Here there be catastrophes

[rolanni]

This has been a rather trying day, compounded by the fact that not! one! single! word! has gotten from my head to my manuscript, not for lack of trying, but for lack of knowing which of three pivotal scenes that set up the next half of the book need to happen first.  Anybody got a three-sided coin I can flip?

I began my day by stepping on Scrabble, hard.  Completely by accident, of course, but tell her that.  I am a Bad, Evil Catmom, so I am, and I fully expect to hear from the CommitteeCat down to Boston in a couple days.  It used to be that these matters were handled immediately by the Portland CommitteeCat, but in these thin-stretched times, the union has had to consolidate territories.  That means a week or so lag time, by which point both Scrabble and I will have forgotten this Unfortunate Incident, but the paperwork will still need to be satisfied.

I also spent a lot of time on the phone today learning the difference between "free" and "free" when applied to health insurance coverage, and what coding means to me.  I'm better informed, but more depressed, now.

In relation to catastrophes, my colleague D.B. Jackson is doing a fundraiser for the victims of the Boston Marathon Bombing victims.  Read all about it here and please help if you can.

The capping catastrophe of the day is the news that Andy Offutt (andrew j. offutt) has died.  I was fond of Andy; as a beginning writer, he welcomed me unreservedly into the profession and he was, in our all-too-few dealings, kind and generous.

. . .I believe that I'll take a walk, now, and listen to the peepers.

Everybody have a good evening.

* * *

Progress on Carousel Seas

48,825/100,000 OR 48.83% complete

I looked at him in horror.

"Tell me I didn't kill Daknowyth."

"Katie. . ." Mr. Ignat' took my hands in his. His smile was fond, which didn't necessarily mean that I hadn't killed Daknowyth.

Comments

which of three

[barbinbandon.livejournal.com]

All faith here that your back brain's already on it...and the AHA! is on its way.

It's never pretty when cats and feet tangle up. Scritches to everybody.

[kalimeg.livejournal.com]

I am SO sorry to hear about Andy. He was a lovely man. He and Jodie used to come to KC for the convention pretty often Back in the Day.

[attilathepbnun.livejournal.com]

I remember him! The 'Demon in the mirror' trilogy, with the female pirate captain! One of the first books where I connected the author with the title ....*is sad*

Mystified

[catherine ives (from livejournal.com)]

Now about this Committee Cat thing....is there really a Committee Cat and does she really expect you to fill out lots of paperwork for her? If so I am willing to testify that you are really a very good cat mom and the whole thing is just an unfortunate accident that Scrabble will forget about very soon.

Re: Mystified

[rolanni.livejournal.com]

Now about this Committee Cat thing....is there really a Committee Cat and does she really expect you to fill out lots of paperwork for her?

It's a long-running household joke; involving the Cat Union, the various regs, dues schedules, and of course the CommitteeCats.

Steve and I are from union families. In Real Life, (as we lived it in the 60s) if there a Problem with Management, the union's Committee Man was called to witness, take down details, and represent the worker's interest.

I imagine all that's changed in these days of the Evil Union Plot to Gut the American Way of Life, but the Cat Union preserves the forms and traditions, at least while Steve and I are still part of the narrative.