Had the best shopping experience (although clearly and by yards the most expensive) I’ve ever had. I owe it to my friend Meghan, who guided me through stores I usually bypass altogether, told me when things didn’t look right (and made it seem like it was the clothes’ fault), and made sure I bought something that was not black or white. I even bought something with a pattern. This is major. Although it’s a black and white pattern. But I have to start somewhere.

I didn’t get a chance to do any more writing. OK, I lie. I was looking at etsy.com for jewelry to go with all my new duds and did you know what a time suck that place is? Oh, you did. You probably wear patterns, too.

So I didn’t make the time to do anymore writing tonight, but let’s do the new math. I’ll be able to hit the computer running tomorrow morning while Greg is working and maybe gain on this thing for a change.

OK, so the new math has to have a guesstimation as its basis. Let’s say 90,000. (80,000 was clearly wrong, but maybe not entirely wrong.)

I’ve written 78,587. Minus 78,587 is 11,413. (Argh.)

I’m still using August 31 as my new job start date until someone tells me otherwise. Someone might be telling me otherwise on Monday. That’s 12 days (counting weekends, not counting days out of town).

OH HEAVENS. Twelve days?

Not panicking. That’s still only 951 words a day. If I stick to my thousand a day, I should still be, um, fine. I should probably still try to kick in the extra hundred or so when it’s clicking, just to be sure.

I’m a little less certain this time. How do I know it will wrap up at 90,000? I don’t. I don’t think it will be much more than that, but this is me guessing. Again.

Twelve days, beauties. Of course, that’s if the offer I’m supposed to be getting on Monday is worth taking. If it’s not, I have a lot of returning to do at Talbots.