News to date

[aadler]

 
So, some of the things that have happened since the last time I posted.

• Susan and I bought a new car. (Honda CR-V; during the test drive, she made noises I hadn’t heard since our honeymoon.)
• After five years of listening to me read my stories (and selected Best of Other Authors) aloud to her, Susan got bit by the fanfic bug, and is now head-and-ears into an Army Wives story. Roni and I laugh every time she talks to us about it: not because she’s ridiculous or even comical, but because it’s just funny to hear this mature, accomplished woman dealing with the same things that have gripped us since we were first able to set words onto paper. Susan may be new to all this, but she’s as thoroughly possessed as I’ve ever seen in a writer, including myself.
• Roni has resumed instruction for reception into the Catholic church. (She started it years ago, but it was interrupted when she left to complete her obligation to the traveling drama ministry she began when she was 18.) If she carries it through this time, it will make us a 100% Catholic family, every one of whom will have come in as an adult convert.
• My son proceeds on his path to graduation; he’s ordered his class ring, cap-and-gown, and graduation announcements. He also learned that he may be able to get his internship to qualify as a thesis, meaning he could graduate “with honors”. Now if he could just nail down a job —!
• The military language program I’ve been trying to get into since September 2002 has undergone another change in its procedures, such that it is now again possible that I might be able to go. And, my unit leadership now seems to want to send me, so I can allow myself to hope. Aside from that, I’ve also put myself on the list of volunteers for deployment opportunities. So, we’ll see.
• As of this morning, Susan has lost 95 pounds from her starting weight. I dropped off at Goodwill six bags of clothes she culled from her closet as ‘fatwear’ she never wanted to see again. Back in college, I once had a date with a woman who weighed 98 pounds, meaning Susan has shed the equivalent of a small but adult woman.
• I paid for a haircut. I think the last time I did that was for my wedding. Usually I just take some clippers and skim my head buzz-cut close. I suppose I could persuade myself to continue this on a monthly basis, but it still goes against the grain.

I’m watching with some trepidation for the announcement of this year’s RemixRedux. I’ve participated in the last four iterations, with great pleasure, and would like to continue that habit. This year, however, I’m scheduled for a month’s duty at the National Training Center (in the California desert), which will put me beyond Internet access for most of that time. If the stars line up wrong, I might be unable 1) to receive my remix assignment, 2) to adequately research the stories of my assigned author, or 3) to post my remix by the deadline. I really enjoy this stuff, and would hate either to miss a turn or to not complete my submission on time. I’ll just have to wait and see how it all goes.

And, that’s it for now. More as it transpires.

Comments

[texanfan.livejournal.com]

And now there is one more thing you and Susan have in common. Wonderful!

I hope to participate in the Remix this year. I'm a little afraid of the prospect.

[aadler]

Honestly, she’s getting annoying. She hates going to work because it takes time away from writing. She calls me from work to ask questions and seek advice. She turns out thousands of words a day, and then rewrites them, and then wants me to read the rewrites (even if I’ve already re-read them half a dozen times) …

Is this what I’ve been like over the last dozen years?

[sroni.livejournal.com]

Personally, the part that frustrates me most is when she says, "I've only written ten thousand words today" or "I'm only up to 46,000 words". I'm not frustrated with her, mind. I'm frustrated that that's not happening to me. Because I'm selfish like that. :D