Reading: Planet Run by Laumer and Dickson
Music: Misc. J-Pop
TV/Movie: Last Comic Standing
Link o' the Day: USPS - Track & Confirm

So I've been hearing good noises about the LOW PORT anthology that is now available from Meisha Merlin. My name is even mentioned a few times by the reviewers--and their language is surprisingly devoid of foul language, threats, or curses.

“Digger Don’t Take No Requests” by John D. Teehan is the story of a panhandler on the Moon with his eyes set on the stars...
--Barry Hunter, Baryon Magazine 91

“Consider the very different niches and needs of the notorious outlaw in John Teehan’s “Digger Don’t Take No Requests” and the deadly Trelayne, Douglas Smith’s “Scream Angel.” Neither quite on the right side of the law, but both desperately needed for life to go on and a balance to be struck for their fellow citizens. And everybody in Low Port knows the cost of survival and balance, whether they are willing to make the sacrifice or not."
--Lisa Dumond, Black Gate Magazine, MEviews

Granted, other people are mentioned, even specifically praised, but hey. Go to the Meisha Merlin's Low Port Reviews Page and I'll take what I can get. It's the second story I've professionally sold, and the first to actually make it to the printed page. (Men Writing Science Fiction As Women comes out early September)

* * *
So keeping busy tonight with a horror story (revisiting it and working out some of the bugs) and doing some work on the Paul Rapp book for Bear Manor Media. I've not started on the text yet, but have been working over all the old photographs, prepping them for print-publication. Tedious work, but fun in its own way whenever I come across an old photo of Lucille Ball, Milton Berle, and such.

* * *
I've been following Last Comic Standing. I admit it. Network television has finally found a reality TV show that I can not only stomach, but keeps my interest. I like to laugh, what can I say? Now the laughing is all fun and good, but I could do without the nasty stuff that goes on between the various comics as they compete against each other. Okay, perhaps that's what reality is all about, but it's not what I would call entertaining. (Unless I'm the one doing the sniping, and the snipee is a clueless salesperson at my workplacep--then it's funny.)

Anyway, that's the problem I have with the majority of these Reality TV shows. They seem more interested in tearing down than building up. Okay, American Idol builds. Last Comic Standing builds. But both shows devote a good amount of time showing the negative as well.

How about a season of Nice Television?

All right, send the men in white coats to my house. I'm ready to be taken away.

* * *
And it's back to work for me for a little while longer. then to bed. But before I go, here's a practical link for those who send out a lot of Priority mail (like I do with my freelance work): USPS - Track & Confirm. It's the US Postal Service site that allows you to find out where your package is mid-transit, when it left, and when it arrived. You can get most of your postal questions answered here as well. Good for anyone in the cottage industries.

Cheers!