Thursday, August 1st 2002 - Coke for the Addict I don't think I mentioned here that I "quit" drinking cokes over a month ago now. I have to put it in quotes like that because I'm like an ex-smoker -- if I've had an exceptionally hard day, I'll buy a coke on the way home and drink it on my front porch before going in to kiss Tim hello. I usually hide the bottle in the trash, too. Such an addictive substance for me, cokes! But, the important thing is that I've cut WAAAAaaaay down on them, and I think my skin is even clearing up a bit as a result. I mention this today because today is definitely a get-to-have-a-coke day. I had a very, very stressful/ painful morning, and, dammit, I get to do whatever I want to compensate. I might even drink a coke in front of Tim, and he's understanding enough that he won't even reprimand me for it (or look disappointed in me) today. That's how bad today is. Mm, otherwise, things are ok. I'm sure there's more I wanted to write here, but somehow when I sit down to do so it all flies out of my head. I mean, I've been meaning to tell you all about the coke thing for weeks now, and I just kept forgetting. Sigh. It's been a good writing time for me this week (knock on wood); I finished a short-short for an anthology call and revised WWW12 and sent it to David for some first-round edits. And I'm itching to write more. I'm usually pretty easy on myself when I'm not writing (especially compared to Tim who becomes despondent if he doesn't write like 10,000 words a week or something ;-), but it's always nice when it's flowing. I like to think of it as taking advantage of/ getting in touch with my creative flow, although some might be tempted to say I'm just not disciplined enough to "force" myself to write every day. For me (and YMMV, of course), just that word -- "force" -- is enough to induce writer's block. I just try to optimize my time when the writing is "on", and go easy when it's not. Coddling my creativity seems to work, too -- I've written more since I've adopted this mindset than I did when I was wailing about how little I wrote all the time. And, yes, of course living with Tim has been a good influence on me; it's just that I can't exactly hold myself up to his standard of output -- it would be like creative suicide for someone with my personality. Really. Anyway, I wanted to post again this week, and so I have. And, you know, I'm feeling better -- more relaxed -- about the stuff that was stressing me out before I wrote this. I think it helps that I've gotten a few short emails from some of you this week. It's cool to hear a little bit about you, what your lives are like, what your similar experiences are. Makes me want to chat with you more, now that I'm reminded of how cool my readers are. Thank you all so much for reading this journal. It really means a lot to me. Y'all have a decent Thursday, ok? I mean, tomorrow is Friday afterall.

Exercise Log: Swimming. Writing log: More revisions on the Princess Story (now titled "When We Were Twelve" or WWW12 for short). I also wrote a short-short that may or may not be submitted to an invite-only anthology soon. Submitted something else there first and am waiting to hear back. Submitted "Blue Chuck Does Thrilltown" to another invite-only antho. Whoo. Current Publications: The Ever Book Shoppe (a collaboration with Tim Pratt in Slow Trains Literary Journal In the Shade of You nominated in the long poem category for the Rhysling and will be reprinted in the 2002 Rhysling Anthology! "How to Suck" reprinted in From Porn to Poetry: Clean Sheets Celebrates the Erotic Mind I've been reading: Currently Reading: Moving Pictures by Terry Pratchett Finished recently: Men at Arms by Terry Pratchett Guards! Guards! by Terry Pratchett

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