There comes a time in writing prose--and other written media, but it's much more acute and noticeable with prose--when one's gone over the same material so many times in an effort to improve it that one no longer knows if it's any good at all (but, when the one in question is me, one suspects it's complete garbage.) At the moment, I blame The 10% Solution, Ken Rand's incredibly useful but mind-numbingly repetitive editing system, detailed in his book of the same name, for this. Rand says going over the same sentences over and over is a Good Thing, and my personal experience says he's right. But it's damn hard to believe it when you're trawling through the same three thousand words for the tenth or more time.
But! The novel outline is done, and polished to the best of my meager abilities. And, more importantly, it's off to the Book Editor, who will hopefully like it, or at least confirm my suspicion that it's complete garbage. If the latter, I shall cry and then get back to work. If the former, however, the outline, along with sample chapters and the editor's recommendation, will go upstairs to the office of whoever's responsible for deciding which projects the Book Editor's employer decides to pick up.
I'd be nervous about that if I was conscious, but if The Solution wasn't bad enough, winter has arrived. Oh, there's no snow, yet. But darkness is falling in the middle of the afternoon, the air is as cold and bitter as John McCain's campaign staff, and the daytime sky is an oppressive grey ceiling hovering just out of reach. The pills prescribed by the neurologist are not doing their job, or at least not doing it well enough, as today's throbbing headache is going about its business with no regard to the thrice-daily stomach-disintegrating anti-inflammatory I've been taking. I'm not sure if the overwhelming desire to sleep for the next six months or so is the result of the shortening day, changing weather, the new medication, or just common sense telling me it would be Better not to be awake for the winter. Or a combination of all four.
I'm told the Hollywood Producer (I) liked my outline for his movie idea inspired very, very loosely by one of my comics. That said, he of course has "some notes". Why I should need to have a pre-phone meeting phone meeting with my manager prior to having a phone meeting with HPI, I don't know, but the Manager has declared it so, and so it shall be, sometime this week.
While I await those phone meetings, notes and/or a reaction from The Book Editor, I plan to work on an outline for STEEP CURVE, a comic miniseries, in the probably vain hope that someone will someday express some interest in my writing one again. It could happen. An editor contact I thought was dead recently resurfaced wanting to know whether we'd talked several months ago as planned (we hadn't) and suggesting we get together on the phone to discuss a few ideas I'd sent his way. Of course, he suggested this while I was in Calgary and we haven't managed to get together yet, but hope springs eternal. Or, if not eternal, it at least springs for a long time.
Don't ask about the bathroom. I'm not.
A
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Two Steps Forward.
Was I the only one who felt like he was watching the awards ceremony sequence of Star Wars when the Obama and Biden families assembled on the stage after the new American President-Elect's speech last night?
And, as soon as that thought hit, who thought, oh crap. Now the empire's going to strike back...?
I watched the election results come in with a group of people as cynical as I am, if not more so. When it became apparent Obama had prevailed, one of the group, a Texan, expressed doubt that he'd survive his first term. Another couldn't bring himself to believe that Obama wouldn't become thoroughly corrupt eventually, but hoped he'd resist temptation long enough to fix a few things.
Even if Obama managed to be all the things we hope he will be, there's still plenty cause for cynicism. While Obama crushed McCain when it came to the electoral college, the last time I checked, the popular vote was much closer than I'd have liked. It appears that California, Arizona, and Florida all managed to defend the holy institution of marriage by legally preventing many couples who love each other from tying that particular knot. I haven't been able to find a definite statement on it, but I gather this might in some way actually invalidate previously accepted gay marriages in California, which - if it is the case - is absolutely horrific. Ted Stevens managed to keep his seat, which doesn't do much to redeem Alaskan voters. Bush still has a couple more months to utterly destroy America's standing in the world, to say nothing of significant segments of the Middle East. And, of course, FoxNews continues to exist.
Still. Last night was huge for the US and possibly/hopefully the world. A few weeks after a Canadian election that changed nothing, we got an American one that could, potentially, change everything, and for the better. Here's hoping...
A
And, as soon as that thought hit, who thought, oh crap. Now the empire's going to strike back...?
I watched the election results come in with a group of people as cynical as I am, if not more so. When it became apparent Obama had prevailed, one of the group, a Texan, expressed doubt that he'd survive his first term. Another couldn't bring himself to believe that Obama wouldn't become thoroughly corrupt eventually, but hoped he'd resist temptation long enough to fix a few things.
Even if Obama managed to be all the things we hope he will be, there's still plenty cause for cynicism. While Obama crushed McCain when it came to the electoral college, the last time I checked, the popular vote was much closer than I'd have liked. It appears that California, Arizona, and Florida all managed to defend the holy institution of marriage by legally preventing many couples who love each other from tying that particular knot. I haven't been able to find a definite statement on it, but I gather this might in some way actually invalidate previously accepted gay marriages in California, which - if it is the case - is absolutely horrific. Ted Stevens managed to keep his seat, which doesn't do much to redeem Alaskan voters. Bush still has a couple more months to utterly destroy America's standing in the world, to say nothing of significant segments of the Middle East. And, of course, FoxNews continues to exist.
Still. Last night was huge for the US and possibly/hopefully the world. A few weeks after a Canadian election that changed nothing, we got an American one that could, potentially, change everything, and for the better. Here's hoping...
A
Monday, November 3, 2008
Idiotic Quote of the Day
Still recovering from the World Fantasy Con, which was equal parts fun, weird, and exhausting. And expensive. Lots of free books, though. I like free stuff.
In the meantime, here's some enlightened commentary on Proposition 8, a motion on tomorrow's California ballot to enshrine anti-gay bigotry into the state's constitution by eliminating legal gay marriage there:
"I vote yes on 8! My son, which just started high school, told me that he does not want prop 8 to pass because he has school friends who are gay. I was shocked! I told him that at his age, his little thing is not yet fully developed, how does a 14 years old know he is gay !!!!" - A mentally challenged Proposition 8 supporter calling him or herself "chen".
I just hope this twit's son had the wherewithal to say, "Because he's sexually attracted to males and not sexually attracted to females."
This was selected more or less at random from hundreds of comments on an LA Times editorial describing the distortions the pro-8 side is using to make its case, a good portion of which don't seem to have been made by narrow-minded assholes. Even so, there's more than enough there to get my blood boiling.
hatehatehatehatehatehatehatehatehate
Deep breath...Think about free books...think about free books...think about free books...
A
In the meantime, here's some enlightened commentary on Proposition 8, a motion on tomorrow's California ballot to enshrine anti-gay bigotry into the state's constitution by eliminating legal gay marriage there:
"I vote yes on 8! My son, which just started high school, told me that he does not want prop 8 to pass because he has school friends who are gay. I was shocked! I told him that at his age, his little thing is not yet fully developed, how does a 14 years old know he is gay !!!!" - A mentally challenged Proposition 8 supporter calling him or herself "chen".
I just hope this twit's son had the wherewithal to say, "Because he's sexually attracted to males and not sexually attracted to females."
This was selected more or less at random from hundreds of comments on an LA Times editorial describing the distortions the pro-8 side is using to make its case, a good portion of which don't seem to have been made by narrow-minded assholes. Even so, there's more than enough there to get my blood boiling.
hatehatehatehatehatehatehatehatehate
Deep breath...Think about free books...think about free books...think about free books...
A
Thursday, October 30, 2008
I must be at a Con...
...I was drinking in a hotel bar last night; I didn't sleep more than two hours in the last 36; and I'm so tired the idea of talking to any human being I'm not married to makes me want to cry.
I am just not built for leaving the house.
***
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY
T and I decided to spend our anniversary by rebuilding (read as "further demolishing") the bathroom and going to a fantasy convention in an entirely different city, respectively.
It's weird not being with her, but not because it's our fourth anniversary. I'm just so used to being near her that having her not near makes me at least uncomfortable, and frequently thoroughly miserable.
Alleviating some of the negativity is the knowledge that I'd probably be almost as miserable if I stayed at home while the bathroom renovations are going on. I thought about helping the reno effort for about 10 seconds early on. Then I walked through the cloud of dust that hung in front of the bathroom door, and immediately developed a nasty sinus headache.
I probably wouldn't have helped even if I didn't get a headache every time I get within ten feet of the bathroom, but it's nice to have an excuse.
(Also, when it comes to construction, to say my taking part in any active way is "helping" is not the word. I'd give me fifteen minutes before I stepped on an exposed nail that's been rusting away in our bathroom wall since the fifties. This would inevitably lead to a bad case of gangrene followed a last-minute leg amputation to save my life.
This would make Tiina feel horribly guilty and not do much to help getting the bathroom fixed up. On the upside, I think "Hopalong" would be a really cool nickname.)
(I mentioned the I'm really tired thing, right?)
A
I am just not built for leaving the house.
***
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY
T and I decided to spend our anniversary by rebuilding (read as "further demolishing") the bathroom and going to a fantasy convention in an entirely different city, respectively.
It's weird not being with her, but not because it's our fourth anniversary. I'm just so used to being near her that having her not near makes me at least uncomfortable, and frequently thoroughly miserable.
Alleviating some of the negativity is the knowledge that I'd probably be almost as miserable if I stayed at home while the bathroom renovations are going on. I thought about helping the reno effort for about 10 seconds early on. Then I walked through the cloud of dust that hung in front of the bathroom door, and immediately developed a nasty sinus headache.
I probably wouldn't have helped even if I didn't get a headache every time I get within ten feet of the bathroom, but it's nice to have an excuse.
(Also, when it comes to construction, to say my taking part in any active way is "helping" is not the word. I'd give me fifteen minutes before I stepped on an exposed nail that's been rusting away in our bathroom wall since the fifties. This would inevitably lead to a bad case of gangrene followed a last-minute leg amputation to save my life.
This would make Tiina feel horribly guilty and not do much to help getting the bathroom fixed up. On the upside, I think "Hopalong" would be a really cool nickname.)
(I mentioned the I'm really tired thing, right?)
A
Sunday, October 26, 2008
If I were running John McCain's campaign...
...I'd seriously be trying to find someone to assassinate Sarah Palin on or shortly after Friday.
It's be the ultimate gamechanger--letting McCain appear unflappable in a moment of crisis, pick a vice presidential nominee who doesn't come off like an incompetent hick, garner a potentially massive sympathy vote, and if you want to see the base mobilize, well...yeah. Hire someone of Arab descent, a muslim, or a former member of the Weather Underground, ideally, but really, anyone who'd keep their mouths shut until after November 4 who isn't normally associated with the Republicans would do.
After McCain won the election, it really wouldn't matter if the truth came out. I mean, he'd just have had someone killed--it's not like having sex with an intern or something serious. Cheney personally shot someone in the face and got away with it, and Bush's practically made a habit out of pushing an entire country in front of oncoming trains. Getting rid of a shrill "the Endtimes are upon us" nutjob who can't stick to the script she's given is small potatoes.
And you've got to know there'd be lots of support (secret, maybe, but still there) from lifelong pols of both parties, who'd see the political wisdom in killing Palin. They'd understand why he couldn't simply admit to making a mistake (about anything, other than lying to a late night talkshow host, of course) and kick her off the ticket.
It'd be a total hail mary play, but that's what's defined pretty much the entirety of McCain's campaign against Obama, and if, well, pretty much everyone who isn't on the McCain campaign's payroll (and at least one person who is) is right, this is about the only shot he's got of winning this thing. Well, that and defective electronic voting equipment that always manages to default to the Republicans. Even catching bin-Laden wouldn't win him this thing, if he didn't go to Pakistan and personally hunt the guy down. At this point, all that'd get the republicans is a "What the hell took you so long?"
I've read a couple blog posts today by people who seem worried Obama's going to be the target of an assassination attempt sooner or later. And while I'd say that is unfortunately a very real possibility (and I only hope that, like the Oklahoma City bombing, any action of that sort comes from a domestic group rather than someone who can be bombed into their component molecules, probably along with every other living thing in a 20 mile radius, regardless of said things' involvement), if I was Sarah Palin standing on a platform with John McCain behind me right now, I'd be watching my back very closely.
***
THIS IS ABSOLUTELY GOING TO HAPPEN
In the same way it was inevitable Larry Flynt would finance a porn video starring a Sarah Palin stand-in*, it is a cosmic certainty that someday, someone will make a television show based the heroic adventures of Todd Palin. It will be like the original Knight Rider television show, only instead of KITT he'll have a sentient snow machine and the enemies will be East Coast bureaucrats who're trying to infringe on Alaska's sovereignty by cutting government spending there. It will be called White Rider.
White because that's the colour of snow.
***
START SPREADING THE NEWS...
World Fantasy Con in three days.
***
CRASH BANG BOOM
At some point, there's just got to be a limit to how much one can demolish in a single bathroom.
After three solid days, Tiina and her father have yet to reach that limit. Which makes me think our downstairs bathroom has qualities reminiscent of the TARDIS.
A
It's be the ultimate gamechanger--letting McCain appear unflappable in a moment of crisis, pick a vice presidential nominee who doesn't come off like an incompetent hick, garner a potentially massive sympathy vote, and if you want to see the base mobilize, well...yeah. Hire someone of Arab descent, a muslim, or a former member of the Weather Underground, ideally, but really, anyone who'd keep their mouths shut until after November 4 who isn't normally associated with the Republicans would do.
After McCain won the election, it really wouldn't matter if the truth came out. I mean, he'd just have had someone killed--it's not like having sex with an intern or something serious. Cheney personally shot someone in the face and got away with it, and Bush's practically made a habit out of pushing an entire country in front of oncoming trains. Getting rid of a shrill "the Endtimes are upon us" nutjob who can't stick to the script she's given is small potatoes.
And you've got to know there'd be lots of support (secret, maybe, but still there) from lifelong pols of both parties, who'd see the political wisdom in killing Palin. They'd understand why he couldn't simply admit to making a mistake (about anything, other than lying to a late night talkshow host, of course) and kick her off the ticket.
It'd be a total hail mary play, but that's what's defined pretty much the entirety of McCain's campaign against Obama, and if, well, pretty much everyone who isn't on the McCain campaign's payroll (and at least one person who is) is right, this is about the only shot he's got of winning this thing. Well, that and defective electronic voting equipment that always manages to default to the Republicans. Even catching bin-Laden wouldn't win him this thing, if he didn't go to Pakistan and personally hunt the guy down. At this point, all that'd get the republicans is a "What the hell took you so long?"
I've read a couple blog posts today by people who seem worried Obama's going to be the target of an assassination attempt sooner or later. And while I'd say that is unfortunately a very real possibility (and I only hope that, like the Oklahoma City bombing, any action of that sort comes from a domestic group rather than someone who can be bombed into their component molecules, probably along with every other living thing in a 20 mile radius, regardless of said things' involvement), if I was Sarah Palin standing on a platform with John McCain behind me right now, I'd be watching my back very closely.
***
THIS IS ABSOLUTELY GOING TO HAPPEN
In the same way it was inevitable Larry Flynt would finance a porn video starring a Sarah Palin stand-in*, it is a cosmic certainty that someday, someone will make a television show based the heroic adventures of Todd Palin. It will be like the original Knight Rider television show, only instead of KITT he'll have a sentient snow machine and the enemies will be East Coast bureaucrats who're trying to infringe on Alaska's sovereignty by cutting government spending there. It will be called White Rider.
White because that's the colour of snow.
***
START SPREADING THE NEWS...
World Fantasy Con in three days.
***
CRASH BANG BOOM
At some point, there's just got to be a limit to how much one can demolish in a single bathroom.
After three solid days, Tiina and her father have yet to reach that limit. Which makes me think our downstairs bathroom has qualities reminiscent of the TARDIS.
A
Friday, October 24, 2008
The List
Paperwork from the Big Hollywood Producer (I) interested in the thing SOB and I did years ago being looked at by manager? Check.
Outline for movie project based so loosely on one of my comic projects it's unrecognizable sent to Big Hollywood Producer (II)? Check.
Ideas for YA novel sequel ideas requested by Editor at Big NY Publisher sent out? Check.
Cheque? No.
But someday. Maybe even someday soon-ish.
Still waiting to hear back about THE HOLIDAY MEN. Fingers crossed.
Because he can't look at something he drew ten minutes ago without believing it's god-awful, regardless of how awesome the ten minute old art actually is, The Future of Comics (II) John Keane has redrawn the first six pages of THE SPOOKY KIDS.
ReBoot continues to plug along. We're past the halfway point now. Never really built up that buffer that we were supposed to have from the beginning, but we seem to be staying ahead of the curve.
Round 3 of the corporate comic strip editing gig is underway, with a tightened schedule to accommodate the artist going on holiday in a week and a bit. The World Fantasy Con in Calgary next week could be a bit of a clusterschmutz, schedule-wise, as I'm probably going to have to be editing the strip while I'm there.
Editing for THE WEST WAS LOST #1 is more or less finished.
Need to write up a bunch of ideas for Hollywood Manager to show the production company that's financing a bunch of comics series with an eye towards setting things up as films. Not an ideal scenario, but I gather there's more participation by the creators than has usually been the case when I've dealt with other wannabe Hollywood bigshots, and these guys actually have a decent record of getting things done. Oh, and making some money to write again would be nice. As would getting a new comic with my name on it on the shelves.
***
MEANWHILE, IN THE REAL WORLD
I'm actually kind of surprised it's taken this long for something like this to happen.
How does anyone who isn't wealthy see the idea of "redistributing wealth" as a bad thing? (Same way people who'd benefit from it see socialism as a bad thing, I suppose. I don't really get that, either, pinko that I am.)
***
TY TEMPLETON LIKED PARTING WAYS...
...and I can prove it.
I haven't really had time to get into this past weekend's Pure Spec convention, but I really enjoyed it. Also, it's hard to stop taking part in a conversation after the person you're substituting for on a panel shows up and takes his rightful place. Even if that marks the moment when most of the audience started seeing the event as a good panel.
A
Outline for movie project based so loosely on one of my comic projects it's unrecognizable sent to Big Hollywood Producer (II)? Check.
Ideas for YA novel sequel ideas requested by Editor at Big NY Publisher sent out? Check.
Cheque? No.
But someday. Maybe even someday soon-ish.
Still waiting to hear back about THE HOLIDAY MEN. Fingers crossed.
Because he can't look at something he drew ten minutes ago without believing it's god-awful, regardless of how awesome the ten minute old art actually is, The Future of Comics (II) John Keane has redrawn the first six pages of THE SPOOKY KIDS.
ReBoot continues to plug along. We're past the halfway point now. Never really built up that buffer that we were supposed to have from the beginning, but we seem to be staying ahead of the curve.
Round 3 of the corporate comic strip editing gig is underway, with a tightened schedule to accommodate the artist going on holiday in a week and a bit. The World Fantasy Con in Calgary next week could be a bit of a clusterschmutz, schedule-wise, as I'm probably going to have to be editing the strip while I'm there.
Editing for THE WEST WAS LOST #1 is more or less finished.
Need to write up a bunch of ideas for Hollywood Manager to show the production company that's financing a bunch of comics series with an eye towards setting things up as films. Not an ideal scenario, but I gather there's more participation by the creators than has usually been the case when I've dealt with other wannabe Hollywood bigshots, and these guys actually have a decent record of getting things done. Oh, and making some money to write again would be nice. As would getting a new comic with my name on it on the shelves.
***
MEANWHILE, IN THE REAL WORLD
I'm actually kind of surprised it's taken this long for something like this to happen.
How does anyone who isn't wealthy see the idea of "redistributing wealth" as a bad thing? (Same way people who'd benefit from it see socialism as a bad thing, I suppose. I don't really get that, either, pinko that I am.)
***
TY TEMPLETON LIKED PARTING WAYS...
...and I can prove it.
I haven't really had time to get into this past weekend's Pure Spec convention, but I really enjoyed it. Also, it's hard to stop taking part in a conversation after the person you're substituting for on a panel shows up and takes his rightful place. Even if that marks the moment when most of the audience started seeing the event as a good panel.
A
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Don't talk to ME about the evils of socialism...
(THE SCENE: Andrew's local TD/CanadaTrust. Andrew enters and approaches the woman sitting behind the Information Desk, completely unaware that the desk's name is intended ironically.)
INFO WOMAN: Hello. How can I help you today?
A: Yeah, I just noticed this last couple of weeks that when I cash a cheque, you guys are only letting me have 200 dollars until it's "verified", which has never happened before in the four years I've been banking here. And I'm just wondering why.
IW: Yes, if you read the terms of service, you'll see that the bank has the right to alter what it will clear at any time.
A: That's fine, I'm just wondering why they chose to alter it now.
IW: Have you had any credit problems recently?
A: Well, yeah, but they were worse when I got the account. If anything, this has been a better year than most. for that stuff.
IW: Usually they make changes because your credit rating's changed.
A: Is that what happened this time?
IW: I don't know.
A: Can you check?
IW: Can I see your banking card and some ID?
(An expression of weary resignation as Andrew supplies bank card and ID. She types in the various information and confirms that Andrew is, in fact, Andrew. After five minutes of looking at Andrew's file:)
IW: It says here they changed the clearance at the end of September.
A: I know when it changed.
IW: If you cash a cheque now, it'll let you have 200 dollars.
A: I know that, too. What I want to know is why it changed.
IW: The terms of service say it can be changed at any time.
A: I understand that. I just want to know why it was changed now
IW...It doesn't say.
A: It doesn't say? So you're telling me someone just arbitrarily decided to downgrade the amount cheques will clear.
IW: Well, obviously they had a reason.
A: That's my file onscreen, right?
IW: Yes.
A: Does it give a reason?
IW: No.
A: That doesn't strike me as very obvious.
IW: They do have the right to make the change at any time.
A: I never said they didn't. I just want to know why they made the change.
IW: I can't tell you.
A: Who can?
IW: A manager. Maybe.
A: OK. Can I talk to a manager?
IW: Managers don't come in till noon.
A: All right. So the problem is with getting the cheque verified, right?
IW: Right.
A: How long does it take to verify a cheque?
IW: Five business days.
A: Why?
IW: Why what?
A: Why does it take that long?
IW: I don't know. That's just as long as it takes.
A: With all the advancement in computers, it takes five days to verify a cheque from an account in another bank in the same city.
IW: Right.
A: (headache increasing...rage...GROWING...) You could call the other bank right now, couldn't you?
IW: I could...
A: So if I get in line over there and have the teller call the bank that issued the cheque and verify it, I can have all the money right now, right?
IW: Yes. Well, maybe. Other banks won't usually verify cheques.
A: Really? I've done it before.
IW: There's privacy issues now.
A: So you're telling me there's literally NO WAY I can get this cheque cashed and get my money right now. None.
IW: No.
A: You realize that, after twenty years of having a bank account, you guys - not you, personally, I know you're doing the best you can in what I'm sure is a very uncomfortable situation - in that time, banks havemanaged to make banking both more expensive AND less efficient.
IW: I understand your frustration.
(To demonstrate how much she understands, she hands Andrew a copy of the terms of service, with the portion stating that the bank can change things at any time circled.)
***
TD Canada Trust posted record earnings of $644 million in the third quarter, up 8% over the same period last year
F&*%ers.
A
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