A Meerkat's Bolthole

 Yes, I KNOW I've been grousing about the lack of snow. Yes, I KNOW we have a snowpack deficit, and that's bad (third or forth year in a row, I think, we're going to have a significant deficit). And yeah, I KNOW I like snowstorms.

But having one scheduled to arrive the one day this week - this MONTH - I have to be downtown for a meeting (in Grown-Up Clothing) that can't be rescheduled? 

That's just Not Nice, Universe.


(can we at least hold off on the Significant Weather until after 3m? That seems like a reasonable compromise, no?)

Having now seen the amateur video of Monday's little aviation debacle over Downtown? Holy f**k. Holy.... And the first person to say anything related to "get over it, you're a bunch of whingers" as has been said in another forum, I will gleefully rip them a new one. Nevermind that the person who said that showed all the interpersonal skills and sensitivity of a block of concrete, that plane was Too. Damn. Close. Hell yes it's going to trigger memories, and unease is the least of the reactions those memories bring up. Never mind the fact that it was just plain dumb, dangerous, and did I say dumb? And so fkcuing avoidable with one simple announcement.

Anyway.

Woke up at 5am (after a dream in which I was able to do some good for charity by getting through a certain period of time without coughing-- swear to dog even my dreams are in on this germfest) not because of coughing (although there was that) but because my body wanted me to get up and get some essential chores done before the heat kicked in for the day. High of 91, supposedly. If anyone wants me today, I'll be in the shady spot on the sofa directly in the path of the a/c unit.

And, as some of you might have guessed by the topic header, this is your weekly dose of Castle Squee:

( behind the cut for the DVR crowd's sake )


Auctorial Flu update: Still meh. Still staying home. Starting to go a smidge stir-crazy.

First off -- condolences to my friends out there in the heat-baked lands who don't enjoy springtime temps of 90+ (and you wanted me to MOVE out there? Um....no. Thank you. I'll keep my rainy-and-60 Spring, thanks muchly)
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I have a post up @ Bookview Cafe, talking about the joys (not) of dealing with a copy-edit, and when it's okay to admit that you need help...
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On a not-quite-related note, I'm on several publishing-oriented news and job lists. This teaser-link came through one today, and all I could think was "OMG, seriously? No, seriously?"

You’re so Perfect for the Job Why Don’t They Call You Back?
If you have been applying for jobs without not a lot of success you are not alone, most job applicants complain about exactly the same thing. Lot’s of application, lot’s of resumes, no interviews, no callbacks.…

Life Lesson: Anything that makes me feel good about MY proofreading skills? Bad, bad, and also bad. *facepalm*
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On the writing front, I 'only' got 2,000 new words yesterday in Word War but they were fun bits, including possibly the worst interruption of a sexual fantasy ever. *grin* Also put down about 750 words on a new story, and have figured out what it wants to do, which is always nice. Ahead of schedule, even. No work on PoL, though, due to Social Life Interrupting. Today is All About PoL. After Word War, anyway.
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Okay, onward to the Castle-squee.

( First Kitten, now the White Whale... )

After a long pause, the snow returned overnight, and I was woken early this morning by O. the Super Super firing up the snowblower so people could get their cars out of the garage. It's coming down thick and heavy, and looks pretty windy, too. Not quite Snowpocalypse, but impressive. They're predicting up to 10" for the area. Here's hoping everyone who wanted a snow day gets one... Me? No snow day. Work goes on as scheduled. I know, you're all sooooo sorry for me. I do have to go out into the snow later. I'll report back on how deep it actually got.

EtA: when I went out to the post office just now (9:30) there was about 5" on the ground where it hadn't been shoveled or plowed, and it was coming down fast.

Meanwhile, some Fun & Good news!

I am informed that FREE FALL has been nominated for Best Novel in the Chronic Rift's 2008 Roundtable Awards. I'm delighted to be nominated, absolutely and have no expectation of winning, since I share the slate with a guy named Gaiman, and a guy named Doctorow, and a guy named Steele and a Kat named Richardson, all of whom can wipe the floor with me, fans-wise. But that's okay. I can haz nominayshun! Thanks to everyone who gave me the nod, and everyone should feel free to vote for FREE FALL as the underdog. ;-)

http://www.chronicrift.com/node/442


In other good news, I draw a deep breath and gird my introverted self up, and announce that yes, I will be at Dragon*Con. I'm actually looking forward to it -- my memory of the last time I went (back in the early 90's!) was that the costuming was breathtaking. I'm told it's even gotten more intense? I'll bring an extra memory card for my camera.

In addition to "Blow Job Red," Podcaster SFZine has also made an offer for "Exposure." I love this story, so am pleased it will get yet another outing [to date, it's appeared in BLOOD MUSE (Donald I Fine), BLOOD THIRST (Oxford), and STREETS OF BLOOD (Cumberland House)].

Yeah, it's a vampire story. *grin* Michael J Westin, Vampire-as-photographer. It's also the story that got me irate e-mails from people protesting that I "didn't understand vampires" and "was getting it all wrong." Um, if you say so....

The follow-up story, "His Essential Nature," (Dreams of Decadence, and reprinted in their Best of anthology) had Westin and his vampire-killing buddy hunting down a rogue vampire in the streets of Manhattan, while Westin's also balancing The Suburban Dream, and impending parenthood. Yeah, I got vampires all wrong. But the stories seem to have done all right for themselves....

I should check in and see what he's up to these days. I know there's at least one more story in the old boy yet....

It's 9 degrees outside. I'm just mentioning that in passing.

Meanwhile, I am off to DC, for a weekend House Party/Working Vacation at Holly House with neadods, while 0eris0 minds the cats. It's a commentary of some sort when your luggage for five days consists of three days worth of clothing, two manuscripts, a laptop, a box of DVDs and two bottles of wine...

Expect frequent but possibly incoherent road-trip blogging.

As it's still coming down heavily, I think I will be canceling my plans for the evening and settling in with a book and a glass of wine, instead. I'm all for walking in the snow, but not when there may be sleet/icing later on....

How to annoy your cats, in two easy steps.
1. go away overnight.
2. come home smelling of not one but two dogs.

Mei-Chan is still adorable, and seems to be taking to paper-training with reasonable speed. Also, I am pleased to inform NYCers that Salmon River still makes the best damn tandori salmon ever. I forgive them their wine list.

EtA: and finally! I have a name-storm! T.S. Laura is on the map. (no, I don't want her to do any damage [looks like she's out to sea; go ahead, make the jokes] -- but after years of waiting, it's still fun to see her up there)

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Meanwhile, those who observe the Jewish traditions face the closing of another year this evening. I was trying to decide what to say, and realized that I had pretty much nailed it last year. And so, updated:

Sunset tonight brings us to the beginning of the Days of Repentance in the Jewish tradition, starting with Rosh Hashanna (Yom Ha-Zikkaron) and ending ten days from now with Yom Kippur.

I am mostly, as I often say, a forgetting-to-practice Jew. But there are a few traditions I hold fast to, and the High Holy Days are among them. Not from any religious compulsion, but more because they...well, they make sense.

The Days of Awe are a time to pause and reflect on the previous year, to consider the actions done by and to us, and to search and find forgiveness. In these days, we are taught, God inscribes our fate for the coming year... but that inscription can be altered by our actions within the next ten days. If we are honest with ourselves, if we seek forgiveness from those we have wronged, and forgive those who have wronged us, the judgment will be lightened, the inscription be kinder.

I do not believe in a God with pen and gradebook. But I do believe in balance, in forgiveness, and in fresh starts. Coming in September, a time of seasonal change and the beginning again of the academic year, it always made perfect sense to me that, along with changing our closets, we could change our approaches.

Yom Ha-Zikkaron finds me, this year, in a place of peace, if not complete serenity. If you have harmed me, either by intent or omission, by act or by word, I do not hold a grudge. If I have harmed you, either by intent or omission, by act or word, I ask your forgiveness, and offer the knowledge that I will take pains not to do so again.

[I think the Universe will forgive me, this year, if I have to struggle to forgive certain financial and political leaders for their actions of greed, arrogance and willful ignorance]

L'shanah tovah tikatevi v'taihatem. May we all be inscribed and sealed for a good year.

Three ways I know it's autumn:

- the urge to cook returns full-force.
- I take the oversized fleecy sweatshirts out of the cedar chest and hang them within easy reach.
- when I wake up in the morning, I close the window in the office. Because brrrr, even with socks and a sweatshirt. Lovely. And no, I don't mean that ironically. Summer's over, and I'm not at all displeased.

Unlike the past two weekends of social frivolity, the plan for the next 72 hours is to stay close to home and knock things off the to-do list. My editors and agent will no doubt be pleased to hear this. (EtA: so pleased, they just piled more on my plate. *sighs, reaches for delivery menus* It's gonna be one of Those Weekends....)

And yes, I know it's International Talk like a Pirate Day. I'd make an investment banker joke, but my heart's just not in it, this year. So instead, here's a bit of a pirate story.

( from 'Mad Cats and Englishmen' )

1. It is hot. And humid. And the sun is far too bright. Although I would like TS Hanna to move herself out into the ocean and leave us the hell alone, I would not mind if she sent us some clouds as she goes.

2. There are few things more amusing -- and yet very very sad -- than a startled cat snarfing wet food out his nose. Poor Boomer. He spent the next few minutes trying to clear his nose by sneezing, repeatedly.

3. Screw politics -- it's Football Season! I missed the Giants opening game because of a previous social obligation, but *woot*! Although I am scarred and careful about expecting anything beyond what actually happens, damn they looked good! *crosses fingers and makes offering to the football fairy*

4. Because I'm obviously not busy enough, a New Opportunity just showed up. Could be lots of fun, in the "giggle madly and make people nervous" kind of way. More if it happens.

5. And now, having had Good Conversation with Madame Editrix* on Cosa Nostradamus stuff and taken possession of my grocery delivery, it's back to work....




*okay, yeah, telephone conversations are work, they just don't feel like work.