4:52 p.m., Romance Moment: Walked through field of swaying grass as a stray lock of my hair danced in the breeze.
5:07 p.m., Science Fiction Moment: Interacted with automated checkout device at Home Depot.
5:13 p.m., Horror Moment: Repulsed by desiccated rat body on the grass next to the sidewalk.
5:18 p.m., Fantasy Moment: Received Cookie of Power from next door neighbor as she urged me forth on my quest to Mow the Lawn. Fate smiled on me, for I had acquired the Commercial Grade Serrated Trimmer Line of Destiny.
5:46 p.m., Mystery Moment: Mowed over patch of lawn where body is buried.
6:21 p.m., Mainstream Moment: Sat on deck, drank beer, had epiphany about the human condition.
So as usual when my time is my own I've been staying up later and later ("one more chapter" adds up). For two nights now I've fallen asleep at 4:00 a.m., one night working and one night reading. This isn't bad from a productivity stand point, but it feels a little off. Anyway, correction in progress.
What else?
I just saw The Lion, and the Witch and the Wardrobe on DVD. In case you missed it, here's the Naria Guide to Good and Evil Creatures, Disney film version:
| Good | Evil | Beavers | Wolves | Badgers | Polar Bears (take that, Coca-Cola!) | Lions | Tigers | Cheetahs | Dwarves | Unicorns | Giants | Gryphons | Minotaurs | Centaurs | Weird Monkey Bat Things | Santa Claus | Tilda Swinton |
Also, I keep noticing one patch of grass in our yard that's longer and more dense than the grass around it. That must be where the body's buried.
My latest personally-set deadline for completing the current revision of my novel is midnight tonight, and this time I'm really gonna make it.
How do I know?
I'm already done.
Can I get a "yeeeeeehaaaaaa"? 'Cause I'm feelin' that a "yeeeeeehaaaaaa" is in order.
I'll settle for an "It's about damn time."
I picked up the Venture Brothers Season One DVD, and now I am totally prepped for Season Two starting June 25th.
Also, here's one of those stupid public confessions I'll probably regret: I sometimes go through these odd periods of attachment to cartoon characters. And yes, "odd period of attachment" = "crush". So I'm totally crushing on...the Monarch. I don't know why -- lord knows it's not the outfit. Maybe it's the eyeliner. Or the eyebrows. Or the idea of a three-way with Dr. Girlfriend.
In less disturbing news, John Joseph Adams, aka the Slush God, has posted an interview with me on his website. It does not include questionable references to cartoon characters.
The story I sold to The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction last October is in the July issue and -- thanks to newstand time warp -- is on the shelves now. I've spotted it at both a Barnes and Noble and a Borders...and by "spotted" I mean "went to the periodicals sections and looked for it 'cause it's my first story in a magazine and I'm allowed to be a geek about it...the clerk at BN said so."
Don't ask how the clerk knew.
A flight is usually only as good as the book I'm reading. I should have figured that out in April after spending 6 hours waiting on the tarmac at JFK for a 51 minute flight to DC. It would have been miserable, but I was reading Ursula K. Le Guin's Left Hand of Darkness, so I managed well enough. A book so good it drowns out whining is a wonderful thing to have in your hands.
So my response to "How was your flight back to Seattle?" is "Great!" because I had Matt Ruff's Set This House in Order. I just finished reading a borrowed copy (thanks, Cat!), and I've already decided that I need one of own so I can get it into the hands of everyone around me.
I'm in my office! The one in Seattle, in our house! The office with the green couch and the bowling pin and book books books. Joy.
I woke up at 7:30 this morning, which is about right considering my natural wake-up time is around 10:00. I slept in until the PDT equivalent --- I've been running short on sleep lately. The apartment in DC was uncomfortably hot for the last few days, and between goodbyes and welcome backs there have been late nights.
Speaking of etc., when I got home last night (minus two pieces of luggage -- apparently you can take the girl out of DC, but not her business casual wardrobe) Shelley unveiled champagne and two gorgeous trays of oysters on ice. Maybe it was the Pacific Northwest seafood deprivation, but I don't think I've ever had oysters that good. Yay, Shelley!
Then the Best Neighbors Ever came by for honey pepper vodka, and the catching up commenced. All is right in our little corner of the world.
Okay, back to work. I have a book to finish.