The financial aspect is not minor; but if we don't buy anything we want to with our tax return I may be able to scrape enough cash together. The other, more major issue is this: I have a daughter who will just be one year old and unweaned. Is his class worth being away from her for a whole week? Now, I realize that none of you can make my decision for me, but any answers to the following questions would be appreciated:
If you have gone, how have you grown as a writer as a result?
Is there a lot of benefit to the class that cannot be gotten from reading OSC's books?
I have a lot of problems with my plots. I am pretty good at world-building, and I can usually find my characters' "voices" but I don't know what to do with them. Will this class help me with that? Reading books about plot has not.
How often are Literary Boot Camps held? He mentions another one in 2006; does he do them annually? Or is this the first time in several years he has offered one?
OSC has always been one of my very favorite authors, and I respect him enormously. I am not a Mormon, but I respect his belief. I would absolutely love to meet him in person and hopefully learn what he can teach me. But because I have family responsibilities I don't want to just be led by my desires in this instance.
Thanks in advance for any comments!
Also, are any of you thinking of attending? It would be great to meet in person!
I assume, BTW, that you are talking about the entire boot camp and not just the literary class, because there is a difference.
I have grown as a writer because of the experience. There is no question. I think of my life as a writer in "pre-boot camp" and "post-boot camp" terms.
Now, for the last few years these boot camps have been an annual event. This means that there will probably be an opportunity for you next year, after your daughter is weaned. On the other hand, sometimes you have to make your life suit your own needs. There is always a reason NOt go go...money, etc.
A full year of breast feeding? Doesn't she bite by then?
Sorry, just an interjection.
I thought it was worth it. Now, the two day series of lectures was tremendously interesting, but they follow his book fairly closely. He does interject his little pearls throughout, though. And you'll not be bored for an instant.
The truly cool aspect was the bootcamp portion. Spending three days doing nothing but reading and critiquing (and being critiqued) was eye-opening. Truly. It will really give you practice, and seeing OSC's critiques of everyone's stories is like seeing the eighth wonder.
It wasn't immediate, nor was it drastic, but my writing has improved because of it. It really started to kick in about a month after bootcamp. Bit by bit, it trickled in. I'd say I'm considerably better now than I was then--in part because of things he taught us and because it upped the ante in my dedication.
And that's one of the reasons I write. I don't have kids yet but I'm nearly to that point. (I've been married a year and a half, I'm nearly 28, I'm running out of reasons to put it offf...) When that happens, the last thing I want to do is have to live vicariously through my children. It is one of the worst mistakes I think parents make. I know it probably sounds a bit convoluted, but I think one of the best things I can do for my kids is to have competence, confidence, and fulfillment. Then I need only encourage them to be the best they can be without needing them to make up for the holes in my life.
There are always breast pumps. And it is just a week. And after a year of being tied to the baby by the nipple you probably deserve a week off.
BTW, what does your husband think?
As far as the weaning thing goes, I think I'm going to have to wean her soon anyway. My hubbie and I are going on a trip to Vegas in April, and I was originally planning on taking her along, but the more I think about it, the more I realise that it would be really nice to have some marriage time sans baby. So I may end up taking the plunge and weaning her by mid-April anyway, at which point going in June for five days won't be such a big deal. My mom is fully willing to watch her, which also helps.
I really really want to go to Boot Camp, but you guys can still help convince my husband!!!
[This message has been edited by EricJamesStone (edited March 08, 2005).]
Dear autumn's husband:
As a participant in the 2003 boot camp I can tell you from firsthand knowledge that this is a one of kind experience that cannot compare to anything else. If you have read Card's novels, you know he is a competent and highly regarded writer. What you may not know is that he is at least as good a teacher as he is a writer. He has a way of putting a class at ease and he keeps them hanging on his every word through humor and an exceptional lecture style.
If autumn has read Card's books on writing, she has tasted the tip of the iceberg. This is a sample of what she should expect at boot camp. For the first two days, he does say a lot of what he says in his books, but in a live action format that cannot be captured in a book. He demonstrated two separate thousand idea sessions in those two days. Participating in such an exercise is dstinctly different from reading about it.
But then he takes questions. All questions. Any questions. We learned about publishing, marketing, plays, writing humor, writing non-fiction, etc.
The first day he set us an interesting homework assignment: Go out onto campus and come up with seven story ideas. Three should come from doing research at a library, three should come from walking around with a buddy and observing the world, and one should come with an interview. (That last one hit me in the gut; I'm terrible at talking to strangers.) But the exercise was sound. Ideas are everywhere, and from just the first two days of class he proved it by making me come up with seven of them!
Then there is a day of frantic writing wherein autumn will turn one of those ideas into a short story. After that, the boot camp begins. Three full days of reading, critiquing, and listening to Card tell you his take on everyone's story, including autumn's. This is when I learned the most, as he has eighteen specific examples to draw on for good and for bad. My own story was picked to pieces but I learned two things from him: First, that I needed to use attitude rather than words of emotion to really gain sympathy for my character (if you want to know more detail, start another thread). Second, that suicides are not good ideas in fiction. I would go on to tell you what minor lessons I learned and what I learned from everyone else's story, but it fills a rather large notebook and I don't have time to transcribe it.
It is a bit pricy. When I went, my husband and I were not quite married, he was making half as much as he is now, and I wasn't making much either. We had a wedding to pay for (in part, my parents were helping) and a lot of other soon-to-be-newlywed financial concerns. Even with all that, I never once regretted a penny I spent on the trip.
By the way, the cheapest room option is to stay in the dorms with other bootcampers. I highly recommend it, both for the price and for the social aspect.
I hope this helps you and your wife to make an educated decision. Obviously, only you two can decide what is right for your family, but hopefully I have helped you understand what boot camp is really like so you can make an educated decision.
Regards,
Christine
As a husband, if my wife went to the extent of posting a thread like this, I would take her 'request' very seriously. I would also feel that she had put me on the spot in front of her friends and that would piss me off. So, I would have to balance my desire to support my wife in her endeavors with my natural male reaction to feeling that I was being manipulated. (I don't do manipulation very well. I tend to get angry and break things.)
I won't say what path I think you should take. That is your decision. For me it would be an easy one; I would say 'Yes!', but, then, my wife is good with a knife. 5'2" of pure female fighting fury. I live in fear of her. *grin* Or so she thinks, anyway.
You have a wife who has taken care of your child for a year. She deserves a break, even if that means that you will be on your own for a week. Hmmm. Babies don't drink beer, so you'll have it all to yourself. You won't have to always be putting the toilet seat down; the child poops herself, why should she care?. Autmnmuse won't be there to criticize you for cleaning the baby's bottom under the shower. You don't have to make the bed. You can belch and your infant will giggle. The list goes on.
This has possibilities!
mikemunsil
Wbriggs, writing and critiquing there is so important because how often do you get to see so many different opinions of one story, not to mention the customized advice of Card? Not to mention you've got four days of nothing but writing-related activities. The dedication is intense and really helps you focus.
franc li--it's not possible to transmit talent, but Card is an excellent teacher, and he has a lot of skills as well as talent. It's incredible to watch him pick apart stories and think of twenty other ways you could have done something (and they seem so obvious after he's pointed them out).
autumnmuse and husband--In terms of cost, think of this course as a full term college course. In terms of hours spent with the instructor, it actually comes out to more than that. In terms of quality, it's WAY better.
wbriggs--you learned a lot, and I'm sure you were able to apply those ideas to your own stories. But I'm telling you that the man who came up with those ideas can apply them to your own story in ways you wouldn't believe. The critiques from the other bootcampers are also, as a rule, extremely good critiques. But in bootcamp you get the opportunity to see Card critique stories that you have either written, or already tried to critique yourself, and believe me, you will learn a lot more than just by attending the initial two-day class.
I learned more about writing in that one week (even having read the books in advance) than I leraned in most of my years attempting the craft combined. If I manage to fulfill my goal of becomming a novelist it will be in no small part due to that class. (I should probably send him an e-mail and tell him that. I think people like to hear things like that.)
Grahame says thank you for all the posts.
I apologised to him for putting him on the spot, by the way. I honestly hadn't thought about it that way, mikemunsil, but you were right; I was being manipulative. So I feel an apology is in order to you all as well, for using you to influence my husband.
I'm still glad it worked, though!
Were you manipulative? So was I. :0
I tried to lay a guilt trip on you both, to get you talking more openly. I figured that if you (autumnmuse) had to come to this site to air this issue, then you two were talking at each other, rather than to each other.
So, I in turn apologize for being manipulative. But I am glad you're going. LOL
Also -- I won't out her here, but a fellow '03 camper was breastfeeding during class breaks...and she still says it was worth it.
[This message has been edited by Thieftess (edited March 13, 2005).]
* I have to do this
* ...next year. I live an hour from the site in Virginia (I assume it will be Buena Vista) -- lucky me! Let you Westerners have the blessings for this year.
I have even thought about bringing a babysitter but that would double the cost of meals and hotels, as well as transportation, and I can't afford to. 
Second point to whoever said this, and I apologize but you hit on a very sore subject with me:
quote:
Babies under 2 can still fly on laps, right?
... no offense to those w/ children, but you'll probably be offended anyway -- stop reading here if you're easily offended. Yes, they can fly on laps, but more importantly, can the adult have a child on their lap during the whole flight? It is my experience (having just flown from London to Sydney, a very long flight indeed, with dozens of children onboard) that most adults can't. And young children want to move about anyway -- they can't sit still for long periods and you can't expect them to do so... so where can they go? Inevitably, they run up and down the aisles, possibly screaming during this time, usually a frazzled parent following trying to catch them.
A second thing is: if food is served, you certainly won't be able to pull your tray table down and eat with a child on your lap. You'll need to put the child in a seat to do this. A seat, I hasten to add, that you did not pay for -- and that's not fair -- especially when some parents displace other passengers in the process, asking if they can move elsewhere. Yes, I saw this happen twice -- once one the way to Oz, and then again on the way back. Very inconsiderate.
However, don't despair, most airlines have the "special" seats at the front of seating section that is usually reserved for parents with small ones -- you can sort of tie up you kid to the wall (or tie up a bassinet of some sort anyway and put your kid in it). Be sure to ask for those seats whenever you fly with little ones.
Lastly, putting a child on your lap while flying can be a real hardship on those sitting next to you. Just ask me, who got a child's chocolately finger in my eye several years ago when flying -- it wouldn't have happened if the kid had his own seat. I finally had enough, complained loud enough to a flight attendant and got moved to another seat. How is that fair? And if anyone says to me or is thinking about saying it's just a child, don't be a jerk -- I'm not talking about the child, I'm talking about the parent. Please keep that in mind as you read on.
I'm not saying people shouldn't fly with their children. I'm just asking people to be considerate when doing so. If your child needs a seat, and all of them really do, cough up the cash for it. If you can't afford it, and the special parents' seats are already booked... well... consider how you are making the other passengers feel before putting a child on your lap. Apologies only go so far. We paid money for our flight too, we deserve a little space of our own, don't we?. Children may be special bundles of joy, but they aren't necessarily to the person sitting next to you. But do know, it's not the child we're angry with. It's the parent. We don't blame the kid, we blame the parent.
Sorry for the rant. Has to be said. Opinions will vary, of course.
quote:
What if something happend, like a crash or an emergency landing, even the loss of cabin pressure or heavy turbulence? You have a seat belt, an air tank and a floatation device. The child has to share this with you. What if there was a fire and the only way to survive was with that oxygen mask?
These are good questions. The hard answer is, your child is probably not going to make it. But neither are you.
Still, let's not hold any illusions about those oxygen masks. A fire in a plane will likely spread throughout the entire plane in a matter of minutes, depending on the situation of course. An oxygen mask will be the least of your concerns by this time. Really, the masks are only for cabin depressurizations, not for protection against smoke inhalation. In a fire, the last thing you want is pure, or mostly pure, oxygen pouring out from those masks, which will make the fire grow quicker and hotter -- much worse.
If a plane does go worst-case, your chances of survival are not-so-astoundingly low. Even if you do survive a crash, you'll have to do some rather unthinkable things to ensure your self-preservation. Those that survive the initial impact, are conscious, and uninjured enough to move themselves, will have to "fight" their way out; climbing over other people, dead or alive, to get to the nearest exit or whatever. The true accounts of aircrash survivors are pretty grim. It's every person for themselves... Worse still, if you feel obligated to help a loved one before and while saving yourself, you'll probably get trampled by someone who has no such obligations.
Flotation devices. Mostly useless. Yeah, you'll float. But depending on where you crash, and more importantly the temperature of the water, you probably won't last very long. Hypothermia will occur in about 15 minutes in cold sea water. 30 minutes max if you're in really good shape and can somehow keep yourself marginally warmer by swimming or treading water. And a 15 minute response time to any crash site, land or water, is uncommon. You're only chance to survive in this situation is to find a large enough piece of wreckage to float on and hope the ambient air temperature is above 40 degrees F before the coast guard finds the crash site.
An emergency landing on ground offers the best chance of survival. If the landing jolt is severe enough, you'll be unable to hold on to your child should they be in your lap at this time. Really, and very grimly, your young baby will be far more injured than they would otherwise be if they were strapped into a seat, preferably a carseat device.
But airlines don't care about any of this. As stated above, the odds of any of this stuff happening are very low. And if it does happen, they are banking on your death. It's cheaper to pay your families some sum of money than it is to design and retrofit a safer flying environment. But how safe can you make a plane anyway? Probably a lot safer, but the force of a high speed, high mass impact, and the ensuing fires, would likely negate any improvements. Except for one improvement, perhaps:
Seat orientation. People, for whatever reason, prefer to be facing forward when in plane (or any vehicle, really)... if we all sat facing the back, we'd probably have far fewer deaths or injuries in a crash. And you could probably hold on to a small child somewhat easier, as they would be forced into you, not away from you.
. . . Are you going to apply?
quote:
Is anyone else obsessively checking the Bootcamp page to see when they post the registration links?
No. Utah is too far away from London. If it were in N.C., or even anywhere on the east coast of the US, I'd put much consideration into applying for a seat. As it is, I'll just have to wait.
At least the location changes every year. That's pretty cool, and it makes it easier for people all over to get to a bootcamp eventually.
Really, I'd be happy with just meeting OSC and thanking him for his books, which I have thoroughly enjoyed. I lived in Greensboro for a few years, and my roommate worked in a bookstore that (supposedly) OSC frequented. Still, I never once met OSC in Greensboro. Unless I waited on him when I worked at Bennigan's in Greensboro in '94... might've happened.
Maybe OSC will hold a bootcamp in England or Europe someday...? And maybe I'll win the lottery, too; now that MaryRobinette has given permission. Go on, Mary, give OSC permission to hold a bootcamp in England. Go on.
[This message has been edited by HSO (edited March 18, 2005).]
But only if he accepts me into the program here first.
Now, if only $800 will appear in my bank account, I'll believe in God.
Otherwise, I'll have to scrape, beg, and panhandle.
I'll bet my couch weilds a dollar or two.
Fetch! Now the pressure is really on. I am hoping to be able to apply. It all depends on the success of Reverend Clayton.
anyhow, cut to the time two years later when my daughter was born. I planned on breastfeeding for a year or so, but lo and behold a workshop was advertised in San Francisco and I wanted to go. I scraped together the money, bought a ticket and a breastpump and left my husband in charge of the children for the weekend. I was only gone three days.
When I returned, my daughter refused to nurse any more. She had gotten used to the bottle and refused the breast. I was devastated.
Did I get a lot of tremendous value out of my workshops? Yes, much of which is still with me to this day. Would I do it again? No. I felt the price I paid was too high. I always regretted losing the opportunity to breastfeed (I didn't have any more children), and in a way I still regret it twenty two years later.
If breastfeeding isn't that emotionally important to you, then go ahead and go... but if it IS, I'd hang in there for one more year and go next year. It will give you more time to prepare, both as a mom and as a writer.
Just my 2 cents worth.
[This message has been edited by autumnmuse (edited May 02, 2005).]
But you have to go with what you are most comfortable doing.
If you're all right with it, why not start a brainstorming thread to get some ideas flowing. You may not end up taking any of the suggestions, but a discussion might help trigger something inside you that will work for the story.
Don't slight your story, or its ending, in hopes that he'll think it "bad enough" to let you attend. Write a cover letter explaining that you definitely think you have MUCH to learn from attending bootcamp. Be specific, if you can, about areas on which you'd like to work.
Send the rest of the tale that you have written. Say that you are having trouble with a decent ending. Summarize the ending that you think is lame, letting him know that it is unsatisfactory to you. Ask for suggestions.
Then, last but not least, tell OSC that if you are "too good" for his bootcamp, that this is ultimately his fault for providing such a wonderful resource as Hatrack!! *G*
Good luck!!
Susan
Congrats, and all that jazz.
Hopefully next year I'll be in a position to apply, myself. And accepted or told I'm too good to go, either way I would feel very very honoured.
Susan
I do hope, no matter what, that you still get to go to Boot Camp. So much of what you learn is just from that unique experience. I am very proud of you and wish you all the best...but I certainly do not envy you, not one little bit.
Good luck--
~Alethea
[This message has been edited by autumnmuse (edited May 02, 2005).]
Damn, I wish I knew what that felt like
[This message has been edited by autumnmuse (edited May 02, 2005).]
Autumnmuse--I am jealous. Envious. Green. Coveting.
ERG! Now I have to go and repent!
Seriously, I'm so happy for you. What an incredibly amazing opportunity!
I look forward to hearing all about it later...
~Alethea
So we can all be jealous of each other .
Maybe we'll meet some other way, someday.
I'll still think about it though. OSC indicated that he'd prefer I saved my money, but I don't think he'd forbid me from going either.
Should I sell my whole body? Or just my soul?
I think next years is going to be back on the east coast, so I'm going to aim for that one. If it's held in Greensboro I'll be able to stay with family, otherwise I'll have to see what other arrangements I can make.
Congratulations, Mary and Dakota. Have fun and let us know how it goes!
::resists the urge to sing "It's a Small World, After All"::
Seriously, it's hard work. I know that when I went, all the work, critique, and staying QUIET (AAAARGH!) was quite a stretch for me, not only as a writer, but as a person. But damn if it wasn't a blast. Wouldn't trade the experience for anything.
And to Autumnmuse, since the posts you put up about your submission have all been editied, I can only assume from the context of the replies that you got rejected because your submission was too good.
All I've got to say is . . DAMN!
I got pretty much no comment back on my submission, until the 'review' session at the end of boot camp where we went over everybody's submissions, 'cause we had some extra time. At that point, I looked at it and groaned. Pretty much every point that had been stressed "DON'T DO THIS!!!" over the past week, I had done in my 1.5 page submission.
I just sat there and shook my head as the firestorm I knew was coming crashed down on me.
But at the end of that review (or mauling, if you prefer), there was ONE thing that made my entire trip. OSC himself said something to the effect of . . "And DESPITE all that, this actually almost works, because you REALLY know how to write action."
For the next week I was on cloud nine because of that one comment.
So while I definitely understand the disappointment about not being able to go, I must say, it's SUPER impressive to get rejected because your story was good enough he doesn't believe it's worth your time/money to go through boot camp. Because, BELIEVE me he does not give praise lightly. WALLOW in that praise, because you can be sure you've earned it.
And now I'm really curious to read some of your stuff.
Again, congrats to EVERYBODY that got accepted. Can't wait to hear the resulting chatter once everybody gets back. It's always a blast.
Happy writing, all.
-Falken224 - posing as Corin
quote:
Pretty much every point that had been stressed "DON'T DO THIS!!!" over the past week, I had done in my 1.5 page submission.
I believe that OSC bases what he talks about in the Boot Camp on what shows up in the submissions. After all, why talk about things the participants already know how to do right? He knows what to teach you by the mistakes you make in your submission. And if you submit something that has no mistakes in it, he sees nothing that he needs to teach you.
Thanks!
. Anyways, I hope you all have a good time.The reason I edited my earlier posts is that I haven't asked OSC for permission to quote him or put any info about his new venture out in public. But, yes, he did reject me because my story was too good (in his opinion). He bought it from me at pro rates, and has bought another one since, and is looking at a couple more. I still can benefit from his wisdom, just through email and the phone instead of in person.
Sorry for being repetitive to those who already know this info, just trying to answer the questions of those who don't. I hope this doesn't sound like I'm gloating, because certainly don't intend to. I feel badly that OSC didn't do that for anyone else.
Don't feel too badly about that. In talking with other Boot Camp grads, I think the general attitude is that we feel a bit sorry for you because you won't get to have the Boot Camp experience.
Good luck, sweetie.
~Alethea
That was you I met extremely briefly at CONduit, right?
Dakota, Spaceman and Rahl22, we'll have to be nice to the poor non-Hatrackers. I mean, how are they going to get through Boot Camp without a HUB?
With envy, that is.
Congratulations to those who are going, and especially to you who are not becuase your work is really just that good!
Me? I want to, but cannot. Money is a big obstacle, but the timing is even bigger. I have to play several concerts, weddings, and anthems for locals sports during the summer, so I'm all booked up.
So one creative side suffers while I satiate the other...sigh....
I wanted to comment on the nursing thing, just in case it benefits anyone. (It's also one of my 'things'; I'm trying not to comment anymore on the child-in-lap thing).
First, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends breastfeeding for at least 12 months, and thereafter as long as mutually desired. Usually solids are introduced around 6 months, so that's not quite as much as it would seem.
If breastfeeding is an issue, I would definitely get a good breast pump and contact the dorm/hotel ahead of time to make sure a freezer is made available for your use.
If you do plan on weaning, do it FIRST--AHEAD OF TIME. You do not want to up and leave to wean, and dad will not have an easy time at home.
Elan, I'm SO sorry about what happened for you! How old was your daughter? I know that for us, we waited until our daughter had been nursing like a pro for a month or two before introducing a bottle. I pumped, but we did this so that Dad would be able to feed Eden too and so I could leave the house for Mommy-time without having to worry. After the first couple of months, baby should not be quite as prone to 'nipple confusion'. (Breastfeeding babies are discouraged from using rubber nipples until breastfeeding is well established). Eden was able to switch easily from bottle to breast and back again.
Ok, thanks for that opportunity. Now back on to Boot Camp---
I live in NC and I'm really hoping to be able to attend bootcamp next year. (Sidenote: Baby #2 is due in August so I'll probably be breastfeeding). My problem was, I was going to use this year to try to get GOOD ENOUGH to be accepted! I seriously doubt I have to worry about OSC turning me away for my astounding prowess, but I am starting to wonder on what sort of level the Boot Camp is aimed.
I wanted to check out the Boot Camp threads to get a feel for what goes on, but they're closed. I'm also wondering--are scholarships ever made available?
[This message has been edited by Ahavah (edited June 04, 2005).]
At that point I felt like it would be rude of me to insist on taking a slot, even though I didn't agree with him. I mean, it is his class. If he doesn't want me to go, what can I say?
But . . . congratulations to all of you, and I hope you consider me attending in spirit. I certainly want to.
I wonder, do any of you think that he would be willing to let me join the private boot camp 2005 forum? Kind of as an honorary member? If that's not appropriate I understand.
[This message has been edited by autumnmuse (edited June 04, 2005).]
ATTENTION ERICJAMESSTONE:
Yes, that was me you met, rather too briefly, at CONduit. You know, I think we sat right next to each other in that Religion in sci-fi/fantasy discussion.
I didn't have much time to chat with Kathleen either, dang it!
http://www.chuck-a-rama.com/menus.html
In my book, any Utah-based restaurant is suspect. After all, the chinese restaurants here serve ham fried rice and cream cheese wontons!
As Void said, the food is good, but it's nothing to get excited about. Telling people they really ought to go makes me wonder.
I'd ask OSC where he recommends going to eat.
Spaceman, that Chino Bandito place sounds very interesting.
Is there any free time at Boot Camp? Say, if I have friends in Salt Lake City and they want to have dinner with me, is that even feasible? (Not asking if it's advisable, 'cause I'm pretty sure it's not.)
For example, on your first night he will send you out telling you to do research, interview people, etc. and come back with 7-10 story ideas meaning a character, setting, situation and some idea of how it goes. Well, you might dash this off in 3 hours, but maybe it keeps you up until bedtime.
Then on Tuesday night he tells the people staying for bootcamp that they have Wed to write. Thurs, Fri, and Sat are for the workshop and reading the 17 other stories and marking them for clarity, belief, and interest. Well, obviously, you're going to be writing every moment you can spare on Tuesday and Wednesday getting your short done. Maybe you'll be like me and finally get the idea Wed Night. Then you have to write every spare moment you get to get it in plus all the reading. I would plan something before or after the bootcamp, but NOT during.
[This message has been edited by johnbrown (edited June 12, 2005).]
--Bombay House: Indian (I go every time I'm in the area)
--Brick Oven: Italian & Pizza
--The Italian Place: Go for their Steak and Cheese sandwich only
Plus all the other normal chains. There were a few others out there, but I can't remember the names.
Ah, there is a Nielsen's Custard. And here's the thing: if you haven't had a concrete there, then you're missing an amazing treat.
My computer died, and so I'll be typing on a palm pilot at night. I've done this before, but I'm still relieved that Ms. Bellamy said I can use the computer lab.
So looking forward to this.
Spaceman, Mary, we embark on a new adventure in...checking the time...33hours!
Dakota is in my writer's group along with HSO, Yanos and Jack. We are having Dakota-withdrawals.
I'm sitting in the computer lab (right across the table from maryrobinette, actually--she waves to everyone!) taking a break from the rigors. We're writing today. Just writing. Tomorrow it gets tough. Maybe. Though Mary and I are finding it plenty tough to write a short story in a single day.
Dear HSO, hoptoad, yanos,
Hang in there guys. I won't be gone forever. >*<
Boot Camp is fun. The writing is great. Wish you were here.
MaryRobinette
PS Send brownies in the next care package.
Welcome home, kids.
Alethea
Oh my God. You remember that I said last week that there was an interstate in Arizona closed due to a fire?
There is a five to seven mile section of I-17 where the west side is desert, and the east side is moonscape from the edge of the pavement all the way to the top of the mountains on the horizon. That was not burnt on my way to Orem. There was also a huge cloud of smoke that reached from Cave Creek (suburb of Phoenix on the north side) all the way to Flagstaff, over 150 miles away. It was a solid wall of smoke running parallel to the interstate about five miles to the east. I saw four seperate fires, including flames from one.
I hope Bobie made it home OK. They had sections of I-15 just north of St George closed as well.
c'mon, you're liberty hall flashers! that shoulda been a piece of cake!
Oh, you meant good stories. Well, that should have taken at least 2 hours. What did you do with the rest of your time?