Put a cork in it

[pjthompson]

Quote of the day:

"You never learn to write a novel. You just learn how to write the novel that you're writing."

—Gene Wolf (quoted by Neil Gaiman)


Oh, shut up.

These things come out of the random quote file at random—hence, the name. But it's amazing how synchronous they can be sometimes. I hate being bitch slapped by the Universe.

Corporate attitude of the day:

Perky corporate booster: Hi! Can I hang this flyer for the third floor unwinder over your quote of the day?"

Me: Over the quote of the day? What a concept. No.

Perky: Oh, okay. Well, be sure to join us for socializing and pizza!

Me: Uh-huh.

Concerned Neighbor as Perky scampers off: She wanted to post that over the quote of the day?? What was she thinking??

[Please note: I had not yet had my coffee.]

Crankiness of the day:

Every time I do intensive agent research, like I have been for the last couple of weeks, my mood gets progressively worse. This cumulative badtudinage starts to effect the muse, choking him to unconsciousness. When he reaches a state of moribund repose, I know it's time to ignore the agents again and return to blissful ignorance.

I managed to get four queries out before choking this time.

And I don't need any help dragging my feet over the boffo conclusion to Night Warrior/Born to Darkness/A Title to be Named Later. At least twice in the last week I took my usual writing time to lock myself into an empty office and stare at the wall, thinking about anything but.

I'm something of a fan of staring at the wall and thinking. Solitude and reflection are good things. Filling up every moment with items from one's To Do list or entertainment or chat leads to a high noise ratio in the ol' soully woully, I think. Quiet, contemplation, reaching inward...yeah, quality of life time we should all indulge in to refresh the spirit and replenish the imagination.

But I got things to do, damn it! I can't afford to sit around on my ass during writing time drawlin' and a lollygaggin'! So irritating.

In other news:

I did have a fine time last night with the girls, however, watching Charlie and the Chocolate Factory again and swilling wine. (Sangre de Toro, with a cute little bull charm hanging off the label. Hey, toro!) I even cooked—made my pasta with chicken, white wine, and artichoke hearts.

Comments

[kmkibble75.livejournal.com]

Hmm. Perhaps Perky would have been better served to ask to hang it 'above' the quote of the day? Can't blame you for reacting that way, though. Perkiness does not mix well with pre-coffee people.

And I'm so with you on the staring-at-a-wall thing.

[pjthompson]

There isn't room. She wanted to use the actual hanging thingie that I've attached the illustrated quote to, so she literally meant over the quote. Whatever.

And I'm so with you on the staring-at-a-wall thing.

I'd love to be staring at a wall right about now. Unfortunately, corporate responsibilities...

[kmkibble75.livejournal.com]

pfeh. So she wanted to make it look like you supported these corporate gatherings? you made the right call. The quote should remain distant and independent.

I'm 56 minutes away form doing a whole lot of staring... well, maybe not during teh drive home, but soon after.

[pjthompson]

The quote should remain distant and independent.

Well, true. My name tag is right there and I wouldn't want anyone to think I'm a booster. :-/ But she also wanted to cover up the quote, which makes it rather difficult for people to read it.

I'm 56 minutes away form doing a whole lot of staring...

Sounds divine. I've got three plus hours. :-(

[mnfaure.livejournal.com]

Wall-staring; I do a lot of that, too.

I guess that since you've seen CatCF "again" you would recommend it? I put it on my "to buy" list and still haven't gotten around to it. A good word from you could push me into a purchase. *grin*

[pjthompson]

Well, I think Charlie is hilarious and the visuals of it are amazingly imaginative. I thought Le Depp's performance was a hoot and a half, though some people found it a little creepy. And Deep Roy, aka the Oompah Loompahs, is fabulous. I've seen it three times now.

[frigg.livejournal.com]

Don't blame you for not letting Perky hang up her flyer.

And as for the wall staring...I think chocolate might be the solution - or perhaps some more wine. :))

[pjthompson]

In fact, I had a huge honking brownie and felt much better. :-)

[java-fiend.livejournal.com]

Quiet time alone, reflecting and pondering is invaluable and totally necessary. Sadly, I think it's something a lot of people have fallen out of touch with. A lot of folks just don't know how to sit quietly all alone. I don't know why that is, but I couldn't maintain my sanity without some quiet time alone.

Hang in there... don't let the cranks get to you too badly.

[pjthompson]

Quiet time alone, reflecting and pondering is invaluable and totally necessary.

Yep. I can't think of anything more horrific than being connected 24/7. But you're right. We in the Western world seem to be losing our ability to be quiet and reflective--and that scares me more than the Bush Administration. In fact, I don't think the two are unrelated. The more we stop getting still inside ourselves to ponder, the more we are prey to messages based on fear and knee-jerk reactions.

Hang in there... don't let the cranks get to you too badly.

Perkies are at least always good for ironic undercutting.

[java-fiend.livejournal.com]

But you're right. We in the Western world seem to be losing our ability to be quiet and reflective

I wonder why that is. Is it television? The internet? What is it that's making us lose our connection to ourselves?

The more we stop getting still inside ourselves to ponder, the more we are prey to messages based on fear and knee-jerk reactions.

I agree with this 110%. It's easier to simply buy into what they're selling rather than looking inward to really reflect and ponder. I think too many people just don't want to see what's inside of themselves. They'd rather let somebody else tell them what to think.

[pjthompson]

I wonder why that is. Is it television? The internet? What is it that's making us lose our connection to ourselves?

I think all these "connections" and others are part of it--we're hyperstimulated monkeys at this point. All of these media are good things, in and of themselves, especially the Internet. It's a wonderful tool and networking device. But it's a tool we've mistaken for reality, I think. It's the way we've come to use them that's the problem.

I've spent my time with Internet addiction, where I was literally online from morning to night, and I gave myself one of those overuse conditions. It forced me to severely cutback, and when I saw how hard that was--I actually went through withdrawal!--I've made damned sure it doesn't get that power over me again. And I know for a fact that I'm not alone in this.

[java-fiend.livejournal.com]

we're hyperstimulated monkeys at this point.

I think that's a terrific description. Sounds about entirely accurate to me. And you're right, it is the way we use them. We completely overdose ourselves on the internet, or on these other things we buy, like our iPods, our cell phones, etc. and so on. It's an addiction and a lot of people haven't learned how to "unplug" themselves.

Good on you for curing your addiction. :-) It's hard, hard, hard to do.