Reading: Ranma manga #24 (Shonen Sunday ed.)
Music: Presidents of the USA
TV/Movie: Law & Order: CI
Link o' the Day: Ansible(July 2003 issue)

It's been a pretty long weekend. Holiday weekends will do that, and holiday weekends with guests will do that doubly so. Still, it was a wonderful three days-plus. We went all out and ate very well all weekend including Mongolian barbecue, southern barbecue, and seafood. We went down to Newport yesterday where I picked up a nice trucker's tan (read: burn) on my left arm. That was really the only touristy thing we did. Mostly we hung out and chatted either in restaurants, in the car coming from or going to restaurants, or in their hotel room while deciding what restaurant to go to. We also lucked out in that their hotel room was nice and air-conditioned. Since my break-in last year, I've refused to put an air conditioner in (I live on the ground floor and the only two times I've suffered a break-in, they got in through the window by pushing in the air conditioner). Anyway, we kept cool at the hotel, and had fun at the hotel pool to boot. I've not been swiming in _ages_.

All in all, a very fun weekend. They are good friends and great guests.

* * *
I've gotten practically no work done since Thursday. No biggie. We all need vacations. Pretty Maggie starts her new job tomorrow, so she's going to be a busy girl again very soon. The apartment needs a lot of cleaning right now. We're not neck-deep in garbasge or anything, but Pretty Maggie and I both have a lot of "stuff" and now that we also have a cat, it's... well... you cat owners know what I'm talking about.

* * *
I received a quick turnaround rejection from F&SF. No real surprise. I also received a rejection from Argosy stating in its last paragraph:

"Best of luck with placing it elsewhere, and please keep us in mind for future works (you're the first person I've said this to)."

That's fairly encouraging. They're getting a new submission sent to them tomorrow.

Cicada finally got back to me regarding the submission I sent them eight months ago. It was pretty much a "lost in the mail" letter. I suppose I'll simply resend the submission. It's a good story, but as a juvie, it has limited short-fiction options.

* * *
Short night tonight. It's nearly quitting time for me and I've barely begun. I've received some of the materials for my freelance work, and I have some writing work of my own to plan out. Plus I just got myself the DVD for Miyazaki's Spirited Away. Gotta see.

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Today's link is an old favorite of mine:Dave Langford's newsfanzine Ansible(July 2003 issue). I've appeared in it only twice, and only once by name. (The first time it was good not to be named as it was Dave pointing out an embarassing typo I cause in Robert Metzger's column in my first Bulletin production. The second time was my FAAN Award.)
Anyway, it's news that's fit (and sometimes unfit) to print in SF and fandom. It has mostly a British slant, but good for fans 'round the world.
Enjoy!