It’s a soup day, a collection of thoughts, but only one about writing.
For most of my life, so far, I lived in Indiana where winters are cold. Really cold. Now I live in California and I’ve been here long enough to acclimate, so the mercury doesn’t have to drop too low to make me shiver. It rained Monday morning and then the temperature plummeted. Tuesday morning was cold. Really cold. Our car doors were almost frozen shut and we had to scrape the windows. And look at the photo I took near my front door! Frost-limned roses are just wrong, people.
Speaking of cold things. I had to stop the snowfall on my blog. It kept freezing my browser (Firefox 3.5.5) and I figured it might do the same to someone else. My Christmas tree banner is safe, though.
An excellent thing also happened on Tuesday morning. I’m a huge fan of the TV series LOST, and I received an email from Amazon informing me of a Gold Box deal I couldn’t resist. I bought seasons 1-5 on Blu-Ray for only $109! I called my husband and told him what “he” just bought me for Christmas. 
I shall be suffering from LOST overdose very soon.
What I’m suffering from right now is lack of reality … in my writing life, that is. Having family here for the holidays will distract me, but then what? I need a place where I can regularly interact with other writers in a this is me and this is my writing, warts and typos and all kind of way. I’m not sure such a flesh and blood group is available to me, but I’m mulling over the idea of a private virtual one. Isn’t that ironic?
Write on!
I think it’s funny that your virtual snow was “freezing” your browser. LOL
I’ve been cold too. Really cold. I’ve decided I like to be warm. I guess it’s a good thing I live here, but these few months of cold are killing me.
Our flesh and blood writer’s group isn’t meeting enough for you?
Good luck with the virtual one. You’ll have to let me know how that works.
Yeah, the snow thing … irony abounds!
Our group meets enough for critique, but not enough for inspiration and encouragement. I don’t have the support you do. If left alone long enough I start to doubt.
I may just create my own group. I’ve been testing to see if a private WordPress blog is truly private.
I think it was Anne Lamont who came from an artistic family. Her father was a writer who had many writer friends stay and visit. I fantasize such an environment for myself.
I wish I had writers in my neighborhood who would come over everyday. Yes, I said everday. I want to brainstorm and talk about books and then (this is my biggest fantasy of all) I want to switch houses for two hours of undistracted writing, whereupon we return and discuss word count and other progress. I don’t think I ask too much.
I’m too much a hermit to withstand DAILY physical interaction, but it would be nice to just talk to other writers much more frequently than I do.
At least you live with readers. Unless I want to discuss numismatics, I’m out of luck here.
We’re looking at low teen temps tomorrow here in the upper Midwest, Linda. Be glad you’re in Cali.
I thought the frost-limned roses were gorgeous. I guess I’m wrong too. HA! Surprise, surprise!
I’m like you. I think at this point I need some writers who can issue tough love to me in a gentle way and help me grow. I don’t mean that’s why you want your community of fellow scribes, but I think I might benefit from it. IF, and only IF, I can fall in with people of enough skill to spur the growth. The few good writers I’ve gotten critique and guidance from are such writers, but I feel funny taking too much of their time and energy. What they share mentoring me is keeping them from writing. So a group might be the solution. Last time I looked, though, there wasn’t one ’round here.
Ah well. Oh, the snow falling thing … I run FF3.5.5 too, and I’ve never had a problem with it on anyone’s blog. I’m curious why you did. If you find out (or care to find out, for that matter, heh), would you let me know?
Heck no, Darc, I do need that “tough love.” I just don’t want it on this public blog, hence the private blog experiment. And I know what you mean about taking too much time from your mentors. I’m reluctant to do that … that’s the reason I’m searching for some new victims.
As for Firefox, didn’t you say you’re running a script killer? The WP forums have discussions about the snow causing problems. It didn’t cause one for me for several days, then two days ago it started. I miss my snow.
“new victims” – you are too funny
No, really. You’ll find out.
Yep, I run an add-in called NoScript, but it’s not killing the WP snow dealie. I didn’t realize it was bad enough to cause forum discussions. So you’re not alone.
I wonder why no one’s snow crashes my FF? Hm. HMMM.
New victims, yeah. Let me know when you find a sucker — I mean, willing partner. Maybe I’ll introduce myself. (J/K, really.
)
I will.
About the roses: you’re a glass half-full kind of guy, huh? Seriously, yes, in one way it’s beautiful, unexpected, like a sprinkling of magic. But, being a native Midwesterner, it’s taken me a while to even get used to roses blooming at Christmas time, so to have them blooming and frosty, is just too much for my psyche. It’s like having one of my fictional characters suddenly appear in my living room … the two should never meet.
Wow – that’s a great deal on the Lost box set!! Awesome! I just ordered my Season 5 today, and like you, will soon be suffering from Island-slash-time-travel-induced overdose! Can’t wait!
You know, of course, I only watch it to study the writing.
Right. Me too.
(Seriously, though, we could do much worse than to study the writing on Lost – we could be studying Heroes!)
You’re right. Except for the second season (or was that the third?), when they got a little (ahem) lost, the writers have kept me very entertained. I loved trying to figure out where they were going next.
I gave Heroes one season.
I hope you can find the right solution to your private, virtual group. It sounds like quite an undertaking.
Does it? Hmmm, I must not be thinking this through.
ok, you made me laugh again.
Recently I signed on to FictionFactor for the sole purpose of having my work critiqued by other writers. Then, when I visted the critique page I realized that most, if not all, of the writers there were far more advanced than me. I had nothing to offer in exchange. So now I mostly just sit back and watch the function of critiquing. Hoping some day I will be able to join in on the discussion and eventually submit my own work.
I don’t know anything about FictionFactor, but I’ve learned a lot from listening to others give feedback in the critique groups I’ve been a member of. So keep listening in until you feel comfortable submiting.
I’m jealous you have a flesh and blood group to meet with, even periodically. I’ve yet to connect with one in my area.
I’d also love to hear how your virtual group works out!
And, though frost on blooming roses isn’t natural, it sure is pretty.
You will hear about it.
I can’t believe you decorated your tree without me!
:[ :[ :[ :[ :[
Cheer up, that’s a photo of last year’s tree.
Are you busy Monday evening?
I think the frosted roses look pretty cool.
I look forward to getting the complete Lost myself — when the series is complete next year.
“I’m not sure such a flesh and blood group is available to me…”
Well, you know…
Roses: Like I said to Darc, yes, the frost adds a magical quality to the roses, but the crossover of two seasons is freaky to me.
LOST: Oh, I fully expect there will be a fantabulous box set sold after the last season, but this price was just too good to pass up. Blu-ray is new to me and I’m anxious to see the island in all its crystal clarity.
Writer’s groups: Once more, Thursdays are impossible for me. Okay, not literally. But leaving halfway or two thirds of the way into each meeting hardly seems practical.
Hey Linda, if you need a writing chat or want to do more reviews, shoot me an email. I’m always here.
I did a Facebook chat with a writer friend I met at a conference a few days ago, and just that 20 minutes of online chatter about writing really helped. I truly believe virtual relationships work and have an impact!
Best of luck in your writing (and Lost viewing!)
Lisa
Thanks for the offer, Lisa. I thought you’d had enough of me already.
I think it is simply human to need more reality in our writing. We all do our writing inside an atelier or an office, but we are writing alone most of the time.
It is helpful to share some of our works virtually but it is also important to share feeling with differents groups: writers, readers, etc.
Blogging is excellent for sharing with everyone some kind of our idea, but I think it’s should be also interesting to have some feeling from other writers and readers to.
I hope you will find a writers ateliers near your home. It would be nice if a private blog lead to this sharing experience.
Thanks for the soup!
Thanks for commenting, Mireille. It’s nice to think how many writers I’ve met through blogging. We’ve developed a little community, haven’t we? Just having lunch with another writer yesterday reinforced my desire for more exchange of thoughts with others.
I know lost of people who love LOST but I’ve never seen it myself. Maybe I ‘ll break down and watch it one of these days.
And your roses are making me cry.
I’m sure LOST is not to everyone’s taste, but do try it. You know, I picked up that particular rose from a sale table and it was in sad shape. It recovered and really took off growing. And after two days of frost, it looks none the worse. Quite a trooper.
Wow – kinda great topic. I will blog about it too!!