This is topic Writers' Workshop in forum Life at TMO Talk.


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Posted by Black Mask (Member # 185) on :
 
Hi.

I've been rolling a story around in my head for ages, now. Years. And it just doesn't seem to be working. To make the story work I changed lots of things, and it ended up as a kids story. Then I started rethinking it for kids. I even made it worthy. The heroes were solving things buy wit and guile, they were being rewarded for honesty and hard work. It lacked oomph. It was shit. So, I did the obvious thing, I turned to some nine-year-olds for advice. I turned it into a project for the Masketeers, I gave them the outlines of a couple of scenes and asked them to write them up. Instead of wit, guile and honesty they came up with heavy weapons, treachery and zombies. Instead of events following a tortuous path of logic and inevitability... stuff just happened. It was great. (I think my favourite thing was the machete-gun, a machine-gun that fires machetes.)

I think I'm going to go with some of their suggestions, I think the story's moving again.

Anybody else working on anything at the moment?
 
Posted by Thorn Davis (Member # 65) on :
 
Grinding through a second book at the moment. Goes in fits and starts, but it's moving faster than the first one. Also, in a rare development, I quite often look back over what I've written and think it's pretty good. I can't stand reading back through the first book at the moment, but this one seems OK.

I also had an idea for a stage play, although I haven't gotten anywhere with that. It's going to be kind of like Pacific Heights in the workplace, where an employee comes in and drives his boss mad, skating just the right side of being impossible to sack. I thought maybe people would enjoy watching that - some horrid manager being driven to a nervous breakdown by an employee who can't be sacked.

I was wondering abotu kids books the other day, when the front cover of The Bookseller had an add for some series called Dinosaur Cove. Just, kids go to this island and have an adventure involving dinosaurs. They're publishing six a year, which must be raking in a fair old whack for someone. Made me wonder who kids books should be aimed at. I sort of assumed it was parents, because they're the ones who usually make the purchase. But maybe they don't care what the kids read, as long as the read. Certainly there doesn't seem to be the same worries over kids reading unsuitable books as there is over games and films. Maybe a book with a machete gun would grab the kids and the parents would never really know.
 
Posted by dang65 (Member # 102) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Thorn Davis:
I was wondering about kids books the other day, when the front cover of The Bookseller had an add for some series called Dinosaur Cove. Just, kids go to this island and have an adventure involving dinosaurs. They're publishing six a year, which must be raking in a fair old whack for someone. Made me wonder who kids books should be aimed at.

My kids bring home bags full of books from school for home reading with us and nearly every single one is complete shite. I presume they are cleverly written to include just the right number of new words or challenging sentences for the apprentice reader, but the kids can't stand them. Their reading is very good, but probably because they've been learning how to get through one of these crap books at absolute top speed to get them out the way.

Like the sound of the unsackable employee story. Only problem is, which character would we be intended to have sympathy with. Or are we meant to just end up hating them both?

There was a TV programme a while ago where people had to try and get sacked deliberately. I only saw one episode, but it might make good source material as it showed real managers reactions to extreme provocation.
 
Posted by Black Mask (Member # 185) on :
 
They're lowering (or raising) the bar on kids' books all the time. Some of the new kids' horror fiction is really quite gruesome and then there's all the stuff for the body-fixated wee ains. You know, all the books about bums and bogeys and bodily functions.
 
Posted by Thorn Davis (Member # 65) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by dang65:
Like the sound of the unsackable employee story. Only problem is, which character would we be intended to have sympathy with. Or are we meant to just end up hating them both?

Er, neither really. The employee would just be the antagonist, providing the drama. The boss would be a c**t and the pleasure would come from watching him suffer.
 
Posted by Thorn Davis (Member # 65) on :
 
Now I think of it, none of my writing has sympathetic characters.
 
Posted by dang65 (Member # 102) on :
 
I'm writing a load of stuff and never finishing anything, as usual.

I had one weird idea the other day which I'm still trying to get my own head around, let alone write for others to read.

General theme of it is that we all have memories and go over past events in our heads, right, and maybe wish we'd done something differently. Problem is, the character in this story, every time he goes back over a memory would actually change the original event.

Way too complex to get across in a story I think. Would have to be told in the first person, from the viewpoint of someone locked up in a loony bin probably. They'd have all these memories of their "first run" through life, but everyone they know would actually be living completely different lives to those in the memories because events had been changed.

BZZZZZZzzzzzzzt-ft

Yeah, I can't quite latch onto it, so good luck to any readers.
 
Posted by Kanye West (Member # 837) on :
 
I think that the David Lynch film "Lost Highway" is along those lines.
 
Posted by Thorn Davis (Member # 65) on :
 
Yeah, I think the problem is that the narrative would operate at the speed of thought, which is a bit too much to convey. Or! MAybe have him thinking over stuff and then each time people come in to visit him, they tell a comepletely different version of their lives. Actually, I reckon that could work. It'd wind up being about how the self we create comes from our perception of the things that happen to us, and that when that's completely fluid the self totally fractures into incoherence. So you could use it as a way to demonstrate that contrary to modern philosophy there must be some shred of objective truth, because without it we'd immediately disintegrate into madness. Probably easier to write in the 3rd person, though. Dang's story premises are always great.
 
Posted by Kanye West (Member # 837) on :
 
I should point out that I'm not doing anything remotely creative with my life. Nothing.
 
Posted by Kanye West (Member # 837) on :
 
hang on - does that mean that I shouldn't be saying anything?
 
Posted by Thorn Davis (Member # 65) on :
 
What about pouring scorn on other people's likely-doomed efforts? keywords: grey; dead-eyed; pointless; humiliating; self-obsession.
 
Posted by Kanye West (Member # 837) on :
 
alright fucking hell, no need to be all pissy. Christ.
 
Posted by Kanye West (Member # 837) on :
 
that only worked if you hadn't posted at the same time as me, thorn.
 
Posted by Kanye West (Member # 837) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Thorn Davis:
What about pouring scorn on other people's likely-doomed efforts? keywords: grey; dead-eyed; pointless; humiliating; self-obsession.

I haven't really got the energy any more. Plus, you know, why get passionate about something so insignificant?
 
Posted by Kanye West (Member # 837) on :
 
I was at a conference recently about collaborative creativity, and at one point the dude pulled out a book that had been entirely written, edited and published by the members of a forum. It made me think that it would be a nice thing to do on tmo. Chip in and self publish a book, no need to get it totally perfect or have it as one single story or anything. Just something that everybody contributes to.

Of course, the danger is there'd be one or two amazing contributions that would clearly overshadow the rest of the content. But if I mistakenly chipped in for such a scheme, I'm sure I'd be able to write less amazingly than I normally do, so people weren't left feeling humiliated.

[ 11.12.2008, 08:37: Message edited by: Kanye West ]
 
Posted by MiscellaneousFiles (Member # 60) on :
 
Cool, I'll do the cover.
 
Posted by Kanye West (Member # 837) on :
 
I think you'd need to pitch to the community. You can't just bagsy that shit. There are more talented designers than you on this forum, remember.
 
Posted by McDirts (Member # 6680) on :
 
I had that Machete Gun idea ages ago, I even got so far as having the first proto-type made and patented. Then, it all kicked off in Rowanda and there I was thinking "K-Ching!"
Hadn't really thought it through though, far too expensive on ammo.
In the end I converted it to fire flip flops and it does a pretty good trade as a Non Lethal High Insult Weapon throughout the Middle East.
 
Posted by Kanye West (Member # 837) on :
 
man I hate flip flops.
 
Posted by Kanye West (Member # 837) on :
 
talking about spreading insult throughout the middle east - has everybody seen this Islamic version of the Habbo Hotel? Muxlim Pal
 
Posted by MiscellaneousFiles (Member # 60) on :
 
More talented than me? Are you fucking kidding?
 
Posted by Kanye West (Member # 837) on :
 
I'm going to sign up with Muxlim pal, and enjoy some of the muslim lifestyle, virtually. After a marathon session of The God Channel the other night, I'm feeling all spiritual.
 
Posted by Thorn Davis (Member # 65) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by McDirts:
I had that Machete Gun idea ages ago,

I don't mean to piss on Black Mask's children
's parade, but I had a similar idea decades ago, with a gun that fired chainsaws. It was in a story that was basically Shane/ Mad Max 2 etc about a group of farmers who ride elephants being terrorised by bandits who ride dinosaurs. I can't remember whether it was one of the good guys or the villain who had the chainsaw gun. Yes I do! It was the villain, but the good guy wrested it off him in the climax, rode up to the villains T-Rex and shoved his arm in its gob, firing chainsaws from his chainsaw gun down its throat.
 
Posted by McDirts (Member # 6680) on :
 
Is this available as an E- Book anywhere online?
 
Posted by squeegy (Member # 136) on :
 
Whats wrong with flip flops?
 
Posted by McDirts (Member # 6680) on :
 
Arabs love using them to hit things with as a sort of insult.
 
Posted by squeegy (Member # 136) on :
 
Still no reason to hate them. Hate is a strong word.
 
Posted by Kanye West (Member # 837) on :
 
I've already detailed my problems with flip flops. I think that it could be because they're so horribly functional. There's something uncivilized about them. Little bits of foam that we put on our feet so they don't hurt when we walk, hung off the space between two toes. It's like something that you'd put on an animal with an injured paw, not something that a human should choose to degrade themselves with. Put some fucking shoes on. I can understand flip flops being worn when they're the only option. It's not like everybody has access to Nike Dunks. But when the choice is there, and you're in public, just pop some shoes on. Accept that you're in a social environment.

Perhaps I just a have a pre-disposition towards not wanting to see skanky feet.

[ 11.12.2008, 09:42: Message edited by: Kanye West ]
 
Posted by MiscellaneousFiles (Member # 60) on :
 
How's things in Botswana, squeeg?

They're pretty bleak here - Woolworths is closing down you know?
 
Posted by McDirts (Member # 6680) on :
 
A gentleman should never, ever wear a pair of flip-flops. Leave it to the natives and the metrosexuals. A summer brogue should suffice.
 
Posted by Lilo (Member # 8247) on :
 
I hate the sound flip flops make.
 
Posted by squeegy (Member # 136) on :
 
Well Misc, its hot. Hot as fuck. Its so hot in fact that I cannot wait to get home and swap my shoes for some nice cool flip flops.
 
Posted by McDirts (Member # 6680) on :
 
hmmmmm...
 
Posted by Thorn Davis (Member # 65) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by McDirts:
Is this available as an E- Book anywhere online?

Sadly no, although my mind drifts back to it when I think about writing something so completely insanely pandering to high-action cliches that it simultaneously be massively mainstream and weirdly artistic.

There were too many problems with the chainsaw gun, though. For it to be really impressive, it'd have to be quite rapid fire - like at least 20 rounds a minute. So what form would the magazine take? Who could carry that many chainsaws? (although maybe the villain has a brontosaurus in tow, laden with chainsaws acting as a mobile ammo dump). What would the barrel look like? I always pictured the chainsaws spinning through the air, end over end, and couldn't think what sort of contraption would make that happen and - I'll be honest. I didn't think any of that, but they're all questions that I get battered with everytime I try and explain the premise.

Plus without the chainsaw gun it's just a story about people who ride dinosaurs fighting people who ride elephants. Who's going to read that? Completely banal.
 
Posted by McDirts (Member # 6680) on :
 
mmmmmm Dinophant chainsaw gun fights...
 
Posted by dang65 (Member # 102) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by MiscellaneousFiles:
How's things in Botswana, squeeg?

I watched The Gods Must Be Crazy recently - for the first time in many years - and got all nostalgic for Botswana, even though I've only been there once and it's probably nothing like The Gods Must Be Crazy any more. It might be a bit like The No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency but I never watched that.

So, yeah, I'd be interested in this too.
 
Posted by Black Mask (Member # 185) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Thorn Davis:
I always pictured the chainsaws spinning through the air, end over end,

Visually, that would rock, but it's not strictly necessary. At high velocity the chainsaws would tumble inside the target, that's where projectiles get their damage capacity from.

I learnt all this from my Port Arthur Massacre fixation.

Just imagine being a tyrannosausus rex with a bunch of throbbing, belching chainsaws dancing around in your innards... woooooah.
 
Posted by MiscellaneousFiles (Member # 60) on :
 
I heard something on the news about Botswana recently. Something about cholera.

[Frown]
 
Posted by MiscellaneousFiles (Member # 60) on :
 
I think you're probably justified in taking time off work for that.
 
Posted by McDirts (Member # 6680) on :
 
Sorry John, yeah, I won't be coming in today. No, I feel really shitty, yeah. Doctor says it's probably cholera. Well, 4 or 5 weeks at least, and that's if I don't die. Yeah, yeah, that's right. Pretty rough really. Yeah. How? dunno, I was knocking round Rhodesia for a bit on friday night so that could've done it I suppose.
 
Posted by Abby (Member # 582) on :
 
At an unplanned party some time ago my old housemate got one of our friends to call his boss and say that he wouldn’t be at work because she had just run him over. Despite being Italian, and presumably because of being blind drunk, she decided to pretend to be French for the purposes of this deception. Worked a treat.
 
Posted by jonesy999 (Member # 5) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by McDirts:
Sorry John, yeah, I won't be coming in today. No, I feel really shitty, yeah. Doctor says it's probably cholera. Well, 4 or 5 weeks at least, and that's if I don't die. Yeah, yeah, that's right. Pretty rough really. Yeah. How? dunno, I was knocking round Rhodesia for a bit on friday night so that could've done it I suppose.

Brian's got Cholera again, Sally. You’ll have to cover for a couple of weeks, or forever if it's terminal.

I bet it's just fucking 'man cholera'. If he's not dead within 18 hours I want his bonus.

[ 11.12.2008, 12:56: Message edited by: jonesy999 ]
 
Posted by Thorn Davis (Member # 65) on :
 
Fuck sake. Day off with cholera. What the fuck? These fucking graduates don't know what it means to work in a real fucking office. Cholera. Had it myself last year. Went away on its own after a day or so.
 
Posted by jonesy999 (Member # 5) on :
 
Cholera? I shit it!
 
Posted by ralph (Member # 773) on :
 
dear lord...

I was at work one day and felt a sharp pain which I ignored for several hours...long story short, I had what was left of my appendix removed (it had burst) about 30 minutes after the work day ended.
 
Posted by Cherry In Hove (Member # 49) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Thorn Davis:
I had a similar idea decades ago, with a gun that fired chainsaws.

I believe that Painkiller has a gun that fires shurikens and lightning. Which is apparently better than anything else ever.
 
Posted by squeegy (Member # 136) on :
 
You know its funny you mention cholera. I turned on the shower and was hit by a very intense smell of chlorine this morning. I can only imagine its preventative measures due to the bloody neighbours. Its pretty unlikely to travel all the way down here (about 400km from the Zim border). Even if some unfortunate soul did make it here I'd imagine we would all be safe.

I do smell like I took a swim before work though. I guess it beats taking time off for cholera. Mind you, with an unemployment rate of 80% in Zim I suppose most people were just fucking about at home anyway.
 
Posted by squeegy (Member # 136) on :
 
You're up early CiH
 
Posted by Cherry In Hove (Member # 49) on :
 
Yes. And now I'm at work. I like getting to work early as it means I can leave early, which is better than cake.

I'm glad you don't have cholera. That would suck.
 
Posted by squeegy (Member # 136) on :
 
It would. I'm quite glad too. And its Friday!
 
Posted by New Way Of Decay (Member # 106) on :
 
Roohay!
 
Posted by Darryn.R (Member # 1) on :
 
Happy day I'm off till Jan 5th 2009 from today !

The start of the holiday is slightly jarred by the fact that I had to run out of work yesterday at three because Femke fell off the patio steps and dislocated her shoulder (meaning I have to pop in MOnday for a couple of hours - boo sucks..) but that's not proper work and I finally get a rest...
 
Posted by Ringo (Member # 47) on :
 
Yeah Friday eh, pretty decent result all round. I finally got a call from the insurance company today as well, so looks like we're one step closer to getting the car into a body shop for repairs.

And tonight I'll be having pizza. Yeah I'm feeling pretty positive about the way things are going right now.
 
Posted by Octavia (Member # 398) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Thorn Davis:
There were too many problems with the chainsaw gun, though. For it to be really impressive, it'd have to be quite rapid fire - like at least 20 rounds a minute. So what form would the magazine take? Who could carry that many chainsaws?

Cannons used to fire chainshot - would that do? You'd have one on the deck of your Navy man-o-war and when the baddies hove into range you'd sling thirty cannon's worth of chainshot at their rigging and stuff. Used to bring masts and sails down a treat. Bit of a single-shot-then-reload scenario, though. Not as good as chainsaws, but can actually happen in the real world.

[ 12.12.2008, 08:38: Message edited by: Octavia ]
 
Posted by Ringo (Member # 47) on :
 
No no, it's ok. I wasn't hurt or anything in the accident, luckily enough. Just slippery conditions and the like. Thanks for the concern though.
 
Posted by McDirts (Member # 6680) on :
 
Is it a bit like Bumper Cars at the fair what you do Ringo?
 
Posted by ralph (Member # 773) on :
 
We had a huge ice storm where I live. Trees down all over the place...no power, no electric, no estimate on when either of them will be restored. And I had to chainsaw my way out of my driveway this morning due to fallen trees blocking my path.
 
Posted by Ringo (Member # 47) on :
 
Not 100% sure what you're talking about. I was driving to the post office.
 
Posted by McDirts (Member # 6680) on :
 
Oh, I thought it was a reference to your weekend drifting activities.
 
Posted by Thorn Davis (Member # 65) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Ringo:
No no, it's ok. I wasn't hurt or anything in the accident, luckily enough. Just slippery conditions and the like. Thanks for the concern though.

I... think you have to mention that you were in an accident for people to... you know... know about it and show concern etc.
 
Posted by Ringo (Member # 47) on :
 
I mentioned it earler in the week and everyone ignored it then as well. Then above, referring to damage to the car.

But, to clarify, I had an accident on the road, where my car hit another car. It was quite frightening actually.
 
Posted by McDirts (Member # 6680) on :
 
so it sort of was drifting then.
 
Posted by Ringo (Member # 47) on :
 
Er no, nothing to do with it. I was driving the car on the road, on my way to the post office, and I had an accident where I hit the back of another car. I was just driving along normally.
 
Posted by McDirts (Member # 6680) on :
 
You didn't slip on some ice and 'drift' into the other car then?
 
Posted by Ringo (Member # 47) on :
 
I'm not quite sure what you think drifting is, but no. What happened is that I didn't spot the woman ahead of me slowing down until it was too late for me to stop in time, so I hit the back of her. I could make all kinds of excuses, like the fact the brake lights on those Kia people carrier things are woefully hard to see, or that if the road had been dry I'd have been able to stop in time, but realistically it was because I wasn't paying 100% attention because I was looking at a turning so I made a mistake, and as a result I had a car accident.
 
Posted by Thorn Davis (Member # 65) on :
 
Sorry to hear about your accident, Ringo.
 
Posted by Ringo (Member # 47) on :
 
Thanks. Perhaps surprisingly, I've never actually had a proper car accident before. I guess I've been lucky. Keep thinking about how I could have done things differently, like mounted the kerb, swerved into the other lane, or just been looking where I was fucking going in the first place. So frustrating and futile.

But there you go, live and learn I guess. At least nobody was hurt.
 
Posted by McDirts (Member # 6680) on :
 
jesus christ, are you alright?? [Eek!] [Eek!] [Eek!]
 
Posted by ralph (Member # 773) on :
 
Was the MX5 ok??? [Eek!] [Eek!] [Eek!]
 
Posted by McDirts (Member # 6680) on :
 
tell me the bumpers got cushioned by a small child getting in between the MX5 and the other car, please?????
 
Posted by Ringo (Member # 47) on :
 
I'm sorry, no. There was a dog, but it got out of the way just in time, unfortunately.
 
Posted by ralph (Member # 773) on :
 
How badly was the mx5 damaged? Don't show me pictures please...it would bring back too many bad memories of mine getting hit. [Frown]
 
Posted by Ringo (Member # 47) on :
 
Nothing mechanical or structural is broken. Most of the front end bits will need replacing though. The bumper has been pushed back slightly, bending the bonnet (hood) and the wings (fenders) up and outwards. It's still drivable, though I had to spend a good hour or so smashing the shit out of the bumper to move it out of the way of the bonnet so I could get that closed.

But hey, it's just a load of metal and plastic. It can be repaired or replaced. I just feel terrible about hitting this poor woman. She seemed pretty shaken up by it. I don't think I've ever apologised as many times in such a short period of time.
 
Posted by H1ppychick (Member # 529) on :
 
...insert joke about Ringo's sex life here...
 
Posted by Ringo (Member # 47) on :
 
Yeah, usually when i slide into the back of some chick, it's a fairly positive experience.
 
Posted by ralph (Member # 773) on :
 
for you maybe
 
Posted by LowLevel (Member # 30) on :
 
Ringers? - You've got a Mazda now? - Have I really been dead that long?
 
Posted by Ringo (Member # 47) on :
 
Yeah I've had it for a few years as well. There are some pictures of it on my Facebook if you're interested.
 
Posted by H1ppychick (Member # 529) on :
 
It's white, and kinda crumpled
 
Posted by H1ppychick (Member # 529) on :
 
...insert joke about ringo's sex life here...
 
Posted by Thorn Davis (Member # 65) on :
 
I had a weird experience at my sister's wedding over the weekend, where I found myself at a table with an aspiring writer and her surgeon husband. The aspiring writer was very pleasant, and we had the usual conversation about confidence, the difficulty getting published, and I was able to pass on one or two suggestions based on my current experience. We also swapped descriptions of our premises, and she seemed to liek the idea of the thing I was working on at the moment. When I got back from the loo, she made me tell her husband, the surgeon, what the idea of the book was and what followed was an astonishing thirty minute attack on what he shouted was "A ridiculous folly," "Madness," and about how "if that ever gets published you're just going to make a fool of yourself". At the time, I was pretty calm - nothing he said was a real suprise to me: it was all stuff I'd considered when i was working through the idea in the first place - but it's quite bizarre to have someone you've never met react so aggressively to something that they're not really familiar with, and that's quite personal to you. Like if someone at a wedding suddenly started ranting about your choice of partner, shouting "But this relationship is clearly doomed isn't it? What were you even thinking?". Although, I have to admit that that's exactly the thought that went through my mind when I thought about his friendly wife, and the phlegm-spitting dickhead opposite me.
 
Posted by Black Mask (Member # 185) on :
 
Sounds like a prick.
 
Posted by New Way Of Decay (Member # 106) on :
 
Does sound like a prick, yeah.
 
Posted by Ringo (Member # 47) on :
 
Maybe you should have asked him how he would perform a heart bypass, and then spent the next half an hour telling him how he's going to have the mother of all lawsuits on his hands when he butchers some old bint and leaves her dead on the table.

There's probably something about saving lives every day, constantly being told you're a hero, that gives you the impression you've got special dispensation to be an absolute wanksack.

[ 23.06.2010, 09:31: Message edited by: Ringo ]
 
Posted by Thorn Davis (Member # 65) on :
 
I did accidentally laugh in his face when we were talking about learning to play guitar and he mentioned that he'd already bought six guitars before settling in to learn the instrument.

That was quite a rich insight into his mindset, actually. He was talking about how he'd packed away his Xbox so he could use his time more productively, and learning guitar was a part of that. He started off on how before you get started there's this deep well of technical stuff you have to wade through in terms of which guitar to buy and what and to pair it with and so on, and so before even learning to play a chord he'd spent hours researching his decision and wound up with these six instruments. Whereas everyone else I know - myself included - just picks one where they like the pattern and then gets stuck in.
 
Posted by Ringo (Member # 47) on :
 
Jesus, I feel like a fraud just having two guitars. I just got the most popular recommendation in a colour I liked.

I bet the ones he ended up buying were all attrociously expensive as well.

The whole thing reeks of tiny cock.
 
Posted by Ringo (Member # 47) on :
 
Not that I've ever smelled a tiny cock
 
Posted by Cherry In Hove (Member # 49) on :
 
You don't have to remind us Ringo. We're all very aware of your "Bigger than 8 inches only" rule
 
Posted by dang65 (Member # 102) on :
 
I remember the best guitar I had (out of about three, that is) was a charity shop Spanish guitar which I painted matt black and put steel strings on. I can remember my "guitar teacher" (some freeloader getting paid by my parents for about four lessons) having a right laugh when I showed it to him, but I insisted it was really nice, so he gave it a go, checking that the paint was dry first, and it sounded fantastic, which he had to admit to. I'd probably be really good at guitar if I hadn't lost that one somewhere and ended up with a steady stream of (two) disappointing guitars afterwards.

Actually, I've still got my first electric guitar which I bought here in Paris in about 1983, including a proper case for it, and I've got the receipt. I wonder if the shop's still there and if they'd give me some kind of champagne reception if I went back with it. I might do that. I suspect I'd just get a bored shrug and some fag ash dropped on it though. Fuck 'em.
 
Posted by dang65 (Member # 102) on :
 
It would probably be a really "interesting" thing to do for a blog or for Twitter. Which is another reason for not doing it. Do you see how Twitter and the French are together ruining this world? And we just stand by and watch.
 
Posted by Thorn Davis (Member # 65) on :
 
Twitter is definitely ruining my job. I don't know about the world. It's ruining my course, too. There definitely seems to be a sense in the world of marketing that Twitter is the answer to every problem. Octavia's getting pushed towards Twitter by her bosses at the moment. She works for a law firm. It's hard to think of a product or service less suited to Twitter than that.
 
Posted by Abby (Member # 582) on :
 
Are you having a nice time in Paris Dang? I’m sensing some ambivalence...
 
Posted by Black Mask (Member # 185) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Thorn Davis:
She works for a law firm. It's hard to think of a product or service less suited to Twitter than that.

@defendant ##ur deffo guilty 5 stretch lolz
 
Posted by dang65 (Member # 102) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Abby:
Are you having a nice time in Paris Dang? I’m sensing some ambivalence...

Well, the work's ok and the people I work with seem fine, but Paris itself... compared with London it's like the Third World. It's astonishingly run down. A lot of it doesn't seem to have been maintained at all since I first came here nearly 30 years ago. I suppose that could be seen as quite charming, but essentially it's just dingy. It's really like stepping back in time for me, unlike places like London and Bristol which I remember having bombsites and crumbling buildings when I was a kid, but are now almost unrecognisable from those times. Paris is still the same.

But it seems silly to moan. I'm just commenting really. Its dinginess does have character, even if it's not particularly pleasant.

[ 24.06.2010, 04:39: Message edited by: dang65 ]
 
Posted by Thorn Davis (Member # 65) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by dang65:
quote:
Originally posted by Abby:
Are you having a nice time in Paris Dang? I’m sensing some ambivalence...

Well, the work's ok and the people I work with seem fine, but Paris itself... compared with London it's like the Third World.
That can't be right. You only have to read Have Your Say to know that everything in Britain is shitter than everything else everywhere else in the world.
 
Posted by New Way Of Decay (Member # 106) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Thorn Davis:
I did accidentally laugh in his face when we were talking about learning to play guitar and he mentioned that he'd already bought six guitars before settling in to learn the instrument.

That must of been quite satisfying. I learned on one bass guitar and during an accident at a gig had to borrow one twice the size of the other. Didn't notice the difference about 5 notes in.
 
Posted by Octavia (Member # 398) on :
 
Did you accidentally break the first bass over someone's head, Clash-stylee?
 
Posted by New Way Of Decay (Member # 106) on :
 
I was quite hopped up and nervous and wound the string up so tight it snapped and lashed me in the head. Imagine how high that note would have been before it snapped.
 


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