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Dock

What's on Deck

Wooh HOO!!! We had a ton of projects done but as I was on lockdown I couldn't add on the small bonus things I was doing when unwatched by Lord Sinjin and Sir Chewy about being on vacation and having a few bags.

We finished in bonus for April 2026 Holiday Poems for May!!!! Hurray.  But as this is May Day we have a new job.  Right now, a co-worker lost their transportation to and from work and they hope to resolve it. The way it sounds make it seem like a real major repair so I can't really set plans like last month. 

Why surely they live near your house or on the way to.....

 

Sigh be nice. I add an extra 80 minutes to my commute to help them and its already a one hour commute and I leave an hour early so please understand untl their situation resolves I will only have a few minutes so I will do an editing and reading focus. Reading is important to your writing life. I will also focus on where the dreams lead.  Call me selfish but I do hope they get someone else closer to them soon. Eventually, we will be on different schedules right now we are in training and I can manage it. I won't be able to do it when on phones and also accommodate the fact she is 8 to 5 and I am 11 to 8. Sorry not possible for me, but if needs must we will see if she can be switched shifts with understanding I can get her to work but home only when she gets off before I do. Phones are unpredictible and I mean to get on remote work..

Every person calling demands 100% of needs covered. And editing is a single project as I must focus..

Elderly Couple Relaxing
Wheelchair Sports Interaction
Two Women Shopping
Prosthetic Hand Typing
Elderly Care Interaction

So Aria
What are you reading...

Training Moduals for my new job. I am now working for a great company GT Independence. And it is an amazing company founded to help people get Self-directed care. What is self-directed care?

Okay, a little history, anyone hear of an elderly home or institutionalized care program. And does everyone know inside how even the BEST run places take over the lives of their patients and they can't give them all the attention they need?

Self-Directed Care what it does is it places dollars that would be spent on such care and redirects it to where the person can CHOOSE for themselves how to get what they need. This allows more folks to stay in their homes. Get help from caregivers.

And have the freedom to choose.SELF-DETERMINATION ... freedom to be yourself and that is something worth spending every second I can learning.

And someday I hope to get permission to write books on this subject as well. Everyone deserves the right to direct their ship where they will. This is something important to me as Every Life Matters and Quality of that Life also matters.

And it's not just elderly, many people can get self-directed care. What GT Independence and other companies like it do is they file the paperwork, get the caretakers onboarded, manage the payments. And their goal is to get everyone the right to have Self-Directed Care regardless of age or ability even if they are not the ones to do it. They started because the founder's brother Ben Carmichael was in such a situation

Aria that sounds ....

VITAL... Important...
Something I Need for...

Okay so you might know someone or just want to know more about it... go to GT Indepence's Website.... as this to me is another vital mission. Just getting the word out of Self-Directed Care and GT Independence.

Now what are you editing...?

Fox Angel... as I always get as many of those tablet pay by chapter books the credits gifted to me by Lord Sinjin for my birthday can get me... I find some amazing books on them and that is a book inspired by that type of reader...
Fox Angel is for Mature Audiences.

Check Engine Light!

Oh no!

Got the first paycheck so I bought cake for two offices to celebrate my birthday after the fact. The thing about being born on April 20th is things tend to go wrong. And when celebrating it even later the universe seems to want to give me bonus trouble. Ah well, its fine.

I have a warranty plan and I merely have to get it into a dealer. I did check the light. Its the Barometric Sensor and it reports the car is running to lean.... extensive driving worsens it.... hum a commute of 180 miles a day.... not extensive right. We took care of our workmate the next day but after that we moved into a hotel for a bit.

Ah public internet. I'll not be using many tools for a while.

You have to watch it. And my workmate got to move in with their future mother-in-law in town. She's fine. We'll get the car fixed and life will go on.  But just because I can't use AI tools that is fine. 

We will still do the first round of edits as we are just building fine bones in Fox Angel. Well for a few more chapters. We stoped using AI at chapter 130 for the moment. Somewhere past 255 K words for book one. Not shabby right.

dashboard with check engine light on.jpg

Pass One Done!!!

It's Saturday, so we are back home getting medication and spending one glorious night at home. And somehow the check engine light on decided to disappear. Hum...m, but its still stuttering just a bit. Something is still wrong. Our Monday appointment on 5/11 is very much needed.

 

But hey, that means I ran Claude. PASS One Done....Fox Angel sits at 283,271 words, 705 word pages, 144 chapters. Now to go back in.... yeah time to add the next layer. Environment.

Nightclub Party Scene

Car is Working Again
And I feel like Dancing

Tuesday, we were back on the road again and BONUS ... I am still in the hotel until Saturday.  Soon I will graduate.... graduate training. 

Oh there is still more to go but orientation finished on Friday. But today I feel like dancing.  

And Now The
Drums Begin to Resound Because....

Graduates Celebrating Outdoors

Orientation Graduation

Woh hoo.... the first phase is done. And great news... I get to start working remotely from next week because they don't have someone with the 'keys' to the kingdom so to speak that works that late yet as I am working later in the day then standard office hours. Reclaiming 3 hours a day until they get that sorted so lovely right?!!! Yep.

We got the equipment and came home on Friday night. There was a potluck and great food made by a nice group of my coworkers. I wasn't home to cook but there was plenty of food for everyone. The deserts looked so good but I will get my medication late as there was a need of a refill ugh so sad. But that is okay and we will just be good for a while on our weekly sugar binge.  

But I will miss them all as we are going to help in a wide range of states as GT Independence helps a lot of folks get Self-Directed Care. Not everyone can work 8 to 5.... but you all know...

white snowy owl at night taking flight.jpg

I'm 100% a night owl,
but I just graduated... and lots of kids are graduating... so to all of you who are graduating from Preschool to Doctorate.... from Work or Programs...

Remember you started off like a caterpillar and just became a butterfly...

butterflies.jpg

And I wish you a beautiful flight.

Fly far...
Fly as far as you desire...
But know that a butterfly is a creature that undergoes crystalis once, but they will shed, grow, and change
and transformation continues.

One journey stops, but change continues to happen
as life continues forward.

Life doesn't need to end from just one flight, and I wish you many flights.

Doctor In Consultation

Yeah..... 

I have a doctor’s appointment today. Not a huge one—mostly for paperwork—and I’m hoping he’ll also check a couple of other things that have cropped up since I made it. My doctor is hard to see.

 

GT offers telehealth, and in general that’s all I need. But my ear is aching, and I need to get a form filled out for my apartment complex, as he still hasn’t completed the one they originally sent. So we’re doing that.

But we are in Mass Editing as my husband....

…killed my tablet by accidentally using the wrong cord to charge it when we were at the hotel. He grabbed my laptop cord. Yeah… it’s dead. But I had it a good number of years, paid $30.00 for it, and it was more or less an el cheapo for bonus fun that worked as a sort of spare laptop in hotels.

 

I’ve had it for two years, always suspecting it wouldn’t last long. HA HA HA. It happens, though. But I am sad to lose my spare laptop.

SPARE LAPTOP… Aria, what about the games and books you read…? I do those things too, but mostly I use Google Docs and still write, as I am a workaholic that way. If you looked at April, you might see how much of one I can be when I’m off the clock and not split my attention between work.

 

But for sure, I am concentrating on learning my new job more this month, both within my hours and outside of them, while also editing since I don’t currently have access to my books.

 

Concentrating on tasks drifts my creativity into other directions. I already see nine ways to improve the training program, and I’ve already submitted two suggestions—and was told to concentrate on learning my role. I understand that; they have no idea how my mind functions.

I think it’s safe to say that, as I’ve done far more bonus trainings than they ever imagined, read all the business rules for my market, and shadow as much as I can, I’ve pretty much “concentrated”—and also seen ways to make things better for the training department. Not that I expect them to adopt my ideas. I have no idea what all they have planned, but that’s okay.

Not every idea works. And I don’t know all their reasoning. You listen, they explain, and then you adapt yours. Ideas are fluid, but they need to be understood. I am concentrating on the journey, and that’s why the ideas form—and why they’re shared as soon as I have them shaped.

When I’m working on ideas, I think of many things: Will it help? Can it actually be implemented? Is the implementation cost‑effective for what’s gained?

 

Cost‑effective? Yes—they’re a company. One that does great work, but like all of us, they want a paycheck to do little things like… eat, keep a roof overhead, those little things we all need.

 

Yet when you plan a voyage, you must weigh the cost of every addition. Add too much and the boat sinks; don’t add enough and you can’t sustain yourself over the ocean.

So I navigate that when suggesting and planning. But I seek understanding first with as much material as I have.

 

If you don’t understand the path, you can’t plan for the dangers on it. Sometimes journeys throw mysteries at you—and that’s the fun. But a careful traveler tries to think of them and make contingency plans.

And this is why, when traveling, it is wise to have a lifeboat.

Sailboat On Calm Lake

Curious Beaver
Asked the Dream Weaver...

Where are you in editing?

I've navigated around the world once and I am now adding another layer ... the enviroment/space layer which is a big one. I am now setting where all the story takes place and making fine changes to the narratives.

 

I had in the last pass took the bones and added some fine bones. Now as I add the next layer, be concentrating on where they are moving. I do work on all layers every pass but this is the time I am focusing on enviroment and spaces where they are moving through.

It will take all the days of the remaining month most likely.

How many chapters was one sailing?

144

Aria ... 144? That's ....

 

I know I am behind by far....

Behind by ... far .... 

Yes .... Why are you laughing?

Aria ... 

Yes...?

Those were like short chapters, right?

They weren't terribly long at this point; I am at 728 word pages 295,400 words.

What 728 pages... read...edited....295,400 words and its 5/19/2026.

Yeah as I said, I am so far behind but we are on Chapter 30 of the second pass don't ask me what it was before. That numbe was in the past. we are forming the future. This is a great thing, and I do need to dedicate a great deal of time learning my new role. I am still in training but out of orientation....

Aria.... it's 5/19/2026

Yep, time is getting me. Why are you laughing...?

Shells On Textured Surface

Anyway, despite being so far behind...
tonight
... I am not ...

Editing ... writing .... or doing much of anything ... but vegging.... as I am mentally exhausted, trying to be unfrastrated as I've become rather snappy when other frustrations hit.... so tonight I'm doing nothing....

 

Why is it hard though to turn off and just drift for a bit like a floating seashell?

What about the Dust Have you gathered any...

Yeah but mostly directed dreaming is a focus on a past dream where I try to resurface the past to get the new layer. So My focus has been on Fox Angel but other things sort of slip through too. And I think Snuggle and Pumpkin are demanding some attention. Plus also one or two other books.

Turntable Close-Up

But Aria ... How Is An Art Desk a Dream?

Like my friend Hilary, I am a landscape painter and just haven't had space for it in years.

When we moved my husband's desk out as he decided he wanted better time with his main monitor we redesigned the living room to accomodate it and now I have space for art. Not a ton but enough it is really possible.

How is that a dream?

I am an intuitive painter. I do not draw under the art though there are layers to art understand.

I grab the paint without a real plan. I move without thought to how it will end up and just get there. It is like being moved when your awake and directed and I pour in hope and love and out comes something beautiful.

But I haven't done it in ages so I'll be back to practicing and that is fine. Practice is fun. But I am also a painter, do you not think I often dream of painting?

But it will come slowly because it isn't cheap and I have bills to catch up on. I am rather well Max Capped on my cards for a bit ha ha ha.... it happens with car trouble.

So we get that whacked down first.

Woman in Greenhouse

But the Dream is on the shelf

Not all dreams need to be an adventure.

Practical dreams are important too.

Dreams demand planning, saving, striving...

it will come with patience and time...

This weekend I'll buy plywood...

Aria Plywood?
 

Yeah to protect the floors. I'll get four sheets of sanded plywood and lay them two in one direction and two on top. Then next check get something to lay on top of the plywood. A drop cloth or shower curtain that gets glued down on the top plywood as I am often barefoot in the house. Probably also save for it as I am buying 'one a check.' Just setting it aside.

Do you think my apartment complex will let me change out the carpet with hard wood to have an art studio? Never, ha ha ha be nice as I would love wood floors in my space but some dreams are 'too wild' for real life and that is okay. 

 

A dream needs planning, and I can make it work. Patience is a virtue that I am working on all the time. Distractions on this big one is great so...

fairy.jpg

Instead I Focus on the other dreams like the June Holidays

June 1 — Global Day of Parents

June 1 — Say Something Nice Day

June 2 — National Rocky Road Day

June 3 — World Bicycle Day

June 4 — Hug Your Cat Day

June 5 — World Environment Day

June 6 — National Yo‑Yo Day

June 6 — National Higher Education Day

June 7 — National Chocolate Ice Cream Day

June 8 — World Oceans Day

June 8 — Best Friends Day

June 9 — Children’s Day (various countries)

June 10 — Iced Tea Day

June 11 — Making Life Beautiful Day

June 12 — Red Rose Day

June 14 — Flag Day (U.S.)

June 15 — Nature Photography Day

June 16 — Father’s Day (2026)

June 18 — International Picnic Day

June 19 — Juneteenth (U.S.)

June 20 — Summer Solstice / First Day of Summer (2026)

June 21 — National Selfie Day

June 21 — World Giraffe Day

June 22 — National Chocolate Éclair Day

June 22 — Take Your Cat to Work Day

June 23 — National Pink Day

June 23 — International Widows Day ➡️ Honoring the strength of the parent who carries both roles after loss.

June 24 — Fairy Day

June 25 — Global Beatles Day

June 26 — National Coconut Day

June 27 — Sunglasses Day

June 29 — International Mud Day

June 30 — Social Media Day

Bands of rainbows drifting up into the sky.jpg

While Dealing With the Financial Stress

GUYS Guess What?

 

Microsoft has Copilot and I had been using it at work. It was doing a fairly good job with helping me make tools so I decided to drop one of my AI tools and invest it in Microsoft Premium. It's 199 a year and I already spent 129 for Family so its close enough.

 

I asked Copilot to add up the list of holidays and they came back with 31... and here I was like thinking I found a good way to drop my AI investment in Claude.

Good thing I counted it myself and corrected it to 33. Now how stupid would I look when all I wanted to do was make sure I counted correctly.

 

Ugh if I can't trust it to do a basic math how can I trust it with my manuscript? I already caught it hijacking the work on Fox Angel when it was to do a light copy edit and neodivegent check.

I make it list all its changes, and then I have Claude list all the changes made.Then I compare lists to see if I have them all and do a final check myself.

I find if there is any change not spelling, grammer, punctuation, word flipping swaps, and then I read both to see myself. And see if it even gives a proper accounting of its changes.

​​

Hijacking is when it doesn't list all changes as how can I tell if it did 'fix' it. I can read just fine even if I am a neodivergent thinker. But I do like a fallout list for many reasons. Including it being a highlighter of where my thoughts jumped and strayed and a point of inspiration for additions or new ways to say something clearer.

​​

If I wasn't a neodivergent thinker and grammarly and prowriting aid didn't over polish...it be much easier. If I could afford a human editor...oh now there is the big dream.

​​

Ah well budgets are what they are. But I do feel like I won a small victory in the budget department. 

 

My work place benefit year is from July to June. Which is decidedly odd for anyplace I have worked, but I love it. I am in a new benefit cycle rather than half way through. The middle plan has a high deductible but after the deductible you only have scripts to get to the max out of pocket. With a cancer patient on meds alone, he will hit the max out of pocket and of the plans it has the LOWEST Max out of pocket.

 

And at 60 extra a paycheck it is 1560 dollars cheaper and has only a 1000 deductible extra a person. The other's max out of pocket is much wider and the deductible COUNTS towards the Max Out of Pocket so yeah. Sign me up for plan two especially as GT Independence CONTRIBUTES to the HSA account. LOVE IT! 

So I'm setting aside 156 per check and some cents toward HSA costs.

​​

ARIA 156 per check??? Are you mad?

​​

Yeah I know I should set aside more but its what I can afford to set aside and make the other bills.

​​

Aria you're nuts. 

​​

I know but would you have me any other way. And I am so happy, it feels like I won the lottery.  But now we need to use up our dental benefits. Maybe, I can get my front tooth fixed this year. I still look like I've been sucker punched direct in the mouth or am some fighter. HA ha ha. I bit a nut and my root canal totally failed, and I lost the crown and ability to well have a crown. I have big front teeth so it's a heck of a gap. But we keep on smiling.

​​

Aria is that also part of why you don't take pictures?

​​

I take pictures. Just very few, but it is rather identifiable. The big front gap would make it easy to figure out who I am outside it. The reason is still pure protection. I keep smiling to this day, it's just a goofy sort of smile these days and not that attractive, but who cares its just a missing tooth. There is nothing wrong with looking a bit goofy but I do need to protect the family.

​​

But maybe we can get that fixed if we are fast enough and they don't identify other things more problematic to address this year.  But score, I can hit two dental plans up in quick time... maybe... we will see. I couldn't plan a dental appointment with the commute of 13 hours, but now I am remote. Yes, maybe I can score a bit of dental work in June. I have 6000.00 estimate from last year of work.

Aria 6K. 

 

Yeah 6K and that is why I don't worry on a goofy smile. My mouth is a money pit. But hey it is what it is and not life threatening.And things are looking up. It's like seeing a sky with a double rainbow. And I sit and wonder will I get two pots of gold, one, or none if I find the end of either side. Chuckling not caring, for the win is just seeing the beauty in the sky. Having the gift of rain that came before that highlighted the goodness in the world.

Sunlight Through Trees

A Star's Brightness
Is Understood Better
When It Shines Against the Darkness...


As Light is More Appreciated when the Darkness Comes and then the light shines and gives us beauty. It can seem too bright at first, but that is okay.

Planetary System Scene
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