8/12/2004
8/11/2004
Minimum wage is $5.15 an hour. If full-time work is 40 hours a week, that is about $10,700 per year.
$10,700 per year.
I started at my newspaper job at $17,000 a year. I earn more than that now, obviously, and what I earn - in my mind - is a decent salary. I don't have high expenses, I don't eat out all week, and until two years ago, I had a roommate.
But when I tell people what newspaper salaries are, they look at me in disbelief. "How can anyone ever LIVE on that?" ask these people.
Their comments are pretty obnoxious, because they're basically trying to make me feel bad about something I didn't feel bad about.
There are a lot of spoiled brats in the New York area. Many of them consider $30,000 to $40,000 - for example - a low wage. I consider those very high. They are certainly $20,000 higher than minimum wage.
The other day I got a really stupid poem forwarded to me via e-mail about how people on Welfare sit around and collect cash. Pul-eeze. Not only do the fortunate among us not have any idea what it means to be REALLY poor (and $30k a year is NOT poor!!) - they could never survive on public assistance (and that's all it is meant for - minimum survival.) If you are someone who considers $40,000 a poverty wage, then boy, you are in for a rude awakening if you ever REALLY fall into poverty.
And by the way, yes, I understand that this is the New York area, and to live in New York you have to pay high rent. But there is no reason that a single person anywhere should consider $30,000 or $40,000 a poverty wage.
$10,700 per year.
I started at my newspaper job at $17,000 a year. I earn more than that now, obviously, and what I earn - in my mind - is a decent salary. I don't have high expenses, I don't eat out all week, and until two years ago, I had a roommate.
But when I tell people what newspaper salaries are, they look at me in disbelief. "How can anyone ever LIVE on that?" ask these people.
Their comments are pretty obnoxious, because they're basically trying to make me feel bad about something I didn't feel bad about.
There are a lot of spoiled brats in the New York area. Many of them consider $30,000 to $40,000 - for example - a low wage. I consider those very high. They are certainly $20,000 higher than minimum wage.
The other day I got a really stupid poem forwarded to me via e-mail about how people on Welfare sit around and collect cash. Pul-eeze. Not only do the fortunate among us not have any idea what it means to be REALLY poor (and $30k a year is NOT poor!!) - they could never survive on public assistance (and that's all it is meant for - minimum survival.) If you are someone who considers $40,000 a poverty wage, then boy, you are in for a rude awakening if you ever REALLY fall into poverty.
And by the way, yes, I understand that this is the New York area, and to live in New York you have to pay high rent. But there is no reason that a single person anywhere should consider $30,000 or $40,000 a poverty wage.
8/10/2004
8/09/2004
8/08/2004
Okay, the poop (shi-poopie) on the chick-lit contest is that those really ARE the prizes. But the idea is that you get feedback from an editor and agent if you do well, and perhaps they will request more of your manuscript. If this interests you, click here.
Can you imagine if Cole Porter and Dorothy Parker had a baby?
I can't, because they're both DEAD.
Can you imagine if Cole Porter and Dorothy Parker had a baby?
I can't, because they're both DEAD.
8/07/2004
Woke up, put on clothes, went to work...on a book. I can't work on books for an hour here, an hour there, which is why I don't write before or after work. I need hours of silence at a time.
I got my 50th Amazon review of Carrie Pilby, which is very nice.
I'm seeing school supplies back in the stores. It's that time.
I got my 50th Amazon review of Carrie Pilby, which is very nice.
I'm seeing school supplies back in the stores. It's that time.
8/06/2004
8/05/2004
8/04/2004
Don't hold back...tell us what you really think.
This week's New Yorker starts with a paragraph from editor David Remick:
"There's a case to be made that it hardly matters how eloquent or effective John kerry was at the Democratic National Convention last week. What matters infinitely more is that George W. Bush is the worst president the country has endured since Richard Nixon, and even mediocrity would be an improvement."
In other New Yorker news...
There is an article on Munchausen by Proxy syndrome, which I couldn't read because it completely grosses me out. There are few things that are so gross that I can't read about them, but this actually makes my blood bite my skin.
Then there's the article on the "comedian" who is very religious and plays Christian events. One of his jokes is, "They should handle homeless people the old way. Give them an ax and a tree and say, 'There's your duplex.' " Well, I agree. It would be better than what a lot of them get now. This dumbass is too stupid to know that he just advocated a gov't handout. I'm glad he understands that sometimes 'handouts' can help get people out of a bad situation. I wonder if he also knows that Habitat for Humanity actually requires poor people who get the houses to put in 800 "sweat equity" hours per year, meaning they have to work on their house for like 18 hours a week for a year, even if they have a full-time job and raise kids beside that. A lot of them do most of it on the weekend. I wonder if this guy forgets the part of his religion that calls for him to love and help other people. And if you throw the "give a man a fish and he'll fish for a day" thing in my face, I wasn't differing - for those who are physically AND mentally able to do the work to get themselves out of their mess. But some can't mentally do the work.
Example: There's a homeless woman who hangs out in the Hoboken train station who is a good writer. I told her I'd pay her $50 to write an article on being homeless for my newspaper. She said she would. Then when I asked her for her SS#, she balked. She couldn't tell me why. Well, she was probably borderline paranoid. To someone who wants to put the homeless into little neat categories, they'd see her on the street and think she was perfectly fine and should be working.
I wonder if Jesus thinks it's funny to tell jokes about the homeless. This guy also says in the New Yorker that we're going to hell if we don't believe in Jesus. Well, where do people who only believe in Jesus when it fits their philosophy go?
Man, I hope Blogger accidentally erases this entry.
This week's New Yorker starts with a paragraph from editor David Remick:
"There's a case to be made that it hardly matters how eloquent or effective John kerry was at the Democratic National Convention last week. What matters infinitely more is that George W. Bush is the worst president the country has endured since Richard Nixon, and even mediocrity would be an improvement."
In other New Yorker news...
There is an article on Munchausen by Proxy syndrome, which I couldn't read because it completely grosses me out. There are few things that are so gross that I can't read about them, but this actually makes my blood bite my skin.
Then there's the article on the "comedian" who is very religious and plays Christian events. One of his jokes is, "They should handle homeless people the old way. Give them an ax and a tree and say, 'There's your duplex.' " Well, I agree. It would be better than what a lot of them get now. This dumbass is too stupid to know that he just advocated a gov't handout. I'm glad he understands that sometimes 'handouts' can help get people out of a bad situation. I wonder if he also knows that Habitat for Humanity actually requires poor people who get the houses to put in 800 "sweat equity" hours per year, meaning they have to work on their house for like 18 hours a week for a year, even if they have a full-time job and raise kids beside that. A lot of them do most of it on the weekend. I wonder if this guy forgets the part of his religion that calls for him to love and help other people. And if you throw the "give a man a fish and he'll fish for a day" thing in my face, I wasn't differing - for those who are physically AND mentally able to do the work to get themselves out of their mess. But some can't mentally do the work.
Example: There's a homeless woman who hangs out in the Hoboken train station who is a good writer. I told her I'd pay her $50 to write an article on being homeless for my newspaper. She said she would. Then when I asked her for her SS#, she balked. She couldn't tell me why. Well, she was probably borderline paranoid. To someone who wants to put the homeless into little neat categories, they'd see her on the street and think she was perfectly fine and should be working.
I wonder if Jesus thinks it's funny to tell jokes about the homeless. This guy also says in the New Yorker that we're going to hell if we don't believe in Jesus. Well, where do people who only believe in Jesus when it fits their philosophy go?
Man, I hope Blogger accidentally erases this entry.
8/03/2004
It WAS too quiet. Now that 'tis the season, there's a baby brother following in Tropical Depression One/Alex's footsteps. This is Tropical Depression Two.
Woke up, put on clothes, went to work.
The talented Sydney created a graphic on her blog today encouraging people to come play trivia tonight, as Sarah and I will host!
If I look sick, it may be because right now I'm drinking a store-bought smoothie that claims to include spirulina, "open cell chlorella," "barley grass," "green algae," "echinacea purpurea extract," and "lemon bioflavonoids." The open-cell thing has me a little edgy.
Men couldn't seem to resist commenting on "pig benis." Someone said it's "pig Latin." Very funny.
The talented Sydney created a graphic on her blog today encouraging people to come play trivia tonight, as Sarah and I will host!
If I look sick, it may be because right now I'm drinking a store-bought smoothie that claims to include spirulina, "open cell chlorella," "barley grass," "green algae," "echinacea purpurea extract," and "lemon bioflavonoids." The open-cell thing has me a little edgy.
Men couldn't seem to resist commenting on "pig benis." Someone said it's "pig Latin." Very funny.
8/02/2004
Woke up, put on clothes, went to work.
Awww. Little Tropical Depression One has become a full-fledged Tropical Storm named Alex! The forecast is for it to brush the Carolinas and calmly move east, out to sea, but it could still bring rain or even veer closer to us up here in NYC. One never knows.
T-shirt of the week: Yesterday, some guys in Hoboken were selling t-shirts with goofy sayings. One of them had a pig on it and said, "Pig Benis."
Awww. Little Tropical Depression One has become a full-fledged Tropical Storm named Alex! The forecast is for it to brush the Carolinas and calmly move east, out to sea, but it could still bring rain or even veer closer to us up here in NYC. One never knows.
T-shirt of the week: Yesterday, some guys in Hoboken were selling t-shirts with goofy sayings. One of them had a pig on it and said, "Pig Benis."
8/01/2004
Dan writes: Personally, I would like to see Carrie’s proficiency with a flame thrower and rocket launcher, used with MIT-like precision against a race of military cyborgs threatening to take over the streets of Las Vegas. I think that’s what’s missing from the chick-lit genre. My $0.02.
A lurker writes:The Pilby sequel has just made my week! Not only am i
thrilled for more Carrie, it will be released very close to my own college graduation date... Congrats and THANK YOU!
Mickey responds:Hot Damn!! I knew it!! Hello Barnes and Noble, yes I would like to order 100 copies of Adventures of Carrie in her latest exploit “Carrie Likes to eat Moo Shu Gai Pan”! And bye the way, do you folks sell Kleenex? I like to keep a box close at hand while reading, just in the event that I er, sneeze!
Men are such pigs...Anyway, thanks to all of you for the support of my writing habit.
A lurker writes:The Pilby sequel has just made my week! Not only am i
thrilled for more Carrie, it will be released very close to my own college graduation date... Congrats and THANK YOU!
Mickey responds:Hot Damn!! I knew it!! Hello Barnes and Noble, yes I would like to order 100 copies of Adventures of Carrie in her latest exploit “Carrie Likes to eat Moo Shu Gai Pan”! And bye the way, do you folks sell Kleenex? I like to keep a box close at hand while reading, just in the event that I er, sneeze!
Men are such pigs...Anyway, thanks to all of you for the support of my writing habit.
I promised a minor book-related announcement today, Aug. 1. So here it is:
I'm doing a Carrie Pilby sequel. It won't be full-length. It's going to be a novella, probably about 140-150 pages, and it'll go into a collection of three authors' novellas that Red Dress Ink will put out in time for the 2005 holidays, starting November, 2005. Mine will be the New Year's one, and other authors will contribute a Christmas and a Hannukah novella. I've come up with fun new Carrie Pilby stuff over the last year, and I couldn't resist writing it whenever I thought of it - so this isn't a case of them asking me and I decided to do it. I already had some interesting new exploits, but I wasn't sure if I'd have time to focus on a book. So this is a good way to find out what happened now that she's learned some lessons but is still geeky and pushing herself to get out. While this is still 14 months away, I'm happy about it.
If you want to read the original Carrie Pilby, click here. Amazon reports they currently have four copies left in stock - but more are on the way!
But that's not the only announcement... Yes, folks, it has begun. The next six or so weeks might bring hurricane hype. Right now, the aptly-named Tropical Depression One is sliding toward us from North Carolina, and might bring us some Dicey weather on Tuesday. Here's a map of its track. Keep watching. Hurricane season only comes along once a year!
I'm doing a Carrie Pilby sequel. It won't be full-length. It's going to be a novella, probably about 140-150 pages, and it'll go into a collection of three authors' novellas that Red Dress Ink will put out in time for the 2005 holidays, starting November, 2005. Mine will be the New Year's one, and other authors will contribute a Christmas and a Hannukah novella. I've come up with fun new Carrie Pilby stuff over the last year, and I couldn't resist writing it whenever I thought of it - so this isn't a case of them asking me and I decided to do it. I already had some interesting new exploits, but I wasn't sure if I'd have time to focus on a book. So this is a good way to find out what happened now that she's learned some lessons but is still geeky and pushing herself to get out. While this is still 14 months away, I'm happy about it.
If you want to read the original Carrie Pilby, click here. Amazon reports they currently have four copies left in stock - but more are on the way!
But that's not the only announcement... Yes, folks, it has begun. The next six or so weeks might bring hurricane hype. Right now, the aptly-named Tropical Depression One is sliding toward us from North Carolina, and might bring us some Dicey weather on Tuesday. Here's a map of its track. Keep watching. Hurricane season only comes along once a year!
7/31/2004
Woke up, put clothes on, didn't go to work.
I realized it's not fair for me to surf other blogs looking for people's roundups of the They Might Be Giants free show in Brooklyn without me adding mine. To sum up: They should have played more of their hits. They do a good job, but they goofed around too much. They made us call them out for a second encore in order to do "Istanbul, Not Constantinople," and didn't do the Malcolm theme, even though I imagine some of the parents in the audience said to their kids, "This is the group that sings the Malcolm theme!" But for a free concert, can I really complain? They have a new album out and they need to promote it.
Thanks to all the great friends who came out and shared food and wine!
I realized it's not fair for me to surf other blogs looking for people's roundups of the They Might Be Giants free show in Brooklyn without me adding mine. To sum up: They should have played more of their hits. They do a good job, but they goofed around too much. They made us call them out for a second encore in order to do "Istanbul, Not Constantinople," and didn't do the Malcolm theme, even though I imagine some of the parents in the audience said to their kids, "This is the group that sings the Malcolm theme!" But for a free concert, can I really complain? They have a new album out and they need to promote it.
Thanks to all the great friends who came out and shared food and wine!
7/30/2004
To all the people who come to my site by putting in "Is there no help for the widows son": First off, it's a Mormon and Freemasons thing. Secondly, after you're done with Dan Brown, you should read a fun book called Carrie Pilby, about a 19-year-old female genius trying to fit into NYC. Really!
Attn: Anyone interested in sit-com writing. There's a contest on the Bravo channel you'll want to check out. It's a reality show following people creating their own sit-com. You have to submit your idea and application by Sept. 18. There's money to win, too. Click here!
7/29/2004
Help/Hope is on the way...
"The future doesn't belong to fear. It belongs to freedom." - John F. Kerry, 7/29/04
I'm so glad he mentioned how all the senators have wonderful health benefits...meanwhile, so many people have none...and why is it that only the activists are raising their voices to complain about the lack of protection of our nuclear power plants?
Way to go, JFK!
Nomination night wrapup, for those who missed it:
'Dad hug'
Wet hamster
Bruuuuuuuce!
Born in left wing...er, West Wing
Help is on the way!
"The future doesn't belong to fear. It belongs to freedom." - John F. Kerry, 7/29/04
I'm so glad he mentioned how all the senators have wonderful health benefits...meanwhile, so many people have none...and why is it that only the activists are raising their voices to complain about the lack of protection of our nuclear power plants?
Way to go, JFK!
Nomination night wrapup, for those who missed it:
'Dad hug'
Wet hamster
Bruuuuuuuce!
Born in left wing...er, West Wing
Help is on the way!
A site called Preditors & Editors gives writers advice on who's legit and not legit in the world of getting published. Here is a link to their agents section, where they tell you who the rip-off artists are. One agency on there is being investigated by the cops for theft by deception. You can click a letter for an agency's name and check them out.
7/28/2004
Apparently, if you check out this site and click the button, it helps feed hungry animals. It's an animal rescue site. It takes like a second, so why dontcha. http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/
7/27/2004
7/26/2004
At Tuesday Night Trivia tomorrow, Michael Lynch will perform on his guitar and do a singalong after the game, as the musical act. So come and sing along!
I have some minor book news...nothing majorly major, but something nice. I will announce it August 1 in this spot. No, it's not that I've sold my 3rd book (I have to do a lot more work on it.)
Does everyone know that August starts this weekend? Can ya believe it?
That also means that this blog will soon start its annual hurricane watch. It's been a really quiet year for them so far.
Too quiet...
Does everyone know that August starts this weekend? Can ya believe it?
That also means that this blog will soon start its annual hurricane watch. It's been a really quiet year for them so far.
Too quiet...
7/25/2004
7/23/2004
Someone actually used, in my presence, the tired old saw that some of the homeless are homeless because they are "Too lazy to work." It should be obvious to anyone with a sense of logic that that isn't true. Most of the people who work mainly work to keep a roof over their heads -- because they are too lazy to be able to live on the street!!!!!!
7/21/2004
Woke up, put on clothes, went to work.
From a wrestling article: "After much speculation, Brooke [Hogan] is NOT dating Aaron Carter, and Hulk said she is not yet old enough to date. Hulk claimed the Aaron Carter romance was a rumor started when they were in the recording studio at the same time..."
Then why was Hulk at Aaron Carter's concert introducing him and talking about them liking each other and stuff? Was it all for publicity? Well, before this blog turns into Teen Beat, I'll get off the topic.
From a wrestling article: "After much speculation, Brooke [Hogan] is NOT dating Aaron Carter, and Hulk said she is not yet old enough to date. Hulk claimed the Aaron Carter romance was a rumor started when they were in the recording studio at the same time..."
Then why was Hulk at Aaron Carter's concert introducing him and talking about them liking each other and stuff? Was it all for publicity? Well, before this blog turns into Teen Beat, I'll get off the topic.
7/20/2004
Recently I was in a computer room of a library. Someone who had used the computer earlier was still logged into AIM. So I got an IM from one of her friends. This conversation followed:
PERSON IM'ING: my cell got stloen this wknd.. i need ur # again
ME: how will ou be able to call me if yr cell got sstolen?
PERSON IM'ing: cause i ogtta get a new 1
ME: oh. well, i'm not the person you think i am...i'm at a terminal that someone left on at a computer library. sorry to hear about your cell tho!
PERSON IM'ing: if u dont kno my fried.. sign off under hin name
ME: that is a very good idea. i think i will. but you have to improve your spelling young man!
PERSON IM'ing: man?... im a girl.....
ME: Is MD103xxy your boyfriend? How romantic! He must be pretty smart to be able to use this computer. Bag him so he can teach you spelling!
PERSON IM'ing: stfu.... it was a friggin mistake.. calm the fuck down...
ME: I'm only kidding. Watch your language, silly. Anyway, you are full of mistakes. And your swearing is not ladylike. I'm signing off now, because this isn't my account, but your boyfriend deserves someone without a pottymouth! Bye. (And calm down too...I'm only kidding around with you)
PERSON IM'ing: im from nyc im possed to have a potty mouth
ME: Actually you're right
PERSON IM'ING: my cell got stloen this wknd.. i need ur # again
ME: how will ou be able to call me if yr cell got sstolen?
PERSON IM'ing: cause i ogtta get a new 1
ME: oh. well, i'm not the person you think i am...i'm at a terminal that someone left on at a computer library. sorry to hear about your cell tho!
PERSON IM'ing: if u dont kno my fried.. sign off under hin name
ME: that is a very good idea. i think i will. but you have to improve your spelling young man!
PERSON IM'ing: man?... im a girl.....
ME: Is MD103xxy your boyfriend? How romantic! He must be pretty smart to be able to use this computer. Bag him so he can teach you spelling!
PERSON IM'ing: stfu.... it was a friggin mistake.. calm the fuck down...
ME: I'm only kidding. Watch your language, silly. Anyway, you are full of mistakes. And your swearing is not ladylike. I'm signing off now, because this isn't my account, but your boyfriend deserves someone without a pottymouth! Bye. (And calm down too...I'm only kidding around with you)
PERSON IM'ing: im from nyc im possed to have a potty mouth
ME: Actually you're right
Woke up, put on clothes, went to work.
Sunday I took a Forgotten New York tour. I met several interesting people including the webmaster of this great photo site, and his friend who went to the inferior Princeton U. Hi.
Sunday I took a Forgotten New York tour. I met several interesting people including the webmaster of this great photo site, and his friend who went to the inferior Princeton U. Hi.
7/19/2004
Woke up, put on clothes, went to work.
I forgot to point out yesterday that there are whole new directions in fast food! Click www.bkbeaver.com - it's not what you think!
I forgot to point out yesterday that there are whole new directions in fast food! Click www.bkbeaver.com - it's not what you think!
7/18/2004
7/17/2004
Woke up, put on clothes, didn't go to work.
My color palette is missing.
Today I got up early to do some revising. I think book 3 is 70 percent done. A first draft is hard because I start with nothing and have to create a whole world and backstory, even with a rough outline and specific goal in mind. There's a lot of stuff that ends up getting written and later discarded. When it's time to go back and revise and rewrite (like now), I have learned a lot about the characters and what happened to them, and then it's just a matter of finding the best way to tell the story - as if it's actually something that happened that I know all about.
Was that boring? After today's revision session, I decided at the last minute to go to the soup kitchen because I haven't been in a few weeks. I got to hand small bags of donated goods to people who were leaving. Today they got a bottle of apple juice, a canned ham, and a packet of evaporated milk. Often, they will reject an item and share their reason: "No apple juice. That's instant diarrheah." Today a man rejected the ham: "No teeth;" then he gave me a toothless grin. Someone didn't want the powdered milk: "Cows wouldn't drink that." And finally, another man rejected it after reading the packet: "I can't take things that were made in Alabama. You know what happened last time I was in Alabama? A cop said to me and my buddy, 'How long are you gonna be in Alabama'? I said, 'We're leaving tomorrow.' He said, 'Well, how about leaving now?' And I said, 'Okay.' "
Anyone who saw the documentary "Capturing the Friedmans" should know that Jesse Friedman has a legal defense fund (see www.freejesse.net) and if you donate $25, you get "Jesse's Last Night," a film shot by Jesse's brother in his room the night that they helped Jesse pack until 4 and 5 a.m. before he was to report to jail for six years or longer (it turned out to be 13 years). Compelling and heart-wrenching.
My color palette is missing.
Today I got up early to do some revising. I think book 3 is 70 percent done. A first draft is hard because I start with nothing and have to create a whole world and backstory, even with a rough outline and specific goal in mind. There's a lot of stuff that ends up getting written and later discarded. When it's time to go back and revise and rewrite (like now), I have learned a lot about the characters and what happened to them, and then it's just a matter of finding the best way to tell the story - as if it's actually something that happened that I know all about.
Was that boring? After today's revision session, I decided at the last minute to go to the soup kitchen because I haven't been in a few weeks. I got to hand small bags of donated goods to people who were leaving. Today they got a bottle of apple juice, a canned ham, and a packet of evaporated milk. Often, they will reject an item and share their reason: "No apple juice. That's instant diarrheah." Today a man rejected the ham: "No teeth;" then he gave me a toothless grin. Someone didn't want the powdered milk: "Cows wouldn't drink that." And finally, another man rejected it after reading the packet: "I can't take things that were made in Alabama. You know what happened last time I was in Alabama? A cop said to me and my buddy, 'How long are you gonna be in Alabama'? I said, 'We're leaving tomorrow.' He said, 'Well, how about leaving now?' And I said, 'Okay.' "
Anyone who saw the documentary "Capturing the Friedmans" should know that Jesse Friedman has a legal defense fund (see www.freejesse.net) and if you donate $25, you get "Jesse's Last Night," a film shot by Jesse's brother in his room the night that they helped Jesse pack until 4 and 5 a.m. before he was to report to jail for six years or longer (it turned out to be 13 years). Compelling and heart-wrenching.
7/16/2004
7/15/2004
Later this morning, I will wake up, put clothes on, and go to work.
In the meantime, check out my essay at Knot Magazine - "Little Darlings." It's about the time I took off from work for a month to spend four weeks as a counselor in a travel camp for OVERprivileged youths. Better than Bug Juice!
In the meantime, check out my essay at Knot Magazine - "Little Darlings." It's about the time I took off from work for a month to spend four weeks as a counselor in a travel camp for OVERprivileged youths. Better than Bug Juice!
7/14/2004
Damn... This comes to us from Publisher's Lunch:
John Irving's forthcoming novel is his longest-ever manuscript, at 345,000 words. But, "Twenty-eight days ago I woke up and said: It really should be in the third-person," he tells Toronto's Globe and Mail. "It's a first-person novel." Irving adds, "I don't normally like the first-person voice and I can't even remember what rationale led me to think this had to be a first-person novel, but for the five years I've been writing it, it was. And just one morning I woke up and thought: 'S--t. It's not right.' And it's already bought, you know? And I said: 'Well, too bad.' "
So he's rewriting, "eight to nine hours a day, seven days a week," trying to stay on track for publication next June.
John Irving's forthcoming novel is his longest-ever manuscript, at 345,000 words. But, "Twenty-eight days ago I woke up and said: It really should be in the third-person," he tells Toronto's Globe and Mail. "It's a first-person novel." Irving adds, "I don't normally like the first-person voice and I can't even remember what rationale led me to think this had to be a first-person novel, but for the five years I've been writing it, it was. And just one morning I woke up and thought: 'S--t. It's not right.' And it's already bought, you know? And I said: 'Well, too bad.' "
So he's rewriting, "eight to nine hours a day, seven days a week," trying to stay on track for publication next June.
7/13/2004
7/12/2004
Woke up, put on clothes, went to work.
I found some old writing and posted a satirical piece I wrote in 2000 in www.carenlissner.com/writing. It's called "22 1/2 under 22 1/2." Didn't have time to format it, but enjoy it if you read it.
I found some old writing and posted a satirical piece I wrote in 2000 in www.carenlissner.com/writing. It's called "22 1/2 under 22 1/2." Didn't have time to format it, but enjoy it if you read it.
7/11/2004
7/09/2004
7/08/2004
7/07/2004
7/06/2004
Woke up, put clothes on, went to work.
I've been interviewed for Pif literary magazine (www.pifmagazine.com), so click there and read my interview. The word "oral" should say "overall," by the way.
I've been interviewed for Pif literary magazine (www.pifmagazine.com), so click there and read my interview. The word "oral" should say "overall," by the way.
7/05/2004
7/03/2004
The Italian cover (which I just found) of Starting from Square Two, a.k.a "I Play Alone," looks pretty good. Even though it certainly buries the young-widow aspect. Look at the girl's arm - it has a list of men crossed out on it.
I'm so proud to know such intelligent people - here's a good debate on Michael Moore's film, among friends. If the link doesn't work, go to www.genxmisanthrope.blogspot.com and go down four to the "Fanning the Flames" entry.
I'm so proud to know such intelligent people - here's a good debate on Michael Moore's film, among friends. If the link doesn't work, go to www.genxmisanthrope.blogspot.com and go down four to the "Fanning the Flames" entry.
"Will you forgive me for the things I said when I was drunk..." Who is going to see Lit? They must have at least another hit...
Woke up, put clothes on, didn't go to work.
Happy belated Canada Day! Especially to Canadians like Tony from trivia. Here's a primer.
So I'm in the midwest right now, and I look at the movie section of the paper, and an ad for one theater says:
"Refills of pop, free.
Refills of corn, 50 cents."
And I think: What does that mean? Pop corn is one thing.
Then I remember that when they say "pop," they mean soda. Those wacky Midwesties.
A girl named Caryn wrote to me to tell me that she is finding the name Gert distracting her while reading Square Two. I told her her name is weird, too.
I finished reading "Eats, Shoots and Leaves." The author makes note, as I did earlier, of the fact that people used "enormity" incorrectly a lot after 9/11. But in my dictionary it actually says, "Informal: Great size, immensity." Maybe it's becoming accepted.
What I didn't like is that the author made some joke about how grammarians were upset after 9/11 not by Osama, but by the incorrect use of enormity. Even though it's an obvious joke, it strikes me that it's a bit insensitive even if it didn't mean to be. It seems like people are starting to become desensitized to the events of 3 years ago now. Right after it happened, there was a question of how long it would take. With Michael Moore naming his film "Fahrenheit 911" and more casual references to it, maybe people are feeling it's ok to be a little more casual about it. I don't think I agree. I don't like the idea of accepting it as business as usual.
Happy belated Canada Day! Especially to Canadians like Tony from trivia. Here's a primer.
So I'm in the midwest right now, and I look at the movie section of the paper, and an ad for one theater says:
"Refills of pop, free.
Refills of corn, 50 cents."
And I think: What does that mean? Pop corn is one thing.
Then I remember that when they say "pop," they mean soda. Those wacky Midwesties.
A girl named Caryn wrote to me to tell me that she is finding the name Gert distracting her while reading Square Two. I told her her name is weird, too.
I finished reading "Eats, Shoots and Leaves." The author makes note, as I did earlier, of the fact that people used "enormity" incorrectly a lot after 9/11. But in my dictionary it actually says, "Informal: Great size, immensity." Maybe it's becoming accepted.
What I didn't like is that the author made some joke about how grammarians were upset after 9/11 not by Osama, but by the incorrect use of enormity. Even though it's an obvious joke, it strikes me that it's a bit insensitive even if it didn't mean to be. It seems like people are starting to become desensitized to the events of 3 years ago now. Right after it happened, there was a question of how long it would take. With Michael Moore naming his film "Fahrenheit 911" and more casual references to it, maybe people are feeling it's ok to be a little more casual about it. I don't think I agree. I don't like the idea of accepting it as business as usual.
7/01/2004
Woke up, bla etc.
Someone complained that my entries are too short. OK. Here are some literary thoughts...
1. A few days ago, I complained about writers needing to start their articles with a single dopey generalization before getting into the pith of their lead. I thought I had discovered one of these at the beginning of a New York Times book review, but I should have had more faith; it was meant to make FUN of the author for doing things like that.
Here is the sentence: "One reason it's tempting to follow the smart set -- that anxious clan of stylishly camouflaged, overeducated social maladapts that function in the literary world a lot like those guys sucking White Owl cigars do in metropolitan Off Track Betting parlors -- and flatly declare David Foster Wallace a genius and the greatest young fiction writer of his time, is that doing so is much, much easier than actually reading his sentences (compared to most of which this one is a haiku)."
That was Walter Kirn on David Foster Wallace's new book, Oblivion. He comes just short of skewering Wallace's "ostentatiously elongated, curiously bureaucratic, stubbornly overdetermined prose style" (as if that doesn't do it right there.)
I think I've lost half my readers, so here's something Howard Stern said today, from memory (so it might be a bit off): "90 percent of what I've been fined for are doody quotes. Doody. Doody. Making a doody."
2.I'm reading Eats, Shoots and Leaves, the hit punctuation book. I was reading it with a pencil, underlining things I like and even circling a grammatical error, when I got to this line: "Sticklers never read a book without a pencil in hand, to correct the typographical errors." Whoops! Actually, I almost never have a pencil in hand anymore, but I do for this book because it's good to remember this stuff as a writer and editor.
Someone complained that my entries are too short. OK. Here are some literary thoughts...
1. A few days ago, I complained about writers needing to start their articles with a single dopey generalization before getting into the pith of their lead. I thought I had discovered one of these at the beginning of a New York Times book review, but I should have had more faith; it was meant to make FUN of the author for doing things like that.
Here is the sentence: "One reason it's tempting to follow the smart set -- that anxious clan of stylishly camouflaged, overeducated social maladapts that function in the literary world a lot like those guys sucking White Owl cigars do in metropolitan Off Track Betting parlors -- and flatly declare David Foster Wallace a genius and the greatest young fiction writer of his time, is that doing so is much, much easier than actually reading his sentences (compared to most of which this one is a haiku)."
That was Walter Kirn on David Foster Wallace's new book, Oblivion. He comes just short of skewering Wallace's "ostentatiously elongated, curiously bureaucratic, stubbornly overdetermined prose style" (as if that doesn't do it right there.)
I think I've lost half my readers, so here's something Howard Stern said today, from memory (so it might be a bit off): "90 percent of what I've been fined for are doody quotes. Doody. Doody. Making a doody."
2.I'm reading Eats, Shoots and Leaves, the hit punctuation book. I was reading it with a pencil, underlining things I like and even circling a grammatical error, when I got to this line: "Sticklers never read a book without a pencil in hand, to correct the typographical errors." Whoops! Actually, I almost never have a pencil in hand anymore, but I do for this book because it's good to remember this stuff as a writer and editor.
6/30/2004
6/29/2004
I am getting web hits from Germany and Poland, making me wonder if my book is out in those countries like some Red Dress books are. I just discovered that Pilby came out in May in Spanish. Despite my high school Spanish, I'm not sure what the title means, but Google will help me figure it out.
UPDATE: It means "A Place for Carrie." Seems appropriate. Now I will stop ego-surfing and go do my work.
UPDATE: It means "A Place for Carrie." Seems appropriate. Now I will stop ego-surfing and go do my work.
6/28/2004
I found out on the web that there's an Italian version of Square Two, but it's called "I Play Alone." They're trying to focus on the "dating rules" aspect of the book more than the young widow thing, I think.
6/27/2004
6/26/2004
Mickey writes:Caren writes, "No one writes anything interesting on Saturdays." Oh, really? That is a matter of opinion!
http://temperatureintheattic.blogspot.com
http://temperatureintheattic.blogspot.com
6/25/2004
Snopes.com is trying to find out whether the e-mail from the guy to the woman who didn't go on a 2nd date with him is an Urban Legend or is real. Click the link. All they have to do is have someone go to the guy's house and see if he lives there and ask him. What a bunch of lazy journalists we have these days.
I'm always looking for good suggestions of books to read, and now that summer's here, a few people have asked me for some of my own. So I've finally put up a list of some readable, great summer reads.
DISCLAIMER: I put a lot of emphasis on reading things that are enjoyable, not necessarily pretentious or hard to get through. So on this list, besides a 'classic' or two, you will find more popular stuff (and even an Oprah-endorsed book), but they're all books that I love to pick up over and over because they're compelling, readable, and leave me thinking about them later.
This is a motley crew of books, and they're on this list simply because I think you won't be disappointed if you pick them up. Some of them would be fun to discuss, too.
Oh, and I won't be adding anything new to it, so don't send me bribes.
DISCLAIMER: I put a lot of emphasis on reading things that are enjoyable, not necessarily pretentious or hard to get through. So on this list, besides a 'classic' or two, you will find more popular stuff (and even an Oprah-endorsed book), but they're all books that I love to pick up over and over because they're compelling, readable, and leave me thinking about them later.
This is a motley crew of books, and they're on this list simply because I think you won't be disappointed if you pick them up. Some of them would be fun to discuss, too.
Oh, and I won't be adding anything new to it, so don't send me bribes.
6/24/2004
Woke up, put on clothes, went to work.
Last night I went to two literary-related parties. And did no writing. I am going to try to find more literary events to go to, so I can keep not writing!
I was thinking about how technology changes while one's book is getting written and edited, and sometimes things get old and have to be revised again. I wrote Carrie Pilby in 1999, and had the main character using the personal ads in a New York tabloid. Today, she'd use computer ads, but most young people were not doing that back then. Things change fast. During the final edit, some time in 2002, I added a last-minute line about how she didn't want to use computer ads because it's less private.
When I was writing "Starting from Square Two" in late 2001, I put the word "blog" in quotation marks because they were kind of new, and not many people knew the term yet. By the time I got around to revisions, it looked silly in quotes.
Last night I went to two literary-related parties. And did no writing. I am going to try to find more literary events to go to, so I can keep not writing!
I was thinking about how technology changes while one's book is getting written and edited, and sometimes things get old and have to be revised again. I wrote Carrie Pilby in 1999, and had the main character using the personal ads in a New York tabloid. Today, she'd use computer ads, but most young people were not doing that back then. Things change fast. During the final edit, some time in 2002, I added a last-minute line about how she didn't want to use computer ads because it's less private.
When I was writing "Starting from Square Two" in late 2001, I put the word "blog" in quotation marks because they were kind of new, and not many people knew the term yet. By the time I got around to revisions, it looked silly in quotes.
6/23/2004
6/22/2004
Woke up, put on clothes, went to work.
In my newspaper editing job, I occasionally find that reporters grapple over leads and sometimes end up going with a semi-fluffy generalizing first sentence in order to introduce their main point. But it's often better to get to that point without the insulation. Examples: "Everyone knows that sometimes, there's nothing better than free ice cream." "Now that school's out, parents might be looking for ways to help their children beat the heat this summer."
Here's one from this week's New Yorker:
"Anyone who has lived through a summer in the city knows that there is no force in the world stronger than girls singing along to the radio while skipping rope."
Huh?! I can think of a few.
There's also a sentence in there about the Hoobastank song being so good that it could have been a hit two decades ago. Nah. Half the songs on the radio now would never ever have been hits two decades ago, because there was too much competition from good, original songs back then. Look at any top 40 pop chart before 1987 (the year pop music went bad) and you'll see.
In my newspaper editing job, I occasionally find that reporters grapple over leads and sometimes end up going with a semi-fluffy generalizing first sentence in order to introduce their main point. But it's often better to get to that point without the insulation. Examples: "Everyone knows that sometimes, there's nothing better than free ice cream." "Now that school's out, parents might be looking for ways to help their children beat the heat this summer."
Here's one from this week's New Yorker:
"Anyone who has lived through a summer in the city knows that there is no force in the world stronger than girls singing along to the radio while skipping rope."
Huh?! I can think of a few.
There's also a sentence in there about the Hoobastank song being so good that it could have been a hit two decades ago. Nah. Half the songs on the radio now would never ever have been hits two decades ago, because there was too much competition from good, original songs back then. Look at any top 40 pop chart before 1987 (the year pop music went bad) and you'll see.
6/21/2004
Oh my God! Supportive Alan wrote to tell me that Jennifer Weiner lists me among favorite authors in her FAQ. I'm in a list of her "chick lit contemporaries," which is a little unnerving because she is a full ten months older than I am, but I am so grateful! I could tell everyone to read Good in Bed and In Her Shoes, but they have, but read them anyway.
The most interesting thing about this is that she wrote her FAQ in 1982, when I was publishing the "Tush Times" out of the family room. Imagine how she feels now that I've written two novels!
UPDATE: Supportive Alan writes: "So do I write to Jen and tell her that you mentioned Jen on your blog? This could go on forever!"
The most interesting thing about this is that she wrote her FAQ in 1982, when I was publishing the "Tush Times" out of the family room. Imagine how she feels now that I've written two novels!
UPDATE: Supportive Alan writes: "So do I write to Jen and tell her that you mentioned Jen on your blog? This could go on forever!"
6/20/2004
6/19/2004
6/18/2004
Here's a nice wrap-up of the reading, plus some good photos (except the one of me...luckily it's nice and dark).
6/17/2004
Woke up, put on clothes, went to work.
Last night I went to a screening of The Hunting of the President, a documentary about the Republicans who were trying to bring down Bill Clinton. Afterwards, Clinton spoke. He said that the important message is that the Democratic way of running gov't was proven to be more successful than the Republican way, and so to take the debate off of social and economic policies, the right tries to "demonize" him and attack him personally. He also said that it's important that post-Cold War, we figure out which direction to take gov't in, and there's a real division in the country that the right wants to take advantage of.
The film, as Newsday reports today, spent too much time with trifles and interviewing Arkansas weirdos, but did show how the gov't tried to flummox Susan McDoogal into saying things about Whitewater that she didn't believe to be true. There were also some funny moments.
At one point during Clinton's after-film speech, he said, "I'm just a guy from Arkansas." That lawyerly device has been satirized on Saturday Night Live ("I'm just an unfrozen caveman" in the skit "Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer") and it was a tad irking to hear it after he was in office eight years.
On another note, Moby, Kurt Vonnegut, and Al Franken were in the audience. Thanks to my friend Matt for getting me in.
Last night I went to a screening of The Hunting of the President, a documentary about the Republicans who were trying to bring down Bill Clinton. Afterwards, Clinton spoke. He said that the important message is that the Democratic way of running gov't was proven to be more successful than the Republican way, and so to take the debate off of social and economic policies, the right tries to "demonize" him and attack him personally. He also said that it's important that post-Cold War, we figure out which direction to take gov't in, and there's a real division in the country that the right wants to take advantage of.
The film, as Newsday reports today, spent too much time with trifles and interviewing Arkansas weirdos, but did show how the gov't tried to flummox Susan McDoogal into saying things about Whitewater that she didn't believe to be true. There were also some funny moments.
At one point during Clinton's after-film speech, he said, "I'm just a guy from Arkansas." That lawyerly device has been satirized on Saturday Night Live ("I'm just an unfrozen caveman" in the skit "Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer") and it was a tad irking to hear it after he was in office eight years.
On another note, Moby, Kurt Vonnegut, and Al Franken were in the audience. Thanks to my friend Matt for getting me in.
