and I am, so far, not adapting well.

Fallen behind on Everything. I wish, sometimes, that I could produce a writerly blog full of great thoughts (TM) and cheerful advice on the job of producing great stories, but since I am currently neither successful nor even organized (and dealing with all the household crap for two houses isn't helping!) I can only apologize. Lamely. Once again.

I have been thinking (yearning?) for halcyon days of yore in the early 90s when, even though I spent 6:30am - 2pm every Tuesday-Sunday slinging muffins and coffee for $5.50/hr, I could come home, grab a shower, and sit down and just WRITE. I really produced then. I was probably, technically, not as skilled as I am now, but I was actually writing and not hobbled by internal editor demons and Must-do-this-other-thing-first demons and the But-it's-time-to-walk-the-dog demon, and the We're-supposed-to-exercise-sometime-today demon as well. Somehow I need to grab hold of things, triage out the stuff that really isn't important, and get focused.

But first I have to get a bunch of books boxed up and get to the post office.

After two weeks of sick, I'm finally starting to get a voice again. Urchin's been home sick for the past two days--but back in school today!--so I missed poetry group at the library on Monday. Also missed last night's monthly meeting of R-SPEC, the local SF&F group because with spouse away on biz trip, there was no one to watch over the urchin when he crashed at 4:00pm, didn't want to wake for food at 6pm, and conked out for the rest of the night (until 6am this morning, of course).

OTOH, three book reviews are out of the way. Got to get as many in as possible before the rate drops on June 15th. Sheesh.

I heard from the interim editor at ASK--not the same person who we were told to query, but anyway, she happened upon my LJ fretting and emailed to reassure me the article will run and I will be paid. Thank you, Meg!

Putting together a pitch for the next ish, and another book review to work on. Also need to get some books back to the local library. Work progresses. Still don't have "Bushido" nailed down for that R-SPEC contest and I need to squeeze in time between reviews for that. Deadline is 6/15. Clearly a major cosmic shakeup, that date.

So I am looking through this old manuscript, written back before I knew much of anything but that I wanted to write. I like some parts. I love some parts. But the setting is crap--especially now--which is not so bad, as I know the setting I want to use now, and I'm certain it will work.

The trick is to tweak the stuff I mostly like, probably kill the stuff I love because it's probably crap--and put in plenty more NEW stuff that will all pull the thing together and let me find the ending that I couldn't find 10-odd years ago, which is why I stuffed the thing in a trunk in the first place. I tried to blow off the dust a couple of years ago, but various things (lack of serious commitment; car breaks down. Breaks down again. And again. And again; spouse laid off; urchin needs new cloths & shoes; we need insurance; spouse in hospital, etc, etc, etc. And then we moved....) became excuses to not write the book.

So. Now I will write the book. To hell with the unsold house back in Pepperell.

And that ornithopter article, which was due Friday is still isn't done, but will be Real Soon Now.

I need to get more work done.

School is closed today, so Urchin is home. Playing Pokemon, now watching old "Pink Panther" cartoons online--why buy cable? Spouse is finally on the road, headed back to clean up the HoP and do the carpet selection from the range we finally settled on. I am holding down the Alamo here, which wouldn't be so bad if I weren't being such a rotten procrastinator.

Ornithopter piece--still not done.
Book which has to be reviewed by tomorrow--still not read.
Laundry--which has sounded the obnoxious "I'm done, already!" tone 3x--um, obviously getting ready to sound it again.

Okay. Laundry. Then ornithopters. Really.