Last night, I finished Coraline by Neil Gaiman. It was a good book. I think that I was a little disappointed with the ending. There were definitely some discrepancies between the book and the movie. For example, there wasn't a friend Coraline's age in the book, and there wasn't a doll that the other mother sent into Coraline's world to spy on her. I think the ending may have been a little more climactic in the movie, but I can't remember. Overall, it is a good book. Although, it didn't actually pass my first page test. Despite that, I kept reading, because I really wanted to see how the story played out in the book. Coraline is such a wonderfully strange and eerie story. I struggled to embrace the deceptively simple narration in the book, but it is a children's short novel. That said, I do think that the simple narrative ends up being a powerful asset to telling the story. The narration is simple and innocent, which ultimately, allows for the story to be so strange and eerie.
More ideas for my story...they came to me while I was shaving before work one afternoon. The king and queen wear porcelain masks. It is rumored that they are even more beautiful than their daughter, and that people would be driven mad by their beauty. The dragon first, then the witch. This'll build up the tension more. I think I mentioned this: witches abhor beauty.
© 2013 Ihaveadryfish.blogspot.com
I love you dear!
Wednesday, December 18, 2013
Tuesday, December 17, 2013
The Princess and the Nocturnal Enuresis: Part V1/2
I'm getting very close to actually writing something on my story. I'm realizing that I may need to tweak Part V a little bit, maybe a lot. Before long, there just might be a part VI! Here goes:
Everything changed when I reached the age of twelve, just a year ago. My eldest sister was fifteen and still had not been married. Of course, I wasn't either. It's not really surprising since we were peasants, but still! All little girls dream of falling in love with a gorgeous, rich, kind, gentle prince. Oh well, I guess it's for the best. Not that I'm married now, but if I had married as a peasant it would have been more out of necessity than anything. It would have been some older man, only slightly rich, and he would've married me as a means to relieve my mother and father of the burden of caring for me. And not to mention, the fact that I'm fertile.
My mother and father, and I had been hiking through the woods, probably to find food, or to bargain with a witch. It takes great foolishness or great desperation to bargain with a witch. My parents were victims of both. Witches dwell deep in the darkest regions of the forest, where thieves and murderers hide, where strange creatures lurk, where evil comes to play. The legend is that the witches know the forest. It is their child, and everything in it belongs to them. Everyone in it belongs to them. They see your heart, your desires, and however unjust or cruel they choose to be, they determine your fate. They determine whether you fall to the thieves and murderers or whether you pass unnoticed, whether or not you fall prey to the menacing beasts of the Dark Forest, or whether or not you escape the forest unscathed. But those with dark hearts...The witches are intrigued by those with dark hearts. Those are the ones that they keep for themselves.
------------------------------------To Be Continued----------------------------------------------------
Okay, so no Part VI yet. I'm still working out whether they come across the witch first or the dragon. I need to work out more details on that.
Good night everyone!
© 2013 Ihaveadryfish.blogspot.com
I love you sweetheart!
Everything changed when I reached the age of twelve, just a year ago. My eldest sister was fifteen and still had not been married. Of course, I wasn't either. It's not really surprising since we were peasants, but still! All little girls dream of falling in love with a gorgeous, rich, kind, gentle prince. Oh well, I guess it's for the best. Not that I'm married now, but if I had married as a peasant it would have been more out of necessity than anything. It would have been some older man, only slightly rich, and he would've married me as a means to relieve my mother and father of the burden of caring for me. And not to mention, the fact that I'm fertile.
My mother and father, and I had been hiking through the woods, probably to find food, or to bargain with a witch. It takes great foolishness or great desperation to bargain with a witch. My parents were victims of both. Witches dwell deep in the darkest regions of the forest, where thieves and murderers hide, where strange creatures lurk, where evil comes to play. The legend is that the witches know the forest. It is their child, and everything in it belongs to them. Everyone in it belongs to them. They see your heart, your desires, and however unjust or cruel they choose to be, they determine your fate. They determine whether you fall to the thieves and murderers or whether you pass unnoticed, whether or not you fall prey to the menacing beasts of the Dark Forest, or whether or not you escape the forest unscathed. But those with dark hearts...The witches are intrigued by those with dark hearts. Those are the ones that they keep for themselves.
------------------------------------To Be Continued----------------------------------------------------
Okay, so no Part VI yet. I'm still working out whether they come across the witch first or the dragon. I need to work out more details on that.
Good night everyone!
© 2013 Ihaveadryfish.blogspot.com
I love you sweetheart!
Tuesday, December 10, 2013
More ideas
It feels like forever since I last posted anything on here. And even longer since I have written anything more on my story. I may have said this already, but I'm realizing that there are some timeline issues with the story that I'm currently writing. I may need to re-read my progress on my story in order to really figure out the age that Regina needs to be in order for the timeline to make sense and most importantly, for the story to be poignant. I will do that now...
Looks like I'm more on track than I thought. I'm thinking that I will keep things the way they are. Mostly, anyway. I may have to change the line at the beginning where Regina says that they moved away years ago. That'll just depend on whether I decide that she is recounting this story years later or whether this story is recent. If I tell it years later, I can tell it as though this is something that Regina has been needing to get off of her chest for years. She can be brooding and bitter about the whole circumstance. I can also show the broader implications of how this circumstance has affected kingdoms near and far. If she tells the story soon after the circumstance, it can be fresh in her mind. Furthermore, the implications could be the same, but they could happen faster, showing just how quickly circumstances affect society.
Good Night!
© 2013 Ihaveadryfish.blogspot.com
I love you sweetie!
Looks like I'm more on track than I thought. I'm thinking that I will keep things the way they are. Mostly, anyway. I may have to change the line at the beginning where Regina says that they moved away years ago. That'll just depend on whether I decide that she is recounting this story years later or whether this story is recent. If I tell it years later, I can tell it as though this is something that Regina has been needing to get off of her chest for years. She can be brooding and bitter about the whole circumstance. I can also show the broader implications of how this circumstance has affected kingdoms near and far. If she tells the story soon after the circumstance, it can be fresh in her mind. Furthermore, the implications could be the same, but they could happen faster, showing just how quickly circumstances affect society.
Good Night!
© 2013 Ihaveadryfish.blogspot.com
I love you sweetie!
Monday, December 2, 2013
Story Joint
I LOVE this video! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7uHUb2qXVdw Writing is my passion, and this one hits it on the head. My second passion would be reading. Thanks to all the downtime that I have at my job, I am able to spend that time reading.
A couple weeks ago, I finished G is for Gumshoe by Sue Grafton. I know, I'm reading enough books already. I came across this one at work. I was just reading it to pass a dull night. I ended up reading 70 or so pages, so I had to finish it 'cause I was hooked. Truth be told, I get hooked fast, my personal book test rule is that if you are not interested in reading more after that first page, then just put it down and read something else. The exception to that rule is J.R.R. Tolkien. (Get past the first couple chapters, and then the story picks up.)
Anyway, G is for Gumshoe was a great read. It's a mystery/crime thriller (a genre that I really enjoy) with a clever plot twist. It's fast-paced and exciting. There's also some humorous moments, as well as witty observations made by the leading lady peppered throughout the story. I don't often care what kind of food the book characters eat or what the wallpaper looked like in a certain room, but it was funny the way the author was able to take something so mundane and associate those things with a childhood experience that the character had earlier in life. It gave the lead character dimension to see that side of her. My only complaint would be the couple pages of sexual dialogue and content. Other than that, it was entertaining. The leading lady, who is the narrator, has a good voice. The book continues at a good pace from the very beginning.
I can't remember if I mentioned this or not, but there is a website called www.readanybook.com You can't read any book. It doesn't have every title out there, but it does have many popular ones. And it's FREE!! From classics like David Copperfield, Emma, etc. to contemporaries like Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, DaVinci Code, Twilight (I only mention that one 'cause it's popular, but from the few pages that I've read...terrible literature!! Poorly developed plotlines, poorly developed characters, Stupidly worded narration and dialogue. I know there's more, but that covers the bases, at least. I just feel that anyone that read those books and liked them, just hasn't read many books, and therefore, does not know what good writing looks like. Sorry hon...no offense to you...I'm ranting...)
Now that I've finished G is for Gumshoe, I'm back to reading Dune by Frank Herbert. I love this book so much! I've decided that when I finish a book, I'll give my personal review/analysis of it. For now, I will say that I'm loving the first book so much that I've ordered books 2-6 in the Dune saga. Although there are more Dune books than that, books 1-6 are the ones written by Frank Herbert himself.
Good night!
© 2013 Ihaveadryfish.blogspot.com
A couple weeks ago, I finished G is for Gumshoe by Sue Grafton. I know, I'm reading enough books already. I came across this one at work. I was just reading it to pass a dull night. I ended up reading 70 or so pages, so I had to finish it 'cause I was hooked. Truth be told, I get hooked fast, my personal book test rule is that if you are not interested in reading more after that first page, then just put it down and read something else. The exception to that rule is J.R.R. Tolkien. (Get past the first couple chapters, and then the story picks up.)
Anyway, G is for Gumshoe was a great read. It's a mystery/crime thriller (a genre that I really enjoy) with a clever plot twist. It's fast-paced and exciting. There's also some humorous moments, as well as witty observations made by the leading lady peppered throughout the story. I don't often care what kind of food the book characters eat or what the wallpaper looked like in a certain room, but it was funny the way the author was able to take something so mundane and associate those things with a childhood experience that the character had earlier in life. It gave the lead character dimension to see that side of her. My only complaint would be the couple pages of sexual dialogue and content. Other than that, it was entertaining. The leading lady, who is the narrator, has a good voice. The book continues at a good pace from the very beginning.
I can't remember if I mentioned this or not, but there is a website called www.readanybook.com You can't read any book. It doesn't have every title out there, but it does have many popular ones. And it's FREE!! From classics like David Copperfield, Emma, etc. to contemporaries like Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, DaVinci Code, Twilight (I only mention that one 'cause it's popular, but from the few pages that I've read...terrible literature!! Poorly developed plotlines, poorly developed characters, Stupidly worded narration and dialogue. I know there's more, but that covers the bases, at least. I just feel that anyone that read those books and liked them, just hasn't read many books, and therefore, does not know what good writing looks like. Sorry hon...no offense to you...I'm ranting...)
Now that I've finished G is for Gumshoe, I'm back to reading Dune by Frank Herbert. I love this book so much! I've decided that when I finish a book, I'll give my personal review/analysis of it. For now, I will say that I'm loving the first book so much that I've ordered books 2-6 in the Dune saga. Although there are more Dune books than that, books 1-6 are the ones written by Frank Herbert himself.
Good night!
© 2013 Ihaveadryfish.blogspot.com
I love you sweetie!
Wednesday, November 27, 2013
Anti-Movie
I'm keeping my promise, so here I am. It's pretty much my bedtime, but I'm writing. Today, while at a hockey game, I thought that it would be neat to make an anti-movie, much like an anti-joke. The movie would be about a bunch of misfit kids who decide that they want to beat a team of their bullying peers who have played the sport for years. The ragtag team train and train, and they actually start to be pretty good. In the end, the ragtag team loses to the more experienced team, and the bullying continues. The End.
Good night everyone!
I love you sweetie!
Good night everyone!
I love you sweetie!
Wednesday, November 20, 2013
Tired of Studying . . .
Hence why I'm writing again. I've been listening to some blues piano tonight. I love the blues! They have really broadened my appreciation for so many decades and types of music, namely oldies and hard rock. Two genres that I never really cared for, but if you listen blues are in everything. Being a pianist myself, I like the blues because they fit my style. I'm not big on reading music. I'm more about playing what I'm feeling. I love the blues because they are versatile. They can be elegant like "Georgia on my Mind" or aggressive like . . . That's the problem, I don't know very many blues songs. The blues are very expressive. Luca Sestak. He's a 17-year-old kid from Austria, and the kid can flat out play. He is self-taught, and he's amazing! I just found my favorite vid of his so far: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FqJRjoC5iPs It's long, but watch it all. It's sooo good, and lots of fun.
I decided to try continuing my story. It's pretty close to bedtime though, so we'll see what I come up with.
I'm still debating though...does Regina know what happened in the Dark Forest or does the narrator need to tell relate this story? If Regina tells their story, it'll be a secondhand account, which means that inevitably, there will be some details missing. This could work out if I decide that I want the reader to discover the true story later on along with Regina. If the narrator tells the story, I can flesh out a lot more details...what the mother and father were thinking and feeling, what they saw, heard, and smelled, what they said. Motivations can be revealed. I'm realizing that what would make the most sense is if Regina was there in The Dark Forest. It needs to be a firsthand account, because she is exposing her mother and father, and her sister and her prince. It'll also be a more potent account to be told from the memory of a young girl. I'm going to have to re-read on some of the things that I've already written, and figure out where I need to revise plot points in regard to timeline issues. It is essential that Regina gives a firsthand account, but I have to figure out why mother and father are bringing their little girl into The Dark Forest.
I'm also trying to figure out if Regina should be the older sister or the younger sister.
I'm getting tired. Good night everyone!
© 2013 Ihaveadryfish.blogspot.com
I love you sweetie!
I decided to try continuing my story. It's pretty close to bedtime though, so we'll see what I come up with.
I'm still debating though...does Regina know what happened in the Dark Forest or does the narrator need to tell relate this story? If Regina tells their story, it'll be a secondhand account, which means that inevitably, there will be some details missing. This could work out if I decide that I want the reader to discover the true story later on along with Regina. If the narrator tells the story, I can flesh out a lot more details...what the mother and father were thinking and feeling, what they saw, heard, and smelled, what they said. Motivations can be revealed. I'm realizing that what would make the most sense is if Regina was there in The Dark Forest. It needs to be a firsthand account, because she is exposing her mother and father, and her sister and her prince. It'll also be a more potent account to be told from the memory of a young girl. I'm going to have to re-read on some of the things that I've already written, and figure out where I need to revise plot points in regard to timeline issues. It is essential that Regina gives a firsthand account, but I have to figure out why mother and father are bringing their little girl into The Dark Forest.
I'm also trying to figure out if Regina should be the older sister or the younger sister.
I'm getting tired. Good night everyone!
© 2013 Ihaveadryfish.blogspot.com
I love you sweetie!
Tuesday, November 19, 2013
Short Post
I have an exam to study for tonight, so this is a short post. But I am writing because that is the promise that I made to my wife who I love very much. I don't really have anything to say other than that. Or maybe I should say: "that's all I have to say about that."
I love you dear!
I love you dear!
Wednesday, November 13, 2013
(Too Tired to Think of a Proper Title)
This will be a short post. I've been super tired tonight, and haven't really felt like doing anything at all. Ironically, I've done a lot tonight, and I didn't want to do any of it. I changed Chewbacca's water (I did want to do that.), I went and bought groceries, and I did laundry, sort of. Now, it's close to my bed time.
I've been doing more thinking on my story. I think that the parents are intentionally seeking out the witch. I just need to figure out why. It makes sense to me that they are desperate about their circumstances. I don't mean to give the story away, but if I don't note some of the ideas that are coming to me I may forget them. Besides that, for anyone that wanted to see the writer's process at work, that's what I'm doing here.
Anyway, I'm noting that dragons are hard to kill, even with magic. It takes very dark magic to kill a dragon. It's not always easy to tell if a dragon is actually dead.
Good night!
I love you dear!
I've been doing more thinking on my story. I think that the parents are intentionally seeking out the witch. I just need to figure out why. It makes sense to me that they are desperate about their circumstances. I don't mean to give the story away, but if I don't note some of the ideas that are coming to me I may forget them. Besides that, for anyone that wanted to see the writer's process at work, that's what I'm doing here.
Anyway, I'm noting that dragons are hard to kill, even with magic. It takes very dark magic to kill a dragon. It's not always easy to tell if a dragon is actually dead.
Good night!
I love you dear!
Tuesday, November 12, 2013
The Power/Virtue of Saying "No"
I feel to write on the lessons I have learned from an experience that I went through recently. I will not detail the event out of respect for those involved, but I will say this:
We have all had those experiences where we wish we would have said no. We have all had those experiences where we later learned that we were glad that we said no. Sometimes we have to say no. Even when it hurts us to do so. Even when we feel it is offensive to do so. The motivation must always be love-not just in saying no, but in everything we do.
We must say no because we care-because we love ourselves, our family, our friends, and even those to whom we are saying no.
We must say no out of respect for ourselves and others.
Sometimes saying no can seem selfish or uncaring, but when saying yes compromises your time, health, money or beliefs, as well as that of your family and friends, then it is time to say no.
There is a difference between compromise and sacrifice.
Compromise comes about from coercion, from pressure, from being placed in a position of disadvantage. In essence, compromise happens when you are pressured into saying yes when all along you wanted to say no.
Sacrifice happens when you unselfishly give of yourself with no thought of reward. It is to give of your time, money, etc. (Not so much sacrificing your beliefs-beliefs often fuel sacrifice.)
Although in both instances time, health, or money may be given up to achieve the goal, compromise will never exist where an earnest sacrifice has been made. Everyone is rewarded, whether spiritually, emotionally, physically or otherwise.
Saying no at the appropriate times strengthens our character. It allows us to love more fully and correctly. We cannot properly love ourselves and others if we do not have the character to say no when it compromises ourselves and others.
It is good to say no.
It is healthy to say no.
It is right to say no.
© 2013 Ihaveadryfish.blogspot.com
I love you honey!
We have all had those experiences where we wish we would have said no. We have all had those experiences where we later learned that we were glad that we said no. Sometimes we have to say no. Even when it hurts us to do so. Even when we feel it is offensive to do so. The motivation must always be love-not just in saying no, but in everything we do.
We must say no because we care-because we love ourselves, our family, our friends, and even those to whom we are saying no.
We must say no out of respect for ourselves and others.
Sometimes saying no can seem selfish or uncaring, but when saying yes compromises your time, health, money or beliefs, as well as that of your family and friends, then it is time to say no.
There is a difference between compromise and sacrifice.
Compromise comes about from coercion, from pressure, from being placed in a position of disadvantage. In essence, compromise happens when you are pressured into saying yes when all along you wanted to say no.
Sacrifice happens when you unselfishly give of yourself with no thought of reward. It is to give of your time, money, etc. (Not so much sacrificing your beliefs-beliefs often fuel sacrifice.)
Although in both instances time, health, or money may be given up to achieve the goal, compromise will never exist where an earnest sacrifice has been made. Everyone is rewarded, whether spiritually, emotionally, physically or otherwise.
Saying no at the appropriate times strengthens our character. It allows us to love more fully and correctly. We cannot properly love ourselves and others if we do not have the character to say no when it compromises ourselves and others.
It is good to say no.
It is healthy to say no.
It is right to say no.
© 2013 Ihaveadryfish.blogspot.com
I love you honey!
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
Turning Points
Last night, I brought in a character that I hadn't realized was necessary to the plot: the witches. I continue to surprise myself. I'm realizing that dialogue is coming soon. The story is starting to reach a point where it is necessary to be thrown into the story, so-to-speak, rather than simply observe. The reader needs to see for themselves what is going on as opposed to hearing the secondhand account from Princess Regina. This makes me nervous. Dialogue can be particularly challenging. I'm realizing that for some of the parts coming up that I need to figure out what voice needs to be heard. One thing is for sure: this is Princess Regina's story, so it's either her voice or the voice of the narrator. Another reason this worries me is that I seem to have melded Princess Regina's voice with a narrator voice. I fear that there will not be any discernible difference between the Regina's voice and the voice of the narrator.
All I know is that I'm just gonna have to trust my instincts. They've taken me this far. Unfortunately, at the moment, my instincts don't really seem to be telling me anything. I've experienced fear at the prospect of ruining my story I guess, but sometimes all it takes is for me to just start writing something. That's mainly what I've done in writing this story.
I also realize that for anyone who is just now coming into this story, that it must be kind of a pain in the butt to follow the bits and pieces of it throughout my different posts. When the story is complete, I will copy and paste it into MS Word, edit it and revise it, then re-post it as one complete story from beginning to end.
So far, from what I can tell, my writing experience has gone pretty smoothly, which is probably where my fear stems from. At some point, this must become more difficult. But that's okay. I guess that I am allowing you to see the writing process from behind the scenes. This is my rough draft. It's okay to make mistakes. I can fix them.
Something that I'm trying to figure out right now, is whether the mother and father run into the witch first or the dragon first. (I know...you didn't know about the dragon, but this is the behind-the-scenes process. Sorry!) Some things that will help me determine that will be figuring out the mother and father's motives. Why are they going into the Dark Forest? That's the main question. Is it just for food or did they go into the forest specifically to seek out a witch? If so, why did they seek a witch?
Good night!
I love you dear!
All I know is that I'm just gonna have to trust my instincts. They've taken me this far. Unfortunately, at the moment, my instincts don't really seem to be telling me anything. I've experienced fear at the prospect of ruining my story I guess, but sometimes all it takes is for me to just start writing something. That's mainly what I've done in writing this story.
I also realize that for anyone who is just now coming into this story, that it must be kind of a pain in the butt to follow the bits and pieces of it throughout my different posts. When the story is complete, I will copy and paste it into MS Word, edit it and revise it, then re-post it as one complete story from beginning to end.
So far, from what I can tell, my writing experience has gone pretty smoothly, which is probably where my fear stems from. At some point, this must become more difficult. But that's okay. I guess that I am allowing you to see the writing process from behind the scenes. This is my rough draft. It's okay to make mistakes. I can fix them.
Something that I'm trying to figure out right now, is whether the mother and father run into the witch first or the dragon first. (I know...you didn't know about the dragon, but this is the behind-the-scenes process. Sorry!) Some things that will help me determine that will be figuring out the mother and father's motives. Why are they going into the Dark Forest? That's the main question. Is it just for food or did they go into the forest specifically to seek out a witch? If so, why did they seek a witch?
Good night!
I love you dear!
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
The Princess and the Nocturnal Enuresis Part V
The battle continues. Finding the motivation to write. My real drive comes from my wife. She is my real reason for keeping up on this blog. I've written significantly more on this blog than I would have otherwise. I'm keeping my promise to post every week, so that she can have some piece of me when I'm gone at work for half of the week.
What to write next, though? I'm talking once again, about the story that I have been writing on the fly. I continue to be surprised by the depths that I am reaching with this story. I'm kind of surprised that I have not written any actual dialogue into the story yet, but as far as I can tell, it seems to be working. I have a feeling that this story may take some further unexpected turns that I have not yet anticipated. There seems to be some foreshadowing that I hadn't necessarily intended, possibly a character that I haven't even thought of yet, maybe even a subplot, or perhaps, the plot will become the subplot in light of the new plot that is emerging. At any rate, I'm following the natural flow of the story. Where does it want to take me? This is why it continues to surprise me. Part V:
Everything changed when I had reached the age of twelve. My eldest sister was fifteen, and still had not been married. My mother and father had been hiking through the woods, probably to find food, or to bargain with a witch. It takes a great fool or great desperation to bargain with a witch. My parents were both. You have to go deep into the dark regions of the forest, where thieves and murderers hide, where strange creatures lurk, where evil comes to play. The legend is that the witches know the forest. It is their child, and everything in it belongs to them. Everyone in it belongs to them. They see your heart, your desires, and however unjust or cruel they choose to be, they determine your fate. They determine whether you fall to the thieves and murderers or whether you pass unnoticed, whether or not you fall prey to the menacing beasts of the Dark Forest, or whether or not you escape the forest untouched. The witches are intrigued by those with dark hearts. Those are the ones that they keep for themselves.
Good night, friends!
© 2013 Ihaveadryfish.blogspot.com
I love you honey!
What to write next, though? I'm talking once again, about the story that I have been writing on the fly. I continue to be surprised by the depths that I am reaching with this story. I'm kind of surprised that I have not written any actual dialogue into the story yet, but as far as I can tell, it seems to be working. I have a feeling that this story may take some further unexpected turns that I have not yet anticipated. There seems to be some foreshadowing that I hadn't necessarily intended, possibly a character that I haven't even thought of yet, maybe even a subplot, or perhaps, the plot will become the subplot in light of the new plot that is emerging. At any rate, I'm following the natural flow of the story. Where does it want to take me? This is why it continues to surprise me. Part V:
Everything changed when I had reached the age of twelve. My eldest sister was fifteen, and still had not been married. My mother and father had been hiking through the woods, probably to find food, or to bargain with a witch. It takes a great fool or great desperation to bargain with a witch. My parents were both. You have to go deep into the dark regions of the forest, where thieves and murderers hide, where strange creatures lurk, where evil comes to play. The legend is that the witches know the forest. It is their child, and everything in it belongs to them. Everyone in it belongs to them. They see your heart, your desires, and however unjust or cruel they choose to be, they determine your fate. They determine whether you fall to the thieves and murderers or whether you pass unnoticed, whether or not you fall prey to the menacing beasts of the Dark Forest, or whether or not you escape the forest untouched. The witches are intrigued by those with dark hearts. Those are the ones that they keep for themselves.
Good night, friends!
© 2013 Ihaveadryfish.blogspot.com
I love you honey!
Friday, November 1, 2013
The Princess and the Nocturnal Enuresis Part IV
Good Evening!
I've been reading On Writing Well: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction 30th Anniversary Edition by William Zinsser. It's a great book, and I'm feeling fired up to write right now. It might seem funny to read a book about writing nonfiction while writing a piece of fiction, but there are some universal concepts in that book. There are also some things that I realize are different, because I'm writing fiction.
I was hoping to find some paper so that I could work on brainstorming some ideas, hash out more details on The Princess and the Nocturnal Enuresis. I have paper at home, but not here in the office. A paperless office...I know. (It's not mine...yes, I'm allowed to be in here.)
I was wanting to add more to the last paragraph that I have written in my story so far, but I'm starting to think that it's finished. This would also explain why I struggled to write anything the other night.
Stealing is a daily affair in the life of a peasant. You don't steal, you don't eat. That's just how it is. Sure, some will beg, but it's much easier to steal. It's easier to take something that never belonged to you than to rely hopelessly on the kindness of strangers, even if that something is a life.
Death is never a first resort. Death is complicated. You take a life, you risk losing your own. You risk your family, possibly your friends. The problem is sometimes you forget those risks. All you can think about is eating, how sick and hungry you are. You remember your family. They need to eat too. Sometimes death seems worth it to keep yourself alive, to keep your family alive. It's a lofty wager, though. Death never leaves you. You take a life, you must be prepared to take another.
I think that might be all I have in me for tonight. I guess that I'm putting my own writing process on display. One of the things mentioned in On Writing Well, is that you write like the authors that you read. So, one tip that Zinsser gives is if you like a certain author's writing style, then read a lot of their stuff. You'll pick up on their style. During the course of writing this story, I've read J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. I'm currently reading Dune by Frank Herbert, Coraline by Neil Gaiman, and On Writing Well. Before starting on this story, I also read J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, so I am definitely getting a feel for her style most of all. In fact, my wife and I are planning on reading Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban next. We're in the middle of a Harry Potter read-a-thon. I'd actually never read any of the Harry Potter books until now, but my wife and I are hooked. Rowling is a great writer and story-teller.
© 2013 Ihaveadryfish.blogspot.com
I love you sweetie!
I've been reading On Writing Well: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction 30th Anniversary Edition by William Zinsser. It's a great book, and I'm feeling fired up to write right now. It might seem funny to read a book about writing nonfiction while writing a piece of fiction, but there are some universal concepts in that book. There are also some things that I realize are different, because I'm writing fiction.
I was hoping to find some paper so that I could work on brainstorming some ideas, hash out more details on The Princess and the Nocturnal Enuresis. I have paper at home, but not here in the office. A paperless office...I know. (It's not mine...yes, I'm allowed to be in here.)
I was wanting to add more to the last paragraph that I have written in my story so far, but I'm starting to think that it's finished. This would also explain why I struggled to write anything the other night.
Stealing is a daily affair in the life of a peasant. You don't steal, you don't eat. That's just how it is. Sure, some will beg, but it's much easier to steal. It's easier to take something that never belonged to you than to rely hopelessly on the kindness of strangers, even if that something is a life.
Death is never a first resort. Death is complicated. You take a life, you risk losing your own. You risk your family, possibly your friends. The problem is sometimes you forget those risks. All you can think about is eating, how sick and hungry you are. You remember your family. They need to eat too. Sometimes death seems worth it to keep yourself alive, to keep your family alive. It's a lofty wager, though. Death never leaves you. You take a life, you must be prepared to take another.
I think that might be all I have in me for tonight. I guess that I'm putting my own writing process on display. One of the things mentioned in On Writing Well, is that you write like the authors that you read. So, one tip that Zinsser gives is if you like a certain author's writing style, then read a lot of their stuff. You'll pick up on their style. During the course of writing this story, I've read J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. I'm currently reading Dune by Frank Herbert, Coraline by Neil Gaiman, and On Writing Well. Before starting on this story, I also read J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, so I am definitely getting a feel for her style most of all. In fact, my wife and I are planning on reading Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban next. We're in the middle of a Harry Potter read-a-thon. I'd actually never read any of the Harry Potter books until now, but my wife and I are hooked. Rowling is a great writer and story-teller.
© 2013 Ihaveadryfish.blogspot.com
I love you sweetie!
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
Small Steps
I'm having a hard time writing tonight. I'm pretty darn tired. I know ultimately where I want the story to go, at least somewhat anyway. Actually, I don't have a concrete ending yet. I'm pretty sure I know where to take the story, but it's the small steps that make up the journey. Those have yet to be discovered.
I've sat here for about an hour trying to find those next steps. It's amazing how you can have an idea of what those next steps are to be, but still the words do not come. You can see the steps that need to happen clearly in your mind, but the words...how to bring those steps to life. I think I'm just too tired. My mind isn't focusing quite as well as I would like. Tonight might be a movie night. I want to continue my story just as much as I'm convinced that my readers would like it to continue, but it just isn't coming right now. Good night!
I love you honey!
I've sat here for about an hour trying to find those next steps. It's amazing how you can have an idea of what those next steps are to be, but still the words do not come. You can see the steps that need to happen clearly in your mind, but the words...how to bring those steps to life. I think I'm just too tired. My mind isn't focusing quite as well as I would like. Tonight might be a movie night. I want to continue my story just as much as I'm convinced that my readers would like it to continue, but it just isn't coming right now. Good night!
I love you honey!
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
The Princess and the Enuresis Part III (hopefully)
So, I'm pretty tired. This is about the time that I start winding down for the night. I'm trying to figure out where to go with the story next. I think it's coming...
My family wasn't spiteful as many peasants tend to be, but we were poor. Not poor like the stable hands. They can sleep in the barns. They can bathe in the feeding trough. They can even afford to buy a small loaf of bread for the week, sometimes even an apple or two! We were the kind of poor that justified a certain amount of savagery in order to survive. We had to resort to begging, to stealing, to deceiving, to injury, and even to death. Stealing is a daily affair in the life of a peasant. You don't steal, you don't eat. That's just how it is. Sure, some will beg, but it's much easier to steal. It's easier to take something that never belonged to you than to rely hopelessly on the kindness of strangers.
------------------------------------------To Be Continued--------------------------------------------------------------
© 2013 Ihaveadryfish.blogspot.com
I love you sweet heart!
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
The Princess and the Enuresis Part II (Maybe)
Okay, I surprised even myself with the story that I am currently writing. The hardest part is continuing once you stop, and keeping a consistent vibe. I had a much more basic idea when I started writing, but I really got into it last night. I feel a little daunted by what I've started. I thought it was gonna be a dumb one page story, but this is really coming to life. I wrote all of that, and revised it within two hours. Am I bragging? Maybe a little, but this is the truth and I take pride in my work. So, here's my attempt to continue where I left off:
We weren't always princesses. My mother was never a princess, and my father was never a prince. In fact, we have no royal bloodlines whatsoever. We were the lowest of the low. Miserable peasants wallowing in our own self-pity. We weren't even good enough to shovel manure. We were the ones that were dumped on. Literally! The manure is shoveled onto large wagons, and carried out of town. Then they dump it where they please. Our backyard was a heaping, smelly pile of manure. It was especially bad in the summertime. Such is the life of the peasants, though! My mother and father don't treat them any better. They seem to have forgotten that they were once peasants too. Really, I think they refuse to acknowledge it. That isn't to say that it isn't possible for a peasant to ascend to the ranks of royalty, but it rarely happens. It's political, as it always is. A peasant has to convince someone of noble birth that they are valuable to them in some fashion. That is a very difficult task to achieve.
The monarchy is, as a whole, against it. Kings and queens, princes and princesses, knights, lords, dukes, even bards, friars, jesters and stable hands, all generally feel like peasants are unfit to rule. They weren't born into it. They are not of noble blood. They do not have the innate sense to rule. Really, nobody wants a peasant to rule, not even another peasant. Actually, I would say that they abhor the idea almost more than anyone of noble birth. Nobility will mock you. They will scoff at your foolish notion that you could even become a stable hand. They will make a public example of your idiocy, spitting on you, smiting you across the face, and throwing you into the mud. Peasants do not have that kind of power, but they are much worse because they actually hate you. Peasants despise anybody that has a higher standing than that of their own, and especially anyone that manages to rise from their equal standing to a higher standing. Peasants will kill to keep another peasant from rising above them. Rising to the ranks of nobility won't stop them either. They have nothing to lose. They don't have a throne for their son or daughter to assume. They are not leaving a kingdom behind. If they are killed first, that's it. They die. But if they kill you, your queen, your prince, your princess becomes their next target, until at last, they have assumed your throne. Wretched peasants!
© 2013 Ihaveadryfish.blogspot.com
----------------------------- Stay tuned for Part III -------------------------------------------------------------------
Coming next week
I love you dear!
We weren't always princesses. My mother was never a princess, and my father was never a prince. In fact, we have no royal bloodlines whatsoever. We were the lowest of the low. Miserable peasants wallowing in our own self-pity. We weren't even good enough to shovel manure. We were the ones that were dumped on. Literally! The manure is shoveled onto large wagons, and carried out of town. Then they dump it where they please. Our backyard was a heaping, smelly pile of manure. It was especially bad in the summertime. Such is the life of the peasants, though! My mother and father don't treat them any better. They seem to have forgotten that they were once peasants too. Really, I think they refuse to acknowledge it. That isn't to say that it isn't possible for a peasant to ascend to the ranks of royalty, but it rarely happens. It's political, as it always is. A peasant has to convince someone of noble birth that they are valuable to them in some fashion. That is a very difficult task to achieve.
The monarchy is, as a whole, against it. Kings and queens, princes and princesses, knights, lords, dukes, even bards, friars, jesters and stable hands, all generally feel like peasants are unfit to rule. They weren't born into it. They are not of noble blood. They do not have the innate sense to rule. Really, nobody wants a peasant to rule, not even another peasant. Actually, I would say that they abhor the idea almost more than anyone of noble birth. Nobility will mock you. They will scoff at your foolish notion that you could even become a stable hand. They will make a public example of your idiocy, spitting on you, smiting you across the face, and throwing you into the mud. Peasants do not have that kind of power, but they are much worse because they actually hate you. Peasants despise anybody that has a higher standing than that of their own, and especially anyone that manages to rise from their equal standing to a higher standing. Peasants will kill to keep another peasant from rising above them. Rising to the ranks of nobility won't stop them either. They have nothing to lose. They don't have a throne for their son or daughter to assume. They are not leaving a kingdom behind. If they are killed first, that's it. They die. But if they kill you, your queen, your prince, your princess becomes their next target, until at last, they have assumed your throne. Wretched peasants!
© 2013 Ihaveadryfish.blogspot.com
----------------------------- Stay tuned for Part III -------------------------------------------------------------------
Coming next week
I love you dear!
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
The Princess and the Nocturnal Enuresis
I didn't post last week for a couple of reasons: First, I read some posts from my friend's superb blog called Single-Minded Determination. Here's the link: http://malcolmravenclaw.com/ Check it out! I was amazed and wanted to be a part of it. Suddenly, my blog seemed so pointless, which was sort of the point.
On the other end, I didn't want there to be any point. I could write whatever I wanted whenever I wanted, no matter how stupid and pointless. No time commitments, no themes to adhere to.
In some sense, I want my blog to be humorous since I somewhat implied that to be the purpose, but I thrive on flexibility and spontaneity.
Anyway, the real purpose of this blog was revealed to me yesterday. Really, I had written it in a love note to my dear, sweet wife about two weeks ago. I hadn't realized until I heard her reiterate it back to me. I mentioned my blog in the note as a way for her to have some piece of me while I am gone at work half of the week. So, with all of my love and devotion for my amazing wife, I dedicate this blog to her and commit to post something weekly.
Here's an idea for a story that came to my mind on Sunday:
There's a reason that fairy tales seem to tug on the heart strings of boys and girls of all ages, filling them with wonder. The magic, the adventure, the daring feats, the noble causes, the princes and princesses, the romance, the good and the evil, the curses and spells, the witches, the wizards, the dragons, the talking animals, the faraway lands, the fantasy...the fact is...
Oops, I wrote that wrong. The fact is. Just like that. You see, the term 'fairy tale' seems to invoke a sense of fiction. Nothing could be further from the truth. Ofttimes, details are lost in translation, even by those who 'witnessed' the events described, intentional or otherwise.
I'm Regina, Princess Regina. You haven't heard of me. I don't have an amazing story, not yet anyway. I'll be lucky if I ever do! Ugh! You've probably heard of my sister, though. You know, the one who was so perfect and so refined that she could feel a single pea under a tower of mattresses? Um, yeah...not quite. I'd give that stupid witch's name, but she'd have my head and my idiot brother-in-law would gladly take it from me. That guy is such a lunk head! I'll admit he really is a hunk, but I've had more intelligent conversations with squirrels.
Oh? Regina? Ha! That's not really my name. I changed it years ago. So did the rest of my sisters. We refuse to claim any relation to those windbags! Yeah, they can't find us, but you can never be too careful. I'm just so sick of hearing people gloat about those two like they are somehow connected to them, and then to hear their exasperating cries when they proclaim their desperate desires to be like them. It's bad enough when the two of them tell the tale, the most fantastic, most incredible, most outlandish tale that people from kingdoms near and far have ever heard! My brother-in-law has become a man among men, having slayed seventeen dragons for the most perfect princess. Seventeen! What a crock! My parents aren't much better, but what can I say? I'm the product of whatever that was between them. My sister has become that model for every princess. Stupid mothers chiding their daughters to remember Princess- (I almost said her name.) We'll call her Princess Leaky Faucet.
We weren't always princesses. My mother was never a princess, and my father was never a prince. In fact, we have no royal bloodlines whatsoever.
© 2013 Ihaveadryfish.blogspot.com
--------------------------------------To Be Continued----------------------------------------------------------
I love you sweetie!
On the other end, I didn't want there to be any point. I could write whatever I wanted whenever I wanted, no matter how stupid and pointless. No time commitments, no themes to adhere to.
In some sense, I want my blog to be humorous since I somewhat implied that to be the purpose, but I thrive on flexibility and spontaneity.
Anyway, the real purpose of this blog was revealed to me yesterday. Really, I had written it in a love note to my dear, sweet wife about two weeks ago. I hadn't realized until I heard her reiterate it back to me. I mentioned my blog in the note as a way for her to have some piece of me while I am gone at work half of the week. So, with all of my love and devotion for my amazing wife, I dedicate this blog to her and commit to post something weekly.
Here's an idea for a story that came to my mind on Sunday:
There's a reason that fairy tales seem to tug on the heart strings of boys and girls of all ages, filling them with wonder. The magic, the adventure, the daring feats, the noble causes, the princes and princesses, the romance, the good and the evil, the curses and spells, the witches, the wizards, the dragons, the talking animals, the faraway lands, the fantasy...the fact is...
Oops, I wrote that wrong. The fact is. Just like that. You see, the term 'fairy tale' seems to invoke a sense of fiction. Nothing could be further from the truth. Ofttimes, details are lost in translation, even by those who 'witnessed' the events described, intentional or otherwise.
I'm Regina, Princess Regina. You haven't heard of me. I don't have an amazing story, not yet anyway. I'll be lucky if I ever do! Ugh! You've probably heard of my sister, though. You know, the one who was so perfect and so refined that she could feel a single pea under a tower of mattresses? Um, yeah...not quite. I'd give that stupid witch's name, but she'd have my head and my idiot brother-in-law would gladly take it from me. That guy is such a lunk head! I'll admit he really is a hunk, but I've had more intelligent conversations with squirrels.
Oh? Regina? Ha! That's not really my name. I changed it years ago. So did the rest of my sisters. We refuse to claim any relation to those windbags! Yeah, they can't find us, but you can never be too careful. I'm just so sick of hearing people gloat about those two like they are somehow connected to them, and then to hear their exasperating cries when they proclaim their desperate desires to be like them. It's bad enough when the two of them tell the tale, the most fantastic, most incredible, most outlandish tale that people from kingdoms near and far have ever heard! My brother-in-law has become a man among men, having slayed seventeen dragons for the most perfect princess. Seventeen! What a crock! My parents aren't much better, but what can I say? I'm the product of whatever that was between them. My sister has become that model for every princess. Stupid mothers chiding their daughters to remember Princess- (I almost said her name.) We'll call her Princess Leaky Faucet.
We weren't always princesses. My mother was never a princess, and my father was never a prince. In fact, we have no royal bloodlines whatsoever.
© 2013 Ihaveadryfish.blogspot.com
--------------------------------------To Be Continued----------------------------------------------------------
I love you sweetie!
Wednesday, October 9, 2013
What's in a name?
I’ve been thinking about starting a blog for a little while now, but have distracted myself with meaningless pursuits instead, mainly watching countless YouTube videos. I’ve even stalled tonight for that reason, and the simple reason that I have not been able to come up with a good name for my blog. I wanted to call it fishoutofwater, which is a reference to my dry sense of humor.
In fact, on my facebook profile that’s almost exactly how I described it except that I inverted the two phrases to make it even drier and weirder. My exact words were: “I have a dry fish. It’s like a sense of humor out of water.” I don’t know if anybody got the joke, but that doesn’t matter, ‘cause I did. Also, I think I just found my blogspot name. (Crossing fingers)…
I had decided to write on MS Word until I could come up with a good name for my blog. Why? ‘Cause it’s my blog, dang it! I thought about something like Midnightranting or everythingaboutnothing, but those were too generic. I wanted to come up with a name that was a reference to a quote from one of my favorite movies, my very most favorite being Little Shop of Horrors, not the old cheesy horror movie, but the tongue-in-cheek, star-studded musical from the 80’s, the year I was born to be exact. I would’ve also been good with a phrase from a song by one of my favorite bands, among which are Cake, Weezer, Daft Punk, etc. Nothing came to mind. I even turned toward using a band name that I had come up for the band that I fantasized about being in. The name was The Heck, but it was taken. I felt that it was the best description of what this blog is all about. After all, there is no theme, and I suspect that it will be very random slice. That could possibly be a good blog name…we’ll see…I think I like Ihaveadryfish best.
Anyway, now that I've bored you to death, I will leave you with one random funny idea that came to me the other day. I really want to hear a group like The Three Tenors (I think they're dead...hmmm...), Il Divo or some similar popera group perform their rendition of a song by the Beastie Boys. I'm thinking that Sabotage would be an excellent one for them to cover. Just listened to it...I was wrong. Sabotage has mainly one singer the whole time, but Intergalactic is more like what I was expecting, where the three are constantly taking turns spitting their lines, and when it's one person at a time, the other two come in at the end to finish up the phrase. What do you think? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qORYO0atB6g Wrong again... Brass Monkey would be the best by far: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBbQyXZvkbA I think I'll put this in Jimmy Fallon's suggestion box. Google it if you haven't already. Good night!
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