At the mercy of the cold...

mood: fairly miserable
music: none
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Didn't work on the rewrite yesterday as I took last night off to watch The Return of the King with the family. Although I enjoy and appreciate the movie, Gollum just ruins it for me--he's too horrible and I don't like watching him. So I made sure that all the runs to make popcorn and get drinks for the kids were made while he was on. ;-)

Today we worked on the downstairs hall for the whole day and while it still isn't done, it's a whole lot closer. Unfortunately it will be at least a week before we have another good chance to work on it. In the meantime, however, I can do paint touchups and some sewing that's ready to be done, and maybe work on refurbishing the chair I rescued from the old barn.

Think I'll head to bed early and cozy up with my heating pad while I work on the rewrite tonight. A cold seems much better if at least you're warm. I'm aiming for just ten pages since I feel so rotten.

One thing I learned today: "Gorgonize" means to frighten and stun: to petrify or mesmerize somebody (literary) (MSN Encarta Dictionary)

My writing space...

Posted by Hello

Still working

mood: content
music: none
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Made it to page 168 on the read-through tonight. I've discovered several side-avenues of the story that need more work, but I should be able to work them in smoothly. Hopefully I can do it all by the end of July, that's all. But so far it's looking good.

If you're planning on seeing the movie The Day After Tomorrow you might be interested in this
article about the science. Personally, I never expect the science in movies like this to be accurate, so I'm never disappointed. But sometimes it's interesting to see just how much they've taken liberties with.

Also looked at the trailer for I, Robot today. Looks like a typical Hollywood action-fest, and I'm sure it will leave Isaac Asimov spinning in his grave. I don't think it's supposed to be very close to the original story. I hope not, anyway, 'cause it sure as heck doesn't appear to be.

So my June committments are: keep up the steady progress on the rewrite, and get back to some physical activity. I've been a slug since Christmas and I really feel like it.

One thing I learned today: I'm guilty of only two of the Seven Unhealthy Habits That Prevent Us From Losing Weight
.

Something new

mood: fluctuating
music: A Thousand Miles -- Vanessa Carleton
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Just tried the new photoblogging feature from Hello and I have to say it's about as easy as it could be.

Made it to p. 126 on the read-through last night, so I'm about halfway through. I still like it.

One thing I learned today: It takes just 23 minutes for a seagull to satisfy its daily food requirement.

First tulip open in my garden! (Taken 5/13/04)

Posted by Hello

Good progress

mood: confident
music: none
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Tonight I'm up to page 97, the start of Ch. 8, of the read-through of my novel. I'm making lots of notes and doing line editing as things strike me, and I'm still trying to decide what changes I will end up making to the plot. I have various ideas floating around, but none of them have completely gelled yet. I'm pleased with the progress, though.

We had a great writing group meeting tonight--worked out the details of who's doing what for the reading and had some great discussions. We also finished up our mini critiquing workshop, and the consensus was that it was very helpful. Must try to find some more similar projects for us. I handed out three stories for critiques, so we'll see what folks have to say in two weeks' time. I might be able to think about getting them in the mail sometime soon.

Still have this "Mushrooms" idea spinning around in my head, too, but it's not quite to the writing-down point yet. No doubt the election coverage will provide some fodder for the plot.

One thing I learned today: In contemporary geek terminology, a computer is called a "square headed girlfriend" (or boyfriend). I guess in my husband's case I would call it his "square headed mistress."

Regarding the rewrite...

mood: contemplative
music: Big Machine -- Goo Goo Dolls
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Following a discussion thread on the SF Canada listserv the past few days I'm wondering if I really should be looking to expand One's Aspect to the Sun as much as I had previously thought. There's a certain amount of opinion that publishers are looking for longer works only from established authors. This could be a good thing as far as rewrite progress is concerned.

Still too cold to work outside, not that I would have had much time today anyway. Hard to believe May is almost over and it's still not warming up.

The latest issue of the Internet Review of Science Fiction is online at www.irosf.com. Some interesting reading this time around.

One thing I learned today: There could be microbial life on the planet Venus, US scientists have concluded in a report in the journal Astrobiology. Read more at BBC News.

Home again

mood: tired
music: Disease, Matchbox 20
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Well, a few days out of town with the family was a nice break. We did the shopping thing, took the kids to a museum and some fun downtown stuff, and generally relaxed. I took along a few chapters for editing, but didn't get very much done. Maybe I'll tackle it later tonight.

I wanted to work in the garden this afternoon but the north wind was in and it was just too discouraging. Checked on my things in the greenhouse, though, and they are looking great. The gardens are sporting the fresh colors of tulips and daffodils, and I smile when I see them. Cicero said, "If you own a library and a garden, you have everything you need." I guess I am very fortunate.

Oh, I did get that story (last rejection) turned around within the 24 hours. So I have four stories and an article query out right now. I have a couple more that are close to being ready to go, if I could just get to them (or get in the mood to tackle them!)

One thing I learned today: Scientists have identified a new geological time period for the first time in 120 years. The Ediacaran period started 600 million years ago and lasted until 542 million years ago. (BBC News)

Rats! (the expletive, not the rodents)

mood: blah
music: Soak up the Sun - Sheryl Crow
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So it's a rejection day, hence the expletive. This one had been so long at a market that usually has fairly quick turnarounds that, well, I had dared to hope. But no luck. Gotta try and stick to the 24-hour turnaround rule, but I fear I'm out of postage. Better rectify that in a hurry...

Very cool article here about futuristic technology becoming current. One of the inivisibility cloaks would come in handy when I'm trying to hide out and write...

On a brighter note, the novel editing is going well. Slowly, but well.

One thing I learned today:
More than one billion birds a year crash into buildings in the US every year. Mirrored office blocks are a particular hazard. (BBC News)

Progress report

mood: cautiously optimistic
music: none
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So I've actually started the work of editing my novel. I realize right off the bat that I should rearrange a lot of the stuff at the beginning, which is something I really hate doing. I think I'm going to have to make scene lists and plan it out so it doesn't dissolve into a big jumbled mess. Might work on that tonight.

Just found out that for some reason all emails from Yahoo have been bouncing for the past few days--how annoying! My groups account was turned off because of it and although I thought I had it reactivated I'm not sure--there are messages from AFWD that haven't shown up. I also sent a message to Aliant about it but with the strike on, who knows when someone might look at it? Grrr.

I'm devouring Happiness (TM) by Will Ferguson. What a wonderfully wicked look at the publishing world, and the whole of North American culture! Very dark and very funny.

And the Hubble could get a new lease on life. Read about it here.

Ponderings

mood: thoughtful
music: none
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Starting to get itchy to write again now, but too tired tonight. Had a nice writer's group meeting and updated my entry on the committment list--have to be working on the opening chapters of the novel by the end of the month. Not too onerous...guess I'm easing back into it.

There's an official movie blog for the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy project here, so could be it's actually going to happen. Not to sound too cynical, but I wonder how far short of the books it will fall. Hard to believe that it was three years ago yesterday that Douglas Adams died.

Love this reading list I've added to the blog. Took me a while to get it working but I'm pretty happy with it now.

I guess I'll go and do a little market research for "Summer of the Widows." A 7200-word fantasy--that shouldn't take long. :-(

Still not writing

mood: pensive
music: Beautiful by Joydrop
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So I thought I'd print off those stories today and pass 'em out at writing group tomorrow night, but in the end I just--couldn't be bothered. Huh? That doesn't sound like me. But really, I just don't have the ambition right now, and I guess I'm not satisfied that they're ready for comments yet. So close...but not close enough, and I just don't feel like working on them. Ah, well, maybe next week.

Interesting interview here by Natalie Angier of Dr. David Sloan Wilson about his book, "Darwin's Cathedral: Evolution, Religion and the Nature of Society." Religion as an evolutionary impulse.

Guess it's time to go immerse myself in a book for a little while. I feel like I'm on vacation or something, but it's a slightly guilty vacation...

Monsanto shelves GM wheat

Hurray! CBC News: Monsanto shelves GM wheat

R&R Report

mood: chillin' ;-)
music: Iceberg Radio
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Well, so far the plan to take a bit of a breather is working. I've read Stardust by Neil Gaiman and now I'm reading Probability Moon by Nancy Kress. I haven't looked at any stories for a few days, so my brain is getting a bit of a break. But I'm getting antsy to start looking at that novel, so I guess that's a good sign.

Listened to an extremely interesting interview on the radio this morning with Natalie Angier, a science writer for the New York Times. Apparently she has an article in the latest American Scholar concerning religion and science, and how and why the two butt heads. The publication is only print, so I think I'll have to try and get my hands on a copy of it. Sounded fascinating.

Burnt Out

mood: tired
music: Sugababes, Hole in the Head
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Okay, so my new lease on life didn't last very long. I've come to the conclusion that I am Burnt Out, and I need a break. I've been trying to do just too much in the past month or so and it's all catching up with me. I need to zone out, read a few books, make a new plan and regroup.

Priorities. Have to set some. Well, I'm taking this online copyright course, so I'll have to keep up with that. Not too strenuous in itself. The stories I've been trying to finish up and get into submission--I think I'll just take 'em all to the next writing group meeting and dole them out for some feedback. That lets me forget about them for at least two weeks. I just sent a lurk notice to AFWD, so I'll stop feeling guilty about not answering any posts lately.

The downstairs renovations--now that's one thing I won't move to the back burner. In fact, I think I'll kick it up to the top of the list so that it can get finished and over with once and for all. If we can get that done and clean up all the mess I'll feel a whole lot better.

And the novel. I really wanted to start the rewrite this month, so if I feel like writing I'll work on that. And if I don't feel like writing I'll read. If I feel rejuvenated in a week or so I'll send out my query to Speculations, but I don't want that pressure right now.

Very good. I have a plan, and it seems like a good one. Hopefully it works. So I'm off to read for a while before bed, I think. I may start Stardust by Neil Gaiman. I'm giving up on The Thief Lord--just can't get into it.