So I finally got another proofreading assignment from Wizards of the Coast. I’ve been without one for about six months, and I was starting to worry that I’d been blacklisted or something. But oh happy day, I’m back in!Even though I’m not really into fantasy novels, and some of the books I’ve had to proofread are downright awful, it’s still fun. It gives me an excuse to read a book, and I get paid as a bonus. Plus, I get to actually make corrections when I see the errors instead of merely seething in futile irritation.

This will be my ninth book. Because I’m desperate for content, and because it’s as good an excuse as any to figure out how to stick images in here, here’s a look back at the first eight novels I proofread.

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Last night I went to the Marilyn Manson concert at the Paramount. So much to say.

First, we went to Von’s for dinner before the show. I’ve been wanting to go there for a long time, mainly because I’ve been intrigued by their sign that says Martini – Manhattan Memorial. I like martinis.

So Von’s was good. Very friendly staff all around, great food, and a fun atmosphere. The walls of the dining room are entirely covered in beer tap handles, which are fun to look at. I had a yummy roast chicken, a dirty martini, a decidedly clean martini, and apple crisp. All yum.

There was a fairly long line to get into the Paramount, but it moved fast enough. While we shuffled along, we were entertained by the fruitless efforts of Jesus-sign guys. Apparently Jesus has given us over to our wrongful passion. I got a Get Out of Hell Free Card, and then I actually witnessed a Jesus-sign guy who was reasonable and logical and possibly even sane and intelligent.

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Salient Facts About New Guy

1. He has a very loud ringtone on his personal cell phone, and it is some country song.
2. When I snark about exhibitors after they’ve left the desk, he tells me I’m very negative rather than joining in.
3. The book he’s reading is some Christian non-fiction thing that he could not explain to my satisfaction.
4. He left me alone on the busiest day of the show to tend to his sick kid. Apparently his wife couldn’t leave her highly pressing job in data entry.
5. He habitually falls out of chairs, knocks phones off desks, and trips over cords with much flamboyance and little finesse. Read the rest of this entry »

2:15 pm – A little old man working at the door just came over to tell me I have the most beautiful red hair, especially when my head is directly under the lights. The harsh yellowy fluorescent lights. He said he was going to head back to his post by the door and continue to look at my hair. And none of it was creepy at all. I guess not all people at trade shows suck.

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Apparently, there are whole droves of people out there dissatisfied with the way people go to the bathroom. Who knew? 

First, we have the women with a grudge against how men pee. According to Mothers Against Peeing Standing Up (www.mapsu.org), it’s unclean and rude for guys to pee standing up. Tiny pee particles get everywhere, and then their mommies have to clean it up, which destroys families and causes nations to go to war.

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It’s become painfully clear that the November Experiment (aka NaBloPoMo) (aka Let’s Turn Something That Might Otherwise Be Pleasant Into a Daily Torture So Unbearable I Don’t Post Again For Two Months) was not an overwhelming success.

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Please be patient while my stuff gets moved over from the old site and this whole Wordpress things gets figured out.

To make my commute even more fabulous this morning, I had to deal with Mr. Bus-Driver-Off-His-Meds.

So there I am, driving down I-5 in the right lane, minding my own business, when Metro comes in from the on-ramp. He needs to merge, but there’s plenty of room behind me, so I don’t really pay any attention. I just keep doing what I’m doing, which is following pretty close to the car in front of me, since I’m taking the next exit and we aren’t going that fast anyway.

It becomes apparent that Busman doesn’t want to pull his enormous rig into the equally enormous space behind me, and that he instead plans to just merge right on top of me, absorbing my car in his carelessness. This annoys me, but he is about 30 times bigger than me, so I start to slow down.

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One of these days, I’m going to get a taco from one of those silver buses that are always parked in gas station parking lots advertising their 79-cent tacos.

I’m going to eat that taco, and I’m going to live to tell about it.

But that’s not all.

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I guess it’s not so much that I’ll be skipping Christmas, but it will certainly be unlike any Christmas I’ve ever had.

It’s long been my dream to just get away from it all for Christmas. Spend it in a tropical location where I don’t have to worry about all the junk that comes with the holiday. This year, my wish comes true! I’m sure it won’t be everything I hope it will be. It’ll have problems I don’t anticipate, and benefits I didn’t expect. Whatever happens, it will be different, and that’s exactly what I need this year. 

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