I beg your indulgence for a brief whine. I will try to whine calmly.

1. There's the job thing, already described. It's very frustrating to go for over a week without even finding anything worth applying for, and have continued money stress, and keep putting off things that are more needs than wants because of money. Money stress isn't exactly beneficial to a marriage, either.

2. I did two freelance jobs for local people, both of whom were more comfortable with check than PayPal. They promised they mailed the checks on Friday. Today's mail just came. No checks. Normally local mail takes no more than two days to get here. Dammit.

3. I just found out I didn't final in a writing contest when I checked the website to see if it had a date for announcing finalists, only to discover the finalists listed there. This perhaps wasn't a wise move when I was already in a sucky mood. Cue standard, "But I thought that I was a good writer, and how can anyone read my first chapter and not fall in love with Jack when he's so brave and smart and funny right there on the page?" angst.

4. That makes three contests I know I didn't final in that I haven't gotten my entries back yet on. It might've made up for the "Where are my damn checks?" angst a little to have got even one of them back today, but no luck. If I'm ever a contest coordinator you won't catch me dawdling about sending non-finalist entries back, for I shall have pity, remembering my own sufferings.

I want to cry and punch things, and I don't even have PMS.

Thank you for your indulgence in this matter. I know these are first-world problems.

The word "no" always sucks. I'm sorry.

Serious question: What benefit are you gaining by entering contests?

my unholy love of fried zucchini flowers

Shut yer mouth. Zucchini flower love is NOT unholy. God put zucchini flowers on earth for us to enjoy.

Bobby has 3 male teachers this year and 1 female. Last year it was all women. I don't know if it will make a difference with Bobby

It made a difference with my little bro. He did MUCH better with male teachers.

{{Susan}} I'm sorry things are sucky today.

Gah, so frustrating, Susan.

Serious question: What benefit are you gaining by entering contests?

I'm beginning to think none whatsoever. The desired benefit is to make the finals and therefore get my work in front of an editor. And I keep expecting that to happen Any Time Now.

I just don't know what to think. I judge a lot of contests, and I don't think I'm flattering myself to believe my writing is stronger than most of what's out there. I've played the romance game sufficiently to have my hero and heroine meet in the first chapter (Page 3! THREE!) and show attraction to each other. I don't do the goal-motivation-conflict thing as blatantly as a lot of writers, but there is conflict there--at least, it should be clear that my characters face a tough path to happiness. And yet so far that semifinal in the Molly is the only positive result I've gotten.

It's weird. If you threw out contest results, I'd think I was on the right track. People who read my writing outside of a contest context praise it, and not just friends and CPs. I just don't know if I'm safe assuming that the contest results are an aberration, that somehow dissecting my kind of writing on those scoresheets kills it. If I could feel confident about that, I'd dump the contests and spend my money on chances to meet editors and agents at conferences instead. Well, except for that hyper-competitive part of me that just wants to keep entering until I WIN, dammit!

I'm going to say ordering in but that depends on whether stairs or standing are harder on you.

I just finished over two weeks of time sheets. Gah. And it took most of the day. Guess I know what to put down for today's time.

The boss' son is back in here today. Using our computers to edit some home videos. Nothing like what appears to be Halloween video with screaming kids in the background. Sigh...

I have really first-world issues today. I should likely be grateful for this.

If you threw out contest results, I'd think I was on the right track.

Seems to me that you just answered yourself right there. The contests seem to make you doubt yourself and that doesn't seem productive.

I am guessing that UW jobs are like city jobs. coveted. we had a part time clerk job opening. 60- 70 applicants. and that's at last count.

and DH used to get a 90-98% return on his resumes. it was down to about 5% . now it looks like 10- 15%.

Seriously, I'm just so glad he's okay, I'm a little weepy.

Now that everything is fine you CAN cry.

The desired benefit is to make the finals and therefore get my work in front of an editor.

When I was judging, as the editor "prize" part of the deal, it was still work. And sometimes unwanted work. Some nice person convinces you to agree to judge a contest, but by the time those finalists come in, you're frantically busy or one of your authors is melting down or you're getting ready to leave for a conference, and it's just another task. I know I sometimes read contest entries differently than other submissions, i.e. in a "get it off my desk" manner.

So you might be better served submitting the usual way. First-round contest judges also are *not* editors, and think of how many great authors out there would have been shot down in a contest. Diana Gabaldon is an example, but so are lots of others who are writing a bit outside the box.

t /my two cents