Saturday, November 3, 2012

All Hail November


Eeeeek!!!! I am missing it! We are smack dab in the middle of Sherlock Holmes Weekend! Who knew, eh? According to Brownielock's handy site, Sherlock Holmes Weekend this year, runs from November 2nd to November 4th. I find this very exciting. I must take time out of my busy life life and read a Sherlock Holmes mystery. Or watch Basil Rathbone portray the famous detective. Or maybe even watch the second season of Sherlock. Oh, the possibilities!


November is also National Novel Writing Month, and I am writing a novel. Well, I am sort of writing a novel. I started bravely, and for one day, all was good. Then I had a devastating attack of writers' block, and ended up tossing out all of the work from the first day, and starting over from scratch. So now I am behind and having to write madly to get myself back on track for finishing by the end of November. At present, by handy word counter is informing me that I shall not finish until January. This is alarming. I need to get a move on.

However, before I go, Bella tagged me a post or two ago, and I have not had a chance to respond to her properly. Since I do not know when I am going to be able to write a decent post again, I am going to take care of the tag right now. Here we go:

Eleven Random Facts:

1.) According to the Urban Dictionary, the word twee has three meanings:
       1.) Something sweet, almost to the point of being sickeningly so.
      2.) To be obnoxiously sweet or quaint.
     3.) The sound a sparrow makes the moment it dies.
The first two definitions are obviously connected, but I have no idea where the last one came from. I now want desperately to write a sparrow's death scene into a story, so that I have a chance of using that word.
2.) I am wildly fond of Mumford and Sons' new CD.
3.) I am also wildly fond of piobaireachd.
4.) I can pronounce the word piobaireachd.
5.) I can sing the Cinderelly song the mice sing in Disney's Cinderella... and sound just like the mice do.
6.) Water does not boil at 212 degrees Fahrenheit if you live it 6000 feet. It boils at 201 degrees. So there.
7.) The United States Marine Corps has its own official tartan and pipe band.
8.) There was a piper at the battle of the Alamo.
9.) In the first draft of the Fellowship of the Ring, Strider was not a Ranger. He was a hobbit named Trotters.
10.) There is no good response when a homeless man informs you that he is going down to the lake to get a free manicure.
11.) I really must get back to my novel.

And Now For Bella's Questions:

1.) Do you like musicals?
I like Gilbert and Sullivan.

2.)What is your favourite musical?
The Pirates of Penzance.

3.) If you could step into a book for a single day, which one would it be?
It is a toss up. The Lord of the Rings is the one that comes to mind first. However, I would dearly love to be on the run with Alan Breck Stewart, so Kidnapped is giving that a run for its money.

4.)Do you know what a "Silver Tongue" is?
Here's one:

5.) How does this quote end? "There is evil there...."


6.)Do you like having your picture taken?
No. Nor do I like taking pictures.

7.) Do you like cold or warm weather better.
 Cold weather. Bring on the cardigans and kilted skirts!

8.)What is your favourite colour?
 Grey

9.) Do you know how a war can be passed down for generations but only last 7 days?
 Um... does this have anything to do with the Campbells and the MacDonalds?

10.)Who are three of your favourite authors?
G. K. Chesterton, Patricia McKillip, Robert Louis Stevenson, but not in that order.

11.) Do you know what a jean jumper is?
I do my best not to.

10 comments:

Emily said...

Hmmmm...a sparrow's death scene...interesting.
By the way - you seem to have an unfortunate addiction to Scotland. I thought perhaps you were just overly patriotic but after perusing your profile I see that you live in the Sierra Mountains. I don't know where that is, but I'm pretty sure it's in America. So let me tell you now my friend: Scotland is not that great a place. I know. I live here. ~sad sigh~

Mahri said...

Hmm. This blog *has* been rather Scot-centric lately, hasn't it? A year ago it was very WWII. Oh well. I do have a very good friend who lives in Scotland, and we've visited back and forth for years. I can't say Scotland is exactly a home away from home, but I do think of it as a comfortable place with good memories.

Actually, it is more of a history and trivia thing, the stuff that gets on the blog. I am very interested in history, and languages, and folklore, and music, and Scotland has something about it that falls nicely into all of those interests. Shrugs. Come Christmas, things will probably take a bit of an Italian turn :-)

Anonymous said...

omgosh! It's Sherlock Holmes Weekend?? I must do something to celebrate... maybe wear a shock blanket. or watch all the episodes in S. 2 *Squeak* I should dress up as Watson.

Oh boy! Write Mahri, Write! I wish you all the luck in the world and the TARDIS combined. What are you writing?

Thanks for answering my tag. you made me laugh. really. "Do you know what a jean jumper is?" "I try not to." HEHEHE

What about Tolkien?! Why isn't he up there with your favorite authors?
Ok I admit it. Meeting Alan Breck would be cool. But meeting Davie would NOT be. at All. *Shudders*

I thought of LOTR too. HOBBITON! Strider! *Grins hugely* or... Howl's Moving Castle. 'Cause I love Howl :)

Do you want to know how a war can be passed down for generations but only last 7 days? I could tell you.

God Bless
Bella

Mahri said...

Ah yes. Tolkien. He is my very favourite author, or course. But I have said so any number of times on this blog, and had already mentioned him twice in this post. So I figured I'd mention some other authors for a change.

I'm guessing the generations long 7 day war is a Dr. Who reference? Yes, I'd like to know the answer.

And now... I go, and write, write, write!

Katrina said...

It would not surprise me if it were a Dr. Who reference. They all seem to be wildly addicted with Dr. Who. ONCE I actually watch them, I may be so peculiar. Until that day, all I can do is raise an eyebrow thus: ?

(Brownie points if anyone can name that reference!!

And by the way, I hate proving to blogger I'm not a robot. If I must do such a silly thing, can't they PLEASE make the words legible? I mean, really! It took me three... make that four tries to post this. I was about ready to give up.

Jack said...

Jean Jumpers, I believe those went along with homeschooling. (I was an odd homeschooler and never owned one, but I've been told of this fact.)

I hope NaNo smooths out for you!

Jack said...

That picture is a very fitting description of editing. I've been there myself.

What is your word count up to? That is nice your characters are doing as you wish them too. Characters helping out is always very nice. It makes things go smoother.

I missed the cowboy stage in homeschooling, though I did go through the pioneer one. I even made a bonnet, which I still own. And I wore dresses fitting the time period. That one vanished a bit swiftly though, when I learned of the middle ages. From there, I found the worlds of Lewis and Tolkien, and kind of like you, spent a lot of time in the Mines of Moria.

Molly said...

I got up early (for me) and am grouching about. Your answer to 11. made the day suddenly take on an entirely different, and much more pleasant, tinge. And yeah, what Cat said about proving one is not a robot. It shakes my faith in my own humanity whenever I fail that test.

Treskie said...

Hahaha. Fun post, Mahri

Jack said...

To add to your Sherlock mention. I am HOPING to finally watch him die tonight, which sounds so heartless. "Sherlock! Can I watch you die?"

I don't talk to people either. It takes too much work and I usually end up saying something stupid. While at the same time insulting. Even in the internet world it seems ones shiness or awkwardness shines through. Maybe we shall never be able to run from it.

Some Air Pirates fry, mine do not. Mine are horrible cooks. Mine just fly, at least now they do.