Phoenix did it...

She actually sent me her meme thingie. And it's a good one. Thanks, girl!

And now, for your reading pleasure, I present...

PHOENIX'S MEME

Gee, Robin, thanks for the tag. Please, please allow me to return the favor one of these days.

So here are 6 things about me that will give you a better idea about what makes Phoenix tick.

1) I once played in the Society for Creative Anachronism. I fought heavy weapons (short swords, maces, shields, etc.), and got my 5-foot, 100-pound ass kicked and bruised repeatedly. I also swashbuckled (foils, daggers, capes - think Errol Flynn), and because I was fairly strong and limber back then, in swashing I could kick ass right back.

2) When I was 15, I soloed in gliders -- even before I got my driver's license. I traded work at an airfield for flight lessons and flying time. I also passed my written exam for powered planes, but had to stop work at the airfield before I got enough hours to get my private pilot license. Couldn't afford to pay for flight time, so didn't keep up with it. Sad, because soaring a few thousand feet up with only the buzzards for company -- really awesome.

3) I once accused the management of a company I was working for of unethical treatment of their employees. They put me on 90-day probation under what a coworker referred to as my 12-step program. Tenet 1 was that I refrain from sarcasm (seriously: "Don't be sarcastic." Moi?). Tenet 2 was that I was to assume management was telling the truth about everything. And so they went. During my 90 days, 7 of the 10 people in the department quit. The day I came off probation, I was promoted (!) and given a raise which was retroactive 90 days. As soon as the check cleared, I quit (I had a better-paying job lined up anyway). Any wonder that company didn't stay solvent long?

4) I also filed an anonymous complaint in the early 80s with the Labor Board against a veterinarian I worked for -- he wasn't following minimum wage and overtime laws and, most importantly, didn't care that he was screwing us. The employees were awarded back pay and the vet never knew I was the one who turned him in. In fact, he used to complain about the lawsuit to me because he thought I was on his side. Jerk. If you're upfront and honest with me, I'll give you 110%, do everything I can to help ensure success, and tolerate a heck of a lot. In fact, the adjective most people use to describe me is "sweet." But please, don't ever mess with me. And, if you do, don't ever underestimate me. Even if I am small, have that high-pitched girlish voice, and wear my hair in pigtails. I really don't tolerate fools well.

5) There was a short period of time 20 years ago when I had a bit of success publishing short stories. I attended science fiction conventions as a guest speaker, got my hotel rooms comp'd and once, gasp, even got paid for an appearance.

6) Then all of a sudden I was cursed. My creative writing became the kiss of death -- literally:
* middle-grade novel - small publisher went bankrupt shortly after accepting the work (alas, before any check was cut).
* Limited-issue comic book series - small publisher closed its doors shortly after acceptance (once again before I saw any money).
* script 1 (episode for children's animated series) - picked up on contingency the series wasn't cancelled. It was.
* script 2 (episode for a "Night Gallery"-ripoff series) - picked up on contingency the series wasn't cancelled. It was.
* short story - submitted by request for a paperback anthology to an editor who had published me several times previously. Received a rejection dated the day after she was admitted to the hospital in a coma and the day before she died. I still can picture her struggling out of her coma, gasping, "Must reject Phoenix's story if it's the last thing I do." And it was.

So I've waited a couple of decades and changed my (pen) name in hopes my luck has changed. So far the best I can say is that at least no one's died recently after reading my stuff (that I know of anyway). Let me know if y'all survive...