Yeah, sounds like a good line. Perhaps I'll use it in a story one day. It's a pretty good description of the state of my writing this year so far. I scraped together about 750 words for a flash story the past couple of weeks. I'm not happy with it, though, and will work with the suggestions from the 'writing group' and try to evolve it into something interesting.
It's been an odd week. In the blink of an eye it passed by in a blurr. "Forgive me...fa...it's been a week since my last post." I know...a penance of some sorts is in order.
We had the boy's birthday this week, so my parents came down for a visit. And cleaning the house prior to their visit was quite a chore (even with the assistance of a dozen types of cleaners, a couple of Swiffers and a team of hunch-backed, old, cleaning ladies). It was also surprising that I missed Robbie Burns day on the 25th all together. Nary a word about it in the news either. Guess that I'll have to crack open that bottle of single malt and eat tinned haggis for supper tonight. I think that I may be dining alone. I forgot to mention that I received a package in the mail a couple of weeks ago that contained two books. I hadn't ordered anything from Amazon? They were from a certain A. Polson in Kansas. I was so perplexed about why I had been given the copies of Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad and Robert Frost's Poems that I emailed him asking why. Back in November he had held a contest at his blog promoting the release of his book Loathsome, Dark & Deep. I think that I had read as far as "winner of an Amazon gift card for $25" and stopped reading when I Wooted! and did a happy-dance about the office (much to the chagrin of my neighbours who discovered it was "Pantsless Friday"). So...apparently the books were another prize for winning the contest (to be honest, my name was randomly drawn...or so Aaron Polson SAYS...I think that he's developed a soft spot for Canadians--and why NOT?)
But don't despair. You can enter his newest promotional contest described here until this Monday. I have a purchased a copy of Loathsome but, alas, am yet to read it. I will surely post about the book once I've read it.
But wait...Al the Pimp is not finished yet! A friend emailed me this morning with a link to Jodi MacArthur's Love Bug contest. I have no idea how I missed her post on that. I was probably
12 comments:
You had me from that terrific first line! An enjoyable post, Alan! I'm glad you're stirring about! Happy birthday to "they boy!" Hope you shelled out lots of dough so he could fritter it about happily. Nice to hear you've shined up the place - could you send those cleaning ladies my way, please? And aren't you a lucky lad, getting Aaron's package in the mail (oh. should I re-phrase that? never mind...) And I'm sorry to hear you may have stolen one of Uncle Angus' lines since I was planning on stealing one of his, myself. A rapscalion, for sure, but my oh my what a charmer. Thrilled to see you're alive and kicking!
Sorry, Sean, meant "the boy." Alan, that means you have to give him more money, since he's plural.
Somehow I missed Jodi's post too - I'll have to check it out. One liners, that could be fun.
I actually just finished A. Polson's book, Loathsome, Dark, and Deep. It's creepy as hell.
Good luck with the writing - maybe if dinner looked a little more apetizing...course, a good malt will wash almost anything down.
: )
That picture, OMG, is that food? I thought it was a murdered turtle. :)
I haven't blogged all week either. Darn it, now I feel guilty.
Hey, Congrats on the win, Alan!
And don't despair everyone has rough writing weeks. We're always hardest on ourselves even when we know it's a part of doing what we love, dear lord, don't eat that haggis...
Most Canadians I've met have been fine chaps. Why not have a softspot for them?
Cathy- Lots of dough? Har! Good one! We took him and three guy-friends to dinner and a movie. We bought him a flight simulator on eBay. Rapscalion...that's not a word you here every day. As I recall, Victoria used to have a restaurant by that name (why does my mind always go back to food...)
Erin- Thanks for the impromptu review of Loathsome. I may have to move it to the top of the pile of books to read.
You're right...not very appetizing, is it? You've got to wonder about a meat-substance that needs a dagger plunged into it before serving...
KC- Har! A murdered turtle! Do a Google search...it comes in different forms. Some look like gigantic sausages. Nasty.
Kara- Hey, long time no see! My rough week's turning into a rough month. Guess we all need something to jump-start us once in a while.
John- Yeah, we're generally an agreable and harmless culture. Unless disagreements erupt over hockey, eh? Or a beer strike, that causes a bit of ire.
Um, who wouldn't have a soft spot for Canadians? Canada and her citizens have brought me nothing but joy (and beer...and hockey...and more beer).
Thanks for the signal boost, Alan.
Ha! So "the boy" is a year older, is he? Does he mind that you're still calling him "the boy"? 'Cause that would NEVER fly over here.
I shall assume that the party was divine and a good time was had by all.
It's been a crazy couple of months, no? I've noticed many friends in Blogville disappear around October and still have not returned. I'm thinking we're the die-hards.
Is this a good thing??
Haggis comes in a tin??
Hey Alan! Good to be seen!!
Trust me, I can empathize with you. Just keep heart, things will settle down and you'll be plugging at the keyboard (or pushing the lead, whichever you prefer :) ) sooner than you realize. These blips are always with purpose and before you know it you will be moving on towards bigger and more wonderful writery things.
Oh gosh I HAD a pithy comment ready to write when I glanced at your weather gadget.... Brain instantly flashed to the other side as I tried to conver the C temp to F and nearly keeled over from the sudden increase in synapse.. I'm blaming it on all the shoveling, I'll make it work, I just know it... My Canadian cousin is on Florida, she flew the COLD coup. I've been spending the hours not shoveling with my electric blanket wrapped around me and my e-reader. Or just maybe my brain is being turned to mush by the radiation emitted by my blanket, oh I'll be just fine, as soon as I stop hearing snowplows in my sleep, and they are REAL ! :}}
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