I love Paris in the springtime; I love Paris in the fall

[rolanni]

Artists in the news:
A must-read for anyone who is an artist, loves an artist, or who doesn’t understand why artists just don’t Work Hard so They Can Make More Money.

Office clean-up:
My office is habitable again. Turning in two books essentially back-to-back, finishing up the income taxes, attending two conventions, and with the complicating circumstance of a sprained ankle meant that the Creative Clutter had reached such a pitch I simply couldn’t work. Great swathes of chaos make me ill — an artifact of Extreme Virgo-ism — and it’s hard to write when you’re feeling off-center and nauseous.

But! It’s All Good, now. There are a couple of small piles, all of which have to do with open and on-going projects, and all of the filing is done. I threw away a lot of stuff. Without a doubt, I threw away things that might have been Of Interest to the scholars who, in future, will inevitably Study Our Work — but I can think again, and I don’t hate coming into my office, so — fair trade.

Projects on the move:
I’ve finished compiling the first volume of Liaden Universe® short stories and written an Authors’ Foreword. Up next, compiling the second volume, while simultaneously pulling together some proposals. When all that’s out of my way, I’ll commence in with writing the next Carousel book.

Steve has the story that will eventually — August? — appear on the front page of the Baen website on his plate, and also Trade Secrets.

We’ll also need to find time to record the lists of Weird Words — a post regarding which is upcoming.

Fans of Mozart take note:
He is now wearing his summer shorts. Photos forthcoming.

Fans of Socks take note:
Socks is now home from the vet, where seven teeth were extracted, and his sinuses flushed. He is, as indeed I would be in his place, sitting under the kitchen table. Still a little groggy, and not up to talking to anyone, which is perfectly understandable, but the vet says he came through the ordeal like a trooper.

Fans of Scrabble take note:
She sleeps with the heffalumps. The Floofy Grey Things with their ridikulus skirts, and their ‘waybigfurryfeet, and their drama don’t really fall under her job description, after all.

The Day of the Authors:
We were up early to deliver Socks to the vet, then went crosstown to the Best Western for breakfast. After that, we came home, and I finished up the last of the checkbook reconciliation (three! months! of checkbooks to balance), then we packed up Number Ten Ox and went in-town for lunch at Selah Tea (tomato-basil soup with a mini-quiche, iced monk’s head tea, and a molasses cookie, mmmm…), and to do a test run of Ox’s network-finding, internet cruising, and word-processing-in-public-places functions. Aces on all, and I hereby note that Ox is more powerful — and has more memory — than my desktop.

Atmospheric Note: Selah Tea plays big band and classic jazz, hence the title of today’s post.

Progress on Semi-Sekrit Project:
At his suggestion, today I called the guy who can probably solve my problem for me quickly, and reasonably. He fobs me off with a request to call him Wednesday. Or Thursday. Grrr.

Weather Report:
It’s raining like a sonofagun and has been all day.

Strange Internet Holidays, Today is One:
Today is International Pixel-Stained Technopeasant Day. Splinter Universe, and the crowd-sourcing of Fledgling and Saltation land us firmly in the Technopeasant ranks.

The Evening of the Authors:
Having goofed all day, it’s now time to get to work.

Originally published at Sharon Lee, Writer. You can comment here or there.

Comments

[jcbemis.livejournal.com]

decluttering office in order to declutter brain is not goofing, it's merely not writing for wordcount.

[difrancis.livejournal.com]

One wonders about the problem and the possibilities of helping to find someone else helpful . . .

One good thing about trying to sell the house is that the creative clutter must stay organized and, well, uncluttered. It's been a good thing.

goofing off?

[barbinbandon.livejournal.com]

Wow, you got a lot done. Many kudos on decluttering. Me too, *stuff* cluttering up my space is like being congested in the head. It's no accident that your next comment is Projects on the Move, hm?

My heartfelt sympathy to Socks and I do so hope that his ragged day with the medicos results in blooming good health. I've quite fallen in love with the little guy. With all the missing teeth I wonder if he'll have food issues. Poor little guy.

I very much appreciate your posts. They are an interesting and engaging little window into your world. Am cheering you on from way across the continent. Regards to you all.

[mbarker.livejournal.com]

I'm sure I have merely lost track, but Number Ten Ox? An Android device, or have you succumbed to the iPad force?

[rolanni.livejournal.com]

How could you have lost track of something of such import? :)

The named devices currently answering to me are:
Jack -- the desktop
The Leewit -- the Asus netbook
Paladin -- the Nook
Cygnus -- the tablet
Number Ten Ox -- Acer Aspire "ultrabook"

Re: goofing off?

[rolanni.livejournal.com]

The vet said that she didn't expect the lack of teeth to slow him down any. At least, now that the bad teeth are gone, his mouth has got to feel better. He did try a couple of crunchies when he came home, but gave up on them. We offered wet food and he chowed right down, so...getting there.

[rolanni.livejournal.com]

The problem is merely a conundrum. I have -- for values of "have" that include "it would be best" -- to live in a particular Maine community for a month in off-season. The gentleman I'm trying to get hold of is a guy who has some apartments to sublet very reasonably. I just need to get him to pay attention to me -- not easy, because there's summer in-between now and then, so he's feeling no pressure, while I want to be sure that I'm going to be doing this thing...

I usually straighten up the office at the end of every book, but with Dragon Ship and Necessity's Child coming in right on top of each other, so to speak, there wasn't time.

[astein142.livejournal.com]

Our part-Maine-Coon Mischief, who shall henceforth be known as "mostly toothless", gained 1/3 again her weight after her bad teeth were removed. Vet said bad teeth are a Main Coon thing... Her brother, on the other hand, is completely unaffected by dental misfortune.

artists

[furballtiger.livejournal.com]

great links, thank you. I would otherwise have missed those entirely, and they strike me as more worthwhile than most of what I might have read today...or, frankly, most of what could be encountered in these days of infotainment and "news" opinions.

Oh, yeah; a) congrats on progress writing, and b) go write more ;)
Your writing is doing a lot (well, >> more than your 1/7B share certainly) to offset the current nonsense with constructive, charming content that doesn't poison my brain. Or that does but in a way that is good for me. And I really, really enjoy it! I've bought everything the two of you have published, like many others here, and I have every intention of continuing to do so!
Happy trails...

Cat Matters, etc.

[catherine ives (from livejournal.com)]

I am very sorry for Socks. I hope he will be feeling all better soon. that he ate is very good.

Waiting for photos of Mozart in his summer shorts.

Not sure what Scrabble is doing except that she always comes across as very sensible.

It's 15 degrees warmer than normal up here on the Colorado Plateau. So all the dogs who normally would be wearing their T shirts are walking around naked....even my little Chickie who has a tendency to be cold. It is supposed to cool off a bit on Thursday. We all can't wait.

[6-penny.livejournal.com]

Was the Monk's Head iced before or after being tonsured? Just asking...