First of all, there’s been a scheduling change. Due to my protracted and debilitating bout of depression, the delivery date for First of Five has been moved to September 2014. (I’m telling the truth, here. If the truth makes you uncomfortable, then please replace “depression” in the foregoing sentence with “illness,” and feel comfy again. I had thought of using “illness,” but then I read this article in our local paper, and I realized all over again that mental health issues are never going to be dealt with on par with other serious illnesses as long as “depressed/bipolar=crazy, scary, and completely unreliable in every aspect of life, forever and always” is a convenient equation for lawyers, and that it falls to those of us who suffer from these illnesses to be truthful about it.)
Also! I am behind on my email. I think at this point it’s safe to say that I will never, ever in this lifetime catch up on my email. If you have sent me something that I must deal with else Babies Will Die, please resend, and I will do my damnedest to cope. If you have sent me something below that level of urgency, I thank you very much for your interest, and your care.
For those who have not seen the news, there is a new story up at Splinter Universe, “Roving Gambler.” Here’s your link. Also, “The Rifle’s First Wife” is still up, so read it while it’s free. Here’s that link.
Fans of Jasmine Sprite, Princess of the Night, sometimes called both Bubbles and Boopsie, though she answers to nothing save the moople of the Trooper and the siren hiss of The String…Sprite went to see her fan club at the vet’s office yesterday. She now weighs fifteen pounds, and enjoys robust good health. The trip to the vet was necessitated by a drippy eye (she has had eye infections in the past, and we didn’t wish to Take a Chance). An examination revealed that someone might have clocked her one (not impossible, given her. . .enthusiastic interest. . . in the lives and doings of all of her subjects, but most especially Scrabble, who is Endlessly Fascinating), or she came up against some other irritant. There’s no scratch on the cornea, nor any infection. She came home with Soothing Eye Drops, which she is astonishingly good about accepting, and the situation is improving already.
Fans of Mozart will wish to know that he continues to Take an Interest in the Daffodils, and will occasionally play a short game of Twizler from the comfort of his hammock, when he is awake, which isn’t very often. He continues to require a regimen of Special Gooshy Food, which he is more than willing to share with Trooper, and which is kinda not the point of the exercise. The grandcats continue to be very respectful of grandpa, checking in several times a day, and cleaning his ears and the top of his head for him, as required.
A Reader of Liad has undertaken to read all of the Liaden stories and novels extant to date, in order, and chat about them. (Full disclosure: Paul told me about his intention to pursue this project before he started and I was. . .appalled probably doesn’t overstate my reaction. I have since taken a look at what he’s doing, now that the project is fully underway, and have adjusted my reaction from appalled to interested.) If you are interested in reading along, or have insights to offer, or are just curious, the project is Reading Liad. Here’s your link.
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Progress on One of Five
57,004/100,000
OR
57% completed
He grinned, to show he got it, and offered a piece of street smart.
“Contracts’re made to be broken.”
We have special Hannah Piper – Jennifer time every morning and night in the retiring room where HP gets her special goopy food all to herself while also allowing us to have special together time. This also means that heading anywhere that could be taken as going to the retiring room at any time results in lots of meowing and rushing to get there, and sadness when it turns out someone is going to the kitchen. How kind of Mozart to share!
Best wishes on dealing with the D. It is a liar, thief and all around jerk.
Sharon,
I applaud you for your honesty concerning depression. Many who suffer thru this often suffer alone but from what I have read, you have loved ones who care, and more importantly, you care for and about them as well.
I, too, face my depression on a daily basis but I have learned, rather slowly and quite late, that those around do care and I do care for them.
May whichever deity you believe in gaurd ad keep you.
As for the Liaden Universe, I have recently finished the 3rd book and anxiously look forward to reading the others.
Be safe.
Brian
Thanks for sharing ALL your news, Steve. I am with you on the course of altering the general public perception of mental illnesses. It ISN’T “all in your head”, even if it is your BRAIN that is ill.
SOLIDARITY
Depression Sucks in many different ways!
I am new to the Liaden universe by about a year. Am starting on a second and third pass through and still finding tidbits of information about people and events that appear in later stories. Absolutely fascinating.X strain and Xtrain being one notable example. They are like hidden pieces of candy. Thank you. It has been a long winter for some reason and the stories have kept me going. I hope spring has brought you relief and I am looking forward to the next adventure.
Depression has as many origins as it has sufferers. Not knowing the source of yours, I fear saying the wrong thing. So in lieu of making statements which at best might be comically inappropriate, and at worst outright harmful, I would like to offer Companionable Silence, with potables and snacks of your choice, spring birdsong, and purring, murbling cats.
RE: “The Roving Gambler.”
I hope to see more of Quin in future stories/novels!
Add me to the list of those grateful for your honesty and courage.