Author: Don

Going on an Office Depot Run

I’m actually too tired to check if this is real or sheer BS…

In the current issue of the journal Nature, Dr. Putterman and his colleagues report that surprisingly fierce flows of electrons were unleashed as the tape was unpeeled and its gooey adhesive snapped free of the surface. The electrical currents, in turn, generated strong, short bursts of X-rays — each burst, about a billionth of a second long, contained about 300,000 X-ray photons.

How does one even think to check for something like this? It’s like wondering who exactly was the first human being to discover that licking certain species of toad could get you high.

Tweets for Today

  • 07:18 Hallelujah, I slept thru the nite! Hit the snooze bar 8 times, tho. #
  • 07:20 One more skool day, then it’s back to the current MS! Oh, who am I kidding? It’s coming out after lunch. #
  • 07:24 Leftover pasta and Italian sausage for breakfast–why not? 🙂 #
  • 09:35 Is it me, or is the office swill loosely referred to as "coffee" stronger than usual? Not that I’m complaining… #
  • 12:46 If I didn’t do so hot on today’s quiz, it’s only because I second-guessed myself. Again. Story ‘o my life. #
  • 12:47 On the upside, the MS is coming along :). #
  • 13:33 A certain SFF market reports, "202 stories rec’d, 128 rejected." Two of those rejects are mine! I got a 3rd piece in. Waiting for rejection. #
  • 18:07 Facing potentially sad medical news about a family member. No Dx confirmation from any Docs (aka Guessers in White Coats) yet. #
  • 18:13 I’m now reminded that I’m overdue for a physical… #

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Tweets for Today

  • 04:17 Woke up for no good reason, second night in a row. So fucking uncool! ♫ blip.fm/~ihaq #
  • 07:15 Barely awake. Section this morning is near coffee, thank Christ! Though from the temp, I’ll probably wake up soon as I walk outside. #
  • 11:27 Planning trek downtown to pay off some townsfolk: the indie bookstore, the library, the Hx Society, outdoor store…geez, anyone else?? #
  • 11:54 Jonesing for a red-eye, and it’s not Thursday. Screw it! #
  • 13:40 Mmm, that first sip of red-eye felt like The Quickening… ♫ blip.fm/~ins2 #
  • 15:01 On having a Rejection Recovery Plan–could’ve used this last week during my emotional meltdown. tinyurl.com/5tf48g #
  • 15:14 If I’d seen *this* last week, I’d have done a Nick Cage in LEAVING LAS VEGAS thing: tinyurl.com/6pnywm #
  • 17:44 It’s been The Greatest Show on Earth here at work tonite. Full-on three-ring! #
  • 20:00 Got my latest Small Beer Press joint: www.lcrw.net/kessel/ –too bad I’m too busy studying for my quiz tomorrow to read it. #
  • 20:49 Being regaled by the tales of a budding filmmaker dinnerguest over vino–when I should be studying!! #

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Tweets for Today

  • 04:10 "Four in the morning came without a warning…" Dammit. ♫ blip.fm/~i2a0 #
  • 07:16 Surprisingly awake, despite the intermittent insomnia. #
  • 09:18 Bus arrived late and no coffee left upon arrival. This does not bode well. #
  • 09:42 The No Writing on Skool Days rule is back in effect…sort of. #
  • 12:16 Pounding my head against this stats software for skool. Lack of sleep and decent caffeine isn’t helping. #
  • 14:31 No Writing on Skool Days, my ass :). 1 pg. of notes, that’s all. I swear! #
  • 17:08 Needs a little bit o’ ___ to relax my mind. ♫ blip.fm/~ibsl #
  • 17:08 Feeling like Mr. Spock in the episode "Spock’s Brain." #
  • 17:15 Trying to decide just how lazy I want to be for the next 90 minutes… #

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Tweets for Today

  • 08:02 Hit snooze bar too many times. Gotta finish waking up! ♫ blip.fm/~hp7l #
  • 08:19 Revisions in progress for last piece. Got notes for a new piece that’s on deck. #
  • 08:24 Can’t believe I’ve never posted this quote before: tinyurl.com/6xk9tl #
  • 08:25 I keep coming back to this quote, too: tinyurl.com/5e4qgk #
  • 10:25 Why do I feel like I’m only running on 4 out of 6 cylinders? #
  • 12:34 Been awhile since I had anything to read to my group so I could post one of these: tinyurl.com/6mvold #
  • 14:22 3 phone messages at lunch: Wife coming home from Beantown, the book I ordered is in, and I’m overdue for a physical. #
  • 15:10 God help me: I’ve started a NaNo idea list! No, no, no, no, no…. #
  • 18:20 I do NOT. Have TIME. To come DOWN with something!! #

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Tough Love

Wow, it’s been awhile since I’ve done one of these! It’s been so long since I’ve written anything new, being so focused on revising and submitting. But, I managed to write and revise a new piece in two weeks, and still have it come out half-decent, at least according to the group…

The Good
  • Story was called “fun”
  • Character not a stereotype (a dancer turned soldier, trying to be a dancer again)
  • Message of the story was delivered “gently”
  • Good ending with a change in the character (or, an acceptance of that change on the character’s part)
  • Story painted a picture of a future that was “right around the corner”
The Bad
  • Unclear at the outset that my protagonist was female
  • Character didn’t seem feminine enough to one member; the occupational hazard of a male writing a female POV.
  • The secondary character was introduced early, but wasn’t much of a character then.
  • Some minor story points that raised too many questions and were better off eliminated
  • Some “writerly” phrases better off eliminated, especially since they caused some confusion as to the setting.

The Ugly

  • Too many plot questions raised about the sci-fi element in the story, which some members admitted weren’t necessarily central to the piece, although…
  • Those questions raised philosophical questions about the business of artistry and humanity

And, I haven’t the first clue how to address that last issue… :(.

Tweets for Today

  • 09:09 Sorta like, "After the ecstacy, the laundry"–After writing group, the problem sets for skool. #
  • 09:13 Feeling chill (and chilly) this morning. ♫ blip.fm/~heow #
  • 09:35 Gonna sit down with tea (sans Tullamore), breakfast, and a book. ♫ blip.fm/~heua #
  • 18:14 Last quiet nite. Screw the problem sets. I’ve got wine, I’ve got books. Eh, wonder what’s on TV… #
  • 18:51 Bleh–this wine I’m drinking does not go well with the leftover Chinese. #
  • 19:41 Nice quote in this story I’m reading: tinyurl.com/5e4qgk #

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Tweets for Today

  • 08:37 Hit the reset button last night (beer, not Tullamore Dew–that’s tonight). God, I needed that. Now, I need breakfast. #
  • 08:57 Maintaining my Nietschian attitude toward the last week. I’m not dead, so I will be stronger! ♫ blip.fm/~h4tj #
  • 11:31 Soaking up free wireless at an undisclosed location, after a lazy breakfast & a walk in the sun, narrowly avoiding the stranger townies. #
  • 11:33 Revising the latest story, w/80s AOR music piped thru the earphones. #
  • 13:17 Draft 1.99 done. It’s dreck, but at least it’s presentable dreck. Now to print, make copies, and get a haircut. #
  • 19:16 Draft edited (1.995?) and ready for group. Plan 4 later: Tea w/whiskey, reading, and JUSTICE LEAGUE: THE NEW FRONTIER on CN! #
  • 19:17 Now, "With the record collection and the mirror’s reflection, I’m dancing with myself…" ♫ blip.fm/~hacu #

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Tweets for Today

  • 07:49 Got news that my car is acting wonky in Boston. God, I hope it’s not the starter… #
  • 07:53 My hand’s wet with sweat, my head needs a rest. Must relax…take it easy, like the song says. ♫ blip.fm/~gq6s #
  • 09:44 Nnngggg! It’s the alternator. Maybe. #
  • 09:50 No writing this morning. Mood I’m in, I probably would’ve killed my main character. #
  • 11:05 Got fitted for a mask that’s supposed to protect me from the next Andromeda Strain of bird flu, or whatever. Yeah, I’m doomed. #
  • 12:19 Etgar Keret is on my list of Writers I Want To Be Like When I Grow Up. #
  • 12:56 Car news from Boston–It is the starter. #
  • 12:57 I’m done now. Just completely done. Thank you and good night. #
  • 13:00 Planning a 3-day binge straight out of WITHNAIL & I (minus the attempted buggery). I think it’s my only hope, at this point. #
  • 15:49 Car almost fixed; wife no longer stranded in Boston. Rewrote a scene at lunch. State of mind has improved. #
  • 15:51 Still, my evening plans will look something like this: tinyurl.com/5buvqr #
  • 17:50 Ok, the real plan for tonight: Regeneration. tinyurl.com/663rqh #
  • 20:02 Just the thing to screw my head back on straight. Now maybe I can get some reading/writing done! ♫ blip.fm/~h0tn #

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Tweets for Today

  • 06:47 Skool day today. Meh. #
  • 09:09 For J (1973-2006). "Now she’s far from these worries…" tinyurl.com/3whxo9 #
  • 12:09 Plans for Home Alone 2 weekend adding up: Problem sets, haircut (maybe), group, honeydew list, editing something old, writing something new. #
  • 12:12 No time for withdrawing into blankets in the dark. Plenty of time to drink through at least half of my 2-do list. Irish coffee w/Tullamore. #
  • 12:18 Thursdays are my caffeine-binge days. Been happening that way for a month anyway, so I’m just gonna accept it :). #
  • 12:36 Whining is (mostly) over, now. "The Show Must Go On." tinyurl.com/52pxsp #
  • 14:21 Skoolwork on the d/l. Shhh. #
  • 15:52 1/2 a problem set done. I almost feel guilty. Will do some work-related work; I’m sure the guilt will go away. #
  • 18:06 Did work work. Lot’s of it. Yup–guilt’s definitely gone! #

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