Day in the Life of an Idiot

 The reading last night at Dreamhaven went pretty much exactly as I expected it would.

As Eric pointed out in his introduction, the Speculation Reading Series has been going for something like forty years and I've been one of its most frequent readers. So... to put it less flatteringly, everyone who has ever wanted to see me read, out loud, has had more than their fair share of opportunities to do so.

Five people came.

They were, at least, five people I knew and like and am always happy to hang out with. *waves at abracanabra *  

I dressed up for the event, but was, admittedly, less prepared than I would have been if I thought there was going to be a packed house, standing room only. I read the full manuscript of the story that will be published in the shared-world dragon anthology. The dumb thing about that story is that this was the second time I've read it out loud and the second time that the ending of it (which, I'm going to be brutally honest is not worth this) made me sob and blubber like a complete sap. I mean, the ending is powerful in its way? But, what actually happens to me when I'm reading it is that I know all the news stories I drew on and THOSE are the things that actually trigger the tears, not my sort of low-stakes version of them in the story. I'm going to have to figure out how to get over it because it's actually a nice size, delightful little story, otherwise. 

Anyway, there's nothing like blubbering your way through your own story and looking up to see every eye is dry in the house, EXCEPT YOUR OWN.

Good times.

I didn't feel like an idiot at all.

*sigh*

But, then after that, I really didn't have anything else I wanted to read. I would have called it early, myself, and/or just hung out with everyone and chatted, but Eric seemed rather insistent that I go the whole time. So, I pulled out my computer long enough to discover that I couldn't easily get on to Dreamhaven's wifi, and then, like the modern 21st century woman I am, I pulled out my phone and read from "Lesbians in SPAAAAACE," the much-stalled out novel that I've been laboring through for the past couple of years.

So, I mean, other people might have considered this a bit of a disaster? I thought it was OK. 

The thing I was the most happiest about was that it was over quickly enough that I could still make it to D&D, which was only important because last night was the final showdown with the Prince of Rhyme and Frost and basically the "Season Finale," since after this, some of us will be switching out to alternate players for a change of pace (same world, same plot continues, however.)