Tolkien, artist

I'm Excited!

So, it took almost three hours to get the budget together and what I got from my DH was an argument about the numbers. Well, the numbers are from the payments made and don't lie. I only have two years for comparison - next year will be better - but the reality is the amount I am given to operate the household is almost 40% too low. Basically, NOT a good situation. But I'll fight the dollar war one battle at a time, and eventually I'll win the war through catapult damage to the castle walls.



I don't recall if I mentioned it or not, but in my ongoing quest to improve my writing skills I enrolled for a course in Advanced Fiction Writing techniques. My first class was yesterday and I think I'm really going to be enjoying this. It's an on-line course, so I won't have serious problems when I attend my annual conference in just a couple of weeks, but the topics cover those things that I find myself wrestling with, and the other students seem to be a good mix. We'll see, but so far so good.


I didn't get time to beta my friend's latest chapter, I'll do that tonight instead, but at least I did get some work completed on my day off as well as a lovely phone conversation with Aearwen. It's always so fantastic to get a chance to speak with her. We have so many things in common and the time just flies. I've never been much for phone calls, but somehow without any effort we talk for one hour or more. It strikes me that there are so many people I consider friends and acquaintances that I never knew a few years ago. Count me as VERY happy to share my life with both my physical and my on-line friends.
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  • 15 comments
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    chaotic_binky
    I really like the catapult picture. I bet the people living on the other side of the city are already digging tunnels to flee.
    engarian
    That pic is really something, isn't it? It was a National Geographic wallpaper, so actually started out much, much larger. I think my search was for medieval warfare and that was one of the images that came up.

    - Erulisse (one L)
    engarian
    I truly don't know what I would do without my f-list friends. So often they seem to be the only ones who understand me in so many ways.

    - Erulisse (one L)
    engarian
    I have developed strong friendships with on-line friends over the years, some of which are into their second decade now. It just takes mutual understanding, respect and knowledge that we won't always see eye-to-eye on all things but will on enough for common ground, and basic patience. I have been blessed in the friends that I have made over the years through the internet.

    *hugs* back at you :-)

    - Erulisse (one L)
    ellynn_ithilwen
    just takes mutual understanding, respect and knowledge that we won't always see eye-to-eye on all things but will on enough for common ground, and basic patience.

    And all this applies to offline friendships as well. So, online and offline friendships are not really very different. ;)
    engarian
    The first lesson, which was an introduction to the class and then dove into the differences between story and plot, was marvelous and very thought-provoking. I'll be re-reading it several more times and trying to apply the lessons to a story of my own. I think I'll get a lot out of it.

    - Erulisse (one L)
    mikononyte
    I must remember to click the button to see your LJ in your style LOL I keep missing out on things. haha incredible picture. I think that's from a PC game though; or maybe they borrowed it from National Geo. *shrugs*

    But yes, threatening the neighbors with Greek Fire -- great way to clean up the neighborhood and assure total victory. XD

    Re: online/real life friends. I was amazed when people kept saying you can't make friends online; you can't trust any of those freaks online. That was the early days. I think the regular folks have more or less moved in to the online community because, while I still see freaky people out there, they are much easier to ignore. My online friends are world-wide; it makes the world seem that much smaller (altho I wouldn't want to walk to Spain or Australia!) and so people are now my neighbors from thousands of miles away.

    And oddly (or maybe not so odd) I find I like them just as much and maybe more so than my own real life next door neighbors.

    Funny, innit? :)
    engarian
    Oh, I always include pictures, usually two, but sometimes more. I am a very visual person.

    If you are interested in seeing the full-sized pic, it is located here: http://thewebit.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/medieval-2-total-war-wallpapers_19437_1600x1200.jpg

    Although I had some on-line friendships that fell apart, I have had in-person ones that also have, so physical presence means nothing except the easier ability to go out for lunch together. It is my hope that as I travel in future years I will have a chance to meet some of my on-line friends in person for a drink or two and a meal, maybe wandering the countryside for a while. I think that would be heavenly.

    - Erulisse (one L)
    aearwen2
    Budgeting isn't my idea of fun either. And, to be honest, I don't know many households that aren't running a bit in the red these days. There's generally enough to pay the normal, expected bills; it's the unexpected (and usually LARGE) stuff that sinks us. Car repairs, glasses, taking kitty to the vet, none of that stuff can be actually planned, darn it.

    And yeah - I look forward to our Wednesday yak-fests. I'm still a bit in awe of just how much we think alike, or how parallel our lives have been in some ways. Online friendships moving just that much closer have been so enjoyable for me. BTW, it's my turn next week...
    engarian
    Getting the budget together was a PITA, but it's done now for another year. And yes, it is the unexpected things that are totally deadly, but we just need to keep a handle on the standard things. For instance, our utility bill (sewer, water, etc) in 2010 was about $80 a quarter. This year it is $160 every two months. For the same services. Ouch! DH wants to know what has changed, and that will require some major digging to find the invoices from 2010. I have them, I know where they are, I just can't dig them out easily *sigh*.

    I used to have to do departmental budgets every year for the partners in the firms I worked for and I hated those every bit as much LOL.

    Yak-fest? I love it! I'm already looking forward to next week!

    - Erulisse (one L)
    lady_branwyn
    I am impressed that you do a household budget. Most people don't then wonder where all the money went!
    engarian
    My DH always wants a really good idea of where the money goes. I'm more a "live for the moment" girl. It's lucky that I have him because he saves and invests and things about our future. I just trust that She won't let me make a total pratfall in life :-)

    - Erulisse (one L)
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