I was grocery shopping when I saw this.
1. I had to laugh hysterically
2. I had to buy them
3. I had to laugh hysterically at the check out counter
4. I had to save the box and use it for a pencil holder
Over the years I have discovered something about myself. My sense of humor is often times not the same as other people's. Things that elicit side-splitting guffaws from me typically make other people roll their eyes or at the very most smile ever so slightly.
hmmm...
Tastes vary. Even the books I choose.
Like now.
I'm struggling through Proust in my "spare time" because one of my characters has to read it. I hate when characters make me do things like this. They never make me go to Paris or stay at a spa for a month or eat chocolate.
No.
They force me to read Proust.
The verbosity and attention to detail doesn't bother me. No sir. I look on the bright side. Proust at bedtime beats both sleeping pills AND warm milk.
I'm out like a light.
I'm in the middle of volume one and have six more to go.
Are all characters this mean to their creators?
Tooloose thinks so.
That's why he works with alien space monkeys in his novels.
They're very malleable.
So what do YOUR characters make you do?
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17 comments:
My characters made me study emergency medicine, but that was actually quite fun. I met the founder of the Journal of Emergency Medical Services (who died of a heart attack -- oh, the irony) and one of the former stars of "Emergency!" in my quest for EMS learning joy. Otherwise . . . I needed to go learn about life in a restaurant kitchen but stuck to books. That story was published, but I'm pretty sure it sucked and I should have walked into a steamy kitchen and taken my chances.
I thought the shiitake box was funny, too.
MI SPACE MONKEEZ MAK MEE EAT DOGFUD
YRS TRULEE,
TOOLOOSE
I love this! And completely understand what you're talking about, rarely does anyone "get me", except my friend and blog partner Doreen. Which I think has a lot to do with why we blog.
My characters, on the other hand, if they "got me" they'd stop making me find more interesting things for them to do. They want to be three dimensional, they want me to "show" not "tell" what they're doing, they want to have feelings, and fun and sex. "Waaa, waa, waaa, make me interesting" they cry out to me, not letting me sleep until I find something to keep them occupied.
I'm currently trying to figure out if a patient comes to the ER from a minor accident, how do they find the brain tumor?
Good luck with Proust. I'm also having trouble sleeping, think I'll join you in self-medicating.
LOL! Mine is making me play around with Maya - not the ancient civiliazation - the computer animation program.
My last character had me eating fish in Ballard. ;)
Discover what made tanneries stink. The details are gag-inducing. Why couldn't he choose someone other than a tanner's son for a childhood enemy?
Not to mention gunpowder, weaving looms, opiates and alkaloids, and Sun Tzu's The Art of War. And a gazillion other things.
Since I write middle grades for boys, my characters make me fart and burp. Wait. Maybe I've always done those things...
:-)
I don't even know who Proust is. But there are VOLUMES? Does your character have to read all of them? Are there not any Cliffs Notes for Proust?
:-)
Ah, but Proust was born in Paris, and had such an interesting life, surely, you must indeed go to Paris! Required, I would say. And he probably ate chocolate at the spa too...
OMG!!!! you're right!!!
I started reading In Search of Lost Time at the beginning of the year. It gets more gripping -- or at least, it did for me. Getting through the first 100 pages or so until you're used to him is definitely tough. I've read the first three volumes and I have Sodom and Gomorrah here and ready (when I am). You know his birthday is coming soon -- July 11th. I did a couple of blog posts about my experience reading Proust if you're interested (it's at eudaemoniaforall.blogspot.com/ and then just do a search on Proust). I hope you start liking him more :)
Funny I just sent you a link to Lisa's blog on FB! Doubt I'll ever be brave enough to tackle Proust, though I understand the research for the character idea. That's what makes your writing so compelling...can't wait to read your newest!
Love the mushrooms!
The main character in the novel I'm writing is old and arthritic so I've been hobbling around, complaining about my hips for months :)
What you find when you're not looking for anything? Friends who live on boats in beautiful places!
I learned to play the cello. Or did I write about a character playing the cello so that I had an excuse to learn the cello? Hmmm...I'll have to think about that one. Either way, do you think I can claim it as a business expense? ;-)
A question for you, seeing how you live on a boat and all--what can I give a friend who did something really wonderful for me? She also lives on a boat and I hate to send random junk that will clutter up her boat or gangway or whatever boat hallways or the living area and that outside area is called. What do boat people appreciate as gifts? Big Island Candies? Amazon gift card? Starbucks gift card? An inflatable dinghy? A good friend has an AMAZING coffee plantation (100% Hamakua coast -- smooth and delicious stuff) and I might be able to get him to give up a couple bags, but somehow that doesn't seem like enough. A gift cert for a couple of pedicures? Or a massage? Or my fourth born? (uh, why did I say that when I just promised I wouldn't have any more? Let's not go there...)
Or maybe I should ask Tooloose...
Shiitake happens.
I had to read Proust in high school. In French. I actually remember some of it.
My kids get my humour. My husband, not so much.
Oh, Bookfool, I had a crush on Randy Mantooth!
Starbucks gift card hands down...
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