Editor Hydras, Slipstream, & Cellphones

[eredien]

So, I just sent out a thingy to Ideomancer. I boggled a bit over who I should be addressing the submission to, as they have a list of editors as long as my arm, a many-headed editorial creature--and it doesn't tell you on the page who reads what, or if all of them read everything. If it'd been poetry, I would have been ok, as I'd already had a short email exchange with one of the poetry editors this year, but it was fiction so I was back to square one. All the books and websites say, "for the love of God, write to a person!" but the email submissions address seems to filter it by subject line to the correct person--so you don't know who's reading it until you get a rejection, er, I mean, response. After agonizing about this, I decided to go with "Dear Ideomancer Editors," which at least has the twin virtues of correct spelling and not getting the genders of the persons in question wrong.

And then I looked at the "please title your subject-line this so it filters into the right inbox" section of the page, and went, "ack!" Can someone define "slipstream" for me? I've seen it applied to works of magical realism, and that story "Up in the Air," and occasionally though not always cyberpunk. I finally decided to go with putting it in the "fantasy" genre, because I was 90% sure it was fantasy and only 75% sure that it might have qualified as "slipstream." I'm still not certain that it wasn't both, but that would've screwed up their email inbox filter something awful.

Am really pleased that I'm submitting more stuff on a regular basis, such that it's useful for me to start putting submissions emails in my address book.

Vacation at rabidfangurl's was amazingly productive in terms of relaxing. I like sleeping late, walking in the woods, watching Star Wars, meeting wherdragon and aichmetes and Brenda R. for a lovely lunch-turned-cooking-session-turned-dinner-with-good-wine, and discussing fanfic.

Today go and see an apartment nearish Central Square; am hopeful. Will also have to get cellphone, as other roommate has no plans for landline. (I was thinking of getting one anyway, for emergencies, general usefulness, and because phone bills are just as expensive as it seems a cellphone plan is. I try to think of it as further encouragement to give into the inevitable).

So, what kinds of cellphone do you all use?
Where do you live?
What do you find more important: price, coverage, or customer service?
For those of you in the MA area, which plans seem to provide the best general Boston-area coverage?

I don't care if my phone can speak Chinese, hold fifteen photos and do the limbo; I just need to make sure that if I have to call work because the train is running late, or my parents, I won't be paying $50 for the privilage.

Comments

[jcfiala.livejournal.com]

I've been trying to nail down what 'slipstream' means. My best definition so far is 'something that isn't non-genre, but which we can discriminate against for not being genre enough'.

[lotusbiosm.livejournal.com]

I have Verizon. It's got great coverage- it's the only one here in DC that works in the Metro, and it's got "In", which means free calls to anyone else with Verizon, which means my parents' cells and Kate's. And, free nights and weekends, and free long distance, but tht's preet standard, I think. I have the basic plan, and I've only gone over my daytime minutes once. I don't use text messages, so I don't know about that.

[gallian.livejournal.com]

after my recent experiences:

verizon.

[kaypendragon.livejournal.com]

Re:Cell phones. We have cellular 'cause Kith's dad pays for it and that's what he decided on. We never use customer service so coverage and price are more important. My dad has verizon in NYC.

BTW- seeing as I just sent a wedding invite to the address you sent me over the summer, is it still going to get to you?

[kaypendragon.livejournal.com]

Don't get a phone without free nights and weekends. Cingular also has the free to all cingular users. It's nice.

[kaypendragon.livejournal.com]

Edit: CINGULAR. We have cingular. I don't know who typed cellular.. or why..

[lotusbiosm.livejournal.com]

Well, yes, but I don't have cingular, so I can't call her cell phone for free if she gets that! ;)

[eredien]

My parents are all like, "get cinglulair!" and I'm like, "well, I'm going to call you once a week and I'll be calling local the entire rest of the time. Gee, maybe I should pick my plan based on local coverage instead of what would be most convienent for you, mom and dad."

[eredien]

It will most likely be forwarded to somewhere I can pick up my mail on a daily basis until I figure out where the heck I am living for the next few months.

Have you heard from esgalaith regarding your wedding? I have been trying to get in touch with her to see if she wants to split the cost of the special hotel rate but I can't!

[eredien]

Why Verizon specially here, SR?

[esgalaith.livejournal.com]

Hi. Yes. I even wrote a reply and it's sitting in my bag awaiting postage, of which I have none. The need for a post office run is becoming increasingly pressing, so I'm sure it will get there eventually . . . is the addy on the letter you sent still applicable?

[kaypendragon.livejournal.com]

Dude - I have postage. Why didn't you ask?

[eredien]

If it's Arlington, send it on; if not, send it on anyway and it should forward there.

[empressofstars.livejournal.com]

hi, i'm from brynmawrcollege, and you told me to drop a note in your journal if I wanted to talk more about Bryn Mawr. That would be great; thank you so much for the offer. My email is shockingpink@gmail.com, and I have a TON of questions I would love to ask (I don't want to clutter your personal journal with them). Thanks again, and I hope I'll hear from you soon!

[empressofstars.livejournal.com]

there are entirely too many commas in that comment. sorry bout that.

[esgalaith.livejournal.com]

I would have to think of you and postage simultaneously. It's quite a challenge, you see. So far your personage has failed to put me in mind of postage, and postage generally doesn't put me in mind of you, so chances of making the connexion were doubtful at best. 12 1/2% ;) Plus I have a few other things that require the services of an actual post office . . .

[(Anonymous)]

Beautiful. Will do.

[gallian.livejournal.com]

sorry it took me so long to respond, i just got my lj-notifications.

beacuse sprint has spotty service, nextel is only marginally better, and their plans are not economical unless all your friends have it and you want to use the d/c feature all the time, cingular was EVIL to me, and i know nothing about t-moble except that they exist, and thus would not recommend them.

gallian.