la_belle_laide | On huge decisions, signs, rejections and politics

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On huge decisions, signs, rejections and politics

Yesterday I got a call from SB saying that he was at the college, and could I come by to hang out. I drove up there and he told me that he was waiting on his friend to get out of class to take him home. I was like, Eff that, I never get to see my boy, so I drove him home instead. It was great because it's a long car ride and we got to talk about tons of important things.

He's currently taking classes at the campus where I went for four years and as we were leaving the parking lot he said to me, "I used to come here as a baby when you would get picked up from here. Now, you're picking me up in the same parking lot."

I went, O_O.

Back at their house, I got to briefly see Jo-chan and she is completely tied to school, homework, and a mad job that is devouring her adolescence. I'm sorry, Jo-chan.

It was so good to see both of them.

So anyway, one day soon, when I get it all clear and tidied up, with names taken out to protect the guilty, I am going to post the weird, random-fandom trajectory that has me readying to apply to holistic medical school.

But for tonight, suffice it to say that once I come back from vaca, I am digging up my transcript and trying to navigate the mad crazy mess that is financial aid, scholarships and grants.

Guess what? I got the rejection letter from the publisher's today. It's a good letter! It's not a form letter, it's a real one, and the guy tells me that it is too difficult to break a new author into their company without it being a sure-fire commercial success. He also tells me to keep on trying etc., you know, all the stuff they always tell you so as not to come across as a dick. They're just doing their business. It's all cool.

I'm glad it came so quickly; I wasn't expecting it till like December or something. Now I can start again with a different company. The only thing is, it's such a pain because the next company wants three chapters, a cover letter, a synopsis chapter by chapter, blah blah blah, all this annoying stuff. >_< It was easier to just send the whole damn thing out without having to talk too much.

And so I work my way across the list! ^_^

It's funny that this letter came today, right? The day after I decided what I'm doing?

Something's up, you know? The publisher in question was DAW. That's the license plate I kept seeing. It's so odd how I got the letter today, the day after talking to the woman at the medical college. If the ms. had been accepted, I probably would not have bothered with college. I think that's why I kept seeing DAW: I had to submit it not so that it would be accepted, but so that it would be rejected!

Okay, I am for sure going back to school, universe! Really! ^_^

But I am also not going to quite sending the ms. out.

Next up: Edge/Tesseract!

Word.

And then there was politics. I hope no one minds if I copy and paste something that happened today. This is something that happens to me a lot frequently. I know a lot of people who hate the Bush administration, hate what is happening to the country, hate our rights disappearing along with the climate, and hate the war. Yet they are not going to vote for Obama. Because of personal reasons of "trust" or "it's just not right" or "it doesn't feel right" or whatever, they are just going to not vote at all. They are going to give away their vote to McCain, really. Anyway, here's what I say to that.

You don't have to LIKE Obama. He doesn't have to be "for you" and he doesn't have to "fit" you. It's not about personalities or feelings or trust or these other nebulous ideas. It's not even about parties.

It's about protecting what is left of our rights and our world from further ruin. "I'm not going to vote for personal reasons" is a really dangerous stance to take when the stakes of the rest of the free world are so damn high.

McCain and Palin want to overturn Roe v. Wade. You can be sure they will make a case against homosexual marriage. They will continue the war (McCain has said this over and over again.) They are both ridiculously destructive to the environment. Bush overturned the 4th and 5th amendments and you can be sure that McCain will not only keep it this way, but will do even more damage.

The thing is, you could have McCain running against a piece of reanimated roadkill with lint for a VP, and you would still absolutely have to vote for the roadkill if you want to protect what's left.

Even if you hate Obama, he is all there is. Even if he got into office and did absolutely dick; even if he spray-painted inverted crosses all over the ceiling and peed on the walls, or if he bathed nightly in a vat of leeches, he would still be all there is to not complete the Bush agenda.

It's not about feelings or trust, parties, personalities, the media, or who "fits" what candidate. Those things can take a flying leap. What it comes down to is doing everything you possibly can to salvage what is left.

Of course, this all depends on where you stand on the issues. If you're okay with women being denied the right to choose--even in the circumstance of rape, this is--then don't vote. Not voting is your option. If you're all right with the war, not voting is your option. If you're all right with homosexuals being told how they may or may not live, not voting is your option. If you're all right with Planned Parenthood going under, not voting is your option. If you're all right with what's left of our resources and the environment going to hell, then not voting is your option.

But if that stuff bothers you at all, then Obama is the only option.

I also want to link to this, Jon Stewart on hypocrisy:

For the no-clickes or if the link gets taken down:
Wednesday night on "The Daily Show," Jon Stewart hit Karl Rove and Bill O'Reilly with damning evidence of their hypocrisy regarding Vice Presidential nominee Sarah Palin.

While Rove recently praised Palin's experience as the mayor of Wasilla, Alaska, Stewart showed video of Rove trashing Virginia Governor — and former Richmond Mayor — Tim Kaine's executive experience, listing all the cities that are bigger than Richmond and calling such a pick "political."

Then, after recent video of O'Reilly describing Bristol Palin's pregnancy as a family issue, Stewart showed a clip of the Fox News host blaming Jamie Lynn Spears' parents for her teenage pregnancy.

Finally, after showing video of Dick Morris complaining about the rampant sexism in the media coverage of Sarah Palin, Stewart unveiled a clip of Morris saying that Hillary hides behind the sexism defense, and that anytime "the big boys" pick on Hillary, "she retreats behind the apron strings."

"In Dick Morris' defense," Stewart said, "he is a lying sack of sh*t."

And, gacked from

reanimated, if you think that there is no racism at all in this race from the Republican side, take a look.

Westmoreland was discussing vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin's speech with reporters outside the House chamber and was asked to compare her with Michelle Obama.

"Just from what little I’ve seen of her and Mr. Obama, Sen. Obama, they're a member of an elitist-class individual that thinks that they're uppity," Westmoreland said.

I'm glad that Obama takes the high road; I think it will help him in the long run. I saw him take the political, conciliatory road on SpongePorn NoPants's show tonight, and that I didn't like. I hated it, but I got it. He can't go on there spouting about how the war on Turrism and how Humland Skurrity for Murrika is a bunch of jingoistic right-wingtards scratching their balls and beating their chests, he just can't. I get that.

But that doesn't mean that I can't get angry and spout off about it.

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I'm glad Obama takes the high road. I'm also glad that they're gonna let Senator Clinton loose on Palin - word around is that Clinton is pissed Palin is trying to capitalize on the sweat equity she put into her campaign.

Re-he-heally? Well when you consider Clinton's last speech and how good it was, let's hope.

I hate how McCain thinks that he can just throw a vagina at us and get the female vote he thinks we lost with Clinton.

Hearing people say they won't vote because they don't like or get or whatever either candidate makes me ridiculously sad. I don't think there's anyone who's going to agree with anyone else absolutely 100%, and even if you do there's no promise that they'll make good on it, but if they're pointed the right direction at least, you know... DO IT. Try. I realize sometimes it's the lesser of two evils, but you know... pick the lesser then! It's better than sitting on your ass doing nothing and whining about how they all suck.

At this point, McCain has just insulted the intelligence of the American public so much we should just send him off to the plastic island. =p

Me too, 3, 4, 5.

ANd McCain is ridiculously insulting. How can people not see that?

btw, the person you posted that comment to fully intends to vote. hopefully you're not referring to her. let's not misrepresent one of my good friends, please. hell, she's actually sticking to her principles more than many by voting for a third party candidate that she agrees with. you pretty much have to respect that. it's the 18 year old with not much interest and other priorities that doesn't really care about the election.

Edited 2008-09-05 04:56 (UTC)

Actually, since I didn't mention any names at all, there is no way I could possibly "misrepresent" anyone.

yes well, knowing the original context of the comment, *i* know that this post gives an inaccurate impression. that bothers me, not that it matters what i think.

As I have said the same exact thing to at least five people in my life, there's no way you could say if it is inaccurate or not. There is no way to know who else I was talking about. I've copied and pasted this to blogs and emails.

Also, I said the exact same thing on your blog and it didn't seem to bother you there?

right, you said the exact same thing there, to someone who is voting for a third party candidate. didn't bother me there because you weren't saying that this person wasn't voting.

Just in case you skimmed it before feeling defensive:

This is something that happens to me a lot frequently. I know a lot of people who hate the Bush administration, hate what is happening to the country, hate our rights disappearing along with the climate, and hate the war. Yet they are not going to vote for Obama

Wow. And I'm still not saying that "this person isn't voting."

so, just that voting for anyone who is not obama, even someone that a person actually agrees with, who is not from one of two major parties, is just like voting for mccain. i think mccain is a punk-ass, but i can understand people voting for someone they really do agree with on principle. not everyone's taste, but it doesn't deserve to be lumped in with actively supporting mccain.

that said, i'm apparently not the only one that gleaned a jab at 'not voting' here.

whatever. i'm done with it.

so, just that voting for anyone who is not obama, even someone that a person actually agrees with, who is not from one of two major parties, is just like voting for mccain.

Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying.

not everyone's taste, but it doesn't deserve to be lumped in with actively supporting mccain.

I never said it was "actively" supporting him, but it is passivly supporting him and putting him in office.

This was my original argument. Your friend and I were actually having a nice conversation about it.

that said, i'm apparently not the only one that gleaned a jab at 'not voting' here.

A jab at not voting? Yes; it is a jab at not voting. I thought i made that clear. Like, a hundred times already.

and my issue is that while you were having a nice conversation to her face, you're coming over here and saying 'wow what an idiot, all these people not voting or voting for someone else are just like the mccain supporters.' not voting at all and voting for someone you don't find worth the effort are not even the same thing. even if the end result somehow ends up being equivalent, i think intentions and motivations do have their own value. i'm not going to diss someone for 'throwing their vote away' when i have weighed that myself.

and my issue is that while you were having a nice conversation to her face, you're coming over here and saying 'wow what an idiot, all these people not voting or voting for someone else are just like the mccain supporters.'

Wow. Tell me where I used the word "idiot."

And you know what the punchline is? That apart from adding that I had said this to many people, I said the exact same thing to her that I did on here. So what's all this about calling your friend an idiot behind her back?

I didn't even call the non-voters idiots.

So again, for the cheap seats: Yes, I think a vote for someone else is the equivalent of not voting when you get down to the counting. Yes, to everything I said already, both to your friend, and here on my blog--which was, outside of a few corrections and justifications that I also knew people who weren't voting at all--exactly the same thing. And this "calling someone an idiot behind their back" is ridiculous.

I'm pretty sure that's covered everything.

Okay, let's be literal then, since I wasn't. How *would* you describe the people you think are throwing their votes away? You certainly don't have a favorable opinion.

You did kind of more or less ignore all of my points, which were logical and pretty clear-cut even in the face you you coming in here on the defensive telling me I was calling people idiots, but not "literally."

I can't think of one word to sum up every single person who is throwing their vote away. They are all different. Some are frustrated. Some are misguided. Some have given up. Some are jaded. Some aren't jaded enough. Some have priorities that are different: the protection of basic human rights and the environment aren't as important as other issues to them. Yet still others don't care. Some don't like Michelle. Some are stupid and racist. Some are smart.

Why are you asking me to insult people? Is that really what you want to believe so that you can continue this?

And don't sit there and tell me that my opinion of them as people is unfavorable just because you want to believe that I have it in for someone you know. Many of the people I know are my family members. I can, believe this or not, strongly disagree with someone while still having a favorable opinion of them as people.

Edited 2008-09-05 18:23 (UTC)

Lol what? I'm not asking you to insult people, and I sure as hell don't "want to believe" anything. I'm trying to figure out what the message here. Still sounds to me like you're saying everyone who doesn't vote for obama is wrong and making a mistake. Personally, I'll just be glad when people actually think about who they want and why. If they're making an educated decision, at least they came by it honestly. That's about all we can ask for. Swing voters do exist, they do comparison shop, and beating them over the head with anything from any side will only turn them off. All I ask of anyone is to pay attention and make sure they vote for the policies they want.

It seems a lot like you're doing more than "trying to figure it out" because I have been absolutely clear from the start. You came in here on the defensive saying I was calling your friend an idiot or was implying that she wasn't voting. You came out swinging, when, in fact, I was having a nice conversation with your friend, then took this to my blog to demonstrate that I knew other people who were, in my mind, handing the election to McCain.

You were not arguing that "swing voters exist" or that "people should pay attention." That might be what you're saying now, but that's not what you started out here for.

Still sounds to me like you're saying everyone who doesn't vote for obama is wrong and making a mistake.

Wow, yes, that is my opinion, I have said that for the last year or so. Anyone but Obama = McCain and McCain is destructive. We will continue to lose our basic human rights and resources. We are clear on this. I think Obama is the only choice. You do not have to agree.

But read back to your first bunch of comments. That was not your original argument. Your original argument was that I had somehow "misrepresented" someone I didn't even name. When I pointed out that I was using the same argument that I used for people I actually knew, who, you know, weren't your friend? Then you said that I was "talking behind her back." When I said that I wasn't, you changed it to, "It sounds like you're calling those people idiots."

Decide, then we'll talk.

Sorry I said anything. I was not aware that the same exact comment was being reused for other people, and the mention that "I know several people" sounds like all these people are doing the same thing. I don't seem to have read this the way you intended. But even without the parts I didn't pick up, I understand well that you're saying this mixed group of people is wrong. Wrong, stupid, it's semantics to me personally. But whatever, it's not worth it.

If "wrong" is synonymous with "stupid" to you, then this goes a hell of a lot deeper than I thought. I guess that means that everyone in the world is stupid, because we are all wrong sometimes. And actually, it's not a matter of "semantics," because the two words have utterly different meanings.

What's annoyed me throughout this whole thing is that you keep changing what you're saying, while specifically avoiding addressing the things I've spelled out to you again and again. You came on here first saying that I was trying to say your friend wasn't voting. I showed you that I hadn't said any such thing. You ignored that and changed your argument to, "Well, you're saying things behind her back." I showed you that I wasn't. You ignored that and changed it to, "You think they're idiots." I told you I didn't. You ignored that and changed it to, "swing voters / comparison shop / people getting educated." I didn't even bother to address that because that wasn't the original point.

And then, naturally, you went back to insisting that I'm saying that people are "stupid" even after you said that you didn't really mean to say I was calling someone an idiot. Err, even though you, like, said it and then said that it's not what you were really saying.

And so clearly, you do want to believe that's what I mean.

Well if that's all ya got, then have fun with it.

Edited 2008-09-05 19:32 (UTC)

I'm also sympathetic to the people who vote on principle because you know what? Voting for obama in texas is kind of throwing my vote away, too.

I didn't get a chance to say this before: that sucks about the rejection, but awesome that you got a personal reply! That's a big deal! :D

If you don't mind me going all busy-body on you, I think you should definitely view this editor as a contact. I would write back, saying the usual "I know you're very busy, and thank you for looking at my manuscript in the first place, etc etc," and then ask for advice on changes that would improve your manuscript.

The worst that will happen is nothing, but you might get some really good advice out of it, too. Plus, a little sucking up to a working editor is never a bad idea. :)

Good luck, with the manuscript and with going back to school!

*thumbs up*

Hi TJ!

Thanks, you're the only one among the rest who caught the personal stuff in the midst of the political. :)

It is actually considered very bad form to ask an editor for help with your manuscript. A "thank you" note isn't bad, but anything further is usually considered wheedling at best, harassment at worst. Once they reject the manuscript, that's about it.

I'm eager to move on, though. :D

Wow! New layout since I last commented! You're quick! :D

Re: bugging the editors -- I've read both bits of advice, so it's probably best to go with what you're comfortable with, but I hope you will at least thank the fellow. It's cool that he sent you a personal reply!

(I woulda commented on the political, but um...well, you know how I am! *grin*)

Yes, I was feeling more fall-ish. I was into the owl thing today. :)

Oh gosh, I'm not sure it was a personal reply exactly, just not a flat out rejection. I'm pretty sure I've bugged this guy enough. He heard from me last year, too. O_O He's got a job to do and is very busy; it's one of those kinds of places.

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On huge decisions, signs, rejections and politics

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