Here I am at the computer in the art studio at RCC. Nothing really much to say, just wasting time. All my projects are turned in for grading and there's nothing to clean at the moment.
I have about three poems boucning in my mind, itching to write them, but I can't. I would really love just a moment to sit down and write a story or a poem instead of studying for finals or tinkering away at my reasearch paper about Emily Dickinson (my favorite poet, and yet at the moment I am thoroughly sick of her very name.)
It's about twenty minutes until time to go home. I am SO hungry. Nick is on the other side of the room eating a Subway sandwich, and darn it, it smells good. I'm going to go home and eat a big bowl of chips and sunflower seeds.
Virginia came by a few minutes ago to see what I was doing. Shouldn't really bother me that my blog is being read by somebody else (otherwise it wouldn't be here and I certainly wouldn't be working on it in public) but still...I don't know.
Today I sorted all the art books in the studio. I didn't see much of Vincent Van Gogh, who I still believe is the best artist that ever was.
Gotta go now. Hope you enjoyed that irrelevant and very weird ten minutes of life in the art studio.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
A Change of Profession (and Pants)
I don't know what the pants thing in the title is all of about. Just felt like being silly, I guess.
Anyway, I am thinking of changing Mara's profession in Paramnesia from an FBI agent to just a regular art teacher who happens to conduct her own private investigation of the ACC murders.
One of the main reasons for this is that I'm not even sure if the FBI ever has anyone work undercover when they investigate a murder. And even if they did, Mara's cover, as a temporary art teacher, doesn't sound plausible. At the same time, I don't want her to be an in-your-face Special Agent either, because that makes her inaccessible to Gavin. He is very intimidated by law enforcement officials, and anyway, Mara would be more severely treated for being too familiar with a suspect than I originally intended. The biggest reason is that I have no idea what to write next. I'm stuck, and it's at a part where Mara is going to have to exercise her authority as an FBI official. I don't know what can happen from there.
Now, when I consider her being merely just an interested party, I have many ideas for what could happen next.
Of course, a middle path I could take is that she is a psychological consultant for the FBI. Still an FBI official, but also a civilian, and still accessible. Nobody has to know to who she is except the FBI. Now that I think of it, I need some kind of psychological authority in this story anyway. Kincaid's specialty is forensics, so he isn't right for that sort of job, and Berkley definitely isn't (there's a reason I've nicknamed him Jerkley.) And Stark is going to die, so...Mara would be my only choice.
So, two choices:
1.) Psychology consultant (I need to double check at fbi.gov to be sure there is such a thing - but if there's linguistics and mathematics consultants, why not psychology?)
2.) A mere interested party who investigates the ACC murders on her own time a sort of Nancy Drew in this respect.
And if we want to go Nancy Drew, then the consultant is a good choice too. All that her job contract allows her to do is interpret evidence collected by Special Agents, not collect that evidence herself. Of course, she, being the subversive nonconformalist she is, will overstep the boundaries of her job contract and do a little sleuthing of her own - when the FBI isn't looking, of course.
When Mara finds a clue, she'll have to plant it where the FBI can find it, instead of pointing it out herself - like Elizabeth in Dead Man's Chest having to yell "What's that?!" before the crew of the merchant sees the "heavenly sign" she has given them to get them to sail to Tortuga. That weird comparison shows you how tired I am.
Okay, so I'm changing Mara either to an FBI consultant or a civilian. Good enough. All in a day's work. Bye!
Anyway, I am thinking of changing Mara's profession in Paramnesia from an FBI agent to just a regular art teacher who happens to conduct her own private investigation of the ACC murders.
One of the main reasons for this is that I'm not even sure if the FBI ever has anyone work undercover when they investigate a murder. And even if they did, Mara's cover, as a temporary art teacher, doesn't sound plausible. At the same time, I don't want her to be an in-your-face Special Agent either, because that makes her inaccessible to Gavin. He is very intimidated by law enforcement officials, and anyway, Mara would be more severely treated for being too familiar with a suspect than I originally intended. The biggest reason is that I have no idea what to write next. I'm stuck, and it's at a part where Mara is going to have to exercise her authority as an FBI official. I don't know what can happen from there.
Now, when I consider her being merely just an interested party, I have many ideas for what could happen next.
Of course, a middle path I could take is that she is a psychological consultant for the FBI. Still an FBI official, but also a civilian, and still accessible. Nobody has to know to who she is except the FBI. Now that I think of it, I need some kind of psychological authority in this story anyway. Kincaid's specialty is forensics, so he isn't right for that sort of job, and Berkley definitely isn't (there's a reason I've nicknamed him Jerkley.) And Stark is going to die, so...Mara would be my only choice.
So, two choices:
1.) Psychology consultant (I need to double check at fbi.gov to be sure there is such a thing - but if there's linguistics and mathematics consultants, why not psychology?)
2.) A mere interested party who investigates the ACC murders on her own time a sort of Nancy Drew in this respect.
And if we want to go Nancy Drew, then the consultant is a good choice too. All that her job contract allows her to do is interpret evidence collected by Special Agents, not collect that evidence herself. Of course, she, being the subversive nonconformalist she is, will overstep the boundaries of her job contract and do a little sleuthing of her own - when the FBI isn't looking, of course.
When Mara finds a clue, she'll have to plant it where the FBI can find it, instead of pointing it out herself - like Elizabeth in Dead Man's Chest having to yell "What's that?!" before the crew of the merchant sees the "heavenly sign" she has given them to get them to sail to Tortuga. That weird comparison shows you how tired I am.
Okay, so I'm changing Mara either to an FBI consultant or a civilian. Good enough. All in a day's work. Bye!
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Lessons From Nancy Drew
Don't laugh.
Okay, fine, laugh if you must. As a newbie suspense writer in search of insights into creating a good mystery, I've pulled out all my old Nancy Drew books (the 1929-1936 editions!) and studied them. For all their simplicty and charm, the Nancy Drew books actually are proving quite a fantastic help for writing mysteries.
Here's some principles I've gathered, in relation to Paramnesia.
There seem to be two situations Nancy gets into when she takes on a case:
A. Nancy knows who the villain is but can't figure out a motive.
B. Nancy knows the motive, but not the villlain's identity.
Of course, there are variations in detail. Sometimes Nancy's original theories are disproved. And sometimes there's more than one suspect, all with very unclear motives. In one of the best books, "Mystery at Lilac Inn," Nancy could name at least six people that she suspected were involved in the crime, but she had no substantial evidence of anyone's guilt. She only found the true villain after she temporarily suspended logic and trusted her intuition. I think that that was really a growing process for her, as a private investigator. In later books, she was more willing to follow hunches and do unexpected, even rash things - much to the enjoyment of this reader.
But I digress. What I wanted to draw attention to were the two basic situations. Now, Paramnesia doesn't fit either of those situations. Not that it has to, but still....The villain and the motive are both unknown. (Of course, I know them, but Gavin doesn't, and the FBI doesn't.) So should I fix that? Is that okay or would it be easier to write (and follow) if I at least give some clues?
Another point: Though the cases Nancy took on were always on the behalf of somebody else, there was something at stake for her, too. It could be a friendship, her credibility as a P.I., her self-esteem, her sense of duty and/or justice, even her life.
Gavin and Mara are the main investigators of the ACC murders (Mara officially, Gavin privately.) And of course there's something at stake for Gavin - he's trying to crack the case to protect his reputation, his self-esteem, and his life. Not unlike Nancy Drew. What about Mara? What's at stake for her?
Well, obviously, her career. She's failed to solve a number of cases, and this is her unofficial last chance to redeem herself. As an FBI agent, her main strength is establishing rapport with victims or suspects. That's why she is often assigned to work undercover. But her investigational skills aren't what they could be. She's doing this to save her career.
Also, she feels somehow responsible for Gavin. After her first experience with him, she can't shake the feeling that somehow, his well being depends on her ability to solve this case. I know, this doesn't sound terribly plausible. Gotta work on it.
And of course her life is on the line. Clear enough, I suppose, after the "drop the investigation or you will die" message.
But is this not enough? Should there be more on the line, something more personal? Even if I just borrow Nancy's fundamental sense of justice?
Of course, one weakness I have noticed, (because every great masterpiece has one,) is the quite frequent and irritating use of the deus ex machina, which in Nancy-Drew-ese is "most unkind tricks played upon Nancy by fate" or "the smiling of Providence upon Nancy." No matter what you call it, it's still a deus ex machina. And it will stay out of my story.
I'd love to keep talking, but I've got to go to sleep. Nighty-night!
Okay, fine, laugh if you must. As a newbie suspense writer in search of insights into creating a good mystery, I've pulled out all my old Nancy Drew books (the 1929-1936 editions!) and studied them. For all their simplicty and charm, the Nancy Drew books actually are proving quite a fantastic help for writing mysteries.
Here's some principles I've gathered, in relation to Paramnesia.
There seem to be two situations Nancy gets into when she takes on a case:
A. Nancy knows who the villain is but can't figure out a motive.
B. Nancy knows the motive, but not the villlain's identity.
Of course, there are variations in detail. Sometimes Nancy's original theories are disproved. And sometimes there's more than one suspect, all with very unclear motives. In one of the best books, "Mystery at Lilac Inn," Nancy could name at least six people that she suspected were involved in the crime, but she had no substantial evidence of anyone's guilt. She only found the true villain after she temporarily suspended logic and trusted her intuition. I think that that was really a growing process for her, as a private investigator. In later books, she was more willing to follow hunches and do unexpected, even rash things - much to the enjoyment of this reader.
But I digress. What I wanted to draw attention to were the two basic situations. Now, Paramnesia doesn't fit either of those situations. Not that it has to, but still....The villain and the motive are both unknown. (Of course, I know them, but Gavin doesn't, and the FBI doesn't.) So should I fix that? Is that okay or would it be easier to write (and follow) if I at least give some clues?
Another point: Though the cases Nancy took on were always on the behalf of somebody else, there was something at stake for her, too. It could be a friendship, her credibility as a P.I., her self-esteem, her sense of duty and/or justice, even her life.
Gavin and Mara are the main investigators of the ACC murders (Mara officially, Gavin privately.) And of course there's something at stake for Gavin - he's trying to crack the case to protect his reputation, his self-esteem, and his life. Not unlike Nancy Drew. What about Mara? What's at stake for her?
Well, obviously, her career. She's failed to solve a number of cases, and this is her unofficial last chance to redeem herself. As an FBI agent, her main strength is establishing rapport with victims or suspects. That's why she is often assigned to work undercover. But her investigational skills aren't what they could be. She's doing this to save her career.
Also, she feels somehow responsible for Gavin. After her first experience with him, she can't shake the feeling that somehow, his well being depends on her ability to solve this case. I know, this doesn't sound terribly plausible. Gotta work on it.
And of course her life is on the line. Clear enough, I suppose, after the "drop the investigation or you will die" message.
But is this not enough? Should there be more on the line, something more personal? Even if I just borrow Nancy's fundamental sense of justice?
Of course, one weakness I have noticed, (because every great masterpiece has one,) is the quite frequent and irritating use of the deus ex machina, which in Nancy-Drew-ese is "most unkind tricks played upon Nancy by fate" or "the smiling of Providence upon Nancy." No matter what you call it, it's still a deus ex machina. And it will stay out of my story.
I'd love to keep talking, but I've got to go to sleep. Nighty-night!
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Marooned (Sort Of)
Well, this is upsetting.
I am currently in the James Library at RCC, computer #24. I should be in swimming class right now, but it looks like swimming class was cancelled. Blast! Now I'm pretty much stuck here until 2 PM, when I have to go to work. And I haven't even washed my hair yet! (I may try washing it at the gym, but if the showers are still broken and there's only cold water - forget it.) Here I am with dirty hair and all my swimming class crap stuffed into my backpack and - ! Anyway, I called Mom and told her not to send Sarah Jo to pick me up until 3:30, when I get off of work. (Usually she comes for me at 1:50, when swimming class is over, because I need a ride back from RCHS to the college.)
"Bless your heart," she said. "What will you do about lunch?"
"I still have money," I said.
So here's my plan for the rest of the day:
1 - 2 PM: Research for English paper (and possibly try to wash my hair)
2 - 3:30 PM: Go to work.
3:30 - 4 PM: During the ride home, finish what math homework I can.
4 PM: Finish all math homework and then start writing English paper
8 PM: Forego watching American Idol if I'm not finished with my homework by then. (Novel concept!)
9:37 PM: Come back to this blog and lament the day.
I hate Tuesdays.
I am currently in the James Library at RCC, computer #24. I should be in swimming class right now, but it looks like swimming class was cancelled. Blast! Now I'm pretty much stuck here until 2 PM, when I have to go to work. And I haven't even washed my hair yet! (I may try washing it at the gym, but if the showers are still broken and there's only cold water - forget it.) Here I am with dirty hair and all my swimming class crap stuffed into my backpack and - ! Anyway, I called Mom and told her not to send Sarah Jo to pick me up until 3:30, when I get off of work. (Usually she comes for me at 1:50, when swimming class is over, because I need a ride back from RCHS to the college.)
"Bless your heart," she said. "What will you do about lunch?"
"I still have money," I said.
So here's my plan for the rest of the day:
1 - 2 PM: Research for English paper (and possibly try to wash my hair)
2 - 3:30 PM: Go to work.
3:30 - 4 PM: During the ride home, finish what math homework I can.
4 PM: Finish all math homework and then start writing English paper
8 PM: Forego watching American Idol if I'm not finished with my homework by then. (Novel concept!)
9:37 PM: Come back to this blog and lament the day.
I hate Tuesdays.
Health Care Reform
One of the most irritating and worrying issues that keeps coming up in the 2008 Presidential race is health care. A lot of people are all for universal health care, but I have some misgivings. It sounds way too good to be true, and it probably is. I, being a hardcore Jeffersonian, don't think that we should give the government ultimate control over the health care system. Not only will federal spending and tax rates go way, way up; the government will be in control of more than they already are.
So, while I was showering, I came up with a "brilliant," conservative, Jefferson-friendly, market-focused, win-win plan for reforming health care.
Step One: Reduce corporate taxes and taxes on the wealthy. Dramatically. Supply-side economics says that when these taxes are reduced, corporations and wealthy people will be more willing to just pay their taxes instead of going to their lawyers and accountants and trying to escape from the taxes. By cutting these taxes, the government will actually bring in more revenue.
Step Two: This requires some government regulation (which I don't like,) but less regulation than a universal health care system. The pharmaceutical companies give doctors bonuses for every prescription they write. This needs to stop. Instead, require that pharmaceutical companies only give bonuses to doctors if they can submit proof that the prescription was effective (and proof must be submitted both to the company and to the state governments within one year.)
Step Three: Offer pharmaceutical companies annual or semi-annual grants and awards for every, say, hundred thousand successful treatments that they can submit proof of. Use the extra revenue from the corporations and wealthy people.
This will take the healthcare industry's focus off of writing prescriptions and put it on actually making patients healthy. This will also increase competition in the medical industry and in the pharmaceutical industry. This will affect the health insurance companies as well. Since their focus will also be on making people well, they will not deny as many people coverage due to preexisting conditions or anything else. Demand for health insurance will go up, and less people will be dropped without warning. This could even reduce the need for entitlement programs like Medicare and Medicaid. Since affordable, high-quality health care will be available, entitlement programs won't be as necessary. And who knows? Maybe some money can go back into Social Security.
Sounds good on paper - or pixels, as it were. The hard part would be getting the primarily Democratic Congress to agree to cutting taxes.
If only there was a way I could get this plan out into the public for someone in power to hear.
So, while I was showering, I came up with a "brilliant," conservative, Jefferson-friendly, market-focused, win-win plan for reforming health care.
Step One: Reduce corporate taxes and taxes on the wealthy. Dramatically. Supply-side economics says that when these taxes are reduced, corporations and wealthy people will be more willing to just pay their taxes instead of going to their lawyers and accountants and trying to escape from the taxes. By cutting these taxes, the government will actually bring in more revenue.
Step Two: This requires some government regulation (which I don't like,) but less regulation than a universal health care system. The pharmaceutical companies give doctors bonuses for every prescription they write. This needs to stop. Instead, require that pharmaceutical companies only give bonuses to doctors if they can submit proof that the prescription was effective (and proof must be submitted both to the company and to the state governments within one year.)
Step Three: Offer pharmaceutical companies annual or semi-annual grants and awards for every, say, hundred thousand successful treatments that they can submit proof of. Use the extra revenue from the corporations and wealthy people.
This will take the healthcare industry's focus off of writing prescriptions and put it on actually making patients healthy. This will also increase competition in the medical industry and in the pharmaceutical industry. This will affect the health insurance companies as well. Since their focus will also be on making people well, they will not deny as many people coverage due to preexisting conditions or anything else. Demand for health insurance will go up, and less people will be dropped without warning. This could even reduce the need for entitlement programs like Medicare and Medicaid. Since affordable, high-quality health care will be available, entitlement programs won't be as necessary. And who knows? Maybe some money can go back into Social Security.
Sounds good on paper - or pixels, as it were. The hard part would be getting the primarily Democratic Congress to agree to cutting taxes.
If only there was a way I could get this plan out into the public for someone in power to hear.
Monday, April 14, 2008
Another Manic Monday
That sure wins the Original Title Award...
Well, Monday is not my favorite day of the week, but hey, it sure beats Wednesday, when mid-week-fatigue sets in.
I woke up with a sore throat. Mom had me gargle saltwater and a mix of ginger and tea-tree oils, rubbed lots of other essential oils into my skin, and even made me take an ibuprofen (I despise taking any kind of pharmaceuticals unless absolutely necessary). And yet my throat still hurts. What is the point of a sore throat? All it ever does is hurt, hurt, hurt. I felt lousy, but not too lousy to go to work and school.
Today was a good day at work. I work in the Learning Assistance Center in RCC as an English tutor, though I'm still in training. I got in an hour of training. Since she is trying to verify the records and expenses for when the auditors come, this made Ms. Martin, my supervisor, very happy.
School was the usual rise and fall. Wonderful English class, okay math class, terrible U.S. history class, okay art class. We went to see the student exhibition in the WSC, which was awesome, of course. (I had a few drawings in it.) The only bad part is that we had to vote for our favorite 2-d and 3-d pieces. There were so many fantastic pieces, I couldn't decide. I can't remember what I picked for 2-d, but for 3-d, I eventually settled on a wire sculpture of a mother goose and a gosling. It was so graceful, and yet the wires added energy. Almost reminded me of something by Giacometti. I wasn't the only one with several favorites. Virginia (a friend in my drawing class who has her head on straight) said, "I just picked one. I couldn't decide, so I just picked one at random." That's close to what I did, but I was also remembering that Mr. Drake said that the winning piece would be printed on the RCC postcards.
Now I'm at home with a ton of math and English homework that I really should be doing. Also, I should look at the review guide for history. Swimming class tomorrow, ugh.
Good news -- I asked Mr. Drake, and he said that in order to pass Drawing II, I had to have three finished, show quality series of drawings. And I do! So art will be easier from here on out, I guess. He said I could submit my current drawing for extra credit.
After this semester, I think I'm going to be finished with art -- at least in classes, I'll still draw independently. Taking these art courses has been an absolutely wonderful and memorable experience, and it's given me a bigger appreciation for the visual arts than I ever had. But art is not my desired profession. I love art and I make art, but I'm not a devoted artist, and I need to stop pretending that I am.
Of course, I will still hang out in the studio. It's my favorite place at RCC. And who knows, maybe next semester I'll get to hang out with Helen again. Helen's an art major that I became friends with last semester, but since our schedules were different this semester, we don't get to talk very often. I think she has a Live Journal; maybe I'll ask if we can share our journals.
I was reading Lisbeth's Congstation. She's reading "Angels Fall" by Nora Roberts, I think it is, and her description of the movie sounded quite intriguing. I wonder if I can find a copy of it?
Oh, dear, I just remembered I still have challenges at FM to finish. 4000 words on Paramnesia, at least 30 haiku or tanka -- yikes!
Not to mention a math worksheet, two math lessons, an APA assignment, three poems to read, and two papers to write. YIKES!
Get to work, Shelley!
Well, Monday is not my favorite day of the week, but hey, it sure beats Wednesday, when mid-week-fatigue sets in.
I woke up with a sore throat. Mom had me gargle saltwater and a mix of ginger and tea-tree oils, rubbed lots of other essential oils into my skin, and even made me take an ibuprofen (I despise taking any kind of pharmaceuticals unless absolutely necessary). And yet my throat still hurts. What is the point of a sore throat? All it ever does is hurt, hurt, hurt. I felt lousy, but not too lousy to go to work and school.
Today was a good day at work. I work in the Learning Assistance Center in RCC as an English tutor, though I'm still in training. I got in an hour of training. Since she is trying to verify the records and expenses for when the auditors come, this made Ms. Martin, my supervisor, very happy.
School was the usual rise and fall. Wonderful English class, okay math class, terrible U.S. history class, okay art class. We went to see the student exhibition in the WSC, which was awesome, of course. (I had a few drawings in it.) The only bad part is that we had to vote for our favorite 2-d and 3-d pieces. There were so many fantastic pieces, I couldn't decide. I can't remember what I picked for 2-d, but for 3-d, I eventually settled on a wire sculpture of a mother goose and a gosling. It was so graceful, and yet the wires added energy. Almost reminded me of something by Giacometti. I wasn't the only one with several favorites. Virginia (a friend in my drawing class who has her head on straight) said, "I just picked one. I couldn't decide, so I just picked one at random." That's close to what I did, but I was also remembering that Mr. Drake said that the winning piece would be printed on the RCC postcards.
Now I'm at home with a ton of math and English homework that I really should be doing. Also, I should look at the review guide for history. Swimming class tomorrow, ugh.
Good news -- I asked Mr. Drake, and he said that in order to pass Drawing II, I had to have three finished, show quality series of drawings. And I do! So art will be easier from here on out, I guess. He said I could submit my current drawing for extra credit.
After this semester, I think I'm going to be finished with art -- at least in classes, I'll still draw independently. Taking these art courses has been an absolutely wonderful and memorable experience, and it's given me a bigger appreciation for the visual arts than I ever had. But art is not my desired profession. I love art and I make art, but I'm not a devoted artist, and I need to stop pretending that I am.
Of course, I will still hang out in the studio. It's my favorite place at RCC. And who knows, maybe next semester I'll get to hang out with Helen again. Helen's an art major that I became friends with last semester, but since our schedules were different this semester, we don't get to talk very often. I think she has a Live Journal; maybe I'll ask if we can share our journals.
I was reading Lisbeth's Congstation. She's reading "Angels Fall" by Nora Roberts, I think it is, and her description of the movie sounded quite intriguing. I wonder if I can find a copy of it?
Oh, dear, I just remembered I still have challenges at FM to finish. 4000 words on Paramnesia, at least 30 haiku or tanka -- yikes!
Not to mention a math worksheet, two math lessons, an APA assignment, three poems to read, and two papers to write. YIKES!
Get to work, Shelley!
Scribblings At Blogger Is Now Open
Hello!
Now I'm here at Blogger as well as Live Journal. Whoop-de-do. I'll try to update as much as possible. We'll see.
Check out my friend Lisbeth's blog: http://congstation.blogspot.com/
Also, check out Pen-Wielder's Guild: http://pwguild.blogspot.com/
And my profile has been vastly expanded. So now, if you ever wanted a comprehensive list of every book or movie I ever loved -- you now have it.
J. Shelley
Now I'm here at Blogger as well as Live Journal. Whoop-de-do. I'll try to update as much as possible. We'll see.
Check out my friend Lisbeth's blog: http://congstation.blogspot.com/
Also, check out Pen-Wielder's Guild: http://pwguild.blogspot.com/
And my profile has been vastly expanded. So now, if you ever wanted a comprehensive list of every book or movie I ever loved -- you now have it.
J. Shelley
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