07 October 2008

A Lame Attempt at Autumn Decor

As an official mediocre blog writer, I have attempted to change my blog layout to a stunning autumn theme. The results, as you can see, are quite underwhelming.

Oh well, the yellow will cheer me as the days get shorter. Unless, of course I decide to change to a theme of white, dark brown, blue and evergreen for winter. That's always a possibility.

I'd love to be able to decorate and fluff and frill my blog like Pea does. Her blog always looks like it should be featured in Better Homes and Gardens. Mine looks like it should be featured in a package of construction paper.



I get to stay home all day today. No running hither and yon to accomplish errands or attend meetings or pay for more chiropractor appointments. I shall savor the sweet joy of relaxing at home with my girlies (Mulletman is at work) and just being. Aaaaahhhhhhhhhhh.

And while I'm just being I'm hoping I'll get an inspiration for NaNoWriMo. I have some characters in mind, but no plot as of yet. I simply have some vague scenes in my mind - interactions. No purpose. No direction. I'm not even going to sign up for NaNoWriMo unless I've got somewhere for these imaginary folks to go. They need a home! They need a crisis (or three)! They need some odd and interesting developments! They need an actual, you know, STORY!!!!!!!!!

At any rate, let me introduce you to my main characters:

Foremost in my mind is Candace Eloise Baymen; her friends call her Candy. She is an outgoing, eccentric, overweight, mentally ill lady with multiple health problems and multiple cats. Candy lives in a small government subsidized apartment which is cluttered with piles and piles of magazines and papers and knick knacks and snack foods. She rarely cleans, presumably because of her health issues. She is an expert at guilting people into "helping" her with any number of extraordinary projects and objectives, from finding a working vacuum cleaner for her (which she can't use because of her aching legs) or hauling her around to run errands to buying and giving gifts to others in her name. Candy is very active in the mental health community and has many, MANY fascinating (and sometimes scary) friends.

At least two people who read my blog who can see right through me and know that Candy is based on my real life friend, Special K. This is a good thing, though, because K affords me endless opportunities for observation and learning. K will also never, ever read my stories because, well, she' won't, unless one of my stories about her is featured in a Lane Bryant catalog.

I also have a homeschooling family in mind, the Carlsons. This is Pete's second marriage and he's brought 2 prior children into the mix. It's Evie's first marriage and she and Pete have had three children together whom they now homeschool. They'd like to homeschool Pete's older two, but the ex-wife won't allow it. Pete is calm, quiet, and steady, occasionally prone to depression. Evie is petite, sweet and kind hearted, but is tough as steel when it comes to things that matter.

The ex-wife is Michelle, an overbearing, unpredictable, and unstable person (or is she?) who sows strife wherever she goes (or does she?).

I'm still working on the actual children. Will they be shallow appendages to the main story, or will they each have depth and meaning? I'm thinking that at the very least, the older two will figure prominantly as they are passed back and forth between Pete and Michelle and their conflicting values.

The family attends Payson Community Church, a small church of about 100 people. Their pastor is Jim Briggs. Jim was the pastor of a big church in a large city (details are fuzzy at this point), but left that pastorate for one that, at first appearance, would be much less stressful. However, his flock are anything but peaceful. Jim is Pete's best friend.

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Whoa. Do you know, just writing out that much has started my brain to rolling. The creative juices are flowing! OK...I'm off to NaNoWriMo to sign up. My working title? Linear Equation. The title has nothing to do with anything; I just think it sounds groovy!

In the meantime, if YOU have any ideas for some interesting plot twists, turns, or tumbles, be sure to let me know and I'll see if they'll work in. You can enlighten me in the commetns or you can email me at groovyoldlady (at) roadrunner (dot) com. However, if you have TOO many ideas, then maybe you should sign up and write your own novel in a month! If you do, make sure you sign is my buddy! :D

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You Are 72% Interesting



You are a fairly interesting person. Many people find you to be intriguing.

You have a dynamic, adventurous life... a life that others envy.



You are genuinely interested in and open to the world.

You love making new friends, and you're always up for an unusual experience.



Like everyone else, you can get a bit boring from time to time. That's normal.

But unlike everyone else, you can pull yourself out of a rut. You don't stay boring for long.



Hmmm. Well, if my writing (and particularly my fiction) is 72% interesting, then I shall consider myself....a step ABOVE mediocre!

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15 comments:

Marianne Arkins said...

My fave thing to do is write ordinary scenes with my characters that I wouldn't use in the actual book: taking a shower, making dinner, ironing clothes... because we all of us do those things differently. It gives (IMHO) great insight (and some potential scene ideas).

So... YAY! I'm not alone!

And... geez... you're WAY less boring than I am. Whazzup with that? So far, I'm the most boring person I know.

Bear said...

You know what I find... hang on.

Bear said...

Sorry about that... now where was... Oh sorry, hang on again.

Bear said...

At first I went and got my sunnies, but found that it was still way too bright around here and got my tinted welder’s goggles instead.

You know what I find interesting about you Groovy… I think it’s incredibly interesting the way you use the remaining 28% to write this blog.

Nah just kidding, Groovy, I think you’ll find we all agree that if remaining 28% isn’t interesting, then it must come in under ‘Very Interesting’.

groovyoldlady said...

Bear...I think you took all those breaks because REALLY you were looking for your calculator.

groovyoldlady said...

Marianne - I think I'm gonna try that scene writing tactic. I think Im also going to do something very UNGroovy-like and make (dare I say it?) an outline.

anno said...

OK, I'm going the schmaltzy route and saying that I think you're 100% interesting...

Tammy said...

Oooo...great story premise, Groovy! You are so making me want to dive in and start writing again. (Besides my blog, I mean...sigh)
In fact, someone just sent an e-mail with a link to that same writer's club and it sounded interesting...hmmm...

So glad you're going to hopefully join in on the home schooling open house linky thing...once I set it up! Yay!

And your mediocre autumn blog decor made me smile...:D Mine is simply a couple photos from previous autumns...but the one in the header doesn't even look all that autumn. Even though it is.
Autumn.
(Now, that's good writing...!)

Rita Loca said...

I came out the same as you, then I got distracted by another quiz entitled, "What to name your Boobs?" Apparently, mine should be named Peter Pan and Wendy!
( I do hope no guys are reading this!)

groovyoldlady said...

Rita...

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!

Rita Loca said...

Oh! Sorry. Did I really write that????

Damselfly said...

Um. I am afraid to take your quiz. So I won't.

I think your novel should include a samurai or possibly a Jedi. No, a samurai.

As for your blog design, maybe I could do a little autumn design for you? Just let me know.

groovyoldlady said...

Damselfly...

A samurai???? Hmmmm.

OK, I'll make it happen. In fact you have given me an INSPIRATION!~

And would you REALLY BLING my blog?

That would be so incredibly AWESOME! I'll be contacting you ASAP.

Carole Burant said...

Ok, Chiquita (because of previous post! lol), there is absolutely nothing mediocre about your blog decor! Believe it or not, I'm always surprised at the way my blog turns out because half the time I'm just fooling around with my template and never know what it's going to do! lol I know how to change the background....make a new header thanks to Photoshop...and lately I've learned how to change the font colour. It's "only" taken me over 3 years to learn that! lol

You always amaze me with your talent of writing a story...I could never write like that, no matter how much I tried. I would start with "it was a dark stormy night"...and then I'd be blank! hehe Love the story you're thinking about for the NaNoWriMo so let us know when you're done with it!!

I took the quiz....

You Are 60% Interesting

You are a fairly interesting person. Many people find you to be intriguing.

You have a dynamic, adventurous life... a life that others envy.

You are genuinely interested in and open to the world.

You love making new friends, and you're always up for an unusual experience.

Like everyone else, you can get a bit boring from time to time. That's normal.

But unlike everyone else, you can pull yourself out of a rut. You don't stay boring for long.

Well geez, it's no wonder I was never the most popular girl at school, I'm only 62% interesting!!! lol xoxo

Dawn said...

I'm with Pea - only mine would start, "Once upon a time . . . " I absolutely cannot do fiction.

I think it's appropriate that you follow a post on bananas with a new look that is the color of bananas. Ha!!

Thanks for the kind words about mine, but you know it's only because I have Kristen in my life that mine looks good!