Four randomness

We'll start with the writing. Shouldn't we?

One of the classic advice lines to new writers is read everything you can get your hands on. Inside and outside your genre, you should be reading. I'm going to expand that to watching and listening as well. Ninety-nine percent of it will be garbage (someone's law, can't remember who, said 90% of everything is dross, given today's media I'd up that a little), but there will be gems. Here's one from this morning's commute (the less said about that the better). It's a story about white-water guides. There are so many gems of stories in it that it was like an unbelievable gift from the heavens of NPR. Really. I've already thought of how I can incorporate some of what was in there into "The Wreck" story, and I can feel other ideas squirming around under the cloak of my subconscious. All because of one story in a million.

Listen and read voraciously.

Now to other political stuff. I'm really trying to get off the political stuff. I really am, folks. But they sure make it hard, don't they.

And now there's news (via Jay Lake's link salad) of new charges of "voter caging." The other night I was also subjected to a robot push poll (I hung up after the first few questions, but they sounded suspect to me). And I guess I'm not the only one.

Back to the reading and listening. I've been going on podcasts for most afternoons these days. The latest Escape Pod comes from that wonderful woman, Mer Haskell, called Reparations. You all should go listen to it.

Back to busy busy this time of year. And since the Xmas Decorations are starting to appear in stores now, you know what time it is. That's right! It's nearly Halloween. My favorite holiday. And, oo, the pickin's on decorations are good this year, my precious pets. They are delicious. But I don't have the budget to buy them. Which makes me a sad Trick or Treater. Which then also reminds me. Candy, candy candy! Bwahahaha.