44,000 subscribers

Hey, Inklings now has over 44,000 subscribers, woohoo! Thanks to those of you who have been taking my flyers to sf and writers' conventions. If you're willing to take at least 50 flyers to an upcoming convention or literary event, please let me know, thanks! I'll need at least a month's warning. Um, in case any of you don't know what I do for a living...I maintain a website called Inkspot which is a resource for writers. I also publish a free electronic newsletter called Inklings, an offshoot publication of Inkspot. I get my income from advertising, and also have several other income-generating Inkspot-related plans in the works for next year. I have about ten part-time employees with whom I keep in contact via email, ICQ, and MOOs; they live all over the place, including South Africa, the UK, Canada, and the U.S. I've only met one of them (Chris Donner, a friend of Rand's, one of my assistant editors). Looks like I might be meeting another one early next year, when Fox (my other assistant editor, met him through Talis Kimberley) comes to visit.

Totally other topic...BUREAUCRACY and paperwork. Yuk. I've been trying to get info on how to apply for an online merchant VISA account for a while now...it's been SO FRUSTRATING trying to get solid information, argh. I abandoned my online attempts because very few Canadian banks have that info online. And I spent about two hours on the phone and in various lines at banks trying to get hold of the right people and applications. Came up empty-handed (I finally abandoned my attempts out of frustration and time constraints). AAAUUUGGGGGHHHH.

The bright side of today is that Jeff is coming home from his business trip in Vancouver (I haven't seen the guy in four days).