If you click on this thread you must post on it...

[Set2Stun]

Had a mildly productive weekend despite spending 10-12 laying around in bed most days this week. Just 4 more stories to judge for the .com contest, then I'll be free to read and vote for some of the contests here.

Looking forward to seeing some pictures from Louanne's trip.

 

[CatrionaGrace]

Chopped up the last of the vegetation for mulch out in the garden. Wrote more words. Did too much internet scrolling. Once the November Writing Thing 50,000 words is accomplished, I am closing the computer and not opening it up until after Thanksgiving weekend. The publisher's office will close for the holiday, and those would be the only emails I'd feel obligated to check.

 

[Rath Darkblade]

I was once stuck at an airport for 24 hours, waiting for a charter airline to get a new engine installed. The flight was a trans-Atlantic flight from Frankfurt am Main, Germany to Baltimore, Maryland. (And the name of the charter company was called Atlantis, which wasn't reassuring to me considering the fate of its namesake.)

One of my favorite movies is The Terminal, with Tom Hanks's usual marvelous performance.

You should never use the word "terminal" in association with an aircraft.

***WARNING: RANT ... Sorry***

As for Atlantis ... *face palm* ... it is, of course, imaginary. The earliest reference we have to Atlantis comes from Plato's dialogues, Timaeus and Critias. Plato uses the story of this powerful, advanced island civilization that was ultimately destroyed by a cataclysmic event to serve as a moral allegory about the dangers of hubris, greed, and corruption, and to argue why democracy (as a government) doesn't work, and why philosophers like himself would be the best people to rule.

Despite this, Atlantis obviously became hugely sought after, with many people through the ages believing that Plato's account was real history -- and that they knew where Atlantis was. The craziest and least savory of these nutbars (I'm sorry, but there's no other word to describe these fruit-loops) were the Nazis. (Yes, once again the Nazis ruin everything).

As an aside, I have no idea how anyone can believe that Plato's dialogues are historically accurate, given that Plato himself says that he heard the story of Atlantis from his grandfather, and he heard the story from his grandfather, and he heard the story from his grandfather ... and Plato's great-great-grandfather heard it from an Egyptian priest who lived 9,000 years ago. I mean, how much more ridiculous can you get? Just to make it clear: 9,000 years ago, Egypt was inhabited by hunter-gatherers, transitioning into settled agricultural societies. Egyptian civilization as we know it came much, much later.

To conclude: 9,000 years ago there were no Egyptian priests, and there was -- and is -- no Atlantis. None. Zip. No Atlantis. Never was. Sorry.

 

[GrahamLewis]

Chopped up the last of the vegetation for mulch out in the garden. Wrote more words. Did too much internet scrolling. Once the November Writing Thing 50,000 words is accomplished, I am closing the computer and not opening it up until after Thanksgiving weekend. The publisher's office will close for the holiday, and those would be the only emails I'd feel obligated to check.

But we'll still be here when you get back. There is no escape.

 

[CatrionaGrace]

Trust me. I have no desire to escape. This is the best writing forum I've ever belonged to. Yay, Homer. Yay, Moose.

 

[JLT]

You should never use the word "terminal" in association with an aircraft.

True, now that I come to think of it.

To conclude: 9,000 years ago there were no Egyptian priests, and there was -- and is -- no Atlantis. None. Zip. No Atlantis. Never was. Sorry.

The best write-up I've seen on this whole Atlantis business is from Cecil Adams, who agrees with you.
He writes: "Much of the story does seem fictional. For example, the destruction of Atlantis is said to have occurred 9,000 years before Plato’s day. This requires us to believe that the story had been accurately transmitted since prehistoric times by word of mouth — this by a species most of whose members can barely remember what they had for lunch."

His whole article can be found here:

Is the lost city of Atlantis at the bottom of a lake in North Dakota?

www.straightdope.com

My suspicion is that the Atlantis story is based on the explosion at Thera (aka Santorini) which obliterated much of the Minoan culture, and was horribly garbled in the intervening 900 years. (The explosion also caused a tsunami in the Mediterranean, which might have caused the sea ebbing and revealing dry land, only to be flooded again in epic fashion...which, grafted on to the story of the Israelites high-tailing it out of Egypt, might have produced the story of Moses parting the sea. This sort of conflation is common in folklore.)

 

[CatrionaGrace]

My husband is from North Dakota, though he shook that dust from his heels half a century ago. Charmed as I am by the idea of my children descending from survivors of an Atlantis now lying at the bottom of Neptune Lake, there is no Neptune Lake in North Dakota. There are Neptune Lakes in Wisconsin and Saskatchewan, but nary a one in NoDak.

Crushed again.

 

[Link the Writer]

I just made a startling discovery. So basically, after sharing briefly my idea of Amos (the blind main character from my historical fiction) with two writing subreddits, I've had people telling me they thought the idea was intriguing -- with a blind member even telling me they'd love to read it. Yet one person. ONE PERSON saying they can't believe it, and my anxiety latches onto that like it's the biggest thing. I now know it's my insecurity and people pleasing but still, t'was interesting. Like, Anxiety... you do realize you can't please everyone, right?

Fortunately, this year (due to me almost dying of SBS and all that lovely stuff) had been a year of self-reflection, so I feel like I have more maturity now to recognize when my anxiety is spiraling and to either just reign it in, or just simply ignore it.

 

[Rath Darkblade]

The best write-up I've seen on this whole Atlantis business is from Cecil Adams, who agrees with you.
He writes: "Much of the story does seem fictional. For example, the destruction of Atlantis is said to have occurred 9,000 years before Plato’s day. This requires us to believe that the story had been accurately transmitted since prehistoric times by word of mouth — this by a species most of whose members can barely remember what they had for lunch."

His whole article can be found here:

Is the lost city of Atlantis at the bottom of a lake in North Dakota?

www.straightdope.com

My suspicion is that the Atlantis story is based on the explosion at Thera (aka Santorini) which obliterated much of the Minoan culture, and was horribly garbled in the intervening 900 years. (The explosion also caused a tsunami in the Mediterranean, which might have caused the sea ebbing and revealing dry land, only to be flooded again in epic fashion...which, grafted on to the story of the Israelites high-tailing it out of Egypt, might have produced the story of Moses parting the sea. This sort of conflation is common in folklore.)

My favourite theories about Atlantis (due to how ridiculous they are) are two:

1. A 16th-century theory that the North American Indians are descended from the Ten Lost Tribes of Israel, who are connected to Atlantis because of ... reasons. Most of them unbearably theological and abstruse.

2. A late 19th-century theory that the citizens of Atlantis were nine feet tall and had superpowers, including mind-reading and telekinesis (manipulating far-away objects with the power of the mind) ... and they were olive-skinned with Mongoloid features, and were the predecessors of the later Mongols, Malayans, and Native Americans. (This was put forward by a Russian-American mystic called Helena Blavatsky). According to her, these supposed Atlanteans died out to make way for the so-called "Aryan Race".

You wouldn't be surprised to hear that early 20th-century German racists latched onto this theory and made it their own, with Atlanteans becoming Nordic supermen who originated in the Northern Atlantic or even in the far North. From here, it wasn't too long before "The Nazis Have Entered The Chat".

Run away! Run away!!!

 

[CatrionaGrace]

ONE PERSON saying they can't believe it, and my anxiety latches onto that like it's the biggest thing.

Some people will not believe the sun rises in the east even when they're standing there watching it. Other people indulge in negativity and balloon bursting as a hobby.

I understand your reaction: a book has 2500 five-star reviews on Goodreads, but a one-star review comes along and instantly causes a fisson of anxiety in the writer. to you and to the unbeliever.

 

[Rath Darkblade]

Some people will not believe the sun rises in the east even when they're standing there watching it. Other people indulge in negativity and balloon bursting as a hobby.

Exactly ... which is when you get flat-earthers and other conspiracy theorists.

ONE PERSON saying they can't believe it, and my anxiety latches onto that like it's the biggest thing.

I understand your reaction: a book has 2500 five-star reviews on Goodreads, but a one-star review comes along and instantly causes a frisson of anxiety in the writer. to you and to the unbeliever.

Exactly again. Pay no heed to the naysayers, for they know not whence they speak.

I had a similar reaction when I was job-hunting and got rejected (either after an interview, or more often, without an interview - just based on my CV). It was hard, and I was disappointed. But I learned that most of the time, it wasn't my fault. Anything can happen to make a potential employer reject you: they recruited internally ('cos it's easier and they know the other guy), OR they decided to make their current employees take on the new job ... or, or, or. Most of the time, I didn't do anything wrong.

So rather than get anxious, I decided: you know what? F*** it. If they couldn't see what an utterly brilliant and charming person I was, f*** 'em and f*** their business. (Yes, I'm being sarcastic. But not much). The point is, being anxious all the time just got me down, so why do it? If I get the job, great! If not, there's plenty of fish in the sea. Someone else will realise how wonderful I am, and will bend over backwards and kiss my arse. ;-P

Book reviews are similar. Don't get depressed and don't let the bastards grind you down. If they don't understand what a great chap you are, that's on them! Just give 'em one o' these for me.

 

[Louanne Learning]

Still there?

Not anymore! Been here three days and I am in love with Ireland! I'll have to write something for the showcase when I get home. But let me say for now that I highly recommend a horse-and-carriage tour of Inis Mor on your bucket list. When I was doing the back and forth by email with Mary she let me know we would be met by Stephen the driver and Bob the cob. And I replied, "And what is the name of the horse?" Well Bob is the horse! - he's an Irish cob horse. You learn something new everyday! Anyway, Stephen kept us entertained and the scenery kept us enrapt.

For a couple of days my sister-in-law and I were Galway Girls, and now we are Doolin Girls!

 

[Louanne Learning]

unless customs is very thorough.

I actually got pulled aside at security. The guard gets my carry-on in between us and asks "Do you have aerosol in here?"

"No."

"What?" he says, and gives me a shrewd look, then whips out a canister of bug spray aerosol from a side pocket. "Then what's this?"

Well didn't I draw back in surprise. I profusely apologized, he tossed the can in the bin, and with a smirk of amusement sent me on my way.

(The can had sat hidden in the side pocket since I went up north last spring!)

 

[Louanne Learning]

Looking forward to seeing some pictures from Louanne's trip.

Got some incredible shots at the Cliffs of Moher today.

We've had incredibly good weather - sunny and temps 10-12 C

 

[Rigor Mortis]

Good to see you on the board @Louanne Learning. I was beginning to think this "Ireland" was entirely some fabrication of your fertile imagination.

Glad it's going well. Doolin and the Cliffs and that whole part of coastal Clare are my favourite spots in the country.

 

[CatrionaGrace]

My daughter and I went to Bunratty Castle when I took her to Ireland in 2007. It was the tourist mecca to end all tourist meccas since it was April and school trip season. As we were going up the stairs in the castle, all I (a CLA at the time) could think of was liability and how access would never be allowed on those steps in America. It was a fine way to spend an afternoon.

 

[Louanne Learning]

Good to see you on the board @Louanne Learning. I was beginning to think this "Ireland" was entirely some fabrication of your fertile imagination.

Glad it's going well. Doolin and the Cliffs and that whole part of coastal Clare are my favourite spots in the country.

Thank you! All four of us are blown away by the whole experience. Everyone we have met is so incredibly friendly. There is just such a different feel here - spiritual and therapeutic - and I cannot believe the connectivity! No matter where I am I can send emails and texts. When we were on Inis Mor my brothers hiked to the cliffs but my sister-in-law and I stayed behind at the cafe in the middle of the island with literally nothing around, and I had service! And today we took the long coastal drive (narrow roads!) and we stopped at a lookout at Murroghtoohy, and there were high hills behind us, ocean in front of us, nothing around anywhere - and we had service!

 

[Rigor Mortis]

There’s a beach near where you are, between Liscannor and Lahinch that I referenced in the nonfiction contest a couple of months ago. If you see dudes out surfing off those beaches, one of them might be my youngest brother. His partner was one of the managers in the hotel in Doolin.
I’m glad you’re getting good weather. There was a wind warning for Clare and Galway on the day ye landed.

 

[DLC]

The wife's uncle runs a plumbing biz in Clare if anything starts to leak.

 

[CatrionaGrace]

After 70, everything leaks.

Newsflash from my agent this evening:

My advance for Blue Bottle Tree earned out in eight months, so today I got a check for subsidiary rights, and will get a royalty check soon that amounts to two-thirds of the original advance.

I think maybe I'm a professional writer.