Friday, June 11, 2021

Baby Shark Do Do Do

 I have said more than once that I wanted to be able to write anywhere, under any circumstances.  This is really a test.  I am on my laptop as my 4-year-old is watching Baby Shark Goes to Space on the TV.  After a year of not seeing him much and when I did it was at a distance, everything has changed.  He's changed. He was a chubby cheeked toddler, now he's a little boy.  Then it was more about keeping him out of trouble, now it's all about listening to him and talking to him.  It is so nice to get to know him.  And to share all my toys with him.  Even he said  have a lot of toys.  HIs favorite is something I used in a Molly book-- what we call the pinchy winchy.  It a long plastic thing with a claw on the end that opens and closes.  Molly used it to deal with something yucky.  Jakey uses it to grab everything. 

I have begun the rewrite of BUT KNOT FOR ME and was horrified to realize that the beginning was awful.  But I came up with a new start that I'm happy with.  I have to make changes in what the characters say and do at the beginning as I got to know them as I wrote the draft.   

A lot of the story has to do with another retreat going on as Casey puts on hers.  It is led by  a charismatic guru type which led me do a lot of research on those change your life/fix your life type events and the people who lead them.  They are all good talkers and it made me wonder about the line between being someone who connects with people and being a con man.  It also fascinated me how people are willing to pay a lot of money to spend a weekend of being pushed to the edge with little sleep and nourishment.

Self-help is an over a billion dollar business with no oversight.  The research gave me a lot to wonder about.  I read about smart, successful people who paid $10,000 dollars for a weekend that was really abuse with people dying and being injured.  

Baby shark is sill singing in the background and the pinchy winchy has made several swipes at my hair, but I was able to write this.  Am I deluding myself that it makes sense?


5 comments:

Linda D Osborn said...

I have to get a new pinchy-winchy. They do make them for adults who have a short reach. Mine has vanished into the unknown {I do have 13 grandchildren, you never know !} Actually very handy if you have bad knees, too.
So glad Jakey is able to come over again, My youngest is 11, and I really miss playing with the toys around here.
For something to do I am rereading some Janet Evanovich books, Really funny, but pretty graphic at times !!

Betty Hechtman said...

Linda, you have 13 grandchildren, wow! My son asked me what the real name of a pinchy-winchy yesterday. It's claw grabber and yes, they do come in handy. I think he is looking ahead to when the one we have gets broken. I love sharing my toys with Jakey.

Sally Morrison said...

I have 7 grands. They are growing up too fast. I love when they play with my phone and return it with sticky handprints on it. I'm serious. I love it. They are respectful of the rules. I only have two left that don't have their own phones and I know that sooner than later they won't need mine because they will have their own. Sigh. Life moves fast.

Betty Hechtman said...

Sally, what a different world it is. Kids now are so used to have their picture taken with cell phones, they all know how to pose. Life does move fast, particularly with kids. Enjoy sharing your phone with the last two as long as you can. But when they get their own, they can call you or video chat.

Linda O. Johnston said...

How fun that you are able to get together with your grandson again, Betty! I recently saw my grandsons and it was wonderful. So enjoy Baby Shark--and your writing, including revisions! Things sound a bit closer to normal.