Some say the glass is half-full, others say it's half-empty. Really, there's just a glass with some liquid in it. (Preferably a full-bodied shiraz).
I'm a realist. And I've been thinking (bad habit) about people who have novels stuffed in a drawer somewhere. I'm of the opinion that most stories can be salvaged in some form or another, but it might takes years to get that novel to the point where an agent would really look at it. By then the story might be (maybe should be) unrecognizable from its first draft, but it was saved from the drawer.
Now I want to know- what makes a person decide a novel really can't see the light of day? Can most books be reborn from the ashes?
Painting by me, inspired by the throne room of the palace at Knossos.
Several sites and storehouses were broken into during the protests, including tombs in Saqqara. There have also been reports of illegal digs throughout the country, something difficult to monitor when the entire country is essentially an archaeological site.
Zahi Hawass also apparently covered up the fact that several items were stolen from the Cairo Museum, including a rare statue of the heretic Pharaoh, Akhenaten. A 16 year-old boy found the statue by a garbage can in Tahrir Square and gave it to his mother who in turn showed it her brother, a professor at the American University in Cairo. He called the authorities and had it returned.
When his life was ruined, his family killed, his farm destroyed, Job knelt down on the ground and yelled up to the heavens, "Why god? Why me?" and the thundering voice of God answered, "There's just something about you that pisses me off." -Stephen King
Stephen King says we need to have written one million words before we can call ourselves writers. No offense, Stephen, (just pretend I'm on a first name basis with him), but I just read something that makes even more sense.
According to Malcolm Gladwell's book Outliers, humans need 10,000 hours of practice before we get really good at something.
What?! 10,000 hours? That's an eternity!
Yeah, but the Beatles put in the time. Bill Gates did too. And I'd be willing to bet Stephen King has as well.
Anyone can write 1,000,000 words. Just because you've written them doesn't mean you've edited them- that's the hard part. Nor does it take into account the critiquing you've done for others or the reading you've done to study the craft. That should count toward a writer's 10,000 hours.
I really have no idea how many hours I've spent working to be a writer- I doubt I'd want to see the tally. But I'm inching my way toward 10,000 hours every day.
What do you think? 1,000,000 words or 10,000 hours? Where are you on the spectrum?
My school holds WACKO (Wild and Crazy Kid Olympics) every February. It's a great time to make a fool of yourself in front of your students. There are relay races between the classes and faculty- some involving digging in pies with your face to find gummy worms, running three-legged races, or having eggs dropped into a cup on top of your head. (I always skip that one.)
And there's always a faculty skit.
This year I got a crazy idea to have the teachers do a music and dance number instead of a normal skit, a little a'la Glee. (Because I LOVE Glee!)
Our theme for this year's assembly? Monsters. The perfect song?
Wait for it...
Thriller!
The only problem was convincing the staff that they really wanted to spend the next three weeks rehearsing to make total fools of ourselves in front of 1,000 students.
Oh yeah, and then there's the costumes. Zombies! Braaaaains...
At first it didn't look like we'd have enough people on board. Dance Michael Jackson with only me and a couple of zombies?
I think I'll pass.
But then people started to get excited. And a lot of people came to practice. People put themselves in charge of costumes, choreography, and recruiting.
Whoa! People liked my crazy idea.
The result?
My point? Sometimes we writers worry that no one will like our crazy ideas: a strange character, off-kilter plot, or weird genre-crossing. Who cares? Write what makes you happy and you never know what will happen!
As the protests continue in Egypt, it appears the artifacts damaged at the end of January are slated for restoration, and according to Zahi Hawass, "If Cairo Museum and the Pyramids are safe, Egypt is safe."
It appears all is well, at least for now.
National Geographic has a short video that shows the pieces needing restoration. It also claims that the reason nothing more valuable was destroyed was because the big objects (like Tut's death mask) were locked up and also that it was dark in the museum when the looters entered. Essentially they were destroying cases at random.
And in a nice touch, the thieves were apprehended near a large statue of the lion goddess Sekhmet, the goddess of protection.
I think the ancient Egyptians would approve of that little touch of irony.
There are more threats to Egypt's archaeological treasures as the situation in Cairo deteriorates. The Egyptian Museum is adjacent to Tahrir Square, the hot spot for the protests- it's the coral colored building you'll see in many news broadcasts.
I've also read reports that the museum might have been mistaken about the two destroyed mummies- the heads might actually have been skulls already separated from their skeletons.
I want this resolved- I love Egypt and it's getting more and more difficult to watch this unfold, both for the people currently living there and for the antiquities I don't want to see destroyed.
If you want to be happy, set a goal that commands your thoughts, liberates your energy, and inspires your hopes. - Andrew Carnegie
I have lofty goals for myself- be a great wife, mother, teacher, and writer. My passions for travel and painting also occupy my thoughts, invigorate me, and lead me to dream. When I'm doing these things, I am happy.
What goals are you setting for happiness? What focuses your energy and creates your dreams? Painting by David Roberts.
