1. I am officially in the last few weeks before the bar exam. The bar exam, if you don't know or live in a place where it's not required, is the 3 day test that all aspiring attorneys in the US (erm, in most states anyway) take to become licensed lawyers that can actually charge for the advice they give. Translation: muy importante for that whole job/money thing and excessively difficult. So that means I might be largely MIA in the writing department for awhile. I'm *trying* to finish the next chapter of 'Ghosts' at least before I dedicate myself fully to studying... but don't bet on it. I feel guilty every time I open my word processor that I'm not studying, lol. So it's not writer's block this time - it's legitimate Real Life Issues. Trust me, no one wants to take the bar exam twice.

2. Despite #1, I've started to participate a little more actively over on Dokuga's LJ community. A new serial of meandering, AU drabbles of 100-500 words will soon be posted. (It's about the longest chunk of story I can deal with right now.) I'm calling the series "The Nightingale", *very* loosely based upon the fairy tale by Hans Christian Anderson. Don't expect real plot or forward advancement though. It's just a way to tie all the prompts together - I need a focus, even if it's slight. Anyway, the basic premise is that Kagome, plain but with a beautiful voice, is bought in a slave market to be Sesshoumaru's newest little pet. She sings. He listens. They come to understand one another. Just remember - AU and meandering are the watch words here. And yes, I'm certifiably insane for starting this NOW of all times. At least you can look forward to nearly weekly updates until I get bored with it, lol.

Hope all my American watchers had a great 4th of July!



For shame! deny that thou bear'st love to any,
Who for thyself art so unprovident.
Grant, if thou wilt, thou art beloved of many,
But that thou none lovest is most evident;
For thou art so possess'd with murderous hate
That 'gainst thyself thou stick'st not to conspire.
Seeking that beauteous roof to ruinate
Which to repair should be thy chief desire.
O, change thy thought, that I may change my mind!
Shall hate be fairer lodged than gentle love?
Be, as thy presence is, gracious and kind,
Or to thyself at least kind-hearted prove:
Make thee another self, for love of me,
That beauty still may live in thine or thee.
~Sonnet #10