The Vent and Rant Thread

[Moejoe]

Originally Posted by Peverel

ARHHHHH!!!!!!! I hate my own disorganisation (I know it's my own fault). Just spent all evening editing a short story to realise 5 minutes ago I am editing an old version.

I need to get a grip cause right now I couldn't arrange a drunken debauch in a distillery.

*sobs

Wait till you do that, have it just how you like it, then (after making a cup of tea) copy and paste the unedited text from the first draft (you still have open, naturally) into Feedbooks and upload it Then it gets to be real fun

[Patricia]

Originally Posted by zelda_pinwheel

yep, must be july. a firecracker the size of a mortar shell (from the sound of it) or possibly an obus just exploded apparently immediately next door to my bedroom (again, from the sound of it). sheesh. i hate those things. what sadist came up with the idea of making something whose sole purpose is to make as much noise as possible, without even any pretty lights or anything to justify it ?? and (possibly worse) what idiot decided to sell them all through the month next to the penny candy in every damned bakery in the country ????? whoever it was, i'd like to have a Word or two.

little cat not happy either. not at all.

Vive la republique!
Hopefully, things will quieten down after 14 July.
Actually, I don't like fireworks that much either. In the UK it's the 5th November and New Year's Eve when people set them off, causing fear and distress to domestic pets.
I didn't realise that you could buy them in boulangeries, though.

[zelda_pinwheel]

"vive la république", hmph, i suppose. i hope things quiet down after the 14th too but that still leaves a week to get through. the irony is i *love* fireworks, and i don't even mind the noise then, but firecrackers drive me crazy. and when i have to walk along the street when kids are setting them off they scare me too ; there is very little worse than having to walk past a spot where a firecracker may or may not be about to explode. what is it about them that people love them so much ?? i don't get it.

[yvanleterrible]

Originally Posted by zelda_pinwheel

"vive la république", hmph, i suppose. i hope things quiet down after the 14th too but that still leaves a week to get through. the irony is i *love* fireworks, and i don't even mind the noise then, but firecrackers drive me crazy. and when i have to walk along the street when kids are setting them off they scare me too ; there is very little worse than having to walk past a spot where a firecracker may or may not be about to explode. what is it about them that people love them so much ?? i don't get it.

Maybe they like the terror looks on other peoples faces.

[phenomshel]

Originally Posted by zelda_pinwheel

good news : yay ! the new biography of Tom Waits IS AVAILABLE AS AN EBOOK !!! hallelujah !!!

bad news : it's priced at 29.95$ list !!!!! for an ebook !!! arg !!!! it's 21.64$ at fictionwise (club price !!!), 20.31$ at bob (after rewards !!), 14£ at Waterstone's (reduced from 20£ !!!!) !

for the kindle it's $16.47 which is obviously of no interest to me since i can't buy it from the kindle store. i did find it on ereader at 12.95$ which is 56.76% reduction from the list price, but i've never tried the ereader format, have not heard good things about it, have no idea how to remove the drm / format shift...

seriously, this is ridiculous. do you hear me random house ? RIDICULOUS !!!!!!

i've been waiting for this biography for months (seriously : patricia sent me a link to an article reviewing it before it was published) and i really want to read it, but i don't want to read it enough to spend over 20$ on it !!!

i guess i'll have to wait for the next killer sale at fw.

Oh, Zelda, I so feel your pain. My story isn't quite that extreme, but it's still frustrating. I am missing two books (3 and 4) from a series. Those two JUST became available in ebook format, however, despite being published in print in 1997 and 1998, respectively, the ebook editions are $13.99. The next-to-the-last in the series (which I already have, it's book 14) is also available. At "normal" price. ARGHHHHH!!! What are publishers thinking? If I bought the paperback in 1997 at $6.99, what on earth makes them think I'm going to pay twice that now? For something that they insist I don't even "own" when I'm done, I only get a license to read it?

[zelda_pinwheel]

Originally Posted by phenomshel

Oh, Zelda, I so feel your pain. My story isn't quite that extreme, but it's still frustrating. I am missing two books (3 and 4) from a series. Those two JUST became available in ebook format, however, despite being published in print in 1997 and 1998, respectively, the ebook editions are $13.99. The next-to-the-last in the series (which I already have, it's book 14) is also available. At "normal" price. ARGHHHHH!!! What are publishers thinking? If I bought the paperback in 1997 at $6.99, what on earth makes them think I'm going to pay twice that now? For something that they insist I don't even "own" when I'm done, I only get a license to read it?

oh my god I KNOW !!!! they must all be high !!! there's another (french) book i've had my eye on for about a year (seriously), but the ebook is 19€ (same price as the original oversize bound print edition). now finally the pocket paper book came out for around 7€. how much is the ebook ? STILL 19€ !! i even wrote to the publisher but i got no reply... and it's only available in (drm) mobipocket format, to add insult to injury ! sheesh. it's enough to give you ideas of boycotts and picket lines, really. thank god for feedbooks and mobileread's upload section, that's all i have to say ! but nonetheless, it's really frustrating not to be able to read what i want to !

[phenomshel]

Originally Posted by zelda_pinwheel

oh my god I KNOW !!!! they must all be high !!! there's another (french) book i've had my eye on for about a year (seriously), but the ebook is 19€ (same price as the original oversize bound print edition). now finally the pocket paper book came out for around 7€. how much is the ebook ? STILL 19€ !! i even wrote to the publisher but i got no reply... and it's only available in (drm) mobipocket format, to add insult to injury ! sheesh. it's enough to give you ideas of boycotts and picket lines, really. thank god for feedbooks and mobileread's upload section, that's all i have to say ! but nonetheless, it's really frustrating not to be able to read what i want to !

I agree totally. Publishers seem to be either A. Scared of ebooks. B. Completely indifferent to ebooks. or C. Intent on gouging those of us who are intent on rebuilding our physical libraries in electronic form. All three attitudes drive me totally CRAZY!!

[Moejoe]

Originally Posted by phenomshel

I agree totally. Publishers seem to be either A. Scared of ebooks. B. Completely indifferent to ebooks. or C. Intent on gouging those of us who are intent on rebuilding our physical libraries in electronic form. All three attitudes drive me totally CRAZY!!

Library + flatbed scanner + patience + middle finger raised high in the air to the book companies

[zelda_pinwheel]

Originally Posted by Moejoe

Library + flatbed scanner + patience + middle finger raised high in the air to the book companies

*sigh* sadly i'm missing the second and (more importantly) third ingredient in that recipe, or i would partake without hesitation.

[Moejoe]

Originally Posted by zelda_pinwheel

*sigh* sadly i'm missing the second and (more importantly) third ingredient in that recipe, or i would partake without hesitation.

The third one is where I fail most times too , and my flatbed scanner sucks too. Although my middle finger is working quite well

[zelda_pinwheel]

Originally Posted by phenomshel

I agree totally. Publishers seem to be either A. Scared of ebooks. B. Completely indifferent to ebooks. or C. Intent on gouging those of us who are intent on rebuilding our physical libraries in electronic form. All three attitudes drive me totally CRAZY!!

me too !!!

[zelda_pinwheel]

Originally Posted by Moejoe

The third one is where I fail most times too , and my flatbed scanner sucks too. Although my middle finger is working quite well

funny how that last one is rarely subject to "technical difficulties"...

[RickyMaveety]

Originally Posted by Moejoe

Library + flatbed scanner + patience + middle finger raised high in the air to the book companies

Originally Posted by zelda_pinwheel

*sigh* sadly i'm missing the second and (more importantly) third ingredient in that recipe, or i would partake without hesitation.

Nah .... the ScanSnap is so much better than a flatbed. It works faster, the pages come out really clear and the text recognition is top rate. Let me cut up a paperback and I'll have it scanned and OCR'd in a matter of minutes.

[Verencat]

Farking painter's Green that can't stay put on newly painted walls, farking me who absolutely needs to have trims in a different colors than the walls, farking kitchen cabinets all askew making the painting so hard, and finally: farking house decorating! (thank you for the vocabulary Pshrynk!)

Last time I actually got out of the house was Monday, to go get paint samples. Last time I spent time with someone was last Saturday, the Ex and a friend came to help me paint (again, paint).

I need to get out and find myself a job before I go mad!!! I need to talk face to face with humans! And I still have painting to do...sigh!

This place is going to look so good when I'm done with it! (it better! )

[RickyMaveety]

Originally Posted by Verencat

Farking painter's Green that can't stay put on newly painted walls, farking me who absolutely needs to have trims in a different colors than the walls, farking kitchen cabinets all askew making the painting so hard, and finally: farking house decorating! (thank you for the vocabulary Pshrynk!)

Last time I actually got out of the house was Monday, to go get paint samples. Last time I spent time with someone was last Saturday, the Ex and a friend came to help me paint (again, paint).

I need to get out and find myself a job before I go mad!!! I need to talk face to face with humans! And I still have painting to do...sigh!

This place is going to look so good when I'm done with it! (it better! )

Well, now I REALLY wish I was there with you!! If it's one thing I'm really (really) good at, it's PAINTING, and masking, and painting, and making stencils, and pouncing, and painting .... and painting??