Archived Messages from April 30, 1999 to May 11, 1999
Yo,
Allien, did you notice that you said, "The Army recruiter said..."?
The Old Man was right about getting information about all your choices, when you've got enough, there will be one obvious choice standing alone. (Caviat Emptor)
All, I'm right-handed, although I suspect that I was born otherwise. Superstition may have lead my family to tie the other hand, forcing me into right-handedness...maybe...
On war, is imagination enough? Can you clearly picture your character doing something else you've never done? Flying in a biplane? Catching a 700 pound marlin? Skydiving? If you think you can...you can. You're a writer...write it and ask someone who's been there to read it and let you know if you got away with it.
Take Care,
Jerry Lee
I forgot to add -- there's also an e after the t in dexterous, and dexter is in the dictionary (Webster's New Collegiate), but is not in the MS WORKS spelcheker. Go figure!
Americo -- I think the balance may be due to the fact that I've taken the back off my computer chair in order to improve my posture, and I have to pay more attention to keeping my seat. Or isn't that what you meant by 'balance'?
But there's no e after the t in ambidextrous, only in ambidexterity, and in dexter, which means right-handed or right-sided (unless you have a different dictionary).
Now, for a virtual candy kiss, can anyone give me the word meaning LEFT-handed?
And why do the stripes in ties always go in the same direction?
howard
All,
I'm sorry that it looks as though I performed a 'hit & run' a few days ago, or poked a stick in the hive and stood back laughing. That is not the case. Anita has been ill with food poisoning and has suffered greatly over the past week so I have been doing my ham-fisted best to keep her comfortable. It has been particularly bad for her because she is diabetic and I have been monitoring her levels and such. The good news is that she has managed to eat a little soup today and keep it down. Her eratic blood sugar levels have also shown signs of stabilising somewhat today.
On War.
I think that you must depict war from a personal viewpoint at all times. If you are going to write a good novel along these lines, then it must contain all of good and the bad that these terrible situations generate. The comeraderie, the agony, the heroism, the confusion, the love, the wonder, the fear, the boredom, and much much more. I am attempting to write such a novel at the moment, (I am sure the opening chapter is in the workbook somewhere.) The only way to truly show how war affects humanity is to show the effect of war on your main character. Otherwise you write a history book full of incidents with graphic depictions of bloody violence. (I know that this is probably like teaching grandmother to suck eggs with you lot, but I take this philosophy right down to action/fight scenes in any novel, not just war novels.) This can only help to give the scene the depth it needs to be beleivable. Even if (As one or two here have stated) you feel that fight scenes are your weak point, then the weaknes of the fight scene becomes a weakness of the character, and can end up transforming a supposedly 'weak' section of your work into a very strong personality trait of the character and possibly even endearing further, an already strong character to the reader. (It made sense to me when I thought of it)
The Family Quarrel:
No true family could ever go as long as we have without a fight or two. Nobody truly knows another until the pressure rises. We learn more about each other through disagreements thrashed through than from polite chat. When I sparked this row it was probably born of personal disenchantment of a general nature than the actual content of the notebook over the past months, although I do believe that this place has suddenly shown its heart and deep spirit which will not be forgotten, even during polite social intercourse in the weeks to come. The spirit of Allein, who never batted an eyelid and carried on with the courage of youth. The tacit agreement of some who where beginning to feel the same way. The side line fights flaring and dying in a gentlemanly manner. Then there was Steve, who came in late as usual, but once again said all the right things.
Much more to say but no time to say it. Welcome Wes, Welcome Martin. Stick around, It don't get better than this.
Jerry, I had loads to say about Rama but I've prattled on enough for now. And who mentioned Ringworld ?
Later, Ed
Yo.
Xavier has just published in "S". There are still some people who worh in this otium domus (idle house, o ignoramus!)
Ego laboro nocte et die. Gatus intellegentissimus sum. (I work night and day. I am a most intelligent cat.)
That's for starters.
Yo.
Allein, I am also right handed. Aren't we kind of twins?
But I write with both feet.
Perhaps that, Howard, but do not forget the e after the t as well... May I congratulate you a little? Your posts have been so balanced! How do you manage that in these times of sound and fury?
I took the archives to sea and, while waiting for the fish to run away from me, I read some posts of 1996. All those people are gone forever! I did not know them, but I felt they were my friends and... I miss them. A better generation, I guess!
Two quotations for your
considerations:
"sheet for thoughts and experiences to flow" — that's how our most beloved (and missed) master, Jack, has defined this page on Oct 9, 1996.
And a beautiful sentence by Lisa Nickles, Oct. 11, 1996 :
"An idea can be killed with a withering look."
I rang up to the literary director of a publishing house today. He said he is going to the USA sometime in early summer to do busines with American publishers (he said beginning of July but was not sure yet about the date). Since I live for you, I thought of "Shadows" right away. But I did not tell him (yet) that I would like him to take "S" with him, just in case he could convince one of those yankee publishers you so love to, at least, read our masterpiece. I intend to do it in the most appropriate occasion — usually after a couple of drinks, not before. For that "Shadows" must be complete. Here in Portugal they do not accept samples and do not care about perfumed letters of introduction. Just the real stuff and no misspellings.
So, no procrastination and no excuses. As Jon, our respected CEO, said in an earlier post, the book has to be finished by the end of June, at the latest. And I have no other place to talk about *really serious literary matters* to the twenty plus collaborators except here. So, people, do not irritate me more than I am already — I have not caught any fish!—: get up that roundish part of your ugly bodies from that leather chair where you are snoring — and back to work, you lazybones!
(I did not talk about war, did I?... Well, you're welcome...)
Jerry Lee - I would never go into the Air Force. The army recuiter said that they don't tell you anything they just say "sign up" and that's it. Well, when I went to the army office, I got an hour and a half lecture on why I should join the army - complete with charts, grafts and neat little computer videos. But, I'm still going to think about it a little.
Poor me, I'm only right handed - well, I use my left hand for somethings but only those that require the use of both hands - typing, driving...etc.
Well, I leave you with this final thought: How many licks DOES it take to get to the center of a Toosie Pop?
Bai bai,
Allein
Yo,
Weston, a couple of 'real world' options come to mind. The first, (with due credit to the author who's name escapes me) would be the "Rendezvous With Rama" cylinder that spins as it cruises through space. The other is the 'counterbalance' prospect that uses either two ships tethered together or simply a pod/engine as a counterweight so that the whole thing can spin like Rama creating what amounts to 'artificial' gravity.
I started a project with this type of thing in mind about a cruise ship that has to run from an invasion of our solar system...still sounds good. Maybe I'll resurrect it someday.
Allien, The Army is a fine institution, but the ASVAB test you have to take for the recruiter requires the highest score to get into the Air Force. It would be a shame to put such a shining young intellect in with a bunch of 'grunts' who couldn't score high enough to get into a better branch. (My apologies to any non-flaps out there)
One thing that the recruiter won't tell you is that when you compare the armed forces, the AF is more like a 9 to 5 job. Not a great deal of physical training...more mental.
All, as far as creating a civilization, think Mr. Spock. If it is logical, however strange, it WILL be believable.
Take Care,
Jerry Lee
Jon -- would that then be amQUAdextrous? ;-)
Sorry, but I ran out of steam on "Shadows." I do enjoy seeing what everyone else has done on it, though, and I think it has been, is, and still can be, a good project.
howard
> Deja Moo: The feeling that you've heard this bull before.
I forgot : I am fourdexterous.
the word is "withdraw".
Sorry to interrupt. My neighbor gonna fishing. He wants to know who are the people still working in "Shadows for a Dream". The book has to be finished on the 25th June, at the latest. In order not to disturb the blahblah, e-mail him. If no answers arrive in a decent amount of time (and time in the net can't be measured by clocks), he will draw the project from the place. Good night.
Worldbuilding has not yet been an issue for me. I have set all my stories, SF included, in the here and now. Perhaps I suffer from a lifetime of dealing with the realities of electrical and mechanical engineering. (My family hates to watch movies with me - I find it hard to resist commenting on the technical impossibilies and inaccuracies of most Hollywood productions. Daddy! SHUT UP!)
Space travel has only recently revealed serious health consequences of extended stays in low or zero gravity and science has as yet been unable to devise a workable solution.
Bones and muscles in the human body grow to be only as strong as they have to be. (Perhaps this is true of intellegence also, but lets save that subject for another time.)
Without the CONSTANT excercize of contending with gravity, the body shunts the resources to other areas and the muscles and bones wither.
Perhaps a medical or genetic alternative can be found. I'm sure there would be undesireable side effects though. Even gravity has it's hazards.
Interplanetary genetic supermen.......hmmm. Is there a story here?
Consider, too, the mixing of alien cultures. Could the human body long endure a world that produced a being that was radically different from a human? Could that radically different being make an extended visit to Earth with no ill effects? Or have existed here? This is the stuff of fantasty.
Until the science catches up, perhaps it is the duty of the writer to artfully induce readers like me to suspend disbelief long enough to enjoy the story.
Well, there you have it. A blast of speculative gas.
I hope some of you survived.
Wes.
Why shouldn't truth be stranger than fiction?
Fiction, after all, has to stick to the possibilities.
--Mark Twain
Gee -- I'd give my left arm to be ambidextrous!
Another piece of the "world-building" thing is to advance our present world to what we think it'll be in 100, 1000, 10,000 years. What will it look like after the atomic holocaust, or some other world-wide catastrophe? Jules Verne did it, as did H.G. Wells. More recently Sterling Lanier, in his unfinished "Heiro" series (Luchare!), presented the world thousands of years into the future, after "the death." Stephen King's "The Stand" gave a glimpse of an horrific near-future, and Isaac Asimov's "Foundation" series was surprising in its end point. Just think how alien our present world would have appeared to Jonathon Swift, Mary Shelley, or Louisa Alcott.
I've tried (in a couple of my infamous false starts) to build that post-apocalyptic world, but it's a very difficult thing to do. (without lots of commas, anyway) :-)
Enough rambling! --
Just remember Rule 13: It may be that your sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others.
howard
Snarly - I read the first book of Anne McCaffrey's Freedom series and was not very impressed. I was not interested in the reading the rest of the series... looks like I didn't miss much!
Jack - Notebook is taking a long time to load.
This is strange, again... there are not many people out there who are ambidexterous, and yet we have several already on the Notebook. Another one of the unspoken rules of being a writer...?
And, for the record, I go for the Build-The-World-Around-The-Character approach.
-Lena
Hi all, sorry for not posting in Shadows for a long time, I have been rather busy with computer stuff - just got the latest release Red Hat Linux (6.0) - and installed it on my Anti-winintell machine - love it but it does task the slow 486 DX4 100 processor - wonderful excuse for looking at new fast machines! Will try to set aside more time for writing - I do miss it, but playing with computer operating systems is just so much fun.
Hey all,
S.N. Arly, I'm still here and still waiting.
Michele, sorry, but I couldn't really contribute much on the "War in Literature" topic. Unfortunately, I've only lived it, and never read about it.
Hi Rachel, - sorry folks, just socializing.
As for world building, there are so many diverse cultures and customs right here on Earth, I think it must be difficult to come up with something truly original. Most of the "alien" cultures that pop up in modern science fiction or fantasy are usually just rip offs of some of the more esoteric Earth cultures. As a matter of fact, the story that won Editor's Choice on the Del Rey Workshop won partially based on the culture and customs she created, but as far as I was concerned, were nothing more than slight variations of Middle East culture. I guess that goes to show that any culture can seem alien enough if the reader is unfamiliar with it, even if that reader happens to be an Editor.
Be Well, Live Well.
Hey Weston - I also am ambidextrous.
Take care
Rachel
On the subject of world building - I generally avoid basing my other worlds too closely on this one. The closer you make a world to this here Terra, the more limited you are because readers start to see it as the same. They don't differentiate, and wehn you do divert from what they know of our earth, it feels like an inconsistency. In a way it's a lot like using cliche or stereotypes in writing. While there may be a quick advantage, which is useful when trying to keep the word count down, it is generally swiftly overshadowed by creative limitation.
I do include flora and fauna in my worlds, which would constitute a gross similarity to our world. However, I also try to get some of that description in early to make it clear that the characters are not in Kansas anymore. Now some of my futuristic stuff does take place on or near earth, but I do try to avoid creating these futuristic worlds according to some mold I've already seen.
As for readers who think visually, the only thing I can think of is description. If they can't "see" it, then I'm not sure what to do for them. I may draw on similarities - EG: I have a story with a Terran female who has been taken to another planet as a slave. Yes, I know. Intergalactic slave trade. It's been done. But I do take an entriely different spin on it, and it was started as a farce. Anyway, the story is told in her POV, making it easy to draw on similarities and differences of flora through her thought. Gee this plant looks like a minniature willow from back home, only it's an odd shade of purple...
Lena - I have had to create two separate religions/cultures for one of my novels (complete with litany) and that was not in the plan at all when I started. Ooops. These things sure have a way of getting out of hand. But then, I like building my world/setting and characters (and all the backstories needed for these things) almost as much as the actual writing. Ithink it's worth it in the end because you have a more thought out and believable story. The fact that there is more than what you say is evident in the writing.
I know you're a McCaffrey fan. If you haven't yet read the Freedom triology, DON'T! I'd swear the last one was ghostwritten and then edited by toads. The first is OK, but stop there. The rest of the story is pretty clear (transparent, one might say). Both the second and third books feel incredibly rushed.
Weston - I'm ambi and both folks in my writer's group are right handed. We've discussed this occasionally at my group, and I think it's fascinating. I've oft wondered if ambidextrous sorts have more vivid dreams and more nightmares. I certainly seem to. Which would, I believe, endorse the creativity thing. Then again, maybe I have so much crosstalk between the hemis of my brain that messages get a bit garbled. The right side of the brain is linked to creativity, which again would make sense. And I wonder if those who are right hand dominant have simply learned to use both halves of their brains rather than being restricted to the logical left.
SKS - If you're out there, I'm aiming to test for 13 wpm Morse on Saturday. Once that's out of the way I should be able to update my site. It's in progress on my hard drive now (yea). And my Morse practice has sort of been in the way. I'm also having trouble finding decent graphics, which is a little silly. We'll see.
Namiste
S.N.Arly
Hi all! AOL was being slow yesterday so I wasn't able to post, but now I'm back!
I haven't started my job yet - it's only on weekends, so I should start this Saturday.
Actually, it's probably very good that I didn't post yesterday because I was depressed out of my mind (I don't know why either and that bugs me). But now I'm not so down.
But, I have to go to school now, so I'll write something more when I get home.
Allein
Synonym for tolerance - allowance
allowance means that you allow someone else to be different from. Instead of saying: ‘That person
ist different to me, so she/he have to change.’ or ‘I hate that person, because he/she is different to
me.’ you say: ‘Hey. That person is different to me but that is a challenge. Maybe I can learn
something from him/her, for she/he certainly precious as much as I do.’ Of course is love the goal,
but you can’t start with the goal. Therefore tolerance is a good starting point.
I don’t think we are occupied by the Kosovo war. If we would be, we would go there like
Hemingway did in the Spanish Civil War (Lena. Maybe a good advice for you, for Heminway wrote
‘For whom the bells toll’ afterwards). I rather believe we are made occupied by the news. On every
news channel you turn on, talks about this war are taking no end. So turn it of, relax and
concentrate on writing. Soon you will wonder what the Kosovo is anyway.
Hey all
Old Man, Weston - Welcome!
Take care all
Rachel
Yo,
Old Man,
I picture you on a mountain. People seeking answers climbing through rough valleys and engaging their thoughts on the tough ascent. Stay there. When you take the journey from those who seek a deeper understanding, you have the merely curious.
For a man to seek the greater truth, he must first concieve of it. Those that would make the trek are humble. This is what separates them from those who are secure in their knowledge of the world.
Do not seek after them. They will find you if the things that they know to be real fall from them. Keep your vigil on that cold apex. Keep your thoughts as pure as they can be, without the befuddled masses clammering for recognition.
Your search has ended and you have your answer.
Be well, old man. Wait for those who would question their places.
Jerry Lee
Arrrghhh! Arrrghhh! Why Why does does it it do do that that ??
World-building is one humongous topic! Some writers say it's best to build the world first, complete with all its physical characteristics. Name all its mountains and seas, and all its continents and islands. Then build races, languages, religions, legends, histories, flora, and fauna, but make sure they all fit in their proper place in your world. Build glossaries and dictionaries, and make sure you understand all of them. Then pick out someone living in that world and write his or her biography.
Others say just start with an idea and build your world as you build your story. Just remember everything you've written before, so you don't end up having your heroine ride in on a white rat on page 477, when you've already had the Pied Piper do away with all the rats on page 53. Or something like that.
Either way, world-building is one of the most difficult activities in the writing trade. I think Orson Scott Card wrote a book about it for the WD library.
Check out Larry Niven's "The Integral Trees" and "Ringworld" for two great examples. Then there's Alan Dean Foster's classic "Midworld," and of course Anne McCaffery's Dragon series. One other author I'd highly recommend is James Schmitz. His "Witches of Karres" is outstanding!
Welcome, Wes!
And welcome back, Hootie!
howard
World-building is one humongous topic! Some writers say it's best to build the world first, complete with all its physical characteristics. Name all its mountains and seas, and all its continents and islands. Then build races, languages, religions, legends, histories, flora, and fauna, but make sure they all fit in their proper place in your world. Build glossaries and dictionaries, and make sure you understand all of them. Then pick out someone living in that world and write his or her biography.
Others say just start with an idea and build your world as you build your story. Just remember everything you've written before, so you don't end up having your heroine ride in on a white rat on page 477, when you've already had the Pied Piper do away with all the rats on page 53. Or something like that.
Either way, world-building is one of the most difficult activities in the writing trade. I think Orson Scott Card wrote a book about it for the WD library.
Check out Larry Niven's "The Integral Trees" and "Ringworld" for two great examples. Then there's Alan Dean Foster's classic "Midworld," and of course Anne McCaffery's Dragon series. One other author I'd highly recommend is James Schmitz. His "Witches of Karres" is outstanding!
Welcome, Wes!
And welcome back, Hootie!
howard
People build communities. Not all people are alike - communities often suffer from bickering. Love, not tolerance, is what is needed in a strong community.
Wes - I am mostly right-handed, but I am strangely left-handed in certain areas. I deal cards left handed, and I naturally hold a sword in my left instead of right hand. I suppose I could be ambidexterous if I worked at it. Welcome to the Notebook - I hope you stick around.
Goodweed - I assume you are talking about fantasy... well, the reader obviously needs SOME connection to the world they know. There are, of course, the classic fantasy cliches that are now an integral part of a fantasy world... the drafty castle, the lords and ladies, often a mystical sword or two, intelligent beasts, strange religions, etc. And what fantasy story is complete without an honorable thief or a dishonored prince?
But those are the cliches. Be wary of cliches... they lurk in the night, thundering whenever someone speaks an ominous sentence. Thunder storms always seem to blow up whenever somebody gets murdered. (maybe that was the purpose behind all those sacrifices of yore...)
World building is an art unto itself. If you have never written fantasy/sci-fi, you have no idea how hard it is because you are able to draw upon a fully actualized world (our own) with its multitude of references, common phrases, and little tidbits that everybody knows. One of my characters has a predilection of quoting novels and poetry - unfortunately, I have been forced to invent an entire literary background to cover her little habit!
Just how much of a world should be real is best left to the story. I have read wonderful novels based very closely off our world (the names were changed to protect the innocent) with little of the typical fantasy fallbacks - magic, swords, etc. I have also read wonderful novels of strange new worlds, where you are immersed in a totally different culture. The most boring novels are those which fall back on cliches for world building... everybody seems to think they are the first person to ever think to writing about elves or those honorable thieves. Make a world your own, or it is not worth building.
Snarly - Thank you for the kind (re)welcome! I have never read either of the books you mentioned, although "A Farewell to Arms" is on my To-Read list. If I understand correctly, though, "A Farewell to Arms" is a fairly cynical book with regards to war.
I mused this little song today, but I cannot remember the tune now. Here are the words:
Gray bird sitting in a green leafed tree,
Why do you seem so sad to me?
I am the gray bird and my song is true,
But I cannot look upon the sea so blue,
I can not look upon the sea.
Allein - I never received a survey.
"Like a song, out of tune and out of time, all I needed was a rhyme for you... c'est la vie."
-Lena
Hello the group:
I have been watching from the sidelines for the past two weeks. The writer's group I attend at the local Borders book store only meets once a month, so daily checks of this site have been enjoyable. I appreciate the wide range of perspectives in age, background, philosophy and geography that I see here. I also enjoyed the discussions about recent world events.
It was with some mild alarm that I read about the disagreements among you, as I feel I have come to know each of you and your absence would be missed.
I find more of you than I would have thought with backgrounds and intrests similar to mine:
Navy, Viet Nam, electronics, and probably some others.
I have daughters in college.
Some of you "are" daughters in college.
It turns out that my local writer's group (the regulars) consists of five left-handed males and one right-handed female. Seems I have heard of studies associating left-handedness with increased creativity. We lefties can only hope. Creativity in a writer could be a good thing.
Could we have a show of (left) hands here?
I have a SF novelette out there circulating about, gathering rejection slips but some of those have been rather encouraging. In the mean time I contribute electronic how-to articles and report on local events for my local amateur radio club newsletter, and submit an occasional rant to the letters to the editor section of the local newspaper. (Flint, Michigan)
I think more slowly than I type, so my future comments here may be somewhat less expansive.
Some of you may be relieved.
Wes
Tsk, tsk--I haven't posted in so long that I have forgotten how to do the heading. My apologies.
On war—I thin that every generation looks at war differently, and a lot of it has to do with the wars they experience. My uncle grew up with the glories of WWII, but encountered the reality of Vietnam. I grew up with the horror of Vietnam, yet the “conflicts” that we have been in since have often been glorified or worse, ignored (Desert Storm, Granada). I speak from an American POV, of course. And I think that the genre of literature influences how war is portrayed, also. For writers of fantasy such as myself, war is a common element, and often glorified. But many of us try to make it realistic, too. It’s a fine line.
On language—I think that I mentioned before that language is often used to separate groups of people through the use of jargon and slang. I think that a lot of what seems to be “evolution” in language is actually just more segregation: acronyms separate the educated from the uneducated, emoticons separate the computer literate from the illiterate. Ebonics, at its worst, separate the races.
Goodweed—I will have to think on your topic, but I will answer it soon.
Agsousa—I will respond to your e-mail soon, too. I have not forgotten or ignored it, you just presented me with a challenging question.
How do a bunch of soldiers killing each other solve the world's problems?
—Kami
Goodweed-
You gave the answer I expected from a civilized person and a gentleman. Let us get beyond this, as you proposed. Do not hesitate criticising my work or even myself, with fairness and good knowledge of the facts. That is the only thing I ask from anyone in this forum.
You need not do much to call my attention. I read all your posts, as I try to read everyone else's.
Thank you.
Science-fiction writers and writers of other genres:
there is room enough in this site, I believe, for mainstream literature as well. "Shadows" needs your encouragement and not the opposite. I may try (and I have tried) to give support to writers of other kinds, even if what they write is not exactly in my line. I know some people here who have demonstrated a lot of interest for mainstream literature and, in a certain way, have found their way. They are happy, please do not discourage them, young and not so young.
I think that talking about works in progress is the best topic we can discuss here. I am sorry, but I am not prepared to let anyone make me speak about anything I do not like or prevent me to speak about what I feel I must. We had fifty years of repression in my country. That was enough.
Allein — I have read your post to "Shadows in a Dream". I am very proud of you. How is your gardening and car-washing going?
Greetings and Felicitations
I am a very old man who has been on Earth for a blessedly long time. If you have a question, I have an example. If you have doubt, I have advice. If you dislike the truth, do not ask me a question. I am here for you as you are here for me. If we work together, we will learn substance together. I have no E-mail. I have no http:, I do not speak html.
I have been around here for a good while. I have read what you have had to say and I have kept my opinion to myself. Until now.
The discussions that I have read in the near past have been good-spirited larks into the frailties and strengths of your particular version of life. The responses I have noted have not been in the same vein. You young people are all dear to me. You live the lives that others dream of.
To those living in different countries, the day-to-day lives of the school-aged of you are a glimpse into life in America, Britain, Portugal and Australia. My wish is that you all would come out from your cheery versions of life in your own country and tell the young members what life is really like in Portugal. In this way, you will aid both them and yourselves. You will help the young to realize more of the world, thereby expanding their views of a world growing smaller and will help yourself to see the inequities of life in general. What old men are there in your country? Are they resting comfortably around a pool? Are they working until death? Do the young in that country worry about the little things that American teen-aged school children worry about? This is a wonderful medium for the exchange of differences. And it is the differences that build friendships, perhaps better than the commonalities.
I do not berate you. I simply appeal to you to share the Greater truth which comes with life in different places.
Being as old as I am, I see petty bickering as a great tool for learning and I revel in reading it here. Just be careful to keep it from hurting one another. Better friends have I not seen.
To all with a decision, (Allien in particular) there are more choices than you see on the surface. An old saying goes, "If you have a decision to make, you lack information." To have to decide some thing over another thing is not to know enough about either.
It was good to write directly to you.
Vaya con Dios.
The Old Man
I know that this is my opinion based on what I believe to be true. First, Alien, Lena, and those more youtful than I; I do remember my teenage years, the excitements, frustrations, and passions. You have the same right to enjoy the complexities of life that I did. You also have the right to express yourselves and any topics you wish to express. What I have learned through hard lesson (had a knife pushed against my throat once for it) is that I must let others be heard.
I often knew answers that another shipmate (I was in the Navy at the time) didn't in the field of electronics. I was truly trying to aid him in his diagnostic abilities. What I didn't know, was that I was making him feel more inept. It came to a head at the end of the cruise when he was ruining a mutual freinds new knife, which he was trying to sharpen.
I tried to explain to him what he was doing wrong and why it was wrong. What can I say? I had been a boy-scout and was taught how to sharpen a knife by an excellent scoutmaster. He got fed up with me and jumped up with the knife in his hand. Three other freinds jumped up and dragged him away from me. I didn't write him up for it, though I could have.
I understood then that I was part of the problem. Please learn from my mistakes. I do think your views are refreshing, especially when you talk about your writing trials, tribulations, and successes. I have the same ones you see.
Now to address the love instead of tolerance debate. I agree with love, if it is understood that one can love another, be sincerely conscerned for another persons well being, without likeing that person. There are a few on this world who have hurt me in the past so frequently, and deeply, that it left permanent scars on my psyche. I fully admit that. Some of these persons have never grown out of that mean-spirited way of life. I do not like them. I would probably defend them at my own risk were it necessary.
I will always have a problem with many of the alternate lifestyles. I will never feel the need to bash anyone. I have no predjudices that I know of other than against those who seek to do harm to others, for whatever the reason.
I was fortunate to have met an Iranian when the U.S. was freindly with that country. He was likable, and a man you could intictively trust with your freindship. He had great integrity. Then his government rebelled against our government. I don't really know enough to make a judgement of either. They both have their shortcommings as far as I can tell. The point is, if Jim hadn't been forced by his government to fight against the U.S., I don't believe he ever would have done so on his own. I don't know that he ever did. I never saw him after my year in Memphis.
That experiance taught me a great lesson. There are good and bad in all cultures and races. I have known both in many.
Another man I would trust with my freindship was Portugese. he was training to be a Navy Seal. He was one of the most likable men I have ever met. I could go on, but won't.
Topic; I'll respond to your challenge S.K.S. Time to stop whining. When creating a world, what are the strengths and weaknesses of basing that world on the world in which we live? Will that restrict creativity, or open up new slants on what is already known? Will it be too familiar, or will it make it easier for the reader to grasp the story without having to learn new creatures, plants, etc. What about the readers who can't think visually, but rather through words?
Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North
Lydia - I could not agree more.
Take care you
Rachel
MY GOSH! The whining I hear here sounds like a room full of kindergarteners rather than the educated, intellects I know to reside here. For crying out loud, there will always be topics that one is not interested in, but in a place with as many occupants as we have here, you cannot expect to always find what you seek. I read this site everyday I am at work. I do not participate or comment frequently. If you can't fulfill your needs currently on the discussed topics, go elsewhere. Yes, this is a comfortable and familiar place with friends and aquaintances we know. Because it feels like home we pour out our feelings. We don't expect to get them trampled on. Please, take exception from time to time, but don't make the attacks personal, make them individual. Not everyone is going to agree with you. Some will. Take comfort in those and go on. You want a writing topic? Suggest one. If it takes the fancy of any, it will be commented on and lead to discussion.
Michele, Don't feel too bad about your topic. I proposed one, some time back and didn't get so much as "Lousy topic. Forget it."
When people are wrapped up in a topic already, it is hard to divert them somewhere else.
I am fond of all of you. Some do tend to stretch my patience from time to time, but that hasn't run me off yet.
Any discussion we have here, from politics to religion, to schools and a person's daily acitivity or health is productive. Everytime one of us posts we have the opportunity as writers to see another perspective, another lifestyle, another view. All valuable to me as a writer. The mechanics of writing are good topics also and most productive, but please, always leave in the human element.
Lydia
Americo; You might be surprized to find that I am not of a simple mind, but rather hold a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering Technology. I love the humanities, poetry, such introspective activities as archery (which demands a great deal of concentration and effort) and love nature and the perfection created for us. As for my comments, yes they were designed to grab your attention. Now that I have, I can indeed apologize. I wanted you to know how it felt to be attacked. I read your attacks upon others. I do feel you have contributed in a real way to the notebook, as has every other person who has visited.
I'm sorry I went to such edxtremes in my verbage. I guess I let stress get the better of me. As for my input into your story, I was feeding off of (correct me if I'm wrong) Thomas's postings, not in the story, but on the notebook, giving it a sentience. I just extrpolated on that theme. The idea was to give the notebook a personality, show it's fear and insecurity, and finally, to show that it could learn to trust. From my point of view, the input had merit. I have not attacked your writing. You have your own style. I might march to a different drummer (sorry about the cliche') but tht does not invalidate my work.
I hope we can get beyond this. I value your posts and went far out on a limb to catch your attention with this one. It is somewhat out of character for me. I much prefer to sooth and offer compromise rather than yell and shout.
Sorry, Michele, I was on late last night, didn't get a chance to read everything. It's a good iead you have, except there are so many books on war that you'd probably go a long way to find one we've all read.
Several WWII books that come to mind (and that I enjoyed) were "The Longest Day" and "A Bridge Too Far," by Cornelius Ryan; "HMS Ulysses," by Alistair McLean, also by McLean were "The Guns of Navarrone," and a few others. Then there was "Beach Red", "The Thin Red Line", and "Patton."
But before those there was "Wilderness Empire" and "The Frontiersman", both by Alan W. Eckert, which were very well written accounts of the French and Indian War and the American Revolutionary war. I'd recommend them to anyone, along with anything else that Eckert has written.
For VietNam there's "In Pharaoh's Army," by Tobias Wolff.
Douglas Reeman wrote about the British Naval engagements during WWI and WWII, and under a pen name he wrote the "Bolitho" series, about an officer in the Royal Navy in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.
Some writers glorify and romanticize war, and others try to depict the horrors a bit more vividly, to teach how evil it is.
It's a large topic! But as you say, it's well worth discussion.
howard
HEY !!!!!!
Right, now I've got your attention.... I did try - yesterday - to start a topic of conversation related to writing. The response it got was a remark from Lena about 2 kinds of war fiction, a dismissal from Allein, a lengthy remark from Jerry on Viet Nam and a comment from SNArly to Lena about remark...
So much for starting a topic of conversation related to writing... I wonder why I bothered ? It seemed as valid a topic as any - and was put in response to recent comments on the conflict in Kosovo...
So as hardly anyone can be bothered to respond, I'll go talk to someone who can...
Michele
Sorry for the lengthy post earlier but someone mentioned war.
Anyhow getting back to writing - what gets my goat is the lack of capatalization in the movies and tv titles and credits. Looks like (probably is) the things are put together by idiots.
War - what a terriable waste of good men.
They called Viet Nam MacNamara's war now the news has dubbed Kosovo Madaline's war it should rather be called Clinton's Folley.
When I got back from Nam, I read all the books that came out about the war most of them were fairly well written, and containd some truth. There were those written by the wana-be-vets who probably spent all their time in-country doing KP or cooking at the mess hall. You could tell them from the real vets by the stories they tried to tell based upon myths of the war, such as the old tale of dropping VC prisoners from a helecopter - throw one out and the rest tell the whole story of their units etc. Now this may have happened, but most of the wana-be-vets that I have talked to or read tell that they personaly wittnessed it. If all of them realy saw this happen we could have won the war as there wouldn't have been any VC left to fight.
Writing about war from the perspective of the soldier should to be realistic show the terror that is there when you first experience comming under fire. The realization that there are people out there who really want you dead, and that they will do everything in the power to make it happen.
The true herosim is overcomming that fear and forging ahead. Most soldiers don't fight for home, mom's apple pie or the flag. They fight to protect their buddies who quickly become closer to them then any brother could, and to protect themselves.
Allien - don't believe everything a recruiter says - I was one in the mid 70's and most recruiters will tell you exactly what you want to hear. While they have regulations that prevent them from lieing, they are taught in recruiter training how to tell half truths.
Goodweed of the North-
You wrote: "If you want to schmooze up to the youthful women on the e-net, please do it through the e-mail or some other less public forum. This site is devoted to writers, not romancers."
I knew that you were a simple-minded person on the day you took the tree for the forest and completely misunderstood "Shadows in a Dream." Your comment on it was, however, so valid as that of any distracted reader. A writer must be prepared to that sort of reactions and accept them with patience and humbleness. Having that in mind, I asked the other collaborators of the novel to be tolerant and try to improve their writing in order to avoid subtleties which not all could understand at this early stage of the project.
I hoped you understood that gesture of good will and did two things: a) going on reading the book and be honest enough to, on the appropriate moment, recognize your error and apologize for it; b) ask to withdraw your collaboration, either because you did not approve of the book you were contributing to or because you understood your stuff was inadequate. You did not do any of the above.
Instead you come now with a direct, personal attack on me. You confound my wish to encourage and be encouraged, motivate and being motivated, with frivolous chat and flirtation. And you finish by telling me that this site is for writers, not for romancers. As if I did not know it, showing my awareness of that by theory and by practice.
I started here with a challenging, thought-provoking discussion which is still going on, from time to time. Some of my posts have been publicly recognized as interesting.You yourself once wrote that I have taught you a great deal, and you meant literature.
Why are you denying yourself now? I am sorry for you, but I am not sure I can forgive you, unless you recant yourself. What you said is most unfair and, rather than contributing to improve this page, has drained a lot of enthusiasm from me for anything that goes on here. I hope it has not done the same harm to anybody else.
Jack used to post a weekly writing topic. That was good because most of us felt honor-bound to comment on it when we posted on the Notebook. Could we do something like that again? It doesn't even have to be Jack who brings up the topic, though I thought Jack did a good job at it. We could still maintain some socializing, but at the same time balance it with something more substancial.
Litter and SNarly,
I too decry the change in language due to laziness and ignorance. I think the computer has greatly changed the language, though not necessarily for the worst. What I hate is using abbreviations for everything. No one goes to Kentucky Fried Chicken anymore. We go to KFC. When reading the news we have to contend with the likes of the IRA (Irish Republican Army or the stock account). Then there is the CIA, the FBI, NEA, NBA, NFL, and the NRA. We don't enclose self addressed stamped envelopes in our queries but SASE's. These abbreviations have always been with us, but it seems that they are increasing of late, and sometimes they irritate me.
Incidently, I hate "nite" and "lite."
I believe the reason for much of this language change is that few people have respect for the language's origens anymore. History to a lot of people is passe. I personally like English's idiosyncrasies. I like the ght endings because they harken back to English's Anglo-Saxon roots. These things have carried over through countless generations. I don't see why they have to be overturned in just a mere decade or two by advertising departments and ignorant and culturely profane writers.
Goodweed,
Your spelling doesn't bother me in the least. Though I realize the truth of what Thomas says about spelling, I don't think we should have to be such sticklers here on the Notebook. My spelling is terrible sometimes. My spelling is sometimes so bad that I can't even find the word I am looking up in the dictionary. How can I in good conscience impune anyone else for the same failing? Sometimes we only get a few moments to post and cannot run to the dictionary to check a spelling.
Well I have to run now and try to get some work done.
Happy Writing!
Rhoda
Been away a bit, so I apologize in advance for this egregiously long post.
Americo - Me patriotic? You such a funny man! I'm apparently a bit more selective in my loyalties than you. I'm also and eye-for-an-eye kind of person, but we won't go there.
Lena - Good to see you are still alive. Keep it up! Where would I be without my twin? Which of those categories would A Farewell to Arms sit? Not exactly heroic. He did defect, after all. But not exactly an accurate portrayal. Likewise with The Human Factor, which may unfortunately be out of print at this point. Then again I suppose there are also those who would argue that it's not a war book per se, more of a suspense and intrigue kind of thing.
Allein - I did that once. The hair thing, that is. I think people have finally figured out that I'm not 15. I've increased to 17 (which is annoying when people think I'm a high school drop out). So they're about a decade off. Big deal. I'm sure it'll be nice when I'm 80.
Ed and Goodweed - Thank you for your honesty. I also would like to see more talk on writing, although I wouldn't expect all carefree banter to disappear. That just doesn't seem to be the nature of the electronic bulletin board. It is nice, too, to get to know each other a bit. It helps in deciding whose advice is worthwhile and whose may not be. About a year ago we were much more heavily into writing topics, and I found it quite useful. Sharing of information; that's what it's all about. On just about every site I frequent for writing stuff, I run into the same thing.
Litter - Good topic. I agree that language is a constantly evolving creature. However I am also one of those who bemoan the illiteracy I'm surrounded by. I cringe every time I see ‘s to make something plural. Creative spellings (there's a hair salon here called Kreative Kuts) is one of my gigantic pet peeves. I hate to see the language evolve on the basis of stupidity, laziness, lack of interest, and/or inadequate education. The definitions of words change over time because they are constantly misused (nauseous, for example). But then in language, majority rules and I am obviously not in the majority.
Martin - You might try Zoetrope. It's a bigger site (much) and a bit ungainly to navigate, but each topic has it's own board, which is kind of nice. Zoe is a critique site as well, and you will need to critique five stories to get in to the discussion boards. If you decide to give it a try, make sure you give those first five crits serious thought, because no one likes a quick crit by a newbie just trying to gain access to the other stuff. I've a zoetrope link on my page, which is currently the only URL I bother to remember while I'm at work. Hope that's not inconvenient.
Howard - While love may be the desired end result, I think tolerance is a good midway step. Tough to get people to go from hate to love, and just now there are a lot of people who hate anything that is unfamiliar and unlike themself.
SKS - I have tried to divert the topic back to writing several times. Remember when I asked for something other than Shadows stuff? But there appeared to be a lack of interest. I have no problem with the chat, as is apparent by this extravagantly long post. However, as stated above, I am also very interested in talk of writing and crafting issues. I'm interested in others' experiences and what I can learn from them. I'm interested in sharing what I know with those who are interested.
To All - Anyone know if the magazine Whispering Willow has folded? They've had an MS of mine since December and now they don't appear to be showing up on any of my current market lists. I'd like to send the story out to Pulp Eternity, from whom I just received a fabulous rejection lette, and I'm on a bit of a deadline. I will query them, just to be sure, but if anyone has this market info for me, it'd save me time. Thanks!
S.N.Arly
Hey all,
Whine, whine, whine. To all of you who are complaining that this site should be dedicated to writing, and are annoyed by the frivolous nature of some of the posts, my question is - what exactly have you posted lately? Have any of you come up with any interesting themes or threads for the more literary minded to pontificate upon? Come on - be specific. Throw your ideas out there, and those of us who wish to comment or elucidate, will.
And those of us who wish to just chat will probably do that too. Of course, I realise that you're forced to read all that endless babble to get at the good, meaty writing topics, but…hey, wait a minute! Couldn't you just skim over the stuff you're not interested in and read the things you are? That way the Notebook could serve everyone's interests equally.
But of course that would just be wrong, wouldn't it. I mean, if we can't all see things the same way, there has to be something wrong with the way we're doing it. Therefore, I suggest we have a vote. All those who want to use this site to discuss only literary topics, vote YES. Those who don't mind a little friendly banter thrown it, vote NO. Then, in the spirit of the truly democratic and tolerant society that we are, the winners will force the losers to conform. Then we can all be happy.
Be Well, Live Well.
I finally added to Shadows - proud of me? :)
Allein
Boy were there ever a lot of typos in that posting. One day I might even remember to proofread these postings before sending them out and becoming completely embarrassed.
I reference to our younger writers; I would quote a small piece of a psalm I think applies here. "To everything, there is a time to every purpose under Heaven". I don't think any of us "older" writers wants to tell you to shut up and get back to work with no time for freindly chit-chat. Rather, I think we are trying to say (and excuse me if I'm misjudging anyone here) that the socialization needs to be tempered. That is, we are trying to learn a craft, one that we feel strongly about. I know that it is my goal to be published. I have learned a great deal in this forum in previous years. And I hope to learn more. I won't though, if all that spoken of is light, airy, feel-good, hi, how ya been, my test went poorly, etc.
And Agsoussa; You speak strong words so I'll return the favor. I don't like the notebook the way it is now. I liked it better before. If you want to schmooze up to the youthful women on the e-net, please do it through e-mail or some other less public forum. This site is devoted to writers, not romancers.
I know I'm going to get flamed for this one. SKS, Thomas, Hayden, Eddie, Rhoda, and all my freinds here, sorry for stirring up the hornet nest, but I hac to jump in. Like a few others here, I was feeling that those of us who are seriously trying to better our craft skills are being squeesed out by the frivolous.
Again, socialization is good, but not as a steady diet.
Seeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North (and to think I used to be a peace-maker)
Our local newspaper (part of the Gannett Group) is running a series about what kind of values we should be teaching our children. They've requested the general public to submit short (200 words) letters on the various topics, and they've started with Tolerance. I jumped right on it, and began to write (in my head) the Final Word on the subject. Right! I immediately got sidetracked by the idea that perhaps tolerance is not all that desireable. That's right -- who needs tolerance?
Now maybe I'm all wet, but doesn't tolerance carry some undesireable baggage with it? Just what do we mean by tolerance anyway? Is it just me, or does the word really say that "You're really not quite as good as I am, but look how sophisticated, and how sacrificial of my own desires I am by making this effort to tolerate you."
Also consider the possibility that the word has been pushed on us by people who want us to use it to overlook things they do that we really should *not* tolerate!
Then consider the (okay maybe it's corny) possibility that we already had a word that covered all the racial and ethnic situations being held up as reasons for tolerance. A simple four letter word that's so much better than tolerance. An unselfish, unadulterated word that leaves no room for ulterior motive, and is already the very opposite of the hate that intolerance is supposed to cure.
Am I too far out by suggesting that it's not tolerance we need -- it's LOVE.
howard
Lena - Glad to see you're still here. Yeah, I think Chap. 14 was the last e-mail I sent to you. I think I also sent a survey after that which I wanted you to answer.
War in Lit. - I'm really not into war books. All I have to say about Kosovo is that I think we should get our noses out of there and start working out the problems in America. There are plenty.
Well, bai bai,
Allein
I have a free night, and so I read everything posted in the Notebook in the past week. My goodness. I have much to say, so bear with me...
Ed - Ouch. Wounded, indeed. I understand what you are trying to say, though, and I agree with the spirit of it - even if you did express your opinion with all the inherent subtlety of a plummeting anvil. I feel bad that you even had to THINK about leaving us. I am taking a Notebook Sabbatical (is that the right word?) currently while I take my finals... I am sparing you the brunt, believe me! And I do contribute to the "real" discussions on literature and the fine art of writing on this site. If I had never told you I was in high school and never mentioned that I was taking, say, my final exams, would you have addressed your remark to me? I debated even telling those on the Notebook my true age, for a while. I believe that there is a bias out there towards the opinion of the younger generation, though it is, of course, vehemently denied. I am who I am, regardless of age, and if I happen to mention what happened in my school today, well, as Allein said, we are students and this is the life that we lead.
War in Lit - I think that authors tend to approach war in two ways - the Heroic version (epic fantasy, glorified legends) and the Stoutly Realistic version (ie Saving Private Ryan, Thin Red Line, etc.) I have not read many novels that combine elements of both, which is what I believe war is. War can bring out both the evil in people and the good in people. Most authors tend to focus too exclusively on one side or theme. Life does not have a theme. Themes are made up by English Professors who need to publish something in order to justify their existence. (sorry, Americo - this does not necessarily pertain to you!)
I am a bit wary of writing a battle scene for my story. I have a wonderful plot leading up to the war itself, but I am so acutely aware of my lack of experience in such matters. I do not know what it's like out there, and even listening to others and reading books can not cover such a basic lack of... of FEELING what it is like. I know that "The Red Badge of Courage" was written by a twenty-one year old who had no war experience, but I did not like that book and so that does not count. Any suggestions?
Pussy - "Fidelity is a virtue, have it if you can. Seldom in a woman, but never in a man..."
Allein - Have you noticed that we are always grouped together on the Notebook? When people mention you, they often throw me in the mix so as not to hurt my feelings. I suppose it was unevitable, though... two seventeen (hah! I finally caught up with you!) year old girls, charming, witty, intelligent, beautiful... oops, that's just you. And you mentioned an e-mail a while back... I have received no e-mails from you since you sent me Chapter 14 of your story. Was that what you meant?
I believe I said this once but I'll say it again. I am not a good speller. I am decent, but what little skill I do possess is due entirely to the amount of reading I do. It's nice to know that ability to spell and talent at writing are not connected!
I do have a dictionary. Got it for my birthday this year... amazingly enough, I did not own a dictionary or thesaurus before last month. *cringes* Don't smite me, now!
Martin - Sometimes there is a good reason to kill. The trouble is, nobody can agree what that reason is.
Americo - I know I had something to say to you, but I forgot. (why did I even bother to tell you that?) Remember, you need to teach me to swear in Portuguese!
SKS - Don't stay away too long... your wit is sorely missed.
Xavier/Americo - I have read a few Regency Novels... this is the point where I protest becomingly that a duel would be such an AWFUL thing for you to have... I would really hate to see anybody injured on behalf of lil' old me... and if you are going to do this duel, would you please go outside so you don't accidentally break the china? Thanks. *smiles sweetly*
Best wishes, everyone.
-Lena
Americo - a while ago you asked me how to write in Japanese and well, I couldn't show you for obvious reasons. I recently found a site that could help you. Here is the link:
http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Island/3396/japanese.html
Hope this is helpful!
Allein
Hi
Rather than rabbitting endlessly on at one another why don't we have a proper discussion ? And since so many here are obsessed with the conflict in Kosovo, how about a discussion on war in literature ?
The daily paper I read, The Independent, has been running a series of articles on the Kosovo conflict from writers around the world. We might also consider how propoganda was used - for instance early in the First World War, Britons were told that German soldiers were killing babies in Belgium, we might consider how many books of war poetry & how many war novels were written during and after the First World War by writers of all nationalities... I can think of a famous French book - Henri Barbusse's Under Fire (Engiish title - the French title was Le Feu), the German books All Quiet on the Western Front (E M Remarque) and The Storm of Steel (Ernest Jünger) both translated and published in English in 1929.
We might also consider Vera Brittain's Testament of Youth and we consider how collections of war poetry by women are only just being published and discussed - such as Scars Upon My Heart (ed. Catherine Reilly).
This is just a suggestion - at least it would take us back to discussing literature and writing instead of merely chit-chatting...
Michele
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Agge shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.
-- Laurence Binyon, For the Fallen, 1914.
HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!! This goes to all the mothers in the notebook.
For my mother today I've already done some chores around the house and later I'm baking chocolate chip cookies. Yeah, I know what you're thinking: Allein? Baking? Call the fire department in advance!
Actually, the cookies are the kind that you just pop in the oven and cook - no making dough required and I'm really not that bad.
Well, just wanted to drop in, say hi and sustain Americo's life for one more day (seeing as how he can't live without my posts).
Toodles everyone,
Allein
Hi All
To end that discussion about spelling, simply forget about it. Watch your words, they can be much more harmful.
Does anybody know any other links where talks like tihs are going on. (Please no chats.)
I think a tiped my E-Mail address wrong the last time - just kill that coma and settle for a point.
Hi Americo
I am no Rambo either, but Steinbeck does make a good point there. Lenny is the guy who killed a girl because he wants to pet her.He loves mices and believes that the hair of the girl feels like peting a mouse. First the girl submits to Leny because of his strong build body; but then because Lenny is way to strong everything gets out of control and he brakes the neck of the girl. Because Lenny is as well a little bit limited in his mind he not realizes what he has done.
Now tell me. Is it not better to shoot Lenny (as it was done at the end of the book), than to let him live and doing harm to hundreds other girls?
Or would you rather cage him, where he still can live but do no more harm? Maybe put him into a zoo and feed him three times a day, so he can live on?
What we do have A-Bombs for? We only have one planet. I think because the thread was so eminent, it kept any crazy Hittler copy from starting the Third World War. If the thread is eminent for another two or three hundred years, people finally will learn to live in peace together. Only regret, that I won't see that day.
Hello, my darlings!
May I suggest a topic for your enlightened discussion? Fidelity in marriage (fidelitas in matrimonio). Sorry, my latin is a bit rusty.
Well, Impala. I am married, you know? And I only talk about serious matters. Are you prepared to discuss the concept of Weltanschaung with us? If you do not like that, perhaps "Abraham Lincoln on capital and capitalism."
Sierra Club informed me that only agsousa sent a check for me to pay the fine. You Americans are very stingy! And some of you are carnivals.
I would like to be friends with a gentleman in this forum called Mr Jon. I love his posts. He is a sweetie. I am blond and slim, blue eyes.
Good idea, Allein. If you join the Army, there will be no more wars. Or, if there will be, enemies will immediately surrender to charm and long hair. In any case, I think you will be a better shooter than some people I know.
Thought: what's the good of having missiles if you can't distinguish a Chinese from Milosevitch?
Reflection : get ready for the greatest challenge ever — to compile the best posts from the archives and write the book "Thoughts and Reflections". Volunteers accepted.
Challenge — serious writers of this forum : we are waiting for you to start a good topic. Lena and I can't do everything.
Today is sunday but it is not a sin to write lots of interesting posts in my favourite site.
Eddie — I posted a message in your site. I expect to have an answer.
Hi everybody! Guess what I did today? I thought long and hard about my future. I talked with a recruitment officer about the possiblity of joining the Army. It gives many oppertunities and benefits. And since women can't go into combat, I don't have to worry about fighting if there's a war. I personally don't want to fight, but I think we should be allowed to. Of course the chauvenist pigs in Congress think that us poor, delicate dears will be hurt. Appearently none of them have ever seen J.I. Jane. Actually, I haven't either, but I hear it's pretty good.
And to get into basic training the only physical strength requirement I have to pass is one push-up. Guys have to do 20 - which I also think is unfair. Though in my case, it's good. To be truthful, I could stand to get some exercise. Scratch that, I could stand to get A LOT of exercise!
Anyway, I'll have to tell my teacher on Monday. He'll probably slap me and say "Allein, we talked about this! Why serve a country that's..." And go off talking about everything we've discussed that's wrong with this country.
Well, anyway, it's my bedtime,
Goodnight,
Allein
Litter,
No need to apologize, I suppose I missed your point. But I assume I certainly made mine.
Once again, I go to bat for the profession. Is this what I am supposed to be doing on a Web site for writers?
Anybody home?
I have licked the stamps to all today's letters and sent them overseas. Now it's your turn.
(I'm getting addicted to glue).
I thought that if the serious people in this chalet initiated some serious conversation I might join in. How about the impact of Chinese romanticism in the Western Weltanschauung? You don't know what Weltanschauung is? And I am just a cat...
Martin -- Welcome! I read "Of Mice and Men" years ago also, and I remember enjoying it, but not much more. Is that the one with the differently-abled person named Lenny? I'll have to dig it out and read it again.
All -- I have my loaner copies of Zenna Henderson's books (the ones I recommended a while ago) back, and will be glad to loan them to whoever wants to send me their snail-mail address. The only requirement is that you read them as soon as you can, and send them either back to me or on to the next person in the group who wants to read them.
Omni -- Can you send me the recipe for that leek and potato pudding? Or were you just kidding about that?
All (again) -- This is starting to sound like the old Prescriptivist/Descriptivist debate that I tried to understand when I was younger. As I recall there were no clear winners in that one.
howard
My My....I seem to have lit a fire!
Isn't it just like the old days.
Allein, Lena,
I just wrote a page and once again the notebook had it's nasty way with it and spirited the post away!! I wrote it mainly to you both. In essence it said (It's never the same second time around but here goes) Please don't try to justify your posts on the notebook. My post was all about me, not you! To justify my last post though, I would ask you to reverse the situation. If you opened up the notebook day after day and failed to read anything which inspired you to reply, or promted you to submit your thoughts, how would you feel?. You might say that it is just my temporary state of mind which makes me miss the point for a while and you may be right. But as I said, the post was about me, not you. Please read it again and I am sure that you will see this now that the pang has lessened.
I would also like to thank you all for the support which I have received via email, I was suprised by the depth of feeling my post evoked. I did not actualy say that I was leaving the notebook, It wont let me anyway!! What you good people don't realise is that the notebook has taken you all prisoner! Just try to post a farewell message and find out :¬)
We are all here for life, there is no escape. I hope this post gets through, after all, it has the f******l word in it twice.
seriously, my post did bring up a valid point: The main function of this forum: I would merely point out that the majority of posts lately are of a chat/social nature and as such will discourage deeper discussion. I am not a totaly serious person who eschews the lighter side of life (ask those who have read some of my 'Stange posts'. I just feel that if the notebook does not inspire original thought now and again, or fails to make you say WOW once a week or so, then it gets flat. Perhaps we are so afraid of disturbing peoples sensibilities or just so afraid of the politically incorrect that there is nothing left but pleasantries.
If I have directed the train of thought into another direction than of late then it can't be all bad, Can it?
Later,
Ed
WoW!
It seems this once peacefull board has become quite hostile of late. Guns, shootings, duels, mowing lawns-- it's all so un- notebook like. However, I too would like to see this board return to a more of a writing orientated stance, while I do enjoy reading the witty and oft humourous posts from our "younger" writers. It was my hope that some kind of happy medium can be found. I, like others, first came to this board looking for a place to talk, learn and think about writing. However, I've found much more than just that, and have grown fond of many people here.
I do enjoy hearing bits of peoples lives, and find every experance a possable story plot, or twist. Being fairly new to writing, I need help to find my way, help only other, wiser writers can give.
To the young women here, write what you like, just becouse we are older dosen't mean we don't understand.(did I just sound like your dad? I'm only 30!!!)
Unto the older, wiser writers: Please don't abandon us, we need your help too! (I guess I'm in the middle of the age exremes)
Xavier
Martin, I read the book many years ago. And I liked it.
There is NEVER a good reason to kill! I am a fanatic non-killer guy, but I will kill you if you say such silly things.
That reminds me that in some of the USA states there is still death penalty. Well, Arly, if you happen to still be alive, we have abolished that some centuries (at least one and a half) ago in this corner of biblical paradise.
Sorry, chaps, I am watching soccer and have no time to see if my spelling is okay.
Hi to everybody
Is somebody out there who read 'Of Mice And Men' by John Steinbeck?
Here is my challenging thought to the book:
Sometimes there is a good reason to kill!
You have not read the book? Do not despair! It is not the only book I have read. I love to talk about any books.
Make a sugestion!
Hi All,
Thomas, I think you misunderstood my intent with what I said. I do not condone sloppy work or misspellings, laziness or unwillingness to learn the 'craft' aspect of writing - quite the contrary. In fact I have spent a great deal of hard-earned cash to the end of improving the craft aspects of writing - many times more than I spent as a bona-fide student.
What I was really referring to is the staidness of some, usually but not always, of the older magazine columnists and editors, who fail to acknowledge that language is, and should be, alive and a great medium for experimentation. (Have I just agreed with Agsousa??????)
I firmly advocate learning the appropriate 'rules' of spelling, grammar and technique, so that you know which ones you are breaking! The general drop in quality of writing I read about in the UK education system is depressing, but I do not have a problem with those aspects of English which are evolving to meet the need of 21st century literature and communication. The fact that we in the UK accept Americanisms more and more these days is an encouragement, as I would hope to publish in the US as well as the UK and it means less to rewrite.
I apologise if I have misled you.
Allein - I love children too, but I couldn't eat a whole one. (Sorry - standard response in the UK!)
Howard - Thanks for the welcome - yes Impala's are strange animals...
Michele - my 15-year-old daughter is showing potential as a writer and I am thankful that she attends a school where they still care about the language and how it's taught. Now she can go out and start breaking the rules like her father :o)
You all be good now Y'hear.
Litter
When a man's knowledge is deep, he speaks well of an enemy. Instead of seeking revenge, he extends unexpected generosity. He turns insult into humour, ... and astonishes his adversary who finds no reason not to trust him. - Baltasar Gracian
Wow, lighten up - I read the intro to this site, and it said it was for "Once and Future Writers" - The young people who post here are certianly the FUTURE of writing. I think it nice to be able to live vicariously through thier postings.
Just a thought
"Fight the future, Live in the past!"
(My wife on reading the back of my X-Files T-Shirt)
I appreciate young students who work (even in the capitalist system) to get some money for the holidays.
I am looking for a novel (or short-story book) with the following theme : young gardener and car-washer describes what she/he sees, hears, smells and tastes while doing his/her job, in terms of people, squirrels and even adults (these to be dealt with proper rubber gloves). I do not believe in much dialogue (good only for filling in pages and almost nothing else) or plots. I like language, ambience, light, feelings — art, that is to say, contemporary fiction.
$$$$$$ offered $$$$$!!!!
Yes, Thomas and other "professional writers", there are, very handy, 101 sites dedicated to "literature". I know them, as I know the one you collaborate to. People send one threaded message and wait three days for an answer. The question is usually about how many characters must a page have and how much money must a "professional writer" ask from a publisher. With the occasional useless discussion about English and American spelling — and a lot of patriotic chauvinism going on. Disgusting!
It is a fact that I never managed to read all of the 300 plus Kbites of each of one of those sacred places, so I may miss something more motivating. But I caught the basics and I vomit before I read 25% of them. I am sorry you collaborate to such tripe, as I respect you as a person and as a I wine and food writer. Do not minimize THIS notebook. I love it such as it is.
----------------------------
Maria Emília went to her ancestors' lands, in the countryside, in order to make a movie of people, their voices, houses, the stuff. One of her uncles is 83 and not in good health. She visited him in S. Paulo (Brazil) at Easter and thought that her uncle would like to see the places of his childhood before going into invisibility. That is why I am on my own this week-end. I hope he will still be alive by Christmas to see the film. Perhaps I will still be with you to tell the story.
-----------------------------
And now I must have some urgent work done.
Agsousa - I do not work every day, just on weekends. Seeing as I have school every day I really can't work then. But once summer starts I'm sure my neighbor will find other things for me to do. Abraham Licoln once said "Labor is prior to, and independent of, capital. Capital is only the fruit of labor and could not have existed if labor and not first existed. Labor is the superior of capital and deserves much the higher consideration." This is kinda what I'm saying and what my mom has told me for years (figures I'd listen now) that money isn't free and you must work for it - no work, no money. Unless of course you win the lottery, but being only 17, I can't buy a lottery ticket yet. However, that's the first thing I'm doing when I turn 18. Might get lucky. :)
Rachel - I also love children and want to work in a daycare but there are so many classes you must take. Anyway, one day I'll have kids of my own - if anyone is brave enough to marry me, that is. :)
Well, so long all,
Allein
Eddie,
Whew! I know what you mean.
Perhaps the "writing" portion of this site will be confined to the sepArate sections for novel, short story (et al) entries. The overall Notebook seems to lean towards friendly banter and life happenings, with the exceptional discussion on, say, spelling.
Having little inclination, and little time, to take part in online collaborative writing, I hoped to use this site as I use another to learn, pass along and discuss writing ideas, like the conversation going on about spelling. When that opportunity does not present itself, I move on.
Litter,
Language evolves, sometimes it even changes, but for a would-be writer to assume that he or she need not worry about poor spelling (or poor grammar, or poor anything related to the craft) is a sign of laziness, a lack of maturity and whatever else you can think of that is not conducive to producing good writing.
Writing is a serious profession and those who would write but aren't able or willing to study just as they would study for any profession, cannot claim the title of writer. They can say, "I like to write," but that is not the same as being a writer.
I do not profess to know the spelling of every word in English, and I ain't so good at grammar sometimes, but I certainly do not think I have the freedom to disregard and excuse my ignorance -- I find out how to do it correctly, and then I do it. That is what my clients pay me to do.
Hi
Eddie
I don't know if you included me in your rant since I am also a student and talk about college a lot - can't help that - it takes up most of my life - including my writing time, essays are the only things I have time to write currently. But anyway I apologise if I am boring anyone...
ALL
Litter is quite right about language (including spelling) adapting, changing and evolving - it has to if it's not going to stagnate and die. And yes US English and British English differ in their spellings - did you know that a lot of US English spellings are the ones Britain used to use centuries ago - we changed and you didn't ? But even in Britain English is not the same all over - there are many regional dialects that have words that aren't in the Received Pronunciation of English.
However, there does appear to be a severe problem with illiteracy - and as you wittily point out, this is largely to an increasing reliance on machines to do the spell-checking and grammar checking for us... I am doing a short course on essay writing skills at present and one girl in my class claims not to know how to write in paragraphs... which I find incredible... and appalling - at 18 she should be perfectly familiar with paragraphing, punctuation and spelling - surely ? When I was 18 we were expected to be familiar with those basics of composition. Maybe the problem lies in the fact that computers are used to write essays these days - most of my fellow students (both young and mature) write straight to the wordprocessor without bothering to write essays out longhand, and the problem with that is that it is too easy to move things around the page - cutting and pasting - and so it's too easy to lose coherency, logical progression, etc. Or am I just being and old fogey and showing my age ?
These things bother me a great deal...
Michele
I woke up at 11:54 with a headache and also feeling lonely. I intend to spend Christmas on my own and wish to know who will be writing to the notebook on that holy day. The average life of each collaborator is three months. I said the average — counting those who leave a message here and disappear. I am also becoming old very quickly and would like to know who are the true writers in this place for exchanging stamps. If you do not answer this message I will move my wrath towards the bloody English. No stone upon stone will remain of that rainy, boring, fish-and-chips-eating European colony of the yanks! Do not tell me I did not warn you. My friends of yesterday may very well become my foes of tomorrow. I woke up with the killing instinct today.
(And this bloody headache!)
Allein — so you have become a slave of the capitalists. Tell us about your experiences in the labor world EVERY DAY. A day without a post of yours is for me a lost day. I can very well do without everybody else's posts here (except Rachel's and Lena's).
I guess I am not in the mood today. A good day for writing, I guess!
Hi all
Hey Howard - You crack me up!
Allein - You are sweet to want to help, but believe it or not this is nothing for me. I love children, I really do. I have worked with children for a long time. I brings me great joy.
I don't know if you would want to help so very much if you could even hear just a whisper of the noise from my home. It makes mortals run and hide! (grins and laughter)
Did I tell you that my daughter wrote her own little newspaper to take back to school in place of the "journal" which she felt was dull and boring? She's an intersting girl. She also wrote a very nice story. She lacks her brothers sarcastic snap, but her stories are very nice. I went in with her the first day back to school to make sure the teacher was all right with our modifications to her requested work. The teacher was delighted. (smart teacher)
Americo - You without words? (gasp) What have I done to you!
SKS - Pen told me you were making chipmunk sounds in the backround. You just behave and stop making fun of my voice, or the next time we talk I will make that high pitched squeak and see to it that your ears hurt! (grin, wink, just kidding, you can make fun if you want)
Jack - How's Fran? How are you?
All - Sleep well and Take care
Rachel
I just got me a job! I'm getting paid every two weeks (quite well too) to cut my neighbor's lawn and wash their truck (well, every week for the lawn).
Well, just thought I'd share the good news,
Bai bai all,
Allein
Omni vore (sp) — you are a carnival (cannibal)... (grin)
Howard —the right quotation for the right impala! Did you sent your contribution to Sierra Club? Hurry up, while the dollar still has some value (wait for the Russians soon... and the Europeans for that matter). (double grin)
Xavier — duel accepted. I'll tell you the wapons to be used tomorrow. Fear, oh macho! (grimace)
Eddie — do not dare to leave us! (double scotch)
Allein — I love your hair (thousand hugs per second)
Rachel — I am without words! (três abraços)
All — Good-night. It's 4.30 a.m. and I am falling asleep on the (what's the name of this thing you play the piano with your feet?). Good-night.
Rachel - Oh, I see. :) Understood. Just wanted to make sure you were okay. I wish I could help you with your kids and guest but I'm here and you're there - sorry. :(
I know I may annoy some people when I talk about my hair, clothes, make up and boys. But I'm a teenage girl, so if I didn't talk about these things, what would I talk about? Just kidding.
Y'all know I'm a little deeper than that - than most teenage girls. But let's face it, I'm not an adult. School takes up nine months of my life each year. There have been only four years I've never been in school (not counting nursery school) and I don't even remember most of those. Well, for those getting bored of hearing about my high school life, I get out on June 17th so then you won't be subjected to my torture. And then I leave for Colorado on June 18th so you won't even hear from me for a week. :(
Well, anyway, there's my two cents.
Bai bai,
Allein
What’s been happening here? I’ve been in withdrawal all day, and was just about to try the
Etch-A-Sketch to see if *that* would work for posting this foolish beast!
Litter -- Welcome back! I got your email, but thought I’d check here first before
responding. At first I wondered at your comment re impala, but now I think I see what
generated it. Strange posting!
Rachel -- Do the 8 children running ‘round your house have anything to do with the
surprise houseguest being on *top* of it? :-)
Ed -- stick around! Things are certain to liven up a bit. These younkers are just the ticket
for what ails old codgers and curmudgeons like us! Who knows, maybe we’ll learn
something in our dotage!
Allein -- Your hair sounds beautiful! Please don’t cut it any shorter. I remember my
great-aunt, who, at 5’1” had auburn hair that reached the floor. My uncle’s hair reached
the floor quite often too, before he quit drinking. Seriously, though, my great-aunt Alice
had beautiful long hair that reached clear to the floor, and she could actually cover her
toes in it while standing.
Impala -- Like they say in those southern movies -- “Life’s a bitch, y’all!”
Dear Impala,
Was that your mom? Still tender after all these years! Delicious in that natural gravy with
those little wild mushrooms, and the potato and leek pudding! All we had to accompany
her was a medium sweet red wine, but I think she would not have been offended by that.
By the way, have you heard that the grass is greener on the other side of the road? Only
please jump a little higher than mom did, so the hood ornament doesn't waste so much of
those tender ribs!
Your friend,
Omni
Just a moment, neighbor! Lena has published something new in "Shadows". There are still some writers left. We will survive! We shall o-ver-come! What's that sentence she wrote? "Please wear..." Underwear??? I need to see an optcrietian... and buy a deeptinary.
Allein — I get so excited whenever you talk to me! It is as if we belonged to the same planet or something... Will you send me your first novel, when, in three years' time, you'll publish it — just with your (true) name as dedication? You see, I like to collect the first books of future Nobel Prize winners. (My collection has no items yet...)
I admired the way you used that hose some time ago. Very efficient, really... I tried the method myself but Jon did not like it at all. He got all wet and said something funny about the extraordinary manoeuvres I learned with you to hold the hose. He said a word beginning with an "s" and another with an *f*. He repeated the last one three times. I think he was speaking ebonics (or quoting Tom Wolfe/Bret Ellis something/ any other of the magnificent American contemporary best sellers... no English writers mentioned because Eddie is feeling a bit down tonight).
For the sake of the great intellectuals of this page:
Allein's little piece of writing is a masterpiece of the art of suggestion. He never mentions it but we can see that he got soaked to the bones. Instead of describing the moon just mention its broken reflex on the running water of a brook.
Lena, my dear — the above observation is worth ten lessons of a creative writing course. Theckov taught it to Scott Fitzgerald, but true writers know this by intuition. Nothing teachers teach us teach us anything. Unless pupils are genuine writers — which is the case of you and Allein and two or three more youngsters I know. Adults are sometimes such a bore!
LLL (Long live life)
Eddie,
I am sorry that you feel the way you do about the Notebook. You have a lot to do with whatever direction it takes, as we all do. The Notebook is a collaborative effort, and it is the personalities of everyone involved who provides its particular tone.
Frankly I love the posts of the younger ones here. The Notebook is much like a family and without the younger voices, it lacks balance and perspective. It is sad that many things in modern life serve to separate generations. I find it very positive when young and old alike can share their viewpoints and experiences with one another like they do on the Notebook.
Well, time to go. There is much to do tonight. God Bless You All. Everyone have a wonderful week-end, and a Happy Mother's Day for all the moms and mums here.
Rhoda
Hi all
Allein - I am crazy busy! I have at this moment 8 children running round my house, and a surprise house guest on top.
No biggie in a bit two of the kiddies will go home and then I will be down to six and a house guest. That I can deal with.
I'll respond to your e-mail's later this evening. After the crew have gone off to bed (grins and laughter)
I think this will be a very fun night. The drums and organ are being played. The songs are being written. The nintendo is on and I had to wrestel a kid for the computer (more laughter) Ah and the great mysteries of the universe are being solved in my downstairs bathroom. (the science lab - much laughter)
I gotta run
Take care you
Rachel
Hi all,
Michele's dictionary question and subsequent comments have partly pre-empted something I was going to raise.
I believe that language evolves and adapts and that the function of a living language is to do just that - move with the times.
Compare the Language of Chaucer to that of Shakespeare. Then compare Shakespeare to Dickens to Hemingway. Then Hemingway to .. well, almost any popular novelist of today.
Language develops, spellings change (Compare the UK English parent to its US English offspring), punctuation styles develop and become "cleaner on the page", removing many commas and almost all semicolons and so forth. Now we are faced with the next generation of change - that of the influence of e-mail and the Internet, with its jargon, short-forms and emoticons.
Notwithstanding the above, the regular writers magazines I read bemoan the apparent illiteracy of many new and upcoming writers, yet I feel that it is merely a natural progression. E-mail, because of its immediacy, positively promotes the use of familiarisms and shortforms that many of us would not have dared use in letters to anyone other than our family and close friends.
Comments?
And Michele, sumtimes my spillchicker works not but moreso even the grandma corrector responds failing to do in a reasonable manner &
All good things
Litter
Hating people is like burning down your own house to get rid of a rat.
Harry Emerson Fosdick
Eddie - I'm wounded. Can't think of anything else to say. Pity a writer who is at a loss for words.
Americo - You're such a sweetie. (((BIG HUG))) I'll continue to enlighten you with my posts.
Anyway, something really funny happened in class today. The teacher told my friend Billy to quit talking or he was going to get sent out of class - he was pretty much in Billy's face at this point. So, what does Billy do, pulls out a pack of tic tacs and says "Sir, would you like a breath mint." So, he gets sent out of class wondering why. He's my friend, but he's also an idiot.
Well, that's it for now.
Bai bai,
Allein
Anybody home?
Oh, Eddie. I never expected that from you! I love the posts of our younger collaborators and I expect them to go on speaking about their little/great problems. They are the best in life.
Well, I shall email you soon and see what happens.
Hello Thomas,
Nice to see you still think the notebook a worthwhile place to visit.
Earlier this evening I wrote a long farewell speech to the notebook. I have been feeling lately that the content of this esteemed forum no longer inspires me to contribute. But of course the notebook has its own will and would not allow me to send the page of sorry justification of my decision to depart. The post just vanished into the ether!
That said, the notebook has no power to disallow the venting of my innermost feelings as long as I don't threaten to leave!!
I find myself wearying of the continual posts of the younger members who delight in 'wonderful' depictions of anticipated high school exam results and who continually expound the joys of 'swatting' before more of the same!
I left that wonderful era behind many many years ago and I have no wish to re-live it over and over again, no matter how 'great' it was. I am so sorry if this post upsets many of our members but if we 'elders' continue to write in platitudes then we cease to be 'of the real world'.
I look forward to more meaningful and fulfilling content in the very near future but I really have to say my little bit and get it off my chest. After all, this is me, Ed, and I have to be myself or I am nothing.
Rant over.
Later
Ed
Rachel - Still haven't gotten an e-mail? Are you okay? Are you mad at me? Are you just busy? Drop me a line, girlfriend. :)
Allein
Hi all,
I just got my hair cut today - notice I said "my" not "a". I avoid saying "I got a haircut" because everytime I do someone has to day "Which one?" And I happen to think this is one of the stupidist jokes in the world - a classic, but stupid (probably cause I've heard it so many times). My hair used to be a little past mid-back and is now up to my shoulders. Sure, I miss my long, blonde hair and it pained me to part with it but now it's easier to take care of and I look older (at least 15). Everyone always thinks I'm younger than I really am. My family and I went to dinner on Friday night (last Friday) to a place that has a kiddie discount. The cashier looks at me, looks at my parents and asks "Is your daughter twelve yet?" The same thing happened on my birthday only they mistook me for thirteen. So, my mother politely had to tell the cashier that it was my birthday and I was seventeen. Oops. Right now, looking young is a burden because you get your ID checked for everything - but when I was at an R-rated movie I was looking for my school ID however the cashier saw my driver's permit and said "Never mind, you can see it." Ah, but I'll be grateful once I turn 40.
Well, I'll leave you with this final question: What was the best thing before sliced bread?
Bai bai,
Allein :)
Mason:
Welcome to the Notebook.
That was a pretty introduction, You introduce your karma and not your person! Who are you? Where do you live?
I love mysticism, I love the unspoken truth! Unfortunately, if it is spoken without a sense of origin then it is lost on me.
Please post again and in doing so, tell us a bit about yourself.
I look forward to meeting the originator of such a well written post.
Later,
Ed.
Maybe I am crazy. I thought everyone thought about snapping and killing random people once and a while, just like suicide. I always considered no difference between sanity and insanity other than that electric impulse that starts the motion. The same amount of energy it takes to blink is the difference between now and never, tears and fears, acceptance and insanity. Insanity, another word to seperate us. Those who can resist their instincts, opposed to those who live them, gave in to them..... for just a blink. A path you can not get off of. A destiny you cannot escape. A freedom you did not ask for. When we all desire for scilence but scream for everyone to shut up, that is insane. But people in society do it all the time. Beleiving that being a bigger part of the problem is the solution. Setting rules and not following them, seperating themselves from the rest. Does this not seem insane to you?
I still cry sometimes. Even when I get my slice of silence. I still cry, even though my tears do nothing. They mock my state with their functionlessness. THey drive me insane.
They are closing the lab I must go. I hope you enjoyed. I feel better writing.
Xavier,
Perhaps, but are you using the research you quote as an explanation or an excuse?
No matter. Editors and publishers seek neither explanation nor excuse, and it is the writer's loss who doesn't face that fact.
I am still alive... finished up my final exams in Calculus and Chemistry yesterday. I have three AP tests next week - Calculus, US History, and Chemistry. Aaauuugghhh... (that is the sound of slow strangulation and utter desperation)
On a much nicer note, I finally got my new bit for Shadows onto the Workbook. Cassie, please tell me if what I have written works with your character - is it too light? Did I get the character description right? I think our two characters are going to get along very well, both have a similar sense of humor and outlook on that strange thing commonly known as "life". We shall see. Also, who out there roaming the lonely streets of New York would like to meet up with Cass and I? Let's see if we can start bringing the characters together.
Miss you much.
-Lena
"Step out the front door like a ghost
into the fog where no one notices
the contrast of white on white." - Counting Crows
Hello Everyone!
I had some neat- o things to say but I'm too afraid of mis- spelling a word to do it!
Oh, what the hell, face your fears, right?
For those interested it has been found that the ability to spell and the ability to write well are NOT connected. They actually come from two different sides of the brain. It is purely LUCK that both my writing AND spelling suck!
Anyhoo, I believe Americo wanted to challenge my charicter to a duel over the young ladys. How machismo, I love it. However, consider this: Xavier is an ex- boxer with a perchant for large hunting knives who has "tangoed" with the worst hoods NYS corrections had to offer. He also suffers from mild, drug induced psychosis, and can be, uh, unpleasant at times.
However, after talking at great legnth with Xavier, he's decided not to accept the challenge. He says that you can have the women, if you wish. There is only one woman for him, his sunshine, and she has gone on to a better place.
With any luck, he'll join her soon.
I however, will gladly duel for the women.
Being machismo a bit myself.
Xavier
Hi
This thing wasn't working earlier - I couldn't post...
Anyway to answer your question Hayden, I had a personal email from Philip a little while ago (2 or 3 weeks I think) and he said he's coming over to the UK later in the year - and wants to see my work - a daunting thought ! It's a long way from Aus. to see someone's work...
Michele
S.N. Arly — please do not "patriotize" things. I never said there is no violence in Portugal. Actually there is not (significant one, I mean), but patriotism is one of the things I consider responsible for many evils. If you want me to speak about the wrongs of my country, I will be most pleased to talk about them, provided you and the other people in this place promise to read and comment. My thoughts and reflections on America are constructive - not anti-american. I wonder if I do not love your country more than you do!
I am a five year-old, female impala. I am from Angola. Last week my mother was killed by a huge American car. The driver was drunk and driving at 160 miles an hour. It was night and my mother became dazzled by the powerful headlights of the vehicle. She died instantly as if shot in the heart by one of those big bullets Mr. Jerry Ericsson keeps praising, with the tacit or expressed agreement of other Americans — so do not be sorry.
I am writing to you because I am one of those shy onlookers of what is going on in this brotherly page. Like them, I never dared to post, my English being poor and my spelling even poorer. I just read and cry (sometimes smile, and even laugh, but this is becoming rarer and rarer.) Also because there are so many common points between America and Africa (I'd rather not expound on this today.) It happens that the driver, supported by the police and other authorities, want me to pay a fine for damages on the "death car". I think this is most unfair! But I have to pay, if not they will kill me (they will kill me anyway, but that is a different matter.)
Please send a check of $2000 to: Sierra Club, 730 Polk Street, San Francisco, CA 941019, (415) 776-2211.
P. S. Good Christians need not contribute. They shall go to heaven just by praying and saying good-night to other Christians. Let them keep their money to their funny charities.
Hi all
Hey S.N. Arly - I never have any problem at all reading your posts. (grins)
I think rubber sia's sound much safer. I get to play with a rubber knife. I guess they aren't ready to arm me with a real one yet (much laughter) Can't say I blame them.
Can't wait to get a look at your Martial Arts Section in the Land of Moobeast (grins)
All - Me and my posts. Have to admit that I don't really have so very much time. Don't always put a lot of effort into the spelling. Don't know if I'll ever learn to use this computer.
Often I have to break from my post several times in order to bust up a brawl between my kiddies, or answer the door, or cook a meal, or, or, or. (I think you get the idea) I also have to cram it in between other activities and still leave time to write.
I admit that my writing has improved a good deal since I have come here. I am listening to you guys and your words are much appreciated.
SKS - Going to get pics developed today. NO, I am not a vampire! Honestly! Tell Pen she'll soon know just what a cuttie I am (grins and laughter)
I took a shot of me with my never ending pile of laundry for yah. Just so you can see I'm not kidding about that.
Take care all
Rachel
That was me. Obviously.
Rachel - No big bad tonfa strikes yet, but my spouse has gotten some of those. My sais are rubber because I'm not strong enough to hold the steel ones for long enough to get through a kata. I hope to upgrade to aluminum before my black belt test. I have heard some fabulous kama injury stories and one of the black belts at my school nearly skewered his foot when he dropped his sai. Maybe bo staff is a little safer.
Michele & Thomas - While I do proof nearly anything as I go, my fingers sometimes fumble and I don't always catch it on a quick read. I also don't always have time to proof my posts (right now I'm stealing a moment at work, for example - naughty me). I'd guess that's more likely the cause of spelling differences. Oh, and I never run my posts through spell checker. Takes too long. Yes spelling is important, but if I'm going to show up here at all I'm going to be on time constraints and just have to hope that you (and everyone else) can tell when I've made a typo and still get the gist of my message.
I am a lot more careful with my stories, I assure you. Although I can't say my fingers cooperate any better in that mode.
Jack - I remember hearing about the deer die offs in college, but I don't know that it was MN. We're the only one of the lower 48 that has never had wolves on the endangered list. It may have been WI. They chased out all their wolves at one point, but they're returning now. I like to go up north and go howling. It's neat to see who'll respond and just how far away they are.
Americo - There's a lot of violence everywhere. I bet some even happens in your safe haven of a land.
S.N.Arly
"She is everywhere and no place,
a church not made with hands."
-Waterboys
Hi gang
back for a bruiser or two
So great to see everyone just hanging out their words around here. And it was sad to see on the TV what was happening midwest. Ouch guys, you have my best wishes. Hope evryone is fine...or you wont be reading this I suppose.
Rhoda, good to see you here again.
Anyone seen Philip recently?
Hi Jai, if you're still about, towering over everyone.
looks like I hit the wrong button again.
Be back when I have something better to say.
Hayden
Today is not only Cinco De Mayo but also National Cartoonist's Day. Think of those people who draw Garfield, Peanuts and other comics that bring a little laughter into your life. :)
Bai bai,
Allein
Yo, All,
My Uncle, Aunt and cousins in Oklahoma came through it all okay, but it does, of course, concern us all when something like this happens. If we appear not to care, maybe it's the constant coverage of this sort of thing on the tube that makes us prefer to concentrate on lighter matters like are spoken of here...a time and a place for everything...
The subject of killing is an interesting thing. I don't kill anything as a matter of course. My wife gets perturbed when I fail to squash a spider, instead picking it up and putting it outside and out of our living space. It seems right to me.
That said, I spent a lot of time in the Philipines as a child and as a man and saw many cobras being slaughtered without mercy by Filipinos. You may say that even a poisonous snake has a place in the scheme of things, but the Filipinos don't agree, and will continue this practice no matter who says what on the subject. You see, during WWII, the Japanese were having a hard time getting the 'indigenous population' under their control, so they went to Thailand and collected poisonous snakes of all sorts and air-dropped them onto the islands. Islands where there had never been snakes of any sort. The population suffered greatly, losing mostly children who had no notion of how to deal with the new threat.
For this reason, no cobra is safe, and never will be. To this day, snakes are as welcome as Japanese.
I don't remember where I read it, but the shortest story in the world is, Coughin'; coffin.
It has all the prerequisites, beginning, middle and end. It has a main character and a plot. It even has a location, if you take the hyphenated word to be southern slang. Most of the elements of the story are IMPLIED, though.
Take care,
Jerry Lee
Americo -- I’m very concerned about the situation in Oklahoma and Kansas, and have
been praying for them. I have a niece who lives on the southwest side of Oklahoma City,
and we had no word from her until this afternoon. She’s okay, and only had slight damage
to her home. Some friends only a few blocks away, however, lost their home.
Rhoda -- Good pointer on the dating of words! It’s amazing how many anachronisms one
can spot in books, movies, and television. And good editors *do* keep up with that sort
of thing.
Michele -- Right on! Only when *I* said that I had to duck! I too am afflicted with
“proofreader’s syndrome,” to the point where it’s sometimes downright painful even to
read the local newspaper. But please let’s not encourage folks to rely solely on the spelling
checker. The wrong word correctly spelled can be much worse than the incorrectly spelled
right one, and incorrect usage or grammar can be deadly! Much better to read and
improve one’s vocabulary by practice. When I look up words in the dictionary (which I do
often) I find it interesting to read all the words/definitions on that page, and on the
opposite page, if I have time to do so. It helps with the vocabulary.
On the subject of short stories, I remember seeing “The shortest horror story ever
written.” I can’t remember the author, but the story went:
“The last man on earth sat alone in a room. There was a knock on the door.”
Then a few pages later, I found by the same author “A horror story shorter by one letter
than the shortest horror story ever written.” It went:
“The last man on earth sat alone in a room. There was a lock on the door.”
howard
Americo,
If you think killing deer is inhumane, you should see how cattle and hogs are made to live their lives and then dispatched in packing plants. Nothing is more cruel than taking a cow away from his pasture and sticking him in a feed-lot for 2 months. Here thousands of cows are jammed together in very little space. All they do is eat and deficate. They smell horrible. The cattle are then shipped off to the packing plant and slaughtered.
Hogs have it even worse. The only time a pig ever sees the light of day is when the pig is transferred from one house to another and then to the packing plant. These operations are very clean, but it isn't a good way for any creature to live.
Deer are treated far bett