Wrapping up the year
By this time tomorrow, I should be in Pensacola Beach, FL, celebrating the holidays with my family. Alleleuia! I am so happy for this it's hard to know where to begin discussing it.
In part, I love it because it's an end to a fairly stressful couple of weeks. It started out with getting either food poisoning or a case of the flu, and being sick for a weekend. When I decided to get out and drive over to Decorah, it turns out I did it in a literal blizzard, with whiteout conditions and everything...okay, that was actually kinda fun, but also stressful and not something I want to do again.
Part of the reason the couple of weeks has been stressful is that I've spent a metric crapton of money on Christmas, since I'm flying this year. So I've had to buy a plane ticket and pay to have my car parked...joy. Then my car started making funny noises, which resulted in me taking it into the shop, and my computer's power socket broke, so into the shop THAT goes. That's on top of the regular Christmas shopping. Oh well, I didn't need those saving anyway...
In happier news, a little over a month ago I bought a very nice leather jacket at a thrift shop. This has since become my new favorite item of clothing, and it's caused me to change up my wardrobe a bit as well. I'm pretty happy with it. I don't know what anyone else thinks about clothes, but I like jackets. Utility-wise, a jacket helps keep you warm and if it's made well it has enough pockets so you can feel prepared for any situation. On the fashion side, a jacket can make you feel pretty cool. At least it does for me.
As far as writing, I've recieved about four or five more rejection slips since October, so I've been sending out stories pretty consistently, or at least I was until my laptop broke down. I've gotten quite a few rejection letters, and they've stopped being form rejection letters and transitioned to "Good story but not for us. Good luck submitting it elsewhere!" I think that's a huge step forward, and it really spurs me to continue writing.
BTW, speaking of writing and Christmas, thanks to one Kara Gnome, who I really have been terrible about keeping in touch with, for letting me read the Connie Willis book of Christmas short stories last year. I loved it immensely, and even now I still have some fond memories of the Ghost of Christmas Presents popping up and causing mayhem and chaos, but all for the good of Christmas. In fact, for all of you who like a good Christmas story, let me offer up a little story by Ms. Willis, called "Just Like the Ones we Used to Know." This is particularly for you, Kara. http://www.asimovs.com/_issue_0406/liketheonesweusedtono.shtml
Anyway, I am now going to do a little writing and then get to sleep. It's been a great year. BTW, for the few readers of this blog, I was thinking of adding one or two essays I've written. What do you think?
In part, I love it because it's an end to a fairly stressful couple of weeks. It started out with getting either food poisoning or a case of the flu, and being sick for a weekend. When I decided to get out and drive over to Decorah, it turns out I did it in a literal blizzard, with whiteout conditions and everything...okay, that was actually kinda fun, but also stressful and not something I want to do again.
Part of the reason the couple of weeks has been stressful is that I've spent a metric crapton of money on Christmas, since I'm flying this year. So I've had to buy a plane ticket and pay to have my car parked...joy. Then my car started making funny noises, which resulted in me taking it into the shop, and my computer's power socket broke, so into the shop THAT goes. That's on top of the regular Christmas shopping. Oh well, I didn't need those saving anyway...
In happier news, a little over a month ago I bought a very nice leather jacket at a thrift shop. This has since become my new favorite item of clothing, and it's caused me to change up my wardrobe a bit as well. I'm pretty happy with it. I don't know what anyone else thinks about clothes, but I like jackets. Utility-wise, a jacket helps keep you warm and if it's made well it has enough pockets so you can feel prepared for any situation. On the fashion side, a jacket can make you feel pretty cool. At least it does for me.
As far as writing, I've recieved about four or five more rejection slips since October, so I've been sending out stories pretty consistently, or at least I was until my laptop broke down. I've gotten quite a few rejection letters, and they've stopped being form rejection letters and transitioned to "Good story but not for us. Good luck submitting it elsewhere!" I think that's a huge step forward, and it really spurs me to continue writing.
BTW, speaking of writing and Christmas, thanks to one Kara Gnome, who I really have been terrible about keeping in touch with, for letting me read the Connie Willis book of Christmas short stories last year. I loved it immensely, and even now I still have some fond memories of the Ghost of Christmas Presents popping up and causing mayhem and chaos, but all for the good of Christmas. In fact, for all of you who like a good Christmas story, let me offer up a little story by Ms. Willis, called "Just Like the Ones we Used to Know." This is particularly for you, Kara. http://www.asimovs.com/_issue_0406/liketheonesweusedtono.shtml
Anyway, I am now going to do a little writing and then get to sleep. It's been a great year. BTW, for the few readers of this blog, I was thinking of adding one or two essays I've written. What do you think?