Originally published at Thus Sayeth the Lord…. You can comment here or there.
In other news, I’ve found a really, really good way to get writing done.
Dear friends: I am a slug.
Slugging is a commuting term. “Commuting” as in, “having to drive an hour and a half to your workplace.” The reasons for commuting in Northern Virginia are really quite simple: the jobs that pay well enough to actually live in this area are all in DC. The local jobs are are retail jobs that don’t pay well at all. Thus, every weekday morning finds a mass of Virginians struggling to fit into the roads that lead to DC.
Slugging is a convenient way to bypass the traffic. I go to a commuter parking lot located 3 miles from my cozy abode. I stand in a line with other slugs, waiting for STRANGERS to come give me a ride. The nice strangers come; they announce their destination; the first people in the slug line choose to ride with that stranger, or wait for the next car. The stranger then takes the slugs Northward. Because there are at least three people in the stranger’s car, he gets access to the mystical HOV lanes. Ooooohhh– see how he flies past all the traffic?
Because I am one of the magical, enabling, slugs, I don’t have to drive. I just sit back open my laptop and…write. Oh, sooooo pleasant! I also don’t have to pay for gas, maintenance, parking, etc. My bank account is giggly with glee. So is my economy sized, fuel efficient Toyota Echo.
I have gained an appreciation for SUVs from my time slugging. The leg room is really wonderful.
I haven’t had any terrible experiences with the nice strangers. It’s endearing, really– that in such a paranoid, skeptical, cynical day as ours, so many people put their lives in other people’s hands. Hey, I’m a part of that. I’m making the world a more open, friendly, caring place. And I’m getting to work on time, too!
Huzzah!
The writing is going surprisingly well…I finished another three chapters of ‘Bone-yard King,’ as well as finished part 1 of chapter 1 of a webcomic I’m collaborating with Jin Han on. I’m looking forward to the webcomic quite a bit– it’s going to be stunning. I promise, NOTHING like the amateur stuff you see above. Like, there’ll be actual SHADING present. And PERSPECTIVE. And the characters will have more poses than just ‘facing forward’ and ‘facing sideways.
The webcomic will be called ‘Shipmates.’ Or something similar; we’re trying to sell it to a sci-fi webzine, and have gotten a few bites. Just need to get it presentable, then we’re on our way.