MSA (Mrissa Service Announcement)

[mrissa]

I just wanted to let you all know that for the next two months or so, "You don't have to figure out which novel to write next right now," will be an adequate response to anything I say. Not perhaps an optimal one. But an adequate one.

Acceptable sample conversations:

"I'm going to Byerly's; do you want anything?"
"You don't have to figure out which novel to write next right now."

"I'm really concerned about [friend or family member]."
"You don't have to figure out which novel to write next right now."

"Which way do I turn at 44th?"
"You don't have to figure out which novel to write next right now."

"Are you thinking of coming to 4th St. next summer?"
"You don't have to figure out which novel to write next right now."

Etc.

You can talk about other things, and I hope you do. But when in doubt and all that...I probably will need to hear it that often. I have a metric buttload of revision to do, and short stories, and like that. So really, I don't, and I shouldn't. But -- well. I've said it to myself at least three times today. So I thought I would enlist the Greek chorus on this one.

Comments

[shana.livejournal.com]

You don't have to figure out which novel to write next right now.

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

Are you sure?

[fmsv.livejournal.com]

You don't have to figure out which novel to write next right now.

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

I might need lots of lead time for research.

[rushthatspeaks.livejournal.com]

You don't have to figure out which novel to write next right now.

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

Interlibrary loan can take forever; witness Kim.

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

And then there's the matter of plotting.

[skzbrust.livejournal.com]

Which novel are you going to write next? It's probably time to figure it out, you know.

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

I am of more than one mind on this point.

On whether or not you are evil, however, my position is unequivocal.

[skzbrust.livejournal.com]

Seems reasonable.

[aszanoni.livejournal.com]

-snickers-

He is. Also, his fax machine is possessed by a vengeful spirit that wants cookies and can never ever have them again. It didn't get to be a real gremlin because it never graduated.

Ahem.

>Greek chorus enabled< You don't have to figure out which novel to write next right now.

Now Ista needs a little sign that says that too. ;]

-hugs-

- Chica

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

Chica, how do you figure out that a fax machine wants coo -- never mind, never mind, I think I have decided I don't want to know.

Some days are like that...

[aszanoni.livejournal.com]

Okay.

-hugs-

- Chica

[redbird]

You may have to figure out which novel to write next right now, but mrissa doesn't.

[barondave.livejournal.com]

Tomorrow is Talk Like A Pirate Day, so let me rephrase:

Arrrr, matey, ye needn't worry yer head about no parchment scratching at this juncture. Arrr.

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

Thankee.

[mamapduck.livejournal.com]

When you finally do figure out which novel to write next, I hope someone in it will play hockey.

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

The odds of that are nonzero.

[sraun]

You don't have to figure out which novel to write next right now.

On a different topic - puppy party? iraunink promised I could have one as soon as there were no more veggies to be knocked over by dogs - I figure that'll be 2-4 weeks from now, so I'm hoping for a mid-October date.

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

We'd be interested, though I can't guarantee anything at this stage. Sure. Poke me when you've got more of an idea of when.

[redbird]

You don't have to figure out which novel to write next right now. Furthermore, while there are doubtless things I'd like from Byerly's, you may as well hold off shopping until we know when I'm going to be within, oh, 100 km of Minneapolis.

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

Err...were you planning to visit Mankato soon? I can't say I advise it as a tourist attraction, although it saved my sanity several times in college.

[seagrit.livejournal.com]

Knowing full well what you meant by "Greek chorus", I nevertheless heard a vaguely European-ish accented choir singing
"You DON'T-
Have to figure out (figure out)
Which NOOOOVEL
To-Write-next
... right ...
now!!!!" BUM-bum-BUM-buuuuum

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

I think that Aristophanes would be very startled by this prospect.

[sartorias.livejournal.com]

"You don't have to figure out which novel to write next right now."

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

Do the quotes add extra emphasis, extra sarcasm, disavow this sentiment as your own, or something else completely?

[sartorias.livejournal.com]

No! No! I am joining the conversation, as requested!

No sarcasm, just. . . . you already are onto it, let the well refill, breathe, relax, have fun, look at the leaves--because you'll soon enough be diving back into the Divine Passion!

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

The leaves are so fine. The northern of the two birches outside my office window is going golden in patches, and the southern one is still pure green.

[pabba.livejournal.com]

Now right next write to novel which out figure to have don't you.

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

Wait, does that mean I do have to? Because it's backwards?

[vahepeatus.livejournal.com]

"So I thought I would enlist the Greek chorus on this one."

What an useful device that would be, I wonder why have I not thought of something like that before! There could have so many misunderstandings avoided if only I had recorded my Greek chorus of the moment along with whatever else I had been telling on LJ! (the only addition should be that sometimes I want it to be SILENTLY THINKING OF Greek chorus).

And the issues that my Greek chorus keeps repeating to me can also be just silly obsessions. Like right now - Swedish war moose! (http://moosefarm.newmail.ru/why-en01.htm)


"Swedish army had moose troops, but only until real battles. Moose turned out to be wiser then their knights, they left battlefield to hide in the nearest forest if danger occured. After several hundreds of years this experience was unlearnt. When the USSR decided to become worldwide, in the 1930s, war-moose were expected to solve the problem of deep snow cross-country cavalry passability. Moose were trained to carry armed riders and not to be gun-shy."

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

That is the most awesome thing a Greek chorus has ever repeated.

[zwol.livejournal.com]

You don't have to figure out which novel to write next right now.

However, I am now horribly curious what your options are.

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

I will at some point write that post for you.

I will cut-tag it for everyone else.

[zwol.livejournal.com]

Hooray!

But even when you do write that, you don't have to pick one.

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

Well, if you're sure.

[zwol.livejournal.com]

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

The Magic 8 Ball would not lie to me!

Unless it sounded like fun to the Magic 8 Ball, I suppose....

[zwol.livejournal.com]

Would you trust another form of divination better? I can cast runes, or consult the Book of Changes...

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

How very considerate of you, but I doubt that'll provide any additional reassurance.

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

Or, to sum up, "Ignore the bird! Follow the river!"

[zwol.livejournal.com]

Words to live by. Especially when lost in the woods.

[dichroic.livejournal.com]

You don't ... well, you know the rest.

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

Knowing it and believing it are not always the same.

[keilexandra]

You don't have to figure out which novel to write right now.

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

I heard something about that somewhere, but I wasn't sure whether to believe it.

(I haven't forgotten your e-mail, I promise!)

[keilexandra]

You don't have to figure out which novel to write right now.

Be a believer! :D

[brooksmoses]

It's four days later, and you still don't have to figure out which novel to write next right now.

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

Still? Oh.