We've gotten into a good groove now, critiquing four stories a day, and for the most part, they have been exceedingly good. Last night, after critiquing the stories for today, I started and finished "Eat, Drink, and Be Merry," finally turning off the laptop at 2:30 AM. 3700 words in 4.5 hours, a personal best. I ended up scrapping the beginning, which was rather cute and comedic and really didn't fit with the rest of the story, which was decidedly not cute and comedic. I've been a walking zombie today, and I'll probably have to go to bed at 10:00 if I'm going to be of any use tomorrow.

We got another five stories today (including mine) to add to the two which overflowed from yesterday. And the cycle continues...

In some good news, after lunch, a few of us, driven by the indefatigable Lister, made our way to a few stores looking for window-mounted air conditioners for our rooms. We tried Circuit City, then Home Depot, then found some at Best Buy for a decent price, around $150. Lister said he'd buy them back at the end of the workshop for a little over half price (though maybe if I haggle and whine, we can negotiate a better deal), but I've just been told that my sister might want to buy it from me, since she has none in her apt in New York. So, I'll have to see. The box may not even fit in my car. The work order was put in yesterday, so hopefully the nice people in Owen Hall will install it tomorrow.

In a completely unrelated note and shameless plug, while I was in Best Buy, I purchased Korn's new album Untouchables, and have been listening to it as I checked my email and wrote in this journal. It is a phenomenal album, better than anything they've done so far. I really think that Jonathan Davis's work on the Queen of the Damned score and soundtrack has elevated their music to a whole new level. I haven't heard one bad song on the album yet.

Oh, and for those of you who are reading this because you're thinking of applying to Clarion someday, one more thing: bring power strips. There are only three receptacles in the room, with two outlets each, and I brought enough electronic and electrical equipment that this became a fast problem (though it was remedied quickly enough by a trip to Meijer's).

Anyway, that's all for now. Since my story is on the block tomorrow, it's one less that I have to critique. But I do have three more, so I'd better get to it.