abracanabra: (Phil and I)
Phil may no longer be feverish, but he's been having severe arthritic pain and swelling in his joints since the fever went away, and it isn't getting better. It's bad enough that he can't do some things and he's being woken up in the middle of the night by the pain when the painkiller wears off. This is Not Good. Husband is broken, and that is unacceptable. Worried Abra is worried. He has a doctor's appointment for tomorrow, where hopefully they will either figure out and treat what's going on or at least give him Flintstones chewable morphine.

Aside from that small detail, it's been a pretty good few days. I got the companion job, I got a lead on a good-paying temp job, and I worked some overtime hours this weekend, so finances are vastly less worrying than they were a couple of weeks ago. I finished the phone info part of the HARP refinance application, and we have the documents to sign and send in. Once that's done, it's just a waiting game.

The in-laws drove up from Wisconsin with a truckload of baby things, including a crib, a high-chair, a changing table, and even more second-hand baby clothes (we already had like six bags in the attic--like I said, they subscribe to the cargo cult theory of new babies). Oh, and a love seat that matches our current couch, inherited from the grandparents when they moved into assisted living.

So on Saturday afternoon, after I worked my overtime hours, they picked me up from work and we drove off to Home Depot, where they bought us an upright deep freeze as a combination Christmas/10-year-anniversary present (yes, it's been that long). They were also introduced to the joys of chain LeeAnn Chin Chinese food (they liked it).

The Joint

Saturday night, we went to the new Psycho Suzi's, a locally owned, tiki-themed bar and restaurant that just moved into vastly expanded quarters. Now they have a reception area with an indoor waterfall behind it, four theme bars, and a separate floor for the eating area. The indoors roughly quadruples the total space of the old place, including the patio. Outside, tiki torches flame alongside the Mississippi River. They were packed. The bar area is seat-yourself and only has appetizers available, so if you want real food, you have to get on the list and wait for seating in the dining area (which is less interestingly decorated, but does have the full menu, so, you know, trade-offs). The in-laws had a great time, and I think my m-i-l is planning on bringing the ladies of her card club there when they road trip to see the new baby. Apparently this is a tradition among them.

Sunday morning I fed them my fabulous yogurt-blueberry pancakes and we sent them on their way. Then I bussed to the Seward Cafe for [livejournal.com profile] birdfigment's birthday brunch. There were hangings-out and tasty foods and then running to catch my bus to Uptown to join my writing group (partway through the meeting, but that's what happens when you do multiple things in a day). I got my mic back after the presentation portion was finished (we do a podcast now!) and delivered variously harsh critiques during the workshop section.

Then I came home and went thud. Well, after selling some CDs to Cheapo, mostly for the shelf space because CDs are selling for $.50 apiece today. Apparently, everybody and their brother is switching to digital and selling the physical, so it's not such a profitable thing to do.

After Phil woke me up by assembling the crib (which is large, sturdy, and roughly the size of couch), I made bean burgers for dinner and then did my hour of writing.

3/8/11, Tuesday, through 3/13/11, Sunday

Circus of Brass and Bone Combined Writing Log

Total


Episode X


New words: 1,019
Total words: 62,814
Overused word: monkey
Gratuitous word: pineapple
Type of scene: How they figure out where to go next.
Challenge(s): Keeping it interesting without getting too zany.
Which line is it anyways?Wind whistled a counterpoint down the alley.
Researched: Elephant feet, "devolve"
Notes: It may be too zany. Or have too much dialog.
Other writingy stuff:
* Shamed by Sherilyn Kennyon’s 8 hrs of writing plus other hours of writingy stuff (the woman only sleeps 4 hrs a day, which is totally NOT an option for me), began the 1-hr of writing no matter what experiment (if I feel totally wasted, Ican work on non-primary writing project).
* Various freewriting warmups.
* MinnSpec critiques.
* Attended MinnSpec writing group meeting--well, at least the crit portion.
* Recorded intro for MinnSpec podcast, episode 3.
* Wrote four pages longhand on Platinadar while traveling to and from work.
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  • Is there anybody who still needs Google wave invites? I've got a few.
  • Fu Manchu is sleeping on my slippers beside my desk. It's so adorable I cannot disturb him, despite my cold feet.
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  • Whoa. Woot.com is making Rammstein jokes. ::head explodes::
  • Funniest protest signs of 2008: bit.ly/7Mji3 RT @nemoren
  • Free Venom energy drink at Nicollet and 8th St. "Killer Taipan" (mango) is pretty tasty!
  • I'll be doing Nano WriMo (not NaNoWriMo) with daily steampunk twitterfics! ping.fm/rpyao
  • For readability's sake, people, fix your LoudTwitter posts so they don't have @ comments! 1/2 of a conversation is boring as hell.
  • Huh. For a "meatier" texture, freeze tofu and then thaw before cooking. Via Cookstr.
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  • 15:23 Free "Sun of Suns" audiobook (reg req). I loved this book; it's great space opera. (via Tor.com) ping.fm/vzBpz

.
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  • 08:27 Spam: "The best software for you! Alcohol 120 v1.9.7.6022"
  • 13:17 It bodes well for new submissions whenever a contest extends its submission deadline. Means they haven't gotten what they want.
  • 13:52 + Working on writing stuff during happy magical work downtime.
  • 15:24 Mpls pan-handlers give good sign: http://fromthedeskofthemayor.blogspot.com/2009/04/pan-handling-competition-is-running-hot.html
  • 15:29 Saturday is Free Comic Book Day! Walk into any (participating) comic shop, pick up some of 30 free comics. ping.fm/BXvGF
  • 17:43 I now have a "USB Human Computer Interface Device." ::is amused::
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  • 08:06 Perfume for Trekkies: ping.fm/9qL1Q
  • 15:23 Typo of the day: "despite the influence of his less-than-gentile upbringing." S.b. "genteel"
  • 15:48 Friday = free cupcakes at Urban Bean!
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  • 23:08 Whine. Whine. My stomach still hurts. Whine whine whine. Wanna feel better.
  • 11:05 Stomach feeling better. Living dangerously by eating something not in the B.R.A.T. diet: cheerios with milk. Hope feeling better lasts.
  • 12:16 + 50+ degree weather means open windows and appreciative cats.
  • 14:36 New Aswiebe's Market List update - science fiction, fantasy, & horror markets: ping.fm/XjGdc
  • 17:21 Help a good cause & get free (tomato?) seeds. (Campbell's, via lj Gryphynshadow) ping.fm/YLufl
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  • 10:00 Have been wracked by bouts of stomach pain since yesterday afternoon. Still going to writers group meeting. Critiques, now with Vicodin!
  • 10:26 Why is 7-Up the beverage for the ill? How did it corner that market? Always 7-Up, never Sprite.
  • 16:38 Feeling stomach-sick and hungry at the same time is the worst of both worlds.
  • 23:01 Go to www.kashi.com for a coupon for a free frozen dinner.
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  • 07:46 The urge to hibernate was particularly strong this morning.
  • 10:11 Because I am super-efficient, I have finished all the work at the on-site, and now have that magical thing known as "downtime." Yay!
  • 10:42 My name is too long to search on Facebook and find me. I am tinyurl.com/cpnmp7
  • 10:47 Translated Eastern Bloc LOLcats: rolcats.com/
  • 14:02 Dear NYT.com: Do *not* post an article rhapsodizing over Chinese-American cashew chicken and fail to include a recipe! ::is hungry::
  • 14:20 Barley and roasted tomato risotto sounds delicious: (Mayo Clinic) ping.fm/8wZ9E
  • 14:50 Failed my willpower roll vs. blueberry cheese danish.
  • 14:58 Underground art/dinner parties sounds amazing! Wish I could afford it. (Citypages) ping.fm/7DeZJ
  • 15:02 Grooming my Pandora music station. They are clearly lacking the "circus music" tag.
  • 15:17 Free ebook of deLint's Spirit Walk (out of print): (Tor) ping.fm/TxMGf
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  • 11:10 Local law firms are laying off lawyers (at least 2 firms are clients). No wonder we've been having less business.
  • 11:12 Oops. Link to news story re lawyers: ping.fm/jnnU4
  • 16:23 It's been warm enough to open the back porch window for the cats. Reminded, they restlessly inspect all windows.
  • 17:52 Anyone local want a coupon for a free 2-liter bottle of Diet Dr. Pepper? I thought it was regular. Don't want diet.
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  • 10:47 If I didn't have a husband who likes me home at night, I'd apply for a job as a Polysomnographer Technologist.
  • 11:53 +++ When I wasn't looking, my iStockPhoto account made some money! Guess I should upload more photos.
  • 12:29 Free Punch pizza Friday! Coupon: ping.fm/Ys2kg
  • 13:11 Version of coupon everybody can see: ping.fm/ZYTG9
  • 13:54 Pizza and bottomless wine for 2 for $25: ping.fm/HT7e3
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  • 12:32 ++Won Irma Vep DVD from Lagoon Theatre. Yay mailing lists.
  • 22:41 Pretty--APOD sun pillar: ping.fm/Y381E
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  • 09:08 Holy shit! I won a room makeover!
  • 09:16 And if you've ever visited my pink-and-green house, you know we need some room makeovers. The question now is--which room?
  • 09:34 Now on MPR: Cars as the "ultimate MySpace."
  • 11:12 Coworker behind me (to her computer): "You scuzz-ass motherf***er."
  • 18:19 Re: winnings. Alas, it's a makeover (paint and shelves and a consultant), not a remodel. Still something badly needed!
  • 18:20 Got my zombie season t-shirt! Hooray for teetrade!
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And now for the second major part of what I've been working on with my website!



Aswiebe's Market List is a free spreadsheet of science fiction, fantasy, and horror market listings. It has over 300 active markets listed, and the list is always growing.

I've been saving markets into my spreadsheet for years, because I wanted an easy way to find just a certain type of market without having to read through hundreds of listings. This way I can look at, for example, only horror markets that accept reprints greater than 10,000 words. I've chosen to share this spreadsheet in the hopes that others will find it useful.

I list only publications, contests, and anthologies that offer compensation beyond "royalties-only" or "POD shared payment." I list only contests that don't charge entry fees.

Go to http://www.aswiebe.com/writing/markets.html to take a look, download a copy, and sign up to be notified when updates are made.

x-posted a little for, again, obvious reasons
abracanabra: (Default)
  • 08:14 Forgot I'd only *set* the lid on my mug and spilled tea all over my pants. Now it looks like I had an accident and tuck to the left.
  • 09:15 Step back in time 100 years ago (SciAm): ping.fm/Q8r6k
  • 09:43 ++free croissant
  • 09:55 Obama *listens* to scientists. ::swoon:: (SciAm) ping.fm/hhhj9
  • 15:50 Nobody wants free movie tickets? You are all *fools*!
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I have 2 extra free tickets to go see Eagle Eye tomorrow night--would need to arrive by 6:30-7:00. Who wants to go with us? http://www.eagleeyemovie.com
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  • 12:13 Cynicism--what she said: ping.fm/yqfb5
  • 17:14 Free tix to new Kiera Knightley movie: ping.fm/PtlFj
  • 20:14 Dad, about my Mom: "You could ask me where she is, and I'll tell you where she was going--she'll be here some of the time."
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  • 08:03 Today's motto: "Ah, fuck it."
  • 10:34 Coworker to computer: "Oh, you little dog-butt."
  • 12:26 Today: won free concert tickets to Spark24 (www.spark24.org/) and cheap tix to Manhattan's Sip 'n sample.
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  • 07:56 ++ Seeing the "Out for Delivery" status in Order Tracking. Whee! Packages!
  • 08:53 Useful & fun NYT article re prestidigitation & other how-to: ping.fm/1PYhj
  • 10:13 --Working near a functioning vending machine is bad for my waistline.
  • 10:14 ++ Gardetto's! Mmm, savory.
  • 10:44 Podcast lectures/events from Mpls library: ping.fm/bWXNR
  • 13:44 Amazon order-of-magnitude improved their wishlist by letting you add items from anywhere.
  • 15:04 Found among the legal docs of a case: ping.fm/vim8W
  • 15:16 "bees forage in a similar geographical pattern to that of serial killers committing crimes" - SciAm
  • 22:19 Email/DM me if you want to see "The Rocker" movie free on Tuesday. It's got whatsisnuts from The Office.

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Abra Staffin-Wiebe

April 2025

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