My writing week 4 (15)

Hi all,

I had a bugger of a week last week. It all seemed to be about damage control. I went to the dentist and found out I needed a bit of work. She directed me to an x-ray clinic for a mouth shot. I found out I need to go and see an oral surgeon to get a wisdom tooth and its neighbour pulled. Their roots are too close to a nerve for the dentist to pull.

Just the removal of those two teeth will cost me somewhere between $1500 and $2000. I also need a root canal ($1500) and a cap on a front tooth ($1450) and some other things done. All up the initial bill was around $6,000. As I am trying to survive on a part-time writing job and newstart, I don’t have that sort of money lying around.

But by the end of the week, it looked like I can get onto a special medicare programme for those with chronic illnesses (like my ulcerative colitis). It pays up to $4650 over two years. My GP says I am eligible and is currently, I hope, doing the paperwork.

I’ve made appointments for consultations with two oral surgeons – even the consultation will cost, after a medicare rebate, $70 and one of those consultations will involve a trip to Melbourne.

The need for the dental work is partly my fault and that of the previous dentist. Seems he was cheap because of the quality of his work. Lots of his ex-patients are now getting their fillings replaced. I was stunned when a 12-14 year old entered the waiting room and said he had to have three fillings replaced. I only went to see that dentist because he took over the surgery from the previous one.

I said my fault too. I did not get my teeth cleaned last time I saw that dentist a year and a bit ago. It was in the middle of getting my cataracts removed and placing my dad into a nursing home. I was somewhat distracted. And of course I could have done a better job cleaning my teeth.

While arranging and doing many things dental, we found out the drain pipe down one side of the house were clogged with tree roots. So water from the roof was just flowing under the house. Not wanting the house’s stumps to rot, we had arranged to get the drain pipe replaced. To save money I have the dug the pipe up. It was full of cavities. I just finished digging it out this morning.

Universal Remote Controls Article

I just submitted another article to Divine. This one is on universal remote controls. You know I could not find anyone who had tested remote controls for use by people with disabilities. Remotes are hard enough for people to use who are able-bodied, but imagine you have motor control issues, like arthritis, or poor vision.

Self Publishing Ebooks

In promoting my latest article on Divine about self-publishing ebooks, I got into a debate on one of the writing sites I frequent, where an article on Salon by Laura Miller was mentioned. That article epitomises the reasons for and against self-publishing ebooks. And it has a lot to do with marketing.

The article mentioned Angela Hocking, who is now an ebook self-publishing millionaire, has just signed a traditional publishing contract. She is happy that she won’t now have to spend all her time marketing. While Barry Eisler knocked back a half-million dollar contract from his publishers for two new books because he wants to self-publish them. Part of his reason is he didn’t like the marketing his publisher had done on his previous books.

Other Writing

At the end of last week I actually did some editing of the much neglected novella. But then while taking a walk I thought of a great idea for a story. It might distract me further from the novella.