December 05, 2011

So What Else Is New?

Well first of all I got myself interviewed by a website called Fictionaut for Thrice Fiction. Those of you who are readers are going to notice a distinct change in the temperature at Thrice next March. I feel as if I've tapped a new resource for voices you have to read to believe. I'm thrilled at the stuff I'm seeing already coming in for it, and guarantee you will be jolted a bit next time out. I can't wait to show you the Irish writer who will be joining our ranks in issue 4. If you liked the addition of Ann Bogle to our mix, wait until you get a load of James Claffey. I don't know why the Brits always seemed to power down on the Irish, seeing as how their contribution to the English language is both legendary and indispensable. Maybe jealousy? Anyway - you're going to truly dig the guy. Or else.

The cartoon over there isn't new, it's old. In fact it's something I made in an old blog post wherein I explain how sick and tired I was of reading people say, in their comments, "that was so funny I spit Coca Cola through my nose all over the keyboard." For a while there that seemed to be the thing to say in blog comments, and I got sick of it early on. So I took a public-domain drawing and changed the dialog bubble to reflect my disdain. Pleh. I found it again going through my old Photobucket album and decided to run it again. Whatever.

Yesterday after Meeting I stopped by a table that had been set up by these women from Guatamala who were selling Fair Trade handcrafts and bought my newest granddaughter a little doll. I don't know what possessed me to do it, but I know the Fair Trade thing will meet with her Mommy's approval, the darn thing is as cute as anything, and it is 100% cotton so it smells and feels like something a very little girl would want to sleep with. Of course it is almost as big as she is so there's going to be a little time lag and all but I'm a grandpa and I'm also besotted with the kid. So lay off. But you know how it goes, Quakers are all about handcrafted stuff and giving third world entrepreneurs a chance. I know the common belief is that the liberal bent of our "denomination" would just give everything away, but that's totally not true. We believe in teaching people to fish, and if somebody wants to get their hands in there and do work we're usually the first ones to help. If you are interested go to Mayaworks and check it out for yourself. There's some truly beautiful stuff there.

I'm not having any trouble getting into the Christmas thing this year. A few years back it was as if entire vast sections of my extended family had decided to make it their mission to ruin Christmas for me, but I outlasted them all. I'm even sending out Christmas cards - cheesy ones from Hallmark - to local friends. You want one? Just email me your address and you'll see just how cheesy I can get. We can't be avant-garde cutting edge all the time. Sometimes I'm all sappy. Like with new granddaughters and stuff.

I'm even in the process of writing some long form fiction that is more "usual" than you might expect from me. I don't know if I'm getting old or just wtf. But it certainly seems unstoppable at this point.

Not only that, but I submitted some things to the literary journal world over the past month. The legit kind, the kind affiliated with universities or government grants and stuff. I don't think anything will be accepted because I still can't shake out all the alternate dimensions long enough to make it look like straight fiction and poetry, but who knows. I'll let you know. But it feels good to stretch that muscle again after so long a drought. About time I got back in the mix, and so we'll see what happens.

You know what else feels good? I dumped around 40 people from my Facebook friends list and haven't lost one minute of sleep. They were either posting too much hateful political shit or I've decided they are assholes. Or both. And I feel good about it. So there.

All 4 nao.

6 comments:

Dave2 said...

That cartoon was so funny that the chocolate pudding I was easting blew out my nose and landed on the keyboard.

Lucky for me, I was viewing your blog on my iPad, so the keyboard was virtual and I could wipe the pudding off easily.

In any event, congratulations on your new granddaughter! May she grow up to one day be worthy of being your Facebook friend.

Kaye Waller said...

There are some beautiful gift ideas at MayaWorks. Thanks for the link.

Congrats on your new granddaughter and all the new things and ideas and fresh starts in your life. You deserve this!

It's because of you that I too loathe the projectile-hits-screen comments. Sadly, some people are still using it. And I remember that cartoon. Loved it then, love it now. Thanks for bringing it back.

Verdant Earl said...

I would think if I ever spit something as vile as soda out of my nose onto my keyboard I would be too pissed to share the experience with anyone.

Congrats on the granddaughter, the Christmas spirit, the writing and the FB dump. If I ever decide to join FB, I'm gonna do it ninja-style. Only cluing in those who I actually want to keep in contact with. Kinda goes against the whole "hey, look who's still alive" vibe it's got going. Whatevs.

sybil law said...

Man, I can honestly say that NOTHING I've seen or read on the internetz has made me spit anything on my keyboard, and I've seen some really disturbing things.
I've also never ever ROFL - not from internet shit, anyway.

Can't wait for the next Thrice! I love it.

Also, yay! for you and your Christmas spirit! How can I get some of that? I think, even though my house is now decorated, that our weird, wet and mild weather isn't helping matters. Where's the damn snow?

Sophie is gorgeous and you should buy her whatever you want.

RW said...

My offer to send a cheesy Hallmark Christmas card stands for everyone. Just send an addy to ehwtfever@comcast dot net and watch just how cheesy I can get!

Gino said...

send a card to all the Bears fans. they need some cheering up after this past week.