We went out to see Comet SWAN last night. It’s barely visible with the naked eye, but you can see it. Thrilling, even if it does look like a dim, fuzzy star. We got cold and came home. No meteors, sadly.
First frost was last night too. It’s looking like autumn!
Rooting for Canada in the World Series. I think most of the country is.
Coffee please. Here’s some extra Halloween candy for folks to munch on.
Ooh, yum, brownies!
The weekend was fun. Had a friend come down for the No Kings protest. So much fun! Inflatable costumes and funny signs everywhere. No violence, no arguments, no angry Trumpies trying to start a fight. Just solidarity and hope.
We had lunch and a drink afterward at one of our fave paces. Great day.
Back to the grind today. Critique group tonight. Erg.
Coffee please!
Quote by Mendalla
If it makes you feel better, I have a whole folder of those on my hard drive. I call it "Under Review" to make me think I might actually do something with them someday. 😜
I finish (nearly, keep reading) everything I start, even if it's crappy. My folder of dead stories is titled "Abandoned."
That said, still wrestling with the stupid mask story. And I never finished my MRI story, despite my earlier boast.
Anyone else here protesting on No Kings Day this Saturday? Anyone wearing an inflatable frog costume?
Coffee!
καλησπέρα, Ape. Good to have you back. I have been dreaming of the ocean lately. I think next summer we'll take the leap.
Still wrestling with the stupid mask story. I fear it's gonna end up like my haunted MRI story - hours spent writing, no finished story.
Coffee please!
Quote by gillianleeza
I've been busy sorting out family problems, an emergency surgery for my oldest, and issues with my dad. I have been travelling back and forth, helping out my son, then returning and trying to sort out my dad. It's all stressful and not being helped, so if Congress can't get its act together, I am going to lose my healthcare or have a massive premium increase. It is so hard to be positive these days. Sorry to drop in to complain. Hopefully, I'll return with a better outlook soon.
Take care of yourselves.
Sending you some comforting thoughts. It sounds stressful.
Healthcare is gonna be the thing that breaks the back of this administration (if anything does). Public opinion is strongly in favor of supporting the Affordable Care Act. I don't know if they'll prevail, but the Dems chose a good moment fight back. Finally.
Anyway. Writing a horror story today about the sleep masks that nice hotels sometimes provide. You'll get more than a good night's sleep. 
Seize the coffee cup!
Quote by JustAnotherSapphic
I'm not dead, I promise. I just forgot this exists oops.
Hey JAS! Drew Carey is back on the air! Pluto TV!
Same old thang here. Glad someone came through the door besides me today. Working on a new story, about sleep masks, while I let the novel breathe for awhile.
Coffee please.
I hope everyone is well.
We saw a great production of Cabaret last night. The Emcee (Joel Gray in the movie) was really frikkin scary. Big and mean and serious Nazi vibes. Yikes! Timely production.
I sent off the first three chapters of the novel today. Now, we wait.
Seize the coffee cup!
Wow. Crickets! I hear crickets.
Same old thang here. Sending out the novel to agents, which at best will result in a 99% rejection rate. Gotta hope for that 1%! I am describing it as “Bradbury-esque.” Does anyone read Bradbury anymore?
I hope everyone has a good day. And I hope someone comes by with some treats! I’m hungry!
Good morning everyone. I hope folks had a good weekend. Ours was uneventful but fine.
The novel is done. I will let a few beta readers take a look (including a childhood friend who partially inspired it) while I take a break from it. Let me know if you are interested in reading it, I would love some feedback before I dig into the next draft.
A brownie please. Those look yum. And a coffee of course.
The FCC can now force any program off the air that disagrees with the administration. I expected this from Trump. I didn’t expect 270 Republican Congressmen to stand by and do nothing as our democracy is dismantled. Sorry for being political but I am angry and scared. These are inarguably unconstitutional actions.
Anyway. I wrote a thing about Moby Dick, which I read this summer. It’s on the front page is anyone is interested. Don’t worry, it’s hardly literary criticism. Just my two cents. https://www.storiesspace.com/stories/memoirs/riding-with-ishmael
I hope everyone is well.
Coffee!
Brownies! Yum! I'll take two!
Critique group went well last night. I didn't get savaged. Maybe I'm getting better. Or at least more tenacious.
Warm and sunny. I love this time of year. The Mets are clinging to the last playoff spot like a cat on a drape. Bear's BJay's are going strong at least.
Seize the brownie!
Quote by gillianleeza
Good news is always welcome. These days, there is not enough good news. It's so demoralizing to follow the news day after day. I try to take a break whenever I can.
Scary, scary times. I can't watch the news anymore. I'm listening to Science Friday on (the recently defunded) NPR to escape. I'm glad the jellyfish chilled out at least, Gillian.
Trying to insert a new scene into the novel today, and not having an easy time of it. Frustrating day. At least the weekend approaches. We may go see The Conjuring. I don't like many sequels, but The Conjuring is a pretty reliable franchise. The Long Walk is out too. And Spinal Tap 2!
Anyway. Stay safe out there friends. The things we have in common far outweigh the things that divide us.
Peace.
Up with the sun these days. Well, okay, 7:30 isn't waking up with the sun, but it is to me. It's my new sleep schedule these days.
Sorry about your tooth, Mr. Ape. Few things are worse than a toothache.
Same old thang today. Rewrites, v4. Though Talia and I will have some exciting news for everyone come mid-October. Save the date!
As for today, coffee and a caramel cookie please.
We are both sick as dogs. Talia got it yesterday, I got it from her. snorts and coughs At least I finished the 3rd draft of the book before this cold showed up. So I can chill today. Start draft four on Monday.
Gill, my memory is awful as well, and it worries me from time to time. Thus the Benedryl news. I suspect at least some of my short-term memory loss has to do with my use of herby combustibles. But still. I hope the jellyfish stay at bay.
Mets cookies! Mets cookies! I'll eat ALL OF THEM! Thank you, Cora.
Enjoy the weekend Ape. And look forward to your upcoming trip!
Hot tea please.
Quote by Cora
I woke up early again. It's strange and interesting how the body works and changes over time. I used to be a night owl and liked sleeping in. Now I like waking up early and usually going to bed early, at least earlier then when I used to go to bed.
Me too, Cora. Until fairly recently I was a night owl. Lately I've been learning how to make the early morning my friend. Up early again today! I may try another sleep aid, but most likely I'll just learn my new bodily rhythm and lean into it.
Write/edit and pick up the grandkid from school is the extent of my day. Mets lost. 
Coffee please! And an apple pie donut!
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!
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!
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.
