Jibber Jabber - Q1 - 29

@Martin - Ok, that brought a smile to my face. Normally, I would put in a smiley, but I refrained from doing so out of deference to your known dislike of the the little yellow buggers.

I've been wearied by the month long sitch with the kidlet, so this is feeling like the straw that broke the camel's back. We're closing in on a dx of abdminal migraines - which I didn't even know existed.

And, here... I got this note today from a publicist after I wrote a nice puff piece about one of her clients.

This is an excellent piece, Kary! It really speaks to NAMM's efforts and everyone is really pleased.Thanks for turning it around so quickly!

This was nice to hear.

No news. Hm. The week isn't over yet. Joni's messing with us and maybe will send the next results on a Tuesday or something. Also sometimes things come out right at five or after. And also, paper subs usually never find out until after the results are posted on the blog. Paper subbers usually have to search for their name on the blog post, rarely ever get an email. I know some people have in the past, but the majority don't hear until much much later. This is what keeps it exciting.

This is what keeps it exciting.

You say exciting. I say

😉

@Martin - Ok, that brought a smile to my face. Normally, I would put in a smiley, but I refrained from doing so out of deference to your known dislike of the the little yellow buggers.

I've been wearied by the month long sitch with the kidlet, so this is feeling like the straw that broke the camel's back. We're closing in on a dx of abdminal migraines - which I didn't even know existed.

Adbominal... migraines?

What the heck is that? I only recently learned of ocular migraines.

What's next? Left carpal migraines?

Waiting to learn why your child is in pain, hurts. That's stressful. Waiting for contest results? Trivial by comparison. We're supposed to treat it like sport, remember? This thread -- this whole board -- seems to be dragging down from the wait. It reminds me -- I'm not kidding -- of the Fred Pohl story of travelers trapped falling into the event horizon of a black hole. Things just get stretched out farther and farther, slower and slower...

Well, let's have none of that! This is "the frivolous Jibber-Jabber thread", not the "let's all be serious Results thread". Let's crank up some music. Get out the marshmallow gun and start sniping some random targets! If we're not gonna WRITE! WRITE! WRITE! to pass the time, then let's at least have fun while we wait instead of just sitting around getting all tense.

I guarantee, we'll know something soon. I just feel it. But in the mean time, let's party!

<<PONKA>> <<PONKA>>

OUCH! That was my eye. Careful with the random marshmallow shootings!

Sorry, I had to jump in with my clip board and notes of past quarter observations. I can't keep know-it-all-nerd-Tina at bay sometimes. Now I know how all the rest of you guys with alter egos feel. She'd tied up with duck tape in the corner I say we aim for her forehead...

Tell her we need visuals. You know, graphs 'n charts 'n spreadsheets 'n standard deviations 'n stuff. That should keep her busy. 😉

So my phone rings.
I yell, "awesome!" like the conceited, self-centered bastage that I am and answer, "Joni?"

"No, this is Andy. Would you be interested in selling your time share?"

NO!

Slam.
And I don't even own a time share.

D

*blushing* Ok, confession time.

My phone rang yesterday with a Los Angeles area code. I nearly screamed. Then I realized that the caller ID was giving the name of the publicist I mentioned above. Arrrrrghhhh!! I let it go to voice mail. <<GRUMP>>

I get a call a day from headhunters and immediately google the areacode to see if it could be from WOTF... Nada yet.

My phone's ringing several times a day, with area codes all across the country, plus often Unknown caller ID.

It's all recruiters. They're going crazy looking for programmers!

This thread -- this whole board -- seems to be dragging down from the wait. It reminds me -- I'm not kidding -- of the Fred Pohl story of travelers trapped falling into the event horizon of a black hole. Things just get stretched out farther and farther, slower and slower...

Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagh!
Sound of gator being stretched to an infinite length and going down the cosmic plughole.

Actually, scaly features is going to bed, and so am I. Goodnight!

Raise your hand if you want to go to school here:

<img src="

What I love most about that picture is that not only is it resembling the Millenium Falcon, but also C-3PO's head, AND the very center is like an above shot of R2-D2.

Tell her we need visuals. You know, graphs 'n charts 'n spreadsheets 'n standard deviations 'n stuff. That should keep her busy. 😉

Oh Kary, You keep talking dirty to her like that and she'll develop a crush on you. Trust me, you want to ponka her in the forehead.

ETA: I don't think any amount of money would get me to go back to any High School (no matter how cool the architect's sense of humor)...but I'd definitely work there.

And good luck for tomorrow? everyone. I'm not holding my breath though ... it could be another week away yet.

I blame myself for NNiNN ... but it would have been nice if I'd been wrong. The way I figured it, the judges are probably mulling over the stories - that or it was the impacts of the Super Moon this week causing havoc.

There's probably another week now to get your Q3 stories in and have 3 in? I don't think I can quite do it though.

Next week... next week ...

Some News Next Week ... SNNW!

I think I need to see a shrink regarding this. Now I'm cringing whenever I see a new message in my inbox. Dreading the email of SF rather than the phone call of Finalist. I think I'll need to be treated for PTSD when this is over.

Though my waiting for Q1 is over, I admit that the waiting in this business is the part I have the hardest time dealing with.
I think the best possible thearpy is to throw yourelf into more writing. More short strories, get some of your longer fiction written, be active in creating new stuff and you'll have fewer CPU cycles left over to worry about the submissions.
Speaking of which I need to get back to my Q3 story...

Agreed. I am writing, don't get me wrong. I just have a goal of winning this and the wait is killing me. Plus I'm trying to make sure that Q1 has the longest thread... Ever!

Do you think they will not announce anything else until the winners are decided? If the coordinating judge is finished, don't they usually tell who the semis and finalists are? Of course, I realize this whole quarter has been... shall we say... unique. It would be very, VERY kind if they'd give us a clue as to how the rest of this quarter/year is going to be handled. You know, just so we can turn our active minds to the 'what if' of spec fic instead of the 'what the sam-hill is happening now!' of the contest world. Think a little begging would help? Please, kind sirs... just a crumb?

The general pattern (there is no pattern) is that Finalists and Semi-Finalists are announced after all Finalists have been called or otherwise informed. Semi-Finalists are not requested to keep their news quiet (at least, I wasn't in Q4); but Finalists are.

Evil Martin would say more about what he expects to see today; but that would be only speculation, and it would only feed into the free-floating anxiety on this thread. I'm trying to promote a mix of zen-like patience and party-like conviviality, so I've tied him up and shoved him in the corner.

*Shows up in full Mord Sith regalia.*

Did I hear someone say "tied up and shoved in a corner?"

I'm here to help...

Ummm... Now I'm scared...

Evil Martin would say more about what he expects to see today;

Evil Martin expects to see something TODAY????? Let him out.... LET HIM OUT!!!

She can lead me around by a leash. Meow!

I agree! The Mord Sith are hot.

Evil Martin would say more about what he expects to see today;

Evil Martin expects to see something TODAY????? Let him out.... LET HIM OUT!!!

Well, he THOUGHT that all the posts on PRWeb were leading up to something, some big announcement that might come today...

But then in the shower, he decided that all the posts on PRWeb were a way to keep us busy because it's going to be a looooooong wait...

This is why you shouldn't listen to him. He's an instigator.

I'm thinking we might not hear anything until the finalists are announced. Here's my thinking...

That hold pile only had finalists and semis in it, plus maybe a few SHMs. Stories that KD hadn't finished were dealt with in the last few rounds of rejections and HMs between late April and now. THe paper subs could still have rejections and HMs, but they often don't hear until after the big announcement.

There's circumstantial evidence from both Joni and Farland that the time-sink part of the judging process is over. Ergo, we're in the long silence where finalists are being contacted, and the most we're likely to hear is maybe a leak that *someone* is a finalist, but not who, and then we'll hear about some semis.

For example, isn't Marina being awfully quiet?

Oh, and if you still need a distraction, go download my free short story today. Reviews appreciated; honesty welcome. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007X5SY58/

For example, isn't Marina being awfully quiet?

Sometimes those with something to keep quiet just do a loooooooot of blabbering about everything else instead.

The moral being: no one who hasn't received a result yet is beyond suspicion.

For example, isn't Marina being awfully quiet?

Sometimes those with something to keep quiet just do a loooooooot of blabbering about everything else instead.

The moral being: no one who hasn't received a result yet is beyond suspicion.

You mean like sticking a muzzle on their alter ego and trying to cheer everyone up? Yes, I'd been wondering about that...

*gives Martin a sidelong look*

Oh, and if you still need a distraction, go download my free short story today. Reviews appreciated; honesty welcome. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007X5SY58/

How long is it free? I was honestly going to wait until it's NOT free again, because I prefer to pay for my fiction. (Yes, I am even weirder than you thought...) I'll get a copy then, and I'll get a review up.