Friday, July 20, 2007

The one with all the random thoughts in


I had a surprise dinner invitation last night and didn't get a chance to blog, but I've had some lovely verbal feedback about the poems and most recent short story.

My mum's comments made me laugh the most. The first thing she said about my short story was, "Anyone who makes someone wear a bridesmaid's dress like that deserves to be cheated on."

I explained in some choice terms that this definitely did not qualify as literary criticism. And - in case everyone else is curious - it was the only picture I could find that showed a dress that looked like it was hanging up (as the dress was in the story) rather than it being on a mannequin. Now I'm going to get emails from women complaining that their bridesmaids dresses were exactly like this or similar, and like so much else (including my existence), it will ultimately be all my mother's fault. Who'd be a mum?

I've promised tonight to go down to Commercial Road at midnight with my friend Paris to collect the new Harry Potter novel. I was drunk when I agreed to it, of course. I may take my broomstick and hat with me, but who would notice?

In my travels through the world of collective nouns, I have come across some real surprises (yes, I really do spend my time this way - I'm not telling you any of my other hobbies, you'll think I'm weird), some of which include:
  • an abomination of monks
  • a prickle of hedgehogs
  • a crash of hippopotami
As I'm writing this in the Peace Cafe (if you haven't been yet, come down on Monday - I'll be the one serving you latte), the cheeky chirpy Clarky just asked me what the collective noun for a group of writers was. I was shocked to note that I didn't know it, and when I looked it up, I discovered there wasn't one. He suggested a "wretch" of writers and a "wriggle" of writers, before we decided that one probably didn't exist because writers are fairly solitary creatures and rarely travel together in packs - too competitive!

On another, random note (as if it hasn't been random enough), I don't know if any of you are keeping up with the travels of the rather amazing Laurel of the Cold Photo blog (see link right). Her last few posts have been amazing and are worth checking out for the photos alone - make sure you have a look when you get the chance. I've pinched the picture accompanying today's post from her site, a picture she took whilst climbing a Siberian mountain. Now that girl is impressive.

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