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more cultural, plus some writing life
1. I hate bugs, but we seriously have Ms. Charlotte Webb living on our front porch. I keep trying to take a picture, but the sun is never right and you can't see the web. I swept away a lot of cobwebs over the weekend out there, but I can't bring myself to wreck someone's work of art.
2. Americans chew a lot of gum. At least the ones in this town. I was watching in church on Sunday and counted at LEAST four adults chewing away. It's like sitting in a meeting full of cows. Gum is as freely available in Germany as it is here, and kids chew it, but I can't remember the last time I saw an adult chewing away.
3. Walmart has dropped its "We will not be undersold!" logo (probably because they are more expensive than the used to be, hm?). They also have TV screens to watch as you stand in line. I kid you not. (They are ads, of course.) I can see having TVs on in the TV aisle, but all over the store?
4. I'm always sad when I hear the reactions people get when they sell a book. Most friends are excited for them, but a few people always seem to react badly. I can sort of understand professional jealousy--how come SHE sold a book and I didn't? What I can't understand is the people who think it's perfectly okay to ask how much money a writer is getting. Would you ask your high school teacher friend exactly how much they're making? Or your dental hygienist? Or the person bagging your groceries? Did you know that it's just as rude to ask someone how much they make as a writer? It's a job, just as much as being a dental hygienist is. And, let me stress that it's a job. It's not the lottery. It took actual work to get there; money did not fall out of the sky. (FWIW, I don't think it would bother me if very close family members asked me. But I would probably tell them before they asked.) What a person in this position hopes for is just someone to celebrate with.
5. Going along with the hypothetical writing thoughts, if I'm ever a real, published author, I don't plan to use the phrase "local author" ever. It seems to conjure up images of Publish American and Lulu.com in the minds of booksellers. I don't plan to ever be self-published, thanks. I'll just say I was in the area and stopped in to sign some stock or whatever. I know people who have even said things like, "My book is coming out from Random House," and chain store workers have asked if that was like Publish America? (Okay, that person shouldn't be working in a bookstore to start out with...)
Now my littlie is wanting help with the reading program on the computer (starfall.com, which I can only recommend). See you!
2. Americans chew a lot of gum. At least the ones in this town. I was watching in church on Sunday and counted at LEAST four adults chewing away. It's like sitting in a meeting full of cows. Gum is as freely available in Germany as it is here, and kids chew it, but I can't remember the last time I saw an adult chewing away.
3. Walmart has dropped its "We will not be undersold!" logo (probably because they are more expensive than the used to be, hm?). They also have TV screens to watch as you stand in line. I kid you not. (They are ads, of course.) I can see having TVs on in the TV aisle, but all over the store?
4. I'm always sad when I hear the reactions people get when they sell a book. Most friends are excited for them, but a few people always seem to react badly. I can sort of understand professional jealousy--how come SHE sold a book and I didn't? What I can't understand is the people who think it's perfectly okay to ask how much money a writer is getting. Would you ask your high school teacher friend exactly how much they're making? Or your dental hygienist? Or the person bagging your groceries? Did you know that it's just as rude to ask someone how much they make as a writer? It's a job, just as much as being a dental hygienist is. And, let me stress that it's a job. It's not the lottery. It took actual work to get there; money did not fall out of the sky. (FWIW, I don't think it would bother me if very close family members asked me. But I would probably tell them before they asked.) What a person in this position hopes for is just someone to celebrate with.
5. Going along with the hypothetical writing thoughts, if I'm ever a real, published author, I don't plan to use the phrase "local author" ever. It seems to conjure up images of Publish American and Lulu.com in the minds of booksellers. I don't plan to ever be self-published, thanks. I'll just say I was in the area and stopped in to sign some stock or whatever. I know people who have even said things like, "My book is coming out from Random House," and chain store workers have asked if that was like Publish America? (Okay, that person shouldn't be working in a bookstore to start out with...)
Now my littlie is wanting help with the reading program on the computer (starfall.com, which I can only recommend). See you!
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