Good morning, Readers!

Tomorrow is the beginning of Can*Con.

Am I ready?

No.

I'll be there anyway, though.  *slightly unhinged laughing*

A short post today, as I've got stuff to do, and not an awful lot to write about.

Oooh!  Here's something.  Apparently I've managed to hurt myself quite badly during Tuesday's kickboxing class.  We did a lot of leg kicks.  My left thigh suffered some pretty interesting damage.  Thing is, I didn't notice it because I can walk around and move as normal.  There is only a dull ache in the muscle there.

However, last night when I went to run to the bus after disembarking the train, I almost face-planted.  My left thigh spasmed really hard, and was in so much pain that I decided it would be better for me to miss the bus and wait for the next.  That's a big deal for me, considering how little patience I have for the shitty bus service on offer currently.  Also because my first bus was suuuuuuuuuuuper late and so I missed all my connections and I was pretty late getting home.

Anyway, I tried to run.  Could not.

This surprised me because I'm so able to walk, sit, stand, and even jump as normal.  Not running, though.  Weirdly, there isn't even a visible bruise (yet).  It's not even tender, really, and I can massage it no problem.  I did notice though, in the cold bathroom before my shower last night, that there were a couple of large spot on my leg which didn't turn blue (it was very cold, and my skin is very reactive).  They remained large disks of white.  I'm guessing that where most of the damage was done.

So... there are too many paragraphs about this.  Point is, too many kicks to the left thigh from a training partner with shins like knives means that I won't be running for a little bit.

The end.

Right, I have to get to work.

​Ciao!

Good morning, Readers!

Right, so, here are the panels in which I'm appearing this weekend.  Can I just say that while I would like to be on more, I'm very glad that I have only two.  I don't think I could manage more than two this weekend, even if I wanted to.

In any case, you can find me chatting on the following panels.

Saturday, 19th
1:00pm

All Good Things Must Come to an End

When it comes to a long-running SFF series, few things are more divisive than its grand finale. Mass Effect, the Avengers, and Game of Thrones all went out with a controversial bang. After all that anticipation, is there a way to make sure the fans are satisfied, rather than disappointed? And considering Rise of Skywalker is next on the roster, what's the best way to give a good story the ending it deserves?

Saturday, 19th
7:00pm

Glorifying the Villain: From Joker to Punisher to Deadpool


Why do certain villains, especially in comics, achieve cult-like popularity among fans? Why do we celebrate characters (like the Joker) who aren’t morally ambiguous, but morally reprehensible? Should we be drawing conclusions about society from this trend, or do people just like to root for the bad guy sometimes?

Incidentally, when I'm not on a panel or attending any of my convention appointments, you can find me at my table in the dealer's room.  Do drop by for a chat!  I'd love to see you.

I will also, I hope, be done with my appointments in time to head on over to Derek Künsken's launch party Friday evening.  If you catch me there, say hello, as I'll probably be too tired to stick around much after I get my book signed.

Can*Con has an incredible list of panels this year, not to mention their excellent science track.  For a full list of panels and lectures to attend, click here.

Right, I'm off to fix up this [long string of expletives] synopsis.

Ciao!

Good morning, Readers!

First of all, let me apologise for not posting yesterday.  I had intended to post my Can*Con schedule, as it is now live, but it was not a good weekend for being a human for me.  I had also intended to get started on a video editing project I'm doing for a friend, and I had thought I'd do an extra long weekend live stream.  I couldn't get out of bed.  The computer was too far away.  I had no interest in picking up my controller.  All I could manage was to snooze and occasionally catch up on my favourite show on YouTube (Qi, for the record - a fantastic British comedy panel show that is full of awesome little factoids).

Depression is terrible, and this session has been particularly bad.

I'm not out of the woods today, though I am at work and doing things.  I have to be if I want to get paid.  Besides which, I have a tonne of things that need doing in preparation for Can*Con, which is fast approaching.  First I need to arrange a ride for myself and all my nonsense on Friday so I can set up my table in the dealer's room.  I also have to get my shite together as I'm meeting the editor guest of honour for a one on one chat (synopsis, first page... that kind of shite), I have to sort out my Saturday, which is promising to be a hellish day of bouncing between obligations, and then arrange a way to get all my nonsense back home at the end of the convention on Sunday.

This is all nonsense I should have figured out by now.  I could use the reason that I've not been well for a while now, but it really is just an excuse.  I mean, I haven't been well, but I'm so annoyed at myself over it all.  Anyway.

There are things that must get done before Friday.  I have three days to do it.  It's cool.  I've got this.

Ordinarily, Can*Con fills me with excitement.  I get to hang out with the coolest people I know, geek out over the coolest things I know (books, duh), and learn a tonne of really awesome things (Can*Con this year has an awesome science learning track, and I can't be more thrilled).  I'm finding it difficult to get excited.  I'm overwhelmed, and in the middle of a depressive episode that's going on a few weeks now, and I'm just not in the right head space.

That said, I actually am looking forward to Can*Con, even if I'm in a funk currently.  There is no convention that I love nearly as much.  I just have to pull myself together a bit.  Getting my To-Do list under control will help a lot.

I'm off to do that.  In the meantime, here is a clip from the afore-mentioned Qi that never fails to make me cry with laughter.  Enjoy!

Ciao!

Good morning, Readers!

So, Ottawa's new light rail is a disaster.  Of the four days its been running thus far, three of them have had significant problems resulting in terrible conditions for commuters.  This morning, I watched four packed trains pass through the station, from a completely packed platform, unable to get on.

The fifth train, I managed to squeeze on.  Squishing against people and poles in an effort to make myself smaller so that more people could get on and not be late for their connections.  In the train, I heard people talk about what a stupid idea the train was.

Here's the thing.  The train was not a stupid idea.  Ottawa desperately needed a light rail.  However, the whole thing was so poorly planned that it's become a monster.  Forcing people onto the LRT, when they were better served by local bus routes, and then getting rid of a tonne of routes, even those that the LRT doesn't serve efficiently, is what is causing all these problems; the over-crowding, the delays, the commuters so frustrated that they're abandoning public transit for cars and causing traffic problems.  Some people have added as much as an hour and half to their commute because of the changes that have taken place.

I am absolutely certain that whomever is responsible for these changes is not a public transit user, and had no idea as to the volume of and time used by those who rely on public transit.  I am also absolutely certain that come the winter, things are going to get so much worse.

For the record, I'm going to be getting my license because I am absolutely done with paying through the nose for public transit that is as terrible as it is.  I will have to put up with it for a couple of years, and perhaps by then enough people would have abandoned the public transit system that it's no longer that bad, or bus routes are returned and some of the problems are eased.  I will have to take classes, which are expensive, but the freedom from the terrible transit system is looking more and more worth that price.

It's a shame, really.  The LRT was and is a great idea.  The service planning, however, is a complete disaster.  Fire the person responsible for taking away so many routes, and bring back at least some of those buses.  That's all I have to say.

Now I'm going to go and do some more French lesson thingies on Duolingo.

​Ciao!

Good morning, Readers!

I'm over at Black Gate Magazine today, talking about a series that I did not expect to love.

I grew up on The Dark Crystal. In my house, it shared a VCR tape with The Secret of NIMH. Or was it a Beta Max cassette? I can’t really remember, save that we had both players in the house. That’s not the point. The point is, I grew up watching The Dark Crystal. It was one of the favorite movies of my childhood. I remember being so invested in Jen and Kyra, terrified of the Garthim, and utterly petrified of the Chamberlain, whose terrible whimper became a signal for immediate danger.

I credit this movie for my love of all things dark fantasy, because it was incredibly dark. With the name Jim Henson attached, one might be forgiven in thinking it is a light, friendly tale designed for young children. While I would recommend it for children, as a matter of personal philosophy, The Muppets it is not. It is a dark story with frightening events that led to more than one nightmare (incidentally, having rewatched it as an adult, I found the story still excellent, the puppetry breathtaking, but the narration so thoroughly irritating. It’s still watchable for me, as long as I fast forward through the narration).
​
When I heard Netflix was “remaking” The Dark Crystal, my eyes rolled skywards and I cursed under my breath. Not only was The Dark Crystal perfectly fine as it is, but there are so many original stories, or even adaptations of original stories that deserve attention. Whhyyyyyyyyyyyyy must studios constantly remake things that already exist? I resolved to never watch it. Until I saw the trailer

Good morning, Readers!

This morning was commuter hell.  Here's pretty much how it all went down:

I'm not in the best mood this morning. Luckily, I'll be at training tonight, and punching stuff always makes me feel better.  For now, though, I'm going to get some coffee and do some breathing exercises to try and reduce my blood pressure.

Lord, I'm annoyed.

Ciao!

Good morning, Readers!

Yesterday I did absolutely nothing Sunday, except laundry.  I spent most of it in bed, snoozing or watching YouTube videos.  The cats kept me company, sleeping against me, or beside me.  Whenever I got up to go anywhere, the pair of them would follow me.  I left the house once, to go on a short walk to get some food.  Shwarma, if you must know.  It was delicious.  I regret nothing.  After I got food, I returned to bed to snooze until it was properly bedtime, and I had a shower and went to sleep.

This is not a brag, but neither am I particularly upset about it.

I am an extreme introvert.  It's not that I don't enjoy hanging out with people, particularly people I love.  I do.  But I also find it utterly exhausting.  Saturday was an utterly exhausting day.

I taught martial arts for four hours beginning in the morning, and well past lunch hour.  This is always fun.  I love martial arts, and I love passing on that love to my students.  Normally, however, after this I get to spend the rest of the day in recovery.  My beginner's kickboxing class in particular is full of people, and I need the recovery after.  There was not time.  I had to get ready and head out immediately to get to the book launch.

My clothes were changed in the room I teach in.  I applied makeup there too.  Luckily, one wall is entirely mirrors, so I wasn't working blind.  Then I ran to the bus stop and ... waited because the bus was late. Quelle surprise.  Still, it arrived with time enough that I wasn't late.

As the MC for the event, and a reader launching Skylark (a late launch, I know), I really needed to be there.  Now, I don't relish being in front of people.  Having all those eyes on me makes me anxious.  I've always hated it.  It's the reason I don't do theatre any more.  I loved acting, but the audience make me want to run screaming.  Being an MC was not fun for me.  It took an extraordinary amount of effort to keep myself from falling to pieces during the two hour event.

It went well.  I think.  I mean, I don't really remember it.  I'm pretty sure I didn't make a complete fool of myself.

That achieved, and home at last, I drank a hot chocolate and collapsed into bed.

Sunday, I couldn't move.  I had a terrible headache, which was almost a migraine.  Most of it was in my scalp, though, and even brushing my hair hurt like hell.  I was so tired and so very wiped out, I couldn't have achieved much yesterday even if I wanted to.

So, I gave myself permission to rest.  Not that I could've done otherwise.  I stayed in bed, mostly.  Except for when I finally dragged myself out to feed myself, and do some laundry.  While in bed I listened to music on YouTube, discovering some new songs that I really like, and did a lot of recovery snoozing.

It was so, so needed.

All this, though, doesn't mean that I didn't have fun, or that I wasn't thrilled to see everyone at the book launch.  I was absolutely thrilled, and I really did have fun.  I love my publishing family, and I'm so happy to have seen my friends drop by to celebrate with me.  I'm so, so thankful for Renaissance for organising the event, and I'm so, so very grateful for all of you who showed up.  Thanks so much, and I can't wait until I have a new book to launch.  I will be thrilled to be exhausted all over again.

Today, though, it's back to the regular routine, until Can*Con, which will be three days of intense peopling, for which I will need so much recovery time.  That means it's back to the gym, which I neglected last week because of a knee problem (I'm getting old), and back to writing.  I have to prepare two manuscripts for Can*Con, just in case either one of them comes up and I have to have something to give them on the spot.  I also have to prepare tomorrow's post for Black Gate magazine.  I'm not sure what I'll talk about for that yet. Maybe it'll come to me at the gym today.

On that note, I should get started.  I hope you all had a fantastic weekend, and today is not the worst.

​Ciao!