Research

I need to do some research. Nothing too deep; I'm not looking to write a peer reviewed journal article or anything, just enough knowledge so I can pretend I know what I'm talking about. Of course, it's also a wonderfully deceptive procrastination.

It Shouldn't Have Been This Close

Congratulations to Alaska for not re-electing the first convicted felon to the U.S. Senate. That's one less political embarrassment for the state.

Tired

I was completely exhausted when I got home last night; I barely made it past 7:00 before I conked out. It was a combination of the whirlwind through Crimebake this weekend and arguing most of yesterday (not with my wife; it was work related). So, that means I have to do really well tonight and find at least 45 minutes to write. 45 minutes or 600 words, which ever comes first.

Crimebake

So, I went to Crimebake this past weekend. It's only the second conference I've attended; the first being Noircon in April. I'm getting better at these things. I made a few more contacts, had a publisher interested in seeing my novel, caught up with friends (including a dear friend from high school I hadn't seen in about 12 years). Oh, and I signed some books - for strangers! These people weren't related to me at all, and they still wanted me to sign their books. They felt no obligation. I think I signed about 30 books in all. How fucking cool is that? Very fucking cool.

So, yes, my story Some Things Can Never Be the Same has been published in Level Best Books' latest anthology, Deadfall, and the book is available right now.

And I got recognized by a few people, and not in a police lineup sort of way, but in a "I like your stories" sort of way. They may have been polite in saying it, but hell, I'll take it.

Recognized

Apparently, people actually read this thing.

I had a pretty cool weekend. More later.

A Great Day

I can't remember a time when I was more inspired by my country. For the first time in our history, the rhetoric of the American Dream has become reality. This feels like a new beginning of American greatness.

Jesus, I hope he doesn't screw up.

This Weekend

I am secluding myself from the rest of the world this weekend and writing. Nothing else but sitting and writing from Saturday morning until Monday afternoon. Now I need to prepare myself as follows (with apologies to Trainspotting):

Stage one, preparation. For this you will need one room which you will not leave. Soothing music. Tomato soup, ten tins of. Mushroom soup, eight tins of, for consumption cold. Ice cream, vanilla, one large tub of. Magnesia, milk of, one bottle. Paracetamol, mouthwash, vitamins. Mineral water, Lucozade, pornography. One mattress. One bucket for urine, one for feces and one for vomitus. One television and one bottle of Valium. And now I'm ready.

Balance

Justice? Yeah, I think so.

How far we've come where the economy is more important in the media than O.J.

Oh, Fuck Me

McCain turns to Maine's Second District. Michigan's loss is our gain? Fantastic. Guess who's coming to visit? We got moose, we got hockey moms, we put lipstick on pigs...

Short Attention Span Politics

I think Sara Palin is our first short attention span candidate. As she was responding to Gwen Ifill's questions, I kept on forgetting what it was Gwen asked. Palin seem to ignore whatever the topic was and stuck with the campaign talking points. She was all over the place. She just rambled on until her time was up - and she didn't say anything. Tax cuts! Maverick! Change! She's perfect for the under informed populace, the MTV generation used to quick glimpses of information and the certifiably insane. The United Stupids of America are probably zoning in and out while she's babbling, unaware that she's skirting the issues being discussed. There is no way people who pay attention to shit are totally for her because of her position or knowledge - these supporters must have some other motivation.

Lunch Hour Writing

Sometimes I write while I eat my lunch at my desk, if I don't have any errands to run. So, today I had bologna and cheese and typed 941 words during my lunch. Not too bad.

Quote

"I’ve always believed that America’s government was a unique political system — one designed by geniuses so that it could be run by idiots. I was wrong. No system can be smart enough to survive this level of incompetence and recklessness by the people charged to run it."

- Thomas Friedman, New York Times, October 1, 2008