Crisis Alert:

Pliny is having a crisis. A crisis that needs a conclusion (and a solution) by Sunday, at the latest, though Saturday is preferable.
I've come to a stalemate with my novel project and Violet is sick to the teeth with hearing about my trials, tribulations, and various curses (especially the curse of the magazine stack). I'm ready to scream. Actually, I've already had a few good screams-well, shrieks at least, I'm too good a citizen to actually scream in the hearing of others. I'm not the type to voice negative emotions, I hate complaining, being cranky and irritable only makes me more cranky and irritable because I can't force myself not to be cranky and irritable, and I hate to spread bad cheer. That being said, I've been growling to myself an awful lot these last few days. I'm blaming it on PMS.

I could really use some advice on character and plot, I'm stuck between objectives. On one hand, I have a nice little character dynamic but it needs a plot for it to play out (why else would anyone read the story?). On the other hand, I've created an intriguing plot for the characters, but it takes the focus away from the original interaction I had envisioned. I'm not opposed to changing my vision (well, except for the minor detail that I have spent the entire semester submitting scenes based on the original concept or on something close enough to the hazy no-man's land in between to count), but if I scrap the original concept I'll have nothing left. I'll essentially be starting over (again). That might not be a bad idea except that I'm feeling like I may never commit to a plot until I find the perfect one, which will never happen-my life is altogether too much like chasing unicorns. I feel like I'm at an impasse.

"In England from the 17th c. to the beginning of the 19th c. the player who received stalemate won the game." -Douglas Harper, The Etymology Dictionary.
Does this mean I've won?