Tag: writing

Sekrit Cat Biz and Stampede Strings

What went before ONE: So lunch was food truck chicken nuggets and French fries. I have enough leftover for days, if I wish to play it that way.

Haircut achieved. I decided to let it stay long(ish) this pass. Stopped at the grocery for Trooper wet foods and tomatoes. Stopped at food truck. Came home, ate lunch. I think I have time to finish the book I’m reading before I need to leave for the chiropractor’s office.

It’s a pretty day, for those keeping score.

What went before TWO: Well, that’s a boring bunch of mail. Two letters from people who want me to donate money; one scolding me for daring to have filed a complaint against it (I can file complaints against any entity that it does business with, but not against itself, which is very convenient for itself); and another that was supposed to correct a previous error, which, um, didn’t.

OTOH, it remains a lovely, sunny, and cool day out of doors.

What went before THREE: Rook’s baby picture, May 30, 2024 (from FB Memories). Notation on original posting: So, this is Rook. He will be ready to leave his littermates in mid-June. However, because of Schedules, I will not be able to receive him at the Cat Farm and Confusion Factory until July.

It’s funny, when I picked out his name, I thought to myself how unfair it was that black cats are often named for their color, and I decided that I didn’t want to do that. And while I was mulling names, (Steve) suggested Rook, a powerful and flexible chess piece. I liked it, too, because it comes with Rookie as a nickname, and he certainly will be that.

It wasn’t until I was talking to the breeder today, and she said, “Oh! I know what a rook is — it’s an English crow!” that I realized I’d been foiled.

What went before FOUR: So, the Jigsaw Draft has been put together. I need to Bring Up some stuff, but I’m feeling much happier about what I have, now.

Everybody stay safe; I’ll see you tomorrow.

Saturday. Glary and cool.

Disturbed night, what with Sekrit Cat Business — which is fine, as long as Sekrit means Quiet — unsettling dreams and various whatnot. Slept in slightly, and am slow to get moving. I may have a cup of coffee.

Breakfast was rice crackers with cream cheese and a side of cherries. Lunch is TBD.

I should find out if the local homeless shelter takes pillows. Steve had stockpiled pillows, and after more than a year, I’ve determined that they’re In The Way, and I’m not going to use them.

Today will be mostly devoted to writing. Shan has written two letters, and I see that we must read them over the shoulders of the recipients, so that will be fun. Shan writes great letters.

Speaking of letters — I got an email from SSA yesterday, and thank you to everyone who made it possible for me to experience a Stress Spike whenever anything having to do with SSA hits my mailbox, or it’s coming round time for the monthly deposit. In the case, it turned out to be only the usual annual statement, but it was a thrilling few minutes that I could have done without.

The lady cats were having a bout of fisticuffs (fistipaws?) earlier. Not sure what it was about. They’re now sharing opposite ends of a window, overlooking the path between the house and the garage.

I know there’s a lot of Business of Democracy taking place this weekend. If you’re involved, have a care; I see there’s unsettled weather predicted here and there.

What is the weather where you are?

PS: After telling myself four times since getting up this morning to check Steve’s Tilley hat to see if it has a stampede string, I have finally accomplished this, and — yes. Yes, it does.

puts on pile for Monday’s boat tour

Chapter Jigsaw

Business first! This just in from Tantor Audiobooks!

To celebrate Barnburner‘s fifth year as an audiobook, Tantor is knocking 75% off of cover price, which means you can get this fine cozy mystery set in Maine, written by Sharon Lee, narrated by Traci Odom for only $4.00.

The sale ends on July 12.

Please share this news widely. Here’s your special sales link

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What went before: Still playing chapter jigsaw.

I strung my lights. I couldn’t make Plan A, over the bookshelves, work, so we’ve gone with Plan B. Of course. Plan B being over the windows. It will be fine.

Paid the bills and accounted them, and getting ready to pour a glass of wine and sit down with my headset and my tablet and see if I can’t reconcile their sudden differences.

Everybody have a good evening. Stay safe. Stay strong.

I’ll see you tomorrow.

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Friday. Sunny and cooler. Friday the Thirteenth.

Breakfast was half a blueberry muffin, with a side of cottage cheese; tea. The idea that I had no idea what I was going to eat for lunch woke me up, which seems unfair, though, really, it was almost 8.

Went to sleep listening to Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day — the chapter where she Speaks with Tony at the cocktail party, which is — so much fun.

I have a haircut scheduled for 11, so I have to decide if I want to keep my hair at what passes for “long” nowadays, or if I want to chop it all off until it stands up in terror. I will before that time of reckoning refresh the cat’s on-demand bar and perform my other duty to their felineships.

I have a chiropractor’s appointment at 3, and in-between I shall be continuing my solo game of chapter jigsaw, which is necessary because I find Good Solid Blocks of Narrative Here, and then There, and then Over Here, and Then — is boring, flat, and annoying. I’m aware of the complaint of our books that there are too many characters in too many places, doing too much, but — nobody wants a bored author. At least, I don’t want a bored author, so here we are. Chapter jigsaw to mix things up and keep them interesting.

What’re y’all doing today that isn’t boring?

A wine glass saved is a dollar earned

What went before ONE: So, Monday will a Full Writer’s Day Off, with watercoloring in the morning and lighthouse touring in the mid-afternoon.

Adventures R Me

What went before TWO: My sister-in-law successfully defended her dissertation. Thanks for all the good energy on Scholar Net!

What went before THREE: So a nice young man with an arm full of glossy 8×10 books rang the doorbell. He was part of a “group of young people who were looking to make a difference,” he told me. His name was perhaps Jarrett — my ears weren’t fast enough and he was soft-voiced.

He handed me two books — one about “health” and one about “weathering storms.” I flipped open the one about storms, and got a page dripping with meticulously notated bible verses. The young man told me that this particular volume had helped him through depression a couple years ago.

I handed the books back.

Oh, he said, you’re not interested in the books. But maybe you’ll come to our Health Expo in Fairfield in a couple weeks, and he handed me a half-sheet flyer. I took the flyer, because easier than not, smiled, and wished him a good day.

He asked if we could pray together.

I told him no, smiled, and closed the door.

So! The flyer!

A New Start to your health, it says; HEALTH AND WELLNESS EXPO. There are watermark crosses on the paper — medical/Red Cross looking crosses. And over by itself on the right: Promoting physical, mental, emotional, & spiritual wellbeing.

The flyer lists the free activities on offer at the Expo, and states that its being sponsored by Maine Health & Wellness (tagline: Serving your needs. Right where you are.)

Instead of a website, there’s an email address: healthandwellness.maine@gmail.com

. . . and my goodness aren’t we being sneaky, seeking-to-do-good-young-people! It sounds just like it’s some sort of Actual State Agency, even to the DOTmaine in the email address.

Maybe I should have offered to trade books.

What went before FOUR: Knocking off for the day. Yeah, yeah — I’m late. The coon cats had happy hour, and I should get something to eat.

The WIP, still lacking a title, currently weighs in at +/-40,277 words, which is to say, we didn’t lose many words after all.

Ashley’s due in tomorrow, but will be arriving later than usual, so I don’t have to get up early, which, given that I’m only now seeking my supper and a glass of wine, a good thing.

Everybody stay safe; I’ll see you tomorrow.

Um. Thursday. Sunny, warm.

Slept late with intermittent assistance from Trooper, Firefly, and Rook.

Breakfast was strawberry-and-lingonberry skyr; finishing up my tea now. Lunch will be this afternoon.

After I finish my tea, I’ll pick up the house for Ashley’s arrival, then perform my duty to the cats (and the dehumidifier), then start shifting chapters around.

Yes, yes. Too exciting by half.

For excitement — I got a catalog in the mail from Artful Home. In it were some pretty stemless wine glasses, so I went onto the website to find out how big they were. Sigh. I gotta tell y’all some folks out there are serious about their wine. Nobody needs a 10 ounce wine glass. Well, OK. I don’t need a 10 ounce wine glass. So! I already saved money this morning.

The windows are open in my office, and I? should really gather up the cat blankets and give them a nice wash.

What’re you doing today?

Just waitin’ on a friend

What went before: Sewing was fun; more people continue to find the group. The conversation turned at one point to bats, which was lively and enjoyable.

I hear that I should expect the Martin’s Point Nurse Visit tomorrow between 8 and 10 am, so I guess I’d better get my pill bottles in one place; not that I have that many pills, but I do take vitamins. Will also remember to ask about a referral to an audiologist. I don’t know that the traveling nurse can do that, but — maybeso.

The cats have been fed, to Trooper’s vast satisfaction, and I have poured myself a glass of wine. After I gather up my pills, I’ll be having the evening meal, and, yes, another early night, being as I will have to be up early tomorrow, JIC.

Everybody stay safe.

G’night.

Wednesday. Sunny and already warm.

Waiting on the Visiting Nurse.

Breakfast was half a blueberry muffin with a side of cottage cheese. Drinking my first cup of tea.

First Official Act of the Day was filing a complaint against the spoofed profile. FB reminds me that it will only remove things that are against its community standards, and it appears that, actually, pretending to be someone else is not against community standards.

Which actually tells us everything we need to know about FB, and yet here we all still are.

My sister-in-law is defending her doctoral thesis this afternoon, so if you can spare a good vibe or two on Scholar Net, that would be awesome.

Aside the Visiting Nurse — who just called and says he’ll be here right around 8 o’clock — I need to take bottles to the redemption center, and stop at Agway for rose spray.

And, in view of the Imminent Arrival of the Visiting Nurse, signing off for now.

Later that same morning: So, that was a reasonable and informative visit. I remain Disgustingly Healthy. Speaking of double-edged blades.

I think I talked the Visiting Nurse into taking his wife to Corning to make glass. And I may have a lead on a doctor who is accepting “transfer patients.” Apparently that’s the magic phrase, right there — not “new.”

The lawn guy’s here to mow, and his equipment, naturally enough, is in the driveway, so I’ll be taking the bottles out after he’s done his thing. Which, given that it’s only 9 o’clock — mornings go on forever when you get up at 6:30 — will be about the time the redemption center opens.

Rook was Not At All Certain that he had cleared Vets in the House (double entendre alert: the nurse is, as so many medical folks are up here, ex-military), and hid in Steve’s room. The other three cats stayed in my office:  Firefly and Trooper at the desk, and Tali behind a curtain.

Second cup of tea in hand.

The larger part of the day will be working on the WIP. I hope to get the correx entered today, so I can do the Grand Rearranging of Scenes tomorrow, and be set up to write new words, assuming I haven’t forgotten how, by the weekend.

I did a Coon Cat Weigh-In the other day. Everybody is staying stable — Firefly almost 12 lbs; Rook almost 13; Tali at 11 — except Trooper, who lost 2 lbs. He’s now on the mid-morning Elder Snack schedule. Good thoughts for Trooper, please.

How’s everybody doing today?

Rookie’s box arrived yesterday afternoon, and was put to use immediately I cleared out that pesky rope of lights:

Today’s blog post courtesy of the Rolling Stones, “Just Waitin’ on a Friend.”

My father says that almost the whole world is asleep

What went before ONE: Litter pans changed out, basement vacuumed, shower had, shopping done (Do I need more jeans? No. But I adore the Starfish pull-ons from Lands End, and? They’re On Sale! Besides, I cleaned out the basement.)

Next up — the midday meal — and then back with the WIP.

For the Record, should there actually be a record — it’s raining like heck.

What went before TWO: The afternoon theme. My question is: why am I awake?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What went before THREE: So, I did not finish reading the WIP today. I did realize that what I have needs to be rearranged, now that I have nearly half of a (technical) book written. Tomorrow, I’ll start the rearrangement. Or, I’ll write the scene that’s missing. Or, yanno — both. Or neither.

I note that, for this book, and against Standard Practice, I made what I’m pleased to call An Outline, in service of the fact that I’m operating on half the recommended brain-power for the writing of a Liaden book.

It has served me well this far, but its usefulness will end as I commence rearranging the segments, which is fine, because I have the middle pretty much nailed down, and A Few Ideas about the ending.

In other words, we’re in pretty good shape, over here in It’s Time to Write Your Novel Land.

I did not take a nap today. This may or may not have been An Error, though I did not make the Definite Error of applying caffeine, which leads me to suppose that this will be another Early Night.

The Coon Cats have been suing for Happy Hour since 4:45. Right now, they’re being quiet, perhaps even Too Quiet, but I’m willing to take a lack of noise Right Now for the probability of Chaos later.

I will append the Outline to the end of this communication, for those who have an interest in such things.

Everybody stay safe; I’ll see you tomorrow.

Outline for current WIP
VARIABLE
VELOCITY
TIME
CONVERGENCE
DISPLACEMENT
SOLUTION

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Honest to ghu, people don’t pay attention.

Here’s Charlie Giguere, flying the Pride flag outside the Silver Street Tavern, which he has done for years (I mean Literal Years: I’m pretty sure there’s a picture of Steve and me standing in front of it around here somewhere, and I was wearing a corset, which is an article of clothing I last wore in 2019. But that year the bullies were too interested in shutting down the bookstore), and only now, he’s getting flack. Like it’s all Brand New, and Charlie Just Got Woke.

It’s not that I want a better class of bully, but the stupid does sometimes burn.

In other news, the Maine Grain Association is sponsoring a Bread Walk in Portland and also an After Dark Bread Walk, which makes me both grateful and sad that I don’t live nearer to Portland. On the 26th, though, there’s the Bread Fair at Skowhegan Fairgrounds, and I may try to make that, absent brain-fying heat.

Where was I?

Ah.

Sunday. Bright and warm.

Breakfast was French toast with strawberries. Second cup of tea is brewing. Lunch may be, um. Maybe I can take a premade chicken patty, cook it in tomato sauce, put it over macaroni and pretend it’s Chicken Parmesan. That could work.

Today is a writing day.

That’s it. That’s all I’ve got.

What’ve you got?

This morning’s blog post brought to you by Abney Park, “The Wake“

Rites of Spring

What went before: So, I’ve read 108 out of a possible 197 manuscript pages. Will finish that tomorrow.

Otherwise, a Very Quiet day here at the Cat Farm and Confusion Factory (except Now, because Trooper is yelling for Happy Hour NEOW!). I am for some reason Just Exhausted, so it will be an early night hereabouts.

I watched “Rogue” last night from Dr. Who. The Doctor did look ever-so-tasty in his Regency duds, though I’m going to be very disappointed in him if he doesn’t find the lad.

Hope everyone has had an enjoyable Friday.

Stay safe; I’ll see you tomorrow.

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Saturday. Cloudy and cooler.

Slept late. Thinking about sleeping some more, but! Today is change-the-cat-boxes day, so — duty first, then nap, if I’m still So Inclined.

It rained last night — a lot — and the ‘beans are calling for more, off and on, during the day.

Tali and Rook did engage me before breakfast in a vigorous game of Spring, which presently goes like this:

1 Rook and Tali Gather Round, looking up at me Expectantly.

2 I Produce a Spring and show it to them.

3 They wriggle.

4 I throw the spring.

5 They chase it at turnpike speeds (Tali runs faster than Rook, but this isn’t an advantage, as she often over-shoots the target).

6 Rook (usually) recovers the spring (if Tali manages to get to it first, he takes it away from her), and brings it back to me, so I can throw it again.

6a If Tali retains the spring, she bats it around until she loses it, then comes back to me, eyes wide, waiting for me to Produce a Spring. However!

6b The game ends when the spring is lost.

7 VARY: Rook hides the spring and then comes back to me, eyes wide. I go find it and throw it again. This Variation has a three-throw limit or ends when 6b is invoked.

So, that’s the news from the Cat Farm. I note that this time last Saturday, I was driving twisty little roads through tidy Vermont towns in the Pouring! Down! Rain! and wondering if it just made more sense to pull over, buy a house, and never drive anywhere again.

What’re y’all doing that’s interesting, today?

Well the cops busted Madame Marie for tellin’ fortunes better’n they do

What went before:  So, a low-key day. I did some This, some That, read, put the finished sampler into the embroidery book, ironed some con clothes. I’m still trying to decide if I’ll wear black-and-grey, or black-and-maroon for Opening Ceremonies, a decision I can put off for a few days yet, as both outfits will be coming with me.

For those who are coming to BaltiCon — I have Interesting News. We have a possible location for the Stuffed Animal Tea, but! We don’t have a time or day. So, at this point, it’s kind of a Heisenberg Tea. More news will be forthcoming, possibly on Wednesday. As soon as I know something firm (bearing in mind that I will be spending a large amount of Wednesday and Thursday driving), I’ll let y’all know.

We’re getting up toward ASL time, and I still need to close the windows.

Everybody stay safe; I’ll see you tomorrow.

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Friday. Dim and damp.

Letters dispatched. Finished reading The Mysterious Marquess, and have pulled The Elusive Earl up for tonight’s reading, unless it turns out to be a Dr. Who night. Zoom call upcoming, and a couple other such things as people are suddenly realizing that I’m going to be away. Laundry needs to be sorted, laptop charged and systems brought up to date

I have more this ‘n that to do, including puzzling out some bits for the book after the current WIP, which may not be Jethri after all, if I’m gonna do mumblemumble with the current WIP, which I think may be Forced, given that I need to at least produce a soft landing, if not a Hard Wrap Up, and there are only three books remaining under contract (Current WIP, WIP After, Jethri Big Finish). And now you know why writers stare out of windows.

I’m slowly remembering the convention traditions — pins, con clothes, tote bag, pens, ribbons, badge jewelry… For those who are coming to the con, I will have with me some “I Met Steve Miller” ribbons, so that those present who had, in fact, met Steve Miller may acknowledge that connection.

The cats are being very snuggly and maybe even a little clingy, which I’m guessing the memo I sent out has hit. If the teleporter worked, I’d bring them with me, but the geezinfluke is still on backorder.

I think that’s most of what’s going on here at the Cat Farm and Confusion Factory.

How’s everybody doing today?

Today’s blog post title courtesy of Mr. Bruce Springsteen, “4th of July, Asbury Park”

After breakfast cat census:

It wasn’t the bullet that laid him to rest, but the low spark of high-heeled boys

What went before: So! 600-odd new words today, bringing the total very drafty WIP to +/-40,200 words.

Quitting to do some ASL review and maybe see how much of my acceptance speech I remember today.

Tomorrow, I have an early(ish) appointment for a haircut, and some errands to run while I’m out and about. Then! I have Endless Phone Calls to make, and then? We’ll see.

So, I’m checking the weather for my various locations starting next week. Cooperstown’s more or less on par with my part of Maine, and Corning’s a tad warmer, but Baltimore? Baltimore, what’s going on with you? It ain’t Summer.

Of course, we here in Central Maine are operating under an Active frost advisory from midnight to 6 am tomorrow. Just in case anybody thought it was Spring.

Everybody stay safe; I’ll see you tomorrow.

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Well. Monday, eh? Damp and dim and at the moment, chilly.

Waiting for my tea to brew, then there’s a raisin bran muffin with my name on it to be toasted.

It looks like two of my friends have been whatever the FB term is for “hacked” overnight. Both visible in the city. Both women. Of course, you might say.

Sometimes, I think that I’d like to know what goes on in the heads of people who do this kind of crap (ref “hacked” above), so I could understand why they do it. If for nothing else, look at the material I could get for my stories, O! Me of Can’t Write Believable Villains.

But, then, yanno, I think, no. I’ll just sit over here writing overachievers who at least try to be compassionate, if they can’t be kind, and who recognize that none of us go it alone, we all need each other, even the bullies and the billionaires who proclaim themselves Self! Made! Met your mother, mate?

“The comfort of the rich depends upon an abundant supply of the poor.” Thank you, Voltaire.

I think I’d better go find that muffin.

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And. A name I didn’t recognize liked my previous post and in the time it took me to click on the name and block it — I had two messages from that same name.

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Glam shot:

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Haircut achieved, per evidence previously provided. Firefly approves and that’s all the validation I need.

Stopped at Holy Cannoli and bought a slice of lasagna that will easily be two hearty lunches, and a chocolate mint brownie bigger than my head, which will also be eaten across days. In fact, I’ve just eaten a slice, which I washed down with the tea (still hot!) in my Yeti tumbler.

As previously advertised, I have phone calls to make and, to reward myself for phone calling and getting my hair cut, I have reserved a seat at this evening’s free talk-and-film at the Waterville Arts Center. This evening’s movie is The Shape of Water.

Waterville is doing the city-wide clean up, and people are throwing away Perfectly Good Stuff, so I thought, but figured it was Just Me. Turns out not. I chatted with a lady who had rescued several small child amusements from piles on people’s lawns, took them home, washed and disinfected them and, hey, presto! The grandkid wins.

So. Brownie slice consumed — man, that was good — and tea finished.

Time to make my first phone call.

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primal scream

Phone calls accomplished. I may not have a copy of my log that the insurance company keeps on me, which is a record of every time I’ve called them, or they called me, and a synopsis of our talk, on account of that is … proprietary?

My first contact was with someone who wanted nothing to do with me and bounced me to another department, which fortunately got me someone who thought her job was solving problems.

Unfortunately, all she could do was research and compile a case, but she had to send me and the information back to the general office, where? I was “helped” to fill out a grievance that I cannot have a copy of, and I should hear “something” in 30 days.

Takeaway: Insurance company does not care if it has a trust issue, because — where else you gonna go?

I’m going to go heat up some of that lasagna for lunch. I do not believe I will be going to the movies tonight, but I may binge Dr. Who.

Today’s very late blog post title brought to you by Mr. Steve Winwood and Traffic, “The Low Spark of High-Heeled Boys”

 

Adventuring for the faint of heart

Convention Business: The BaltiCon Program is now live. Word is that it’s still being tweaked. I was, for instance, double booked for Saturday evening, and have been moved from the panel discussion of how to make your characters relatable. Here’s the link. Note that you can search the schedule by day, and by person, and you can create your own list of things to do and see.

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What went before: So, that’s 636 new words on the day, along with some retrofitting of old words. The WIP Entire now weighs in at +/-39,597 words.
For a book that has quite a large cast of characters, Salvage Right is amazingly tight, and I have to keep going back and refreshing myself on what happened when and to whom, as well as what was left over.

Also, prep for BaltiCon, including the travel details, and speeches, and reservations at Corning — not to mention the stupidity with the insurance company and! something else that landed on my desk today — is all kind of borking my concentration on the story. Well. Maybe I’ll have time to write at the con.

Yeah, who am I kidding?

The rain has stopped and the wind has come up. Word is that tomorrow will be sunny and beautiful.

We’ll see, she said darkly.

In the meantime, everybody stay safe.

I’ll see you tomorrow.

Sunday In Two Parts

ONE
Oh, my gods and goddesses.

Rookie fell out of the bathroom window.

SPOILER: He’s OK; I’m — a little stressed, and so very VERY pleased that he didn’t run away, but just sat in the garden under the window and YELLED. Firefly and Tali came to get me, both looking very worried, and I had heard a cat calling, but thought it was Trooper singing the song of his people downstairs, as is his habit.

But Trooper was on the copilot’s chair. I ran to the bathroom; the screen was awry and I could hear a cat YELLING. I closed the bathroom door, ran outside — and there was Rook, staring up at the window and YELLING. I called him and he came to me, just like the spoiled kid he is, and I picked him up and told him how brave and smart he was, and brought him back into the house, where we both collapsed onto the couch. He’s only just gotten up to grab a snack.

I pushed the screen all the way out, closed and locked the window. I’ll figure out how to put it back in later.

Offerings to Bast are in order.

TWO
Sunday. Sunny and still a little chilly, though warm enough that I opened the bathroom window for the edification of coon cats.

Breakfast was … eggs scrambled with tomato and onion and rice. I guess I ate about half of it before Adventure overtook me. I hate cold eggs. I did finish my toast and jam. Lunch will be chicken tender and mashed potatoes out of a bag and, oh, peas, why not?

I have a letter to write, but mostly I want to write. I really hope that isn’t too much to ask.

I … am still a little shaky, and so glad that Firefly and Tali came to get me instead of following Rook out the window. I might’ve talked Firefly in, but Tali’d be halfway to the mall in Augusta by now. Fans of Trooper will be pleased to hear that he slept through the entire thing.

So! Who’s up for Adventure today?

Picture of Rook after the fall:

I thought that I heard you laughing

What went before: Bookmarks for Balticon just landed!
Today has been a frustrating day. As much as I declared that it would be a writing day — well. It was a writing day.

Unfortunately, it was a writing day where I realized that I had made a wrong turn, and spent hours trying to figure out (1) where I had gone wrong and (2) how to fix it. I briefly considered chucking the entire manuscript into the recycling bin and deleting all the files.

Then I realized that I was dealing with a crew of rogues and scoundrels and that Seignur Veeoni is, to put it as baldly as possible — Seignur Veeoni.

Which in the present case, is a GOOD thing.

So! 265 new words written today, but the way is clear for tomorrow.

I had salmon on a bed of salad greens for lunch, and there’s broccoli cheese soup left over for tomorrow.

The cats have just finished Happy Hour; I have some dishes to wash, and my own evening meal to forage.

Everybody stay safe; I’ll see you tomorrow.

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Saturday. Why, look; it’s raining.

I’ve taken to setting an alarm for 7am, as a compromise to getting up at 5am because I woke up, and feeling Aggrieved for the rest of the day. If I know I have an alarm set for 7, when I wake up at 5, I say, “Oh, no, you still have two hours to sleep,” and — that works. Psychology, man.

So, this morning when I arose, dewy and pink, from my couch (I know, I know — terrible image, but who am I to contradict a poet?), I was starving. I was in fact So Hungry that my brain immediately said, “You’re too hungry to eat.”

Have I mentioned recently that my brain periodically tries to kill me?

Yeah, so. Breakfast was naan and hummus, and a handful of dried apricots, because it was quick and could pretend to be nutritious. For lunch, there is that bowl of broccoli cheese soup that I ordered yesterday for lunch, but didn’t want after I ate the salad.

Today is — dare I say it? Yes! flaran cha’menthi, and all like that — a writing day. Seignur Veeoni is on deck. This ought to be Fun. For those values of Fun that apply to writers who are actively writing.

I was visited, serially, at breakfast by Rook and by Tali. Firefly stopped by my chair to have her back stroked, which is Firefly’s schtick; and Trooper is already on duty in the copilot’s chair.

So! What’s the weather at your house?

Today’s blog post title brought to you by REM, “Losing my religion“