Reading: New Yorker
Music: Kevin Burke
TV/Movie: Tarzan
Link o' the Day: Tangent Online

Word has finally trickled down from the good folken at the WotF Contest. Looks like yours truly (thas me) is a finalist for the 4th quarter!

Not bad. Not bad. It's not one of the big three of the quarter, but it's not a bad showing all in all and they say I'll be mailing me a certificate of some sort. As for the whole publication/workshop thing...I understand that's not yet been decided. Each year they pick some non-prize-winning finalists for publication and workshopping, but those decisions haven't been finalized yet. I'm not exercising false modesty when I say I doubt I'll be chosen for this. Fact is, a 15,000-word story takes up a lot of space in an already-crowded anthology, and if the story wasn't selected as a top-three for the quarter, I very much doubt they'll pick my monster for publishing. It'd be nice, mind you, but I'm not hanging my hopes on it. Being declared a finalist is pretty dang good. I'm happy with that for the nonce, and will continue to enter for so long as I'm eligible.

* * *
My first review for Tangent Online has been posted and can be found here. (Assuming I pasted the url correctly. If not, just follow the Tangent Online link and look for the review of Marvin Kaye's FAIR FOLK.) Overall it was a very positive review. I had a minor problem with one story, and a major problem with another, but that aside I'm still confident in recommending it to others. (I may have been mistaken by saying one could _only_ purchase it via SFBC. It looks like Amazon.com also has it available.

One thing I decided to do over at Tangent was write up a sillier bio than I usually do. Can be seen here. (or just click on my name at the top of the FAIR FOLK review.)

* * *
Skipped the session again last night as I try and get Guy Williams out the door. That, plus the city's a mess courtesy of our latest round of snowfall, and my leg has been acting up. (Feeling much better today, thankfully.)

I picked up some rhythm bones recently and decided to give those a bit of a try. I had the grip down in about five minutes, and basic click-clacking down in another five. Five more minutes later I had both grip and click-clack down well enough to be able to pick up dem bones and just get clacking right out the gate.

Now the hard part is doing the actual rhythm. I've seen folken play bones at sessions and it always looked so fluid and effortless. Tricksters! So it'll take a lot of practice and patience.

* * *
Speaking of Celtic music, I pretty much have Father Kelly's Reel down pat as well as the Yarmouth Reel. I'm getting the hang of Oh, The Britches Full of Stitches, and need now to only get the second have of The Soldier's Joy memorized. This is all for the mandolin. For the fiddle I can saw out a very poor version of Egan's Polka, and will be giving the Britches/Stitches tune a shot next.

* * *
Pretty Maggie finally got her engagement ring back from the jewellers who stole it in order to "resize" it. I've looed it over and it looks like the ring I bought. I suspect no fowl play. No one is goosing us around. The ring, is very sparkly and looks very nice on her finger. Her friends all approve of my choice in rings, which is nice, although it was Pretty Maggie's opinion that mattered most.

She's happy too.

Okay, signing off. More work doth beckon.

Cheers!