So there I was, editing. A long, drawn out process that doesn't feel like it's going too badly. I've been trying to wrap my mind around a way to end C&C, but I keep getting distracted. Too many other things need fixed before we get back to that point. I'm reading, deleting, adding and rearranging, watching all the action and drama play out in my mind. I know what Bridgit and Jonah look like, how they interact, how they move and talk (for the record, they do not speak in their respective Australian or Irish accents. It requires too much effort to think that way and edit). In short, I know what each of the characters looks like. And as it goes, I love David Wenham. If I ever get a movie, I want him to play Langnecker, because he was just so evil in Australia, that he would make an awesome bad guy for C&C. Ah, pipe dreams. Moving on, I know what Laurie Lark looks like and I have a detailed drawing of the house so that I know where each character can move around to when they're inside. Granted, most of the action takes place in the parlor, the kitchen or a bedroom. Still, I know all these things.
I was thinking about all the mistakes and passive sentences, all the things I miss when I'm reading C&C. Then I think about all the errors I catch when I'm proofreading someone else's work. I figured out why I catch those things, but I miss mine. Because I know all this stuff about it. Oh, there's a passive sentence? I missed it because I was busy screaming my head off at the carpet python or I was dusting a shelf in the parlor. I told instead of showed? Sorry, I was anguished because Jonah's being... well, Jonah. Or I was snapping peas with Farjana on the porch.
That's the difference. I have to work harder to imagine someone else's world than I do my own. When someone says I tell too much, I keep thinking, what are you talking about? Oh, right it's in my head, not yours. Hmm, I guess I've got to work on that.
It's snowing. Again. They're calling for 2-5 more inches. I'm just so excited I could... run away. I'm sick to death of the snow. I can't remember the last time we got this much. Just when you can see the ground, we get more dumped on us. And if it's not the snow, it's the mud. Seriously, when the mud is slicker than the packed snow, you've got a problem. I haven't had my car up to my house in over a week. It gets old when you have to hike up and down a hill every day before and after work. At least I can get to work. It might be worse, like for instance, icy. In January 2007, we had that bad ice storm and were without power for 11 days. I thought I was going to go crazy. Pretty sure I cried every day because I wanted a hot shower, something microwaved, and to be able to read by lamp instead of candle light. Once I used a glow stick. You can read about one line without having to move the stick down to read the next line. So much for pioneer spirit, eh? So a little snow, really not a big deal, but it sure would be nice to wear shorts and flip flops. To get a tan and have a barbecue.
Oh, and I learned something new today. Hooray for learning. I try to do it frequently. Today I learned the difference between toward and towards. Let me first say that I hate it when people use it this way: "Joe went towards the door." No, he didn't. He went toward the door. He did, he did, he did! You'll never find towards in one of my MS's, unless it's an error. Then I'll fix it. The difference? Well, apparently toward is the Americanized version. The fine folks in the UK prefer towards. Sorry, lovely British friends, I love you all, but I like toward better. But feel free to use towards, I won't correct you.
The title, fyi, is a song by Howie Day. Very moving. I'm humming it inside my head as I type. Listen to it, you'll like it. You know, if you like stuff. Or you won't like it if it's not your thing. That's cool, too.
11 hours ago
