Several of my…

Several of my draft-story readers are South Asian, unsurprisingly. But one of the newer ones just wrote to me to comment (favorably) on the latest story, and addressed the letter to "Mary Anne Akka". And there's absolutely nothing wrong with that, of course -- "akka" or "acca" technically means big sister, but is generally used to any woman who is older than you but of your own generation (of your parents' generation would make her Aunty instead). I have scores of relatives and non-relatives who call me akka (since my mom's the oldest of nine children, I have literally something like thirty younger cousins on that side). But they always use my middle name, Amirthi, 'cause that's what I'm known as in the family; I'm very used to hearing Amirthi Akka. Generally when they want something out of me -- it's supposed to be a title of respect, and in these modern days it often gets dropped unless they're trying to wheedle me into taking them to a movie, or reading them a story, or cooking them pancakes for breakfast. "Pleeeease, Amirthi Akka..." is a common phrase when I'm home for Christmas.

All of this by way of indicating a brief shock of cognitive dissonance at reading "Mary Anne Akka" this morning, especially in regards to an erotica story. :-)

I'm still pleased at having written that story. In retrospect, I think it's probably a little clunkier than it needs to be -- I pretty much just wrote out everything, and I think it could've been more subtle. Also more beautiful in language. But the gist of the story is there, what I wanted to get across, and I do like the way the characters are sort of all going through the same thing, in really different ways. That was probably the core idea of the story -- that, and the experience of being in the ocean at Alex's.

I might work on it more today, but tomorrow I leave for three weeks (for WorldCon, visiting friends, and running the Oregon workshop). Which means that today is get-everything-done day. Which means a list:

• finish all collages that are going to be finished in time
• sign all the books and collages
• try to attach business cards to all of them
• be sure they're all entered, with prices, in the ConJose online control sheet
• go downtown and return the duvet cover I decided I didn't like
• buy a pair of gold sandals to wear with my sari (it's traditional)
• if I'm very good at getting all that done promptly, maybe reward myself with a manicure at the beauty salon that's opened up downstairs
• try on clothes, see what fits and looks good, pack them
• pack everything else, except the electronics which'll be packed tomorrow
• pack all the SH-related stuff, plus copies of Wet and promotional materials
• pack some exam list reading
• do a final clean-up, get the stuff Kev won't eat out of the fridge, etc.
• snuggle with Kevin

That's everything that has to get done. There are some optional things too -- we have a couple DVD's from Netflix that I'd like to see before I go. One in particular, Following (the first movie from the guy who did Memento), I'm definitely going to try to find time to see. It's only an hour or so long, so that should be do-able. But mostly, art stuff, packing.

I was also supposed to go buy Karen a carpet today. But my damn car isn't ready yet, for reasons that are just too irritating to go into. Hopefully tomorrow. If it's not ready tomorrow, then I'll see if I can wheedle Kevin into helping me pick it up. I don't leave for the airport until 2:30, so there should be plenty of time for carpet-buying tomorrow (and whatever else I don't get done today, really).