I'm back from my Easter break in Limbo, feeling refreshed. I would have updated this thing yesterday, but after it took me over two and a half hours to get to work (when it normally takes me little under 40 minutes) everything else I did was a bit of a mad panic. I had just enough time to notice that The Well has been rejected again. A little happier this time; the rejection e was personal, with some useful comments, and it ended with 'Feel free to submit here again'. He may not have liked my story, but it appears he would be willing to read my stuff in the future. This is always nice to know.

The Well gets rejected faster than I can send stuff out. I can't keep up. I do little writing 'cos I seem to spend so much time searching the markets. I made a list of possible recipients last night (having printed up the 'paying' page at ralan's) and intended to narrow it down at work today. I left the list at home, so I guess it'll have to be done tomorrow.

So what else have I been up to? I finished reading A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin (about the only thing I did finish on my holiday, my writing drive was grossly underattempted). A Game . . . was good, huge in scope and potential, and I don't know if I can wait to see how the story turns out. I've now started reading Stephen King's latest short story collection Everything's Eventual. Odd summary of the stories when I finish it proper.

Have been unable to think of a decent idea for the blood challenge, so I'll be missing the challenge this month. My muse went on holiday at the same time I did.

Nevermind, best get back to work :)

The Well was rejected on Tuesday night, after being out at the relevant publication for only three days. This is my first real rejection (after the first market I sent it to was closed) and, surprisingly, I'm not as upset as I expected to be.

Sure, it still smarts to be rejected. I'm not sure whether I had just conditioned myself to get the rejection, or whether the speed of the response has meant it hasn't sunk in yet, but it doesn't hurt like I imagine it would have twelve months ago. I'm just carrying on with life. I've dusted off the story (as it was a form rejection I don't really have anything to work with) and this morning I sent it out to another market.

Fingers crossed.

Maybe it'll hurt more when I've got another dozen rejections under my belt. I hope not.

I haven't written anything recently, and I certainly didn't get anything done whilst I was at Mat's wedding this weekend (taking the A4 pad was pure folly and I realise that now). I meant to write down a few words about the wedding -- highlights of the weekend, best wishes to the happy couple, the incident when Paul's Vitara caught on fire -- but I've been so busy this week I just haven't got round to it. Maybe later.

Finally, I'm going back to the Sticks for Easter weekend and the week that follows, and that means I'll be away from this thing until the 28th of the month at the earliest. Looking forward to going back. My parents have brought a new puppy (a labrador and, altho' I'm not entirely sure of the colour, I suspect it's a black one) called Widgeon, so that will need lots of pampering and looking after I'm sure. I have also got a few nights out planned with the KS&CC Alumni, which should be good. Also, as it's Rugby Weekend I'll be watching lots of rugby (altho' the highlight of the week is the 7s tournament) and drinking lots of beer. Can't wait.

I took Tempest's quiz, a funny little thing that should enable her to split up the blogs page 'cos it's getting a little crowded. I got:

You're in Griffindor! You know that's what you
wanted.

Nothing done last night. RE called and we took a trip to the distant past (or Chisledon, as it's more commonly known) and met up with a couple of our group who are actually stranded there. By the time I got back it was midnight. Was in no mood to even read, let alone write, so it was straight to bed.

And I've just found out that the market I submitted The Well to back in January has been closed due to illness. Apparently I should expect a form response in the post. Does this count as a rejection? I don't know, but I'm going to say for the sake of numbers that it is.

Damn.

Whilst there's no denying that Dead Famous is funny, I'm finding it harder and harder to go back to each evening. I don't know why, as it's not a bad book, but there isn't the pressing desire to find out what happens next, or the development of any relationship with the main characters. It's almost as if Elton has managed his satire so well, taken the piss out of the characters so well, that you find you don't actually like any of them. At all. Take Colleridge, for example. You should find him endearing, an old-fashioned copper investigating a crime in a world he doesn't understand. Instead his confusion at everything everybody says, his complete ignorance of popular culture, is just irritating. How can anyone not know what 24-7 means? Or at least make an educated guess at its meaning?

Two reviews written Tuesday night, both of which were rescue crits when I downloaded them. Didn't quite get around to them quick enough to earn those double points, but I like to think I'm doing my bit for the drive to keep under-reviewed subs down to zero. Probably a good thing that I didn't take part in the crit marathon, as I've only done two reviews and we're already eight days in. Gah.

Unfortunately, I wasted last night, as I worked out how to complete an area in Icewind Dale II that had been stolidly defeating me.

The mad rush at work caused by my fuck up has passed, to be replaced with a limbo-like state. I have plenty of jobs to do, but because the urgency of last week has gone I don't actually feel as if I've started anything. I'm not complaining, but I do seem to be wasting time between jobs, taking overly long lunchbreaks ect. Yesterday afternoon I managed to spend the last hour talking to people, killing time until the next bus arrived.

The soc people here at work are organising a bowling night in May sometime. Looking forward to recreating the dope skills I showed last time I went. Despite my reputation as someone who bowls like Monty Burns, I'm on a team with the lunchtime crew.

Has been hectic at work this past couple of days. It must be the pipework, because all of a sudden I'm channelling Naomi Tyack with alarming accuracy. I'm fucking up about once every two seconds, I know nothing about what I'm doing and I can see those around me rapidly losing patience. I'm not quite up to Tyack's high standards yet -- I've thus far avoided using 48 point font in any of my calculations, and haven't handed anyone a map for a task, blissfully unaware of the canal that crosses the length of the map and that will make the task impossible to complete -- but I feel myself getting close. And you know the funny thing? I'm going to be on this until August at least.

Tried to get some reviewing done this last couple of nights, but I seem to be failing badly. Two nights on one submission and I'm only halfway through. Needless to say I haven't got any writing done either. What have I been doing? Certainly not going out, and there's been nothing on the telly to adequately distract me. Hmmm.

Puzzling.

Dead Famous, that's the name of it. Some funny moments so far.