Well, I have something to top the Colorectal Surgery Group, the [family/donor name] Urological Institute. That's one school I don't want a degree from, know what I'm saying? Although, in my head, I'm reshooting the DeVry Institute and ITT commercials for the UI.
And now, at work, everybody is concerned over the time I spend at work. It's one of those things that let's you know "something has been said about you somewhere else." (insert ominous music here).
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Story Bones
I've been reading a lot of space opera type SF lately and a lot of John Scalzi in particular. So in my mind I've been thinking about planets and alien species as an analogy to nation states in the early mercantile colonization phase of Europe. I've also been playing with concepts of corporate nation-states (an old meme that I think needs refreshed) and how colonies and alien races would relate to each other (to this I owe a big debt to John Scalzi). Would we have an space equivalent to the UN?
But here is the bone. One of the lesser known diplomatic functions the US has is the American University system (provides education to both US and foreign nationals, has high standards for education, and places their campuses in other countries to help educate those countries about the US, our desires, hopes, goals, and thought processes). If we would, say, discover intelligent aliens in space, and develop some form of FTL, would one of our initiatives be an Earth University? What would being a student there be like, how would the function as a "cultural ambassador," and would their graduates be considered like the graduates of AU or would it be more like a community college degree for those alien races?
But here is the bone. One of the lesser known diplomatic functions the US has is the American University system (provides education to both US and foreign nationals, has high standards for education, and places their campuses in other countries to help educate those countries about the US, our desires, hopes, goals, and thought processes). If we would, say, discover intelligent aliens in space, and develop some form of FTL, would one of our initiatives be an Earth University? What would being a student there be like, how would the function as a "cultural ambassador," and would their graduates be considered like the graduates of AU or would it be more like a community college degree for those alien races?
Postage Rates! Smack!
Last night I'm getting the Robert's Thunder manuscript ready for the Writers of the Future contest. I've got my postcard (with it's jokes), the manuscript prepared properly (cover page, manuscript without name, etc, always read the submission guidelines), the labels for the right addresses, the SASE... The SASE which won't come back to me until around the end of June (with an acceptance letter this time, please). After the postage rates go up. So my stamps won't be enough. Argh!
Dang burn it. When I started this thing I would send my manuscripts out with a full-sized return envelope. After four of those I had the postal people trained (Yes, this envelope doesn't have anything in it right now, but it will when it comes back...). And then I said, why am I paying all this postage when I can also have one envelope that needs metered and I'm good. I can seal up the whole thing the night before. No muss.
Now I need to buy $.02 stamps, if they're even available yet and do the whole rigamarole again. Bastages.
Dang burn it. When I started this thing I would send my manuscripts out with a full-sized return envelope. After four of those I had the postal people trained (Yes, this envelope doesn't have anything in it right now, but it will when it comes back...). And then I said, why am I paying all this postage when I can also have one envelope that needs metered and I'm good. I can seal up the whole thing the night before. No muss.
Now I need to buy $.02 stamps, if they're even available yet and do the whole rigamarole again. Bastages.
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Busier than a one-legged man...
I just replated the letterhead for the Colorectal Surgery Group. Jokes ensue.
Monday, March 26, 2007
Night again
Well, the commute home today was during actual daylight hours. The buzzards have returned. I saw them on the way home (although Hinckley is on the opposite side of Cleveland). At least 50 of them at various times. The largest congregation was about ten individuals, trying to find a thermal about 30 feet from the ground.
Today would have been a good day for thermals, the air current not the underwear. It was in the 70s.
So we have the windows open this evening, and the Spring Peepers are chirping merrily away. We have a lot of water and a lot of trees, things they like. There are places on the drive home that even with the windows closed they will drown out a radio on low volume (like listening to NPR).
These were probably the frogs I was hitting all last week on the commute home. Frogs on a dark rural highway at night appear as white lumps. Most just sit there, strangely enough right in the wheel tracks on the black asphault, I think because of the friction it is warmer there. But then some jump madly, more up than across. Little white blobs jumping up and down as you're bearing down on them at 60mph. Heart wrenching little crunches. There's only so much swerving you can do.
Today would have been a good day for thermals, the air current not the underwear. It was in the 70s.
So we have the windows open this evening, and the Spring Peepers are chirping merrily away. We have a lot of water and a lot of trees, things they like. There are places on the drive home that even with the windows closed they will drown out a radio on low volume (like listening to NPR).
These were probably the frogs I was hitting all last week on the commute home. Frogs on a dark rural highway at night appear as white lumps. Most just sit there, strangely enough right in the wheel tracks on the black asphault, I think because of the friction it is warmer there. But then some jump madly, more up than across. Little white blobs jumping up and down as you're bearing down on them at 60mph. Heart wrenching little crunches. There's only so much swerving you can do.
One of those nights
Since I said I would talk about the bits of becoming a writer, I need to talk about this. Last night was one of those crisis moments. I was dead tired. I missed my writers group meeting (and I had a story we were going to critique). And there were two rejection letters this weekend. The gremlins started jeering.
Normally I'm pretty good at ignoring them, but I had given them some good ammo. Why did I think I could be a writer? What the heck am I doing? I'm not dedicated enough or I would have gone to the meeting, flu be damned. I could make more money focusing on the day job. I could have a more satisfactory day job. I could devote more time to the village, to my wife, the my house, to the cat. Just what did I think I was doing except wasting time, energy, and money trying to be a writer?
So I didn't get much sleep, and I still hurt. Damn gremlins. They're quiet now, but I know they're still there. I'll be okay. I'll keep writing. I know I can do this.
On the drive in to work I was thinking about a class mate I had for a fiction writing course. He just didn't get it. His prose was horrible and at best plagerized (yes, and I had to call him on it during critique). And I was wondering if I was acting the same way he did, performing the same function he did in that class, but now I was doing that on a wider stage. Damn gremlins.
Normally I'm pretty good at ignoring them, but I had given them some good ammo. Why did I think I could be a writer? What the heck am I doing? I'm not dedicated enough or I would have gone to the meeting, flu be damned. I could make more money focusing on the day job. I could have a more satisfactory day job. I could devote more time to the village, to my wife, the my house, to the cat. Just what did I think I was doing except wasting time, energy, and money trying to be a writer?
So I didn't get much sleep, and I still hurt. Damn gremlins. They're quiet now, but I know they're still there. I'll be okay. I'll keep writing. I know I can do this.
On the drive in to work I was thinking about a class mate I had for a fiction writing course. He just didn't get it. His prose was horrible and at best plagerized (yes, and I had to call him on it during critique). And I was wondering if I was acting the same way he did, performing the same function he did in that class, but now I was doing that on a wider stage. Damn gremlins.
Sunday, March 25, 2007
Motivation - Springtime
Well, the batteries are low. I think I'm coming down with a flu. And it's spring, the season of mud. Most people forget that part. The robins have returned from the deep woods. I've been seeing them all this past week. They aren't the true harbingers of spring, though. Red-winged black birds are. And I think I heard one the other day.
The sap is flowing, another sign of Spring. For those people who don't know, maple syrup comes from trees, not molasses. I don't think this year is going to be a good one. The freeze was late, and not very long (only about a month and a half). The warm up weather has been wonky. For good maple syrup you need days above freezing and nights below freezing. You need about a months worth of them, while you're capturing the sap. I think we had a weeks worth. The weather just hasn't cooperated and I don't think the sap is sugary enough (about 40-60 gallons of sap will make a gallon of syrup). Well, we will find out soon. Chardon will have it's Maple Festival soon.
However, this is the time I get reminded about my first goal in professional writing. It's not to get published by paying markets (well, there is that goal). The first goal is to have earned enough to buy a new motorcycle. Yes, I ride bikes. It's something you either like or you don't, I happen to like it. The bike currently in the garage won't zoom zoom. It needs more help than I can (or want to) give it. A good new bike starts at around $5,500. And this is the time of year people bring out their bikes and invoke intense yearnings in those of us who can't be out there with them. It's not a coveting kind of thing, I don't want that person's bike. I want my own. This year has been bad for me. People were riding in December, and I've seen them on the roads since the beginning of March. Torture, just plain torture to see another person riding when you're stuck in a car.
The sap is flowing, another sign of Spring. For those people who don't know, maple syrup comes from trees, not molasses. I don't think this year is going to be a good one. The freeze was late, and not very long (only about a month and a half). The warm up weather has been wonky. For good maple syrup you need days above freezing and nights below freezing. You need about a months worth of them, while you're capturing the sap. I think we had a weeks worth. The weather just hasn't cooperated and I don't think the sap is sugary enough (about 40-60 gallons of sap will make a gallon of syrup). Well, we will find out soon. Chardon will have it's Maple Festival soon.
However, this is the time I get reminded about my first goal in professional writing. It's not to get published by paying markets (well, there is that goal). The first goal is to have earned enough to buy a new motorcycle. Yes, I ride bikes. It's something you either like or you don't, I happen to like it. The bike currently in the garage won't zoom zoom. It needs more help than I can (or want to) give it. A good new bike starts at around $5,500. And this is the time of year people bring out their bikes and invoke intense yearnings in those of us who can't be out there with them. It's not a coveting kind of thing, I don't want that person's bike. I want my own. This year has been bad for me. People were riding in December, and I've seen them on the roads since the beginning of March. Torture, just plain torture to see another person riding when you're stuck in a car.
Jinxed Redux
Good news and bad news. Just got an email for the Slush God passing on the pirate story. He felt it was too long for the market (which at 6500 words and Shimmer's top end at 5000 is understandable). He didn't think it was good enough to over come the length. Fair cop. And the rejection was personalized and explicit about the story, so I feel good about that. On the good news side, I now know where to send Running of the Deer.
Saturday, March 24, 2007
Jinxed it
Just got the rejection letter from LCRW. Guess what day it was mailed?
Ah, well. I'll check it over and figure out where to send it next. I want it in the mail before April 1.
Hope you're having fun this weekend. Mine was interrupted by a phone call at 9:30am for Village Business. Sigh, can't a guy sleep for 12 hours around here?
Ah, well. I'll check it over and figure out where to send it next. I want it in the mail before April 1.
Hope you're having fun this weekend. Mine was interrupted by a phone call at 9:30am for Village Business. Sigh, can't a guy sleep for 12 hours around here?
Friday, March 23, 2007
You load sixteen tons, and whadda get?
To give you a measure of just how much work has gone insane, so far this week I have 17 hours of OT. With the work I have on my desk, I expect to break a record at my current job and go over 20 hours this week (my personal all time best on OT is 55 hours, I never want to go back to those hours again).
On top of that, I've been following the discussions on SFWA President elections over on Scalzi's blog (link on righthand side), and the link to the SFF.net boards. If you have a vote, please vote for John for President and the write-in candidate for VP.
On top of that, I've been following the discussions on SFWA President elections over on Scalzi's blog (link on righthand side), and the link to the SFF.net boards. If you have a vote, please vote for John for President and the write-in candidate for VP.
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Left hand, meet right hand
I'm not usually political here, but I have to post this on this site.
Someone needs to explain to the President that since they haven't done anything criminal, and have nothing to hide, they shouldn't be worried about having to testify under oath, with a transcript, and in front of cameras. Just like they've told all of us with the various eavesdropping revelations, right?
(edited per LBB 03-22-07 3:04pm) Own Petard = hoist
Someone needs to explain to the President that since they haven't done anything criminal, and have nothing to hide, they shouldn't be worried about having to testify under oath, with a transcript, and in front of cameras. Just like they've told all of us with the various eavesdropping revelations, right?
(edited per LBB 03-22-07 3:04pm) Own Petard = hoist
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Submit In-tion
Well, this will jinx it all.
The Pirate Story is still at Shimmer, and the Slush God is very prompt, so I'll take that as a good sign. The other two stories have been at their markets since January, one magazine had an editorial shuffling, which I was worried about and now feel very good about. I'm not kissing butt here. Ann VanderMeer is an excellent editor and I think her position at Weird Tales and what they're doing there look like a good match. I don't have my reponse card back from LCRW, but then with my past submissions they send it all back together in the SASE.
I've got a lot to read between now and Sunday's writer's group. Work is relaxing a bit (hey, only 6 hours of OT so far). Hopefully the rest of the week will go well. I need to type in all my notes for "Winter Occupant/7-Year Itch," that may break the log jam in my head.
Also I finished the John Scalzi books (Old Man's War and Android's Dream), which should also help with that log jam as well. I like John's work, but I've posted before that there are some authors that when I read their stuff my mind shuts down. It has nothing to do with the quality of their writing, but how it affects me. With some authors I'm constantly stopping reading to write down notes (which normally have nothing to do with what I'm reading, but story ideas and muse whisperings). I don't have that happen when I'm reading Scalzi, but I really like his books. Just a thing.
The Pirate Story is still at Shimmer, and the Slush God is very prompt, so I'll take that as a good sign. The other two stories have been at their markets since January, one magazine had an editorial shuffling, which I was worried about and now feel very good about. I'm not kissing butt here. Ann VanderMeer is an excellent editor and I think her position at Weird Tales and what they're doing there look like a good match. I don't have my reponse card back from LCRW, but then with my past submissions they send it all back together in the SASE.
I've got a lot to read between now and Sunday's writer's group. Work is relaxing a bit (hey, only 6 hours of OT so far). Hopefully the rest of the week will go well. I need to type in all my notes for "Winter Occupant/7-Year Itch," that may break the log jam in my head.
Also I finished the John Scalzi books (Old Man's War and Android's Dream), which should also help with that log jam as well. I like John's work, but I've posted before that there are some authors that when I read their stuff my mind shuts down. It has nothing to do with the quality of their writing, but how it affects me. With some authors I'm constantly stopping reading to write down notes (which normally have nothing to do with what I'm reading, but story ideas and muse whisperings). I don't have that happen when I'm reading Scalzi, but I really like his books. Just a thing.
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