Thanks so much to all who voted.

I made the top twenty at 3 Quarks Daily.

Will find out if I made it into the finals tomorrow. Tough competition by actual, you know, scientists.

Now I'm going out to troll for compliments on my writing to get me puffed up enough to send the children's book manuscript off to my agent this week.

I want to throw up. Do you guys ever do that? Beg for compliments/hair pats so you can get up the gumption to do something like this?

Is it really bad if I'm aware that I'm doing it?

Mega busy work day. I miss everyone. Hope my friends are doing well. Mwah!

The lemon tree I thought was a lime tree really is a lemon tree, and the lemons are delish!



Because we worry that Mona could choke trying to catch a squirrel and getting caught on the railings of the balcony, I put down window boxes along the perimeter and filled them with sweet alyssum, and one with strawberries, which I will likely kill, poor things.



I'm trying herbs. I got sage, rosemary, and sweet basil. If the rosemary does well, I'll put it in its own large container. I'm still searching for chives, since I love them. Can't find starters anywhere. If anyone has seeds, can I send you a SASE?



Also, pansies!

The terror of trying to find a job in this economy is suffocating.

I am either ridiculously overqualified for jobs that would require a 20k - 30K pay cut or ridiculously underqualified for jobs in my current range.

I wish I could get a job beating the fuck out of the assholes who caused this economic meltdown. I'd take the 20K cut for that.

I'm so scared. I hate this.

Also? How did I let myself end up in a position where the only jobs I can get are "executive assistant to dumbass?"

That's on me.

Poor Mona was bleeding. We found spots in our beds, and they were getting worse, plus she has goopy eyes, so we brought her in to the vet's office this morning.

I had to muzzle her, and she fought like hell in terror, and peed all over the table during her exam. She was just truly terrified, trembling. Made my heart hurt.

The vet thought it was likely a urinary tract infection, and gave us an antibiotic, and eye drops for her conjuctivitis. Then we went to Petco for a new harness and some treats. She had a great time at Petco and was very well-behaved.

Still, we need to get her into an obedience class to learn to sit, stay, and come when she's called. We would have started her this weekend, but her health was priority.

Because she had such a phenomenally shitty day, I gave her a ladle-full of broth from the pot roast I made, which she happily lapped up. She's had a few walks, doses of her medicine, and is now napping contentedly.

The vet says she's most definitely a dachshund/beagle mix. This explain so much about her clownish behavior. She is awfully funny.

Also, on all of the paperwork, Kristen is listed as Spouse/Other, which cracks me up.

Kristen and I just adopted a wee shelter dog named Mona. She's about three years old, and very sweet. Not much bigger than Ruby, actually!

We have to wait a week until she's spayed to pick her up, but she spent the afternoon with us and warmed right up to the place, and to us. We just spent a small fortune at Petco on toys and supplies and a crate for her. Plus food, treats, a leash and collar, a tag with her name and phone (though, she is chipped), and a little box and pee pad to put on the balcony in case she needs to pee during the day when we aren't here.

Ruby and Mona pretty much ignored each other, which is fine. We think Mona will end up sleeping with Kristen since Ruby is territorial about my bed.

I'm going to go bananas waiting for her to get here!

Weird blues. I'm worried about being terminally single. I don't want to be, but don't know how to fix that.

Got a call from a friend. Her mom had a surgery this morning, they discovered she's just riddled with cancer. I'm taking my friend up to Santa Cruz next weekend to visit. Her jeep won't make the trip.

I should be finished with Sam edits this weekend. Then it's off to Agent Kate, and then it's off to publishers where I suspect in this climate, it will be rejected pretty quickly.

No word on the job front, but I didn't really expect to hear anything this week.

I'm putting together a new piece for Cocktail Party Physics about beliefs in stuff like horoscopes and kenochi footpads and astral projection. So here is a poll, because my friends are smart and I like knowing whatcha all think.

Poll #1323044 Gas Giants
Open to: Friends, detailed results viewable to: Friends, participants: 30

Do you believe in horoscopes?

Ghosts?

Kinoki Foot Pads?

The Secret?

I am woefully blue.

Say something cheery.

Hello my law friends!

I'm looking for recs on library software where I can keep contacts and case files.

It'd be great if information could be exported into an excel sheet for sorting.

Any suggestions?

My nephew, astronaut

I have guilt. I just put $400 bucks on my credit card for some desperately needed clothes.

I realized I had nothing nice for interviews, and my last pair of good jeans wore to shreds months ago.

I got:

3 pairs of good jeans that fit well
1 medium length dress jacket of good quality I found on clearance (black)
1 short length dress jacket (black)
3 blouses: 1 navy, 1 pewter with black velvet embellishments, 1 white with black and silver pinstripes
1 pair good black dress pants
1 pair of tights

I found NO GOOD SHOES.

Seriously. I just want a pair of rounded toe two inch leather pumps, size 7. Three shoe stores, and I got nuthin.

I also got hair dye remover and a box of medium ash brown hair dye. Purple be gone. Made appointment for brow wax and a hair cut tomorrow.

Tonight? Fixing my hair, giving myself a mani/pedi, and digging out some old dress shoes to see what's salvageable.

Halloween is after all, a night of transformation.

Super secret message to shrift: I would ABSOLUTELY love a reference from you, and I'm so grateful.

Agent Kate is "liking it!" She'll let us know when she's done reading. In the meantime, I will continue to chew my nails and worry.

Hey guys. Need a big push of encouragement. Closing in on the deadline.

Tell me Sam is okay. It's worthy. It's got a shot. Need a push.

On the freeway on the way to the RNC in Minneapolis...

When I post a WIP, (or email it), it's first draft, always. Just the raw shit that fell out of my brain and onto the page.

When I get feedback, I mull it, reread it, and then put my head down to incorporate it into second draft. Then proofread, then call it a day and move on to the next. When the book is complete, I'll ask for folks to read it, and those with the time to do me that really amazing solid will then tell me what needs a third pass.

I'm needy and weird.

My co-author is a first time writer, and I thought he was going to do the outlines and I'd work from his drafts. But cutiehead really wants to learn and do by himself. He's aware, I'm aware that he's going to have to toss his shoulder into the wheel, and he's bound and determined to do so. So! No worries about sending me emails on the side or whatever. This is really going to help him craft it, and help me because I'm awful at critique. I use a sledgehammer where one only needs a feather duster. I'm all, ANIMAL! ANIMAL! And then I kick over the drum kit.

WIP/Beta readers? You're awesome at it.

So! Thanks to everyone who emailed and wrote comments. You make me feel way more confident (than I probably should, hee).

Just added my co-author to LJ so he can participate in WIP reader comments and get feedback.

However, since I'm always saying my friends are awesomer than his friends (dudes, you have no idea) would those of you so inclined please introduce your awesomeness to the person I'm sharing my royalties (um, if we ever sell this thing) with?

He's samboy1 if you'd like to add.

Thanks!

Hey flist, my agent is looking for steampunk YA, so if you know anyone who is writing in the genre (well) and deserves a shot at getting published, feel free to send my email addie and I'll have my people call their people and we'll do lunch. Or something.

Feel free to pass this along.

I just heard a recording of my little beta reader (Ashley, Age 6) reading Sam aloud.

SO CUTE!!!!

Did you know that bats pollinate the agave plant and eat the pests that would wipe them out?

Without bats, there'd be no tequilla.

Hey flist,

I would like to commission (heh) three sketches for my book proposal. I don't have much, 100USD and perhaps a few publishers will see it if my agent thinks it's worthwhile to send them out as part of the package as a visual.

At any rate, I would use the sketches on allysonbeatrice.com as part of a "what I'm working on now" thing with a brief synopsis.

Sam is a mexican free tail bat. I'd like a sketch of him cuddled in his mother's wings in their roost when he's a wee baby.

Sketch the second would be Sam roosting next to Bonnie, a barn owl. He'd be next to her, hanging from a rafter, upside down, snuggled together.

Third would be Sam fully grown, in flight against the moon.



So! I am asking a lot for 100 bucks. And it's okay to tell me I'm crazy. But if you know of a an artist who could put together something cute or quirky and fun, I'd sure be a happy writer.

Thoughts? Suggestions? Counseling? Yes, I emailed Kenix, but dude, he's crazy famous now. I hear he actually can afford pants (Bronzer inside joke).