We went to see Cirque du Soleil (Which means 'Circus of the Sun' in English)on Friday. Great show. We loved the acrobats and the music. The theme of the show was ‘Allegria’. The only thing we didn’t like was the fact that there was too much time spent with the clowns. Maybe I’ve lost my sense of humor, I thought they were silly, but I guess kids loved it. Kids always love clowns. Oh to be a kid again with that sense of wonder and when everything is funny! I remember when I was young I loved the movies with Jerry Lewis. I thought he was the funniest guy around. When I took the kids to see a movie with Jerry Lewis years later I thought it was a stupid movie. I didn’t find it funny. Actually neither did my kids. Maybe that type of humor was great for the fifties and sixties and people’s sense of humor has changed. Just look at the music these days. I never listen to the radio anymore except for news and possible a talk show. The music is loud and horrible to me. I cannot understand what the singers are singing. If they don’t scream they mumble the words. I’ve seen the singers on TV when they try to swallow their microphones. Okay, I have a bit of trouble hearing. One of the perks of getting older and, in my case, years of working in a noisy environment. But then have somebody explain to me why I have no problem understanding every single word when I listen to Jim Reeves, Marty Robbins, Anne Murray, Barbara Mandrell, Elvis Presley, Dean Martin, Rita McNeil, Bonnie Guitar, Merle Haggard, Kenny Rogers, Freddy Fender, Willie Nelson, The Carpenters, just to name a few. (I guess I just gave away what kind of music I like.) Besides, those artists had great and distinct voices. You always knew who was singing just by their voice. The artists these days? They all sing (scream…mumble) the same type of music and none of them can actually sing. Their voices are flat or rough. None of them have beautiful singing voices like Bing Crosby for instance. I know that is my opinion, but when I see guys on stage swinging their guitars, jumping around like chickens and screaming on top of their lungs, come on…that can’t be great, even though a million teenagers will disagree with me. By the way, I never really cared much for the Beatles, but I have to admit they did write some great songs like ‘Yesterday’. At least the Beatles were dressed nice in suits and they looked clean, which can’t be said for many of today’s performers. Can’t they afford at least a clean pair of jeans without any holes in them? Okay, I’m old-fashioned…a dinosaur. I still hold the door open for a woman and I shake hands when I meet someone and say “Pleased to meet you.” I don’t say ‘Hey’ and spread my fingers because I’m too lazy to lift my hand. I dress up when I go visiting; even shopping (not a suit, just nice clean pants and a clean shirt, clean shoes) and I don’t wear pants that hang so low that the crotch is between my knees and the crack of my ass shows. I don’t have a ponytail and I don’t wear any earrings either. I leave that up to the women. There is nothing more ridiculous than a fat, old guy, half-bald, with a gray ponytail and an earring. Same goes for a skinny guy. I have news for that person: I doesn’t make you look any younger or more handsome.
Anyway, it is a hot day, 28 C right now. It is 4 pm as I write this. I spent the morning in the garden watering and picking some beans and lettuce. The grass needs cutting but it is too hot. Maybe tomorrow. Of course tomorrow it is supposed to go up to 31 degrees.
I just checked the temperature in Las Vegas. 40 C. I’m glad I am here in Winnipeg, 28 degrees seems cold (Who am I kidding? I’m sitting here in my sunroom sweating.)
When I have time I keep on writing. My current project is another volume in the Xandra series. Actually it will be two books. Book Four and Five. There are just too many ideas in my head for only one book. But that is okay. That’s how it usually goes. I start with just a vague idea but as I keep writing more ideas pop into my head and suddenly there is so much that I can’t stop at around 60,000 or 70,000, sometimes not even at 90,000 words, which are already too many words for an ebook.
Book Four of ‘The Xandra’ tells the story of Rob Cameron, a character who was mentioned briefly in Book One (Daughter of the Dark). He didn’t have an important part in that story, but he is the main character in Book Four. The events are told from his viewpoint. So far I’ve written 41,000 words.
Book Five will take place on the fifth planet of the star system in which The Xandra-World exists. I’ve already written 18,000 words but I got sidetracked when I began to tell Rob Cameron’s tale.
I’m already wondering if there won’t be too much material for only two books. Now that I’ve introduced Rob Cameron and a few other characters there might be enough for three books.
When I started writing about the fifth planet I wanted to tell the story of the original research team and I was limited by the number of researchers on that planet. In Book One I wrote that 10 researchers under a Professor Tennenboum were stationed on Planet Five; five men and five women. I introduced more characters to make it more interesting. I couldn’t very well add more researchers because their number was fixed through Book One, but I created a construction crew and suddenly I had more material to write about.
The space station sent down another team. The story of that team was told in Book One, and I’m not sure yet if they will appear in Book Five. It depends on where the story leads me.
The story of the second team also set the grounds for further books. I mentioned the climate, animals, native inhabitants, and other conditions that exist on the fifth planet. In addition to that, I wrote a short story ‘For the Love of Arilee’, which appeared in the digest ‘Sweet Challenge’. That story took place 300 years in the future of events in Book One. That also set some rules and conditions I must adhere to when writing any future books. Sure, I don’t have to create a world from scratch, but sometimes it is easier to write something totally new than putting a story into an already existing world.
In Rob Cameron’s story I have to make sure I follow the timetable in Book One.
Even Book Two (Mother of Light) and Book Three (Goddess of Life) influence what I am going to write in Book Four and Five (possibly even Six). But I’m having fun and it provides me with a certain challenge. Keeps my brain from going senile and stale.
Well…back to the novel.
I can't believe this is already July 25. I haven't posted anything for over a month. Where is the time going? Somebody please tell me. I wish I could slow down time.
