A Life of Crime and Chocolate

MysteryRiter · Nov 23, 2011

Zelenka said:
Happened to me. I spent months researching a historical novel based on the real (as opposed to Shakespeare's) Macbeth. Got it all done, got my outline, and I'm not joking, the very day I was about to start writing, Nigel Tranter's book om exactly the same thing comes out. Talk about grrrrr!

QUOTE]

*cringes* uggh, that's awful. I feel for you. Mine was just a fiction piece, nothing I spent too much time on, but it still bothered me.

Zelenka · Nov 24, 2011

Just finished a whole packet of Pim's Čoko Piškoty with cherry filling, trying not to think about all those tucking into big dinners (whether those be turkey or tofurkey). Keeping myself from googling 24 hour supermarkets in Prague and heading out for emergency food by the thought that my dad is coming over on Sunday and will be taking me to dinner, so I'll get a big fancy dinner then. I want to take him to a Slovak restaurant I found.

I should know by now from years of having American friends and having this happen that I should have loads of food in for Thanksgiving for when the talk of dinners and worse, pictures of dinners start.

Oh and I have discovered that Wikipedia random article isn't much good for inspiration today. So far if I followed its advice I'd be writing a story about a rugby player and a haunted mushroom.

DocBrown · Nov 24, 2011

Ah, I feel better.

Now full of (real) turkey and I just went ahead and bought my new computer.

I did spend an extra $200 more than I planned from ten days ago, but with all the extra gewgaws it was worth it.

The previous build was a screaming viking. If a screaming viking goes running through my house after I get this new computer, it will grab him by the nads and say, "settle down, son".

I'm looking forward to it. :drool

Zelenka · Nov 24, 2011

Oh this day is looking up! I just found, after years of searching, a copy of the Argo audiobook version of MR James's ghost stories read by Michael Hordern. I used to listen to that almost non stop when I was younger, but I lost my copies of the tapes and they're out of print (or whatever the tape equivalent is) so they rarely come up on either Amazon or eBay. But they are the best recordings of those stories IMO and I used to find them so atmospheric and inspiring. I just hope they're as good listening as an adult.

I know, a bit random, but I had to share my squee!

Shakesbear · Nov 24, 2011

Zelenka said:
Oh this day is looking up! I just found, after years of searching, a copy of the Argo audiobook version of MR James's ghost stories read by Michael Hordern. I used to listen to that almost non stop when I was younger, but I lost my copies of the tapes and they're out of print (or whatever the tape equivalent is) so they rarely come up on either Amazon or eBay. But they are the best recordings of those stories IMO and I used to find them so atmospheric and inspiring. I just hope they're as good listening as an adult.

I know, a bit random, but I had to share my squee!

Michael Hordern's voice is perfect for M. R. James. I might try finding the tapes now! I read the stories over the Christmas break - sometimes some of them are filmed for tv, but they are not always brilliant productions.

Zelenka · Nov 24, 2011

Shakesbear said:
Michael Hordern's voice is perfect for M. R. James. I might try finding the tapes now! I read the stories over the Christmas break - sometimes some of them are filmed for tv, but they are not always brilliant productions.

I have a few versions, some good, some bad. BBC3 did a few OK ones a couple of years ago, of A View From a Hill and Number 13. Somewhere I have a recording of Tom Baker reading the stories on video which I must hunt out, as I have never had a chance to watch it.

I loved the Hordern tapes though when I was little. A relative gave me them and I eventually went out and bought the book of the complete stories. Exciting thing is I only ever had two sets of tapes, whereas the lot I bought has four!

Shakesbear · Nov 25, 2011

Zelenka said:
I have a few versions, some good, some bad. BBC3 did a few OK ones a couple of years ago, of A View From a Hill and Number 13. Somewhere I have a recording of Tom Baker reading the stories on video which I must hunt out, as I have never had a chance to watch it.

I loved the Hordern tapes though when I was little. A relative gave me them and I eventually went out and bought the book of the complete stories. Exciting thing is I only ever had two sets of tapes, whereas the lot I bought has four!

Did you see the Ash Tree? The version with the dancing spiders? They were dreadful but in a very funny way!

heyjude · Nov 25, 2011

Zelenka said:
So far if I followed its advice I'd be writing a story about a rugby player and a haunted mushroom.

DocBrown said:
I just went ahead and bought my new computer.

We had a great day yesterday, just the four humans and two uncaring cats. Today is the really good day, the day I don't have to cook for a million hours straight. Today I can stuff myself with leftovers.

Also my kids had apple pie for breakfast yesterday. I mentioned this on Facebook and everyone agreed that that's a darn healthy breakfast. Or something. Apples!

DocBrown · Nov 25, 2011

One a day keeps the doctor away!

heyjude · Nov 25, 2011

That's what my mom says too. :tongue

I am officially done with Black Friday. My finger hurt and there is actually steam rising from my credit card. And yet I never left my house.

Zelenka · Nov 25, 2011

Shakesbear said:
Did you see the Ash Tree? The version with the dancing spiders? They were dreadful but in a very funny way!

Yeah I have that on an old VHS somewhere. A very strange 1970s version of Mr Humphries and his Inheritance too, although the actual story isn't so bad, it's just it's got all this stuff from either BBC schools or Open University at the start with a scary guy talking about TV soundtracks.

Shakesbear · Nov 25, 2011

heyjude said:
That's what my mom says too.

I am officially done with Black Friday. My finger hurt and there is actually steam rising from my credit card. And yet I never left my house.

Sounds like the start of a M.R. James story!

Zelenka said:
Yeah I have that on an old VHS somewhere. A very strange 1970s version of Mr Humphries and his Inheritance too, although the actual story isn't so bad, it's just it's got all this stuff from either BBC schools or Open University at the start with a scary guy talking about TV soundtracks.

I now have a horrible feeling that I also have a recording of it somewhere. Now I have to decide if I want to find it and watch the dancing spiders . . .

I had a good day today. After four days of work it was good to have the day off and go into the city and have a birthday lunch (her birthday not mine) with a friend. Shopping also helped!

Zelenka · Nov 25, 2011

My day was a little short of good, because I had a fall yesterday on some stairs and now my knee, back and shoulder are killing me, but I made it to the shops as we were running out of catfood. And the local supermarket is selling chocolate 'Christmas Carp' cakes, shaped like fish, made out of 'buchty' which is like stollen but a little less dry, and totally covered in dark chocolate. I'm thinking of taking them as gifts for folks back home but of course I can't do that until I've made sure they're safe by eating one...

It is nice to have food in the house again though. And Sunday, my dad is coming over so I'll get taken out to tea!

tarak · Nov 26, 2011

Zelenka - I hope you heal quickly.

heyjude - my kids regularly eat pumpkin pie for breakfast. Totally healthy, I think.

Had a fantastic meal at my cousin's house in the boondocks of Maryland. Then spent today picking out our tree, putting up the Christmas lights outside (because if I don't do it by the end of the weekend, I know I'll never do it). Ran the kids around so with luck they'll fall over early tonight. I'm off to get sushi with friends and then see Breaking Dawn, which is supposed to be so awfully bad. I am really looking forward to laughing at inappropriate moments...

ETA: I used to have a cassette tape of John Waters reading his essay "100 things I hate." One of the funniest things ever. I have no clue what happened to it, but I'd love to hear it again. Reading it is only half as good.

DocBrown · Nov 27, 2011

My book has been (for the most part) ready to be formatted for the Kindle and Smashwords, etc. for the better part of a month.

The one thing stopping me from releasing it: I wasn't sure who to market it to. I've been totally baffled as to how to label it (because everything needs a label). I think I've finally figured it out. :hooray:

It's a "Serious Parody". :Sun:

MysteryRiter · Nov 27, 2011

Congrats on figuring it out!

Zelenka · Nov 27, 2011

Congrats Doc!

Today I have been celebrating my babycat's fifth birthday and his second year since I adopted him, probably putting more thought into it than I would do for a human's birthday. Tomorrow my dad is coming from Scotland to visit and is bringing the cat even more presents so he'll have another birthday tomorrow. Then I'm going to see if I can persuade my dad to visit the museum of technology, since my MC in my story works there and I want to look at the place...

Can't write very well just now. I think the painkillers I have from my back are making me fuzzy.

Shakesbear · Nov 28, 2011

Go you Doc!!

Zelenka hope the back gets better soonest. I used to really enjoy planning my cat's birthday. I think it only right and proper that they have a wonderful day as they give us so many wonderful days. Have you visited the Simons Cat site? http://www.simonscat.com/

DocBrown · Nov 28, 2011

Thanks everyone. It's honestly quite ridiculous to have taken me so long to figure that out, but whatever.

Zelenka · Nov 28, 2011

Shakesbear said:
Go you Doc!!

Zelenka hope the back gets better soonest. I used to really enjoy planning my cat's birthday. I think it only right and proper that they have a wonderful day as they give us so many wonderful days. Have you visited the Simons Cat site? http://www.simonscat.com/

The makeup artist where I used to work put me onto the Simon's Cat site one day and it was creepy - who's been spying on my house and turned my cat into a cartoon?? My dad's actually just today given me a Simon's Cat calendar for next year too.

Today I also discovered a new type of chocolate, cherry and chilli flavour, which I have still to try, but I will need it because I am feeling miserable. Took some painkillers for my back and knee and they totally knocked me out, didn't wake up til 2am tonight by which time I'd missed my training at work at 8pm, so now I don't know if I'm still going to have a job or what's going to happen. Emailed my boss to explain and sent a groveling apology but I feel lousy about it. I hate causing trouble (or being in trouble).

Shakesbear · Nov 29, 2011

((((( Zelenka ))))) surely your boss won't be angry if you are unwell? I hope the chocolate helps to cheer you up.

heyjude · Nov 29, 2011

Oh, no, Zelenka. I'm sorry.

Let us know how it goes.

We adopted a dog yesterday. She's a sweet little Yorkie mix. I'll try to upload a picture later.

Shakesbear · Nov 29, 2011

HJ so pleased for you!.... waiting for the pic. Does she have a name yet? How old is she?

heyjude · Nov 29, 2011

Her name is Stella and she's a Yorkie. I'll wrestle the picture site later today... that usually takes me a while. :tongue

kaitie · Nov 29, 2011

I wanna see!

A Life of Crime and Chocolate

Murder isn't so bad...

Going home!

Hopes to one day write for food.

Going home!

knows a hawk from a handsaw

Going home!

knows a hawk from a handsaw

Making my own sunshine

Hopes to one day write for food.

Making my own sunshine

Going home!

knows a hawk from a handsaw

Going home!

for certain qualities of "sane"

Hopes to one day write for food.

Murder isn't so bad...

Going home!

knows a hawk from a handsaw

Hopes to one day write for food.

Going home!

knows a hawk from a handsaw

Making my own sunshine

knows a hawk from a handsaw

Making my own sunshine

With great power comes