Jibber Jabber - Q3 - Volume 33

[Rebecca Birch]

I don't believe the 2nd round of straight R's has come out.
I could be wrong, but I think there's another big wave coming.

I think you're right. I'm no expert, but this first wave felt smallish. I think there are probably a lot more to come.

My pessimist self agrees with this. I think there's more to come.

[KD Julicher]

I don't believe the 2nd round of straight R's has come out.
I could be wrong, but I think there's another big wave coming.

I think you're right. I'm no expert, but this first wave felt smallish. I think there are probably a lot more to come.

If I had to lay money on it, that'd be my bet. But he's working hard, so maybe we'll know Soon!

[Ember]

This Thursday just got a whole lot scarier.

Don't forget that Dave's in Australia now. And Australian Thursday is only 17 hours away ...

But I suspect he'll actually be aiming for Australian Friday so that he can enjoy his weekend site seeing.

I agree with the folks who predict more Rs. Looking at Grinder only about a third of Q3 subs have heard back.

[kentagions]

You gloom and doom guys are bumming me out. Look on the bright side, Tokyo didn't give Godzilla heartburn.

Always look on the bright side of life:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJUhlRoBL8M

[katsincommand]

It's almost Thursday in Australia...

[Ishmael]

It's almost Thursday in Australia...

Sing a song of sixpence,
A slice of umble pie,
Four and twenty stories
We entered you and I
Now the pie is opened,
We authors wear a frown
Well how on Earth were we to know
Dave would be upside down?

It only stands to reason when
You go from north to south
That writers from our hemisphere
Are found with foot in mouth
The judge is in Australia
But sadly we are not
By this means shall we make excuse
If told we've written rot!

[Rebecca Birch]

It's almost Thursday in Australia...

Sing a song of sixpence,
A slice of umble pie,
Four and twenty stories
We entered you and I
Now the pie is opened,
We authors wear a frown
Well how on Earth were we to know
Dave would be upside down?

It only stands to reason when
You go from north to south
That writers from our hemisphere
Are found with foot in mouth
The judge is in Australia
But sadly we are not
By this means shall we make excuse
If told we've written rot!

[J'nae Rae]

Sing a song of sixpence,
A slice of umble pie,
Four and twenty stories
We entered you and I
Now the pie is opened,
We authors wear a frown
Well how on Earth were we to know
Dave would be upside down?

It only stands to reason when
You go from north to south
That writers from our hemisphere
Are found with foot in mouth
The judge is in Australia
But sadly we are not
By this means shall we make excuse
If told we've written rot!

Love it!!!

[orp204]

I saw the reminder for the Q4 deadline and feared it was a Q3 R. Luckily, that was not the case!

-Olivia (4 HMs)

[Muri McCage]

Ishmael, thank you for your sympathy and for sharing your touching story. Poetry is a great healer. I've lost count of how many times I've listened to readings of W. H. Auden's Funeral Blues on YouTube. I really appreciate the reminder that I'm not alone

Thank you, Disgruntled Peony.

Thank you, Laurie. Yes, grief and the relief that her suffering is over is exhausting. It can be all consuming. There's a major contributor too, in the necessary but overwhelming business of settling her affairs. It can feel like erasing all traces of her existence, but I remind myself that she left a mark on this world far more indelible than her name on utility statements. I've written 300 whole words in the aftermath. I entered a story I wrote while she was still at home with me (I managed to keep her out of the nursing home until the last few months) in Q4. Fitting, since she was my greatest, unswerving supporter.

Thank you, Rachelle. I don't tend to get writer's block, but I've found that this level of grief is like writer's boulder. It's wonderful that you were able to write a story about your dad and it got HM. I'm building a story in my head that will be a science fiction based cause and cure for Alzheimer's, inspired by my mom and the other dear people in the nursing home with her. If only real life could find a cure....

Thank you, Athena.

Thank you, pdblake, for sharing a bit of what you've been through. One death of a loved one is terrible. So much more so, when several come in close succession. Best wishes for a healed heart. I had to pregrieve for my mother several years ago, when I was forced to realize the wonderful mother I'd always known and depended on had been largely taken from me by that awful disease. I thought that might make her actual death easier, but I was wrong. Like you, I think my experiences would make a good story helpful to others, but it will have to be on its own timetable.

I'm so sorry to hear about your brother, Jason. Some profound losses can make it feel as if time has stopped, like being caught in amber.

Thank you, Louis. Even though circumstances differ, there are universal parts of grief that bring us all together and that's very comforting.

Thank you, Julia.

I now return you to your regularly scheduled twitching.

[LaurieG]

Muri, I am super impressed that you thanked each of us individually. I sometimes don't manage that even when I'm not working through grief and settling personal affairs.

[Rebecca Birch]

Incoming!

[Athena]

Honorable Mention here, too.

[beerian]

Silver HM for me...

[Beth Powers]

I'm nothing if not consistent--I got another Honorable Mention

(Perhaps this would make me a safe bet for Q4 Guessomancy?)

[katsincommand]

So close with a story that's always so close... man oh man!

[amoskalik]

That makes three in a row, so at least I've gained some consistency.
Congrats to the other HM and SHMs so far.

[disgruntledpeony]

I did better than I thought I would! Congratulations, everyone!

[LaurieG]

HM here. And I thought it had a much better chance than my Q2 SHM. This one bums me out, I thought I really had something with this one.

Well, I still think so, so out it goes to F &SF.

[preston]

Rejected.

[kentagions]

R

Back to writing.

[reigheena]

A rejection, and I'm not surprised. Going to revise it some before sending out again.

[rharp]

[Imagination Vortex]

Pretty awesome considering it's the exact same story I submitted in Q2, I just remembered to put a title on it this time!

Here's who is left. Let the speculation begin.

MAY 22ND
pdblake
JUNE 26TH
ThomasKCarpenter
JUNE 28TH
Tamlyn
JUNE 29TH
J'nae Rae
KD Julicher
orp204
JUNE 30TH
DavidK
Dustin Adams
JVAshley

[Ember]

I got a Silver Honourable Mention. An improvement on the R I got from my previous entry.

[morshana]

[emilymccosh]

Rejection.

I thought it was one of my best ever... Damn

[Dustan Moon]

Silver HM, my fist one of those (can somebody please tell me what silver HM really means, and is it sterling silver, or pure silver, and what's the current price per troy ounce?). This is, if memory serves, four in a row for me from HM to Semi--I've never gotten so many consecutive before, but I'd still believe winning is just a carrot on a stick, except I keep seeing award ceremonies where people are actually EATING those carrots.

To all who didn't get in, condolences, but here's to winning Q4, and standing on that stage going CRUNCH, CRUNCH, CRUNCH and saying, "What's up, Doc?"

~Moon~

[Michael Kingswood]

Got back in and turned on the email to find...

*drumroll*

Silver Honorable Mention.

:)

Cool! Haven't gotten one of those before. :)


Best of luck to the rest of you who haven't heard yet!

[Darren Hawbrook]

HM for me