Overtime and Days Off

Back to my normal overtime schedule. And I never got a day off. I'm both happy and sad. Happy that I don't have to make do with 32-hour paychecks (I'm sure I would have had some overtime). Sad because I was really looking forward to having an extra day off.

And in last place...

Finished with “War Stories.” It’s done, stick a fork in it. I don’t think I could read it again anytime soon. So this week it will go out (I was a little premature with the In Submission link).

While I want to write a lot of things, I think the next thing will be editing some old stories I thought I had finished and starting a new one with the tentative title, “Learned Behavior.” It’s a first contact, space opera, submarine story. Yeah, yeah, it all works together, even with the monkeys.

I also want to work on the novel. I need to work on the novel. I must work on the novel.

Pardon me, I hath a culd...

I have a summer cold. Those most truly suck. I’ve been lazy with writing since I went on vacation. Every time I get a head of steam up somebody steals the tracks away. Been cleaning, fiddling with paperwork, and yard work. Have I explained that yard work for me can mean mowing and trimming or using chainsaws and equipment that has their work rating in tonnage? It’s been the second kind, being too damn wet to mow.

Last week at work was “absolutely no overtime.” So I only worked 6 hours of OT. For the foreseeable future I’m to have Wednesdays off. We’ll see how long that lasts.

Mostly through the polish for “War Stories.” It’s pretty much what I thought it would be; short red marks instead of making the manuscript look like I used it as bandages for gaping and sucking wounds. Yes, I like using a RED pen for markup. If you have to ask I can only say, “Because it’s damn easier to see.” Make marks on my manuscript with pencil and I don’t think you’re serious about what you want to say. Make marks in blue and especially black pen and I may miss them. Use green if you like, purple if you must, but I will supply red pens to anybody who wants to proof my manuscripts, just ask.

Ideas have been coming for new and in progress stories, thank the Muse. I wish I had more time. Some disjointed ideas (more Storybones to come, soon), some things that are stories, some that I have no idea if they’re stories or not, some I can’t work into stories (at least not yet).

War Stories is definitely a cold fish and it’s starting to stink up the place, time to get it off into the mail.

Storybone 08-21-06

Been a long time since we had one.

"Wake up and die right."

I have no idea what the hell this means or where it goes. YMMV.

A Whole Lotta Blah

I have the hard copy of “War Stories” to proof. Last night I just crapped out. Last week we were told at work that everybody was going to four-day work weeks (32 hours) until that roaringly good economic boom created by the Bush Tax Cuts actually, you know, got going. Monday morning I was told this week would just be no overtime (I’ve been working 11+ hours every week since January). Last night I got home on time, and just didn’t know what the heck to do. It had been so long since I was home before 7pm. So the afternoon and evening was wasted. Today will be better.

Done!

Just finished retyping “War Stories.” Finished at 6780 words. Was as high as 7150, was as low as 6720 at one point. I think what’s left is just a polish. I hope.

Still Alive...

So far behind, I’m still running to catch up. Went to Confluence, saw people I know, met people I didn’t, had a great time. Although, the parking sucked. Next year will be in a different hotel.

Finished the red-lining of “War Stories” at Confluence. I’m about a fourth of the way through retyping the story. The other day I had a lighting strike with the thought, “why would the Shoggoth Zombies (yup) act like that?” Sigh, so much to do. Now I need to figure out who of the cast of extras is wearing the red shirt. Also started a red-line edit of “Changelings.” I’m seeing some things that just weren’t working, superfluous words, etc.

Then, just for kicks, I took a vacation with my wife and sister-in-law. Had a fun time and spent way too much money.

Not caught up with work, not caught up with council duties, behind in writing and reading.

Did finish “Moonlight and Vines,” by Charles DeLint. Not his best work, but not a bad book (collection of shorts) by any stretch. Haven’t finished a book in a long time, so that felt good as well.

Now work says they’re going to a four-day work week. Everybody else is slow. I’m still working overtime. Not sure how that’s going to work, but it does mean more time to get caught up and write more. Must. Write. More.