The Finish Line

I'm not done, but I'm the closest I've ever been to publishing my novel. I met with my editor Friday and he was pleased with my progress. He really feels we can publish by the Summer Solstice.
(I have a thing about the Precession of the Equinoxes, it's an important part of my story.) I've already logged 35 of the 50 hours I pledged to edit for National Novel Editing Month-- that's 70% of my goal. I've been averaging three hours a day. So, if any of you Nanoers find your way here, please post a quick comment -- even if just to say "HI, I stopped by!" Thanks!

Here's the Log again for the 300+ of us editing this month.

We Vote with our $$$$

It kind of warms my heart that people are still bitching about the dismal mess that was the 82nd Annual Academy Awards. Not only did they snub (my polite word for this) Lauren Bacall by not putting her fabulous career on the big screen during the show, they completely forgot to include Ricardo Montalban in the memoriam. Montalban was not only Khan in the famous Star Trek movies, but made over 30 other movies in his long and distinguished career. I hope Hispanics take up this cause, and help boycott the Oscar BS next year. Several other actors and actresses who died were ignored; Farrah Fawcett and Bea Arthur, to name two, and only a glimpse of Patrick Swayze, as I recall. Yet, they found time for that horrible horror-clip montage, which made no sense.

Here comes my biggest complaint. In the 21st Century, this fuddy-duddy institution refuses to reward the most revolutionary science fiction epic of all time. The Academy may think that indie flick Hurt Locker which earned only a fraction of the $2 BILLION that Avatar brought in was the best movie, but those who vote with their wallets (the "pimply faced", as NY critic snob addle-brained Edlestein claims) think differently. And, now out comes Green Zone, with essentially the same plot as Hurt Locker -- so perhaps it too will walk with Oscar next year when I'm no longer watching or caring.

Don't get me wrong, I was all for Bigelow becoming Best Director and taking her place as the first female Director to achieve that award. But Best Picture, NO!

The Academy has a history of disdain for anything SF. Think of this: Annie Hall received the Oscar in 1977, not Star Wars. Did 2001: A Space Odyessey, perhaps the most significant movie of it's era, win? No, Oliver! won in 1968. Need I say more? Yes, one more thing: Tom Hanks, Governor of the Academy, you should feel ashamed. It was bad before, but now you are in charge of the "Worst Award Show in the World..."
(said long and drawn out the way Keith Oberman would.)

I'm done. I was done Sunday night, but now I am FINI. The End.

March Madness

My friends will yawn and say, "So, what's new?" or "whaz up with that?" since I've been editing pretty much non-stop since October 28. But, this is National Novel Editing Month and more than any other year it's perfect for me! We pledge to spend at least 50 hours editing, rewriting and as the icon says POLISHING. My deadline, which is TODAY, was to complete a pass of rewriting the story. I'm on track-- only a few thousand words to go to cross that line. I had a 5K day Monday! I will do it somehow... I have to. It's Phil's Phased Out Day, aka the day Philip K Dick died in 1982. That has a LOT to do with my novel. Be sure and come back here to get a copy later this spring!!!

Can't promote something that's not done, but I am manifesting it. Yikes, better log out of here and into Word and get moving across that finish line! More on EdMo later!! But while I'm writing, click on that link. And, if you have a novel that needs some work, join in! C'mon! You can track me here, to make sure I really am logging hours: NanOedMo Hours Log. (ZenWoman, of course ;)

Play AAO's Speed Skate Challenge

Apolo Anton Ohno's Speed Skate Challenge Just a fun thing, AAO tweeted to all of us, his followers. I got a Gold Medal on second try ;)

I have 12K left to edit and taking a break now to watch my Editor, yes famed Chicago mobster DD, dance! Then I will finish this pass by March 2 in remembrance of Phil's Phasing Out of this Dimension on 3.2.82

Don't worry if this makes NO sense, I'll clean it up later for my THREE readers ;)

Intrusion

Wow, the email post really stirred it up. Most reactions I've had in ages! Now, another topic to broach is the "too big to fly" controversy. I see it more as intrusion. Don't rush to judgement-- big can mean lots of things; linebacker big, 6'8" pro B-ball big, or just XXL. I'm not biased on how "big" someone is (other than close friends who I simply worry for their health. Of course, there are many lifestyle choices, too. Those who drink, do drugs, smoke! yech!) What I do care about is intrusion. I don't want a stranger's bod on my seat, or intruding into my space. I don't intend to fly any time soon, for a host of reasons. But, this isn't just limited to body size or flying.
I don't want someone picking their nose in close proximity, or sneezing, coughing on me, or touching me with their germs. I'm getting like Howie Mandel. I basically don't want to be confined to any tiny space with strangers, especially if they are encroaching on my space. So go on, y'all. Have a field day with that one...
And, sure. I'll debate here and in the public on any of these topics!

PS -- next up: Buddhism (as in Tiger's Woods proclamation.)

do we care?

Had a very interesting discussion today with some professionals, working folk, about the emails they receive. When they open email and find anywhere from 50 to 100 emails a day they have to sort through them, because for business people time is money, and emails could mean a job or important contact. The Government Gal says same thing. She dreads opening email anymore to find not only messages from her boss and workers, but friends and family sending anything they happened to find cute, interesting, latest family news (SueSue had a boo boo), who's dating who, and the worst: what do you think of this? Her point was 1) it places a demand on her to read all the "junk" and 2) she feels rude if she doesn't respond to her friends and family. But here's the best comment of all: email, like talk, has become cheap.

What does that mean? This gal said before email people didn't send ten letters a day with every errant whim they could think of. No, because you would have to get paper, write your crazy thought (several times if you wanted to send it to each family member and friend), get stamps and then mail it. Her point is that we were more discriminating about what we wrote in letters and snail mail cards. Now, every time we chuckle or smile, we think the whole world cares. Clearly they don't!

Playing devil's advocate, I said, "I know a prolific emailer who says well then, just delete them. I'm not going to censor my behavior." I can't type her response in polite company, but essentially she says it's not that easy. To delete them, she still must read and sift through the tens or hundreds of emails received (biz and personal) to know what can be deleted. Her primary point: people sending all these links, jokes and pics are thoughtless and have no respect for other people's time. "I have my own life and priorities," she says. "Do email-aholics think I care about every whim that strikes them as interesting? Must read, my ass."

Driving home I thought about the many emails I send and receive. I don't send or forward jokes, but because I type fast, I can dash off an email that the guys said can take them quite awhile to read, and then formulate a response, especially when they have many other things to think about. It is rude of me and I'm going to slow down and think about what I send out from now on. I won't send my blog link. Those who want it know how to find it and read it. Those who want my tweets and errant thoughts, will get them that way. Perhaps all Persons of Leisure should give a bit more thought to our email impact on others.