The Writing Show: Entry Number Two Update for August 20th

Well...round two of editing done, I incorporated the changes along with some extra trimming, and it's now at 4,996 words! Remember it had to be under 5,000...I had to trim several bits here and there. I think I ended up chopping about three hundred words or so. But the story is slightly tighter now.

As I type this my printer is spitting out a copy once more for my gratis editor to look at and see if it has her blessing to send out. I'm more or less happy with it as an entry. I don't think it's as good as it could be, but if I waited until the perfect story came onto the digital page I'd never bother starting a story in the first place.

I was slightly sidetracked while trying to edit it because I looked through the transparent window on the side of my computer case and realized my CPU fan had died. I don't know how long it had been seized up, but if left that way there was a possibility of the CPU overheating and dying. Luckily the case was kind of overengineered for cooling and it never skipped a beat. I removed the side panel and stuck a mini desk fan near it at an angle to help with airflow, then went to NewEgg to buy a new CPU fan on rush order.

I hate working on those. I don't mind replacing hard disks, CD-ROMs, memory, daughter cards...but those @#% coolers on the CPU? I hate them. Now I get to spend time trying to replace it, hopefully tomorrow, since I don't relish leaving this little deskfan on all the time but I access my computer all the time, even remotely, for doing file storage and email.

My next "data storage" system is definitely going to be designed with commodity parts and distributed failure protection built in. This computer was expensive and is a pain to fix up when there is a failure, but it was very well engineered (I definitely recommend Puget after dealing with them several years ago to get this system, especially if you're a gamer. These guys worked with me to get a great Linux system with RAID; it's built like a tank. With a broken fan, now, but it's a few years old so I'll forgive that.)

Anyway, that was my night. I've been putting in crazy hours at work and still trying to get gym time and story time and the occasional blog time along with the journaling for the insurance-mandated psychology appointments (from the surgery...you have been following the blog, right?)

Print job is complete. Time to head out until tomorrow. Paula...you'll be getting the story soon!