Unexpected Vacation

      I'm off this week.  I spent the better part of the first two days finishing the research and approach for an experimental short story, well outside my usual genre, and then writing it.  Off to three alpha readers late last night, and then a copy-edit for typos and misspellings this morning, followed by a read-through and a little expansion here and there.

      I submitted the story to a pro-level critique group once that was done and I just heard back from them that it'll be among the stories to get a looking over and comments from the members at the next meeting.  Of course, in a group like that, you've got to pitch in by critiquing the stories from all the other participants.  I hope I'm able to offer useful insight: most of them have published books and short stories already, so I may just read their work and only be able to say, "Wow!" 

      The vacation came as a surprise.  We submit our picks under some time pressure and I neglected to copy them into my personal calendar.  I checked in with my boss Monday morning to see which location he wanted me at and there was a short pause.
      "I thought you were off this week."
      "I am?"
      "Pretty sure."
      "Um, I'll find out and text you.  Thanks, boss!"
      He was right.  I made sure to get the rest of my vacation time on my personal calendar.  Microsoft and Apple calendars sync effortlessly these days -- if you enter the information in one or the other.