Happy Halloween, Ladies!

Once again, the veil between the worlds is thin, the Other Side is closer than it's been all year, and all we can think about is how to win that costume contest or keep up with the 20-somethings' drinking games.

Last night, Bizarro, J-Net and I went out in costume to see the freaks and the happenings in downtown City on the Edge of Forever. We were early, for starters, so mostly we saw respectable people in respectable clothes just after their wine and tapas. They did not look amused. J-Net flipped them the bird, I vaporized them with my ray gun, and Bizarro would've shrunk their clothes until their buttons popped off with his sonic screwdriver except he left it in the TARDIS.

We finally found a hip place where people were in costume - many homemade and very creative - and happily slurped our Strongbow ciders until we decided to eat. By the time we left to head over to the waffle place, the uptight theatre goers were in bed. The freaky Halloweenists (that moniker via some drunk in one of the towny bars we hit) were out and the vibe was much more relaxed and tinged with anticipation. Ah yes, to be young and in costume on Halloween Eve!

After our snack, we did a little funk-da-fying with a local funk and soul band before completely petering out (because we're old) and heading back to the car. However, the good times kept rolling with J-Net's totally rad cassette tape of Michael Jackson's "Thriller" which we blasted as we drove through the quiet, sleepy streets of the City on the Edge of Forever. It was like being seventeen all over again. Except that we weren't smoking, we stopped at every stop sign, and we were all in bed by 1:00 a.m.

Possible delay due to inclement shittiness.

My writing retreat is supposed to start tomorrow, but there are three things that impede my progress:

1. Freaking snow. I doubt they're plowed out up at the retreat place, though it is possible. Meantime, the snow keeps falling and falling and falling.
2. Proofreading. I'm still (STILL) proofing a book for that small press and it's taking forEVAR.
3. Speeding ticket. I have to meet with the Assistant D.A. of East Scuttlefuck, NY to cop a plea to my Halloween speeding ticket.

I plan to stay up late proofing and will get up early to proof some more. I will start my own work as soon as that's done, regardless of whether or not I can get into the retreat house tomorrow.

No worries; I will make it happen! By the way, I hear Mercury is in retrograde, to which I say, "Mercury can go screw itself!"

YATTA! ("I did it!")

Finished off the week by having to fail a student and kick his ass out of my class because I discovered he'd plagiarized paragraphs. Ripped them off lock, stock and barrel from websites that allegedly exist to give examples of writing for students.

This is the same student who I was supposedly meeting every week, who blew me off and showed up 15 minutes late on a regular basis. He'd miss class, come in late, show up unprepared, etc. He'd already failed the class twice before. I was working hard on his behalf, and clearly he wasn't willing to work as hard.

The saddest thing is, he would've passed this semester on his own if he'd just stuck it out and done the work. His writing was getting stronger when he did apply himself, and his grammar quizzes were passing. He just fucked himself in the ass, is what he did.

Woke up nervous this morning about having to confront the student. I'd already been in contact with the Provost and The Dean, who were both very supportive of my decision. At this college, it's up to the teacher to decide upon a sanction for academic dishonesty, though there is some namby-pamby policy in place for one-time offenders vs. repeat-offenders. To me the choice was clear. He's toast. And of course he didn't show up this morning so I ended up having to break the news to him in email. He'll get a letter from the Provost soon enough.

In better news - finished off some writing of my own this afternoon, and got valuable feedback on a short script I've been working on for awhile.

I'm off to a Halloween party this weekend. My costume: dead Lt. Starbuck. Hells yeah.

Happy Halloween!