The Dastardly Dungeon of Deliciously Devious Drinks

Good morning Cantina. I'm now on leave for a week, but will be busy. This time of year is always a busy reviewing time for me, what with Australia Day on Thursday. I will try to get some fiction-writing done. I have just over a month to get my Sisyphus done - have the idea but haven'ts tarted actually writing it. I suspect it won't be a hugely long story. My Sisyphuses have got shorter year on year - last year's was 3800 words.

Having a coffee and listening to things on Youtube before getting up. Currently it's Peter Sarstedt's "Where Do You Go to My Lovely" which I am NOT old enough to remember first time round, though I was around in 1969. Playing it as he passed away recently. It's the full version with an extra verse that was edited out of the single for being a little risqué - "your body is firm and inviting".

Now it's MC5's "Kick Out the Jams" with undeleted Oedipal nouns.

feyngirl said:

The thing which most shocked me was how when I was eighteen, other eighteen year olds looked like adults. When I was twenty two, I saw some students wandering round the college and wondered why they were having tours for children at this time of the year... turns out they were first years. Recently went back to visit that college and we talked our way into the MCR (grad student bar) where we all used to hang out... and they all looked about eighteen to me. So obviously people are gradually getting younger as time passes. They still mixed a mean Long Island Iced Tea, though.

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We had a "getting old" conversation at work yesterday. Someone mentioned the celebrities who lived locally (given that Status Quo's Rick Parfitt's funeral has just taken place in the nearby town of Woking). One of them was Luke Goss, of Bros - a boyband who were pretty big in the late 80s/early 90s. I wasn't in their target audience's age range then and I'm certainly not now. But someone who is now the age that most of Bros's fans were then wouldn't have been born at the time...

The big boyband in my time was the Bay City Rollers.

feyngirl said:

Nothing except Vegemite. That stuff's just scary.

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I've had vegemite. It tastes rather like a saltier Marmite. And I'm one of those strange people who likes Marmite.

jallenecs said:

Now you made me nostalgic for my own dad. He told us of his mama feeding any train-riding homeless who knocked on her kitchen door during the Depression (he was born in 1922).

BTW: Mom was born in 1935, so she was old, too. And, when they married, Dad was a 41-year-old bachelor, and Mom was a 28-year-old widow. Sounds a bit creepy on the age gap thing, huh? But they were deliriously happy together for thirty years, so....

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Are you a middle or younger child? I ask as I'm a year and a half older than you (will be 53 in October) but your parents are older than mine. Mine were born in 1933 (Dad) and 1942 (Mum), but I'm an oldest child, of two. I do feel I'm fortunate that I do still have both my parents who are both in good shape as I have friends around my age who have lost one or both of theirs. A work colleague who is three months older than mine is about to lose her mother, sad to say.

I think I must have bought the best bandaids ever, this one is sticking on after several handwashes and a shower. Usually I would have changed a bandaid like this three times over by now at least. On the downside, I'm not entirely sure I can get it off at all...

I just picked up a load of tea. So much tea. Many cups.

StoryG27 said:

Perfect encore!

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*sticks out a thumbs up from within the smibble pile* Wanytwime.

Scripty said:

Yeah, Gaiman should do well. He wrote some amazing episodes of Doctor Who, too, so he knows TV. Glad the burn is feeling better. It's good that we've got so many different ages here. A lot of sites I've been on are like. All teens or all people with grandkids, and nothing in-between. I don't mind talking to either group, but it's good to have a mix.

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Oh, that really bodes well!

feyngirl said:

Everything is better with sloths, anyway:

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Sloths <3

I liked it a lot because, like in North and South, the heroine gets to do something which is really important to a big central plot that has nothing to do with getting married.

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Does North and South have Richard Armitage in it? I think I saw something about it on Instagram just yesterday and there was a gif with Richard Armitage, but I can't remember if that was the name of the movie or not.


Er...Guess I'm doing words today. Here's hoping the brain fog and general moodiness doesn't get in the way.

Stayed up way too late last night. Throat is scratchy this morning but mostly from talking to much yesterday.

Going to shower, collect my stuff and head out to the con shortly.

Aggy, sleepy

I have extra chocolate!! Chocolate Saturday! Yeay!

Also, my brain seems to be coming out of this drug-induced funk now. Huzzah!

I need a writing plan... just a small one, but still, gotta think ahead. P


Hmm, do we still do Flash Fiction Sundays?

*falls out of the ceiling...without any sort of actual opening in the ceiling*

aliwood said:

Hmm, do we still do Flash Fiction Sundays?

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FFC is still going strong! Every Sunday, at 9:00 PM EST, a brand new prompt! Write and post a flash fiction in 90 minutes! The prompt is open all week until the next prompt is posted, so there's always a prompt up!

*vanishes through the floor to rehearse her next advertisement*

<--- *is the illest of bunnies* pls send chocolate!

lilyWhite said:

*falls out of the ceiling...without any sort of actual opening in the ceiling*



FFC is still going strong! Every Sunday, at 9:00 PM EST, a brand new prompt! Write and post a flash fiction in 90 minutes! The prompt is open all week until the next prompt is posted, so there's always a prompt up!

*vanishes through the floor to rehearse her next advertisement*

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Thanks Lily, do you still do these?

Ooo, post within 90 mins. *whines* Might have to spread my 90 mins out to start with. *Looks for rule-bending implement*


Dami, I still have some choc left, and some sour pastilles, because otherwise everything tastes like cardboard. *passes choc over*

Damoclian said:

<--- *is the illest of bunnies* pls send chocolate!

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*gives chocolate bunnies for the sake of humour*

aliwood said:

Thanks Lily, do you still do these?

Ooo, post within 90 mins. *whines* Might have to spread my 90 mins out to start with. *Looks for rule-bending implement*

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Whenever the muse cooperates. She's* been finicky for quite a while, but we've reconciled and now we're weaving epic tapestries together once more! Which means writing all the words. I have no idea how to sew.

* The metaphorical muse, to clarify.

Someone tell a funny story! :S I need a pick me up

Okay, this may be mildly amusing...

Back when the only musical instrument I owned was a drum kit, I was out at a friend's place. He played keyboard, and another friend had just bought a guitar. They were discussing starting a band. Now, logic would say, "Hey, Cliff can be the drummer!" Not so, though! They had another friend who owned a bass guitar, which was in the house, but the friend wasn't. So they decided I should be the bassist in the band, despite never having touched one before. We jammed for an hour, and I stank up the place. The band never went beyond that first jam.

A few years later, I was doing a course thingy, and met a guitarist. At this point, I was playing drums and had just bought my first guitar. I told this to the guitarist, and we were chatting about music. The day the course ended, he told me, "Dude, I have to hear you playing bass!" *facepalm* I didn't actually have his phone number, and never saw him again after the course ended.

A few years after *that*, mum's friend was around. I had sold my drum kit (lack of space), but was playing guitar and keyboard - and getting somewhat good at them, even. One day, though, when mum's friend was here, we got to talking about playing music, and he took a long look at me and said, "Nah, you should be a bassist."

*sigh* So basically, it was coming from every direction - personal friends who knew me somewhat well; complete strangers; and friends of the family: I should play bass. But did I listen? No! I shook my head and questioned the sanity of the world.

Colour me surprised, though, when I actually bought my current bass and amp - because it is the only instrument I've ever been something of a natural at. Perhaps some of it was due to having experience with an ordinary guitar, but I jumped straight to "intermediate" with the bass. Not only that, but buying the bass also kicked off what has become an intense 6 months of improvement on all musical fronts, to the point where I'm hoping to record my first album in February.

Moral of the story? If everyone is telling you you should play/do/be something else, give it a shot, because they may just be right.

Hmm... In hindsight, that's a little light on the humour... Maybe I needed to add dialogue, and possibly a goblin.

I actually managed to clean today, which was quite an achievement on a Saturday. Also bought some DVDs for my mum and went shopping. Bought a snazzy new old-lady wheelie bag for transporting groceries. Tomorrow I will sisyphus and go and eat haggis with friends.

E.F.B. said:

Does North and South have Richard Armitage in it? I think I saw something about it on Instagram just yesterday and there was a gif with Richard Armitage, but I can't remember if that was the name of the movie or not.

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It does indeed.

aliwood said:

Ooo, post within 90 mins. *whines* Might have to spread my 90 mins out to start with. *Looks for rule-bending implement*

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My timings are pretty approximate, when I manage to do it, because I usually forget to check when I started.

Damoclian said:

Someone tell a funny story! :S I need a pick me up

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A few months ago I was at the grocery store with my boyfriend, looking at the herbs and spices.
Me: Do we need any rosemary?
Him: No, we don't have enough time.
Me: Then we should go. What's so urgent?
Him: We haven't got time.
Me: All right, keep your hair on, we'll go.
(I turn to go to the checkout.)
Him (pointing at the herbs): No, I mean, the old pack of thyme ran out. We need a new one.

Cliff Face said:

Moral of the story? If everyone is telling you you should play/do/be something else, give it a shot, because they may just be right.

Hmm... In hindsight, that's a little light on the humour... Maybe I needed to add dialogue, and possibly a goblin.

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Cliffy's dialogue is the best dialogue! *chants* add dialogue, add dialogue, add dialogue, add dialogue, add dialogue, add dialogue, add dialogue, add dialogue, add dialogue! Anyway no one tells me to play/do/be anything, except my sister, but she's evil and stuff.

ION: I am contemplating the resurrection of my blog while XCOM2 downloads in the background. Hot damn but it's a big game! And I basically AND legitimately got it for free* with HumbleBundle. I lurve me some alien slaughter and dystopian futures with fantastic grid-based, turn-based, badass-based combat and also coolio, out-of-this-world magicalnesses! Woo me.

ETA:

feyngirl said:

A few months ago I was at the grocery store with my boyfriend, looking at the herbs and spices.
Me: Do we need any rosemary?
Him: No, we don't have enough time.
Me: Then we should go. What's so urgent?
Him: We haven't got time.
Me: All right, keep your hair on, we'll go.
(I turn to go to the checkout.)
Him (pointing at the herbs): No, I mean, the old pack of thyme ran out. We need a new one.

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Hehehehehehehe That's a good'un!

*Free is $12 for a one month subscription to HumbleMonthly, and 6 other mystery-games revealed on Feb 3rd. If you like PC games, books, comicbooks, charity, whathaveyou, HumbleBundle is the place to go**!

**Not being sponsored, I just love 'em!!

Damoclian said:

ION: I am contemplating the resurrection of my blog while XCOM2 downloads in the background. Hot damn but it's a big game! And I basically AND legitimately got it for free* with HumbleBundle. I lurve me some alien slaughter and dystopian futures with fantastic grid-based, turn-based, badass-based combat and also coolio, out-of-this-world magicalnesses! Woo me.

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I got something cool from HumbleBundle this week, too! I got this ridiculous parody game called Hatoful Boyfriend. It's a dating sim where all of the romance options are talking pigeons. Also, there's cannibalism, pigeon vs human war, and someone gets Frankensteined. I am so excited. Me and some friends used to play dating sims together (the worse, the better), so I'm looking forward to playing something mocking the hell out of them. Because they're fun, but completely ridiculous. And it was $3, so why not?

Dammy, I may have to see about turning my real-life "You should play bass!" experience into some form of short story. I've been contemplating switching gears to short stories for a while, rather than working on novels. Because 1) quicker to finish them, 2) less pressure / seems like less of a Big Thing to deal with, and 3) I can get more stories out there, faster, so even if they sell for less per copy than a novel, it'll help get me some sort of a fan base.

So yes... I may just turn the bass-story thing into something with actual dialogue. I just need some sort of plot to go along with it, rather than it being pure slice-of-life. And if I do write such a thing, you can be sure you'll be one of the first to find out about it.

<Sending slab of gluten free homemade brownie to Dammy.>

Not so much writing today, but I did get in another order of black stone pendants from Fire Mountain Gems. Sanded the tops, then painted them with high-strength gesso. They'll be ready for miniature landscape paintings in a few days.

Cliff, good on ya for picking up bass and trying to venture to short stories. I tried to write a short story. It ended up a novel. *sigh*

Scripty, that game sounds super awesome. Have fun!

Dammy, everything ok with the fragile bunny? And good luck in the blog resurrection.

Feyngirl, I cleaned my microwave and that's as far as I got. It wasn't even very dirty. I was just procrastinating. Your time/thyme story made me smile.

Lily, I am impressed with your entrance and exit. You're enchanted. Like that magic sock that goes into the dryer but never comes out.

Ali, Huzzah! (So fun to say!) How goes the writing plan?

Religion, hope the bandaid comes off eventually but not in the middle of the smibble pile.

I've spent the day wrestling my mutinious monster of my alternate beginning and it won. I shall go with it and hope agent who has original version hasn't started reading the partial she requested. I'm hoping to replace it Monday for her. So, I'll be at it all day again tomorrow. Running short on sanity here. Guess I'm lucky sanity is not required to be a writer.

E.F.B. said:

Does North and South have Richard Armitage in it? I think I saw something about it on Instagram just yesterday and there was a gif with Richard Armitage, but I can't remember if that was the name of the movie or not.

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It does.

Damoclian said:

<--- *is the illest of bunnies* pls send chocolate!

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*sends chocolate*

StoryG27 said:

Cliff, good on ya for picking up bass and trying to venture to short stories. I tried to write a short story. It ended up a novel. *sigh*

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Are you me?

feyngirl said:

I liked it a lot because, like in North and South, the heroine gets to do something which is really important to a big central plot that has nothing to do with getting married.

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I might have to check out that novel too. I love North and South!

Also, sloth!

I'm so excited for Good Omens!

SG, thanks. And yes, buying a bass was probably the smartest thing I've ever done, on the music front, though I didn't realise it at the time. I still vastly prefer normal guitars (so much more interesting!), but yeah - definitely have a soft spot for the bass. It's the first thing I turn to when I'm stuck with something else. Also, I'm planning on making actual songs soon, and as my first-song dry-run (ie. it doesn't have to be perfect, just need to figure some things out and actually have a finished thing to listen to on repeat afterwards), I think the first instrument I'll be recording is the bass. Makes sense to me.

StoryG27 said:

Ali, Huzzah! (So fun to say!) How goes the writing plan?

...

Running short on sanity here. Guess I'm lucky sanity is not required to be a writer.

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Plan is going slowly, much like me. Actually, I think I need more of a map than a plan. Somewhere with distinct destinations on it and plenty of choice.

...

You have sanity? *is jealous*

...

Also, I am eating chocolate for breakfast. So there!

Sick as the proverbial dog here. I slept 12 hours Friday night, lazed about all day watching Rome and beading and playing Civ VI. Probably will do the same today. Coughing and blowing my snot-monsters constantly :*( I'm glad I at least have the weekend to pamper myself. Back at work tomorrow regardless.

aliwood said:

Also, I am eating chocolate for breakfast. So there!

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Now I'm jealous. I'm having my normal nutritious breakfast of coffee.

'Tis okay if the writing plan is going slowly. Going is the important part. I sort of map it out as well. Rarely do I get to stick to the chosen path. I often end up wildly off course and lost in some scary little town with a rundown motel with a flickering vacancy sign and a dilapidated, vandalized gas station, and I think, huh, this is not the Taj Mahal (which of course was where my map was supposed to take me). I'm in that scary little town now, trying to rewrite my way out of it.



GD, hope you get feeling better fast!

StoryG27 said:

Now I'm jealous. I'm having my normal nutritious breakfast of coffee.

'Tis okay if the writing plan is going slowly. Going is the important part. I sort of map it out as well. Rarely do I get to stick to the chosen path. I often end up wildly off course and lost in some scary little town with a rundown motel with a flickering vacancy sign and a dilapidated, vandalized gas station, and I think, huh, this is not the Taj Mahal (which of course was where my map was supposed to take me). I'm in that scary little town now, trying to rewrite my way out of it.

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Don't be too jealous. Thanks to the chemotherapy destroying my tastebuds, it sort of tasted like very sweet cardboard - not recommended. At least things should improve from here. *grasps at straw*

The map has been started! I even have words written on paper. I was thinking of emulating a famous fictional map, but I don't think there's one that goes around in circles.

Hope you get well quickly GD

Filigree said:

<Sending slab of gluten free homemade brownie to Dammy.>

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Filigree, you are the best darn bud a dudebro could ask for! I lurve brownies!

StoryG27 said:

Dammy, everything ok with the fragile bunny? And good luck in the blog resurrection.

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The fragile bunny is not okay, the fragile bunny needs a de-sick-inator STAT, and the fragile bunny is doing his best not to think about all the bad things. On that note: the blog's resurrection has occurred and I like the title of the latest post rather a lot even if it's the equivalent of a lapsed vlogger's "sowwy" video! I will put my blog link back up soon, and maybe even post more in the future. It's not like I ever had a great deal of traffic there, it was mostly just for me originally, but then me got sidelined by myself and I and now I is trying to get back on track.

aliwood said:

The map has been started! I even have words written on paper. I was thinking of emulating a famous fictional map, but I don't think there's one that goes around in circles.

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"Map"??? *Ears prick up* Did you say a word that begins with a 'ma' and ends in a 'pppppp'?? Because if you did I wanna see, pls!? I also Lurvety lurve love lurve maps, all maps (except the bad ones) and especially fantasy maps! Can we see the map when it is ready? Can I help in the readification? Have you considered THIS program for drawing maps? I use it and it's A+mazing!

greendragon said:

Sick as the proverbial dog here. I slept 12 hours Friday night, lazed about all day watching Rome and beading and playing Civ VI. Probably will do the same today. Coughing and blowing my snot-monsters constantly :*( I'm glad I at least have the weekend to pamper myself. Back at work tomorrow regardless.

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Sickness TWINZIES! :O If I owned Civ VI I would totes play with you, GD! We could take on a whole world, dragon and bunny, and slay it like the most sleighable sleighbell ringdingdingaling!

So having recently gotten back to watching animes I once again got to wondering why different media can get away with using different narrative tools. Like flashbacks, mostly just an unwelcome interruption to the narrative of a book, but often just character and story building in anime even during action sequences. That said, no one can get away with show and tell, and telling definitely works better in books. Then again, a visual medium is made for showing. And movies are often rubbish at flashbacks, too. Hum.

Damoclian said:

Did you say a word that begins with a 'ma' and ends in a 'pppppp'??

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Begins with 'ma' and ends in 'p', you say. You mean 'makeup'? Madcap? Matchup? Martyrship? *bad joke is bad**is hit by disapproving smibble*

I can attest to Dammy's love of maps.