mtlawson

...go read The 5 Most Ridiculously Sexist Superhero Costumes from Cracked.com.

...the big banks never seem to learn.

From CNN: JPMorgan Loses 2 Billion Dollars on Credit Default Swaps

I think it's about time some banks were broken up.

Well, I'm still on FB and G+.

After having been on the two for the past five months, I've had plenty of time to get used to both.  For all intents and purposes of this discussion, I'll use Facebook, but what I'd say will equally apply to Google Plus, too.  G+ merely happens to not have as many users, otherwise it'd be just the same in activity.

FB is okay.

Yeah, it's just okay.  Not overwhelmingly great, and not bad, either.

I take items that other people find and share them and occasionally comment with a short quip, but I find I do my heavy lifting and thinking on LJ and other blog sites.  I could count on one hand the number of actual posts I had, but those are mainly to share something I found that someone else on FB hadn't.

While I find little snippets of life interesting and entertaining, I prefer to post on LJ.  I can get my words out more easily, discuss things without resorting to Twitter-like bursts, and can stretch out and think.  The fact that I've deliberately kept my LJ separate from my FB and G+ accounts is part of that; I like the semi-anonymity that LJ has.  People actively looking for me will go to FB first, and then G+.  LJ is a far distant option.

I'll keep FB and G+, but I prefer LJ.  I guess it's because I like to ponder what others have written, and the thought that went into a post.  Discussions on LJ can go very deep indeed, whereas FB tends to tack in a more superficial manner.

Now, if I can only get around to posting more often.....

Because Derby Day is tomorrow, and because my wife has been pestering me for it, I made this tonight for dinner:



Yes, that's a Hot Brown, in the style found at the Brown Hotel in Louisville.

For the curious (and for those who want to harden their arteries once a year), here's a link to the Brown Hotel's recipe for their Hot Brown:  http://www.brownhotel.com/dining-hot-brown.htm

Hoo boy, I'm full.

Whomever requested skirting with 90 and high humidity on the 2nd of May for the Ohio Valley needs a kick in the pants.

We don't need July weather in May.

The thing that I get annoyed with about being in my 40s is that I'm no longer able to spring right up after sitting cross legged on the floor (or lying down on the floor for that matter).  I have to shake my limbs to get feeling back in them, and then get up.

I was talking with some friends the other day when conversation turned to aches and pains.  When I mentioned my knees and that I ran track, they nodded their heads.  Seems they all knew people who ran track and also ran hurdles, and they all have knee and ankle trouble.

Oh joy.

No, I'm not accepting submissions.  Sorry, I'm not a publisher.

And no, I haven't submitted anything yet.  I believe I have to finish something first.

However, I do subscribe to a weekly newsletter from Writer's Market, and in their newsletter today I found the following:

WritersMarket.com lists hundreds of book publishers for writers of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, writing for children, and more. Here are three looking for science fiction submissions:

DAW Books, Inc., is one of the few imprints of Penguin that accepts submissions directly from authors. This imprint specializes in science fiction novels—most of their titles have at least 80,000 words. Potential authors should submit their complete manuscript with a cover letter.

Edge Science Fiction & Fantasy Publishing accepts novels of 75,000-100,000 words on average. Extensive submission guidelines can be found on the Edge website, but they include the first three chapters, a synopsis, a cover letter, and other extras.

TOR Books considers submissions from writers as well. Length guidelines are not provided, but submission preferences are, including the first three chapters, a synopsis, and more.

(NOTE: If you're unable to access the listing, it means you either need to log in or sign up for WritersMarket.com first.)

WritersMarket.com lists more than 8,000 publishing opportunities, including listings for contests, magazines, book publishers, literary agents, conferences, and more. Log in or sign up today to start submitting your work.

--From the "New from WritersMarket.com" Newsletter e-mailed out on 4/20/2012



I was surprised to see that DAW and TOR accept submissions directly from authors.  I was under the impression that pretty much everything goes through agents these days --especially at the bigger houses-- so reading that made me wonder if the entry above is still accurate.  And if I didn't have a million things to do (and sleep to catch up on) I'd check that out.

...I'm not exactly sure why this popped into my head, but it caused me to wear a goofy grin for about 15 minutes.

Could you imagine Bill Nye (yes, the Science Guy) in an episode of Doctor Who?

Or maybe Neil de Grasse Tyson?

Oh, I sure could.  The interactions alone between the Doctor and those two would be classic.

Now I get to hear from arrogant, smarmy Wildcat fans for the next year about how awesome UK is.

Never mind that their coach made a mockery of the concept of "student athelete" with his collection of one-and-done players, who I'd be surprised if they had a class more difficult than Speech 101.

...when I can open my e-mail and find missives from Timothy Geithner and the U.S. Treasury Department informing me of lost money that they'll deposit in my bank account if I provide the number to them?

I mean, really; are people supposed to believe this?

Wait, don't answer that....