Recent Entries Garion born; thinking of doing video logs - 2012-09-01 I'm married, I'm a prospective father, wow I never update - 2012-05-22 Got the job at the NIA; mother complicates wedding plans - 2011-10-13 Scrawl - 2011-08-05 It's never been better - 2011-06-02
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Time marches on, Tammy and my first rejection slip 2002-12-16 - 4:48 p.m. A few nights ago Gran decided to eat out. I was confused when she started going up near Mission Burrito, this outskirt take-out place we'd been to just the other night. We kept going farther, all the way to the end of the valley, up into the winding mountain freeway that connects the rural mountains of Simi Valley with Tampa and Northridge. Hm, this was unexpected. I started wondering if Gran was secretly at her wits end with me, maybe wanted to take me out into the countryside or desert with a firearm. That didn't seem likely, but neither did the surprise party, attempted drug smuggling or any other odd fantasies that occured to me. I didn't want to ask: the mystery itself was a nice change of pace. Eventually we ended up at the Northridge shopping complex, entirely famous for the fact that there's nothing to do there but eat. We drove up to the front of Claim Jumper, an upper-scale BBQ place. It was casually fenced in by exotic and local plants, oddly placed palm lights and the occasional group of people speaking a few foreign languages. It wasn't bad for a saturday night: only a 50 minute wait. We ambled over to the bar area. I nursed a much needed mixed drink and looked around. It was a sea of beautiful white faces, chatting amiably, the women in booths across the way leaning in to hear their men speak. Over on the left side was a palatial wooden bar, complete with a packaged crew-cut bartender (20's, light glasses, sheik post-college boy) and an other-worldly female counterpart with a two part fastened pony-tail. I envied them, being in this electric atmosphere that was probably old-hat subconscious to them by now. Eventually we sat down and ate a lovely meal, but the mood was intimate, family-like, not the same glow that permeated everything in the bar. I wish I could find some way or place where that energy always was. Back in my normal life, I've met a few new people online recently. Among the bevy is this student of mysticism that's travelled to a good chunk of the world, done the Renaissance Faire and likes two-wheeled modes of transportation. Hmm, as for actual plans: I bought a 12:01am ticket for Two Towers on Wednesday morning. I plan on getting there 6-7 hours early and enjoying the saturated atmosphere of geeks waiting in line/in the queue. A few years back I did the same thing with The Good Captain for Episode I. Unfortunately he's stuck at an all-day conference so I may have to go and read or make awkward small-talk by myself. I miss geeky people and doing geeky things. Oh, and I just now received my first rejection letter from the Magazine for Fantasy and Science-Fiction. Just a small memo, basically saying the story didn't "grab [his] interest". It's quite disappointing: I myself think it's a good piece (and that almost never happens). Well, I guess that means I start sending out my manuscript to other magazines. Oh, and a majorly past due bill for 80 dollars. Joy compounded by joy. GuestbookWritten and photographic content, 2001-2070, Gemini Inc., All rights reserved. Disclaimer. |