Back in the saddle

I’m writing again! Woo-hoo!

No, I don’t just mean this update. :) I mean fiction—specifically, fiction that’s not for an assignment or anything. Just fiction for fiction’s sake.

We were gaming one night a few weeks back, and jendaby came up with the name “Pisces Macnamara.” I immediately said, “wow, that’s got to be a character in something somewhere!” Somehow I added the appellation “wool bastard” to it. And this Saturday the opening lines to “Pisces Macnamara, Wool Bastard” came to me:

“It’s not often you find yourself facing a loaded fish. This one was a bass. They always make me nervous.”

I sat down to write that so I wouldn’t forget it, and wound up typing out about a thousand other words beside. Wow, that felt good! I’ve mentioned to various friends before that for me writing fiction is an addiction—I get a sort of high when I’m writing, like an adrenaline rush, and I get withdrawal symptoms (increased grouchiness, short temper) when I haven’t written in a while. This is the first fiction I’ve written in probably two months, and I suspect my occasional grumpiness since then has been those symptoms, masked slightly by the general good mood I’ve been in otherwise.

Anyway, I don’t really know where the story’s going yet, or how long it will be, or what I’ll do with it once it’s finished. But it feels really good to be delving into it!

In other news—hm, nothing tremendously newsworthy since the last update but things are good. Jendaby’s still busy with freelance work—go, her! She's also had outings the last two weekends while I watched the kids, which is cool. Our daughter is loving preschool. Our son is hysterical and knows it. My youngest sister was up for a brief visit this past week, which was nice.

I’m still tinkering with the basement windows and I’m just about ready for spackling and plastering them now, which will be the final steps before primer and paint. I’m also randomly cleaning up shelves, bookcases, filing cabinets, etc.

We watched the final episodes of Blackpool with deltagrl and justcomeinalone—much fun. I found out that one of my novels is going to be pushed back by a few months, which is disappointing but there’s nothing to be done about it. I watched Highlander: the Source, which was just as stupid as I’d expected. We’re checking out the new shows, and I’m enjoying Chuck and Reaper and willing to give Journeyman, Bionic Woman, and Life a few more chances to prove themselves worthy. Heroes is back—happy happy!

Oh yes, and I went to the dentist last week. First time in five years or so. She told me I have very healthy, very strong teeth—and one small cavity. My first ever. I’m going back tomorrow for a full cleaning and to have it filled. Ugh. I suppose I should be pleased that, in a little shy of four decades, this is the first cavity I’ve gotten. I’m dreading the procedure, though—not because of the drills but because of the possibility of needles.

It’s now October, which is always a crazy time for us: my sister’s birthday, my daughter’s birthday (four!), my birthday (far older than four!), our wedding anniversary (five!), my aunt’s birthday (also older than four!), and of course Halloween. Plus a good friend and his family will be visiting, as will my dad (though at different times). xochitl42 and I are going to see Bloc Party this Wednesday—first concert I’ve been to in years, so I’m psyched. I’m trying to plan my birthday (dinner and billiards, I think) and I’ve got a project to pitch by mid-month, plus something I’m working on with a friend right now. Busy busy.

And did I mention that I’m writing again? :)