Changing Standard American English

I've been running informal polls on FB over the past few days, asking people to self-report on which of these English sentences sound "correct" or "incorrect" to them.

I have often went to school late.

Once the park closed, we snuck into the children's playground.

Update on the Kid

Tentative good news.

Today we took the Kid for their follow up with the liver guy, the one who has been treating their possible autoimmune disease.

Monday Links

I overslept and missed a meeting this morning. I blame my insomnia.

Have some links!

Richard Wilbur died. Aside from Sharon Olds, he's my favorite modern poet, so I was sad, even if he was nearly 100 years old. Some of my favorites: Advice to a Prophet,  Boy at the Window, The Writer, The Beautiful Changes, Still, Citizen Sparrow, Year's End

Rain

A big storm blew threw last night, causing the power to shut off here, briefly, and apparently for a much greater length of time elsewhere in the area. Lots of thunder and driving rain and high wind.

On its heels, fall has appeared. It's rainy and cold outside, with a heavy overcast; and more cold weather is forecast for the rest of the week.

Which, finally. It's almost November and we were still getting temperatures near 90 some days.

Meanwhile, I finished grading midterms. Still reading student papers.

Fall Break

We don't get one of these at our university, but the kid gets one. They came home last night, and will be here until Tuesday.

We're doing laundry, dealing with therapy appointments, and considering taking Heywood to the dog park, if the hideous heat would ever cut us a break. (High of 90 today, on October 13.)

Also, some cooking is planned. And they're going to a movie (It) with a high school friend.

Me? I'll be over here in this armchair, writing a new short story and reading student papers.

Links for you!

The power went out here last night at just past midnight. The entire neighborhood was dark and silent. I've never slept so well.

The Kid Does Art

This is an exercise for their Studio I class:

Desk with water bottle, charcoal on paper

For the record, they hate working in charcoal with a fiery passion.

Your Semi-Frequent Reminder

...that if you're not reading the Kid's comic, what is wrong with you?

Today's page is excellent.

What's up?

My novel has been sent off to my publisher, my latest book review has been submitted, the committee that eats my life is on momentary hiatus, and the kid's health crisis has (for the moment) abated. (They've got another appointment at the end of the month, but everything is looking much better right now.) I hardly know what to do with myself, y'all.

I have started a new short story, and am thinking about my next novel. Also teaching and advising. Advising season has begun!

Also I am hoping that summer might one day end. It was 91 degrees here yesterday and we are expecting a high of 89 today. >:(

I've been reading a lot, but almost nothing worth reporting on. People need to write more good books. I was reduced to checking an F. Scott Fitzgerald book out of the library yesterday -- Tender is the Night -- which I had never read, and which so far I am entirely unimpressed by.

I did read Sam Miller's The Art of Starving. That one was good. It's sort of magical realism and sort of a realistic novel about being a working class kid in a Northeastern working class town -- a gay kid, in a town where the industry is failing, and whose mother is on the edge of losing her job. Very nice writing and excellent characters.

But otherwise I have been in a long drought.

New Story

My latest story is up at Daily Science Fiction.

You can read it here: The Interrogation.

On Time is Just Fine

I've sent off Fault Lines, just barely making my deadline -- but just barely still counts.

Meanwhile: the committee that eats my life is almost done with its meetings for this year, the vicious heat of summer is almost over, and we are almost sure the Kid is going to be fine (the last set of tests came back almost perfect, with just the ANA and iron panel still abnormal). We're waiting on one more test, plus we have a follow-up and probably another referral but the situation looks better now than it did a month ago.

On the other hand, holy hell our finances have crashed and burned. Medical care, even if it turns out your kid ain't dying, it ain't cheap.

So much for being out of debt.

Good thing I like rice and beans.