Not a cure.

[mrissa]

I'm not sure when I decided upon "drink some water" as a solution for everything. (A solution. Oh, I am sorry. I did not mean to do that, really.) It was probably a few weeks after we got the Brita, at most. So we're talking on the order of at least two years. And you know what? I've had lots of problems in that time that have not been helped in the slightest bit by me drinking more water. Yet I still keep doing it: "I don't feel quite right. Maybe I'll go get another glass of water." Stupid brain! You finished your last glass of water not two minutes ago! "Maybe I need more." Water will not fix this book, brain!

It's a very un-watery book, actually. Very, very landlocked, this book.

I had a moment this morning of thinking, "All you Atlanta Nights people are hosers! You wrote one of the world's worst books on purpose. I did mine without even trying to be this bad!" I recognized this as a sign that I should put the book (metaphorically) down and back away from the book. So I started poking short stories very carefully with long sticks to see if any of them was the right short story to poke. A hundred words here, a hundred words there...and the answer is no, none of them was the right short story to poke, although I did have a good time with some of "Carter Hall Sweeps a Path." I have a feeling I'll be back to Thermionic Night revisions after dinner. Ah well. There are worse things. Even if it is one of the world's worst books. Because revisions will make it better! Or at least differently bad!

Hurray for differently bad!

Comments

[dichroic.livejournal.com]

I can pinpoint when I decided on "drink more water" as a solution for everything, at least where "everything" is defined as "feeling icky for unknown (or sometimes known) reasons". It owuld have been shortly after moving out here in Dec '95. However, when you live in a desert (and define "everything" properly, it actually works quite well.

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

It's usually not a bad option even out of the desert. It's just not going to fix my book.

[buymeaclue.livejournal.com]

...you mean drinking water _isn't_ the solution for everything?

What about orange juice?

[beth-bernobich.livejournal.com]

Or coffee? Gallons of hot strong coffee. The kind that put hair in your mouth.

Er, sorry. I'm a bit punchy right now.

Maybe I better cut back on the coffee.

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

Heh. I can't really deal with caffeine, so that's more likely to be a problem than a solution. Unless it's decaf, which is just not that same kind of solution.

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry to be the one to bring you this news.

[scottjames.livejournal.com]

So, water isn't the solution for everything, but is it still the universal solvent?

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

I believe it would dissolve my book, at the very least.

[dichroic.livejournal.com]

Does "reduced to particles of unreadable pulp" qualify as "differently bad"? If so, I can't think it's a good direction to change in.

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

Perhaps this is because you haven't read this book.

Or perhaps not; we'll get some dinner into me in a bit and then see how the world looks.

[wshaffer.livejournal.com]

Remember: when looking for a solution, don't do anything precipitate.

I haven't read the book either, but I am looking forward so much to someday being able to read it that I know it can't possibly be that bad. (I know that doesn't make the slightest bit of sense, but there you go.)

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

You are such a Wendy.