(Re: Google Assistant) LOL Terry! That sounds like a conversation I shoulda written into it but alas, it was not me. I worked on the Spanish language version. And French. I curated a lot of really good French poetry and other content. I also learned how to write jokes in Spanish. So there. You have nothing, zero, zilch to say to me about GA unless you're talking to it in Spanish or French :)
And if you really want to know the truth about how I stumbled into it... it was the fault of one amazing green tortilla soup. That's the reason I wound up on the GA creative writing team. And ultimately the reason why I write my Substack today. A green tortilla soup. I assume you'll ask me to write up a post about it next.
"... It doesn’t matter what the topic is, just saying “But surely not in the south?” stops the speaker dead." My question is, Terry, if YOU were the speaker and someone jumped in with, "But not in the south", would you accept that as a signal that you had tired your listeners and back off, or do you have a snappy comeback that would pacify the interrupter and allow you to keep going? I am putting it on the other foot here out of genuine interest. I was a workshop/seminar leader for 23 years and had no problem handling hecklers, myself, but i would love to know, hypothetically, what YOUR tactic would be. An interesting topic!
A great question, Sharron! Somebody did ask me something like that once, and I countered with verbiage along the lines of "It depends on which part of the south you're referring to".
That newspaper delivery person is messing with you. Maybe you should try setting out a ladder and instructing them to put the paper on your roof to see what happens?!
Your newspaper delivery problems reminded me of a time when I was having difficulty getting the newspaper delivered to a specific spot. My driveway was big enough to put two cars in it. Instead of throwing it into the driveway, the driver threw it into the grass next to the next house next door. Then one day, I noticed something red and round had been placed on the mailbox post. I I didn't know what it was. A supervisor for the newspaper had come out and he told me that they had placed a reflector on the post so the driver knew where to deliver it to. I told the guy, why can't he throw it in the driveway?
It didn't work. Then they wanted to put a box on our mailbox post. I had enough and told them to cancel the newspaper.
Love the varying subject matter, Terry! The "prison writing" makes me remember my kid days in the '60s...my dad had a weekly syndicated (throughout Texas? Nationwide? Don't know/remember) radio show called "All That Jazz," utilizing his 20,000 LPs-and-78s as his source.
Anyway, listeners would send him things/gifts, etc. One thing a prisoner once sent was a beautiful painting (I guess he did in prison) of Duke Ellington. It was always a fixture on the wall of "the record room" in our den, with Dad's floor-to-ceiling and wall-to-wall custom cabinetry!
As for Pavarotti, I hope I'm not beating a dead horse (don't know if I've mentioned it here before), but I've always found Aretha Franklin's "covering" "Nessun Dorma" for an ailing Pavarotti during the Grammy telecast a couple decades ago, inspirational. She had performed it a night or two before for a benefit, and happily stepped in when Luciano wasn't feeling well that evening: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k33sINjn9o0
Thanks for the shout out Terry, that was a lovely surprise as I was reading this on my Monday (yes, Monday this time) evening. As I'm typing this, Pavarotti is reaching his crescendo, making this comment feel like it has some grand majesty.
The applause as I hit "Post". Rapturous. (Oh, it's finished now, I should type more, instead.)
2) I started reading Lolita. Well, actually I just downloaded a sample to read on my Kindle because I have several other books on the go and thought I'd just have a quick glimpse. There will need to be some kind of review or some such later on, but I am utterly taken by his writing. The subject matter remains controversial of course, as discussed, but I must say, Nabokov's style is entrancing.
(Re: Google Assistant) LOL Terry! That sounds like a conversation I shoulda written into it but alas, it was not me. I worked on the Spanish language version. And French. I curated a lot of really good French poetry and other content. I also learned how to write jokes in Spanish. So there. You have nothing, zero, zilch to say to me about GA unless you're talking to it in Spanish or French :)
And if you really want to know the truth about how I stumbled into it... it was the fault of one amazing green tortilla soup. That's the reason I wound up on the GA creative writing team. And ultimately the reason why I write my Substack today. A green tortilla soup. I assume you'll ask me to write up a post about it next.
You MUST write about that, Birgitte! Or I'll nag you about that as well :-)
Oh alright alright
well where is it then? I know my rights
Patience, little glasshopel, patience. Is a viltue!
😂
"... It doesn’t matter what the topic is, just saying “But surely not in the south?” stops the speaker dead." My question is, Terry, if YOU were the speaker and someone jumped in with, "But not in the south", would you accept that as a signal that you had tired your listeners and back off, or do you have a snappy comeback that would pacify the interrupter and allow you to keep going? I am putting it on the other foot here out of genuine interest. I was a workshop/seminar leader for 23 years and had no problem handling hecklers, myself, but i would love to know, hypothetically, what YOUR tactic would be. An interesting topic!
A great question, Sharron! Somebody did ask me something like that once, and I countered with verbiage along the lines of "It depends on which part of the south you're referring to".
Yes, perfect!
😂 thanks, Sharron
That newspaper delivery person is messing with you. Maybe you should try setting out a ladder and instructing them to put the paper on your roof to see what happens?!
🤣OMG that made me laugh! Thanks, Donna
Your newspaper delivery problems reminded me of a time when I was having difficulty getting the newspaper delivered to a specific spot. My driveway was big enough to put two cars in it. Instead of throwing it into the driveway, the driver threw it into the grass next to the next house next door. Then one day, I noticed something red and round had been placed on the mailbox post. I I didn't know what it was. A supervisor for the newspaper had come out and he told me that they had placed a reflector on the post so the driver knew where to deliver it to. I told the guy, why can't he throw it in the driveway?
It didn't work. Then they wanted to put a box on our mailbox post. I had enough and told them to cancel the newspaper.
I wonder if we've been dealing with the same company, Matthew 🤣
Another great read, Terry! I'm minded to adopt the 'but not in the south...' thing. Looking forward to using that when somebody needs interrupting!
And my 'scandalous' letter? Well, we'll see about that! 🤣
Defo, Rebecca. As for the letter, I will be avenged 😈
I have no doubt about that, Terry! 😆
Love the varying subject matter, Terry! The "prison writing" makes me remember my kid days in the '60s...my dad had a weekly syndicated (throughout Texas? Nationwide? Don't know/remember) radio show called "All That Jazz," utilizing his 20,000 LPs-and-78s as his source.
Anyway, listeners would send him things/gifts, etc. One thing a prisoner once sent was a beautiful painting (I guess he did in prison) of Duke Ellington. It was always a fixture on the wall of "the record room" in our den, with Dad's floor-to-ceiling and wall-to-wall custom cabinetry!
As for Pavarotti, I hope I'm not beating a dead horse (don't know if I've mentioned it here before), but I've always found Aretha Franklin's "covering" "Nessun Dorma" for an ailing Pavarotti during the Grammy telecast a couple decades ago, inspirational. She had performed it a night or two before for a benefit, and happily stepped in when Luciano wasn't feeling well that evening: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k33sINjn9o0
Thanks for the shout out Terry, that was a lovely surprise as I was reading this on my Monday (yes, Monday this time) evening. As I'm typing this, Pavarotti is reaching his crescendo, making this comment feel like it has some grand majesty.
The applause as I hit "Post". Rapturous. (Oh, it's finished now, I should type more, instead.)
Prison writing? Intriguing. *Click*
A couple of things as call-backs:
1) I'm-still-writing-that-thing-for-you-sorry-sorry-sorry-life-has-been-busy-that's-no-excuse-it's-nearly-done-and-yes-I-said-that-befrore-but-this-time-I-mean-it
2) I started reading Lolita. Well, actually I just downloaded a sample to read on my Kindle because I have several other books on the go and thought I'd just have a quick glimpse. There will need to be some kind of review or some such later on, but I am utterly taken by his writing. The subject matter remains controversial of course, as discussed, but I must say, Nabokov's style is entrancing.
In your own time, squire
PS I was so wept up in Pavarotti that I forgot to add other comment. That conversation-stopper is great. I'm going to try that.
It reminds me of something I saw Derren Brown comment on ages ago, about offering a non-sequitur to psychologically throw a person off their guard.
Oh brilliant, Nathan. I didn't know that! I wonder if he read Stephen Potter too.