The sheer gall

I'm probably not the best person to speak on this since I can't afford to pay any of the reviewers for YABC (or article writers -- though I do "pay" in free books -- but I would pay them if the site weren't such a money pit), but this, from She Unlimited, has got to be one of the most BS (but daring) pitches to get you to write for them for FREE (italics are mine):

She Unlimited Magazine doesn’t pay our writers to write their articles just like our writers don’t pay us to let them use our network. The writing you do at She Unlimited Magazine establishes you as a respected, known author.

That's about one of the biggest loads of crap I've ever heard. "Write for us for free! Hey, we don't charge you to use our server space!" Yeah, and you don't pay them for the advertising revenue that their copy generates either. And the bit about how doing this will make you a "respected, known author" .... whoo-boy. If you believe that, I've got a bridge to sell you. It's in Brooklyn and it is a little bit used, but I bet you could get some more use out of it.

Any writers out there that happen to be reading this -- value your work. Only work for free if you truly truly truly get something out of it. And, in general, don't. Your work is valuable. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

tic, tic, tic (no toe, no tac)

I'm getting a tic near my left eye and it is driving me nuts. As is just about everything lately. I feel overwhelmed, underwhelmed...generally, in a word, whelmed.

Every time I think I'm near the end of the road with the art show apps I get in a new bunch. Another bag today. *Sigh* After I finally finished scanning all of the slides I had. Hopefully the new batch won't have too many slides vs. CDs.

I'm going to go sort through the next batch and maybe watch a movie while I'm doing it. I feel like I need to relax just a little. Just a smidge.

Er...why?

Apparently, there are a bunch of spammers out there who truly believe that I want to meet Russian school girls. And an even larger number that think I want to participate in or view this really nasty Japanese-inspired (figures) ritual. I'd explain what it was (I had to look it up after I got about 70 spams about it), but it's just too nasty to talk about.

I'm not sure if it is because my e-mail address is my YA Books Central one...like they see the "adult" part of the "Young Adult Books" and assume some things...or what. I don't visit porn sites or anything. But I get at least 100 spams a day to this one email address and they break down to about 75% porn-ish and 25% phishing (especially spoofing Chase Bank). Some of the phishing ones are so pathetic. I don't know how anyone falls for those things. But, I guess people must, since I get so many of them.

Then there's the spam I get in my Yahoo account. I think I get about 1,000 a day there. I don't even check that bulk email folder anymore. Just let it delete after a while. It's ridiculous.

Anywho. I'm still in scanning hell, trying to get all of the slides scanned for the St. James Ct. Art Show so we can do the jurying. It wouldn't be so bad except that my printer keeps losing connection for no apparent reason and I lose however many it has scanned in memory -- since you can't set the flipping thing to save after every scan. Why?? Why??

Yehudi

Yesterday, upon the stair,
I met a man who wasn't there
He wasn't there again today
Oh, how I wish he'd go away.

Perhaps misquoted; no one can seem to agree on the last line.

I'm feeling...blecky.

Writing has been almost nil...I've been too busy with "life" to get anything done. There's the St. James Ct. DB project I'm working on (er, make that "volunteering"...you can't really call it work unless you actually get paid). Then Tony's mom has more or less moved in with us. I had figured that was coming soon (she'd lost her job back in Nov), but it was still rather sudden and unexpected as it did happen. So I've been helping her job search, getting the resume together, finding interview clothes, etc.

What I really need to find is a cleaning person who will show up more than a few times. I can only mop about a room before my leg says "hey, man, no way" and in a house this size....eh, that just ain't enough.

I wish Heinlein were still alive.

I kind of feel like having a good big cry for no reason.

And I did get a kind of weird note from an agent today on that project I'd stopped working on because I just didn't "feel it" (Camilla vs. NYC -- I'd put it aside to go back to Abigail because Camilla was just feeling like some teenage snot that I didn't particularly like and she was the main character...). She didn't feel it either -- which I don't blame her in the least -- it was competent but just kind of there. But anyway, the kind of weird thing was that she says she really likes my writing but that it seems too commercial. I'm not exactly sure why that's a bad thing...unless she just means she'd like something more "out there"? Or...or, I don't know. She said that its saleable...but is that the way I want to start out my career?

At any rate, I really want to get back to working on Abigail. I just have to get all the artist applications for 3rd Street ready for jurying by the end of the week or so. That means scanning approximately 400ish slides to start with...

Some projects finished...

I have other stuff to post about, but I've also got some finished projects to post... I finally found an antique wrought iron bench for the bathroom. I re-upholstered it in the same fabric I made the curtains out of and added some fringe for a frou-frou affect. I think it came out pretty good. :-)
Next up...a purse I actually finished knitting a while back but just now finished putting in a lining and the frog closure. I'd gotten the yarn (which is made from the silk of reclaimed saris) from an estate sale for about 1/2 the price of what it would have normally cost. It's really colorful. The picture doesn't really do it justice, I don't think. I made the strap long enough I could put it over my head and carry it that way. I'll feel all bohemian...
And here's a purse I knit for my niece. I just need to mail it to her. It's knit out of a chenille yarn. There's a bit of a pattern on the front, but the rest of it is just plain knit. I made the flap kind of triangular, made a tassle thing-y for it and added a little bauble (shell) hanging on it. I like how it came out. I hope Rachael likes it too. I heard she was a little miffed because I hadn't made her a scarf too, but it was only because I was planning on making her a purse.

Ye Gods

I saw this referenced in the Absolute Write Newsletter under the moniker "Most Clueless Non-Writer of the Week" and they were surely not kidding at all. I am apalled. Aghast. Doubled over in laughter.

Ebay Link to auction for MY 3 ORIGINAL MOVIE IDEAS ---BIG BOX OFFICE POTENTIAL

Snip from the listing, which thankfully no one bidded on (to preserve it for posterity, since Ebay only keeps listing info for a set period of time...spelling/grammar issues are the lister's own...):

I am not a professional writer. I am a huge movie buff and know enough to know a great movie. These ideas cannot be detailed here for obvious reasons.

The first two ideas are Family type movies (bigger bugdet types). The last one is a very unique adult action comedy (small budget to shoot),thats smart and original with a great twist.unlike some of the crap that gets made anymore (snakes on a plane?who's getting fired over this one).

If you win the bidding I will meet in person and detail all three movies and you can choose (or buy the others). These ideas are mine and never been pitched to any one before,and have never been made into a movie. I live in Philadelphia and have NO connections in the movie business so I am pimping my ideas here. Please help.

Now, I know that the movie "bidness" is a hard one to break into and that many people are overcome with delusions of grandeur but...come on! Is this guy insane?

Chicken Toes

I've been scarce -- mostly because we have company (Tony's mom is staying with us for a week-ish) but also because of general medication malaise. It's getting a little better though, thank goodness.

Today I'm (hopefully) going to try and make clothes for myself. Will update soon.

Am way behind on the site too...we've been running all over town. Time. Eck. Never enough of it.