Greetings Kind Reader ... another month and yet another AFK (seemingly) from me. But here I am ... just as June 2014 is winding down. Though it might have come and gone where you are right now.

Yes, yes, I've been busy --- there was the usual this-n-that I did during the month. Writing (though I didn't actually do a lot, a tad; but not nearly the amount that I did in my head. I suppose when I'm lying in bed at 2AM not able to sleep {because my leg is hurting or my neck is hurting or my back or so on and so forth} I can create such lovely stories. Some are adventurous. Some are thrilling. Some are just plain silly - I rather enjoy those.

I suppose you could say that in my quietest moments I can write umpteen novels. Unfortunately, my quietest moments are moments when it's not a good time for whipping out my laptop to tippity-tap down those ideas. And it's sort of difficult to write in the dark - though I have done it on really moonlit nights several years ago when we lived in a house where the blinds didn't quite block out the bright moonlight that poured in through our bedroom windows. (However, I will say, I rather enjoy it being dark at night. My only complaint is that we have a giant TV on the dresser -- and we barely ... as in super rarely ever watch it but it has this obnoxious bright white light. I loathe that light.

Most nights it's easy to ignore but when I'm uncomfortable and trying to think of everything possible to soothe my weary mind and body ... I swear that light hovers around 'super nova' bright. We even have a cable box with a DVR thingy in it so it's got 'extra' lights. Lights which are electric blue. OMG - not even Todd can stand those lights. There have been nights when he, who can sleep through so much (me taking out the dog, cat jumping on the bed, me sneezing or sniffling with allergies -- the list goes on), will get out of bed and put whatever he can find to put in front of that stupid clump of blue lights! Though now we rarely have that problem because I've put up a little light blockade in front of the lights that escaped from the Blue Man Group. But the TV, well, that's a different story because the light is a bit too high to put a greeting card in front of it!

Where was I?

Oh, yes, my writing. As I mentioned I've not done as much as I'd actually like to do during the month of June. And I'm hoping July will be more productive.

I've been working on edits and helping get some clients ready to send their work to agents. And before the end of July ... I think the query letters will be sent out. Man, I hope these Indie Authors whose work I truly believe in are snatched up by an agent because they deserve to be. Sure, it would be great for my fledgling business --- but honestly, to think that I might have played a role in getting someone their 'big shot' ... well, that's even cooler!

But don't think June has been all business. It hasn't been. I've been editing the videos for Jessica's high school choir. I had hoped to have them all done by this past Saturday. Unfortunately, my computer doesn't like it when I run two different video programs, a music editing program, and Adobe Photoshop. It gets all cranky and hot and slows down. My brother, Kenny, has suggested that I get some sort of monster fan thingy - and I'm seriously considering it because I don't really enjoy having my forearms burn. (Yes, burn. Because my machine gets so hot!) So, I've had to take it slow which annoys the heck out of me. I'm not a take it slow sort of person. I never really have been. (Who would have ever guessed?)

The big thing this past month has been wrapping up the school year for Jessica. She is now, officially, a SENIOR in high school. Lord help me, I remember her first day of kindergarten like it was yesterday. I don't know where the time has gone but I'm so glad to know that even though it seems to have flown past ... we've enjoyed the ride. Next year is going to be so amazing for her. She's taking 3 (Varsity Choir, Chamber Choir, and AP Music Theory ... I'll give you one guess to figure out what field she's going to pursue in college!).

Incidentally, she's taken up Classical Guitar, too. In fact, this summer, she's taking lessons for classical 3 times a week and taking none for her contemporary acoustic (after nearly 4 years she's pretty much got that one down!). She's learning CG to broaden her chances for college because there are lots of CG players and lots of Contemporary Acoustic players but not a lot of CG/CA players! And she's found that she really enjoys it. In fact, one of her birthday gifts this year was a beautiful classical guitar. (So now there are 3 guitars and one electric piano in her bedroom which seems to get smaller by the day!)

She's also in Varsity Theatre (it's the competitive theatre group which is pretty cool especially since she finally made it into the International Thespian's Society. Go, Jessica! Oh, and she's taking English, Gov/Econ, and some sort of elective earth science class which she doesn't have to take but she wants to so she won't be stuck taking something she really doesn't want to take simply because she has to 'fill in a 90 minute slot'.

She turned 17 this month. Good grief. Again, I can remember her when she was so very tiny before she was even 17 minutes old. WOW. Life is amazing, isn't it? Can you tell how very proud I am of her? If not, you might want to reread the last few paragraphs!

Today, June 30, I found out something awesome that probably won't sound awesome to 99% of the world's population. I found out that I actually DO have a neck injury! Yay!

Why 'yay'? Because for years and I mean nearly 2 decades I've been telling doctors again and again that something is wrong with my neck. But nothing could ever be 'found'. I even had an MRI done in 2002 where doctors couldn't see anything that was in line with the sort of pain I kept saying I was in. I honestly think they all thought I was faking it so I could get drugs or something. But I wasn't. In fact, half the time I wouldn't even take those pain pills unless I reached the 'OMG, I feel like every nerve in my body is screaming at me' pain level. And even then, I'd only take a half a pill or maybe a whole one on rare occasions.

Yes, now, that I'm seeing a pain management doctor (for fibromyalgia pain management) who told me straight up, 'Well, Laura, that's ... that's just dumb. Pain is your body's way of saying something is wrong. If you don't listen to it, you're only hurting yourself.' Smart guy, that doctor of mine!

He even ordered an MRI of my neck after I described the pain I have when turning my head and whatnot. He said, 'Pain like that tells me there's something beyond fibro going on. And because you do have fibro, it's making the pain even that much worse.'

So, I had an MRI done last week. Guess what I found out today -- oh, wait, I already told you ... I actually do have an injury ... an injury that appears to be pretty old ... in my neck! In fact, he went back and looked at my 2002 MRI and saw the same area of injury but it wasn't nearly as progressed back then. He asked if I'd ever suffered trauma to my neck. And I said, 'Yes. Like I said the last time I was here, I was in a car accident where my car rolled over 3 times and I went into the windshield. If I'd not had on my seat belt, I would be dead. So, yeah, I injured my neck.'

And now that he knows where the neck pain is - he can do something about it. So on Thursday, July 3 at 1PM I am going to have a nice little nap and my awesome doctor is going to inject my neck right at the focus of pain with something that should give me relief for the next 9 to 12 months. I was so happy to hear that I'd be in less pain, I was practically giddy.

So, I'm looking forward to July with great anticipation. Once that issue is resolved. We can really focus on the fibro. I can look forward to the trip we are planning (I've not been on a trip for over 3 years!) and I can look forward to it knowing I won't have to put on a pretend smile so everybody else will feel good about the fun they're having because I WILL BE HAVING FUN TOO!

Here's a nod to June, 2014. You were a good month.

Cheers to ya, Kind Reader. I'll chat at you soon!