dianaschnuth

I do appreciate constructive criticism. I can always pretend to take it in stride, even if it bruises the perfectionist in me.

After beating up on myself about my diet, though, hearing from a listener that I tend to go off-topic, and plug too many other podcasts (or “blogs,” as she called them), and that my musical interludes are too long… that didn’t feel as constructive as it was probably meant.

I got kudos early on for my musical selections, and I thought they were a high point of my podcast. And I thought that referring my listeners to other podcasts that might help them would be… well, helpful. And I thought that broadening my topics to include low-glycemic and fitness issues would bring more listeners into the fold.

I know that one person out of 150 having qualms about the tightness of my production doesn’t necessarily mean that I suck. I have to wonder, though, how many people aren’t saying anything.

I might consider throwing in the towel if I weren’t the only low-carb podcast out there. I’ve gotten plenty of positive e-mails in past weeks, though. It’s just that this tidbit of constructive criticism was poorly timed. I’m already in a slump, and being reminded of my shortcomings — or, rather, having new ones brought to my attention — doesn’t really help matters.

The beauty of being an independent podcaster is that, if I decide I’m really not excited about producing a show on a given day, I can just say “fuck it” and opt to wait a few more days.

I have a topic I’m excited about — debunking the myth that the Atkins Diet will cause kidney failure — but I’m really not into recording tonight. Maybe I’ll do some more research and script some stuff out, but I really can’t get into recording and editing today.

I’m feeling frumpy and headachy and tired and I’m just not down with it. I’m also feeling a little bummed that I may not make my first weight-loss mini-goal. I keep wavering between 211.5 and 210 — my goal is 209 by Tuesday.

It would be so easy to, again, say “fuck it” and go eat Chinese this weekend.

Some of you may recall that, last Thanksgiving, I attempted to make a butternut squash pie. It was pretty yummy, although it didn’t set up very well due to my forgetting to add the eggs.

This year, I remembered the eggs. Not only that, but I made the edges of the pie crust all pretty, and sprinkled the top with allspice.

But I’m taking the pie to Thanksgiving in Westlake, so I can’t eat it for a day and a half. o.O

Mind you, I should have been podcasting tonight instead of baking, since my next podcast has already been promised to the listenership as “The Thanksgiving Survival Guide,” and it’s going to be pretty much useless if it comes out on Wednesday night before Thanksgiving…

Today at work was a pretty blah day. Worked on some boring reports that are sure to put anyone to sleep. I made it through, though.

Then I walked out to my car and saw the flat tire. Nice. Waited for my two co-worker guys to walk out to the parking lot and asked them, “Do you think that’s too flat to drive on?” Oh, yeah.

Borrowed James’s cell phone to call Aaron and let him know I might be late, all while the manly-men are switching out the nail-ridden tire for the donut. They changed the tire in six minutes flat, while I was on the phone. I thanked James and Rob profusely and drove home on the donut.

I had about two minutes with Aaron before he had to leave for work. During that time, he gave me a hug and I got to open the Kujibiki Unbalance patches I ordered from Japan for this weekend’s cosplay. Anyway, he took the other car to work, so he wouldn’t be driving on the donut, and so the Contour will be in position for me to take it to work tomorrow myself, instead of the Kia.

Once Aaron left, it was time to go vote. I’m relatively new at this voting thing, having only become politically active at the last presidential election. Our polling place had changed, since the school where we voted last time is now under renovation. I had no trouble finding it, though, and beelined past the NBC 24 camera before they could get a shot with me in it.

I really, really dig the new touch-screen voting machines. Much better than the friggin’ Scantron-style bubble sheets we had to fill out last time. Having people from the same neighborhood in the same room was kind of fun, too, and made me long for the days of real community. (The Browns fan behind me telling the Steelers fan in front of me that she shouldn’t be wearing that Steelers jacket made for some surprisingly pleasant banter.)

So, voting done, I went home via the gas station to fill up. The Kia had less than an eighth of a tank left, and I filled it for $20.05, which is a welcome change from the $28 of yore (i.e. summer).

OK. Tire changed, husband hugged, voted, gassed up, and back home. Time for food. Threw some sausages in the microwave and voila, dinner is served.

Scarfed that down. Now it’s time to get down to business.

This evening was supposed to entail me researching and outlining tomorrow’s podcast and finishing up my Kujian helmet. Instead, I ended up talking on the phone with Ann, the new LSM Public Relations committee chair, for 20 minutes about what we should do for press releases. Started looking for some podsafe music for my podcast.

Aaaaand I’m done. I am completely exhausted, and it’s not even 10:00 yet. I want to get my podcast done and uploaded tomorrow, so that my biweekly schedule isn’t totally out the window by show #2, and so that I have Thursday to do the last-minute finishing-up of my cosplay outfit. I really wanted to work on that tonight, but I’m afraid I’d fuck it up at this point.

I’m so tired, I don’t even want to add to my NaNo or play Civ 4. Now *that’s* tired. Ugh.

Maybe I need to print out all my low-carb materials, bring them to work, and forego my lunchtime walk in favor of scripting out my podcast. Not a bad idea, although I’ll miss my outside time.

*checks weather.com*

Hmm… mid 50s and windy. Not horrible weather for walking, actually. Oh, well.