Today's Mood: Content. Today's Music: Guided By Voices--Surgical Focus. Today's Writing: Black Dragon Chapter 4. Today's Quote:
"One life is all we have and we live it as we believe in living it. But to sacrifice what you are and to live without belief, that is a fate more terrible than dying." -Joan of Arc
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So what's on your bedside table? I have a suspicion that writers tend to have a lot of books piled here and there, but maybe it is just that I am a librarian. So I am sending a picture of the items on the stand next to my bed (minus the glass of Hard Cherry Cider that is sitting next to me at the moment), and you can see if you beat me.
I have a Thesaurus, the book Cutting by Steven Levenkron (research for Black Dragon), the Intuitive Writer by Gail Sher, a Cherry Republic catalog, The Other Boleyn girl by Pilippa Gregory (I was supposed to read it for book club several months ago and still haven't finished it), Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis, The Couple's Tao Te Ching by William Martin (given to me by my dad), Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus (an attempt to understand my husband--still only 3 chapters in and can't say that I understand him any better : )) the September issue of the Writer, my sketchbook, A View from the Porch Swing by Becky Freeman (given to me by my father. It is "musings on a complicated search for the simple life."), The Courage to Teach by Parker Palmer (given to me by my dad--still not read), The Shack (this month's book club book--I'm 3/4 of the way through it), and my journal for IFFY (in case I get a great idea during the night). The table also includes for AA batteries (the TV remote is still not working), various hairclips and chapstick, my alarm clock--unfortunately necessary), a pen, a copy of Inklings, and a couple of short stories I was revising to send in (which I have sent in so I guess I really should dump those.).
So, do you have me beat? Mind you, that is only what is on TOP of the bedside table. There is a drawer and a bottom shelf, but I don't have time to catalog all that.
I have a Thesaurus, the book Cutting by Steven Levenkron (research for Black Dragon), the Intuitive Writer by Gail Sher, a Cherry Republic catalog, The Other Boleyn girl by Pilippa Gregory (I was supposed to read it for book club several months ago and still haven't finished it), Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis, The Couple's Tao Te Ching by William Martin (given to me by my dad), Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus (an attempt to understand my husband--still only 3 chapters in and can't say that I understand him any better : )) the September issue of the Writer, my sketchbook, A View from the Porch Swing by Becky Freeman (given to me by my father. It is "musings on a complicated search for the simple life."), The Courage to Teach by Parker Palmer (given to me by my dad--still not read), The Shack (this month's book club book--I'm 3/4 of the way through it), and my journal for IFFY (in case I get a great idea during the night). The table also includes for AA batteries (the TV remote is still not working), various hairclips and chapstick, my alarm clock--unfortunately necessary), a pen, a copy of Inklings, and a couple of short stories I was revising to send in (which I have sent in so I guess I really should dump those.).
So, do you have me beat? Mind you, that is only what is on TOP of the bedside table. There is a drawer and a bottom shelf, but I don't have time to catalog all that.
13 comments:
The only things I have beside our bed are a stack of books about quail and quail management, and a few Gene Hill books for inspiration. I don't read in bed much--can't stay awake.
See? That's still a pile of books and magazines, so maybe it is a writer thing!
How's the writing been? It's been quiet on the blog--of course, I've been busy so I haven't posted much either.
We had to put down our cat last Tuesday. Trauma for my children, especially the 6 year old.
Sarah,
Here it is:
The Brain That Changes Itself - Norman Doidge
John Adams - David McCullough
A Brief History of Everything - Ken Wilber
Writing Your Life - Lou Willett Stanek
Twin Sons of Different Mirrors - Jack Driscoll/Bill Meissner
Lucky Man, Lucky Woman - Jack Driscoll
The Authors Guide to Building an Online Platform - Stephanie Chandler
Power Vs. Force - David Hawkins
Take A Walk On The Dark Side - R.Gary Patterson
Blues People - LeRoi Jones
Alcohol and the Writer - Donald Goodwin
Roget's Thesaurus
X-Men comic books
Sports Illustrated
Entertainment Magazine
Downbeat
There is even more, I'm embarrassed to say. I'm amazed I can hit my snooze button on the table.
So - no - I can't beat you. But it's a mess. Does that count?
Mike
Mike,
I don't know, sounds like maybe you do have me beat. Although I just might have to get myself a copy of The Brain That Changes Itself, Twin Sons of Different Mirrors, The Authors Guide to Building an Online Platform, Take a Walk on the Dark Side, and
Power Vs. Force. They sound interesting.
I was glad to see the X-men comics. I had a vol. of Mars (a Sho-Jo Manga graphic novel) on the table for a long time. Moved it to the bookshelf just a few weeks ago.
So all and all, I guess it's a writer thing. Not a librarian thing. : )
Sarah--
There's not really much on the bedside table. The Meg/Julian notebook, the crap story notebook, a water glass, an alarm clock with two alarms set, and a couple stubs from bills I paid late at night.
That's the definite advantage to living alone. The real mess is all around the love seat where I seem to nest when I get home from work. We've got Entertainment Weekly; the Writer; a couple old TV Guides; a brand new pack of my favorite wooden pencils (Mirado Black Warrior; even the name is cool), an assortment of pens and pencils resting in a cup that got ruined in the dishwaster; The Astonishing Adventures of Fanboy and Goth Girl by Barry Lyga; The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien; another crap story notebook; a couple journals; a few copies of bits of manuscript. I could go on, but I think you get the idea. A little more room, a little more junk. If I would have seen this just a couple days ago, I could have added a whole stack of books I finally decided to put back on the shelf.
After spending a few days obsessing about applying for a new position, updating my monstrous government style resume and finally submitting it, I'm back to writing the novel again. I'm not where I'd like to be, but back on track is better than wandering around in buffalo country (whatever that means :-) ). So I'd better get back to plugging away. It's nice to see I'm not the only one who can barely see the clock.
Word Count: Who knows? I've even lost track of the order of my sections again. Argh!
Listening to: AFI "Sing the Sorrow" (good Julian angst music)
Well, if we get to reply off the question, on the floor by my corner of the couch are a couple of books on weed and shrub seeds that quail eat, a wildflower id book, a wildflower propogation book, a bird id book, an L. L. Bean catalog, a couple of Ferguson tractor manuals, a couple of OWAA magazines, probably a forgotten glass or bowl, and the leash I've been looking for under the couch, and probably a dog or two. I spend most of my reading time on the couch rather than in bed.
You guys are awesome! It is interesting to hear and see people's stuff. I guess I'm a snooper (no, Mark, it has nothing to do with the U.P.!). Stuff tells a lot about people--their interests and passion. Just looking what is on someone's reading shelf--or music rack--can give you a hint of the person inside. Come to think of it, I should use this in my writing to help develop character!
Robyn, so glad to hear from you! Are you going to be up at Glen?
And Larry, I'm glad to hear that you are as messy as the rest of us.
Sarah--
It was an interesting question to pose and if that makes me a snooper too, so be it.
Sorry, Larry. I guess I'm getting to be quite the rule breaker. The folks in my Tuesday writers group harrass me all the time because I don't like to use Times New Roman.
Yep, I'll be at the Lake. I'm defintely looking forward to it. It'll come on the heels of a couple pretty busy weeks and I can't wait to just write again. No work; no drama...or just the drama I create :-)
OK. I'm coming in late, but I'm joining the blab here. I'm in the sunroom, Tom's in bed in the bedroom so I can't turn the light on, but i grabbed a laundry basket and filled it with the books from my night stand! Now I'm back int he sunroom.
Zarathustra In Love -- Gerry Lafemina
Shadowmarch - Tad Williams
The imitation of Christ - Thomas a Kempis
The 22 non negotiable laws of wellness - greg anderson
The scarlet letter - hawthorne
Shadowplay - Tad Williams
Classic Haiku - Tom Lowenstein
The Holy Bible - God (am i the only one with a bedside Bible, here????)
Native Son- Richard Wright
Ikea catalog 2008
Home magazine - Nov 2007
Long Walks in the Afternoon -- Margaret Gibson (bought used in Maine)
Bar Harbor Map and Guide
Leaves of Grass - Whitman (didn't know I owned this!)
2008 Workbook for Lectors and Gospel Readers
(have I won this contest for eclectic reading???)
Bar Harbor National Park Magazine
Why did Christ Have to Die?
Handbook for Cantors
Bone in the Throat --Anthony Bourdain (bought at Glen Lake used book sale)
and, finally, a notebook from Carol Finke filled with info about putting together next summer's Glen Lake conference!
Egad!
Hey, the Tad Williams stuff is awesome. Fantasy. Really good stuff.
Cheers!
Deborah
Hey Robyn,
I think the wandering around in buffalo country saying has something to do with hitting on an unexpected, and proverbially unpleasant, "cow"pie.
But then, maybe we'd better ask Larry. He's the one wandering around in the fields with his nose buried in a book on quail...
Deborah
DJW-
Eclectic reading is good! The best kind of reading in my opinion.(That is said both as a librarian and a writer). Some of the titles sound interesting--Shadowplay being one of them. I'm all about good fantasy. I'd also pick up the Whitman one to look at if I was there.
Cottage 16 is so going to miss you! I'll try to get a blog post out while I'm up there. You could be like my 6 yr. old and make me take a picture of everything. : )
djw;
I don't run into many "cow pies" any more. When we were kids, we used to have fights by throwing rocks into a fresh cow flop or using a club to try to send some flying. Must have become a re-emergent longing in my later years. Finding a tight, little circle of quail droppings (because they roost in a circle with all the birds facing out, much like musk ox)or discovering woodcock whitewash splashings fills me with excitement 'cause I know they're in the area. Mmmm...I wonder if musk ox leave a circle of musk-ox pies?
Wish I could be at Glen. Everyone have fun--and Sarah posty a picture or two of everyone working hard.
Will do!
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