Goodnight

Work deadlines, project details, corp bios, film shooting, film scripting, worktime workout, apartment logistics (DSL, DP&L, adjusted paperwork dates), come home and continue to dig out the yard for patio project, catch up on Econ homework, eat, collapse.

Tomorrow: more of same.

Also, some writing in there. Um. Somewhere.

It'll be quiet here this week.

24-Month Theme Song

This has probably been the Kameron Hurley theme song over the last two years. Crazy does love company. Here's to hoping something with a little more sanity will come to represent the next couple of years.

I just hope that whatever it is has an equally catchy beat.

Gnarls Barkely - "Crazy"

I remember when, I remember, I remember when I lost my mind
There was something so pleasant about that place.
Even your emotions had an echo
In so much space

And when you're out there
Without care,
Yeah, I was out of touch
But it wasn't because I didn't know enough
I just knew too much

Does that make me crazy?
Does that make me crazy?
Does that make me crazy?
Possibly

And I hope that you are having the time of your life
But think twice, that's my only advice

Come on now, who do you, who do you, who do you, who do you think you are,
Ha ha ha bless your soul
You really think you're in control

Well, I think you're crazy
I think you're crazy
I think you're crazy
Just like me

My heroes had the heart to lose their lives out on a limb
And all I remember is thinking, I want to be like them
Ever since I was little, ever since I was little it looked like fun
And it's no coincidence I've come
And I can die when I'm done

Maybe I'm crazy
Maybe you're crazy
Maybe we're crazy
Probably

Uh, uh

You Know....

... People who don't own books must have a way easier time moving around from place to place.

Just sayin'.

Ways to Finish a Saturday

Once the bush was out, we started digging the foundation for the new patio. With the extra dirt, we started filling in the old hole where the bush was and the low spots in the yard.




Then it was time for beer and dinner. We're headed out for some burgers and calling it a night.

Ways to Spend a Saturday

The Old Man has had a hankering to move this bloody fucking bush from out behind the kitchen window and park it in the back of the back yard.

He's been hankering to do this for a year.

I move out next week.

So it was time.

Three hours of digging and it's finally out!

The guys were really helpful!

It's all about leverage.

And pick axes.

And more pick axes.

And some more pick axing.


Prepping the back yard.

Mmmmm tasty prep work.

Pulling up sod was never so exciting.

Now comes the bloody fucking bitch part.

Up and out!

All I needed for incentive was the promise that at some point in the day, we'd have actually moved the fucking bush.

Eventually, it would move. Really.

Yes, we had to roll it. The truck kept getting stuck in the yard. No, I don't have an pictures of that. It was only mildly amusing.

This is why I work out, yo.

I think this is how I would look after playing rubgy.

At one point, I did move the bush by tackling it.

Really, the guys were totally useful.

The reveal!


Once we got it upright, it was all down hill from there. Literally.

I still couldn't quite believe we moved it.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhh success!!

The boys housed each other down. We're down with that sort of thing here at Hacienda Dayton.

This is Stephanie's "Ha ha you're all muddy and I'm not!" dance.

To be fair, she did buy us pizza.

Yes, there's a gigantic hole now. These big rocks are how we leveraged that bad boy out of there.

Gratuitous gear shot.

The dogs weren't all that helpful.

My ass will never look the same.

Next week: MOVING DAY!!!

It's Funny

I need some kind of intellectual stimulation to get turned on. The person can be cute as hell, but unless there's some kind of intellectual engagement, I'm just not interested in any more more than cuddling.

I need someone who challenges me.

Smart, witty guys are really fucking hot.

The rest I could take or leave.

Not that cute isn't a great bonus, mind you, but the hottest sex I've ever had was with somebody who'd look me in the eye and take me on. Physically - in a literally powerful way in that we were pretty evenly matched in strength and the power of our desires - and intellectually - in his ability to question, challenge, and engage on every level.

And that's a really tough combination to find.

Song of the Day

.... the lyrics of which were IM'd to me by the Not-Boyfriend, for some brain-addled reason. Sometimes I think he doesn't make connections in his head about why he sends me stuff like this.

Oh well. It's a good song, in any case.

Buckcherry - "Sorry"

Oh I had alot to say
Was thinking on my time away
I missed you and things weren't the same
'Cause everything inside it never comes out right
And when I see you cry it makes me wanna die.

I'm sorry I'm bad, I'm sorry you're blue
I'm sorry about all the things I said to you
And I know I can't take it back
I love how you kiss, I love all your sounds
And baby the way you make my world go 'round
And I just wanted to say I'm sorry.

This time I think I'm to blame
It's harder to get through the days
We get older and blame turns to shame
'Cause everything inside it never comes out right
And when I see you cry it makes me wanna die.

I'm sorry I'm bad, I'm sorry you're blue
I'm sorry about all the things I said to you
And I know I can't take it back
I love how you kiss, I love all your sounds
And baby the way you make my world go 'round
And I just wanted to say I'm sorry.

Every single day I think about how we came all this way
The sleepless nights and the tears you cried
It's never too late to make it right
Oh yeah sorry

I'm sorry I'm bad, I'm sorry you're blue
I'm sorry about all the things I said to you
And I know I can't take it back
I love how you kiss, I love all your sounds
And baby the way you make my world go 'round
And I just wanted to say I'm sorry.
I'm sorry baby.
I'm sorry baby, Yeah.
I'm sorry.

Conversations with my Coworkers

Coworker 1: "Wow, Kameron I like your new haircut! It's really... edgy."

Me: "Edgy?" If someone would have said this in any other place in the world but Dayton, OH I'd think it was a compliment.

Coworker 2: "No, it's really great! It fits you really well. I mean, you're not normal. I mean, a usual sort of person, so it really fits you. It's very hip and edgy!"

Me: ....?

Edgy. My haircut is "edgy."

General consensus is that the haircut is, indeed, a good one, but it does make me look a lot more like a young, hip professional. It's short and highlighted, and add that to the naturally curly crazy effect, and I look like I should be painting huge canvases with buckets of pain downtown or walking around at art shows with glasses of wine in hand.

Ok, so, I did go walk around an art gallery last night on date #3, but that's beside the point.

Yeah, I suppose the haircut suits me.

The Apartment Hunt is Over!

Got my new digs a few hops from the The Greene (no, not *at* The Greene as some of my coworkers believe. I can't afford to live *at* The Greene). I now have a "Beavercreek" address instead of a "Dayton" address, which I think also makes me feel better.

One bedroom, dishwasher, air conditioning, balcony, onsite laundry. The only drawback is that it's more than I wanted to spend and no utilities are included. My commute also goes from 15 min to 35 min.

But, yo: it's my own place! It's big! It has a walk-through closet!

The first month is free. I sign and pick up the keys on the 12th. Photos to follow shortly thereafter.

April

There have been a lot of seriously not funny April Fool's jokes today.

The one at work was the least funny of all.

Stop, people. Just stop. When you've had a lot of wacky, crazy shit happen to you over a very brief period of time, you're primed for more wacky badness. It's like mild PTSD.

I don't like it. I start getting jumpy and twitchy.

Please stop.

Thank you.

As the World Turns

My parents worked for a local PNW (Pacific Northwest) burger chain, Burgerville, for 25 years. They were both fired about ten years ago within 24 hours of each other during a big muckity-much shakeup.

For the last five years or so, my dad has owned a Pizza Schmizza franchise, also a local chain.

Today, my mom sent me this e-mail:

"Yesterday Figaro's Pizza bought out Pizza Schmizza and
today Starbucks bought Burgerville."

Damn.

It's a changing world, yo.

To Do

For today: Made a list of things I'll be buying from Ikea to furnish my new place. Suddenly an actual possibility now that I don't owe $1133 in taxes. Also, new workouts with Health & Wellness program at work started today! yay!

For tonight: another apartment showing!

And then: homework! My Econ and Marketing classes from Sinclair start today.

For Tues: catching up on all my novel writing

For Weds: Date #3!

Some weeks, I really love being busy.

The Benefits of Working for a Tax Company

I've done my taxes about four times, and went from getting back $900 to owing $1100. I had finally resigned myself to giving $1100 of next month's book check to taxes when I finally gave up staring down the cold, hard tunnel of multiple State returns and brought it in to work to take advantage of my free tax prep benefit.

I went from owing $1133 on Federal to owing $107, I'm getting $8 back from the city of Dayton, $80 back from Ohio, and $2 back from Illinois.

This means I went from owing $1133 to owing, all told: $17

I'm never going back to doing my own taxes.

Today's Song, Stuck on Repeat

"Coconut Skins" by Damien Rice
(this guy is lovely. See also here. Another of my favorites)

You can hold her hand
And show her how you cry
Explain to her your weakness
So she understands
And then roll over and die

You can brave decisions
Before you crumble up inside
Spend your time asking everyone else's permission
Then run away and hide

Or you can sit on chimneys
Put some fire up your ass
No need to know what you're doing or waiting for
But if anyone should ask
Tell them I've been licking coconut skins
And we've been hanging out
Tell them God just dropped by to forgive our sins
And relieve us our doubt
La la la la la la la...

Oh you can hold her eggs
But your basket has a hole
You can lie between her legs and go looking for
Tell her you're searching for her soul
You can wait for ages
Watch your compost turn to coal
Time is contagious
Everybody's getting old

So you can sit on chimneys
Put some fire up your ass
No need to know what you're doing or looking for
But if anyone should ask
Tell them I've been cooking coconut skins
And we've been hanging out
Tell them God just dropped by to forgive our sins
And relieve us our doubt
La la la la la la la...

Resident Evil: Extinction

There's no need to think at all during the course of this movie, and that's a good thing, too, cause thinking would much diminish the experience.

Instead, the filmmakers have happily allowed the viewer to forget all that plot nonesenese alltogether by making Milla Jovovich JUST THAT KEWL:



There are zombies, and some kind of council, and clones, but it doesn't really matter at all because, THERE IS MILLA JOVOVICH AND SHE IS JUST THAT KEWL!!!!!



No, look, there, Milla Jovovich kicking zombie ass!!!



OK, it needed more Jedi and less cloning, and, um, an actual plot and story BUT I DID NOT CARE. At least, not when I was watching it.



At some point, I turned to my date and said, "Someday I will be as cool as Milla Jovovich."



OK, actually I said this about three times. Why he agreed to a third date, I do not know.



Maybe because someday I will BE AS COOL AS MILLA JOVOVICH!!!!!



And yes, this is exactly what the God's War movie poster would so look like, only without the Las Vegas sign, and she'd be wearing a billowing burnous, and would be broader and buffer:



Also, the God's War movie would have plot and character and no lame clones.

And somehow, against all odds, all comprehension NYX WOULD BE EVEN COOLER THAN MILLA JOVOVICH!!!

Hard to believe, I know.

The end.

Date

Well, I'll definitely be seeing *him* again....

Pacing

I'm always curious to see how other people write books. Mainly because mine are always such a damn mess.

When I hit the 3/4 mark, I have to go back and hack apart all the pacing. It's all about timing action scenes and shuffling POV scenes into the right order. Putting in additional POV scenes where necessary, adding foreshadowing elements. I like to do this right before the last quarter because if I'm prepared for it properly, the last quarter flows like a dream. But you have to get the pacing right first, and everybody's plot threads, before you can tie them all up at the end.

Yeah, yeah: details.

And then there's chapter length, varying sentence length (there's a lot of rambling in this one. Cutting commas is going to be one of my biggest projects when I do the first pass of rewrites).

Books are like any other type of writing, on a grander scale. It's putting everything in the right order, in just the right way, to produce just the right emotional effect in your readers. Marketing writing is like like. Technical writing is drier, but you're still trying to take complex concepts and make them comprehensible to the greatest number of people possible.

And you do it in fiction, too. You organize it in a way that gets you the emotional reaction you desire. You want people to connect with your characters. You want them to care. You want to show them a complex but (mostly) comprehensible world.

And you do it all with letters and punctuation.

And pacing.

Fucking pacing.

Sex Change

The fact that the two primary folks who put Nyx back together again are men really bothers me.

So one of them will be getting a sex change. I mean, not within the book (though that certainly would be something interesting to explore in this weird body-swapping world... hm...), but an authorial one.

Sometimes I think what the difference is between feminist science fiction and everything else is just being aware of what you're doing. I've got a lot of heavy cultural biases. I work hard at being aware of them when I'm building worlds, and seeing where they drive me off track. Not every world is like this one. I love reading about places where things are really different. Not just the gadgets, but *everything.* There's so much we just automatically assume, stuff that doesn't fit into the worlds we build. It's the Martian husband reading the paper and the Martian wife serving him tea.

Come on. Really?

Stupid things, like the assumption of a nuclear family (yes, I defaulted to a couple of these, too), the assumption of a supporting cast and background characters that are 95% male (it was a struggle to reverse this for GW, but writing anything else would have been portraying a totally different world than the one I built), het love as the penultimate in intimacy (reeeeeeaally trying to break out of this one, but it's hard), boys who move and shake the world while the girls hold their hands, one-way racism, and governments in total control (we like to think ours knows what it's doing; most governments, though, are pretty incompetent).

Things are a lot more messy (and a lot more interesting) than all that in the worlds I'm building (and, in fact, in real world; the world as assumed is much duller than the real thing). And yes, it's a pain in the ass to go back and fix it when you screw something up.

But the world is better for it.

My Own Ineptitude Sometimes Baffles Me

I'm applying for an apartment. I need my old landlord's phone number. Do I have her phone number? A copy of the lease? Why, no, why on earth would I have that information! Jenn handled all that!

Yeah.

This is why relying on other people to handle stuff explodes in my face. I tend to rend my personal relationships with an unforgivable sort of finality that bites both ways.

It's why I'm so terrified of trusting people. If they don't ruin it, I probably will. It's probably one more reason I'm happy to be moving out now instead of a year from now so I can actually stay friends with Steph and the Old Man...

Sometimes I think the person I really don't trust is myself.

Daytonism of the Week

Was at an apartment showing tonight, and the subject of Dayton and why I moved here and my job came up.

"I'm a copywriter," I explained. "It's really great, I love it. I write all of our brochure copy, promotional stuff, web copy, that sort of thing."

"Oh, you're kidding!" the bubbly leasing agent exclaimed. She was a couple of years younger than me, plump and pretty, with a daughter in daycare. I was kind of surprised at how much she seemed to appreciate what I did.

"That's really wonderful!" she went on. "I'm writing a children's book, and I'm trying to figure out how to copyright it. It's so great to meet a copy-righter!"

No, I didn't correct her. I neatly changed the subject.

All of my roommate's stories about people here are true.