This scared the CRAP out of me!

The video below is for an autonomous taxi cab which can pick you up and drive you somewhere with NO DRIVER. I would've thought my initial reaction would be "Cool! Robotics!" but instead I was terrified. As I watched the man climb into the driverless robo-cab all I could think was "NO! Don't get in the car! Didn't you see The Bone Collector or that one episode of Criminal Minds??? Bad things happen to good people who get into creepy cabs!" Mind you, I have nothing against cabs, I use them all the time, but I am on major creeper alert before I'll climb into one. Here is my checklist:
-Does all the paperwork look like it's in order?
-Can I see the driver's face? (Sorry, but if your face is obstructed by huge sunglasses and a hat pulled low, I am not getting into your cab...Unibomber!!!)
-Do the 'unlock' mechanisms in the backseat appear to be fully functional?

Granted, it's not foolproof, but I like to think it prevents me from riding with any OBVIOUS psycho murderers. And now I have to add a NEW question to my checklist:
-IS THERE A DRIVER AT ALL?

After watching this video, my mind immediately went all dystopian and started wondering "What if that cab was sent by the government to abduct you? Or what if you really believe it's taking you where you asked it to, but the cab has ideas of it's own because it's part of the machine revolution? Or what if the man behind the helm is some sort of psycho killer who lures his victims to his lair in autonomous cabs?" Mark my words. I will never get into one of those things. Oh, and you know where they are? GERMANY.

 I'm sure they're much more progressive now, etc, etc, etc, but I'm gonna  be honest. I already have some real hesitations about the idea of ever being IN Germany, and now they're putting people in robocabs? It's just too much. I can't take this.

Maybe this time...I'll Wiiiiiiin!

"All the odds are, they're in my favor, something's bound to give in. It's gonna happen, happen sometime. Maybe this time... Maybe this time I'll wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiin!"

So I've previously mentioned that I have a bunch of songs I repeatedly listen to on YouTube and/or Grooveshark when I'm feeling down about the Agent Search (yes, I know that shouldn't technically be capitalized, but it's a really big deal in my life OK? lol)

This is the song I sing to myself whenever I get a response to a submission, before I actually open it.

(Yeah, I know it's actually from Cabaret but I'm a total Gleek so I listen to this version. And, yes, I know I am incredibly melodramatic. I'm okay with that.)

Maybe This Time - Glee Version (feat Kristin Chenowith & Lea Michele)

The YA View: What We Like in Our Books (and What We Don’t) | Write4Kids!

Check out a pretty good article from the Children's Book Insider, providing some teen views on what they're into and what they're over. Granted, it's only a few girls and these are just their individual opinions, but I still always find it helpful to read/hear insight from teens. My favorite quote in the article:

"Finally, I have a request. Write a normal love interest for us. Someone who isn’t all mysterious and dark and brooding. Someone who doesn’t have eyes that convey hidden depths or battle scars that form weird tattoos. Someone who doesn’t display exceedingly stalkerish traits and isn’t illogically overprotective. Someone who isn’t named Damien."

I think Andrew is a pretty 'normal' love interest. He certainly doesn't convey any hidden depths, lol. For some reason, I've always had a 'thing' for arrogant boys. Sigh. What does that say about me...?

Ok, enough psychoanalysis. Check out the article here:

The YA View: What We Like in Our Books (and What We Don’t) | Write4Kids!