noise."State of the Author: December · 4:49am Dec 13th, 2019
That’s right, it’s December, and I’ve managed to get one of these out two months in a row, which is, like, totally a record.
Also, fair warning, some of the pony pictures might not be topical; that’s because I’ve got several tabs open with ones I was gonna use for a story or blog art for said story but at the rate things are going, I’ll’ve replaced my computer before that particular story sees the light of day.
So you’ll just have to deal. 
We’ll start with work.
I was griping in my last blog post about being the only mechanic who actually does work (as in, it’s me and the manager, and that’s it). Well, some time last month, we hired a new guy.
He made it to Thanksgiving, and after the holiday apparently forgot he had a job, because he didn’t come back Monday or Tuesday and by Wednesday he didn’t have a job any more.
On the plus side, that’s more job security for me, so yay?
Also the Tuesday just before Thanksgiving was cursed. Every vehicle I worked on had to get fixed twice before it was fixed for realsies. Parts didn’t fit or it was misdiagnosed or there was something else wrong with it that failed shortly after the repair . . . for example, I did front brakes on a Focus. In the process I found that one of the boltholes for the caliper bolts was stripped out and the bolt wouldn’t tighten, so I Helicoiled it. I thought it was a M8x1.25, sized it accordingly, and now the bolt wouldn’t thread in at all, because it was actually M9x1.25, so I got to do it a second time.
I also noticed on that particular car that the lower control arm was rusted through and cracked. Customer didn’t want to fix it, and he was warned to only drive it home and no further.
Guess what came back a couple of days later on a hook, with the lower control arm broken, as well as all the additional damage that caused?
Also that was the day I decided to fix the rear brakes on my van, and even though I’d ordered rear calipers as a precaution, and even though one of them felt stiff, I decided to just roll with it.
It didn’t start sticking until I was halfway to my parent’s house for Thanksgiving. Luckily, it didn’t stick too badly, and I made it there, then back to my house, and the calipers were still in the shop waiting for me when I finally had time to fix it for good a week
It’s not all bad. I have as much job security as any person could want; in the current situation I’m irreplaceable, and I think I’ve mentioned before that when I want days off (like for going to a pony con), I don’t ask, I tell. Plus, I get paid overtime, and most weeks (Monday through Friday) I’m collecting that sweet, sweet time and a half by late Thursday. My Snap-On account will be paid off on Monday, and I’m under $500 still owing on the Matco truck. [Although the latest flier had some pretty sexy ratcheting wrenches in it. . . .]
In terms of writing . . . well, as the Magic Eight Ball would say, ‘ask again later.’ I currently have a big red three-ring binder full of mostly-finished stuff awaiting the first editing pass by me before I either publish it or send it on to my pre-readers, depending on the case. I’ve got to finish (and by finish, I mean start) my Jinglemas fic, and of course OPP’s still a work in progress. Just today somebody added OPP to a library called “Graveyard” and while I should feel insulted, I can’t blame him.
I can give you some teasers, though. I was going to say it would be easy, since I’ve got so many different files open in various editors (OpenOffice, FocusWriter, and gDocs, if you’re curious), but it turns out that if you don’t poke at them enough, my computer decides to close OpenOffice. Who knew?
Still, it’s only a few clicks, and voila!
Langy winced. “What were they thinking? Could have sent a broth through, that’d have kept line pressure down and the flowrates up.”
“We should finish the pea transfer in a couple of hours, and they’re saying that they’ve hit a rasam seam near Vanhoofer which should lower the line load.”
“Is that confirmed?”
Vichy rolled her eyes. “Course not. Just gossip down the line, but it’s as reliable as orders from on high.” She glanced guiltily in the direction of the palace and then back to Langy. “Well, may you have a quiet shift, and I’ll see you tonight. The soup must flow.”
“The soup must flow.” Langy reached out and gave her a hoofbump, then settled into the seat for a quick scan of shift reports.
Another morning, sure to lead to another purposeless day. I’d have my breakfast and then I’d go to work and I’d spend hours of my life doing unimportant tasks because that was what work was. At the end of the day, I’d have dinner and a drink or two and then come back here and what had I actually accomplished? I didn’t know.
But work was money and money was food, money was a roof over my head, and so I had to even if I didn’t want to, even if the klaxon call of my alarm was too much for so early in the morning, even if there’d be the cry of a baby or an angry hoof-stomp on my wall if I didn’t shut it off quickly enough.
I was tense and edgy, and the ponies were, too. On my way to work, two taxi ponies almost got into a brawl and I think the only thing that stopped them was the practical matter of removing their harness to get into a proper scuffle.
I thought that having sandwich boards draped across her back advertising that she could be rented for fifteen bits per hour was a bit on the nose.
In between conversations with close friends, she sent an email to Twitch asking for more information regarding the status of her channel, and then when she saw Dusty Swift was online, decided to video chat with her.
“Anyoung haseyo!”
“Hoi! Good morning, how’s Korea?”
“Pleasant as always. How are you doing?”
Shiroi shrugged and flicked her ears. “I beat the game I was playing on stream, and then I got banned from Twitch for a rule violation so it’s been a kind of strange day, you know.”
*
“You’re counting from when they walked in?”
She shook her head. “From when they became ‘guests.’” She waved her hooves in air-quotes, something she’d learned from humans.
“Is that when they sign the book, or when you give them the keys?”
“Technically, when they sign. That’s a contract then.”
Source
_____________________________________________
*Fun fact, I actually skimmed through Twitch’s TOS for research. It’s was a rule 9.i violation, if you’re inquisitive enough to want to have an idea where this particular story is going. Dusty Swift, if you’re curious, is one of the ponies who was playing pony DDR in Las Pegasus; Shiroi is an OC. Consider this blog notes for the story if I get lazy and don’t write a separate blog post for when I actually publish.
I once said in a comment that the level of cuddly adorable fluff tracks pretty directly with the level of stress I’m currently at--assuming I have the free time to write anything at all, that is. And I think Cuddles II turned out to be a reasonably accurate measure of the situation at that time, and I can’t say that December is looking any better. That having been said, it’s looking very much like my Jinglemas fic is going to be dangerously fluffy especially since it’s gonna feature a character I personally adore because she’s got just the right balance of cute and dumb.
I’ve also got a great blog post in the works about a catastrophic network failure and overall unhappiness in a Dakota caused by a customer shotgunning parts in an attempt to fix it himself. Some of y’all will be looking forward to that one; it makes the Econoline I blogged about a while back (which I would link but I’m too lazy to find that link) that thought it was a F150 seem like a walk in the park.
I always feel like I need some sort of proper conclusion at the end of a blog post, y’know? Maybe that’s my almost-degree in English poking through; you gotta have a thesis and a conclusion or else it doesn’t count. That might be an archaic habit, much like how I’ve double-spaced after every period in this blog post and that’s a habit I’ll never get out of. At least I don’t tab at the start of every paragraph any more . . .(**) which does actually make me wonder if I should add that in to actual printed stuff [BUY MY BOOKS].
CONCLUSION
**Also knowing the difference between three and four dot ellipses, and putting the spaces in.
derpicdn.net/img/view/2019/12/13/2219370.png
My equivalent is labeled "Not Updated Recently". I put everything there that isn't officially "On Hiatus" but hasn't updated in the last year. Unless the author hasn't been online for several months (no exact time, just long enough that IMO they've stopped writing for here), then it goes into "On Hiatus". It goes there anyway after 2 years.
Checking, you've actually updated that story 3 times in the last 13 months. Of course, nothing too surprising happened in those 3 updates. (Progress, but nothing unforeseen). So, IMO, his actions are premature
5168529
What does that have to do with writing term papers?"
I remember a college English class, the teacher asked "Who knows what 'ellipses' are?" & I replied "That's when the moon gets in front of the sun & casts its shadow over the Earth.
https://www.fimfiction.net/story/119983/a-total-eclipse-of-the-fun
Job security is a good thing, Biscuit! Just take care of yourself. You know we'll be here waiting patiently.
Shotgunning parts? Is that just trying things until you give up or a miracle happens?
You don't need another mechanic in that shop you need three. I wonder how many people look at this job and feel when they see all the hours. Right now I know that some UPS drivers are working 70 hour weeks. You just don't get off enough time to allow for you to decompress.
Hmm....
Good luck with managing stress and work, and writing!
5168534
If it sits on my Tracking list for a year without updating, it gets switched to my Hope Springs Eternal list. Any new updates see it moved back. The latter is currently four times as long as the former.
...well, seeing that pic pop up was surprising, lol.
*Intones back* The soup must flow
Ahh, I knew Id read the warning about screwing cars over, network faults etc. Christine confused me, but that was demonic possesion.
What I was trying to rememeber?
Sally
If it makes you feel better, it's not just you. No, not me.
Someone I'm editing for.
5168529
thumbs.gfycat.com/GrandCompleteIndianjackal-size_restricted.gif
I'm guilty of double-spacing too. That said, I've never been fond of indenting paragraphs and just plain don't do it.
5168554 Either that or figuring said parts work better with a coating of pellets or rock salt.
Speaking of OPP, there was a line in Celestia Sleeps In mentioning Celestia and Luna's father, or maybe it was just Luna's father. It has been a while since I last reread it so I don't remember the finer details xD. Anyway was that merely world building? Or is he actually going to appear sometime? If it was just merely world building, would you be willing to share it if it doesn't spoil anything major? I know from your blogs that you do quite a bit of research into everything just to get the little details right, so I'm assuming you've got a really detailed and juicy backstory just waiting.
5168699 Double-spacing after periods is God's way of saying you're normal. I should know. He told me.
Excuse the fuck out of me? Fucking Ford!
5168534
See, I like the idea of “not updated recently.” It’s more friendly, at least, and isn’t gonna make the author mad enough to call it out in a blog post.
I blame IRL life for that. It’s not where I want to be, that’s for sure, but for my more serious stories, I gotta be in the right place to write them, and after a long day at work it isn’t always so easy to get there. One shots are generally easier, although even that hasn’t been a walk in the park recently . . . I think I probably got close to a dozen that are either DOA or in some stage of needing editing/needing completion.
5168543
Sometimes that’s the best thing, honestly.
Thanks!
5168554
Yes, basically.
And you’re the first to know, but today we had our programming guy out again to try and make it happy. After using four (!) different scan tools on this poor Durango, the PCM was unable to be resurrected . . . it’s still dead, and the customer is another $80 poorer.
5168556
Three’s overkill, but one other generalist would be fantastic (our shop’s not that big), or barring that, one guy who can do oil changes and tires, and a part-time guy for cleaning and other general shop tasks would really help.
One thing that I learned in my training for Community Mental Health was what they called the Moss Cross, and it was basically regarding how people get burned out at jobs (apparently, the average direct-care employee only lasts two years at CMH) because they don’t have time to themselves. Things are pushing close to that at my mechanic job, honestly, close enough that I’ve started to skim other job offerings on occasion.
5168559
I’m not saying that one of the characters is Silverstream, but I’m not saying that it isn’t, either.
derpicdn.net/img/view/2018/3/27/1692052.jpeg
5168565
Thanks!
Writing pony fluff really helps sometimes.
5168574
I’m tempted to look, but afraid that I might be on there two or three times. . . .
5168584
What can I say, I never cease to amaze.
It’s a great picture, and vaguely topical for a story I was working on (involving ponies dropping in on ropes).
5168597
5168554
Yes to both! In my job, we call them pull and replace amateurs.
5168598
Honestly, after today’s work on that particular vehicle, demonic possession would be an easier case than what ails it. The worst part is that it’s all customer-inflicted; he’s the one who killed it.
5168699
Like, you can teach an old dog new tricks because while I cut my teeth on an electric Smith Corona typewriter, I’m here on the internet with y’all. But . . . periods and space bars go together in a way I can’t undo at this age, any more than I can stop putting that little line through the diagonals of my 7s and Zs.
5168753
The funny thing is that while this is obviously a take on the “this is fine” dog, she looks so depressed.
This isn’t fine.
5168769
I did it for a while, but by popular demand (and my own opinion of how it looked vs. a line break between paragraphs) I learned to stop hitting the tab key.
Spaces after periods are far more deeply ingrained, and not so easily ignored. These days, if I remember, I ctrl+f stories before publishing to get ‘em out, because I know I’ll not unlearn that typewriter habit.
5168984
While that’s not what the term means (it’s basically pointing in the general direction of the problem and replacing anything that might be involved), a coating of pellets or rock salt on the parts on this truck wouldn’t make it worse.
Like, if you imagine your own computer and all that goes with it, imagine that the computer itself has a boatload of critical errors, and so does literally every other part plugged into it. Except the mouse, that’s happy and ready to go to work . . . until it actually talks to the computer, and then decides that things are so terrible it’s out, too. That’s what this vehicle is like. On Chrysler’s handy module test, every single module failed a code check except for the one that is actually physically broken to the point where it can’t perform its intended function.
5169009
They did mention at one point that both Celestia and Luna had the same mother, but not the same father. That’s not particularly relevant to the story as a whole, except that it influences Luna’s attitude towards Twilight in the beginning and also helps to explain her reaction to Trixie.
It’s not hugely important in the story overall, just an interesting background detail. And there is literally no canon to back it up, although given what we knew early in Season 3, it would explain a few things. There isn’t a juicy detailed backstory to it, but nevertheless, Imma send you an answer via PM because some people would probably arrange a pitchfork mob if I put it on a public forum.
5169026
Clearly, we both learned tying from the same ancient monk.
5169043
I can assume one of two things from that.
1: Whoever designed the front knuckle had done about fifty lines of coke before writing out the specifications
2:Ford was paranoid that people might try and hold the caliper on with things that weren’t actually caliper pins, and sized it so you couldn’t.
Given what I know about automotive design, I’d say either hypothesis is equally likely.
5169146
I don't think there are any. But I'm not going to check right now, either, since the list is 200-some entries long. I don't think I've read many/any of your uncompleted stories. The only stories I've read that I KNOW are yours are the Sam and Rose ones. There may be others, though. And there's probably a few on my RIL list. But that one measures over 400, so I'm definitely not checking it now.
BTW, I also always double-space after every period that isn't part of an ellipsis, or actually a decimal. Colons, too. And I use the Tab key at the start of every paragraph. At least, when I'm typing in Word. Not so much with comments, like this. Then I use the Double-Enter.
5169143
Good. :)
5169026
I'd have also accepted it being correct... After all, letting something wrong continue just because "everyone" does it has led to the consumption of many grandmothers. (Let's eat grandma)
5169151
Wait, I know it was a thing with 7's but I had no clue people did it with Z's as well.
5169152
I made it better.
i.imgur.com/z6NbfsJ.png
It took me until the words “fix it himself” to realize this was not, in fact, a fanfic about a total blackout in North or South Dakota, the precise state left unspecified.
Is it a spicy soup?
Also, any plan for more field notes from Equestria?
5169186
I don't think there are any. But I'm not going to check right now, either, since the list is 200-some entries long.
If there were, most likely candidates would be Stained Glass, A Gift from Celestia,, Onto the Pony Planet, and Onto the Pony Planet: Side Stories. The rest of the incomplete ones are compilations that I add new stories to now and again (which could also be on the list, I suppose).
I only single space after colons, which is how I learned to use ‘em. (Well, and in periods that are in an ellipsis or a decimal). I did use paragraph indents when I started but quickly got out of the habit of doing it since online it looked neater to have the double enter paragraph breaks.
5169197
Apparently, for engineers and mathematicians, Ƶ is used to avoid confusion with the number 2. I don’t know where I picked up on it, since I’m neither an engineer nor a mathematician. The 7 with a stroke I can say came about from reading a story in Boy’s Life way back in the day--I know I consciously started putting them in after learning that it was a thing some people did.
5169224
That is much improved.
5169448
Although I can tell you that if this guy had tried to fix the power in one of the Dakotas, he would have broken it to the point that the other Dakota would also have an outage. That’s how bad this thing is. As an example, it took the guy we had come in to try and program it four different factory tools before he could get reliable communications with the vehicle network.
5169516
Depends on what kind of soup vein they hit in the mines out west.
In fact, one of the snippets up above is from the FNFE-verse.
5169884
Yeah, one of the snippets looked as such, but I still figured I’d ask.
5169140
But none of your IRL friends or their friends who live near enough can help with this? (asking just in case ..you probably tried this idea first)