OtterMan's picture
OtterMan from New Jersey, near Philadelphia USA is reading Ringworlds Children December 29, 2013 - 5:58am

At the moment he says Hello...

 

Intro...

A few years back my daughter was trying to tell me when something was happening. She meant the date was the 14th and it was happening tomorrow, but what came out was "It's The 14th of Tomorrow". My first thought was, "What a great name for a book!"  All I needed was a good idea for a book to go with it.

I want to live forever...

I mean, who wouldn't? I've actually had people tell me they would not want to live forever. They would rather die and go live in the "Afterlife" with someone they call "God". Which in the first place, if you believe in "Eternity" what does forever matter? Second... again, who wouldn't?? It's been an interesting world for the past 58 years that I've been around. History says the 4 to 40 thousand years before were pretty interesting too. Why would I want to miss the next 40 thousand years if I didn't have too? Thing is, it may actually be possible in the next few decades to really do it. Our DNA is so very like a computer program it's scary. Almost gives the "Intelligent Design" camp a leg to stand on. Point being, once fully decoded and understood it will be possible to re-program.

I want to live in space...

I watched the first manned U.S. rockets from when I was 6 to... well now. I was having dinner with my wife and another couple at a restaurant this evening and went outside to watch the ISS go overhead. I thought we really would have people living on the Moon by now. If you must know, I'm a little cheesed off about it!

I really, really want an airplane...

I've wanted to fly since I was a kid. Took some lessons when I was 17, joined the Air Force just so I'd be around airplanes every day. I go to air shows now for the same reason. In a high school English class she said, "Write about whatever you want for the period." Then wanted to someone to read what they wrote at the end of the class. I wrote about flying a plane, it was like the "Why I want a Red Ryder BB gun" story from the Christmas movie. Lots of details and vivid imagery, all I got from the passionate reading of my epic three paragraphs was a shrug! I realized two things. I can't look to others for artistic validation and chicks don't get airplanes. Stupid of me really, if I'd written about riding horses she would have been all over it.

Writing is like being naked...

It's always OK if nobody sees! If it's really good, you don't mind if somebody sees. As you get older, you no longer care as much who sees, and you figure nobody wants to look at that anyway. It's kind of liberating in a way. I can write without any expectation, not even my own. That's really all that's going on here, I don't really have an expectation or some overall goal, I just want to explore a little and see what I find. You can peek if you want, but don't get your hopes up.

There is nothing new...

Go back in time or go to some isolated island in the ocean. If you find people there, you'll find all the same interactions, problems, triumphs and tragedies. There are no new ideas, just as there are no new musical notes. There are however, a seemingly infinite number of possible ways to arrange those notes or ideas into interesting formats. It will be so a thousand or ten thousand years from now. So, I started with enough to make maybe a dust jacket out of. Not really a story so much as a sketch. I fleshed out some paragraphs and developed some venues. I've got enough to pull off maybe a short story by now if I could figure out how to stitch it together. Then, in a moment of serendipity, I found my book already written for me by a real author in a second hand shop near the beach. All I had to do, ironically enough, was read the dust jacket to realize that none other than Poul Anderson had already had the same ideas I had, much earlier than me as well, and written the book I thought of. I wasn't even slightly surprised, I had suspected all along. Reading it I also realized it does nothing to invalidate my effort. The start and end points are very similar, but the pathways between are different enough that we might never bump into each other on the way.

Circling back around...

I sent my daughter a few paragraphs I had written. She said she liked it and that my writing style reminded her of "Chuck Palahniuk". "Who's that?" was my reply. "He wrote Fight Club, you know the movie". Ahhh, never saw it!  So that led me to google Chuck to find out a little more about him which led me to an article he wrote here on LitReactor, which led to me signing up and participating in a couple of forums and discussions and such. I have been active on the internet pretty much since way back when Al Gore invented it, I'm familiar with this type of site. It seems very well run, the people who participate seem interesting, and I've yet to run across any flaming, spamming, or other obstreperous behavior. So kudos there! I'll lurk around and if a subject comes up that interest’s me I'll jump in and see when it goes.

Hey, Happy New Year!! Be healthy, be safe.

Chacron's picture
Chacron from England, South Coast is reading Fool's Assassin by Robin Hobb December 29, 2013 - 11:16am

What does Chacron say? 'Too long, didn't read.'

Okay seriously, I'm not a troll (at least not on the internet. Being a real life one's far more fun.) You're actually interesting. Please workshop something.

 I've wanted to fly since I was a kid. Took some lessons when I was 17....

My latest protagonist would be very proud of you.

JEFFREY GRANT BARR's picture
JEFFREY GRANT BARR from Central OR is reading Nothing but fucking Shakespeare, for the rest of my life December 30, 2013 - 12:55am

Is this a reincarnation of FlyByWrite? Based on the length, I'd guess so, but based on the coherency, I guess not.

Welcome to the Litreactor, where we have obviated the obstreperousness by eschewing the sesquipedalian lexicon in favor of the terse and laconic.

Dwayne's picture
Dwayne from Cincinnati, Ohio (suburbs) is reading books that rotate to often to keep this updated December 30, 2013 - 1:14pm

Welcome, I do hope you enjoy the site and find something good out of it.  It may be easier to do so if you use shorter posts, most of us are slammed this time of year, and longer posts tend to just be the silly ones.  But you seem earnest, and I'm not doing anything right this moment so why not?

 

I want to live forever...

I mean, who wouldn't? I've actually had people tell me they would not want to live forever. They would rather die and go live in the "Afterlife" with someone they call "God". Which in the first place, if you believe in "Eternity" what does forever matter? Second... again, who wouldn't?? It's been an interesting world for the past 58 years that I've been around. History says the 4 to 40 thousand years before were pretty interesting too. Why would I want to miss the next 40 thousand years if I didn't have too? Thing is, it may actually be possible in the next few decades to really do it. Our DNA is so very like a computer program it's scary. Almost gives the "Intelligent Design" camp a leg to stand on. Point being, once fully decoded and understood it will be possible to re-program.

Great, good luck.  We are a fairly mellow crowd for a bunch of half crazy writers, so maybe a little less randomly implying folks who disagree with you and like the eons old order of the world aren't dumb/wrong/bad might help.  Just a thought.

I want to live in space...

Other stuff.

Great, good luck.

There is nothing new...

I been saying that for a while now.

 

It seems very well run, the people who participate seem interesting, and I've yet to run across any flaming, spamming, or other obstreperous behavior.pens.

Rare, but it happens.

Now for the most important part.

A few years back my daughter was trying to tell me when something was happening. She meant the date was the 14th and it was happening tomorrow, but what came out was "It's The 14th of Tomorrow". My first thought was, "What a great name for a book!"  All I needed was a good idea for a book to go with it.

So, why not just write it? Or did you/in progress?  That isn't clear.

 

OtterMan's picture
OtterMan from New Jersey, near Philadelphia USA is reading Ringworlds Children December 30, 2013 - 7:30pm

Well, thanks for the interesting responses. Replying in general to the length issue, I left a lot of stuff out. It strikes me that any comprehensive introduction can easily run quite long. I figured as a site for writer’s most would not be overly intimidated by a few run on sentences. Sorry if I inadvertently broke etiquette on that one.

To Jeffery, “sesquipedalian” made my day! Thank you. Had to look that one up, never heard it before. As I get older it becomes more of a challenge to find new things to learn. That might be the biggest reason I’m spending some time here, just trying to a few new things to learn.

Dwyane, Hmmm…. Yes I am “earnest” I take a lot of crap for it sometimes. On the other hand when I try to “Loosen up” as many suggest I often take crap for that too. Look, I am who I am and I got over trying to be who anyone else thinks I should be long ago.

Addressing your comment on my living forever rant, I was not aware I was saying anything about anyone specifically on this site. I don’t really know anyone here yet. That may come to pass, but sometimes I’m just speaking for myself. I found your interpretation a bit jumping the gun’ish.

Here’s something I left out, I was raised Catholic. Not by choice of course, no child is ever given that choice. I attended 12 years of Catholic school, so I can say I’m fairly familiar with the main talking points of Christianity. Over time I came to question those beliefs and the people who were committed to shoving said beliefs down my throat. If pressed on the issue I usually say I’m a Buddhist these days. It’s not too far off base and I’m at least as good a Buddhist now as I ever was at being a Catholic ever.

You believe what you want and if I don’t share that belief it’s not the same as disrespecting your belief. I hope! I often feel by the same token however there are others who do not share my beliefs yet are not as tolerant and do show disrespect and derision towards them. I’m sure that’s not your intent, but it can be a cause of friction to someone who has become overly sensitized due to past interactions. What I said was, I’ve brought this subject up before to others and that’s the reaction I’ve gotten in response.

Now then, Re: the most important part. Yes, I am writing scattered bits and pieces of what could become a short story, or a book, or just something else I do purely for my own interest. All of the things I included in my intro are intended to be parts of this story, as well as a few things I left out in my failed attempt at brevity… If I can pick up a few tips, tricks, pointers by lurking around and engaging in the odd conversation here or there, great! 

Thanks so much for taking the time to respond.

Dwayne's picture
Dwayne from Cincinnati, Ohio (suburbs) is reading books that rotate to often to keep this updated December 31, 2013 - 5:48am

I was more getting at the whole idea that people die as part of the natural order thing, and accept that as good, but I guess that too.

JEFFREY GRANT BARR's picture
JEFFREY GRANT BARR from Central OR is reading Nothing but fucking Shakespeare, for the rest of my life December 31, 2013 - 12:22pm

Just playin' OtterMan, you know I love ya.

 

P.S. *whispering* Don't listen to Dwayne, he is loco, ese

Dwayne's picture
Dwayne from Cincinnati, Ohio (suburbs) is reading books that rotate to often to keep this updated December 31, 2013 - 2:44pm

@JGB - That is the pot calling the kettle an idiot. 

Besides what would the world really be like if people never died?

OtterMan's picture
OtterMan from New Jersey, near Philadelphia USA is reading Ringworlds Children December 31, 2013 - 3:11pm

Besides what would the world really be like if people never died?

 

Bingo!! Nailed it. That is one of the major questions I wish to explore.

 

Just playin' OtterMan, you know I love ya.

OK, Just keep your hands to yourself... And no kidding, I love new words especially good ones.

OtterMan's picture
OtterMan from New Jersey, near Philadelphia USA is reading Ringworlds Children January 31, 2014 - 4:58am

I have mentioned a couple of times that I am an avid golfer. I say avid, as in I play often and get much enjoyment from the activity. I didn't say accomplished, I'm not. My current handicap floats around 20, if you already know what that means great or if you'd like I can explain in tedious detail. It's sufficient to say I do OK but you won't see me on TV with Phil or Tiger anytime soon. 

About 5 years ago I got hooked up with a golf site called Stracka. Initially to obtain a handicap and as I was begining to take an interest in improving my game to also garner such tips and tricks as could be found. The site is now called US Handicap and my game is better and continues to improve. My participation in the site has been very helpful. I've been very active on their forum page, most of the regulars there know me. In addition to the usual "How far do hit your 9 iron?" posts, I have contributed several pieces from my creative side to mixed reviews.

I would describe myself as an avid if not accomplished writer as well. This may be an apt parallel, after about 5 months on this site I find I'm enjoying the company, my 'game' has already improved and if I stay involved in 5 years I may be a slightly more accomplished writer. Though again there is little chance you'll ever see me on TV with Chuck or Toni.

Linda's picture
Linda from Sweden is reading Fearful Symmetries January 31, 2014 - 1:50pm

Writing is like being naked...

It's always OK if nobody sees! If it's really good, you don't mind if somebody sees. As you get older, you no longer care as much who sees, and you figure nobody wants to look at that anyway.

Höhö, I hope this is true. Seems people don't get to age in peace anymore though.