Blog housekeeping
Item one: I mention this in the comments occasionally but the message is failing to percolate and furthermore people forget. Hey! Forgetting is my job! I don’t read or answer comments from the front end, at the bottoms of their entries, but in one long combined list at the back end of site admin. This is faster for me to deal with and I’m afraid it’s all about faster. I don’t have time to answer comments as it is, I just enjoy it.* But from there I can’t easily track back to previous comments on a thread; you’re supposed to be able to click through to ‘view all’ but it doesn’t work–and I don’t have time to hunt around. Therefore would you please copy and paste some hint what we’re talking about if you’re continuing a conversation? (Even if it’s a conversation with someone else . . . It’s a public blog, and I like to eavesdrop.)
Item two: please remember that I haven’t a clue about site running, maintenance, adjustment, blah. I can barely copy and paste entries, load photos** and answer comments. All such remarks and queries should go to Blogmom. Something like the counter clock it makes sense to ask me because I might not want one for some reason . . . but generally speaking please feel free to leave me out of the tech loop. I occasionally get emails from people who want to make helpful suggestions and I sit there staring at this stuff thinking ‘you have mistaken me for someone who runs her own blog. Permit me to disillusion you’.
Item three: It really bothers me that Anonymous is still putting in so regular an appearance in the comments. I’m aware that there’s some wrinkle in WordPress that means this happens more easily than it should, and again, people forget or are away from home or on a new computer.*** There are still far too many anonymice. This may be a bit deranged, but anonymous to me is anti-community, and this is, for better or sillier, a community.† Please feel free to create an alternative personality with a name borrowed from your favourite novel–as long as you read books and are nice to the rest of us you’re welcome here. While the Robin McKinley you see here is certainly familiar to anyone who knows me in three dimensions, I would be the first to declare she’s had a certain amount of spin put on her.†† And I don’t care if you belong officially or not: but if WordPress isn’t providing you with a name automagically please think of a unique identifying glob of symbols that suits/amuses you and sign it at the bottom.
Item four: And, speaking of the iniquities of WordPress, it eats comments occasionally. I’ve written maybe half a dozen that simply never appeared. Sometimes I get that confounded ‘slow down, you’re posting too fast’ message. Sometimes a comment . . . just doesn’t appear. What happens a good deal oftener is that something I’ve unscreened rescreens itself again. I do take a quick troll through and look for these, but inevitably I’m not catching all of them. If you’ve posted something, ahem, innocuous, and it’s never materialised . . . send it again. The only ones I delete are . . . um . . . rude. Or hilariously over-personal.††† But remember also that I usually only burn through here and do the unscreening once a day. If you posted just as I was checking out the night/morning before, you’ll have twenty-four hours till it emerges blinking into the computer ether.
PS: I was reading the summer issue of BRITISH HORSE over supper. There was a review of a book on riding that ended like this: Would I advise you to buy it? Yes and no. Yes, because . . . it would be a useful book for the newcomer to riding . . . and a worthwhile read for the student instructor. No because it’s an e-book–I do like a book I can pull off the shelf and refer to at a moment’s notice. Perhaps the author can be persuaded to publish the book in a more traditional form?
Hmmm.
And has anyone been to Baen’s Bar recently? Several of you–including Ithilien in her magisterial post on e-books–have mentioned it as an example of what on line bookishness can do, so I tried to go investigate. The opening page says they’ve moved the furniture and everyone has to re-login. I’m new anyway, so I created an account, dutifully responded to the official email . . . and it wouldn’t let me in. It denied the password I had been told I could choose, and reenter to confirm . . . and when I gave up and asked them to send it to me‡, it was one of those automated-gibberish collections of letters and numbers. . . and it wouldn’t accept that one either. Whereupon the noise level around here increased abruptly.
Right. I’m going back to a nice paper book right now.
* * *
* Mostly. Occasionally, at 2 am . . .
** And this rarely does not involve screaming
*** I hadn’t realised that I hadn’t checked in here from my newest littlest cutest knapsackiest computer and I was using it at the mews while the usual mews laptop was at the Computer Spa having mudpacks and saunas, and I signed on and it wouldn’t let me in. Paaaaanic.
† I know I’ve said this before, but I’ll probably say it again. I was so not expecting this when I took this blog schtick on. Community? On line? With a bunch of people you’ve never met? Come on. I am not a character in funny font in a Douglas Coupland novel.
†† Sometimes I can hear fairy laughter echoing through the ether when I post.
††† Do you really think I’m going to list everyone I’ve been to bed with, ages, genders, and success levels? I was laughing for days after that one. –It might be worth noting that obtrusiveness about my private life will mostly make me laugh. Obtrusiveness about my books . . . it’s a rare reader who truly gets alongside the author of a book. This is the source of my answer to the question ‘What single thing would improve the quality of your life most?’ which is ‘That readers would learn the difference between ‘this book didn’t work for me’ and ‘this book sucks dead bears’. ’ This is in the Imaginary Interview on the old web site, and will no doubt reappear on the new one.
‡ I know I’m middle-aged, crumbly, and forgetful, but even I would find it challenging to forget the password I had only just chosen ten seconds ago
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Hmmmm. But could you list fictional people that you’d gone to bed with and their fictional levels off success? Surely that would just be _spin_? lol.
Off topic–I sent you an email via your website about what we do to keep the campylobacter under control at my house. Let me know if you didn’t receive and I’ll resend. Otherwise I hope it’s a good week, dog-digestively wise.
Hmmmm. But could you list fictional people that you’d gone to bed with and their fictional levels off success? Surely that would just be _spin_? lol.
********** LOL! What a wonderful idea! –It’s probably too much work for a daily blog but I LOVE the idea. :)
Off topic–I sent you an email via your website about what we do to keep the campylobacter under control at my house.
********* Yes, I got it, and thanks . . . I’m just still whimpering and hiding under the bed. Sigh.
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I’m just still whimpering and hiding under the bed. Sigh.
>>Well that just sucks. Will it cheer you up if I tell you that Joss Whedon has said that they’re definitely going to do a follow-up Dr. Horrible? Maybe you can take your knapsakiest computer under the bed with you…
OOOOOH. YESSSS. And my littlest computer will OPEN under the bed too. :) Thank you! –WHEN?
‡ I know I’m middle-aged, crumbly, and forgetful, but even I would find it challenging to forget the password I had only just chosen ten seconds ago
BWAHAHAHAHA!! You obviously weren’t trying hard enough to forget it! ::giggle::
I have noticed the odd comment refusing to be un-screened but I figure that usually you will have at least *read* it and therefore the unscreening part isn’t the end of my world. *g*
And maybe we need a special trap to catch the anonymice in?
btw – have we told you lately that we think you are FANTASTIC? :)
I have noticed the odd comment refusing to be un-screened but I figure that usually you will have at least *read* it and therefore the unscreening part isn’t the end of my world. *g*
***** Well if it’s a really GOOD comment it should go up here! :)
And maybe we need a special trap to catch the anonymice in?
********** Great! Send me one! :)
btw – have we told you lately that we think you are FANTASTIC? :)
********** Nooooooo. But please doooooo. [Purrs] :)
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********** Nooooooo. But please doooooo. [Purrs] :)
No problem. :) Everybody needs some affirmation in their daily life. :) Even the dogs like it.
I think it’s the other way around. Dogs teach us it’s OKAY to like it. :)
Dogs teach us it’s OKAY to like it. :)
Dogs teach us lots of things. :) (Don’t think Belle can teach me to run fast though. LMAO)
Have you let her try? :)
Speaking of blog weirdness, my name spot always appears blank. Okay. If I click it, it gives me my name so I don’t have to type it in. Okay. I’m all for lazy. I just clicked it to make sure my name appears…and it gave me two options. Both my name! Hah!
Anyway, community! Yay! I have met *so* many nice people here, people I never would have met if it weren’t for your blog. Oh yeah, and this writer lady who writes books. I get to talk to her too. That’s pretty neat. ;)
I went to the Baen’s Bar thing once shortly after it first opened. I don’t remember my password or anything, but the whole thing was…strange. It seemed like one of the things was you subbed a story, and people critiqued it? But, you know, people are snarky and rude and often can’t diagnose a problem in a story if the typo’s right in front of them. I motored out of there *fast*.
Oh yeah, and this writer lady who writes books. I get to talk to her too.
******* Oh? What does she say? :)
I motored out of there *fast*.
********* Ah. Well maybe I’m not missing much then.
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Oh? What does she say? :)
Oh, I dunno. A bunch of stuff. I mean, a *bunch* of stuff. ;)
In fact bunches and BUNCHES of stuff. :)
**** Oh yeah, and this writer lady who writes books
Would that be the same writer lady, queen of the footnotes, by any chance?
Queen of the footnotes? [looking over her shoulder]
Um, you don’t HAVE to sub a story. There are lots of forums in the Bar where you can just talk to people. And to be entirely honest, I’d recommend that before seeking opinions anywhere. After all, if you don’t know the people, how are you going to know whether you should believe what they say?
The Bar has a strong leaning towards space opera, conservatism and military SF. (It also has an irritating interface, IMHO.) If that’s not your thing, you may not find it the best place to hang out. But it has Wen Spencer and Sarah Hoyt and Lois Bujold on frequent occasions, so I tend to drop in for news.
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I just wanted to go in and look around.
**** There are still far too many anonymice.
YES! I teach one of my classes at Moose Hall, belonging to the order of loyal Moose, which I happened to call Meece last week, in the hearing of the daughter of the Right Hon (sorry Peter) High Lord moose of Mousehole’s daughter, (my age) who thereupon dissolved into fits of giggles…
**** ‘this book sucks dead bears’ – poor book, that CAN’T taste good…
**** so I created an account, dutifully responded to the official email . . . and it wouldn’t let me in. It denied the password I had been told I could choose, and reenter to confirm . . . and when I gave up and asked them to send it to me‡, it was one of those automated-gibberish collections of letters and numbers. . . and it wouldn’t accept that one either. Whereupon the noise level around here increased abruptly.
AAARRRGGGHHH!!! Tears hair! Too familiar, don’t want to think about it! (Runs screaming around room, bouncing off walls, until pops through door and exits on a fading wail…
Moose of Muzzle? Oh dear, poor woman . . .
AAARRRGGGHHH!!! Tears hair! Too familiar, don’t want to think about it! (Runs screaming around room, bouncing off walls, until pops through door and exits on a fading wail…
********* LOL! So glad you understand!
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I hadn’t realised that I hadn’t checked in here from my newest littlest cutest knapsackiest computer….
Oooh, what kind of computer have you got there? I’m rather a geek, I soooo want a tiny laptop so that I can carry around *my* settings and files in my (largest) purse and have Internet access in lots of places (like to ride information superhighway whenever possible) . . . but my TB is having teeth floated, hoof x-rays, and chiropractic tomorrow. No budget for (really not necessary) new tech, but I can live vicariously through others. . . .
LOL! Well I’m very glad your priorities are in order! (Hoof x rays! Uh oh! Bad case of TB Feet?)
It’s an HP, 6 1.2 inches by 10–a keyboard just big enough to use normally and an object small enough, indeed, to fit in a knapsack. It gives the impression of being quite robust, too, but I will try not to drop it. . . . Of course it has wireless but I prefer to plug in.
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He has surprisingly great feet for a TB, but just went through several months of recurring abscesses, and I’m paranoid, I want to check for bone infection. And the other foot has always been a bit wonky and clubby, and I figure if the vet has her machine out she might as well look at the other one too. Because I want to KNOW what’s in there, rather than worrying about it. Which I do. Frequently. :-)
Ah, the normal horse owner. Yes. I’d be paranoid too. Gravel?
> I hadn’t realised that I hadn’t checked in here from my newest littlest cutest knapsackiest computer….
Awww! Does it have a name? A photo? :-)
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Re knapsackiest computers, I’ve not used the HP one but this one – http://www.desktoplinux.com/news/NS5557994061.html – is lovely. Really cute, does everything very fast, and fits in a (reasonably-sized) handbag without then breaking one’s shoulder. I gather a Windows version is out now as well. The screen on this one is 7″ and connects with every network it can get its tiny little paws into…:)
Part of what makes your books work for me is that the people inhabiting them are sensible and act in an internally consistent manner–plus of course, the superb way in which you tell their stories. About six months ago I attempted to read a novel about a navy special op psychiatrist who was treating a vampire, and got totally blown out of the story by this MD”s complete disregard for patient privacy–and if she was working for the navy, trust me, she’d know better than to disregard that type of rule. I can suspend disbelief with the best of them, but that was a step too far; I can’t believe this author managed to get a second book published and am now leery of that entire imprint because I don’t trust their editors!
I actively dislike ditzy heroines, and don’t watch much television/see a lot of movies for those reasons.
I’m a dog nut as well and one of the reasons I loved Deerskin is its subtext about the healing values of animals especially dogs. ( I currently have 3 dogs so get a lot of comfort). I love reading about the hellhounds too. best, jeanine
Thank you very much! You’re pressing a lot of my own particular buttons! I failed to be blown away by the film SIXTH SENSE–was that it? Bruce Willis as the shrink and the little boy who saw dead people?–because **no shrink would behave so irresponsibly with a client**. Exactly that kind of thing infuriates me. As well as spoiling the story. I’m also with you on the ditzy heroines, and staying away from them. And ABSOLUTELY critters have the healing touch! :)
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I had the same problem with Baen’s Bar. I e-mailed Arnold Bailey, and he gave me a temporary new password and got things up and running again. If you send an e-mail and explain what’s going on I’m sure they can help you out.
WHERE did you find the contact address? I looked.
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abailey at webwrights dot com
I have to confess that it wasn’t the easiest thing to find (although it was in one of the screen shots on the Help page). I logged into the Bar myself to check it and it seems to be current.
It is odd though – I just made myself a second account and it appears to work okay. Hopefully Arnold can fix it.
Just so you’re forewarned, I don’t find the Bar to have the best user interface, but the people are friendly enough.
The help *page*? You mean the Endless Scroll? If they’re kind of small and specialist hard SF it may not matter, but this kind of presentation . . . well, it isn’t going to hurry them into the mainstream.
Ah, yes. :-) The Endless Scroll indeed.
If you just want to look around, I’ll send you my second username/password and you can see if it’s worth the effort of hassling Arnold to make yours work.
Great. Thanks. I think I’ll try that . . . the sidelong approach. :)
In scrolling through the comments, I see that I have a doppelganger. That is, there is another Jeanine out there. With three dogs. Sadly, I have none. And you hate anonymice. So, I am now changing my name to Jeanine of Florida. It should be Jeanine the Dogless but that sounds a little… weird. Anyway, greetings to you all, including my doppelganger.
As for Baen’s Bar – you, Robin, are not alone. I had exactly the same problem you described. But I found that it worked if I waited for about 10-20 minutes after I got the email from Baen’s Bar to click on the link in the email. I’m guessing there’s some sort of time lag between the moment you create a password and the moment the system actually recognizes the password. I don’t know if that was what happened to you but it sure sounds like it could be it. If so, you could try clicking on the link in the email(s) again and try your password(s) again and see what happens.
Ah. Okay. Maybe tomorrow.
I like real books. You can hold them and turn pages and give yourself papercuts. And when it’s hardcover and you’re the first one reading it… Ahhhhh… And they smell so good.
I’m with you . . . perhaps especially about the paper cuts . . .
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It is funny– I was thinking back to the old livejournal posts that I made, and I was much more reserved (except when praising your utter awesomeness and so on and so forth) and much less ridiculous… what I wrote generally actually made sense! And was an actual contribution to a conversation.
Now it is mostly nonsense, admiration [still] [always], hugs and chocolate and so on.
Well, I do try to contribute something when I post, not simply babbling on– that would only serve to annoy you and give you pointless comments to unscreen, which would be wasting your valuable time. But still, the longer I have been part of what can truly, and only rightly be called a community, made up of some pretty cool people who I probably will never meet in person but to whom I feel perfectly at ease wishing a happy birthday or sending get well type wishes, or simply hugs or virtual high fives and so on. As well as a general rambling on and on in comments.
[where was I again?] [Oh yeah...]
This IS a community.
And a pretty nifty one at that.
Hooray.
I think that is all–
Except for a reiteration of The Awesomeness of Robin.
And excitement about Chalice– and the promise that my library is going to buy at least one copy. Before I even had to fill out an order card, the children’s librarian [who is also a fan, but has only read Beauty, I think, so she has some reading to do [and I told her so.] [have done, on several occasions, actually.]] told me that she had a copy on order already.
So that’s one more small contribution to the “Attic Floor Fund”. Actually two- because I am going to buy a copy for myself. After all, it comes out three days before my birthday… but I am not going to wait that long! No way.
:)
Hugs and chocolate and so on… brownies too, because I just made some.
[Actually, I think you all have inspired me with the cooking stories and recipes and so on-- I made a cake on Monday night, and brownies last night! Nothing tonight, though. Too late- my mother says I have to go to sleep. [No use telling her that when I am away at school, 10pm is EARLY. That would only antagonize her. Small wonder, really. But most of us here are members of the sleep-deprived club as well as the far-too-good-at-doing-things-like-falling-down-and-walking-into-stuff-and-hurting-ourselves-in-odd-ways club.]
Oh, and just one more thing. [ANd this was meant to be a short post. Ha.]
For all the librarianish people ESPECIALLY, and everybody else too, because we all are book people even if we aren’t librarian people, so I think you will enjoy this:
unshelved.com
comic strip set in a library- look through the archive if you get a chance. Very funny.
I like this one, particularly in view of all the food I have been baking and bringing into work this week [two of the students who graduated from high school in June are leaving this week. So I decided to bake.] http://www.unshelved.com/archive.aspx?strip=20061013
And for when the computer is being annoying…
http://www.unshelved.com/archive.aspx?strip=20050110
–Julia
http://www.unshelved.com/archive
********* This is a hoot! Thank you! :)
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A whole lot of years ago, some company was advertising (in Datamation, the computer magazine of the time) a Nerf bat with which you could beat a recalcitrant terminal. If there had been PCs then they would probably have made a Nerf axe. :)
I was laughing for days after that one.
And now we are too. :) Good lord. I couldn’t make up something that funny if I tried (and you know I would try.)
Community? On line? With a bunch of people you’ve never met?
Ain’t it great? :) Technology has its high spots.
‘this book didn’t work for me’
This phrase makes me laugh, even though it’s far preferable to the dead bears–I have this vision of a book owner calling tech support to complain that the book isn’t working for them… “OK, ma’am, did you try OPENING the book? OK, what do you see? Do you see a title page? Mmm hmm, ok, you’re seeing an index but it’s upside down… try turning the book right side up, ma’am. Now try closing it, and opening it again from the front–do you see a title page now?”
you know I would try
******* Oh come on. *Try.* :)
“OK, ma’am, did you try OPENING the book? OK, what do you see? Do you see a title page? Mmm hmm, ok, you’re seeing an index but it’s upside down… try turning the book right side up, ma’am. Now try closing it, and opening it again from the front–do you see a title page now?”
********* Was it YOU who sent me the video clip about the monk book troubleshooter?? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQHX-SjgQvQ&feature=related
Oh, thank you for reminding me. I should POST it. I’m sure it’s time for everyone here to watch it again. . . .
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Wasn’t me that sent you the monk book troubleshooter–but that was pretty damn hilarious. :)
** Oh come on. *Try.* :)
LOL! Don’t tempt me, now. (You should know that I DID have a brief thought of starting to post the most ridiculous and inappropriate comments I could think of under an assumed commentor identity–practical jokes a specialty, remember–and THEN I had a rather longer thought of you murdering me with your bare hands, and the first thought went away completely. :) ) I did like the suggestion above of listing all the fictional people you’ve been to bed with and their fictional levels of success… that would be brilliant!
THEN I had a rather longer thought of you murdering me with your bare hands, and the first thought went away completely. :) )
************* GOOOOOOD girl. :)
I did like the suggestion above of listing all the fictional people you’ve been to bed with and their fictional levels of success… that would be brilliant!
************* Oh GODS. Well, I suppose I can put it on the list. It’s a long list . . .
Thank you Black Bear for sending this and Robin for posting it. Love it! And oh how true . . .
:Puts tentative hand up regarding the monk/book clip.:
Well *someone* from this blog sent me the clip first time. :)
******** GOOOOOOD girl. :)
See, I can be taught! :) But on the topic of Jokes comma Practical, I’ve achieved another masterful one (the direct sequel to “F*** you, Cathy”)–but the proper telling of it involves photos, so it’ll have to go in email or on my own blog. Something for you to look forward to–with anticipation or fear, your choice.
Oh, anticipation!!!!!!!! YOu do such ARTISTIC practical jokes!!!!!!
YOu do such ARTISTIC practical jokes!!!!!!
Well, everyone needs a hobby, after all. :)
I’m awfully glad you started the blog, because boy do I enjoy it. And it’s nice to be able to say, hey not only does my favorite author write some fabulous stuff but she also happens to be exactly the kind of person I would instantly befriend and invite to dinner and have lengthy and entertaining conversations, were she not on the other side of an ocean.
….my newest littlest cutest knapsackiest computer…
My company updated our laptops recently and gave us a choice between a big hulking one and an itsy bitsy tiny one. Most folks opted for the monstor. Me? I went for the itty bitty midget computer… because I love my little itty bitty bag and the monstor wouldn’t fit in it. The men think this is comical but all the other women smile at me knowingly and hug their itty bitty laptops : )
thank you very much!
I have been *amazed* that it is taking the effing computer industry so long to get their act together about–handbag sized computers!! I am still mourning my old Psion 7 which had a USABLE keyboard AND turned on IMMEDIATELY . . . none of this dratted endless Windows warm-up. You could have used the Psion as an ereader because of this, but it’s one of the biggest things, to my eye, against reading on a computer–the time it takes to turn on and warm up–and again to close down.
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>>‡ I know I’m middle-aged, crumbly, and forgetful, but even I would find it >>challenging to forget the password I had only just chosen ten seconds ago
I’m pretty sure I’m the only person that has actually done that, not just once, but twice, when I was trying to set up AIM.
>>‘That readers would learn the difference between ‘this book didn’t work for >>me’ and ‘this book sucks dead bears’. ’
How could anyone not like your books?
Personally, if I don’t like a book, I spend a good half an hour figuring out why I didn’t like the book and what I would change if I had written it. Which either confirms my belief as a brilliant person or gives me a huge headache of frustration.
How could anyone not like your books?
********LOL! Thank you! Forgive me if I choose to leave you in happy ignorance!!
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On the subject of wishing:
‘That readers would learn the difference between ‘this book didn’t work for me’ and ‘this book sucks dead bears’.
have you seen the rant that Sharon Lee wrote on the subject? I liked it a lot. It is here http://rolanni.livejournal.com/tag/writing+neep
Have fun!
Oh well done! Yes indeed! –Also kind of relieved to see that ‘you have betrayed your audience’ thing turns up elsewhere. But where *do* these people GET OFF??
Thank you!
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Speaking of the healing power of animals (which I totally agree with), have you ever heard of Borzoi? I always thought of long-haired-Ash as a Borzoi.
http://www.avalynborzoi.com/Mambokids.jpg
Heavens, of course I’ve heard of borzois! I’m a sighthound nut! :) And what a gorgeous picture!
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Well, I thought you probably would have, but I decided I couldn’t take the chance. I love them! The exact day I settle down somewhere long enough to have a dog, I’m going out and getting one.
Are you watching the Olympics? The dressage started today. It’s not televised here, though, unfortunately.
I find ebooks hard to read. Much rather read a ‘real’ book.
I haven’t watched TV in MONTHS. Sigh. I should see if I can get the dressage.
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****Right. I’m going back to a nice paper book right now.****
Yes–books are user-friendly perfected technology. Electronic readables are not, and in so many cases “user-friendly” does not seem to be part of the developer’s universe.
****I was so not expecting this when I took this blog schtick on. Community? On line? With a bunch of people you’ve never met? Come on.****
Funny how things happen . . . You’ve attracted a group of such interesting people–if I can’t get here to read posts and comments every night, I really *miss* it. Thank you! (And commenters too.)
Miss? MISS? **withdrawal pangs at the very idea**
Yes–books are user-friendly perfected technology. Electronic readables are not, and in so many cases “user-friendly” does not seem to be part of the developer’s universe.
************ YES.
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“the difference between ‘this book didn’t work for me’ and ‘this book sucks dead bears’”
It’s very simple: “This book didn’t work for me” gets taken back to the library/used book store. “This book sucks dead bears”–thrown down the hall. If it’s especially bad, it gets stomped on.
Your books don’t fall in those categories. They get put back on the bookshelf in a friendly manner.
LOL! Thank you! Interesting–I’ve never got to the stomping stage. But books loft across the room and bang into a wall with some regularity. :)
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The only book I’ve ever stomped on is “Look Homeward Angel.” I’ve made my friend in Asheville promise to take me to Thomas Wolfe’s grave so I can kick it. He owes me 700 pages of my life back.
Arnold’s e-mail address: abailey@webwrights.com
The bar has many conferences. Robin would probably want to visit the various Webscriptions conferences.
On the other hand, given the lack of time in her life, might I suggest she go to the Baen main page (www.baen.com) and visit the Free Library and its essays, or the Webscriptions page, where you can buy e-books for reasonable prices.
Baen is attempting to negotiate with other publishers to offer their books through the webscriptions program as well, with varying levels of success.
Seaboe
I’ll try baen.com. I’m a little reluctant to roust out a human being when all I want to do is have a quick look around–it seems cheek–and I’m not a space opera fan.
Thanks.
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“”"”" I don’t have time to answer comments as it is, I just enjoy it.* “”"”
I don’t know how you find the time to write a blog. Inspired by yours and all the others who have wonderful blogs here, I decided to try it. The busier that I get, the less I write. LOL Maybe after I move it’ll get better ….
Anyway I really enjoy yours. It’s one of the highlights of my day… When I’m good and do all my computer work, then I can read Robin’s blog.
Rebecca WinkleBeam
Thank you! (Madness helps, by the way! :))
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Robin wrote: “Thank you! I’d love to see what Sibelius produces–can you email me something? If I know an attachment is coming and you SAY SO in the email I can get around my computer’s Maginot Line and let it in. I’ll ask Oisin if he knows about Sibelius when he gets back. Yes, I’m sure there’s a certain amount of adaptation to what you use. I assume it will PLAY what you’ve written also? With my pianistic skills this is CRUCIAL. I waste huge amounts of time learning to play something and THEN decide it’s not quite what I had in mind. :(
What do you use yours most for?”
Jeanne Marie adds:
on your websiteI will email you something (or maybe a few somethings, in separate emails so as to appease Cyber-Goblins) at the address post-haste!
Yes, Sibelius will play back whatever you’ve written, and at tempos that are either laughable (for my pianistic skill level anyway!), or demure…you can completely adjust the tempo depending on how frisky you feel. I use this all the time, just to make certain I haven’t done something stupid or genius that I didn’t intend! :-)
:-)
Jeanne Marie
THANK YOU. Looking forward to it! I hope you don’t delete your inadvertent GENIUS moments! :) And is what you’re sending me going to answer what you use it most for?
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I sent you four things yesterday. And, yes, each of them does tell you why I did them. There’s also an initial email that goes more in depth about my usual uses of Sibelius. Please let me know if you do NOT receive them, I will re-send.
Off to see butterflies with a 6 year old and a 3 year old!
Smiles,
Jeanne Marie
They’ve arrived, thank you very much! I’ve downloaded but haven’t looked at them yet.
About the password thing? Lately that’s been happening to me every time I try to log in here. Exactly the same.
Ah ha. A glitch in their new system perhaps.
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