Yeah yeah yeah. Cope.

* * * * *

Well, I've begun packing things up. Strange to do so. I feel like I've been here forever and a day. And in a way I guess I have. I went through an entire incarnation of life in six weeks. That counts as forever, I suppose.

I'm going to be shipping as much as possible home. I don't want to drag all of this crap to Worldcon. It's strange though. I'm itching like crazy to get on with the next stage, the next phase of my life and my career. I've made it through this, and now I'm ready for the next evolution.

Gardner talked to us about ladders, and how once you get to the top of one ladder you find that there are a whole bunch of ladders above that one. I'm reaching for the bottom rung of that next ladder now.

* * * * *

It's cooler now, and people are less cranky. The temper flares that have happened are pretty much under control now. Mostly everyone realizes that there's only a couple of days left, so why lose it now? Plus, I think everyone is feeling the same way I am--ready to move on and get started on the real thing. I'm already trying to plan out which stories of mine I'm going to work on rewriting first. Of the eight stories I finished, two need some line edits, three need some added exposition and depth, one needs a fairly careful overhaul, and two need to be totally reworked from the ground up. There are none that I think are beyond hope. Even the two that need complete make-overs I'm pleased with, because the premises are strong ones.

Oh, and speaking of, my eighth story is titled "Extant" and is one that I feel needs just some line edits.

And, of course, I'm also going to be working on getting new stuff written.

And, who knows, I might even hear back about my novel one of these days.

* * * * *

I'm going to miss the conversations the most. I stayed up until 2:30am last night, shooting the shit with some of my cohorts in the lounge. Conversation topics ranged from required birth control, to "A Clockwork Orange", to varieties of female and male orgasms, to marriage, to publication. It's wonderful and stimulating and I am going to miss it severely.