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05/30/01
Surfing tomorrow. Aaaah...
There's just something about the ocean that soothes me and scours my soul. And this weekend, I'm headed off to Surf Diva, hoping to add some ability and style to my limited skill-set.
Worked on revamping my novel's outline, and I'm much more pleased with the story now--more motivation for the protagonist. I've only got a couple of chapters written, so I don't have much to change. I've been very inspired by reading Gene Wolfe, even though the Long Sun books are basically a Christ-story with SFnal trappings.
Also discovered that my 4-year-old computer has finally reached the limits of its ability to handle new games. The Arcanum demo was nigh impossible to play for slowness. Sigh.
05/22/01
Infiltrations:
Evercrack & baseball. I remember in junior high there was one jock who played D&D with us. He always played fighters, and he was really loud. He didn't care about anything in the game except battling monsters, so when we would all want to have a session where we bought stuff, sought information, solved puzzles, or created characters, he wouldn't play. By the time we reached high school, he was lost in the jock clique, never to roleplay again. Poor sap.
Neal Stephenson & furniture design. Yes, the name of this hyper-modern design store is "Snowcrash." Do take a look at the Netsurfer chair, which seems fine, except for having the CPU case between your legs.
You & a sewer pipe. Go where you want to go.
05/10/01
Well. After all that, I've decided not to try to go to Clarion. At least not until I try writing without, first. What all the waffling is about, it turns out, is fear of failure. Or fear of mediocrity, which might be worse to me.
Basta! Enough of that. On to more frivolous things.
Like this--our new obsession. Or these, which I hunted for in vain on our last trip to the Oregon coast. (Next time I'm taking a little hammer to crack open concretions.)
05/03/01
Only one of you didn't say "yes" about me going to Clarion. And he said to consult the I Ching. So I did, using the yarrow method, and here's some of what it said:
There will be no error. Let (the breast) be full of sincerity as an earthenware vessel is of its contents, and it will in the end bring other advantages.
That seems clear. And I am nothing if not sincere.
One of my author favorites/friends got arrested! He was protesting the closing of a subsidized daycare for low-income families.
Sweet baby mother of god!
I know someone has had this Japanese candy store up before, but I just found a really old pudding marshmallow in my file drawer, and it reminded me.
05/02/01
Clarion West: Should I or shouldn't I?
I can still remember how much I wanted to write science fiction when I was young, and how I wrote, wrote, wrote through my high school and college days. I want that back. So... how to go about making my dream come true?
One thing that comes up frequently in my circle is the Clarion (West) Writer's Workshop, taught each year in Seattle. The pros and cons of attending Clarion are what we'll deal with in today's sparkling blog entry. (note: this entire entry is predicated on the notion that i can get in to the workshop. but i think i can.)
Pro:
Clarion is prestigious, and arguably a ticket in to the inner circle of SF publishing.
Con:
I've already got a ticket in to the inner circle of SF publishing, albeit one that will likely evaporate in to thin air once I leave my bookselling job.
Pro:
Many of my friends are Clarion grads and many say it was the best thing that ever happened to them.
Con:
The ones who say it was not that helpful are more believable--is that because I'm a pessimist?
Pro:
Would buckle down and write, write, write.
Con:
Would be so involved in the workshop that J, Speedy, and everything else would likely be neglected for 6 weeks (um... sounds like Amazon, come to think of it)
Pro:
Parties!
Con:
Parties!
Sigh... I keep waffling. Luckily, you're in control here. Should I apply or not? Help me decide. Email me at mosshead@speakeasy.org and tell me what to do.
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