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Still in the process of deciding what to do with my computer - the one whose hard drive died earlier in the week. (Well, I'm pretty sure it's dead.)

If I do end up getting something entirely new, I'm not sure what kind of specifications I should look for. Typically I get the most beefed-up laptop that I can afford and then run it until it dies. This previous one lasted seven years, and the one before that lasted ten and a half. So, I guess you could say I had expected to get about three more years out of this thing. (And it was running totally fine until a few days ago!)

...Come to think of it, if I just replace the hard drive, I'll also have to do research on that because it's not like you can just buy any old drive and plop it in and expect it to work, right? It's never that simple. :Va

Right now I'm using the small notebook with Linux Mint installed on it, the one I use for travel. And like... it's fine, I do love it, but definitely not optimal for extended everyday use, since it's pretty tiny.

+ Work was nuts today; a really gnarly assignment crossed my desk and I'm like, ew. This one is going to be such a pain. (But I will manage.)

+ Going to Edmonton next week for a concert. Looking forward to it! Feels kind of silly to be away for three days, two of which will be spent on a bus, but I suppose a lot of people drive down to there for just one day in a similar way, so.

+ Received my FTH assignment. This one is going to be challenging, but interesting. I will need to do canon review and probably also some research. Hmm. (It's Hetalia, Liet/Pru.) Maybe I can make some notes while on the bus?

+ I'm going to Winnipeg in October to see Sabaton perform! *_* I was supposed to see them in Edmonton several years ago, but that trip never ended up happening. Anyway, the people I've mentioned the trip to generally react like "Eew, Winnipeg" but honestly, I'm pretty jazzed about it. Looking forward to the museums and art gallery and maybe also the zoo if I have time. Should be fun!

Long day. Tired.

Went down to the thrift store. I was trying to find a container to transport cakes. It's not something that I do often, but it would be really convenient to have for when I do need to do it, to ensure the frosting isn't ruined. Unfortunately they didn't have anything.

I keep turning over an idea for a DenNor fic in my head. Really really love it. Don't have time to write it. But I'm definitely going to put it aside for later.

- Spent all day running around
- Had to return a package for my mom
- Didn't have ink to print out the return form, so had to go to Staples to print it (and also get ink)
- Discovered that Staples carries fountain pens. Mostly Parker and Waterman. Nothing in fun colours, but it's useful to know that they have something if I did decide I wanted to buy something simple and professional-looking.
- Was supposed to go to a yoga class, but it was cancelled because the instructor was sick, and To Be Honest I'm quite relieved because otherwise I would have had to run around even more
- Met Bea for lunch; went to Avenue because Pocket Heart was closed. Had a good time.
- Didn't finish all my chores :(
- I think I'm coming down with a cold
- Watched a movie on Kanopy (When a Stranger Calls) and remembered that I hate watching movies on my computer. But the library didn't have this one on disc. So.
- I should go to bed. Ugh. :(

Went to a pride meeting this evening. It was all right.

Bea was there. It was nice to see her.

There is an event next week. I kind of want to go, but I don't know if I will have the energy to do that.

I had to go to a doctor appointment today, so I took half of the day off.

Stopped by the library to pick something up after the appointment. The library and community centre were so relaxed and quiet. Mac Island is so busy and crazy on the weekend, it's absolutely nuts; but when I was there it was calm. Pretty nice. I wish I could experience that more often.

Once again I am struck by how hard it is to have a nice, pleasant, relaxing life where you have time for the things you enjoy and little stress. I was able to do my errands, go home, relax a little. And the only way I could do that is because I took time off work. I know that's just life, but it sucks.

FTH is going to open soon, but I haven't even looked at the offers much. I should put together a spreadsheet. I do know that I want to put in a bid on the person who is offering NiF fanart, but they're also offering some other large Cdrama fandoms, and I think the bids will go outside of my budget really quickly.

The cologne I chose to work on for this month, Ellis Brooklyn "BEE", sure is a lot. It smells like honey. So much like honey. Too much like honey. I like it as a note, but not as a whole thing. This one is just so... much? I don't know if I like it or hate it, but I do know that I am glad that I only have a travel size version of this, not the whole thing. Will not be purchasing the full bottle.

I kind of want to go to a yoga class on Saturday. But there is a Pride thing on Sunday and if I go to the class, I won't have energy to do another social thing (not to mention won't have time to do another social thing, because the time spent at the class is time I would normally spend on household stuff).

The last pride craft and chat that I went to was kind of meh. But it could but that I just wasn't in the mood at the time.

If I go to the yoga class but not the pride thing I might theoretically have time to write with Kanadka. Or at least watch a movie in the afternoon.

Ugh, I'm going to have to think about it. Forcing myself to be social doesn't always work very well when I don't feel like it. Plus I have another pride thing to go to next week, anyway.

Today was like pulling teeth. It was so hard to get the cleaning done, it was so hard to do my writing session with Kanadka, it was so hard to get dinner made in a reasonable time, it was so hard to get off my ass and exercise, it was so hard to get the ironing done (and it's still not done, but I did iron my gi).

I think there's something wrong with me. Maybe I'm depressed. Or maybe I'm just sick of everything.

I've been putting together ideas for a Norway/Germany fic and it's really making me miss Wald. Her characterization for Germany was always so good, and it serves as the template for how I see him now. But aside from her roleplaying (and writing) skills she was just really nice and I enjoyed talking to her. She had such a great sense of humour - very very dry and witty.

+ Managed to get some writing done yesterday on the IS/DK fic I've been poking at for a few weeks now. Feels good. I suppose I'll count this as my Crack the WIP fic - normally I'd try to work on something more impressive for events, but hey, fun PWP has a place too. Still haven't decided what I'll work on for Iddy Iddy Bang Bang - I know that this event is quite far away, but considering the 5k minimum and how slow I write, I actually do need something in-progress long before signups come around that I can be sure will hit wordcount.

+ Feeling very ill, unfortunately. I had plans to go to yoga today, but that sure isn't happening. Very disappointed about it actually; I've been looking forward to this for weeks.

+ [Fibre arts] Melt the ICE Hat: Knit|Crochet. A pattern put out by a small business in Minnesota in response to ICE's recent abhorrent violence. Per the patternmaker's comment, proceeds will be distributed to immigrant aid organizations in the Twin Cities area. The design is inspired by traditional Norwegian knitted hats that were banned by Nazis during the occupation of Norway. Might make myself one of these once I'm feeling more up to it - not that I need another knitted hat, but I do think the pattern looks quite nice.

+ [Music] Sigur Rós - Ísjaki. I was going to say something else but I can't remember what it was so instead I'll just link this song because I really like it.

+ Finished reading Winter's Orbit. Hopefully will have time to write more detailed thoughts later, but the tl;dr is that I enjoyed it very much and I'm looking forward to reading the sequel. It's a romance novel but there's lots of non-romance plot, which is basically my preferred kind of romance novel.

+ Was working on fic today. Nothing special or complicated, but it still feels good to work on something. I feel very rusty, though. It's ridiculous that putting one word in front of the other is so hard. Guess the only way out is through, though!

+ Still considering signing up for FTH. One thing I'm waffling on is what to offer; Hetalia-wise my scope is narrower than it was the last time I participated in an auction. Not that I'm solid about sticking to my usual set of characters; some of the best auction fics I've written were for pairings I'd never thought about much until that moment. But there's always the chance that someone unfamiliar with my work will ask for something I'd have trouble delivering. I guess I'll just mention my usual characters in the description and see what happens. Aside from that, though, I'm not sure what other fandoms, if any. Promare, maybe? I'm due for a rewatch anyway.

+ Watched The Life of Chuck this evening. I thought it was a pretty good adaptation of King's novella. Admittedly, the first section was pretty stressful, what with the apocalyptic scenes and whatnot, even though I knew how the rest of it went. Overall I found it pretty sweet, though. I've seen it described as kind of schmaltzy, and like... yeah, I guess that's fair, it IS schmaltzy. I enjoyed it overall, though.