So remember I was talking about my laptop keyboard yesterday and the whole "sticky crumb" thing? Yeah. Well. It got me.

Yesterday one sticky 'e' key turned into a 'you lose your computer for at least two weeks' thing. Turns out it wasn't something stuck underneath the key (wahoo for cake!), but that the key itself is damaged (or the stuff underneath the key...I'm not sure what you call that little rubbery thing the key is attached to. It's just too technical for me). Solution, of course, is that it has to be repaired. And because my laptop is still under warranty with Best Buy and they don't do in-store service, they have to send it out. Hence the whole - you lose your computer for at least two weeks thing. Lovely, huh? Of course, this time I got smart. I backed everything up, emailed myself my books and made copies of EVERYTHING (not risking losing it all like I did last spring). Then I begged and pleaded and told the guy at the store I was on deadline and needed a laptop. They ended up giving me an open box that someone had returned. It runs Word, it has wireless Internet. It's got everything I need for the next (hopefully only) two weeks. The only drawback? It's LOUD. I had to install my word program and the dang CD drive is L-O-U-D. But at least it works. I'm not complaining.

Other "new stuff" includes the new blog design. Okay, it's the same design, I just updated the pic at the top and overall color scheme. What do you think? Personally, I love it. Gives the blog that whole romantic adventure flavor I'm going with in the books. But I'm interested to know what you think.

And finally - I have to share - I got a new laptop bag today while I was out and about. I found one at BB that I wanted - red Liz Claiborne computer bag. Didn't look like a computer bag at all. Really trendy and chic. But I was afraid my widescreen laptop (when it comes back) might not fit, so I opted not to get it (and frowned the whole time I was putting it back on the shelf). Then, when I stopped at Target to pick up a few things, I saw the SAME bag (different designer) for forty bucks less. AND this one will work with my widescreen laptop. So that's my "3-book sale gift" for myself. A new bag. I'm easy to please.

What's new with you?

ACK! Grumble, Grumble, Bitch & Moan

Yes. This is me. I'm here. It's been ages.

Have I been off on vacation enjoying the sun and fun? No. Have I been writing like a fiend, ignoring email and blogs and real life? Um, I wish, but no. Have I been pulling my eyebrows out one by one because I'm so frustrated I can barely see straight? Well, actually, yeah, that's a little more like it.

It always amazes me how tied to technology we are. And when that technology goes loco, there goes your sanity.

My computer decided to wig out on me. My computer which is barely a year old, which I love and use every flippin' day. It was doing this weird rebooting/freezing thing, so I immediately thought, virus, and took it in for service. (Even though my virus checker is updated and says all is well...sigh.) I dropped it off last weekend and have called the store every day this week to check on the status (I'm sure they are sick to death of me, but tough. This is my computer we're talking about). Lo and behold (and why am I surprised?) they didn't get to it until Thursday night, where they discovered it kept rebooting so they couldn't even get a good look inside. They told me Friday it has to be sent out for service and I'm looking at a two-week turnaround, minumum.

ARRGHGHG. Can you see me pulling my eyebrows out one by one?

Luckily, I saved the wip on a zip drive before taking the darn computer in, so I can work on it if I have access to a computer. Problem? I don't have access on a normal day. We have an old laptop that I use in cases of emergency, but it's slow and the space bar sticks, and it's temperamental with the power cord - as in, I don't use it anymore because we had to have the power jack replaced and it's still a POS. I used it for a day, then my daughter came running into the room where I was working to tell me something life altering (like what so-and-so said at school today), tripped over the power cord and killed that computer. We're talking dead, finished, totally out of commission. Result? More eyebrows lost, lots of screaming and a daughter who has no idea why her mother is losing her mind. To top it off, the DH was at a meeting out of town all week with his computer, so I have been not only computer-less, but internet-less as well. Man, I can't believe how much that set me on edge this week.

So here I am, on the DH's computer right now checking email. Because of his work schedule I'll be able to do that on weekends and evenings, but won't have access during the day (let's all give a collective ARRRGHGHGH!). The really sucky part is I need to write. And not having the opportunity is killing me. I've tried the ol' handwriting thing, but it just doesn't work for me. My hand just can't write as fast as my brain thinks, and I end up losing half of whatever scene it is I'm working on. So today I'm going to try to get some serious writing done. And I'll probably be staying up late into the night working because that's the only chance I'll have next week. I may be scarce, but I'll try to check in when I can.

Please tell me your week was better than mine.