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My reading list grows exponentially. Everytime I read a book, it'll mention three other books I feel I have to read. It's like a particularly relentless series of pop-up ads.
-A.J. Jacobs

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Top Ten Reasons Why I Shouldn't Be At Work Today

10. I have a cold, the kind where your head pounds from the amount of snot and pressure inside your head and you'd actually consider someone drilling a hole through your skull to allow a leakage and a little relief. Hopefully that's not TMI.

9. I have a creative spark from being at DFW's Writer Workshop (it was my first time going and it was great and I will be returning). Must write. Now. Can't keep thoughts contained...

8. It's snowing. In Texas. How am I supposed to be the main focus of my students' attention when there a little fluffy flakes falling from the sky whispering their names to come out and play? Scrap that. How am I supposed to focus when there are little flakes floating from the sky?

7. I was pulled over last night for speeding, on my way home from the workshop.

6. I am tired. I didn't get home from the workshop until 1:00. AM. Yes. You are reading this right. And, yes. I wake up at 5:00. AM. The police officer interrupting my speeding is a part of why I was home so late.

5. ...I don't feel like being here...

4. *Wasting time, because I really don't have 10 reasons*

3. After the workshop the group goes to IHOP, so I joined them. At 11:00, I stepped out to my car to see my front right window smashed in and broken.

2. I peered inside my car and my school issued laptop was...you guessed it, GONE.

And, drumroll please.

1. I am grieving the loss of two, beautiful, precious, wonderful, pindrives that were in my laptop bag. They contained my life. My manuscript. My ideas. My queries. The good. The bad. The ugly. My heart. *Dabs at eyes* Today, I am mourning their loss.

Someone, please, remind me why I didn't call in a sub last night??

Okay, so before I go all off on how life-sucks-and-then-you-die on you. I will give you some reasons as to why I can only laugh at what happened. If you haven't read from the beginning of the blog (And why haven't you? I just started blogging last week you lazy people), my first blog described how crazy things happen in my life. Much like last night. This is the third week in a row that a window of some sort has been broken in to, by some no-good-dirty scoundrel, in order to obtain something. Post-It Notes?? If I'd just stop storing such things as diamonds and gold bars on me at all times, these things probably come to an end, but I refuse to leave home without my gold bars. Ever. Read here, if you want to know more.

So to walk out to my car and see glass shattered everywhere was shocking, but not so much considering that this had been happening to me often. Plus, it will really be a great addition to my book, The Post-It Bandits. The whole writing group stood around in the dark, cold parking lot, as we joked about how there was nothing I could do, and how there was no use in being upset, someone chimed in and said, "It's not like they're going to call out CSI." We all laughed, until who rolls up? None other than the Crime Scene Investigator, himself. We all watched on, mouths dropped open, enthralled to see a real CSI dude at work. It was like watching the TV show, but better and in real life HD. And no. I am not giving you the details. You can read about it when you buy my book. That hasn't been published yet. Or written yet. But, it will be damn good when it's done.

I guess I'll go back to staring out the window with my students, interjecting every few minutes, screaming, "Holy Cow! Did you see the size of that snowflake??"

Oh. Wait!!! Breaking News!!! Here's why I came today...It was just announced that school is closing early today and there is NOOOO SCHOOL TOMORROW!!!!

21 brilliant remarks:

Kristen said...

Wow. That is horrible!!! I am so sorry that happened to you. I can't even imagine! Hopefully you will be able to get in some writing time today and tomorrow with your time off.

Summer Frey said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Summer Frey said...

We should start The Bad Luck Club together, kind of like The Joy Luck Club, but...not. That blows! I'm really hoping that you had backups of those precious documents somewhere besides the deep recesses of your brain.

And congrats on school being canceled--sounds like you could really use a 3-day weekend.

(Really wish you could edit your comments and not just have to delete them when there's a glaring typo.)

Shelley Sly said...

Aww I'm so sorry that this happened to you! :( I hope life takes a turn for the better and things start looking up.

Christi Goddard said...

Lucky dog. It's still just raining here in Waco. Then again, I like when there's school. I get the house to myself.

Kelly Lyman said...

Sorry for you misfortune that you've been having. Whenever I keep having a string of bad luck, I tell myself, it can't get any worse...although sometimes I'm wrong about that. I just measured the snow outside of my house...30 inches.

Unknown said...

Wow! Wow! I can't I just say... WOW! How not cool is all of that... I think those are excellent reasons for not wanting to work! I wish it was snowing in this part of houston, that is something I miss about back home in Iowa... though the East cost getting 20-30 inches makes it less fun...

Unknown said...

Aww Tiffany! I'm so sorry :( I'm hoping the early release and no school tomorrow will cheer you up!!

Anonymous said...

Well that sucks. XD I hope some good luck finds you soon.

Anonymous said...

I cry with you on that and know how it feels to lose something like that.

*passes you some wonderful coffee*

go ahead and drink it up...


*smiles*

Melissa Hurst said...

Oh no! That's awful! I hope you have those files backed up somewhere else. My crit group posts our chapters at Yahoo groups, so I have my WIP over there in case something happens to my files.

But at least you don't have school tomorrow! Don't you love snow days?

Kimberly Franklin said...

Yes! Snow days rock. I can't believe it has snowed so much here. I'm so calling in to work tomorrow. : D

PS - Which IHOP did you go to. I must make note to never go there!

Tina Lynn said...

That just sucks, doesn't it? And I'm guessing you must have those files backed up somewhere else, because I would be sobbing uncontrollably if the same thing happened to me.

Christi Goddard said...

Dangit, nevermind. It's 5pm and here comes the snow.

Erin Kuhns said...

Tiffany, that's awful about the laptop...and it sounds like you're taking it so well. Impressive, I must say.

I am glad you get a nice long weekend, though. Definitely a bright spot to your week.

P.S. I've been using Dropbox - dropbox.com - to automatically backup my files. It's free and simple. There's a short video on the dropbox homepage that explains it well. Definitely worth checking out.

Catherine Denton said...

Oh my GOSH, I'm so sorry about all your windows and lost stuff. But I can't WAIT to read this book...when it's written. And hurray for snow days!! Sounds like you deserve it with a capital D.

Laurel Garver said...

Tiffany, please, please, please tell us you have those files backed up somewhere else or I think I'm going to cry! I think I'd have to be committed if I lost all my work!

Carolina M. Valdez Schneider said...

Oh my word...such sorry luck. I hope you have your files saved elsewhere. What a desperate, tragic loss otherwise. And the window? Geez, tough luck. I hope things look up for you soon.

Tiffany Neal said...

Thanks for all the sweet comments!

*Sigh*

Well, my MS was on my laptop that was stolen and I had it backed up on the pin drive. I have a few beta readers that have a copy of it, but it's not my newest most edited version.

I also entered it into the Amazon contest, so I'm wondering if there's some way to get it out of there...

Strangely enough, I made a hard (paper) copy of it...so if worse comes to worse, I can retype all 65,000 words...

Could be worse...I have definitely learned my lesson.
#1 Don't leave your laptop in the car in Euluess...there's a bunch of thugs there
#2 Back up your junk 20 million times...

And the snow day (YAY) will be a fabulous day for reading, writing, and cleaning up my house that looks like a tsunami has blew through. :)

Christi Goddard said...

Okay, I gave your query a read through. Hope it's not too harsh :-)

Anonymous said...

Did you get a ticket? Or was the Cop kind enough to see that your car had just been burglarized and let you on your way?