Ummm . . .

I seem to have taken a day off today.

How It's Mangoing

I took this week off because I was super behind on Mangoes for MuchoMangoMayo. I knew going into this week I'd have to work on the show ten and a half hours a day to get the whole month done before it was time to go back to work. I also knew that I'd fail, because I know what I can and can't do. However, I always get a little more out of myself by setting my goals high.

Except for today I've been averaging about five hours of work a day. Today was very good. I got eight hours in. I've only got the weekend uploaded. By that I mean Friday (which just popped up), Saturday, and Sunday.

I've got three more scripts mostly done, partial stories for about two more. I have three more days before work. My guess is I'll get maybe seven more shows in the can. Then I'll do what I can around the job. I still have two more weekends as well.

If you're worried, don't worry. I'll get it done. I always get it done. I only won't get it done if something super bad happens to me and then it will be too late to worry. So don't worry.

You weren't worrying at all, were you? Do you even know what Beware the Hairy Mango is?

Unfollowers

I don't check stats on who unfollows me on social media sites, but I know some people do, or they at least hide my feeds. I know some of the people I follow and I know the stuff I post is definitely not their type of thing. Some find it offensive, whether it's about gross bodily functions or politics. I understand that it's offensive to some and they won't want to see it.

I'm thinking about this because of the glut of Mango posts I do, especially in May. My feeds look like one big advertisement and I hate seeing that on other people's feeds. So, I question myself. Should I be doing this? Should I have separate accounts for the Mango? Maybe I'll do that in the future. But even without the Mango, I post offensive stuff.

What I'm thinking today is that I'd rather have a smaller group of followers who know what they're getting from me and enjoying it, than have many thousands of followers while trying to remain as bland as possible and being another face in the feed. I'm not slamming people who want to remain all inclusive. We all have to live with ourselves in the end. Make the decisions that feel right to you. I'm going this way.

Fuck pussy shit. Eat the rich, etc.

I Am Interviewed

Last week's StarShipSofa features an interview with me! Learn about some behind the scenes stuff at Beware the Hairy Mango; some self-publishing news; my ongoing writing collaboration project, Cerberus; and science fiction convention stuff. The interview starts about thirty minutes into the episode. Get it here:

http://www.starshipsofa.com/blog/2014/04/30/starshipsofa-no-335-suzanne-j-willis-2/

We're Big Pants People

Just saw this ancient act from Kevin Meaney and it still makes me laugh until I tear up. Some people hate his stuff, but I love his energy and audacity.

50 Best Non-Superhero Graphic Novels

Rolling Stone's list, Drawn Out: The 50 Best Non-Superhero Graphic Novels is out. Don't get caught up in what's number one and what should be number one or why your favorite isn't in the top ten. That kind of bullshit is for lesser people than you. Use the list to find some cool stuff you hadn't heard about before that comes highly recommended. That's right. I'm saying enjoy it!

Crumb's "A Short History of America"

By way of Explore:

Are You Human? Take Our Quiz

Just curious. I know real people read my posts here when I direct them from social media sites. When I don't, I still get a handful of views. I know I get hammered by spammers in the comments, so I wonder is this handful all bots, or are there real unsolicited humans reading this stuff?

If you're human, please leave a comment. It can be super short if you're in a hurry. Thanks!

Different Is Good

Halfway to Ninety and 149

Just updated the header at the top of this page (as opposed to the header at the bottom). I turned 45 on April 24th. One quarter of the way to 180! Today, Dan Rabarts sent out the latest offering from Cerberus, so that brings me to story 149 of The One-Thousand. Almost there!

Future Failed Experiment

Just had a thought to use this blog like Twitter or Facebook. Post a lot more and say a lot less. We'll see if it sucks or not. Deep in the shit with MuchoMangoMayo right now. I learned from yesterday and will record this morning while The Boy is out of the house. Talk to you later. Maybe. You, of all people, know by now that I'm super bad at follow through with most things. But then, we never know where and when we'll surprise ourselves, do we? That's why it's surprising.

Let's Go A-Mangoing!

Had a sparkling idea the other day. In the past, I've mostly taken my vacation time in one to four hour increments so I could cut out of a boring day at work. This year, I needed to take a week off to move and that very move fouled up my plans for MuchoMangoMayo 2014, which were already contingent plans. The other day I thought, "Why not take another week off?"

I asked around at work, certain it would screw something up for somebody. Fortunately, I'm delightfully unnecessary! So I'm taking the first full week of May off and I can get the fibrous bulk of MMM 2014 done then. Hooray! The only thing that could—wait, not the only thing. One of the things that could screw everything up is if I get chosen for jury duty next week and get stuck in a trial that lasts for weeks.

MuchoMangoJunio.

Hmmmm . . .

Poster Syndrome

Sorry I haven't been here in a couple of months. I moved across town and it was hairy working that around my day job. I did take a week off, but then all sorts of awesome people I usually don't see were in town and available, so they took precedence.

I went to ICFA a couple of weeks ago, hung out with old friends, made new ones, spent too much money on books, had the most magnificent steak of my life, soaked in Ellen Klages' tales of Clarion down under, and got brain freeze with Ian McDonald. It was awesome.

Because of these things and my short story writing frenzy the first two months of this year, I am, as usual, way the hell behind on Mangoes. My boss, who's a fan of the show, says I was even farther behind last year. I still have to record all four April shows (yes, there will be an April 30th show this year), and of the thirty-one shows I need for MuchoMangoMayo, I've only finished writing the first one yesterday! I hope to have the second done today.

I inadvertently shot off story 148 of The One-Thousand the other day. It was a twitter story and I submitted it before even realizing I'd taken another step toward my goal.

The Boy made supper for me today. Ravioli and garlic bread. A nice surprise for my exhausted ass. And for the rest of me as well.

Another Cerberus story is nearing completion! I always have to check the spelling on that. Being a comic book geek, I always want to write Cerebus. It's a fine line between a three-headed dog and a talking aardvark. Anyway, the current version of the story is deep and cloudy (that's good). My esteemed co-authors have begun to write some things that are just beyond my comprehension and I'm loving it.

I have other writer friends and acquaintances who talk about having imposter syndrome, which is crazy, because they're all great, published writers. I was explaining to one friend recently that I've always had the opposite problem. I'm convinced that I'm much better than I actually am, and why hasn't the world recognized my genius? Rather than living in fear of being caught, I live in disappointment for not being caught. How boring life would be if we were all satisfied. Embrace your issues. Hold them tightly. Love 'em up.

147

I got 147 off while it was still January, but I sometimes forgot, sometimes didn't feel like mentioning it here. Now it's 3:45 am, I'd really like to sleep, but that's not happening. I don't feel like creating and I don't even feel like consuming, so here I am.

147 is only partly mine. It was another joint effort by Cerberus, and I am part of that joint. That's all I have to say about that .