Time Management

Finished reading: Last Summer Series #1, "Saving One Last Summer"

This is going to be a very short post. Nothing is going on at work, and I ended up reading a very short story. Tomorrow, I learn the final, horrible, unspeakable truth about my sleep apnea study. I'll tell you about it later.

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With the PPMB in its wonderful state of board-crashing wonkiness, I have decided to take on Richard Lobinske's "Falling Into College".

I believe that I've actually read at least FIC #1, and I might have reviewed it somewhere, but I honestly can't remember where. Therefore, if the old review clashes with the new review, take the new review instead. I'm not a politician; like any other human being, I'm allowed to change my mind on things.

As I visited the hopefully-to-be-reactivated Outpost Daria, I learned something I didn't know -- there was a "prequel" series to "Falling Into College" called "The Last Summer Series". The series deals with that few months between Daria's graduation from Lawndale High School and her first days at Raft.

Since the story's not long, I'll sketch it out for you. Daria wakes up some short time after her final graduation speech at Lawndale High. However, she realized what happened the summer before -- Helen corralled Daria into taking an awful job that she didn't really like. True enough, when Daria walks downstairs, Helen is there to remind Daria of the importance of having a summer job. Mr. O'Neill is needing volunteers for the "Okay to Cry" Corral and...well, the rest doesn't need to be said.

The problem? How can Daria find a job that she wants to do instead of ending up at "Nut World" or some other awful place?

Lobinske solves the problem very simply, almost too simply. Without reading any of his work, Lobinske has mentioned that he's aware of criticism that things go too easily for Daria and company in his stories. And indeed, it appears that Daria and Jane have it easy at the end....

...until you read the end. Daria has found a way to beat the system. I had to chuckle at the ending.

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P. S. It turns out I get a credit for giving critical suggestion. I didn't remember doing such a thing. I'll certainly take no credit for Dr. Lobinske's work, but maybe I can bask in Dr. Lobinske's glory. As Homer would say, "Mmmmmm...glory!"