Category: Writing

Sauna

Mike rented the basement of the Hastings Sauna and I got very warm last night.  Also in attendance were Jarmo and Susanna, Cassidy and Paul.

I was really careful not to get overheated and I did sleep reasonably well until I woke up half an hour ago.

Thus concludes Mike’s birthday weekend.  Hope to write lots today, only managed 200 words yesterday.

The true final count was

Final word count for the day was over 1500 words.  (This included editing, since I was ripping adverbs and adjectives out with vigour.)  I still have not commenced the new chapters. Also worked on the chapter entitled Exit Interview.

Today a memorial service for a church member and a birthday party for one of my closest friends.  I find that often happens to me, two big events in one day; I imagine I’ll be ready to get my drink on by a quarter to five.

We blasted through the rest of the Bojack Horseman season.  I really enjoyed it, especially the stuff going on in the background and the non-stop shellacking of all manner of Hollywoo ‘types’.

One of these days I’ll talk about the process, but in the meantime I’ll just say I love Scrivener.

The latest theatre shooting in the States was at a feminist movie and the people who were shot and killed were all women.  There IS NO WAR ON WOMEN MOVE ALONG PLEASE.  Right wing radio gave him a platform for his hate.  And thank you for killing yourself you fucking scumskin, your parents and ex-wife probably got their first night of sleep in ages, despite their grief and horror.

1028 words today

Jeff’s off at a client’s and I’ve done my writing for the day, on the chapter entitled “I don’t know what they are for”, so I think I’ll have another cup of coffee and make a list. I can survive the next couple of days without issue – if I have a list.  mOm I’ll send you what I have of that chapter so far.  Domestic arguments about aliens.  Yeah.

Being able to comfort baby Alex was my big accomplishment this week.  The way he greeted me and Paul made me want to float away and dance with unicorns and other magical creatures.

 

350 words yesterday

I’m taking a break today, it was like pulling teeth yesterday, or at least, like my experience with getting teeth pulled, which is prob’ly a more accurate description.

 

One of the many filkers I haven’t met yet came up with this gem.

 

UNCANNY VALLEY
(tto “Red River Valley”, words: B. Childs-Helton)

Though from Stepford they say you are goin’
I won’t miss your sweet face or your smile,
’cause they’ll wind up on some other robot
to remind me of you for a while.

Don’t lament flesh-and-blood boon companions
as you hastily bid them adieu,
just remember the Uncanny Valley
and the robot that looks just like you.

Is it man or machine, what’s the difference —
just relax, you’ve got nothing to fear
when your new plastic pal writes a pop tune
and goes Turing with Kraftwerk this year.

The elite’s obsolete as the workers.
Don’t be sad or depressed or Deep Blue.
Just remember the Uncanny Valley
and the robot that looks just like you.

Yes, I just kissed a girl named Maria.
No big deal — she’s a robot, you see —
but I’m not really sure if she’s kissing
one more robot that looks just like me.

Let us press on to full automation
till there’s no human bein’ left to screw
or remember the Uncanny Valley
and the robot that looks just like you.

 

 

400 words

Thank you Jeff for coming to get me. It was a tough ride back with the congestion.

Got caught up on all the shows except Ray Donovan.

Paul took me for a walk around 8; when we got back from the Quay (I avoided buying beer, yay me) Margot recognized the sound of Paul’s car and came out to greet him, which he took as a compliment.

I have a strong feeling I should not write today, but look after some other stuff.  This is going to be an emotionally difficult weekend upcoming.  I have a memorial service and a party to go to on the 25th and a sauna party to go to on the 26th.

Coffee, here I come.

Pleasant day

Spent a good chunk of the day labouring on Sweep off the Waves and only managed 574 words.  Did a lot of editing – essentially re-read the entire manuscript as it stands right and every time I ran into something stupid (anything that slowed my reading to a crawl as I tried to work out what was happening) I’d fix it.  I wrote more wordywordwords than I removed, but it was disheartening to go into negative numbers for a while.

Messaged my editor about dropping off the rest of the manuscript for the first book early this morning, and it yet being hours ungodly have not had a response. If I can’t raise her I’ll find a post office and mail it to her while I’m here. (People are, after all, entitled to leave town on vacation and I didn’t call her first…)

After thrashing about on how I am supposed to write another 25-30K (minimum) it occurred to me that I could do another ‘media compendium’ chapter, I just need the narrative catch point…. a transcript for a special presentation on TV with the lovely Farah Jalali, or a blenderized Stand on Zanzibar style ‘this is how the aliens merge into pop culture’ core dump, or a ‘curated’ section in which a multimedia artist tries to assemble a collage, and the problems she encounters in so doing.  If I decided to do all three, I will NOT have a problem making that wordcount, but it will not be as much fun for mOm to read, so sorry mOm.

Raspberries and cream two mornings running for breakfast. Life is GOOOOD.

Mental illness

I did have a rough couple of days.  Feeding Ayesha was the only reason I got dressed and left the house a couple of times. But my friends as usual helped me feel better.  I was reading Jenny Diski’s latest review about insanity and being committed, and reading about the continuing horror and debility of the mental unwellness of an acquaintance on fb, and I just had to stop and thank a few people.

Sandy for telling me to go back to taking vitamin d, which was the smartest of many smart things she’s told me in the last year; Paul for taking me for a WONDERFUL walk in Queen’s Park (we haven’t walked there in 15 years, I’d guess) where we saw a gazebo, and pigs in the petting zoo, and kids having fun but NOT SHRIEKING, and gingko trees, and roses, and a completely deserted outdoor exercise space for adults; Jeff for indulging me when I said, “Gee whiz after watching the last ten minutes of True Detective (wherein there was an incredible gun battle) I want to rewatch 44 Minutes: The North Hollywood Shootout!” and he said sure, so we did, and I have to say it’s held up very, very well; Sue for always being a positive and loving force in my life; Tammy for listening; mOm and pOp of course for so much practical and uncomplicated support now and earlier; both kids for various kinds of help; John, who seems to pop up everywhere in my mind these days and I don’t know why this picture of a dog reminds me of him; Margot for being so relaxed about not being normal; Bounce for being one of my happiest memories.

 

After the wonderful walk yesterday (all those beautiful tall trees!) Paul took me to the Taqueria Playa Tropical, which is such a good restaurant it doesn’t serve desert (of course not, and as I re-read this I note they don’t serve dessert EITHER.)  I ordered a beer and Paul had a Margarita, can you credit it? And the server swapped the drinks because GENDER ROLES, which occasioned harmless mirth.  I had the Tosta Carnita, and for seven bucks I got the tastiest sandwich I have ever, ever eaten. GOD IT WAS GOOD I AM STILL IN THAT HAPPY PLACE. Paul had the enchiladas and the way they were plated I wanted to take a picture, but I am damned glad I didn’t because that shit’s rude.  And I left my phone in the car.

Happy to have friends.  All I meant to say.  Because they are the people standing between me and the bughouse.

400 words yesterday.  Babies tumbling down stairs and being weird.

I am working on more songs and more writing, but all the songs have not had lyrics of late.  I am practicing!

One feels better after a drive

There are certain activities that almost always make me feel better, and I suppose it’s part of my conditioning, since from the time I was quite small convertibles were part of life.  So a long drive, in the luscious dusk of Vancouver in July, was just the ticket; also, more pragmatically, I was supposed to check that the dash lights were working.  I also enjoy being able to help people, and knowing that I was going to reduce Keith’s ride into town by about an hour and a half helped.

Keith was full of feels and family news. He didn’t have his jacket so I reluctantly rolled up the window, and we enjoyed a simply wonderful ride home in the MR2; and Jeff’s car collected two compliments while I was out.  I ripped BC Ferries off for four dollars as I flatly refused to pay for parking.  (Not getting the job at the parking lot machine company has made me even more grumpy about paying for parking.  I checked for drones; there being none, I just sat there in the lot.)

One of my aliens (Michel, since mOm will want to know) just said, “I wish your mouth was shorter and your fuse was longer.”   Another character just accused another of practicing lemonade stand feminism.  He he.

I have coffee, I have arrowroot biscuits, and a book and a half to finish.  Better get back to it.

Meeping

I meeped at Chipper for a while yesterday and she expertly diagnosed my problem and helped me get back on the rails. I’ve been sessile for a couple of days but I’ll be back to writing today. For background, coming up on 2nd anniversary of breaking my arm and losing the shop, so that’s probably feeding into the other issues.

I have a strong cup of coffee beside me and Jeff’s making more.

PLUTO FLYBY!!!! SO HAPPY.

I finally went on a trip through the Stargate with Jack O’Neill last night.  Woke up with a big smile on my face, with his strictures ringing in my ears.

LATER

Buster just climbed the dead tree in the back yard.  I could barely see him through the blinds.  Wilde kittye!!!

Words today, words yesterday

325 today so far, about 300 yesterday.  I am slowing down again and I hate it.

Perhaps the prospect of a meal out will assist. Mike will cruise by around supper time.  Sounds like he’s had a gharstly week.

Spoke to Chipper today – and she was.  Things are looking up, and that is wonderful.

Sent along some pics from Paul to mOm, who is grateful to have a recent picture of Phyllis and Alex.

brO has been very very helpful today with computer stuff and I’m grateful and pleased.

Practiced this morning for almost an hour.  Tried to write a song but noodled instead.