I began this term with SNHU on Monday of this week. So far, my week has proven to be quite a bit busier than I had anticipated, and I figured out that I am going to have to merge two story ideas into one plot to make a good dystopian science fiction tale that will make the 45,000 to 80,000-word thesis cutoff for a novel in this program of study. Due to my specialty being in Speculative Fiction, I need to be more on the 80K-word end of things.

I have to admit being somewhat intimidated by this first week’s discussion forum responses. I do not know that I did a terribly good job of my initial post. The only two views it has are my own, and the only response posted is by none other than little old me. The response post was to clarify a few points, and I may edit that reply to include a bit more of a revision of my initial post. I did not have time with all of the medical appointments this week to compose an adequate initial post before it was due.

Speaking of medical appointments, it turns out that I may have a damaged meniscus in my left knee and I definitely have a raging case of nummular eczema going on all over my upper body. I have never had eczema, so of course, I had to ask if it is contagious. Thankfully, the answer is no. Eczema, for the sake of educating the world, is not contagious. It is, however, itchy, unsightly, and somewhat fascinating (in a twisted sort of way). Anyway, that was all on Monday and Tuesday of this past week. Wednesday, I had another appointment, and Thursday, I had to cancel my equine therapy lesson due to my knee needing x-rays and an MRI, and the eczema itching like crazy (and driving me insane).

I think I should work eczema into my dystopian science fiction writing somehow. It seems otherworldly that way. I am working on a draft character sketch for my assignment this week. The only problem is that I do not know which character to do the sketch on. I have so many great characters planned! None are completely likable or entirely good or bad…they are realistic. Complexity is a writer’s friend, in my opinion.