Oh, look, it's snowing again

We've been having lake effect flurries on and off today, which is odd because when it's not snowing, the sky is blue with puffy clouds. Most peculiar.

There hasn't been much going on. The weather kept me inside for several days and depression started to kick in. Fortunately I recognized it as cabin fever and invented a few reasons to get out and about. The extra activity and recent sunshine helped quite a lot.

Since my Blackbirds obligations are mostly done, I started reading through Keeper of Doves. I made some notes of things I need to change, found a few inconsistencies which are already fixed. I need to lengthen it quite a bit. It's a bit shy of 45,000 words, so it's not a marketable length. Too short for a novel, too long for a novella. I might need to add a subplot.

I found out this morning I have a paid storytelling gig in May, and maybe a volunteer one next month, which I hope will be an audition for another paid one. It stinks to be an artist in a world where people take art for granted and don't want to pay for it. If they decide they want me for the one next month I'm at least going to wangle free clan space and some food vouchers out of them.

Next Sunday my mom is coming. She'll be here overnight, and Monday morning we're going downstate to work on the house. I have two realtors coming in to give me estimates on listing prices and to see what they think needs to be done to sell it fast. I wish it was over already.

Chicago is a weird city. For some reason, the people here think if you dig out a parking space on the street to get your car out, the space should be there when you come back. They call it dibs, and it's illegal, but they still do it. No one does anything to stop them until the snow melts, at which time the city workers come and collect the trash on the streets. They'll put lawn chairs and buckets and all manner of junk in the space to keep people from parking there. If you move their trash to park in the spot, you risk being yelled at, sprayed with a garden hose, or having your car vandalized. I read a story about a lady who parked partially in a dibs spot, and when she drove away her brakes lines had been cut.  It's a very divisive issue. Some think it's a time-honored tradition that should be legal from November to April. Others think it's a travesty and those who do it should be tarred and feathered. There doesn't seem to be any in-between ground, except of course for those of us who have garage parking and think the whole issue is silly.

I think that's about it. We're dealing with the cold and the associated inconveniences of city living.Y'all have a good week, and stay warm.