before the big plunge

[aamcnamara]

So there was no writing yesterday. It was one of those days. It felt like autumn, not the middle of July--cool and chilly and overcast. I got up too early, was in rural Wisconsin for the morning picking basil and peas and generally helping out around a farm, hung out with my friends and drank scalding tea to chase away the chill in the afternoon, and went to see the new Harry Potter movie in the evening.

The movie was all right. It never really drew me in, which probably has something to do with how it was made and something to do with where I am right now in relation to the Harry Potter books. Overall, I was okay with the movie, which is intriguing because the sixth book was the one I disliked the most.

I had an hour to myself between the afternoon and evening engagements, and spent it mostly staring at the walls, as far as I can tell. Objectively, I could have gotten some writing done then. Subjectively, it wouldn't have been a good idea. My mind was too full of other things, and I didn't have enough time to lay all of them aside; and right now I'm in the middle of writing a Large Active Scene which will soon come to a Big Decision. And I have no idea which way my character will choose.

So those are all the reasons that I didn't write yesterday.

Today, however, I have nothing whatsoever to do. So far I've eaten breakfast and read the rest of the fifth Dark Tower book. (Soon I should go to the library and check out a few more of those.) At some point today I think it is safe to assume that I will be outside somewhere in the sunlight with my laptop, writing.

I get the feeling that I will not be working on this first draft for very much longer. Yesterday was a nice break, and potentially a much-needed one. Now I am taking in the deep breath and diving for the end.

Comments

[jennygadget.livejournal.com]

"...because the sixth book was the one I disliked the most."

you too?

Although I suppose technically the first book is the one I liked the least, but that has more to do with having read that same story dozens of times before, which I can objectively understand is not true for most people when they read it.

[aamcnamara.livejournal.com]

When the first book came out, I was approximately seven, so yeah. Although I was aware that there were Much Better Books out there at that point anyway, the book being fairly good drew me in. Also, the social phenomenon.

[jennygadget.livejournal.com]

see, the social phenomenom worked against me. I kept hearing how awesome the series was and omg! you haven't read it yet!?!?! and so I read the first book and was all: meh. not bad, but why all the fuss? Which had a lot to do with my being already around 24 or so and in a nostalgic mood at the time. ("my childhood books were so much better! boo hoo!" thankfully that phase did not last long.)

Fast forward to a year or so later and I hear that Alfonso Cuaron is set to direct the third movie. I had just seen Y tu Mama Tambien. I also quickly discovered that he had directed the version of A Little Princess that I inexplicably adore. (inexplicably bc why oh why do they always insist on having her father live after all?) I say to myself: "MUST read third book so you can see the movie when it comes out and compare!" So I did, and I really, really, liked the third book. :)

and the third movie as well. :)

[aamcnamara.livejournal.com]

That'll happen, yeah.

(My sister got the first one as a birthday present in the spring, and both of us read it and thought it was a fine book; that summer was when its popularity exploded, and we both sort of looked around and went "What?" But as a geeky kid who mostly read books that no one else had ever heard of, I think I liked that I could geek out about Harry Potter and no one thought I was strange. In fact, there were people considered normal who were way geekier about Harry Potter than I was!)

[jennygadget.livejournal.com]

Oh yeah, once I got into it, that part was very very fun. Working the Midnight Magic parties for the last two books was an absolute blast. (I think I've worn my MHC gown and hood more often as a wizard's robe than I ever did as a senior.) Worth every bit of the horrors of working retail. You will pry the swag from those two nights out of my cold, dead hands. :)

I also very much missed not seeing the latest movie on opening night with my younger cousins. (my fault, I have been quite resembling a hermit this summer.)

And if that kind of phenomemon - and the internets - had happened back when I was was a youngun :) I would have heard of and considered going to various cons at a much younger age than I did.