Five Thinky-Things Make a Post, and Open Thread (aka an AMA)

[lagilman]

When I spend All Day at the Office & then come home late, the housecats are Seriously Affectionate, each in their own way.... For Boomer, that involves trying to eat my hair and head-butting.  Oaf.  But it makes me wonder why cats and horses seem to think eating hair (not grooming, EATING) is a sign of affection.  Should I be switching shampoo?

After several days among people, and a convention looming, and more interaction on the month's horizon,  I am starting to develop that Introvert's Twitch, the one that says "I like you a lot but please stand over there and don't talk to me?"  There are several friends who have perfected that art: alas, most of them are Not in NYC.

Due to scheduling issues (not mine) I'm juggling four different major projects this week.  Two is optimal, three is manageable, four makes me cranky.  The smaller projects are huddled in the corner, waiting their turn.  Apologies to anyone waiting on one of those smaller/non-time-sensitive things...

My brain is utterly in mystery mode right now, not fantasy. Good, because I'm writing a mystery. Bad, because I'm also revising a fantasy.

Writing mysteries is actually both weirder and calmer for me: there's less fannish connection, less chatter in my daily life, so I'm not distracted from the Story by the Community. This is partially because I was a reader rather than a Fan of mysteries and so not hooked into that community the same way, and partially because there seems to be less online "noise"  for mysteries the way there is F/SF.  Pluses and minuses to both.


and now I have to go away and juggle some more.  Feel free to use this thread to ask me anything.  I reserve the right not to answer (or to lie like a rug if provoked/inspired) but I'll try to get to all questions...

Comments

[joycemocha.livejournal.com]

I don't think it's shampoo--some critters eat hair. One of my horse friends had a young filly who got colic from eating half of her mother's tail. Not chewing it--EATING it. This is a well-cared for horse on pasture in a well-managed herd. But she still ate her mama's tail.

Good luck with all the juggling. And I sure understand that Twitch. I have it sometimes after spending the day with difficult kids, especially if I've also had multiple IEP meetings.

[lagilman]

I always braided my hair, when in the stable. Lost track of the times, when saddling up, or grooming, or just leading my horse to the ring, I had to reach up and say "leave it!" or I'd have come back with a much shorter haircut....

[etcet.livejournal.com]

Which one of your characters/book environments would you most like to hang with/in?

[lagilman]

Oh, that's a tough one. In many ways, the world of the Vinearts is most fascinating to me, and even though it's got its drawbacks, the world would be fun to romp around in for a while...

but the characters themselves aren't the sort of folk I'd choose as friends. They're interesting people, but within their own context, not my own, if that makes sense?

I suspect, of all my characters, Danny and Ellen (of the forthcoming SYLVAN INVESTIGATION novellas) are the people I'd most like to kick back with a beer and pizza. Their NYC is one that overlaps with mine the most, and the ones I've always felt simpatico with....

[http://users.livejournal.com/la_marquise_de_/]

Our theory on the hair nibbling is that it's a variant of grooming -- it's the 'the texture of this suggests knots, must untangle' thing. At least, that's what Mooncat seems to be doing when she chews (and washes) my hair.
I did know a cat who adored the taste of handcream once, though, so who knows.

[lagilman]

Possible... Pandora doesn't groom me, and mostly leaves my hair alone. Boomer, who thinks it's his life's duty to make sure I'm presentable, seems incapable of NOT trying to chew my hair.

[mtlawson.livejournal.com]

Gaah. I misread your title and said "Wait, what?"

Geez, I need to go to bed...