Category Archives: Blog

In a fit of escapist zeal, Matthew and I went to see Constantine, then came home and watched Alien vs Predator and Garden State to round things out.

Constantine was pretty. It actually had an engaging storyline, and Keanu Reeve’s *ahem* “acting” didn’t detract from the film. The CGI wings were swoofy too–best done wings I’ve seen. I do think the writerly/directing influences from both Exorcist and Prophecy were exceedingly blatant. There was also a rather pronounced sense of “short shrift” given to even a suggestion of character development, making it difficult to become emotionally vested in the life-and-death activities happening to both good guys and bad. That, paired with some slow moments in the middle, made for a flawed production. But overall, Constantine gets Eugie’s gold star of shiny fun. And, alerted by various and sundry, we knew to stay until the end of the credits. If you see Constantine, don’t leave the theater until after the credits are over!

Alien vs Predator was much better than I expected. Yes, the first half of it didn’t have space monsters duking it out, but once past that bit, it was full of acid blood splashes, tail spikes through chests, and dread-locked predators being all fierce and Klingon-esque. More shiny fun. As Matthew pointed out, the gestation and development cycle of aliens appears to have been significantly accelerated compared to how long it took in Alien, but I was willing to overlook silly details like that. I mean it’s supposed to be all about the monster carnage, right?

And Garden State was the meaningful film of the trio. I suspect Natalie Portman’s character was described in the screenplay as “spaz.” But she pulls off “spaz” enchantingly. There were quirky bits; I like quirk, and some very good writing. I thought it sagged in the middle, but generally was satisfying.

Writing Stuff
Wrote a Tangent review for Strange Horizons, for a two-parter novelette and flash piece.

And I’m getting myself back on track on the writing front. Not launching back into the Novel™ just yet, as I haven’t produced new wordage in ages and I don’t want to embark on it until I’m sure I’ve got my writing legs (should that be fingers?) back. So I’ve started doing fairy tale research as I’ve actually exhausted my backlog of Cricket manuscripts. That last sale of “The Tanuki-Kettle” came a lot faster than I’ve become accustomed to them responding–not that I’m complaining. And I’ve started a new short story from some imagery that popped into existence out of the ether–courtesy muse-o-mine.

Words: 150

Club 100 For Writers
1

Sigh. Starting over.

So, for those of you who didn’t know (old news for some of you), I’m a telecommuter, and my place of employment decided to recall me to the home office. The home office is in Illinois; I’m happily situated in Georgia, ergo, I’m terminating from the company. My last day is Monday. I’ve been with this company for nearly eleven years, but I knew this possibility was looming as they’ve been re-evaluating their telecommuter program. Remote workers across the country have been dropping like those plastic ducks at shooting galleries. Yep. I have joined the ranks of plastic duckhood.

It’s been a stressful week. I’ve been packing up and carting off over a decade’s worth of desk detritus in measured increments. There was some catharsis and glee, dumping out thick binders full of documentation and specs that I will no longer have to look at or lug around with me ever again. But I felt far more distressed, punctuated by surreal, than I thought I was going to. It’s not like I loved my job or anything. It was a soul-sucking, occasionally-distracting foray into corporate America that paid me well. I got no joy, no true sense of accomplishment or satisfaction from it; which is a pretty sad statement to make about ten-plus years of servitude.

I’m looking forward to having the chance to focus more on my writing and publishing efforts. Hoping I can find a way to make a living from it before our savings and/or health coverage runs out. If not (I fully realize how stacked the odds are against me), I suspect I can go back into IT or find something else.

The thing is, I didn’t realize how stressed I was about this until I started experiencing a slew of minor aches and pains–persistent headache, soreness across my shoulders and back, fatigue. You’d think someone with a Master’s in Psychology would have figured it out sooner, wouldn’t you? So yeah, though I hadn’t expected to be dismayed by the situation since I’ve had so much time (over a year) to come to grips with it, I’m wide-eyed and trembly about this major life change.

Once I realized this, of course, I felt better immediately. Matthew and I went out to see Constantine and I’ve been downing the caffeine and OTC analgesics–therapy and meds for under $20. I feel better, optimistic again. I’ll see about applying for unemployment next week, and getting my COBRA ducks in a row (oh no, more ducks!).

And best of all, I think my muse may be ready to emerge from her extended absence.

So, I’m okay.

I asked, and Kirk Alberts (the_new_low) gave his permission for me to display the artwork he did for “Inspirations End/Still My Beating Heart.” Check it out!

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Y’all have been helpful with your input regarding whether I should buy that service plan for my laptop, but I still haven’t decided. I’m leaning toward not getting it. I’ve had one laptop or another for the better part of a decade now, and while yes, I have had battery issues a couple times, for the most part, my experience with them has been fairly uneventful. Not to mention the times they weren’t–like when I spilled tea on my keyboard and the cursor turned into a flapping bird and the system wouldn’t boot properly–wouldn’t be covered by the service plan anyway.

I think I’ll just continue to make compulsive backups (ever since an Apple computer ate half the textbook my adviser and I were writing in graduate school, I’ve been anal about it) and hope for the best.

Writing Stuff:
So far, the whole gluing butt to chair thing has been spectacularly unsuccessful on the writing front. I did revise a story before submitting it, and sent out three subs: one to F&SF, one to Cricket, and one to an erotica market, which at least amuses me as I’m hitting the full gamut of my writing endeavors. A bit annoyed at the lack of mail service today, but my post office has installed a new electronic kiosk which weighs and sells postage for large envelopes and packages, so at least I could get my subs out.

Started on a Critters critique for a regular.

E. Sedia reviewed Leading Edge #48 for Tangent and wrote glowing things about my story, “Of Two Minds in Lanais”:

“Magic! Poetry! Fisticuffs! All this and more make Eugie Foster’s “Of Two Minds in Lanais” the best story in the issue . . .”

Okay, I’ve got fourteen days to decide whether or not I want to buy a service plan from Best Buy for my new laptop. It’s three years of coverage for $149. Normally, we never buy the things, but I’m less certain because laptops tend to be more fragile, not to mention harder to debug on the fly, than other hardware. Plus the shop person said that I can expect my battery to die in 10-12 months, and the service plan pays for itself with replacement batteries. But then, they’re paid to say that, right?

So, to get y’all’s opinion, I’ve made my very first LJ poll:

Ye gods! Fantasm is right around the bend. The last Fantasm, the final blow out. Ooo.

And hey, on Thursday’s programming they’re having a “Fantasm Fannies” awards for celebrating “those who have made Fantasm the thing we all know and love. It will be an evening full of award presentation, entertainment, and music”.

If you’re a Fantasm goer, go nominate someone for an award. Go, shoo! And if you don’t know who to nominate, try thinking “banana” and “black vinyl” for inspiration for Ms Fantasm .