Cora, you sure are bringing the treats these days! I applaud your impulse to come here to ease your mind about your Rose. I've had difficult times where coming here (or a similar spot) first thing in the morning gave me some peace. I hope it brings you peace as well.

Gillian, that drive must be a bear, for you to decide it's your last one. Traffic and wildfires: sounds like a typical Colorado summer. I'm glad the visit went well.

About to finish the 3rd draft of the novel. It's the first good, readable draft, though it still needs a ton of work. Why do novels have to be so much work?

In other news, I was taking Benedryl for sleep for a few months. I just read about a link between Benedryl and dementia, though, and so stopped immediately. Yikes!

Coffee please!

My ironic tribute to Labor Day is to NOT labor and instead play video games all day.

I may be called upon to grill later, but that will be it. It's been a long summer and I am gonna relax.

Happy Labo(u)r Day everyone!

Sending giant hugs to you and your dog, Cora. Godspeed to him and to you.

Nothing new here. I'm still editing the thing. We are preparing for a second operation for my daughter - not unexpected, and this time we know was to expect, so it's not nearly as scary.

In other, scarier, news: the entire frikkin CDC appears to have walked out of the building, in protest over recent firings. If there's a heath emergency the US will be driving without headlights. Or leaders who believe in science.

Coffee.

Quote by WriterGirl

Her name is Kelly. We’re rare identical mirror twins. We do everything with opposite hands. She’s mostly left where I’m right-handed, but a few things we do the other way around. And I call her Dom Twin. She’s always been the dominant personality in our relationship.

That's too cool! If she lived in Australia she could be your mirror and upside down twin! Tell her hi from your writing buddies.

Depression is indeed a hard road, Ape (back pain too). Hope you feel better. I have had a couple sleepless nights over the weekend, but am doing better today. Starting the third draft of the novel. I'm not sick of it yet, which is a good sign.

Any caramel and ice cream goodies left?

My tummy is fine, but thanks for all the digestive well wishes.

Cora, critiques are once a month. It'll take the rest of the year to get through the whole thing.

A twin of WG! Too (two!) cool!

I'd love to see a fjord, Ape. I didn't realize Canada had them. We in serious discussion to take a train up the West Coast early next year, perhaps as far as Vancouver.

Seize the fjord!

Hot and sunny here - I'll take one of those ice cream sandwiches.

Nothing new here. Still writing, still watching the Mets lose. Went to a stomach doc yesterday, they put me on Prilosec (which is over the counter).

Coffee!!! Lots!!! Now!!!

Oh, a picture book sounds hard, WG! Good luck with it. I'd be so intimidated by a project like that.

Go for the novella Ape! It'll give you a chance fully flesh out the world you are building.

Hey, I don't have jury duty! AND the critique group liked my chunk of novel so that felt good. Plus, we had a good turn-out. So yay! I just finished a second draft of the novel but it is by no means done - I just have to go start another draft.

Mets are winning again!

One of those ice cream and caramel and churros things please! They look delish.

I find out at 5:30 if I have jury duty on Tuesday. Wish me luck.

Also needing luck: my critique group meets tonight at 6:30, discussing the second chunk of my my novel. I'll be sure and wear padding - things might get rough!

I'll take a donut Cora. And a coffee!

That ice cream looks DELISH, Cora.

Enjoy playing hooky, Ape.

Me? Therapy at noon, school pickup for grandson at 3, and work on the last 4 chapters of this second draft in the off hours.

I have a jury duty call next week. Sigh. I kinda enjoyed my last jury summons, but I'm in the middle of a bunch of things now. I may have to act crazy (MORE crazy) so they won't pick me.

Coffee and ice cream please.

Those bee cookies look pretty tasty Cora.

I have a cold, though it isn’t too bad. I was in bed most of yesterday, and while I will get up and around today, I’m still feeling a bit punk, as my Dad used to say.

Roland, I am so psyched about a female umpire! A female pitcher is next! In other baseball news, the Mets appear to suck yet again, and with the highest payroll in baseball. Heavy sigh.

Coffee please!

Thanks for the treats Cora! I’ll have a watermelon cookie.

James, I didn’t realize it until after you posted, but the Jays have the best record in baseball! The Mets, sadly, appear to be beginning their late summer swoon.

I am knee deep in a second draft of the novel - currently heavily reworking the last five chapters. Then, well, I guess a third draft begins. This is hard work.

Hoping we would see comp results today!

Coffee!

Quote by rolandlytle

I had the hots for Gillian Anderson when the X-Files came out. (Along with 50% of the viewers)

I watched 'Major League' (1989) last night. It was not as good as I remembered it, but Bob Uecker was still great.

If you have the hots for Gillian you will LOVE The Fall.

About to start The Institute (Stephen King). It's a good book. The Following, with Kevin Bacon, looks interesting too. I think it's old, but we just discovered it.

I am craving the one last slice of ice-cream birthday cake.

Heya everyone.

The game was Big Fun. Not exactly a crisp, well-played game, but the Rockies won, with a 17-16 final score. It was fun to watch. 40 hits, 3.5 hours (and that doesn’t include the concert). The Dead cover band was reasonably good, good enough to get us dancing. Anyway, fun night.

Hot and sunny here. Coffee please!

Quote by WriterGirl

Read it… and… although I liked your comp piece a lot, I LOVED this one, but happy you didn’t cut it down to size. You love metal so much, you should write more stories around it.

I haven't read the story yet, but HEAVILY agree about writing about what you love (he said, having never written about baseball) (I do have a small but about my love of playing catch in the novel).

Thanks Molly! Great comp!

Good morning all. Denver here we come!

Happy birthday Jerry!

"We didn't invent the Grateful Dead, the crowd invented the Grateful Dead. We were just in line to see what was going to happen."
- Jerry Garcia

Watching The Fall, and on our next to last episode. Gillian Anderson vs. a serial killer. She's perfect in this.

Also watching Smoke. And for comfort watch in these fraught times: The West Wing. Ear candy for liberals, my first wife always called it.

Read em all! I too am glad I'm not judging this! Great field.

Slowly getting caught up on comp entries. Strong field, but that's often true lately.

We're packing for Denver and Coor's Field and Grateful Dead night. I've never been a Deadhead, but have had many Deadhead friends, and as I result I've seen the original Dead (with Jerry) in concert five times: Iowa City, Minneapolis, and three times at Madison Square Garden (I had a friend who always bought out the full week, every year they came).

Of course, tomorrow is just a baseball game and a cover band. Still, should be fun - it's kind of a birthday celebrstion as well.

Seize the coffee cup!

I am going to Grateful Dead night at Coors Field this weekend!

Quote by rolandlytle

Happy Birthday!!!!

Sounds like you had a fantastic trip and a great time!

The Mets are playing well and had a great chance to make the playoffs. With Judge out, the Mets are the best team in NYC.

Darn straight the best team in NYC is the Mets! Thanks for the props Roland!

Had a great birthday, though it says something that among my greatest gifts is getting a good night's sleep.

Not up to much today. I will try to write that cat scene though!

Coffee please.

Quote by verbal

Is it on Youtube?

Nevermind

Quote by Mendalla

Watched Captain Marvel (MCU movie from 2019 starring Sam Jackson and Brie Larson)? If you haven't, do. It has exactly what you describe.

Is it on Youtube?

Quote by Mendalla

Welcome back. Sounds like a fun trip. Fossil redwoods sounds cool.

You've got lots of reading to do. 15 entries in the comp and 5 days left. And, of course, an entry from you is always welcome but I know you're just back so we'll excuse you this time if you don't.

And Happy Birthday!! Steak and cake sounds pretty good for a celebration (and rhymes nicely).

Okay, okay. I just read two. My writing is for crap today, so I'm taking the day off. I doubt I'll enter. Too busy trying to describe what a cat with tentacles coming out of her mouth would look like.

(ppst. It's my birthday)

Hey all! Haven't been around much, I hope everyone is well. We drove up into the mountains with Talia/daughter/grandson/significant other. It was big fun. It was hot as f here in town, almost 100, but up in the mountains it was cool and lovely. Took a hike, looked at some giant fossilized redwoods (Florissant Fossil Beds Park). Came home tired and watched the Mets win their 7th in a row.

Going out for steak tonight, coming home for cake. I'll write and chill til then.

Coffee please!

Grand Theft Hamlet. How have I never heard of this? A documentary about trying to perform Hamlet inside a GTA game in real time.

The second book cover, WG. I like the letters a little smaller, so we are more taken by all the imagery. It seems a little lighter too. The cat on the head is key to both versions!

Broke out the grill finally! It's usually up and running my May, but it has been a BUSY summer.

Really proud of my Heaven's Gate story. I hope it gets picked up. If not I will post it here.

Roland, I've been in therapy for a decade and it really helps me on an everyday basis.

I deserve a cold beer for all my hard work today. I will settle for an ice water.

Quote by Mendalla

Oo, Bear brought goodies. All is well here. A bit fatigued for some reason. Didn't sleep the greatest last night so that's likely part of it. Heard that the contractors might be out to start on my driveway next week so there's that. I have a new idea for the comp but haven't had time to take a crack at it yet. Cats are involved (the one I have in hand involves cellos and headbanging).

Cats! Yay!

Nothing new here. Editing the novel, which is mostly boring, interrupted by periods of sheer terror at all I have to change.

Still. Coffee is hot, cats are purring, and my wife is ever-patient. And I get to walk today! Sadly, no baseball.

Coffee!

Quote by WriterGirl

Woohoo! SEVEN entries in the competition!

Come on in, Verbal and Mr Ape, the water’s warm…

Life is busy, DubyaGee. I will read the entries, but I doubt I'll enter.

My Heaven's Gate shoe story has turned into a love story, almost against my will. It's like, the characters decided to fall in love, regardless of what I wanted to write. I'm about to send it off to an anthology. Wish me luck!

Coffee!