Book-focused weekend. Ken’s been playing with format — shifting a margin this way then that, tweaking the line spacing, bigger, smaller. The goals are to make a readable page (i.e. with enough blank space) and to keep the page count down. These two aims run counter to each other. I’m happy to say that it’s looking like the print edition will be in the neighborhood of low-300’s. This may change but it’s a really good page count.
Still working on my blurb. It’s about 80 words too long.
Yesterday I applied for an LCCN. That’s a Library of Congress Control number which apparently helps librarians find your book. I hadn’t heard of it before yesterday. It can also lend a little credibility to a self-published book, though I’m not sure how since if you’re like me you really don’t even scan the copyright page. I’ve been STUDYING them this week.
We’re under a tornado watch. There was a voluminous and angry downpour at dawn. Branches along our walk were down. It is muggy.
I made the best turkey burgers yesterday. Really really good. Not even sure why.
Mixed in: homemade bread crumbs, cilantro and a little basil, a shallot, S&P, garlic powder and three cloves of garlic, the usual egg. Served with homemade aioli and a nice seeded, toasted bun.
We’re getting ready to go to California this week for a wedding. The two people I know who attended outdoor weddings recently reported six to eight people getting Covid. I think that makes them superspreader events?
I’ve grown a little self-conscious about masking. I’m expecting to be the only person wearing one at this wedding. Should that bother me? Maybe not if you consider I might also be one of the only guests who hasn’t had Covid.
I read twitter still. It’s grown more and more worthless but I learn about fires and floods and I watch portions of political speeches (important to know for myself how degraded Trump is). It’s where I’m learning about Project 2025.
But here’s what else I’m learning. A succession of mild Covid cases in a small but significant percentage of people results in long term health damage. People forget that it’s a vascular disease. Heart problems may result. Immune system weakening. There can be brain and liver damage, strokes and aneurysms. If Covid was just the week you lose to exhaustion and a lack of smell, I would not give a shit.
(And maybe I shouldn’t qualify the number of ugly outcomes as “small” since some of those strokes, for instance, may happen when younger folk turn 35 or 40).
It’s on Twitter where I found out that San Francisco’s wastewater count of the virus is higher than 2020 and that there’s a surge of Covid cases in Oregon. I also learned that it’s a good idea to run the bathroom and AC fans for an hour in a hotel room before settling in.
I ordered more N95 masks and I have my iodine-based nasal and throat sprays out for packing. My last booster was in March so I guess I’m good there? Not much else I can do besides stay home.
A snowy day is a good day to put the kettle on or to make soup. There will be stuffed acorn squash for dinner. I’m thinking rice, pine nuts, and heirloom cranberry beans. Plus cheese!
Can you see K out there? Fluffy snow or no, he was glad to have a snow blower. There is A LOT of snow — at least eighteen inches. Under the snowy plowed roads, hides a skating rink. I fell flat on my ass walking Finn this morning — a real legs out, arms flailing cartoon-style fall. Two men clearing a neighbor’s drive came close — but not too close! — to show their concern. I gave them a thumbs up and continued on.
After a writing class where another contemporary scene set in Boulder spilled onto the page, I made cut outs.
They’re like paper dolls. They’re reminiscent of Jane Maxwell’s work. But I’m gonna keep going with them until something new arrives.
This mouse — shame on her! — not wearing her mask properly.
