Everything's Coming Up Roses!

I'm getting a slow start today because I was up a little late last night and then didn't sleep all that well, thanks to the fact that TEXAS WON THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP!!!!!! (can you tell I'm a wee bit excited?). And it was a real nailbiter of a game, too, though I did try to prevent actual nail biting by doing a cuticle treatment during the game, instead. Today I'm wearing a vintage Texas sweatshirt (if 1986 counts as vintage), but I'm thinking I simply must get myself some t-shirt or sweatshirt commemorating the championship.

One thing I did to distract myself when the game got a little too tense for me to take was brainstorm a bit on the book (might as well use all that tension to good purposes). Alas, I realized that I needed to go in a different direction with the last couple of scenes, which means that everything I wrote yesterday and a lot of what I wrote the day before now has to be trashed. Ugh. But it will be better when I'm done (I hope).

I also flipped through the notebook I've been taking to writing workshops and conferences for the past few years, reading the notes I've taken. I found a wonderful quote from Susan Elizabeth Phillips (at least, I think it was her -- Jayne Ann Krentz was in the same workshop and my notes aren't always clear as to who was speaking) that made me feel a lot better about all my doubts lately about this book:

"Good writing is done on the edge. Uncertainty comes with that. If you're feeling confident and secure, you may be writing flat."

So the fact that I'm a basket case may actually be a good thing!

Back to the game, the thing I may be the most proud of is that although people in Austin swarmed out into the streets to celebrate, there was no violence, no destruction, no cars burned or any of the other stuff that tends to happens when teams win championships. I remember when Texas got into the basketball Sweet 16 my senior year, and as soon as the game ended to secure that, the dorm just emptied into the courtyard. I was a broadcast news major, and I happened to have a camera in my room for an assignment, so I ran down 11 flights of stairs to get to the courtyard to shoot the celebration. I still have that tape. That night would have been nothing compared to last night (although the dorms would be empty right now during the winter break).

I may give myself a break on taking a walk today because it's a little chilly (well, compared to 80 degrees) but very, very windy, and I think I got enough exercise jumping up and down last night. So, now off to work!