Dept. of Still Aten't Dead
I Still Exist In Pixels, And Elsewhere
It's been rather a long time. So what have I done lately?
I've finished Chapter 27 of Hearts and Moons, (it's waiting BB's copy-editing and fresh-eye look). One of my longest chapters yet. While doing it, I realized I'd managed to spell the last name of one of my characters not two different ways, but three. Go, me. Once the story's over, I'll go back and correct it everywhere, but I did manage to fix it in 26 and 27. Now I'm thinking of putting up 26, while I work on 28. I figure if I have one in the can at all times, I can get this done. It's helped to talk to at BB about the difficulties I'm having with words, and how I work when I want to get someone expression right, etc. etc., blah-de-blah. It's also worth noting that I abandoned caring for the house and putting regular meals on the table while I got this done.
I've sporadically done union things. I deliberately did not go to two union events that I probably should have attended this weekend. It was partly because I thought this weekend was Father's Day weekend and therefore a time I should spend with BB and FB - mistake, obviously - and partly, I acknowledge it, because I gave nary a fuck. *looks around for stray fucks, sees none, shrugs with Gallic insouciance*
I received a book in the mail, out of the blue, from the long ago. Specifically from a man I knew through RASFF on Usenet back in the 90s, during the time that lovely community was alive, and during an even shorter time during which I wrote one or two things for one particular fanzine (hi,![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
gerisullivan ! I forgot to tell you about this, while we were at the Chinese restaurant!) His name was, and is, Bill Breiding, and he was a far more prolific fanzine writer than I was. He also had been very involved in traditional fandom. He liked one of the pieces I wrote, and we corresponded a little via email. It was humbling to get the book - a collection of his 'zine pieces over the decades - with two boxes checked at the front, under the "Why You Got This" banner: "I owe you" (he didn't); and "I admire you/your work." I've read two or three of them, and have been reminded of fanzine culture in a largely positive way. Mr. Breiding and I definitely don't have the same outlook on life, judging by the pieces in the book, but I think I find him admirable.
I rediscovered another long ago friend on Facebook. The friend I rediscovered left Chicago possibly 15 years ago, and she underwent vast changes in her life. I often thought of her, and wondered where I might find her, but various Google searches under the name I recalled her choosing at the time she left the city turned up nothing, and I thought that I would never find her. And then she turned up in a Facebook thread from a Steve Brust post. I've friended her on Facebook, but have yet to initiate conversation. Her life has changed in so many ways, and I want to be sure I respect those changes. She accepted my friending, so I think communication will be possible; still, it has been a very strange rediscovery.
Finally, I read a wonderful post about Sapphire and Steel, thanks to a post bythisbluespirit . I need to go back and leave a comment there; I share her admiration for the writer.
Oh, and I've kept up with the most recent season of Who. I have ... mixed feelings. Not about the Doctor, who remains wonderful. And not too much about Bill, who is still rather good. Not because of Nardole, who is much, much better than he has a right to be. And not because of Missy, who is horrible and magnificent. I do have problems with the overall weariness I'm feeling, and seeing, and hearing, in the stories and the arcs. Please, Moff; go out with a bang, not a whimper!
It's been rather a long time. So what have I done lately?
I've finished Chapter 27 of Hearts and Moons, (it's waiting BB's copy-editing and fresh-eye look). One of my longest chapters yet. While doing it, I realized I'd managed to spell the last name of one of my characters not two different ways, but three. Go, me. Once the story's over, I'll go back and correct it everywhere, but I did manage to fix it in 26 and 27. Now I'm thinking of putting up 26, while I work on 28. I figure if I have one in the can at all times, I can get this done. It's helped to talk to at BB about the difficulties I'm having with words, and how I work when I want to get someone expression right, etc. etc., blah-de-blah. It's also worth noting that I abandoned caring for the house and putting regular meals on the table while I got this done.
I've sporadically done union things. I deliberately did not go to two union events that I probably should have attended this weekend. It was partly because I thought this weekend was Father's Day weekend and therefore a time I should spend with BB and FB - mistake, obviously - and partly, I acknowledge it, because I gave nary a fuck. *looks around for stray fucks, sees none, shrugs with Gallic insouciance*
I received a book in the mail, out of the blue, from the long ago. Specifically from a man I knew through RASFF on Usenet back in the 90s, during the time that lovely community was alive, and during an even shorter time during which I wrote one or two things for one particular fanzine (hi,
gerisullivan ! I forgot to tell you about this, while we were at the Chinese restaurant!) His name was, and is, Bill Breiding, and he was a far more prolific fanzine writer than I was. He also had been very involved in traditional fandom. He liked one of the pieces I wrote, and we corresponded a little via email. It was humbling to get the book - a collection of his 'zine pieces over the decades - with two boxes checked at the front, under the "Why You Got This" banner: "I owe you" (he didn't); and "I admire you/your work." I've read two or three of them, and have been reminded of fanzine culture in a largely positive way. Mr. Breiding and I definitely don't have the same outlook on life, judging by the pieces in the book, but I think I find him admirable. I rediscovered another long ago friend on Facebook. The friend I rediscovered left Chicago possibly 15 years ago, and she underwent vast changes in her life. I often thought of her, and wondered where I might find her, but various Google searches under the name I recalled her choosing at the time she left the city turned up nothing, and I thought that I would never find her. And then she turned up in a Facebook thread from a Steve Brust post. I've friended her on Facebook, but have yet to initiate conversation. Her life has changed in so many ways, and I want to be sure I respect those changes. She accepted my friending, so I think communication will be possible; still, it has been a very strange rediscovery.
Finally, I read a wonderful post about Sapphire and Steel, thanks to a post by
thisbluespirit . I need to go back and leave a comment there; I share her admiration for the writer. Oh, and I've kept up with the most recent season of Who. I have ... mixed feelings. Not about the Doctor, who remains wonderful. And not too much about Bill, who is still rather good. Not because of Nardole, who is much, much better than he has a right to be. And not because of Missy, who is horrible and magnificent. I do have problems with the overall weariness I'm feeling, and seeing, and hearing, in the stories and the arcs. Please, Moff; go out with a bang, not a whimper!
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Re: the two reconnections - I think it's really a positive when such connections resurface - because one's present takes on added depth from the different perspectives offered by the past? Something like that, anyway.
I've lost touch again with Who, because of time and access difficulties, but remain interested. How much longer of Moffat? Is the new show-boss known?
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True; I've blown up too many times in the past. Stepping away is safer.
I think it's really a positive when such connections resurface
You're absolutely right, although so many noir detective novels depend on someone horrid from a character's past coming to blackmail or otherwise terrify them. Heh. Luckily, these reconnections stand to be satisfying in various ways. I'm particularly looking forward to reconnecting with the friend I ran into on Facebook.
How much longer of Moffat? Is the new show-boss known?
This 10th season of New Who is Moff's final one, so we have, what, only five or six episodes left. I believe the new show-runner is Chris Chibnall. I was jaundiced against him for what I considered some bad writing on Torchwood years ago, but I've also seen some things he did (wrote) that were very good, although they were non-SF. Other people think he will do an excellent job, and I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. He'll be starting with a new Doctor, since Capaldi's also leaving at the end of this season. I'm sad about that; I quite like him.
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I'm glad to see that
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I'm glad you saw the S&S post - my first thought on reading it was that I must point you in its direction. :-)
S10 hasn't reached any heights yet, but at least has overall been very entertaining - and I think the heights may well be ahead, because we still have proper Missy to come if nothing else! <3
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Reconnections (as long as it's not in detective noir, where someone's always coming to blackmail you for something you did 20 years ago, as I said to
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I've read Moffat wasn't meant to write this series and the last two series were very intense so perhaps he wanted a less stressful narrative for a while?
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Oh it is, indeed! I especially need it when I write, because I write in Google Docs, and for some reason, my version of Google Docs always puts in two spaces before a capital I. I can't seem to reprogram it to not do that, so after I write anything, I have to find and replace. I never get all of them, but I do get most of them. And that's what I'll have to do with this young lady's last name ....