Kit O'Connell

Today I Am …

Fri, 18 Jul 2008 22:42:47 GMT

… finally going climbing again, and dragging Jennifer along

… completely in love with Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog

… giggling about this Craigslist post

… pleased with yesterday’s writing and work on our collaborative project and hoping to do more

… glad my punalua survived his Mexican adventure

Originally published at approximately 8,000 words. You can comment here or there.

“The Green Lady” to appear in Aberrant Dreams

Mon, 14 Jul 2008 10:37:06 GMT

My poem, “The Green Lady,” will appear in Aberrant Dreams in 2008. I am thrilled to be accepted by AD again; in addition to finding my work worth publishing, they are a joy to work with, responsive to a writer’s every question or concern.

I also neglected to mention in this space that my review of Stephen Jones’ H.P. Lovecraft in Britain: A Monograph, was published in June by the SF Site.

Originally published at approximately 8,000 words. You can comment here or there.

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 18:08:20 GMT

yuki_onna offered these nifty thoughts on touching puppets and making the fantastic worthwhile.

I can climb

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 16:24:38 GMT

There was a writer named Kij who convinced a writer named Reesa that no really, she should climb like she’d always wanted to. Then the writer named Reesa convinced a writer named Kit to give it a try:

“You should try it today,” she said.

“Maybe someday,” he said.

“Oh.” Reesa pouted.

The training was simple: “Here’s your equipment. Do this with it. Don’t do this with it, that’ll kill you. Now keep me from falling off this wall.”

After he managed to not kill the instructor, Kit and Reesa went climbing.

Kit learned climbing was exhilirating, that belaying is hard work, and that candy bars taste good after you’ve been hanging from a rock wall.

Most of all though he was surprised to learn this was something he could do — it felt natural, in fact, like he’d done it before. Why would he have assumed climbing was beyond him?

Originally published at approximately 8,000 words. You can comment here or there.

Decomp??

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 03:11:13 GMT

Anyone going to decomp who can give me and some stuff (a tent, a cooler, a bag or two) a ride?

I am in College Station (Bryan actually) and would love a ride there from here. Alternately if I can arrange a ride to Austin sometime Fri or Thur night, can you take me there?

UPDATE: Thanks for the offers, I have found a ride.

Post-4th Thoughts, and an RIP

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 08:25:16 GMT

I wrote some of my post-4th street impressions in a post on Words Words Words.

I was shocked and greatly saddened to hear of George Carlin’s death. In these dark times we need our jesters more than ever, and the world is diminished by his absence from it. In his honor, allow me to just say, Shit, piss, fuck, cunt, cocksucker, motherfucker, and tits.

Originally published at approximately 8,000 words. You can comment here or there.

Sleepy Kit

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 04:42:03 GMT

I’ve been up since 9am, though I ’slept’ on the plane and in the car — to the extent that counts; Steve calls it ‘quasi-sleep’. Sara, Steve’s friend, took me to a bar for food and to hang out with a bunch of her friends who hang out on Wednesday nights. It was a good time, lots of talk of books and the city and this and that. Her boyfriend Dave is a Burner and he told me of a fascinating connection between that thing in the desert and a SF grandmaster I’m very fond of. Perhaps I’ll post about it, but I think it is something you should ask me about in person.

Time to lay down, and rest for a while.

Originally published at approximately 8,000 words. You can comment here or there.

Arrival

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 23:11:19 GMT

I’ve made a little post about my journey to Minneapolis over on Words Words Words. Have a look.

I’m thrilled to be here, and excited to explore Minneapolis and the upcoming convention.

It’s so green and beautiful, and the weather so gorgeous (a cool and refreshing 78 degrees at the moment) that it is hard to imagine the devastating winters they have here. I’m happy to have a break from the Texas heat and be somewhere so lovely.

Originally published at approximately 8,000 words. You can comment here or there.

Fourth Street Awaits

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 11:30:25 GMT

I’m headed for Minneapolis in a few hours to attend the revived Fourth Street Fantasy Convention with Reesa and Steve. I’m actually scheduled to be on two panels — Food, Fashion and Fornication and Advice From New Writers. Fourth Street is a small con almost entirely for writers (and some diehard readers) and there are many, many writers I admire attending. It promises to be an incredible experience.

I will have my computer with me and there’s access in the hotel and our room, so I will be trying to blog a little. I also plan to take a lot of notes and write them up later, as I did for Arse Elektronika 2007.

As for now, it’s time for a disco nap followed by more packing.

Originally published at approximately 8,000 words. You can comment here or there.

Too late, too late…

Sat, 14 Jun 2008 08:56:26 GMT

I’m too late for the uprising. It’s all over… the quivering undead bodies twitching all around, their brains already blown out. The air is full of the smell of gunpowder and rotting meat. In the end, the priest and the cheerleader had turned and had to be shot, but the policeman and the football quarterback made it to the human enclave and survived.

And here I am. They are loading up the bodies in the trucks now and hauling them back to the prop department. They are knocking down the sets now. Tomorrow they’ll build a new end of the world — maybe disease or asteroids.

I hate being late to the party.

Originally published at approximately 8,000 words. You can comment here or there.

Books dying, news at 11

Tue, 10 Jun 2008 23:19:41 GMT

I wrote a little rant about a oft-repeated bit of nonsense over on Words Words Words.

Also you might enjoy this awesome photo of me, Reesa, Steve and Kij Johnson from the Nebula Awards.

Originally published at approximately 8,000 words. You can comment here or there.

Moving into Dream Café

Sat, 07 Jun 2008 07:01:58 GMT

Reesa and I have left the Slutbarn behind and, along with my punalua, moved into the new Dream Café. The house is lovely — a big old farmhouse with lots of open space, and as we move our stuff into it, a feeling of satisfaction at our presence — this house is meant to be lived in, though it is a touch haunted. We’re working hard to establish new habits and create a space where we can all write, live, and love.

The Slutbarn was a good place to live for a while, but I have no regrets at leaving it behind — the sooner we can get the rest of our stuff out of there and return the keys, the better. It had grown too small for two, much less the three we were cramming into it (plus pets!) near the end. A lot of bad habits and patterns of behavior accumulated in that space, and slowly we’re dropping them like a something one drops as fast as possible (INSERT CLEVER METAPHOR HERE).

Last night I stayed up late reading Old Man’s War by John Scalzi, which is the first time I’ve stayed up just to read in a while. It was a great homage to Heinlein and a fun work in its own right.

Reading made the writing itch worse, which is a good thing — though we’re not fully settled in yet, I think we’re all three of us feeling the need to begin working again.

More soon… hopefully to report on writing progress. I have a novel to finish and stories to write.

Originally published at approximately 8,000 words. You can comment here or there.

Flipside Thanks

Thu, 29 May 2008 06:40:09 GMT

This Flipside was one of the most personally difficult for me yet, but at the same time I am moved and amazed by what a powerful experience it was — one which in retrospect was incredibly positive; I think even the parts in which I was miserable will teach me a lot. And socially, communally, spiritually it was a powerful event, with an effigy (and Burn) the likes of which has not been seen since the days of our great departed Monkey God.

Some specific thanks:

Thanks to all the Rangers, Greeters, others who not only keep this
event from falling apart but made it so glorious.
Everyone who built the effigy — best since Hanuman!
The firemen for not just keeping us safe but putting on such a good
show at the same time
Everyone who came by Eposia’s Crosstime Saloon and our dedicated campmates
The many many virgins I met this year who seemed to really ‘get it’
Mumbleville for its chill space and even chiller people
Root Beer camp for delicious cold drinks and OMG breastmilk ice cream
Gypsy Euphoria for their neighborly ways and poetic stylings
The windsock camp at the corner of mushroom tower and the highway for
being friendly, decorated, and so gracious when a Ranger commandeered
a windsock for the burn
Wish for being so ish and leading an awesome procession (love those flags)
The pyramid-platform thingie in sound town for awesome dancing Sunday
night after the Burn
Circus Nefarious for nefariousness and Famina
The singing Tesla coils for being singing Tesla coils
Cult of the Purple Taco for tacos and sexy purplage

and all the other awesome camps and people I’m forgetting now, or
didn’t get to visit at all.

See you at Decomp!

Bonus:

Firefighters fight the effigy blaze (by IRA, this is my current desktop wallpaper)

Tesla Coils play Zelda (video)

(photo credit Eirik Ott / Wikimedia Commons)

Originally published at approximately 8,000 words. You can comment here or there.

Eposia’s Crosstime Saloon @ Flipside 2008

Tue, 20 May 2008 07:10:46 GMT

Eposia’s Crosstime Saloon will return against the odds to Pyropolis in 2008. Eposia and the other staff of the Saloon have had a crazy year, and we’re looking forward to creating a relaxed, enjoyable chill space for us and for you to unwind in. Visit us when you are coming down from your adventures or as your night begins, or any time you want to kick back. Eposia’s is an official Drama Free Zone ™, so you can also hide here if camp politics get you down.

Once again, we’ll be serving our fruit punch and Irish coffee (also known as “God’s Blessing”) when we feel like brewing up a pot (we might even do it for you you ask
nicely). Our camp also features the famous ‘toasting’ ritual, in which you can unload your joy or your pain to an appreciative audience.

Eposia’s this year is located at #8 Naughty Avenue, at the corner of Naughty Ave and Mushroom Tower Trail.

For a map and more information, visit http://eposiacrosstime.voluptuary.org/

Originally published at approximately 8,000 words. You can comment here or there.

Presenting at Arse Elektronika 2008

Sat, 17 May 2008 03:30:58 GMT

Last year I attended the first Arse Elektronika, organized by Monochrom and held in San Francisco. I had a fantastic time and learned a lot (you can read my notes here). So it gives me great pleasure to announce that I will not only be returning to this year’s event …

but also presenting a paper, “What is the 21st Century Novel?” with my co-author Reesa Brown! This years AE theme is “Do Androids Sleep with Electric Sheep?” and covers technology, sexuality and science/social fiction. Our presentation will be part of the first track for the conference, Narration. We will be talking about the history of the novel and our ideas for its future, as well as of course how human sexuality ties into it all. We’re also working on a collaborative project which ties into the paper’s theme that we hope to announce around the time of Arse 2008.

I’m excited to be returning to San Francisco, and Arse Elektronika. See you in September.

Originally published at approximately 8,000 words. You can comment here or there.

an addenum

Fri, 09 May 2008 04:31:24 GMT

we just said this here...

"After all, a man with a shaven head looks like a baby, so anyone who likes them must be a pedophile."

What the fuck? (pubic shaving)

Fri, 09 May 2008 03:22:51 GMT

I am so tired of this lie -- that a woman's shaven vulva looks like a child's.

Time and time again you hear this from people who don't like to shave -- that the modern craze for pubic grooming is some deep-seated, pedophilic lust for children because it makes the area look identical to a child's.

This is just plain wrong.

Now I don't think anyone should feel forced to shave -- my own pubic region stays unshaven and usually, at least, untrimmed, which is also becoming rarer in men as it is in women. I have yet to hear complaints from a partner. I might consider it if I did. I think everyone should make this choice for themselves, based on -- polite! -- input from their lovers. I have been with women who shaved, as well as women who were hairy, just as I have been with women who did or did not shave other parts of their bodies such as their legs and armpits. None of the options are disgusting, all are erotic in their own way. A shaven cunt is pleasurable, just as is an unshaven one, even if the sensations are a little different.

But anyone who says a grown woman's balded private parts look like a kids has not been around children, nor actually studied an adult woman's body. The region changes during puberty in ways additional to the growth of hair, ways which are visible to those who care.

Anyway, tired of it.

Sat, 26 Apr 2008 01:35:19 GMT

Are there post Eeyore's parties happening? Clint's bday as usual? Also are there other parties happening?

Anyone want to put me up if I need a place to sleep in Austin?

and help me get back to BCS?

a 24th-century reflection on emptiness

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 01:02:39 GMT

My poem, “a 24th-century reflection on emptiness,” has been published by Aberrant Dreams. You can read it here.

I’m really pleased to be published in Aberrant Dreams. While you’re at it, check out some of the other works in their webzine.

Originally published at approximately 8,000 words. You can comment here or there.

Sad news/cry for help re: Eposia's Crosstime Saloon

Sat, 05 Apr 2008 05:59:00 GMT

For those of you who may have attended Eposia's Crosstime Saloon at Flipside last year, we've got sad news -- a major contributor to our camp, who was going to use her truck to transport our structure to the event, has dropped out of the camp to camp elsewhere at this very late date (we found out wednesday!). Our budget is tight this year and we can't rent a UHaul.

This means that if we can't find someone with a vehicle capable of transporting our 10x20 tent and other equipment to the event in return for gas money, Eposia's Crosstime Saloon is unlikely to appear at Flipside 2008. I realize most people with such a vehicle have already committed it, but I wanted to toss this out to the universe just in case. To be clear, the equipment in question is located here at the 'Slutbarn' in College Station, Texas.

And, additionally, just like everyone else in the Flipsidiverse right now, we're looking for at least one extra ticket -- for Derek, a dedicated and valuable camp member and eposia's brother. I've already placed a listing on Bob's list but figured I'd mention it here too.

First Wed

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 16:16:35 GMT

I will be in Austin for Poly First Wed. I hope to see some of you there.

Disposing of property

Tue, 01 Apr 2008 07:47:21 GMT

I’m trying to get rid of an old Mage: the Ascension-related domain I own, without letting it go to the squatters. Know anyone who will help?

Originally published at approximately 8,000 words. You can comment here or there.

Catwaxing Galore

Mon, 31 Mar 2008 04:54:45 GMT

Not a lot of writing the last couple days — been catwaxing as well as helping Reesa catch up with some paperwork for her business. I just wrote a little post over on Words Words Words about what I’ve been up too lately, including my latest gaming obsession.

Does anyone else who reads this play Mabinogi?

Originally published at approximately 8,000 words. You can comment here or there.

Funeral (3rd draft)

Tue, 25 Mar 2008 08:30:42 GMT

Another day, another draft. This is probably the ‘final’ draft, barring whatever tweaks my readers suggest. I think I fixed the last flaws, including a somewhat serious one which Steve pointed out.

Funeral, 3rd draft
Microsoft Word wordcount: 1,497 words
Manuscript wordcount: 1,500 words

I hope to begin sending this story out soon.

Originally published at approximately 8,000 words. You can comment here or there.

Funeral (2nd draft)

Mon, 24 Mar 2008 08:02:07 GMT

I finished the second draft of my short story, “Funeral” tonight. I think that I’ve fixed many of the issues Reesa pointed out to me in the previous draft and made the story stronger as a result. I’ve posted it to my writing group and printed out copies for Reesa & Steve to pour over with their Pens of Doom ™.

Funeral, second draft
Microsoft Word wordcount: 1,463 words
Manuscript wordcount: 1,500 words

It took a while to get to this stage; for whatever reason I had to sit on this story for a while before it could be revised. I’m glad I trusted the process and I’m glad to have made it to this stage. Hopefully the story can be sent out soon.

Originally published at approximately 8,000 words. You can comment here or there.