Today, we had sunshine. Blue skies, warm air, a very few fluffy white clouds. After so many days of nothing but rain, it was wonderful! Version 10 bazillion of the novel I'm getting frustrated with is going OK. I guess. The thing is that these changes materially affect everything else and well, whatever. Today has been a strange day. Teeter-totterish, I'd say. A few examples? OK.

I get to work (bad) at 5:50am (bad) but it's casual day (good) because we have tomorrow off (good). I check status of stuff (boring) fix a few minor things (good) and then continue trying to figure out how this application I am suddenly in charge of supporting works (frustrating) because the other guy quit (neutral). I also know that I have Monday off (Great!) and it's payday (Yay!) I buy breakfast at the company coffee cart (bad, involves money, but I forgot to bring breakfast). It is not raining (good). A crappy internally written bit of software is down (neutral for me, I don't support that app) But then there are reports that an application I do support is having issues (bad). I check it out and yes, it's hosed (bad). Then the SQL Server deadlocks (even worse than it sounds). Someone calls because he can't pull data into excel (why is he calling me?) I say I'll call back later (good). There's no choice but to stop the application and SQL services and bounce the server (fun). Monitor the boxes (boring but brief) test the application (dull) and email that it's back up. (good.) The new application, whose acroynm is BO (stupid!) is returning a permission denied error (bad). I get an email from my agent that the anthology is a done deal (Yay!) Deadline is June 1 (urk!) I never saw this BO server before yesterday and know nothing about how it works (bad). Discover the software was designed by morons (normal). I know the server Admin password was changed yesterday and suspect the password needs to be changed elsewhere too. (OK) But where? The application was written by morons and is 3 versions out of date (bad) and we have no support contract (normal). I call the guy who quit and find out he has a list of passwords (WTF?). With assistance because I do not yet have all the permissions necessary to administer the box (bad) we blunder onto all the places that need the password updated (irritating). I document (boring). I email that BO is back (good). I start investigating the server deadlock (interesting). Lunchtime (good!) I discover I have $10 not $5 dollars (good) and so I can go have Chinese with the rest of the DBA's (good) We walk out into the sunshine (fabulous!) We have lunch (good). I fix the guy's excel data problem (not my job, but I did it anyway). 2:30 arrives (yay) and I skip the gym (bad) to go sit at a cafe and work on The Rake (good) I get a double cap (good) and get to work.

So, that was my day mostly. I also wrote a paragraph about the anthology story so my editor knows what I'm planning.

And, in case the length of this post didn't tip you off, I am engaging in avoidance behavior in re The Rake because about half an hour ago I realized what's wrong with chapter 1 and fixing it involves chopping. I'll get to it shortly, delete key extra sharp.