Don – Page 76 – DONFOOLERY

Tweets for Today

07:27 Expecting 5th rejection today. Will NOT let it mindfuck me! ♫ blip.fm/~fwff #
10:19 Rewrote a scene before work. Took my frustrations out on the main character. #
11:48 Rejection #5, right on schedule. But got, "Again, I welcome additional work from you." I’ve put away the seppuku blade for now. #
12:52 Story’s back in circulation. It was either that, or use it as kindling to set my writing books on fire. #
13:06 @CoyoteWild Good idea! Thanks! #
14:28 No edits at lunch. Scarfed down some hot wings (comfort food) and read some Keret. But I’m drinking herbal tea–no harm, no foul! #
14:47 Quiz next week, announced by email. Don’t you love the 21st century? #
16:56 Home Alone 2 happening a day earlier than I thought. Feh. Will have to subsist on coffee and Tullamore. #
20:19 Presidential debate vs. Ghost Hunters? Not like my mind isn’t already made up. #
20:25 "Fighting vainly the old ennui." ♫ blip.fm/~g66i #

00:11 Meh–4th rejection in 2 weeks. Got the impression the story was well-liked, though. Just not well-liked enough. #
00:36 I’m torn as to where to send this particular story next. It’s keeping me awake. #
07:33 No Skool today + Home Alone 2 this weekend = No fucking excuse for not getting my stories resubmitted. #
07:33 "Moving forward using all my breath…" because what’s the alternative? ♫ blip.fm/~fj9n #
10:37 I’m in a mood, full of piss and vinegar and live, attenuated flu vaccine. #
11:35 FORCED myself to send that story right back out to yet another market that’s claimed, "We welcome more work from you!" Yeah, right. #
12:59 Making the numbness work for me. Second is story back out. Have to get the third reject back out before I decide, "Screw it." #
14:12 I suppose the universe thinks it’s funny to bounce my submission email back to me. #
14:27 All stories back in circulation. Did one editing pass on the latest piece. #
14:33 Emotionally drained. Will likely spend my Home Alone 2 weekend curled under blankets with a bottle of Tullamore Dew. In the dark. Weeping. #
16:08 Attitude self-adjustment time. But my plans for Tullamore Dew still stand. ♫ blip.fm/~fpmv #
17:33 Got the OK to leave early! Revision-time with something caffeinated is in order! #
20:16 I love coming home to houseguests that bring wine :). #

08:16 I get to be one of the poor bastards who doesn’t get a 3-day weekend. It’d serve ’em right if I finished typing the MS at work, wouldn’t it? #
08:42 is on page 37 of Report to the Men’s Club and Other Stories. Reading "Mrs. Jones." #
08:47 Nah, you don’t really need my goodreads tweeted. Just go to the page: tinyurl.com/4am7su #
11:18 I’m a touch busier than I should be right now. Been trying to read the same flash fic piece for the past 1/2 hour. #
14:22 Got another 2 pp. typed; 3 more ’til done. I wonder if that’s why my head’s killing me right now. #
14:45 I need my second wind, like right now! ♫ blip.fm/~fbet #
16:00 Can someone please remove whatever needle must be lodged in my optic nerve, for the love of mercy?? #
19:38 MS typed out. 2500 words. I can hardly stand to look at it, though :). #

08:42 Only Johnny Cash…I mean, Jesus…can help me today. ♫ blip.fm/~exvs #
10:39 Trying to come up with a decent title for my new story while watching MEET THE PRESS. Instead of typing. #
13:40 1/2 the story typed out. Going out for lunch and coffee and reading. Then maybe I can stomach looking at it again. #
13:42 Loading the story on the AlphaSmart anyway. In case, you know… #
22:17 Typed a paragraph, read some, bought & ordered more books, & had a bunch of friends swoop into town wanting Thai food. Time for bed, now. #

08:05 Not ticked about the flash drive. I’ll get it back today. There will still be writing! ♫ blip.fm/~ep7j #
11:24 I swear to God I was going to skip the Booksale! I walked in, blacked out, and woke up with a bag o’ books. I need a 12-step program. #
12:02 I don’t feel too bad. I couldn’t get BRIEF INTERVIEWS WITH HIDEOUS MEN anywhere else in this town right now. #
13:41 Booksale haul: tinyurl.com/4vwjxf #
15:12 Another rejection. Nnnggg! #
16:10 Not horrendously discouraged, but right now my reading list looks a lot more attractive than finishing my current story. #
18:07 I gave in and (hand)wrote 2 1/3 pp. of dreck. First draft is DONE! Now to type it out to make all of my mistakes more obvious… #
18:10 I’ll type tomorrow. Gotta find some new markets for these damn rejects, first. #

Not that I didn’t read. I just didn’t read much; was busy writing!! So, please excuse these truncated, unvarnished reviews…

Carol Emshwiller, “Modillion” (3/5)
By Etgar Keret…
- “An Exclusive” (How the hell does he cram that story into 9 pages??–5/5)
- “Painting” (4/5)
- “Yordan” (I want to write like this!–5/5)
- “Vacuum Seal” (Like a literary/magical-realist version of Full Metal Jacket–5/5)

I can never say no to this. I accept that now.

07:33 Friday! Can focus on the writing again! (Once I wake up, that is.) ♫ blip.fm/~ecw7 #
10:27 Wrote 1pg. of draft and 1pg. of notes outlining the end of the story. Maybe you CAN write a story in a week on sheer willpower. #
12:19 Will NOT cave to the temptation of putting my draft into the AlphaSmart before I’ve written the ending. It’s a procrastination tactic. NO! #
14:08 1/4 pg. at lunch. I’m at that point, I think, where I’m writing *around* the story’s main point instead of just getting to it. #
14:38 Saw the midterm answer key! I had a right answer and changed it like a fucking idiot, thinking it was too easy!! Gahhhhh! #
15:05 *headdesk* *headdesk* *headdesk* #
20:59 I actually left my flash drive at work???? *headdesk* *headdesk* #
21:25 Working from a 6 day old backup, for all the good it does me. #

07:22 Got a lil’ too happy at happy hour last nite. As if today wasn’t gonna suck enough… ♫ blip.fm/~dzia #
08:43 Home Alone this weekend. Plenty of time for studying. Which means, writing today! Muahaha! #
12:05 Well, I passed the midterm. Could’ve done better. But now I know how the game is played… #
13:13 People have told me, "Cut yourself some slack!" My inner demons say this: tinyurl.com/49ulbq #
17:44 Today at work has been totally, totally sucktastic. #

07:06 2 rejections in 3 days. I quit. Well, not really, but still… ♫ blip.fm/~dm6m #
10:17 To show I’m not quitting, I wrote 1.5 pgs. of draft & 1/2 pg. of notes this morning. And I hate just about every word. #
10:26 Why the FUCK can’t I remember my voice mail password??? #
10:46 Must’ve been a technical glitch, because I DID remember it and it wasn’t working at first. Then it did. #
11:57 Next market, next market… #
12:30 2nd thoughts about sending the last reject back out. Self-doubt or do I have actual reasons? #
15:10 No writing at lunch. Retreated into the skoolbooks, instead. #
15:16 And now, my job just got a whole lot harder today… #
16:53 When it rains at work, it pours. ♫ blip.fm/~dtnn #