Friends

I fell and boinked my nose yesterday. Needless to say, I stayed home as it hurt too much to breathe the cold air. Nothing broken and just a small bit of blood. Nothing to worry about. Honest.

Tigger's recovering from the anesthetic after getting hisself snipped yesterday. Since the appointment was already made, that's one trip I simply HAD to make. Thankfully, the vet place is only 1/2 block away from home. Spent the majority of the day dozing off and on anyway. ::giggles:: Me, I mean.

Surprisingly, my package from Newegg came last night. I want to get my errands done today before I did the "let's see if I can install the damned thing" bit as I still need to get some bread and milk. ::chuckles:: Yes, I'm a bit scared and yes, I'm more than a bit clueless on how to install things. I'm a "turn it on and pray it works" kinda gal. ::nods::

Got a couple of weird scenarios for my 9-year-old cat (kitten) Pooka darting around in my head. Kitten form and "singing" along with "I Love This Bar" as well as "Kiss This!". Yeah, both are country songs and yeah, I been listening to the only radio station I can pick up, WYRK, right here in downtown Buffalo. ::giggles:: Funny thing is, I can picture her doing just that, too! Being in kitten form and singing along with those two songs, I mean.

Most of my solo ideas for my Cs wound up being just that: ideas. Nothing I could build on once I wrote those ideas out. ::shrugs:: Not sure if this means I should consider some serious "trimming" or what.

Been reading up a storm, too, going through books like crazy when my fingers get too stiff for crocheting. Still miss my online buddies, though. It's like that song I caught the tail-end off, where the guy sings how he hurries home to his room and fires up his Mac. Everything seems better online. ::giggles:: Wish they'd play it again so I could get at least the title. I'd like to have it for myself. The song, I mean. Hell, I'd accept the Mac, too, if it was free! ::nods::

Cold's doing a number on my joints, but that's normal for this time of year for me. I think once I get home I'll get closerthanthis to the arthritis rub. ::chuckles::

Current Location: United States, New York, Buffalo
Current Mood: cold & sore

Both the washing machine and the dryer are running, and I really need to finish cleaning the kitchen. I might even be persuaded to go to the gym this morning. I know, right? GASP. But it did feel really nice going to the gym the other day, and while I know I am going tomorrow night to meet Jean, would it really kill me to go today? Why no, I don't believe it would. The question of course is motivation. Meh.

I am doing a fabulous job of making my way through this stack of books, and couldn't be more pleased with myself. I'd planned on reading Stephen King's Under the Dome over the holidays, but I think I am going to put that off and get through these books first. Priorities, Gregalicious, one must have priorities.

And of course, since finishing the last book and not truly buckling down to work on the next one, my creativity has gone all ADD on me again. Heavy sigh. Ah, focus--what exactly are you, anyway? Hee hee.

I really need to make a to-do list, methinks. That always seems to help. I also seem to have misplaced the 2010 appointment book I efficiently purchased last month. Sigh. Well, tomorrow I have to go to the (shudder) West Bank, so I can always stop at Barnes and Noble and buy a really nice one--the misplaced one was a five dollar cheapie from Wal-Mart.

All right, I need to get my butt in gear.

Current Location: my desk
Current Mood: giddy
Current Music: Diva by Beyonce

The other day, I read an interview of an m/m writer that I've met and like as a person. And of course, during the course of this interview she trotted out this tired and fallacious trope: Gay male fiction began on the Internet, but lesbian fiction began in print over thirty years ago.
I cannot even begin to tell you how angry this makes me.
But, in a way, I am glad I read that. Because it's the perfect segue into a discussion of The Golden Age of Gay Fiction by Drewey Wayne Gunn. I've been meaning to talk about this volume for quite a while, but sadly was distracted by finishing the book. Wayne emailed me an electronic version of the book a while back, and as he has always been very kind in his reviews of my books, I definitely wanted to plug this seminal work.
In a nutshell, this book is an extraordinary collection of essays by extraordinary writers about pre-Stonewall gay publishing--which happened long before the Internet, I might add--and I have long felt this period has been under-represented in discussions of gay fiction and publishing.
Dr. Gunn to the rescue! (I cannot tell you how much I envy him that name...)
Among the contributors are Philip Clark (whom I first met when he interned at the Lambda Literary Foundation back in the stone ages, and whose work I have always admired), the great Michael Bronski (his The Pleasure Principle is one of my all-time favorite books about gay culture), Nowell Briscoe (a frequent attendee of my signings, which I greatly appreciate), Dennis Bolan, Neil DeWitte, Dave Doyle, Jan ewing, Earl Kemp, Rob Latham, William Maltese (a very fine writer indeed--check him out), the wonderful Rob McDonald (whom I met at Saints and Sinners a few years back), Tom Norman, Joseph Ortiz, Paul Richmond, Roger Tuller, and Ian Young, among others.
If you are interested in the history of gay publishing, this book is an excellent place to start your researches. The essays are well-written, informative and not dry, dull scholarly in the least.
I certainly enjoyed the day I spent reading it.

I slept in till nine this morning. Huzzah!

I feel quite rested this morning, although my lower throat is sore. I wish this cold or whatever the hell it is will go away at some point. I'm not quite sure what the problem is, but I grow weary of it. I am rather tired of it, and it is rather cold this morning--at least it is here in the Lost Apartment. I am not writing a word of fiction this weekend; the Lost Apartment is a sty and must be cleaned thoroughly before I even think about writing anything. However, with Christmas just around the corner (less than a week, EEK!) I have lots to get done. John and Michael have invited us over for dinner on the holiday, which we did two years ago and was very nice, and I am going to make a really nice meal for me, Paul and Skittle on Christmas Eve; I am thinking a nice pot roast with potatoes and carrots. Paul loves pot roast, and frankly I am rather fond of it myself--I just never think to make it. I am going to make some potato leek soup at some point over this weekend, and maybe some sausage bread, and I think Monday I am going to make homemade sloppy joes. A rather ambitious cooking plan, to be sure, but there you have it.

Must get kitchen cleaned and organized.

I put up the tree to surprise Paul last night while he was with his trainer, and as such cleaned the living room. Tis truly amazing what a difference it makes when the house is clean. There's still too much clutter--as always--but I am planning on getting through all these books I am judging before the New Year, and then getting them out of the way. And in a moment of complete insanity, I agreed to serve as a judge for yet another book award in the new year.

Heavy sigh. One would think I'd learn.

I do have some errands to run today--post office, grocery store, storage place--and then I think I am parking my ass in the easy chair. We are invited to a Christmas party tonight, but given how wretched my throat feels, I don't think it's a good idea. We'll see how I feel.

It also is weird to have no college football distraction today.

But the bowls are coming, the bowls are coming!

And tonight the Saints play the Cowboys in the dome. On my way home from work last evening, I noticed that they were already tailgating in the CBD. Awesome.

I also posted this link on my Facebook yesterday, but I am putting it here as well. This is probably the best article I've seen about New Orleans since the storm anywhere written by someone Not From Here:

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/story?page=hotread14/Saints

And what is the deal with these spaces between paragraphs? I hate when they change formatting. Maybe I should read the emails they send me..

Current Location: my desk
Current Mood: cold
Current Music: Three by Britney Spears

I am NOT a child of my generation. At all. I get an idea for a story, character, history, or 3D image and I reach down to turn on my poor borked PC. I wake up in the middle of the night with my mind running at Warp 8 and I stumble over to my desk to turn on my PC. It's the PC, not pen and paper, I reach for first. ::giggles::

Note: Mage: the Ascension is DAMNED confusing!

I miss being able to sit down and read comments and posts here on LJ.

It got down to 8 degrees last night. Not all that warm today, either. ::shivers::

Current Mood: cold

I know it's cheesy, but the other day I downloaded a butt-load of classic Neil Diamond (and no, that awful "Come to America" was NOT one of them), and have actually enjoyed listening to them.

I never claimed to have great taste in music.

We finally watched the last disc of Harper's Island the other night, and sadly, Paul's and my suspicions about the killer were proved to be correct. Nevertheless, it was a lot of fun to watch. We are now in the midst of Season 3 of The Tudors--and while it is still incredibly well-done, it's just not as interesting without Anne Boleyn; the last four wives were rather anti-climactic. Ah, well.

I am starting to come out of the post-book malaise, which is actually a really good thing. I had one of those Grealicious moments of stark horror yesterday morning; for some reason I'd gotten it into my head that Beautiful was due on April 1, and yesterday morning I was thinking about it, and realized, "That's not right; you picked the due date, and I distinctly remember thinking after I picked it that I'd be able to enjoy the TW Fest for the first time in years--Paul and I even discussed it." So, I dug out the contract and was horrified to see that it is due March 1. YIKES!!! Of course, I had no idea at the time that a Super Bowl trip by the Saints was a distinct possibility; and obviously I completely blanked out the two weeks of Mardi Gras.

Guess I need to get cracking, eh?

But there's a lot of housecleaning I need to get done; my house needs to be put in order before I neglect it for three months.

Heavy sigh.

Current Location: my desk
Current Mood: cheerful
Current Music: LoveGame by Lady Gaga

I am feeling crappy this morning, which I directly attribute to the bi-polar weather we've been suffering through lately. What the f?

I am also having what I call the 'post-book hangover.' It's kind of a malaise; a lack of motivation coupled with feeling mentally drained, emotionally fatigued, and physically worn to a frazzle. I had to meet Jean at the gym last night, but decided to skip my own workout--and considering how I feel this morning that lazy decision last night was obviously the right one. I think I am just going to coast through the rest of this week. Friday night I'll take a pill (oh, my lovely dolls!) and sleep late on Saturday; then awaken hopefully refreshed and well, and start working out again.

I can't believe it's Christmas already next Friday. Again, what the f? I haven't done a single bit of Christmas shopping, and am not really sure when I am going to be able to do it, to be completely honest. This weekend is most definitely out of the question--can you imagine how hideous the stores are going to be?

Bleah.

Last night, I read a blog post by a straight woman that made such incredibly wrong statements about gay male sexuality (based primarily on knowing a couple of gay men) that were unbelievably offensive and borderline homophobic--and asserted them as FACT, because apparently she somehow considers herself to be an authority. There was so much wrong in the post that I didn't even know where to start--and finally decided to not even bother. People like that annoy the crap out of me; and trying to point out the errors and fallacies would again simply earn me the ire of her and the other "m/m" writers--and engaging people like that is frankly a complete waste of time--like debating a kitchen table.

If ignorance is bliss, this woman must be deliriously happy.

Okay, guess I should get the day started.

Current Location: my desk
Current Mood: blah
Current Music: Let Me Take You Home Tonight by Boston

I turned 61 Monday. Just realized it, too. ::chuckles:: Funny how I don't feel "old" or anything. Tired, yes, but not old. And thankful.

I'm thankful for my many wonderful online friends. Thankful for their patience, their scoldings, their insights, and for them simply being themselves.

I'm thankful for having most of my health. Thankful for having "most" of my mind. I'm thankful for my curiosity and for the many directions that curiosity takes me.

Oh there's things I could do without, of course. The aches and pains of osteoarthritis, the limitations that having it places on me. The fact that I can't with away the extra weight I've packed on over the years is another bitch session.

However, for all the things I wish I could simply wish away, I would refuse to do so if it meant I'd have to give up something in return. Somethings are not negotiable. Period. End of discussion.

I'm getting so many 3D ideas it's almost frightening. DAZ3D is having a kind of Winter Sale this month. Most items are $1.99 or a bit less. What attracts me most is the winter scenery plugins.

My very first NaNo effort, "Utari," is breaking into those quiet moments with ideas for expansions, different directions. I think once I can get access to my notes again, I'm going to research those ideas. I'm also going to print out those notes so I'll have hard copy back ups.

Sixty-one. Wow... Who'da thunk it? Certainly not me.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

My cell died. Gonna have to contact Virgin Mobile to see what, if anything, can be done. If nothing, I might just reactivate my old Cricket phone.

Current Mood: Holding Wonder...

God, how I hate that song. But the title is an accurate measure of how I feel right now.

I just emailed Vieux Carre Voodoo, aka Scotty IV, off to the publisher.

Hurray! Hurray!

I'll talk more about it later, right now I have keyboard exhaustion.

But to hold you over, here are some pictures of Satan's Kitty being all cute acting like Skittle:

After being summarily evicted from my desk chair, he made himself at home in my easy chair:



A couple of hours later, he was still there:

Taking a break from working. I've done a lot of work on the final push, and am very pleased with what I've managed thus far. I should have absolutely no problem with getting this in on Tuesday--and then I can breathe a HUGE sigh of relief. Of course, there's only four months before my next deadline.

Sigh.

But I still feel healthy. I am still taking my DayQuil, though, just to be on the safe side, and I did take a mini-break earlier to watch the last quarter of the Saints game (GEAUX SAINTS! BLESS YOU BOYS! WHO DAT! WHO DAT! 13 N.O.!!!) and make an early dinner, and now I am taking a little break, as I said, to make sure that my kitchen is not a complete wreck tomorrow morning when I come downstairs to start ye olde polish on ye olde manuscript. I am thinking this might be a pretty clean manuscript when it goes to the editor Tuesday, and I am pretty damned happy that I somehow managed to survive this entire process with my sanity intact (well, we'll see how I feel Tuesday, won't we?) so this is likely my last post until the damned thing is out o' my hair once and for all. I think I might also take a pill with the NyQuil tonight just to be on the safe side as well.

And then I can sleep the rest of the unjust.

And to all a good night.

So, last night I took a pill with the NyQuil. I slept for eleven glorious hours, and woke up feeling awesome. Well, not totally awesome, but compared to the last two days, I'll take not feeling like crap. Obviously, about 80% of feeling sick was exhaustion. I should have done this Friday night, sigh.

But it does feel good to be back on top of everything, coupled with motivation, and the knowledge that everything can be handled and is under control. Yes, I'll be working like a mad man the rest of the day and the next two, but I know I can get it all done.

What a great feeling.


Yesterday was awful, simply awful. The weather was terrible--a steady downpour almost all day, complete with streets flooding and the kitchen ceiling leaking like a sieve. I also felt like death warmed over three times. I finally had to abandon working because the leaking was so bad I was worried about my computer. I turned it off, unplugged everything, and moved it out of the kitchen. I simply collapsed into my easy chair, and Paul and I just sat there, watched the last episode of Harper's Island that we had on hand (two more discs to come)--and we still are rooting for the killer. Man alive, these people are stupid...and as Paul said, "Do none of the natives on this island know that people are being murdered left and right, or are they unconcerned because it's just the tourists getting it?" We also have our suspicions about who the killer is...but I am not going to say.

We also watched The Proposal and The Ugly Truth; both were cute, but nothing special. The only truly great moment in The Proposal was Ryan Reynolds in a towel, and an all-too-brief butt shot.

Hollywood, you constantly disappoint me.

Okay, back to the spice mines.

Current Location: my desk
Current Mood: bouncy
Current Music: Evacuate the Dance Floor by Cascada

I drank some NyQuil last night, so was nervous about taking a pill, so I didn't. Result? A whopping whole five hours of sleep. I do, on the one hand, feel rested; on the other I am still sick. Tonight, I don't care. NyQuil plus pill.

Blech.

Paul and I started watching a dreadful show called Harper's Island last night; Netflix suggested it, but oddly enough, as bad as it is, we soon were sucked in. We watched seven episodes before finally going to bed; the great thing about the show is the characters are all either obnoxious or stupid, so you wind up rooting for the killer (or killers; I am not sure if there is more than one). In that way, it reminds me of Jericho. But at the rate we're going, I estimate the entire cast might be dead before they run out of episodes.

One can hope, at any rate.

I am still hopeful I can shake this awfulness, whatever it is, by tomorrow. I have so much to do, and sickness cannot be allowed to stop me from doing it. This is, needless to say, extremely unpleasant. But what can you do? Heavy heaving sigh.

Sorry to just whine, but that's all I got for today.

Current Location: my desk
Current Mood: sick
Current Music: Three by Britney Spears

Okay, I am starting to get sick. It's more likely I am getting run down--I haven't slept much the last few nights, I am working like a madman not only on the book but at the office, and it's gotten ridiculously cold for New Orleans. Our heat is also not working--thank goodness I bought those space heaters last weekend--and so I am going to take this evening off from writing and doing anything, and just relax. I'll probably also take a pill to knock me out for about twelve hours. Hopefully that will do the trick.

Hell, it's only six and I am already so tired I might fall asleep here at my desk. Won't that be pretty?

NOT.

Heavy sigh.

But the book will be finished Tuesday, and then I can relax, start working out again, work on Blood Sacraments, get all this reading done...sing hallelujah!

I also have lots of odds and ends to tie up before I dive headlong into Beautiful. I have to say, writing another book so soon after finishing this one sounds perfectly dreadful. But maybe being away for recovery for a few weeks, plus a four day weekend followed by a three day one, will be just the thing to recharge the batteries of one Gregalicious. Sleep, Greg needs sleep.

And without further ado, I am stepping away from this thing for the rest of the night, curling up under a blanket in my easy chair, and not doing a goddamned thing for the rest of the night, other than making chicken noodle soup.

Current Location: my desk
Current Mood: sick
Current Music: Cherry Cherry by Neil Diamond

Sookie and Merry -- Been reading some old favorites courtesy of my local library. Sookie Stackhouse is a trip and I'm seriously considering adding that series to my personal library. And while I enjoy reading about Merry Gentry's adventures (if you can call them that ::snickers::), I'd rather have the library have them than me. They're a good read, don't get me wrong. They're just not something I want to own. ::shrugs::

It's been windy and raining all day (12/09/2009) and the wind is still blowing hard enough to be heard through closed windows and over my CDs--making me both sleepy and on edge.

12/10/2009 -- Wind's gusting to 61 MPH and I can't see a block away from my window. I'm staying home!

I'm just now realizing how MUCH my PC helped me fill my days. Chores, errands, and extra-curricular activities aside, it's damned lonely without it. Even spending time down in the Community Room doesn't help ease the sense of... aloneness.

No. 2 son told me about an HP Compaq Presario for $380. Cory, one of the maintenance men here at the apartment building is going to be getting himself a brand new top of the line eMachines for a Christmas present. His original PC, also an eMachines, is so old that it never EVER had an ethernet port. Part. Connection. Whatever. Honest! We had a good laugh over that one while he was fixing my toilet. Poor ting's feeling its age, so he's replacing it.

I honestly don't know WHAT computer to get. Quad core something, 8G RAM for sure. Damned good video card, too. But... What makes a good rendering computer and what makes a good gaming computer? Does one equal the other? Is there even a difference? I did both gaming and rendering on my eMachines T6212. The only changes I made to it was to increase the RAM to 4G--the max it could take. I just wish I knew which "direction" I should go PC-wise. I simply don't know enough... ::sigh::

For right now, though, my PC wants its boot disc. Is that the same thing as the recovery disc? Should I invest in a new DVD recorder/player in hopes that all it needs is to go through the recovery disc? Any advice from you, Gentle Readers?

My card list is sitting on my C drive, nammit.

Been working on the histories of my Mummy and my Mage. Mummy's going a bit easier than the Mage. I miss my notes. They're on my C drive, of course. :( One worry I'm having is how does one, credibly, condense 50+ years of heavy shit into 15+ years? Sometimes I just want to quite, stop it all and start over fresh. Damned creativity bug won't seem to let me. Or something...

Weather permitting, I should be back here next Monday or Tuesday.

Take care.

Current Mood: cold