Make this an office clear -up date, 23rd December 2023-----job complete by 13th March 2024. Don't laugh--this is s serious business!
Quote by verbal
Writing a going full steam - I wrote an entire chapter yesterday, and should pin down a second one today. It feels really good. Boaster! Thanking for making my feelings of guilt even stronger.Have a Merry Chistmas anyway..best wishes to you and your family. Might as well include anyone who reads this. Happy holiday to you all
No rants. Doc has altered my dear lady's medication so it's wait and see. Her only problem is anxiety (far less than her condition 10 years ago when she was hospitalised) In fact when the doctor asked her yesterday what was her major source of worry, she replied , "Him" pointing at me --she's still able to joke, you see. It was a joke, wasn't it? Office remains untouched, but I did manage to get into Chapter four of the historical novella. I'll wait until it is complete before I have it verified here chapter by chapter (a la Charles Dickens)
Now a hot chocolate--oh, wait for the kettle to boil----and Jeff you missed one of Sara's delicious cookies at the bottom o the Santa Claus jar. Hah! Now it's gone.
May have a little rant today. Doc is calling to see my dear lady and if she only offers platitudes instead of some definitive curative action that's when the rants will start--maybe toned down because it's Christmas, but there have been scans, chats and deeper interviews and tests, but no curative suggestions. We'll see . Then today, writing pushed to one side and I have to stop simply standing looking at that office chaos and get cracking. Done by Christmas? Some hopes! I'll just start with a hot chocolate and----Oh, Jeff hasn't eaten ALL those delicious cookies, has he?
With only eight days to go, I'm going to lever back from the stress of my rewrite so I can consider who has been left out of my present list. Two Michael Connellys arrived yesterday, both for my grandson--then, who else? I have one small Christmas based memoir which I consider getting into SS pages before the big day. That will depend on how the rest of the week goes. Might have to tidy my office---after all, it is the season of Peace and good will!
But before all that we'll start the week right with a large hot chocolate (Puts the kettle on) and find out what a beignet is.
Quote by verbal
Red, you might need to learn to work while surrounded by chaos.
Jeff, you weren't to know this, but working it chaos is the only way I know. And it is surely too late to learn. But nose to the grindstone again as writing is the only way to escape the dank, dirty weather we're having.
Ooh, can't resist those gorgeous Christmas cookies that Sara has laid out, but which to take--yes, I like the look of that pom-pom hat and with a hot chocolate. Might need to boil the kettle again for that.
Big game tonight against AC Milan-win, and we're through to the K.O round of the European Cup.
I stood looking mournfully into my so-called office this morning, then picked up my laptop and started working in a different room. My lady is rarely wrong--office is a mess! If I delay long enough she, with a few words of exasperation, will begin the tidying. Then I won't be able to find anything--probably because she's thrown so much out!
If Gill has left any, I'll have a couple of cookies with my coffee.
Into the 'Dead Zone' once more--Where is everyone? I know Christmas is coming and time is precious, but just a couple of words--too much to ask? I'd better heat the water and make some beverages. I can't find Ape's cache of rare teas, but I have some spare Special Earl Grey from just up the road. Found a packet of Brazilian Chihuahua coffee under the counter--Don't know how long it's been there (packet is dusty, but sealed) so I'll give it a spin.
I know very well that Christmas is coming because my dear lady becomes 'Bossy lady' and has asked (ordered?) me to tidy up the room I call an office. If you've seen the opening scene of 'CATS' you'll know what a state the office is in.
Now, do I wait for the water to boil or should I get back to that rewrite with which I am struggling. ("Is it more important than the state of your office?!!!) Who said that?
See you later.
Steinbeck, yet again:
"Many writers talk their books out and so do not write them. I think I am guilty of this to a large extent. I really talk too much about my work and to anyone who will listen. If I would limit my talk to inventions and keep my big mouth shut about my work, there would probably be a good deal more work done."
Does the coffee need refreshing or will it stay hot until now (9.00am (GMT)? If not I'll make an effort to put it on again so it will be ready when you all wake up. Then I'll have a large cupful just so I can sample that delicious looking Christmas bell that Sara has so kindly provided.
Next I must sort out this mess of a rewrite I have started--the cutting of chapters, or combining them is beginning to make a great Christmas jig-saw puzzle or is it a new form of word-game? My half-hearted attempts are making it more confusing. Anyway, not to lose heart, have another look.
I'm tired of this grumpy-faced old man who scowls back at me from the bathroom mirror every morning. I only recover when the scowl is replaced by seeing my lady's smile. Life has its compensations.
I have now spent three quarters of an hour, browsing, scribbling notes---anything to keep from starting writing but that time has to be now. I'll just have a large coffee and--if there are any left--one of Sara's cookies.
One worrying thought--has anyone any new on Elizabeth Black--she was a regular correspondent here. I know she had a health problem--but this has now been a long silence. Anyone know anything?
You see, Jeff, if you hadn't committed 17 hours ago (And thanks for your response there) I would have walked into an empty room. Everyone in bed? There must be members from this part of the world who are alert enough to say something. I'll just see if the coffee is still hot and treat myself to a mugful, with one of Sara's cookies. It is 10 am where I am, but that shouldn't account for an empty room.
Pleased to hear your health problems are less troublesome. It's good to have a settled period from hospitals, docs etc. Nothing on my calendar for the next few weeks. But sitting here I begin to contemplate how sturdy the stepping stones of life were that lie behind me and how suspect and wobbly are the few that lie ahead.
Oh, enough of the miseries--and on with this historical piece. The rewriting is much more enjoyable than the original was, mainly because, although some characters and incidents will change, I know exactly where it is headed.
Added another Steinbeck quote to that thread and, again, regret that we don't have more members keen enough to submit there.
Yesterday's snow has magically disappeared this morning--no complaints about that--but there's rain and heavy threatening clouds. Nothing's perfect!
Mira is aboard the ship with other youngsters escaping from the Nazis. I know where she's going but just can't motivate her at the moment. In the meantime, I am playing with the idea of submitting here the rewritten version of a historical novelle hoping to get some comments on it before attempting a touch of self publishing on Amazon. The very notion of keeping that going is keeping me alive.
Entering this page in the morning on this side of the channel has been like entering the Dead Zone--only Scott, Jeff, Sara and Gill make appearances to keep it alive. Then I asked myself --'And you?' - and realised that I had given little to improve the situation. So I resolve herewith to stop moaning and become a regular once more, while I am still breathing.
Couldn't resist hanging around for one of Sar's special decorations, but which one? Well, maybe two might settle my cookie passion. Together with a really hot chocolate. (First snows here, overnight. So it was into thick polo-neck Aran sweater) Still annoyed about that blatant robbery in Paris last night---it was never a penalty- and with only two minutes left!
I agree with you Scott, I hope Jeff's new thread produces a number of helpful responses. I need all the help I can get just now--definitely slowing down.
For those of you with long memories, I hope my new, short memoir, helps you recall the time:
https://www.storiesspace.com/stories/memoirs/All Through the Night.
This is a great idea, Jeff. I hope more people follow it up. I might learn something!
Here's something of Steinbeck's creation of characters: "They must be real people. And this means that every word in every line of speech must be accurate and full of some kind of meaning which stretches not only forward in the book but stems from what's happened before."
