The Cantina Staring Back At You From The Abyss

[Friendly Frog]

I can never keep track of mother's and father's day. There's a national one but there's a different, very regional one and I never remember which the family uses, so I tend to give a little something everytime. Got dad his favourite candy last time.

I barely uses facebook these days. I only signed up mostly to see pictures of my sister'c children and since then Facebook seems determined NOT to show me things I do want to read and its loadingtime is really unappealing. Meh. One'd think that site would want to be used, but then one would appear to be wrong.

 

[zanzjan]

There is a movement afoot to try to save the 60-year-old UMass Science Fiction Society from short-sighted bureaucracy; if you loved your own SF club, or lamented the lack of one, and want to sign a petition in support of this club that is near and dear to my own and many other people's hearts, the link is here.

 

[CobraMisfit]

Hey hey, I like the shiny update to AW.

Morning, gang.

Whut up?

 

[Siwyenbast]

Ooh, shiny! Also got a piece finished to workshop level earlier this week. I gave myself a couple of days off to relax, and now I'll be starting on the last of the open supers stories tomorrow.

 

[MaeZe]

There is a movement afoot to try to save the 60-year-old UMass Science Fiction Society from short-sighted bureaucracy; if you loved your own SF club, or lamented the lack of one, and want to sign a petition in support of this club that is near and dear to my own and many other people's hearts, the link is here.

I want to sign on, do they care I don't have anything to do with UMass?

 

[E.F.B.]

I barely uses facebook these days. I only signed up mostly to see pictures of my sister'c children and since then Facebook seems determined NOT to show me things I do want to read and its loadingtime is really unappealing. Meh. One'd think that site would want to be used, but then one would appear to be wrong.

If I could avoid using FB at all, I would. I only joined because, at the time, one of my favorite fandom sites lost the platform they used for their weekly livestream and were only able to stream from FB for a while. Since then there have been a few other FB exclusive groups I've found that have been too essential to me to leave them just to get off the platform, so I stay. Anyway, Zoom worked well for crit group meeting, so hopefully that will be a permanent solution.


I am super annoyed with USPS lately (and suspect a lot of people are). A month ago I won a giveaway an author was doing for her book and it's still not here. She's the type who doesn't just not send stuff either, so I know USPS has either lost it or it's stuck somewhere, which would be the second time this has happened to a book for me in the past couple months. (Last time, it was a book I paid for). I've emailed her to check up on it because I obviously don't have the tracking number and if it's been totally lost she'll want to report it or something, but haven't heard back. Based on her blog I think she's on vacation right now and probably isn't checking her email, so who knows when or if I'll ever actually see that book.

Last week I then won a giveaway from a different author and because of the anxiety of the previous USPS issues it occurred to me that maybe I could just politely ask if this person would share the shipping tracking number so I could take care of the issue myself if it got lost, so I did ask... only for it to get here three hours later. LOL. (Ironically, I dreamed the night before that it had gotten here, which is what prompted me to ask for the tracking number.) I'm super happy this one at least got here and messaged her to tell her "ignore my shipping related anxiety, it literally just got here" but me being me, now I'm kicking myself a little because she probably thinks I'm weird or impatient for asking.

And really, I truly hope the people I've had to contact about the books that I've purchase or won but then never arrived don't think I'm trying to get an extra book off of them or something. I just want to actually get what I paid for or won and I'm sure they don't want to lose the money they paid to ship the thing, much less the cost of the actual book that won't get read if it doesn't get to me. And I wish USPS would stop sending stuff, especially books, through Washington DC on its way to me because that's always where stuff gets messed up. Like, if they're that backed up, maybe rout stuff around them until they get their act together? Not that they asked my opinion...

Anyway..., enough ranting about USPS. I've finished eating lunch and really need to get back to editing my WIP now that everyone here is busy and I have some quiet time.

 

[Friendly Frog]

Losing packages in the post is SO annoying. I've been mostly spared from it so far, but my mom never got the mask her grandson made for her that had extra flaps to stop her glasses from misting over when she wears them. Lost in the post. Her invitation for the vaccine also didn't arrive, we had to find out via another way. We joke about some annoying coworker from her last job now working for the post or something that misplaces her packages, but it is annoying when you're never certain whether a package is going to arrive ever or never.

 

[TedTheewen]

I have missed all of you greatly and I'm so happy to be back home!

May the Ice Cream fairies visit your freezers at night and leave offerings of extra creamy goodness!

 

[JJ Litke]

Well this is about the quietest reopen ever. What's up with that? I just checked the blog for an update and saw the forum's back. Shouldn't we, like, tell people? Or am I the only one who didn't know?

 

[Brightdreamer]

I think a lot of people drifted during the outage, developed different habits... will take a while before they think to check or drift back, or for new blood to fill the void.

And it's Saturday afternoon, and officially Way Too Hot. 94F outside, 84F inside. And tomorrow's supposed to top triple digits outside, which probably means 90's inside... gah.

 

[Cobalt Jade]

The temp's going down here in Seattle. WTF?

 

[Brightdreamer]

Now the Weather channel claims we're 102... and tomorrow and Monday will be 110 or 112.

(It's 97 here, according to our little weather thingy in the yard.)

 

[MaeZe]

Hit 102F in Bellevue and just now finally started the slow climb down: 101F. But it won't cool down for three more nights.

Me and the dog are just hanging out in front of the fan. I feel like I should be using the time more productively than reading science articles online.

I had very difficult lab results to explain to two patients, only one I've reached so far.

ETA: just contacted the other patient, difficult issues resolved, follow up testing scheduled.

 

[J. A. Rama]

/pokes head in

H
Hello

It is indeed hot as butt.

Y'all can have it. I don't like it. Give me the cold.

 

[MaeZe]

One more blast oven day.

But enough about that. I have a novel ready to market. I've heard so many discouraging predictions, you'll never sell your first novel... yada yada ad nauseum. Yes it's my first novel but I can say now that I am not a new writer. I refuse to be discouraged. I found a list of agents from a couple larger literary houses that say they want debut writers, sci-fi, and YA. That is just the combo I'm looking for.

Hey, if they don't show any interest, what am I out? Not much. So I'm going for it. I am prepared for rejection. I am not prepared to give up before I've started. I believe I have written a good book.

Okay, every time I've thought that before, I've gotten critique feedback that led me to revise it and say, okay, now it's a really good book. But this time, by Georgina, I am ready to put this baby out there. My final gazillionth rewrite of the first chapter, with all those slain darlings behind me on the path to enlightenment, has taken more than ten years but here I am.

 

[Brightdreamer]

Hooray for finished novels!

Mergh, I really need to finish a short, here... preferably when I'm not melted all over the keyboard.

 

[MaeZe]

If/when I get it published, maybe you'd do one of your reviews Brightdreamer.

 

[Friendly Frog]

Wishing cool breezes and cold water to the AW'ers stuck in a heat wave! Hang in there, friends.

Over here it's rain cloud after rain cloud, not cold, but not warm either. I forgot our summers could be like that. Not weather to spend outside at all, but with all this heat the last few years you're happy that it rains for more than one day! Rainbarrels are overflowing and I'm hoping the water tables are stocking up too because they have been incomfortably low for the best part of two years already.

Sweet mother of unicorns, I miss the time we could joke about climate change...

 

[E.F.B.]

One more blast oven day.

But enough about that. I have a novel ready to market. I've heard so many discouraging predictions, you'll never sell your first novel... yada yada ad nauseum. Yes it's my first novel but I can say now that I am not a new writer. I refuse to be discouraged. I found a list of agents from a couple larger literary houses that say they want debut writers, sci-fi, and YA. That is just the combo I'm looking for.

Hey, if they don't show any interest, what am I out? Not much. So I'm going for it. I am prepared for rejection. I am not prepared to give up before I've started. I believe I have written a good book.

Okay, every time I've thought that before, I've gotten critique feedback that led me to revise it and say, okay, now it's a really good book. But this time, by Georgina, I am ready to put this baby out there. My final gazillionth rewrite of the first chapter, with all those slain darlings behind me on the path to enlightenment, has taken more than ten years but here I am.

Good for you! I believe that "advice" came from people finishing their first novel, being excited, and trying to sell it without understanding that editing is a Thing and then being confused about why nobody wants their raw brilliance. And as with many pieces of over-generalized writing advice, it started getting translated as "Nobody is capable of writing a good first novel, editing be darned." The thing is, where one person may have written their first novel with little to no feedback, editing, or self education in the craft, and maybe they don't even read the genre they write, another person may have balanced their writing process with time studying the craft, getting feedback, and putting in the time and effort to edit. Are both people's novels doomed to be shelved just because of some sort of mystical curse upon them that comes from being their first novel? I don't believe that.


In unrelated news, I'm not in the best mood today due to impending lady issues and minor annoyances that grate more than normal because hormones. And the beagle's decided to be queasy, probably because he got his monthly flea & tick chew and that's a common potential side effect, which means he keeps trying to lick the carpet. Which means I've spent half the morning fussing at and physically restraining him from licking the carpet because beagles are nothing if not stubborn and he wants to do what he wants to do. It'll pass eventually as it always does, but it's pretty distracting and annoying while it's going on.

 

[MaeZe]

Good for you! I believe that "advice" came from people finishing their first novel, being excited, and trying to sell it without understanding that editing is a Thing and then being confused about why nobody wants their raw brilliance. And as with many pieces of over-generalized writing advice, it started getting translated as "Nobody is capable of writing a good first novel, editing be darned." The thing is, where one person may have written their first novel with little to no feedback, editing, or self education in the craft, and maybe they don't even read the genre they write, another person may have balanced their writing process with time studying the craft, getting feedback, and putting in the time and effort to edit. Are both people's novels doomed to be shelved just because of some sort of mystical curse upon them that comes from being their first novel? I don't believe that.

...which means he keeps trying to lick the carpet. ...

Thank you for the words of encouragement. I'm definitely in the second group there with everything you mentioned. Except for the lock down I've gotten critique feedback every two weeks for (gasp) ten years! I've edited the book over and over. And I'm not tired of it when I read it again. That might not be good if it means I'm the only fan.

Working on the query now and I have the protagonist actively involved. But I'm brainstorming how to make her stand out as the character she is.

On the dog licking the carpet thing, my dog does that but that's probably because there are crumbs in the carpet that should be vacuumed up. How does flea med do that? Do you think it affects his brain? You're the only other person I know who has a dog that licks the carpet.

 

[Gatteau]

Congrats on finishing that book, and good luck with the shopping it around! I think it's a great sign that you're a fan of your own work, especially after spending so much time with it. That would seem to imply a good chance of other people not getting sick of it either.

I am currently dealing with something of a landlord debacle, myself. Without going into too much detail, he had given my husband the go-ahead in person a while ago on a project at the house, then after a visit last week he calls me to essentially give us an ultimatum: that project must go or we can "rehome". We've always had a good relationship with him and had personally had many conversations supporting and encouraging this project, now all of a sudden it's back to there's a clause in the lease and you have three days to come up with a plan. Who does that? Just rude.

So we come up with a plan, because we're not willing to risk getting kicked out of this house in this ridiculous market, and of course this plan has to hinge on a friend who's being a flaky piece of..... poop, right now. He just plain didn't show up this morning when he said he would, then started in with all kinds of excuses like shifting the blame to the other people helping him out and saying he might not even take care of it at all. Finally he's here, and the project is being dismantled piece by piece. I'll just be glad when it's gone and Not My Problem any more, and I can get rid of this anvil the landlord is swinging over my head.

I actually think I've dealt with this whole situation quite well, considering. I haven't even screamed at any of these crapmonkeys outside of the scenes I've been playing out in my head all weekend. This has all just been such a fantastic lesson in trusting people not to go back on their word.

It's hot as balls here too. I think only reaching 90F today, so I know others have it much worse, but still... It's all relative.

 

[E.F.B.]

On the dog licking the carpet thing, my dog does that but that's probably because there are crumbs in the carpet that should be vacuumed up. How does flea med do that? Do you think it affects his brain? You're the only other person I know who has a dog that licks the carpet.

Nah, not his brain. *lifts the beagle ear to look inside and double check* I researched it because he's the first dog we ever had that licks the carpet like that. Carpet licking as associated with a queasy tummy is the indoor dog version of grass eating. If I take him outside while he's acting like that, he will transfer to eating grass. Basically, doggy instinct says "My stomach doesn't feel good, therefore there's something yucky in there that needs to come out." So they eat things they don't normally eat to try to get enough bulk in the stomach that they'll vomit and the stuff they ate will carry whatever yuck is in their stomach out with it. In the wild, that behavior could save a dog's life if they ate something toxic that's making them feel sick. In domesticated situations when a necessary medicine is causing the stomach upset, it's just annoying.

When da beagle is queasy like that I learned I can feed him candied ginger like you can get at the grocery store and that helps settle his tummy just like ginger helps settle human tummies when we don't feel good. Took awhile, but he did finally stop the licking yesterday and has been fine so far today.

I actually think I've dealt with this whole situation quite well, considering. I haven't even screamed at any of these crapmonkeys outside of the scenes I've been playing out in my head all weekend. This has all just been such a fantastic lesson in trusting people not to go back on their word.

It's hot as balls here too. I think only reaching 90F today, so I know others have it much worse, but still... It's all relative.

Yikes, that sucks.

 

[Friendly Frog]

Note to self: when you need to run by the store for food, keep the bandaids on those tiny blisters you got from grudge gardening ON because you will NOT care to repeat the experience with the alcohol hand disinfectant on them you had today. In other words: Yaaargh!

Thank you for the words of encouragement. I'm definitely in the second group there with everything you mentioned. Except for the lock down I've gotten critique feedback every two weeks for (gasp) ten years! I've edited the book over and over. And I'm not tired of it when I read it again. That might not be good if it means I'm the only fan.

True, but it also means you have a fan!

And if you're not tired of it after editing your book over and over again, I daresay that's a good thing!

I actually think I've dealt with this whole situation quite well, considering. I haven't even screamed at any of these crapmonkeys outside of the scenes I've been playing out in my head all weekend. This has all just been such a fantastic lesson in trusting people not to go back on their word.

Gaaah, that sounds so frustrating. Rude landlords, flaky friends and a project that suddenly could spell homelessness is not a winning combo. Hoping it will soon be Not Your Problem.

 

[MaeZe]

Nah, not his brain. *lifts the beagle ear to look inside and double check* I researched it because he's the first dog we ever had that licks the carpet like that. Carpet licking as associated with a queasy tummy is the indoor dog version of grass eating. If I take him outside while he's acting like that, he will transfer to eating grass. Basically, doggy instinct says "My stomach doesn't feel good, therefore there's something yucky in there that needs to come out." So they eat things they don't normally eat to try to get enough bulk in the stomach that they'll vomit and the stuff they ate will carry whatever yuck is in their stomach out with it. In the wild, that behavior could save a dog's life if they ate something toxic that's making them feel sick. In domesticated situations when a necessary medicine is causing the stomach upset, it's just annoying.

When da beagle is queasy like that I learned I can feed him candied ginger like you can get at the grocery store and that helps settle his tummy just like ginger helps settle human tummies when we don't feel good. Took awhile, but he did finally stop the licking yesterday and has been fine so far today.

I used candied ginger for morning sickness. I used a lot of it.

Annie could be feeling ill, and she does toss grass sometimes, usually with some big grub that is dead but mostly intact.

 

[Brightdreamer]

Tuesday afternoon, segueing into evening, and 87 is still too hot, but not nearly as unpleasant as triple digits.

Took Mom to a follow-up appointment, and finally - after over a year - the surgeon agrees that Mom's constant-sensation-of-being-strangled after thyroid surgery is not normal and not going away on its own. They did a quick scope (after telling Mom this was just a talking visit, they went ahead and did a scope), and as she was there a slot opened for a barium swallow test thing on Thursday so she's doing that, but otherwise there seems to be no nerve damage or anything so it's most likely muscle tension that never relaxed after surgery and just sorta built on itself. The surgeon could actually feel it, it was so obvious. So she has a referral for massage and PT (the latter of which she needs to change, because even though they told her they'd do the referral for the local place, after she told them she couldn't do Seattle trips, they referred her to Seattle). The way everything seems to keep falling into place for this makes me a little worried that the universe is building to a nice big punchline, but for now it's looking hopeful that she can regain some quality of life after having been ignored for too long.

And I tried to get some writing done but Mom decided that it was the perfect time to keep talking to me through the door. Maybe I can squeeze in some writing before bed...

Otherwise, not much worth noting. Rewatched another Expanse ep to keep pace with the Ty & That Guy episode discussions (which, TBH, are somewhat scattered and at least as much about about unrelated stuff as Expanse stuff, but are still fun to listen to), been binging Lucifer on Netflix (fun show but with some teeth to it; reminds me a bit of Buffy or The Good Place), reading when I can...