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disbelief11I've had a bunch of thoughts running around in my brain for things I'd like to post in my LJ. Plus there's a serious entry I've got in mind. But since it's late already and my brain is not in the place to do the serious one, I have these two things to say to book writers and publishers:
Oh, and one thing to say to bartenders/bar owners: I suppose you have the right to take a classic drink and "update" it to put your own personal spin on it. But dammit, if you do, name it something else. Because when I order a classic drink, I want the classic ingredients, not something that you think is a clever new interpretation of the ingredients. There are plenty of alcoholic beverages and mixers out there that I don't care for, and if you fuck up the drink I ordered with one of those, I am going to be plenty pissed at you.
Oh, I thought my ranting work was done here, but I just thought of one more thing: "disorientate." Sure, some dictionaries say that disorientate is a standard synonym for disorient. However, this is one of my pet peeves. It may not be yours, but I think "disorientate" is just plain silly. It sounds as though someone is trying to sound important by adding extra syllables to words. What the hell is wrong with "disorient?" Is using a word that partially sounds like "the Orient" too non-PC, even though it has nothing to do with any Asian countries?
Yeah, OK, I guess I should go get some sleep. Obviously I'm feeling pretty cranky right now.
- Please, please, please don't use the teeny-tiniest little font for the page numbers. I've been reading some of McSweeney's Mammoth Treasury of Thrilling Tales before bed each night and in my sleepy stupor I've been finding it hard to SEE what damn page I should start at next time. Even with my glasses, I'm squinting at the little tiny numbers. Sure, I could use a bookmark. Only problem with that is that my kitties like to use the books and such on my nightstand as "noise bombs" for waking me up when they're hungry - and then when the bookmark falls out I have no idea what page I'm on.
Please, typesetters, think of us poor half-blind and sleepy readers. - Writers - I've been noticing something lately that has disturbed me. It's a disappointment to me when you spend 95% of the book on exposition and building to the climax, then allot a mere 3.5% to the climax itself and 1.5% of the book to the denouement. Why? Because I've been reading along, enjoying your work and all of a sudden there's only a few pages left and everything's being wrapped up so quickly that it's disorienting. This happened to me most recently while reading Ursula K. LeGuin's latest Earthsea novel, The Other Wind. I floated along on her beautiful characterizations and descriptions, only to find the climactic portion to be not more than a few pages long...and I felt cheated. Writers, I don't know if the editors are forcing you to edit your work tremendously, if you were in a hurry, if this is a stylistic choice, or if you just couldn't think of an appropriately good ending. Whatever the reason, it's unfortunate.
Oh, and one thing to say to bartenders/bar owners: I suppose you have the right to take a classic drink and "update" it to put your own personal spin on it. But dammit, if you do, name it something else. Because when I order a classic drink, I want the classic ingredients, not something that you think is a clever new interpretation of the ingredients. There are plenty of alcoholic beverages and mixers out there that I don't care for, and if you fuck up the drink I ordered with one of those, I am going to be plenty pissed at you.
Oh, I thought my ranting work was done here, but I just thought of one more thing: "disorientate." Sure, some dictionaries say that disorientate is a standard synonym for disorient. However, this is one of my pet peeves. It may not be yours, but I think "disorientate" is just plain silly. It sounds as though someone is trying to sound important by adding extra syllables to words. What the hell is wrong with "disorient?" Is using a word that partially sounds like "the Orient" too non-PC, even though it has nothing to do with any Asian countries?
Yeah, OK, I guess I should go get some sleep. Obviously I'm feeling pretty cranky right now.
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Date: 2003-06-24 11:22 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-06-25 06:44 am (UTC)How've you been?
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Date: 2003-06-25 01:29 am (UTC)*cautious petting*
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Date: 2003-06-25 06:45 am (UTC)Bwahaha, I can't even type that with a straight face. The petting feels good nonetheless.
*purrs and rubs up against Ana*
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Date: 2003-06-25 06:33 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-06-25 06:47 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-06-25 09:15 am (UTC)But I love Michael Chabon, and Dave Eggers, and Neil Gaiman, not to mention Michael Crichton, Stephen King, and most of the other authors, all people who I tremendously respect -- so I read it anyway.
As for the crankiness, allow me, if you will, to put on this silly hat and do a dance for you...
*dances*
*big finish*
Ta DA!!!
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Date: 2003-06-25 11:17 am (UTC)You're right, some of the stories are a bit dull. And did you notice how damn small the page numbers are? Did you? Did you? Huh? Huh? Small!
Re:
Date: 2003-06-25 01:07 pm (UTC)Hee, actually I did notice...one day I was reading outside in the sun, so I was squinting to begin with. Then Rudy started begging to come outside, so I had to notice what page I was on. I damn near went blind! Damn you, McSweeney's! Dan you (even though i ::heart:: you!) to hell!!!
How's that?
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Date: 2003-06-25 08:36 pm (UTC)Man oh man...the drink thing is so true. So...what drink was it?