wherein Liz pokes at various stuff she's writing

I think I am trying to do too many things at once in ch. 4 of "The Courting Dance." Also, I have no idea how to end it. Must take a day to reconsider structure.

In other writing news, ch. 14 of "Secrets" is at 13,225 words but I am still not even onto the Hogwarts Express, let alone back at the Burrow. I am starting to consider the feasibility of splitting the chapter in half (which I did to chs. 6 and 7, back in 2004 -- yes, I really have been writing this story since 2002; don't mock me, I mock myself quite enough already, thanks ever so), with the first part being "Making It Better" and running about 10,500 words, and the second being "Open Doors" and running... whatever it would run once I get Ginny home. And then the epilogue in Egypt, tentatively titled "Isis Alone."

There are actually some benefits to that, not least in chapter length symmetry. See, ch. 1 is only about 6,000 words, and... okay, yes, I know I am verging on obsessive-compulsive on this topic; again, I already mock myself more effectively than you can. (But still! It would be like one of those poems where when you flip it sideways the line lengths make a pretty mountain range or something! *is shot for unforgivable silliness*)


ETA, 2:00am: Have decided to split "Secrets" up after all. Will therefore print shortened ch. 14 and attack it with the Editing Pen of Death Wednesday or Thursday. Have also made new outline for the remaining parts of the new ch. 15, which gives me space to tie up a few more loose ends and more pointedly echo scenes from chs. 1 and 2. Yay!

3 unrelated things: smoke shop, 2010 census, disposing of Ardis's estate (with a digression on cars)

Things that happened today:

1) Busy day at work. We had the magazine shipment and call-in, as usual, so all magazines (except weekly tabloids and weekly sports sheets, which we get Fridays) have now been shuffled. We also received all three orders from last week (Phillips & King, J&R Santa Clara, Gesty). Life works better when they come more spaced out, but we were on fire today and got them all checked in, priced, and put away.

2) Census form! Which I have filled out, sealed, and clipped to my mailbox for the mailman to pick up tomorrow. I am really not sure what they were going for in their analysis of Hispanic origins as distinct from racial categories -- it's like Hispanic people are supposed to call themselves white, but in a separate question say that they are also Hispanic and pinpoint their regional background? Weird. But mostly I said that I am the only person in my apartment, I rent it, and I don't have any other places of residence. (The cabin does not count because it belongs to my dad and aunt.) Also name, age, and telephone number, lalala, the end.

I was secretly hoping to get the long form, but alas, it was not to be. Maybe in 2020!

3) Conversation with my dad. He and Mom just got back from Minnesota on Saturday -- they were sorting through Ardis's stuff, prepping her house for the estate sale that will happen in, I dunno, April? My aunt should have been there as well, but she had walking pneumonia, so now she and Dad are flying to the Twin Cities on Wednesday to finish the process. Then she will fly back to Virginia and Dad will drive to NJ in Ardis's car, because he and Mom could use a car that isn't a minivan with about 200,000 miles on it.

My parents own two minivans -- it's a consequence of long road trips with two kids and a dog, and then driving two kids to and from college -- and they see a lot of use. Ardis's car, in contrast, is about 6 years old and barely has 20,000 miles on it. I think my parents' minivans are from 1995 and 2001, respectively. (In my family, we drive cars until they fall apart. *grin*)