Sunday, February 22, 2009

slurpslurpsnapcrunchslurp

Not much to discuss for writing news today...I had a couple of 1500 word days this week, and a couple of 300 word days, and a couple of 0 word days.
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Cemetary Dance is making some changes, but it sounds like a lot of it is TBA...and a mea culpa of sorts from the chief. I don't know the full history, but it sounds like he may be a bit hard on himself for not bringing his A game the last couple of years.
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Dog Oil Press is accepting dark humor up to 981 words. This is one of the few market-focused stories I might go for, just because it sounds like so much fun (although I was jettisoned by Dark Jesters last year...). At this point I feel strongly compelled to focus much more on finishing one of these damn novels than doing any more short stories, but writing short stories are like having a bag of lime n chile tortilla chips in the cupboard. One can only walk by that door so many times before it finds its way open somehow...
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To further perpetuate the stereotype that writers are generally social misfits, I am publicly declaring (admitting?) that I haven't watched a football, baseball, or anything-ball game in probably fifteen years, but I religiously watch the Academy Awards ceremony every year. I don't know why I like it; I think the pomp and glamour is hokey, most of the participants are more hung up on themselves than any human should be, and the thought that there should be a first-past-the-post contest for art is crap. 

But I still watch; and every year I've watched, it made me want to sit down and write. Jealousy? Desire to stand on stage someday and win a little gold statue? To be accepted? I don't think so...a psychatrist may say differently, but I think I mostly enjoy it because it's a recognition and celebration of a bunch of people using their unconventional talents to make a living, and in the process making the world a more interesting place to live. It's not really that much different than what we do, I guess.
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Lastly, a disturbing video my wife took last weekend: she took her parents to Lake Mead to feed the fish by the dock, and this is the footage she captured. I get a weird, primative chill when I watch this clip; anyone stuck for ideas for the Dead Bait antho may be inspired. She thinks they're catfish. I think they need a more sinister name, like Bonecleaners.


8 comments:

K.C. Shaw said...

Those fish are creepy--those round mouths gaping. Ugh. I don't much like fish anyway.

I can't wait for the Academy Awards every year, and every year I watch them, and every year I wonder afterwards why the hell I bothered. I'm only really interested in the animation categories. This year Wall-E will win, but Kung Fu Panda is the one I'm rooting for--it swept the Annies, though, which is more prestigious in the animation world than the Oscars.

Aaron Polson said...

Those fish look like bullhead--little hyperactive catfish, but behave like overpopulated perch. You could almost walk on them, they're so thick.

Sheesh.

Jameson T. Caine said...

Creepy fish. I kept expecting those ducks to be pulled violently beneath the surface.

I, too am hooked on the Academy Awards, though the pomp and bloated egos annoy me. I don't know why, but I tune in every year.

Anonymous said...

I just want to say that if you post a picture of yourself in lipstick, your hits will definitely skyrocket. I'll check in on that picture at least half a million times before I just save it to my computer and make a paper doll out of it.

...too creepy? ;)

Jamie Eyberg said...

I am with Aaron, I think they are bullheads. I had one bruise my finger releasing it from a hook last year. Fun to catch though. I can relate on the good days and bad days writing this week. I have never watched the Oscars. I don't feel left out either.

Fox Lee said...

Are they going to start taking email submission? : )

Cate Gardner said...

I got a not unsuprising 'no' from CD this morning. :(

I don't bother watching the Oscars anymore - over here, you have to pay a premium to watch it on one of our satellite movie channels. I don't think so.

Anonymous said...

those ducks are quite brave!