Sitrep for Wedneday

We have reached the point where I kick the manuscript across the room and sulk at it for three days. And so I took yesterday off to play with grapes.

More specifically, I answered the cry for help from City Winery and signed on as a day laborer. Hey, I figured. It'll be fun.

And it was. Okay, fun of the "oh my god my back is killing me, my fingers are purple, and I'm soaking wet" kind of fun, but fun nonetheless. We:

- helped unload and sort the new shipment of grapes, which involved a cranky destemming machine and the conveyor belt from hell (and very cold grapes. OMG)
- siphoned off the overflow from an exploding cask of chardonnay (less exciting than it sounds, although it was interesting to see how it's done)
- were part of the Great Washdown of equipment, including rinsing out a tank, helping aerate another tank [what readers of my book will learn about as 'punching'] and learning how to rethread the conveyor belt on various bits of machinery.
- learned about the unholy importance of a squeegee (okay, I knew already but got to put it into practical application)

ETA: and a shoutout to the city winery crew, from winemaker David on down, for defining grace under pressure even when the camera crew was filming while the de-stemmer had a hisy fit... they were great, and informative, and deserve all the success that flows their way)

And then, after all that, I went off to meet some friends at Uncorked, a new wine bar on 59th and 2nd. Nice place, not cheap, and about the size of a small studio apartment, so don't go in a large group! But excellent wines, and good company, and recommended if you're in the area.

This morning, I have received copies of the Australian edition for BRING IT ON. Since I never got copies of CURSE THE DARK from them, this was quite a surprise, as was the fact that they were mass market editions, not trade. So now you Aussies have no excuse -- it's there, and in an inexpensive edition! Go on, give me a reason to go down for Worldcon 2010!

I also got an e-mail from an editor asking me to revise a proposal to meet specifications that contradict the specifications I was given in the last conversation about this project. Between this, and certain other things that have been making me tear my hair out WRT publishers, I'm starting to wonder if I shouldn't go back to the wine trade job....

further to the sitrep

I am, it seems, still sulking at my manuscript. It is Unimpressed.

Yes, this means I have a day filled with such important things as...well, as answering all the e-mails that have been piling up, and paying bills, and sitting down with the next bit of otterdance's manuscript.

And, on the weird-but-good side, breaking my vac (a Bissell Revolution) has fixed it.

The past few months it hasn't been drawing properly, meaning no matter how much I vac, there's still cat hair left behind. I decided to give it one last go before hauling it off to be fixed, and in doing so knocked it against a door and broke off a piece of plastic that -- apparently -- was what kept the arm in an upright position when stored. So now the handle won't stay up, but the vac suctions off cat hair like that was its only purpose and desire in life.

It's a trade-off I can totally live with.

And speaking of trade-offs, for those of you wondering if I'll be at Philcon... alas, no. Between Seattle and WFC and Thanksgiving and a December Deadline.... (I may run down for the day just to see people, but can't guarantee it)