Scatterbrained Ramblings

So, I dutifully tried my hand at Kindle Vella. For those who aren’t familiar, you create stories and then release them one chapter (“episode”) at a time. So, I created the story, included the more controversial themes that would be included, and submitted it. They don’t make it go live until you publish your first episode, though, so I went ahead and pasted the first ~5000 words into it. Also fine. They approved it a few days later. I even included a poll (just like I wanted to do) and set the due date for July 31st. Well, I got a little antsy and decided to post the second chapter. While spicier than the first chapter, almost all of the elements in the second chapter were present in the first chapter—which, again, was approved. So, I submitted the second chapter, and it spent days in review, which reminded me a little bit of Slave Auction, which also spent days in review. Found out Sunday they rejected it, and now it shows up with a big, red badge that says “Blocked”.

Now, I’ll be the first to admit, the topic was pretty out there: an anthropomorphic doe was punished for speaking out against the emperor by being subjected to “humility training”, which involves (per the tags—which they approved) bestiality, rape, forced impregnation, and forced birth. But, it frustrates me that they approved the first episode only to block the second episode. From a reader’s standpoint, who would want to read a chapter and then not be able to read the rest? Or, perhaps worse, who would want to read a chapter and then miss a chapter and have to pick up in chapter 3? The whole concept seems asinine to me. Still, I dutifully wrote their help desk, pointing all of this out (as well as the fact that there are other stories published on their site that include those topics). I said that best-case, I was hoping to get my story unblocked and published. Barring that, I hoped that they would provide better definition of what is considered acceptable versus unacceptable (particularly since two chapters of the same story were handled differently). And, I said that if it came down to the discretion of individual reviewers, then I requested that they improve their training to provide a more consistent experience for authors.

As expected, I received a canned response saying that they reserve the right to determine what is acceptable or not. And, they’re right: it’s their platform, so if they decided that they didn’t want, say, any reference of bunnies, that’s their prerogative. But, that doesn’t change the fact that it’s a lousy user experience from both the writers’ and readers’ perspectives when they inconsistently apply their rules. And, don’t get me started on the Puritanical nature of acceptability when it comes to text on a page. Kiddie porn? Absolutely unacceptable: demonstrably psychologically harmful at minimum (not to mention the physical harm). Fictitious text on a page that does not even reference any real-life people or events and does not advocate for people to participate in the activities described? Yeah, I’m not seeing the harm there. It’s tagged as erotica (so, adults only), marked with keywords of potentially upsetting subjects (so people know what they’re getting), and if they choose to read it at that point, who is anybody to tell them they can’t? I wish people would stop trying to force their morals on other people and just live and let live, you know?

The upshot of all this is (as one of my former coworkers used to say), “We have data”. I might not like the results, but at least now I know that Kindle Vella is not for me. If they’d blocked the story upfront, that would have been acceptable. If they’d accepted the second chapter, that would have been even better. But, the actual result was the least intuitive and most aggravating of the options, so I’m not going to use it anymore. I’ve requested that they take down the entire story, and I’ll decide what to do with it later.

…I would laugh if I submitted it via the usual channels and it got approved…

On another note, I had had this idea that the whole Jack’s Blacks concept was to have enough stories out there that I could make passive income. Now, this month has been particularly good for that—people have really enjoyed Jack’s Blacks: The Service—but I’m still looking at ~$11 for the month. In contrast, I just finished a nearly $400 commission in about the same amount of time it took to write The Service. The frustration with commissions is that they require me to actively work on them as opposed to royalties where I publish the book and then passively collect income, but it occurred to me that maybe I’m thinking about it wrong: if I were to take the money I made off that commission and invest it, even making 4% return on investment (I know, I know, tough sell with the stock market as it is, but the recession will pass…), I’d make more in a year off of that than I made on royalties last year. If you figure that I’m doing far more than one commission a year, that kind of investment could actually add up. We’re not talking, like, retirement earnings, but definitely better than I’ve been doing on short stories. And hey, if the short stories were to take off and get popular (not holding my breath, but hey, I’ve got a better chance of that than winning the lottery), I can always churn more out later, when I’ve got people clamoring to swallow up my next book. <snicker> Yeah, right. But, it’s definitely an interesting thought and one I intend to pursue. I have admittedly been…shall we say, “consuming” the money I make from commissions (new computer, odds and ends here and there), but I’m gonna try investing it and seeing if that doesn’t achieve the same goal as the royalties—but with better actual results.

Hey, all. It occurred to me as I was posting the notice about The Service that it’s been a long time since I last posted an update. I think I’m due.

So, let’s see… Work is going well. Very well. I became full-time in March and have recently been designing circuits again, setting up Jira (a task, bug, and project-tracking tool), doing some systems work, and generally enjoying myself. I built a prototype board today and would have tested it more, but I had to go to a dental appointment. Tomorrow, though, I hope to finish bringing it up. It truly is an amazing feeling to be able to start with nothing, conceive of a gadget, and after a few hours of work, be holding that gadget in your hand. Don’t get me wrong—writing is also amazing—but being able to hold something functional is just amazing. Also fixed a bug in a tool I wrote for a previous company Monday evening, so that was good, too. It’s nice to have multiple revenue streams.

Speaking of, I have been doing so much writing lately. I realize my last post only announced The Service, but the next day (last Friday), I published Cattle (I had previously scrapped it but resurrected it and discovered it really didn’t take much effort to make it publishable). I did a 6k-word commission on Saturday, and then I started working on my latest Jack’s Blacks installment, Oh’eah, on Sunday. Writing feverishly Monday and yesterday, I finished the draft, revised it, and submitted it to Amazon. It is currently in the “publishing” state (whatever that means—it’s been there for hours), but as soon as I learn that it’s gone live, I’ll update the Books and Links page. So, yeah: crazy-busy few days, and I must get to bed at a reasonable time tonight. I think I’ve averaged about 6 hours or less a night for the last week, and I’m definitely feeling it.

The herd is doing well; it’s been much hotter this year than usual, but they’re drinking a lot of water to stay hydrated and really don’t seem to be bothered by it, as best I can tell. Very relieving.

Ooh! I planted tomatoes back in March or so, but I’d given up on them because they seemed like they were dying (despite getting watered daily). So, I kinda gave up on them, but then I discovered a ripe tomato a couple of weeks ago and have been harvesting them ever since. Not getting as many as one might expect for having planted 100 plants (yes, I know, it was way too many; I won’t be doing that again), but at least I have enough tomatoes that I can eat one or two every day. I’ve found that if I wait to pick them until they’re fully ripened, the bugs or critters get to them, so I’ve been picking them a little early. As a result, I currently have a dozen of them sitting on the counter ripening (after having already eaten two).

Speaking of eating, I’ve lost almost 40 pounds since September. It’s amazing how much weight you can gain when you’re stressed out. I definitely feel better, though my cheeks have lost so much fat that my cheekbones stick out. It’s…kinda unnerving to see in the mirror. Good, but there are times I catch my reflection and do a double-take.

Not much else going on. I am working up “In Flanders Fields” on the piano, though. Pretty piece, but it involves a lot of notes at once and movement in my left hand. It’s been good practice, and hopefully one of these days, I can make it sound good.

You guys oughtta send me a Jack’s Blacks suggestion. I think I’ve only ever gotten one suggestion since I started the site. I wonder if the page itself comes off to harsh. I dunno. I gotta admit, I don’t think very many people read these, but eh…as I said way back when I started this site, I use it for getting things off my chest just as much as I do for actually communicating.

Anyway, take care, all.

A terrible product idea: nostril epilator.

A great novel idea: Moby’s Dick, the tragic tale in which Moby ghosts Captain Ahab after an amazing night of passion, and Captain Ahab, unable to get that intensely satisfying fullness any other way, vows that he will have that whale inside him again—dead or alive. Sorry, sorry: that’s a terrible novel idea, but it popped into my head this morning, and I just had to write it down somewhere.

My friend died of COVID today. One of only two other furries I know in my tiny, tiny town, he died this morning, one day short of two weeks after his brother died of it. I had been helping his family moving hay bales in my friend’s and his brother’s absence, and his mom has been keeping me up to date on his progress.

They were all fine a month ago. They started having symptoms. A day later, they were both in the hospital, and a day after that, his brother was comatose. My friend was having trouble breathing and was on supplemental oxygen, but he seemed to be in relatively good spirits up until the day his brother died. That day, my friend went on a ventilator and was sedated. His blood oxygen concentration has been slowly dropping ever since. As of two days ago, it was in the 70s. Yesterday, the 50s. His heart stopped twice last night, and I guess the third time did him in. He was 30; his brother was 21.

For those who have getting a shot “on their to-do list”, just get the fucking shot. My friend was waiting until the state rolled them out to his company. He literally procrastinated himself to death. It’s too late to put on your seat belt after you’ve been hit; it only works if you put it on before the accident.

For those who say, “we don’t know the ramifications 10 years from now”, just get the fucking shot. My friend won’t be alive in 10 years to know whether the shot would have had any adverse effects or not, nor will he get to experience the next 10 years leading up to that point.

For those who say, “it won’t happen to me”, just get the fucking shot. My friend was overweight, yes, but not much more so than I am. He was otherwise healthy and more physically active than I am. And now, he’s dead.

For those who say, “you can’t tell me what to do”, fuck you. Get the fucking shot. You pay your taxes, go to work for “the man”, get bossed around by your spouse and/or kids and/or pets, and wear a seat belt. People tell you what to do all the time. Get the fucking shot. If not for yourself, do it for your family, who might miss you when you’re gone and will definitely have to deal with your shit when you’re dead. Or, do it for your friends, who should miss you. Or, for your coworkers, who will have to pick up the slack when you’re gone. Or, for your pets; who’s gonna take care of them when you’re gone? Or, for the at-risk populations who cannot get a shot but would if they could and who could die if you give it to them. Hell, do it for the “I get a gold star because I did something selfless” reason, if you have to; that’s why I did it. Whatever reason you choose, just get the fucking shot.

For that very, very small portion of the population who cannot get the shot, you’re off the hook. Stay safe, social distance, wear a mask, wash your hands, all that stuff.

For everybody else:

Get the fucking shot.

Seriously, go schedule an appointment right now.

I quit my job the day before yesterday.

Well, to be more accurate, I quit my job two weeks ago, and yesterday was my last day. It’s been seven years that I’ve worked at this job, doing work I really dislike, and I have at last found a role with another company that will let me get back to designing circuits (something I’ve missed a lot at my current company) and that hopefully won’t involve much compliance paperwork or requirements-writing. I will miss some of my coworkers, but I have to admit, I won’t miss the work at all. A few of them expressed skepticism that I can hate it so much and yet be good at it. Personally, I can’t explain it myself, but the CEO of the company let me know today that he’s been referring to me as “the Arthur Conan Doyle of requirements” (for those who don’t know—and I confess my ignorance: he had to remind me—Arthur Conan Doyle is the creator of Sherlock Holmes, and he disliked how the character’s adventures took time away from his “real” writing and other pursuits). It’s good company to be in, I suppose, but it doesn’t change the fact that every day was a slog to force myself to focus on a task that absolutely won’t do itself without substantial focus and concentration on my part.

But I’m looking forward to the new job. It’s about half the distance as the old one, but the downsides are that I have to be on-site every day and they start at 0700 (ugh). I’ve set my alarm for 0545 and will strive to get up with it when it goes off tomorrow (despite it being a holiday, I need the practice). If all goes well, though, I should get to go back to doing what I enjoy, and it looks like there’ll be opportunity for me to exercise my “jack of all trades” nature: a little electronics, a little firmware, a little requirements (in small doses, they’re not terrible). My boss-to-be is well-versed in a concept I’d never heard of before called Model-Based Systems Engineering, and after picking his brain a bit during the job interview, I’m excited to see it put into practice. I do get the feeling, though, that I’m going to be challenged here and kept on my toes. After years of…not exactly phoning it in, but not really having much challenge in my day-to-day activities, it’s going to be quite the change of pace. Hopefully for the better, but I do worry whether I’ll be able to meet expectations or not.

That’s not all the new news: I bought myself a new (to me) truck after Hank’s (my last truck, named after the King of the Hill character) transmission started going out. I debated fixing the transmission, but I’ve always had the mentality of, “You can fix the little stuff, but if the engine or transmission goes, it’s time for a new vehicle”. And, Hank had a good (hard) 8-year run. I had planned to run him into the ground, and I think I pretty well did. Definitely got my money’s worth. He was a good truck, but at just shy of 200K miles, a broken windshield, a window that sometimes would get stuck for hours or days at a time, a questionable AC, seats with the upholstery ripped and showing the metal frame underneath, and, oh, a transmission on the fritz, he was pretty worn out. So, I bought a 2018 F-150 with a lot of the things I wish I had known I needed when I bought Hank: 4-wheel drive, much more powerful engine (3.5L Ecoboost [twin-turbo]), a backup camera (no more blindly trying to hook up to trailers—because I’m very bad at it), a spray-in bed liner, and a whole bunch of modern amenities. He’s got remote-start, which I didn’t realize was a thing I needed in my life, but…lemme tell ya, it’s pretty awesome being able to start the truck from in the house and have the AC full-on cranking by the time I get out to it, and I’ll be curious to see how it does when it’s cold (not getting into a cold truck and waiting 4 miles for it to heat up? Mm, yes please!). So, it’s been a pleasant experience so far, but I gotta admit, the added horsepower have given me a little bit of a chip on my shoulder. His name is H.S.!, short for “Holy Shit!”, which is something I said a number of times when I hit the accelerator and he literally peeled out. I’ve never had that happen in a car or truck before, and it’s a little surprising to have that much power behind me. (Fun fact: if you put him in 4WD and floor it, he doesn’t peel out, but gosh, you accelerate fast!)

Speaking of the new job and cold (well, winter), the barn is a dark place. Even in broad daylight, the back half of the barn where the animals’ water is is not very well lit. Well, until yesterday, that is. I found some 5500-lumen, screw-in LED bulbs on Amazon and thought, “these could be perfect.” There was an old ceiling box with a ceramic single-bulb fixture on it, so I figured I’d get up there and replace it with a 2-bulb fixture and see if two bulbs could do the job. The answer is a resounding “yes”. I hooked it up in the morning, so I had to wait until last night to check it, but man, I turned the lights on, and it was brighter in there than it used to be in the daytime. I can actually see the bottom of the animals’ water tanks now, which is great. The far extents of the barn are a little shadowy, but I don’t spend much time in those places, and it’s just so much easier to see in there. I am deathly afraid of heights, and being 14 feet in the air on a ladder supported by a rafter that’s creaking and groaning as I haul my fat ass up there is not my idea of a good time, but I’d say it was definitely worth it. Not volunteering to do it again anytime soon, but I’m glad the money and effort were worth it. Also, the switch has a wireless remote that I installed next to the door so I can turn the lights on as I walk in but without having to string an extra 60–100 feet of wire that the animals might could get into. So, definitely time well spent!

And now it’s time to go to the hardware store. I need to get some caulk so I can (finally) seal up my shower. Been meaning to do it for months and haven’t gotten around to it.