It's been a while, hasn't it?

Sorry for the gap. RT Booklovers' Convention in Los Angeles back in April (another post) took a lot out of me. I felt sorry for the people I stayed with and the online friend I finally met in person because I feel like I shortchanged them in the time department. They're really great folks, and I just wish I could have spent more time hanging out with them, especially in a city like Los Angeles. This was the third time I've been to California and like the previous trips, it's always been for something that's locked me into a schedule with little wiggle room.

And I can't fcuking stand that.

My fourth trip to California will have no structure, no schedule, no plans. I'll be going to go. Whenever I'm there next, I'll be there to hang out with people and there'll be time for coffee, conversation, and hijinx aplenty. While I took away A TON of great information from RT Booklovers' that's only going to help my writing career, I also understand the need to socialize, as was pointed out in both the program and at the RT Virgins panel. I'm an incredibly solitary creature, but I do feel the need every so often to get out there and be with others of my species.

(And circulating online, while a decent social tool, really can't substitute for a handshake, a smile, a warm hug. But that's another rant for another time.)

I've also been caught up in finishing a project I started shortly before RT Booklovers', which I completed yesterday, June 11. w00t. It's going to lie fallow for the next week before I attack it, but I have a couple other things I can work on during the lull. I'd also broke down and bought a MacBook after RT Booklovers', which has given me the opportunity to work on multiple writing projects at once. While I still love my Alphasmart Neo, it's gotten a bit too constricting since I can only do so much on it; there were too many times where I needed to see the whole project because of forgotten details ("Are Matt's eyes blue or green?") but I only had the files I'd been working on at the moment. It'll be a great tool come November for National Novel Writing Month, when I'll need the portability of a small word processor but none of the hassle or distraction of an internet connection. For right now, though, getting the MacBook has been a blessing and well worth the investment.

As mentioned earlier, I'll be running a post later on my RT Booklovers' experience, possibly even with a couple pictures!