It's that time again

Oops, it's February already. Everyone seems to agree that the holidays are DEFINITELY over now. But, more importantly, it's a send-something-off-to-Abyss-and-Apex month. I shall get onto it in the morning.

In keeping with the back-into-the-usual-routine theme, I'm reading short stories again on the way home at night. Tonight I finished off the September 2009 issue of Asimov's . Better late than never.

42º is too hot for me.

And yet another rejection, this time from Abyss & Apex for a story a really wanted them to accept. I know my 2010 goal is 100 rejections, but I don't want to achieve it already by the end of January...

Still, I shall get busy and send off that poor, unwanted story again straight away. I shall also work hard on other stuff to justify the fact that I'm still at home.

Because, what with the holidays being over now, I should actually be heading off for the Arvo Job, but we're having our third day of 42º and it's already insufferable outside, so I called and asked if I could stay home for one more day. The commute to Melbourne doesn't usually bother me, but on a day like this, what with V-Line heat speed train delays and such, well - blah!


Also, one's mind does turn to the fire danger. The state looks like this today. The safest option for everyone in a bushfire prone area is to leave. I'm surrounded by forest...

I'm still getting my head wrapped around the fact that I'm no longer protected by Port Phillip Bay and lots of city buildings.

This is the flip-side of country living.