Friday, August 31, 2007

On the road again...


This time on my way back to the city, much against my desire or wishes but yielding to the plea of my beloved granddaughter for our annual road-trip. I think I will head back in a matter of a month or so to the fair land I've left behind.

Some random observations:

(1) I have a book offer from a publisher, very, very thrilling. A collection of my short stories. However, I am currently suspended in a form of writer's amber. Paralyzed. Numb. Frightened. The realization of a dream is the running up against myself. Now what? My babies toddling off by themselves into the real world with real critics. Lash of noodle on self. Get to it girl, stop the dithering. Stop the distraction of the day-job now. Screw the money. Let go of the fear. Stay in your bliss, in your life-long dream!

(2) A RANT: Why, in this twenty-first century of ours, hasn't some genius perfected the design of the toilet roll holder? With what dread do I enter every single stall of every ferry, every restaurant, every hotel room, to be greeted by kicked in huge plastic containers that hurt someone's fingers one time too many as they scrabbled for a hold on a skinny sheet underneath its deadly saw-edges. Yes, they finally cracked up, whimpered, and took off the stilletto shoe and beat the thing to death, leaving its huge rolls floating on the wet floor. And for variety, the gaping jaws of long empty containers greet me after I have urgently done my business so I am left perched and waiting for a kind soul to enter and pass me something, anything, an old Kleenex from their purse, under the door. The crammed single sheet metal box dispenser that doesn't, is another challenge. The tightly jammed paper will not yield to any type of pressure and is often a victim of a nervous breakdown, beaten to a pulp by an irate user, its contents thrown into an over-flowing toilet. We've come up with the automatic toilet flusher, ditto soap and water dispensers and hand dryers, even automatic paper towel dispensers and we cannot come to grips with a design for a functioning fool-proof dispensing toilet roll??? Come on!!!!

(3) MUSIC: We have a long ride, 3000 klicks, the grandgirl and I. We take turns with the music selections. Some, I'm pleased to report, we agree on (Abba, Beatles, John Denver (John Denver!!!!)Joni Mitchell, Elvis (Long live the King!!)) but I'm up against my own creeping decrepitude on some of her choices. Isn't this the way of the world, though. But yay Nora Jones and Motor Five, not bad, not bad at all.....

(4) SIDEBAR: My beloved niece tells me she has found me a lovely man who is very keen to meet me. This will have to wait as he is a Newfoundlander but has all the criteria that appeals to an ideal me in an ideal world.

More from the road later.

16 comments:

  1. what lovely, thrilling news about your short stories! i am so happy for you.

    of course you'll do it. and of course they will be a success.

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  2. Hi www. (1) Just you go, girl. Realise your dream and don't allow any distractions! (2) Toilet rolls are OK in UK. Though we haven't automated them yet either. Automated bum-cleaning would be even better (don't they do that in Japan?). (3) How about Pink or Sheryl Crow or Buddy Guy? (4) Fingers crossed!

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  3. Thanks for the good words, Laurie I will keep you posted!
    Welcome back, Nick, good to hear your luggage found you!
    (1) Yes-breathe-will do!
    (2) Three cheers to that!
    (3)Yeah, we like Pink and Sheryl, must check Buddy Guy....
    (4)Ta.

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  4. Hi WWW

    1) You'll be fine and so will the babies. Remember it's what you wanted.

    2) I just got used to carrying a little sachet of tissues with me wherever I go. Why stress over it?

    3) I've noticed music doesn't have a generation anymore. That's kind of nice.

    4) Gwaaah - go girl!

    xxx

    Pants

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  5. Thanks, Pants.
    And good luck with your writings also. More of the world needs to see your awesome writing!

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  6. Your point about the toilet paper made me laugh out loud. Public restrooms always make me mutter about how big companies try to save money by skipping usability testing, so we have the kind of toilet paper dispensers you describe, authomatic faucets that don't know where your hands are, paper towel dispensers that dispense one shred of towel or several, and then -- and then -- when you've done all that stuff to keep your hands clean, they make you open the door with those clean hands. Duh!

    And congratulations on the short story collection. That is fabulous!

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  7. How very kind of you to say so.

    xxx

    Pants

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  8. Verna:
    I agree on the door handles (and the toilet handles too!!) and something I forgot to mention was the placement of the the holder, sometimes you can't even reach what it dispenses (if you're lucky and it has anything in it!) as it is installed so low - you would have to lie on your back on the filthy floor to scrabble around in it.

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  9. Pants - I've read the first chapter and c'est magnifique!!
    Link for those interested in reading the first chapter of a brilliant novel by Pants:

    http://thefullenglishnovel.blogspot.com/

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  10. Many congratulations on your book deal! Yes it's scary to put anything out into the world (including blog posts) - but how wonderful to be able to express yourself in that way. I only write for work and I can't bear to read my stuff afterwards, it's so boring.

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  11. Thank you so much Jenny, I am way beyond excited but scared too!

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  12. I don't know you, let's face it, how can I really? Yet when I read your post, I felt so happy for you, so excited. I love reading what you write and so do many more, so it's safe to assume it will be just wonderful. What an amazing thing to look forward to. I call it "joining the immortality club".
    I wish you all the best in all of what your heart desires.

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  13. WWW

    Thanks so much. Let me know when and how I can get hold of your works. I read and enjoyed the short 'Mending Fences'.

    xxx

    Pants

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  14. Gaye:
    Thank you so much for the positive re-inforcement. I keep a level of anonymity here as I have published works (articles, etc) and here I feel free to put down my inner thoughts. I'm sure I will be 'busted' at some point, tho, inevitable.

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  15. Pants:
    I will definitely let you know when the book comes out. The stories are all Newfoundland stories, some mythological in nature. So glad you enjoyed Mending Fences, Chester is in a few of the stories.

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  16. Hi WWW

    Brilliant. Thanks. And thanks again for mentioning The Full English here.

    xxx

    Pants

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