What the heck...?!?

I think they targeted the wrong sex....

Orgasmatron inventor seeks female volunteers

HAPPY T-DAY!

Encouragement

Write

The pep talk I needed. Thanks, Vision!

Writing against the odds.

Blues

Write

Around once a week the enormity of what I'm doing--becoming a full-time, published novelist--hits me and gets me down. Becoming a novelist is not like obtaining a college degree. The latter, at least, guarantees an end (the diploma) obtained by one's direct diligence efforts. No, getting published involves several other entire parties: the publishing industry and the readership.

Every writer, every author, every article, bluntly points to the publishing industries drive to meet the "bottom-line." As a business major, I can appreciate that. What erodes my confidence is there's nothing I can do about it: I can write an outstanding novel but the publisher can still reject it because someone else's MS has already been accepted/the company's line is booked (pun intended) for the next couple of years/Stephen King (or Nora Roberts or Michael Crichton or....) just raised their advance, etc.

And part of the bottom line is the readership. Various surveys show that the number one indicator determing the rise (and fall) of a novel is word-of-mouth. While knowing that drives me to do my best when I submit my MS and--once I'm published--I start marketing myself, I also realized (as a reader myself) the difficulty of enticing new readers to one's books.

I'm not putting any blame on either group. For me, it's all a matter of control (or the illusion of it). Specifically, the feeling that my efforts have some direct impact in my aspiration. Must be the American in me. (Also, just wanted to vent a bit.) Besides, these blues fade usually instantaneously. Why? For me, the reasons that I write in the first place: I actually enjoy it and the reassurance that, even if I never get anything published (which, of course, will never happen short of an accident), it wasn't due to lack of trying. And I have control over that.

Joke

Thanks, Dan!


A dedicated Teamsters union worker was attending a convention in Las Vegas and, as you would expect, decided to check out the local brothels.

When he got to the first one, he asked the Madam, "Is this a union house?" No," she replied, "I'm sorry it isn't."

"Well, if I pay you $100, what cut do the girls get?"

"The house gets $80 and the girls get $20," she answered.

Mightily offended at such unfair dealings, the union man stomped off down the street in search of a more equitable, hopefully unionized shop.

His search continued until finally he reached a brothel where the Madam responded, "Why yes sir, this is a union house. We observe all union rules."

The man asked, "And if I pay you $100, what cut do the girls get?" The girls get $80 and the house gets $20."

"That's more like it!" the union man said He handed the Madam $100, looked around the room and pointed to a stunningly attractive blonde. "I'd like her," he said.

I'm sure you would, sir," said the Madam. Then she gestured to a 92-year old woman in the corner, "but Ethel here has 67 years seniority."

WWW

Words
683 new words and what a twist!

Weights
Ate out instead of lifting but ate healthy.
Cardio. Ugh. I'm so tired.

Whatever
Pastries for my luv.

ToDo

Words
Write tonight, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Goal is at least 500 words (two pages) per session, preferably more. I'm thinking of switching the emphasis slightly from quantity to quality (i.e., making sure the sentence says what I want it to say on the draft instead of waiting until the second draft) which is why I dropped the number in the wordcount.


Weights (which includes diet)

Today: weights: chest/back; cardio at 19:30. Continue to move away from fried, fatty foods.

Tuesday: weights: shoulders/arms; cardio at 18:30.

Wednesday: Not sure yet. Depends if we're released from work early or not. I'll have clothes ready, though.

Thursday: POSSIBLY attend a cardio class at 08:30. Am I glutton for punishment or what? The diet goes for the day.

Friday: Not sure yet. I believe the gyms will be open. If so, weights: legs and cardio.

Saturday: Not sure yet. May take a break from weights.


Whatever

Today: Work on the RLI stuff stat. Bills?

Tomorrow: May visit friends over at The Center after workout.

Wednesday: Dinner with Rob. Pick up clothes at drycleaners (which may have to be moved to Friday).

Thursday: May drive up early to the valley so R. can get some work done. Attend holiday dinner with in-laws.

Friday: Loscon? Movies?

Saturday: Loscon? Movies?

Ack

Let's see....

Workout this morn. Zilch. Slept in.

Attempt to write resulted in some words in the journal which don't count. But got some great ideas from TT.

Finished Bob Mayer's The Writer's Toolkit (second edition? reprint?). Great book.

Started Jessica Hall's The Kissing Blades. Wow! For those who don't know, "Jessica Hall" is one of S.L. Viehl's pseudonyms.