Stuart Rojstaczer's Blog, page 17

The end of the New York City Opera

means the end of Opera Vox, which means no live performance excerpt of our opera-in-progress, Fordlandia, next year. More importantly, it means the loss of a major cultural institution in NYC. Tend to your arts groups, my friends. They need support, love, and cold hard cash.

It’s official, I be a pro novelist

First advance check arrived. Not too shabby for an alter cocker. I think the hourly wage works out to something around what I used to make washing dishes at Buddy Beak’s Baysite (adjusted for inflation). But still…yowza.

Sweet sixteen (almost)

Topaz.  She’ll be 16 in a couple of weeks. She can’t jump anymore. She sleeps 21 hours a day. But to keep mentally fit, she still reads the NYT online every morning and helps with the crossword. C-A-T. OK, I admit she provides only occasional help with the crossword.

NYT weddings section doesn’t like science/math geeks

I read the NYT weddings announcement section every week.  As a romantic type, I find it sweet.  But, but, but, as a scientist, I expect my profession to be represented.  Science/math geeks fall in love just like everybody else.  And the NYT weddings section doesn’t seem to believe this.  Don’t believe me?  Here are the data for this week’s announcements.  Mostly it’s Wall Street billionaire wannabes and lawyers.  Then there is the we’re-journalists-so-journalists-will-get-overrepresented phenomenon.  But science/math types?  A big fat bagel.  Tsk, tsk.

Nerd Jewish New Year humor

An homage to the auto correct feature on my cell phone.  And by the way, Happy New Year.

Did some recording for the opera

This week with the talented Eugene Brancoveanu.  It was delightful to see a character from our opera, Fordlandia, come to life.  When and if I get to see this performed live on stage I’m going to cry tears of joy.

Edits done, contract signed

Still one more round of edits to go, but it keeps getting better and better.  Another month and the book will be off to ARCville.

My new logo for my publisher (nerd humor)

Random Penguin House

Edited out 20 pages worth of scenes

Good stuff, too.  The deleted pages are in a messy pile on my office floor.  It’s time to go lean.  If I went back to earlier drafts I’m sure I could find a great bloopers reel worth of hilarious typos and awful sentences.  Too bad this isn’t a movie.  I’d be all ready for the bonus material section of the DVD.  I should be done with all my edits in a week.  Then back to Penguin it goes.

It’s that time of year

I scream, you scream, even Edvard Munch screams for ice cream.