Archived
Messages 5/29/01 to 6/20/01
Wow, there's a lot
here. I might actually have to think a bit...I hate that :-)
TL: Of all
the characters I've come up with, the newest is always the fave. I created a young
saint in China, called her St. Freda...killed her though. And then there's George,
a young Englishman who seems to weave in and out of several stories...killed him
too, but he keeps coming back (but not as a ghost). Edna St. Vincent DePaul, a
crippled artist married to a fat, abusive bastard of a husband...killed both of
them. And there's Yevgeny the Dwarf, another artist--I seem to like artists for
some reason--but I didn't kill him. Each character is different in one way or
another though; each one has a history I try to relate through different means.
I enjoy creating them, and try to make each one a little more in depth than the
last one. I add a little more insight, a little more sensitivity, and a little
more description to each story so that everything grows along with me. I think
that's why I like writing so much. I can see myself growing with the characters,
and improving.
RHODA: I don't tell my friends what I'm writing until
they ask me if I'm still writing, and then I just say Yup. When they come over
and I happen to be working, and they ask me what I'm writing, I patiently try
to explain it to them. And then I say, You wanna hear a bit of it? I like to read
it out loud because it's good to hear it.
Randall: It's funny how you
said the other side of time like that. I actually used that expression in my story
today, but not in the same context, and it was just a throw away line--but I thought
it was neat. I like your explanation a lot better though. Yours had a little more
thought involved, mine was just babbling.
And who doesn't like at least
one John Denver song? Remember when Magnum P.I. ended, and they faded out with
that Denver song? Can't remember the name of it, but personally, I think that
was one of his best. Just love that song.
Rhoda: As long as the horse
is not drunk, I don't think they can arrest you. My neighbour drives a bus, and
he says he was driving the other day and saw a horse tied up across the street
from a small neighbourhood pub. He thought, nah, what are the chances? Sure enough
though, next run, the horse is still there, still chewing grass. Finally, near
the end of his day, he sees the guy on the horse, barely able to hang onto the
saddle horn as the horse walked him back home in a nice, slow, straight line.
It's midnight now, so I figure I can get a couple hours of work in. I'll
start by re-reading what I wrote today, editing it as always, and maybe come up
with another page or two. The secret, they say, (and Randall will probably know
this because it comes from Hemmingway), is to leave of at a point where the story
interests you. That way you'll be eager to get back to it.
Ben 6-20-2001 2:59
*Tina*
Wow. My brain hurts.
Randall, time has sides? I love it. Our perceptions are so limited! But Heather,
I disagree that the past is fictional. The future can be anything, and the present
is all we can affect, but the past makes us who we are. Good or bad. We use the
past to determine who we are now, as a person and as a people. I can see the past.
Every time I think about my friends and family, my father, my grandmother, the
flowers I planted when I was eight, my first bicycle, my dog Poco who was lost
when I was 16. I can hold it in my hands; the mental hands I use to weigh a decision,
that is based on the things I’ve learned in the past.
Rhoda, so glad
to here how your garden grows! It is a lovely feeling, when tender seeds erupt
into life.
Mary, of course you don’t write like Diana Gabaldon. You write
like you! And I challenge anyone to say that what you write is any less than what
she does. I’ve read your work, I know the truth! And the reason you ‘bother’ is
because you have things to say, unique things that people like Gabaldon would
never ever think to say.
Oh, and remember that she had been writing for years,
just not fiction. 'Outlander' was her first fiction, but her job was writing academic
stuff.
I Solemnly Swear that I have HUGE respect and admiration for all
stay-at-home moms! Your patience and devotion is beyond my limited scope of comprehension.
You are all awesome!
Really, when people work at a daycare, or are a nanny,
it’s considered ‘real work’. Stay-at-home parents have ten times the work load,
24/7. I don’t know how anyone considers it to not be ‘real work’. I place that
attitude in the same slot as when ‘mom’ goes out one night and ‘dad’ is home with
the kids, and people say he’s ‘babysitting’ his kids. Ahgg! That makes me very
irate! Any man looking after his own children is being a parent, not a babysitter!
Okay, now that I’ve contributed my rant, it’s back to writing (after
I go move the sprinkler). I’ve had an amasing week of writing, and I don’t want
it to stop yet!
TTFN
Tina 6-20-2001 1:21
JERRY:
Was Randolph Scott jailed for RUI (You know, riding under the influence)?
After all these years, they still haven't figured what they added to that Sasperilla.
Rhoda
6-20-2001 1:12
HEATHER,
I loved THE UNICORN SONG
by the Irish Rovers. My father played that for me as a kid along with Jeannie
C. Riley's HARPER VALLEY PTA. I sang the Unicorn Song to my babies as I rocked
them to sleep by night.
Another favorite: Jim Crocre's TIME IN A BOTTLE.
That's it!!!
RANDALL,
Time exists only in a bottle--the
little one we all live in or is it a yellow submarine? Ah, I don't know. I'll
leave the philosopical stuff to you, my friend.
Rhoda 6-20-2001
1:06
Oh, and what ever happened to Randolph Scott?
Jerry
Ericsson 6-20-2001 0:28
Gotta agree with the opinion that
John Denver was a great singer, I loved many of his songs, but many may be unaware
of another gift he gave the world. It was John Denver, and his expensive attorneys
who first dreamed up the double jeopardy defense in a DUI arrest. You see John
was arrested in Vale, if I remember right, and put forth the defense that since
his privilege to drive was suspended by an administrative hearing, where he was
forced to give testimony as to his actions in the crime, he had already been punished
for the crime of DUI, and that jeopardy had attached at the administrative hearing.
His judge bought it, and dismissed his case in court. The state appealed the decision
based on the fact that if it were allowed to stand, it would overturn all DUI
convictions in the US, and change the way the law handled DUI's all over the US.
The judges ruling was held up in several appeals courts, but eventually overturned
by, and I may be wrong here but if memory serves me, by the US supremes. Why do
I know this, you may ask, well my required 40 page report on law for my Research
and Writing 400 was based on this case and the two cases his attorneys used in
court. I managed an A on the report, so it impressed the hell out of the instructor
at any rate. Even though he was a drunk, and was probably a bit on the tipsy side
when he flew off to the great beyond, he was a hell of an artist. I too remember
that muppet show, God how I loved that stupid show, it is a sad state of affairs
that shows like that aren't made anymore, no awards are given to shows about homosexuals
who interact with straight women and such. The entertainment world has gone to
hell in a hand basket, it is no wonder our kids are killing kids, no wonder that
the militia's are drawing such a great following, that boys are blowing up federal
buildings. Ok so I can rant a bit too, but to do any other would not be me.
Jerry Ericsson 6-20-2001 0:11
RANDALL - WOW - what a wonderful
theory for a book, when are you going to begin writting it? I want to read it
when you have it started, then when it is done. The other side of time, think
about it, well apparently you have, now write about it!
Jerry Ericsson 6-19-2001 23:54
Randall - does time actually
exist, or is it a concept put forth by man?
Without clocks, the seasons
still run themselves, but does the Earth believe that each year is the same year
over?
Does the Earth have a natural rhythm that we have merely trodden upon
and structured to suit ourselves?
Just think of daylight savings time. How
ludicrous is this idea! If we stopped cranking our clocks forward in the spring
and back in the fall, would modern society fall apart? No. So why do we bother?
Just another filler for the eternally bored over-sized brained folk that try to
prove their omnipotency by controlling our lives on this planet.
If we had
smaller brains we wouldn't do such self-destructive things like structure our
waking hours with clocks (and jobs, meetings, and other stressful schedules),
or fiddle with machinery, or atoms, or the atmosphere. We wouldn't be a consumerist
society, nor a mass of desperate fiends in a series of races after the big unattainable,
the large unknowns. Our minds wouldn't dwell constantly in the future, which,
for the sake of truth, is fictional. All we have is this moment, right here. Right
now.
We don't need a machine (such as a clock or a time-card) to tell us that.
And past? What is past but the previous moments we can not manipulate? It
is fictional then too, because we cannot use it. We cannot see it. We can't hold
it in our hands.
This moment, we can hold. And we can keep holding it, because
it's always new.
Heather 6-19-2001 23:46
John
Denver - yup, loved his music too. Grew up on it - his appearance on the Muppet
Show - remember that? He sang 'Grandma's Feather Bed' and all of Gonzo's chickens
were bouncing all over... I think almost every Muppet was on the bed in that skit.
(And four hound dogs...)
My Dad used to sing in the car on our many family
trips, (and sometimes we'd sing along of course!) and he'd sing 'Country Roads'
a lot, and 'Sunshine on my Shoulders'...
So for Father's Day I burned a CD
for my Dad with a whole pile of songs on it that he used to love to sing on those
trips. Even put on the tape 'The Unicorn' song by the Irish Rovers. He had a tear
in his eye when he got into his SUV and popped that CD into the player.
Nothing
like saying 'I love you' with a song.... (Yeah, that's a Jim Croce song)
Heather
6-19-2001 23:10
RANDALL
Good evening!
Randall,
off on a tangent, is not a social person. He hears nothing but the gears, albeit
rusty, spinning in his head. Does not communicate well, a manner that is single-minded
and often construed as aloof. Randall ponders and the world fades away. Not someone
to trust while disarming a nuclear device!
The Chambers Brothers had
as good a definition of time as Stephen Hawking, on widely divergent levels to
be sure. But then, we all view time, the passage of, through filters within our
own conception of what's what, if you will. By events, "Happy Fathers Day, you'all!"
past, present and future. "Merry Christmas!" June 21'th is big in my own little
personal area of time anticipation. Marks the beginning of summer, but from that
point on the days become shorter, starting the long, slow slide to fall and winter.
My favorite time of the year. I'm up at 7 AM, at work by 7:30 AM, coffee at 7:31
AM. Short drive, huh? Should see me leave the driveway! Or pour the coffee Teekay!
:-) Lunch from 11 to 12 back to work till 5 PM, then home. Time is and has directed
my life for, at least 53 years. That's why a few of us have beards...not enough
time to shave.
SO WHAT? What in the hell are you.........
Well,
today the other delivery driver, wrote a short message on a package of auto air
filters. "Next delivery to the other side of time." He meant..."other side of
town" of course. I strolled in, mind in neutral, saw the note, slid to a stop,
stared, WHAT? Gears squealed behind my eyes and the world faded away. Which side
of time do we live on? Jeeze, never realized there was more than one! "...other
side of time." Have I missed something in life? Time has sides???????? WOW, no
wonder I'm so confused! Is it possible the dinosaurs lived to the right of time?
Not in the past as erroneously reported?
May we cross time from side
to side? Not forward or backward, but a lateral movement? Gears spinning faster
now, rust and debris bouncing inside the cranium.......Thought there was only
three considerations in time...past, present, future. Now someone has identified
time has sides? Left...right...center? Mr. Hawking tells us the light from a distant
star does not indicate the star still exists. Just escaping light waves, photons
speeding merrily along at 186,000 miles a second. If another planet exists at
the same distance as earth, but 90 degrees from our position...would time be moving,
sideways? Black Holes capture light, eradicate gravity, indeed, punch holes in
the very fabric of space...and time! Are there Black Holes, perhaps with a side-saddle
mentality that warp space, punch holes, sideways? To the other side of time?
Left or right? Center? Left of center? Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!
The assistant manager, recognizing the signs gently led me to a chair
and gave me a glass of water. I heard him tell the other employees. "He's okay,
off on a tangent somewhere. I've known Randall for years, soon as he sorts it
out he'll be back with us."
Yes, I know I'm weird. But at least I know
the correct site to jot all this down on and have some REAL good company as well.
Huh?
Good night :-)
Randall
Left or right?
Randall 6-19-2001
23:06
Rachael:
I especially love all the wicked rotten
ones. They have all the best lines.
Debra 6-19-2001
23:05
***Rhoda again***
VIV,
I have to comment
on your post because you decribed my life. I have been out of the job market for
almost 14 years. I normally don't feel so out of place because everywhere I have
lived I have found people of similar occupation, but here in Owasso where everyone
works and on a given day I am the only adult on the street, being a stay-at-home
mom gets lonely indeed.
It was difficult with my sisters-in-law when
I was with them in England. One of them stayed at home many years and just recently
returned to the job market. The other one is a working mom and plans to be one
the rest of her natural life. It was awkward at times because in many of their
conversations I had nothing to add. I just sat there silently listening. At times
I felt completely out of touch because my world and my perspective was so different.
But I am glad I made the choice to stay home. This life might not be
for everyone, but thank God I had the choice--some don't.
I am looking
forward to getting a part time job or doing some volunteer work next fall since
my youngest will be going to school full time.
Rhoda
6-19-2001 22:35
Oh, Mary, you and I have so much in common. I'm
lucky to get four hours of sleep a night during the week. I sleep like a dead
bear on weekends, so I'm extremely lucky my husband is understanding enough to
just let me lay there, decomposing in the sheets.
Sometimes he gets a little
peeved because he's a morning person (and I haven't SEEN a GOOD morning more than
once, though I've seen too many early ones) and he likes to get our weekend projects
started before ten a.m. Unfortunately, ten a.m. on a weekend is not my finest
hour. Can't even hold a hammer until noon at least, and that's with lots of coffee
to lube up my finger joints. (Internally, you understand)
And, frustration
factor increasing here, I'm the one usually designing the project. So, our hammering
time together is short, since by the time I'm raring to go, he's fizzling. Not
much overlap.
I have to remind myself though, is it vital that our closet
drywall job be mudded and taped this very minute? Is it lifethreatening if I don't
have somewhere to hang the out-of-season clothes and coats other than in the laundry
room? Well, it's not the highest priority. I'd rather get those three hours in
a night writing (or somewhere in that neighbourhood) and have a completed novel
rather than have a satisfying spot to shove clothes. Both will get finished. It's
all a matter of which comes first.
Now when it comes to kids, my husband,
and our precious family time, yes, they get my number one attentions. Top priority.
I'm a bit of a neat freak (can a freak be described in terms such as 'a bit'?)
so cleaning comes next. I can't seem to write many pages while at a cluttered
desk - even mess distracts me. I am like Mary with the timing - I've always been
far more energetic and productive after night falls. From the kids' bedtimes until
around 3 am I'm a dynamo - the only thing is that I can't run the vacuum at midnight
since it wakes everyone up, or I would.
I usually have enough time to check
emails and post during the day while my son builds at his lego table.
My serious
writing demands full concentration, which in turn demands a quiet, calm, neat
and clean atmosphere, (coffee, notepads, pens all lined up neatly, and energy).
It's been working quite well so far, this staying up late habit, but I do admit
I could use more sleep. What is that adage? Not enough hours in a day.
Streamlining.
I'll give it some thought. Serious thought. I could probably streamline my
posts a bit more! (Oh, I hear your shouts! You agree!)
I can't take time from
cleaning, and I have to go to work at some point in my evenings, spend time dancing
in my studio or my livingroom (that's my workout) and I certainly won't take time
away from family.
Hmmm. Maybe I'll just never go out for groceries, like Sean
Connery (William Forrester) in 'Finding Forrester'!
What a great idea.
Heather
6-19-2001 22:25
I love that idea branied about here on giving
up housework. I have been working at doing that for years. Ask any of my neighbors
who happen to show up on my doorstep unannounced.
The garden is better.
My sick plants are hanging on and improving, and I GOT SPROUTS!!! I am so happy
I could sing.
OK, here goes:
Inch by inch,
Row by row,
Going
to make this garden grow.
All it takes is a rake and a hoe
And a piece
of fertile ground.
Inch by inch,
Row by row,
Someone bless these
seeds I sow,
Someone warm them from below,
While the rain comes tumbling
down.
Plant your rows straight and tall,
Temper them with prayer
and song,
Mother Earth will keep them strong,
If you give them love and
care.
Old crow watching hungrily
From your perch in yonder tree.
In
my garden I'm as free as that
Feathered Thief up there.
Thank
you John Denver---may you rest in peace. How I miss his music. No one will ever
replace him.
I had a long discussion with one of my critique buddies
on the phone the other day. I had met her last fall at the ROMANTIC TIMES conference
in Houston, and we have been trading our writing ever since over the Internet.
We talked about writing, our projects, and did a lot of brain storming. After
that session, ideas and words just started flowing and I am writing new stuff
again. I am determined to turn off that blasted internal editor and just let the
words flow. I can check the facts, the spelling and the grammer later.
BEN,
I am glad your friends are supportive of your writing. I don't mention
my writing anymore to anyone who doesn't write, because all I seem to get when
I do are blank stares.
MARY,
I have been in a similar state
for the past two and a half months. With me it is John Lawhead and his Pendragon
series. I have read three out of five of these books. I skipped the last two for
now and went on to a newer book called AVALON. I cannot put that book down either.
The interesting thing is that while I am reading these books I am still reading
an occassional romance and science fiction novel. Also I am working my way through
a book on the Scotch Irish. I don't know what has happened to me, but my reading
speed has greatly picked up.
MARY,
Reading is essential to the
writing process. It is good you have found something that has inspired you so
much. You will learn a lot subconsciously from the experience. Diana Gabaldon
started writing not knowing exactly what she was doing. She just wrote her novel
the way she wanted to. I wonder what would have become of her if she had asked
all her writer friends and read all the books on it and studied the market. She
probably would have concluded that the book of her heart could not have worked
and had given up or maybe she would have settled for something less. I admire
her greatly.
Speaking of reading. I read an older book from the library
recently called PRINCESS. Has anyone else here read that book about the Saudi
Arabian princess? That book opened up a whole new world for me. It was utterly
fascinating. I read the whole thing in a day.
Got to go clean out a fish
tank, feed some cats, and get some kids off to bed.
Rhoda
Rhoda 6-19-2001 22:24
TL,
I love all of my characters. Even the wicked and rotten ones. How could
I not? Hum, sometimes I even love the wicked ones more (winks).
Take
care you.
Rachel
Rachel 6-19-2001 20:34
Ben:
I know what you mean. I get a three month vacation. I always think I'm going to
have time to write or do what I want. I end up doing the same things....clean
cupboards that were disarranged, scrub floors, do laundry, make breakfast lunch
and dinner, clean all dishes, sew up rips, take child to her classes and sports,
and there's always that lovely trip out to buy food. It seems like I ought to
have time to write. Then I get really resentful and depressed because it feels
like everyone expects me to do things just because I am home. When I am teaching,
the house is a wreck but everyone pitches in because that's the only way we'd
survive. I declare Saturday cleaning day and everyone does the chores then.
No one will respect that demand when I'm writing. I'm expected to write at
night when all the housework is done (it never is). I don't make a paycheck so
it "isn't serious".
It's the NOT "working person's syndrome". When I
didn't work and "JUST" stayed home with the kids, I was treated like a bloodsucking
B****ch by society in general.
I think that envy of someone staying home
writing is what makes it difficult work. It's the same if you do the stay at home
mother job.
It's the same with young mothers when they go through the
exhausting process of taking the kids to the pool. They pack up all the toys,
towels, lunch, put on all the little swimsuits and sandles, take off one swimsuit
and change diaper , put swimsuit back on and then find the keys to the car. They
Go to pool. They sweat profusely and watch proudly as their magnus opus finally
learns to put face in water. They hand out sandwiches and drinks. Then they do
the gathering....Gather the kids, the soggy towels, the bentos, sandles, the stray
toys, and start for the showers. After driving home through heavy traffic and
making dinner they hear the oh so famous words....
"You went to the pool
all day. That must be so nice. Lucky you! I had to work!"
I think this
is about the same as writing/housework. If you compound it with kids you have
an even heavier load. Still, I'm glad I did kids and marriage. Those people are
worth it and all my stories come from the things I've experienced with them and
through them. That last one came from my youngest daughter age 7. I asked her
why she didn't go examine the interesting living creatures in the rice but just
walked with her friends in the center of the road.
I guess the best way
to manage is figure it's worth it, because you really love your wife, and you
really love your writing. You got in as much as you could.
Why feel
guilty?
But I always feel guilty too.
Viv 6-19-2001
20:11
**Teekay**
Howdy dudes,
MEL: I could give
you stacks of advice about what to do, but it would all be made up. I sort of
do the BEN thing. Do what I can and don't sweat it too much.
BEN: Don't
worry, once you get that first book published your wife will look at your writing
with new eyes.
You'll probably still have to clean the garage though.
MARY: I know the feeling. There are plenty of books I've read where I've thought
"Bloody hell, there's no way in the world I can write as well as this." and the
only thing that cures the depression that brings forth is when I read a book and
I think, "This is a load of rot, I could do better than this in my sleep." Which
I probably couldn't, but I think it anyway.
GARIESS: It is indeed very
good to have you back sir. :-)
And the writers cramp I get is actually cramp
from using my hand to write too much. ;-D
Finally thought of a new ghostie
story. Was racking my brain (sing.) all last night. My thoughts must've all got
together while I was sleeping and dredged this little number up.
Teekay
6-19-2001 20:00
552 kb - a record!!!!
6-19-2001 19:27
Still
writing.
Working on a screenplay.
Was thinking about character and figured
I'd ask...
Of the stories you've written, who is your favorite character?
TL 6-19-2001 16:06
HEATHER: Nipple shots aren't obligatory
to me, but then, I'm not fifteen. I don't complain if I happen to see one, but
I'm not disappointed if I don't either.
MELANIE: Got my life in order?
Hardly the case here. I've been off work for all of last week, and go back next
Monday. (They just called today.) I've edited two stories, and have about 1200
words of my new one. Hardly what I'd call a productive week. Not exactly the output
I was hoping to have with ten work days off. I guess the wife has other ideas
of what should be done with my time off. Clean the garage and organize things
in it; do the laundry, and the vacuuming; clean the car; help get dinner ready;
fold the laundry, sort it and put it away...and now that football season's starting,
it'll be even busier. So, even with everything done, I still have to get up in
the morning or stay up late at night to write. I think it's because she doesn't
take it as seriously as I do. She thinks a clean house is more important, but
that's because she's a neat freak and I'm not--but I wouldn't want it any other
way.
TINA: Socially, we don't go out as much as we used. We go to visit
friends, but that's about it. No dinners out anymore, or nights on the town, no
more pub nights/bar hopping/dance your face off until ya puke nights like we did
tewnty years ago. Now we entertain at home, and it's usually in the kitchen because
she likes to make "appies" for the company. They all think it's great that I write,
and understand that I need time to do it, and they're even willing to sit and
listen if I ask them to...but that's only after they ask me what I'm writing now.
If I had my way, I'd be independantly wealthy, send the wife and kids off to Florida,
or California for weeks at a time, and write all the time. But since I'm not,
and since I can't (they wouldn't let that happen), I do what I can, when I can,
with little or no regret. I always tell my wife she's my favourite distraction.
And since she has Thursday off, I know I won't be getting anything done then.
Gotta run though. I want to look up something about Fauvism, a neo-impressionist
style of painting in the twenties in France. It was a fore-runner to Cubism--and
then I wanna see if I can find something about counterfieting. After all, I got
all my chores done early so I could have the time to look around. I hope I can
enjoy the day; it's only noon.
Ben 6-19-2001 15:11
MARY: YES! STREAMLINE!!! :-) I've
tried to streamline children too but, as you know, it doesn't work. SO, I'll work
on everything else! Thanks for your thoughts. Dream happy things...hire a babysitter
once in awhile so you can have a big chunk of time to yourself. It helps!
Mel
6-19-2001 15:05
Howdy pardners!
Hope all is as it
should be with your lives.
I am in a tailspin, all tangled up in what
I am reading. I can't write anything; I can't sit still without that book in my
hand for more than ten minutes. It has everything that I love, bundled together
by a genius tale-weaver. It is times like these, when I am totally enraptured
by someone else's written words, that I wonder why I even bother. Never in a million
years will I have the abilities Diana Gabaldon has. That is not self-deprecation,
it is just reality and fact. She wrote "The Outlander" as a practice novel, just
fooling around, and my best work doesn't hold a candle.
MEL: The sacrificial
lamb for me has always been sleep. I have really bad sleep patterns and my most
productive time of day is between midnight and 3AM. Even before I started writing,
all my housework and projects were done then. (I have never enjoyed sleep much
anyway) That was back in the old days when I was single and running the 2AM sweeper
didn't perturb anyone but my dog. I also had the liberty of afternoon naps, which
my children have stripped from me quite efficiently.
After I started
writing, and after the children were born, the only time I could sit at the keyboard
without being interrupted every fifteen seconds is late at night. I am not a person
who can write with constant interruptions, I need my concentration, and peace.
Sooo...sequestered in my dark little cave of a writing room, with only the light
of the monitor (can't even see the keyboard), I type away my thoughts. Unfortunately,
you have to walk thru my writing room to get to the bathroom, but my husband learned
fairly quickly via 'the evil eye', that he better not be passing thru between
midnight and 2AM (sometimes 4AM if I am on a roll).
However, even I can't
survive this many years on only three-five hours of sleep a night and it has finally
caught up with me. My doctor has put me on a program to make me get more sleep
and hopefully cease my nightmares. I hope I adjust soon, this is crazy. My point
is that since I can't give up sleep in the face of writing, what do I do? I think
you and I are quite a bit alike in our priorities and it is one hell of a dilemma.
My plan is to try to streamline everything in my life except my children. Children
can't be contained, it's a 'highest disorder' scientific fact. All my other responsibilities
and duties, however, can certainly stand some trimming and heightened efficiency
ratings. That is what I am working on now, dumping all the excess baggage and
keeping the essentials (writing be one of the essentials).
I am just
starting in this process myself, but as I come across ideas that really work for
me, I will certainly share them with you.
OK, guess I had better stifle
myself for a while before I get evicted. Good luck and happy writing.
ps:
shortie night theme, friends/friendships
Mary 6-19-2001 14:41
test
6-19-2001 13:49
Uh,
tina...
I rewrote and revised the first few chapters, may answer some
questions. Also have a new title. "Human Voices Wake Us" enjoy...
Laura
laura 6-19-2001 13:24
TINA: Thanks! I think I've got it
figured out! I'll be SUPERWOMAN and do it all--no, not all--I won't give up writing
or family...I'll give up: HOUSEWORK! YES!!! (uh, what? I already gave that up?
well, not counting this week, that is, getting ready for a houseparty, but after
that...? HOORAY! I'll be FREE for the SUMMER!!!) :-)
Mel 6-19-2001
12:54
*Tina*
Hiya!
Ah! It’s movie review day. Yes,
I say Tomb Raider on the weekend. Liked it for the same reasons Jack did. It came
from a video game, so that changed my expectations, made me forgive the weak dialogue.
Yes, I saw Finding Forester and LOVED it. A truly beautiful movie, with Sean Connery
to boot (drool drool… Tina, get control of yourself! Pant pant sigh) My most recent
favourite movie would have to be Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon. Superb. The story,
the acting, the cinematography… excellent and beautiful. It deserves every single
award it wins.
Looking forward to seeing Atlantis and Shrek and Planet of
the Apes and Lord of the Rings and (a long way down the line) Matrix 2 and the
next Star Wars!
Mel, it’s a never ending battle to balance writing, family,
work and life. I have nothing the likes of your dilemma, but I understand it.
If I write too much, I feel guilty for not seeing friends and family and getting
to the gym and park as much as I like to. If I commit to social activities, I
feel resentful to lose writing time. (sigh)
Here’s a question. Think ahead
five years or so, or even ten. Will you be disappointed to miss this opportunity
to do something you clearly believe in? Or will you be disappointed to have been
set back in your writing and have your family time hampered? Regardless of your
decision, time will still pass and you’ll be two years older at the end. Which
choice carries regret? Take the one with no regret.
Heather, I love your
t-shirt. Still chuckling….
Rachel, it definitely makes play-fighting
hard! Some days Troy and I have to be cautious every time we come near each other.
We’re always out to get the other with a pressure point, or a choke. Keeps life
interesting! :-D
Here and gone again.....
Tina
6-19-2001 11:01
**Mel**
A sunny day to everybody here
- if not from the sky, then from my smile... :-)
TEEKAY: Teekay also
sounds Australian, maybe like you know some kangaroos or koalas personally (supposed
to be a compliment - I would personally love to know, personally, some personable
kangaroos and koalas!) :-) {Hmm, must be "witty block" -- don't pay any attention)
ALLEIN: We took the fambly to see "Atlantis" on the weekend. Loved it!
:-) Especially the robots doing their awesome thing near the end - cool effects.
And no sappy songs - yea!
JACK: "Atlantis" is very good, once you get
past the "Stargate" parodies, mostly in the beginning. I KNow Disney likes to
poke fun at a variety of sources, but this part just came across to me as unoriginal.
On the other hand, they did a great parody of "Selma" from "Night Court" and the
overall special effects were very cool! :-)
ANYONE: Ever have trouble
balancing the writing life, family life, and the social responsibilities? Sometimes
I think my writing should be all-important (next to taking care of the family)
and I shouldn't concern myself with any other community commitments. But then
I feel the "head rush" (akin to the writing head-rush after you've written a great
scene) when I sing an anthem with the church choir or ring bells with the handbell
choir and fill the congregation with the joy of inspirational music...well, I'm
also an officer in an organization that serves God and country (Order of the Eastern
Star) and I have before me the opportunity to reach out to community charity groups
and REALLY make a difference in this life, in my little corner of the world. Not
just writing about a better world to inspire people, as my sf&f is all about,
but to actually make a tangible difference in the here and now...Well, it's scary,
to me, a writer usually living in a futuristic dreamworld of my own creation...and
I know a two-year commitment to be a leader in OES will really cut into my writing
time and family time even further...sigh. If I don't do it, will I regret it?
Probably. But then I will get my novel done sooner...But will the novel make any
difference to anyone else's world?? Maybe. Decisions, decisions...Any of you writers
out there have similar predicaments? I bet you've all got your lives in order:
you play with your families, you write your stories, and say "to heck with any
other commitments: I'm a WRITER!" Um, please let me know if I'm forming the wrong
picture of you - I could stand to hear a differing image!! My guilt-ridden conscience,
y'know, too often letting myself be distracted from the writing thing (although
I'm almost always writing stuff in my head, no matter what I'm doing!)...
Well, that was long-winded! (Breathe here. I'm going!)
Have a good
day - write a few words for me! (MEL'S MUSE: I know you're trying to get me to
sit down and write that P* story...sigh. Will I make the August deadline or not??
At least other social activities are curtailed for the summer - yes! :-) Just
let me get through this graduation weekend and the 10-yr-old's end-of-June birthday...!)
Melanie 6-19-2001 9:19
Uh, sorry 'bout the typoos *snort*
Forgot to mention another movie I thoroughly enjoyed (saw it on TMN last
week): The Big Tease. (1999 film)
It was absolutely side-splitting! Filmed
in an unusual manner, and perfectly delightfully funny!
I recommend it if
a very light, bubbly mood is desired.
If not, I recommend sleeping.
Heather
6-19-2001 9:15
Ben - are nipple shots obligatory? Total exposure?
I thought lately, with all the Brittany Spears you can choke on, it was belly
buttons. ZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzz...
Guess we'll have to re-think the pictures
for back cover copy, friends! HA HA HAHAHA HA HA!
Top of the mornin'
to you all,
and a supoer-productive day. Or, if you're more like I am, a super-productive
night. Obligatory, my dear Watson. Obligatory.
Obligatory; James Obligatory.
Anyone seen 'Finding Forrester'? I enjoyed it very much. Sean Connery
lives up to his title of 'actor'.
Heather 6-19-2001 9:11
Jack:
Me an' Kim took Wes to see it last night. Of course, Wes being 15 with raging
hormones, he found it hard to believe there was no obligatory nipple shot when
she was wearing that nice, tight, jumpsuit in the north country. I think he had
the movie confused with that old one when I was 15 "The Deep". :-)
Ben 6-19-2001 3:51
p.p.s. Also, I just noted that things
were to a half meg here. I will endeavor to Archive sometime tomorrow. Take care.
Jack Beslanwitch 6-19-2001 3:42
p.s. Unless it is Moulan
Rouge
6-19-2001 3:41
Allein: Look forward to the updated
picture. I will be working on a Flash front end for the page with a fall back
to a regular page. I envision something along the lines of our pictures flowing
in in muted colors but when moused over the slide into focus in full color with
text describing that picture flowing up the side. Will think about it. This will
take this week to pull off. Will let everyone know.
Just got to see
Tomb Raider today. Despite all the negative reviews I liked it. Liked it a lot.
It was non stop action with a plot that was faithful to the game and the spirit
of the game. Which, I think is why Ebert and Roper split their decision. Roger
Ebert, the died in the wool science fiction fan, loved it. Roper, the stick in
the mud nose in the air movie reviewer, joined in with many others and just did
not get it. Perhaps to put things in perspective, I went to the newspaper site
and read Ebert's full review. He called it one of the first true popcorn movies
of the season. I agree with him. I also look forward to Atlantis, which, BTW,
both of the notables mentioned above, liked. I especially am interested when Ebert
mentions that this is the first homage to anime from Disney. And, all I have to
say when I hear that they are skipping the singing and dancing is, Yipppeeee.
Horraaaaaay. Halllllllelujah. Hmmmm. Well, yes, from that you might suspect I
can do without musical numbers.
Jack 6-19-2001 3:39
Gariess:
Sartre was an existentialist - perhaps the major philosopher behind that 'concept'.
I have a T-shirt that says:
"I'm not here, you're not here, don't leave a
message, there is no beep"
[Sartre's Answering Machine]
I also have
other T-shirts that say nothing.
Rachel: My zit of the month had very
bad timing. (So do all of them!) I have to learn to plan things around the once-a-month
pimple. It also has no taste in where it pops up. Usually in full view, and no
concealer on the planet can hide it. ARGGG!
Blood sugar bottoming out.
Must go find snack.
Then write.
SLudging to the cupboard...
Heather 6-19-2001 3:06
Heather,
That’s
an interesting word you used, shenanigans. One of the few words in our language
taken directly from the language of the Irish, very rhythmic and phonetically
interesting.
About all that "wish" stuff you were going on about. I don’t
know who Sartre was. He might have been the guy who heard me make a wish once
and said, "Why don’t you wish in one hand and shit in the other, and see which
one fills up first?" Actually, now that I think about it, that was a guy in the
Philippines, Randall. In Pampanga though, not in Olongapo (Air Force.)
Allien,
Nobody who looks like a Simpsons character is going to touch my teeth unless
it is against my will and done with ill intent. I’m sure your techniques will
improve soon with the xray materials.
Teekay,
When you get a hand
cramp it comes out, "Arghhh, hand cramp!" For me it’s always, Arghhh, ha;klbjl.
How do you manage that?
Rosemary,
I agree. I have always been told
that titles can’t be copyrighted. There are something like twenty songs titled.
"I love You" under copyright. I would think the same goes for literary titles.
Sometimes choice is involved. When Dolly Parton recorded Nine To Five, another
woman recorded a song under the same title. The publishers worked out a different
title for the song. I can’t recall the title but the fist line was, "My baby takes
the morning train. He works from nine to five and then…" It just worked out better
for both interests regardless of legality.
I guess that’s enough for
one long post.
I am the weakest link, Goodbye!!
GS
Gariess
6-18-2001 22:30
Jack - The picture you have up is fine. It's
from the 10th grade but I haven't changed much. Maybe when I get back from NY
I'll have a more up-to-date picture for you. :)
I just saw Atlantis and
it was very good. Unlike the previous Disney movies there was no random breaking
into song and dance numbers. The characters were a little under-developed because
there were so many, but most of them were very funny. And in the end - the special
effects are wonderful. :)
Allein Allein's
World 6-18-2001 21:59
Heather - I do know what you mean
about the once a month thing. If I get ant acne, it is at that time, or right
before i'm supposed to look good for something, or have a picture taken. One would
think that as adults we would get to put zits behind us (grrrr). I tend to get
only one zit, if any. That one zit will seem to stand out like a neon sign to
me. People never seem to notice my zits. I think I'm the only one that they are
a big deal to
Mel - That was my front (winks).
Ciao for now.
Rachel
Rachel 6-18-2001 20:51
**Teekay**
Hewo hewo hewo all you fine unfeathered folk,
BEN: Don't you
just love it when you get an idea in your head and you can see that it's got enough
scope to make it the size of a book (one of my major problems).
When you posted
your plot idea I had a bit of a giggle cos it brought to mind those people who
post here and say. "I really love writing, but I just don't know what to write
about, so could someone please give me a plot" :-D
Good luck with it and I
sure hope you don't run out of ink before printing 'C & co.."
TAYLOR:
Don't be gone too long. I'll miss you.
P.S. Have you posted the dracula story?
HEATHER: I got just as confused as you did with the photo for S*, and
then, I clicked. Oh how silly of me. ALLEIN doesn't use her real name either.
HEATHER: I'm going to try and work on a story for P** today. I don't
know why, I haven't any clues as to what I'll write I'm only doing this coz JERRY
is.
Oh, he said 2 stories. Okay, I'll try.
RACHEL: I wouldn't really
get bopped on the nose, which is pretty lucky coz I wouldn't know a judo move
to save myself, although I can do all the sound effects REALLY well:
oooooooooooooeeeeeeeeeeYAH!
Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiyyyyyyyyyyyeeeeeeeeeeeeeahhhhhhhh HA!
oeeeeeeeeeeioooooeioeeeeeeeeeeeeeeiiiiiiiiiiooooooYAH!
And I do all those
snake like writhy actions pretty good too. I've never gone farther than that though.
ALLEIN, AMERICO, JACK, RACHEL: (in alphabetical order) It is so good
to be able to put faces to the names.
Okay, so TEEKAY it is. Good, I
was rather partial to it myself and now moreso because of what MEL said.
Well that's it from me today all you good folk. I'm off to find my pen and
paper and hope for something ghostlike and creepy yo arrive.
Fingers crossed.
P.S. I have a bit of catch up reading to do in P*. I'll get to it a bit
later.
Going.
Teekay 6-18-2001 20:35
RACHEL:
Hey, back (or front, whichever way I caught you facing!) :-) Your picture came
out very nice.
HEATHER: Couldn't post to the NB over the weekend - it
seems there were maggots all over the posts...yuck!!! :-{
HAHAHAHAHA Writing
time while waiting for my son...Hell no. The party's at MY house! I've got to
clean it before Sunday!! His graduation ceremony is Saturday evening - have to
fit in the cleaning before then. If I'm a good girl and do some cleaning each
evening, take off Friday from work and clean some more, MAYBE I'll be done by
Saturday evening and can do some (*looks both ways for distractions*)-shhhh!-
writing, while the graduate is off Sat. eve on his congratulatory Senior Class
cruise on a nearby lake (that's the Keuka Maid in Watkins Glen on Seneca Lake,
Howard and Mark, or anyone else lurking in New York State!).
TINA: Oh
no! Reviewing my novels-to-be made me see them in a new light! A plot-thread I
thought was minor (my little heroine-to-be) is really a crucial plotline! Now
what do I do with the REST of the plots and subplots??? Too many ideas, ramming
into one big happy slam-dance in my brain! Ohh, the confusing joy!! What to write
first??!! WHEN to write it all down? (I know, I know, RANDALL, I gotta write it
all down!!!)...My muse is getting ready to bite me bigtime and I haven't got time
this week to write...oh dear, oh dear...maybe I just won't sleep for a few days
and write instead...no, no, no, I'll be a walking slughead (that's a really slow
worm). I don't drink coffee so can't stay awake that long anyway...oh, fiddle-fish!!!
Okay, turn on the Internal Tape Recorder to back up the Remembery...don't forget
these ideas...don't forget these ideas...don't forget these ideas...
Mel
6-18-2001 14:28
Just a note to the frugle computer owner
- the price of RAM (PC110 or PC133 SDRAM) had simply fallen so far, you can't
afford not to upgrade. Just got a flyer from one of the sites I buy stuff from,
they are selling 256 MEG SDRAM PC 100/133 for only $45.00 Not more then three
months ago, SDRAM was going for a buck a meg, so that is down from $256.00. They
are selling 128 meggers for 34.00, not quite as good a buy, but I was paying that
much for 64 meggers a couple of months ago. I guess the price reflects that all
the newer systems take a more expensive type RAM, and they are phasing out this
type. Anyhow, all my systems take it, but I already have over 256 meg in all of
them. Oh well, guess for that price I can buy a couple of spares anyhow.
Jerry Ericsson 6-18-2001 14:18
Rachel - Cool
Viv
- That's a nice idea. A poem I wrote is entitled Hachiji Juugofun Sugi - the exact
time the bomb fell on Hiroshima (which is the subject of the poem - sad poem).
I'm planning on trying to write a haiku around the words Hanpa wa Bu (leftovers
suck) - this one would be a very silly poem though. I love Japanese.
Jack
- I love the page. :)
Americo - I was happy to finally see your picture.
You look like one of my teachers from Jr. High. :)
Allein Allein's
World 6-18-2001 13:49
Lucky you, Rachel! If I washed
with just water I'd have a mob of zits slinging piercing and jabbing weapons at
my face and the damage would be irrepairable! (Almost is)
Last batch came
swinging Japanese Sai, and wow, they were hard to bounce! Still nursing my poor
fists... (heh heh)
No prongs allowed. It's a once-a-month attack, if you women
all know what I mean... *blush*
Mel, hello! Been a while since you've
posted! Does the party mean you'll have writing time while you wait up for your
son?
Taylor - only need pictures if Phantasium is published. Let's all
think POSITIVELY and get those snapshots taken now!!!
(And shy people can
post a cartoon of themselves)
Let's see. What cartoon would best describe
me?
Uh, Broom Hilda? HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAA
Okay - have
to go offline for a bit and then back on for some email/edits...
Good
to see you back Hallee!
Jerry - laughed my head off at the ballpeen hammer
part of your latest post! I'd go for a car like that. That way when I roll it
down a hill it won't look any worse for wear... (kidding)
Mary - Oh,
dear! I'm so sorry to hear how hard it is for you. Heartbreaking indeed. (((((HUGS
FOR YOU)))). Wish there was some way to go about giving the kittens away without
the mama cat hurting (or you to be reminded of that hurt). I don't think it's
possible. ;o< Wish it was, very much.
Mark, where are you?
Heather 6-18-2001 13:45
Randall
- Callie is the name of one of my characters. I have seen that it is the name
of your dog. I always feel a little weird about characters who share names with
dogs. Maybe I’ll leave it. Callie kind of suites this girl.
Mel - Hey
girl :o)
Jack - The Shadows page is really neat. Thanks (hugs for you).
I’m almost over the shock of seeing my face on the screen. I have felt really
strange about that. I’ve never really told anyone much about how I look. I like
the faceless, shapeless, voiceless net thing. Still, this is okay. I’m okay with
this (smiles). It’s kind of neat.
Rhoda - There are critters and birds
that love fresh seeds (grins)! Don’t give up on the garden. You could try starting
the plants in the house. I think it is neat that I look the way you thought I
would. Then again, you were a part of S* and I did base the physical form of Emma
on me, well, sort of (smiles)!
Mary - Thank you. You are very kind (smiles).
Tania/Teekay/’Agnes - I’ll call you what ever you like, well, almost
what ever you like... Yup, Miss Congeniality really busted me up. My hubby likes
it when I sing that; kiss me, hug me, thing. He tends to accept the offer (grin/wink).
Then again, I don’t sing it all the often. I have a wide variety of cheeky songs
that I sing to him ;o) Besides, I’m a karate kid (laugh), my hubby would never
try anything with me, (you mentioned a pop in the nose - smiles). Dan knows that
a block can hurt as much if not more than a punch. I have done that thing where
I say ‘Attack me, c’mon, c’mon, attack me, pleaseeeee’ He never wants to (laughter).
He knows how evil/playful I can be. Can I cook? Well, uh, er, that could be debated;o)
I’m a pretty decent cook these days, but I used to cook a lot of really bland/dull
food. Dan has spent the past 17 years teaching me to cook. I think I’m getting
the hang of it (lopsided grin). On the name game. I don’t think you should go
with Grintch. Sounds too much like a certain tall,green, small hearted, tight
shoe wearing fellow. I like the name Agnes. I think it is very pretty. I have
never known an Anges/Aggie that I did not like.
Heather M - I don’t use
anything on my skin. I don’t even really use soap. Yucky eh? I just wash with
water. I’m kind of a natural sort. Thanks for the compliment (big, wide smiles)
Gezz, this picture thing is great for the ego ;o)
Americo - I like that
picture of you (smiles and hugs).
Jack - Is that a war hammer figure
you are holding in your picture?
Alline - I did get the next chapters.
I have them printed and will sit down with them in the next few days.
Barnanbas
- I want to read the rest of your story. I’m sorry to have been so slow.
Take care all.
Rachel
Rachel 6-18-2001 13:15
What a way to wake up in the morning.
At about 5:30 AM it sounded like the whole damn town blew up. That boom was followed
by another, then another, then even more. Worst damn thunderstorm I have ever
heard at that time in the morning. As I lay there listening to the thunder and
heavy rain, I heard the unmistakable sound of hail hitting the neighbors lawn
tractor that sits just outside our bedroom window. Well with noise like that,
I simply had to get up. (I love to watch a good thunderstorm in action!) Seems
like I have been up all day already, and it is only a little after 9:30 AM. Went
outside to survey the damage, looks minimal, a few bean plants bit the dust in
the garden but it was kind of soft hail. I picked up a stone that was a little
over a half inch in diameter, then dropped it on the driveway and it simply splatted.
Guess we were lucky it was soft, as I hate the idea of getting the car and pickup
fixed, house roofed again. It has only been a year and a half since the last major
hail storm. Up north of here in Bismarck ND they had the worst hail storm in the
memory of most citizens just a couple of weeks ago, now you can buy a cheap car
up there at most of the lots if you don't mind the look of exterior decoration
by ball peen hammer. Oh well had a chance to have breakfast with the wife, something
I usually miss, as I rarely rise from my bed until around 8:00 AM, and the air
smells so good after a good rain, so clean and fresh. Well best sign off and get
off the computer, I hear the rumbles of thunder in the distance, the weatherman
says we will have a series of rain/hail storms all day. Sure glad I got the grass
mowed a few days ago.
Heather, I have to get at least two more stories
in **P**, and I hope everyone else submits at least that many each, we must make
our anthology big enough to attract readers. Will get to work on them today, I
will use my laptop if necessary, as when it storms here we usually have problems
keeping electricity.
Jerry Ericsson
6-18-2001 11:44
*Mel*
Hi, All! Sun shining, a bit cooler
(70's) than last week's blistery 90's...end of weather update for southern tier
of New York State.
TINA: RE: letting characters breathe (NOT! yeah, me
too). That's what fills most of my revision time, adding in the rest stops I never
took on the first fast-paced journey through the adventure, just needing to get
it all down on paper before the elusive muse slips off... RE: gardening (NOT!
Black Thumbs here). You stirred some childhood memories -- ah, summer vacations
at home, making the garden rounds for snacktime in the wild: pea pods, snap beans,
chives, sometimes strawberries, and black raspberries in several locations! Who
needed lunch??!! :-) RE: Names...yeah, I'm still trying to rename a pocket of
space inhabited by sorcerers and their repressed women-folk who are protected
by a natural power (earth-fire) greater than their own..."Dimension S" doesn't
cut it. Need something descriptive, elusive yet alluring, older than time, beyond
the shrewd perception of the menfolk - this is important to a future story about
their world, where there will be upheaval of power-tyrants and a renewal of the
ancient nature and balance of the place... I feel a new name almost at the tip
of my tongue (*displays tongue** can anyone read it to me?) Now tell me more about
"Shadow" and maybe something will come to mind to help you... :-)
BEN:
RE: Titles...Titles first with me, usually they just come, sometimes they come
faster than story ideas, so I save them up for future reference... :-) If a title
sounds familiar or suspiciously pre-used, I check the library reference "BOOKS
IN PRINT" -- I like a unique title, one that will reflect the story AND grab browsers'
attention. I think titles are very important; books ARE judged first by their
covers...and by their titles, by both editors/publishers and readers. A fun, title-generating
exercise: choose a bunch of letters, at random, pretend they are an abbreviation
for a title, and make up a word for which each letter stands (e.g. "MWOSH" could
be "My Whistle Or Sue's Horse" or maybe "Metallic Warriors On Swift Hounds") and
you take it from there. Keep a list of the ones you especially like - a thesaurus
can help you tweak them into exactly what you want for a story. Of course, this
doesn't work as well for stories needing titles, but if you like to squeeze a
story idea from a title, this can be a lot of fun.
AGNES GRINTCH: Stick
with Teekay! :-) Like it!!! It's unique! It's exciting!! It's...you!!!
VIV:
I like your new title. :-)
JACK: I like the S* page so far. NICE pics
of everyone! :-)
Here's wishing you-all a storm of passionate writing
today! Mine's sort of "on hold" till after preparations for this (high school)
graduation-party weekend for my son. :-)
Melanie 6-18-2001 11:42
AMERICO,
Sorry I misunderstood
your post. I had completely forgotten about Strawberries** and I knew That Shadows**
had already been published. In my mind that only left P** and The other one that
Jack started.
Ben,
Historicals make excellent ghost stories. I think
they had more ghosts back then.
I posted my last Ghost story in P** yesterday.
Please let me know if it is not clear. I left a lot to the readers imagination.
Later,
Rosemary 6-18-2001 11:33
HALLEE:
On a more personal note about the kittens, I miss the little buggers terribly.
I even had them all named which is a big mistake because as soon as you name something
it gets personal. Let's see, there was Gracie(white with tabby patches and a mask),
Othello (long-haired, all black), and Speedy(short-haired tabby).
I don't
know if you have ever had to find homes for kittens before or not, and I also
don't know if this part will affect you the same way it affected me...but the
mama cat is walking around calling for her kittens and it is breaking my heart.
I have been there, wandering around looking for a little one that isn't there
anymore. I can hardly look at her because I feel terrible for ripping her kittens
away from her. It had to be done, I can't keep ten cats, but she doesn't know
that. All she knows is that her kitties go out front in a basket and don't come
back. Sighs. Just brace yourself hon...it ain't easy.
Mary 6-18-2001
11:09
Morning everyone!
AMERICO, RACHEL, JACK, ALLEIN:
Lovely photos of you all and a great page to showcase your collaborative efforts.
Good job.
ON TITLES: I am terrible at titles, but once in a blue moon
I come up with something that just rings. My contribution to **P** is a title
that means something to me, but I think it is a tad obscure for the masses to
get. It is titled "Sweet Honesty", but without knowing that Sweet Honest is also
the name brand of a perfume which smells exactly like Lily of the Valley, it would
mean nothing to the reader. That was a working title that I still need to replace.
ON KITTIES: My favorite cat had her kittens two weeks before the adopted
cat did. I ended up with seven in all. The first batch are six weeks old and totally
adorable. I put flyers with their pictures on the post office, drug store and
laundromat bulletin boards along with signs at each end of our street and in front
of the house on this past Friday. Three of the seven kittens found homes this
weekend. Good happy homes with young girls who hand picked their new pet from
a wicker basket lined with a baby blanket. I gave a free food dish and four days
worth of food with each one.
We have decided to keep the last kitten
from that first batch. A long-haired tabby female with gorgeous yellow eyes, so
we only have to find homes for three more kitties, which aren't ready to leave
their mother yet. I am sure it is going to prove more difficult to place this
second litter, as they are the ugliest kittens I have ever seen (textbook examples
of why inbreeding is frowned upon).
ON TEEKAY: I like that you use this
name instead of your real name. Besides...even if you started to use Tania, I
would instantly translate that to Teekay in my mind.
Giddyup
Mary 6-18-2001 10:58
Laura:
I'm sorry, I missed your
story because I was so excited at posting mine. Selfish of me. Yours is fantastic.
See other comments in the workbook critique, but it's amazing. Scroll down and
read Laura's posting folks, or you are going to miss something.
I'll
read the workbook more. I'm not good at criticism yet but I'm learning better
ideas on how to do it as my work is critiqued. Laura's story makes you want to
know more and gets your imagination working. I want to know what the children
look like. I want to know how old they really are. I want to know who the leaders
are among the children. I want to know more...hurry up Laura, post more this week.
I'll keep an eye out for it.
Viv 6-18-2001 10:56
Hey
guys:
Got the title for my story today. Urban Legands in Japanese translates
as Toshi Densetsu. I'll stick a star beside it (Toshi Densetsu*) and then translate
it as Old Tales in the New (Modern?) City. Really, it pretty well describes what
happened. Tokyo suburbs grew up fast around the rice fields and these are the
last of the family rice plots. They'll be taxed out of existance in the next generation.
Got to go walk dog!
Viv 6-18-2001 9:03
I
read that the Strawberries Club is giving a party on the Moon, my favorite holiday
resort and where I write my best poems, wrapped in what remains of an old flag
Neil Amstrong forgot here in 1969. Respect the wish of an old cat and go picknicking
somewhere else. The Moon is mine!
Jon 6-18-2001 7:31
Jack,
Thanks for a lovely page. We are all very well, and Rachel and Allein
are really very beautiful. It's a pleasure to have such fine collaborators!
Americo 6-18-2001 7:29
Jack: if we want to contribute
to P*** we gotta use a photograph for a bios page
No thanks, I do not photograph
well at all...
taylor 6-18-2001 5:43
Morning all!
Hope everyone had a great fathers' day.
BEN: I stress, worry, and fret
over titles long after a manuscript is complete. And the ones I come up with still
suck. I don't do well with titles.
VIV: Oh, I'm so sorry - that is terrible
- I don't even know what to say. (((hug))))
RHODA: The writing is going
well. It took me a full week to write two chapters, but I spent a lot of my time
researching renal failure - finally found what I was looking for, and as soon
as I catch up from all the posts last night, I'll get back to it.
MARY:
My kittens are driving me insane. I actually have to lock them and the mama up
at night because last week, twice, I woke up at about 3 in the morning with all
six of them sitting on my bed, staring at me. Now they're maniacs - all over the
place. (One is gorgeous, though - dark gray with dark gray eyes - me thinks Conan's
already picked one to keep). (sigh) How are your wee ones?
AMERICO: You
look exactly like I pictured you - very unusual for me.
Okay - I'm off
to write. Have a great Monday all!
Hallee 6-18-2001 5:04
p.s. and, what I really meant for
Allein is whether she wanted me to use the picture she had in the bios page or
a more up to date picture. As I said earlier, I may not be firing on all cylinders
at the moment. Take care everyone.
6-18-2001 5:03
Sorry:
I should have just said Allein. I was referring to her in her Heather mode.
Oh, also, I will be setting up a PHP page when I get a chance where everybody
can enter their details and picture and so forth and it will generate a bios page
with the information included. That, however, is far far far down on my list of
priorities.
Jack 6-18-2001 4:54
WAIT a minute!
I forgot that Allein's name is also Heather!
I think Jack must mean Allein
(Heather) and the picture is for the 'Shadows' page!
Yeah, head examined.
That's next.
Hi Taylor, have a productive time.
Heather 6-18-2001
3:19
Jack, do you mean a picture for the bio page? I'll send you
one via email now!
I must have been daydreaming and missed the picture exchange!!!
Oh, and Laura - sorry - no can read. No time.
Heather
6-18-2001 3:16
hi everyone
may not be in for awhile...heap
of short stories to write, and novel
Will drop in from time to time
Good
luck with writing
taylor 6-18-2001 3:14
Teekay:
In our emails I almost forget to call you by your real name! Guess it's because
I've been calling you Teekay longer than I have Tania.
Rachel! 'Miss
Congeniality' - my husband bought that for me for Mother's Day (loved it) instead
of 'Thunderheart' because they didn't have it in-store. I have a copy of 'Thunderheart',
but it's got commercials and the beginning is cut off. If ANY of you haven't seen
Thunderheart, DO! I highly recommend it. Very few people that I know have seen
it, but of those that have, they agree unanimously that it's an incredible film.
(Oh, and I guess I don't have to mention that Val Kilmer is in it)??? Do I? *knuckle
biting*
And Rachel, you take a very awesome photo. You simply glow! (All the
skin creams in the world don't make my face glow like that - I look like I'm sweaty
instead... of course yours is probably your natural 'glow' and not cream-induced!
Fudge and pooh. Although, I did glow when pregnant. Sorry, folks, NOT going there
just for the great skin and nails) ;O)
ON PHANTASIUM: The project is
open to ANYONE who would like to contribute more stories. I won't close the project
until August 1, 2001. (Jack's timetable willing) Please keep in mind that stories
should be as close to polished as possible. Any changes and so forth can be re-posted,
space allowing.(You can email the new version to me directly if you would rather
do so)
I will be copying each story into my computer, and doing the edits
with each collaborator by email so that we can work together to achieve the most
polished and professional work. I would like to submit the finished manuscript(s)
to publishers, but we need more stories first. There may be a few stories that
will not make it into the ms, so remember: We want the manuscript in tightest
form and with only the best of the collection. I have pledged to be honest and
fair. If one of your stories doesn't make the cut, it is in no way a personal
affront.
I will likely change the title from Phantasium as well, just to let
you know. We can vote on the title I have in mind later.
And now, without
further ado,
I'm signing off for the night.
The novel beckons.
Heather 6-18-2001 3:11
Hello everyone: Yes,
I will be working on getting the Workbook up and running correctly first. I will
also be working on the Shadow page. I have more or less a place holder there now,
but have plans to provide a somewhat nice rotating flash slider that rotates from
one pictures to the next to the next. The only picture I do not have is one for
Heather. If you can send the one you would like me to use I will get to work on
that after I get to the Workbook, get the thing functioning and then send out
the email to everyone to resubmit for a login and password.
Today
was taken up with church, visiting my cousin again and taking care of details
for finishing up our bid for Westercon
56 . If I had not mentioned before, I will be the Vice Chairman for the
convention if we win. It will be a 1700 to 2500 person convention taking place
in the seattle area.
Jack Beslanwitch
Shadow In A Dream
web page 6-18-2001 2:54
I'm gone
Ben 6-18-2001
2:51
No Laura, but if you're on at the same time I am, why don't
we see if we can go into the chat room?
Ben 6-18-2001 2:42
Ummm,
I guess no one saw, but I also posted a short story (that may turn into a longer
work) in the wb earlier. I STILL have not gotten so much as a 'Nice to see you
posted' about it.
Have I suddenly disappeared into the twilight zone?
Laura
6-18-2001 2:40
Ben
TEEKAY: I'm gonna immerse
myself.
I was thinking about this counterfieter--did I spell that right?--during
the second world war, maybe in France, maybe in Poland, painting great works of
art for a crooked German officer who is supposed to be sending original paintings
to Germany for Herr Goering...I haven't got enough info on my Mau Maus to do it
justuce yet...and being half Jewish he's condemned anyway.
Now, reading
what I just wrote, some of you might think it's stupid to want to give out a plotline
like that--copyrights and all that other crap--but that's because I don't care
about that sort of stuff. What I write is gonna be different than what anyone
else is gonna write, because what I write always changes anyway. And if someone
else writes it, that doesn't mean it's gonna get published: publishing is a crapshoot
I think, a game of hit and miss. And besides, what if I want to write a story
based on the life of a famous painter born in 1842 and dying in 1926, kinda like
Monet? He goes to England during the Franco-Prussian war, or maybe he serves and
gets sent to Morroco? He has a wife, five kids, and then has a mistress and his
wife kills herself because of the mistress?
AMERICO: Sorry I missed the
"Strawberries and the Moon" compilation. I don't know if I'll submit anything
to **P** because I don't really do ghost stories. But I'll gladly hang around
to see what you've got coming up. I like to write historical fiction because I
like to delve into that sort of stuff--I love researching things.
But
now I have to go to bed. I'm bagged. I'm getting up too early and staying up too
late. Of course, I won't go to bed right now, because I wanna see if I can come
up with a good opening line for my new story, a "Bombs bursting in air, and the
rockets red glare" kind of thing, which of course could be an air raid in 1943,
or Bastille Day in Paris, 1869.
Ben 6-18-2001 2:38
*Tina*
Hiya!
Rhoda,
did you soak the seeds before planting? That helps speed germination, especially
if the soil tends to dry quickly.
For the tomatoes and squash, are they hilled
and mulched? Pile dirt up around them, leaving a depression around the stalk,
so that water concentrates on the roots of the plant and doesn’t run off. Mulch
them to slow dehydration.
Wow, I suddenly realise how much I miss my vegetable
garden. Peas are my favourite, a sentimental throwback to when I was wee and my
grandpa used to take me out to the garden (BIG farm garden) to pick peas. One
pod for the bucket, one for us, one for the bucket, one for us… My dad was a potatoe
man, and kohlrabi. I’d always go with him to dig up fresh spuds for dinner, to
be barely steamed and served with butter. Kohlrabi was picked young and eaten
raw. Mmmmmmm. A good day for memories of them both.
I love my cable connection.
As Jerry said, it’s fast and I’m always on-line, ready to do whatever I want without
any extra cost. The bonuses, at least with @home.com, is that I can have 5 e-mail
addresses, and 5 web pages, no extra cost. My father-in-law and sister-in-law
don’t have computers, but get e-mail through us.
Teekay, the sun Heather
is talking about would be the same one that gave me a burn yesterday! Spent all
day at a street festival, and despite liberal sunscreen still came out rather
red. But what fun! Good food, good music and dance, good shopping!
Sounds
like I’d better get my a** in gear if I’m gonna put anything in *P*. Nothing like
a deadline to get Tina motivated…
And titles just happen. Usually I discard
several before the right one happens, but I don’t actually think about it much.
Now NAMES are another matter entirely. Like the name of the world where ‘Shadow’
takes place. Absolutely nothing has ever come to me, despite concentrated thought
about the problem. Something neat, like Ba’jor, or simple, like Pern or Dune.
Or after an old Earth god, like Mars and Jupiter? I just don’t know….
Okay,
I’m rambling so I’m gonna go.
I’ll ramble in my world of…. ?
Tina
6-18-2001 2:32
**Teekay**
RACHEL: By golly, if I
weren't already married! Ummm, can you cook?
Saw Miss Congeniality and
thought it was fantastic. I'm always singing that song to hubby and he's pretty
sick of it by now. If I try it one more time I may just get bopped in the nose.
"You want to punch me, you want to kick me, you want to pinch me, you want
to murder me."
Catchy.
RHODA: Maybe beans and corn need longer to
germinate?
I've just realized that I'm the only one here who doesn't
use her real name. Well it's the initials of my real name.
Do you think I
ought to post under my real name or should I just keep using Teekay? Voting booths
are now open.
Signed
Agnes Grintch.
Teekay 6-18-2001 1:36
Well
with cable, you are "always on" so there is no dial-up problem, no busy phone
lines, no wait. The speed downloading is between ten and one hundred times faster,
so in the long run, it is much better. There are folks that setup their own servers
on cable service, and use their computers to store other folks files and such,
it is just so much better. My son had it for quite some time when they lived in
Bismarck, now they have moved, DSL is available, and they have that. He says the
DSL is much better, as with cable service, it does slow down when lots of folks
are online at the same time with the same cable service, however with DSL that
doesn't happen. I guess DSL would be better, then of course, a T-1 line would
be even better, but much more expensive. Our local ISP is going to offer DSL,
right now they offer a local network connection with their server giving T-1 service,
but it is so expensive only some local businesses can afford the hookup, as you
have to by both ends of the hookup, at about $300.00 per side for a total cost
of six hundred bucks, then additional fees for setup and so forth bringing the
hookup fee up to eight hundred bucks, a bit stiff, then service charge of around
seventy bucks per month. They say the phone company will be offering DSL soon,
with a minimal setup fee and only the cost of our side of the hookup equipment,
so that sounds do'able when they get it set up.
Jerry Ericsson
6-18-2001 0:03
Heather - well for me it would be a bargain, you
see my mom is getting on in age, and wants us to keep the phone line free in case
she needs us, so we pay for a second phone line, that cost us an additional $28.00
per month, bringing our total bill for internet well over the $50.00's it would
cost for cable, so I would jump at a chance of getting faster service AND cheaper.
Oh well, it is but a pipe dream as the cable company has said there are not enough
subscribers here to merit the cost of the equipment.
Sometimes living
in paradise has an additional cost that is not obvious to the passer by.
Jerry Ericsson 6-17-2001 23:55
**Mary**
RHODA:
Sounds like a water shortage or varmints.
Mary 6-17-2001 23:35
Hello
all you beautiful people.
JERRY: Other than speed, what benefits are
there to a cable connection? I am happy with my 56K...I click on the link to the
Notebook, I blink, and there it is. Is cable more reliable? Now THAT would be
a step-up.
HEATHER: Wow...that **P** sure went fast. I thought it would
be open for a year. I don't know why in the world I thought that. If it takes
approximately a year for one person to write a book, it should only take 5 people
two and a half months...less with more contributors. I just didn't see it coming.
RACHEL: Yes, you are gorgeous, but I already knew that! ;-)
HOWARD:
Thinking of you.
LITTER: Did you get the kava kava info I sent you?
SHORTIE NIGHT TOPIC FOR THIS THURSDAY: FRIENDS/FRIENDSHIPS
Mary 6-17-2001
23:33
**Rhoda**
When you can't get to the Notebook for
a couple of days, it is hard to catch up.
RACHEL,
You look just
like I have imagined you. That doesn't often happen with Internet friends.
HEATHER,
I'm glad you got back with us and got your Internet connection
problems taken care of.
JACK,
I am so sorry to hear of your
loss. It has been a rough year for you. My prayers are with you.
HALLEE,
How is the inspirational romance going? You are a virtual workhorse and
oh, how I admire you. Best of luck with the new project.
Well, what have
I been doing when I could have been working on my new novel or when I could have
been here posting? I have dug a garden and planted it. Something is really strange
though. I planted corn and beans and they never came up. I planted again using
different seed and I am afraid the same is happening. It has been three days and
still no sprouts. The tomato and squash plants I put in thrived last week and
now they are wilting one by one. Perhaps I had better go back to writing!
Rhoda 6-17-2001
23:18
Jack - Thanks for letting me know that you got the pic.
I always worry that things I post will get lost. Yes, I also hope that PA will
pick up the pace with delivery time. I ordered copies last week. The person I
spoke to, told me that it shouldn't take longer than three weeks. I will let you
know if that is a fact.
Jon - Pussy is a queen.
Viv - Gezz (grin/blush)
Thanks;o) Now if only that were all it took to sell books... Hum, a million copies?
That sounds like a good thing!
Americo - I have booked my trip to the
moon. I look forward to my appointment. On a more serious note, I accept. Thanks
for the compliments (smiles and hugs).
Heather - Can you make it to the
moon? Cause'... It's a marvelous night for a moondance...
Mary Lou -
Best thing to do is to contact PA and ask them. Each situation is unique. I would
hate to tell you one thing, then have you experience another. Write to them, ask
any questions that you like. I think it is always best to get things direct from
the source when you can. In this case, you can (smiles and a hug).
Americo
- Yup, its the Berne convention.
Teekay - I'm 32 year old. I like hot
coffee, good conversation and... Uh, never mind (winks). Anyway, I'm just a kid
(big, wide grins)! So, yah think I'm goregeous. Hum, have you seen Miss Congeniality?
If you have, then... "You think I'm gorgeous, you want to hug me, you want to
hold me, you want to kiss me" said with my very best Jersey accent.
Okay,
I better go. I have to do the kids to bed thing.
Take care all.
Rachel
Rachel 6-17-2001
22:12
**Teekay**
Hi All,
JERRY: I did have
something to say. I only pointed out that it was of no interest :-)
You see
even if I said I had nothing to say, well that would be obviously wrong because
simply by writing that sentence is an affirmination that I do indeed have something
to say. However, by pointing out that it was not of 'interesting' content well
then, tell me, are you bored with reading this yet :-D
RANDALL: As I
have pointed out to JERRY in a very gentle way, you must read ALL the words. ALL
the words I say.
Now had I read your post not reading all the words I would
have come up with:
"Good God we honked the horn on the petty officer After
he ran up the gangway."
HAHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHA
I've put a touch of
port in your coffee this time. For medicinal purposes you understand.
JERRY:
He sure sounds like an interesting book character. They sure don't seem to make
'em like that any more. Bit of a shame really. Or not. I don't quite know, I'll
have to think about it.
RACHEL: You are gorgeous!!! You remind me a lot
of myself HAHAHHAHAHAHAHA, I have sunglasses like that. :-)
When I scrolled
up, I noticed it was JACK'S post and then I saw your picture and thought Jack
had shaved his beard off. HAHAHAHHAHAHAHA oh dear, it's gonna be one of those
days.
HEATHER: Sun? Sun? What is this sun of which you speak? ~Brrrrr~
BEN: I usually get the title at the end of a story. I start with some
hokey pokey thing, but at the end 'usually' the right title comes to me.
And
yes, if you're lookingvat selling your work the title is very important because
that is what the editor or whoever is reading it sees first and if it doesn't
sound interesting chances are he/she won't read the story.
I also think they
should be relevant to the story, unlike JERRY's 'How to make a million dallars"
or whatever the title of that story was he posted which had nothing what so ever
to do with making a million dollars.
JERRY: You sly old fox you :-D
BEN: I think it's time you immersed yourself in another story.
AMERICO:
Ummmm, isn't RACHEL over the age of 33?
Re: Title copyright:
I've
seen plenty of books at the library with the same title by different authors.
Also, I named one of my short stories 'Saving Grace' and a week later in the
video shop I noticed a new release video of the same name and I definitely didn't
copy that (I'd never seen it before) and I'm not changing the name of my story
because it's just perfect for it. Unless someone threatened to sue me for $ 456724527528:00,
then I might think about it.
But I wouldn't be happy!
posting...posting....
Teekay 6-17-2001 21:09
Ben,
I
would like to clarify that when I mentioned deadlines, I was referring to "Strawberries
and a Moon". That project was closed on the 7th June 2000.
I believe
that Phantasium is still open to new collaborators.
Americo 6-17-2001
19:52
I'm not an expert on copyright, but I know what it consists
of. You fill in a form with your personal data, the title and a very brief summary
of the contents of your book. You also deliver a copy of the work (in paper, in
a disk or both). The case of the writer who had to get another title because someone
had already registered the title he wanted to give his book shows that titles
are under the same protection as the contents. At least that's how I interpret
it.
I have read in the Internet that titles are not protected by copyright.
I don't think that's right. But I am not a lawyer, and it may be that the USA
copyright is different from here. My impression is that copyright legislation
tends to be international, at least for the countries that signed the convention
of Berne (or was it Geneve?).
In any case, I cannot imagine any serious
Author using, maliciously and with dishonest intentions, something which he did
not create himself. So the title issue seems to me, above all, a question of common
sense and morality.
Americo 6-17-2001 19:38
Okay,
I just went back and
read some more, the deadline is posted and I won't have to sneak around. I guess
when I read that Ben wouldn't be allowed to join, it surprised me.
Rosemary--Again
6-17-2001 18:46
Hello,
HEATHER,
Is **P** colsed?
I read all posts and don't remember seeing notice of an ending time. I thought
Jack was going to rework the site and I was waiting for that to post my second
story. I'll go ahead and post it in a few minutes, (have to go to my sister's
computer) try to sneak it through barred doors.
ALL,
I have definitely
been told a number of times by different authorities that titles cannot be copyrighted.
Maybe it's different where Americo is.
bye,
Rosemary
6-17-2001 18:42
Rachel: Received the page proofs for Tarnished
Honor. How long did it take "your" book to get into print after you returned them
to PubAm?
Thanks.
Mary Lou
Mary Lou 6-17-2001 18:17
RANDALL
From left field,
so what else is new, here are the lyrics from a Doors song. I quoted from this
a couple of months ago. Without the music, songs like this are little stories.
Inspiration that may tweak ones imagination, toward a title or a novel length
story.
Not much else going on at the house today. Pretty laid back, hot
as the dickens outside.
I looked at the lyrics to several songs by the
Byrds, but could not pin down what I wanted. There are many, many influences that
would help a writer in title selection.
How many titles could you arrive
at from the song listed below? Let the publisher worry 'bout the legalities. :-)
I mean, THEY have to do something to earn their cut, huh?
Randall
The WASP (Texas Radio and the Big Beat)
The Doors
copyright The
Doors Music Company ASCAP
I wanna tell you about Texas radio and
the big beat.
Comes out of the Virginia swamps
Cool and slow with plenty
of precision
With a backbeat narrow and hard to master.
Some call it heavenly
in its brilliance
Others mean and rueful of the Western dream.
I love
the friends that I have gathered together on this thin raft
We have constructed
pyramids in honor of our escaping.
This is the land where the pharoah died.
The negroes in the forest, brightly feathered
They're saying "Forget
the night
Live with us in forests of azure
Out here in the perimeter there
are no stars
Out here we are stoned, imaculate."
Listen to this,
I'll tell you about heartache.
Tell you about the heartache and loss of God.
I'll tell you 'bout the hopeless and
meager food for souls forget.
I'll
tell you 'bout the maiden with wraught-iron soul.
I tell you this,
No
eternal reward will forgive us now for wasting the dawn.
I tell you about
Texas radio and the big beat.
Soft driven slow and mad like some new language.
Now listen to this, I'll tell you about Texas.
I'll tell you about
Texas radio.
I'll tell you about the hopeless night
wandering in the Western
dream.
I'll tell you about a maiden with wraught-iron soul.
Randall 6-17-2001 17:59
Ben,
Money isn't important
on summer vacation. Neither are big trips. It's dumb stuff that's important. The
kids understand when you get laid off and there isn't any money for fancy trips.
Trust me, I've raised two completely broke most the time. They've been really
nice when we talked it over. We sat down and I had THEM make a list of stuff they
wanted to do. I told them to get creative or else. They came up with stuff like
sleep late, walks, paint rocks, tie dye, baltik, oil painting (but that was too
expensive) so I got cheap water colors and nice fancy paper. We took the train
to Enoshima (the beach a half an hour away by train that is dirty and polluted
and not nice for swimming) We tried to paint pictures of the sun as it set but
the colors swam by sooooo fast. We had to admit it really taught us a lot about
how hard it is to paint.
Just make sure to take your time to get to know
each kid really really well. That is the pay off for not having work.
We're
loosing our job too. 14 months before retirement. Wow. What a kick in the pants
for 20 years of work. I'll loose mine with my husband because I can't stay here.
Please repeat these words to me as I tell my kids that they can't go to college
anymore. It won't be so bad for the little one but the big one will be in her
junior year. Maybe she can get a really decent loan, but first we have to kill
off our savings. That won't be hard!
Viv 6-17-2001 17:33
Guess
what folks! I've already decided to change that title! Urban Legands will be in
Japanese. It won't translate exactly but I'm going to find the right shade of
meaning in Japanese. Fitting huh! Also fun. I love having a lot of languages to
play with because it adds to the fun. Japanese is cool because it has a lot of
little shades of meaning for each word. That is why Bunraku, Hiku and simple free
verse sound better in Japanese.
Gotta go to work. It's 6:21AM! I'm late.....
Viv
6-17-2001 17:25
Now Americo, that is something I did not
know. I was under a certain impression that titles (especially one-word titles)
were not subject to copyright laws in the same way that the story itself is.
And now, calling all ghost story writers! Grab your pens and write one last,
mind-numbing story for P**, for very shortly the project will have to come to
a close, as Americo has decided to begin a new project in the near future. (Ahem,
yes, and I too, shall have to write one or two more for the collection before
it closes!)
Do not rush the writing of your stories, but do, please do, gather
your thoughts and get them posted!
The date of August 1, 2001 will be the
(tentative) deadline for all P** stories. Of course, I will have to ask Jack!
I hope you are feeling a little better today Jack, and that you will
have an abundance of strength when you need it.
Blessings heaped on you and
your loved ones!
Ben - titles, well, they always just sort of 'arrive'
for me. Sometimes they arrive as I've just begun writing the story/novel, sometimes
with just working out the concept/theme the title pops into mind. Other times
I have the story part-finished or fully finished before the title comes to me.
Once I got all the way through re-reading the story once before the title arrived.
I'm not sure what I'd do if my titles didn't come so easily. Perhaps I'd take
a phrase that I particularly liked in the story and use part of that. But most
often the title sums up the essence of the story. That's the goal, so I hear.
;o) Sorry to hear of your woes, Ben. Hoping you pull through as unscathed as possible.
Which reminds me - here's a neat site. Wondering how original your work
is? Even if you just want to check a few sentences (or even a title), go to the
link, type in what you want to check, and you'll get a reply in your email! The
sources (I think) are also listed in case of the work not being original.
I
don't know about site security, but I'm going to try just a sentence or two. Not
from my novel, of course...
I got word of the link from the Writer's
Digest newsletter this week.
Ta ta! And Happy Father's Day again.
Heather
Link 6-17-2001
17:25
Hello. everybody! And happy Sunday to all the living. As
for the dead, they are in peace and in our hearts. They are well.
A New
Yorker I spoke to on Thursday explained to me that Man is intrinsically good,
otherwise, with all the stress we can all imagine in Manhattan, there would be
much more criminality there. Convincing!
But Man can also be evil. I
am a terrible sinner. But who knows if I will become a saint one day (if I work
very, very hard)? My worst sins are lazyness and a tendency to get angry. My main
virtues... well, I cannot see any... But I probably have some virtues. I cannot
see them now but perhaps tomorrow I'll discover them. Or next month. It's not
easy to know oneself. We must think about the saint and the sinner that co-exist
in each of us and in the people we know/knew. "Nosce te ipsum", know yourself
(Socrates). Well, it's much easier to know the others, or at least to think we
know the others. I'd rather write about my neighbours...
Ben: It's a
pity you went away for a while. During that time some of us wrote a novel and
a collection of short stories. The first has just been published; the second is
a work in progress and closed for further collaboration (we respect deadlines
here). But you (and everyone) will have a chance to write wonderful things in
the months to come. Just stay tuned and keep posting. And start studying yourself
and the others. You'll love this project.
PS. After deep study, I'm happy
to inform all the Notebookers that Rachel has been selected the best collaborative
spirit in the premises. This is a remarkable feat, as she was also the Secretary
for S*. After having proved that she possesses great talent as a writer and great
qualities as a friend, she will be appointed Secretary for "Strawberries and a
Moon" in a ceremony to take place... in the Moon. Everybody invited for the party.
Heather will be the guest of honour.
PPS. Heather: titles, and even shades
of colours, can be the object of copyright. I know an author that had to find
a different title when his book was already been printed. The title he wanted
for his book had been used by someone else and he did not know it.
Americo 6-17-2001 15:55
Hey!
Good morning Ben!
Titles for your works..... Kick out the jams and tune in....the radio
that is. Research songs, it's fun, entertaining and good for ones soul. Rock,
country all good. Mostly rock though. Country music, though they have managed
to elevate the lyrics in the last decade, are usually a parody. "If I said you
had a beautiful body, would you hold it against me...." kinda thing. I enjoy "reading
songs" listening to the words. Yes it is another persons work but there is nothing
wrong with gathering ideas. And it seems rock, serious artists anyway, put more
of a message in the song. Honestly, read Bob Dylan music for instance. :-) (Grin)
Ah, perhaps we should exclude Bobby Darin's "She wore an itsy bitsy, teenie wennie,
yellow poka dot bikini....." which was a hit in the 50's. (Well, how would you
spell "poka dot?")
I wrote a book several years ago about ....well, never
mind. :-) The title, THE SOUND OF YOUR VOICE CALLING was "borrowed" from an 80's
Genesis/Phil Collins song.
Late at night when you call my name
The
only sound you'll hear
Is the sound of your voice calling
Calling for
me.
Not sure of the song title but the verse is 99 per cent correct,
Annnnnnnnnnnnd not sure of the legalities, but on the title page I gave the band
proper and full credit. If I ever decide to submit, I'll let the publisher worry
‘bout legal aspects. (Randall writes for fun!) I heard a song by the Byrds recently,
last week sometime. It was a late 60's song and was stunning in lyrics and message.
Will look it up as soon as I finish this and post it. The 60's music is a gold
mine, that is GOLD MINE! Of titles and ideas.
At least that is my opinion
Ben.
It's kinda weird really, searching for a title. It's only a word
or words, and we are surrounded by words on a daily basis. It is the RIGHT combination
of words writers seek. And I've seen some really stupid titles on novels that
were real big.
Randall
PS.... ATTENTION SF writers!!! URGENT!!!!
8:00 PM Central Standard Time. Discovery Channel for STORMS. Bring pen and pencil
and notebook. Or tape it. About storms that might effect the earth from space.
Be there or be square! :-)
Randall
6-17-2001 13:40
Hey there: Yeah, I've been lurking about. Rather
bored with everything I've been doing and reading. Must be the lay off. I phoned
the mill yesterday to hear the taped message as to whether I'd be working this
Monday, and they said, maybe Wednesday. Oh happy day...and whoopee sh*t. If it
were not for the fact that I was getting holiday at the end of the month, we'd
all ready be screwed. Now it's just the holidays that are screwed. I can live
with it, but the kids might be a little choked at the idea of a do nothing summer.
But I finished editing my novella. Now I'm gonna send it down under if
I don't run out of printer cartridge. It might be a little late if I do...I sent
a stroy out on Friday that Kitty looked at and gave me some suggestions for. But,
instead of subtracting on the wordcount, I ended up adding about five or six hundred.
I was watching something on the Impressionists the last week or two ago.
I didn't realize how much I really liked those guys. Got my head going in all
sorts of different directions again. It doesn't seem to take much to get an idea
these days.
I have a question. How does everyone come up with titles
for their stories. Personally, I have Bartlett's quotattions, and I take a quick
skim through that, looking for something that might go along with the subject,
or theme, and then work out from there. Some titles just come to me.
And
do you pick the title first, or last, or is it even a part of the process? Sometimes
the titles suggest themselves to me, and I run with them. The Iconoclast was a
title that was suggested to me after my mother gave me an icon that was in the
family since the second world war. It came from Eastern Europe somewhere near
Khazikstahn, and seeing it brought all these words associated with Icons. Iconoclast
stuck, and the story worked its way through that word. Tarot Cards and Tea Leaves
was about a psychic that used to live in the neighbourhood.
And are titles
important to the story? I just threw that out there because, like I said, I'm
bored.
AMERICO: What is this series you're thinking about? I'm curious.
And can I...I mean if you think I'd be all right...history? Even sci-fi...do I
sound too desperate here...I'd better go.
Ben
Ben 6-17-2001 12:34
Jerry: Even with access to cable internet
in my area, I won't fork over the $40 a month (even with free hookup, which is
offered non-stop around here). I'll stick to my 56K thanks. Not that I wouldn't
mind a faster connection on occasion, but I have enough bills to worry about!
My cable bill is already collosal.
Top of the mornin' to all, and
a
very wonderful Father's Day!
:o)
Heather 6-17-2001 10:58
Hi
Rachel: You look nice in your picture. With a smile like that on a book, you could
sell a million copies.
Jack: There are a lot of things a person is helpless
to fix in this world. I wish it weren't so, but it is. I think the best thing
to think about is the relief your cousin must be feeling right now. I don't think
he'd want you to be sad, just glad for his release.
Heather: Thanks for
the sending the heat my way! We had hot rain today! I hope it's a hot rain day
again tomorrow. It's kind of fun to walk in.
Gotta' get some sleep. Night
all.
Viv 6-17-2001 10:54
DAD BLAST IT! I wish I
could even GET cable internet service! I would pay $50.00 bucks a month for it
would it be available. (That's what our cable company charges for it where it
is available) I called them about cable service and they told me we lived in too
small a community for them to make installation of the hardware profitable. Profit
is, of course, the name of the game so I guess I will plunk along at 56K until
someone offers DSL at a reasonable rate. It is available here for $800.00 set
up fee and $64.00 a month, which leaves it not an option based on my social security
check.
Jerry Ericsson
6-17-2001 10:09
Wow!!!
But you should see Pussy.
Jon
Jon
6-17-2001 8:13
Hello all: Still a bit sidetracked with thoughts
of my cousin and occasional wonderings if there was anything I could have done
to prevent it, followed short steps after with the realization that no - Bud would
have had to wanted the help for me to give it. Each of us have our own demons
and our steps to walk. We cannot prevent certain kinds of self destruction and
we cannot prevent the world from visiting its own kind of meyham on those hapless
creatures who are prone to its victimization.
Rachel: I did indeed
get your picture and will begin work on the Shadows page. Just hoping that PublishAmerica
is a little more prompt with others on getting copies of the Shadows in a Dream
to them than they have to me. Oh, well, we will see.
BTW, for those
wondering what Rachel looks like:
Jack Beslanwitch 6-17-2001 2:08
you got that right, I
never did like the old fart all that much, and he was a horriable thief too, always
stealing anything that wasn't tied down. One time he stold a bunch of my dad's
tools, then one day, his well broke down, and dad went to help pull it and fix
it. When the old fart pulled out the big pipe wrench that he took from dad a few
years earlier, dad saw it and cornered him on it. "Look, it has my initials stamped
right in it!" Dad said, pointing to where he stamped his initials GE on the tool.
"Hell that's Generel Electric!" the old fart replied. Dad took the tool home with
him anyhow, as it was his.
Jerry Ericsson 6-17-2001 1:13
Jerry:
But he sure had a shitty sense of humour.
Heather 6-17-2001 0:57
Viv,
ever been to Michigan?
The weather there is the same as the weather where
I am. Or, let's see...
nah, I'm not going there. I'm pooped from the
sun and the heat, though it wasn't so smouldering today that I lit on fire or
anything. Managed to walk far enough to mow my lawn. Made dinner for seven, (company!)
and played a little soccer. (Pardon me - football for all of our European NB friends)
And now what I wish more than anything, is to
hmmmm.
on
second thought, I'd better not hatch any wishes at this time. I wouldn't want
to wish myself into anti-wish-establishmentarianism. Then I'd want to wish myself
back and have none left, and learn that, as a matter of fact, there never were
any wishes. What would Sartre [sic] say to that...? I'm sure he'd wish me a...
*chortle chortle*
Okay, too much sun, that's my excuse. Really.
Happy and productive writing to all,
and an editing nip to boot.
Heather 6-17-2001 0:56
Debra - I think
there was just a little bit of good in the old fart, at his wife's funeral, I
heard him say to her (body) "I should have treated you better." She proceeded
him by about a year. When she was gone, he went to pieces and entered a nursing
home, where he withered away.
Jerry Ericsson 6-17-2001 0:50
Now Teekay.........you can
lie to your friends.....and I can lie to mine. :-) But let's not lie to each other!
I know you have SOMETHING to say.............:-))))))))))
Did I ever....say
girl, seen any 'roos lately? Tried to smuggle one on my ship one time in Sydney.
The officer of the deck eyed my bulging coat.
"Randall, I know you're
not expecting. And I never saw you hop around like that. So....take the kangroo
back where you got it.
Goodnight Teekay!
MORE COFFEE DEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Randall
Randall
6-16-2001 23:17
Randall
Good evening friends
Some
interesting comments on what must be one of the most beneficial (?) perhaps interesting
species God placed on the planet, maggots, the larvae of flies. And yes in the
Navy we called the mobile canteens, "roach coaches" as well. One of the most hilarious
conversations I witnessed in the Navy was a rather terse conversation between
an officer of the deck and a highly agitated "roach coach" owner operator.
We were home ported in the Phillippines, Subic Bay (Ah, sweet Olongapo) tied
up at a pier. A Filipino owned canteen rolled to the gangway about mid-morning,
honked the horn, then proceeded to open for business. Sailors have been known
to eat anything, but some of the "lunches" on these wagons were of a highly questionable
substance. Still, all is grist for the old mill! :-)
The petty officer
on the quarterdeck announced on the ships PA. "Now hear this. Now hear this. The
mobile roach coach is on the pier."
The Filipino owner heard the announcement,
aghast that his cherished, albeit, dinery on wheels should be called such. In
the colorful language of persons speaking a second language the conversation went
something like this. After he ran up the gangway.
"I no have roaches
on my canteen."
The young, squeaky clean officer reassuared him. "Just
a slang expression sir. I'll clear it up."
"I no have roaches on my canteen.
We clean, we wash, no roaches. Sailor wrong, no roaches. Clean food. American
food, all clean. Hamburgers, hotdogs, sandwhiches, no roaches, we cook no roaches."
"I understand, no roaches on your canteen." The young ensign tried to
ease the man off his quarterdeck fearful the ships captain, or worse the executive
officer would happen on the scene. (Ship Captains were, as a rule good mild mannered
men, usually very friendly with the crew. Now, Executive Officers, the number
2 guy, were "Hatchet Men" and feared like a condemned man fears the executioner.
About this time an old moss covered Boatswain Mate strolled around the
corner. "Permission to go to the roach coach sir." Then Boats, grinning wildly,
saluted the flag aft, the officer of the deck, the canteen owner and strolled
casually down the gangway.
The young watch officer could only stare blankly,
lost in the decision making process. Nothing in his naval reserve training had
prepared him for this. Typhoons, fully trained. Weapons, trained. Ship steering,
ditto. Navigation, no problem. Now his naval career was sinking, all because the
petty officer of the watch wanted to play a joke. How could a career oriented
naval officer handle a mad, mobile canteen operator without getting other, higher
ranking officers involved? This would not look good on his service record!
Halfway down the gangway the WW II Boatswain Mate turned and hollared at the
Filipino.
"Hell come on Juan, gonna open for busisness or not? We know
their ain't no roaches on your #@%&*^! Canteen. Alive anyway."
Situation
resolved.
Minutes later the red-faced officer turned to me. "Randall,
from this point forward....if you ever call that thing down there a roach coach
on my quarterdeck, I'll have you cleaning heads till you muster out!!!
"YES
SIR."
Good night everyone.
Randall
Randall 6-16-2001 23:05
I mean the worst thing I have
ever heard.
6-16-2001 22:29
Jerry:
If my
husband had pulled a dirty trick on me like that, his funeral would have been
the following weekend. That is the WORST
Debra 6-16-2001 22:28
Two
days of sunshine, two days of lawn mowing! Did mine yesterday, then today the
daughter sort of hints that her little push mower would have a hard time cutting
her lawn which is huge. Soo I was off again driving my little garden tractor across
town to mow her tall grass. She was right, I don't think her little mower had
a chance. All that cool rain we have been getting made it grow like mad.
See Teekay, I didn't have anything to say either, but I said something anyhow.
Jerry Ericsson 6-16-2001 22:19
**Teekay**
Just
a post to let you all know that I have absolutely nothing of any interest to post.
Yeah, I know, like, what's new?
Teekay 6-16-2001 19:29
Ok,
well there were times we called them roach coaches too, could have been in Va.
where we called them gut trucks, I do remember calling them that though. Oh I
remember calling them roach coaches too, guess slang is slang, just varies according
to who is saying it. Called them maggot wagons too once in awhile. Didn't make
any difference what we called them, the food was ALWAYS lousy anyhow, but it was
better then nothing, and beat the hell out of C-Rations.
Jerry Ericsson 6-16-2001 19:27
They're called roach coaches
here, too.
Hallee 6-16-2001 19:23
Viv - Thanks.
:) Actually, Azol is 17 - he was 16 when Tanek was born. His species (actually,
he's half of one and half of the other so his father's species I should say) gets
their baby teeth when they're about 1 to 2 years old and then get two adult molars
before they're twelve and the baby teeth don't fall out until about nine or ten
- at around 16, 17 or 18, they get a final set of molars. The exception is their
fangs which are replaced every ten years. Although, Tanek's mother is of a species
where the women have no third molars, so she will most likely never have them
- however, she's 15 when the series ends so we'll never know. :)
If you like,
I could send you a fact sheet about the three major alien species in my story.
*smiles*
Allein
Allein Allein's
World 6-16-2001 19:02
**Rosemary**
Hello everyone,
Viv,
From the time I was 5 years old until I was about 71/2, we lived
in Japan. My father was an Air Force Captain. Your posts and that short story
remind me of the little I remember of those times. I really wish I remembered
more. We had a house boy named Tommy and a maid named Mechico(sp?). One of the
things I noticed in your story was the name Yokota. That was the name of one of
the bases we lived on. Right outside of Tokyo. Earlier, we lived on Boffou. Don't
know where that was. My sister was born in the hospital at Johnson Field outside
of Tokyo. All of this went on from 1948 thru 1950ish. I have a few very vivid
memories of that time, but very few. That's where I started 1st grade at 5 years
old. I think they would take anyone who showed up. Enough blathering from me.
Ps, They call them Roach Coaches in South Texas also. What a concidence.
Bye
Rosemary 6-16-2001 16:36
VIV: Maggots look
like fat rice grains.
Mary
6-16-2001 14:24
Allein: Neat story! It's not at all soppy, it's
interesting! I like the second set of teeth at 30 idea. That is a good evolutionary
idea. I needed a new set of teeth about then, and all babies ought to use ESP
to tell us where it hurts! Good aliens...wish I could join that group.
Heather:
Cars are a pain. I didn't know it got hot in Canada! Could you send a little here.
Rosemary: Those salmon eggs are sold in jars for fishing. They are red
and say bait on the side. HOWEVER they are called Ikura here in Japan and usually
seen at the sushi bar. I eat them only when I have to be polite in a social situation.
I've always used them as bait. I took my kids back to America once to visit the
grandparents. My father kept his bait salmon eggs in the refrigerator. I caught
my oldest daughter sneaking them for a snack. She said they taste just like the
nice red sushi salmon eggs! All the more reason NOT to eat them! If you have a
chance to buy some as BAIT, do so. Trout and Browns go for them!
Jerry:
It's not called a gut wagon here but a ROACH COACH!
Teekay: Thank you!
I'm still just dabbling though. When I'm a real writer, will be when I actually
have the discipline to sit my little you know what down for a couple hours a day
and just concentrate on my work at least three to four days a week. Right now
the writing is an escape I use when teaching gets too stressful.
Mary:
Thank you for reading that until 2:00 AM. Also thanks for the comments. Your maggots
on a gut wagon was interesting. How thick is a maggot? I picture them as thin
little white worms, am I right? Yuck! Why do I want to know this??
Viv
6-16-2001 14:12
Oh Heather!
I don't know what to say.
Teekay, that was one very REAL sequal. That does need to be memorialized
in *P*. Your dialog was very convincing. I do know an Ima and she sounds just
like your posts! When I wrote Ima Spider I kind of guessed it might be you but
the reaction convinced me that I might actually be dealing with a person existed.
I don't really want to hurt anyone who chooses to come to this site...mentally
ill or not.
May I help with the ending where Ima Ryder reincarnates
into Ima Spider?
The day I read your post that said, "I think Ima Ryder
might be heading Viv's way", I was wondering what you meant. It was a little disturbing
to think that this Ima might be arriving. I hoped you weren't Ima herself heading
over for a real visit. I turned on my answering machine just as a precaution...so
I wouldn't answer a sudden demanding call from Narita International from an unexpected
guest.
I went to wash my windows upstairs. Just as I was thinking, "I
wonder what Teekay meant by that," a huge hairy benjo spider dropped out of the
gutter, flew past my ear and landed with a bump right on the window.
I lost my temper and gave that spider a good swat with my rag. Down it went two
stories and landed with an audible splat right on the concrete walkway below.
I looked down at it and said to myself, "Well, That HAD to be my visit
from IMA Ryder. How typical that she'd turn herself into IMA spider!"
I
walked downstairs, flipped off the answering machine, got my trusty bug box and
went outside to get IMA. I figured she ought to visit a couple of classrooms...dead
or alive she'd be a great success. There's nothing like a big, hairy bug to entertain
kids.
Well, I went outside and Ima was gone. It was a little like the
scene in Halloween. One minute the buggy man is there and the next he's gone.
Since it was a crazy day, I decided to ignore the fact that the cat might
have eaten the evidence and just enjoy what my muse was telling me. Ida had reincarnated.
Well, I sure wouldn't tell this tale to a bunch of strangers. I'd probably
find myself in a padded room.
This site is certainly interesting.
Heather: You are right about going on the net only to send a post. I can do
that and will once I have to move from this house. Here I can access the American
internet system. Once I get to my new house it's far enough away I won't have
a telephone. After that, I'll do my posting from campus. It's also free! There's
a way around every minor detail and it's usually free.
Viv 6-16-2001
13:48
Huh? There really are gut wagons that have maggots on them?
Wow, and we always called those trucks that came by selling sandwiches, pop and
stuff like that gut wagons, or at least when I was in the Army we did. Now I have
seen my share of maggots back on the farm, you know up on the hill where dad always
drug the cows that happen to die of natural causes, not the .22 in the brain that
we used when we were short of hamburger. In fact maggots make wonderful bait when
fishing, if you can get enough of them on the hook at once. Now I had an uncle
(he is dead now, I wrote a short story about him once, but can't seem to find
it anymore) who raised sheep. When one of them died, he would butcher them out
and eat them. I always wondered when his wife served mutton if he killed it or
found it's dead bloated body in the barnyard. I worked for him when I was a kid,
driving tractor on his farm, putting up hay every year for five years. He paid
great $5.00 a day + room and board, but like I say the board wasn't all that great.
Me and another kid who was working there decided to quit one weekend because he
refused to give us a ride to town for the weekend like he promised. Well he got
mad and just left, taking his wife along. There we were, neither of us with a
car, and it was a long way back to town. Just our luck, another Uncle delivered
bulk fuel to farms, and happened to deliver that Friday, so we caught a ride with
him back to town. I guess he looked all over the farm, then drove the road back
and forth twice looking for us. Kind of a mean joke, but not as mean as he was.
I recall one night after work, when he came home from town and told his poor wife
(She was mom's sister, he no blood relative) that their two children were in a
horrible wreck and they both died. Well she just went to pieces, as well she should,
he let her cry for over an hour before he told her he was joking. I guess it is
little wonder that his funeral attracted only a few relatives. Yes, I did attend
but only to support my cousins.
There I go again, rambling on best shut
up before I fill Jacks wonderful site to the brim.
Jerry Ericsson 6-16-2001 10:10
**Teekay**
Hi
All;
ROSEMARY: Eating a pizza with a man inside sounds pretty scary or
pretty exciting depending on ones taste. :-D
TAYLOR: Thanks anyway, but
I wanted something sort of spooky yet appropriate. Convergence just isn't spooky
enough.
VIV: No Way!!! You need the little kid who tells the story. Oh
don't get rid of the little kid. Noooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!! (anguished plea)
And
I'm as real a writer as you are. I keep the fact that I like to write like a dark
and dirty secret. There are very few people in this world who know of my passion
for the written word. As a matter of fact, I could probably count them all on
one hand. Not counting you guys of course.
This is beginning to feel a bit
like an A.A. meeting.
Gotta go and um.. ah... err... oh yeah, write something.
milk
potatoes
beans
nappies
light bulbs (settle down
G.)
fruit
bread
aaaargh hand cramp.
Teekay
6-16-2001 2:39
VIV: I just came from the Workbook and must
say, you have written some good things over there. I love your imagery. Especially
in the piece you are considering for **P**. The spot where the little naked boys'
heads are popping up from the water like bubbles. And the staple-like rungs of
the ladder. I like that. If it weren't 2am, I would even say more, but the fact
that I stayed up til 2 just to finish reading your stories should say something
in itself.
HEATHER: Read your "13" too. I like that quite a bit! It is
a nice conversational style with just the right mix of suspense and tension. I
can tell you one thing, I would have left the boxes! I would have been way too
scared. If the hairs on the back of my neck are standing up, I figure that is
a whole lot of years of instinct telling me to get the hell out of Dodge.
Good work guys.
Mary
6-16-2001 1:46
Well, today was also good, I got to clean teeth
and take X-rays on 2 people and assist on 2 fillings. :) Of course I didn't do
everything perfect - on one person the X-ray was slightly off so not all the teeth
got on the film and on the other I mounted them in the little cardboard thingy
wrong, but at least the picture was good. And I was working with a new dentist
and some new equiptment so I wasn't very fast at the filling, but we did a good
job.
I think the main dentist there looks a lot like Dr. Nick from The
Simpsons.
And now my story:
*************************
Tanek
poked her rubber duck with her finger and giggled as it moved. Baths provided
lots of amusement for her - she loved the water. She splashed up some water from
her small bathtub and looked up at her father who was now dripping with soapy
water. She grinned.
Azol dried his face with a nearby washcloth. Dipping
his hand in the water he splashed Tanek's chest a little. "Why is it that whenever
you take a bath, I always end up getting a shower?"
The baby spouted
a long stream of gibberish interrupted by an occasional small laugh. Daddy,
you're silly! she thought.
Azol could read his daughter's thoughts
and was surprised that babies thought quite a bit and were much more intelligent
than most people would think. Tanek didn't really talk yet. Sometimes her gibberish
resembled words but Azol couldn't tell if she was really trying to talk. Usually
to communicate, she would cry or point to something she wanted. She was especially
fond of bright things or toys that moved.
Azol picked up the rubber and
squeezed it so it squeeked. "Funny little duck, huh?"
Tanek grabbed it
and made it squeek - the duck's head went immediately to her mouth, as did most
objects. This time it went right back out again. Tanek winced in pain.
"What's
wrong, Princess Sweet Pea?"
"Aaaaaaaooo."
"You're teething again
- wonderful." Azol looked inside Tanek's mouth and saw the edge of a tooth just
coming up. "You realize that you get to repeat this process when you're about
Daddy's age, don't you?"
Tanek tilted her head to the side. What now
huh?
"That's right."
No way Daddy. Not doing teeth thing
again.
"That's teething, not teeth thing."
Whatever.
The princess began playing with her duck again.
Rean entered the nursery
just then. "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't realize you had a naked girl in here Azol."
Azol threw a washcloth at him. "Quiet you!"
"Hey. I come in
peace. How is my favorite neice, second cousin, cousin person," he kissed Tanek
on the head. "Our family situation is really screwed up."
"You're telling
me?"
"You remember that tomorrow is Father's day, right?"
"Yeah."
"Did you get something for Dad?"
"Of course I did. I felt I
kind of owed him something for the whole giving me life thing."
Rean
rolled his eyes. "What did you get him?"
"A new watch. And you?"
"I'm doing my shopping tomorrow. That's why I wanted to know so I didn't get
him the same thing."
"Didn't get anything for your own father...tsk,
tsk."
"Technically he's my uncle." <