What's New?     May 25, 2001

Forward to June, 2001...

5-25-01

NEWSFLASH!

It's weird to be 35. Today I've finally moved into the middle adult age bracket range that you get on all those questionnaires, you know, the 35-55 deal. Does that make me middle aged? Dunno, I don't feel any different in paticular from being 18, just more tired. Maybe that's what getting older really means, just getting more tired until eventually you keel over. *grin*

On the other hand, maybe getting older is that subtle feeling of shifting attention -- in other words, people are beginning to pay you less attention and you become more invisible. I think this is particulary significant for women who may have been used to getting all the attention when young, and suddenly attention just moves away to the younger set. Of course that's never been my problem, since no one ever paid any attention to me in that sense. Which sometimes can get annoying, but at other times is oddly comforting. I rather like being invisible. :-)

And then there's that childbearing age thing. I think I am headed out. I don't think I can handle the responsibility of having a child--particularly with all my other current responsibilities--nor do I even want a child (at least I don't think I do), but I do want to experience the same human things that everyone else does, in some way. So that aspect of aging is a bummer of sorts.

But enough birthday blues, or even purples, since this is bittersweet--I have other things to talk about.

Our last old beloved family cat Susie was put to sleep on May 14, 2001. I pause in silence to remember. And in memory of Susie and all the other friends who have passed on since November 2000, I've planted 4 rose bushes in our front and back yard. There will be even more roses that I plan to add over the year. Some things end, and others begin anew.

Still working on my huge edit job of DREAMS OF THE COMPASS ROSE, and now I have found that I need to write yet another story before the collection is complete! The story is called "The Garden, The Wind, And The Gong," and it will take place in The Kingdom in the Middle (China) where Nadir goes to learn from the wise priests. I hope to do most of this over this 3-day weekend.

And talking about weekends--thank gawd for this one, I need it so badly, basically because I need to get sleep. Because when I have slept decently, my mind will be clear enough to write faster and produce better quality writing. Because when it comes down to it, writing is all that matters, folks.

Well, that's about it for now, but I may be adding more here as the day goes on. I have a feeling I will have something else to say! :-)

* * * Later today... * * *

When I came home, the most wonderful gifts awaited me at home. I will never forget this, my friends. THANK YOU so much, Lisa Silverthorne and Linda J. Dunn! {{{HUGS!}}}

5-11-01

NEWSFLASH!

Goodness, it's May already, and I am still NOT DONE with the two !@#$%^&*(! books. I am exhausted.

The Nebula weekend was wonderful. Here are some fan archive pictures (including one of me), and here are Locus pictures. My best con in quite some time, and the only stress was getting around UCLA, finding parking, and trudging back and forth from signing to parking lot, to panel to parking lot, etc. I enjoyed seeing Linda J. Dunn, Terry McGarry, Dave Smeds, Rachel and Joyce Holmen, Diana Paxson, Bruce Holland Rogers, Lee Martindale, Amy Sterling Casil, Alan Rodgers, Sheila Finch, Keith Stokes, Laura Anne Gilman, Sherwood Smith, Ashley and Carolyn Grayson, Pat York, and tons of others, not to mention meeting new folks like Robin Bailey, Jane Jewell, Peter Heck, Lois McMaster Bujold, and many more. *Phew!* There is no way can I list them all! It was also good to see Ray Bradbury, Harlan Ellison and the other wonderful speakers.

In other news, happy birthday to Lisa Silverthorne, Samantha Ling, Ron Collins, and other May babies! We rule! *grin*

This month I made my first submission ever to Analog. *gulp* Will see how long it takes for it to get bounced. :-)

And last night I told myself, to hell with everything, and went and saw THE MUMMY RETURNS. Here are my impressions. My expectations were too high this time, so I didn't like it as much as the first one, though this one was lots of fun overall and had awesome panoramic special effects. Love the sexy actor who plays Imhotep the Mummy! ;-)

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