Ten-Second Breather

Breathe in, breathe out—we are experiencing a brief bit of turbulence, and we will resume regular posting patterns in a few moments. Thank you for your patience. Do secure those oxygen masks once the apparatus drops from the ceiling…

So—epic. This semester decided to own me quite early on, and it refuses to loosen the death grip. Keeping to a three-assignment-per-week schedule has been… well, I suppose I don't need to elaborate too far on that front. I've discovered how much I loathe eight-page assignments that are only worth 7.5% of the final mark. Ahh, what a sweet kick to the teeth that one is…

BUT! Three more weeks, three more weeks. I must wade through three more weeks, and then I will be free of this latest round in schooling. Huzzah, kids!

I need the time to get back to what's important—namely gorgeous, talented women. You know the ol' schedule is tight when I don't even have time to drool. You also know the schedule's ridiculous when I can't even spare a moment for

THE OPENING OF SUCKER PUNCH!

Remember? Need a scintillating reminder?

*Whines until she can get herself to the nearest theatre—STAT*

Sunday Ponderings and Post Ideas

Another Sunday flooded with random ponderings and clouded thoughtscapes around these parts...

I admit, the ideas are half-formed at best. I blame the stretch of cold weather to come this week and the random bits of snow we've collected here in Suburbs. I might not be as winter-weary as the masses, but the darker nights are adding up, methinks. And, of course, it happens to be Sunday night which = a new week to mull over.

Shall we point form? Yes? Oh, heck yes:

• Novel I received the axe this weekend on the school schedule. Tough call, that one -- the three publishing certificate courses came with heavier workloads than I anticipated (read: one assignment per week for the online course alone.) Man, what a diverse mix of writers I've had to sacrifice, though. Profit-and-loss sheets are hijacking my time, so creative endeavors will have to be shuffled aside for the moment.
• I believe I am doomed to a one-date maximum, forevermore. Can't seem to get past the first hurdle. This time around: mismatched schedules. Nothing worse than the right person at the wrong time, hmm?
• Am pondering my position as The Only Queer in the Family again. Having a niece/nephew on the horizon has brought up issues relating to lessons for New Baby vs. my identity. I'm debating if I ought to make that the subject of a post...

On a positive note, dropping Novel I will free some time for a renewed interest in queer blogging. I have a few topics stored away, and I think it's about darn time I write 'em out, hmm?

World Inverted

the world turned upside down, bdig

Another whirlwind has scattered the fields around me -- and oh, how the world has realigned.

(Note to self: Regular posts keep folks updated. Info dumps are overwhelming, though entertaining.)

Updates in rapid form:

• Launched into second semester of the publishing certificate. Tackling: Business of Book Publishing, Copy editing, and Publicity. Also tackling: Novel I (aka. I will have no free time for tomfoolery, alas).
• Visited New Orleans, LA ( Jan. 27 - 30, 2011). Dad had business meetings, and I stowed away in luggage compartment. Ample tales to tell, no doubt.
• Went on -- wait for it -- A FIRST DATE. *Gasp and shock* True. I met someone from PoF, and we had an excellent time. Am hoping there will be a second date soon, but will focus on playing it cool.
• Discovered (half an hour ago!) I am attending an internship interview this Friday. Again, am focusing on playing it cool and breathing... always breathing... calm and breathing...

Apologies for the teaser post -- I have a test tomorrow, and I have a mini assignment due on Thursday which I need to get started on . Fie.

More to follow, kids.

Eeek

Yep.

This is not a good week for blogging.

I think I am failing at NaBloPoMo at this point.

Counting down the days until these assignments are finished, for better or for worse...

In Like A Lion, Out Like A Lazy Blogger

So, perhaps describing myself as a "lazy blogger" is a tad harsh -- I would love to blog in-depth, especially since I've got some ideas bubbling below the surface. How is it that, when faced with stacks of school work, I find myself more compelled than usual to launch into side projects? The stress energizes those creative vibes at the exact moment when I cannot use them for fear of letting the priority work slip.

Oh, and getting side tracked with increasing shifts from work tends to throw off my equilibrium as well.

Bah. I will end November on a light note, it appears...

Intense Marketing is INTENSE

So, the next two weeks are shaping up to be rather intense on both the school front and the part-time, retail job front.

Next week, I have three book proposals to finish. THREE. As in, I will help create three separate books from scratch with an entire marketing campaign embedded therein. I admit, it's a little bit jarring to advertise a book that does not exist beyond a basic outline.

We shall see. I am off in one hour to meet with the medical thriller commercial fiction group to finalize our budget/publicity plans. Oh, and I will also be reading more of Kathleen Winter's Annabel while I hover around the hot dog vendor that is our Summit Point. Huzzah.

All Grammar'd Out

Oh, the pain.... the snapping of the synapses.....

I am in the middle of a grammar overload at the moment. Just spent the last few hours writing and fine-tuning a short essay on the use of "hopefully" as a sentence adverb.

....

See? I was destined to be a lesbian.

... alright, perhaps that's not concrete proof. Still, it's a theory at least.

I am in need of fun updates, I think. I miss my ladies. *Pout* Granted, I get to interact with ladies while at work and I also get to interact with new ladies while in the classroom. Both environments are excellent for the ladies, might I add. I swear, I'm not that much of a lech..... really...

This coming week is shaping up to be a whiteout of random. Check it:

• Grammar assignment, 25% (Tuesday)
• Textbook assessment assignment, 25% (Thursday)
• Mon-Thurs: 5 AM - 9:30 AM shifts at work
• Fri & Sat: Volunteer shifts w/ IFOA

... and my iTunes just shuffled to "Tossin' & Turnin'" by Bobby Lewis. I am not even kidding. I think my laptop is trying to tell me to settle the eff' down.

I must be making up for a slow August-October stretch. I tend to clot a lot of events all together and then go for weeks where I walk around moaning about how bored I am. Still, I know I'd rather be hanging out with The Advocate and Ship Sharp, if they'd have me back. Ah, just got to slog through this tough stretch and perhaps I shall see freedom once again.

Lit. Lover in the Making

Well, perhaps "current-and-forever-book-lover" is a touch more accurate, especially if ladies like the one pictured above are doin' the readin'. *End lechery*

Again, mass apologies for another stretch of silence here at Cute, Queer, Canadian. Life in the literary world has spiked, to put it lightly. Free time is coming at strange hours, now. And, starting next week, those hours will queer themselves up even further.

To take stock:

• I am three weeks into the publishing certificate program and am loving it. What a new world from those undergraduate days. I am learning practical, hands-on knowledge! I am learning from people in the publishing industry! I am in a classroom with people who have a clear picture of where they'd like to go with these skills! Stunning. This is the first time I've been all jazzed about group work which is a revelation all its own. It's been a good run so far, especially since these will be people I'll work with in the real world afterwards.
• I got me a seasonal job at Chapters! For kids outside of Canada, Chapters is the one-and-only national book chain here. As in, Chapters is responsible for 60% of book sales in Canada. Yeah. It's a big deal. While I am thrilled at the prospect, I am a touch nervous as to how this month will turn out for me. I am on the stocking shift which means I work 5 AM - 9:30 AM. And, given the commute back from school, I will not get home on most nights until 11:43 PM. Hmm. Problematic. But, it's a short term situation and did I mention THERE ARE BOOKS??!
• The International Festival of Authors is fast approaching and I will more or less live there on all available days. I have four volunteer shifts booked at the moment and, depending on the Chapters schedule, there might be more to follow, muahaha.....

I am on a one-woman mission to dominate Toronto's book world in the next month. Not to mention I have made it a personal goal to read:

• The shortlisted books from the Man Booker Prize
• The longlisted books from the Scotiabank Giller Prize
• The shortlisted books from the Toronto Book Award

... That totals 24 books alone. Well, technically 23 since I finished one book listed for the Toronto Book Award. It was a good read, but I was a little put off given how often penises were mentioned or described in vivid detail. Yeah, I've noticed there's this weird obsession with male anatomy that runs throughout Canada literature. I don't get it. But, then, I am a queer woman, so that might explain the general aversion. Ah well, I brought this reading challenge upon myself, so I must accept these award-nominated books for the next few weeks.

So, BOOKS -- I am re-nerding myself and polishing that ol' vocabulary this month. I also sort of want to re-read Ray Bradbury's Something Wicked This Way Comes because it is October and Hallowe'en is approaching and it's been far too long since I last read it. Plus, I always wanted to re-read it in October. And HEY! Check out the month. How convenient.

Did I mention I also have school assignments to finish throughout all this?

I know, I am chock full of crazy. But that's what you love about me, am I right?

GAME PLAN: 2010

CHECK IT: I am about to plan/research/strategize the heck out of 2010.

The gloves are on, the crowd's electric, and I am seconds away from the bell sounding for the first round.

IT IS ON, 2010.

I know my tendency to make lists borders on the obsessive, but I feel a distinct difference with this one -- I can feel that fire of motivation. It's buzzing through me and singeing my nerves. I am going to make plans and I am going to make them happen.

I am all ego this evening.

So, the initial list:

Writing

• Launch into the first poetry collection; Flesh out those ideas, lady.
• Tuck into the first novel idea.
• SUBMIT pieces to literary journals, magazines, blogs.
• Explore those writing markets (start with Canada and branch out to the U.S. and U.K.)
• Get out there and volunteer for literary events across the city.
• Check out those writing contests, if low entry fees will permit.
• Nightwood submission? Might be cool, might want to get in on that and tag team the theatre scene with Ship Sharp.

Travel

• Research the ever-loving life out of the places you're keen on visiting (U.K., France, Germany, Russia, etc.)
• Figure out rough budgets and such... yeah, I suppose funding might be important.

School

• Research that Masters in Creative Writing (Canadian, American, and English schools)
• Try and contact old profs to make sure they remember you, crazy girl.
• Financial aids like scholarships would be good, too.
• Look into Ryerson's copy editing program (since you've now got another year and a half stretched out in front of you)
• Maybe look into language courses for kicks...? French or Japanese would be neat.

I feel all fired up and dominant and like I am going to take no prisoners, even if they ask me politely not to. I wonder if this is the post-gym endorphins kicking in right about now.

Watch out, 2010 -- Miz Moffatt is claiming you as her own.