It was not a good day.
THE DAY
So the outline came to a dead stop. We’re talking DEAD. STOP.
Now, on the one hand, you can look at this as a catastrophe. On the other, though, you can look at this as emblematic of the writing: that is, I’f I’d been writing pages, I’d have come to a dead stop 175 pages in, 200 pages in. Then I’d be wondering what the hell happened.
This way…I see that there’s a problem.
So I spent all bloody day figuring it out. Walking in circles on my really sore knee (although I managed the elliptical for ninety minutes and then walked on the treadmill for another twenty). Calling the husband and moaning. Talking to a family person and getting THOROUGHLY discouraged.
Finally managed about 1000 forgettable outline words–and I say “forgettable” because the answer came, as it always does, when I walked away.
I don’t know if this will make it all better? But it feels much more like something that could work.
But sheesh.
On a totally unrelated note, I got curious about the whole Oberlin thing about that antisemitic prof, Korega. This came about because the Alumni Fund came begging again. To my total lack of surprise, nothing has happened. The prof is still there. She isn’t going anywhere.
Pay attention to those last two paragraphs:
“‘In this way, Oberlin students become just as backwards as highly conservative sentiments. They speak about acceptance and loving each other, but they think it’s OK to bash conservatives and anyone else who disagrees with them,’ Matthew wrote.
‘It’s a school void of critical thinking skills and voice of sympathy for others. Sounds a lot to me like the fascist movement being led by Trump.’”
Amen to that. But then I also found a letter written by a student to the school newspaper. The letter’s a little long, but the gist is that there is a huge difference between antisemitism and anti-Israel government.
Look, Israel’s treatment of the Palestinians is reprehensible. In some ways, it’s no different than the U.S. government’s treatment of Native Americans. It’s a question of who was there first and who gets recognized as being legitimate, and much of that is related to the politics status-post World War II. (Churchill was the best friend Israel ever had. No one else cared, and that includes Roosevelt.)
But people should be free to criticize a government. Folks of a certain generation will point out that Israel is supposed to be a “Jewish” state, and while I get that, the reality is that all those displaced people in concentration camps needed to be resettled somewhere. The U.S. certainly wasn’t taking them; in fact, if you read survivors’ accounts, they’ll say that there wasn’t all that much difference post-liberation. German soldiers were still employed by the U.S. Army to guard them; Patton thought of Jews as subhuman. No one wanted them.
So I understand the distinction. I really do.
What I do think that people need to pay attention to, though: this is supposed to be about Israelis, not Jews, and the last time I checked, Israel is the country.
WRITING OUT LOUD
UNTITLED HORROR/SF BOOK
(Previously had 1500 in outline)
Day 1: 2400 (outline) Day 11: 500 Day 22: 1000
Day 2: 2400 (outline) Day 12: 1600
Day 3: 2000 (outline) Day 13: 1860
Day 4: 2000 (outline) Day 14: 1800
Day 5: 0 (Nu, I was busy) Day 15: 1750
Day 6: 2400 Day 16: 1400 (dang)
Day 7: 1500 Day 17: 1690
Day 8: 0 (but a lot of Day 18: ?250?
plotting and reading done)Day 19: 0
Day 9: 1500 Day 20: 2200
Day 10: 1600 Day 21: 2300
Blog Post: 660
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What I’m Watching:
The Americans: oh, the thick plottens. Seriously, the acting and storyline this third season are very good.
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What I’m Reading:
Something so meaningless, I don’t even remember.
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What I’m Listening to:
Silly Trump supporters calling Ted Cruz “Lyin’ Ted.” Like, nyah, nyah.
God. Both of you: either grow up or go away. Preferably both, but if I had to choose, then the latter.
