Wednesday, October 14, 2009
A Dilemma
One of the first assignments I got was from Marina, who asked me to write a humorous short story using certain words and phrases. A scene immediately came to mind, and I began writing right away. Then I remembered why I haven't attempted to write fiction since high school: I have no idea what I'm doing. The story has a directionless plot, too many characters, an unclear concept, and a villain so mysterious that even I don't know what makes her evil, or if she's evil, or what horrible deeds she's done. So I ask you: When you're working on something and it's just not working out, how do you decide whether to start over, keep soldiering through, or give up altogether?
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
In memoriam: list-making
My great-aunt Mary Schaub recently passed away. She was a writer, and a compulsive list-maker (and, judging from the old school books I uncovered at her house, has been since birth). So in her honor, I present here some lists.
Things I am afraid of:
1. Car crashes
2. Cannibalism
3. Senility
4. The dark
5. Amputation
6. Bed bugs
7. Raccoons
Things I highly recommend:
1. Yukon gold potatoes. Seriously, you will never go back to white potatoes again.
2. The library.
3. Re-reading books you haven't read since childhood.
4. Hot beverages - tea, coffee, cocoa. They always make you feel better, one way or another.
5. Vodka pie crust. Just try it.
6. Watching TV shows on DVD after they've ended.
7. Making your own granola. It's easy, cheap, and you can put exactly what you want into it.
8. Annie's White Cheddar Bunnies
Things I wish I had:
1. Long underwear
2. An disco ball
3. An exterminator
4. Sleeping pills
5. Skills
Best places to disappear for a few years to attain a mysterious aura:
1. Antarctica
2. Russia
3. Any desert
4. Montana
Best things to drink after a Very Bad Day:
1. Hot tea
2. Hot chocolate
3. Hot chocolate with Bailey's
4. Beer
If you enjoy lists as much as Mary and me, here are some great places to look at lists:
1. http://blablablamarina.blogspot.com/ Lovely lists from the lovely Marina!
2. http://www.mcsweeneys.net/links/lists/ I think anyone can submit a list to this site, and some of them are pretty excellent.
Things I am afraid of:
1. Car crashes
2. Cannibalism
3. Senility
4. The dark
5. Amputation
6. Bed bugs
7. Raccoons
Things I highly recommend:
1. Yukon gold potatoes. Seriously, you will never go back to white potatoes again.
2. The library.
3. Re-reading books you haven't read since childhood.
4. Hot beverages - tea, coffee, cocoa. They always make you feel better, one way or another.
5. Vodka pie crust. Just try it.
6. Watching TV shows on DVD after they've ended.
7. Making your own granola. It's easy, cheap, and you can put exactly what you want into it.
8. Annie's White Cheddar Bunnies
Things I wish I had:
1. Long underwear
2. An disco ball
3. An exterminator
4. Sleeping pills
5. Skills
Best places to disappear for a few years to attain a mysterious aura:
1. Antarctica
2. Russia
3. Any desert
4. Montana
Best things to drink after a Very Bad Day:
1. Hot tea
2. Hot chocolate
3. Hot chocolate with Bailey's
4. Beer
If you enjoy lists as much as Mary and me, here are some great places to look at lists:
1. http://blablablamarina.blogspot.com/ Lovely lists from the lovely Marina!
2. http://www.mcsweeneys.net/links/lists/ I think anyone can submit a list to this site, and some of them are pretty excellent.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)