16 February, 2014

hwaet

So, I finished that short story. It's maybe the best I've ever written. We'll see if the editors agree. I have this superstition that I am jinxing it by even mentioning it here, now, before the verdict comes back. I am prepared for the statistical probability. I am hoping for otherwise. Thus it goes with all submissions.

I get a little tired of hearing 'think positively' from people when I cheerfully announce that I'm sending something off for rejection. I am thinking positively. I am positive that I am better than 95% of the other stuff out there. Maybe even higher. But with rejection rates even higher than that, and personal taste to account for, well, there we go. If I didn't think positively, I wouldn't keep doing this.

With the story done, and nothing to comment on from my 60 students this weekend (the flood will arrive on the morrow, unless I get some ambitious early birds today), I am at loose ends. Making granola. Got a sleeve to knit...which I am avoiding, because I don't really like how the first sleeve turned out, and if this one turns out the same way, I will have to go modify the damned pattern and redo two sleeves.

The upside: the way winter's acting on this coast, I won't actually be able to wear the sweater until next year anyway, so no rush.

Idris discovered my yarn. I keep partial skein/balls and projects in two big popcorn tins under the coffee table. He cannot squeeze himself into the tins, but he can dip one skinny arm into them, fish around for Something Cool (tm), and haul it out. Now there are lids on the tins. So far he's igoring the projects ON the table (see above: sleeves). Louhi used to pick a single DP out of a project--never the stitches, just the loose needle still stuck in the ball--and run off to play with it. I am grateful to the yarn gods that Idris hasn't picked up that habit...although one of my 7 DPNs has acquired what looks like gnaw-marks on one end.

 So on that note, I leave you with a shot of the stage from the Amon Amarth show last night (which was crazy-fun, despite the fact I inhaled enough second hand smoke to make my own smog cloud). That's Johan Hegg in the corner, bellowing at the crowd.


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