Nearly Monthly News - September 2022
Where did September go?
This month's news is sliding in at the last minute in part because last month's did (and that sort of scheduling tends to become a vicious cycle), and in part because I spent most of September away from home, by which I mean, away from my apartment where I live and pay rent.
Instead, I spent the month visiting my parents--who still live in the house that was home before I went to college--and then as a guest instructor on the Writing Excuses Cruise and Retreat among a lovely community which I am always glad to be a part of.
So in a metaphorical sense, although I've been traveling, I've also been home.
Which is a lovely sentiment, but suffice it to say, wherever I've been, I haven't been writing this month's newsletter. Until now!
On to the news!
From my Desk
Remember the short story I told you about last month? I can now announce, "Observations of a Small Object in Gradually Decaying Orbit," will be in the November edition of Apex Magazine! More news about other stories coming as soon as I have contracts in hand!
On the TV side, I officially wrapped out of one of the shows I've been freelancing for, and strongly suspect I'm done with the other as well. Fortunately, I've been picking up new work to fill in the gaps, and if I had cats, they would still be comfortably in kibble. But since all of these projects continue to be under various non-disclosure agreements, you'll have to take my word for it.
What I'm Watching and Reading
Aside from a wonderful afternoon on my stateroom balcony that I stole to read the first half of Be the Serpent by Seanan McGuire, I haven't had a lot of quiet brain space for reading this month. I haven't even watched more than an episode or two of Rings of Power or Strange New Worlds.
One thing I have been doing with my leisure time is playing Walkabout Mini Golf on my Oculus 2. I've found it's a good way to wind down at the end of the day, or to hang out with a friend on the other side of the country without being in yet another Zoom meeting.
On the cruise, I got to find out if the mad virtual mini golf skillz I've been cultivating translate to the real world.
Caption: me at Liberty Dunes, aboard Royal Caribbean's Liberty of the Seas.
Answer: kind of? Since I was the only person on the entire deck when I took this photo (aside from a lone sun-bather), I definitely won that round! Later, I found friends to play with, and discovered that friend of the newsletter Katie Moest is a mini-golf shark. Only fitting for a cruise ship course, I suppose.
From the Cutting Room Floor of the Duolingo Dystopia
French this time, where Bea extols the virtues of being adequate:
Caption: Bea from Duolingo says, "I'm mediocre at everything, but bad at nothing," in French and English.
I think she'd approve of my mini golf performance.
And That's the Nearly Monthly News!
I hope this month finds you in a good home, whether literal or metaphorical. If you want to play virtual mini golf sometime, drop me a line. Otherwise, I'll see you in October!