Book 2 (of 4) of the novel is rewritten. It's pretty much downhill from here. But it's such a fucking drag. Adding it up - this fucking story was a 20,000 word script, then another 20,000 word script, then a 25,000 word graphic novel script, then a 225,000 word novel that I edited down to a 176,000 word novel that I have since rewritten 48,000 words of. They told me to cut it down by half. So far I've been able to re-use about 5,000 words. When I'm done, it will be about 83,000 or 84,000 words. That's about 7,000 words longer than the first Harry Potter... beyond that I'm not sure because my word count site is defunct. In order to get to that 83,000 words I'll have written over 300,000 words. I will have effectively written A Game Of Thrones worth of prose in order to end up with a tight, skinny little book. And I'm so fucking sick of it. I guess that's when you know you're done - all the joy has been sucked out of it and you're left with a rote retelling of the same fucking story from another goddamn perspective because each time you change something you change something else so pretty much every scene in this tale has been told by every major access character at least once and I'm at that James Gandolfini in True Romance stage where I'm doing it just to watch their fuckin' expressions change.
Why not just change the plan and do something that'll be interesting again?
- An option got it started in the first place. I bought my wife's wedding ring with the money. - Then the script was shopped by William Morris. - Then it was backed by three different comic book companies. - Then a NYT bestselling author told me to write it. - Then a boutique agency from hell backed it and found me an editor. - Then an editor so dope he's got a wikipedia page gave me notes on it. Yeah, I could write something else. But if I want to SELL something? It's this piece of shit.
Sometimes it's hard to walk away from a project that you have already poured that much work into. It's like the sunk costs fallacy, except not a fallacy really, just wanting to see the results of your labor. Even if it requires more labor before you get to see them. Even at work, when I have been put on awful, backbreaking projects with insane deadlines, and then just before the deadline (a day or two) they have said, "Oh, you won't get done in time, just suspend the project," or "Oh, this is going on with our partners, suspend it," and so on, I have found that experience incredibly frustrating. From the day I received the project until the day it was put on hold I worked very hard to provide valuable work, feedback, and results. Even when suspending the test means I don't have to kill myself at work for the next 24 hours, it's frustrating to pour everything I've given my all to already down the drain.
Hollywood is the only place in the world where you can die of encouragement. - Pauline Kael It's very common to get lots of encouragement from people who have no stakes in your success. Listen to them at your peril because they don't have any ability to shape your success or failure. For the record - if there weren't thousands of dollars backing this project I would have bailed on it long ago. I am absolutely 100% in the catbird seat on this one - people who absolutely know - and who have zero reason to shine me on - have told me to do it because it'll be worth my time. That does not mean I'm enjoying it.
In a similar vein, I have noticed people love to tell you what you should do with your life to make yourself feel fulfilled. I have also noticed that, suspiciously, what they tell you often has very little to do with you or what you like, but lots about them and what they want to do. Now when someone tells me what path I should choose (like: buy a house!; go to law school!; move to Seattle and start a PR firm with me and my buddies!) I think to myself, they are telling you something about themselves, albeit in a very poorly worded way. I have also concluded that when someone says, "You care too much about what other people think," what they really mean is "I want you to stop caring about this thing but I have no legitimate argument for why you shouldn't." Usually, that someone is trying to convince you to do something that you have reasonable objections to - but they don't want to care about your objections. Simultaneously, they have no real grounds for why your objections aren't valid, other than that they personally do not care about them. A couple people in relatively quick temporal succession tried that line on me. After a lot of thought, that is my conclusion - that, and it's a really fucking manipulative thing to say. It's very common to get lots of encouragement from people who have no stakes in your success.
The tech arm of the nonprofit I work for got sold to a for-profit. I am not worried about my job, I know they're going to make me an offer, and I hear nothing but good things about the company. I am angry about it anyway, and I'm not even sure why.
It's Canada Day! I work for the first half of today, but then I have the rest off. It's raining cats and dogs outside, but you never know how many people are going to show up to this restaurant - Sometimes it seems rainy days are good for us! Happy early 4th of july to all those south of the border, and Happy Canada day to us Canuks! Drink responsibly!
Hey, when I said drink responsibly I meant 3 things: 1.) don't drink and drive 2.) Don't get blotto if you need to take care of someone else 3.) try not to end up in the hospital. ... I have a liberal definiton of what it means to drink "responsibly."
Yeah, the rest of Canada is not like that. I think that Montreal's kind of got it though, have everyone do it in one day, everyone knows its happening, and just deal with it once a year instead of every dang month.
Problems in Paradise My last day on this island and 1. Found termite dust in two places...they are eating away at one outdoor 6" X 6" post that is holding up the lanai roof. Waiting for termite inspection lady. 2. Have been trying to figure out the energy bill for the last month and at 12.2 cents kw/hr it seemed to be adding up to $1000. I just called the energy company and they said that, "There's no way you could be using that much energy." She's sending someone over. Does someone have a grow-op plugged into my power line? Happy Canada Day coffeesp00ns
Apparently you're in that strange part of the keys that are actually in Los Angeles County.
Doing the whole traveling salesman thing today in Wilmington, NC. rob05c, if only there were a way to figure out my optimal route..? Tonight I'm going to see the Rolling Stones. Right now, my life is an odd mix of great and exciting stuff and scary and uncertain stuff. It's an odd time. I'm looking forward to spending this weekend with my wife and kids. Overall, life is good and I'm extremely fortunate. Hubski is crazy bugski this week. My apologies to you all. Lots of multiple comments etc. edit: for example, this comment posted but still took me to our 502 screen. mk, forwardslash Thanks for your patience. Have a great day everyone!
rob05c, if only there were a way to figure out my optimal route..?
Have you seen the stones before? I've got 9th row for their Detroit show! I actually think they're one of the more terrible bands to see live but sitting that close is going to be a whole different ballgame. I've got good Eagles tickets too. This is kind of a classic rock summer over here...
Tonight was my first show. I'm curious, why do you think they're terrible live?
I just think they're one of those bands that sounds better on the studio albums than live sonically (which I personally place a premium on). But their stage show is such a spectacle, and they are such living legends, that I have no doubt that the show will be incredible (especially how close I am!) and really mitigate my main gripe :) How was it? Curious to hear your thoughts. Another mark against them is that they're so big they play stadiums and I HATE stadium shows in general as they automatically sound worse and lack energy.
I hate stadium shows too. We were FAR away. They sounded pretty damn good though. They're a bit loose, but I liked that. At times it seems like Keith is just doing abstract noodling, which is awesome. Despite the spectacle, they're still just a band and I think that comes through in a way that it doesn't for other larger than life acts. Mick is a freak of nature. That guys stamina for his age is insane. I want some of his stem cells :)
After nine days of travel I made it to the northwest, now I'm couch surfing until my apartment is ready. It was an amazing experience to be out camping at some of the most beautiful places I've ever seen and I can't wait to put together the trip report over the next couple of days. I learned a lot about myself and ended up talking to and befriending a lot of strangers on the road. Maybe I'm not as big of an introvert as I see myself. It gave me a lot of hope for people and convinced me that people are generally good and kind-hearted.
Good morning, Hubski! Week's been alright. Started my next set of classes - Introduction to Physics, Principles of Business Management, and Network and Security Applications. 12 credits. I'm looking to have them done by...July 28th. I also helped broker a $130k service contract for my employer over the weekend. I've been riding an accomplishment high for the weekend, haha! As for pleasure, I've got some trips coming up - it's off to Michigan to meet up with a friend, then in October, I'm heading out to the Monster Mash event in Arizona. Tool, Coheed & Cambria, and Primus all in the same night. It'll be spectacular. I also bumped into a basset hound puppy that slipped through its fence while walking today. It was adorable. The owner came back a few minutes later for her, but damn if that wriggling woofer didn't make my morning. All the best, y'all.
Even though I was out till about 11pm last night drinking far too much vodka, I managed to get up at 5am this morning. Went for a 5.5km run, did 45 minutes of high intensity circuit training, then ran 5.5km back, all before work at 9am. :D I've now been at work for over 6 hours, sat at my desk. :( On the weekend I participated in my first local Park Run which had almost 400 people show up! It was an awesome experience and I'd totally recommend finding one close to yourself! I'm in two minds about this evening. It'd be nice to go out on the hottest day of the year so far, but also I should probably take it easy and have a relaxing evening in.
Got the summer-classes-finals-blues today. But on the positive side of things, getting better at working on side projects more consistently. Last note - how many of yall lurk around r/redditalternatives?
Happy Canada day! Chilling at home with the wife and baby. I have a few beers lined up and some TV shows to catch up on. England vs Japan is on later this evening. Been trying to hunt down a bug in Sickrage there unrar stopped working. Hopefully will find that today. It's driving me batty.
mk, little weird bugski: my account has been randomly unfollowing people all day. Just had to add two back in, and I wonder if I lost more from my feed. Will it re-follow them automatically when you work out the kinks with the new server? Also, any action I take leads to a very long load and then a 502, but it seems most of the actions are still being processed at least.
Enjoying working from home the rest of the week. Next week am out 2 days then gone out of state 12 of the next 17 nights. Granted, some of it is indeed vacation, but dang, that is a lot of tiny shampoo bottles. Buying supplies for Saturday. Pork shoulder and a keg of Anchor Steam. Ahhhh, the calm before the storm.
Checking in on my status doing 12 hour days every day. How tired am I? Well... Last night I slept through a derecho with multiple lightning strikes per second and 70 mph gusts. So I'm VERY excited for the upcoming 3 day weekend
I'm from the SF Bay Area originally but I've been in DC for 5 years. I was there for the huge 2012 one that knocked out our power for a week and that was m i s e r a b l e
Absolutely exhausted from a gruelling drive home. But, as earlier mentioned, my now-fiancé said "yes" and we could not be happier! The Bluebird Café a few nights ago was awesome as usual. I'm back in my dearly missed bed, and my dearly missed rabbits are back in their dearly missed home. All is right in my little world for a moment.
Been an awesome week for me. Worked my first serving shift at the restaurant I work at, slowly trying to phase out bussing. I start my new second job in 20 minutes or so, brew assistant and bar back at a local brewery. I'll just be cleaning everything but for 12/hr plus tips and a foot in the door to an industry i'd love to work in I don't mind at all. Last generous friend is also giving me one Wednesday a month to dj at the bar he's doing so at, I get to show up after my second job and get 5% of the bar sales. It'll be a super fun way to earn some extra cash. Lastly, one of my favorite people got in from charleston yesterday and surprised me. Only downside, July 4th is my last day off for the foreseeable future :(
Got up early today to lift. Was feeling really good and working hard, until I pulled something in my back. Now I have to hobble around everywhere and am constrained to bed for the rest of the day. Other than that, I finished most of the calculations for my research job this morning (after hurting myself). Good news is this is a couple weeks ahead of my planned schedule. Next I just have to finish my report, double and triple check my calculations, and turn my results into my professor. Oh and I'm heading home for the weekend for the 4th. Seeing some of my friends again will be nice, as I haven't seen them in about a year.
What temperature do you sleep at, Hubski? I'm a 72F kinda guy who fell into forbidden love with a 78F girl.
I specifically insulated the shit out of my attic so I could sleep at 68 year round. It's r-60 and my AC unit kicks off during the day in St. Louis. There is nothing like waking up and having to turn the air off to warm up in the summer. This is how gods live!
i don't know the numbers exactly but it needs to be freezing because i will inevitably end up in a blanket burrito and if it's even slightly too warm, all the blankets will get flung off
And here I thought you and ref were female, but now I'm not so sure... Edit: relevant LittleRichard. I mean, literature*.
I'm eagerly/anxiously waiting for a sexy package. My sister's 21st birthday is this Friday, oh dear. Sights ahead and full steam on to grad school aka for now starting to draft statements of purposes (they suck, maybe I should start calling them statements of porpoises for at least some levity going forward) and still studying for GREs. Rough plans for how to get some help choosing my writing sample(s). Oh, and something is wrong with my laundry.