop, and scribbling furiously, trying to capture thoughts as they burst forth, one more inspired and elucidating than the next. I will sleep, eat, drink, and think nothing but words. I will outline my 2 new novel ideas, work on my public speaking e-book, consider my idea for a non-fiction book, journal, research, walk the beach thinking deep thoughts, work out religiously, and come home fit, tan (never mind that it will be 30 degrees there), mentally sound, motivated, and ready to work 12-hour days to get done all I want to accomplish.

In other words, if I spend my days watching "Friends" reruns on cable, it will be a bummer.

Until the New Year then, happy wishes and Peace on Earth.