Yin and yang. Ebb and flow. Oh, what's the difference.

I really don't like to be whiny. (This means that, yes, I'm going to whine a little bit.) Here's the thing, and it really crystallized for me over the last 16 or so hours, in the course of three seemingly-unrelated yet curiously-timed events.

1. Samantha sent me a link to an NPR blog, wherein the bloggers were totally skewering Stephenie Meyer's writing ability. Good stuff, really. But, as I told Sam, it doesn't matter that she's not a good writer. It doesn't matter that it takes her 200 pages of chicken enchilada preparation and car-washing and Internet searches and pasta-eating to accomplish her reveal that "this dude is a vampire." She's been published many times over, and her material speaks to the masses. That's what matters.

2. I received the kindest rejection letter in the history of rejection letters. The agent was very complimentary of my writing (especially my dialogue, and I have to agree--I write some good conversations; all that talking to myself on the bike path has paid off), but he said my pacing was a little bit slow. I refer you to WHOSS, which is a whopping 224 (or so) pages. Not a lot of room for meandering in there. However, he was very encouraging, so I will press on. And taste is taste. Can't do much about it. AND, it's the farthest I've gotten, which is great.

3. Miley Cyrus. My 15-year-old daughter had a mild tizzy over the seemingly inexplicable success of this young woman. She just doesn't get it. I told her I understood her frustration. The funny part here is that my daughter has no aspirations to be a country singer; she just doesn't understand why almost everyone around her is so captivated. I shared the story of the Stephenie Meyer blog and the agent's comments about my work. And...taste is taste. I think I've heard that somewhere before....

So, there is my (I hope) measured description of yesterday's events and the lessons therein. And here is my whining:

WHAT THE HELL?? WHEN IS THIS GOING TO HAPPEN FOR ME??

For real, I just don't get it. Well, I sort of do. A lot of it comes down to who makes the most noise, I know. I've tried to be really noisy for the last eight months. I guess I'll have to yell a little louder.

Or something.