I got the Kurt Vonnegut Library of America box set—it's going to look nice on my future desk, or my present kitchen island.
Also, adding it to my TBR! I already revisit Hansen's Wicked once a month at this point thanks to you, and I aim to get a novel-in-stories type collection out there in 2026!
Not to needle you, but have you read 'Slaves of New York'? For fractured narrative it's a classic. And I wish I could find another classic: 'Portraits of My Father Watching Television.' That was astounding, but seems lost.
I don't think so. It's a story composed of vignettes, each depicting what was on television when awful events happened in the narrator's family. It ends with the narrator yearning to approach Ann B. Davis -- who played the maid on the Brady Bunch. At that point the narrator's family has disintegrated, and he longs to connect with Davis, who seems like family. It is a haunting story.
Needle away! Especially if it's for more recommendations. I haven't read "Slaves of New York" but I'll have to now ~ I'll put it right above a reread of Rachman's "The Imperfectionists". That one I haven't touched in over a decade so we'll see if it holds up!
My wife is getting over the flu, and it was the perfect excuse. Made a two-person traditional holiday meal and sat on the couch drinking whiskey. As a child of divorce married to a child of divorce, we spend every holiday traveling. It made me nostalgic for the covid Christmas. I know it’s awful to say, but it’s true.
No, I totally get it. Actually getting to rest in place for a bit during the holidays, without running around for family obligations, feels like a treat. Hope your wife feels better soon!
I got a good anecdote out of Christmas. I went to lunch with a friend. We were seated next to Geraldo Rivera and ended up in the background of his Christmas tweet. (This is me trying not to burst out laughing when I realized that photo was being taken and there was nothing I could do about it.)
I got a gnarly conjugal clash and an abscessed tooth. Neither got pain killers. Gave me a glimpse of satori through the bathroom mirror though. It's been a wonderful year, most of the time.
Hope you had a nice Christmas, Chuck! Did you set up your CHRISTMAS LIGHT SHOW??
For me, nothing really happened, no celebration, and the day went by.
And funny you should bring up Head Authority. Was thinking about that like 30 minutes ago. What if your character is rather dense or dull or really not that smart or educated? Can you still use Head Authority? Because to me Head Authority means, sorta, breaking out complex terms. Like medical terms. Basically anything you'd find in a textbook. I don't know, it always feel jarring to see a character randomly get smart for a moment. Maybe my scope of what Head Authority is it limited.
Keep in mind that wily, cleverness (not clever language, but street smarts) establishes head authority. A friend in workshop once depicted a character clearing a blocked fuel line in a car, and I found myself loving that character. Likewise, a character running a scam builds tons of "head" authority.
Combine a scam with emotion -- like fake-choking so strangers rescue and love you -- and you can built Head & Heart authority at he same time. Ask yourself: "What are the scams you do so that people love you?"
As for Christmas (shrug) I got the collected essays of Susan Sontag, so I'm revisiting the spectrum of smart that runs from Erma Bombeck thru Nora Ephron to Joan Didion to Susan Sontag.
Fascinating. So it seems to be that when a character has wits about them, that counts as Head Authority. I didn't even consider street smarts. Thank you.
Question, Chuck. You’ve mentioned previously that starting with dialogue forces more immediate exposition. Was this rectified in this instance with effective imagery?
In this case I let it slide. A stomp on the door, followed by dialog, might've worked better. But the dialog did wrap a strong physical action, that's great.
A locket with a photo inside and an engraving on the opposite interior part of the locket—a phrase that immediately made me laugh but would hold no meaning to other people. Sort of like the postcard exercise, now that I think about it!! What was your best gift, Chuck?
A good childhood
Eric and I got a home fire kit including fire blankets, two extinguishers, and a new smoke/CO detector.
I got the Kurt Vonnegut Library of America box set—it's going to look nice on my future desk, or my present kitchen island.
Also, adding it to my TBR! I already revisit Hansen's Wicked once a month at this point thanks to you, and I aim to get a novel-in-stories type collection out there in 2026!
Not to needle you, but have you read 'Slaves of New York'? For fractured narrative it's a classic. And I wish I could find another classic: 'Portraits of My Father Watching Television.' That was astounding, but seems lost.
Is that the Curtis White novel?
I don't think so. It's a story composed of vignettes, each depicting what was on television when awful events happened in the narrator's family. It ends with the narrator yearning to approach Ann B. Davis -- who played the maid on the Brady Bunch. At that point the narrator's family has disintegrated, and he longs to connect with Davis, who seems like family. It is a haunting story.
Needle away! Especially if it's for more recommendations. I haven't read "Slaves of New York" but I'll have to now ~ I'll put it right above a reread of Rachman's "The Imperfectionists". That one I haven't touched in over a decade so we'll see if it holds up!
Thanks again Chuck, getting to brainstorm one-on-one was my best gift this Christmas.
Looking forward to reading and supporting whoever gets house called next!
My 5yo got six Deloreans. His chaotic shrieking about Marty McFly was the best gift.
Watching my 74-year-old mother play laser tag with my son.
A haunted teddy bear was my favorite Christmas gift!
Said teddy bear has already outlived many owners...
Well hopefully I'll be on that list too. I just love him!
Yee gotta stab it in the heart to break the curse, Cheap! If you do that, you'll outlive the Teddy.
Lolol! NOOOO! He just doesnt know how to express himself! It's not his fault!
Get that bear into therapy, Cheap! He's gonna grow up to maul a kid who keeps saying 6...7!
Its the kid's fault. He should've known better!
I got a day without politics. Just Gen-X Christmas movies with my wife and dogs.
My partner and I were saying the same thing about our Christmas! It was nice and much needed break.
My wife is getting over the flu, and it was the perfect excuse. Made a two-person traditional holiday meal and sat on the couch drinking whiskey. As a child of divorce married to a child of divorce, we spend every holiday traveling. It made me nostalgic for the covid Christmas. I know it’s awful to say, but it’s true.
No, I totally get it. Actually getting to rest in place for a bit during the holidays, without running around for family obligations, feels like a treat. Hope your wife feels better soon!
Thanks! She’s getting there. Just hope I dodge the contagion bullet.
I got a good anecdote out of Christmas. I went to lunch with a friend. We were seated next to Geraldo Rivera and ended up in the background of his Christmas tweet. (This is me trying not to burst out laughing when I realized that photo was being taken and there was nothing I could do about it.)
https://x.com/GeraldoRivera/status/2004277974678315397?s=20
That is a pretty cool nyc moment. 9406 views and 6 retweetes
This would not be a good place to live if you were in Witness Protection. 😂
Every time I go to Central Park with Clover the dog wearing her sweater and leg warmers, I think I wind up in about a dozen tourists' Facebook feeds.
Seriously, you look totally relaxed.
Well, good. Thanks. I'm glad my deer in the headlights moment isn't as obvious as it looks to me.
I got a gnarly conjugal clash and an abscessed tooth. Neither got pain killers. Gave me a glimpse of satori through the bathroom mirror though. It's been a wonderful year, most of the time.
Hope you had a nice Christmas, Chuck! Did you set up your CHRISTMAS LIGHT SHOW??
For me, nothing really happened, no celebration, and the day went by.
And funny you should bring up Head Authority. Was thinking about that like 30 minutes ago. What if your character is rather dense or dull or really not that smart or educated? Can you still use Head Authority? Because to me Head Authority means, sorta, breaking out complex terms. Like medical terms. Basically anything you'd find in a textbook. I don't know, it always feel jarring to see a character randomly get smart for a moment. Maybe my scope of what Head Authority is it limited.
Keep in mind that wily, cleverness (not clever language, but street smarts) establishes head authority. A friend in workshop once depicted a character clearing a blocked fuel line in a car, and I found myself loving that character. Likewise, a character running a scam builds tons of "head" authority.
Combine a scam with emotion -- like fake-choking so strangers rescue and love you -- and you can built Head & Heart authority at he same time. Ask yourself: "What are the scams you do so that people love you?"
As for Christmas (shrug) I got the collected essays of Susan Sontag, so I'm revisiting the spectrum of smart that runs from Erma Bombeck thru Nora Ephron to Joan Didion to Susan Sontag.
Fascinating. So it seems to be that when a character has wits about them, that counts as Head Authority. I didn't even consider street smarts. Thank you.
And good luck with your Sontag Reader!
It's easier going than the Foucault omnibus I started (and abandoned in tears).
I'm nowhere intelligent enough to pick up a philosophy book. It's Chinese drip torture to my brain.
Question, Chuck. You’ve mentioned previously that starting with dialogue forces more immediate exposition. Was this rectified in this instance with effective imagery?
In this case I let it slide. A stomp on the door, followed by dialog, might've worked better. But the dialog did wrap a strong physical action, that's great.
Got it. I’ve really been trying to step on action and lean into verbs, but I thought this story started smoothly so I wanted to clarify.
My brother's staying over and it's nice to play video games together like we did over winter break when we were kids :')
A locket with a photo inside and an engraving on the opposite interior part of the locket—a phrase that immediately made me laugh but would hold no meaning to other people. Sort of like the postcard exercise, now that I think about it!! What was your best gift, Chuck?
I heard you were in a movie...? And you got singled out for a special action.
My favorite gift was a cast-stone head that I can cement into new rock work next year.
Very cool. Almost! They switched the action to someone else, in the end. Showbiz is showbiz.
I can't remember the best gift I've gotten over the holidays.
Can I say relatively decent health? Does that count?
Or we can go way back in time, before 2003, when my dad bought me a PlayStation 2 along with Tekken 4 and WWF Smackdown: Shut Your Mouth.
At 46 still delighted my dad, 79, got me end-times amount of toilet paper and paper towels from Costco.
He expects you to live to a good old age.
Toilet paper and paper towel. More valuable than gold and silver sometimes!
Now you got a Burl Ives paper product song in my head!
I think I know that song. Silvvveeer and goooolddd!