Matthew’s been watching a lot of movies, even more so than usual, trying to get his Movie Review website in shape. As such, I have been subjected to such classics as Child’s Play 2, Species II, and Pet Cemetery. Just this weekend we watched Ghost in the Shell, Event Horizon, and Rosemary’s Baby. I need my brain scrubbed free of horrific imagery.
So, I took skunk pictures:

Hobkin under his hutch, lounging on his new, ultra fluffy blankie

Hobkin in his usual state of being–napping.

Power napping.

Playing dead? Nah, more power napping.

Writing Stuff
Got a letter from my Cricket editor, which puzzled me, as all of my submissions are at least a month away from a response. But she’d actually sat down to pen me a note letting me know that she’d received my edits, various contracts were on the way, and my check for “Razi and the Sunbird” would be coming my way in another week or two. I adore my Cricket editor. And I noticed something while perusing my records as I filed away her letter, I’m a VIP with them! I saw on one of my recent edited stories that they stamp them when they come in to indicate date received, but also have several options to check mark: unsolicited submission, agented, and VIP. “VIP” was checked! I cannot express the utter coolness of that.
I’m getting rather anxious about “Within Your Soul I Sightless See.” I sold it to H.P. Lovecraft’s Magazine of Horror over a year ago, and then due to printing and distributing changes, the publication got delayed along with things like contracts et al. They look to be back on track, so I emailed the editor to ask him what the status was on “Within” and when I might expect a contract. Thus far, the silence on that front has been deafening. Gleep.
Yay for skunk cuteness!!
Yay! Fuzzy cuteness is a cure-all for every ailment! Well, a lot of ailments at least.
Talking about Hobkin (who is beyond cute) made me worried for our neighborhood skunk, as I hadn’t seen him/her for a few months. I mentioned pet skunks a few moments ago in the kitchen, and it seems my daughter ran into him walking the alley recently. I am most relieved! He’s as huge and healthy as ever, apparently, and no one has called animal control about him yet. He’s very friendly, never sprays us when we find him in our garden at night, and I would miss him if they relocated him due to a complaint. Still, I don’t know where his home is, either, or if he has (or even could be) a missus!
Reading your posts, I am finding out what kind of publisher I do not want to become. I am thankful to have good writers who will teach me well. 🙂
I love hearing about wild skunkies doing well. And yeah, skunks very rarely spray. They don’t like the way it smells either, and will only do so as a very last resort. They give plenty of warning–stomping and tail fluffing and all.
“Still, I don’t know where his home is, either, or if he has (or even could be) a missus!“
Hee! Well, if it’s a she-skunk of breeding age, the normal time for giving birth is March/April. If your visiting skunk is very round, she might be gestating a litter of young ‘uns.
*bows before Lord Hobkin, asks to speak to his caretaker*
So, what’d you think of Ghost In The Shell and Event Horizon?
Also, something I wanted to ask you concerning D*C. How do I contact you?
“So, what’d you think of Ghost In The Shell and Event Horizon? “
Ghost in the Shell – good cyberpunk, but rather heavy with the exposition. There were draggy bits–a major flaw in a medium where you can create anything you can draw.
Event Horizon – SQUICK! I didn’t like it.
“Also, something I wanted to ask you concerning D*C. How do I contact you?“
Um, do you not have my email? It’s eugie@eugiefoster.com
Actually, I couldn’t find it til now. Honest. ^^
I liked Event Horizon myself, just for Fishburne’s reaction when he finally saw the fate of the previous crew.
“….. we’re leaving.”
I really like Sam Neill, so I saw this one in the theater. There are images that were so terrifying. I also thought the significance of the translation (and miss-translation) of the Latin phrase a nice, chilling touch.
I was squicked pretty much throughout the movie, although I agree, Sam Neill rawks. The imagery and the tension really got to me. It was the eyes . . . and that decompression scene . . . and the flayed . . . oh hell, the whole thing squicked me out.
Yeah, squick was the word of the day for that one.
Datapoint — I have H.P. Lovecraft’s contracts for two shorts sold to them in October 2003. The contracts took about a year to get to me. Haven’t heard word one since I sent them back again.
Thanks for the info. Did the editor say what issues your shorts would be slated for? In our initial correspondence, he said #3 or #4 for “Within,” but it’s been a long while, and issue #2 just came out, so I don’t know if I’m rushing him, or worrying fruitlessly or what. I did see that Sean Wallace took over as managing editor of both HPLMH and Weird Tales, but not fiction editor. Don’t know what, if any, impact that will have on things like contracts. Anxiety.
ok, that is by far too cute!!! I love how he look lying on his back! LOL
Thanks! Hobkin’s got a very adorable tummy.
oh gosh, he’s cute 🙂 🙂 🙂
Hobkin and Spainy are definitely graduates of the School O’Cute. Their cuteness must be worshiped!
Hobkin seems pretty active when I’m around. 😉 He’ll only sleep in certain positions — Mommy’s lap, Mommy’s arms…
Very true. When new people are up and about, he tends to be more active. But I’d say you’ve probably still seen him at his narcoleptic best . . .
Hobkin is ADORABLE!!!
There’s a pair of wild skunks that lives around our area. They come to our apartment complex looking for food that’s spilled out of the dumpsters. So, that makes me wonder…what do skunks eat?
They’re very, very cute, and obviously a pair. They trot across the parking lot side by side and don’t seem to feel threatened at all.
We love every chance to see them.
Awww! I wish we had more wild skunks around here, but we’re fairly close to a road, and skunks aren’t very traffic savvy, so it’s probably just as well.
“what do skunks eat?“
Skunks are opportunistic omnivores. They’ll eat just about anything. I’ve heard of people feeding wild skunks peanuts (unsalted, non-dry roasted), raisins, bread, and table scraps. Wild skunks eat insects, grubs, bird eggs, the occasional animal (bird, rodent, lizard) they can catch, fallen fruit and veggies, basically whatever they can find.
Hobkin has a very specialized diet consisting primarily of a large array of raw veggies, beans & rice, plain yogurt, cottage cheese, the occasional hard boiled egg, smattering of peanuts, bit of bread, piece of fruit, and the periodic corn muffin or other treat that he steals or begs out of us. He also gets daily vitamin and mineral supplements, as well as instant milk blended into his food for added calcium. He typically eats better than we do!
*killed by cuteness*
Hobkin is the uber lord of cute. All must submit to his cutitude!
Rosemary’s Baby is one of my favorites. The way Rosemary’s husband behaves toward her is probably the scariest part. I mean, the day after her “date with the devil.” Ew. He’s all, “You passed out and I didn’t want to miss baby night. It was kind of fun.” Gross.
And he sells her out so cheaply–for a part. Evil and scuzzy.
“But Rosie, we can have other babies. Heh, heh.”
What a scumbag.
VIP status? Tres cool!
~Maggie 🙂