The Cantina Staring Back At You From The Abyss

Richard White · Aug 11, 2018

Saturday has gone pretty well. Since my wife had to work a bit today to make up a day she missed this week, I've been sitting at the nearby Starbucks working away on my novella while waiting or her to finishing. So far, in three hours, I've managed to compile 3424 words on "The Unquiet Corpse Affair", bringing me to 7095/30000. If I can get this kind of wordage done tomorrow too, I'll be well on the way to getting this done on schedule (which, of course, means something will happen tomorrow .... *sigh*).

OK, time to finish my Starbucks sandwich and tea (I always try to buy something if I'm taking up their space).

Siwyenbast · Aug 12, 2018

Just subbed to Tor.com's novella open call, and I'm hoping that they like it enough to at least afford me a close read, if not publishing. I know it's a lot to ask, but it's still my hope.

In other news, I go back to school on the 20th for my final semester, my dad's finished moving out, and we're cleaning out the kitchen of excess stuff. I would have done that tonight, had I not scalded my finger prepping dinner a few nights ago. Gotta keep an eye on the blister and keep it clean and covered until it's ready to peel off. I also jammed the same finger in the front door--twice. To end it off, I had a good pair of gold sandals snap a strap while I was getting out of the car to head to my LARP. Mercury retrograde has really been screwing me over this past week. >_<

AnnieColleen · Aug 12, 2018

Hello, Cantina -- popping in to say hi before the social anxiety invisibility curse flares up again to stop me. I'm not new, exactly; I've been around off and on since before the Cantina existed, but, well, invisibility curse. Just now I'm at the stage of wanting to chatter about a story-in-progress, so I'm channeling that to speak up here instead.

Story-in-progress...one is my bonus story from last year's Sisyphus, revising with feedback from the ArmadilloCon Writers' Workshop. Also planning a new one for Lackington's next reading period. Right now the goal is just to get something finished and out the door.

...which also means not procrastinating by trying to perfect a forum post, so, well, back to work. :gone:

Brightdreamer · Aug 12, 2018

Sunday afternoon, and an iffy one it is.

Couldn't sleep last night, then had weird/unpleasant dreams.

Haven't gotten much done, due in part to oversleeping.

Gut just kicked me after lunch, so I'm thinking I may swap out the day's planned exercise for an improvised curl-up-in-bed-cursing-rebellious-intestines.

And family's just being familylike enough to keep me on edge in anticipation of interruption.

Plus my ongoing quest for another thread has so far scored zero success, and the clock's about run out.

Week, you're really not starting out on a great note, here.

tiddlywinks · Aug 12, 2018

Hey, AnnieC! Nice to see you around these parts again. :hi:

A fairly successful day. Managed to figure out what Mr. Winks did on the website he runs to mess up some code, after a long grumbly discussion over coffee with my brother and much poking around in the css templates. *sigh*

Also read several books this morning which were quite lovely. A nice start! And now I'm plugging away at some feedback received from one of my CPs on the pirates ending chapters.

If only I hadn't received the email about one of my short stories that was not a rejection...but a note that the mag was closing for business. :/ Boo.

In general, I'm feeling pretty good on the writing front again! My plot bunnies are all in bouncy bouncy let's be working on something mode, so I'm feeling the really sweet creative mojo I had as of two years ago. I think *cross fingers* that the worst of the writer's block and IRL stress is past. Enough that I've already outlined, scene by scene, at least the first third of pirates, Book 2! EEEH! I held off on subbing the novella this go, as I finally figured out how to dig deeper and kick it up a notch. So slowly working on that, as well as plotting out the changes to be made to the formerly trunked epic fantasty. All while keeping my new shineyy novel plot bunny in the closet on time-out until she comes to her senses and stops talking to me in first person present. >.<

On tab this week: beta'ing and um...killing myself, I mean, tasking myself with writing the query and synopsis for pirates. Yay... (with nerves soothed by a little Liam and Yde new story idea scratching)

Religion0 · Aug 13, 2018

As it turns out, declaring yourself healthy after being sick while unemployed is the best way to get people to turn around and get sick again.

The weather has done a hard turn and I'm not handling it super well. Can we go back to the relentless sunshine?

Friendly Frog · Aug 13, 2018

Brightdreamer said:
Friendly Frog - I hear ya on the rain barrel restrictions; it's technically illegal here. Seems nitpicky, and nobody ever enforces it, but sadly I know why they do it - give some people an inch and they take a mile. (A nearby neighbor actually killed a stream that ran through his property by creating a private cistern. And, yes, he got away with it, 'cause money.)

Well, I suppose that's part of the problem that they can't tell afterwards whether you've gotten the rain water the usual way or whether you clandestinely filled up your rain reservoir with surface or tap water, which are both regulated and taxed here.

Restrictions are now lifted, thank god and all our rain reservoirs filled up again to bursting. Still, it is nice to know that we have enough water when drought conditions do hit, even if we're technically not allowed to use it at that very moment. Ah, the lovely consequences of bureaucracy...

Religion0 said:
Man, the thunderstorm we had the other night was a godsend, the grass was recovering within a day. Some trees look like they're already in autumn, though.

Yeah, trees always take longer to recover. While we now have plenty rains again, it's still wait-and-see for some larger shrubs whether the drought was too hard on them or not.

Okay, that's silly. If you're allowed to have reservoirs, surely you should be able to use the water in them however you see fit. Although my guess would be that you should keep them in case of fire? I'm not sure what they're thinking exactly.

I hadn't thought about it in case of fire but I highly doubt that has factored in the decision. Most older rain reservoirs (ours was constructed by my great-grandfather) do not have automated pomps, which means we can only get the water out by a handpump, which I doubt will suffice in case of fire. Also, the entire street has hydrants where the firefighters can get pressurised water instantly.

Shadowflame said:
Well, I'm going to be incredibly busy for the next 4 months.

indeed.

AnnieColleen said:
Hello, Cantina -- popping in to say hi before the social anxiety invisibility curse flares up again to stop me.

tiddlywinks said:
On tab this week: beta'ing and um...killing myself, I mean, tasking myself with writing the query and synopsis for pirates. Yay... (with nerves soothed by a little Liam and Yde new story idea scratching)

Bubblewrap, standing by!

Because knowing you, you'd probably dislocate a finger on a key while writing queries...

Religion0 said:
The weather has done a hard turn and I'm not handling it super well. Can we go back to the relentless sunshine?

I'd offer you mine but it seems our summer has no other setting between 'drought-conditions-high-intensity-sun-for-weeks-on-ends' and 'rains-and-dark-and-mopey-autumn-weather -masquerading-as-high-summer '.

We're currently in the second setting.

Don't get me wrong, I like some rain, the plants still need it but do the temperatures have to drop like a rock everytime the rain descends? I have other clothes I want to wear besides sleeveless summer dresses and long sleeved autumn knitwear...

E.F.B. · Aug 13, 2018

Siwyenbast said:
Just subbed to Tor.com's novella open call, and I'm hoping that they like it enough to at least afford me a close read, if not publishing. I know it's a lot to ask, but it's still my hope.

All the fingers and toes and everything crossed for you!

AnnieColleen said:
Hello, Cantina

Hi, Annie! :hi:

tiddlywinks said:
If only I hadn't received the email about one of my short stories that was not a rejection...but a note that the mag was closing for business. :/ Boo.

Boo, indeed. That sounds very disappointing.

Glad you're feeling good on the writing front again, though!

Morning, Cantina. Weather-wise it's actually pretty cool this morning due to the storm we had last night and the lingering clouds. I wish we could take da puppy for a walk while it's like this, but both my parents have medical appointments today, so that's a definite no-go. Lots of reading will get done today, though, because my dad's appointment is his physical therapy and that always takes a couple hours.

I have an idea for a short story, so now seems a good time to end my break and start writing again. Honestly, I've been a little bored not writing, in spite of getting other things done that needed doing, so it feels good to be starting back again.

Brightdreamer · Aug 13, 2018

Well, it appears to be Monday morning. and that's about all I can say about it.

Got a touch of a headache, so I'm wondering if yesterday's gut attack was part of a mild bug. Whatever it is, it needs to be gone by Wednesday.

Today, headache willing, I need to get back on track, so to speak. (Right now, my "schedule" is more proof-of-concept than specific; site stuff in the morning, exercise and other stuff in the afternoons, writing attempts for twoish hours before bed. Can't be strict because Family. Once I get the habit down, I need to nail down more details - not just site stuff, but X, Y, and Z on the site, not just writing but Revise This or Start That. The stick-on-a-schedule muscles are very flabby though, and need a little time to rebuild.)

Will be shopping later today, as we're dead out of dinner stuff. (Well, we technically have leftovers, but nobody seems to eat those until I throw them in my every-so-often leftover stewp.)

Off I wander.

Shadowflame · Aug 13, 2018

FYI Spreadsheets are a godssend.
I have several clients now. Juggling all the different promos were more than I could handle until I got smart and put everything down on spreadsheets. Now, all I have to do is open up the desired workbook. Make a few changes, then copy/paste to my social media manager that has the accounts. A job that took me at least 2 hours per account now takes half an hour (unless of course my internet is wonkie)
I can even plan ahead! Make out planned promos before launches so that things are ready.

*should have thought of this earlier.

themindstream · Aug 13, 2018

Yay for the power of spreadsheets!

I have questions for you people who do art shows (especially GD and probably Filigree). My mom has been increasingly getting into photography and has sold a few prints to friends and family. An acquaintance has invited her to rent a table ($15) at a small local art show this autumn. She's not sure what she needs to display her photos; she has matting, frames and a few table stands. I figure she needs some sort of bulletin board or pegboard, a way to make it stand up and a way to hang stuff on it; the less it costs while still looking nice, the better. I have a few basic tools (hand tools, drill and I think a handheld powered jigsaw) and access to an outdoor space where I could probably use them (and that's before getting into asking family who have a full suite of that stuff available) if a DIY solution would be warranted.

I think there's got to be a better way to get her stuff printed too. She currently orders prints as needed from CVS which isn't really cost-effective for anything in quantity. A home photo printer is currently out of reach.

I'm probably also going to have to break down and finally design business cards for her, something I've been saying I'd do for a while.

tiddlywinks · Aug 13, 2018

Hey mindstream - is the show outside or inside and how much is she looking to spend prepping for it? Given this is her first one, I'd err on the side of low key before going too wild on a display. Get a good size table, get some table stands, including a stand that enables one to flip through prints like you're sifting through a record stack (I keep wanting to say the "thingie" because words escape me right now >.<). Black table is better for photography from what I've seen with my art friends who show photos. When they are outdoors and not using a tent, the one guy usually props some of his things at the base of the table. He doesn't show as much of his framed work outdoors since he tends to hang it (I don't think he has a tent).

Tents are money, but they allow you more flexibility and structure for showing things. Again, not sure your mom wants to go that route just yet? Baby steps! Could work to set up a metal rack stand structure, but be careful when making it. You want it to be sturdy, and if setting up on grass, make sure you are on level ground and it can take a little wind. Last thing you want is it getting knocked over and CRASH go all the framed pieces :/ I had a friend who used to show stained glass windows and I don't know where she got the metal wire frames from, but she LOVED them for hanging things. Just depends on how heavy the stuff is that you're hanging as to what route you want to go?

Get a square credit card reader, or make sure you can accept paypal payments on your smartphone. Both are awesome, and especially when dealing with pricier items, you'll make more sales. Don't rely on just cash. And figure out whether you'll accept checks, if at all (I would suggest $20 or less if you are going to allow checks, and have them put their phone number on it - easy to bounce a check.) You'll also want to make sure you know the sales tax for the area where you are selling, if applicable. Personally, I usually add the sales tax on top of the purchase price for credit card purchases (because there are processing fees), and I just build it in to the price if it's a cash purchase (because I don't want to futz with really stupid change amounts). Make sure to keep track for reporting purposes come tax time.

Once you've got your business cards designed, you can order them through VistaPrint for cheap. Easy peasy.

Brightdreamer · Aug 13, 2018

Monday evening, and I need to check the news, I think... the smoke haze is getting pretty bad out there, bad enough I'm wondering if something's burning that I should know about. (Looks like it's just general haze from other wildfires accumulating due to weather.)

Got the shopping trip, and somehow managed to forget an item in the cart. Dang it, I can't believe I didn't see the thing, and by the time I got home and realized I hadn't loaded it, it was too late to go back. Would be long gone by now.

Dang it, I hate being stupid.

On the plus side, I just finished reading a good book, and the one I started last night on my Nook is going decently so far (Retrograde, by Peter Cawdron - set on Mars, and the last line of the first chapter is "They just nuked Chicago." Earth wiping itself out as a handful of Martian colonists look on helplessly... talk about a hook!); helps wash the taste out from the last one I finished.

Away I drift. Got a review to write up, then I need to pick another physical read to start. Might try a middle grade title next; they read fast. But I'm also eyeballing several others, and a couple authors might jump the line because I've recently read things about them so they're on my mind, and a few have been patiently waiting for quite some time and deserve a chance... Sigh. Problems a reader loves to have...

themindstream · Aug 13, 2018

tiddlywinks said:
Hey mindstream - is the show outside or inside and how much is she looking to spend prepping for it? Given this is her first one, I'd err on the side of low key before going too wild on a display. Get a good size table, get some table stands, including a stand that enables one to flip through prints like you're sifting through a record stack (I keep wanting to say the "thingie" because words escape me right now >.<). Black table is better for photography from what I've seen with my art friends who show photos. When they are outdoors and not using a tent, the one guy usually props some of his things at the base of the table. He doesn't show as much of his framed work outdoors since he tends to hang it (I don't think he has a tent).

Tents are money, but they allow you more flexibility and structure for showing things. Again, not sure your mom wants to go that route just yet? Baby steps! Could work to set up a metal rack stand structure, but be careful when making it. You want it to be sturdy, and if setting up on grass, make sure you are on level ground and it can take a little wind. Last thing you want is it getting knocked over and CRASH go all the framed pieces :/ I had a friend who used to show stained glass windows and I don't know where she got the metal wire frames from, but she LOVED them for hanging things. Just depends on how heavy the stuff is that you're hanging as to what route you want to go?

Get a square credit card reader, or make sure you can accept paypal payments on your smartphone. Both are awesome, and especially when dealing with pricier items, you'll make more sales. Don't rely on just cash. And figure out whether you'll accept checks, if at all (I would suggest $20 or less if you are going to allow checks, and have them put their phone number on it - easy to bounce a check.) You'll also want to make sure you know the sales tax for the area where you are selling, if applicable. Personally, I usually add the sales tax on top of the purchase price for credit card purchases (because there are processing fees), and I just build it in to the price if it's a cash purchase (because I don't want to futz with really stupid change amounts). Make sure to keep track for reporting purposes come tax time.

Once you've got your business cards designed, you can order them through VistaPrint for cheap. Easy peasy.

The physical table, as I understand, is provided for this show (a cover for it might be a good idea) and she has table display stands (she's done showings for a craft fest at her workplace before). I'll have to ask about inside/outside but my guess is inside. The answer of "how much to spend" is generally "as little as possible". Browsing stand or box for the photos is a good plan. Maybe things could be hung from the front of the table as opposed to leaning them on the floor. Am not expecting a want to hang anything weighing more than about one pound, likely less if it's just matted photos and not framed ones.

Credit card capability is a thing I wouldn't have thought of. Square base reader hardware is free with the account? Cool. (Would probably need the Lightning adapter dongle too.)

tiddlywinks · Aug 13, 2018

themindstream said:
The physical table, as I understand, is provided for this show (a cover for it might be a good idea) and she has table display stands (she's done showings for a craft fest at her workplace before). I'll have to ask about inside/outside but my guess is inside. The answer of "how much to spend" is generally "as little as possible". Browsing stand or box for the photos is a good plan. Maybe things could be hung from the front of the table as opposed to leaning them on the floor. Am not expecting a want to hang anything weighing more than about one pound, likely less if it's just matted photos and not framed ones.

Credit card capability is a thing I wouldn't have thought of. Square base reader hardware is free with the account? Cool. (Would probably need the Lightning adapter dongle too.)

Easy way to get a table cover is to pick up some white or black fabric in a large swath from a bolt at Joann's or a similar place. It's not very expensive that way. One of my friends bought fancier table covers, but I'm cheap, and I also wanted to go with more of a velvet look for my fabric (jewelry).

The Square reader is super handy. I've been using it for years, and loved it! I know there are other readers out there, so maybe GD or Filigree have other suggestions, but I'm biased toward the Square. I just ponied up the money to get the chip reader for added protection (and since I have an iPhone that doesn't have a headphone jack to plug the Square into, I didn't want to deal with the hassle of the lightning adapter

). The reader works pretty slick. Sometimes it takes a couple swipes to get the card to run (you get the hang of it pretty quick). And you can do things like take a picture of the product and such to remind yourself of which item you sold, if you don't want to preload things ahead of time into the reader app (which you can also do - I'm just lazy).

My friend who sells bugs in jars works via Paypal for taking payments, and she's had pretty good success that way. I was going to talk to her about that for future reference on my end. Never a bad thing to have multiple ways to accept payment.

AnnieColleen · Aug 13, 2018

(Taking mental notes on the craft show talk, not that I'm anywhere near attempting that, but people keep asking about selling photos. One for the someday list, I think.)

Today's drama -- we have a baby swallow on the porch, not at all interested in learning to fly despite the best efforts of the adults (and of my mother singing "I believe I can fly" through the door

). Hoping the baby's ok through the night.

Some nice progress on editing/revisions tonight, plus some ninja notes at work. I really like where the story's going, but progress feels so ridiculously slow. Trying not to dwell on that part, plus that's why I have the other story in the planning stages.

Kitkitdizzi · Aug 13, 2018

After two weeks of being stuck at Winter House I am finally going back to work tomorrow! Woohoo! I mean, I've been working, but it's been teleworking and it's not nearly as fun. Plus there's all sorts of distractions with internet and fun-things *side-eyes a certain manuscript* so I have to really force myself to be productive on work-things. And after two weeks of not wearing shoes I'm starting to loose my callouses and that is not good this time of year.

Though I'm still not doing my actual job, since there's still active fire cutting me off from my work areas. Instead I get to go fix someone else's screw up on a restoration project that brought in contaminated dirt. I'd be annoyed, but I'll be working in an alpine meadow and I have a cabin, so I think I'm coming out ahead. Because I usually work in areas that have burned, working in area that hasn't is a treat. Crossing fingers that there's no smoke.

Filigree · Aug 13, 2018

I run from trade shows now, so I'm not a good source for info on them. I won't say I will never do another outdoor fair, either, but it would have to be remarkable alignment of fate to make me do it again.

That said, to display photos on the cheap: don't frame them. Go with pre-made mats and photo bags (I'd go check out Jerry's Artarama first). Nothing gets put on display without being inside a clear, resealable plastic bag! Get or make a bin or two for different sizes of photos, so people can browse. If she wants to prop up photos, use a cheap cardboard self-stick easel back.

Have one big gimmick photo if you can figure out how to display it hanging off the front of the table or ideally on a bigger easel to the side or behind the seller. This should be poster-sized, also in plastic, and the best image she's got. This helps draw people to the booth, where she can then sell them smaller images of the same thing. Have a variety of price points, but don't go too cheap. Nothing under $5.

Filigree · Aug 13, 2018

Cool. The same week that my fantasy novel launched, I got word from a gallery rep that two of my fiber and bead book art pieces just sold to a museum near Seattle. One book is part of an edition of five, and talks about the intersection of the NRA, school shootings, and Christian Dominionist theology. The other book riffs on Chinese romantic fantasy light novels and Yaoi fanfiction. They both took me some time to make, about the same as the first draft of a big novel. Maybe 3 months of solid work, spread out over a year or two.

The gun book has 20 pages of original text and found/altered images, digitally printed on linen and cotton, then embroidered. The Yaoi book has an original poem of (I think) around 25 words. I'm getting paid around $1200 for both. They sold for twice that (gallery rep has a well-earned commission.) The gallery rep has one more of the gun book, and several unrelated but similarly-complex pieces. My other gallery reps are gearing up to pitch more of my work at museums and universities in the US Deep South and New England.

Both art agents have told me "Go make more book art!"

My fantasy novel will be lucky if it earns $500 in a year. I'm not giving up on writing fiction, but I have to be brutally honest: art pays much better.

Religion0 · Aug 13, 2018

That's super cool, Filigree! Congrats!

Friendly Frog said:
Well, I suppose that's part of the problem that they can't tell afterwards whether you've gotten the rain water the usual way or whether you clandestinely filled up your rain reservoir with surface or tap water, which are both regulated and taxed here.

Restrictions are now lifted, thank god and all our rain reservoirs filled up again to bursting. Still, it is nice to know that we have enough water when drought conditions do hit, even if we're technically not allowed to use it at that very moment. Ah, the lovely consequences of bureaucracy...

Bureaucracy is one of the evils of civilized society.

Yeah, trees always take longer to recover. While we now have plenty rains again, it's still wait-and-see for some larger shrubs whether the drought was too hard on them or not.

I think ours will recover all right for the most part, but most of them are unhappy. BTW, can you tell me why trees in woodland settings seem to have taken the drought much better? Do the trees lock in moisture in the water or something? The worst hit trees I've seen have all stood more or less alone.

I hadn't thought about it in case of fire but I highly doubt that has factored in the decision. Most older rain reservoirs (ours was constructed by my great-grandfather) do not have automated pomps, which means we can only get the water out by a handpump, which I doubt will suffice in case of fire. Also, the entire street has hydrants where the firefighters can get pressurised water instantly.

Okay, yeah, it's probably not that, then.

I'd offer you mine but it seems our summer has no other setting between 'drought-conditions-high-intensity-sun-for-weeks-on-ends' and 'rains-and-dark-and-mopey-autumn-weather -masquerading-as-high-summer '.

We're currently in the second setting.

Don't get me wrong, I like some rain, the plants still need it but do the temperatures have to drop like a rock everytime the rain descends? I have other clothes I want to wear besides sleeveless summer dresses and long sleeved autumn knitwear...

We're in that second setting, too. It was briefly quite hot this morning, but that was just the moisture density in the air.

greendragon · Aug 14, 2018

I actually wrote a post about getting into art shows, so feel free to pass it on.

So, after stewing for a long time (long for me - almost a week now) about the fact that my husband's health issues cut off my vacation, I've decided my stress levels are increasing beyond my normal ability to optimist them away. I signed up for a therapy session at the end of next week. Yay for self care!

Also, I got in 2100 words yesterday. More planned today.

And last night I finished my latest necklace. Next project coming up!

E.F.B. · Aug 14, 2018

AnnieColleen said:
Today's drama -- we have a baby swallow on the porch, not at all interested in learning to fly despite the best efforts of the adults (and of my mother singing "I believe I can fly" through the door ).

That may be the cutest thing, ever. :heart:

greendragon said:
So, after stewing for a long time (long for me - almost a week now) about the fact that my husband's health issues cut off my vacation, I've decided my stress levels are increasing beyond my normal ability to optimist them away. I signed up for a therapy session at the end of next week. Yay for self care!

Glad you're taking care of yourself, GD. :Hug2:

And last night I finished my latest necklace. Next project coming up!

Nice! It makes me think a little bit of dragon scales.

Re art shows/craft fairs/etc: Eeeeeh. I've pondered if I should find a way to do one at some point...There *is* a huge Christmas craft show thing that happens every year for people who do handmade stuff...but I just picture myself being really nervous and socially awkward through the whole thing. I also wouldn't want to do it by myself, but I seriously don't picture my parents, especially my dad, being content, or even physically able, to sit there all day. Don't know that I'd be content to sit there all day, either.

That does remind me, though, if I'm going to enter something in the State Fair, I need to get that done before the end of the month and not keep forgetting.

Morning, Cantina. I seem to have tweaked my shoulder blade yesterday, probably when playing fetch with da puppy (who is actually behaving pretty well this morning and playing with da beagle enough I haven't had to take her out for fetch yet.) It's not awful and will probably be better by tomorrow, but I do have to be sure I stand very straight and sit properly, otherwise it pulls a little and is just uncomfortable. :/

I'm feeling that I need to get back to writing today. I enjoyed my two weeks off, but now that I've run out of non-writing things to do, both essential and non-essential, I'm getting the twitchy-itchy feeling that I'm wasting time and just need to get that Word document open and get back to it again. I think I'll start with the short story idea I have, then once that's done, it's back to IDTC.

Brightdreamer · Aug 14, 2018

*peers through smoky haze*

People? Are there people here?

*waves to various shapes that might be people - or possibly trees, the smog is so thick*

*rather than wave back, the trees leave*

*so do the people, after that lame pun*

Dang it...

Tuesday, and, as implied, it's quite smoky out there. Could use a good weather shift, but it doesn't look like we're getting one for a bit, last I looked. We have asthmatics in the family, so this is getting to the Not Fun stage of air quality. Doesn't help that the house is still humid as all get-out and we can't even open windows to help.

Got site stuff to do this morning (splice in the latest review, get back on the cross-linking project), so I'd best get to that.

greendragon · Aug 14, 2018

At the art shows, I usually sit at a table in the back and bead while selling jewelry. It makes a great conversation starter as I hold up my project to demonstrate that yes, I do all the beading. Also, it allows me to look at my work rather than awkwardly watch people looking at my stuff.

On the puppy front, we have two cats. One has actually started batting/playing with the puppy through the gate. Occasionally she jumps on the cat tree while the puppy sits on a lower level. The other cat was more stand-offish - until this weekend. She actually head-butted the puppy! like she does for us when she wants petted! She blew us away with that.

zanzjan · Aug 14, 2018

Sorry I haven't been around much lately, trying to juggle my busiest time at work with novel edits, kids-not-in-school, travel logistic panic, and lots of other things. I'll be heading out tomorrow for Worldcon, and I hope to see some of you there and check in here occasionally, but if not, have a fabulous week

The Cantina Staring Back At You From The Abyss

Stealthy Plot Bunny Peddler

Invisible Writer

Just Another Lazy Perfectionist

Chaser of Shineyyyy Plot Bunnies

Cantina's Official Doggy Poster

Snarkenfaugister

Stories, stories everywhere

Just Another Lazy Perfectionist

Gametrovert

Chaser of Shineyyyy Plot Bunnies

Just Another Lazy Perfectionist

Chaser of Shineyyyy Plot Bunnies

Invisible Writer

Don't feed the critters

Mildly Disturbing

Mildly Disturbing

Cantina's Official Doggy Poster

Stories, stories everywhere

Just Another Lazy Perfectionist

killin' all teh werds