Cindy Brown's Blog, page 3
December 29, 2014
A Slightly Silly Take on Mystery, Drama, and Writing
As the owrst typist in the world (typos ledft intavt as porffof), I often rely on dictation software. Works great. When I forget to turn it off, it records whatever noise there is. Every so often, it creates little nonsensical poems that I love, sort of the opposite of Austin Kleon’s fabulous blackout poems (Austin’s are created by redacting words, the dictation poetry by stringing lots of random words together). A few of my favorites:
The house here in the windows that are thinking O is that I noticed that one I’ll hold your letter last year.
Turbulence. First first time today. Wow that is making yeah yeah completely different business
You asked questions that I don’t want to lose there soon Jim at any given Star Trek
Pictures of you should need to be read as Jetstar jitters went from green to yellow bright yellow
A still silly Joey jumped into the low jelly Jenkins.
Are you inside the only year that really works.
I love you I’ll walk for the last few times of.
And my new personal favorite, not as poetic, but evocative all the same–I was in the middle of writing a work email when my husband came home:
There were several places where corrections have not been addressed. Woo hoo all alright busy workday very busy work is going to down there that I love you
December 22, 2014
R.I.P. Don King 1999-2014
A.k.a. The King, DK, The Donald, Jumpkins, and Baby J. We will miss you.
A Slightly Silly Take on Mystery, Drama, and Writing
A.k.a. The King, DK, The Donald, Jumpkins, and Baby J. We will miss you.
December 15, 2014
“Hook Up” and “Hit This” (and a warning about looking up “sex” in the Urban Dictionary)
I’m pretty dang far away from my teenage years, so I was also pretty sure that I needed some help with a sentence (from The Sound of Murder) that referred to a 16 year-old male character who thought that “everyone from the cashier at Trader Joe’s to his ‘really hot math teacher’ were ready to jump his bones.” I suspected I needed to update “jump his bones,” so put the question out to my Facebook friends:
All you parents and teachers of teens – my 16 yr-old male character thinks that “everyone from the cashier at Trader Joe’s to his ‘really hot math teacher’ are ready to jump his bones.” I’m pretty sure “jump his bones” is outdated. What would today’s teens say?
The answers:
Hamilton Mitchell Yes!
Linz Nyre You may find this site useful, but it’s a bit raunchy! DTF is probably the current vernacular, but I suspect you need something a bit more PG in nature. http://www.urbandictionary.com/
Cindy Brown I just tried to look up “sex” on that site. Don’t do it:)
Linz Nyre hahaahahaa
BTW, here’s what the urban dictionary says if you type in “sex:” “ What kind of moron are you that you look up sex in the urban dictionary?” Yes, it really says that.
Dawn Conry I will ask Caolan
Dawn Conry Hooking up. Hook up
Judy Rollings Yeah I’ve heard hook up..
Shannon Boyle I’ll ask Ashley
Shannon Boyle Per my 16 yr old … F*ck, bang, do, get with.
Shannon Boyle “Jump my bones” is not used. She laughed at that one.
Debra K. Stevens Wants to Tap that.
Carole Zoom Hit that.
Shannon Boyle If the character travels through SC, could you work in a stop at the SuckBangBlow bar? Rated #1 on trip advisor.
Yes, this bar is ranked #1 of 10 Nightlife in Murrells Inlet
Derek Overton A lot of people say “thirsty” (which is the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.) in your instance, “the checker at trader joes was so thirsty man!” I know it’s weird, but I hear it all too often lol
Cindy Brown Maybe he could be thirsty at the SuckBangBlow bar…
Drew Garrettson “Hit this” or “Hit my s**t
Rosemary Groves hook up….look on urban dictionary.
Not going there.
Alan Zimmerman Try to say “hi” then crack their voice and say “what. no. ok sorry” then turn red and walk away. I’m just guessing.
Awww, Alan…
Susan O’Brien Shannon Boyle mentioned “get with.” I agree. I’ve heard that from teens.
Beth Omansky “hook up” and “get with” work. “Tap that” or “hit that” won’t work in the context you describe. Those would work if he were talking about what he would want to do with someone. How do I know that? I take the 44 (bus) when the Wilson and PCC kids ride.
Cindy Brown I think there’s a blog post here somewhere…
A Slightly Silly Take on Mystery, Drama, and Writing
I’m pretty dang far away from my teenage years, so I was also pretty sure that I needed some help with a sentence (from The Sound of Murder) that referred to a 16 year-old male character who thought that “everyone from the cashier at Trader Joe’s to his ‘really hot math teacher’ were ready to jump his bones.” I suspected I needed to update “jump his bones,” so put the question out to my Facebook friends:
All you parents and teachers of teens – my 16 yr-old male character thinks that “everyone from the cashier at Trader Joe’s to his ‘really hot math teacher’ are ready to jump his bones.” I’m pretty sure “jump his bones” is outdated. What would today’s teens say?
The answers:
Hamilton Mitchell Yes!
Linz Nyre You may find this site useful, but it’s a bit raunchy! DTF is probably the current vernacular, but I suspect you need something a bit more PG in nature. http://www.urbandictionary.com/
Cindy Brown I just tried to look up “sex” on that site. Don’t do it:)
Linz Nyre hahaahahaa
BTW, here’s what the urban dictionary says if you type in “sex:” “ What kind of moron are you that you look up sex in the urban dictionary?” Yes, it really says that.
Dawn Conry I will ask Caolan
Dawn Conry Hooking up. Hook up
Judy Rollings Yeah I’ve heard hook up..
Shannon Boyle I’ll ask Ashley
Shannon Boyle Per my 16 yr old … F*ck, bang, do, get with.
Shannon Boyle “Jump my bones” is not used. She laughed at that one.
Debra K. Stevens Wants to Tap that.
Carole Zoom Hit that.
Shannon Boyle If the character travels through SC, could you work in a stop at the SuckBangBlow bar? Rated #1 on trip advisor.
Yes, this bar is ranked #1 of 10 Nightlife in Murrells Inlet
Derek Overton A lot of people say “thirsty” (which is the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.) in your instance, “the checker at trader joes was so thirsty man!” I know it’s weird, but I hear it all too often lol
Cindy Brown Maybe he could be thirsty at the SuckBangBlow bar…
Drew Garrettson “Hit this” or “Hit my s**t
Rosemary Groves hook up….look on urban dictionary.
Not going there.
Alan Zimmerman Try to say “hi” then crack their voice and say “what. no. ok sorry” then turn red and walk away. I’m just guessing.
Awww, Alan…
Susan O’Brien Shannon Boyle mentioned “get with.” I agree. I’ve heard that from teens.
Beth Omansky “hook up” and “get with” work. “Tap that” or “hit that” won’t work in the context you describe. Those would work if he were talking about what he would want to do with someone. How do I know that? I take the 44 (bus) when the Wilson and PCC kids ride.
Cindy Brown I think there’s a blog post here somewhere…
December 1, 2014
You Can Tell Writers By…What Inspires Them (Part Two)
As promised, more inspiration from writer friends. A myriad of touchstones, including the wonderful neon sign above, which sits near writer Aaron Burkle’s desk. He writes:
I don’t have much in the way of literary items by my desk, but this sign (from a print shop) serves as a gentle and ubiquitous reminder for me when I sit down to do something creative.
I also like random knick-knacks (like a book of matches or a particular coffee mug) in my visual field when I sit down to do something. The items seem to magically appear in what I do. If I’m lucky!
I met Aaron in screenwriting classes at The Film School at Scottsdale Community College. It’s also where I met screenwriter Sally Marks, who sent me this photo of her “dream board” near her desk:
And of course, as writers, we are inspired by books. Author Cathy Ace keeps a full bookcase nearby. The shelf of red books? Her Agatha Christie collection.
I could talk about what inspires me all day ( you amy see a few more blog posts on the subject:), but I’ll close with a quote by G.K. Chesterson, which I keep pinned up on a wall behind my desk:
“You say grace before meals.
All right.
But I say grace before the concert and the opera,
And grace before the play and pantomime,
And grace before I open a book,
And grace before sketching, painting,
Swimming, fencing, boxing, walking, playing, dancing,
And grace before I dip the pen in the ink.”
A Slightly Silly Take on Mystery, Drama, and Writing
As promised, more inspiration from writer friends. A myriad of touchstones, including the wonderful neon sign above, which sits near writer Aaron Burkle’s desk. He writes:
I don’t have much in the way of literary items by my desk, but this sign (from a print shop) serves as a gentle and ubiquitous reminder for me when I sit down to do something creative.
I also like random knick-knacks (like a book of matches or a particular coffee mug) in my visual field when I sit down to do something. The items seem to magically appear in what I do. If I’m lucky!
I met Aaron in screenwriting classes at The Film School at Scottsdale Community College. It’s also where I met screenwriter Sally Marks, who sent me this photo of her “dream board” near her desk:
And of course, as writers, we are inspired by books. Author Cathy Ace keeps a full bookcase nearby. The shelf of red books? Her Agatha Christie collection.
I could talk about what inspires me all day ( you amy see a few more blog posts on the subject:), but I’ll close with a quote by G.K. Chesterson, which I keep pinned up on a wall behind my desk:
“You say grace before meals.
All right.
But I say grace before the concert and the opera,
And grace before the play and pantomime,
And grace before I open a book,
And grace before sketching, painting,
Swimming, fencing, boxing, walking, playing, dancing,
And grace before I dip the pen in the ink.”
November 24, 2014
Feasting with Shakespeare (No ‘Tongue of Dog’ Necessary)
Shakespearances’ Eric Minton does more than write a great blog and newsletter – he creates full-course dinners based on the Bard’s plays, like this “Fowl is Fair” Macbeth menu:
Fowl with Red Pepper Sauce
Lady Macbeth’s Curse
Porter Rhubarb
Witches’ Stew
Eric and his wife Sarah began cooking meals based on Shakespeare’s plays when they were courting. Eric tends to create dishes based on the plays’ imagery while Sarah cooks meals inspired by the plays’ settings and times, many interpreted from recipes she has from ancient Rome and medieval England.
But don’t worry, you won’t have to find fillet of fenny snake, bat’s wool, or tongue of dog to make the witches’ stew; and it is beets and red wine rather than blood that stain Lady Macbeth’s Curse soup. In other words, the recipes may be based on texts hundreds of years old, but they’re made for the modern cook. And Eric’s explanation of the dishes is worth a look even if you’re not a chef. When describing Lady Macbeth’s Curse, he writes, “A specific food image prominent in the play is milk, and Lady Macbeth has a tendency to mingle milk and blood in her language. That vision gives us our starter, a creamy beet soup.”
And though I really wanted to highlight the Macbeth menu, I have to admit that Eric’s “A Wing and a Pear” Cymbeline menu may be more fitting for a holiday feast:
Princes’ Game Hens
Iachimo’s Pasta Salad
Pear of Lovers
Wild Cock-a-Leekie Soup
Like any good cook, Eric tinkers with his recipes until they’re just right. In fact, he’ll be updating his Cymbeline menu (and pairing its course with wine) in the next week or so, after he and Sarah get back from spending Thanksgiving with Eric’s dad. He’ll also post a new Comedy of Errors menu, and best of all, his Shakespearecure menus will soon be compiled into a cookbook! Sign up for his email newsletter to learn when his cookbook will be available and to keep abreast of all Shakespeare-related news.
The CindyBrownBlog – A Slightly Silly Take on Mystery, Drama, and Writing
Shakespearances’ Eric Minton does more than write a great blog and newsletter – he creates full-course dinners based on the Bard’s plays, like this “Fowl is Fair” Macbeth menu:
Fowl with Red Pepper Sauce
Lady Macbeth’s Curse
Porter Rhubarb
Witches’ Stew
Eric and his wife Sarah began cooking meals based on Shakespeare’s plays when they were courting. Eric tends to create dishes based on the plays’ imagery while Sarah cooks meals inspired by the plays’ settings and times, many interpreted from recipes she has from ancient Rome and medieval England.
But don’t worry, you won’t have to find fillet of fenny snake, bat’s wool, or tongue of dog to make the witches’ stew; and it is beets and red wine rather than blood that stain Lady Macbeth’s Curse soup. In other words, the recipes may be based on texts hundreds of years old, but they’re made for the modern cook. And Eric’s explanation of the dishes is worth a look even if you’re not a chef. When describing Lady Macbeth’s Curse, he writes, “A specific food image prominent in the play is milk, and Lady Macbeth has a tendency to mingle milk and blood in her language. That vision gives us our starter, a creamy beet soup.”
And though I really wanted to highlight the Macbeth menu, I have to admit that Eric’s “A Wing and a Pear” Cymbeline menu may be more fitting for a holiday feast:
Princes’ Game Hens
Iachimo’s Pasta Salad
Pear of Lovers
Wild Cock-a-Leekie Soup
Like any good cook, Eric tinkers with his recipes until they’re just right. In fact, he’ll be updating his Cymbeline menu (and pairing its course with wine) in the next week or so, after he and Sarah get back from spending Thanksgiving with Eric’s dad. He’ll also post a new Comedy of Errors menu, and best of all, his Shakespearecure menus will soon be compiled into a cookbook! Sign up for his email newsletter to learn when his cookbook will be available and to keep abreast of all Shakespeare-related news.
November 9, 2014
You Can Tell Writers By…What Inspires Them (Part One)
When I put out a call to my writer friends asking them to send me photos that expressed who they were as writers, I received such varied and fascinating responses that I couldn’t fit them all in one post. Today I want to write “Part One: What Inspires Us” (that’s right, there were so many great ideas that I’ve broken them into two posts!)
I’m inspired by a postcard sent to me by poet Don Colburn (you can see it at the top of this post). I love it not just because it reminds me to keep failing better, but also because the quote is by playwright Samuel Beckett, one of the most imaginative minds in theater.
Author Lisa Alber also keeps inspiration from one of her heroes nearby:
“I’ve had this memento hanging on my bulletin board since 2002, when I attended my first-ever writing workshop with NYT bestselling author, Elizabeth George. She was (is) one of my heroes. That workshop saw my first efforts at writing what would become KILMOON.”
And writer, editor and Oregon Writers Colony executive director Holly Franko reminds us that inspiration is also found outside the confines of our offices:
