Okay. Now I’m getting cranky. No parts yet, no definite delivery date, only a vague guestimate. Or maybe I’ll be surprised. Pleasantly, I hope.
This is what happens when the manufacturer you ordered from is in the process of being bought up by a larger company, and all the tooling was apparently being loaded up, relocated, reconstructed and brought back into operation. Or so I’m told. Bottom line, still no steering.
Yesterday over breakfast, while my daughter and I gazed sleepily at our respective laptops, tea in hand, she announced that there would be a very limited theater release one night one time only showing of WarGames. It was the 25th anniversary (yes, now I feel REALLY old.) She’d never seen it, and neither had her boyfriend. These kids are hardcore gamers, Erik’s a program de-bugger (I’m sure there’s some more technical term for what he does, but you get the idea) and Felicia’s a Political Science/Philosophy major, and neither of them ever saw WarGames.
The audience was disappointingly small, maybe a good twenty of us in all, and aside from our kids, all were of a vintage that we recognized 8″ Floppy disks, Apple IIs, rotary phones, Ataris and Galaga arcade machines. Oh, and soda cans with pull-tabs. I was delighted to see a 78 Fairmont in one of the early scenes, not to mention some lovely Ford pickups. And the audience found it amusing when a then 17 year old Ally Sheedy declares “Forty-one? That’s OLD.” Yet with all the nostalgia, the message remains disturbingly relevant, and it’s amazing to see just how, even after 25 years, as much as things have changed, they’ve stayed disturbingly the same. For all of you who remember that movie, you know what I mean. But see it again. The past twenty-five years gave me a different perspective, revealing facets I couldn’t appreciate or comprehend in 1983. And for those of you who’ve never seen this movie, see it. Then think about it.
Yes! They are a lovely, delightfully twisted bunch, whispering suggestions that add a whole new facet to something that seemed so straightforward. It works on so many levels! So now I’m walking around with this evil little grin, which of course makes those who don’t know wonder. And as for you who do, it would take too long to explain. You’ll just have to read the book! Bhwahahahaha!
Meanwhile, I’m still awaiting those steering components, and contemplating situations I’d never want to find myself in. I seriously believe due to ballast, engine and fuel tank locations, Annabel Lee might be able to accomplish this same AMAZING FEAT. All the same, I NEVER want to find out first hand.
I have a fondness for making my characters suffer. I send them down the wrong paths, I keep them in the dark, I torture them with impossible situations and torment them with agonizing decisions. It makes for a more interesting story. As a result, my poor characters are all forced to grow. When I’m on a roll, as I am right now, I tend to get wrapped in my pov character’s situation. I become preoccupied with how things are unfolding, who is saying what, going where, doing what, and apparently I go about my day with a somewhat distant expression. If a character’s world is falling apart, I’m there, speculating who set us up the bomb, or how to avenge what needs avenging. Acquaintances ask me what’s bothering me,and if they know me well enough I can just say “writing stuff” and they leave it with that. And if I’m grinning and giggling, they figure Annabel (the character, not the boat) is, as usual, being Annabel. And those who don’t know me that well are, so it seems, confused.
I’ve been confusing a lot of people lately.
For some inexplicable reason, visitors to this little blog quadrupled yesterday. Curious. Amusing. I really don’t have much else to write today, mostly because I’ve been so busy these days with my imaginary world while Annabel Lee awaits steering components, and that about sums my life at the moment. I just figured I’d post something to let those few souls out there who occasionally look in on this blip on the web know I’m still alive and well. I glance at the traffic counter, amused to see some happy(?) boat owner stumbled in on a search on leaky boat decks, and I notice this bizarre spike in traffic. Is it a sign of something more? I can’t tell. There’s no new links in or any other telling clues. It’s something to ponder. So, for those of you passing through, feel free to write me, explaining what led you to my neck of the interwebs. And feel free to commiserate about your leaky boat decks.
NAMED ONE OF THE TOP THREE MYSTERIES OF 2010
~ Red Adept Reviews Annual Indie Awards
“A mystery in the John D. MacDonald tradition – both in its largely watery setting and tone, the novel also brings to mind Dashiell Hammett in the complexity of its plot, and even Stieg Larsson in its use of a strong young woman with an attitude as a main character. Last Exit In New Jersey is well-paced, densely-plotted story that mystery-thriller fans will enjoy immensely.”
~ Alex Austin, author of The Red Album of Asbury Park Remixed
And who the hell is C.E. Grundler?
You can also find me posting at Write On The Water
|
