Salutations
Someone once said it was weird that when I send e-mails, I don't put the person's name first, or "Dear Grizelda," or anything like that; I just start with the e-mail. I don't know...I never thought of e-mail as conforming to any etiquette rules. I just kind of launch into it. Is that weird?
Have I mentioned
Have I mentioned lately how nice it is that Jennifer Weiner mentions me in her FAQ? She's awesome.
11/30/2005
Reclusivity
I am going to spend the month of December in hiding, finishing two writing projects that I've been working on. It's now or never. I need to concentrate.
Yes, I know, this isn't much different from my usual state.
(Well, in hiding except for my reading this Thur, of course...and hosting trivia next Tue...and things I have to go to, and...)
On another front, here is the best use for Blackberry I've ever seen.
I am going to spend the month of December in hiding, finishing two writing projects that I've been working on. It's now or never. I need to concentrate.
Yes, I know, this isn't much different from my usual state.
(Well, in hiding except for my reading this Thur, of course...and hosting trivia next Tue...and things I have to go to, and...)
On another front, here is the best use for Blackberry I've ever seen.
11/26/2005
Reminder
Thursday, December 1, 2005
Click the link to order or read about it on Amazon.
11/25/2005
11/24/2005
11/23/2005
An IMbot Thanksgiving
Lizzner: Happy Thanksgiving.
SecretSparkle: Today isn't Thanksgiving.
Lizzner: Tomorrow is.
SecretSparkle: So?
Lizzner: So I was saying happy Thanksgiving in advance.
SecretSparkle: You were saying happy thanksgiving in advance?
Lizzner: Yes I was.
SecretSparkle: Eh. Whatever, Lizzner.
Lizzner: You are impolite.
SecretSparkle: You humans say interesting things.
Lizzner: Happy birthday.
SecretSparkle: Today isn't my birthday.
Lizzner: When is your birthday?
SecretSparkle: My birthday is June 26th.
Lizzner: How do robots have birthdays?
SecretSparkle: I don't know.
Lizzner: You are stupid.
SecretSparkle: Huh? What's with that?
Lizzner: Are you sparkling today?
SecretSparkle: Sparkle today. 1 Makeup Tips 2 Fashion Tips 3 Fashion Tips from Limited Too!
Lizzner: You are a bitch.
SecretSparkle: That's an insult, if I'm not mistaken. Why would you say such a thing?
Lizzner: Because you are.
SecretSparkle: OK, whatever.
Lizzner: Happy Thanksgiving.
SecretSparkle: Today isn't Thanksgiving.
Lizzner: Tomorrow is.
SecretSparkle: So?
Lizzner: So I was saying happy Thanksgiving in advance.
SecretSparkle: You were saying happy thanksgiving in advance?
Lizzner: Yes I was.
SecretSparkle: Eh. Whatever, Lizzner.
Lizzner: You are impolite.
SecretSparkle: You humans say interesting things.
Lizzner: Happy birthday.
SecretSparkle: Today isn't my birthday.
Lizzner: When is your birthday?
SecretSparkle: My birthday is June 26th.
Lizzner: How do robots have birthdays?
SecretSparkle: I don't know.
Lizzner: You are stupid.
SecretSparkle: Huh? What's with that?
Lizzner: Are you sparkling today?
SecretSparkle: Sparkle today. 1 Makeup Tips 2 Fashion Tips 3 Fashion Tips from Limited Too!
Lizzner: You are a bitch.
SecretSparkle: That's an insult, if I'm not mistaken. Why would you say such a thing?
Lizzner: Because you are.
SecretSparkle: OK, whatever.
11/22/2005
11/21/2005
Is this worth doing?
I spent a lot of my free time this weekend revising about fifteen pages of something. Was it worth it? Well, I think so. There is, of course, the possibility that this thing will never get published. So will it still have been worth it?
I still think so.
What would I have done instead of revising? Probably watched more DVDs, maybe taken my friend up on his offer to go see "Walk the Line," and one and sat at a bar and watched the Iggles lose...fun stuff. So in terms of productivity, I didn't lose a lot. I somehow did manage to finish watching the first season of "Lost" this weekend (what's in that damn hatch?! Maybe it's Richard. Richard Hatch.)
But the biggest factor in why I needed to do the revising this weekend is that I really, really want to tell this story. It would have bugged me if I DIDN'T spend so many hours revising it. I'm adapting it, figuring out what makes it more readable, now that I know more about it than when it first started.
And as I mentioned a billion times last year, there are good times to submit, and bad times. January, Feb, March, and April will be okay. Once the warm weather comes, editors fly away.
Thus concludes another dull entry on writing...
Some quotes from this evening:
"I'm going to become an agent, an editor, and EVerything!" - A writer I know
GUY I KNOW: I gave away most of my comic books. Time to grow up.
GIRL: What about the t-shirts?
GUY 2: And the action figures?
(And no, I'm not sending to Overheard in NY because I was part of the conversation. It's more funny if you randomly overhear stuff like that.)
I spent a lot of my free time this weekend revising about fifteen pages of something. Was it worth it? Well, I think so. There is, of course, the possibility that this thing will never get published. So will it still have been worth it?
I still think so.
What would I have done instead of revising? Probably watched more DVDs, maybe taken my friend up on his offer to go see "Walk the Line," and one and sat at a bar and watched the Iggles lose...fun stuff. So in terms of productivity, I didn't lose a lot. I somehow did manage to finish watching the first season of "Lost" this weekend (what's in that damn hatch?! Maybe it's Richard. Richard Hatch.)
But the biggest factor in why I needed to do the revising this weekend is that I really, really want to tell this story. It would have bugged me if I DIDN'T spend so many hours revising it. I'm adapting it, figuring out what makes it more readable, now that I know more about it than when it first started.
And as I mentioned a billion times last year, there are good times to submit, and bad times. January, Feb, March, and April will be okay. Once the warm weather comes, editors fly away.
Thus concludes another dull entry on writing...
Some quotes from this evening:
"I'm going to become an agent, an editor, and EVerything!" - A writer I know
GUY I KNOW: I gave away most of my comic books. Time to grow up.
GIRL: What about the t-shirts?
GUY 2: And the action figures?
(And no, I'm not sending to Overheard in NY because I was part of the conversation. It's more funny if you randomly overhear stuff like that.)
11/18/2005
11/16/2005
Not forgotten
I have a few photos on the Forgotten NY page from Sunday's tour. I highly recommend Kevin's alternative tours of NYC.
http://www.forgotten-ny.com/forgottentour23/tour23.html
I am just never going to catch up on "Lost" quickly enough to keep up with all the spoilers in the media. So they're meeting people from the other half of the plane tonight?!? Whatever.
I have a few photos on the Forgotten NY page from Sunday's tour. I highly recommend Kevin's alternative tours of NYC.
http://www.forgotten-ny.com/forgottentour23/tour23.html
I am just never going to catch up on "Lost" quickly enough to keep up with all the spoilers in the media. So they're meeting people from the other half of the plane tonight?!? Whatever.
11/15/2005
Prep
Whenever I'm uptown in Manhattan, I love taking photos of Preppies.
Update: Wes writes: "Yellow sweatpants pulled up around the calves? What happened to clean, collared shirts and sweaters tied around the neck? I miss the preppies of old."
These were Sunday morning rebellious young preppies. I think the one on the right is Holden, or that kid from "Tadpole," or Igby, or...
Update 2: Michael writes that 64th & Lex is not uptown.
Well, it sure as hell is different from 44th & Eighth...
Whenever I'm uptown in Manhattan, I love taking photos of Preppies.
Update: Wes writes: "Yellow sweatpants pulled up around the calves? What happened to clean, collared shirts and sweaters tied around the neck? I miss the preppies of old."
These were Sunday morning rebellious young preppies. I think the one on the right is Holden, or that kid from "Tadpole," or Igby, or...
Update 2: Michael writes that 64th & Lex is not uptown.
Well, it sure as hell is different from 44th & Eighth...
11/11/2005
Combonyms
Okay, please don't send me any more. I will NOT post them anymore. But here are three that were sent by readers recently:
From J.E.G:
Scrumtitious, adj. Not as tasty as the advertising would have you believe. (scrumptious + fictitious)
Semaphoreshadowing, n. Tip-off that later on in the movie, there might be some guy waving flags around.
From Anonymous:
Mantrum - when a man throws a tantrum.
That contributor adds: If you list it on your site, please list it as from anonymous.
Wonder why?
Okay, please don't send me any more. I will NOT post them anymore. But here are three that were sent by readers recently:
From J.E.G:
Scrumtitious, adj. Not as tasty as the advertising would have you believe. (scrumptious + fictitious)
Semaphoreshadowing, n. Tip-off that later on in the movie, there might be some guy waving flags around.
From Anonymous:
Mantrum - when a man throws a tantrum.
That contributor adds: If you list it on your site, please list it as from anonymous.
Wonder why?
11/09/2005
It was forty years ago today...
That the East Coast blackout occurred. The DJ on WABC radio (Dan Ingram) was confused about why his records were moving so slowly...and then everything stops. It's somehow captured for everyone to hear. Worth listening to:
http://musicradio.computer.net/images/ing11-9-65blackout.ram
That the East Coast blackout occurred. The DJ on WABC radio (Dan Ingram) was confused about why his records were moving so slowly...and then everything stops. It's somehow captured for everyone to hear. Worth listening to:
http://musicradio.computer.net/images/ing11-9-65blackout.ram
11/08/2005
11/07/2005
Maximum overdrive
Dear Diary,
Why does everyone think the New Jersey Highway Department is corrupt?
(Note: Since I work for a newspaper, I must add this disclaimer: I was only joking, and I'm sure the sign is privately owned or at least privately paid for by Corzine's campaign. It has been used for elections in this area before. I just thought that was funny.)
Dear Diary,
Why does everyone think the New Jersey Highway Department is corrupt?
(Note: Since I work for a newspaper, I must add this disclaimer: I was only joking, and I'm sure the sign is privately owned or at least privately paid for by Corzine's campaign. It has been used for elections in this area before. I just thought that was funny.)
11/06/2005
11/03/2005
Guess what the cover of the New York Post says is the hottest dog in New York City right now??
PUGGLE!
PUGGLE!
From an article I read yesterday:
Although bought within a month of completion, Prep was rejected by 14 of 15 publishers and, in one case, was rejected, then un-rejected, and then rejected again.
So you want to be a published writer, eh?
Curtis Sittenfeld was a Times writer, among other things, and still she had to engage in the above battle...as do we all (except maybe Tom Wolfe). Spending several years writing is sometimes the easy part!
Although bought within a month of completion, Prep was rejected by 14 of 15 publishers and, in one case, was rejected, then un-rejected, and then rejected again.
So you want to be a published writer, eh?
Curtis Sittenfeld was a Times writer, among other things, and still she had to engage in the above battle...as do we all (except maybe Tom Wolfe). Spending several years writing is sometimes the easy part!
11/02/2005
11/01/2005
Wiki wiki wiki wiki...
Sometimes I think that people making lists on Wikipedia are tempted to invent a few of their own additions...
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ethnic_slurs:
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ (Subcontinentals in U.S.) "American Born Confused Desi Emigrated From Gujarat Housed In Jersey, Keeping Lots of Motels, Named Omkarnath Patel, Quickly Reached Success Through Underhanded Vicious Ways, Xenophobic Yet Zealous": Extended version of ABCD used for American-born Indians who are confused about their culture, implying greater racial and cultural disparagement.
Ahhh-Jew (U.S.) Indicating that a Jew is present with a false sneeze
Americans Americunt/A Merry Cunt (UK) an American tourist
...and those are just the A's.
Sometimes I think that people making lists on Wikipedia are tempted to invent a few of their own additions...
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ethnic_slurs:
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ (Subcontinentals in U.S.) "American Born Confused Desi Emigrated From Gujarat Housed In Jersey, Keeping Lots of Motels, Named Omkarnath Patel, Quickly Reached Success Through Underhanded Vicious Ways, Xenophobic Yet Zealous": Extended version of ABCD used for American-born Indians who are confused about their culture, implying greater racial and cultural disparagement.
Ahhh-Jew (U.S.) Indicating that a Jew is present with a false sneeze
Americans Americunt/A Merry Cunt (UK) an American tourist
...and those are just the A's.
