Since it’s been a little while since I’ve done a blog, I figured I’d go ahead and fill you in on the EXCITING and TUMULTUOUS EVENTS (or lack thereof) that have taken place.

Football: The Redskins won yet another ridiculously close game.  Out of 5 games, 4 of them have come down to the final play.  Only when they got hammered by the Rams, who lost 44-6 or something this week to the previously 0-4 Lions, was the outcome of the game not in doubt on the final snap.  Heart attack central, this team.  But since they are 3-1 in those nail-biters, I’ll take it for now.

Book: OK, this is a little bit exciting.  This weekend up-coming is a book-signing event that I’ll be at, during a big Zombie Fest blowout.  There will be media and a ton of people, apparently.  Heh.  I’m a bit nervous.  Even cooler than that, though, was the news I got on Friday.  I’d sent a query to a publisher directly along with a bunch to agents a couple weeks ago.  This publisher deals with a lot of zombie and apocalypse-style novels, so I took a chance.  With the query, they wanted the first 3 chapters, which I rather liked, rather than the first 10 pages or whatever smaller amount most places look for, since it helps show how the story builds and progresses.  The publisher’s website said that they’d send a manuscript request or a rejection within 7-14 days, and if it took longer, to send an email to ask what’s happening.  Well, last Wednesday was Day 14.  Nothing.  Thursday I waited, thinking my rejection letter was perhaps delayed.  Nothing.  I decided to wait until Monday before emailing them.

Well, Friday at 5 or so I got an email from them.  I saw in the preview screen the company it was from, and my heart sank, as I assumed it was my rejection letter.  Then I saw the words “full manuscript” in the preview pane.  Luckily, my teeth caught my heart before it could completely explode out of my mouth.  I actually got a manuscript request for the first time.  It felt really good.  It doesn’t mean I’ll get published, and I won’t know anything from them for months, but after months and months of rejection or just plain silence, even getting the chance for an “interview” was a positive.  I am hopeful and excited, but not unrealistically so (I hope, heh).

The Weekend: Had an absolute blast on Saturday.  It was an unusual day, but a ton of fun.  I really enjoy spending time with my wife.  I’ve gotten grief over the fact that I spend almost every second of every day that we aren’t working together with her from friends who want to do stuff before, but I don’t care.  Lady Aravan is my best friend and companion and the love of my life.  I enjoy having her with me too much.  That’s not to say that I don’t do things without her – when I saw the Browns play, she didn’t go – but I just prefer doing things with her.  We had a ton of fun together this weekend, even if Sunday was mostly just a day to recover from Saturday.

The Job:  Still stuck, but actually got a call yesterday from a place I put in an application.  Turns out they want to pay less than I am comfortable going to, and far less than I make now, but still – it was nice to get called for once.

Exercise:  Still going strong.  Lady Aravan is back at weight-lifting three days a week, so on those days I’ve been doing my lifting with her instead of at work (or splitting the routine).  Last week was All Bob All the Time, and this week will probably be a mix.  We skipped Sunday (see above, Recovery Day), but did a solid hour last night and then again this morning, so it’s all good.  I might be able to be Brad Pitt from Fight Club for Halloween after all.