Saturday, October 10, 2009

End Notes 01 - Sayings Used

End Notes 01 - Sayings Used

1 "Hard head bird don't make good soup." (CB drew Roberts : DT Godfrey Roberts)
1 "Ya head aint only for growin hair " (CB Tony Kelly : DT Bert Kelly)
1 "Beas' take blow" (CB Lester Albury : DT ??)
1 "It is better to humor a fool than to be plagued by him." (CB Thomas Roberts : DT Ma Annie)
2 "A man who have one wife and gets himself another get what he deserves." (CB Nathan Sawyer : DT ??)
2 "Awe I gun tell on you!!!!!!!" (CB Dion Godet : DT ??)
2 "The higher the monkey climbs up a tree, the more he is exposed." (CB Derek Been : DT ??)
2 "You catch more flies with honey." (CB Larry Smith : DT ??)
3 "If you don't learn, you will feel... and you got some feeling to do." (CB Terrance V Arnett | DT Olive Tucker)
3 "Oil and water don't mix." (CB Leandra Esfakis : DT ??)
3 "You are around the pond." (CB Colyn Roberts : DT Blake Curry)
3 "I think the whole world is crazy except you and I, but I have my doubts about you." (CB James Roberts : DT ??)
4 "She makin' foot fo' road." (CB Jorge Bacardi : DT Harold Albury)
4 "Cromley can scull!" (CB Kim Hoggatt : DT The Family)
4 "Who's ma is your pa?" (CB Crab & Di Roberts : DT ??)
4 "First rat in the hole has his tail covered." (CB Bert Hayling : DT Herbert Roberts)
5 "Putty & Paint make the devil look like a saint." (CB Layton Roberts : DT ??)
5 "Do you walk to school or carry your lunch?" (CD Jeremy Parr : DT ??)
5 "One dog, one bone" (CB Patrick Farmer : DT John Farmer)
5 "Dem people on de Island gat a slang of dere own." (CB Janson Saunders : DT Piccolo Pete)
6 "Holy Mackral!" (CB Ann-Marie Lofland : DT David Kemp)
6 "I'm gonna slap you and spin you like a top." (CB Renee Winton - DT Ruth Roberts)
6 "A little tells you what a great deal means." (CB Sean D. Moore : DT ??)
6 "Don't let your mout carry you where your foot can't bring you back from." (CB Damian Albury : DT ??)
7 "You think you can sleep all day and howl all night." (CB Elspeth Johnson : DT Donald Joss)
7 "Live and let live." (CB: Clyde Symonette: DT Angeline Clarke)
7 "Plenty laughter, plenty tears." (CB Steve Johnson : DT Buck Johnson)
7 "What happened, your head jam eh?" (CB Damien Farmer : DT ??)
8 "Who dat?..... Who dat?..... Who dat say who dat when I say who dat?" (CB Peter Dupuch : DT ??)
8 "Purse on the floor makes you poor." (CB Michael Farmer : DT ??)
8 "Chim chim legs and thrasher hips." (CB Erskine Knowles : DT ??)
8 "What sweeten ya' mouth gon' pepper ya' tail." (CB Petura Burrows : DT ??)
9 "I feel all kerpunckle up!" (CB Ron Lightbourn : DT ??)
9 "Time longer than rope." (CB Charlotte Constantakis : DT ??)
9 "Do as I say not as I do." (CB John Constantakis : DT ??)
9 "Stop playin bey! (CB: Cindy Albury DT: Randy Albury)
10 "Ya look like "come-here-lemme-fix-ya!" (CB Randy Albury : DT Cindy Albury, lol)
10 "Every tub will have to stand their own bottom when the rain fall" (CB Vernitta Pennerman : DT Frank "Ole P" Edwards)
10 "Shut mouth catch no flies." (CB Melvina Roberts : DT ??)
10 "Straight like Crooked Island." (CB Patty Thompson : DT ??)
11 "Thas yuh business." (CB Lisa Roberts : DT ??)
11 "Bend da tree while they young." (CB Eddie Brown : DT ??)
11 "It's a fool dog who barks at flying birds." (CB Wim Toothe : DT ??)
11 "Crab don't walk - he don't get Fat" (CB Donna Davis : DT old heads)
12 "It's gonna get worse before it gets better." (CB Penny Roberts : DT Don Joss)
12 "A poor craftsman blames his work on his tools." (CB Tim Maher : DT ??)
12 "I'm bearing up chile, I'm bearing up." (CB Susan Thompson : DT Leonard Thompson)
12 "Well monkee!" (CB Andy Gape : DT Lynn Gape)
13 "You bes catch yourself!" (CB Chad Roberts : DT ??)
13 "Where ignorance is bliss, tis folly to be wise." (CB Naomi Sands : DT Bill Hayling)
13 "In times of prosperity, Good friends are plenty. In times of adversity, Not one in twenty." (CB Gerald Cash : DT ??)
13 "I never died a winter yet." (CB Fay Knowles : DT??)
14 "Loose goat don't know what tie goat feel." (CB Matthew Kelly : DT ??)
14 "Mouth could say anything." (CG Godfrey Kelly : DT ??)
14 "Its not what ya know, it's who ya know. "CB Duane Roberts : DT ??)
14 "One hand can't wash." (CB Laverne Gardiner : DT ??)
15 "I een do dat!" (CB Trevor Cuffy : DT ??)
15 "Stick with me and I ga learn ya!" (CB Caroline Albury : DT David Albury)
15 "The devil and his wife are fighting over potcake." (CB Allison Collie : DT ??)
15 "A word to the wise is sufficient." (CB Sherle Knowles : DT Kellen and Jarrod Knowles)
16 "Don't put your basket higher than you can reach." (CB Pamela Munroe : DT ??)
16 "Gal! Ya more scarce than gold!" (CB Petral Clarke : DT ??)
16 "For the want of company, in comes trumpery" (CB Stephanie Ritchie : DT ??)
16 "Bullfrog dressed up in soldier's clothes." (CB Lia Ritchie : DT ??)
17 "Fish or cut bait." (CB Eric Carlsson : DT ??)
17 "Ya can't have ya cake and eat it too." (CB Phillip Smith : DT ??)
17 "Common sense ain't common." (CB Kevin Dean : DT ??)
17 "If brains was dynamite, you couldn't blow your nose." (CB Gregory Roberts : DT Vera Smith)
18 "You're a liar!" (CB Victoria Roberts : DT Her Sisters)
18 "Don't throw away an old bucket unless you know the new one is gonna hold water too." (CB Olvin Rees : DT Andros)
19 "You can't plant sour orange and pick banana." (CB Donald Sands : DT His Daughter Stacy)
19 "Don't let somebody's donkey cost you a cow." (CB Joey Cooper : DT Aunt Ruth)
19 "Biscuit and crackers come in the same ship but different packages." (CB Hazel Thompson : DT ??)
19 "Jack drunk but he ain' fool." (CB Ricardo Thompson : DT ??)
20 "Don't plant your corn around someone else's rain." (CB Marcellus Taylor : DT Logan Collie)
20 "Ya lie like you look!" (CB Wendy Graham : DT ??)
20 "When You're Dumb, You Gotta Be Tough!" (CB Mike Pinder : DT ??)
20 "You Can't Make a Silk Purse Out of A Sow's Ear." (CB Stella Pinder : DT ??)
21 "I'm all pain up and ting mon." (CB Ronnie Kemp : DT ??)
21 "Spare the rod, spoil the child." (CB Valorie Rees : DT ??)
21 "As long as they make dye, I'll never go gray!" (CB Martha Albury : DT J.R. Albury)
21 "That gone like Sam Major wife." (CB Gerard Symonette : DT Angeline Clarke)
22 "You don't miss the water 'til the well run dry." (CB Monique Toppin : DT ??)
22 "Bahamians have black crab syndrome." (CB Nick Rees : DT ??)
22 "Kiss a whale's tail." (CB Rosemarie Johnson Clarke : DT Curtis Johnson)
22 "Don't put mouth me." (CB Tony Kelly : DT Cynthia Kelly)
23 "Nothing wrong with me that money won't cure." (CB Tony Duncombe : DT ??)
23 "Dat ain't no true!" (CB Azaleta Ishmael-Newry : DT ??)
23 "You got roach on ya bread." (CB Jeremy Knowles : DT ??)
23 "Tingum in da bush ain't got no name!" (CB Mark Hayling : DT ??)
24 "It is harder to lead a family than to rule a nation." (CB Andy Knowles : DT ??)
24 "Hog know where to rub his skin." (CB Alana Kelly : DT ??)
24 "God knows for what and for why." (CB Viveca Watkins : DT Isabele Moncrieffe Nembhard)
24 "If it ain't one thing, it's ya mother." (CG Graham Thordarson : DT Viveca Watkins)
25 "If you wanna howl with the owls, you gotta learn to soar with the eagles." (CB Robert Carron : DT ??)
25 "Here today gone tomorrow!" (CB Chris Symonette : DT ??)
25 "Even teeth and tongue bite." (CB Beryle Strachan : DT Angeline Clarke)
25 "Only shoot what you're gonna eat." (CB Glen Kelly : DT Dead Fish)
26 "Hit it ya get it!" (CB Dee Phillips : DT ??)
26 "Ya never pass nothing until ya die." (CB Dave Hanna : DT ??)
26 "Look at just come here telling been here what to do." (CB Joseph Strachan :DT ??)
26 "Big eye choke puppy." (CB Eddie Roberts : DT Da Big Eaters)
27 "Hard head, soft behind." (CB Jamal Rodgers : DT ??)
27 "Two heads are better than one." (CB Tamika Brice : DT ??)
27 "Go in da bush an bruk um, shuck em and gee um." (CB David Darville : DT ??)
27 "Gone for dat!" (CB Patrick Turnquest : DT ??)
28 "Whe you is?" (CB Janet Turnquest : DT ??)
28 "Two wrongs don't make a right." (CB Timothy Nottage : DT ??)
28 "If you have one good friend in your lifetime, you are blessed." (CB Camille Roberts : DT Jack Graham)
28 "Come clean even if you come rough dried." (CB Steven Nottage : DT ??)
29 "A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush." (CB Wendell Gardiner : DT Laverne Gardiner)
29 "It'll be better before you get married." (CB Gina Knowles : DT Her children)
29 "It's like deja vu all over again." (CB Monty Roberts : DT ??)
29 "True, true!" (CB Noelle Roberts : DT ??)
30 "Life is for the living so carpe diem." (CB Desiray ingraham : DT Omar Ferguson)
30 "Six to one and half a dozen to the rest." (CB Hope Shelly-Ann : DT Andrea Sawyer)
30 "If a fish keep his mouth shut he wouldn't get caught." (CB Dion da Butcha : DT ??)
30 "Live the life you love, Love the life you live, And most importantly, Leave people business alone." (CB Natural Empress : DT ??)
30 "Don't spit in the wind, it'll come back in ya face." (CB Colyn grant, aka Mo : DT ??)
30 "That's all she wrote." (CB Colyn Grant, aka Mo : DT ??)

30. Sayings Nov 30 Thu

(1:48 pm Nov 30, 2006)

"Life is for the living so carpe diem." (CB Desiray ingraham : DT Omar Ferguson)

(2:11 pm Nov 30, 2006)

Well, gentle reader, it is the thirtieth of November in the year two thousand and six. This is the last day of the two thousand and six National Novel Writers Month and also more than likely the last day that I will be writing for you in this book 'Sayings' for a good while. I do want to try and keep writing at least something everyday though even if not at this level of verbiagalogical output. I have wanted to for the previous two years as well, but Novembers can be burn out experiences. I am hurting now. Let's hope I don't crash and burn and tomorrow find me a smoking wreak.

I want to go take a nap but I will try and keep writing. Please try and keep reading as it may encouragerize me enough to finish up quickly.

"One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, sixteen, seventeen, eighteen, nineteen, twenty, twenty one, twenty two, twenty three, twenty four, twenty five, twenty six, twenty seven, twenty eight, twenty nine, thirty, thirty one, thirty two, thirty three, thirty four, thirty five, thirty six, thirty seven, thirty eight, thirty nine, forty, forty one, forty two, forty three, forty four, forty five, forty six, forty seven, forty eight, forty nine, fifty! Ready or not, here I come!" said Nipps.

Nano laughed, this game was really getting out of hand now. He headed off to the north at high speed. So far Nipps had found him no matter where he thought to hide. This time he decided not to try and hide anywhere. This time he decided to hide in speed. If Nipps could never get close enough to see him then he couldn't find him then could he. What a plan.

(2:23 pm Nov 30, 2006)

Bing, Boom and Drake were still following that baggage train. Well, they weren't exactly following it any more, they had grown bored and decided to catch it up and ride on the back of the last baggage car. It was a good thing that 'Two pay' had a built in ice chest fully stocked with comestibles of the type normally transported in foil down in the islands. Without that, they would all be starving.

The had talked it over, but they couldn't decide if the train was just super slow, it hadn't seemed that way when crossing the hangar last night, or if the tunnel they were now in was just super long. If the train was moving at a reasonable rate of speed, where must they be now?

(2:33 pm Nov 30, 2006)

Petro and Loqui were on their way to London. On very short notice I might add.|

Petro was at work this morning when he got a call from Chloe saying she was on the ramp out at the FBO at Windsor Field, and that he should get out there as soon as he could. He was stunned and laughed. He got her number and said that he would call right back.

"Six to one and half a dozen to the rest." (CB Hope Shelly-Ann : DT Andrea Sawyer)

Petro had called Loqui right away and let her know what was going on and asked her if she could get away if he squared things with Chloe. Loqui then laughed and said yes, why not?

Petro had called Chloe back and put his plan to her. At first he sensed some reluctance and disappointment in her voice, but it had lasted for only a second or two. She had said, sure, just get out here quick and within an hour, they were airborne and heading out over the blue Atlantic bound for England.

(2:42 pm Nov 30, 2006)

Nano was laughing to himself as he continued North at high speed, so far, Nipps hadn't found him. The haze seemed to be clearing up a bit ahead.

Nano hit his air breaks! What the... The air ahead was clear, the gently rolling hills covered with grass gave way to gently rolling hills made of piles of luggage. Bahamascare baggage handlers were "busy" unloading a huge long luggage train and piling the luggage into new hills.

Nano stopped for a while and watched in amazement.

Bing, Boom and Drake were jostled as the train came to a stop. Why were they stopping here still in the tunnel? They decided to go ahead and investigate.

(2:50 pm Nov 30, 2006)

(3:04 pm Nov 30, 2006)

Da bruddahs and Drake could see light ahead. They picked up speed and made for what they could now see was the end of the tunnel. Yes, gentle reader, they really could see the light at the end of the tunnel.|

Just as they came out of the tunnel into the light...

"Ouch! Nipps! Why do you always do that? Can't you just find me? Why do you have to go and bite me every single time you find me?"

"I don't know Nano, I just have to, I think it's in my genes or something like that. I see you there and I just have to take a bite."

"Well at least next time don't go biting so hard then. That hurts!"

"I bet it did, you deserved it this time though."

"What do you mean I deserved it?"

"Jumping slick on me like that. Trying to hide in the wind. Don't think I didn't figure it out."

"You may have figured it out, but you would never have found me if I hadn't come upon this."

"What this... Oh! What in the world is this?"

"You tell me. I have no idea. Well, I mean, I see what it is, but what is it?"

(3:11 pm Nov 30, 2006)

"Nano, do I see what I see? Are those guys really making hills out of luggage? Why in the world would they be doing that?"

"No idea, Nipps, no idea."

They heard a loud yell coming from way off in the distance in the direction of a large hill covered in grass. "That sounded like Nano!" yelled Drake. "Nano! Is that you?"

There was no response. "I'm going to see if that was Nano, are you guys coming?"

"We might as well. Let's go."

"If a fish keep his mouth shut he wouldn't get caught." (CB Dion da Butcha : DT ??)

(3:17 pm Nov 30, 2006)

(8:06 pm Nov 30, 2006)

Well, not quite a temporal black hole, more like a break. I tried to take a quick nap and then went over to band practice. Then back and a dinner that I rushed too much.

Well, gentle reader, I guess I need to back track here for you a bit and fill you in on what happened earlier. Rewind the clock mentally, I will not rewind it in fact and put in altered times, just pretend we did it and I will tell you about this afternoon.

When da bruddahs and Drake came out of the tunnel, there was a large part of the baggage train already out of the tunnel and an even larger part still in the tunnel in darkness. Handlers were already taking luggage off of the exposed baggage cars and adding them to the growing hills of luggage and starting new hills on the empty flat tarmac that stretched to the horizon where the hills ended.

Drake thought he heard Nano and called to him but got no response. He headed towards a large hill in the distance where he thought Nano's voice had come from. Da bruddahs had followed on 'Two Pay' but could not keep up which surprised them. 'Two Pay' was fast.

(8:14 pm Nov 30, 2006)

When Drake got nearer the hill, he saw Nano and Nipps rowing with one another. He increased his speed even more and swooped down and tackled Nano and the two of them went tumbling down the hill like Jack and Jill. Luckily, there were no crowns broken. No bones at all as a matter of fact.

The two ended up at the bottom of the hill, laughing and shouting. Da bruddahs landed next to Nipps and the three of them looked on as the two dragons did a little dragon celebration and started a few fires that threatened to get out of hand before they got involved and calmed things down some.

"Where did you come from?"

"What do you mean, where id we come from? Where did you go? Where have you two been?" said Drake.

"We don't know where we are, or where we went to or where we have been, except we know we came from south of here. Back that way, a long way, over vast distances of these rolling grassy hills." replied Nano.

(8:24 pm Nov 30, 2006)

"Do you know where we are?" said Nipps, "Where did you come from?"

"You see that train coming out of that tunnel over there? We came out of that tunnel, at the other end is a Bahamascare under sea air base at the bottom of the tongue of the ocean. That's where we came from. Do either of you know what's going on here? Have you been watching this long?" said Bing.

"Only what you see," said Nano, "we just got here a little before you guys found us. The best that I can guess as to what's going on is that these guys are piling luggage into hills and then covering them up with grass. But if that's what's going on, that's totally crazy. There must be so much luggage back under those hills to the south. There's just no way. Plus, what's the point?"

(8:30 pm Nov 30, 2006)

"Live the life you love, Love the life you live, And most importantly, Leave people business alone." (CB Natural Empress : DT ??)

"Time out!" yelled Drake, "Let's just all go home. We can come back here later if we want to figure out what's going on. I just need to get back to the lair and get some sleep."

"You know something," said Nipps, "I second that motion. All in favour, say Aye!"

"Aye!"

(8:40 pm Nov 30, 2006)

"The ayes have it, let's go," said Nipps.

With Nipps joining da bruddahs on 'Two Pay' and the dragons leading the way, they small band headed back to the tunnel entrance.

(9:14 pm Nov 30, 2006)

Now that, gentle reader, was unfortunately a little time warp, temporal black hole, event horizon type event right there right then. Almost a time vacuum cleaner. Or even a time whirlpool, swirling and pulling time down to the bottom of the ocean. Perhaps even down to the bottom of the tongue of the ocean.

And as we have seen, strange things happen down at the bottom of the ocean's tongue...

And now the end is near... Less than half a thousand words to the day's goal. And then... Shut down. Soon after...

Petro and Loqui are safe in London. They are on some corner where people keep taking pictures of themselves walking across a zebra crossing.



Earlier in the day (night) they had conducted a study on the packing densities of holes. This had proved entertaining for a while.

Bill Techero, remember him gentle reader? Big Bill is sitting on his front porch. Sitting on his duho. Unfolding time that has just come in on the mailboat from Andros. From the big yard. Come in in the sacks normally used to ship Andros crabs to the capitol.

(9:37 pm Nov 30, 2006)

"One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, sixteen, seventeen, eighteen, nineteen, twenty, twenty one, twenty two, twenty three, twenty four, twenty five, twenty six, twenty seven, twenty eight, twenty nine, thirty, thirty one, thirty two, thirty three, thirty four, thirty five, thirty six, thirty seven, thirty eight, thirty nine, forty, forty one, forty two, forty three, forty four, forty five, forty six, forty seven, forty eight, forty nine, fifty! Ready or not, man I'm done!"

"Don't spit in the wind, it'll come back in ya face." (CB Colyn Grant, aka Mo : DT ??)

"That's all she wrote." (CB Colyn grant, aka Mo : DT ??)

Yes, gentle reader, I think I just heard Gussie start to sing.

Good night.

(9:47 pm Nov 30, 2006)

29. Sayings Nov 29 Wed

(5:03 pm Nov 29, 2006)

"A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush." (CB Wendell Gardiner : DT Laverne Gardiner)

Just getting started... Late... Suffering... And... Life interrupts art. Dogs need walking... Back soon...

(5:38 pm Nov 29, 2006)

Gentle reader, I am feeling really washed out as a result of yesterday, therefore, I may be totally out in left field for the rest of the day and perhaps tomorrow. We shall see.

"One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, sixteen, seventeen, eighteen, nineteen, twenty, twenty one, twenty two, twenty three, twenty four, twenty five, twenty six, twenty seven, twenty eight, twenty nine, thirty, thirty one, thirty two, thirty three, thirty four, thirty five, thirty six, thirty seven, thirty eight, thirty nine, forty, forty one, forty two, forty three, forty four, forty five, forty six, forty seven, forty eight, forty nine, fifty! Ready or not, here I came!"

Nipps began his hunt for Nano. Now you may not know this, gentle reader, but playing hide and seek or kick the can, or any other game involving hiding or having certain other aspects when one of your opponents is a dragon can be very challenging indeed. Extremely challenging and this was the task that Nipps found himself faced with.

Nano and Nipps had not been found and had not figured out where they themselves were since those clouds had closed in about them yesterday. They found themselves in some hazy, indistinct place with gently rolling hills covered in waving grass. Gray, foggy-hazy clouds left the sun diffuse and almost cold.

(As an aside gentle reader, have I just discovered a great new NaNo padding trick? Or has this one been done before? Either way, I can see how it might be a life saver in certain situations.)

Now, the problem with playing these sorts of games with dragons is that they often will not restrict themselves to playing fair. How are you supposed to find a dragon who simply shrinks down out of site while you are counting instead of going and hiding like any normal player would?

(6:04 pm Nov 29, 2006)

Where did that block come from?

Let's leave Nipps and Nano to their little time killer and check in on Drake.

Drake is still flying search patterns. Ever widening search patterns. He tried calling BASRA and the US Coast Guard, but they refused to take him seriously when he reported a dragon and a sand fly lost over the tongue of the ocean. Then a thought hit him! Bahamascare! The tongue of the ocean! That underwater base! He was off like a flash. It took him a while to get back up to the tongue as he was down Inagua way when the idea struck.

Drake got over the tongue of the ocean just west of New Providence and then realised that those two soldiers hadn't actually spelled out exactly where this undersea airbase was. The headed in to Nassau to try and hunt Bing and Boom up.

(6:13 pm Nov 29, 2006)

"It'll be better before you get married." (CB Gina Knowles : DT Her children)

"Zotz, can you tell me whee to find Bing or Boom or do you know exactly where that Bahamascare base they told you about is?"

"Hey Drake. I don't know where the base is. I am not sure where those two are, but I think they may be over on PI getting a bite to eat over by the marina."

Thanks zotz, do you know which restaurant? Which marina even?"

"The new marina I think, I don't know which restaurant, but those two like deli food and burgers so try those places first. Careful in those places though. This country doesn't need you scaring off the tourists. I really don't think they would like to see or smell a dragon on their vacation."

"Sure thing zotz, I'll be careful. Thanks for the hints. Listen, I can't tell you how much I am worried for Nano, are you sure you can't do more for me to help me find him?"

"Drake, are you tired right now?"

"Zotz, I'm so tired it's not even funny."

"Right, me too. They'll be alright. I have a feeling that things will work out just fine. You may be surprised, but just keep looking."

"OK, I'm off to hunt up those soldiers."

(6:26 pm Nov 29, 2006)

(7:38 pm Nov 29, 2006)

Oops.

Drake finally tracked Bing and Boom down at a little known local pub that operated out of the the old light house on the western tip of PI. I will not bother you with the details as to how he managed this feat.

"Bing, Boom, can one of you tell me how to find that Bahamascare base you two discovered the other day?"

"What tonight?" said Bing. "Why do you need to go there tonight?"

"Because NaNo and Nipps are still missing and I think that that place may be somehow related to their disappearance, that's why. Can you tell me where to find it?"

"Gee, Drake, I don't know if I could find it again at night. What do you say Boom."

"Drake, it is not gonna be easy, but I think you might have a chance if we went with you. I don't think there is any chance at all if we just try to tell you."

"Would you go with me? I have to try."

"I don't know Drake, we are both really wiped out after that rescue last night, are you sure it can't wait until the morning. The base will be easier to find in the day anyhow."

"What rescue? I need to try tonight. Please."

"It seems that Loqui and her cousin were caught in some strange storm yesterday on the way back from Pimlico and their engines and all of their electrical and electronics systems shut down on them. We came across them last night and had to tow them in. We need to sleep."

(7:57 pm Nov 29, 2006)

"It's like deja vu all over again." (CB Monty Roberts : DT ??)

"Guys come on, Nano may need my help. I gotta try find him. You're not the only tired ones either, I have been flying around trying to find him since yesterday. I am dead on my feet here too. Let's go. Now. Please!"

"Bing, let's go with him. We can crash tomorrow or the next day. I think we may be able to find it. Hey! I just had an idea Bing. You remember that captain Edgecombe who used to fly for Bahamascare but who was sort of forced to retire after that incident a long time back. I used to know his son quite well. I wonder if he knows where that base is and if so, if he would tell us."

"Boom, brilliant! Is he still alive though? Is he still around here?"

"Both, he lives out in the back of Cow Pen Road down a dirt road that end near Bonefish Pond."

"Let's go then!"

The soldiers hopped on 'Two Pay' and Drake leaped into the air and spread his tired wings.

(8:11 pm Nov 29, 2006)

Drake had a hard time keeping up with da bruddahs on 'Two Pay' but he managed. before long, they were swooping down on a little cottage at the edge of a swamp. There was a man sitting on a porch smoking a pipe and reading a book with the light from a lantern.

He looked up startled as they came into his field of vision.

"Hey captain. Remember me? Your son used to play with me years ago."

"Ya know, you do look familiar. Were you that soldier that used to win all the races?"

"Not all the races, but yeah, that was me." said Boom.

"Captain, listen, we have a problem that we wonder if you may be able to help us with."

"Always happy to help with problems if I can boys, what can I do you for?"

"It's like this. Drake here has a friend Nano who went missing yesterday in a strange storm over the tongue of the ocean. He heard that we had found a Bahamascare base down there at the tongue of the ocean the other day. Drake thinks that the the base may somehow be tied in to his buddy's disappearance."

(8:28 pm Nov 29, 2006)

(8:42 pm Nov 29, 2006)

My how time flies.

The good captain was unwilling to give away much, but he gave enough of a hint that sent them on their way. A large hint. he told them to go and line up the western point of the triangle made by the Windsor Field runways with the western tip of Lyford Cay. Then go out four point two miles from that same tip of Lyford Can and head down. He told them that that might help in their search but that he could not give an guarantees.

As soon as they had this hint, they were off like one of those proverbial bats that like to hang around the caves out in the western end of the island.

"True, true!" (CB Noelle Roberts : DT ??)

Well, the base was not on the bottom where they went down and they wondered at first if they had miscalculated or misunderstood.

It wasn't long though before they gave a silent prayer of thanks for the good captain. They were within sight of a flight path oh the planes landing.

(8:54 pm Nov 29, 2006)

When they entered the hangars to begin their search for Nano and Nipps, they were completely taken aback. The soldiers had been astounded from the outside, but from within, things were even more unbelievable.

The number of planes lined up inside were an order of magnitude greater than the number they had seen outside on the first day. What in the world could Bahamascare need with all these planes? The scale of the operations was astounding.

After looking around in a fairly aimless fashion for a short while, they saw some lights coming towards them from way down a long corridor.

The lights got closer and closer and they ducked behind some filing cabinets that were standing inexplicably in the middle of the floor near where they were.

Soon they could see that the lights were on the front of an enormous, wheeled baggage train. It was pulling hundreds of huge baggage cars with each car loaded to the brim.

(9:01 pm Nov 29, 2006)

It came out of the one corridor and across the vast hangar space only to enter another corridor on the other side of the hanger. They decided that they might as well follow it.

(9:11 pm Nov 29, 2006)

"One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, sixteen, seventeen, eighteen, nineteen, twenty, twenty one, twenty two, twenty three, twenty four, twenty five, twenty six, twenty seven, twenty eight, twenty nine, thirty, thirty one, thirty two, thirty three, thirty four, thirty five, thirty six, thirty seven, thirty eight, thirty nine, forty, forty one, forty two, forty three, forty four, forty five, forty six, forty seven, forty eight, forty nine, fifty! Ready or not, here I came!" said Nano.

Nano grinned as he began his hunt for Nipps. That little sucker did not give up. No wonder sand flies tormented humans and other animals so much. They just did not give up. It had taken Nipps hours to find Nano, but find him he did. Even when Nano had resorted to moving his hiding locations to ones where Nipps had already searched, shrinking down to almost nanometre sizes, becoming translucent, whatever. It did not seem to matter. Nipps just kept right on looking until he found Nano. And then, after all of that, he refused to tell how he had done it. It was frustrating in the extreme. Well, Nano planed to make up for it by finding Nipps in record time.

(9:20 pm Nov 29, 2006)

And here I must leave you tonight gentle reader. I have a project that I mentioned earlier that I have to work on for my friends in the band. It needs to be done before practice tomorrow.

Good night, gentle reader.

(9:21 pm Nov 29, 2006)

28. Sayings Nov 28 Tue

(5:38 am Nov 28, 2006)

"Whe you is?" (CB Janet Turnquest : DT ??)

Good morning, gentle reader, are you awake yet?

I wish I wasn't. I woke up this morning before the three changed to a four on my clock. Try as I might, I have been unable to go to sleep again.

And so I write.

The dogs have been let out, the kettle has boiled, the tea is steeping, the dogs have been let back in on account of barking and kindness to the neighbours.

And os I write.

(5:54 am Nov 28, 2006)

Bookkeeping.

Tea is ready and first sips have been sipped.

(6:19 am Nov 28, 2006)

Ouch.

(3:52 pm Nov 28, 2006)

So here I am again at the bookstore, gentle reader, mid week this time, we shall see if anyone else shows up. I really should be doing a better job as a municipal liaison.

Maybe next year if I get to do NaNo again. I would like to if it works out, we shall see. Will you join me and write your novel too?

Petro was feeling antsy. He wanted to leave work early today so that he could get home and get ready and get to Loqui's place by six or six thirty at the latest.

The problem was that several things were going wrong that needed his attention. For some reason, the DNS server was acting up again. Then, there was an issue with the PBX and voice mail combined with call forwarding.

He also had taken on a little support contract for a cousin over in Key West recently and the cousin wanted help with some web site and XML issues. Rains. Pours. Pours.

Should he call Loqui now and tell her he might be late? Should he change his plans with her? Should he put off everything except the Key West work until tomorrow? Could he put it all off until tomorrow?

He decided to call Loqui now to give her a heads up and also to put off all he could. he didn't see his cousin in IRC so he sent him an email message and an instant message. He would give him until four thirty to get back to him.

(4:11 pm Nov 28, 2006)

That was cutting things close. Loqui wasn't answering her phone. Plans. best laid. Oh well. What could a body do?

Danger was up in Green Turtle Cay today. She had arrived on the ferry in the middle of the day and was an instant hit.

The school children were enchanted by her stories. Many were especially interested in her stories of Scotland as Danger had traveled that country extensively before her, what shall we call it, island adventure. It turns out that Danger had learned a little more of the history of these islands during her brief time in the islands so far. She was a consummate story teller and held the children spell bound as she entertained and educated them as well.

Tonight, Danger ws due to provide an evening of story and song and traditional dancing at a local establishment on one of the island's hills. Since you can't get there for the event in time, gentle reader, as this is once again an asynchronous writing time for me, I will not specify which establishment or even which hill. Asynchronous writing time. Long hand. Typing to come later. (Which is now... 9:32 pm same day.)

"Zotz, have you seen Nano?"

"Drake, how are you doing? You look worried! No, I haven't seen Nano. He is normally with you. What happened?"

"Zotz, we were flying in from Andros. When we took off, the sky was clear and visibility was great. Then, not long after we were airborne, well, not long after we got out over the tongue of the ocean, the sky started turning a strange green colour and reddish purple clouds closed in on us."

"Drake, this ain't going to be some long, rambling story whre you end by pulling my leg is it?"

"No zotz, this is not a tall tale, this is serious. I'm worried about Nano!"

"Drake, Nano is an old dragon. I am sure he can take care of himself. He'll be OK. Don't worry."

(4:36 pm Nov 28, 2006)

"Two wrongs don't make a right." (CB Timothy Nottage : DT ??)

"I hope so zotz. It took me six hours to fly from Andros to Nassau. I can normally make that flight in eight to ten minutes. Cruising. Something is not right. Do you ahve any of your special ways that you can use to check up on him for me?"

"Drake, I'm sure he'll be fine. Look, give it a day or two and if he doesn't show, I will pull out all the stops for you." I just need to keep going here for a bit."

(4:43 pm Nov 28, 2006)

"Whatever you say zotz, but don't let anything happen to Nano or you and I are gonna fall out. And I will hound your characters for the rest of my natural born days. Plus for the rest of my unnatural born days as well."

"Drake, why are so many of you making threats towards me this year?"

"I don't know zotz, maybe you just aren't treating us like you should this year. Some times I get the feeling that we are just after thoughts for you this year. Like we don't really matter. It's not a nice feeling at all."

"Well, you're probably half right Drake. You guys are somewhat after thoughts sometimes these days. But it's not that I Don't care about you. Not at all. It's just that I'm preoccupied and even more than that, I am rushed all the time this month. I feel like I shouldn't be, but I am."

"Yeah well, I don't know how much I am going to be able to help your right up in now myself. I feel like I am going to be too preoccupied until Nano is back safe."

"Well Drake, that's understandable. Listen, go look for him if that's what you feel you need to do. I think I can at least get through the day so long as Doc and Nipps come through with at least a little bit of help."

"Zotz, you're not gonna like this. Doc and Nipps were hitching a ride with Nano. I haven't see them since we got up in those clouds earlier."

"Drake, you should have told me. Man! What am I doing to do? Three characters missing in mysterious circumstances. Listen. I am sure they will be fine. I just don't know how I am going to manage for the next few days until they show. Let's hope it doesn't take a few days. If we're lucky, they may show up in an hour or two. Look, Drake, can you do me a favour and see if you can find Bing and Boom for me before you start your search for the missing?"

"Zotz, I would like to do that for you, but the sun will be setting soon and I really want to do a little searching while I still have some daylight left. Would it be OK if I didn't?"

"Sure Drake, you go ahead. If I can round them up, I will see if they will join you in the search as well. I need you guys to help me finish up this book this month. Good luck. Where should I send da bruddahs to search?"

"I am going to try and re-trace my route and then fly a grid coming back. Why don't you send them in a big wide circle leaving in a south west direction?"

"Will do Drake, take care and good luck!"

(5:13 pm Nov 28, 2006)

"If you have one good friend in your lifetime, you are blessed." (CB Camille Roberts : DT Jack Graham)

(5:19 pm Nov 28, 2006)

Ah gentle reader, what can I do? Three characters missing. And this part of the world is not one of the better parts of the world to go missing while flying or at sea. I have a feeling that Drake might be able to pull a rabbit out of a hat though. The two soldiers might have some success on their new carpet as well.

Petro is still stuck at work. He got caught up in that Key West job and couldn't get away. To make matters worse, he still couldn't get Loqui on the phone. It seemed like chances were good that this night would be bad. That it would not work out anything like he had planned. Mice and men again. Mice and men.

Loqui and Big Byte were getting more than worried. They were adrift in a go fast boat that Bit Byte had borrowed from a friend for a day trip up to Pimlico. On the way back, they had run into a strange storm which had shut down their engines and messed up their radio and other electrical and electronic systems.

They had drifted for several hours in water that looked deep enough that they did not want to throw out the anchour. Finally, they had passed over a reef that rose out of the depths. Big Byte threw out a grapple and let out enough rope to give a decent ratio. Then they waited, scanning the horizon for passing vessels. So far, they hadn't seen any. Darkness was deepening.

(5:43 pm Nov 28, 2006)

(5:50 pm Nov 28, 2006)

Mini block and time warp there, gentle reader.

Bing and Boom are cruising at eight thousand feet. they are making about two hundred and twenty knots and scanning the waters below and the sky around them with powerful search lights that they have loaded aboard their cool new rug. They have nicknamed it the 'Two Pay'.

They have been flying around the islands for the last couple of days looking for evidence of sunken wrecks. They had remembered some old maps that they had come across in the cellars when they were playing hide and seek as children. When they had found them years ago, they had played with them for days, playing pirates some days and on other days, dreaming themselves to be great adventurers on the trail of pirate gold. One day, one of the adults had almost discovered them with their find though.

They had hidden the maps away again in what they were sure was an even better hiding place, but they must have gotten involved in other childhood pursuits as they had forgotten the maps until a few days ago when Boom had remarked that you could see a sunken pirate ship from the vantage point of the carpet. When Boom said that, something fired in Bing's memory...

They had been flying search patterns ever since. Mostly just on a lark and to enjoy the flying. They knew that they didn't have much chance of finding anything until their new equipment arrived.

(6:04 pm Nov 28, 2006)

"Come clean even if you come rough dried." (CB Steven Nottage : DT ??)

(7:25 pm Nov 28, 2006)

Well, gentle reader, I am back in my cave at my computer. I am not in IRC mode though because I am once again typing this into AbiWord. Once again, I don't want to put off writing new words while I type previously written words from my paper to my computer. I never thought that choosing the IRC experiment this year would complicate the process so much. I expected some difficulties with lack of full screen editing abilities, but not all of these other complications. Oh well, live and learn.

(8:00 pm Nov 28, 2006)

Time is getting slippery again. Creative Commons mailing list emails instead of fiction, oh my!

Mmmmm. Guava duff.

"Hey Boom, do you see any thing over there on the horizon? I think I saw a flash."

"Where Bing?"

"Look, at ten o 'clock, see? There."

"Where... Yes. I think I see a glow."

"Let's go see what that is."

They change their direction and headed towards the light.

"Boom, I think that is a flare."

"Take us down and closer man, there must be a boat in trouble down there."

Loqui and Big Byte had seen the lights in the sky and fired off a flare. They cheered when the plane changes direction.

Neither of them know what to think when a carpet swooped down out of the sky and circled around thirty feet over their heads.

They were even more dumbfounded when the carpet dropped lower and they saw two soldier crabs hanging on to the fringes at the front. Hanging on for dear life amidst all the lights and gear piled on the top side of the carpet to overflowing. There was even gear hung from the underside of the carpet.

The carpet came to rest in midair tend feet off the surface of the sea and ten feet from the boat on the port side. An LED sign of the sort used to advertise in store windows lit up and words began to scroll by...

"Do you want us to throw you a line and try and tow you in, or do you want us to notify BASRA and let them send a boat?"

Big Byte and Loqui took a while to get over their astonishment and then talked it over for a while. They were hard pressed to reach a decision. It felt somehow wrong to get towed by a flying carpet, besides that, would it even be able to tow them. On the other hand, they had been out here way too long already and the seas were far from calm. Rolling at anchour was not the best thing when it came to sea sickness. In the end, they decide to chance a tow and Big Byte yelled their decision across to the soldiers.

"OK, throw us a line and get ready to pull up your anchour aw we pull you up to it."

"Can you believe this Loqui, rescued by two soldiers on a flying carpet, lit up like some UFO and talking to use with an advertising sign. We are gonna have some serious stories to tell that no one will believe after this."

(9:03 pm Nov 28, 2006)

And good night.

(11:00 pm Nov 28, 2006)

No, really. Good night!

27. Sayings Nov 27 Mon

(3:15 pm Nov 27, 2006)

"Hard head, soft behind." (CB Jamal Rodgers : DT ??)

Yeah, but at least ya een ga make good soup.

(4:04 pm Nov 27, 2006)

As you can see, my fingers are flying, my brain is hitting on all twelve cylinders, my words are flowing, ideas weaving themselves into a tapestry of great beauty and grandeur.

Well I fried it and baked it.

I done stirred it and shaked it.

And I have authenti-faked it for sure.

(4:24 pm Nov 27, 2006)

So I am supposed to be writing, but instead I am watching #rivendell at irc.freenode.net learning a lot about scheduling and logs and the like.

At least I think I am learning.

Oops, life interrupts art again, troubles at the station, gotta ssh in and troubleshoot. Be back in a bit. Hopefully.

(4:43 pm Nov 27, 2006)

Done. I think the DNS server was a bit wonky there. Stopping and starting bind seems to have made things better. Let's hope it lasts.

Art imitates life and life interrupts art. I hope this guy Art knows what he is doing.

Temptation. Frustration. Temptation. Libation. Ovation.

These words come tripping over one another. But there is not fantastic light to be seen here anywhere just now. Perhaps later in the night. Perhaps a lamplighter will join us.

Words that come. Agree. Disagree. Words that go. Around and around. Words that hide. When you want them. When you need them. Desperately. Desperately. Desperately indeed. You need them soft and smooth. But they're not there. Nowhere to be found. Gone and long gone. Will they ever return. Perhaps, next year, a proper plot and outline will entice them to gather and stay.

Dare I hope for a theme? Or is that the essence of hubris and over reaching.

Is it indeed better to shoot for the moon and perhaps at least fall amoung the stars?

(4:59 pm Nov 27, 2006)

(5:39 pm Nov 27, 2006)

(6:36 pm Nov 27, 2006)

A theme, per chance a dream. Ah, to know roughly where the story was going before beginning, to know what scene to write next. To know my character's backgrounds and motivations. To even know what my characters look like! What luxury. next year, gentle reader, next year. I make no promises mind you. I do hope to try though.

Life is really doing its best to completely de-rail the art train tonight. Rivendell keeps beeping at me. Mailing lists are very active with interesting posts, all calling to me for immediate attention. Phone calls, family, oh my!

"Bing! Boom! Where are you guys? I need help! Can you hear me?"

"Zotz, what are you doing calling on us for help? You were like nowhere to be found when we called for you urgently yesterday and now you are calling for us?"

"Yes guys, yes I am calling on you. I need major help here. Go out and see if you can buy me any words at the market tonight. There may be some left on the shelves over in Florida after the big sales recently."

"Florida? You think they're gonna let us in the US? We can't get visas zotz. And you don't wanna see our police certificates. I'm not sure you could lift either of them to tell you the truth. Hehe."

(6:55 pm Nov 27, 2006)

"Two heads are better than one." (CB Tamika Brice : DT ??)

Ouch gentle reader, I just remembered that I don't have the remaining two sayings that I need for the night. Trouble.

"Listen guys, could you see if you can round me up some sayings from around the country and I will see if I can scare up Nano and Drake for the Florida excursion. They have been scarce lately."

"Alright zotz, but only because we go way back. Oh and you can find Nano and Drake over in Andros if you didn't know."

"Thanks guys. Good luck to us all."

"Sure, later on mabeezo. We're out."

(7:10 pm Nov 27, 2006)

"Zotz. Are you there?"

"This is zotz, who is trying to get me? Nano or Drake? I was just thinking of you two, I need help."

"No zotz, this is Fryer Tucks. There are some crazy things going on out here that I think you need to know about. Can I patch you into a video feed?"

"Yeah, I think we can manage that. What do you need me to do?"

"Well, first, what's your IP address?"

It would be easier if you can just contact me at zotz.dynamicbind.nut please."

"Yeah zotz, I can get you there but what are you doing in the .nut domain?"

"Well, I thought about the .bs domain but I thought I would prefer to go with .nut!"

"Yeah, I could see that. OK, I am pinging you now. Listen, could you open up port 12354 on your firewall if it isn't open already?"

"I can open the port, but I don't run services on the firewall so what good is that gonna do?"

"Oops, sorry, I need you to go to http://code.google.com/p/drsoundwall/ and download that program from there."

"Tucks, that is my program, what good is that gonna do you? I have that here on this box already."

"Zotz, I know it is your program, what you are unaware of is that I have made certain key changes to it which you may not have yet. just get it and we can proceed."

(7:29 pm Nov 27, 2006)

"OK, just a sec... Right, I have it, now what?"

"Run it please."

"OK, it's running. What next?"

"Right, listen carefully, click on edit mode, and the button should change from red to green, then click on the button on the bottom right, Cut:C9:R9, click Set Button Label, change Cut:C9:R9 to foodoo and click set, then close those two small windows, then click back to play mode, then click on the foodoo button."

"Man, that's a load, OK, I think I have it, now what?"

(7:51 pm Nov 27, 2006)

"Go in da bush an bruk um, shuck em and gee um." (CB David Darville : DT ??)

(8:09 pm Nov 27, 2006)

"Zotz, are you there, hello?"

"Sorry Tucks, had to run out in the car for a while there. I'm back now though. So, ah, what do I have to do now?"

"Well, if you still have the soundwall program running, there is now a server running on that port I told you earlier so just forward that port from your firewall to the box you are running the soundwall program on."

"OK, what was that, port 12345 right?"

"Close, port 12354 is closer though."

"OK, just a sec, let me log into my firewall and change the configs."

"Shout when you are done."

"AHHHHHH!!!!"

"Zotz! What's wrong? Oh, funny. Here comes the video feed then. Let me know when you start getting it."

"OK, a window just popped up, yes, I've got video."

"Right, if you click on the help button on the main soundwall window now, it will save the video feed to a file for you."

"Cool, but how in the world did you get access to my account to make these changes?"

"I've got a few tricks up my sleeve zotz, let's just leave it a that."

(8:17 pm Nov 27, 2006)

"Listen zotz, while you're watching, would you like me to shoot you some notes and stored video as well?"

"Yeah, Tucks, you might as well. You want to email them or what?"

"No, I will just send them down the same link that the video is coming in on now. I have that ability with the client I have running at this end."

"Fire away then. So what is this I am seeing now, Is this the room where the meetings have been taking place?"

"What, the microwave oven room? No. That room is much bigger. This room here couldn't hold all the people at those meetings. I have been snooping around and I have found this room here where a sub-set of the players meet secretly-secretly to make even more secret secret plans. I don't thing they want the larger group to know what they are planning."

(8:30 pm Nov 27, 2006)

(9:00 pm Nov 27, 2006)

"Tucks, this is amazing stuff, i am gonna have to take some time to try and digest and process this stuff. This is explosive. The thing is, I don't think anyone will believe this if I just put it out bald like this."

"It sure is, listen, if the feed happens to drop or bog down, don't worry. I am riding on these guys sat link and my program monitors their bandwidth usage moment to moment and shapes its traffic accordingly. Since I have been here they have never stopped using prodigious amounts of bandwidth so it is easy for me to hide my stuff in there without throttling."

"Well, how in the world are they using that much bandwidth out on the high seas?"

"Zotz, these boys have their own bird up there from what I can tell. They are doing so much from this ship it boggles the mind."

(9:11 pm Nov 27, 2006)

"Gone for dat!" (CB Patrick Turnquest : DT ??)

Wow, gentle reader, the action in #rivendell is still hot. I think I have learned a good amount today from that channel despite how much it has hindered my art and my time with you."

(9:31 pm Nov 27, 2006)

Time is getting slippery again, gentle reader, and, as everyone knows, what gets slippery soon get out of hand. And when time gets out of hand... Watch out! For some people. Just kidding, I know that is out of context.

So, Petro and Loqui are really beginning to hit it off. All of that concern earlier in the month over whether they would ever get together and things just seemed to have worked themselves out in that department. Obviously we can't say for sure yet if she will indeed is the future Mrs. Stone as Petro thinks, but things are looking so much better now than before that I could actually see it happening. Wish them luck, gentle reader. Oh, an I know Loqui look good an erryting, but don't go try an roach Mr. Stone OK? leave him be for a few months at least to see what he can accomplish.

"Zotz, are you there?"

"Tucks? You don't sound right! Is that you?"

"Who's Tucks?"

"Never mind, who you is?"

"Zotz, dis me now, Doc."

"Doc, where you is? Is Nipps with you?"

"Zotz, me an Nipps is down here in Andros with Nano and Drake. What you been up to?"

"Yinna down in da big yard wit' da dragons? What yinna doin'?"

"Zotz man, we just down here recuperatin' like. We catching some a dat R an R along with some a dat B an B. Plus soakin' in some a dat di hydrogen monoxide. Ya know, dat H2O!"

"Yes, but where is yinna exactly?"

"Well, I can't exactly say exactly, I een gat ma GPS. One ting I know, we is way back in da bush. I never been dis far back in da bush before zotz, tings is even a little spooky back up in here. But dis blue hole soakin' is proper though. Ya can't get enough a dat. I tell you dat!"

(9:49 pm Nov 27, 2006)

"So listen Doc, can you let Nano or Drake shout at me for a sec?"

"Sorry, zotz, no, not now. Those two are out at some local crab races they they hold in secret down here in da back a da bush. I think they have laid out a scale replica of the old Hobby Horse Hall in Nassau down here an dey race crabs as da horses wit' wasp fa jockey. I tell ya zotz, I haven't seen this many dream book fa long time."

"Well listen Doc, I really need those two dragons, after tonight, I have three more days of writing to finish up this contest, but I mays well tell ya, tings is tough. I need big time help. Tell dem two shout at me as soon as dey reach back."

"Sure thing zotz, listen, I'm off to the races now my own self, have a good night."

"Doc, if I could get some decent sleep, it will be a good night. You got any diagnosis for me Doc?"

"Now zotz, you know I is not ya family doctor. Later fa you."

"Good night Doc."

(10:04 pm Nov 27, 2006)

Good night, gentle reader.

26. Sayings Nov 26 Sun

(8:52 am Nov 26, 2006)

(9:00 am Nov 26, 2006)

Bookkeeping.

"Hit it ya get it!" (CB Dee Phillips : DT ??)

9:37 am Nov 26, 2006)

Ah, gentle reader, the procrastination bug has bit me. And hard. I am spending time I should be using to write for you over in the NaNoWriMo chat channel on irc.goodchatting.com shooting the breeze and killing time.

Why is it that when you shoot the breeze, you end up killing so much time?

Time Assassins for hire. If you have time to kill, give the experts a call.


(9:57 am Nov 26, 2006)

(10:28 am Nov 26, 2006)

Ahhhh. Net connection went down... Now, life interrupts art, back later gentle reader.

(10:29 am Nov 26, 2006)

Ahhhh. Net connection went down... Now, life interrupts art, back later gentle reader.

(10:29 am Nov 26, 2006)

(12:18 pm Nov 26, 2006)

Oh yes, trouble today indeed. First internet connections. called up support and that got fixed. But, what felt like thirty minutes to an hour, it went out again. I couldn't deal with it right away though, that life interrupting art again that has been happening to me so much lately.

So, when I finally get back here to try and start writing again. The connection is still down, only this time, there is no calling the support line. Their end of the phone line seems to be down, I get a message asking me to please hang up and try my call again.

Wait, breaking news, I just got through to the voice mail system!!! All agents are currently assisting other customers... In the Queue. We shall see...

In the mean time, gentle reader, I find myself typing into AbiWord instead of irssi once again.

Ahhhhh! This on hold marketing in my ear is playing havoc with my creativity. How is a person supposed to write great literature with some team of people trying to get you to buy things you don't want and tell you things you don't care to hear. Smooth offers into the ear. Unwanted offers.

And the piece of info that I might not mind... Like how many people are ahead of me in the queue or my expected wait time seems mysteriously lacking. Heavy call volume. Can press one and have an agent call me back within the next four hours. Four hours? Yeah right!

I have to go out to a family outing for a while soon too gentle so I may even be reduced to longhand on paper again soon.

More breaking news!!! Island wide internet outage today. Technicians working on getting every connected again. I forgot to ask and they did not offer an estimated time for the service coming on again.

(12:32 pm Nov 26, 2006)

Now gentle reader, I know that what you learned yesterday from the soldiers may have been a bit hard to believe, but what good are your suspension of disbelief super duper powers if you can't put them to use when you really need them.

Plus, I have heard that if you don't exercise those suspension powers regularly and vigorously as well I might add, that they can shrink down to almost nothing. Just a word of warning to you out there, puny, withered up suspension of disbelief powers are not becoming in a reader. No, an author likes and really appreciates a reader with strong and vigorous suspension of disbelief powers.

(12:43 pm Nov 26, 2006)

Now, I ask this of you not for my own benefit only gentle reader, I ask this of you for your own sake and for the sake of all the other authors of fiction whom you choose to give your time and attention to.

Time and attention.

Love and affection.

"Ya never pass nothing until ya die." (CB Dave Hanna : DT ??)

Well, gentle reader, time to shut this down and head out to my event and my longhand efforts.

(1:41 pm Nov 26, 2006)

Well, here we are gentle reader, at the marina, ath the beach, under the casuarina trees, in the breeze. Needles and cones on the ground, lion lizard for company. The barbecue is lit and the burgers are on the grill. Music is coming from the open car. Preparations for the scavenger hunt are underway.

We are on the south side of the island and the sun is bright. Children are everywhere. Running, climbing, riding. Clouds in the area. Wind getting cooler. Looking around, beach plants, boulders in piles. Rough an ready seats.

You know, gentle reader, I think I see Bing and Boom over there hiding in some bushes down by the beach. I don't think they were invited her today. I think I'll go over there and see what they think they are up to.I'll be back in a bit. Hold on if you can.

(2:42 pm Nov 26, 2006)

Where did that time go? Well, it wasn't Bing and Boom. It was a couple of distant cousins thrice removed of each of those two.

It turns out that they had been sent by Bing with a message for me to meet him post haste out at Clifton. I just don't see how I can pull that off today. I sent a message back asking Bing and Boom to come over to my place later in the afternoon or in the evening.

(3:09 pm Nov 26, 2006)

This place is really nice, but it is seriously not conducive to the production of written words. If things don't turn around soon, I am gonna have to cut out early and make my way back on home.

(7:18 pm Nov 26, 2006)

Well, gentle reader, back here in normal NaNo mode right now. Time, time, time. Where does it go when you aren't looking? So far to go still for the day. I haven't seen anything of Bing or Boom yet since sending that message to Bing this afternoon.

I am having a major writer's block episode here. Lock tight. Shut right down, Gummed right up. The only thing I can seem to write about right up in now is about not being able to write. That seems to be a recurring theme when it comes to my NaNoWriMo campaign this year. I really think that tonight is the worst blockage yet this month.

(7:30 pm Nov 26, 2006)

"Look at just come here telling been here what to do." (CB Joseph Strachan : DT ??)

(8:10 pm Nov 26, 2006)

Gentle reader, I am sorry, the block is strong tonight. I am going to just have to go into major ramble mode. I will try and tell you some interesting developments in this novel and in the lives of these quirky characters that we have been living with for a good while now, but if I can't find the interesting tonight, I will forge ahead with the mundane. I will not shy away from the mediocre tonight. No, I will embrace the mediocrity of the NaNo rush if that is what it takes. Not gladly, I would much more prefer to reach for excellence.

Yes, I would much rather find the words that would lift us up to a higher plane. A better place. Words to give us insight into our own lives as we share the joys and sorrows of these characters. Characters like the young sweethearts Petrosephas Stone and Cherandaloquat Smith. Characters like Bruddah Bing and Bruddah Boom, back from an award winning performance in Tings to entertain us again this year in Sayings.

And let's not forget our new star character Ayr Danger Kyne, fresh from Scotland this year for you enjoyment, entertainment and edumacation. he's something else isn't she. Give her a big hand gentle reader. Show her some love. her performance this year is as fresh as her milk.

(8:23 pm Nov 26, 2006)

And then there is the ever elusive Fryer Tucks. Also new on the literary scene this year. We haven't seen that much of him yet and there is still a chance that will will not get to see too much of him before the month ends, but he has made invaluable contributions not only to this novel, but as you have seen to the world of freedom and to the freedom of the world. What more could you ask of a simple penguin. Or a complex penguin for that matter. You know, Fryer Tucks most likely is a complex penguin, I feel certain that there is an imaginary part to him.

Plus, we can't leave out Big Bill Techero. I have a feeling that there are important things that we have yet to learn about that man. About his family connections and history. There are mysterious forces and currents afoot when it comes to that track coach who sits on his duho in his simple home.

(8:31 pm Nov 26, 2006)

(8:43 pm Nov 26, 2006)

Sometimes even with the best intentions and the worst intentions, time slips away, like water through the fingers of a thirsty man.

And let us certainly not for get Ms. Beaujolais Bobb and her Turkish manservant who she thought of as nameless and who traced his people back through the Janisseries and even further back to a small Greek island. Well, at least small compared to Australia.

Oh, wait, we haven't met those last two yet have we gentle reader? Well, let's hope we do get to meet them before time runs out, they are quite interesting and the man servant in particular has many interesting stories to tell. (I feel I must fill you in on a little secret... Beaujolais Bobb's man servant is not really her man servant at all.)

(8:55 pm Nov 26, 2006)

"Big eye choke puppy." (CB Eddie Roberts : DT Da Big Eaters)

Loqui and Petro are back out at that all inclusive out west tonight. Sitting alone out on the dock where Loqui first made the mistake of speaking to Petro.

No, that doesn't sound right, where Loqui first spoke to Petro by mistake which later turned out to be no mistake at all. At least no mistake that can be discerned at this point in time.

Loqui was sitting on the left of Petro and he had his left arm around her shoulder.

(9:13 pm Nov 26, 2006)

And time keeps slipping away. And you run and you run. And time keeps slipping. And you write and you write. And time keeps slipping. Slipping away.

Loqui is telling Petro a story about one of her paintings that she had sold years ago and that she had later seen hung in a small museum in New York City. It had taken her two full days of her vacation that year to find out how this had come about. The story was not without humour and Petro laughed gently and squeezed her shoulder from time to time.

From time to time. That phrase has deeper meaning within that what can be seen from the surface. From time to time and between times. And time keeps slipping away.

And time and life and times and lives keep slipping away. Horses thundering through the night. Water flying from their hooves as they race along the pink sand beach. Water everywhere, but not for horses to drink tonight, not now, no, that would come later.

(9:23 pm Nov 26, 2006)

And Loqui leaned in and whispered in Patro's ear, he turned to look in her eyes and their lips met. She smiled at him with her eyes and with her lips.

(9:48 pm Nov 26, 2006)

Time, times, and half a time. And you run and you write and time keeps slipping away.

Can you hear the distant drums?

Calling rhythms to the night?

Petro and Loqui were talking some more about going to London together. Petro had been checking into some flights and fares and they were a bit more than he had expected. Two people, Sunday to Sunday, Nassau to Heathrow was almost two thousand two hundred dollars. If Chloe picked up Petro's part, that was still almost eleven hundred just for the ticket. Add to that food and lodging and things could be heading north quite fast.

Loqui was warming up to the idea though. The thought of taking in some of London's famed culture and history while there were beginning to intrigue her. Privately, she had been wondering if a week was enough time to make it worth it.

(10:03 pm Nov 26, 2006)

Can you hear the distant drums?

Calling rhythms to the night?

Oh, I certainly hear those drums, gentle reader, calling me to sleep and dreams. Sweet dreams. Dreams where time itself can run backwards.

Goodnight my gentle friend. Goodnight.

(10:05 pm Nov 26, 2006)

25. Sayings Nov 25 Sat

(9:47 am Nov 25, 2006)

(10:52 am Nov 25, 2006)

"If you wanna howl with the owls, you gotta learn to soar with the eagles." (CB Robert Carron : DT ??)

These sayings are hard to come by today gentle reader, very hard indeed. I need to spend some more time trying to get some together. Back when I get some more.

(11:32 am Nov 25, 2006)

Still can't get the sayings I need for today and I have to head out to the write
in soon. I will be writing on paper at the write in again this week gentle
reader, so I will have to type everything in when I get back again. OK, well, I need to get a notebook with a better keyboard if I am going to be doing this again next year...

(12:05 pm Nov 25, 2006)

Here again at the NaNo write in. Lunch just interrupted art for a bit there.

This writing away from what my wife refers to as my cave poses certain difficulties. I don't have access to my notes, I don't have access to the text of the book so far. I don't have access to the world wide web and the rest of the net which can sometimes prove a boon and at other times become what seems like an unlimited time sink.

(12:29 pm Nov 25, 2006)

This searching for the day's quota of sayings is time draining. This last one was interesting and fun but a drain none the less. Oooo wee gentle reader, this time that I am dealing with today seems like it is very tricky. Very tricky indeed. Tricky and a little bit sticky.

"Hey zotz! What it is bey? You ready for da bruddahs travel stories yet? Don't be giving ya boys dem da brush off today mabeezo!"

"Bruddahs, bruddahs, no brush off for you today. I am so glad you dropped by. I think I am gonna really need you guys today to help me through. You two are a sight for sore eyes today!"

"This sure is some nice weather we are having today heh zotz? I tell you man, I am loving it. So, where can we start Boom? What do you think we should tell him about first?"

"Well Bing, how about that little thing we found down at the bottom of the tongue of the ocean?"

"That sounds good Boom. Zotz, this one will blow your little mind! there are things that we are finding out about this old world of ours that we never imagined. I mean we have never even begun to dream about things like these."

(12:48 pm Nov 25, 2006)

"Now wait bruddahs, how did you get down to the bottom of the tongue of the ocean on a flying carpet? it is a flying carpet, not a swimming carpet right? What's up with that? How could you breath down there?"

"Zotz, this thing is even more amazing than you can imagine. We are constantly being amazed as we continue to learn its capabilities. I mean this thing is fantastic! Simply fantastic!"

"So what's down there boys? Knock my socks off!"

"Where shall we start Boom?"

"Start with the base Bing. Leave that other stuff until later."

"Good idea Boom, the base it is then. Alright zotz, hold on to your horses. Here it comes. Are you ready? Zotz! here is a secret Bahamascare base down there at the bottom of the tongue of the ocean. And this ain't no play play base either. This is one majorly massive base down there at the bottom of the tongue."

"Here today gone tomorrow!" (CB Chris Symonette : DT ??)

"A what? A Bahamascare base! What kind of foolishness are you two trying to put over on me today? Why would Bahamascare want an underwater base? What would they do with one? And why so deep?"

"Zotz, we don't know all of the details but the base is there and it is astounding! They must have over a hundred aircraft down there at any one time. And the place is a hive of activity. Planes are always coming and going. It's more busy down there than out at Windsor Field. It seems to be a combination of some sort of training base combined with a cargo hub of some sort."

"Training and cargo, training and cargo. Hmmmm. I wonder..."

"Wonder what zotz? We're cutting you in, don't go trying to cut us out!"

(1:10 pm Nov 25, 2006)

"Guys, I'm not trying to cut you out, I'm still depending on you two here today. It's just that I'm thinking out loud here. Trying to at least. I think I see some angles and some forms behind the shadows but my thoughts have not settled down as yet."

"OK, OK, so come on, tell us what you think so far."

"Impatience is not the virtue you know. Any way, here goes. I know you guys must have read my 'Bahamascare Flight 1066' and if not I am sure you must have flown on Bahamascare at some point in your lives, so you know of the airlines habit of stating the planes cruising altitude for the flights in fathoms. And you know that when they say that they will be cruising at eighty fathoms, they mean eighty fathoms and not negative eighty fathoms. I am a little surprised in that I have never heard of them taking off or landing under water though, just cruising there, but I guess it sort of makes sense. In a funny sort of way."

"That is true ya know zotz, as far as the training goes. But why the under water cargo hub?"

"I'll get there, just a second will you. What I'm thinking about as far as the cargo angle goes is that they must be using it to get the extra bags back to Nassau from Florida, especially during the peak seasons. But why would they be dong that?"

"They must be bringing over such volumes of extra bags that they are afraid to admit it."

"Boom, ya know, I'll bet that you are on to something there. They may have some deal with the other airlines to limit the number of allowed checked bags and are using this as a way around it. Or maybe it's just extra bags for family and friends, well, and the politicians, can't leave them out of the equation!"

"Zotz, don't be so fool! The politicians bags gatta come back on the main flight. No way they gonna leave their stuff for the 'next' flight."

(1:39 pm Nov 25, 2006)

"Bing, don't you be such a fool! That may hold for their regular luggage, but if they are bringing back stock for their stores or something like that, they may actually prefer it to come in on the 'next' plane. it wouldn't look too good for someone to see their minister of parliament passing through customs with a hundred boxes of checked luggage!"

"Zotz, das true ya know, I never thought of that. But tell me, why not just ship it in as cargo?"

"Even teeth and tongue bite." (CB Beryle Strachan : DT Angeline Clarke)

"Hmmmm. Let me see... I've got it! Stamp tax! that could be it. That's what like seven and a half or eight and a half percent? You pay stamp tax on goods that you ship in but you don't pat stamp tax on goods that come in in your checked baggage. And you pay stamp tax on top of cost, insurance, and freight, don't you? I mean like you add all of that up and pay a percentage of the total in stamp tax right?"

"I'm not sure what you pay stamp tax on zotz, but you could have something there. I think you might have a lot of plot holes in this section today though zotz. I mean, wouldn't the politicians just bring all of their stuff in duty free and not worry about paying any duty or stamp tax?"

"Sure, the dishonest politicians would Boom, but not the honest ones."

"Good one zotz!" da Bruddas dem both said at once.

"No guys. I am being serious here. That was no joke."

"Zotz, now you are the one trying to put something over on us. Come now!"

"Guys, not all politicians are crooks you know."

(1:56 pm Nov 25, 2006)

"You wanna run that by us one more time there zotz? Like which ones, the ones that aren't lawyers? Or the ones that never get elected? Or maybe even the dead ones? Which ones zotz?"

"Guys, you really need to get over this thinking in stereotypes that you are stuck in you know. Expand your horizons while you are using that carpet to expand your horizons."

(6:12 pm Nov 25, 2006)

Ah, gentle reader, the after noon got away from me. The write in went well, still only myself and one other writer showed for it, but it was worth while. Some things start slower than others. I did not write as much in the two hours this week as I did last week if I recall correctly.

Like last week, I am now back to typing instead of writing things out longhand but once again, this is being typed into AbiWord and not into my irssi client that is logged in to ##zotz on irc.freenode.net.

Why? For the same reason as last week. I haven't yet typed in my longhand words and don't want to get things out of order. Nor do I want to take the time to type in those words before finishing writing these. Details, details. Book keeping details of the book writing process. Well, at least of my book writing process. I am sure you will have your own experiences when you write your own novel, gentle reader. That is, if you have not already done so.

Plus, gentle reader, this late in the day and I still do not really have the last saying that I need for the day. I have two that people have given me today but weren't happy with and promised to call me back with a better one. I will go with them if I have to though. And I am getting mighty close to needing to put that last one in.

"Only shoot what you're gonna eat." (CB Glen Kelly : DT Dead Fish)

"Hey zotz, why did you run out on us like that today at the cafe? We were right in the middle of an interesting discussion and blink, you were gone."

"Guys, you knew about the piano lessons didn't you? Surely you knew that I had to cut out at two?"

"Zotz, cut with the cheap poetry rhyming will you and no, we did not know that you had to go to some piano lessons, we did not even knew that you played the piano."

"Guys, I don't play the piano and I am certainly not taking piano lessons, those days are long gone. Sometimes I play around with the piano but that is something else entirely."

"Zotz, am I hearing things? Didn't you just say that you ran out on us because of piano lessons? I thought I heard something to that effect, didn't you Boom?" said Bing while Boom nodded his head.

"Bing, you're doing that assume thing here. I had to cut out on you at two, yes. I had to leave on account of piano lessons, yes. There is not call for you to assume that those piano lessons were my piano lessons. I never said anything to that effect now did I?"

"You know something zotz, that is true. Just remember though, it is you and me when you come right down to it. Oh and didn't I ask you to leave off with those simple rhymes? You can do better than that zotz."

"You know guys, I may or may not be able to, but the question is, do I want to at this point. In case you hadn't noticed yet boys, one thing I am not doing for NaNo this year is writing a carefully hand crafted epic poem. This is prose boys. Pure prose. Sure, a rhyme or two may sneak in from time to time, a little alliteration from time to time, but still, prose it is. So, boys, where were we?"

"Well zotz, here is the thing. You were right in the middle of insulting us. Saying something about us and our stereotypical thinking. I for one did not appreciate those words at all zotz, not in the least," said Bruddah Bing.

"Oh yeah right, I remember now. The thing is, and I meant no insult by it by the way, you two were guilty of thinking in stereotypes. Can't you see that? I wouldn't have been surprised if you had gone on to blonds and Segillians next."

"No zotz, seeing as it was you, we would probably have gone on to blonds and then 'conians."

"Now that is hitting below the belt, still, wasn't that whole lawyer and politician bit really just a little side road, what was the big topic?"

"Oh right you are el zotz, we were talking about the Bahamascare base down at the bottom of the tongue of the ocean.Man, that was really something. Whoooo doggie!"

(8:22 pm Nov 25, 2006)

And so gentle reader, I finally meet you back in real time. All of the typing up of the hand written words is done. And all of the words since this morning have been cut and pasted from AbiWord into irssi and the day's writing is done. See you tomorrow. Sleep and dreams once again call.

24. Sayings Nov 24 Fri

(9:00 am Nov 24, 2006)

"It is harder to lead a family than to rule a nation." (CB Andy Knowles : DT ??)

(3:30 pm Nov 24, 2006)

Six hundred and eighty nine million, ninety nine thousand, thirty two words collected and still counting. Less than six days to go.

And, gentle reader, for you information and edification, if things go well, today I will pass the fifty thousand word mark for two thousand and six and be in the winners realm. Official counting does not begin until the twenty fifth though. And you know what that means, gentle reader, no official winners until the twenty fifth either.

Big Bill had taken his duho out onto his front porch and was sitting on it. It was a beautiful day, the sun was out, the air was cool and fresh. Bill enjoyed the simple things in his life very much. Sometimes he wished he could just chuck the complications and his responsibilities and go with the flow. Kick back and live each day each day.

(3:58 pm Nov 24, 2006)

Well, all this time and under two hundred words today before the start of this sentence. At this rate, that fifty thousand word line is far away still. How has this been happening over and over again this month. Am I beginning to fit into that popular definition of insanity? You know, the one about different results being expected. That one.

To write. To write one's dreams. To write one's imaginations. To write one's creations. To write and write and write. Not worrying if the words are right or wrong. Just writing. Just pouring the words out from inside, deep inside of just below the surface. From the heart or from the mind. Perhaps sometimes from the soul. Set the spirit free. To imagine, to express.

"Confessions of a mime - A novel in no easy words."

"The mime speaks - meditations on silence."

"The mimes' debates - this book will leave you speechless."

(4:07 pm Nov 24, 2006)

Gentle reader, if you should ever come across the Mimes Trilogy in your travels, in the flesh, or in the bits, please think of me. Buy them for me and send them along. If you are feeling poorly at the time, reserve them for me and send along the information and I will take it from there.

"Hey zotz, whooooo!"

"Bing, Boom, how are you two doing today?"

"Zotz, you is da bomb. This piece of flying material is the ultimate best thing anyone has ever given us! Wait till you hear the stories we have to tell you about our travels since yesterday. Wowzie!"

"Guys, I am not so sure I gave that to you. I am not even sure it is mine to give. I am glad you like it, and you are welcome to keep using and enjoying it for the time being, but don't go claiming ownership just yet. That little piece of material as you call it has a complicated history."

(4:19 pm Nov 24, 2006)

"Hog know where to rub his skin." (CB Alana Kelly : DT ??)

"Zotz, I think you and Bing are confused, if you will remember, I am the one who brought this carpet to the game as it were. I found it in a patio sale and bought it for my own self. This is mine and if I choose to share it with Bing, who are you to say we may not be able to keep it, and Bing, what are you doing thanking zotz here for something I supplied?"

"Like I said Boon, it's complicated. We don't really need to go into it just now. You guys enjoy it while you have it and I will see what I can do so that you can keep it for good. Is that fair?"

"Sure, zotz, I'm cool with that."

"Bing, there you go again! Zotz, that is not fair. How can that be fair. I but something using my own money and you are gonna act like you gave it to us to use and it is not mine to keep? What's wrong with your head today?"

"Boom, ease up. I said it was complicated and that we did not need to go into it right up in now. Give it a rest OK? Not now. We will work something out somehow."

(4:32 pm Nov 24, 2006)

"Just don't you go trying to mess with my things zotz. I been reading what you been writing and I don't want to get into that no good for nothing 'some people' set. That een no kind a people to be in set with. Leave them alone. I almost said leave the malone, but I am not the kind to dis people's grandmothers. I am not that kind of soldier. Unlike some people."

"I'll do my best for you. Let's leave it at that, shall we? Good. Done. EOS new TLA."

(4:41 pm Nov 24, 2006)

"OK, OK, so it's dropped."

"Good."

"So?"

"So that Boom? I thought you said it was dropped."

"I did say it was dropped zotz, and like I said, so it is. What I am asking is, so, do you want to hear the stories of our travels since yesterday?"

"I'd like that guys, later perhaps though, if we can find the time later tonight, that would be fantastic. Can it wait for a while?"

"Yes, it can wait, but why? Surely you don't have something else lined up in that brain of yours to get to in this story right now. Do you?"

"No, not really, ya got me there guys. The thing is, this scene with you two has about played itself out and I am sure gentle reader here needs a change of pace."

Oh, Gentle, sometimes you are so quiet, a body would not know you were here. Sure zotz, change the pace, get back to us tonight or another day, we're off to travel some more. Tally ho!"

"Great, Boom, thanks. You too Bing."

(4:59 pm Nov 24, 2006)

"God knows for what and for why." (CB Viveca Watkins : DT Isabele Moncrieffe Nembhard)

Well, gentle reader, they have gone and now I am at a loss as to where to proceed. I will think for a while but home the bindings do not try to return. less than five hundred words now to a winning count. That feels so good. Gentle reader, let me encourage you to write a novel next November if you have never written one before. let hat story inside you out. Set it free. I would like to encourage you to copyleft your first one as an experiment. Set if free for the world to play with with the stipulation that anything they make from it must be similarly set free, if set free at all. Have fun, suffer well, agonize with the NaNo masses. The November fools. Put your words in a big pool for the world to swim in.

(5:11 pm Nov 24, 2006)

(5:46 pm Nov 24, 2006)

Once again, gentle reader, life interrupts art.

(6:09 pm Nov 24, 2006)

And just when I thought I was getting back to art, life interrupted again.

Big Bill is still sitting on his porch and enjoying the evening. The moon is a waxing crescent and lovely. The breeze is cool. The night full of promise. A little family business and then some time out with friends. Not too late though. He had to spend some time at the track tomorrow before noon.

Bill wonders how Franke and James are doing down in Ragged Island. Franke's family wasn't from Ragged Island, but his wife's mother's father had been born there. Bill had suggested that they go down there together to see if they could sort some things out together. He planned to call on Sunday to see how things where going. Perhaps he would even take a quick trip down that way to see how things were going.

(6:22 pm Nov 24, 2006)

Petro was feeling and walking a bit better these days. He had invited Loqui to go to a movie with him this afternoon, at five o' clock. She was intrigued then he said that he would stop by her place and that they would walk to the show. There was no movie theatre within easy walking distance of her place. With his ankle, she doubted there was a theatre within his walking distance at all.

She was even more intrigued when he walked her right down to Bay Street and walked up and knocked on a beat up, nondescript door between two stores. A little panel slid back and a voice said, "Who put dat sour orange in my bath?"

Petro replied, "It wasn't me, but I did put da lime in ya banana soup."

The door opened and a skinny rail of a man took the tickets that Petro proffered and ushered them to their seats in the balcony.

Loqui looked at Petro kind of funny. He saw it, but he decided not to remark upon it.

(6:55 pm Nov 24, 2006)

"If it ain't one thing, it's ya mother." (CG Graham Thordarson : DT Viveca Watkins)

Ah, that sweet blue bar gentle reader. That sweet blue bar. That blue bar of happiness. There it is. I am reminded of Ozymandias, one cannot afford attitudes like that though. Humility is the order of the day.

When the movie started, Loqui was even more amazed. It was an old black and white romantic comedy. She looked over at Petro with an even more odd look. He ignored this look as well except for a slight smile. Loqui settled down to enjoy the movie, it was one of her all time favourites.

(7:17 pm Nov 24, 2006)

After the movie, Loqui and Petro had walked down the block and upstairs to get some Greek food for dinner. They sat outside to eat and talked and watched the traffic pass.

"So, did you like the movie?"

"It was fantastic, I never expected to see that in a theatre again. Especially not down here. And what's up with you with these mysterious business establishments behind closed doors? I have never heard of a theatre being down town these days and I had never heard about that restaurant the other night."

"Well, they are kind of mysterious, but I can't really say much more about them. I am glad you enjoyed the movie though."

(7:29 pm Nov 24, 2006)

"Come on Petro, you can't do that to a girl like me. Minds like mine want to know. You know that."

"Loqui, I can't say more, just enjoy the experiences as they come. Don't ask too many questions about these places."

"OK, but how do you know about them?"

"Loqui, you said OK, but anyway, I will say this. The word is passed from time to time and I pick up on things. If they sound like something I want to do, I go and have a good time. if not, I don't bother."

"But who..."

"Loqui, please, I don't want to be rude, but I can't, just enjoy. Please?"

"Oh, alright then, no more questions about mysterious doors. Do you like your gyro tonight?"

"Mmmm, this is great tonight. How about you? Are you enjoying the fish?"

"Definitely kind sir."

(7:41 pm Nov 24, 2006)

"Ah gentle maiden, the beauty of the moon cannot compare to you and the stars are no match for your lovely teeth for they lack the setting of your beautiful lips."

"Don't lay it on too thick bud."

"Right on sister, right on."

"Zotz! Fifty thousand, wow, we have winner. Winner! Winner! We have winner! Three years now zotz, way to go!"

"Alright guys, don't lay it on too thick. You know you just interrupted a little romantic scene there don't you?"

"Zotz, you don't know romance until you check out the world from a flying carpet. Now that is romance zotz. Thanks again bud."

Life imitates art hey gentle reader? Sort of anyway, well not exactly, but perhaps if you wink just right. WWNNSNMSNM!

And now, two thousand is crossed as well as fifty thousand and I am going to soon take that train that is bound down into the land of dreams. Or is it up to the land of dreams? In any case, sleep is calling early tonight and I have half a mind to listen. Listen and obey.

Good night, gentle reader. Good night.

(7:56 pm Nov 24, 2006)

23. Sayings Nov 23 Thu

(2:42 pm Nov 23, 2006)

"Nothing wrong with me that money won't cure." (CB Tony Duncombe : DT ??)

(2:47 pm Nov 23, 2006)

(4:48 pm Nov 23, 2006)

(5:12 pm Nov 23, 2006)

Not good, not good.

How can one write? How? Gentle reader, how?

(5:37 pm Nov 23, 2006)

Once again, gentle reader, life interrupts art. Well, if this can rightly be called art. Literature. Well.

Plans sidetracked. yes, sidetracked.

You see, this is thanks giving day in the U.S. of A. Not down here in this country, but across the way.

I have been taking the day as a holiday even though it isn't since school days when my folks let me cut school to watch the games.

I had been planning to take the day off today as well. No go. I had to go in to deal with a pbx issue and more. I wanted to stay home and write. Perhaps even do a big day and cross fifty thousand in one bang up effort. No go.

I did not even get to come home after picking up my son but had to take him to visit family that came into town today. As you might have figured out, I have tried to make starts several times today, but have instead sputtered. I am certainly not hitting on all cylinders yet. I may need a tune up. A fiction tune up. Yeah! That's what I need, a fiction tune up.

(5:48 pm Nov 23, 2006)

Man, how much would I like to blow off this day as far as writing and watch the rest of the game. but o. I have made a plan and I want to keep to it, no matter how much I don't want to at the same time. Write right! Right?

Right!

Six hundred sixty nine million, five hundred sixty seven, eight hundred eighty six total NaNo words and counting. And I helped.

It feels like someone is trying to build a wall between my brain and my fingers.

And like every time I try to pull down one block, they quickly lay two more. And furthermore, it feels like they are using some super quick drying mortar. I mean, it should be fairly easy to pull down blocks that have just been laid, but not these. Not at all.

(6:02 pm Nov 23, 2006)

Yes, walls, blocks, chains. Current. Like trying to swim through current cut at the wrong time. Something that you are not going to do unless you have some sort of help. And who or what will come to my aid, gentle reader? Who or what?

"Zotz, wassup? You having fun yet?"

"Honestly Bing, I've had enough of you and ya boy this year. You can't come around with your threats and then later come around trying to act like everything is honky dory. That just will not fly. no wya, no how! Go on now go. Later for you."

"Zotz, you need to come down off your high horse. Honestly now, no need to be so uppity. Like you tink you is people or something. Come down now."

"You've got a lot of nerve, you know that, don't you? A lot. Too much. Please, you are not helping."

"Of course I'm not helping zotz, do you have any idea how hard it is to help someone with an attitude like you have? You think you are having a hard time writing this thing tonight? You don't know what hard is until you try to help someone like you. Now that is hard!"

(6:30 pm Nov 23, 2006)

"Dat ain't no true!" (CB Azaleta Ishmael-Newry : DT ??)

Sangria.

"OK, so what? You have some smart proposal for me I guess. You and Boom are gonna ride in and save the day for me? What?"

"Yes, zotz, Boom and I have some ideas for you, but no, you know us soldiers aren't the kind to ride horses."

"Who said anything about horses, Bing? There you go getting your office exercise. Jumping to conclusions."

"For once you are right zotz, you didn't say anything about horses. So we could come riding in on a magic carpet! Cool! Could you write us in a scene like that zotz? That would be da bomb!"

"So, what? Now you are gonna tell me what scenes to put in my novel?"

"No! Stop getting so worked up. I'm not trying to tell you what you have to put in. I am making a request. Now who is getting their office exercise?"

(6:49 pm Nov 23, 2006)

(7:11 pm Nov 23, 2006)

"Zotz, where did you go? Did I scare you off? I didn't mean to."

"No, but it's none of your business. I just needed a break and let's leave it at that."

Gentle reader, I am losing motivation. Losing drive. Losing my mind. Losing my direction. OK, so let me make this soldier happy. let me do his magic carpet scene for him. I mean, why not, eh, gentle reader?

"OK, Bing, get ready. here it comes."

"Get ready for what zotz?"

"Just get ready, here it comes, here it comes."

Just then, Bruddah Boom came on the scene, I know you can guess what sort of lean he came on the scene with...

Boom, cam in carrying a cardboard tube under his arm, the kind that architects use.

(7:18 pm Nov 23, 2006)

Bing looked at Boom in a funny sort of way, "What ya got there Boom?"

"Hold your horses, Bing, hod your horses. Just you wait and you will see soon enough."

Boom, gentle laid the tube on the ground. He bent down and carefully pulled the plastic end cap from the tube. then, ever so gently, gentle reader, he pulled out a rolled up piece of thick material.

He grabbed two corners and flicked his wrists. The rectangular, highly decorated, rug came to rest about six inches above the ground. Boom hopped on, "Come on Bing, climb aboard!"

"Zotz, you didn't! Man, cool! Here comes the man Boom, make room boom, make room!"

(7:25 pm Nov 23, 2006)

"You got roach on ya bread." (CB Jeremy Knowles : DT ??)

(7:55 pm Nov 23, 2006)

"Wow! Zotz! If i told you where we've been, you would surely think I'm crazy. Well, crazy or high on that sweet green grass from back down home! Zotz, we've just got back from the dark side of the moon. Oh, and by the way, that man in the moon story, don't make me laugh! And green cheese? let's don't go there at all! I know, there goes your cherished childhood memories. Sorry Gentle, didn't see you there, sorry if I burst your bubble. The news from childhood isn't all bad though, we did see this one cow up there with her body laid out like those athletes going over the bars and into the pits. We asked her who she was as we went whizzing by. The bes we could make out is that her middle name is Danger or something like that. It was hard to hear in that thin atmosphere up there on the moon."

"So wait, you soldiers went to the dark side of the moon? I didn't know that magic carpets could make it all the way up there. I would not have let you two out of my sight if I knew you were going off planet. Now I am going to have to deal with the UFO sighting suppression agencies. Those guys are ruthless. You do not want to cross them. They make even your family look like pre-schoolers. And that is saying something."

(8:04 pm Nov 23, 2006)

"That's where we've been zotz, man I can't thank you enough. Consider your book not only safe, but under the family's protection. Wow!"

"So... come on... what was it like on the dark side?"

"Well, you aren't gonna believe this either, it was way cool, but the one thing it wasn't is dark. I mean it was lit right up bright, almost like daylight! Ain't that right Boom?"

"Thas right Bing, lit right up like dey was ready for some rake-n-scrape party. Like dey was plannin' on mashin' up one whole pile a roach. I wouldn't like ta see da bill at dat roach motel, no siree! Lit right up! I wouldn't wanna see dat B.E.C. bill neither. No siree Bob!"

"So wait! You two are trying to tell me that the dark side of the moon isn't dark!"

"Thas just what we is tellin' you zotz ma man. Not dark at all!"

"How can that be? Surely all of those moon probes would have discovered that by now and it would be common knowledge!"

"Well, maybe common knowledge is a little like common sense?" said Boom.

"Don't listen to him zotz, he's just pullin' your leg. What happened was... You tink I could get one job at one radio station? No, no, wait... What happened was... an we know this for a fact, when one a dem moon sacalite tings come bussin round da dark side, erryting went dark before you could blink, den when da sacalite buss back roun de bright side, erryting light right back up! Very strange. More strange dan people. I tell you dat!"

(8:18 pm Nov 23, 2006)

(8:38 pm Nov 23, 2006)

Ahhh, the time it took to scrounge up this last saying for the day...

"Tingum in da bush ain't got no name!" (CB Mark Hayling : DT ??)

Let me get back to these two soldiers gentle reader.

"So, guys, are you trying to get me to believe that the dark side of the moon is all lit up but that when something comes around that could see that it is all lit up that it goes dark until the potential observer leaves the line of sight?"

"Yup, that's about it zotz. What happened to you there? Brain freeze up? I mean, you were just standing there like a stone carving. Weird, man."

"So, tell me this Bing, why did they let you see? Why didn't they go dark when you two got around to that side? Huh?"

"Hmmm. Ahhhh. Boom? You have any ideas? Why did they not go dark when we showed up?"

(8:45 pm Nov 23, 2006)

"Well, gee, I don't know Bing, maybe that carpet has cloaking abilities as well as being able to fly? Maybe we were flying low?"

"Boom, my zipper wasn't down, was yours?"

"Don't be such a fool Bing! This might be serious."

Friends, now I done told you about some people! Yes friends, some people want your things. And friends, I know you done called the doctor. I know you done told him to rise up. Tonight friends, I want to talk to you about candles.

(8:57 pm Nov 23, 2006)

Now you may be walking down the road of life. Walking I say. You may be walking along, minding your business. Your own business.

Walking along I say. With your candle lit, trying to find your way on the road of life in the darkness.

Now friend, if you see someone walking down the road with you and their candle isn't lit, just reach out your candle. Touch your flame to their wick. You light their candle for them.

Now friend, don't go asking them to pay you for a light. Just you light their candle.

It is not gonna cost you anything to light up their candle for them. Light it.

Friends, when you light up some more candles and they light up some candles, you can all see better on your journey down the road of life.

Yes friend, you get the benefit of his light, and he gets the benefit of your light.

Now friend, it gets even better. Suppose you were walking down that old road of life alone, just you and your one little candle, Or maybe you were walking down that old road and there were ten people walking with you, but all of their candles were out. Now suppose while you were walking down that old road with that one candle lit up that some gust of wind, some teeny tine little gust of wind was to come along and blow out your candle.

You would be in the dark on that road of life.

But friends. If you had lit up someone else's candle, when your went out, one of them could light you right back up.

(9:14 pm Nov 23, 2006)

So lite up that candle friend. Light up the candle of everyone you see. Light it up I say. But watch out! For some people! Call that doctor! Wake him up! Light that doctor's candle!

(9:19 pm Nov 23, 2006)

Goodnight gentle reader... Sleep calls. Sweet sleep and sweet dreams. What are those sweet dreams made of?