Crazy internet issues over the last few months mean I haven't been here. I'm not in hiding, I'm just not able to get better internet access at this time. Just wanted anyone who was wondering to know.

is very limited. Has been for more than a week. Sorry and missing you. Well, missing some of you.

To you ferragus!

Do NOT let dogs eat watermelon.

Oy.

What is the proper thank you gift for one's attorney when one's divorce is final?  Hmmm?

If there is one thing my job helps me to get, it is perspective. I work taking insurance claims and other information. Sure, there is the expected perspective of people in a bad situation that I'm not in - car accident, house fire, those things. But there is the other perspective. Like, did you know how many people will give out all sorts of personal details that relate to their divorces to complete strangers? Oh, yes, they will. And I listen. Not for the company, but for them. And for me. Recently I spoke to a man who'd been married 20 years, no, 22 years, but the last 2 have been spent trying to get his divorce finalized. They aren't arguing over property or the children or anything, really, but things keep getting pushed back and papers keep getting misfiled. Sheesh. For 2 years? And he's not a happy man, not where it concerns the ex. She left a very good job of 18 years, a good looking (ex male model) professional husband of 20 years, her home and her children to take up with a short, chubby, badly aging man with a lazy eye and numerous ex-wives and children he does not support. She's madly in love, of course. Her almost ex is in that stage that says, "Did I miss something?" for the second or third time. The first time - from what I'm seeing, of course - is a sort of mournful/wistful way, trying to figure out where you went wrong yourself. The second time is the suspicious one - where did the other party mess up? But the third time is when the anger and mourning are over and you look at the other person and think, what in the world was I thinking and who the hell are you? " Did I miss something here? Sheesh, did I ever." Anyway, perspective.

I was surprised last week by a check in the mail.  Since so much has been going on in my life lately, I haven't really been on top of some things.  Like wondering how my ebook was doing sales-wise.  Well, I got a royalty check!  It's not huge, but it is much larger than I expected.  And even though it says it is from September through November, since my book didn't come out until the tail end of October, I'd say it sold pretty well.  Nice mailbox, good mailbox.

My ebook, The Wolves in the Band, is still in the top ten for dark fantasy over at Fictionwise! Just so's you know.

I went to see Happy Feet.  It's cute.  The makers stressed the cute and funny over the message, which is good.  Later, I'm thinking about something else and it occurs to me that...


( SPOILER, for the kids, man, for the kids )