I'm behind on the novel, but I've at least passed the halfway point: 27,090 words. I'm still not sure where it's all going, but it's still going. Embracing the "quanity not quality" has really helped me get the words down, but I know what a mess it is. Tenses are changing mid-paragraph, the narrator keeps showing up and then disappearing, there are scenes with great big holes in them. If toward the end I'm low on words, there are a lot of places I could go back and add descriptions and scenes that I've ignored for now, because I didn't feel like writing them. My cold is pretty much over, which is making it much easier to get to this. I find the Walkman with the Israeli music really helps me set my scene.

Now that the main rush for holiday is done at work, I can start to close projects out and begin learning things in my new position. I'm quite excited to be starting something new, and while it may only be mid-November, the beginning of January feels incredibly close, and there's so much I'd like to get done before I move on. If I had any doubts about changing positions, that's over now that so many folks are leaving work. I was really shocked by Friday's announcement, but I guess I shouldn't have been. I think everyone was surprised at first, but when they thought about it for a little bit, it made perfect sense. But with so much of the original team going (even if they were in other departments, they were still there), there's little left to stay for. I'm appreciative that he got me out of my old job before moving on. Everyone seems to hit their five year anniversary and then pack their bags. Actually, more and more folks aren't even making it to their five-year point. So few people left remember the Columbia building. The majority of folks left never even worked there, never had to share a cubicle or have any idea what a bunk-desk is. They don't remember the strange smells on the mezzanine or the old printed phone list with everyone's home numbers. Now it's all blue shirts and khaki pants and modern offices.

Speaking of blue shirts and khaki pants (and my new career), Adam and I went to Barnes and Noble yesterday (yes, I will shop there) and I picked up Why We Buy, a book on "the science of shopping." I made Adam walk in front of me in case I saw anyone I knew--I didn't want to be seen in the business section, nevermind picking up books such as The Portable Marketing MBA. Anyway, I'm really enjoying it--a fast read. Lots of this stuff is plain old common sense that I had never even thought about. It's giving me ideas for my next novel... (As if. After this one, I may never write again!)