So Colin Firth was on Saturday Night Live the other night as a host (rerun).

Ever since I was in Utsunomiya back in 1995 and my father taped the BBC version of Pride and Prejudice starring him as Mr. Darcy, I've had a HUGE crush on him. But not in the way of like 'come and get me you sexy thing', more of like a 'I want to see many movies of you' kind of thing. He attracts me as a person but I can't imagine kissing him or whatever.

So then I was thinking about the fact that I also like Rupert Everett in the same way (have you seen him in that remake of midsummer's night dream with the actress that plays allie mcbeal? he is amazing). He's great to watch, I am attracted to him, but I wouldn't like want to actually meet him or anything.

And then I realized that these two actors often show up with another actor: Hugh Grant. And, I do NOT like Hugh Grant. But he's the same kind of British, spacey, ineffectual character as Colin Firth, so I am not sure why I don't like him.

So then I started thinking about how arbitrary it is to like two of these very similiar actors but not the other one. Or to like, say, green tea, but not green tea ice cream. And then I remembered I was trying to explain this same concept to an unpublished author friend of mine who was getting discouraged by rejections. It's true, often whether a story is accepted or not is really based on arbitrary likes or dislikes of an editor. Maybe an editor really really doesn't like AI stories, or maybe a character reminds the editor of a hated ex girlfriend, or on the other hand, maybe the story is set in his hometown and he's feeling nostalgic that day (which is, I am convinced, the only reason "Stone Woman" was published by Gothic.net.)or any other of a myriad of arbitrary reasons.

So then that got me thinking that most of the world must work that way, not only publishing. Like whether grants get accepted, or people hired, or baristas take time making your latte or not, and other important things.

Then I was thinking to myself that it's a wonder anything at all gets accomplished by humans. So there, the thought for the day is, good job humans. It's all arbitrary, but we get stuff done anyway.