tcastleb

So we finally had the pet photo contest at work. Results came out yesterday. Fitz lost to a snake, a dog with a teddy bear, and a dog on a jet ski. -sigh-

And now I'm nursing bloody feet because he thinks it's fun to hide under the bed and claw me when I walk by. I don't have any band-aids. Well, I do, but they're black with skulls and crossbones all over them, and likely the cheap kind, so I don't want to go through the pain of pulling them off.

I do feel somewhat accomplished today; went to the dentist (who teased me that my handwriting was the smallest he'd seen except for his own) went to the library, got an oil change, packed a couple more bags and boxes, took a nap, got a crit done, and am working a bit on my book, which is good 'cause I think I've got one of the new intermediary scenes going where I need it to.

Closet is cleaned out. Got rid of an entire box of papers in the spare room, mostly consisting of hardcopies of stories that were critted for various classes that I don't need anymore. Still need to haul a box of books I don't want over to the used store and take a bag over to Goodwill. And clean. And clean. Arrrgggh. And tidy up the spare room, 'cause there's boxes and packing paper all over. And I think I actually brought home more boxes from work than I need. Yaaay! All that's left is kitchen stuff, which there isn't that much of, and which I still might need for a bit.

Mina's asleep on my arm. Awwwww.

I beat David Brin by a half hour to be the first San Diego Clarion volunteer. Vernor Vinge was right after David. Cool, huh?

This is one of those days that feels a bit wasted. No writing done yet. I figure I'll get some done when it's dark in the bedroom. Just been antsy all day. A rum and coke only made me feel icky. And it got worse when I thought I had a good, informative book about MtF transexuals, only to find it's a huge scandal of a book and the author got forced out of his job because he lied at the end and led people astray by feeding them information that supported his theories and ignored info that contradicted them. So just when I was feeling a bit relieved on how I was approaching a couple things in my book, I started worrying again that I'm going to get some aspect unintentionally wrong and offend somebody. I know you can't please everyone, and I'm sure people are going to be ticked off anyway, but I'd rather make it as accurate as possible.

So therefore no writing. Yet. Not even on my WOTF story. I got stuck on that again.

I've reached the point of grudging admittance that even if I picked up every library book I can on the subject, they're no substitute for the real things. Which means finding some people to talk to in person, or at least email. I'm just chicken. Arrrgggh. Yes, I know where the local resources are. I'm chicken. But I think I just have to keep in mind that people would probably like to help me get things right, especially if I'm sincere in what I'm trying to do.

Admittedly I'm being a bit vague. It's not the DID/MPD, this time; I'm trying to figure out if Orossy wants to be male, or to be a male wearing female clothes, or be totally female. Arrrggh. And I think what he chooses affects the type of relationship he has or wants, in which case I'd need to alter his lover's wants a little bit. Like, the aforementioned book suggested that transgendered females want a straight male lover. But I can't trust that book, so I'm confused again. I mean, I'm writing fiction, I suppose I can do what I want in the end, but I still want to make it realistic.

I think I found a local writing group. SF/F folks, 8 or 9 that meet on Sunday afternoons once a month. Downside is that I work every Sunday afternoon, so I can't stay long. But I'm going this weekend to check them out, so we'll see. It would be nice to meet people. I'm getting neurotic about checking email and LJ way too often, and all I do is go to work and come home, and zoo day on Wednesdays. That's it. Arrggh.

I almost came home with another cat. There's a pet store (yes, I know pet stores are bad places to get critters, but my current kitty came from there and I couldn't ask for a better cat) a few blocks away, with this--um, tortoiseshell, I think. Lovely amber eyes and a matching brown and black splotchy coat. Already spayed. 3 1/2 months old. Thought it might be nice to get my kitty some company since I have a habit of going out of town for cons and residency. But then if I move, it's hard to find a place to move to with one cat, and harder with two. But, darn, she was a neat kitty. I don't know what my cat would think of company. She spits and growls and claws at Tuxedo Cat when s/he visits the yard.

Oh. And three months after I got the contract for my little M/M story, I got the updated contract. I sent it back. We'll see how long that takes. And then maybe someday soon I'll have a story online.

And I'm slightly bummed at World Fantasy; there's a dinner banquet for the awards, but it's an extra $50. For hotel food. I eat hotel food four times a week. There's no way I'm willing to pay $50 for more hotel food. Anybody know what plan B is if we don't want to pay that much? The bar, perhaps?