Fast Fiction

Today was another day in the car - though I didn’t travel as far as the Antelope Valley, I went to two different valleys.

I started with a drive to Canoga Park to the Borders there to meet up with some other far-flung wrimos. When I arrived at ten, the parking lot was nearly empty. I walked around, a little worried that I didn’t see anyone in the place and no big comfy chairs placed anywhere (as some Borders do have, or maybe I’m getting them confused with Barnes & Noble). I went upstairs and found the cafe. I ended up asking another fellow toting a laptop if he was a wrimo and realized quickly when he said “a what?” that he wasn’t.

I got a cup of drip coffee (from a guy who I don’t think has ever sold a cup of coffee before) and walked around for another ten minutes or so and then settled down at a table next to an outlet. Soon my intended wrimo prey joined me and we talked for a while and then I settled in for some wordage.

time..running tally..words…words/minute
11:30…..21,540…..454…..30.27
11:45…..21,907…..367…..24.47
12:00…..22,451…..544…..36.27
12:15…..22,817…..366…..24.40
12:30…..22,898…...81…...5.40
12:45…..23,166…..268…..17.87

Then I packed up my things, and took off to Pasadena, stopping to get gas first as I knew I had another twenty or so miles to go and my gas tank gauge was flashing “add fuel” all week.

Up in Pasadena I found the Vroman’s gang already in full swing with their write-out and the Vroman’s staff absolutely wonderful in checking up on us. The set up was the table used for in-store events - so there are a series of chair set up as an audience for us. Several patrons actually sat there, probably just to rest or chat for a moment, but it made the noveling feel like a spectator sport. I wish we could have gotten them to do the wave.

time..running tally..words…words/minute
2:30…..23,363…..197…..13.13
2:45…..23,631…..268…..17.87
3:00…..23,774…..143…...9.53
3:15…..23,827…...53…...3.53
3:30…..24,260…..433…..28.87
3:45…..24,285…...25…..,1.67
4:00…..24,826…..541…..36.07
4:15…..24,963…..137…..9.13
4:30…..25,239…..276…..18.40
4:45…..25,815…..576…..38.40
5:00…..26,115…..300…..20.00

It was a huge group, so there was lots of chatting, but I got my 5K for the day, so I was pretty pleased with that. I had to leave in a timely fashion, as I had dinner plans later.

The other cool thing is that I’m over the mid-way hump. I’m telling a story, though the plot leaves a little to be desired.

I’ll probably start this subject as a thread on the NaNoWriMo boards. One of the advantages of keeping such copious notes about my writing habits in November, is that I have a historical record of them.

So here it is, this weeks report of this day in history:

2001 -  9,371
2002 - 16,705
2003 - 14,316
2004 - 21,086

Today I passed through three area codes to write. (323, 818 & 661)

I went up to Palmdale to the Starbucks there. You say, Palmdale? Why Palmdale. Ah, this Starbucks has a drive-thru.

Really, I went up there for a write-out with the surprisingly vibrant wrimo group.

They had some great tables (with powerstrips mounted in the center) and I hunkered down for a long winter’s write. What I lacked in hourly rate, I made up for with keeping my ass in the chair until I got some wordcount.

time..running tally..words…words/minute
1:15…...16,967…...112…....7.47
1:30…...17,287…...320…...21.33
1:45…...17,521…...234…...15.60
2:00…...18,133…...612…...40.80
2:45…...18,691…...558…...37.20
3:00…...19,081…...390…...26.00
3:15…...19,397…...316…...21.07
3:30…...19,818…...421…...28.07
3:45…...20,158…...340…...22.67
4:00…...20,783…...625…...41.67
4:15…...21,086…...303…...20.20

My total for the day? 4,231. Not the 5K I wanted, but after yesterday’s poor showing by my uncooperative body, I should be grateful that I got up and about today.

I actually enjoyed the drive. It gave me time to think. I listened to music, sang along. And the views were amazing as I passed by Vasquez Rocks.

Off to Priscilla’s in Burbank bright and early. I got a late start, actually, and traffic on the 5 was oddly congested, so I was a little late. I didn’t really get started until 10 AM. But I had a good latte at my side and a small but very good pecan bar.

The table was wobbly and my abdomen has been hurting pretty bad lately, so I was very uncomfortable most of the time I was there.
time..running tally..words…words/minute
10:15…..12,471…..609…..40.60
10:30…..13,041…..570…..38.00
10:45…..13,587…..546…..36.40
11:00…..14,060…..473…..31.53
11:15…..14,616…..556…..37.07
11:30…..15,090…..474…..31.60
12:00…..15,433…..343…..22.87
12:15…..16,143…..710…..47.33
12:30…..16,855…..712…..47.47

And here’s some fun, I ran Word’s auto summarize feature. So instead of bothering with that messy 17,000 word PDF over there, here’s what’s going on:

The name Rachel Watson did that. If at all. ìWhatís your name??(r)

ìIím agent Kolotigian.?(r)

ìAgent Kolotigian.” Agent Kolotigian smiled. “Iím changing my name. To Rachel Watson.?(r)

ìRachel Watson? Your name is fine.” ìIíve changed my name. Iíve changed my name to Rachel Watson.?(r)

ìRachel Watson. Name one horrible Gross. ìHeather Gross. ìMaddie Fairfax.?(r)

ìMaddie.?(r) ìFairfax.?(r) Denise Gross nodded. They never spelled Maddie Fairfaxís name wrong.

Tonight I went over to CyberJava to meet with other wrimos. I don’t count on a lot of wordcount on the evening writeouts. Nightwriting is not really my thing after a day at work. I can do it on weekends, but weekdays are just too taxing. So excuse the pitiful count and the text that just treaded water in the plot.

time..running tally..words…words/minute
7:30…..10,602…..526…..35.07
7:45…..10,885…..283…..18.87
8:00…..11,174…..289…..19.27
8:15…..11,546…..372…..24.80
8:30…..11,797…..251…..16.73
8:45…..11,862…...65…...4.33

It was rather cold too. Spent the first hour outside, then as we got more folks and I couldn’t stand it any longer, we moved inside where the music was more annoying.

So I’m sitting here at my desk and I get a phone call, which in and of itself is odd. I can go a week without getting a call at the office. For a while I got wrong numbers.

Today I got another one.

This one with a twist.

This one was a text message being read aloud to me by an operator. It’s called CapTel Relay. The operator comes on, explains what it is and then tells you to repeat how you answered the phone. I did and then she typed that (clickety-click) to the person on the other end. Then I waited. They typed, and they typed and finally she read it aloud. “I’d like to book a set of two ...” a long pause “seats for a red-eye” a long pause “flight.”

I replied, “This is not the travel department.” (clickety-click) “You’ll need to call the main line. (I gave the number.)” (clickety-click) and I thanked the typist/reader and hung up. What a job! To sit around and be the intermediary for conversations. I wonder if they have to sign a confidentiality agreement.

Now I’m thinking that this needs to go in my novel. Sounds like a huge wordcount booster.

Technically I’m behind, but I need to remind myself that I’m always behind in NaNoWriMo. There’s no pressure without behind.

But here’s a little taste of history, here’s where I was each of the other years (you can go back and read the archives too, if you’re really curious).

November 7th Wordcount

2001 .....7,699
2002 .....7,988
2003 .....4,009

Oh yeah, I might be behind this year, but I’ve come back from far worse.

Of course in 2003 we were blessed with 10 weekend days. This year we have only eight. And I already squandered one of them (the sixth). But I figured all I need is four more like yesterday and I’m sitting pretty. Of course a plot would help, too.

I’ll try to post a PDF of the sucker later on tonight and fill out my status sheet, which is kind of boring when you look at only six days that actual writing gets done.

Yes, I know, everyone else has already started and I haven’t. But I went out bright and early (okay, drizzly and kind of midmorning) and got some writing done.

As usual, I found out that I am a freaking writing machine. I’m averaging about 2,500 words per hour. No, really.

CyberJava
I had a large cafe au lait. I sat on the front patio, in the drizzle with my fingerless gloves. I had my iPod but the battery crapped out on my about an hour and a half in. No matter, iTunes on the ‘puter got me through the rest of the session:

time..running tally..words…words/minute
10:45…..0,442…...442…...29.47
11:00…..1,088…...646…...43.07
11:15…..1,719…...631…...42.07
11:30…..2,342…...623…...41.53
11:45…..2,906…...564…...37.60
12:00…..3,525…...619…...41.27
12:15…..4,129…...604…...40.27
12:30…..4,477…...348…...23.20
12:45…..4,999…...522…...34.80

Then I packed up, cuz I’d made my 5K and I was cold and I headed over to Espresso Mi Cultura on Hollywood, just a piece down the pike. There I got warmed up with some Mexican mocha. I found a roomy table in the back and dug in for some major typetivity:

time..running tally..words…words/minute
13:15…..5,025…...026…...01.73
13:30…..5,428…...403…...26.87
13:45…..6,097…...669…...44.60
14:00…..6,547…...450…...30.00
14:15…..7,181…...634…...42.27
14:30…..7,855…...674…...44.93
14:45…..8,486…...631…...42.07
15:00…..9,047…...561…...37.40
15:15…..9,726…...679…...45.27
15:30….10,076…...350…...23.33

Of course I haven’t a clue what I’m doing. I’ve got a character now and a situation and she’s just kind of talking. I’m 20% into the thing, so I think I’ve ended this session on a pretty good note, with my main character flipping out.

Maybe I’ve been a little scared of throwing myself back into writing again.

A lot of things have happened in the last year. I’m only 37 and it turns out that I’m not immortal. In fact, my body is quite fallible. The bronchitis that never ended earlier this year (and the torn intercostals that still bugged me until about six weeks ago), the operation and long recovery. It’s all too much, though it’s all ended well. I think I’ve been living in my body too much lately and I need to move back into my mind.

I had some wonderfully vivid dreams last night. I didn’t sleep well, not deeply.

In one of them I went to see my brother, who had just moved. He was working as the manager of an apartment complex and lived there with his family (I don’t know what kind of apartment complex has four bedroom apartments like that though). He was showing me around the place, and started to feed his dog, Bailey. As he did that, I played with his other dog, Abbey.

Abbey was a great dog, a huge lug - she was a cross between a German shepherd and a golden retriever. She was only eleven when she was put down earlier this year because of bone cancer. She also had diabetes and hip dysplasia. She had one of the great dog lives - living with other dogs and great humans. She was a damn happy pooch and I haven’t been back to visit my brother since she was put down earlier this year.

But in the dream as he fed Bailey, I gave Abbey a great big petting, down on the floor, full body rub, scratching ears and everything. My brother didn’t see her, and I knew she really wasn’t there. But I got to say goodbye, if only in my dreams.

I have no idea what that means. But I think some of it has to do with the dog actually being gone and some of it probably has to do with my surgery and a lot of it has to do with not feeling present for the noveling this year.

I haven’t started my novel yet. I will start my novel. I must start my novel.

I’m going to go start my novel.

In America, anybody can be president. Thatís one of the risks you take.
~~Adlai Stevenson (1952)

LA Insight from LABlogs.com’s topic of the week: Family Values.

1. How far do you live from you family?

They live in Ohio and Pennsylvania. I usually fly into Pittsburgh, as it’s pretty much equidistant from those in Southeast PA and those in Ohio and of course dead center for my brother in Pittsburgh.

2. How often do you see them?

I usually go home three times a year. Sometime in February or March, then August and Christmas/New Years. This year I’ve had a horrible time connecting with them and have not been home since Christmas. My sister did come out in May though. My mother comes out once every year or two. My brother hasn’t been back since he moved away in 2000.

3. Do you have a large or small family?

I think it’s small. I have an older sister who has two nearly grown children (no longer minors but still living at home) and a brother who two small children.

4. Are family gatherings something that you look forward to or dread?

Well, first, they read my blog. I look forward to them, actually. I have a good time, it’s not a vacation, it’s a visit. Sometimes we do cool things like one year we went down to Falling Water after Thanksgiving. Mostly we hang out around the house and eat a lot and make great recipes. There’s a lot of driving involved too and it sucks that the holidays come at such a bad time for driving and traveling in general. I don’t actually dread the visits, I dread the travel. I really never cared for flying and I like it even less now.

5. What kind of support to you get from your family?

Whoo! They’re the best. For my birthday two years ago my mother and sister came out for opening night of my play in Hollywood. They’ve travelled all over to see my plays (I had one production in West Virginia that my mom and sister came down to see) and short film (the film was shown at the Cleveland Film Festival so my mother came to that and then it was at the Harrisburg Film Festival and my sister and father came to that.) And that’s just support for my career and passions. There’s all the other talky support. We’re a pretty close family, really. But easy-going and pretty non-judgemental overall. We have tiffs, but I think that’s normal with people who love each other.

6. Have you adopted any local family, either because you or they or from out of town?

Well, I’m married. So I’ve got a wonderful family in-law. We go to see my in-folks once every two weeks down in The OC. Then there are visits from my brothers in law which come a few times a year. We host a huge Thanksgiving at our house every year with 10 people.

7. Who do you love more, mom or dad? Ha, just kidding. What did you learn from your mom?

Jeeze. A lot of things. Like the difference between a teaspoon of salt and a tablespoon of salt is enough to ruin a recipe. That you can’t tie your self esteem up in another person or your job.

8. What did you learn from your dad?

That I should take good care of my cars (I didn’t necessarily learn that by example). I think the best thing I learned was don’t make things a problem until they are a problem. I remember once when I was sitting around with him at work one day there was a flurry of calls coming through (I think he was executive director of the Democratic State Committee at the time) about a flag burning amendment and some of the field people were calling in for advice. He asked them something like this, “When was the last time you heard of a flag being burned? Now, when was the last time you heard about a real crime, like robbery or embezzelment. Let’s not go legistlating for things that are the least of our worries. Maybe they wouldn’t want to burn the flag if they had something to eat.” I’d like to think I focus on the problems I can fix.

Oh, and this was pretty funny, too. Looks like this is going to be passive-aggressive four years.

I want the word liberal to be reclaimed. I want it to be a good thing. I want to be able to introduce a friend and nod to the other friend and say, he’s a liberal. And we’ll all nod and because it means that we accept each other. Why should I flinch away from being a loving, open, inclusive person? And why would I want a leader who does?

Here’s the disturbing news: It’s something that I suspected but had no first-hand knowledge of. There are people out there in this country who are not only preaching superiority and intolerance, they’re using national media to get their news across. CBS is fined because of an errant breast, but CBN is helping to promote this man’s hate-speech:

“Christians are the only ones asked to be tolerant in this culture. The homosexuals are not asked to be tolerant. Only Christians are asked to put aside their views, put aside their opinions, not speak up, not stand out. Weíre asked to sit back and take a back seat to the rest of the culture. And itís time that we stood up for what we believe in.” —Ryan Dobson author, Be Intolerant Because Some Things Are Just Stupid

You know what? Every person on this planet has to practice tolerance on a daily basis. I have to tolerate the way everyone drives, my neighbor’s dog barking, pre-teen girls dressing like whores, meat eaters, misuse of the phrase “could care less,” the list goes on and on. Humans are not identical. We are all tolerant. Some are more tolerant than others and shame on those who preach intolerance. Intolerance does not make the world a better place.

“I tell people, “If you donít believe that youíre going to go to hell.” Being the president of the National Council for Churches she ought to preach that. She ought to tell everybody that. Muslims are not going to Heaven. It is a sad fact, but it is also true. And youíve got to tell people that, not out of pride or arrogance, but out of love. Because I care about people, Iíve got to tell them what is true. And the truth is the only way into Heaven is through Christ. Thatís why He said, “I am the way and the truth. No one gets to the Father but through Me.” He didnít include Joseph Smith, Ghandi, Buddha, Mohammed or anybody else. He said, “I am the only way.””—Ryan Dobson on CBN

 

You might want to check the Amazon comments on this book, as well.

Link found via BoingBoing.net.

Personally, I think Jesus would be very disappointed if he were on earth today. I also think he’d be on the no fly list.

I am returning to the actual smell of the day.

Today it was roasted chicken with green beans.

I’m looking at a list of movies and telefilms here at work and one caught my eye, that MOW from the early seventies called A House Without a Christmas Tree starring Jason Robards. I looked it up on IMDB, because I wanted to know who the girl was. I know they made a bunch of other holiday specials, so I scrolled to the bottom of the page for the “recommendations” figuring they’re pretty well related. Instead of being referred to the other telefilms The Holiday Treasure and The Easter Promise a different movie was suggested: The Godfather Trilogy.

For the record, the recommendation for The Holiday Treasure was A House without a Christmas Tree. The recommendation for The Easter Promise is Patton. Oh, and the girl who played Addie is Lisa Lucas.

Yeah.

I’m depressed.

Today’s smell shouldn’t surprise you.

It’s the smell of democracy.

What does that smell like, you ask? Well, at my polling place it smells like babies. Dunno why, but everyone (okay maybe about a quarter of them) at my polling place had a toddler in tow. I think it’s great.

The line was long, but only because everyone was trying to vote early. The line at our polling place a few hours later was practically non-existent.

I’m not one for looking at the results before they’re actually in. My current displeasure with the media started in 2000 with the last election and continues to this day. As Jon Stewart has said, “Stop hurting America.” I hope that we can just be informed, be aware and then wait for the results instead of second and third guessing everything from moment to moment. My life doesn’t change knowing who our new leaders will be in the slightest for knowing 12 hours later than I could have known. After all, the President doesn’t take office until January and the Electoral College doesn’t meet until December.

Are you here to see how my novel is going?

Well, I’ve decided I’m going to be an asshole and hang out in coffee houses and make fun of the little conformists that do their wordcount in 1667 word incremements every day and then write all of mine in the weekend before Thanksgiving.

Um, no, wait, that’s not what I’m going to do.

I’m not planning on starting my novel until I’ve finished a draft of a new play. Supposedly I was going to do that last month, but I’ve stalled a little bit on it. But The Man laid down an edict that I not write another novel until I finish a play, so here I am, in the midst of National Novel Writing Month trying to squeeze a draft of a play out.

Of course my standards for plays are vastly different than my standards for novels (thank God!). I want to write a good and coherent play. So, I’ll get that done, probably on Saturday morning and then be able to start the Novel in earnest. It’s not like I don’t already procrastinate. At least this time I’m doing it to good purpose.

I’m going to redo my blogroll to include other NaNoWriMo bloggers, so if you want me to include yours, please let me know and I’ll give you some linky love.

Or, if you’re already on there, and you’d rather not be, now’s the time to tell me.

Of course when I post things like this, I only end up with more hits for these strings.

The latest interesting google search strings:

>  >  >Dispose of the dog pooch Los Angeles

>  >  >Rusty Dishwasher Prongs

>  >  >The Smell of Fiction

I wonder if they stayed or got disgusted and left.

LA Blog’s LA Insight was conceived by lil’ ol me. Mostly because I know we all have stories. Man, do we have stories.

1. Have you ever been ticketed for a moving violation?

Yes. Once. Running a red light. Going down Beverly Blvd. through Beverly Hills to work back in ‘96. He got me dead to rights as I blew through a stoplight that changed from yellow to red.

2. Have you ever been able to talk your way out of a ticket (just getting a warning)?

I was stopped one other time, New Year’s Eve in (I think) 1988 up in Arcata, CA. I was on my way to a party by myself and sat at a stoplight (one of only two in town) and when it turned green I went. A cop was sitting opposite me in the left turn lane and swung a U-ie and pulled me over. He said I ran the light. I was just puzzled (honestly puzzled, not talking my way out of it or anything) and said, “Why would I sit there through most of the cycle and then blow through it? It obviously turns green on my side before yours because of the left turn lane.” He kind of stammered and asked if I’d been drinking (I didn’t drink back then.) and sent me on my way.

3. Have you ever fought a traffic ticket?

Nope. I’ve wanted to fight parking tickets before, but it seems that the law of diminishing returns dictates that my time is worth more than the price of the ticket.

4. How did you fulfill your traffic school requirement?

I went to Chocoholics traffic school over at Rose’s in Venice. The teacher was an ass (we got into an arguement about gun laws), but was an otherwise painless experience.

5. Have you ever gotten a parking ticket? Did you fight it?

I’ve gotten two parking tickets in the last 13 years. I didn’t have a car before then. One was for parking the first week I lived in LA in Venice - the meter had NOT expired, yet the meter maid insisted that we’d already parked on that block (we’d not, but I suppose it was easy to confuse my light blue Camry with the 22 million other light blue Camrys back then). The other ticket was in Glendale for an expired meter. I’m paranoid about getting parking tickets so I try really hard not to get them.

6. How much do you think youíve spent in your lifetime on tickets?

Both parking & that one moving violation including the fee for traffic school - probably $500.

7. Have you been ticketed in other cities/states/countries? How does that experience compare?

Well, being stopped that one time up in Arcata. I was once picked up for curfew violation when I was in college too. That was weird, because it was 2AM and I was only 17, so I suppose I wasn’t allowed to be out. But then again, I was in college and not living at home anymore (hell, not even living in the same state/time zone as my folks.)

8. If you had it to do all over again, whatís the one thing you would have done differently when it came to a run in with The Man?

Well, I think that running that light was probably good for me. It’s good for everyone to have a little dose of the system if you don’t hurt anyone else.

Today’s smell is matches.

There was a blackout here at work today. Almost two hours. Now, it being daytime, we had no trouble making our way around until the lights came back on. But the bathroom has no windows and therefor not natural light. So we lit a candle and put it on the shelf in the bathroom. It was one of my nice scented ones. But of course the overwhelming smell when you first light it is the sulphur from the matches.

Tonight I raced home from work because the sky looked rather clear. However, the clouds were hugging the horizon and I couldn’t quite catch the moonrise.

I did get a few shots off while testing the camera of the full lunar eclipse.

I’m still hoping to get a few more. We’re in totality at the moment, so I’ve got another hour or so to catch a clearing in the clouds, but it’s raining again.

UPDATE: I posted a pretty cool early shot on blogging.la and a lot more on buzznet.

Today’s smell is brought to you by the commissary.

Today’s smell is French Dip. Which here on the lot was always French Dip and was never called Freedom Dip. (I actually don’t know if that’s true, but it sounded good.)

Platypuses. Platypii?

They’re just strange creatures.

First, they have cloacas (only one opening for eggs, urine and feces to pass).

Second, males have venomous spurs.

Third, they lay eggs.

Fourth, they have some freaky genes going on. Nature reported that “a platypus has five chromosones determining sex, not one - like the rest of the species in the world.” That’s like some alien stuff going on. It’s not like it’s a non-mammalian thing to do, it’s like it’s a non-earth thing to do.

Of course Nature also reported that hobbits used to live in Indonesia.

Okay, I went to Amazon today. Usually the front page has something to do with stuff that I browse or buy.

Today the front page had something else. Philips HeartStart Home Automated External Defibrillator (AED).

First of all, who named that thing. HeartStart? Please!

Second, external defibrillator? I hope it’s external. I hate the anal ones. Or worse, the ones where you have to crack open the chest. Although that one comes with a carpet cleaner.

Third, what have I been browsing lately that led them to believe that this was something I’d be interested in?

I like to do stuff to spur me to complete my novel. Chris Baty suggests this in his book and on the NaNoWriMo website.

Signing up for group blogs and blogrolls helps me quite a bit. Especially when I check my webstats and see that I’ve been getting referrals from other pages.

To that end, NaNoBlogMo has listed me among the participants. I have no idea if anyone actually clicks on that stuff or looks at that page.

But I’ll just pretend that everyone has high hopes for me.

EDIT: I had the URL down for nanoblogmo down wrong (I put blogpsot.com instead of blogspot.com) which apparently takes you to a mega site of bible study which I can only assume took the domain name because of the inadvertant traffic.

Today’s smell was fabulous. It’s a smoky barbecue. I don’t know who was barbecuing, but I loved the feel of walking to my office, navigating puddles and that scent wafting by.

I wanted leaves to kick or be scattered around in the breeze. But this’ll qualify for a nice way to start the day, too.

Today’s smell came to me before getting to the office.

Today’s smell is bleach.

Yes, bleach so strong as to make your eyes water.

I don’t know why my back yard smelled like bleach, but that’s how it was today.

As it stands right now, this is what I’ve got:

Title: An Alphabetical Order

Genre: Literary Fiction (Light Humor?)

Story: Main character finds that her lack of success in life is caused by her unfortunate name. It’s not a bad name, it’s just always left her in a bad position. So she researches how some successful people were helped by their name (the letters they begin with, not too uncommon, not too ordinary, not too ethnic, but not too whitebread). She changes her name and changes her life. Or maybe it doesn’t change her life at all.

As you can see, I haven’t even picked out a name for her yet. I’ve got a long way to go.