I am now a genuine tar. I’ve rolled so much oakum that my exercise clothes reek of pine tar. I noticed it when I went to belly dancing. It’s not an unpleasant smell, but it’s weird, like a Christmas tree  soaked in petroleum. My palms feel like I’ve just rubbed them with body butter.  And I keep finding tiny white hairs from ropes scattered over my ( Read more... )

I love teaching, but it does have a tendency to consume my life.

In my continued efforts to "get a damn internet presence," as some folks at WFC requested, I've started up a companion blog over at blogger.com. It's main function will be to keep track of story pubs, but I'll be crossposting some entries there.

I'm still trying to figure out the blogspot format. Does anyone have any tips?

I swear I'm still here. I really am. And I will write a long updaterish post in the near future ( Read more... )

This is a much shorter list than those of many of my f-list. But still:

Fiction

"The Strange Case of Madeleine Marsh (Aged 14 1/4)" - Realms of Fantasy (RIP, Realms)

"Remains"  - AE - The Canadian Science Fiction Review

"In the Gardens of the Night" - Beneath Ceaseless Skies

"Birthing Monsters" (poem) - Basement Stories

Academic Essays & Books

" ( Read more... )

The Haunted House at the Eastern State Penitentiary is quite possibly the most elaborate haunted house I've been in. (Full disclosure: I haven't been in that many haunted houses.)  The costumes and "set ups" were rather cool, particularly a "3D" blacklight room where people in full-on black bodysuits suddenly jumped out of the walls.

I'm afraid I ( Read more... )

So I really, really enjoyed white-water rafting. I did it with the same group I tried the scuba class with. Both experiences have made me think that I may have an unforeseen appreciation for watersports.

There's just one problem.

Watersports seem to give me hives.

For realz, I now have an intensely itchy red rash on my back that bears a striking ( Read more... )

Finally! I'm back in my apt after a weekend conference in Utah. I'm hoping that's an end to the traveling for now ( Read more... )

The title of this post is for the benefit of squishymeister, who introduced me to the concept of “no-good” days.

Today was actually more of an absurd, “what will happen next?” kind of day, although that might be the sleep deprivation talking.

It began late last night, when I arrived back in my apt from a wedding on the West Coast. There‘d been a massive water ( Read more... )