I can't never think of a proper title

Hey dudes and dudettes,

I got a cold and I don't feel good, but I wanted to blog, and when I'm done I'm gonna watch Always Sunny and the newest 30 Rock.

I am still submitting like crazy and hope that by Spring I can slow down a little and take it easy, and by summer just sort of submit whenever there seems to be a really good fit. Sometimes, when I submit, I'm just throwing out to five journals (The same story, or batch of poems) based on whether I like them or not. Some are new journals that I don't even know and my poems are feelers. Right now I have 115 submission out to journals/presses (not counting 20 or so who aren't registered with duotrope...sorry Ian can't find the time to set up a spread sheet, though when I do your will be the basis for mine...though, I'll probably have to set up one for each "Batch" and each story considering the volume, oh and congrats on the recent publication). The rejections I'm getting are started to become more personal and more positive like, "While these poems aren't quite what we're looking for, we love the voice, and would love you to resubmit others." Or "This story was deliciously funny, but just not quite right. Please send more, something that might fit better with what we publish." So, now, with all my stuff out, I'm just playing the waiting game. Some of my poems and stories are only out to 1 journal, and my goal is to take those (if rejected) and resubmit to other journals, five at a time. So, I can just wait, and I don't have to play the I-Just-Got-A-Rejection-I-Must-Resubmit game. That's so time consuming. Instead, if I have a bunch out to a bunch of journals, I just wait till they're all accepted or rejected and do it again all at once. One file, five times. I'm am curious how Chas and I will work our little project...though of course I have ideas.

Concerning the Mission Tapes. Em totally fucked up my plan! It's for the better. Originally the band was supposed to be late 60s, then I changed it to the 80s so that I could actually write songs that would fit, and so I did...close to ten songs, but Em pointed out the ages of my main characters and she made me realize that the band would have to be 70s. She played me Cream (I know 60s), but I think that Mission would be responding to bands like Cream. So, I started writing new songs. Ugh. Writing for that era is hard. A lot of real chords and riffs. Not my thing, plus most of my tunes were in Drop D, so now, I tuned my guitar up and started playing chords. And now, whenever I put the band together, someone will have to be wanking away--I vote for Chad, that guy can wank. Anyway, so the project has slowed, which is actually cool, because I will have a chance to actually write the novella/long short story that all the contributors will get. I read a story on kill author that gave an idea on how to structure it. Anyway. I've already got one poet who is "Game." And he's fucking awesome. So, I better get to work.

I've been "hired" to write a script. It's not an adaption, but an homage to "Taste of Cherry." I'm trying to set the beginning of the film up to have a very serial killer/voyeuristic feeling coming from the POV (we don't see who it is for a few minutes). They filmmakers gave me a rough script/outline and asked me to go for it. So, I've written a few scenes already, just in my notebook, and whenever I get some actual time, I'll sit down and put something together. It feels weird to be writing scripts again, though, if YOU pay me, I'll do it.

I just finished a short story about two dudes who accidentally learn how to make things disappear. It happens first with a plane and all the passengers and their luggage fall from the sky in the middle of takeoff. Anyway, I think that's it. I think I'm gonna just submit the stories and call it good. I'll go back to the manuscript and organize it when I feel like I've had enough time (And after I publish a handful of the stories...all ALL OF THEM!).

I've decided to let This is the Way to Rule sit till I get to Columbia. I'll just submit what I have to journals, so maybe I'll have a good chuck published when I start putting it together as though its a symphony. BTW I've published mostly Rule poems. I think.

Congrats to Ian on his recent publication!

Oh, American folks, try Dave's Bread. It's the best. Hellsea, I'm not sure if you can get it across the pond, but it's awesome!

Later,

Joshua