Sunday, for a brief break in the unpacking (on the "leave the house so your break does not consist of finding other tasks to do" theory) I went to see Watchmen with The Jeff.

It was, in fact, quite good, though I think the denouement was seriously overplayed. But hey, that's not unfaithful to the original.

On thing that really struck me, however, was the characterization of the violence. Because there wasn't just one kind of violence in this film (which is, you know, not unexpectedly an extremely violent film) but rather moments of just about everything from extremely comic-booky superheroic combat, to Hong Kong martial arts poetry-of-ultraviolence, to cinema verite, to splatterpunk.

And I thought it was particularly interesting in terms of storytelling choices how that violence was used.

( spoilers are going to break another finger )

In other news, the snot fairy is still in residence, which made climbing last night less fun than it might have been. I'm going to try to make it to the gym today, though, as I'm pretty sure I'm no longer contagious, and the body requires exercise.

All right. Coffee break's over: back on your heads.

As of today, my allotted time for Moving Trauma is over (although next Monday is scheduled for more Moving Trauma, because I have to round up netcurmudgeon and trek the wilds of Connecticut to Ikea.) Sadly, my cold has not quite given up the ghost. I really, really want to go work out and sit in the hot tub, but I think for the sake of my fellow monkeys, I'd better give it another day.

So now I have a honeydew list again. For the month of March, it currently consists of:

review and sign contracts
mail books overseas
revise the harpy story
revise the mermaid story
write an essay for GSHW
write an essay for a secrit projekt
start revising One-Eyed Jack and the Suicide King, unless revisions for the books under contract show up, in which case, revise either Chill or The Sea thy Mistress or both.
continue work on A Reckoning of Men.
Shadow Unit stuff.

Oi. How did the month get a third over, already?

The good news is, the network printer is up and running. Once I get the office put together, we'll hook up the inkjet, too, and have color capability! Man, I really need to buy a scanner....

Seasteading.

The city of Novo Haven, on the horizon. So to speak.

In other news, I went for a six and a half mile walk today, and I'm working on actual fiction for the first time this month. "Smoke & Mirrors" now, A Reckoning of Men after dinner.

You have no idea how good this is for my cortisol levels.

So I hear a rumor that Seven for a Secret shipped today, a couple of weeks in advance of the alleged publication date. I'm terrifically excited: advance response to this one has been great, and hey. There's nothing quite like New Book Smell.

But that also seems to tell me that I'd better get cracking on some of these other projects. Which means its time for...

the first lines meme!

(Here's what I'm working on.)


Vethulf and Skjaldwulf did not get along.
--A Reckoning of Men. (with truepenny)

The first hint of returning consciousness was the icy tickle of fluid dropping across his lids, lashes, nostrils.
--Chill

And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the Lord is in this place; and I knew it not.
--Grail

It's harder to get good roles when you're dead.
--"Smile"

"We wouldn’t be having this conversation if you'd flunked Algebra."
--"On Safari in R'lyeh and Carcosa with Gun and Camera"

"Of course you notice the blind girl."
--untitled

My mother doesn't know about the harpy.
--"The Horrid Glory of its Wings"

Someone had left flowers again.
--"Spell 81a" (with stillsostrange)

It's not a straight drop.
--One-Eyed Jack & The Suicide King

An old man with radiation scars surrounding the chromed half of his face limped down a salt-grass covered dune.
--The Sea thy Mistress

Nothing made Matthew hate himself more than waiting for the elevator.
--Patience & Fortitude

No first line yet, but an epigraph:
Faith in their hands shall snap in two,
And the unicorn evils run them through;
                      --Dylan Thomas
--"The Unicorn Evils" (with coffeeem)

---

In other news, my new roomie made dinner tonight. Best. Roomie. Ever.