shorty got low low low low low low low low

I spent most of the day taking care of errands for my upcoming trip, procrastinating, and finally writing -- all in all, a good day, even though I could have been much more efficient. I picked up two dresses at the tailor's, then went to Nordstrom and returned a whole bunch of stuff that I bought at the anniversary sale. As the anniversary sale was still going on, and I had been 'good' and returned stuff, this gave me an excuse to buy some more stuff -- in this case, a pair of Converse sneakers to replace my worn-out, extremely smelly Pumas, and a pair of black pumps to wear with my dress for the awards ceremony. I picked up that dress as well, and the alterations came out well, so at least I know what I'm wearing when I go onstage to present an award in front of 2000+ people.

I also bought a ridiculously cool (or perhaps just ridiculous) ring that will really stand out and tie together my hobbit western outfit when I go home for the holidays this winter -- it's exactly the kind of ring that is going to make my brother question whether we are related and how I could have possibly changed so much after growing up in Iowa. I actually walked away from it at first, only to drive back to the mall five hours later and buy it because I couldn't stop thinking about it. When I saw it, I felt this strangely visceral tug to it, as though it had inspired in me some sort of lust that I've never really felt over a piece of jewelry before. I have a feeling that it's going to play a role in the inspiration for my Knights Templar/"gargoyle" young adult series in the future, if it doesn't give me carpal tunnel from trying to support the weight of it while typing. I've posted a picture of it below for your viewing pleasure, and you are welcome to make fun of it because I love it so much that I don't really care what you think.

Anyway, despite the time sucked up by that bit of folly, I still managed to finish my errands, grab a pizza at the Nordstrom Cafe, and come home with the intention of writing. Then I sat around for hours not writing, and just as I was about to write, I went back to Nordstrom to buy the ring. I had an Amy's enchilada when I got home, then settled in with my laptop -- and I finally got around to writing 1546 words of zee romance novel. This sex scene between Madeleine and Ferguson is turning into an epic; they're on the verge of finally, irrevocably consummating tings, but by the time they do, this scene is going to be close to twenty pages. That's not all sex; a lot of it is conversation leading up to sex, then quite a bit of detail about stripping each other out of their historical garb that I can likely cut. But I need to finish it so that I can move on to the rest of the book -- despite the fact that it currently sounds like a porn, there is quite a bit of plot that needs to happen after this (and, well, another sex scene in the garden of a masquerade ball) and I'm eager to get through it all. I can't keep wasting three hours on the internet for every hour that I spend writing, and I'm going to have to practice my self-discipline when I take my week-long staycation and try to finish this draft. If nothing else, the desire to finish so that I can move on to the next romance novel, and to the Knights Templar/gargoyle story, is growing by the day, so I really need to get through this one before I give in to the urge to move on to the next shiny thing.

And now, I should go to bed; I'm going to the city tomorrow morning to have brunch with Chandlord, and then I need to do laundry, pack, do some work for the day job, and make sure I'm prepped for my trip. And perhaps, if I get to it, Madeleine and Ferguson will finally finish their epic love scene -- miracles do happen, after all. Goodnight!

[and here's the ring]