Hey everyone! Was poking around for the first time in ages [should be grading papers since midterms are due tomorrow and I have a 2" stack that needs grading first but *shrug* I've put it off this long...]

I did want to apologize to everyone for not finishing "The One Where Lois and Clark Make Some New Friends" [especially to Anne - maybe the end for the next birthday?].

The beginning of 'the end' for me was when my laptop crashed hard in very early June - rebooted and it said 'operating system? what operating system?'. It's still not working right and I think I'm going to reformat the HD again tonight or tomorrow - as soon as I finish sending a file to missy for safekeeping so I don't have to redownload it later. I lost absolutely everything - including, but not limited to - all finished fic [posted or otherwise], all wips [including a beginning of a choose-your-own-adventure type that Annie mentioned in another thread and one that had a couple scenes I absolutely adored and don't think I'll ever be able to redo as well - was seriously considering turning that one into an original fic someday], all school stuff that wasn't on the school server as well, programs... you get the picture. I guess this could also go under Pam's 'excuses for not writing' thread!

Thanks to Missy, who has spread the word a bit for me about what's going on. I've been able to chat with her and Anna [and even Jana briefly last night!] a bit, but not near like I'd like.

Hopefully, life will calm down in early August or so. The summer semester ends the end of July, then we're having company Aug. 2-?, and I should only be working my fast food job until the end of August or so, but it's usually one day a week plus Sat. And the baby isn't due until LATE October so... My fall schedule has me teaching completely online - once I get all the dates entered, all I have to do is grade once a week or so. Last time, hormones did wonders for the muse. Wonder if having an almost 2-yr-old counteracts productivity? *ponder* Anyway, hope to get back to writing then, if anyone's still interested.

Anyway - thanks again to everyone for being patient and not hating me too much!

CM

Hate you? For having RL bite you hard? Uh, no.

Sympathize? Sure. Empathize, even. {{{{{}}}}}

Hope that life will give you enough of a breather that you can write an end to that wonderful fic? You bet!

Well, I am! And I promise to do my best imitation of waiting patiently.

Good grief, Carol! If that happened to me, I'd probably have a nervous breakdown! Lose all that work? Arrgh!

Nan

Oy, Carol, that's a lot to go through in such a short time! I hadn't seen you online in so long, I was wondering how you were doing. I hope everything calms down for you soon, and take your time! (Said impatiently, of course, but sincerely. )

Carol,

I can certainly feel for you. I didn't lose all information on my computer, but I lost five WIPs on a floppy disk last week. Talk about frustrating! I can only imagine how you must feel.

Hope things settle down for you soon. And we'll be waiting when you're ready to post more writing.

Carol! Glad to hear from you - even if only briefly - and sorry I seem to have missed you on irc last night - we've been missing you!

Hope RL eases up that chokehold on you before too long - until then, take care, take it easy and don't let it grind you down!

{{{{{{{{hug}}}}}}}}}

LabRat

Hey, Carol --

Sorry to hear you're having such difficulties -- but it is good to know that you still love us, instead of having run off to the south of France with your doctor or anything

We'll be here when you manage to come back

PJ

What Nan said! This is my biggest nightmare too. Carol, I'm so sorry you lost all those files.

Ursie