(I've had the same fucking story "on hold" three times in the last 8 months, and it's now on hold again. Each time, it's been nixed for being too long. I'm steeling myself for the same again.)

Oh, yeah. And, there are certain types of info a writer doesn't need to have, like "congratulations; of over [high number] submissions, yours has made it to the final [low percentage]. We'll be deciding soon." WHY tell me that? Talk about setting me up for crushing disappointment, to get so close!

I've been busy, is all. And I've realised you can't just slip your book over the transom these days. You've got to write all sorts of synopses and cover letters, and have other titles to compare your book to. Which, in fact, is quite easy, but I'm quite tired...

I've got to sell this bloody novel.

(Ought to try submitting it somewhere, oughtn't I?)

A couple of months ago, I posted on Failbook after not posting for a while. Within minutes, three recently-divorced middle-aged men popped up in my DMs, just to chat.

My post was about videogames.

(I hear you.)

As someone who DOESN'T leave the house much, I have to say I still felt the social isolation of COVID. Even people who stay at home have those little interactions we count on: household staff, delivery people, people dropping by for a chat. It doesn't take long at all to start missing that.

Thank you! <3

Post the best picture you have ever taken of your pet.

This is Rat B. (There was also a Rat A, but she wasn't as good at sitting for pictures.)

Rat B was mostly blind, and had a habit of walking off my desk and into the dustbin.

Like, dude, this is not about you! This is my moment, and I don't get many, so let me have it.

Oh, man, yeah. I remember one time, I was celebrating quitting a job I absolutely hated to do freelance illustration full time...and some wet blanket jumped in to lecture me on how not everyone can afford to quit their day jobs, and where do I get off rubbing it in their face?

I think if they do another Animal Crossing game, I'll just buy those little cards you can get on eBay, where you scan them and you can have whatever villager you want. Then, I'll have the good ones the whole time.

Thus, I never actually get to play with the villagers I wanted, because by the time I get them, I'm nearly done. I've built, decorated, fished, bug-netted, and generally done everything I could do, and the game is over.

Videogame observation: I think the reason I don't like Animal Crossing very much is, getting new villagers is FAR too random and takes FAR too long. By the time I get the ones I want, I've completed every other goal, so filling in that last villager spot makes the game complete in my mind.

Oh, man, that SUCKS. I think maybe this hasn't happened to me because, while I do have my music on my phone, I have never subscribed to Apple Music. I'll buy specific tracks and albums I want, but I won't subscribe.

I have several versions of a lot of favourites, and I'd hate those f'd with.

Hats off, today, to every kid who had a pet toad and didn't name it Horny.

Are there any more books like "Rejection: Fiction," by Tony Tulathimutte?

That book was high octane pure distilled cringe, and I shamefully want more.

Oh, dear God--I haven't seen THAT yet. I'd be livid. I have had songs just disappear, though, repeatedly. It's so annoying.

Trying to get my music collection onto my new iPhone has been an ENTIRE odyssey, and I still haven't been able to get my playlists to quit disappearing every time I sync my phone. I don't remember even the iPod being this big a hassle. And, no, I don't want an Apple Music subscription!

I'm old enough to have gone from LPs to cassettes to CDs to mp3s. To have an mp3 collection stretching back to the '90s. As such, my sincere belief is that music-listening convenience peaked with Winamp, and has been on a steady trajectory of decline ever since.

Where are you getting "inconvenience" from?

A Walkman, you put a tape in and press play, and get exactly the music you want to hear. Or I GUESS you could try and teach Spotify your musical taste, while paying a subscription fee, and your favourite tracks keep disappearing?

So convenient.

How does it feel to be an Iranian right now? 🧵

watercolour painting of a green caterpillar-like monster with a face of smiling joy

Constance holds the record for the most bao buns eaten in a single sitting.
Get notified when my mini book of monsters launches on Tuesday at 1pm BST! tinyurl.com/mbom3
#monster #cutemonster #art #goblincore #cutecore #hopecore

Yeah... It's too bad they can't make an affordable (well...for Patek Philippe) version with fewer complications. I'd LOVE to have a "Fox and the Crow" watch. This could seriously have been made for the kid in me, who loved Aesop's fables.

Complications ref. 5249R-001 An automaton wristwatch staging an animation inspired by The Crow and the Fox fable.

www.patek.com/en/collectio...

I will never in my life own a watch like this, or even get to try one on...but isn't it SO COOL? Especially the "making of" videos, showing how it's put together...

And it has a bird on it.

#eyeslargerthanwallet

Ha! I never looked at it that way, but you're right! Clever way of remembering those states.

I know where Hungary is...but for a VERY LONG TIME, I thought Kentucky was Tennessee, and Tennessee was part of Florida.

I'm still waiting to see if anything can be done for my eyesight, so I'm not drawing anything interesting at the moment--just doodles for my own amusement. But hopefully one day...

Last night, I dreamt I left the door cracked, and about a million gulls squeezed in.

Transmissions 12 - A robot art book A 40-page, A4 size softcover collection of my robot artwork. The twelfth volume in an ongoing series.

The Kickstarter for my new book of robot art is now counting down in hours. Not long to go! www.kickstarter.com/projects/mat...

My four-bean salad only has three beans!

...unless chives are now a bean?