Not a huge fan of blogspot right now. I wanted to post a poll, but it won't allow voter identities to be shown. Not only that, but you can't comment afterward to defend your choices. So I'm writing a lousy post cuz I'm not nerdy enough to write my own gadget. I told my husband he needed to go back to school to get yet another nerdy degree, but he fought back by going down to his mancave. Playstation for him tonight... ;)So without further ado I give you my pretend poll. And you can't even vote except by commenting. I know, so lame!! Anyway, here it is... I promise, I'll stop blathering.
Can you tell stories away from the computer?
A) I'm the story telling maestro. I can tell stories any time, anywhere.
B) Heck no. I'm instantly 600 times more brilliant when sitting in front of the computer.
C) ME tell stories? YOU'RE supposed to tell them to me!
D) I hate stories. What a ridiculous waste of time.
E) If you choose E (or F, G, or H for that matter) I'm going to push your eyeballs back into your brain. I gave you four viable choices.
(Craig is sick, so I'm dinking around on the computer on a Friday night-- yay, me!)
ReplyDeleteI'm going with E only because I'm not sure which one to choose. I tell stories all the time, but I don't know if they're better vocally or typed out... (I had friends who once decided that any story that ended with the explanation, "It was funny" was a clearly not a very funny story. Harsh, huh?)
BUT, this question did make me think of one of my favorite quotes, from Leslie Marmon Silko's Ceremony:
"I will tell you something about stories... They aren't just entertainment. Don't be fooled. They are all we have, you see, all we have to fight off illness and death. You don't have anything if you don't have the stories."
I'll probably put that on my blog some day. Try not to act too bored when I do...
Uh oh, Alanna. You better mask your eyeballs! ;)
ReplyDeleteI love your quote. I truly believe it.
C!!!
ReplyDeleteA. Anytime. Anyplace. But they're better if I write them down.
ReplyDeleteA, its always a blast to sit around with friends and swap stories.
ReplyDeleteI'm afraid I'm a poor C! I can hardly re-tell other people's stories!
ReplyDeleteA. I tell stories to my flute students all the time. I make up stories to go with the music and it makes their playing come alive. One of them told me I should publish my stories, and here I am! I also tell stories to my family on long car rides. :)
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteA, and then B. Can I do that?
ReplyDeleteMy initial ideas are always when I'm not on the computer, and then I have to rush there in order to get those ideas down. When I'm stuck, answers come to me in my dreams, and I rush to the computer in the middle of the night. But most of the manuscripts come from my brain and get typed directly onto the keyboard.
I've told my children bedtime stories that have turned into picture book ideas. So I feel at home in A and B. But if I was forced to write my ideas instead of typing, I'd be frustrated because I write slower than I type.
I hope nobody answers D.
A. Otherwise, how could I get anyone to listen to me?
ReplyDeleteAnd this is better than a gadget poll anyway. I never take those.
I tell them. I listen to them. And I write them. Love stories. I agree with Alanna: stories are all we have. Nintendo=stories. History=stories. Life, everything is stories and if we don't share and cherish them we have nothing. Emptiness.
ReplyDeleteIf anyone answers D they are either unaware that stories are everywhere, lying, or close to suicide and they need help.
A. I tell stories kinda constantly--true or otherwise. In fact, this answer may very well just be a made up story, as well. Your call.
ReplyDeleteCam and Maria, what would the storytellers do without an audience??!
ReplyDeleteI can't believe how the rest of you said A at least as part of your answers. I suppose that is why you're writers, but STILL. I don't know what it is, but I feel so sorry for my kids. I try to come up with stories to tell them and they get the most watered down versions of their stuffed animals and blankets crashing into walls. THE END. That's why I put up this post. I can come up with a plot with lots and lots of thought, but something off the fly? Not a chance!!
Sarah, thanks for stopping by!! I'll be at the Storymakers conf. and look forward to meeting you. And I believe you. :)
LA, i'll have to remember that Nintendo=stories so I have much more tolerance for game systems.
Karen, I'll remember your answer the next time I consider a poll.
Theresa, your first paragraph describes me exactly. :)
Carol, that's a great gift to have. I am jealous.
David, don't expect any dazzling stories when we meet at the conf. I'll just crouch over a pen and paper any time your "swapping stories" pow wow might ensue.
Well I don't claim to be a maestro, I do think I can tell a story in person. =]
ReplyDeleteSorry for the lousy poll problem. Do you have a cave you can retreat to? (If hubby has a PS, what do you have?)
You're quite welcome, Mary. I'm actually here fairly often, but something freaky is going on with my browser and something like 90% of the time when I try to leave a comment on anyone's blog (not just yours) I get a terribly complicated-sounding and confusing error message, which I then interpret as "You are an idiot and we, the internet police, feel the need to render your internet efforts completely pointless in the hope that you will go away." So, I've been absent in the comments section of many of the blogs I drop in on and am convinced that people probably haven't even noticed, though I tell myself that they secretly cry themselves to sleep at night because they miss me that acutely.
ReplyDeleteTrue story...? Again, your call.
(And, hooray for Storymakers--I'll see you there!!)
B. B B B. Unless it's a true story that I was highly involved with. Then I can tell that. I love my pen, notebook, laptop, keyboard. Without them, I would be tongue-tied. I like this poll format. Good job!
ReplyDeleteLT, my stories are my PS! Poor husband has more of a problem of getting me away from these than I ever do with him.
ReplyDeleteSarah, Sarah, Sarah, you may just very well be the most hilarious person I've ever *somewhat* met.
R...I love HG!
Krista. I now don't have to lay awake wondering if I'm the only writer who's not A!! Thank you for existing!! You and I are alike.
I left you an award at my blog!
ReplyDeleteHi Mary, I'm in your mom's ward in TX. I was telling her about my booksigning so she told me all about your writing. Sounds great. Best of luck with it. Let me know when it's real close to coming out & I can spotlight it on my blog for you.
ReplyDeleteClover Autrey
Thanks, Aubrie!! You're so sweet!
ReplyDeleteClover, hey! Thanks so much for stopping by!! And congrats on YOUR book and signing. I'll go check out your blog. :)
Post the poll, give the votes a week or so to be in, then write a separate post and post the results and ask the voters to post comment back why they voted the way they did. Then you have your conversation going.
ReplyDeleteHaha I can think of great stories while taking a shower, then when I go to write it down, I cant find the words to make it flow!
Good idea, Avalon. I totally didn't think of it.
ReplyDeleteAny time you have a killer story idea, how about you send it MY way??!! ;)
ha ha, ok or you can come and sit in my bathroom.
ReplyDeleteYou should post some polls though. I like polls.