posted as blondbomb:
Talk about WIND! I convinced myself that I was missing all the fun by not driving up to Des Moines (160 mile round trip) for a write-in. I had to go to Centerville, knew if for DAYS, but did not think to try to make a connection with Ruta until within hours of departure...
So, I hit the library, hook up the lap top, get on the internet and, not knowing anything about Ruta, make a near fatal mistake. I hear a voice say, "I'm Rice Crispy," to a library worker I like. I can't hear her answer, but the mystery voice is coming in loud and clear. "Just add milk, and I go snap, crackle, and pop." They have been advancing through the stacks, drawing nigh to my table. LW's soft voice is audible now. "That's a good one."
Around the corner I face pops a "character". One look, and you are ready to laugh, react, interact, etc. I say, "I don't even need the milk to snap and crack." Oops! I've picked up the "character". Who turns out 1) not to have even heard on NAN0, much less be Ruta; 2) has written two manuscripts, (but not fiction), some short stories, poems...
A very WINDY three hours later, I check out three books and come home... total words written, 0. (Yes, I know... nothing new today...)
Write-in's are GREAT ideas. I could get several hundreds, even thousands of words out of that one conversation and the reactions of the other patrons... It makes me laugh, and when I told two of my friends and my mom about it today (ear glued to telephone Saturday is practiced at my house) everyone enjoyed the report.
I was "horsing around", true, but can't see any way to work any part of it into my Nano novel.
So, here's yet another distraction that doesn't contribute a whit to my word count, but hopefully leaves you laughing and in a good frame of mind to soldier on.
Where's Mary (ML in Des Moines) with her timer when you need her???