Thursday, November 1, 2012

She rocked us...

Pic courtesy de moi.
...like a damn hurricane.

Tuesday, October 30
I'll not bore you with the minutiae of the havoc wreaked by Hurricane Sandy in my neck of the woods, as I imagine you've either heard stories aplenty or lived your own personal nightmare. But I will note that I've been without Internet, electricity, or hot water since just before 8pm on Monday, October 29. Commuter rails into Manhattan have been suspended since Sunday night, so I've also not been in to work.

I hand wrote this post on Tuesday, having spent two fairly quiet days at home with the 'rents. Monday was ok, as I'd had power for most of the day, but going without light has been rather surreal. I never knew how very dark one's home can feel. Add to that the fact that I've been passing the time re-reading the very gothic Lasher by Anne Rice (sequel to The Witching Hour, which I scribbled about here), and the gloom only deepens.

Strange as this enforced quiet feels, it's served as a much needed respite. Midway through October, I came down with bronchitis. Due to an inordinately full and heavy plate at work, I couldn't take any time off to recover (indeed, I've worked at least two hours past my normal quitting time, every day, for the past couple of weeks). Now, I've no choice but to relax. I hesitate to say I'm glad of it...perhaps it's best to note simply that my body and mind needed this break.

Readers, if you and/or your loved ones have been similarly stricken by Sandy, I hope things soon turn around for you and yours.

And to Sandy, I cordially extend an invitation to self-procreate. Self-procreate into a stupor, you heartless cow.

:-)

BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE!

Wednesday, October 31
Happy Halloween, all youse ghouls and goblins out there! Still no power/hot water, Internet access is being paid for at a local Kinko's type place (where the fella on the PC to my left is talking to someone on his cell phone in fluently sexy French - Le swoon!). Commuter rails to start up again on a limited basis this afternoon, so it looks like I'm bound for work tomorrow morning.

I'm bummed about the continued lack of electricity, especially since it means I may possibly miss American Horror Story: Asylum tonight, but I'll cross my fingers and maybe leave an offering out for The Great Pumpkin, you know, to cover all my bases.

I did get some amazingly excellent news today, though...

I'M JACKIE FELGER'S WINNING PICK FOR SPOOKTOBERFEST!!!!!
W00T, W00T, and a thousand times W00T!!!!!!!!!!


It's the first time my writing's been publicly recognized since I started scribbilng (lo, so many moons ago), so W00000T!!!!! Thanks again to Jackie of Bouquet of Books and Dani of Entertaining Interests for hosting this blogfest and for the honor!

If you've not yet read my flash-fic submission, you can check it out here*. To read my co-winner's piece, Randomness by Von L Cid, click here. He was also a runner up for Dani, so kudos, Dude! Your story freaked me out!

Runners up are:

Carving by L.G. Keltner (Truly chilling!)

Veil Hill by Tamara (Raised the hairs on my arms, for realz!)

The Dare by Tiffany Price (Haunting! Literally!)

(*Hmmm...maybe y'all had better read these other cats' stories first and then read mine for a giggle.)

So yay, yay, and yay again, verily! I reckon sometimes good things do come to those who wait in the dark...

Edited on Thursday, Nov. 1 to add: We got electricity/hot water back Wednesday night, I WAS able to catch AHS:Asylum, and I made it in to the office today. Baby steps to normalcy, y'all! ;-)

34 comments:

  1. I'm glad you rode out the storm okay. Though the situation was bad, at least you finally got some much-needed rest.

    And congrats on winning Spooktoberfest! Your story made me laugh so hard. You truly deserved the win!

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    1. Aw, thanks so much, LG. Your story kicked ass, Dude. (But then, I adore your writing, generally, so I'm not surprised I loved your entry so much.)

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  2. Well done on winning the contest!! I loved your story :) I still have yet to read all the others though.

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    1. Thanks, Trisha! They're worthy reads, when you get a chance.

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  3. Bravo and Brava, Mina. I had a feeling that when I read your piece it was going to win. It's brilliant. My only slight disappointment is that I didn't make the shortlist. Mainly as I wanted some packets of Reese's Pieces to be winging their way over from the states to me in Wales. Cest la vie. Dani, Jackie and I had an arrangement...

    Chuffed to bits for you lovely. You deserve it.
    W.

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    1. Merci bien, Monsieur Assiratti of Le Cool Surname! If you e-mail me your mailing addy I can arrange for a little shipment of Reese's Pieces, etc., to your neck of the woods. :-)

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  4. Very happy to hear that you and yours have survived the storm intact. I hope things continue to improve quickly for you.

    Congrats on winning! High fives and fist bumps. Hope you get to see AHS this week.

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    1. Thanks and high fives/fist bumps back! I did see AHS last night and quelle bizarre! I think the demon made a mistake showing itself to the doc so early in its game. And what he did to that patient at the end, quelle horreur!!!!!

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  5. Congrats for being the winner of the Spooktoberfest! Yay! I'm sorry you got bronchitis and hope you'll be all better soon with the enforced rest and all...
    I ljved in NYC from '83 - '93 (before moving to Egypt), and I'm pretty shocked the subway is getting back on its feet/rails so quickly. Go New York!! :-D

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  6. Glad to hear you survived the storm. I was too far north for Sandy to really affect me but we did have an ice storm once in February that wiped out all utilities for about a week. Here's hoping for a quick recovery for you!

    Congrats on your Spooktoberfest win. It's always great to get that public recognition.

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    1. Thank ye, and yes! It did my poor, battered writer's heart good! :-)

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  7. First of all, glad you came through Sandy alright. Hurricanes are a bitch all around, and this on in particular.

    Secondly, congrats on the story props. Read it, loved it. Sometimes the dark isn't so bad. :)

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  8. Good that you got a rest and only lost electricity. I'm always surprised by how quiet my house is when the electric is out. It's kind of terrifying.

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  9. Congrats Mina you deserve it!!

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  10. Awesome win for Spooktoberfest! Enjoy your mandatory rest period while you can. It will make that first hot shower that much sweeter

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  11. Congrats on the Spooktoberfest win!! I'm glad you're safe and sound, even if it is in the dark...take care!

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    1. Thanks, Lisa! We were blessed to get electricity back last night, thank God!

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  12. yikes - I can't believe how NYC was smashed by the storm, as it's usually down here wot gets clobbered, to use the vernacular. Glad you are in one piece, albeit lectricity free. That's a pretty cool lamp I am thinking randomly.

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    1. LOL, I know, right??? My dad picked it up ages ago at a Pergament (a chain which was taken over by Home Depot in the...late eighties? Early 90s?). I have to say, it did a damned great job at lighting up our kitchen though I think we all got a bit high from the oil it burned. :-D

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  13. Oh thank goodness you survived the storm okay. I hope power and other things come back soon. You are in my thoughts Mina! And I'm looking forward to your resurrection blog fest!

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    1. Thanks so much, Michael - and they magically did!

      OMG, WHAT DID YOU THINK OF AHS LAST NIGHT?????????? I COULDN'T BELIEVE THAT DOC DOING WHAT HE DID AT THE END!!!!!!!!!!

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  14. SO glad you are getting back to normalcy, but the power outage thing is really great in forcing you to relax. Congrats on the winning!!! YEAH you!

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  15. Congratulations on your win!!! That's so great!!! :D Also glad you got your power/internet back. Sandy blew hard up here in coastal MA but my power never went out. Cable stayed on, lost internet for an hour or so. But the following night we had a terrible thunderstorm move thru w/ worse wind and rain than the day before.

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    1. Yowza! I guess that was one aspect of the Frankenstorm that the media hyped. Aw, hope your doggies handled it ok!

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  16. I'm so happy you got your power back! Lots of people suffering now.

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    1. I know; my heart goes out to folks who are still without power, especially now that it's gotten so cold in NY! I hope they get power/heat soon! Did Sandy hit you hard?

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  17. I have a blog award for you. Feel free to stop by to claim it any time you like! And good luck with everything else you have going on.

    http://lgkeltner.blogspot.com/2012/11/super-sweet-blogging-award.html

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    1. Aw, thanks LG! I think I have some work to do for another nomination as well...all in good time, I hope! :-)

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