(no subject)

[stakebait]

Mom of Mer is home from hospital, and I am home from Mom of Mer's -- though only till tomorrow, when I go back for the weekend. She is fine. (For someone who had surgery a week ago. There will be no steeplechasing, ribbon dancing, or wanton picking up of dropped things for the forseeable future.) I am fine too.

The plan is for me to spend weekends there for the next two months, doing groceries and laundry and shopping for odd bits of archaic underthings to hold her incision together, so if I'm not around, that's why.

I am missing Lunacon this weekend, which will probably make me sad afterwards, but is just as well, as this is not the Social Mer. This is the Mer whose idea of a racy St. Patrick's Day is to put some chocolate in my milk. I don't mind in the least having a quiet evening of cat and book in my own apartment, but I hate to be sedate at what should be a party. It makes me feel old.

Rejection from Feral Fiction, though a very encouraging one. How I wish it was good professional etiquette to reply to someone who says "this is not for us" with "why not?" By which I don't mind "change your mind" or "how dare you" but "I really want to know, why not?" It would help a lot with the figuring out what to send them next time.

Oh, well. Negligible word count, but I did write another poem.

The altogether-too-late-for-the-anthology Red States/Blue States plot bunny continues to churn in my brain. Though actually plot is the one thing I don't have -- all I've got is an increasingly fleshed out setting, a protagonist, and the first two lines. What *is* that, a Setting Ferret? Sooner or later I must corner an SCA person, a military person, and a Pittsburgh native for brain picking for that one, but it need not be now.

Am very tired, which feels altogether too comfortably familiar. Am also in that slightly nerve-exposed state where random phrases strike me with stunning force, leading me to get briefly weepy in the work restroom from reading a Phantom retelling, or stand transfixed by an ad on a payphone. Fear my unflappable composure, it takes an empty plastic bag caught on a tree branch to shake me. (It's not a *bad* mood, if that wasn't clear. It's even pleasurable, in an unsettling way. Just intense, like the muffling is off the world and every touch shudders to the bone.)

Comments

[thebratqueen.livejournal.com]

This is the Mer whose idea of a racy St. Patrick's Day is to put some chocolate in my milk.

And you will eat that banana, lunchtime be damned!

[snugglehugs] Thanks for the update. If you want to talk I can give you a call after bellydance tonight. One way or another make sure you're talking care of yourself.

[stakebait.livejournal.com]

Hee! I would, if I had a banana. :)

Thanks for the *hugs* I think I might like to talk, if I'm not asleep -- must decide if I'm going to bellydancing myself.

[rysmiel.livejournal.com]

*long hug* deep breaths. Glad to hear from you, glad to hear you are bearing with, am thinking of you and wishing you well.

[stakebait.livejournal.com]

Thank you muchly. *hugs* *breathes*

[doeeyedbunny.livejournal.com]

Chocolate milk?! You wild and crazy woman!

*hug* Good to hear from you.
Miss you, and will miss you moreso this weekend.

[stakebait.livejournal.com]

Hee! I'm a wild thing, I am. :) Have a great con! I miss you too.

[buxom-bey.livejournal.com]

You're not the only one who's going to miss Lunacon this year. Although, somehow I still wound up being scheduled for panels, so I'm sending L as my proxy.

"These are not the breast you're looking for."

[stakebait.livejournal.com]

Oh, dear. I do hope I wasn't scheduled. I did email them. And I'm sorry you'll be missing it too.

Hee!

[valancy.livejournal.com]

*hug* rough time, lady. Pulling through with grace as always, though.

[stakebait.livejournal.com]

Thank you. I think any grace is entirely an artefact of my editing what goes in the LiveJournal, but I'll take what I can get. :)

[dodyskin.livejournal.com]

*hugs you*

I'm glad you're okay, if raw. Raw is okay sometimes.

[stakebait.livejournal.com]

*hugs* Thanks.

[tamnonlinear.livejournal.com]

*big hugs*

I like this Mer too. Don't feel you have to perform for anyone. You are not our monkey (unless you want to be).

Lack of monkey

[stakebait.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

I don't feel I have to perform -- silence is fine (and I tend to get quiet when things are hard or complicated or not baked yet). But I do somewhat feel that if I'm going to perform, I should do it well -- that an entry which is neither entertaining nor enlightening is not worth making. Especially one that has no significance or application to anyone but me.

But there are the people who want to know about me, and LJ is an efficient mechanism for telling them how I'm feeling before I get too tired for repetition and cut my answer to the bone. Thank goodness for the cut tag, which means I'm not imposing on anyone who doesn't, for whatever reason, want to know.

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

It's good to hear that things are going as smoothly as can be in the Mom-of-Mer sphere. Here are some *hugs*, boisterous ones for you and some gentle ones for your mom.

Sooner or later I must corner an SCA person, a military person, and a Pittsburgh native for brain picking for that one, but it need not be now.

You can get 2 of those -- SCA and Pittsburgh (though she may not be a native; she lives there) -- in cellio.

[stakebait.livejournal.com]

*hug* Thank you! Would she think it slightly odd to be approached by a stranger?

[filkerdave.livejournal.com]

Oh dear. I shall miss you at Lunacon!

[stakebait.livejournal.com]

Have a wonderful con!

[zanda-myrande.livejournal.com]

*hugs and more hugs* (but gently)

I got caught by the empty plastic bag on the tree branch late one night. I couldn't actually see the branch, and it took me minutes to work out what the pale flappy thing floating in mid-air was...

It's funny, isn't it (nah, not really) how this convention has got established, that publishers not only don't have to tell you why they're rejecting your work, it's a point of honour not to and if you question it the sky will fall on your head. What happens if you do ask? Do you go on a blacklist or something?

Look after yourself as well.

[stakebait.livejournal.com]

Glad to know it's not just me. My favorite is when they're not caught on anything, and float high through the air on weird currents, like a ghost. I call them Urban Tumbleweed.

Hee! That'd be a fun game -- the publishing black list and how you get on it. I bet the various editors and agents on LJ and blogs would be happy to contribute suggestions. :)

I don't know what happens. I expect nothing much, except that I've annoyed them and made them feel awkward, which is not the emotional reaction I want when someone sees my name on a future submission.

I can't blame them in the least for not wanting to have to justify what may be a nonverbal gut reaction, or take the time when they need to spend it on editing what they did accept or reading the next submission, or want to risk the likely frequent rages and self-justifying screeds they'd get in response. I wouldn't, if I were them. I just wish there was some way of conveying "Look, if you happen to have the words and time to type them, please do. I won't freak out. No really. Hand to god."

[astarte99.livejournal.com]

Great, now *I* want some chocolate milk. Mmmmmmmmmmm....

And if/when you decide that you want to pick the brain of some SCA folks, a decent contingent of my FL are rather involved SCA ppl, so I am sure that I could find someone to fill you in.

And yay, I'm glad to hear that you and the MerMom are doing well.

[stakebait.livejournal.com]

Hee! The evil chocolate milk meme spreads once again! Bwahahaha!

And *grin* thanks!

[firestrike.livejournal.com]

I must corner an SCA person, a military person, and a Pittsburgh native

Are you looking for all three in one as the incarnation of the tripartite resource? Or is it enough to have all three trapped in a small room with you?

-M

[zanda-myrande.livejournal.com]

"An SCA person, a military person and a Pittsburgh native walked into a bar..."

[sdelmonte]

The State the Meredith is never skippable.

We'll miss you much at the con.

Question: on Sunday, I am on a Buffy-related panel. I can only assume it is because you are not there, and they needed a stunt-Meredith. May I have your permission to call myself such?

[doeeyedbunny.livejournal.com]

Ooh, I'm stunt-doubling for buxom_bey on that one!

[halimede.livejournal.com]

I used to hang out with SCA folks in the military quite a bit and some of them may even have been from Pitsburgh. That's probably not enough to be of help to you, is it. *g*

[stakebait.livejournal.com]

Hee! Depends on how much you remember of what they told you, but probably not.

[collinwood.livejournal.com]

::Raises hand:: Thirty plus years in the SCA. You are welcome to pick my brain, such as it is.

[stakebait.livejournal.com]

Thank you tons! I'd love to, once I get my own brain back in working order.

[flaming-muse.livejournal.com]

Taking care of yourself and following your own needs is good. I'm also glad that your mother is doing as well as she can be, although the steeple population will clearly be growing out of control while she is recovering. Pesky steeples.

[stakebait.livejournal.com]

Hee! That's okay, they've got bells on so we'll know if they're sneaking up on us.

[akkasha.livejournal.com]

I am glad you are getting some time at home either way. I know it can be hard with all the back and forth. Just remember to take care of yourself so you don't end up getting too run down in the process.

I am glad your mom is doing okay. That is good to hear.

Hope you will make bellydancing tonight, but I completely understand if you need to zone. Though remember what you always tell me after class. It does make you feel better. Though vegging out for the evening makes me feel good too. So whatever you decide is good.

If you need anything, just hollar. Remember I can actually drive the car now so if you should need anything while at your mom's, you can call.

*loads of hugs and snugs*

[stakebait.livejournal.com]

Thank you sweetie! *hugs*

[cadhla.livejournal.com]

I love you.

Feel better.

I fall down and die now.

[stakebait.livejournal.com]

*hugs you* Thank you sweetie! Please don't die.

[monanotlisa.livejournal.com]

*hugs*

[stakebait.livejournal.com]

*hugs* Thank you!

[lifecollage.livejournal.com]

We're sitting here watching World Poker Tour and typing away. I don't feel old, just reserving my energy.

I am glad that Mom of Mer is doing well, and I also hope that the Mer remembers to take care of herself, too. Big hugs from those up north who love you.

[stakebait.livejournal.com]

Very wise. And thank you so much, hugs and love help lots and lots. *hugs to you both*

[gwynnega]

Glad your mom's doing well. And I'm glad you're doing okay, if tired and nerve-exposed! ::hugs::

[stakebait.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

[rainkatt.livejournal.com]

Glad your mom's doing OK, and that you are, as well, even if you're tired. You sound good, in spite of the weariness.

[stakebait.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

[dotsomething.livejournal.com]

Glad you mom is doing well. I understand about the raw state--you should take the time and don't feel old about it (but I know how that feels, I have been a real fuddy duddy this winter).

Stop by work if your mom (or you) needs some (more) books during recovery.

[stakebait.livejournal.com]

Thank you! More books good. Mom I think is turning from SF to historicals and mysteries at the moment, for the comfort of the known, but I'm still in need of something new. :)

Is it too late to also snag a bit of ornamental terracotta from the dumpster TNH mentioned? And are you up for dinner any time soon?