ThreadKillers Anonymous

Oh yeah!

I actually meant to respond to some other posts but I got distracted by the sparklies.

Tinkle:

Your new place sounds great! And such great deals at the thrift shop. I love a good bargain!

I'll miss you while you're gone. Selfish yes, but it's the thought that counts. I'm addicted to your crazy stories!

PS. If you wanted to 'borrow' a few items from the clubhouse for your new pad, I won't tell.

Nik:

I hope your reading went well and there was none of this: And if you did puke, I hope it wasn't on the coordinator again!

Just kidding, I am sure you were the best reader of the evening.

I'm glad you approve. Now if I could just stop screwing everything up so I would be able to buy her beautiful things just because, and not just because I'm busy grovelling. heh.

She's such a tiny thing maybe all those diamonds will weigh so much she won't be able to walk.

You better send the bracelet up north to me for safekeeping.

Do you REAAAAAALY want me to answer that?

I didn't think it would work.

I never wear jewelry anyways. I'd have to wake up a whole 2 minutes earlier to have time to accessorize and I am not a morning person.

Hi all -

Interesting jewellery thread thing going.

Zaph - your lucky lady should count herself blessed that she has such a grovelling man with good taste. The ring looks pretty as does the bracelet.

I myself am not too keen on the pretty sparkly stuff, although I like it on others. Mainly cause I lose things and also, other than silver rings (which I love) jewellery annoys the heck out of me. Occassionally I will wear the pretty (silver) pendant or earrings - any bracelets I wear, tend to be... how do I put this... eclectic.

I also like weird combinations of colours and beads, but I don't wear gold or diamonds cause, while really really pretty, they just don't look that great on me. Plus I feel a little strange in them - much to my mother's distress. She keeps giving me gold bracelets for xmas that I then secretly give away (shhhhh).

I think she would have preferred a daughter who loves and appreciates diamonds and other precious stones and instead she got - angry/geek girl wearing thrift store bead bracelets and rings that look like Coke tabs.

Then again, she thinks too much reading is bad for one's complexion. Wrinkles and what not under your eyes and furrow marks on your brow. No matter how many times I tell her that while literary icons are among some of the most unattractive beings out there, it doesn't matter because they are interesting and brainy; she will sniff and say, that's no reason NOT to make an effort.

(sigh)

By the way - thanks everyone for your kind words and nice wishes. I did do well after all - I didn't even puke! Not once. I only tripped up one time and laughed it off and the audience was lovely and gave me a nice applause and afterward I even had a few fans - so I'm very, very happy and VERY very relieved it is over.

I really don't want to think about readings for the time being. I was very uncomfortable the whole time and while I lived through it, I'm not eager for more anytime soon. Someone advised that I tape my voice and practice at home which was a mistake. I spent a good 2 hours yesterday listening to my voice and simultanously breaking down into fits of hysterics. In the end I just gave up and other than telling myself to slow down, it went well.

And now for those of you who care - the gossipy bits...

The obnoxious woman I 'accidently' spilled my wine on at the agent party last week, insisted she go first in the reading, because, as she so nicely put it, she was more experienced at those kinds of events. Plus she was giggling the whole time saying how when SHE recorded her voice she was surprised, because it sounded 'SO posh'. Not that I sound like a fish monger's wife - really, really I don't.

*Does her Elisa Doolittle impression* The Rayne in Spayne falls...

Anyway, it was really KIND of her to volunteer to go first, as her story was abysmal (to say the least) AND her hand and leg shook simultanously while she read, like a dog will when he is enjoying a long, hard scratch.

And people say God doesn't have a sense of humour.

She was VERY helpful actually, as her performance helped me get over my nerves long enough to say my part and sit down w/out major mishaps.

Afterward as promised, I went out and got sloshed and many drinks later with supportive friends, lovers and drunken pub strangers around me, I realised you CAN read publically and not sound like a completely up yourself dork. Although reading back on this long post, I probably do now.

Kalapadea - The reading came as a result of a story I recently published. Writing in private is one thing, letting everyone read it is another (I spent a few years trying to get over this portion) but reading it out to complete and utter strangers sitting around at Borders looking bored and jaded is traumatic.

So let me go this out of my system:

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHoooo




[edit on 12-10-2005 by nikelbee]

[edit on 12-10-2005 by nikelbee]

That's great to hear Nik! I'm glad it went so well for you. I remember the first time I had to read something in front of a crowd. I about went catatonic, and that was when it was FRIENDS in front of me.

So don't keep us in suspense... what did you read???

Heh. the only thing I remember about that day was standing at the podium and going "uhhhh" to start things off.

I've only done 2 things in front of a lot of people, bow for stage A/V, and a speech on quantum nonlocalitites. I hate public speaking, someone get me a projector.

Yah. I agree. Public speaking - a big no-no. Which is of course why writers write.

I will leave the speaking to those disgustingly, charasmatic and charming people who can stand up and (at a whim) speak about anything, usually for long periods of time.

I can't remember which politician I read about who was absolutely terrified of speaking in public, yet he did a fine job, no one could tell he was constantly on the verge of passing out.

Last night people told me I didn't look nervous one bit. To which I was surprised. I still have nail marks on my palms. Then again, they could have been saying that to be kind.

aghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Wow what a day, after I posted this morning, the transformer for the office in the parking lot blew up, well .... fried. Lights were flickering like crazy, all the workstations shut down, and the UPS's for the servers kicked on, as well as all emergency lights. Shut down servers, and went to see what happened.

Turns out its taking like 2 days to fix, so I got off today, and possibly tomorrow. Bunch of guys from work all went over to my house and we played HALO and goldeneye, and get this... jumped on my trampoline. What a random day, I mean these guys are all 28+ one with 2 kids, I mean, BOUNCING LIKE AN IDIOT on my trampoline. Everyone was crazy, we played HALO (first one) for about 2 hours, had another co-worker stop by Pizza Hut, on his way over. Then some friend of the guy with kids was on leave from iraq, he came over and kicked the crap out of everyone in-game.

Great/Awesome/Crazy day.

So WHAT DID YOU READ nik? Subject? Funny? Excerpt....

Originally posted by Kalapadea
Wow what a day... Great/Awesome/Crazy day.

So WHAT DID YOU READ nik? Subject? Funny? Excerpt....

K

Sounds like one of those great spontaneous days that are fun and unexpected. I bet it was one of those beautiful, autumnal afternoons that you could play a soundtrack to. Are you SURE the server broke by itself ?

My reading was an excerpt from my story, Time Immemorial. A Short story about a boy who likes to experiment with time, space and memory. It is quite dark and serious. For the reading, I chose a middle bit, an amusing dialogue between country bumpkin Earl - a Vietnam Vet - and the precocious little boy Albert Trebla.

I've never written anything funny - although some of my stories do ocassionally have funny bits. I would LOVE to write something comical one day... the few times I tried writing humour, I realised it was seriously hard to write consistantly funny material without sounding cynically bitter or sarcastic. Maybe it is my true nature coming out? Muahahaha.



[edit on 13-10-2005 by nikelbee]

To clarify, it wasn't a server that went down, it was the power to the whole building. I had to go shut down servers to prevent data loss

Sounds like a cool story.

Yeah, so how DID you manage that?

A coworker suggested that I was trying to "obtain access" to the NSA server, but I doubt they control power to source based on IP...

*Takes off Battle Armor....and...rests*

Haven't posted here in a while...um...well...I've been busy.... ...ah, makin' new friends...uh, I think? Well, you all know what I mean, I'm sure. Anyway....

I'm only able to post here today because I'm accessing BTS from a different location. For some reason, I still don't have access in my normal location. Don't know how long that will last.

So what's new?

[edit on 13-10-2005 by loam]

Look, it's loam!

And she still has all of her body parts!

It is an interesting thread but I'm not touching it with a ten-foot pole. Sofi is a nice lady and we were friendly before her board absence. She does tend to have a bit of a talent for inciting some members. This really isn't anything new.

I've always loved her writing style, though.

Originally posted by Duzey
And she still has all of her body parts!

Um....pssst.... *wispers*.....you may not have looked at all of the body parts too closely....I'm a guy....

Anyway, I did survive with all parts accounted for....even if some of those parts are... well... apparently too small to notice...

[edit on 13-10-2005 by loam]

OOPS!!!!!

I'm sure your body parts are a lovely size.

I feel so bad, I know how sensitive men can be about that particular area. I'm sorry!!!!!

*grovels for forgiveness*